One of Usonia's massive flying carriers, launching autonomous drone to strike its targets.
The ZR-25 "Samson" is a heavy aerial mechanical unit produced by Usonia. It deploys a swarm of advanced gyrocopter drones which deliver explosive ordinance onto its targets at long-range.
General Description[]
The Usonian's air units often strive for an element of shock and awe, and this ship's size makes it no less capable of fulfilling that. The Samson is a wide figure with a central zeppelin and two supporting balloons to hold her aloft and steady, similar to a pontoon boat, while the drones are launched. At the rear is its primary propulsion: a trio of large propellers. A pair of Usonian battle flags extend from its rear, providing ample notice that the Yanks have come. The flanks of the Ship are occupied by six individual landing flats for its drones to land while re-arming.
If it were to be compared to the other factions, this is the Usonian "superheavy." The Samson is less of a battleline unit and more of a rear support ship. As such, when compared with its peers, the Samson has less in the way of pure armor, being a measly medium-class armor unlike most superheavies. However, to make up for this shortcoming, the Samson's actual HP pool is quite high, being 100 points higher than the Polanian Tur, 50 higher than the Rusviet Gulyay-Gorod, and 200 lower than the Saxon Kaiser. This makes it the second most durable unit in the game (in terms of HP), and coincides with the long range of her six strike craft, advanced Drones capable of carrying light bombs.
The most important aspect of this unit is its near-total reliance on its drones to inflict damage. Since drones can be shot down, groups of units can do enough damage to render its drone swarms mostly useless. This can be countered by using hit/run tactics to allow drones to regenerate, using additional carriers for drone spam, or quickly buying replacements with the Accelerate Production ability. As a last option, it is possible to reduce the period drones can be shot at by simply moving the carrier closer to its target.
Pros[]
- Amazingly durable for an airship, and can soak up some fire for its escorting force if need be
- Ignores terrain - can be used as a siege weapon that attacks from unanticipated angles
- Its drones can be dispatched from long-range without exposing the ship to danger
- Bombs deal good damage in a small area
- Accurate - drones only release bombs when directly above an enemy, ensuring good hits
- Groups of carriers can be very powerful - larger amounts of drones in the air means less are shot down as they destroy their targets
- Ability to rapidly replace drones can make it devastating at inflicting a lot of damage at a long range, essentially acting as a siege-breaking unit
- Powerful at area denial vs. small groups of enemies
Cons[]
- Expensive; highest oil cost to its competitors at 230 units (compared to 220 for Tur)
- Slow
- High population usage
- Medium armor means it cannot blunt damage as well as other superheavies - ability to fly still cannot substitute for lack of armor
- Drones can be shot down, and nearly useless against enough concentrated fire
- Replacement drones take time to build without spending resources via its ability
- Flak turrets are near-useless against counter-air units; the Skybikes and Revere significantly outrange them, and their damage rate is mediocre
Weapons[]
Foremost among this ship's weapons is its compliment of small drones, which it sends to attack an enemy target by dropping bombs on it and returning to rearm. The Samson is capable of deploying six of bomb drones from independent housings. The Samson's armament also includes a pair Quad Autocannon turrets: one on the bow and the other on the stern. The anti-air guns are relatively weak but a valuable contribution to its defense.
Abilities[]
Accelerate Production (Active) - This ability can be repeatedly activated, and essentially allows for replacement drones to be immediately purchased in exchange for resources. The closer to the carrier is to passively producing its own replacement drone, the lower the resource cost.
It is important to remember the carrier can produce its own replacements for free given enough time - only use the ability when it seems necessary.
Trivia[]
- This airship is likely named after Charles Rumney Samson, a naval aviation pioneer, and the first person to fly an aircraft from a moving ship, which is quite a fitting name for what is essentially a flying aircraft carrier.
- Samson is also the name of a Biblical judge, one renowned for his impressive strength.
- The name Samson itself means "man of the sun."
- The Samson is the second "carrier" unit to deploy drones with explosives after the Saxony Empire's MFW 28 Stiefmutter, although its drones are smaller, reusable, and seem to have longer range.
- The "Samson" was at some point in the developement called "Essex", and even in the current version has a faded "US-ESX" text on the side of it's hull, presumably standing for "United States - Essex".
Gallery[]
