scrin strengths and weaknesses?

[00yiggdrasill00]

ive been at this game (and series) for years, but i still cant wrap my head around the scrin. what are they good and bad at? how are they ment to be played?

[Cat]

Scrin rely on their aerial power. Their vehicles are well armored and versatile, although not as powerful as GDI's or mobile as Nod's. Their Infantry are effective in closer quarters combat. Economically, the Scrin have an advantage, since they can gather Tiberium quickly, as well as have unlimited stores.

One problem the Scrin face is their lack of transport. Unlike Nod and GDI, the Scrin have no equivalent Carryall or V-35 Ox transport to move their forces across impassable or tall terrain. While the Mastermind's teleport solves some of the problems a Scrin commander faces, the Masterminds themselves are unable to move across the terrain and as such are at a disadvantage. This can be in part remedied by the Drone Ship's flying abilities or the Wormhole support power to instantly move around the battlefield.

[00yiggdrasill00]

thanks. i will give them another try. ive been playing against them specificly to try and get a feel for them from a different angle.

[Wetwork]

Air awarm.
That's pretty much it man
Also no tib storage cap.

[00yiggdrasill00]

thanks didnt know about the tib storage

[Alucard †]

Originally posted by Cat:

One problem the Scrin face is their lack of transport. Unlike Nod and GDI, the Scrin have no equivalent Carryall or V-35 Ox transport to move their forces across impassable or tall terrain. While the Mastermind's teleport solves some of the problems a Scrin commander faces, the Masterminds themselves are unable to move across the terrain and as such are at a disadvantage. This can be in part remedied by the Drone Ship's flying abilities or the Wormhole support power to instantly move around the battlefield.

Well there's also the Wormhole special power beside Mastermind's teleport.
That one is very useful if you want to ruin someone's day by sending one storm rider (or any other scouting unit) to their base then opening a 2 way wormhole and sending everything you got directily inside their base ^^ that's always fun.

[SgtEmissary [Kane's Will]]

Scrin have powerful air like others have stated but with cheaper units such as Nod's Attack Bikes or GDI's Pitbulls and rocket infantry that are easily spammable, it kinda nullifies their air and biggest advantage.

Having said that, Scrin infantry isn't too particularly great except for the Shock troopers and most of their vehicles are 'okayish' while about a couple are in the 'superb' category; those being Tripods and Devour tanks (Devour tanks charged up are beasts).

A mix of Riflemen and Missile Squads for example, works anytime, anywhere... and then you get them elite with AP ammo and Composite armor/Tiberium suits and they just own Scrin infantry even if they're Shock Troopers or Ravagers.

Seekers are good and all WHEN they have that Shard upgrade but, stock they just pale in comparison to other vehicles of their tier. They take forever in a day, if Seekers try to kill infantry or vehicles stock, while a Nod Raider Buggy would take seconds to wipe them out... and that's just one Raider Buggy or two, swarms would just own em' entirely... especially once you get Laser Capacitors, it brings the buggy a tier up. Making the Raider a somewhat hybrid of anti-infantry, vehicle... and air.

Then you got the Attack Bike with that tasty Tiberium Core Missile upgrade... which shreds air and vehicles in numbers, especially at elite. I think both vehicles outclass the Seeker by miles... and I swear I don't have a Nod bias. >,,>

Now, if you're Reaper-17 on the other hand the Scrin vehicles are a totally different animal. You get the Shard Walker (which is a better Gun-Walker) and Blue Shards upgrade, it makes it even deadlier and the Reaper Tripod which has a conversion beam like the Devour tank has... you get the idea. In a Scrin versus Reaper-17 vehicle match-up, R-17 would wipe the floor with them.

Scrin however on the plus side do have superb early game potential with Disengrater spam, you can easily wipe out an opponent in like 2-7 minutes or so depending on map if they're not careful... especially if you're Travler-59, again, things are different like it is with Repear-17.

Other than that, the other factions are more well-rounded.

[Alucard †]

Originally posted by SgtEmissary Kane's Will:

Scrin have powerful air like others have stated but with cheaper units such as Nod's Attack Bikes or GDI's Pitbulls and rocket infantry that are easily spammable, it kinda nullifies their air and biggest advantage.

Having said that, Scrin infantry isn't too particularly great except for the Shock troopers and most of their vehicles are 'okayish' while about a couple are in the 'superb' category; those being Tripods and Devour tanks (Devour tanks charged up are beasts).

I mean, Seekers are good and all WHEN they have that Shard upgrade but, stock they just pale in comparison to other vehicles of their tier. They take forever in a day, if Seekers try to kill infantry stock (same for vehicles), while a Nod Raider Buggy would take seconds to wipe them out... and that's just one Raider Buggy or two, swarms would just own em' entirely... especially once you get Laser Capacitors, it brings the buggy a tier up. Making the Raider a somewhat hybrid of anti-infantry, vehicle... and air.

Now, if you're Reaper-17 on the other hand the Scrin vehicles are a totally different animal. You get the Shard Walker (which is a better Gun-Walker) and Blue Shards upgrade, it makes it even deadlier and the Reaper Tripod which has a conversion beam like the Devour tank has... you get the idea. In a Scrin versus Reaper-17 vehicle match-up, R-17 would wipe the floor with them.

Scrin however on the plus side do have superb early game potential with Disengrater spam, you can easily wipe out an opponent in like 2-7 minutes or so depending on map if they're not careful... especially if you're Travler-59, again, things are different like it is with Repear-17.

Other than that, the other factions are more well-rounded.

You forgot to mention dirty tricks that Scrin players can perform.
Like using wormhole to get your mastermind through to capture enemy bulding to gain some land then sell your signal transmiter while placing another one you had in queue in enemys base. Then proceed to deploy mothership and use catalyst cannon on the spot wiping out entire enemy base.

Also : Buzzer-Bombs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTnafDBWcSk

[SgtEmissary [Kane's Will]]

Originally posted by ⎛ Alucard ⎞ ✟:

Originally posted by SgtEmissary Kane's Will:

Scrin have powerful air like others have stated but with cheaper units such as Nod's Attack Bikes or GDI's Pitbulls and rocket infantry that are easily spammable, it kinda nullifies their air and biggest advantage.

Having said that, Scrin infantry isn't too particularly great except for the Shock troopers and most of their vehicles are 'okayish' while about a couple are in the 'superb' category; those being Tripods and Devour tanks (Devour tanks charged up are beasts).

I mean, Seekers are good and all WHEN they have that Shard upgrade but, stock they just pale in comparison to other vehicles of their tier. They take forever in a day, if Seekers try to kill infantry stock (same for vehicles), while a Nod Raider Buggy would take seconds to wipe them out... and that's just one Raider Buggy or two, swarms would just own em' entirely... especially once you get Laser Capacitors, it brings the buggy a tier up. Making the Raider a somewhat hybrid of anti-infantry, vehicle... and air.

Now, if you're Reaper-17 on the other hand the Scrin vehicles are a totally different animal. You get the Shard Walker (which is a better Gun-Walker) and Blue Shards upgrade, it makes it even deadlier and the Reaper Tripod which has a conversion beam like the Devour tank has... you get the idea. In a Scrin versus Reaper-17 vehicle match-up, R-17 would wipe the floor with them.

Scrin however on the plus side do have superb early game potential with Disengrater spam, you can easily wipe out an opponent in like 2-7 minutes or so depending on map if they're not careful... especially if you're Travler-59, again, things are different like it is with Repear-17.

Other than that, the other factions are more well-rounded.

You forgot about cheap entire base wiping tactics that Scrin players can do.
Like using wormhole to get your mastermind through selling your signal transmiter while placing another one you had in queue in enemys base. Then proceed to deploy mothership and use catalyst cannon on the spot wiping out entire enemy base.

Also : Buzzer-Bombs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTnafDBWcSk

Yep, but after reading the video's description it apparently no longer works, what a shame.

I mean, the Scrin's units and abilities have their uses yeah but... it's nothing exactly stellar like the other factions.

[Alucard †]

The mastermind signal transmitter trick still works tho.

[Alucard †]

I personally love Scrin's PAC's in group of 6-8 they are soooo good
park them near enemy base safe distance from enemy AA defense pop ion storm on all of them > set aggressive stance > send your ground units to attack while PAC's blow everything up on the ground or in air that comes near your forces.

Its pretty hard to counter unless you spam AA Firehawks
Only downside its very expensive tactic

[SgtEmissary [Kane's Will]]

Originally posted by ⎛ Alucard ⎞ ✟:

I personally love Scrin's PAC's in group of 6-8 they are soooo good
park them near enemy base safe distance from enemy AA defense pop ion storm on all of them > set aggressive stance > send your ground units to attack while PAC's blow everything up on the ground or in air that comes near your forces.

Its pretty hard to counter unless you spam AA Firehawks
Only downside its very expensive tactic

For me, like I said, swarms of infantry and Attack Bikes work rather well, plus with Slingshots and yeah... with Tungsten shells, makes short-work of PACs. See, one thing about PACs is, their fighters have relativity low health and if you focus those down (instead of ordering your guys to target the PAC itself), it becomes defenseless leaving it to be finished off.

[Alucard †]

PAC's alone and out of Ion storm can quickly get grinded yeah.
But push with ground forces + up to 6 PAC's providing cover fire while sending down lightning storms on anything that comes near can quickly tire out most opponents.

Lobsters are good for that too but i prefer PAC because of the ion storm spam

[SgtEmissary [Kane's Will]]

Originally posted by ⎛ Alucard ⎞ ✟:

PAC's alone and out of Ion storm can quickly get grinded yeah.
But push with ground forces + up to 6 PAC's providing cover fire while sending down lightning storms on anything that comes near can quickly tire out most opponents.

True, but also depends on your micro... and I micro bikes pretty well. It's basically playing cat and mouse with these 'superior' forces. ... Nod is just my thing.

[Alucard †]

Hmm i guess Nod can be quite powerful
They are kings of harassment too .. those random catalyst missiles and vertigo bombers ugh.

[SgtEmissary [Kane's Will]]

Originally posted by ⎛ Alucard ⎞ ✟:

Hmm i guess Nod can be quite powerful
They are kings of harassment too .. those random catalyst missiles and vertigo bombers ugh.

After having played with each faction for awhile, while playing with Nod and it's sub-factions the most overall, I can honestly and safely say that they are perhaps the strongest faction in the game. Black Hand in particular is especially nasty, as many people know here, it's my preferred faction (for good reason).

For example, Confessors and Militant Rocket squads with Purifying Flame and Black Disciples are a death sentence for the enemy especially in swarms.

That mix tackles everything from vehicles to infantry to air and buildings.

And sure, on paper Nod's lighter vehicles may seem weak but you gotta dig beneath the surface to see their grandest potential and exactly... with that hit N' run power, Nod is capable of many things and is quite scary.

GDI might have the raw power, but like I said in one other thread, Nod has the technology and GDI is rather basic.

Once you master GDI and then you master Nod, Nod is a stronger option.

And yes... Vertigoes are beasts, their stealth lets you do many things. For example, they make superb super-weapon interceptors. A squad of 8-12 can take a super-weapon out on one pass, making that investment costly if it's not well defended and with their tail-guns they also make great back-up anti-air if need be, a very all around flexible and cost effective aircraft and that is Nod's greatest strength across the board: their immense flexibility.