Heavy Weapons Platforms (Hardmode)
Heavy Weapon Platforms, or HWPs, are small sized unmanned tanks. Employed by X-COM forces to serve the role of a rapid reaction armoured fighting force, they are fast, heavily armoured and can mount an array of impressive weapon systems.
Furthermore, Drones represent another alternative unmanned tool that X-COM can use. These advance prototypes can be used to safely scout the battlefield and provide support for the team.
Throughout the war, X-COM will be able to research and manufacture a wide array of improved HWPs and Drones, including the protentional to reverse engineer the alien war machines.
HWP Types
HWPs are divided into several types, each capable of mounting unique weapons as researched.
Tracked Chassis
Standard X-COM tank chassis, weakest of the available chassis but readily available from the start of the invasion.
Alloy Tracked Chassis
A standard tracked chassis that has been refitted with alien alloy armour. Similar performance to the standard model but it has superior armour and can move further.
Hover Chassis
The Hover chassis features superior armour and the ability to fly through the air. Can mount the most diverse array of weapon systems available to HWPs.
Walker Chassis
By cutting the psionic control link of a captured Armoured Sectopod, this unit can be employed by X-COM forces. An powerful weapon of war that is the most armoured frontline HWP available.
Weapon Variants
This list showcases the weapons available to all the HWPs.
| Weapon | Tracked Chassis | Alloy Tracked Chassis | Hover Chassis | Walker Chassis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cannon | Yes | Yes | --- | --- |
| Rocket Launcher | Yes | Yes | --- | --- |
| Laser | Yes | Yes | Yes | --- |
| Elerium Bomb | --- | --- | Yes | --- |
| Launcher | --- | --- | Yes | --- |
| Plasma | --- | --- | Yes | Yes |
Drones
Drones are unmanned reconnaissance and support platforms, representing experimental prototypes, if X-COM chooses to do so they can invest resources in acquiring and manufacturing this devices for field work. Their small size, decent armour and health make them surprisingly survivable, and their rapid speed allows them to excel in recon work. They lack any meaningful offensive weaponry. Drones can be upgraded to make usage of certain secondary items as research progresses.
Drones occupy only a single slot on a transport, however they occupy one of the transports limited HWP slots, which can restrict the amount of additional Drones and HWPs that can be taken.
Drone Chassis
Standard Drone variant, can be upgraded to accept several different modules.
Alloy Drone Chassis
Drone upgraded with alien alloy armour, provides significantly increased survivability and slightly improved maneuverability. Secondary items are typically superior to the standard variant.
Both drone chassis have an integrated smoke grenade launcher which can fire a weaker version of a smoke grenade, and can employ the same secondary items if upgraded to use them. These include the Standard Module which has no items but increased armour, the Scanner module which attaches a motion scanner to the drone, the Medkit module which can make usage of a medkit, and the Taser module which give the Drone an inbuilt taser for non-lethal takedowns.
