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The Scorpion Tank

  • Designation: AT-20 (Assault Tank)
  • Affiliation: Nod
  • Role: Multi-role Laser Turret tank
  • Launch date: 2075
  • Class: Attack
  • Armament: Miniature Obelisk, Laser Turret and claws
  • Type: Medium Tank
  • Speed: Average

Background

Although Marcion’s reign proved short-lived, his impact on Noddie’s dogma and military doctrine was significant. Marcion transformed the Black Hand into the most reliable and feared component of the brotherhood – Kane’s Fedaykin: his clergy. Whilst Kane had promoted only his own myth, Marcion built a far more organised religion – initially against Kane and later for him.

Consequently, Nod’s combat doctrine gradually moved away from acts of extreme violence in favour of a more psychological approach, instilling fear through visual elements and psychological warfare. Kane later adopted many of the elements presented by Marcion in his final writings.

“You must learn from your history, my Brother. If you wish to instil fear into the hearts of your adversaries, you must follow the example of the Samurai: Demons of the battlefield whose very appearance brings about the downfall of their enemies.”

“The Samurai’s mask, Marcion. A work of art. Masks are meant to inspire terror and transform their wearers into demons,” Kane, as quoted in Marcion’s writings.

Following Kane’s teachings, the Black Hand began development of the first Scorpion Tank. It was to be Nod’s main battle tank during the Third Tiberium War. However, the Scorpion’s role in that war was often relegated to supporting other forces, and it was rarely the main unit in successful operations.

In 2072, Gideon wrote one of his longest treatises on Kane’s abandonment of the Brotherhood. The lead designer of the Scorpion MkII, Talia Creigh – having long followed Gideon’s writings and speeches – took the passage on the Scorpion tank’s failure to heart.

“What should have been Nod’s most iconic asset on the battlefield turned out to be nothing more than a cockroach, easily crushed by the GDI. Kane’s generals failed to turn the Scorpion into a superior force. But I do not blame them. How could I, when Kane himself is behind this travesty of a tank, more ‘Cockroach’ than ‘Scorpion’?”

Commander Creigh decided that the Scorpion needed a complete overhaul, both in form and function. When designing the new Scorpion, she emphasised that its design should reflect its role in combat: the embodiment of Nod’s menacing presence in the world. Talia studied the Scorpion’s role within operational doctrine.

After several years of development, the new Scorpion Mk II was unveiled and the audience was stunned: the expected reaction. Following this, Gideon issued a statement via unofficial channels: “The children of Nod are growing, and at last, they understand. The traitor will not escape the reach of its claws, nor the lash of its tail.”

Battlefield Specifications

The Scorpion’s Sting The Scorpion Mc. II is equipped with state-of-the-art laser technology, derived from the previous generation’s Spitfire capacitors. Harnessing the power of its liquid Tiberium generator, the Scorpion features a miniature Obelisk of Light which, despite its small size, is perfectly capable of piercing armour, even that of the Crawler. The weapon is not without its trade-offs, however; the Scorpion’s conventional anti-tank gun has been dispensed with due to the Obelisk’s high power consumption.Tactical Claws The Scorpion tank evokes the true form of a scorpion with its immense claws. These claws are not merely aesthetic; they are designed to actually capture prey. The Scorpion tank can thus hold a medium-sized vehicle in its claws and fire an electromagnetic pulse at close range to disable the vehicle whilst the laser destroys it. Lighter units can be completely ensnared in the claws, making for a particularly terrifying sight for infantry.Digging

The reintroduction of underground tunnels has enabled the development of more interesting tactics during the TCN era, without the need for powerful Stealth Generators. The Scorpion can use its claws to burrow rapidly underground and resurface right in the midst of enemy troops. The tactics most frequently observed on the battlefield are taking a Mastodon by surprise to avoid its powerful cannons, and appearing in the centre of an infantry group to capture Soldiers for interrogation.