Harkonnen

The Bad Guys

The Harkonnen are the evil bastards of the Dune universe. The hierarchy of their military is built on deception, backstabbing, and flat out cunning. Those who survive the longest make it higher up the ranks. As a result, the Harkonnen units operate at full capacity and efficiency no matter how badly damaged they are (normally, the heavily damaged units in Emperor don't function as well as their fully healthed comrades). Here's a look at the more interesting Harkonnen units

Trooper

The Harkonnen trooper carries a rocket launcher that makes it effective against vehicles and even somewhat useful against aircraft because of their limited lock-on capability. They walk slower than the regular machine gun toting light infantry though.

Nice shoes

Flamethrower Infantry

Even slower moving than the trooper, the flamethrower divisions of the Harkonnen are tailor-made to take on large groups of enemy infantry. This is a barbecue you don't want to line up for, as the flame stream will damage all units lying in its path.

Buzzsaw

The Buzzsaw is one of the more interesting units we've seen in an RTS game lately. Resembling a gigantic Craftsman circular saw, the Harkonnen Buzzsaw will literally cut down any infantry caught in its path. Its huge blade will also destroy spice fields, so you can try starving your opponent out by running a couple of these through his spice supply. Finally, it features a pair of small cannons that give it a small measure of protection against enemy vehicles.

Cuts through all types of hardwood too

Flame Tank

Double your pleasure - the Flame Tank features a pair of independently aimed flame throwers, one on either side of the vehicle. They have the ability to track and attack two different targets or concentrate fire on a single entity. Clearly, it's the weapon of choice against infantry, although it is a tad slower than the cannon armed Assault Tank

The rolling bbq

Inkvine Catapult

The Inkvine Catapult was one of the more entertaining units we saw at the demonstration. They are a long-range artillery unit that lobs barrels of toxic fluid that splash over a wide area on impact. They can kill most infantry easily, and the fluid even remains on the ground for a short period of time, rendering that area hazardous to units passing through. One particularly nasty trick is to lob Inkvine fluid right at an enemy barracks respawn point. In our demo we witnessed a number of computer controlled Inkvines dump their deadly payload onto some of Fritz's poor deployed Kindjal. From their wretched screaming, it's safe to assume they experienced an agonizing death.

Devastator

This is the Harkonnen's largest tank. Its primary weapon system is its pair of plasma guns, which can wreck armor and negate shields in a single volley. The Devastator also has an advanced guided missile system, which allows it to take on airborne units (like Ornithopters), and moving ground targets alike. If that isn't enough, the Devastator has a self-destruct button that overloads its reactor for a huge, damaging explosion to nearby units and buildings.

For more on Harkonnen units, check out the Gamespot writeup.