LEV Tank (CivBE)

Game info

Ranged unit of the Purity Affinity. Requires Mobile LEV technology, 4 Floatstone resource and level 9 Purity.
Ranged Strength: 52 (77); Range: 2
Levitating above ground. MP:2

Strategy

The LEV tank is the first available hover vehicle, and although not that fast (only 2 MP), it may traverse canyons and mountains, which makes it strategically very dangerous. Not only that, but like most Purity units, it has a powerful Ranged attack, allowing it to bombard enemies with impunity! Needless to say, this immediately sets it apart of the other units in the game at this stage, giving a strategic advantage to the Purity player.

Unit Upgrades

In comparison to the basic units, a Tier 1 LEV Tank has the same Ranged Strength as a Tier 4 Missile Rover, but is more durable and is available much earlier. Tier 2 LEV Tanks are about as powerful as a Tier 2 SABR or maximised Purity Tier 4 Missile Rover, but has less range than a SABR.

Tier 1

LEV Tanks are one of the first floating units to be unlocked, along with the Autosled in the mid-game. Its high Ranged Strength allows to rip apart most mid-game units, specifically melee blockers such as Soldiers, Battlesuits and CARVRs. LEV Tanks are also able to levitate over Canyons, which opens up many other routes in which other sponsors may have considered themselves safe. Their only real downsides are that their Production and Floatstone costs are obscene compared to alternative units such as Tier 3 Missile Rovers and even other uniques such as the Autosled.

Lev tank portfolio — LEV Tank attacking a Sea Dragon (left) and its upgrade pose (right)

Subject	Tier 1 (LEV Tank)
Tech Prerequisites	Mobile LEV
Affinity Prerequisites	9 Purity
Resource Cost	4 Floatstone
Production Cost	360 Production
Combat Strength	28 Strength 44 Ranged Strength
Movement	2
Range	2
Perk Choice A	--
Perk Choice B	--
Passives	Hover, all terrain costs 1

Tier 2

Tier 2 LEV Tanks are unlocked deep into the late game where many sponsors will be reaching for their construction projects for victory. They will also have highly mobile units. Unfortunately, the LEV Tank fails to have high levels of Movement compared to Tier 4 Combat Rovers or naval fleets - a perk can be chosen for 3but this is still not enough. LEV Tanks at this stage are specialised in idling to make the best out of their new passive that gives them bonus when not moving. If Roads or Transporters are ready, LEV Tanks can be used to siege and powerfully, so, as, from a True LEV Tank, they can receive +40% extra , bringing their Ranged Strength attacks to about 107.8 which is plenty for taking down a city from range.

Subject	Tier 2 (Evolved LEV Tank)	Tier 2 (True LEV Tank)	Tier 2 (Prime LEV Tank)
Tech Prerequisites	Mobile LEV	Mobile LEV	Mobile LEV
Affinity Prerequisites	14 Purity 6 Harmony	16 Purity	14 Purity 6 Supremacy
Resource Cost	4 Floatstone	4 Floatstone	4 Floatstone
Production Cost	500 Production	500 Production	500 Production
Combat Strength	42 Strength 77 Ranged Strength	42 Strength 77 Ranged Strength	42 Strength 77 Ranged Strength
Movement	2	2	2
Range	2	2	2
Perk Choice A	+1Movement	+1Movement	+1Movement
Perk Choice B	Can move after attacking	10% per unused	Attack over terrain obstacles
Passives	Hover, all terrain costs 1 , +10% per unused	Hover, all terrain costs 1 , +10% per unused	Hover, all terrain costs 1 , +10% per unused

In Universe information

Tanks were the backbone of land forces on Old Earth in the 20 - 21th century. Their thick armor and powerful short-ranged cannons ensured their success against almost anything else on the battlefield. Unfortunately, the Great Mistake and the ensuing scarcity of resources made large-scale combat hardware cost-prohibitive, causing a return to pre-modern Era battle techniques.

This situation changed after the Seeding. With a whole new planet to reap, resources were again plentiful, and military commanders started reconsidering their priorities. Of course, the Combat Rovers had already provided a cheap and readily available alternative to traditional tanks, and many were satisfied to just improve on that basis. However, Purity specialists always dreamed of a return to the old glory days of Humanity - the 20 and 21 centuries, and always sought ways to revive hardware from that Era.

And then their scientists created the Anti-gravity field! With a perfected Floatstone engine, the physical obstacles to such concept were removed, and all of a sudden it became not only possible, but also economically feasible to mass-produce hovering vehicles. What's more, the potency of LEV engines was such that they easily managed thousands of tons of weight! Enthusiastic military engineers immediately sat back at the drawing board, and soon the first LEV tanks were reality: a mighty mass of ultradurable steel, capable of withstanding enormous amounts of damage, combined with long-range cannons, capable of delivering a myriad of different ordinances. Although not particularly fast, these monsters floated over any sort of terrain, and shot at any sort of target from considerable distances. It's no wonder that, at the sight of a brigade of LEV tanks slowly hovering over a broken battlefield, many enemies turned their tails without giving a single shot!

Civilopedia Entry

Since its inception at the dawn of the 20th century, the tank has been a primary constituent of all human ground forces. Armored warfare theorists and tacticians extended the tank through various iterations, emphasizing protection, maneuverability, and firepower to different extents, and combat models continued to iterate up to the Great Mistake. Afterwards, many proclaimed the "end of armor" as each unit represented a costly investment in scarce resources. But this was not to be the end of the tank.

As improvements to the Floatstone reactor led to the anti-gravity field generator, military theorists looked again to the idea of a tank. As suspension weight limits were no longer a factor in design, armor designers began a new era of tank design and production, superseding anything their terran ancestors could have achieved. Not only could they put more armor on a tank, they could also mount enough weapon systems to let the tank effectively deal with any threat it might face. Main cannon armaments had progressed far beyond the simple tank guns of pre-Seeding Earth, and now could incorporate a variety of munitions fired over longer ranges. While not as fast as aircraft, the new class of LEV tanks were far harder to kill than almost any weapons that had been developed to date. Once again, the pendulum had swung in favor of hard defense.

The LEV tank fills a central role in combat ground forces. Its weaponry is powerful enough to crack most targets, and its armor protects its skilled, trained crew inside. Operating in squadrons and troops, the LEV tank is the vanguard of any attack. The sight of hundreds of metric tons of composite armor and guns gliding effortlessly over terrain is often enough to make skittish defenders throw down their arms and retreat.