Encyclopedia Hiigara
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"Fast moving strikecraft. Strong against ranged units." — In game description

Light Attack Vehicle
LAV
Vehicle Information
Classification
Basic Vehicle
Purpose
Ground Strikecraft
Vehicle Type
Light Attack Vehicle
Cost
100 CUs
Technical Information
Length
12 meters
Speed
110 km/h
Armaments
2x Autocannons
Damage
15
Rate of Fire
MED
Hull
500
Armor
0
Build Time
8s
Fleet Supply
2
Usage
Eras
Affiliation
Note: These are stats are from multiplayer.
Campaign units have different stats.


The MNLAV-21 Pathfinder-class Light Attack Vehicle is a light weight, high speed desert vehicle designed by Kiith Manaan and used by the Coalition of the Northern Kiithid during Operation Khadiim. They are effective against ranged vehicles, particularly railguns owing to their high speed and maneuverability, being highly responsive and pursuing elusive enemy threats that attempt to outmaneuver heavier and slower formations.

Lore[]

"LAV type were some of the first motorized war machines to see service on the sands of Kharak. The ability to move fast, hit hard and retreat even faster was vital to mechanized warfare and no Kiith understood those qualities better than the Manaan. Their LAV design won the coalition light vehicle competition when five Pathfinders entered the test area at full speed, then kicked in their overspeed boosters and struck the Naabal candidate vehicles with enough simulated concentrated firepower to rate them destroyed before the announcer had finished announcing the opposing forces." — Expedition Guide

Campaign[]

Pathfinder LAV

LAVs are the first combat units available, unlocked in the first mission at Epsilon base. As implied by their name, they are lightly armed and armored vehicles with very high speed. After the Kapisi arrives at the Boneyard for a sensor refit, several LAVs are rescued from Epsilon base or nearby bases, fleeing from Gaalsien pursuers, which are then merged into the expedition fleet.

LAVs are effective against lightly armored Gaalsien hovercrafts such as Sandskimmers, heavy railguns and assault railguns. LAVs outrange Gaalsien skimmers and are slightly more durable, but lack self repair and must retreat to a support cruiser or the Kapisi for maintenance.

LAVs are excellent distractions, forcing engagements against almost all other units due to their superior speed and allowing slower forces to catch up. Once engaged, individual damaged LAVs can be quickly pulled back to be repaired with their speed boost ability. Even if they are destroyed, this it not too big of an issue: given their low resource cost, they are easily replaced.

They later receive abilities such as speed boost, and increased rates of fire. They are easily destroyed when fighting against Gaalsien assault ships, Honorguard cruisers and siege cruisers. In the final missions of Operation Jaraci, they are largely supplanted by heavier vehicles.

LAVs lack the armor and weapons upgrades that are available in the multiplayer variant.

Abilities[]

Name Effect Cooldown Cost
Boost +60% Speed for 10 seconds 60s None
Burst Modulation +20% Rate of Fire for 10 seconds 60s None

Veterancy[]

LAVs that survive engagements benefit from much higher survivability as they rank up in veterancy. Those that make it to the highest rank, captain, gain a dramatic increase in damage, allowing groups of them to dart in and out of enemy groups and dealing unusually heavy blows before retreating.

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

Research[]

Name CU Cost RU Cost Time Effect
LAV Fabrication 200 CUs 0 RUs 5s Enables LAV production
LAV - Engine Upgrade 500 CUs 0 RUs 15s Increase LAV speed by 25%
LAV - Boost Recharge 700 CUs 0 RUs 20s Reduce recharge time by 50%
LAV - Burst Modulation 500 CUs 75 RUs 25s Enables burst modulation ability to LAV
LAV - Ability Recharge 850 CUs 50 RUs 30s Reduce recharge time for burst modulation by 50%

Multiplayer[]

LAVs are highly mobile and effective vehicles in multiplayer such as raiding resource nodes, pursuing enemy sandskimmers and destroying enemy railguns. In general, LAVs in large numbers are capable of destroying any enemy crafts that can chase it and escape from any threats that it cannot overcome, such as escaping from armored assault vehicles or battlecruisers. Despite being a basic vehicle, they can prove to be a persistent threat at any stage of the match primarily because of their speed, threatening to outspeed and outflank slower formations of vehicles. Large groups of LAVs pose a large threat to convoys of railguns, which if are unprotected, can be destroyed exceedingly quickly, especially if they lack armor upgrades.

Compared to sandskimmers, LAVs have slightly more range and a faster build time with identical armor protection and damage output. Researching the armor and weapon upgrades provides a substantial advantage in LAV vs sandskimmer battles.

Due to their low damage, LAVs are harmless against armored vehicles. Against heavily armored vehicles such as battlecruisers, the damage they inflict is negligible, even with upgrades and in very large numbers.

When attacking, LAVs have tendency to group up, which renders them particularly vulnerable to attacks that inflict damage to all units in an area. Large groups of LAVs can be destroyed rapidly by tactical bombers, gunships, assault ships and other vehicles that have weapons that deal damage in an area.

LAVs can attack enemy air units. In large numbers, they can even quickly destroy gunships, which are commonly sortied to eliminate them. Splitting LAVs up when a gunship is attacking is always recommended. While attacking air units, line of sight is needed, which can be broken when air units fly behind cover.

Strong against:[]

Coalition/Soban:

Gaalsien/Khaaneph:

Weak against:[]

Coalition/Soban:

Gaalsien/Khaaneph:

Abilities[]

Name Effect Cooldown Cost
Boost +60% Speed for 10 seconds 30s 0

Veterancy[]

Rank Effect XP Required
Officer +20% Sensors 200
Lieutenant +1 Armor 400
Lt. Commander +1 Rate of Fire 750
Commander +100 Hull 1400
Captain +10% Damage 1900

Research[]

Name CU Cost RU Cost Time Effect Prerequisites
Light Attack Vehicle Fabrication 300 CUs 0 RUs 35s Enables LAV Production None
LAV Armor Level 1 200 CUs 75 RUs 15s +2 Armor Light Attack Vehicle Fabrication
LAV Armor Level 2 200 CUs 150 RUs 20s +2 Armor LAV Armor Level 1
LAV Assault Pack 200 CUs 125 RUs 50s Enables Speed Boost Light Attack Vehicle Fabrication
LAV Vehicle Damage Level 1 500 CUs 75 RUs 30s +2 Damage LAV Assault Pack
LAV Vehicle Damage Level 2 500 CUs 150 RUs 60s +2 Damage LAV Vehicle Damage Level 1

LAVs in multiplayer have more armor and damage upgrades. Upgrades that reduce speed boost cooldown or enable burst module that increases LAV rate of fire is not available.

Trivia[]

  • Light attack vehicles are crewed by Kiith Sagald in teams of three, a Kiith clan most notably to have discovered the stone relic depicting Hiigara within the Khar-Toba wreck.
  • The Kapisi engineering team later incorporates Gaalsien power systems into the LAV to reduce its burst modulation recharge time.
  • Light attack vehicles are one of the very few vehicles to feature wheels instead of tracks.
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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