| |
 |
|
Date |
: Dec 6th, 2001 |
| Genre |
: Strategy |
| Developer |
: LucasArts |
| Author |
: Jin-Ning Tioh |
|
The Gungans are masters at raising their creatures. Fielding a powerful navy as well as a reliable army of troopers and mechs, which includes strike mechs, assault mechs and mech destroyers, they can prove to be powerful opponents. Gungan mechs are actually organic creatures outfitted with large cannons, such as the kaadu which serves as a strike mech, the lerraa which serves as a mech destroyer, and the giant fambaa which serves as an assault mech. Even the heavy weapons are made up of living, organic creatures. The pummel, for instance, is a short, four-legged beast which rams its head against walls and buildings. Their unique technologies serve to further enhance these organic mechs. Creature training, a technology researched at the heavy weapons factory, doubles the effectiveness of artillery, pummels, and anti-air guns. Gungans can also research Creature Armor at the mech factory to gain +10 percent hit-points for all mech units. Combine this with multiple types of mechs, a Fambaa Shield Generator and troopers, including repeater troopers, advanced mounted troopers and heavy anti-air troopers, and a Gungan ground-pounding army is almost unstoppable. Troopers also have a further range and line of sight with the unique technology known as FarSeeIn Binoculars. A contingent of heavy assault fambaas, under the cover of a Fambaa Shield Generator, is a juggernaut of a foe. Heavy mech fambaas already have 300 hit-points, but coupled together with shields, its hit points are effectively doubled, even before the creature armor upgrade is even factored in.
The Gungan unique unit is the Fambaa Shield Generators, which carries shield generators on their backs to protect the Gungans from dangerous bursts of energy blasts. These fambaas are extremely tough, with a 20 armor rating added to ranged and melee attacks. Moreover, they have shields. This unique unit grants shields to all friendly units within a large radius, effectively doubling their hit points. In addition, shields regenerate over time, making any army under the cover of fambaa shield generators a more resilient and tenacious foe than would otherwise be possible. Once upgraded, they become more monstrously powerful, with a 25 armor rating and 100 more hit-points. This unit alone makes a Gungan army extremely strong and will probably be a staple of any Gungan general's army.
The Gungans have the full complement of naval units, although to be honest, most civilizations already have nearly all naval units. However, Gungans have an advantage here with their unique technology known as Faster Growth Chambers, which lets them build ships 20 percent faster and cheaper. Especially on naval maps, the Gungan advantage becomes clear, as they get all naval vessels and can pump them out faster and cheaper than everyone else.
However, Gungans are severely handicapped when it comes to aerial assaults. While they have the full line of air units, they don't have any of the tech level four air upgrades, causing their fighters and bombers to be less accurate than those of other civilizations. Also, as a result, they have no shields, and they aren't as fast. Moreover, Gungan aerial units cost 5 percent more and take 5 percent longer to build. Because of their lack of air superiority, Gungan ground units are thus vulnerable to air attacks, and a mighty armies will stand helpless against an onslaught of enemy fighters and bombers if no anti-air troopers or vehicles accompany them. So while the Gungans have a decided advantage in ground and naval units, their air inferiority is a huge weakness.
Gungans are also weak in the Force, and when they build a Jedi temple at tech level two, that's about all they get. They can recruit Jedi Padawans and upgrade them to Jedi Knights, but they cannot recruit Jedi Masters. Nor do they have any of the tech level four upgrades, like increased turning range, stealth, stealth detection, or the ability to turn heavy units and buildings. The only significant Jedi temple technology they get is faith in the Force, which gives them a 50 percent bonus to resist conversion by enemy Jedi. This weakness leaves their forces vulnerable to the superior melee attacks of a Jedi.
An economic advantage that helps balances out their weaknesses is their ability to build prefab shelters underwater using Gungan Utility Trawlers. It's a small bonus, but it's helpful in allowing Gungans another unit that can build shelters and also build them underwater when space is at a premium.
| Battle Report |
|
| Pros |
: |
Underwater prefab shelters, strong naval force, powerful mechs, useful Faamba Shield Generator and good troopers |
| Cons |
: |
Weak aircraft, takes 5 percent longer to build and are 5 percent more expensive, as well as weak Jedi presence |
| Civilization Bonus |
: |
Gungans can build prefab shelters underwater with the Utility Trawler |
| Unique Technologies |
: |
Creature Training, Creature Armor, FarSeeIn Binoculars, Faster Growth Chambers |
| Unique Unit |
: |
Faamba Shield Generator |
|
|
