Special power name: Elite Cadre
Special power type: Reinforcement power
Side: Nod
Base Asset: Tiberian Aftermath
Cost: $2,500
Requires: Secret Shrine
Gameplay
The simplest way to explain what this support power is, is to say that it is a Nod special forces version of the GDI 'Airborne' support power. Like that support power it drops 2 rifle and 2 rocket based infantry squads, and they are delivered via aerial transport. That is were the similarities end though, because the infantry that are delivered via the Nod support power are vastly superior in every way.
First off lets be fair. This support power is more expensive ($2500 vs $1500). However while the GDI support power drops run-of-the-mill infantry, the Nod support power drops infantry unique to the support power!
And even more than that, they have an upgrade you can purchase that only benefits them!
It begins with the way that they are transported in. The Elite cadre get dropped off via stealth Chinook. This is the same stealth Chinook that the Nod commando can uniquely call to transport her. This obviously means that it is a lot easier to hide their initial insertion, for example near an enemy base.
Actually this was a drop into my base area!
What helps after that, to keep up with the whole 'stealthy' theme, is that the actual Elite cadre units are invisible themselves! (unless they are attacking).
Lets have a list of the general positives of the Elite cadre before we go on to a break down of the rifle, rocket, and the upgrade you can purchase for them:
- Invisible unless attacking.
- Reasonably high speed for infantry.
- Armour and health is equivalent to Composite upgraded GDI rifle and Rocket squads.
- Much stronger weapons then typical units of their weapon category.
- Have the same explosive charge ability as the Nod Shadow teams.
- Have Tiberium resistant armour.
Obviously there are a number of very interesting items there, but clearly the 'force multiplier' if you will is the fact that they are invisible unless they are attacking (1). This obviously gives you more potential planning time. Time to wait for the right moment, and also time to make sure that your first attack is decisive (obviously while you have the element of surprise you would not want to waste it with a mediocre attack).
(2) Their speed matches the speed of GDI infantry which is responsively fast, combined with the fact that you will go invisible after not attacking for a while, it means, provided a fast stealth detector is not chasing you down (beware of the GDI Humvee!), you have a high chance of getting away from a pursuing enemy.
(3) They also have that GDI Composite upgraded infantry feeling, were gun based weapons no longer seem efficient against them.
(4) Now we are really getting to a big deal. However this will be discussed in the individual class breakdown.
(5) All the squads can place the same explosive charges with the same frequency as the Shadow teams. Clearly, like the Shadow teams, the fact that they are invisible until they actually place the charges helps a great deal in terms of the effectiveness of this ability.
In this sequence we see a refinery being hit by explosive charges!
(6) The tiberium damage invulnerability is a nice round off, it makes it easier to harass enemy harvesters for example.
This is classed as light harassment, the Harvester could retreat.
Elite cadre (rifleman)
The weapon that this unit has is basically the Confessors auto-rifle. This means that it has high range (easily out ranging other units in its class), and very good damage. Still this does not mean that they can be used on anything other than the lightest of enemy vehicles, stick to mostly infantry, moving in and using the explosive charges on structures when possible to assist the Elite rocket squads.
Elite Rocket infantry
The big deal here it that their rockets do more damage compared to standard Nod or GDI rocket\missile squads.
This means that you can harass and destroy vehicles despite the relatively low squad numbers. Also you are now doing double damage to aerial units, so do not be afraid to take on any aerial units that are not overly dangerous to infantry.
Upgrade: Elite Gunner
This upgrade is a 'Banner carrier' type upgrade similar to the Nod 'Confessor' upgrade, in that it adds an extra squad member to the Elite cadre rifle and rocket squads. This extra unit does not provide stat boosts unlike the Confessor member does to the basic squads that they are attached to. All they do is bring a weapon, but what a weapon!
I would expect it to be behind the other Shrine upgrades in importance.
The Elite gunner comes with a SAW (Squad Assault weapon). The weapon is so large that they only fire this weapon while prone, using a tripod as support. It provides a constant stream of covering fire that suppresses enemy infantry with ease (when it's not cutting them down!) and there is also the significant factor that when it comes to the Elite rocket squads, by providing anti-infantry covering fire, it plugs up one of the weaknesses of that particular squad.
A worrying prospect for your opponent!
Gameplay
In terms of usage I prefer to use them mainly as the secondary deep strike team. Often they are the diversionary attack, that forces your opponents attention elsewhere. The damage that a skilled Elite squad user can do (and becoming skilled requires that you efficiently use the explosive charges) cannot be ignored. Make sure that if you have the advantage of surprise inside an enemies base and you come across a soft high value target (such as a Crane or expansion point) destroy it quickly (consider only using a standard weapon on really soft targets and saving your explosive charges for slightly stronger structures, a favoured target is an enemy airfield full of aircraft!).
An easy target!
You can use them as a starting diversion, so that your opponents forces are diverted allowing your main attack to be mostly unopposed. Or after you have started your main attack, you can use the Elite cadre to strike deep and force your opponent to split their forces. Or even use them as diversionary relief when your enemy is attacking, striking deep and forcing them to react to your harassment.
Of course you can simply have them as part of a mass infantry movement or as support in a mixed vehicle infantry group, but I prefer to think of those as secondary uses.
You would mostly want to avoid 'wasting' these units by garrisoning them, but the fact that they are invisible means that you might be able to get to a tactically important garrison and cause major grief to your enemy!
Managed to sneak into a building right by an enemy harvesting set-up!
Just be careful of garrison clearer's, and be ready to pull your units out at a moments notice (beware of the Scrin's Buzzer storm special power!).
What it comes down to, is that regardless of whether you have a grand plan or not, you must get these support infantry as soon as they are available, and every time they are available thereafter. They are just too cost effective to ignore.
Countering
Obviously the key issue is that a combination of stealth detector and units that can actually deal with the infantry is required.
Firstly GDI do not have this issue at the lowest tier. The Humvee will detect and deal with the Elite cadres, although you will need slightly below matching their cost to do it (3 Humvees at $1500 is safest, 2 can do the job, but if the Elite squads are being well micromanaged, they will quickly deal with one of the Hummers leaving it all up to one to finish the job). If they are detected and there is a medium tank nearby, run them over if possible, it is the easiest way to deal with them because their armour means that fighting it out is what they are good at. At higher tier levels for GDI, the likes of Sniper squads make things a lot easier.
For Nod once you have the detection sorted out... Apache, what else! If you are not able to get an Apache, then I recommend using APCs not buggies, because the preference should be using the gun to suppress them so you can run them over. Remember that their armour means that they take more 'GUN' type damaged then you'd expect.
For the Scrin... Buzzer storm! or else a couple of Gunwalkers, again with the emphasis on running the squads over or at least forcing them to flee (as is standard with rocket class infantry, the Elite rocket squads cannot fire on the move). Together with the Seeker tank that you may need for detection, this should just about match the cost of the actual Elite cadre support power.
When they show up, deal with them as quickly has possible. Once they are out of the way, you will at least know that you have a number minutes before they can show up again.
