Icarus

## Unit in the game:

### Researches

Extended Cargo, Mastodon Reactor, Accelerated Courses, Armor Plating (Federation), Weapon Systems (Federation)

## Iklwa Laser

### Description

Directed energy weapon with high level of accuracy

## Cargo

### Description

The unit have cargo spaces for metal, helium-3, tachyon.

### Cargo capacity per trip

100 (+150 with Extended Cargo)

The Icarus is a Human cargo ship.

## Gameplay

The Icarus is the paramount economic support of the Federation, being required to transport mined resources from a Mining Station to a Command Station. The one element that makes the Icarus stand out from the cargo vessels of other races - Haluer and Zoner - is that the Icarus is the sole cargo vessel that can defend itself with the Iklwa Laser battery, that slightly surpasses the Hurricane in firepower terms, with the range of an unupgraded Orca.

Icarii become available to the player in the campaign in *Distress Call* in Chapter 1 - Hostile Visitors.

## Unit Strategy

The health amount of the Icarus combined with the Iklwa Laser, that also benefits from weapon upgrades from the Research Center, makes the defense of a resource site in a very early game, viable when partnered with Engineer Shuttles, using the Icarus' hull amount to it's advantage, while Barricade Sats haven't yet been constructed. Regardless, the function of the Icarus remains as a cargo vessel as any other race, and thus benefits more from it's related upgrades - Extended Cargo and Mastodon Reactor - for better efficiency.

A curious strategy, early game, can revolve around sending Icarii that won't be used for transporting resources as a shield against dedicated enemy attack waves, for the lightly armored Orcas to fire from behind it, until sturdier units such as the Hailstorm or the St. George can appear on the scene.

## Counter-measures

Despite the sturdy armor amount, the Icarus is still extremely vulnerable to a dedicated enemy assault, as well as dedicated anti-armor weapons such as those of enemy Avengers. In addition, for being only lightly armed, an Icarus can be still overwhelmed by a swarm of enemy fighters or bombers such as the Crow or Lancet.

Even with the Mastodon Reactor, which can provide a speed boost, a long-distance haul in off-site bases with the Icarus can be risky and prone to ambushes, especially if the supposed unit is capable of paralyzing an Icarus en-route, such as a Clairvoyant with Neutron Torpedoes (which requires the Neutrino Sustension upgrade). An Icarus route can also be trapped with Leech Mines or Martyrprobes, that take away almost a third of an Icarus' hull alone.

A very dangerous risk, when engaging a Sylon opponent, is the Icarus being prone to be controlled by an Assimilator especially if full of resources, that can be returned to the Installation Prime, essentially robbing the Federation player of both resources (up to 250 if Extended Cargo was researched) and cargo unit. The Icarus can also be infiltrated by a Zhogarn Mite, providing vision and intelligence to a Zhogarn player, unwittingly revealing base composition between routes from the Mining Station to the Command Station.

## Racial Counter Relations

###  Federation

**Soft** - Crow, Pasteur, Joseon, Teller, Barricade Sat, Hailstorm, Kutuzov, St. George, Dresda, Avenger (II), KEIKO Sentry, Defense Platform
**Hard** - Engineer Shuttle, Hurricane (unupgraded)
###  Sylon

**Soft** - Gloom, Absorber, Installator, Caldron, Eclipse, Shade, Plasma Raid, Aegis, Hauler, Twinblade, Mask, Arson, Assimilator, Pillbox, Repair Station
**Hard** - Labor, Spear (unupgraded)
###  Athrael

**Soft** - Intruder, Flanker, Clairvoyant, Rector, Harbinger, Gathering, Invader, Mothership, Theocrat, Obelisk, Shield Generator, Warpglider, Explorer, Lancet, Martyrprobe, Revenger, Polaron Sphere
**Hard** - Drone
###  Thorun

**Soft** - Raider, Vanguard, Havoc, Corsair, Devastator, Flagship, Breaker, Ion Cannon, Predator, Predator (assault mode), Marauder, Grinder, Guard Station
**Hard** - Extractor, Welder, Zoner
###  Zhogarn

**Soft** - Mind, Rictus, Alpha, Ruptor, Elasmoruptor, Overseer, Charybdis, Fonia, Argus, Spawn, Worker, Ventator, Mite, Decay, Impaler, Agaric
**Hard** - Guard (unupgraded)