Encyclopedia Hiigara
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"Rugged utillity vehicle built for deep desert missions." — In game description

Baserunner
Naabal Baserunner
Vehicle Information
Classification
Basic Vehicle
Purpose
Expedition Support
Turret Deployment
Exploration
Artifact Collection
Vehicle Type
Baserunner
Cost
250 CUs
Technical Information
Length
56 meters
Speed
65 km/h
Armaments
1x AA Autocannon
Turret Post
AA Turret Post
Mines
Damage
5
Rate of Fire
MED
Hull
3350
Armor
2
Build Time
16s
Fleet Supply
2
Usage
Eras
Affiliation
Note: These are stats are from multiplayer.
Campaign units have different stats.


The NBR-12 Baserunner is a gargantuan Kiith Naabal designed expedition support vehicle used by the Coalition of the Northern Kiithid. Baserunners are a versatile mobile utility platform with a variety of roles when it comes to accomplishing deep desert exploration, including the deployment of defenses, collecting artifacts, and exploring its surroundings with scanners and launching reconnaissance drones.

Lore[]

The Baserunner expedition support vehicle is a reliable workhorse that are used to deploy sensors, turrets, minefields, and aerial drones. The vehicle are manned by a crew of ten. Most Kiithid also operated specialized variants of the baserunner such as the S'jet Science Baserunner which is used by Rachel S'jet.

"These sturdy, reliable deployment vehicles are the unsung heroes of the coalition military. While all Kiith militaries have their own versions of this vehicle type, the current Naabal design is the coalition standard. So vital are these vehicles that there is no defensive doctrine taught at the Tiir military academies that does not depend on the deployment of baserunners while under fire to deploy turrets and lay minefields when conditions suddenly change. There is an ancient Kharakid phrase that ends every briefing for Baserunner crews; 'A'kadath su Tiiraa', "Victory is work"." — Expedition Guide

Each Kiith military has its own version of the baserunner. The S'jet are no exception. Leveraging their mastery of science, they have built upon the initial Naabal design to create a highly sophisticated science utility vehicle, the NBR-12A science baserunner. Outfitted with an integrated onboard technology suite second only to those found aboard coalition capital ships, this baserunner has the power and ability to conduct full spectrum scans, hard data analysis, sub-surface exploration and rapid 3D projection modelling while out in the field. It has also been outfitted with a modified repair beam, adding to its already significant deployment value.

Campaign[]

Baserunners are large, rugged and versatile vehicles that primarily deploy static defences and scout for hostiles. They can deploy turret posts and AA turret posts on a shared cooldown to defend key areas. The turret post deal a massive amount of explosive damage per hit against Gaalsien hovercrafts, defending ground operations. AA turret posts can be used as static anti-air defence, particularly useful early on in the expedition when anti-air missiles are sparse. Baserunners are also armed with a single autocannon, which is very weak compared to the armaments of other units and is insufficient to fend off all but the weakest threats.

Supplementing turrets, they can also rapidly deploy mines, which are launched through the air. These mines never time out and cannot be defused. Gaalsien ships make no attempt to evade them. Upon detonation, they temporarily disable enemy ships for a very brief moment.

In their scouting role, they deploy scanners with a large sensor range. They can deploy reconnaissance probes to scout unknown areas without endangering themselves. These probes scout an area temporarily before returning to the baserunner. Despite being air units, these probes can be attacked by any enemy units and are shortly destroyed after enemy encounter. They can also retrieve artifacts back to Kapisi. Baserunners single autocannon can attack ground units only, but dealing negligible damage to even sandskimmers.

The nature of their role generally has the travelling around the map alone, which leaves them particularly vulnerable to attacks. Even a handful of sandskimmers can destroy them rather quickly, despite their high hull.

Veterancy[]

Baserunners do not gain any XP when their turrets or mines eliminate enemy units. This, combined with their very weak armaments, make it very difficult for baserunners to gain veterancy. Those baserunners that do rank up become more durable, though becoming harder to kill doesn't really impact the usefulness of baserunners in most situations, as they operate best when deploying turrets and mines to cement a defensive position rather than being thrown into combat.

Rank Effect XP Required
Officer +100 Hull 500
Lieutenant +1 Armor 1000
Lt. Commander +200 Hull 2000
Commander +1 Armor 4000
Captain +150% Damage 8000

Research[]

Name CU Cost RU Cost Time Effect
Baserunner Fabrication 200 CUs 0 RUs 10s Enables baserunner production
Baserunner - Turret Damage 650 CUs 25 RUs 20s Increases all turret damage by 25%
Baserunner - Mine Damage 550 CUs 0 RUs 15s Increases damage and blast radius by 50%
Baserunner - Turret Range 500 CUs 25 RUs 25s Increases sensor and weapon range of all turrets by 25%
Baserunner - Turret Hull 650 CUs 75 RUs 30s Increases hull of all baserunner deployabled emplacements by 25%

Abilities[]

Name Effect Cooldown Cost
Deploy Scanner Deploys a scanner 10s 25 CUs
Deploy Turret Deploys a Turret Post 60s 250 CUs
Deploy Turret AA Deploys an AA Turret Post 60s 300 CUs
Deploy Mine Launches a mine to a nearby location 1s 50 CUs
Launch Probe Launches a probe to the specific location for 30s 0s 50 CUs

Multiplayer[]

Baserunners in multiplayer have access to turret posts and AA turret posts with some minor changes to these turrets. Scanners and mines are not available. They can only use probes for reconnaissance, which can be ordered to fly to different locations and never time out. Only a single probe can be deployed at once. These probes are treated as air units and can only be attacked by weapons that can target air units.

Baserunners can retrieve artifacts but suffer a significant speed penalty when carrying one. They must be escorted to ensure artifacts are delivered. Delivering artifacts provides two additional power to the carrier. A single baserunner is provided at the beginning of any match, and they're commonly used to either retrieve an artifact as soon as possible or build a turret, sometimes nearby enemy resource nodes as opposed to defensively.

Baserunners' autocannon can only attack air units, which deals enough damage to help assist destroying interceptors or strike fighters.

Abilities[]

Name Effect Cooldown Cost
Deploy Turret Deploys a Turret Post 60s 250 CUs
Deploy Turret AA Deploys an AA Turret Post 60s 350 CUs
Collect Artifact Collects an artifact 0s None
Launch Probe Deploys a long range probe 30s 100 CUs

Veterancy[]

Rank Effect XP Required
Officer +10% Speed 150
Lieutenant +1 Armor 285
Lt. Commander +15% Damage 542
Commander +1 Rate of Fire 1029
Captain +300 Hull 1955

Research[]

Name CU Cost RU Cost Time Effect Prerequisites
Baserunner Inventory 100 CUs 40 RUs 20s Removes initial cooldown on baserunner abilities None

Trivia[]

  • Coalition baserunners are crewed by Kiith Nabaal.
  • In initial development of Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak, a promotional video prominently featured the baserunner.
    • It eventually became the game's flagship unit, being featured front and center on the cover and a significant part of the title screen.
  • The baserunner debuted in the first cinematic of classic Homeworld game released in 1999, it is seen approaching the Khar Toba relic. It is later revealed that this was Rachel S'jet's science base runner.
  • At over 50 meters in length, the Baserunners are literal base-on-wheels and shares characteristics more in common with ships than smaller crafts.
  • The Baserunner appears in Homeworld 3, seen in the first mission's cutscene while the Khar-Kushan is being launched, indicating the vehicle, despite the fact that centuries have passed between Deserts of Kharak and the third game, is still being used by the Hiigarans.
Ships of Kharak
Coalition Ships
Basic Vehicles
Salvagers Foreman-class Multi-Utility Support Vehicle (DoK)
Light Attack Vehicles Pathfinder-class Light Attack Vehicle (DoK)
Baserunners Coalition Baserunner (DoK) • Disruptor-class Baserunner (DoK) • Science Team Baserunner (DoK)
Heavy Vehicles
Assault Vehicles Phalanx-class Armored Assault Vehicle (DoK)
Railguns Horizon-class Railgun (DoK) • Vista-class Railgun (DoK)
Air Defense Systems Catalyst-class Missile Battery Vehicle (DoK)
Cruisers
Logistical Support Cruisers Coalition Cargo Cruiser (DoK) • Warden-class Support Cruiser (DoK)
Assault Cruisers Eclipse-Class Artillery Cruiser (DoK) • Zenith-class Armored Capital Ship (DoK) • Vanguard-class Battlecruiser (DoK) • Spearhead-class Battlecruiser (DoK)
Aircrafts
Fighters Hammer-class Strike Fighter (DoK)
Gunships Forge-class Gunship (DoK)
Bombers Anvil-class Tactical Bomber (DoK)
Landers Lander (DoK)
Carriers
Carriers Ifriit-class Heavy Carrier (DoK) • Sakala-class Command Carrier (KapisiSakala) (DoK) • Soban Carrier (DoK)
Deployables
Weapons & Logistics Platforms Sentinel-class Turret Post (DoK) • Defender-class Anti-Air Turret Post (DoK) • Shroud-class Disruption Device (DoK) • Watchman-class Tower Deployable (DoK) • Guardsman-class Tower Deployable (DoK) • Vigil-class Mine (DoK)
Drones Scyer-class Probe (DoK)
Gaalsien Ships
Basic Vehicles
Salvagers Slaa-class Multi-Utility Support Craft (DoK)
Light Attack Vehicles Sam't-class Sandskimmer (DoK)
Baserunners B'tir-class Deep Desert Support Craft (DoK) • Shadow Runner-class Defensive Support Craft (DoK)
Heavy Vehicles
Assault Vehicles Aard'th Saar-class Assault Ship (DoK)
Railguns P'torr-class Ultra Long-Range Platform (DoK) • P'Chirri-class Assault Railgun (DoK)
Air Defense Systems M'Toth-class Missile Ship (DoK)
Cruisers
Logistical Support Cruisers Caaw Duk-class Production Cruiser (DoK) • Edge-class Support Capital Ship (DoK)
Assault Cruisers Gauntlet-class Long Range Capital Ship (DoK) • Skaad'l-class Siege Cruiser (DoK) • Sajuuk Taa-class Honorguard Cruiser (DoK)
Aircrafts
Fighters F'xbat-class Interceptor (DoK)
Bombers Bokiir-class Precision Bomber (DoK)
Carriers
Carriers Corvaal-class Carrier (DoK) • Khaaneph Carrier (DoK)
Flagship Carriers Hand of Sajuuk-class Ultra Heavy Carrier (DoK)
Deployables
Drones Nova-class Explosive Strikecraft (DoK)
Non-Kharaki Ships
Fighters
Weapons Platforms Orbital Ion Cannon Turret (DoK)
Super Capital Ships
Dreadnoughts Kalash (DoK)
Non-Combat Ships
Logistical Support Ships Khar-Toba (HW/HW2/DoK)
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