Aegis Cruiser

Aegis Cruiser
Unit
Faction	Allied Nations
Role	Anti-air
Armament	"Medusa" missile battery
Tier	2
Properties
Hit points	700
Armor type	Medium
Production
Cost	$1500
Estimated build time	1:00
Built at	Allied Naval Shipyard
Requires	Air Force Command Headquarters
Combat
Range	12
Function
Notes	Cannot be hijacked Cannot be depiloted

“	Rockets red glare.	”
	—Aegis Cruiser

The Aegis Cruiser is an anti-aircraft vessel used by the Allies.

Description

Where most anti-air systems would falter, the Aegis Cruiser steps in. Equipped with multiple missile batteries capable of firing heat seeking missiles with deadly accuracy, the Aegis is the Allies' most powerful anti-air unit at sea. This does come with a drawback though, as the Aegis is completely defenseless against everything else.

Overview

The Aegis Cruiser has received significant nerfs in contrast to its Red Alert 2 counterpart - it is now more expensive, cannot fire on the move, and its missiles are not as powerful as before. Nevertheless, they remain as one of the Allies' most important anti-air assets for their naval forces.

The Aegis Cruiser is not as versatile as the other anti-air naval vessels, but makes up for it with its sheer efficiency of its role. It is able to reach where its Allied land anti-air counterparts, the United States' Aeroblazes and Pacific Front's Blizzard Tanks, couldn't: in watery areas. For the European Alliance's case, the Aegis Cruiser becomes an alternative choice if the enemy has built too much anti-air fire for their Thor Gunships to handle.

The Aegis Cruiser can substitute as anti-air defense for the aforementioned anti-air units in aquatic battlefields (especially in the Islands game mode) thanks to its lower tech requirement (Tier 2 compared to their Tier 3 requirement) and slightly superior range (12 compared to the Aeroblaze and Blizzard Tank's 11). As most aircraft that specialize in base destruction are slow, the Aegis' own cruise speed won't matter if the Allied commander has managed to spot incoming enemy aircraft as they close in on the Allied base.

On the offensive, the Aegis Cruiser is a viable escort for the Allied naval fleet, as its rapid firing rate and damage output ensures that no aerial threat would dare sink the Aircraft Carriers and Battleships as they bombard the enemy's shoreline. The Aegis itself should not be left unescorted however, as it is vulnerable from ship attacks, and its speed does not help when attempting to retreat. It is also unable to attack on the move like its counterparts can do, making the Aegis unable to chase down aircraft or relocate fast enough.

Appearances

• Aegis Cruiser debuts as a buildable unit in Beautiful Mind.

Assessment

Pros	Cons
Very powerful anti-air weapon. Quick rate of fire. Can destroy even sturdy Kirov Airships without much difficulty. Quite durable.	Quite expensive ($1500). Slow-moving. Cannot fire on the move. Completely defenseless against naval and ground attacks. AA Missiles have long travel time which allows fast aircraft to escape from its hits.

Quotes

The Aegis Cruiser uses the voiceset of the same unit in Yuri's Revenge.

When selected

• Aegis reporting.
• Missile systems operational.
• Protector of the Allied fleet.
• Scanning for aircraft.
• Allied cruiser ready.

When ordered to move

• Navigating waterspace.
• Adjusting for current.
• Plotting course.
• Rudder set.
• Guiding systems set.

When ordered to fire

• Rockets red glare.
• Bring 'em down!
• Let loose the Allied fury!
• Launch the heat seekers!
• Clearin' the skies!
• All hands on deck.
• Target confirmed.

Trivia

• Azri_Apoc is credited as the voxel artist for Aegis Cruiser.