Vehicle

A Vehicle is any machine designed to move from place to place, particularly while carrying humans, weapons, or any other cargo. In a military context (and in ShackTac), vehicles are typically armed and sometimes armored for combat.

ShackTac gameplay is very Infantry-oriented, so most vehicles appearing in any mission or video are controlled by AI opponents rather than the players themselves. Nevertheless, player-controlled vehicles are by no means rare, particularly light transport vehicles and aircraft. Vehicles typically pose a great threat to infantry, and Shackers will normally carry ample weapons to defeat them. Heavier player-controlled vehicles are rarer, but by no means uncommon.

Vehicles are significantly faster than infantry, and many are simply used to transport infantry from place to place. Other vehicles are primarily or exclusively weapon platforms, providing heavy fire support to infantry or to one another. Ground vehicles tend to be sufficiently armored to withstand Small Arms fire, and can only be defeated with stronger weapons. Air vehicles are much faster and harder to hit, but less armored. The types of vehicles available to the players (if any) can strongly affect the nature of a mission.

Vehicles are split into four major categories: Light Vehicles, Armored Fighting Vehicles, Helicopters, and Fixed Wing Aircraft. Each category is then split into several different sub-categories.

Light Vehicles
Light Vehicles are wheeled ground-based vehicles, lightly armored and often completely unarmed. They are typically used to transport Infantry from one place to another, much more quickly than infantry on foot.

Due to being lightly-armored, these vehicles cannot withstand any significant firepower, and may be defeated with Small Arms - usually by shooting out the tires, the driver, or the passengers. Their primary defense is their speed, as they are simply harder to hit than the slow-moving infantry.

Light Vehicles are some of the most common player-controlled vehicles in ShackTac.

Light Vehicle subcategories include:
 * Cars: Unarmed and unarmored civilian vehicles. Very quick on roads, and capable of transporting a handful of troops. Typically used by Independents and Civilians.
 * Trucks: Unarmed and unarmored military vehicles with a large storage space, either to carry a large group of infantry or a large quantity of supplies and equipment. Typically used to transport troops quickly into/out of the combat area, or as a Logistics vehicle. The term is also sometimes used (in ShackTac and outside it) to describe unarmed Recon Vehicles (see below).
 * Technicals: Civilian cars converted into combat vehicles by installing a pintle-mounted weapon at the back (typically a Machine Gun). Often used by Independents. The term is also oftentimes used in ShackTac to refer to military vehicles of similar capabilities.
 * Recon Vehicles: All-terrain cars specifically built by the military for battlefield use. These are very lightly armored (harder to defeat with Small Arms, but still vulnerable) and may carry one or more weapons. They are typically as fast as Cars, but the added armor and weapons make them suitable to provide fire-support for infantry, and to scout enemy positions.

Armored Fighting Vehicles
AFVs are larger military ground vehicles that carry combat-suitable weaponry as well as sufficient armor to reliably withstand Small Arms fire. They pose a significant threat to infantry and sometimes to each other. Many AFVs travel on tracks; a few models are wheeled. Most AFVs are also able to carry infantry either inside or on top of the vehicle.

AFVs provide powerful fire-support for infantry, and may even be able to fight independently of the infantry. The heavier the AFV, the harder it is to defeat without specialized weapons such as Anti-Tank Launchers.

AFVs are more common as enemy-controlled vehicles, but the lighter varieties are fairly common as player-controlled vehicles as well.

Armored Fighting Vehicle subcategories include:
 * Armored Cars: Wheeled vehicles covered with armor and carrying a heavy anti-infantry weapon. While fast, they are not well-protected against infantry, and are just a step up from Recon Vehicles (see prev. section).
 * Armored Personnel Carriers: Wheeled or tracked armored vehicles designed to carry a large number of soldiers in relative safety. APCs are typically armed with an anti-infantry weapon, and can ferry troops from location to location while providing them with moderate fire-support.
 * Infantry Fighting Vehicles: Well-armored and well-armed vehicles designed to provide heavy fire-support for infantry, while (typically) also being able to carry infantry from place to place if needed. They are difficult to defeat, and are usually armed with weapons capable of defeating both infantry and vehicles.
 * Tanks: The heaviest of all ground vehicles, Tanks are tracked and very heavily armored. They are very difficult to defeat with most weapons. Tanks carry a Cannon which is primarily suitable against other Tanks, and one or more Machine Guns to deal with enemy infantry. Tanks are generally considered the most dangerous ground-based opponents.

Helicopters
A Helicopter (or "rotary-wing aircraft") is a type of aircraft that uses a rotating, horizontal set of blades to generate lift. They are relatively fast and maneuverable, capable of hovering in place, and capable of landing vertically without a runway.

Helicopters operate close to the ground, and have sufficient maneuverability and control to closely assist infantry. They may be used for reconnaissance, transportation, or even attack. Helicopters are very common as player-controlled vehicles, less so as enemy-controlled.

Helicopter subcategories include:


 * Transport Helicopters: Unarmed Helicopters (or armed with inaccurate defensive weaponry) used to transport players and/or equipment. They differ greatly in size, with the larger helicopters being capable of transporting a very large number of troops and equipment. Transport Helicopters can be used offensively if armed, but are not typically very effective.
 * Observation Helicopters: Unarmed or moderately-armed helicopters whose primary on-board system is a high-tech camera. The helicopter's co-pilot uses this camera to observe enemy movements and/or to direct friendly fire (from ground forces, other aircraft, or even Artillery) at enemy positions. If the helicopter is well armed, it may attack those targets itself.
 * CAS Helicopters: Small, fast, nimble helicopters carrying various close-support weapons, such as Miniguns and/or Rocket Pods. While lacking the durability and sheer firepower of Attack Helicopters (see below), they are much more aerobatic and capable of rapidly engaging multiple targets in support of ground forces, while also providing observational information on enemy movements and threats.
 * Helicopter Gunships: The ambiguous term "Gunship" is most commonly used in ShackTac to denote a Transport Helicopter that has been fitted with heavier offensive weaponry and used as a CAS Helicopter. The helicopter usually retains the ability to carry some troops. On the other hand, it is not nearly as nimble as a CAS Helicopter, and makes an easier target for enemy fire.
 * Attack Helicopters: The heaviest and most well-armed helicopters are designed to directly attack enemy assets. These helicopters can spot targets and destroy them without assistance. Attack Helicopters are primarily useful against enemy vehicles, up to and including enemy helicopters. Some Attack Helicopters are well-armored, to protect them against incoming fire from the ground.

Fixed-Wing Aircraft
Fixed-Wing Aircraft, also called "airplanes" or "planes", are aircraft that generate lift thanks to large, rigid wings on both sides of the main body. They are typically the fastest vehicles on the battlefield. Airplanes often fly very high above the battlefield to avoid enemy groundfire - as well as the ground itself.

Almost all fixed-wing aircraft in ShackTac are powered by jet engines, although a few are propeller-driven models. Armed planes are capable of striking any target even well ahead of the rest of the force. However, their fast movement and high altitude makes it much more difficult for them to spot targets, and they are almost useless against enemy infantry.

Fixed-wing aircraft are uncommon in ShackTac, whether AI-controlled or player-controlled.

Fixed-Wing subcategories include:
 * Transport Planes: Large Prop-driven or Jet aircraft meant to move people from place to place. In ShackTac they are typically used as improvised escape vehicles in E&E scenarios, stolen from an airbase at the end of a mission simply in order to get away. Occasionally used to drop Paratroopers, or even for airborne surveillance.
 * Gunships: In ShackTac, the term "Gunship" can sometimes refer to Transport Planes fitted with heavy ground-attack weaponry (typically Miniguns). A Gunship orbits the combat area at a relatively low altitude, raining fire down on any target spotted by the ground forces or by the airplane itself.
 * Observation Planes: Small prop-driven aircraft used to observe enemy movements from the air, thanks to the slower engine and lower flying altitude. These are typically unarmed civilian craft, of the kinds used in real life for recreational flying, crop-dusting, and other mundane purposes. Dedicated Observation Planes are exceptionally rare in ShackTac, and are typically more of a joke vehicle than a tactical asset.
 * Jets: A collective term for jet-engine combat aircraft. Heavily armed and very fast, their primary role is to destroy serious enemy targets (Tanks, defensive positions, large groups of infantry), usually spotted by other units or detected by Radar. They are also the primary counter to enemy Jets. Jets are uncommon in ShackTac due to their relative power.