Xeno-Telepath
A Xeno-Telepath is a specialist Martian unit, that contains a Martian specifically trained to use the telepathic abilities shared by all of their kind to influence and alter the thought patterns of humans.
Jeff Wayne's The War of the Worlds (1998 Video Game)[]
Apart from some viewings in promotional posters, the only time the Xeno-Telepath has been seen in detail was in the game.
In the game, the Xeno-Telepath can be manufactured using a Telepath Training Center after that structure has been researched and built in any sector. Like most Martian units, the telepath has 3 generations that can be researched, that increase respectfully in armour and firepower. Because the Xeno-Telepaths powers must be separately researched after the machine itself has been, it requires a significant time investment to research all the abilities that will bring the Xeno-telepath up to full power.
The Xeno-Telepath makes a steady tone when it walks that sounds like the tolling of a bell.
Powers and Abilities[]
The Xeno-Telepath is a support unit, being only built in single numbers rather than threes like most front line Martian units. as such it has sub par armour, in spite of the power of it's weapons, and alone will be quickly overwhelmed by even a small number of human units.
The Xeno-telepath's weapons are as follows.
Psionic Blast[]
The telepath's primary attack, this works a lot like a heat-ray, but creates a Psychic Shockwave at the point it hits, which has a large area of effect. this is capable of destroying multiple human vehicles in one shot, especially if they are clustered together.
The other abilities must be researched separately:
Awe[]
This power will cause any human unit caught within it's area of effect to freeze for a short time, which can give other Martian units a chance to get close and destroy them with other weapons. this is especially useful when used in conjunction with the Electric Machine which has a very powerful but very short ranged attack and usually ends up taking damage before it can get close enough to fire.
This is also similar to the ability used by the Constrictor, with the difference that one shot of this ability will freeze an entire human unit, whereas the Constrictor must spray each vehicle in the unit separately to stop it.
Fear[]
This power causes any human unit caught within it's area of effect to stop firing and run away. Human units will head towards a retreat point if one is available, although the effect usually wears off before the units leave the map completely. This is most useful in a pincer attack as the units will just run away from the Xeno-Telepath itself, not other Martian units, so other units can move in from the direction the humans are running towards.
Lunacy[]
The most powerful of the Xeno-Telepath's abilities, this causes any human unit caught in it's area of effect to attack other human units within it's range. the attacked units will sometimes (but not always) shoot back at the unit under Lunacy to defend itself, so used correctly this ability can cause a human force to wipe itself out in a short time. This ability is most useful when used against Ironclads as the ironclad will immediately turn its powerful guns against human units inside it's range which will usually wipe an entire human unit out in a few shots. Attacking a human unit under Lunacy will cancel the effect and cause the unit to target the attacking Martian unit.