Mobile Rocket Launcher System
| Mobile Rocket Launcher System | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Faction | GDI |
| Function | Vehicle |
| Health | 400 |
| Armor Type | Light |
| Armaments | M149 Missile |
| Seats | 2 |
| Cost | $450 |
The Mobile Rocket Launcher System (MRLS) is a light Vehicle of the Global Defense Initiative.
Appearance
The Mobile Rocket Launcher System is a gold-colored truck on treads carrying a 12-rocket launcher armament on its back.
Armaments
MRLS is mounted with M149 Missile Launchers with capacity for 6 rockets. It takes 2 seconds to launch them all, and 3 seconds to reload. A single rocket does 3 points damage upon contact with a building.
Function
The Mobile Rocket Launcher system is GDI's artillery masterpiece, able to fire six rockets at time before reloading. It shines for offense due to its high damage per second and its long range; It also doubles as an anti-air vehicle due to its lock-on ability on its rockets.
Strategy
Usage
In most cases it is best to drive the Mobile Rocket Launcher System backwards with its rocket launcher turned around, so that the vehicle is not exposed while shooting.
Mobile Rocket Launcher Systems work best behind cover, be it map obstacles or Medium Tanks; this will allow them to fire and reload will less chances of retaliation, along with having a safe retreat should they take too much punishment. They are usually employed to attack enemy buildings from afar rather than defense. Due to their light armor, they will need a Hotwire assisting them to venture into the open without being destroyed when exposed to enemy gunfire.
Is it advisable to wait for the lock-on to track its target before firing the rockets on a fast moving target, such as APCs or Apaches; this will give the driver better chances to struck the moving vehicle.
Technically, a Mobile Rocket Launcher System rush is possible; however it is usually outdone by a Medium Tank rush, the latter having more advantages such as more armor and rate of fire. Still, a MRLS rush shines on Whiteout, should they reach the hill, they will be able to lay waste to the enemy base for behind the top, while having the emplacements as cover for any infantry that tries to approach them. (Same applies to Artillery on the same map)
The rocket launcher can fire 6 rockets, but then it has to reload quite slowly; thus carefully management is necessary in order to not let any rockets to be wasted. Generally, if the you are sure that you can hit a target, unleash all the rockets on it; wait for the lock-on to zero in before firing on fast vehicles.
Against Infantry, fire at them with one rocket at time, since they will be in constant motion and possibly avoid the other rockets if you decided to fire all 6 of them in the same spot, and possibly leaving an open window for the opponent to work with. This also applies when snuffing out Stealth Black Hands in the base, albeit the rocket explosion might obscure the view. It is better to save at least one rocket to kill a Laser Chaingunner at critical health than losing the MRLS to him because you had to reload.
The slow reload time is the main reason why Mobile Rocket Launcher Systems are not effective at defending, since Stealth Tanks and infantry in general can just go through the window of opportunity that MRLS creates when they reload.
Counters
Artilleries will win one-vs-one against Mobile Rocket Launchers, simply because the latter have to reload slowly; a full rocket barrage will reduce the Artillery to half of its health, but while the MRLS is reloading, the Artillery will get enough shots off to destroy it.Light Tanks also work well due to their high speed which allows them to avoid incoming rockets.
If the Mobile Rocket Launcher System is backed up by a Hotwire, consider sniping her or close in with a Flame Tank, both will probably make her to jump into the MRLS if not killing her.
On flying maps, exercise caution when fighting a Mobile Rocket Launcher System with an Apache: if the enemy fired locked-on rockets at you, you will hear an alert sound. It is possible to evade those rockets if you fly behind some cover or if you fly fast (holding shift) in one direction. Try to ambush the MRLS when it is reloading instead: you will be able to destroy it before it has a chance to retaliate.
Stealth is also a viable option to deal with Mobile Rocket Launcher Systems: ambushing it with a Stealth Tank, especially when it is reloading, will be enough to destroy it. Also, Stealth Black Hands are known to linger around in the field and lob Timed C4 on lonely MRLS from the sides or the front of the vehicle; they will usually manage to slip away even if they get spotted; if they already used their C4, their can shoot on it with theirLaser Rifles. They can also assasinate any Hotwires that are repairing the MRLS.
Laser Chaingunners,Raveshaws, and alsoMendozas to some extent are able to quickly dispatch Mobile Rocket Launcher Systems.
If there is a group of Mobile Rocket Launcher Systems, camping behind cover and with Hotwire support, calling in an Airstrike will be useful in clearing them.
Another weakness that Mobile Rocket Launcher Systems have is that they cannot properly hit targets near them; a Flamethrower, a Chemical Trooper, or an Engineer with Remote C4 can destroy a MRLS and return unscathed.
Trivia
- Despite having a launcher supporting 12 slots for rockets, it can only fire 6 at time before needing to reload.