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Bend your knees, use your arms.
—A Dunerider speeding around

The Dunerider is an Epsilon infantry unit that specializes as a fast response unit.

Official description[]

Acting in loose groups as quick response teams to any threat that may compromise the security of Epsilon settlements, Duneriders use anti-gravity hover boards that allow them to maneuver across any terrain with extreme ease and great speed. Lobbing grenades with toxic charges makes the Dunerider an effective jack-of-all-trades to infantry and buildings.[1]

Overview[]

The Duneriders are Tier 2 units used by all of the Epsilon subfactions. Their toxic grenades are effective against infantry and buildings to an extent. Also, their long attack range (although a Virus can more safely pick off infantry from a longer distance) allow them to easily kite enemy infantry that try to give chase.

Being fast and amphibious are both strengths of the Dunerider, and most infantry in general can’t compete with a Dunerider over water. This powerful advantage allows the Proselyte to use several Duneriders to speed through a poorly defended waterway before the enemy commander can react, eliminate key buildings, then flee immediately after.

However, it's worth noting that Duneriders are very weak on attack vehicles, so it is ill-advised to use them to attack armor units unless you intend to use them as bait. Duneriders also have no way to defend themselves against aircraft; an issue that is exacerbated by the low count of anti-air infantry in Epsilon arsenals.

AI behavior[]

Duneriders controlled by the AI have the following attack patterns:

All difficulties[]

  • PCicon 2x targeting anything, accompanied by Libra
  • 2x targeting anything, accompanied by 4 Brutes and 2 Epsilon Adepts/Elites
  • 2x targeting vehicles, accompanied by 2 Archers and 4 Brutes
  • 4x targeting anything
  • 4x targeting anything, accompanied by 2 Archers and 6 Brutes
    • The AI may use Rage, Kinetic Barrier and Regen/Wonder Drugs on this task force
  • 4x targeting Naval Shipyards and tech buildings
  • 4x guarding Naval Shipyards

Medium/Hard[]

  • 4x targeting power plants
  • 6x targeting anything
    • The AI may use Rage, Kinetic Barrier and Regen/Wonder Drugs on this task force

Appearances[]

Duneriders are our latest hover units, effective against infantry and buildings.
—Unused Epsilon intel during Operation: Memory Dealer

Act Two[]

  • The Dunerider is introduced in Memory Dealer as a trainable unit.
  • In Earthrise, Duneriders are able to battle on the moon.

Special Ops[]

  • Chronologically, like most basic Epsilon weaponry, the Dunerider first appears in the Foehn Special Ops mission Time Capsule.

Assessment[]

Pros Cons
  • Effective against infantry and structures. Also deals a good amount of damage against lightly armed vehicles.
  • Good speed and attack range.
  • Outranges basic enemy defenses like Sentry Gun and Pillbox.
  • Amphibious.
  • Can detect cloaked and submerged units.
  • Cannot be crushed by normal vehicles.
  • Infantry killed by the Dunerider leaves poison clouds, allowing it to heal inside.
  • Very fragile, easy to kill with anti-infantry weapons.
  • Also vulnerable to naval threats and magnetic weapons.
  • Defenseless against aircraft.
  • Not very effective against armored vehicles.
  • May cause friendly fire.

References[]

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