Combat Rover (CivBE)

Combat Rover
Mounted Unit in Beyond Earth
Required	Engineering
Moves	3
Base Unit Strength	12

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Game info[]

Cavalry melee unit. Requires Engineering technology.

The Combat Rover is the cavalry, or heavy infantry of Beyond Earth. With thick armor, powerful engines and short-range guns, it moves faster than regular infantry and generally hits harder than a regular squadron of troopers. However, as they are mechnical they often take more Production to build and they also do not benefit from terrain bonuses. They are one of the two main basic land forces and transition into amphibious units as they receive their Tier 4 perks, which allow it to gain Hover.

Use the Rovers to outmaneuver the enemy, or to reach a retreating unit and kill it.

Unit Upgrades[]

It is important to remember that all Combat Rovers regardless of Tier, do not benefit from combat terrain bonus like Soldiers do. This is because they are Cavalry units.

Tier 1 & Tier 2 (Non Affinity)[]

Combat Rovers in the early game are reminiscent of contemporary tanks, albeit a bit more primitive. This could be that there is no oxygen on Planet and thus the rovers have to be stripped down into basic components. They use mainly front-mounted CQB, slow firing cannons. While only marginally stronger than Soldiers in the early game, they receive offensive perks upon advancing to Tier 2 as Armor, such as a flanking bonus or a piercing bonus.

Combatrover-tier1and2-be — Combat Rover (left) and Armor (right)

Subject	Tier 1 (Combat Rover)	Tier 2 (Armor)
Tech Prerequisites	Engineering	Engineering
Affinity Prerequisites	No requirement	3 of any Affinity
Resource Cost	No requirement	No requirement
Production Cost	95 Production	175 Production
Combat Strength	12 Strength	18 Strength
Movement	3	3
Perk Choice A	--	+20% Strength when flanking
Perk Choice B	--	+20% Strength when attacking fortified

Tier 3 (Primary Affinity)[]

Tier 3 Combat Rovers take on the appearance and functionality of their sponsor's Affinity. They all respectably receive unique perks that change the way they excel. For example, Prophets would excel in working in swarms due to their +20% Strength bonus while Vipers would excel being solitary city raiders. Tier 3 Combat Rovers tend to resemble modern armored tanks with affinity colouring and fire energy-like bolts.

Combatrover-tier3-be — Viper (left), Lancer (middle) and Prophet (right)

Subject	Tier 3 (Viper)	Tier 3 (Lancer)	Tier 3 (Prophet)
Tech Prerequisites	Engineering	Engineering	Engineering
Affinity Prerequisites	8 Harmony	8 Purity	8 Supremacy
Resource Cost	No requirement	No requirement	No requirement
Production Cost	275 Production	275 Production	275 Production
Combat Strength	28 Strength	28 Strength	28 Strength
Movement	3	3	3
Perk Choice A	+40% Strength when not next to friendly unit	+10% Strength per unused Movement	+30% Strength when attacking wounded unit
Perk Choice B	Pillaging costs no and heals 20HP	+20% Strength when attacking	+20% Strength when next to a friendly unit

Tier 4 (Primary affinity)[]

At Tier 4, units can continue to take the appearance of the sponsor's primary affinity, or alternatively diversify with a hybrid appearance and power. They additionally all gain Hover and all terrain costs 1. Some Tier 4 Combat Rovers have replaced their primary cannons with rapid firing guns, such as the Gladiator and Savage.

Primary affinity units (Tier 4)[]

Primary affinity units are not available as early as hybrid affinity units, however they tend to have a unique perk that is more powerful than the hybrid perks. This makes them excel at late-game combat more than hybrid combat rovers. For example, the Redeemer receives an additional 30% flanking perk, which can increase the Combat Strength of it to 150% alone (78 Strength) without considering swarm bonuses. The hybrid units do not receive offensive perks but rather tactical perks.

It is also important to notice that the combat rovers of Tier 4 split into two categories - fast, or hard-hitting. Of the primary affinity units, the Dragoon has only 3but has 6 additional Strength which adds up quickly with combat multipliers.

Combatrover-tier4primary-be — Cobra (left), Dragoon (middle) and Redeemer (right)

Subject	Tier 4 (Cobra)	Tier 4 (Dragoon)	Tier 4 (Redeemer)
Tech Prerequisites	Engineering	Engineering	Engineering
Affinity Prerequisites	13 Harmony	13 Purity	13 Supremacy
Resource Cost	No requirement	No requirement	No requirement
Production Cost	385 Production	385 Production	385 Production
Combat Strength	52 Strength	58 Strength	52 Strength
Movement	4	3	4
Perk Choice A	+30% Strength in Miasma	+1 Movement	+30% Strength when flanking
Perk Choice B	Can move after attacking	+50% Strength when attacking cities	Ignore Zone of Control
Passives	Hover, all terrain costs 1	Hover, all terrain costs 1	Hover, all terrain costs 1

Hybrid affinity units (Tier 4)[]

Introduced in the Rising Tide expansion pack.

Hybrid affinity units excel in the mid-game because they are available quite a bit earlier than Primary affinity units due to their lower Affinity requirements. This can make them powerful against many other units as they will be one of the first amphibious units - meaning they can hover over both land and sea. However, their perks are generally not as powerful as primary affinity perks - this makes them rather weak in comparison to a Dragoon, that can deal up to 87 Strength damage to a city. The perks for Hybrid units are useful, but do not increase the Combat Strength of them so they are best used in either swarms or for mid-game rushes.

Combatrover-tier4hybrid-be — Gladiator (left), Maestro (middle) and Savage (right)

Subject	Tier 4 (Gladiator)	Tier 4 (Maestro)	Tier 4 (Savage)
Tech Prerequisites	Engineering	Engineering	Engineering
Affinity Prerequisites	8 Harmony, 8 Purity	8 Purity, 8 Supremacy	8 Supremacy, 8 Harmony
Resource Cost	No requirement	No requirement	No requirement
Production Cost	385 Production	385 Production	385 Production
Combat Strength	58 Strength	58 Strength	52 Strength
Movement	3	3	4
Perk Choice A	Can move after attacking	+1 Movement	Ignore Zone of Control
Perk Choice B	+1 Movement	Ignore Zone of Control	Can move after attacking
Passives	Hover, all terrain costs 1	Hover, all terrain costs 1	Hover, all terrain costs 1

Game Universe info[]

Rovers were first developed as robotic units tasked with the initial survey of a planet. During the first Moon and Mars missions, the multi-wheel design prove to be the most effective way to overcome difficult, rocky terrain, and this design was logically used as the base for overall Rover design. The rest of the machine consisted in myriad instruments and scientific equipment designed to analyse as much of an alien world as possible.

Rover development stopped dead in its tracks during the Great Mistake, when humanity had more serious problems to deal with at home. But at the beginning of the Seeding, rovers were suddenly back in fashion, as it quickly became obvious the new colonies will require a fast and efficient initial transportation method. Rovers were outfitted with a passenger cabin, most instruments were replaced storage space and additional engines for speed and even weapons to repel hostile indigenous life. The Combat Rover was born.

From that point, it was only logical that Rovers became the base on which Armored Cavalry brigades were built. As technology progressed, many new ways were found to utilize the opportunities the Rover offered, and nobody ever thought about developing tanks from scratch. After all, with an entire new planet to deal with, who had the time?

Civilopedia entry

The Combat Rover we know today finds its roots in terrestrial ATVs. These “all-terrain vehicles” were adapted into robotic rovers for the purpose of mapping Earth’s moon, the planet Mars, and other bodies located within the Sol system. When humanity eventually joined their robots on these foreign bodies, the rovers were modified to accommodate passengers. Then, the Great Mistake happened and our eyes turned away from the Heavens. As we moved into the time of the Seeding, it was only logical to adapt these vehicles for military use.

Utilizing either four or six wheels, these off-world military vehicles can support various mounted-weapon systems, while also carrying troops over long distances of rough terrain. Tasked with scouting and raiding duties, these units began to operate in a manner similar to the motorized cavalry of post-WWII Earth, eventually earning the official distinction.

The Combat Rovers, as they are now called, offer maneuverability, speed and firepower on a wide array of missions across this world’s trackless surface. Technological research into the use of native resources has made such units increasingly effective, to the point where motorized cavalry are the primary service branch in many colonial armed forces.