Atreides Ornithopter

[Gobalopper]

Westwood has posted a new unit-of-the-week, possibly the last of Atreides month. This time it is the Atreides Ornithopter, check out the details below:

Operation of flying crafts on Arrakis has always been a precarious situation. Intense heat, dust particles and preservation of fluids vital to operation are just a few items on the long list of problems that have plagued maintenance crews for decades. Once technicians overcame these obstacles in the flying cargo models, such as the Carry-all, tacticians yearned to take the same successful principles and apply them to a combat model. A design was needed that was highly maneuverable, could deliver a fair amount of ordinance, stay aloft during harsh wind conditions, and provide minimal life support in case of emergency. Fixed-wing aircraft could provide all but the required agility. Therefore designers turned to a model perfected centuries ago within Earth's biosphere - the delicate hummingbird. They deduced that a wing in motion was better suited to address shifting wind conditions and high-pressure solar swells that emanate from Dune's surface. It also allowed for decreased deceleration time in flight, which aided greatly in maneuverability. As a tribute to the avian model that inspired it, officials christened the craft as the 'Ornithopter.' To keep the Ornithopter in the air where it belongs, it sports minimal armor and a light, although adequate missile payload. As such, it is best used against isolated infantry formations and other 'soft' targets. Ornithopters make excellent surprise hit-and-run raiders, as most enemy forces expect opposition to come from the ground.

Next month should mean the beginning of Ordos month, a House we don't know much about compared to the other two. After that there have been rumors of a SubHouse month, we'll see. Check out an image of the Ornithopter from what looks to be a cutscene here. For more on the units check the Emperor section.