Niska-Rycker Mk. IX Skycaller

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Versioning

This article is considered accurate for the current version (1.56) of the game.


A first of its kind, the Skycaller is a variation of the Niska Motor Carriage with a Rycker designed rocket battery fitted in the rear bed. This unique armoured vehicle quickly fires rockets over long distances with ease, and can be rearmed and relocated at the drop of a hat. The Skycaller is the deadly result of combined Nevish and Caoivish engineering.
In-game description

The Niska-Rycker Mk. IX Skycaller (also known as a Skycaller or Rocket Half-Track) is a Warden Rocket Artillery Half-Track. It is equipped with a Rocket Battery, which can load and fire up to 17 4C-Fire Rockets at once.

General Info

Crew

The Niska-Rycker Mk. IX Skycaller houses a crew of two soldiers:

  • Driver (Seat 1)
    • Controls the movement of the vehicle, and can see the remaining fuel in the vehicle
    • Activates horn sound with LMB
  • Gunner (Seat 2)
    • Controls the movement, reloading, and firing of the Rocket Battery
    • Uses the Mouse Scroll Wheel to adjust the firing distance
    • Unable to fire if the vehicle is moving

Armament

The Niska-Rycker Mk. IX Skycaller is equipped with one main armament:

  • 4C-Fire Rockets Battery
    • Mounted on the back (80 degree firing arc)
    • Ammo Used: 4C-Fire Rocket
    • Range: 200-275 meters
    • Reload Duration: 3.5 seconds per projectile
    • Firing Duration: 0.4 seconds
    • Fire Rate: 15 per minute (reloading after each shot); Salvo of 17 in 6.4 seconds
    • Magazine Size: 17
    • Accuracy: 25m radius at minimum range up to 37.5m at max range (not including Wind effect)

Inventory

It has a dedicated ammo slot that can hold 1 4C-Fire Rocket.

Health & Armor

The Niska-Rycker Mk. IX Skycaller has 1500 HP and is disabled under 30% health. It has "Light Armor" resistance: it can soak small arms fire and shrapnel, and it is immune to Flamethrowers. It can soak 12.7mm machine gun fire but not for long. Heavy explosives and anti-tank weaponry are an extremely dangerous threat to it.
It has subsystems that have a chance to be disabled by heavy explosives and anti-tank weaponry if hit specifically: Tracks: 30% (Anti-Tank Mines always disable them).
It has Tank Armor. With it, in best case scenario, penetrating projectiles only have a 65% chance of penetrating and doing damage. That chance goes up quickly if the armor is worn or if it is shot from up close, or on the side or rear from a direct angle, or with ammo that has penetration bonuses.
It takes 110 Basic Materials to fully repair it from 1% to 100% health with a Hammer. Its health, subsystems, and Tank Armor can be instantly repaired at a Garage for 100 Basic Materials.

Production

Structure Input(s) Output Time
Small Assembly Station (Battery Line) 10 x Processed Construction Materials ProcessedConstructionMaterialsIcon.png
10 x  Assembly Materials I AssemblyMaterials1Icon.png
8 x  Assembly Materials III AssemblyMaterials3Icon.png
2 MW of power ProductionPowerIcon.png
1 x   Niska Mk. I Gun Motor Carriage Niska Mk. 1 Gun Motor Carriage Vehicle Icon.png
 Niska-Rycker Mk. IX Skycaller Niska-Rycker Vehicle Icon.png 00:05:00

Must be fully researched in the Vehicle IconFilterVehicle.png Tech Tree in order to be produced.

Storage & Transport

The Niska-Rycker Mk. IX Skycaller can be stored in a Storage Depot, Seaport or Storage Ship.

It can be packaged into a large Shippable and transported only by certain Shipping Vehicles (Barge, Freighter, Storage Ship, Flatbed Car, or Large Crane).

Tactics

Unlike most artillery emplacements and vehicles, the Niska-Rycker Mk. IX Skycaller is capable of being operated by one crew member, who can act as both the Driver and Gunner. The only limitation with this is that the loading of all the rockets takes twice as long compared to doing it with two players.

Although its mobile, it should follow standard artillery defensive precautions, and set up a defensive perimeter around it to protect it from enemy infantry, vehicles, or counter-artillery. (unless its being used in hit-and-run tactics)

Due to its ammunition, it relies more on their ability to set targets ablaze and catching them on fire, rather than Heavy Explosive damage.

Rocket Artillery Strategy
All equipment that uses rockets excel at burst damage, compared to regular 120mm artillery, which are suited for sustained barrages. Due to the rocket's relatively low damage and their high dispersion, they are most effective when attacking in groups, as the large volume of rockets increases the chances of hitting targets. Additionally, every rocket has a chance of setting their target on fire, preventing them from being repaired (though the 4C-Fire Rockets have a higher chance of doing this).

Nearly all rocket vehicles can be reloaded prior to their actual deployment, meaning it is possible to do hit-and-run tactics with them. This can be done by loading up the vehicle with rockets, driving to the location, fire all of them, and evacuate before any enemy QRF forces arrive.

Tips

  • Like all artillery equipment, rockets can be quickly submitted into them without accessing their inventory
    • While this can be done for all vehicles, it should only be done if they can carry/use large items
  1. Equip the rocket and walk up to the vehicle
  2. Submit the rocket into the vehicle - press V

Trivia

  • Unlike its Colonial counterpart, the R-17 “Retiarius” Skirmisher, the Niska-Rycker Mk. IX Skycaller does not need to be deployed in order to fire its armament
    • To compensate for the lack of deployment, it must be completely stationary in order to fire

Gallery