KDB-5 Sickle
Unit
Affiliation	USSR
Role	Anti-infantry walker
Armament	Heavy PKX 12.7 mm machineguns (x3) All-Terrain stilt-legs (x4)
Properties
Armor type	Light
Production
Cost	$900
Build time	0:09
Produced by	War Factory
Function
Abilities	Flea jump

The KDB-5 Sickle is USSR's basic anti-infantry vehicle in Red Alert 3.

BackgroundEdit

Originally designed as a police vehicle for use in fringe-republics noted for their "heightened" risk of revolt, the Soviet Union's KDB-5 Sickle has a compact form factor, four durable steel stilt-legs, and three articulated gunnery positions that make it ideal for urban operations and crowd control. It exceeded expectations in its original role of riot support, becoming a mainstay in Soviet mechanized armor divisions while escalating Ukraine's Kazminov Design Bureau to the upper echelons of the Soviet Union's weapons manufacturers.^[1]

The Sickle's three turrets are capable of swiveling 130 degrees, and are positioned to allow the unit engage multiple targets at once. However, as a result, the unit is unable to target all three guns on a single target. Additionally, the guns cannot target aircraft, fueling speculation that the KDB intentionally designed this flaw to ensure that the Soviet Military would also adopt the Bullfrog.^[1]

The Sickle is also capable of jumping on great distances, allowing it access to areas that wheeled or tracked vehicles cannot reach. This unique ability has proved useful in ambushing unsuspecting enemies before they have time to counter. In response to Sickle crews using this ability for recreation, the military command passed strict limitations on the use of this ability.^[1]

Despite it's innovative nature, the Sickle is cost effective, due to the inexpensive alloy it is made from. This inexpensiveness comes at the cost of durability, as it can easily be counteracted by tanks and anti-armor weaponry. Sickle crews have also been noted to display increased sadistic or self-damaging behavior compared to their comrades.^[1]

Following the defeatEdit

The image of one such Anti-Personnel Walker personified as a very sad-looking and bruised ice hockey player, with tears in its eyes and with one of its legs in a cast, became iconic, paired with a Soviet postwar saying, translated to "Hey, we tried." The remaining number of serving sickles was supplemented by its older prototype, the reaper.

Game unitEdit

The Sickle is available when you have at least developed a War Factory.

It is notably fast, meaning it can catch up with almost any infantry and so are useful as armored scouts, escorts or perimeter patrols. The sickle sports three machine guns but can only bring two to bear, that means it can engage up to 2 enemies at once, mostly from the rear and front.

The main characteristic is it's Flea Jump ability, allowing it to fly over terrain and hopefully crush infantry within ground zero. Making it useful for quick dispatch, even to commandoes if the jump is well timed and accurate.

However it does have it's drawbacks. Being a IFV on legs, it will always be beaten up by tough bruisers such as tanks and other anti-vehicle units. It also dosen't sport any AA, unlike it's older cousin, so aircraft have no problem dispatching such fragile vehicles. It's flea jump may be a devastating tool, but not to be overestimated; it's light weight do not have the momentum, nor the size, to crush vehicles.

It is not amphibious as well; so transport by an allied Twinblade is the best option to get these infantry banes across the deadly seas.

NotesEdit

• The Sickle's spiderlike appearance is likely gleaned from the Terror Drone, an earlier scouting drone developed by Kazminov's rival: Sversky Robot Works.
• In the Soviet Campaign, the Sickles were first deployed to assist Natasha in retaking the Krasna-45 launch facility.
• Originally, the walker had unenclosed gunners. This changed in development.

QuotesEdit

TriviaEdit

• It sometimes shoots low-flying aircraft.
• There's a rare glitch in Uprising that it explodes after jumping.

GalleryEdit

Sickle in front of the Colosseum

The Sickle with and without added machine gun pods.

The Sickle in the early stages of production.

Concept art

Add an image to this galleryAdd an image to this gallery

See alsoEdit

• Riptide ACV - Allied anti-infantry vehicle counterpart.
• Mecha Tengu - Imperial anti-infantry vehicle counterpart.

ReferencesEdit

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Red Alert 3 Sickle unit profile

v·d·e Soviet War of the Three Powers Arsenal

Units Infantry War Bear • Conscript • Flak trooper • Combat engineer • Tesla trooper • Desolator • Natasha Volkova Vehicles Ore collector • Sputnik • Terror drone • KDB-5 Sickle • Bullfrog transport • Reaper • Hammer tank • Grinder • V4 Rocket Launcher • Apocalypse tank • MCV • Mortar cycle Aircraft KA-65 Twinblade • MiG Fighter • Kirov airship • Badger bomber Vessels Ore Collector • Sputnik • Stingray • Bullfrog transport • Akula submarine • Dreadnought • MCV Structures Production Construction yard • Barracks • War factory • Naval yard • Airfield • Crusher crane Support Reactor • Ore refinery • Super Reactor • Battle lab • Outpost Defenses Battle bunker • Sentry gun • Flak cannon • Tesla coil • Iron Curtain • Vacuum imploder Campaign/Lore Only Units Tesla tank • KA-3 Tesla plane • Mammoth tank (Not in use) • Ursa Major • Chief Scientist Buildings Ukraine Artillery Items in italics are exclusive to Uprising

v·d·e Mechanized walkers

Tiberium GDI X-O Powersuit • Wolverine (Mk. I/Mk. II) • Titan (Mk. I/Mk. II/Mk. III/Tiberium) • Juggernaut (Mk. I/Mk. II/Mk. III/Mk. IV) • Mammoth Mk. II • Mastodon • GDI Offense Crawler Nod TWIII MCV • Purifier Warmech • Avatar (Mk. I/Mk. II) • Redeemer • Nod Offense Crawler CABAL Core Defender Scrin Gun Walker/Shard Walker • Corrupter • Annihilator Tripod/Reaper Tripod • Mechapede • Eradicator Hexapod Red Alert Soviets Terror drone (Mk. I/Mk. II) • Sickle • Stingray • Reaper Empire Striker VX • Mecha Tengu • Steel Ronin • Shogun Executioner • King Oni