(tag removed) mergeinto|Global Defense Initiative|date=October 2007}} (tag removed) In-universe/Video game}} (tag removed) Plot|date=July 2007}} (tag removed) unreferenced|date=June 2007}} (tag removed) Original research|date=September 2007}}
The fictional technology of the Global Defense Initiative plays a large role in defining the faction's role, playing style, and storyline capabilities in the Command & Conquer series of science fiction real-time strategy computer games.
Compared to the technology of the Brotherhood of Nod, the Global Defense Initiative employs much more "conventional" weaponry and firepower, relying on heavy tanks, firearms, and missiles, as opposed to the more esoteric technology of the Brotherhood, which includes laser and Tiberium-based weaponry, or the alien weaponry of the Scrin. GDI is characterized as a "slow-moving juggernaut," whose units are superior to those of Nod or the Scrin in terms of raw firepower and armor.
Infantry Technology
editConventional
editIn the First Tiberium War, GDI troops were largely drawn from the armies of the member nations of the UN; GDI troops are shown wielding a variety of weapons in cutscenes, though the standard rifle shown in Command and Conquer: Renegade was a "Cobretti AR-70" assault rifle. GDI forces also fielded specially-trained grenadiers and rocket launcher-equipped troops, as well as elite commando teams such as the Dead Six. As with the Brotherhood, GDI also had a cadre of well-trained combat engineers to seize enemy structures.
During the Second Tiberium War, GDI rifle infantry carried "M-16 Mark II pulse rifles" and were outfitted with full body armor, enclosed helmets, and helmet technology reminiscent of the Future Force Warrior. The dedicated grenadiers of the previous war were equipped with new lightweight, aerodynamic disk-like grenades, carried in a large backpack, and renamed "disk throwers." GDI continued fielding combat engineers, and also used well-trained combat medics to support and heal infantry in the field. During this time, GDI recruited a highly skilled mutant commando known as "Ghost Stalker", armed with a prototype railgun and explosive charges.
In the Third Tiberium War, GDI continues to use riflemen and rocket-equipped troops, as well as well-trained sniper teams and grenadiers with traditionally shaped grenades instead of discs. GDI also fields squads of Zone Troopers, clad in heavy power armor and wielding large railguns. An intense commando-training program - with a 22% fatality rate and 95% failure rate among the survivors - produces extremely elite commandos equipped with heavy armor, jump-jet packs, and 40mm railgun sub-machineguns.
Powered Armor
edit During the First Tiberium War, GDI scientist Doctor Ignatio Mobieus developed a special suit of power armor for handling Tiberium; this technology paved the way for the use of combat-capable powered armor in future wars. Though limited to heavy, bulky Wolverine exoskeletons in Tiberian Sun, GDI eventually refined this technology into the heavy powered armor used by Zone Troopers in Tiberium Wars.
Jump Jets
editDuring Tiberian Sun, GDI was able to field light infantry equipped with jetpack technology as raiders and scouts. In Tiberium Wars, this technology has been further developed into jump jet packs that are used by Zone Troopers and elite commandos to bypass difficult terrain.
Mechanized Armor Technology
editIn the First Tiberium War, GDI drew its armored forces and technology from member nations, and as such, it made extensive use of the Humvee infantry transport M1 Abrams main battle tank, M113 armored personnel carrier, and the M270 MLRS rocket launcher system. GDI armor and firepower was generally superior to Nod's lighter vehicles, but was much slower and less stealthy than Nod vehicles.
In the Second Tiberium War, GDI replaced most of its heavy tanks with mechanized walkers such as the Titan, Wolverine, and Juggernaut. The tracked M270 MRLS was replaced with light, mobile hovering MRLS systems, and the M113 was replaced with a faster, amphibious APC. GDI also fielded a "Disruptor" tank, equipped with powerful sonic resonators, and mobile electromagnetic pulse generators.
In the Third Tiberium War, GDI has chosen to cut costs and field a more rugged and reliable armored force, and cut back on the use of walkers and hover technology. Instead, GDI fields Predator main battle tanks, which may be outfitted with heavy railgun technology. GDI also uses a light, missile equipped recon vehicle known as the Pitbull as a support and scouting vehicle, and heavy APCs with firing ports to allow the infantry within to engage the enemy.
Mammoth Tank
editThe X-66 Mammoth Tank was GDI's versatile heavy assault tank in the First Tiberium War and just left prototype testing phase during the game's events.
It is armed with twin 120 mm cannons and the complimentary Mammoth Tusk rocket launchers, used to engage both infantry and aerial targets. The weapon systems were mounted on a heavy four tread chassis and protected by extremely heavy armour. The tank was kept in working condition by an engineering crew inside, allowing it to repair to 50% of its strength. However, these advantages came at the expense of mobility, extreme cost and build time.
The tank was perceived as a great threat to the Brotherhood of Nod, and measures were taken by the organization to prevent widespread use of this treaded monster, which included destruction of prototype models in research facilities in Africa.
In the Second Tiberium War, it has been succeeded by the Mammoth Mk. II, an enormous quadrupedal walker, over twice the size of the GDI "Titan" Medium Battle Mechanized Walker. This behemoth, in addition to exceptionally strong armor plating, is armed with several weapon systems:
- Twin enormous, side-mounted railguns similar to the Ghoststalker's, but several times more powerful (and medium to long range), with the capacity to destroy moderately armoured tanks in a single discharge.
- An anti-aircraft missile module mounted on the rear of each railgun.
- Twin autocannons underneath the 'head'.
These weapons proved to be more than adequate for dispatching any vehicle, as during field demonstrations in Great Britain the Mammoth destroyed cars, walkers, aircraft and buildings with tremendous ease, and could easily lay waste to Brotherhood of Nod bases alone.
The prototype did not enter mass production during the events of Tiberian Sun. Its high price and inability to get past walls somewhat limited the Mammoth's usability, but it is nevertheless a very powerful albeit slow unit. As with its predecessor, the Mammoth Mk. II was perceived by Kane as a threat to Brotherhood's mission, and he ordered his commanders to destroy the prototype units tested in Britain.
The Mammoth Mk. II project was temporarily discontinued in the favour of the Mammoth mk.III , and the last unit was built at the Los Angeles San Pedro war factory, marking the end of the walker Mammoths at 12 March 2039. This move was opposed by conservative GDI commanders, among them Colonel Nicholas "Havoc" Parker, decorated war veteran.
In the Third Tiberium War, a tank named Mammoth Mk III, which prior to having been upgraded tends to closely resemble the original X-66 Mammoth Tank. Production started in 2039 in Reykjavík. Thanks to various advances and cost effective methods, GDI can, just like the original Mammoth, deploy this tank in large numbers which is more than a match for any of its other contemporaries.
The tank has been designed with long-range operations in harsh environments in mind. Its design is a return to the basic, four-tread system with a thick, hexagonal armor to match enemy tanks head-on and defeat them in open combat. The tank is usually deployed with twin 150mm conventional ballistic cannons. However, GDI has perfected its development of rail cannons since the Second Tiberium War and can now produce them easily, allowing Commanders, at their discretion, to have Mammoth Tanks upgraded with twin rail cannons, increasing the units already massive firepower further still. They are also fitted are two 4.75-inch missile pods mainly used to provide air support.
Mechanized Walkers
edit The concept of an all terrain battle walker, capable of delivering heavy firepower from any location on the battlefield, has first surfaced in the First Tiberium War in the form of a prototypical bipedal X-O powersuit. The versatile unit was lightly armoured, but could carry several different weapon systems, which included a 35mm Rocket Launcher and a high-powered laser. The results of initial tests were so promising, that the technology was extensively researched and developed.
Walkers formed the backbone of the GDI taskforce in the Second Tiberium War, following aforementioned research and development. The Humvee was superseded by a Wolverine (upper right of the photo) Powered Combat suit with twin automatic cannons on its arms with recon as its role. The M1 Abrams MBT was replaced by a Titan Medium Mechanized Battle Walker (lower right) with an 120mm side-mounted cannon. The Titan had a fairly long range and was often used to take out Nod defenses beyond their range. However, the technology was still being further developed, as the mighty Mammoth Mk. II was being developed and first units fielded at the time. (lower left)
Following the events of the Second Tiberium War, GDI was expanding on the concept, developing another walker unit, the Juggernaut, equipped with three 150mm cannons, as a countermeasure to Nod artillery. (upper left)
However, the walker technology had its drawbacks. The mechanisms utilized by these units were not only expensive and complicated to built, they also required constant maintenance and were relatively weak and fragile to enemy fire, as well as being unreliable in the field.[1] As such, the frontline walkers were gradually phased out and replaced with cheaper, more resilient tanks, such as the Predator and Mammoth 27, with only the long-range Juggernaut Mk. III remaining in active service in 2047. The Mk. 3 has been upgraded with the ability to shoot across the map to bombard targets spotted by snipers. Another ability is being able to shoot at enemy units at relatively close range without waiting to deploy its dual flaps (placed on the back of the legs as a cost-effective measure instead of a third leg as was utilized by the Mk. II, which the older Mk. II was required to deploy in order to attack anything.) The Mk. III only deploys the flaps when it needs to bombard targets across the map.
Ironically, Nod managed to overcome these drawbacks and by 2047 fields its own powerful bipedal Nod Avatar, turning old GDI tech against them. GDI Commando units can destroy these walkers by fastening their explosive charges to its legs, which, in another ironic twist, was another reason behind the retirement of GDI walkers, as they reasoned if they could do it, the same weakness could be exploited by Nod commando units.
Air Power
editIn the First Tiberium War, GDI benefited from having a powerful air force that was virtually unmatched by the Brotherhood of Nod. Though the Brotherhood had aircraft, GDI possessed far more options when it came to air units and weaponry. In addition to normal fighters(such as F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and modified Northrop YF-23 Black Widows) and bombers and cargo planes(such as C-130 Hercules in cutscenes), GDI made extensive use of the A-10 Warthog for close air support, the CH-46 Sea Knight (renamed the Chinook) transport helicopter, and the first advanced Orca VTOL aircraft.
In the Second Tiberium War, GDI's air superiority was challenged by Nod's expanded air force, which included Harpy and Banshee aircraft. However, GDI had expanded its Orca technology to create an entire series of Orca VTOL craft for a variety of missions, and utilized them extensively for assault and transport.
In the Third Tiberium War, GDI has changed the Orca Fighter into a tactical strike fighter, with the new Orca Gunships inheriting the role of close air support VTOL craft. The role of bomber and air-to-air fighter has been taken over by the Firehawk, a rapid strike fighter capable of launching into the upper atmosphere and assaulting ground targets deep inside enemy territory. GDI uses V-35 Ox transport aircraft to ferry troops into battle, and in combat GDI has several options that allow for the quick deployment of troops via air power. GDI is working on Hammerhead Helicopter Prototypes.
ORCA Aircraft
editThe ORCA series of aircraft was first introduced in the later part of the First Tiberium war, in the form of an ORCA Assault Craft. The main feature of the system was the abandonment of classic rotary wing propulsion. Instead, twin jet engines with sixteen-bladed turbofans were used, and these were placed on articulated mounts. There was also a lift fan located under the centerline of the horizontal boom on the tail. Historical sources available to the public show that in real life, this type of tilt-jet experimentation did in fact occur, but that the results were not particularly encouraging. However, in the Command & Conquer universe, the work yielded a near-perfect VTOL aircraft.
The main disadvantage of the Orca technology was its susceptibility to electromagnetic interference from Ion Storms, which almost proved to be the cause of Kodiak's destruction, as it was grounded during such a storm and ambushed by Nod forces. Following the conclusion of the Second Tiberium War, the Kodiak was shielded against such interference, allowing it to secure the Tacitus at the Cairo site. However, its design was not resistant to Ion Storm lightning, which destroyed one of its engines and caused it to crash-land in north Africa.
The first model (upper left image) was exceptionally fast and lightly armoured, piloted by a single crewman. The first ORCA was armed with twin Dragon TOW launchers and a chin-mounted minigun accompanied by a searchlight (the gun is unavailable in-game, possibly due to technical limitations). Although efforts were made to keep its development secret, knowledge of the project has been acquired by the Brotherhood, which attempted to commandeer an early prototype unit and use it in a propaganda strike against a nearby village. The player's actions determined whether or not they were successful.
The aircraft's speed allowed it to outrun most surface-to-air weapons, and it could quickly strike with surgical precision against both armored units and unprotected buildings. In addition, the first model of ORCA Assault Craft was compact enough to be transported and deployed from a specially modified semi-trailer truck. During the gap between the two Tiberium Wars, GDI perfected the ORCA technology, adopting the acronym as codename for the series of the powerful VTOL aircraft and replaced traditional jets. In addition to perfecting the technology and upgrading the original ORCA Assault Craft (middle left image), several specialized variants were developed, including a mighty Orca Bomber (lower left), carrying highly destructive explosive munitions designed to wreak havoc against buildings and armor alike, although at the expense of their speed. Another variant was the Orca Transport (lower right), a long, lightly armoured air transport craft, designed to move people and light equipment over vast distances fast. For hauling heavy military ordnance two aircraft were designed - the Orca Carry-All (middle right), a large flying crane, with engines powerful enough to airlift even the immense, prototypical Mammoth Mk. IIs, and the Orca Dropship (upper right), which could ferry large amounts of battle walkers onto the battlefield.
Another variant, the Orca Command, was also designed and manufactured. These aircraft served as mobile command centers for GDI commanders world-wide. One of the more famous, designated 3A and code-named Kodiak, served as GDI's field commander McNeil's command vessel.
In the break between the second and third Tiberium wars, GDI has developed a modernized and upgraded version of the gunship. The new version was visible during a promotional clip showcased by EALA during E3, which also contained a large amount of technical data on the craft.
According to that clip, the new version of the Orca has a maximum speed of 400 knots, with a combat range of 300 miles, or 1,180 miles when stripped of combat gear. Its maximum flight altitude is 42,000 feet, with a climb rate of up to 2,500 feet per minute. The power to mass ratio stands at 0.19 lbs/hp. The aircraft is crewed by a pilot and a copilot/gunner. It is 58.3 ft long, 48 ft wide, and 12.7 ft high.
Its armament varies, but is in every way superior to its predecessors, and can be composed of an M230 30mm Automatic Cannon with 1200 rounds, Hellfire V rockets (fictional), AIM-500 Stinger air to air missiles, AGM-240 Sidearm air-to-ground missiles, AIM-18 Sidewinder air intercept missiles and Hydra 70 unguided air-to-ground rockets. The New Orca Gunships are the most up to date aircraft of the Orca Aircraft Family and might be upgraded to have sonic grenades.
Firehawk Attack Jet
editThe Firehawk was developed by GDI to maintain their air superiority over Nod. A radically different (though seemingly influenced by) design to the commonly seen ORCAs, it has assumed the bomber role from the ORCA fleet and is also the frontline in the air to air combat role for GDI, able to be equipped with either heavy Hellcat firebombs or Rattlesnake missiles at GDI airfields. Fast and agile, they can be equipped with stratofighter boosters which gives them a huge advantage over more conventional craft as this allows them to climb into a low orbit, far out of the reach of hostile aircraft and any air defences that may be en-route to the target, effectively by-passing them completely. When required to attack from this height, they dive to the target area, ready to deliver their payload when ordered.
Space Technology
editFunded and supported heavily by European states, along with Russia, Japan, and the United States, GDI thus went into the First Tiberium War with large amounts of resources in space. GDI made extensive use of space-based technology, including spy satellites and the Ion Cannon.
The Second Tiberium War saw GDI expand further into space, establishing a massive command and control center in the form of the space station Philadelphia. GDI continued developing Ion Cannon technology, and also pioneered orbital drop pods, allowing them to deliver troops to reinforce target areas on extremely short notice.
In the Third Tiberium War, GDI's expansion into space continues, developing immensely powerful Ion Cannon satellites and highly advanced spy satellite networks. GDI forces advanced drop pod technology, allowing for the deployment of Zone Trooper squads via large capsules directly from space.
Ion Cannon
edit In Command & Conquer, the Global Defense Initiative's (GDI) ultimate ace in the hole weapon is its satellite-based Ion Cannon. GDI commanders are given this ability to match Nod’s nuclear capability in Command & Conquer and Nod’s chemical and multi-missile capabilities in Tiberian Sun, which makes the Ion Cannon a superweapon in the Command and Conquer: Tiberian universe. This satellite was used to attack Brotherhood of Nod installations and forces; it is used at the end of the First Tiberium War to destroy the Brotherhood's command centre, the Temple of Nod. In Tiberian Sun the control station for GDI's Ion Cannon was moved to their new upgrade center, where it remained in Firestorm.
In Renegade GDI’s Ion Cannon is used to strike at a hidden Nod base, and may be called to fire at a given target through the placement of specially designed "Godsend" Ion Cannon Beacons. It is also stated in Renegade that the Ion Cannon can be fired at a Nod installation if the installation in question can be accurately located by Global Positioning System satellites. The Ion Cannon satellite itself is shown in a video sequence powering up for an attack on the Temple of Nod.
When an Ion Cannon is activated in the earlier real-time strategy versions of Command & Conquer there is no advanced warning of the satellite's impending strike; players observe a sudden blast of bluish white light that strikes its target with the speed of a lightning bolt. In Tiberian Sun the ion strike remains the same, except that players can observe the remainder of the Ion Cannon beam for several seconds, and the ground area in the immediate surrounding area can be observed to have a ripple effect from the impact of the blast. However, in the first-person-shooter Renegade, an Ion Cannon strike is announced to all players on the field through EVA units and the sky over the map will become dark and stormy. Players in the vicinity of an Ion Cannon strike will also hear a series of beeps that denote the location of the Ion Cannon beacon, allowing them a chance to escape the blast or, conversely, a chance to deactivate the beacon and prevent the satellite strike altogether.
In Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars, the Ion Cannon plays a very important role in the plot. What was first experimental technology and then staple of fire support has become a network of Ion Cannon satellites that rain down orbital bombardment on any overt Nod activity. The old versions' surgical strike is changed to a weapon of mass destruction comparable to Nod's nuclear warheads.
An Ion Cannon is heralded by several smaller beams that spiral inwards from the outer edge of the blast area, doing minor damage over time to everything in the blast zone. When they reach the middle, the actual cannon fires in a searing blast of white/blue light that devastates a large area. It leaves a scorched scar behind, with a faint blue flame burning at Ground Zero.
Such power causes hubris in GDI, with catastrophic consequences when Nod utilizes tactics specifically designed to combat this threat, by first taking out GDI's ASAT Defense System's control center, allowing them to bypass GDI's anti-ballistic missile defenses. Later in the game, at Sarajevo, Acting Director Boyle orders an Ion Cannon strike against Temple Prime. The blast detonates a massive Liquid Tiberium deposit, spreading radiation levels over most of Eastern Europe and attracting the Scrin to Earth. When the Scrin arrive the satellites are used as an improvised planetary defense system, to no great effect - the invaders merely disperse the craft into several smaller Drone Platforms.
- When it was first deployed, the Ion Cannon was only capable of destroying single armoured vehicles or heavily damaging buildings. Although it was highly focused and impossible to defend against, it lacked large scale potential in conflicts. It could be used in a "wide field" method of fire capable of destroying small bases (as seen in a cut scene) by causing a "heat blast" effect that ignited anything that could burn. Underground facilities and armoured vehicles typically were unaffected to any significant degree.
- In Tiberian Sun, the Ion cannon had been upgraded with greater firepower and a larger area of effect. Capable of annihilating multiple armoured vehicles and leveling multiple buildings (when targeted cleverly), it also packed a greater tactical punch by being able to blast about 10-15 metres into the ground (depicted in-game by leaving a crater) giving it the ability to penetrate underground bunkers.
- In C&C 3, it was upgraded further with multiple satellite platforms and even greater destructive power. The firing method changed, giving more warning of the impending strike but allowing the area of effect to be expanded. Multiple laser beams spiral towards a central point, vaporising the ground and anything in the way to create a large pocket of ionised gas and plasma. The central cannon then fires with an instant strike that creates a supersonic pulse in the ion cloud that sends the plasma flying outwards, leveling builings, vehicles and personnel in a massive blast that can wipe out small towns as well as bases.
EVA
editThe Electronic Video Agent or EVA, sometimes confused as Electronic Video Assistant, is a fictional artificial intelligence used primarily by the Global Defense Initiative as an advanced tactical, logistical and communications coordinating console. The Brotherhood of Nod acquired a stolen version of the technology prior to the First Tiberium War, providing the group with the same tactical advantages as the forces of the GDI which significantly complicated GDI's efforts in gaining the upper hand throughout the original conflict. During the Second Tiberium War Nod utilized its own, and vastly superior, version of the GDI technology; a sinister and advanced artificial intelligence of mysterious origin named CABAL. Later in the war, CABAL became sentient and betrayed its former masters.
While EVA is often used in the game universe as a generic term for all battlefield command and control systems, it actually refers to a specific device, a combined strategic artificial intelligence, intelligence gathering tool, communication system and console interface, giving field commanders an omniscient view of the operational theatre. This technology allows the player to give direct commands to individual units on the battlefield while receiving a live as well as completely up-to-date analytical overview of the progressing situation in the field.
In the Command and Conquer series, EVA is the routine method of battlefield control during the First Tiberium War and represents an advanced albeit still relatively limited artificial intelligence. By the Second Tiberium War in the 2030s, EVA is fully developed with highly sophisticated natural language processing abilities and complex logic subroutines sufficient to make complicated and extensive strategic and tactical decisions traditionally assigned to experienced commanders. This is made very clear during the events of Firestorm, when Nod forces attempting to reprogram a captured EVA unit are repeatedly warned by the AI itself of the consequences resulting from their theft and their tampering with the device.
The Brotherhood of Nod's CABAL (the Computer Assisted Biologically Augmented Lifeform) is the equivalent of EVA in terms of its functions, except it is vastly superior; CABAL truly has a mind of its own and could reason and act independently if it chose to. By comparison EVA at best gives logically-formulated advice, having no true will of its own despite its own advanced nature as an artificial intelligence (a classic example of "weak" or "narrow" AI). Another major difference is that EVA is normally portrayed as either a wavelength or a simple human mouth. CABAL is always portrayed as nothing less than a type of lifeform. CABAL also has a near human tone whenever it communicates, where the EVA unit communicates with a voice the tone and pitch of which is distinctly computer-generated.
The original and authentic version of EVA is the exclusive property of the United Nations, and is in use by the executive and military arm of the United Nations Security Council; the Global Defense Initiative.
EVA is voiced by Kia Huntzinger in the original Command & Conquer as well as in Renegade, and by Jessica Straus in Tiberian Sun and its expansion pack Firestorm. As a side note, the Allied Intelligence officer from Red Alert 2 was named Lieutenant Eva, as is the advisor to the commander in Command and Conquer Generals.
Firestorm Defense Shield
editIn Command and Conquer Tiberian Sun, the Global Defense Initiative designs a new defensive network named the Firestorm Defense Shield, and uses it as the primary defense in their Hammerfest base of operations. As a high powered energy shield defensive system, it is capable of destroying anything which is unlucky enough to fly or drive over it at the moment it is activated, and is primarily used as a defense against the Brotherhood of Nod's wide range of missiles. When activated, nothing can pass over it. However, it has three weaknesses:
- The Firestorm Defense cannot destroy units which can burrow under it, such as the Subterranean APC or the Devil's Tongue Flame Tank.
- The Firestorm Defense will shut down if there is not enough power to maintain the Firestorm Generator and all of the Firestorm Wall Sections.
- The Firestorm Defense cannot defend against an orbital attack, such as the ion cannon or a missile launched by a satellite. In addition the actual generator features weak armor and can be quite easily destroyed by said orbital attacks with a single strike.
The system works by first constructing a Firestorm Generator, and then constructing Firestorm Wall Sections to be laid around a base. The Firestorm Generator takes some time to fully charge, but when it has, the commander can turn the defense on and off at will until the charge runs out. Once the charge depletes, the Firestorm Generator will need to fully recharge again before it can be used once more. Building the Firestorm generator is expensive, plus building the Firestorm Wall Sections to surround the base can be a tedious project.
Railguns
editTo improve the firepower of units, GDI has researched railgun technology. Working on a principle of the rounds fired at tremendous speeds via magnetic acceleration, their first use of this was on the Mammoth Mk 2 that was equipped with 2 mounted either side of the main body. The cannon's round could punch through even the thickest armour with ease and even strike targets otherwise blocked by other units by simply shooting through what was in front. The Ghoststalker commando used a personal version of the cannon.
By 2047 GDI can field railgun technology on a large scale. Zone Troopers are equipped with a rifle version as their standard weapon and the commando uses a carbine version that functions similar to a sub-machine gun, while Watchtowers feature twin-linked versions optimized for eliminating infantry units. While typically fielded with conventional weaponry, both the Predator MBT and the Mammoth Mk 3 are designed to be upgraded quickly and easily to use railguns instead should the situation require it. Doing so grants these units an enormous firepower advantage.
In the game, the railguns are characterised by the blue/white trail left as the round is fired at the target, which is somewhat misleading as they may seem more like lasers than projectiles. However, as real-life railguns and coilguns generate intense heat while firing, these trails could be steam or water vapor left by the passage of the round.
Sonic Resonance
editThe technology for the Disruptor units developed by the GDI centers around special sonic crystals. These, when under power and placed in special equipment, would generate a highly destructive wave of sonic energy. The might of these waves would be harnessed by GDI, who, by using specially designed Disruptor turrets, would amplify the waves with a large, reflective dish and with the same dish project them against foes and installations on the battlefield. Due to time constraints, the vehicle the turret was mounted upon was a simple treaded vehicle, similar to the ones used for the Mobile Construction Vehicles.
However, the hasty implementation and introduction of this technology onto the battlefield had its consequences - the Disruptors had virtually no armour, and could have been taken out by even basic light infantry. By 2047 these vehicles had been phased out of use.
The sonic disruptor technology was not abandoned by GDI during the Third Tiberium War. Continued research in an effort to find a way to clean up and contain the spread of Tiberium lead to the discovery that the crystal could be broken down at the molecular level by the use of sonics. This led to the development of Sonic Emitters. However, the technology requires vast energy to power it, ironically requiring GDI to turn to Tiberium itself to be able to meet the power needs of sonic resonance on large scales. In addition to this environmental use, GDI also deploys Sonic Emitters as a weapon, because of their reputation as excellent base defenses. The blast generated has an advantage in that it strikes multiple targets at once, literately shaking them apart. During the Scrin invasion of the Third Tiberium war, GDI made extensive use of these emitters to repel the Scrin, as it was discovered the invaders were especially vulnerable to the Sonic Resonance technology.
The technology so effective at combating the Scrin that vehicles utilizing sonic disruptor weapons are once again making a comeback as GDI introduced the "Shatterer", a hovercraft with a disruptor cannon mounted on it. The vehicle is to be one of the upcoming units for the GDI featured in the upcoming expansion for Tiberium Wars, Kane's Wrath.