- "Missile equipped anti-air vehicle. Strong against air targets." — In game description
The SA3-19 Catalyst-class Soban Missile Battery Vehicle is a mobile anti-air desert vehicle designed by Kiith Soban and used by the Coalition of the Northern Kiithid during Operation Khadiim. They are effective against aircraft and groups of sandskimmers.
Lore[]
- "The Soban-built MBV is designed to work in close conjunction with their AAV design, which entered coalition service just two years before the MBV was approved for use by coalition forces. the tracked heavy anti-air missile battery is designed to provide extensive protection against enemy air assets while an onboard automated mortar is also standard equipment, in case the MBV is needed to aid nearby AAVs with light fire support." — Expedition Guide
Campaign[]
Missile battery vehicles are mobile and potent air defence platforms, with significant range providing a large protective sphere against Gaalsien air units. Two to four missile battery vehicles can instantly destroy precision bombers or interceptors flying overhead. The research description remarks that the missile battery is strong against ground units, but there are other heavy vehicles that are better suited for ground engagements compared to it, at least with less micromanagement.
The mortar battery can effectively destroy strikecraft. They have no minimum range, hence short range targeting willl require less lead on incoming Gaalsien strikecraft. Mortars inflict roughly 400 - 500 damage and do not deal any damage to friendly units.
They are perhaps one of the most redundant units who role can be supplanted by the support cruiser which is far more versatile, durable and is equipped with repairs beams.
Abilities[]
Name | Effect | Cooldown | Cost |
---|---|---|---|
Mortar | Fires a mortar shell dealing light damage over a moderate area | 30s | None |
Veterancy[]
Rank | Effect | XP Required |
---|---|---|
Officer | +100 Hull | 2600 |
Lieutenant | +100 Hull | 4500 |
Lt. Commander | +100 Hull | 8000 |
Commander | +200 Hull | 13800 |
Captain | +100% Damage | Unknown |
Research[]
Name | CU Cost | RU Cost | Time | Effect |
---|---|---|---|---|
Missile Battery Fabrication | 350 CUs | 75 RUs | 40s | Enables missile battery production |
Missile Battery - Mortar | 200 CUs | 25 RUs | 15s | Enables missile battery mortar ability |
Missile Battery - Ability Recharge | 750 CUs | 50 RUs | 20s | Reduces mortar reload by 50% |
Missile Battery - Mortar Payload | 550 CUs | 50 RUs | 25s | Increases mortar's area of effect by 25% |
Missile Battery - Damage | 700 CUs | 75 RUs | 30s | Increases AA missile and mortar damage by 25% |
Multiplayer[]
Missile batteries vehicles one of the primary means for coalition forces to deter and destroy airborne targets. Firing two missiles in succession, they can destroy interceptors and strike fighters easily at a long range. Line of sight is not needed to acquire a missile, and the range is moderately longer than its sensor range. Heavier airborne targets roughly five missiles to bring down.
Missile batteries vehicles are one of the slowest ground units, so positioning them to screen against air incursions is necessary. Given they have limited means of engaging ground units, they should be positioned and escorted by AAVs and railguns and not left isolated and vulnerable to guard against incoming air attacks.
Their mortar is particularly effective against sandskimmers and LAVs, but only at close ranges where the mortar shell explode and release its cluster payload more responsively. Mortars have no minimum range, and at least two shells are needed to destroy an LAV or sandskimmer. Given that they deal damage in a moderate area, a pair of missile batteries can destroy a large group of strikecraft with two mortar shells.
While researching missile battery fabrication is inexpensive, construction of them is rather costly. It would take some time and resources to build and deploy them to required locations, given that the vehicle is quite slow. Hence, those who find them under attack from enemy aircraft should try to immediately build missile battery vehicles - before enemy aircraft destroy resource operations and render one unable to afford anti-air. Once several missile battery vehicles have been built, the threat of air incursions is largely deterred.
Strong against:[]
Coalition/Soban:
Gaalsien/Khaaneph:
Weak against:[]
Coalition/Soban:
Gaalsien/Khaaneph:
Abilities[]
Name | Effect | Cooldown | Cost |
---|---|---|---|
Mortar | Fires a mortar shell dealing light damage over a moderate area | 30s | None |
Veterancy[]
Rank | Effect | XP Required |
---|---|---|
Officer | +10% Damage | 740 |
Lieutenant | -15% Reload Time | 1406 |
Lt. Commander | +100 Hull | 2671 |
Commander | +200 Hull | 5076 |
Captain | +2 Armor | 9964 |
Research[]
Name | CU Cost | RU Cost | Time | Effect | Prerequisites |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Missile Battery Fabrication | 200 CUs | 125 RUs | 40s | Enables missile battery production | |
Heavy Vehicles Armor Level 1 | 250 CUs | 100 RUs | 15s | +3 Armor | AAV Fabrication |
Heavy Vehicles Armor Level 2 | 250 CUs | 200 RUs | 20s | +2 Armor and +100 Hull | Heavy Vehicles Armor Level 1 |
Heavy Vehicles Armor Level 3 | 300 CUs | 300 RUs | 30s | +1 Armor and +200 Hull | Heavy Vehicles Armor Level 2 |
Trivia[]
- Missile battery vehicles are operated by five Kiith Soban members.