Can someone explain the cobra?

Games Other Halo
1

In Halo wars, the Cobra is labeled as the UNSC’s “Anti-vehicle” unit, and canonically, it seems to accomplish it’s goal well.

yet, in-game i find that the cobra has little to no use, especially for its intended purpose.

Unlocked, the cobra is supposed to act as an anti-tank support unit, being very slow and clumsy, but being able to deal damage to vehicles faster and more effectively than a Scorpion or Wraith, as well as holding more armor than the tanks in question, allowing it to be a better support unit.

However, in the game, the cobra isn’t very good as a support unit, alone, an Unlocked Cobra is utterly annihilated by a Scorpion, and Two Unlocked Cobras, while winning against a single Scorpion, usually results in a loss of one of the two Cobras you started with

The Cobra is supposedly very powerful when locked down, hypothetically being able to take a tank down in one or two shots, and having extraordinary long range to boot.

But again, this plan falls short in-game, as a locked cobra takes about 3-5 shots to destroy a tank, and within that time, the tank in question could’ve very easily come up to the Cobra and dealt out a good amount of damage to it such that the Cobra could not survive another encounter with a tank.

Hypothetically, having two or three locked cobras at your base could keep any Tank+only attacks away from your base, but in-game, this isn’t the case

every other Hard-Counter unit seems well balanced.

The Wolverine can single-handedly take down up to three banshees and up to two hornets, but is countered b the fact that it sucks at fighting ground targets with its weak Grenade launcher.

Jackal Snipers are extraordinarily effective against Infantry squads, but are garbage against land Vehicles

Hellbringers, like Jackals, are great against Infantry if you can get them close enough, but are also terrible against Vehicles, and cannot engage Aircraft.

Hunters, while not strong enough to take down Tanks with one squad, can do so very effectively with two, and aren’t that Tech-dependent or expensive, unlike the Cobra.

The Cobra on the other hand, Needs up to Three of itself to defend against a single tank effectively, and cannot engage aircraft.
with all this taken in, why is the Cobra so special? did the developers WANT to make the UNSC’s anti-vehicle unit so bad? and if so, why?
what purpose does the cobra serve In Halo Wars?

i feel that it’s important, because Tank Spams are so prevalent in Halo Wars, and as the UNSC, the only effective way to counter a tank Spam, is with another Tank Spam, as Aircraft are typically too weak against the Scorpions’ Machine guns in large numbers. Vultures are usually too expensive and take too long to build to be effective counters of a tank spam.

??

2

Ironically the Cobra’s a support unit that requires a hell of a lot of support.
I saw one video, and a high level one at that, which was a 2v2. One UNSC went straight to Cobras, and his teammate went straight Gremlins. Worked perfectly.

This game’s unbalanced, so Cobras aren’t very useful, however I disagree with what you say. Deflection Plating helps a lot against Tank shells, and Hunter shots alike. It also deflects Canister shots.

Cobras are cheaper and build faster than Tanks, so don’t expect them to go toe-to-toe. 3 Cobras ($1050 + 6 Pop) vs 2 Scorpions ($1000 + 6 Pop) is more of an equal test. Not to mention the range bonus Cobras gets mean they get initiative bonus almost all the time, unless flanked.

I understand that they’re also susceptible to leader powers/anything due to lack of movement (speed). I will argue that it’s fact that Scorpions are overpowered, however, as has been proved by the meta, but I don’t think Scorpions fare too badly against them.

They’re even useful in 1v1 as high level videos have proved, it’s just they lose their value when surrounded by Banshees and Covy Leaders.

If you’re up for it, let’s play a 1v1 where I go straight Cobras, and you go Scorpions, I’m intrigued :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

3

If you’re referring to 1v1 then you’re pretty much correct on having to tank spam against a tank spam. Throw in some gremlins, if you can get chain amp they’re insanely op in tank fights. 2v2 and 3v3 changes things a bit since you have another opponent to deal with. Overall however, the best unit the UNSC has to fight tanks, is tanks.

4

Campaign: Their only usefulness is either on Arcadia City/Arcadia Outskirts/Beachhead, when you need to defend an area against Covenant vehicles.

[/li]- Arcadia City: Build two Cobras (and 3 wolverines, and everything else is Hornets), lock them down on the landing pad side of the bridge near Cargo 2, and they’ll massacre any Covenant vehicle that tries to get across (with the exception of a Wraith tank near the 4 minute mark, where it seems that every flipping Covenant unit starts taking PCP).

  • Arcadia Outskirts: When you’re defending the crater, the 3 Cobras that are brought to aid you by retreating UNSC forces can and will obliterate the Covenant vehicles (and Jackal Snipers) that get in range. Just lock them down near the bottom right turret (perspective is from the front of the base) closest to the entrance.
  • Beachhead: 3 Cobras 3 Wolverines 1 Scorpion (15 population), your initial base is now secure forever.

Multiplayer: Only good for superturtles, IMO. 2v2, one guy goes max pop Cobras and Wolverines and the other builds whatever army he wants (probably Hornets, or God forbid Hawks). Nothing else but consistent Banshee/Grunt (Suicide Grunts work too) spam can break this. That, or random crap like your partner losing connection leaving you with a distinct weakness to infantry… and then having the other two guys ragequit because they don’t think of that.

5

Cobras get really good against tanks when they have a spatan in them. Especially when you have 3 of those. tank army=dead.