Supreme Commander 2 Wiki
Register
Advertisement
UIX0101Illuminate Urchinow
Aeon urchinow
Illuminate icon experimental generic Experimental Assault Block
Build Costs
Mass32 Energy32 Time32
490 2100 120
Experience 1500
Health
16000 (+36/sec)
Speed -2.3 to 2.3 (Hover)
Intel (Radius) Vision: 26
Water Vision: 26
Research Info
Cost
Cumulative
7 Research32
11 Research32
Unlocked By Harvog
Unlocks Pulinsmash
Universal Colossus
Weapon: Heavy Disintegrator Pulse Laser
Direct Fire - Projectile
DPS 375
Projectile  Damage
Damage radius
750
3
Reload time 2 seconds
Range (min - max) 7 - 50
Weapon: Heavy Disintegrator Pulse Laser x 2
Direct Fire - Projectile
DPS 105
Projectile  Damage
35
Rate of Fire
3 Projectiles/s
Range 50
Weapon: Anti Matter Artillery x 2
Artillery - Projectile
DPS 41
Projectile  Damage
Damage radius
135
4
Reload time 3.3 seconds
Range (min - max) 7 - 32

The Urchinow Experimental Assault Block is an Illuminate minor land experimental. It is equipped with a large top-mounted cannon, several smaller front-mounted cannons, and two side-mounted artillery cannons.

Consistent with the other two minor land experimental units, this unit provides a long range support fire unit, compared to a direct fire assault unit. It is notably better in direct combat than its UEF and Cybran equivalents. While capable individually, they can be overrun by various smaller units. The Urchinow proves to be most effective when escorted with a front line of Yenzoo Tanks to essentially 'soak up' damage, or to otherwise concentrate extra fire on some especially dangerous enemy units. To be effective on maps with air units, Weedoboths, Crahdows, or an Airnomo are a must have for AA support.

The Urchinow possesses respectable self healing abilities, and the most health of any minor land experimental.

Comparison with Point Defenses[]

It is sometimes recommended to use Urchinows instead of Point Defenses during end game, primarily for the mobility capability and the improved health. While this attribute may seem appealing, it is also important to note that Point Defenses provide a better DPS/Mass Ratio. Furthermore, the Urchinow is a larger unit, and somewhat more bulky. It will take up a lot of room compared to Point Defences, preventing them from being stacked close to one another. The Urchinow also takes slightly longer to re-target in case of a multi-front battle.

Tips[]

  • The Urchinow is a powerful unit in almost any situation. If an Illuminate commander finds themselves with surplus Mass and Energy mid-game, Urchinows are almost always a good choice for production. Their long range, hover capabilities, and respectable health makes this a superb main-line combatant further into the game.
  • A more preferable command sequence, is to typically have both units fire on turrets, only until enemy ground units begin reacting to the attack, at which point the Urchinow should be retargeted towards any enemy land units.
  • The Urchinow is pointless to build if the enemy has artillery due to it having a big profile and slow movement speed. It is recommended to send other units as a bait for artillery while the Urchinow moves in
  • Although the Urchinow is somewhat powerful against land units, it is most effective for escorting larger experimentals such as the Universal Colossus or Airnomo.
  • The Urchinow has slightly less range and considerably less speed than the Cybran Megalith II, though more health and roughly the same damage.
  • The Urchinow has much less range, and a bit less speed, than a UEF Fatboy II, but has more health and more damage.

Trivia[]

  • The Urchinow is the only unit in the Illuminate arsenal since the Infinite War to feature artillery.
  • The name 'Urchinow' is often debated - some say it comes from 'Urchin', which is a spiky sea animal, and 'Ow!', but others say that it is an abbreviation of "Hurt you now" Whatever those two reasons are, the Urchinow packs a punch. It may also be a combination of both, i.e. a corruption of "Hurt you now" made to look like "Urchin" because it looks like a sea shell. Another theory is that it's an abbreviation for "Your chin now", giving the idea that your enemy is stupefied and thus dropping his chin. It could also refer to its shape, an "ear canal." Some people think that it comes from "Urchin Now" as in "the urchin is here now".
  • Also known as the "Snail".
  • The Urchinow's power is limited to the quality, and quantity of your foe's units. They are powerful in groups, yet they may form a spearhead formation. It is better to have them side by side, micromanaging may fix this.

Naval usage[]

The Illuminate does lack a navy but the Urchinow does hover over water. This can be surprising to commanders of the other factions, as they know that there should be no Illuminate navy units to worry about. The commander may not worry about only two blips on his radar and not send in a fighter to scout them. Furthermore, as the Urchinows transfer onto land, the commander may even assume that they are engineers and not attack with a large enough force. Your stunned opponent is as good as dead.

However, that is about the only thing they can do over water as it has a tiny weapon range and would be sunk by any battleships roaming around. THEY ARE NOT ANTI-SHIP WEAPONS.

Advertisement