Phase Tank

Phase Tank
Affiliation:	The Hierarchy
Type:	Medium Hover Tank, Armored Scout, Rapid Assault Unit
Health:	400
Armor:	Alien Vehicle Heavy
Movement Type:	Hover
Speed:	2.5
Sight Range:	235
Cost:	800RM (see article for reductions)
Time:	0:28 (see article for reductions)
Popcap:	4
Produced From:	Hierarchy Assembly Walker (Requires Quantum 2 and a Phase Tank Pod on the Walker)
Special Ability:	Phase Shift
Weapon:	Plasma Missile (5 shots per burst)
Damage:	Plasma Missile: 12 (note: causes splash damage)
Upgrades:	Quantum Ordnance (Quantum-3), Volatile Reactors (Mutagen-1), Irradiated Shots (Mutagen-1), Gamma Radiation (Mutagen-3),

The Phase Tank is a medium hover tank employed by the Hierarchy.

General

Phase Tanks are a half-saucer shaped craft with a single plasma cannon mounted on the tank's underside. On the top of the tank is what appears to be a lone optical sensor built into the vehicle's "head". Like its Novus counterparts, Phase Tanks are able to traverse almost any terrain and cross deep water with no difficulties. Unlike the lesser vehicles of Novus, Phase Tanks possess far more lone firepower and more armor. In addition, each Phase Tank is equipped with a phasing generator by default (Unlike other Hierarchy Units), allowing them to pass through solid objects (such as enemy structures) and rendering them immune to any sort of damage.

Campaign

Phase Tanks first appear as part of a Hierarchy defense force in Africa, protecting an important Material Uplink. These hovercraft a paired with Grunts, making them difficult to engage on the ground, but Novus' Dervish Jets where able to destroy them with no fear of a counter attack.

Curiously, Phase Tanks are not used for nearly the entirety of the Hierarchy campaign. Instead, the alien tanks are used only on the final mission where they could be called down by "borrowed" Assembly Walkers.

Tactical Application

Phase Tanks are very useful units that are powerful against nearly any ground target. Their speed allows them to rapidly reach areas that are under attack and then quickly retreat as needed. The Phase Tank's phasing ability allows for several interesting tactics. For example, they can be used to intercept an enemy army, deal damage, then phase and retreat quickly to be repaired. The ability can also be used to sneakily bypass turret blockades and deal damage within the enemy base (this is particularly effective against Novus, since their flow generators tend to be hidden behind a wall of Redirection Turrets) or be used to spot for a superweapon, then unphase to continue dealing damage after the impact.

The Phase Tank can be preferred over Brutes in chasing down applications or for ambushing foes, thanks to their ability, speed, and ranged weapon. However, the Brute is superior for dealing raw damage and ripping down turrets.

Cost and Built Times

Cost: 800

1 Cost Optimizer: 735

2 Cost Optimizers: 672

3 Cost Optimizers: 608

4 Cost Optimizers: 544

Time: 0:28

1 Teleport Accelerator: 0:25

2 Teleport Accelerators: 0:23

3 Teleport Accelerators: 0:21

4 Teleport Acceleratros: 0:19

Pop: 4

Special Abilities

Phase Self
Effect: Phases for 15 seconds, making the Phase Tank immune to damage and collision
Cooldown: 0:36 (from end of phase period)
Note: The unit is destroyed if it ends the phase while inside another object.

Upgrades

Gamma Radiation
Effect: Radiation damage increased to 10 per second
Method: Research Mutagen Branch Suite 3

Irradiated Shots
Effect: Plasma bolts are irradiated, inflicting radiation damage over time
Method: Research Mutagen Branch Suite 1
'Damage: 5 per second
Duration: 10 seconds

Quantum Ordnance
Effect: Plasma attacks cause an additional 5 damage to targets.
Method: Research Quantum Branch Suite 3

Volatile Reactors
Effect: Creates radioactive cloud when destroyed
Method: Research Mutagen Branch Suite 1

Damage vs. Armor

Ground Missile

Armor Type	Modifier	Damage	DPS
Base	1.0	12	13.3
Infantry Light	0.9	10.8	12
Infantry Heavy	0.9	10.8	12
Vehicle Light	1.3	15.6	17.3
Alien Vehicle Heavy	1.2	14.4	16
Novus Vehicle Heavy	1.3	15.6	17.3
Masari Vehicle Heavy	1.35	16.2	18
Masari Vehicle Elite	0.85	10.2	11.3
Alien Structure Turret	1.15	13.8	15.3
Novus Structure Turret	1.25	15	16.4
Masari Structure Turret	1.15	13.8	15.3
Alien Structure Light	1.2	14.4	16
Novus Structure Light	1.2	14.4	16
Masari Structure Light	1.25	15	16.4
Alien Structure Heavy	1.3	15.6	17.3
Masari Structure Heavy	1.3	15.6	17.3
Novus Structure Heavy	1.35	16.2	18
Hero Endure	0.6	7.2	8
Walker	1.3	15.6	17.3
Walker Hardpoint	1.3	15.6	17.3
Walker Hardpoint Armor	1.3	15.6	17.3
Dark Matter Armor	1.25	15	16.4

Trivia and Tips

• Originally, the Phase Tank was able to lift of the ground, flip around, and become an air unit. This feature was cut after the developers noticed that the air-mode didn't really have a specific role that couldn't be filled by the Saucer, so the ability was cut. Sound effects from the transformation as well as animations and alternate models still exist within the games coding however.
  
• The speed of the Phase Tank makes it ideal for chasing down and destroying Mirabel and Viktor, who can outrun most Hierarchy units.
  
• Be careful when using the vehicle's phase ability when in large groups, since if the tank has any object within it when it unphases it (the tank) will be destroyed.
• The Phase tank somewhat resembles the Wraith tank from the Halo franchise. Key differences include a lack of turret and pilot on the Hierarchy's vehicle, as well as different faction color.
• A good strategy is to attack the enemy base with Phase Tanks, Monoliths and Lost Ones with the Mass Drop superweapon ready. Before firing, simply phase your units and watch the bombardment commence. The units will be unharmed and ready to continue fighting once the bombardment ceases. (As mentioned above, make sure they aren't touching any scrap when they come out of phase.)
• Its the only main tank of the 3 factions to not have an area damaging ability althought it has the phase ability