Name: Crystal Crush
Side: GDI
ERA: Kane's Wrath
Cost: $4,500
Special Power Type: Resource denial
Base Asset: EA
Blurb
Internal GDI communique marked 'Urgent!'
In relation to the SBU-47 Anti-Tiberium Crystal Subterranean blast (the so called 'Crystal Crusher'), there apparently needs to be some clarification because of insidious rumours and wild conspiracy theories that are being circulated amongst both military and civilian circles.
First off, the reason that Zone Command have all of the SBU-47 munitions is due to their 'Red Zone' activities, they are clearly the division that has the most use for a bomb that clears tiberium!
Also because they are the division that uses the SBU-47 the most, they have by far the most experience when it comes to both targeting and deliverance of the said bomb.
This is why all request for a SBU-47 strike go through Zone Command, and all strikes are delivered via ZoCom aircraft.
There is no wild conspiracy for ZoCom to have a monopoly on sonic weaponry, they just logically have the most use for sonic weapons because they operate in Red zones!
Next let's address the idea of so called 'Tiberium vein fracking' ( which is clearly an incorrect term! ). This is the idea of using the SBU-47 bomb on a tiberium growth crystal in an empty tiberium field.
As you all should know, the reason why GDI seeks to limit usage of the SBU-47 munition is because, as some sort of defensive mechanism, the tiberium veins that have had their crystals destroyed by the blast exhibit a greatly accelerated growth period for a limited time after a SBU-47 strike.
The ( frankly slanderous ) conspiracy theory states that certain ZoCom generals have deliberately allowed SBU-47 strikes on empty tiberium fields on land owned by companies not associated with GDI, but that trade tiberium.
Where can I even begin with this ludicrous slander? first off, has is clearly stated in GDI's non-tiberium proliferation declaration: GDI their dependants or any corporation associated with the GDI banner will not partake in any activity which encourages, spreads, or accelerates the growth of tiberium.
Launching a SBU-47 on a full, medium sized tiberium field is hotly debated, but GDI's 'Ethics bureau' have agreed that it is within acceptable bounds.
Clearly targeting an empty field is transparently and solely about encouraging the accelerated growth of tiberium. And such an action would warrant a court martial if military personnel were caught doing it, or civil prosecution in the case of a civilian entity.
ZoCom generals are not getting rich from accelerating the output of third party tiberium traders, that goes against everything that GDI are about.
The only legitimate usage of the SBU-47 is to clear a tiberium field that is causing an immediate blockage to either military or civilian passage. It is not to be used as a resource denial weapon against enemy tiberium fields, it is not to be used as an offensive weapon ( the rapid and violent detonation of tiberium crystals will wipe out any infantry troops regardless of whatever amour they may have ), and it certainly is not to be used to encourage the growth of tiberium.
It is high time that GDI personnel stop entertaining the conspiracy theories that are clearly being planted by Nod agitators, and are designed to sow mistrust and misinformation amongst both GDI military and civilians alike.
Please make sure that all relevant individuals read this communique.
Gameplay
The Crystal Crush support power is a high level resource denial air strike.
It is available as soon as a GDI Space Command Uplink has been built, and cost $4,500 to use.
There are several interesting considerations when it comes to usage.
For example it is only possible to target the central growth crystals of a tiberium field ( this is the same place where you can place the Scrin Growth stimulator, indeed the Scrin Growth Stimulator is also a legitimate target ).
Once the warhead has detonated, a large area of tiberium will be instantly destroyed. The shockwave will completely kill any infantry that it catches, and will do mild damage to harvesters.
What is interesting though, has hinted in the story blurb, is that the particular field that has been targeted will experience accelerated growth ( 4x the speed of the targeted field ) for a limited period of time ( 5 minutes to be precise ). The purpose of this is two fold, firstly there was no desire to create yet another mindless resource denial power like the Nod Catalyst missile.
Not only is the Crystal Crush delivered by aircraft ( which means it can be shot down ), but while it gives a clear advantage ( for example the complete destruction of an opponents expansion field ), it also clearly requires that you act on your advantage, or risk your enemy using their now accelerated ( but empty ) field to mount a comeback.
Here is the target enemy expansion field, I rush built to tier 4, so they have not even set up refineries yet!
No expansion field for them!
Of course one of the fastest growth fields of the official maps is already regrowing fast, so I must go for the kill!
Secondly is the idea of using the Crystal Crush to boost the regrowth of an empty tiberium field. A simple example would be to use the strike on your starting field once it is empty, and you have moved on to your expansion field. For a period of 5 minutes your starting field will regrow at 4 times the rate! Which means that once your expansion field has been depleted, you will have a lot more tiberium to return to on your starting field, then if you had not used the Crystal Crush on it.
An empty expansion field, could do with a nice boost!
A mostly painless strike!
Under 3 minutes later having left the field untouched, there is already a nice crop!
Of course what would be even better is if you used it on either a empty blue tiberium field ( if available ) or an empty expansion field ( as demonstrated above ). Why an empty expansion field? because typically they have a much higher regrowth rate than a starting field, so using the Crystal Crush to further boost the regrowth rate has much more dramatic results.
The famous blue field in Rift, about to get boosted!
If possible it is better for you to leave the field untouched during its boost period for as long as you can. This is to allow as much of the tiberium to mature as possible, which would mean you get a higher return, versus harvesting the new growth which is worth a lot less.
Either way there is a risk associated with using it ( particularly in a human vs human scenario, not so much vs the AI ).
In terms of rushing to tier 4 so the strike can be done before they have got any benefit from an expansion field ( or even while they are on a large starting field ), it is certainly an option, providing you can capitalise. Just make sure you check that there is not enough anti-air to take out the delivery aircraft.
If you are facing GDI it is expected that you have done, and are doing enough scouting so you are not surprised that your opponent has rush teched up. If your opponent is GDI and are at tier 3 ( Tech center ), then at any moment they could build a Space Command Uplink and have access to the Crystal Crush power, get anti-air ready in the right area so you can take the bomber out before it gets its bomb out. Depending on where your opponent is, and where the field that the likely target is, there is a very limited range of directions that the strike can come from. It might not be easy to predict when it will come, but it is easy to predict what direction it will come from.
Some Stats:
Cost: $4,500
Radius: 200
Aircraft Health: 3000
Tiberium Growth Multiplier: 4x
Tiberium Growth Time: 300 seconds
Please continue to show GDI's commitment to clear tiberium!
Release 7 Update:
- Tiberium growth multiplier set at 4x (was 3x).
Release 8 Update:
- Bomber health reduced to 3000 (was 3500). Might still be a bit high, but at least it is slightly easier to stop the bomber now.
Edited by Madin, 13 May 2017 - 01:23 PM.
