Luna

I will give them something worth watching!

90 (Elite)

121 (Heroic)

### Experience Required

Demo: 153 (Veteran), 204 (Elite), 271 (Heroic)Toxin: 75 (Veteran) 100 (Elite) 133 (Heroic)

### Ground Attack

Demo at stock: 200 (primary), 100 (secondary)Demo salvaged once: 240 (primary), 120 (secondary)

Demo salvaged twice: 288 (primary), 140 (secondary)

Toxin at stock: 110

Toxin salvaged once: 140

Toxin salvaged twice: 170

### Damage Radius

Demo: 40 (primary), 75 (secondary)Toxin: 40 (primary), 60 (secondary)

### Upgrades

Junk RepairSuicide Bomb (Juhziz)

Chemical Warheads (Thrax)

Corrosion Catalyst (Thrax)

Neutralizers (Thrax)

## Introduction

The **9K52 *Luna-M*** (Russian: Луна; English: Moon, NATO reporting name **FROG-7**) is a Soviet short-range artillery rocket system. It fires unguided and spin-stabilized 9M21 rockets. Various middle eastern nations such as Syria, Libya and Afghanistan hold possession of these launchers. So it's no surprise that several GLA warlords have incorporated these weapons into their arsenal.

In *Contra*, the Luna is used by General Juhziz, Dr Thrax and General Mohmar "Deathstrike".

## Overview

The Luna is a short-range artillery rocket system that has the chassis of a truck but with lower height and that uses eight wheels to move. Its main weapon is a 9M21 spin-stabilized rocket. To launch a rocket, the truck unveils its support racks from below. After launching, four sparks can be seen "spinning": it is the spinning stabilization design in effect. At stock, the 9M21 rockets Lunas fire carry a simple high-explosive warhead, which are highly effective against all types of ground targets. Unlike in vanilla Zero Hour, the Luna's rockets can no longer be targeted by anti-air defences, but they can still be shot down by enough point-defence weapons (such as SLIDs or General Townes' Paladins) and deviated by ECM.

Dr. Thrax, however, has created a special chemical warhead for his fleet of Lunas thanks to his various experiments in acidic weaponry. These warheads are filled with a concoction of highly potent acids that will be released upon impact, forming an acid cloud that will rapidly corrode armor, structures and flesh alike. This also allows the Luna to be used as an area denial weapon much like a Chinese Nuke Cannon. The acid warheads, while far more damaging over time than conventional HE warheads, does have one weakness: sappers. If a Chinese field technician or a engineering vehicle is nearby, they can use their high-powered water cannons to wash away all the acid before it could start to take effect.

Being long-ranged advanced siege units, Lunas are only available in mid-late game as it requires a Palace to unlock, meaning that one will have to reach rank 3 in order to build it.

## Upgrades

**Junk Repair**

* Allows the Luna to slowly repair itself on the battlefield, can be researched at the Palace at Rank 3.

**Chemical Warheads (only Dr. Thrax)**

* Upgrades the missile to release acid clouds instead of pools. Available at the Black Market at Rank 1.

**Neutralizers (only Dr. Thrax)**

* Acid clouds created by the Luna's chemical warheads don't harm any allied units anymore, can be researched at the Palace at Rank 3.

**Corrosion Catalyst****(only Dr. Thrax)**

* Add catalysts into the Luna's acid warheads, accelerating the reaction and making the weapon more damaging. Available at the Chemical Lab at Rank 3.

**Inflammable Acids (only Dr. Thrax)**

* Causes all acids to inflame spontaneously after a while, causing even more damage. Available at the Chemical Lab at Rank 5.

**Demolitions (only General Juhziz)**

* Straps several bars of TNT to the vehicle, allowing it to blow up at any given time and doing damage to its surroundings. Available at the Black Market at Rank 3.

### Salvage Upgrade

* Level 1: Increase rocket damage.
* Level 2: Further increase rocket damage.
* Any subsequent salvage create will be automatically converted to either cash ( $100 per crate) or veterancy ranks.

## Assessment

Pros:

* Long firing range, allows it to destroy base defences from a safe distance.
* Highly effective against structures.
* Decent firepower, acidic warheads makes it even more dangerous.
* Acidic warheads can be used to create areas of denial.
* Reasonably fast for a long-ranged artillery.

Cons:

* Available only mid-late game, requires a Palace & Rank 3 to unlock.
* Weak armor, vulnerable to both aerial and anti-armor threats if not well guarded.
* Most damage from acids can be prevented if the enemy brings just one sapper.
* Low mobility, needs to deploy/pack up.
* Rockets are unguided and therefore hard to hit fast moving target.
* Rockets can be deviated by ECM.
* Cannot enter tunnels.

## Quotes (In English)

Prior to 009 FINAL Patch 2, the Luna reused the Scud Launcher's voice lines.

### When Selected

* Now what?
* So you have orders? About time...
* Deadliest artillery right here!
* I carry a big disaster!

### When Ordered to Move

* Our moment will come.
* In time.
* All the way to there?
* Alright, alright, I'm going...

### When Ordered to Scavenge Parts

* Let's get some new parts!
* A bigger missile perhaps?

### When Ordered to Attack

* Erase them!
* FIRE!
* Their bases will crumble!
* \*laughing\*
* Watch the fireworks begin!
* Oh, they blow up so dramatically!
* Oh, is that your base?
* It won't stand for long...
* Another one!

### When Selected

* I will give them something worth watching...
* I bring death!
* \*sigh\* What do you have for me this time?
* A beauty! Isn't she, General?

### When Ordered to Move

* Slow but steady.
* Let's go say hello!
* \*sigh\* Very well, then...
* Okay, okay!

### When Ordered to Scavenge Parts

* Maybe this will fix the leaks.
* Back off! It's mine!

### When Ordered to Attack

* Drown them in acid!
* The forecast predicts: partly cloudy… \*laughs\*
* Now this is what I call acid rain!
* Spread the misery!

## Gallery

Two Lunas reloading their rockets.Ditto.Ditto.Luna firing, showing their spin-stabilized rockets.Ditto.A 9K52 Luna-M in real-life.From left to right: stock Luna, upgraded once, upgraded twice.