Unofficial
Command and Conquer
Multi-player
Strategy Guide
v 1.0 10-29-95
Greetings! If you are reading this document, then you have some
questions about playing against other people in Westwood's newest release:
Command and Conquer. For those who have never played: c&c, as most call it,
is a real-time strategy game that can support up to four players across a
network. The game is similar to Dune II and Warcraft, if you have played
them. Read on! My sincere hope is that this document will either introduce
you to new tactics or enhance the ones you already employ, and will provide
for better gameplay all around.
-Greg Lindsley
gbl1@cec.wustl.edu
Contents
Part I: Getting Started
[1.1.0] Introduction
1.1 Why does this document exist?
1.2 Why just 'multi-player' instead of the solo game?
1.3 Subjective introduction
[1.2.0] Introduction to C&C
2.1 Introduction to MultiPlay
[1.3.0] Multi-player Options
3.1 Tech Levels and building tree
3.2 Number of Units
3.3 Crates
3.4 Tiberium Growth
3.5 Computer AI/Capture the Flag
Part II: The Pieces of War
[2.1.0] GDI Base Structures
[2.2.0] NOD Base Structures
[2.3.0] GDI Units
[2.4.0] NOD Units
Part III: Hitting the Turf
[3.1.0] Starting Primary Objectives
[3.2.0] Ideas for GDI Base Defense
[3.3.0] Ideas for NOD Base Defense
[3.4.0] GDI Offense
[3.5.0] NOD Offense
Part IV: General Tactics
[4.1.0] Universally good things to know
[4.2.0] GDI
[4.3.0] NOD
Part V: Questions/Answers
Part VI: Conclusion
PART I: GETTING STARTED
[1.1.0] Introduction
[1.1.1] Why does this document exist?
This writing exists because there is a dimension in playing against
another human that simply doesn't exist when playing the computer. The
computer doesn't learn from its mistakes, or adapt to yours. People do.
[1.1.2] Why just 'multi-player' instead of the solo game?
Simple. I am trying to fill a specific need. There is already one
official FAQ, one unofficial one (kudos to Roger Wong) if not more, and an
official c&c guide in the works. To put out *yet* another general guide
seemed silly.
[1.1.3] Subjective Introduction
I feel this is necessary to avoid confusion later on. Everything in
this guide is based on my experience and the experience of six other game
players in the St. Louis area totaling several hundred hours of gameplay. I
have also gone through both the GDI and NOD solo storylines. I can really
only talk about what I have seen and done, and I freely admit that there
are many things I haven't tried. So, a little later on I might say
something like: "GDI Humvees are pretty much useless." This is *my opinion*
and nothing else. I am sure there may be someone out there that uses
nothing but Humvees and kicks butt. All I am saying is that Humvees didn't
work when *I* tried them. If you have something that works, then stick with
it, and *tell me*. I would love to hear about it.
[1.2.0] INTRODUCTION TO C&C
[1.2.1] Introduction to Multiplay
Multi-player C&C is what the game was designed for, in my opinion.
Instead of a computer that thinks one way, you have a human at the other
end. Anything is possible, from perfectly executed attacks to the most
comical blunders. A devastating attack one game will find its counter the
next. You can have teammates as well as enemies. No longer is the fight
against GDI or NOD a lonely one. You mopped the floor with the computer AI?
Just wait...
It supports up to 4 players across an IPX network or modem line. It
is supported by Kali, so finding people to game with is not too tough.
[1.3.0] MULTI-PLAYER OPTIONS
[1.3.1] Tech Levels and building tree
This setting affects what units are available during the game. Units
listed for a given level are in addition to units on previous levels.
Structures Units
TL 1: Construction Yard Minigunner
Tiberium Refinery Grenadier(GDI)
Power Plant Flame-thrower(NOD)
Silo
Barracks (GDI)
Hand of NOD(NOD)
This decides how many units besides the MCV everybody starts with.
Usually the smaller numbers give just lighter units while selecting 12
gives a full spread. I am working on the exact makeup as we speak.
[1.3.3] Crates
Having crates 'on' means that little crates will show up on the
field during play from time to time. They are pretty much random and by
running over them with a unit (not an air unit) you can get various good or
bad things:
(good) (bad)
200-2000 dollars (dollar sign) napalm explosion
one airstrike (white missile w/ red head) nuclear explosion
one nuclear strike (white missile w/ green head) hide-all terrain
one ion cannon blast (picture of the earth) visceroid
one unit (random-NOD or GDI)
five troops (equiv. of one unit)
all-reveal terrain (dark blue sphere)
heal all troops/units (orange w/ green rings)
makes the pick-up unit stealth (dark sphere turning into a gridded sphere)
You can also watch your opponent run over crates and see which picture
appears.
[1.3.4] Tiberium Growth
Having this option 'on' means that tiberium next to a blossom tree
(those sprouting things) will grow back very slowly. This really only means
anything for longer games. Tiberium appears to grow exponentially: the more
there is to start with, the faster new tiberium will grow. Thus, in a long
game of attrition, it is wise to let recovering patches of Tiberium grow
back a bit before harvesting again.
[1.3.5] Computer AI/Capture the Flag
This feature adds computer players to the game. The computer players
do not build bases, so they are more annoying than anything else.
Capture the Flag
Here is a variation on the regular gameplay. In this game, each
player has a flag that is part of the MCV. When you start building your
base, the flag drops down in front of your construction yard. If an enemy
unit drives through the little circle then it picks up the flag. If the
unit makes it back to its own flag, then all of the units of the stolen
flag's team gets destroyed. Mind you, when a unit picks up a flag its speed
is cut in half. Also, a team cannot carry its own flag. Example: if an
enemy buggy picks up my flag and I destroy it halfway back to its own base,
then I must protect the flag where it falls.
[1.3.6] Battle Maps
A list of map pluses and minuses is in the works
PART II: THE PIECES OF WAR
[2.1.0] GDI Base Structures
Construction Yard
Power Plant
Advanced Power Plant
Tiberium Refinery
Silo
Barracks
Weapons Factory
Communications Center
Advanced Communications Center
Repair Bay
Helipad
Guard Tower
Advanced Guard Tower
Sandbag Wall
Chain Fence
Concrete Wall
[2.2.0] NOD Base Structures
Construction Yard
Power Plant
Advanced Power Plant
Tiberium Refinery
Silo
Hand of Nod
Airstrip
Communications Center
Temple of NOD
Repair Bay
Helipad
Turret
Obelisk of Light
SAM site
Sandbag Wall
Chain Fence
Concrete Wall
[2.3.0] GDI Units
Minigunner
-cheap!
-in numbers, they are quite effective against structures (and in
general)
Bazooka Soldier
-useful for air defense (esp. important to GDI in this regard)
Grenadier
-roughly the equivalent of the NOD flame unit, except also useful
against armor
Engineer
-for their cost, they can often cause the most (monetary) damage to
an opponent
-use only one or two at a time, five is too expensive to lose (2500)
-usually not a good idea to run them over open ground
Technician
-pretty much useless; does almost no damage; can't even map; can
sell for $5
Commando
-extremely effective against other infantry
-useless against vehicles
-can destroy a number of buildings
-big minus: when they say anything, all players hear it; at $1000,
it becomes a really inviting target, especially for Nod Gunships
Humvee
-good scout
-ok anti-personnel unit
APC
-my friends call them Armored Personnel Crushers (use alt-click to
force crush!)
-fastest GDI ground unit
-make the best scouts (that is, they have the largest map-reveal
area)
Medium Tank
-good, balanced armor unit
-a group of 3-5 is a serious threat to whatever they are pointed at
Mammoth Tank
-toughest unit in the game (big surprise there)
-can *repair themselves* up to 50% health
-slowest unit in the game
-can hit air units
Missile Launcher
-excellent anti-personnel unit
-much less useful at close range
-can fire at air units
-only light armor (easy pickings for grouped air units)
Ion Cannon
-charges significantly faster than NOD Nuclear Missile
-will only charge if you have excess power
-does more damage, but only 2x2 square (NOD missile is 7x7, with
max. concentration in 3x3 area)
-can destroy an Obelisk of Light in one shot
-can destory a SAM site in one shot if it is "up"
-very effective against grouped, landed air units
Harvester
-single minded AI (find the nearest tiberium); this can be very
frustrating (keep track of them!)
-sometimes mysteriously stalls (you must restart it)...again, keep
your eye on it
-the computer uses them as personnel crushers with great
effectiveness
Orca
-more firepower than NOD Gunship
-flies faster as well (the fastest unit in the game)
-same armor as gunship
-cannot effectively target moving APCs, Buggys, or Recon Bikes
(hint: Alt-Click to move the 'copters around in front of the moving
units, THEN target them...allows a few shots on them before they
start to outrun you again)
-takes 3 SAM missiles or 5-6 infantry missiles to kill one
-be *sure* to identify them (and all air units) as a group (ctrl-
[#key]) so you can control (that is, reselect) them in midflight
(see below)
Transport Helicopter
-light armor (a bad idea to expose to enemy fire)
-can hold five units (like an APC)
[2.3.0] NOD Units
Minigunner
See above
Bazooka Soldier
See above
Flame-thrower
-generally a bad idea to group them: the ones in back will often
toast the ones in front
-effective against infantry, light vehicles, and buildings
-keep them apart from other infantry. They explode when they die
Chem Warrior
-like Flame-thrower, but more damage. Can walk across Tiberium
without taking damage.
Engineer
See above
Technician
See above
Commando
See above
Recon Bike
-light armor
-fastest ground unit in the game
-can shoot at air units
-devastating in groups
-from a cost-effective standpoint, one of the best units in the game
(fast, hard-hitting, can attack air-units, relatively cheap)
NOD Buggy
-fast
-good scout (especially in pairs)
-ok anti-personnel unit
Light Tank
-balance of speed and firepower
-just fast enough for on-the-move personnel crushing
-2 Nod light tanks = 1 GDI medium tank (roughly)
Flame Tank
-excellent anti-personnel unit in the game
-fast enough to catch retreating infantry
-effective against structures
-good support unit for other armor/units
-generally a bad idea to place near your own infantry
-can even squish enemy personnel (the ol' flame-n-squish) :)
Artillery
-good against personnel and soft targets (esp. non-moving)
-very long range
-very poor aim (be careful where they shoot!)
-long reload time
Missile Launcher
See above
SSM Launcher
-longest range weapon in the game
-shoots napalm missiles, does more damage than GDI launcher
-cannot engage air targets
-VERY long reload time
Harvester
See above
Apache Gunship
-same armor as Orca
-same machine gun as GDI Tower
-better against infantry/weakly armored units
-work poorly against armor (10 of them, however...)
Transport Helicopter
See above
Nuclear Missile
-charges slower than Ion Cannon
-does 7x7 square of damage, main concentration in 3x3 square
-obliterates infantry
-good against soft targets, structures
-waste of time against armor
-much less powerful than in the final solo-play game
Air Strike
-only available via crate in multiplayer
-very effective against infantry, soft targets, structures
PART III Hitting the Turf
[3.1.0] Starting Primary Objectives
-Do not necessarily build your base immediately. Look for nearby
choke points or natural defenses that can help you. Make sure you
have room for the rest of your base (or be prepared to use
sandbags to space things out) Also consider Tiberium proximity.
If your opponent still has an income when you do not,
you've likely already lost the war.
-A good map is extremely important. Send out scouting units
immediately. Find all other players in the game quickly before they
build up their defenses.
-Look for crates (beware of the bad ones: e.g. a nuke in close
proximity to your beginning units can be catastrophic...on the other
hand, we've seen a "stealth" crate effect not just the unit (units?)
picking it up, but also the surrounding structures..."I don't get it,
where IS the power for that Advanced Guard Tower?!")
-Use units not scouting to clear away the black around your base.
The only thing worse than an attack is a surprise attack.
-find nearby choke points, overlooking ledges, and any natural
structure that you could use or could be used against you
[3.2.0] Ideas for GDI Base Defense
-start building walls as soon as you can (an APC full of engineers
can't shoot through even a sandbag wall)
-chances are that between the reveal-map crates, the speed of
Humvees/buggies, and the existence of stealth tanks that you'll be
unable to keep your base from being seen by your opponents.
There's no harm in trying, however: set up a picket defense early.
Use the "g" (guard) function. If you're in a one-pass accessed
area, park a vehicle across the bridge.
-put advanced guard towers in, as well as around, your base; this
will help to protect against engineers or commandos behind the
lines, and air attacks
-when an attack is about to reach your base, build an Adv. Guard
Tower but do not place it until the enemy pushes through the first
line of defense (surprise them with a gift that says: "Hey, I care.")
-have anti-armor defense: GDI doesn't have $250 turrets so use
medium/mammoth tanks
-mammoth tanks are good all-around defensive units that can change
facing/placement pretty easily even though they move slowly
[3.3.0] Ideas for NOD Base Defense
-turrets are your best friends
-support a turret line with flame-throwers/flame tanks
-use the turrets liberally
-have excess power when using an Obelisk (having excess power
generally is always a good idea, actually)
-when using an Obelisk as your main defense, never bunch up your
power plants
-SAM sites are often not very effective by themselves, they work
better in sets
-be warned: one Ion Cannon blast takes out an Obelisk
[3.4.0] GDI Attack strategies
-mammoth tanks against turrets is a committed attack; once it is in
range and shooting, they are too slow to move out of range if you
change your mind
-you need about 10 infantry to take an Obelisk and you will lose 3-4
troops (assuming that it is an unchallenged attack and the obelisk
is not behind walls...which frankly isn't very often)
-it's a good idea to use a mixed force
[3.5.0] NOD Attack strategies
-recon bikes are the most cost-effective units
-hide stealth tanks in an area of attack beforehand. De-cloak at the
best time keeping in mind their relatively weak armor
-hide stealth tanks in an enemy base 10-15 min. before an attack,
then attack outside as well as inside the base
-fast units like recon bike gangs can be devastating against
harvesters. Hit and run!
-spread flame troops out to reduce friendly fire
-again, use a mixed force
PART IV General Tactics
[4.1.0] Universally good things to know
-Study the requirement tree in section 1.3.1
-keep an eye on your harvesters; consider assigning each harvester to a
number (8, 9, and 0 work well) -- that way when you wonder, "where's my
harvester?" you can quickly find out
-Keep a few units in reserve
-in a team game, you may want to have some mobile units around to help your
teammate
-pan around the map as often as possible
-Never, ever forget to repair any structures/units you want to keep
-Repair structures while under attack as well as after (repairing is a
toggle: only click it once! If a wrench is blinking, it's working, if not
then try again)
-allies can share things like repair bays, helipads and tiberium refineries
-if your unit is under fire, run it to an ally's base if that is closer
than yours
-a two-front assault is twice as hard to coordinate, but twice as hard to
defend against
[4.2.0] GDI
-never send troops after flame units. Period.
-send infantry or Orcas against turrets, not armor
-send 5-6 Orcas against a SAM site, unless you want to lose one
-never send armor against an Obelisk unless you have already cut the power
-if you have 6-8 Orcas, consider two groups of 3 instead of 1 group of 6-8
and harass continuously instead of in waves
-it is easier for you to hole up a base than NOD forces
[4.3.0] NOD
-never engage an Adv. Guard tower with troops alone
-stealth tanks and recon bikes work well in groups
-stealth tanks cannot take much punishment
-stealth tanks are best used for enemy base recon
-pick your attacks, make GDI come to you if you can
PART V: Questions/Answers
-Is there any way to produce a gunboat, hovercraft, or an airstrike?
No.
-Is there any way to speed up the recharge of the Ion Cannon or Nuclear
Missile?
No.
-Do you think either side has an advantage?
The consensus is that NOD has the advantage between its cheap cheap
turrets and flame units. On the other hand, a fleet of orcas
can be devastating if allowed to be built up
-Is there any way to heal troops?
No. There was in the beta test (the hospital building seen in some
solo missions), but it was removed in the final version. There is a crate
that will do that a one-shot heal-all, though (orange with green rings).
-How does one control air units?
Group one or more by selecting them via box drag or shift clicking,
then use Ctrl + 0-9 to assign them to group '3' or whatever, then just type
the group number to select them in flight. Use alt + group# to center on
units.
-Is there air-to-air combat?
Not really. If you tell your air units to destroy another air unit
on the ground and the unit takes off, then your units will pursue it into
the air a bit, but there is no way to target enemy units in the air.
-Is there any way to shoot down the NOD equipment plane?
Nope.
-What the heck is that little red blob that comes out of a crate and
attacks things?
That is a visceroid. It was a plot element that got dropped for the
game and will be picked up in C&C2.
-Can I sell vehicles?
Yes. Move them onto the Repair Bay and click on it with the 'sell'
symbol. You get about 1/2 its value back. (Notice the green dollar sign
instead of the normal, slightly larger yellow one.) See also the next
question.
-Can I sell infantry?
Yes. There is a glitch that allows you to sell infantry (and other
units): make a section of sandbag wall. Move the unit next to the wall and
then move the sell symbol as close to the unit as you can while still
keeping it spinning and click. This may take a few tries.
-How can I keep my units from shooting my ally?
Click on one of your ally's units or structures and type 'a'. He
must do the same to keep from shooting your units. Repeat to declare war.
PART VI: Conclusion
Well, that's about it for now. Since this is version 1, I am sure
there are huge holes that are yet to be filled. I will try to cover more as
time allows. If you have problems, suggestions, or corrections please feel
free to email me at gbl1@cec.wustl.edu. Heck, if you just wanted to say
'thank you' I would really appreciate it. This thing took a lot of time and
effort. One thing: if there is a flaw or if you have a criticism, please be
constructive. To just write me and say 'this sucks' doesn't help me improve
the next version. To say 'I think you need a section on modem requirements'
*does* help. The more specifics you can give me, the better.
Questions, comments, corrections, additions, and anything else:
gbl1@cec.wustl.edu
No copy requests, please. I will post this more than once
Finally: big thanks go to Andy Ellsworth for his building tree chart and
tech levels. A lot of his advice can already be found on
comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.strategic. Thanks to Darrell (dar@dar.net) for his
editing skills and to the C&C group in general: Micah Conner, Luke Duff,
Andy Ellsworth, Darrell Gentry, Dylan Northrup, and Dan Pinkard.
