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The Salamander

  • Designation: SG-11 (Support Gunship)
  • Affiliation: Nod
  • Role: Air superiority
  • Launch date: 2075
  • Class: Support
  • Armament: Four “Darter” Scorpion Rocket launchers, “Purifier” incendiary system
  • Type: Heavy aircraft
  • Speed: Slow to medium

Background

The tenuous alliance between Kane and the GDI during the construction of the TCN marked an era of relative peace for both factions. Whilst certain dissident elements of Nod continued a campaign of violence throughout the civilised world, the majority of the Brotherhood’s true disciples complied with Kane’s call for peace. Knowing that “idle hands are the devil’s plaything,” Kane ordered his most ambitious generals to work with his scientists to develop the next generation of weapons. This programme, known as Project Omega, resulted in creations that technologically surpassed anything ever deployed by humankind, including the Salamander.

Omega’s Chief Engineer, Abbé John W.E. Vladislav, was one of the designers of the Tiberium Control Network. His reverse-engineering of the chemical processes used in the creation of much of the Scrin equipment and power sources represented a significant leap forward in the evolution of military weaponry. Nod’s weapons would be more powerful, lighter and faster, and their modular design allowed them to be produced quickly and at low cost. Advanced equipment such as the Salamander was developed and tested in a vast secret underground bunker and was to be kept hidden until Kane called upon them to serve the Brotherhood.

The Salamander, in particular, is Nod’s response to the GDI’s long era of air superiority. Both a strategic bomber and a combat aircraft, the Salamander can fly vast distances at altitudes close to space. As soon as it arrives in the combat zone, it is capable of establishing air superiority with a series of Scorpion Rockets, even whilst on the move. Its ability to set structures ablaze, combined with its superior anti-aircraft weapons, makes it a genuine threat worthy of the worst nightmares for the commanders of the bases under attack.

Battlefield Specifications

Air Power The Salamander SG-11 is commanded by a Captain, six crew members and four Cyborg gunners. It is clad in heat-resistant ceramic armour that provides excellent protection against the effects of the upper atmosphere and the backfire from its powerful ‘Purifier’ incendiary system. Beneath this armour lies an ultra-strong fibre mesh surrounding a rigid frame, both derived from Scrin warfare technology.Ready for Combat For decades, Nod has relied on stealth and speed to strike GDI installations without fear of retaliation. As large-scale battles have become more common, due to improvements in GDI defences, the element of surprise has ultimately proved insufficient. The Salamander was developed to withstand such attacks. Functioning more as a flying vessel than a bomber, the Salamander is bristling with Scorpion Rocket Turrets-one at each corner-providing 360° air defence with its ‘Darter’ anti-aircraft missiles. These missiles can also be used to attack ground targets.Purge the Tanks! The Black Hand are legendary for their ability to relentlessly obliterate anything with their Flamethrowers. This reputation has been recognised by Kane himself over the years. Combined with the destructive power of liquid Tiberium, this has given rise to the Salamander’s “Purifier” incendiary system. When the Salamander is positioned over a target, a large number of tanks of compressed liquid Tiberium housed in the centre of the aircraft are opened, releasing a jet ignited by a plasma beam. The physical effect is clear: the total incineration of any unit or structure within the affected area. The psychological effect on enemy troops has proved significant, and Salamander captains now use the phrase “Purge the Tanks!” as a battle cry.The Sky Is No Longer the Limit

The Salamander’s success lies in the combination of Scrin elements with the most advanced scientific concepts from Nod. This has opened the door to numerous possibilities for advanced aerial and space-based weapon platforms. With the GDI continuing to restructure its military forces and organisation, Nod has a chance to rival it and perhaps even wipe it off the map for the first time across all fronts, from the depths underground to the Earth’s upper atmosphere and perhaps beyond. The sky no longer seems to be the limit.