| “ | Lets run some field tests! - Cryocopter |
” |
The Cryocopter is an Allied helicopter used during the War of the Three Powers and the Uprising, armed with Freeze Beams and SHRINK Weapons, though unable to directly harm targets.
History[]
| “ | I'm just a scientist! - Cryocopter |
” |
When a radical Dutch energy-absorption system was coupled with a British helicopter chassis, the one-of-a-kind Cryocopter was born. The cryocopter was so one-of-a-kind, in fact, that it only recently went into mass production. Though classified as a support aircraft, unsuited for conventional anti-surface combat and lacking in any weapons in the traditional sense, it is nonetheless gaining remarkable popularity among Allied forces for its ability to neutralize enemy targets in a relatively civil, if unorthodox, way.
Abilities[]
 |
SHRINK Beam | The Cryocopter can also use its secondary weapon to shrink friendly or enemy vehicles. This shrinking causes an increase in speed, but a decrease in range, damage and armor. Due to smaller size, any affected vehicle can be run over by any other enemy vehicle. |
Features[]
| “ | Put him on Ice! - Cryocopter |
” |
A Cryocopter
The cryocopter is stable and dependable as helicopters go. An ancillary benefit of its sophisticated on-board systems is a surprisingly strong fuselage, proven to be able to withstand direct fire. Of course, their durability is hardly what makes them so impressive. That credit goes primarily to the aircraft's custom cryobeam, used to draw out all heat in an area while spraying it with pure water and a burst of liquid helium, causing a flash-freeze that can encase an entire enemy tank in a block of solid ice.
Frozen targets are effectively thrust into a state of suspended animation. The effects of the freezing gradually wear off and the target snaps out of the effect all at once, with no recollection of the passage of time, as though waking from slumber. In fact, a majority of test subjects reported feeling unusually relaxed after this fugue state. Although research findings concerning the long-term effects of the freezing are inconclusive as of yet, the cryobeam has provisionally been deemed "perfectly safe" by manufacturer FutureTech Corporation. However, the Amsterdam-based defense research firm has disclosed that frozen targets do tend to become extremely brittle, such that a basic concussive impact could cause them irreparable harm. One test subject unfortunately was shattered to pieces under a routine inspection, calling FutureTech's safety claims to draw some flak. Allied military command took an interest in licensing the cryocopter at around the same time.
As if the cryobeam is not remarkable enough, stranger still is the cryocopter's "strong homogenous residual-interactive neutron kinetic" (or "S.H.R.I.N.K. beam") beam. This device safely and temporarily compresses molecular bonds in an object, in essence causing a reduction in physical size despite a conservation of mass. The long-term effects of exposure to this device are still unknown, and until they are well-understood, the Allies are treating it as a weapon. Consequently, more and more cryocopters are beginning to appear among Allied air forces, though Allied command assures the military scientists running the field diagnostics that they are unlikely to come to harm and would never be used in frontline engagements against the Soviets.
Notes from the field[]
Render
| “ | Oh man, why me??? - Cryocopter under attack |
” |
Battlefield reconnaissance has revealed at least these facts about the Cryocopter:
• Cold storage -- Cryocopters can train their cryobeams on any surface target, causing it to gradually slow and become frozen. Multiple cryobeams brought to bear on an individual target cause the frozen state to set in more quickly. Frozen targets are completely disabled and extremely vulnerable to direct attack. This ability lets even Peacekeeper troops destroy tanks with their shotguns. Targets frozen solid by the cryocopter's beam can be considered non-threats until the effects of the freezing wear off, or until they are shattered into small pieces. While this is deadly, it is considered "very humane" in the context of the modern battlefield.
• S.H.R.I.N.K. them down -- The effects of the crycocopter's S.H.R.I.N.K. beam are most unusual. Targets become unusually small, and proportionally weaker. Most targets will mouth off at you after being shrunk, for a laugh, try shrinking every unit you come across and listen to the smart remark they say. When shrunk, their energy is conserved in such a way that they seem to increase in mobility during this state, rather than slow as might be expected. This ability allows Guardian Tanks crush even Apocalypse Tanks.
• Defenseless -- The cryocopter has no conventional weapons, therefore cannot directly harm any target on its own. As a result, the Allies have publicly urged the Soviet war council to treat cryocopters as non-combatants, though they seem to refuse to comply with this request.
• Freezing facilities -- Even a war factory could eventually be frozen by a cryocopter. Frozen structures are completely disabled, and again, become extremely brittle such that even a single shotgun blast could potentially cause catastrophic harm to structural integrity.
Game unit[]
| “ | Save the Equipment! - Cryocopter ordered to return to the Air Base |
” |
The primary function of the Cryocopter is to hamper major threats like Apocalypse Tanks and Dreadnoughts, as well as neutralizing foes to clear the way for standard combat units. When a target is frozen, regardless of how durable it is normally, a single attack from any unit will destroy it. Mostly used in defensive methods, it can be a great way to neutralize artillery units before they are able to destroy base defenses.
Cryocopters are also a good way to neutralize a fast-moving commando in a tightly packed base. Infantry units are almost instantly frozen by the Cryo-Beam, but are unaffected by the S.H.R.I.N.K. Beam.
In "The Moon shall never have them", the final Allied mission, it was used to shrink Allied MCVs so they could establish a foothold on a neighbouring island to commence an assault on Leningrad.
In Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3: Uprising it continues to function as a valuable support unit. The Cryocopters later froze the rogue shogunate leaders Shinzo Nagama (in his own house) to allow the Allies to arrest him without any more resistance.
Assessment[]
Pros[]
- Cryobeam can freeze hostiles
- SHRINK beam can shrink hostiles to crushable sizes or you can use it on your own to rush slow units from place to place.
- SHRINK beam special ability has good cooldown time
- Shrinking makes even the most powerful enemy units all the way up to the Giga-Fortress a breeze for your other units to follow up.
- Well armoured
- Decently fast
- Freezing multiple Power Plants, Generators and Super Reactors will cause the base to run out of power
- Freeze attack halts all enemy actions, including buildings
- Can be upgraded with Advanced Aeronautics to gain more durability, scan-range and speed and High Technology Upgrades to shrink for a longer period of time
- Can shrink friendly units as well. For example, shrinking the MCV or Prospector speeds up expansion creation
- Can freeze enemy vehicles more faster after applying SHRINK beam on them.
Cons[]
- Expensive for a support unit ($1600)
- Does not directly harm enemies
- Does not attack aircraft
- Anti-air defenses and packs of anti-air units pose a threat
- Freezing larger targets is more time consuming.
- Unlike Cryo Legionnaires, Cryocopters cannot freeze multiple targets at once
- Shrunken units can get out of harm's way quickly if not properly managed, as small units move faster
- Cannot shrink infantry, structures or landed aircraft
- Cannot do a reverse move (like Twinblade and Chopper VX)
Quotes[]
Created[]
- Let's run some field tests!
Select[]
- Technician buckled in!
- Cryo systems, ready to go!
- Equipment all looks good!
- I'm safe up here, right?
- Cryocopter, hello!?
- Over head!
- I can get the hang of this!
Moving[]
- Let's take a look!
- Okay, we're going over there!
- Let's see how this goes!
- The ride's pretty smooth!
- We're not gonna get shot up, are we?
- Did you get that, pilot?
- Alright, already!
- Okay! Okay!
Attacking with Cryobeam[]
- He needs to chill!
- Chill out!
- Put him on ice!
- Hold it!
- Absolute Zero!
- Ohh, another subject!
- Quick freeze!
Attacking with SHRINK Beam[]
- Let's try the shrinker!
- Reducers all set!
- Let's see how they like this!
- Extra small, coming up!
- Size does matter!
Move to Attack[]
- Want me to freeze 'em?
- I'll need to get closer!
- They won't feel a thing!
- Looks like a good subject!
- Arm the cryobeam!
- Okay, we see 'em!
In Combat[]
- Gotta keep that beam steady!
- Temperatures dipping!
- Everybody stay cool!
- This one looks chilled!
- Just like in the lab!
Retreating[]
- Save the equipment!
- It's too hot here!
- They're on my tail!
- It's time for my break, isn't it?
Under fire[]
- I knew they would attack me!
- I'm just a scientist!
- Whoa whoa whoa, come on!
- Hey, get them off me!
- Oh man, why me?
Shot Down[]
- I knew this would happen...
- Aahh aahh...
- What do I do?...
- I got my seatbelt on...
Videos[]
Trivia[]
- AI-controlled Cryocopters have a habit of using the SHRINK beam against enemy units. This is more common with Medium or higher AI, who are likely to use the ability on their foes. Players should take great care when these units are deployed against them. Commonly, Commander Giles tends to have the habit of staging 2-5 of these at his base.
- Enemy AI Cryocopters will always shrink enemies first before freezing or fleeing, even going through enemy fire just to SHRINK a unit. Also, Cryocopters are always spammed by the Allies instead of more offensive units.
- SHRINKed units freeze faster.
- Strangely, when living things are frozen, they will die but the Cryocopter still cannot kill any infantry. Also, even if the Cryobeam can be targeted at the same level as the chopper itself (The Cryocopter can target its Cryobeam even into higher ground by using force attacks on a cliff), it still cannot target aircraft, this is maybe due to balancing reasons, same applies to all choppers like Twinblades and Chopper VXs.
- When a SHRINKed Soviet Sputnik deploys as an outpost and then destroyed or sold, a mini Conscript will appear. The same happens when selling a SHRINKed Conyard.
- A SHRINKed transport vehicle cannot load infantry. However, a SHRINKed transport vehicle already loaded with infantry can scamper ahead and unload infantry behind enemy lines. Unloaded infantry will have a somewhat white tint and they will return to their normal color when the SHRINK effect on the vehicle wears off.
- A stunned infantry (Attack dog or War bear) can be frozen, but they will still continue their stun animation.
- Some SHRINKed heavy units such as the Apocalypse tank become too small to hit by missile armaments.
- The rate of fire of shrunk units is somewhat improved. Tiny Bullfrogs have been seen firing 3x the speed of normal Bullfrogs.
- Although frozen units are highly vulnerable against even small arms, any chemical or energy-based weapon, like Desolator (spray armament), Mirage tank or even Tesla coil, still hit them with the same damage as normal.
- If High Technology Upgrades is authorized before the first SHRINK effect expires, Cryocopter can shrink the same target again, making them even smaller.
A normal-sized Guardian Tank (right), a shrunk one (middle) and a double-shrunk one (left).
- When ordered, like the Twinblade, the scientist behind the weapons system responds to the orders. Evidenced by the quote:
| “ | Did you get that, pilot? | ” |
