History Main / DualModeUnit

* Non-video game example (but exists in videogame adaptions anyway), ''FutureGPXCyberFormula'' has a MidSeasonUpgrade machine of the protagonist able to change between three modes of the machine settings during a race: Curcuit mode for balanced adjust, Aero mode for speed favored, and Rally mode for offroad racing. The sequels remove offroad tracks, so Super Asurada is modified into having only first two modes. In addition, at the end series, every single team but one use dual mode cars to race.

* Spin off studio Petroglyph's game ''UniverseAtWar'' had the Masari, which could change from light mode, where damage and sight range were upped, and dark mode where units gained armour and air units were grounded.
** Note: Not the Masari units. The entire side had one shared light/dark switch. Even their superweapon was affected.

* UnrealTournament2004 brings us the Leviathan, a land-based gunship with a rapid-fire homing missile launcher you really don't need to aim and four individually-controlled turrets. Then it unfolds, revealing a mantis-head turret that fires a beam, producing an explosion larger than even the infamous Redeemer missile. With infinite ammo, no less. The catch is, of course, when unfolded, you're EXTREMELY vulnerable to aerial vehicles like the Raptor and Cicada.

* The Tau [[HumongousMecha XV88 Broadside Battlesuits]] from [[Warhammer40K Warhammer 40,000]] [[DawnOfWar Dawn Of War]] will fire their [[MacrossMissileMassacre anti-infantry smart missle systems]] while mobile, but can be entrenched to bring their twin-linked, anti-vehicle [[MagneticWeapons railguns]] to bear.

* Almost all units in ''Star Wars: Empire at War'' and its expansion, including heroes. Most of the time, this helps to offset [[CripplingOverspecialization Crippling Overspecialization]]. Artillery units have to deploy to fire their main weapons, AT-AT's can deploy stormtroopers, Airspeeders can use their harpoons and tow cables to trip up AT-AT's (except ''Blizzard 1'', and sometimes the move doesn't work), ''Immobilizer 418'' cruisers (aka Interdictor Star Destroyer's or Interdictor Cruisers) must manually activate their Gravity Well Generators, and also have a missile/torpedo-jamming ability, ''Crusader''-class corvettes can shoot down incoming missiles/torpedoes, etc. etc.

** Trebuchets in ''AgeOfEmpiresII'' need to be manually packed to move and unpacked to fire, and take several seconds to do so. Thankfully, they'll do the latter automatically when they move into range of the target.

** Artillery units in ''AgeOfEmpiresIII'' are ''capable'' of moving while in their firing mode, but do so at about a third normal speed. With the exception of the [[GameBreaker Iroquois]] [[JackOfAllStats Light]] [[AwesomeYetPractical Cannon,]] anyway.

* WorldInConflict: All units have 2 different ammos and/or seondary abbility. Jeeps can repair other vehicles and change to heavier ammo, infantry can speed up, APC can fire anti-tank rocket etc.

** Artillery units in ''AgeOfEmpiresIII'' are ''capable'' of moving while in their firing mode, but do so at about a third normal speed. With the exception of the [[GameBreaker Iroquois]] [[TheMario Light]] [[AwesomeYetPractical Cannon,]] anyway.

* The ''CommandAndConquer'' originally used this sparingly. The first examples came in ''Red Alert 2'', where Allied GI units (their basic infantry) could deploy behind sandbags to increase their range, power, and defense at the cost of movement. Another example was the IFV, which could carry a single infantryman, and swapped out it's missiles for a different weapon depending on which trooper was in it. The ExpansionPack added Guardian GIs, whose development allowed them to attack armor and Anti-Air. ''Red Alert 3'' took it to the next level and specifically designed every unit to have two modes. The special abilities range from weapon switches like [[RedShirt Conscripts]] that can switch from rifles to molotov cocktails; to units that deploy into expansion structures. The Empire of the Rising Sun is the real standout. They are the only faction that does not have an airbase structure because all of their air units are transformed from sea units, HumongousMecha, or infantry with jetpacks (who either shoot rockets or unit-disabling beams).

* Most TransformingMecha in the ''SuperRobotWars'' series are givem dual modes when playable. For example, the Valkryies of ''{{Macross}}'', or the OriginalGeneration mecha [[SuperRobotWarsGaiden Cybuster]], [[SuperRobotWarsAlpha Real Personal Trooper Type-1 (R-1)]], and [[SuperRobotWarsW Valhawk]], which are often faster in their flying modes, but usually have more attack options as mecha. The Grungust has this, as well as ''another'' alt-mode (Gust Lander) that transforms it into a tank.

* SuperRobotWars has multi-form mecha like GetterRobo, Zeta Gundam, or Aquarion. Most of these will sacrifce power and defence for speed. Usually one form will be MUCH more helpful than the others, but some games will make the differant forms more balanced.

* ''[[CommandAndConquer Red Alert 2 and Yuris Revenge]]'' also provide several examples of dual mode units:
** The [[TankGoodness Apocalypse Tank]] has both heavy guns and anti-air rockets
** The Siege Chopper which flies around with a light machine gun but can deploy into a stationary long range artillery
** The GI and Guardian GI who both carry light machine guns, but can deploy into stationary positions, wielding a heavy machine-gun and a missile launcher, respectively.
** Tanya carries lethal rapid fire pistols, but can also blow up buildings and vehicles (Yuri's Revenge) with C4 charges.
** Boris has an AK-47 that can shred both infantry and vehicles, but can also call in airstrikes with his targeting laser.

* ''StarControl'' included the Mmrnmhrm X-Form, a swing-wing ship with two modes, one was slow but nimble and armed with short range lasers while the other was fast, armed with (very) long range slightly guided rockets and all the nimble turning speed of a anvil.

* StarControl included the Mmrnmhrm X-Form, a swing-wing ship with two modes, one was slow but nimble and armed with short range lasers while the other was fast, armed with (very) long range slightly guided rockets and all the nimble turning speed of a anvil.

There's always some kind of trade-off in these cases. Often, a unit must park itself to use its secondary mode, but gains extended range and attack power as a result, or it loses the ability to target ground units for the power to hit air. Sometimes, a unit can even switch from a land form into an air or sea form. Other times, the secondary mode might just be an outright SuperMode, with the catch being some new [[AchillesHeel contrived weakness]] or even a high resource or XP cost to obtain it.

** ''Starcraft II'' will also feature the Viking, a TransformingMecha that can switch between a ground-based and aerial unit.

* ''[[CommandAndConquer Red Alert 3]]'' specifically designed every unit to have two modes. The special abilities range from weapon switches like [[RedShirt Conscripts]] that can switch from rifles to molotov cocktails; to units that deploy into expansion structures. The Empire of the Rising Sun is the real standout. They are the only faction that does not have an airbase structure because all of their air units are transformed from sea units, HumongousMecha, or infantry with jetpacks (who either shoot rockets or unit-disabling beams).

* Most TransformingMecha in the ''SuperRobotWars'' series are givem dual modes when playable. For example, the Valkryies of ''{{Macross}}'', or the OriginalGeneration mecha Cybuster and Valhawk, which are often faster in their flying modes, but usually have more attack options as mecha. The Grungust has this, as well as ''another'' alt-mode (Gust Lander) that transforms it into a tank.

* The Soviet Siege Chopper in ''[[CommandAndConquer Red Alert 2]]'' can fly around with a light machine gun, or deploy on the ground with a heavy artillery cannon.

* ''[[CommandAndConquer Red Alert 3]]'' specifically designed every unit to have two modes. The special abilities range from weapon switches like [[RedShirt Conscripts]]that can switch from rifles to molotov cocktails; The Empire of the Rising Sun is the real standout. The reason they don't have an airbase structure is that all of their air units are transformed from sea units, HumongousMecha, or infantry with jetpacks (who either shoot rockets or unit-disabling beams).

* ''{{Starcraft}}'' really got the ball rolling. Nearly every Terran unit has some kind of special ability, but the one that fits the pattern best is the Siege Tank. It goes from a mobile tank with a hard-hitting cannon with no minimum range to a fixed artillery gun with a bigger, longer ranged attack. Other units, like the Wraith and Goliath, have different attack modes for air or ground targets, but that mode switch is automatic.

* ''[[CommandAndConquer Red Alert 3]]'' went so far as to have about half of its units have a manual mode switch. Those that don't have some kind of single-shot power with a cooldown, or the ability to switch modes automatically when going from sea to land. The Empire of the Rising Sun is the real standout. The reason that they don't have an airbase structure is that all of their air units are transformed from sea units, HumongousMecha, or infantry with jetpacks.

* Trebuchets in ''AgeOfEmpires II'' need to be manually "packed" to move and "unpacked" to fire. Thankfully, they'll do the latter automatically when they move into range of the target.
* Ditto for artillery weapons in ''RiseOfNations'', which must be assembled to fire and packed to move. This process becomes faster as you move forward through the TechTree -- initially it takes quite a few seconds with the catapult, which must be assembled and armed, whereas it takes only a split second with the rocket artillery while the missile launcher is tilted upwards.

* A handful of ''SuperRobotWars'' mecha have dual modes. For example, in the ''OriginalGeneration'' games, Ryusei Date's Wildraubtier and Masaki Andoh's Cybuster has a "ground mode" (for use of heavy weaponry) and a "flight mode" for (swift movement across the battlefield). The Grungust has this, as well as ''another'' alt-mode (Wing Lander) that transforms it into an AirborneAircraftCarrier of sorts.

Examples: