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COMMAND AND CONQUER RED ALERT 2
GENERAL FAQ, HINTS AND TIPS 1.01
(Version A)
By Alvin Go "KGL4EVER!!!"
alvinregan@yahoo.com
http://www.alvin.iscute.com
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"For Mother Russia!!!" Soviet Conscript
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Table of Contents:


A. Game Overview
B. RA1 and RA2 Comparisons
C. Rundown of the Two Forces
D. Country-specific Units/Structure
E. Tech Buildings
F. Super Weapons
G. Unit Descriptions
H. System Requirements
I. Storyline Cast
J. General Tactics


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A. Game Overview

Red Alert 2 is by this time my favorite PC game. It is
the sequel to the hit game Red Alert. This version is
very much balanced and exciting compared to the
original. The graphics are amazing; the units and
structures are the best 2D graphics in the industry.
Real buildings, like the White House and the Pentagon
are captured with detail. You'll love a game with
units on fire running around before they eventually
die. (Haha!)

The storyline is also amazingly plotted and thought
of. The cut scenes are so intriguing you'd think
you're watching a movie! This time, the setting of the
story is in the States wherein the Soviets are on the
offensive (very obvious in the new units...which I'll
discuss later) and the Allied forces are on the
defensive.

Gone are the units/structures that are same for both
Soviets and Allies. Each side has a distinct advantage
and disadvantage. So, playing as the Allies and
playing as the Soviets will mean absolutely different
strategy and technique. Useless structures such as the
Ore Silo, Camouflaged Pillbox and the Kennel are
scrapped; useless units such as the Thief and Mobile
Gap Generator are removed.

So, if you are to buy only one game every year, don't
hesitate to make Red Alert 2 your choice. You surely
wouldn't regret it; I assure you!

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B. Red Alert and Red Alert 2 Comparisons and Unit
Notes

In this section, I will point out the many differences
of the two versions. This is for Red Alert veterans
who haven't bought the game yet for the fear of having
the same gameplay and tactics for both games.

In RA1, their is a separate tab for structures and
units. You CAN only produce one unit at a time. Not
anymore for RA2. Offensive and Defensive structures
have a different tab (4 tabs, together with infantry
and tanks/naval/aerial units) which makes offense and
defense structure-making more complicated. You can
create a War Factory and Pillbox at the same time, for
example.

UNITS

In RA 1, the Allies and Soviets both have the
following same units: Rifle Infantry, Engineer, Ore
Truck, and LST.

In RA2, except for the Engineer and LST (now called
Amphibious Transport), the modifications have been
done.

Rifle Infantry:
Allies: GI : able to deploy and create sandbags around
him. When deployed, his weapon becomes longer-ranged
and can inflict more damage. Able to garrison
buildings. When deployed, it takes more firepower to
kill him. Worth twice the Soviet Conscript.
Soviet: Conscript : this is your standard Rifle
infantry. Cannot deploy. Worth half the Allied GI.
Able to garrison buildings.

Ore Truck
Allies: Chrono Miner: Now this is what you call
smoooth economy. Well, this is like the Ore Truck...
it goes to the Ore patch and here comes the different
part. When it finishes loading up ore, it will
chronoshift back to the nearest refinery. How'd you
like that?! When being harrassed by enemies, instead
of panicking, just manually have it chronoshifted back
to your base!
Soviet: War Miner: Back in the old RA1 days, we used
to have a couple of rifle infantries escort the ore
truck. With the War Miner, say no more. It has its own
weapon mounted on top of it! And its armor is VERY
heavy that it can take on damage before it gets
killed. And it can store more ore than the Chrono
Miner by the way. Its armor is so strong; two elite
prism tanks are no match for it!

Additional notes:

Engineer: Both sides have engineer. But this guy is
already optimized. Meaning, it can repair bridges,
capture buildings INSTANTLY (you don't have to wait
for a building to be in the RED zone like before),
defuse Crazy Ivan's bombs, repair your buildings, and
capture TECH BUILDINGS (more on this later). So this
guy is really a major nuisance when your opponent is
having an Engineer rush!

Allied Spy: Nobody even bothers to make a Spy before.
Why? Because on RA1, the Spy does nothing but gives
you USELESS information such as what they're building,
how much money they have...etc. Not anymore on RA2.
Instead, it gives you USEFUL benefits when you
infiltrate an enemy building such as:
War Factory: All the vehicles that you produce will
have one stripe, meaning they become veterans (more on
this later).
Barracks: All the infantries that you train will be
veterans (more on this later).
Ore Refinery: All the cash in the Ore Refinery you
infiltrated will be added to your cash! So this means
that the thief in RA1 is now integrated in the new and
improved Allied Spy!
Power Plant/Tesla Reactor: Enemy power supply shuts
down for about a minute. Very useful when your
opponent is surrounded with Prism Towers and Tesla
Coils!
Air Force Command Headquarters/Radar Tower: The shroud
will be reset
for the enemy. Don't infiltrate this when you're
against the computer.
Battle Lab: Special infantries become available to be
produced. These special infantries are combined
technologies.
Allied Battle Lab: Chrono Ivan, Chrono Commando
Soviet Battle Lab: Yuri Prime, PSI Commando
I've researched on this already. Okay, here it goes.
If you infiltrate an Allied Battle Lab, you are given
Chrono Commando if you have an Allied Barracks. If you
capture or own a Soviet Barracks, you can also create
Chrono Ivan. If you infiltrate a Soviet Battle lab,
you can create PSI Commando using the Allied Barracks
and Yuri Prime for Soviet Barracks.
Superweapons: The countdown will be reset (more on
Superweapons later).
You can't infiltrate the Construction Yard like
before. As usual, Attack Dogs aren't fooled by the
Spy's appearance. And one more thing, before you set
off a spy, be sure to select first an enemy unit the
Spy will disguise himself as. This means that your spy
can disguise as any enemy unit.

Allied Tanya: Tanya can now swim and detonate ships!
And Tanya isn't killed by a single Tesla shot anymore,
not anymore! She's stronger than ever and now
automatically targets enemy units that are within
range!

Attack Dogs: Both sides now have Attack Dogs. They
only need barracks. No more Kennel (they suck anyway,
why would you create a separate structure for just
Attack Dogs???). Allied Attack Dogs are German
Shepherds; Soviet ones are Siberian Huskies. See? Even
in attack dogs, both sides' breed differ, even if it
does nothing to the game!

Allied IFV: No more APC for the Allies. Instead you
have an Infantry Fighting Vehicle. This IFV can only
hold one infantry (any) and whatever infantry you put
there, the weapon of the IFV will be that of the Unit
inside! (I will devote a section on IFV's later).

Soviet Flak Track: This is your regular APC, but is
now in the Soviet's side. It is their primary (and
Cheapest) Anti-air unit created by the War Factory.

Allied Rocketeer: This is the only "flying" infantry.
Weak weapons, but deadly during the early part of a
game esp. when your opponent doesn't have Anti-air
units. They can attack air, land and sea units and are
quite fast too.

Soviet Flak Trooper: This is almost equivalent to the
Allied Rocket Soldier in RA1. Weak against infantry,
terrific against Rocketeers and other Air units and
good at tanks and structures.

Allied Nighthawk Transport: This is your Soviet
Chinook Transport from RA1, but is now in the Allied
side and with a matching weapon to boot!

STRUCTURES

In RA1, same structures for both sides include the
following: Power plant, advanced power plant, ore
refinery, ore silo, helipad, service depot, and Radar
dome.

In RA2, all are different (except for helipad and ore
silo which have been removed, and the service depot).

Power Plant
Allies: Power Plant: This is your only Allied
structure capable of producing power (200 power).
Soviet: Tesla Reactor: This is the standard Soviet
power-producing structure that makes less power (150
compared to Allies' 200). This can be charged by Tesla
Troopers (more on this later).

Advanced Power Plant
Allies: None!
Soviet: Nuclear Reactor: This baby produces a
humongous amount of power (I believe in the thousands,
2000 to be exact) that costs very very cheap...but...
you know there's a but. If and when this baby is
destroyed, it's equivalent to having a nuclear bomb
explode...right in your base... VERY DANGEROUS! You
take the risk. I'd advise not using this for it's
risky, but if you do, guard it well and don't place it
near key structures. Wall it.

Radar Dome
Allies: Air Force Command Headquarters: Lengthy name
for a Radar Dome, huh. One, this is not a dome
anymore. It does provide you a radar, but with a
matching helipad...four helipads! You can make up to 4
Harriers per AFCH. Talk about economy!
Soviet: Radar Tower: Ho hum! Just plain
radar-activating structure. No more, no less.