Faction differences
From Supreme Commander Wiki
The four factions appear to have a nearly identical inventory of units. Despite this, there are many significant differences in these units' capabilities that require a different play style. Specific differences are described throughout the articles in this wiki. Below are some general differences.
Contents |
[edit] UEF
UEF units are hardier than the other factions' because they often have more HP. The UEF ACU has 12000 HP, the new and shiny Seraphim ACU has 11500 HP, the Aeon ACU has 11000 HP, and the Cybran ACU has 10000. The same is true of nearly every other category of unit. In Forged Alliance it is said that UEF have the strongest Tech 1 units, and from the stats it's obvious to say the Light Bot (Mech Marine) is superior. The T1 Artillery (Lobo) can also easily be said to be the strongest artillery. Their T1 Tank (Striker) is more arguable, however it does have a lovely 300 HP, larger compared to others.
UEF tend to be the jack of all trades, master of none. They have good units in all around the block but tend not to excel in one area or at one special thing (Such as Cybran's Hoplites and Stealth combo).
[edit] Weapons
UEF forces have Weapons Technologies that resemble 21st century weapons, such as the Gauss Cannon, the Linked Railgun, and the Angler Torpedo.
[edit] Unique units
The UEF is the only faction that has a tech 3 transport, which is equipped with a shield and plasma weapons. Their experimental units are unique: the Fatboy mobile factory, the Atlantis submersible carrier, the Novax Center orbital satellite weapon and the Mavor strategic artillery. Because the UEF has an experimental carrier, it does not have a tech 3 carrier.
Forged Alliance gifted UEF with 10 units, most of which were unique (although some were given equivalents to other factions). Their new, completely unique units are the Novax Center, Continental, Sparky T2 field engineer, Spearhead mobile missile platform, Cooper T2 torpedo boat, Neptune Class battlecruiser, and Ravager T3 point defense.
[edit] Cybran Nation
The Cybran Nation's units are more expensive to construct that other factions' and they have the lowest HP. Their advantages lie in technologies that disrupt enemies. For instance, they have heavy assault bots at tech 1 to disrupt an enemy's early expansion, their tech 3 aircraft have integrated stealth technology, when their Siege Assault Bots are destroyed their cores detonate powerfully releasing an EMP burst that disrupts enemy units, and they have the only mobile stealth unit. This even extends to their experimental units: The Monkeylord is the only experimental unit with a stealth capability. These attributes give the Cybran Nation a wide array of kill strategies.
[edit] Weapons
Cybran forces use direct-fire laser weapons and proton cannons with a very high ROF but low DPS, as well as AA and Anti-Sea Nanite Missiles and Torpedoes, AA Nanite Darts, as well as a collection of high explosive shells for indirect-fire weapons.
[edit] Unique units
The Cybrans are the only faction with a tech 1 heavy bot, which often gives them an advantage during early expansion. They have the Deceiver, the only mobile unit able to project a stealth field, however they are the only faction that does not have a mobile shield generator. Their experimental units are unique: the Monkeylord spiderbot, the Soul Ripper gunship, and the Scathis rapid fire artillery. Although the Cybrans don't have a tech 3 shield generator, their tech 2 shield generator can be instead upgraded four further times until it reaches an equivalent of a tech 3 generator.
[edit] Aeon Illuminate
Aeon units are the most effective in an even fight between equivalent units. Their HP, construction costs, speed and abilities are average, but their weapons are particularly effective. For instance, their tech 2 tanks do more DPS, their tech 3 bombers drop smartbombs that track their targets, and their tech 3 artillery does not stop to deploy stabilizers in order to fire, but also lets them have very good accuracy. The trajectories of their weapons often give them the best effective DPS and initial shot damage.
The Aeon is widely considered to have the best navy. Aeon T1 Light Tanks are amphibious giving the Aeon an early naval advantage, Aeon mobile shield generators are also amphibious to support the navy, and Aeon naval units are nearly all more hardy and powerful than the other factions' naval units. They also have the only submersible battleship.
[edit] Weapons
The Aeon tend to utilize weapons with long range, high DPS, low firing randomness, and extremely high initial shot damage. Most of them have a small damage radius and low ROF. Examples of Weapons Technologies the Aeon Illuminate employs are the Oblivion Cannon, the Fizz Launcher, and the Quantum Cannon.
[edit] Unique units
The Aeon navy is the only one that has an attack boat, though this is considered a disadvantage because it only makes up for the notable lack of anti-air capabilities of the Aeon frigate. They also lack a tech 2 amphibious tank because their tech 1 light tank is amphibious. Also, the Aeon use a lot of hover units which make them faster, impossible to hit with torpedoes, and can easily move across the map and see easily. Their tech 2 mobile shield generator can rush into units, stopping them from firing, but leaving their units open. Also they can help support their sea units. Their only unique units are the guided missiles and their experimental units: the Galactic Colossus assault bot, the CZAR flying fortress, and the Tempest submersible battleship.
[edit] Seraphim
Generally speaking, the Seraphim are a combination of the UEF and the Aeon--they have a mixture of multi-purpose units and specialized units. Their units usually have the second highest HP and construction costs. Like the Aeon, a few of these units can hover, thereby avoiding the danger of torpedos and having the advantage of being able to travel across water. In terms of equivalant units, the Seripham carry units with high HP, high construction costs, and appreciable weapon damage and ROF. They excel in terms of land and naval units (the author can confirm killing a UEF destroyer using 5 T1 submarines without losing a single submarine), but have average air units. If the UEF/Cybran have the best land units, and if the Aeon have the best naval units, the Seraphim follows by a close second on both of these.
The most obvious advantage the Seraphim holds is their shields. The Seraphim is the only faction to have a T3 mobile shield generator, and both Seraphim stationary shield generators have more health and a larger radius, but at a higher cost.
The Seraphim Anti-Air turrets have been considered to be the worst around, but a T2 cruiser, having tremendous DPS for air units, is almost a compensation for this.
From an aesthetic standpoint, the Seraphim take an even more extreme approach to unit design than the Aeon. Seraphim units are generally smoother and more elegant in appearance, with few jagged angles. Their units sport a chrome-like finish, adding to the alien appearance. Like the Aeon, the Seraphim employ unusual and alien weaponry, including the Heavy Quarnon Cannon, the Uall Cavitation Torpedo, and the Olaris AA Artillery Cannon.
[edit] Weapons
There is virtually no Earth equivalent to the Seraphim weapons, as opposed to the UEF, Cybran, and even possibly the Aeon. But generally speaking, Seraphim weapons rely more on energy than on solid particles, for instance their bombers and submarines.
[edit] Unique units
As with all the other factions experimental units, the Seraphim experimental units are unique. The Ythotha is arguably the most powerful experimental unit that can be built in under 20 minutes, with the possible exception of the Fatboy: when in direct combat with a Monkeylord and a Galactic Colossus, the Ythotha will usually win, or else the one-on-one fight will most likely end in a draw. The Ahwassa is an extremely powerful bomber, well-known for its damage and its speed. The Yolona Oss, a Game ender unit, is a top-notch strategic missile launcher, with cheap missile costs, fast build time, and missiles that can only be destroyed by TWO SMD missiles.
As for standard units, the Seraphim don't have very many unique units, besides the T3 submarine killer (possibly the most powerful naval unit in the game in terms of cost/HP/weapon correlations). But they do have equivalent units with unique features. Their scout, the selen, can act like a light assault bot, and when the unit stands completely still, it is both cloaked AND stealthed, without an energy cost. The Seraphim T1 Light Air Transport is the only air transport that can carry up to 8 units as opposed to the standard 6, and the Seraphim T2 Air Transport can carry up to 16 units as opposed to the standard 12. The Seraphim have the only T1 submarine with torpedo defense.
The Seraphim lack a T3 gunship and a T3 sonar platform.
