China

Communist fun

China is like… the Soviets of Red Alert. Actually, a better comparison would be Orcs from WarCraft II. They totally and utterly dominate the landscape if you let them get up to speed. Their infantry units may be all about cheap (see the 2-for-1 deal on the soldiers), but their tanks are the elite of the elite. Not particularly high tech, they’re big. They have big guns. They have a lot of hitpoints.


When upgraded, they’re almost unstoppable. Nuclear engines and nuclear shells give them speed and a devastating punch. There is no other tank in the game that can stand toe-to-toe with the basic Chinese tank. We haven’t even gotten to the Overlord yet. The Overlord tank is Generals’ equivalent of the Mammoth, and then some. Not only is it hideously powerful, it can be upgraded with one of three add-ons. The bunker allows infantry to garrison the tank, like they would a regular bunker. The propaganda tower has an area-effect heal and the chaingun gives the Overlord some air defense and anti-infantry capability. As if you needed more punch on the ground, a premier Generals ability for China is the ability to build Nuke Cannons.

Eat my demo traps!

Two to go!

I should cancel the bomb truck

Of course, these units are hideously expensive. Running over a GLA bomb trap or not stopping that bomb truck in time are costly lessons. Neglecting AA defenses against a possible American air strike is equally painful. Still, as the producers mentioned at the event, once China reaches “critical mass” with their forces, they’re extremely difficult to stop. The trick is to nail them before they get that far.

Fun toys

Not all of China’s infantry are ‘expendable’. The hacker unit can make money by stealing it off the internet, and he can also disable enemy buildings for a while. Their rocket soldiers are quite standard, but are more effective in the presence of China’s heavy tanks, since so much more fire is focused on the tanks. People seem to forget to prepare anti-infantry measures against Chinese troops, just in case.

China herself isn’t lacking infantry destroyers either. The dragon tank is basically a flame tank, but like the GLA’s toxic tractor, it clears out garrisoned buildings in a hurry. The napalm is just as effective as the toxic brew against infantry, though it doesn’t leave behind a residue. The chaingun tank is a good second choice against enemy infantry, though its primary task is to discourage enemy air strikes.