Wyvern

I'm a big bird but I sure can fly.

620 (Elite)

800 (Heroic)

1200 (Heroic)

## Introduction

The **B-3** **Wyvern** is the US Air Force General Granger's super unit in Command & Conquer Generals Zero Hour: Contra. Wyvern is a large supersonic stealth bomber that can fly extremely fast, even for an aircraft, and deliver its payload without being detected by the enemy, thus making it safe from harm when attacking. It deals great damage to any ground target.

## Overview

The Wyvern's creation was kind of unusual: it was built when Granger's engineers were working tirelessly to determine a new aircraft chassis shape upon Granger's request for a tougher, high-speed bomber like Aurora Bombers. Apparently the chassis design has delayed the new bomber's production until Granger decided to hint out that they could make a triangular-shaped chassis (he came up with it by remembering the paper aircrafts he made when he was still a child). His opinion was soon accepted and the Wyvern rolled out for production. Rumors said that these giant bombers were parked in USA's aircraft carriers for almost-instant deployment near seasides, resulting in a scene of "Deadly Paper Airplanes" flying around in some missions.

The Wyvern is an advanced stealth bomber with an unusual triangular chassis and with tougher aircraft armor. It carries 5 unguided high-explosive bombs fitted with HE warheads. It has supersonic/hypersonic afterburners which allow the bomber to fly at extremely fast speeds, so fast that any AA unit cannot aim properly at the bomber, resulting in missed shots or AA ammo deflecting from the chassis thanks to the giant momentum acting on the bomber's surface when the ammo hits it. However, after it fires its ALBMs, the afterburners will be turned off to prevent overheating and then the Wyvern will start to take damage from AA units. The bomber also has some extra stealth devices such as classified outer paint that absorbs radio waves and turbo engine fans that dissipate heat so that heat detectors won't find it out.

Compared to the slower B-4 Chimera, the Wyvern is armed with 5 unguided high explosive bombs rather than 6 cruise missiles. These bombs pack more explosive power than the Chimera's cruise missiles, they also have a notable scatter. Therefore the Wyvern is designed to destroy clustered groups of units and large structures, instead of the Chimera's precision striking. Theses bombs are also less sophisticated and therefore are easier to prepare and load, allowing the Wyvern to fly sorties more frequently than the Chimera.

Like the Aurora bomber, when the Wyvern selects a target, it fires up its afterburners and enters supersonic strike mode, when flying at supersonic speeds, the Wyvern becomes too fast for ANY AA weapon to target. However, after the payloads are dropped, the Wyvern reduces its speed to normal, and AA weapons can target it once again. However, the Wyvern still has a few tricks up its sleeve: first is its advanced stealth coating, which leaves it off most enemy radars. Secondly, compared to the Aurora Bomber whose armor is a little more durable than rice paper, the Wyvern can take up a surprising amount of damage for an aircraft.

However, the B-3 Wyvern is as flawed as it is effective: first of all, stealth aircrafts are more easily uncovered than stealth ground units, as not only can scout units like Listening outposts or Radar Vans detect it, but also interceptors like the F-22A King Raptor or the MiG-31 Foxhound as well as base defenses with AA capabilities like Patriot Missile Batteries, Quad Cannon Positions or Gatling Cannons. So it's strongly advised to use other units to provide support and clear a path for the Wyvern: use RQ-3 Dark Stars to sniff out pesky stealth detectors, eliminate them with strike fighters or Comanches, use Chimeras or combinations of Pave Lows/F-16XLs and Eye Designators in to take out AA defenses. Then send in the Wyverns to annihilate the key enemy positions.

A second drawback of the Wyvern is that its outrageously high approach speed on its bombing run will likely cause it to overshoot the target after dropping its payloads. When this happens in situations where the Wyvern is bombing frontline defenses, it may end up flying in a large arc over an enemy base filled with AA units. So sometimes it's important to position the Wyvern before ordering to commence its bombing run to avoid turning it into a large, dagger shaped target.

Thirdly, while the Wyvern is cheap for a super unit, it's still quite costly (rated at $5,000) and takes some time to build, and being an aircraft means that it's tied to its airfield, therefore, it's strongly recommended to leave AT LEAST one spare room on any of your Levitation Pads (any type will do) so the Wyvern can still land should the Levitation Pad that housed it gets destroyed.

## Assessment

Pros:

* Very powerful weapon.
* Fastest super unit in Contra.
* Effective against all types of ground targets.
* Cheap for a super unit ($5000).
* Fast creation time.
* Goes supersonic when attacking (faster speed and takes no damage).
* Permanently stealthed, even when attacking.

Cons:

* Very vulnerable when it's grounded and rearming.
* Low health for a super unit.
* Speed is reduced to 50% after attack run, making it vulnerable to enemy weapons.
* Cannot attack aircraft.

## Quotes

### When Selected

* Ready for coordinates.
* Stealth systems on.
* They're all under my shadow...
* Wyvern responding.
* They all look like ants from up here!
* Stealth bomber ready.
* I'm a big bird but I sure can fly.
* Give me a target, Sir.
* Wyvern here.
* The ultimate Thanatos.
* What's my next move?
* Katy Perry E.T. song playing\* Yup, she said it all!
* They can't see me.
* Who the hell's Geralt?

### When Ordered to Move

* High velocity.
* Unstoppable speed.
* Hidden high above the clouds.
* Soaring through the skies.
* Flying at high speed.
* Flying over the clouds.
* Destination clear.
* Taking off.
* Okay, I'll go there.
* Aye aye, Commander.
* They won't see me coming...
* Right away.
* Wyvern en route.

### When Ordered to Attack

* Supersonic attack initiated.
* They won't know what hit them!
* It will be done quickly.
* Bombing the area.
* Our president sends you his best regards!
* Delivering package.
* Initiating bombs' drop-off.
* Oh! My bad!
* \*singing\* It's raining bombs, Hallelujah, it's raining bombs!
* Wyvern commencing attack.
* Death from abo- Nah, this line has been used too many times, f\*ck it...
* There'll be nothing left!

### When Crashing

* Mayday, Mayday, MAYDAY!
* Pull me out, I'm not gonna survive!
* What the hell?
* Wyvern going down!
* Goddamnit!
* I don't want to die!
* NO!

## Trivia

* The Wyvern is named after a dragon-like creature. It was once the symbol of the medieval Kingdom of Wessex.

* One of the Wyvern's quotes displays an extract from the Katy Perry song *E.T.*, followed by: "Yep, she said it all!" This is to emphasize on the unit's supersonic ability.

* "Who the hell's Geralt?" is a reference to the *Witcher* games, where actual wyverns are featured.

* The Wyvern refers to Thanatos, the Greek God of Death.

* The Wyvern's singing quote is a reference to the Weather Girls song *It's Raining Men.*
* The Wyvern is constantly joked as Aurora's "big brother" by their shared ability to go supersonic.
* The quote "Our president sends you his best regards" implies that the President of the United States in *Contra*'s timeline is a male.
* The Wyvern is based off the real life Sukhoi T-4MS, a Russian strategic bomber that was cancelled.

## Gallery

A pair of Wyverns soaring across the battlefield.Wyvern banking.The Sukhoi T-4MS which the Wyvern is based off.Cameo.