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Command & Conquer: Generals Beginner's FAQ for Command & Conquer: Generals
By: TAKOYAKI
E-mail:
Last updated: 4/21/03

Best viewed with a fixed width font such as Courier New or else the FAQ would
look horrible. . .

Space Check: (if the below characters aren't aligned, better switch to the
aforementioned font)
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Versions:
6/28/03: v1.0 - First release. Didn't add too much to the Strategies section
for a hasty release, sorry, I really have to upload it now,
because of this thing called "school". Oh, and just broke the
100k mark! *throws party* Oh, and finally got Harry Potter and
the Order of the Phoenix last week!!! (it's so cool, I
finished reading it in less than 12 hours!!!)
6/9/03: v0.9 - Preparing for initial release... added many things and
finished the Units section (what an overdue update!!!)
5/9/03: v0.5 - Finished Structures section, added Upgrades to Structures
section
5/5/03: v0.4 - Major update, refined some existing elements and added more
content to the Structures and Upgrades section
4/22/03: v0.2 - Added some Newbie Tips, and started the Structures section
4/21/03: v0.1 - First version, nothing special here, except for the fact that
I've got the FAQ started

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/_/\_\| Contents |/_/\_\
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I. What this FAQ is all about...
II. Legal Stuff
III. E-mail Policy
IV. Newbie Tips
V. Structures and Upgrades 101
VI. Units 102
VII. Strategy 103
VIII. Generals Abilities 104
IX. Credits

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/_/\_\| What this FAQ is all about... |/_/\_\
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This is a Beginner's Guide to those struggling newbie commanders out there,
as Generals is quite hard to learn by someone on his own. This FAQ assumes that
you are acquianted with the basic elements of the game, since I'm not going to
discuss them. (read the manual, dammit!)

C&C Generals is amazing at the very least, it strays from previous C&C games
since it runs on EA's SAGE engine (correct me if I'm wrong), and the game is
not connected with any of the previous C&C games storyline. Almost all units
and structures are not bogus (previous games had weird units and structures
like Cyborg Commandos and Tesla Coils), making the game more realistic. The
ever-present Construction Yard (the backbone of every base in C&C games) is
gone now, replaced by the worker-units-build-structures-system thingie that's
present in almost all RTS games out there. Throw in the Generals experience
system and the new unit/structure upgrades that previous games didn't have, you
have a first class RTS game!!!

If you're one of those people who don't know how to utilize your units well,
have an abundant supply of cash, seizing terrain advantages, or just plain win,
then read on! Accomplished commanders may also make use of some of the
information here in this FAQ!


Without further ado, I present you the FAQ.

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/_/\_\| Legal Stuff |/_/\_\
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(from Kao Megura's FAQs, because I am too lazy to type up my own legal
stuff. . .)

*quote*
This document is protected by US Copyright Law, and the Berne Copyright
Convention of 1976. It is for private and personal use only--it cannot be
reprinted in part or in whole, or reproduced in any way or in any form
(written or otherwise). It is a free document that cannot be used in any sort
of commercial transaction, including selling it or giving it away as a gift.
This FAQ cannot be referenced, altered, or used by anybody
(including webmasters, publishers, and magazine staff) without my express
written permission. This FAQ was created and is owned by me, SSJ4TAKOYAKI
. It can be found exclusively at
(www.GameFAQs.com). All copyrights and trademarks are acknowledged and
respected that are not specifically mentioned herein.
*end quote*

This FAQ may be found outside GameFAQs, but only by my permission.

You may also not rip off parts of this FAQ and use it for your own purposes.
Remember, plagiarism is a crime and is punishable by law. If you want it on
your site then ask my permission first. It won't take less than 5 minutes of
your time, trust me.

You shouldn't also make money from my FAQ!!! It's a very evil thing to do,
making money from other's works without their consent.

Shall you disagree with any of these statements, delete this FAQ and discard
any help it has done for you.

I shall make it clear: do not put my FAQ in your site unless I give you
permission to. If I get notified that your site is hosting my FAQ, then I will
have to get dirrty!

If you find this FAQ on sites which are not listed below, then that site did
not probably ask my permission to post my FAQ on their site. Report it to me
and you'll be in the Nice People List!

May the Force be with you.

(Sites)
www.gamefaqs.com

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/_/\_\| E-mail Policy |/_/\_\
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1. All replies about the FAQ should have a relevant subject or else I will
regard them as spam, delete them, and block the sender.
2. No spam, death threats, hate mail, and chain letters. If your letter
contains anything listed previously, I will delete it and block you from my
list. And no, I don't want to get into flame wars, sorry.
3. No asking for CD keys!!! 'Nuff said.
4. No, I don't want to be your friend, sorry I'm not trying to be rude but my
schedule is very tight and I can't go online much... But you can see me in
IRC, (Undernet) and my nick is usually B00GS. The channel I'm usually on is
#bedan. (sometimes I hang out on #capcom, EFnet server, which is SRK's channel)
5. Reader suggestions and contributions (like rushes or so) are gladly welcome.
Just follow the guidelines above. If your contribution WILL make it
to my FAQ I will give you due credit.
6. If you provide me with a link that links to a site which STOLE my FAQ, you
will make it to the Nice People List.

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/_/\_\| Newbie Tips |/_/\_\
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*ON BASIC ARMY MANAGEMENT*
First and foremost, the SPACEBAR is your friend. Make it a habit to press it
when you see a radar event (cue the message on the upper left-hand corner of
the screen or an minimap event). This little knowledge may to save your butt
from being kicked! I've seen lots of matches lost because the loser didn't
respond quickly to his opponent's attack, even when the message "Structure
under attack" got spammed on his screen... Use it after building a superweapon
(so you could hotkey it instantly), use it when your opponent launches a
surprise attack on your units, and use it when Colonel Burton is wreaking havoc
on your damn base!!! Don't ever forget this piece of advice!

Place your idle units on guard mode. Normally, units don't automatically
attack the enemy even if they're already planting TNT on their sorry asses. A
simple press of the "guard" key and a click on their present location should
prove to be sufficient. That way, when a MiG shows itself to your Quad Cannons,
they'll shoot it down promptly. Or, you could just attack-move your units to
the location you want them to guard.

Pay close attention to the minimap! (assuming you have radar, which is a
must have) Try to memorize your allies color so you know which units they are
controlling. If you ever see a speck on the map with a different color than
yours, check it out! Check if the enemy unit is going to attack you, and
prepare your defenses if they are. Forewarned is forearmed!!!

*ON DISPOSING INFANTRY AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE*
First and foremost, if you have some vehicles, run the little buggers over!
In this game, you only need to bump off the infantry to kill them, instead of
of running over. (if you don't understand, watch how the AI does it) Also, if
they are on your base, train some rifle infantry and mow them down, for you can
produce as many of them, while your opponent is stuck with his attack squad.
(unless he has a Barracks near your base, that is)
For garrisonned infantry, there are many ways, but the USA's method is far
the best. Why? Because it only costs 1025 bucks!!! Just get a Ranger, and
research Flashbangs! Then send a decoy force (unoccupied Humvees recommended)
to divert attention from your Ranger, and throw a Flashbang at the offending
building. It's that easy. For China and GLA, just make some Dragon Tanks and
Toxin Tractors respectively, and try the same tactic above, since both have low
health to start with. Of course, USA has the Combat Drop, but it is easily shot
down unless the garrisonned infantry are all rifle infantry

*ON CERTAIN DEATH SITUATIONS*
When a nuke/SCUD storm is on its merry way to obliterate your army (a very
good strategy, IMO), try to evacuate and get the hell out of there!!! This does
not just apply to the aforementioned, it also applies to things like Fuel Air
Bombs and EMPs! (I once lost my whole marauder/quad batallion to one Fuel Air
Bomb!!!) It's very humiliating to build a whole mess of Overlords and Nuke
Cannons, only for them to go up in smoke, or get disabled and mopped up by
incoming enemy troops.

If, your base is being attacked by the enemy and there are no means of
preventing the inevitable collapse of your base, take whatever worker units and
supply collectors with you, and make another base in a distant location from
yours. (USA is best at this, use your Chinooks) Build a Command Center first,
then a Supply Stash.

*ON DEFENSIVE STRATEGY*
If you have truly built an Alcatraz of a base, then try to force your
opponent to attack. The simpliest way to do this is build a couple of
superweapons (GLA is very good at this), and your opponent might get annoyed
and attack you. The other one is to destroy his cash flow. Simply hunt down his
expansions and raze them to the ground, and don't forget to get his oil
derricks, too! (just destroy them if you can't get 'em)

Don't only place defensive structures near entrances to your base, place it
everywhere, for Sun Tzu's sake! (Sun Tzu wrote the famous "The Art of War",
which still plays an important part in military strategy, and you should get
your copy now, since I got mine already!)

Speaking of your cash flow, don't wait for your primary supply depot to get
emptied before finding another one, get an expansion before the supplies on
your primary supply depot get lower than 4000 dollars. And make sure to save up
to build another supply stash! I've seen people build lots of defenses, only to
sell them when their primary supply depot is screwed and they don't have any
cash left. If you see your opponent do THAT, then attack!!! He will be crippled
since he doesn't have a main way of collecting income (i.e. collecting supplies
from supply depots as opposed to secondary ways like oil derricks, black
markets, hackers and supply drop zones)

*ON SCOUTING*
Scouting is very important and should never be discarded. Without proper
scouting, your troops may find themselves ambushed, your income disabled, and
your attack routed.

+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|"If we know that our own men are in a condition to attack, but are unaware |
|that the enemy is not open to attack, we have gone only halfway toward |
|victory. If we know that the enemy is open to attack, but are unaware that |
|our own men are not in a condition to attack, we have gone halfway toward |
|victory. If we know that the enemy is open to attack, and also know that our|
|men are in a condition to attack, but are unaware that the nature of the |
|ground makes fighting impracticable, we have still gone only halfway toward |
|victory." |
| -- Sun Tzu, The Art of War |