Cloakable
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| Flag: | Cloakable |
| File(s): | Rules(md).ini |
| Values: | boolean |
| Default: | no |
| Applicable to: | InfantryTypes,VehicleTypes,BuildingTypes |
Specifies whether this object has a cloaking device, which can render it invisible to enemy units without Sensors=yes, or buildings without SensorArray=yes. This effect also applies to the mini-map, which will only show the revealed (uncloaked) state of the unit.
In Tiberian Sun
Strangely, despite TechnoTypes lacking Sensors=yes, they can still automatically attack units that have Cloakable=yes within range, as if there was no cloaking effect.
Unlike in later games, TS (and Firestorm) support Cloakable and CloakingSpeed tags on buildings, without any problems.
In Red Alert 2
Earlier games did not have submarines, and so the cloaking effect only applied to terrestrial units, but in RA2 the cloaking system was repurposed for the Soviet Attack Sub. As such, the sound effects were updated to reflect their aquatic nature, with the splash effect defined by CloakSound under [AudioVisual], played for both cloaking and decloaking.
The CloakStop=yes tag was added to keep a unit like the Attack Sub cloaked when firing or in ambush position.
Bugs/Side-Effects/Unexpected Limitations
In RA2, a fully cloaked unit (presumably submarine) might still reveal itself when retaliating (enabled by CanRetaliate=yes), or if the target of attack is sufficiently far away from it.
Explicitly set Cloakable=no will be overridden if a unit gains the abilities through promotion.
Hovering/Flying units do not support Cloakable=yes, however granting them cloakability via VeteranAbilities or EliteAbilities is possible.
- Ares has removed this hardcode, allowing the definition of the height for determining cloakable, and defaults it to the value of HoverHeight located under [General], used by hovering units. Therefore by default, just having Ares enables the logic for hovering units, and requires additional configuration to return to vanilla game behaviour.
Cloaked units will not trigger/activate Celltags on maps. This was an intentional design choice from Westwood, according to analysis of the engine code.