RA2:Kirov Airship
From Command and Conquer Wiki
| Kirov Airship | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Weaponry | Bombs |
| Armour | Heavy |
| Type | Heavy Bomber |
| Faction | USSR |
Kirov Airships were large bomb carrying zeppelins built by the Soviets during Great World War III.
Contents |
[edit] History
Named for its maiden launch over Kirov oblast, these airships were first seen when the Soviet Union mobilised their forces to attack the United States in 1972. They played a vital role in all of the Soviet invasions, spearheading the assaults on New York and San Francisco.
[edit] Usage
Kirovs were used to bomb enemy bases and to a lesser extent, vehicles and infantry. They were equipped with a number of propellers which helped them to move under their own power, rather than being prey to the wind, but even so, were abysmally slow. Soviet engineers attempted to compensate this by creating a heavily armoured zeppelin: so heavily armoured that it would take dozens of missiles to bring down, while a regular plane could be eliminated in three or four. This made it extremely powerful against bases. Once the unit actually arrived at the base, the heavy bombs it dropped were extremely effective against all structures and any groups of infantry: once over a structure, a Kirov could eliminate even a command center within seconds and slaughter groups of infantry with a single bomb. Its armour even helped to defend it against Patriot missiles. Well-escorted Kirovs are probably the single most potent threat the Soviet army poses and their danger cannot be overstated.
[edit] Counters
IFVs, Rocketeers and other mobile rocket units were very effective in hunting Kirovs: their slow speed meant that they could not engage any vehicles, or counter air to air attacks, and also allowed the vehicles or airborne infantry to take potshot after potshot at the Kirovs as they spent the very long distance travelling to the enemy base. One possible counter to this tactic was the deployment of heavy units such as Apocalypse Tanks to cover the Kirovs' approach. Aegis Cruisers also work very well against them; provided that the Kirovs were travelling close to or over water.
[edit] Later developments
Later, in WWIII, Soviet engineers made a few upgrades to the old Kirovs. While they looked very similar to the first generation airships from the outside, but inside "Gastroburner" engines could be activated, burning a highly volatile gas giving it a brief boost in speed. However, excessive usage may cause fatal damage to the airship's frame with undesirable consequences. The Kirov still maintains its lethality, as a couple of bombs still destroy even the sturdiest of structures.
Recent intel suggests the possibility of the Kirov being equipped with a Tesla bomb.