Sentinel
Special forces, trained in harsh conditions to tackle a wide array of mission parameters.—In-Game Description
General Information
The Sentinel is a Tier 6 Infantry, unlocked exclusively through blueprint acquisition in Events.
Weapons
Sentinels slowly fire their rifles, dealing single-target ballistic damage to all targets.
Additionally, the Sentinel can be equipped with a secondary weapon. The fifth slot, unlocked at level 10, only has the GP-34 Grenade Launcher, which provides additional firepower against ground units at mid-range, particularly against buildings.
Usage in Combat
Sentinel serves as the continuation of Force Recon, being a weak unit on its own that offers a bit of extra DPS, but are less destructive than the AGS Team, and therefore function similarly. They are surprisingly durable for the support they provide, contributing valuable siege damage but also have the flexibility to engage lighter enemy targets on the ground if necessary, and remain deadly if they get the a shot on air units. Their grenade launcher in particular, while only able to cover ground, has more range and can deal serious damage to most structures. As the smallest units in the game, they can be a welcome addition to any ground attack to provide some extra punch, as a whole squad of them only occupy a mere 50 space, leaving ample slots and options for the rest of the platoon. Their Combat Rush and Covering Fire abilities provide temporary bonuses that can make them hit harder and either grant increased speed or move slower and take on a defensive stance. Their utility is further expanded by the existence of Grizzlies, FOB 9 IFVs that are already great units on their own and can spawn five of them when destroyed. Sentinels appearing this way don't suffer from their usual limitations, and if they appear in the right place (such as when their carrier vehicle is no longer capable of finishing the attack properly and need some extra DPS), they can extend the longevity of an offense and possibly turn a losing battle on its heel.
Nevertheless, it is worth mentioning that Sentinels fall off very quickly, primarily due to competition from other T6-7 units. Around this point, Infantry can only keep up if it provides enough force to an assault like Spartan, or have a useful niche to cover like Ghost so other units can focus on what they should be doing. Sentinels, despite being the first proper DPS Infantry unit with bonuses to structures, has neither. Combined with their low squad count of 10, they are unable to properly capitalize on their capacity or contribute in any platoon. Light Vehicles and Helicopters have enough mobility and work better with air support, whereas for Heavy Vehicles, S1 Pantsir and the prevalence of secondary weapons allow them to handle enemy defenders better, not to mention their cost can easily offset progressing players who often have to save metal for other important matters. This in turn eliminates any purpose in their abilities, as they clutch onto Grizzly's destruction to see use, thereby serving only as extra gravy and are otherwise mostly overshadowed by their carrier doing most of the work. The availability of far superior DPS options like the aforementioned Spartan, Reaver or Scimitar pack bigger numbers and versatility as well. So while Sentinels definitely can't be dismissed for what they do, they still require a large investment, and players should focus on building their other sources of offense.
Gallery
Trivia
- Interestingly, Sentinel's image and description both imply they are soldiers from the Russian Special Operations Forces, yet the image file on the official Recon Report claim they are merely mercenaries. Given War Commander: Rogue Assault's post-apocalyptic setting, Sentinels in-universe are potentially former members who now actually work as mercenaries.
- At a capacity of 5, Sentinels are the smallest units in the entire game.
See Also
- Russian Special Operation Forces on Wikipedia
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