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The Stinger is an Epsilon walker robot that serves as their scout and detector unit, in a way equivalent to the Allied Robot Tank, but can transport one infantry. It is also capable of repairing friendly vehicles when an Engineer is on board, making it a valuable asset as well.

Official description[]

Another great Rashidi's invention, the Stinger, is an unmanned, robotic walker used to swiftly transport infantry across the battlefield. Though it can only transport a single infantry, the Stinger makes up for it in versatality, armed with an acid sprayer to decimate infantry with and lightly damage vehicles.

Along with sensors to detect stealth and disguises, the Stinger functions as the Epsilon's main repair vehicle when an Engineer is on board. As flexible as it is, the Stinger lacks in raw armor and firepower, its acid doing negligible damage to structures.[1]

Overview[]

StingNormStingEngi

From left to right: 2 normal Stingers and 2 Stingers with Engineers

The Stinger is designed as a Tier 1 utility unit with unparalleled speed, immunity to most battlefield hazards and inexpensive cost in mind. In the early game, it serves to pursue infantry, perform reconnaissance (if Spooks aren't able to do such due to constant enemy interference), and more importantly, transport Epsilon infantry to important locations (particularly the Engineer, who needs a transport to capture tech buildings if the proselyte wishes to reduce casualties from ravenous Attack Dogs and rogue Spooks).

In the later phases of a conflict, the Stinger loses its offensive dominance due to its acid sprayer being outperformed by other anti-infantry weapons. This doesn't mean the Stinger becomes obsolete once Tier 3 is available however; its stealth and detection abilities make it an essential walker against constant spy attacks, cloaked units and defenses (though the former is more common since the latter is almost only employed by Epsilon themselves).

Another significant and relevant aspect of the Stinger is its additional role as a repair vehicle when an Engineer is inside it. It becomes the fastest and cheapest repair vehicle in the war (only its speed is matched by the Stryker IFV), so a proselyte is able to reinforce his armor battalions swiftly (even straight out of a War Factory) and undo the damage done by their adversaries during and after they engage each other.

AI behavior[]

Stingers controlled by the AI have the following attack patterns:

All difficulties[]

  • 1x entering Tank Bunker
    • This task force may be accompanied by 1 additional Stinger
  • SCicon 2x targeting infantry, accompanied by 2 Plague Splatters
    • This task force may be accompanied by 2 additional Plague Splatters
  • 2x following friendlies
  • 2x guarding Epsilon Ore Refineries, Epsilon War Factories and Epsilon Gates EW, accompanied by 2 Gatling Tanks
  • 4x targeting infantry
    • This task force will only be constructed if a Radar Spire is not built

Medium/Hard[]

  • 6x targeting infantry

Appearances[]

Rashidi's Stinger can be used for unit repairs, but do not lose them. The prototype might be useful and Rashidi's skills will be required.
—Epsilon intel during Operation: Scrapyard

Act One[]

  • The first Stinger prototype and its creator Rashidi appear in Scrapyard, and become controllable once the first objective of the mission is completed. When Rashidi is put in the Stinger, he will turn it into a repair vehicle like an Engineer. The Stinger prototype has a different color scheme dominated by grey instead of brown and can be entered by Rashidi himself only. The Stinger must not be destroyed throughout the mission.
  • In the Epsilon single player campaign, the Stinger becomes a buildable unit in Moonlight. In this mission, it is built from the Soviet War Factory, since the Epsilon Construction Yard and Epsilon War Factory have not existed yet.

Special Ops[]

Cooperative[]

  • Chronologically, the Stinger first becomes a buildable unit in Retaliation. Like Moonlight, it is only available to build from a Soviet War Factory.

Assessment[]

Pros Cons
  • Effective against infantry.
  • Infantry killed by Stinger release poison clouds.
  • Immune to hijacking, mind-control, poison and radiation.
  • Inexpensive ($550).
  • Decently fast.
  • Can transport infantry.
  • Becomes a repair vehicle when loaded with an Engineer.
  • Detects disguised, cloaked and submerged enemies.
  • Ineffective against armored vehicles and structures.
  • Weak armor, vulnerable to anti-armor weapons.
  • Cannot attack aircraft.
  • Low passenger survivability rate.

Behind the scenes[]

  • The Stinger's original voxel by MadHQ is a public asset that can be downloaded for other modders to utilize. The link can be found here (called "Mech").
  • The Stinger uses the voiceset of the Novus Corruptor from Universe At War: Earth Assault, a sci-fi real-time strategy game made by Petroglyph Games which were founded by some former developers of Westwood Studios.
  • According to a subfaction showcase video released before version 3.0, the Stinger's repair ability is stolen from the Allies.[2] This information may not be accurate in the current version.

See also[]

References[]

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