Giant Squid

Unit

Old version(s)

Changelog

Giant Squid(Architeuthis dux)
Unit
Faction	Epsilon Army PsiCorps (campaign only)
Role	Anti-armor Unit immobilizer
Armament	Tentacles
Tier	2
Tech level	6
Properties
Hit points	440
Armor type	Light
Speed	8
Turn rate	40
Sight radius	8
Training
Cost	$1000
Estimated train time	0:36
Trained at	Epsilon Naval Shipyard
Requires	Radar Spire
Combat
Naval	115-57.5
Naval modifiers	135% vs. all infantry armor types 60% vs. Light 45% vs. Medium 30% vs. Heavy and Naval Shipyards
Cooldown	40 frames (2.7 in-game seconds)
Range	1.83, radius 0.5
Function
Ability	Submerged Attacks reduce the target's speed by 80% for 35 frames (2.3 in-game seconds) Detects cloaked/submerged enemies (range 9)
Veteran bonus	+40% armor
Elite bonus	+40% firepower +25% speed Self-healing
Notes	Cannot be mind-controlled, hijacked and depiloted

Giant Squids (Architeuthis dux) are large sea animals used by the Epsilon as naval attackers.

Official description

Legendary among seamen for their size and strength, Giant Squids have been the subject of sea monster stories the world over. Only recently have live specimens been discovered. Whether through genetic cloning and mind control or by actually training the beasts, Giant Squids make up a special division in Epsilon's naval forces. Used for reconnaissance and smashing ships with their tentacles, they are ideal for hunting submerged enemies as they swim deep beneath the waves.

Overview

For a detailed list of changes from the original game, click here.

While the role of the Giant Squid remains the same in Mental Omega, the biggest change it received was losing the ability to grapple ships (though their tentacle attacks fulfill a similar purpose since they now immobilize their targets), which makes it possible to kill Giant Squids while they are attacking naval vessels without any special assistance required, aside from the usual submerged detection. However, this weakness is somewhat negated by the lower tier requirement (from Tier 3 to Tier 2), and most importantly, Giant Squids are now capable of attacking Naval Shipyards and ships without revealing themselves.

On the upside, the lack of entanglement means that the Giant Squid can assist the slower Epsilon mind controllers (particularly the Epsilon Elite) in seizing control of fast amphibious targets without destroying them in the process, or assist the rest of the Epsilon navy by keeping amphibious nuisances at bay or immobilize enemies for Piranhas and Nautiluses to catch up. Another benefit to note is that the Giant Squid can now fulfill the role as a standard ship/shipyard destroyer instead of a specialized purpose that is less visible to enemies compared to Piranhas.

AI behavior

Giant Squids controlled by the AI have the following attack patterns:

Medium/Hard

• 1x targeting everything
  • This task force may be accompanied by 1 additional Giant Squid
• 1x guarding friendly base
• 2x targeting everything, accompanied by 2 Piranhas
  • This task force may be accompanied by a Resheph
• 2x targeting everything, accompanied by 2 Nautiluses

Hard

• 2x gathering near enemy base, accompanied by 2 Nautiluses
  • This task force may be accompanied by 2 Reshephs

Appearances

“	Yuri's PsiCorps has deployed a team of Giant Squids, now arriving north of Niihau Island. These heavily mutated sea creatures can catch, immobilize and tear enemy ships apart.	”
	—Soviet intel during Operation: Death From Above

Occasionally, Giant Squids can be found in watery areas where one would not expect a naval unit to appear, such as the rivers in the Amazon during Paranoia or the hidden sewers in Time Capsule.

Act One

Throughout Act One, before the defection of PsiCorps, the Giant Squid is a Soviet unit.

• The Giant Squid is first trainable from Allied Naval Shipyard in Shipwrecked, requires Air Force Command Headquarters. Notably, this is the only Act 1 Epsilon mission where Giant Squids are available.
• In Beautiful Mind, the Soviets start using Giant Squids.
• In Ravages of War, Lights Out, Thunder God and Death From Above, Giant Squids are trained from the Soviet Naval Shipyard, requiring a Radar Dish.
• In Unshakeable, the player is given two Giant Squids after the Tech Center is infiltrated, but cannot build more since shipyards are disabled.
• A few minutes into Dragonstorm, access to Giant Squid along with the rest of PsiCorps technology will be lost.

Assessment

Pros	Cons
Effective against naval units. Fast movement. Submerged, can attack without surfacing. Can detect submerged and cloaked units. When attacking, significantly slows down the target. Immune to mind control. More durable than the Piranha Minisub.	Can only attack close range. Lightly armored. Cannot attack air and ground units. Vulnerable to anti-submarine weaponry.

Trivia

• The Giant Squid in Mental Omega has always been an Epsilon unit since version 1.2. It is different from the case in both Red Alert 2 and Yuri's Revenge vanilla games, where the Giant Squid belongs to the Soviet faction.

See also

• Dolphin

External links

•  Giant Squid on the Command & Conquer Wiki