Looking for Red Alert, Tiberian Sun, Tiberian Dawn and Dune 2000 experts

[AchromicWhite]

Tiberian Dawn:

- Make sure to group your air units onto a team by pushing 'ctrl 1-9', because they cannot be selected, by clicking, while flying.

 

- If you hear 'silos needed' just build a helipad and cancel it, the used credits are no longer counted towards silos and you get all the money back.

 

- If you're having trouble keeping your weapons factory alive against Nod recon bikes, try putting grenadiers around it.

 

- If GDI tanks keep destroying all your Nod tanks, build recon bikes instead, they are a direct counter to the medium tank, even in a head on fight.

 

- Push the "X" key to make all selected units scatter in a random direction. This is very useful for quickly getting your troops out of the way of a tank trying to crush them. Just put the infantry on a team "ctrl 1-9", select them quickly and tap "X" once or even twice.

 

- Try spreading your troops out so that splash attacks from Flame or High Explosive weapons don't do as much damage, it can help them to not get crushed by tanks, also.

 

- If you're Nod and spawn on the western side of a map (left side), make sure to place your Airstrip as far to the East (right) as you can, to stop your units from being build delayed. Building a second airstrip will completely solve this problem.

 

- If your airstrip is too far to the West and has a build delay and you find that a unit will just say 'ready' on the side bar, wait until EVA says "Reinforcements have arrived" (when the last unit is dropped off) and then click the 'ready' unit on the sidebar to call in the next plane.

 

- 4 Apaches can destroy a construction yard in 1 run, even if it's being repaired.

 

- 4 Orca can destroy a Weapons Factory in 1 run, even if it's being repaired, 3 if it's not.

 

- Troops, base defenses and Communications centers can all detect stealth, when the stealth unit is on an adjacent cell. You can also detect stealth if one of your units collides with a stealth unit. Use groups of fast units to move around an area where you think there's a stealth unit to try and collide with it. You can also hold "ctrl" to force fire on a cell where you think a stealth unit is hidden.

 

- No unit is 'bad' in Tiberian Dawn. If your opponent uses a new strategy with units you're not used to dealing with, think about what units have an effective weapons against the units you're facing.

 

- Starting with more than 10,000 credits often means players will spam helipads at the start of the match, because they build at the speed of a 300 credit structure and the orca/apache can then be used to snipe the Construction Yard etc. Try to avoid starting with more than 10,000 starting credits. Note: Turning on 'separate helipad' doesn't fix this, because air units can be produced faster for each helipad you own.

 

- Refineries and Helipads build faster than other buildings in regards to how much they cost. A refinery cost 2000 but builds at the speed of a 600 credit building and a Helipad costs 1500 and builds at the speed of a 300 credit building.

 

- To tell your large vehicles to crush enemy troops, select them, hold 'alt' and click on the enemy infantry.

 

[Jacko]

- If you're having trouble keeping your weapons factory alive against Nod recon bikes, try putting grenadiers around it.

Just Grenadiers?  Just in early game I've used mixtures of mostly rocket soldiers, grenadiers, maybe a guard tower and even sandbags (for those APC scumbags)

Keeping your weapons factory alive is an extremely useful skillset on its own. Try hiding it in your base and condensing other buildings around it to limit movement. Of course this might leave you a bit susceptible to a nuke later in the game but until they get a temple its the best way to defend it.

 

- If GDI tanks keep destroying all your Nod tanks, build recon bikes instead, they are a direct counter to the medium tank, even in a head on fight.

Of course a smart GDI player wouldn't use 100% vehicles....

But for what bikes are I always found them too powerful vs heavy armour

 

 

- 4 Apaches can destroy a construction yard in 1 run, even if it's being repaired.

 

Everyone loves Apaches.....

 

- Troops, base defenses and Communications centers can all detect stealth, when the stealth unit is on an adjacent cell. You can also detect stealth if one of your units collides with a stealth unit. Use groups of fast units to move around an area where you think there's a stealth unit to try and collide with it. You can also hold "ctrl" to force fire on a cell where you think a stealth unit is hidden.

 

Also when you have an attack unit selected you can find stealthed units by hovering your cursor over the minimap, because it changes to an attack cursor when it hovers over a spot with a stealthed unit in it. Not particularly useful when you are using higher resolutions.

 

 

- No unit is 'bad' in Tiberian Dawn. If your opponent uses a new strategy with units you're not used to dealing with, think about what units have an effective weapons against the units you're facing.

 

I think I frequently use every unit (some more than others of course) with the exception being the Rocket Launcher. Even light tanks are useful for things.

 

- Starting with more than 10,000 credits often means players will spam helipads at the start of the match, because they build at the speed of a 300 credit structure and the orca/apache can then be used to snipe the Construction Yard etc. Try to avoid starting with more than 10,000 starting credits.

 

Another favourite is scouting with my harvester and squishing all their men with it.

 

Other things include:

 

-Nod Artillery weapon is run completely by RNG, and can often be inaccurate.

-Nod flamer infantry have a tendency to destroy themselves and any friendlies near them when they die

-Burning trees with flame weapons makes them indestructible

-Flame tanks and infantry may randomly target trees when ordered to walk near them, so careful when grouping units around trees.

-South Advantage applies as same to RA, this gives certain siege weapons a huge boost in combat (*cough* Arty *cough*)

-Crates are bad, including spawning instant commandos, visceroids and dropping nukes on you, as well as the small chance you actually crash the game.

-Advanced Guard towers are useless vs armoured units, so spamming them against groups of tanks is a pretty dumb idea.

-Spamming SSM missiles is for douchebags

 

And Finally (Shameless plug)

JackoDerpcnc95guide.txt

[cn2mc]

Yes, Nod doesn't have much incentive to use the MLRS, having a wide range of readily available HE weapons, infantry- and building-busters like the SSM, arty, flame tank, even the apache. But for GDI, if you have the option, you might as well just build the rocket launchers. Having several of them between/behind your tanks is a great way to keep infantry and bikes at bay, even if all of your own men die. And your tanks will take very little collateral damage in the process. Just don't expect them to work against air.

[X3M]

Yes, Nod doesn't have much incentive to use the MLRS, having a wide range of readily available HE weapons, infantry- and building-busters like the SSM, arty, flame tank, even the apache. But for GDI, if you have the option, you might as well just build the rocket launchers. Having several of them between/behind your tanks is a great way to keep infantry and bikes at bay, even if all of your own men die. And your tanks will take very little collateral damage in the process. Just don't expect them to work against air.

 

Use guard mode?

[cn2mc]

Guard mode won't help, it'll even make it worse as some of the launchers will try to move and thus break formation. The "they don't work against air" bit had to do with the fact that the MLRS's rockets deal little damage to heavy armour, which is what orcas and apaches have. Against chinooks it's ok.

[Jacko]

I guess its kinda the same as how I use artillery as Nod, but the high tech building requirement as well as the fact I'd rather spend $800 on a medium tank (or even 5 grenadiers) is kinda offputting.

[VamPyroX]

 

This S thing works perfectly with juggernaughts. But also the MRLS.

Not just one unit, but a whole group. I kept it raining balls with the juggernaughts. With just 10, almost all 10 had a golden star at the moment of victory.

 

I tested this in skirmish. And no doubt others used this already online.

Does this bug also work in other c&c games?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH9ZYNJIUW8

 

tested it on juggs in that match. tried it with mlrs on ground units. doesnt seem like itll win you the game maybe very small fights at most. not really worth it in my opinion. i mean maybe for a tiny bit of edge but its certainly not effective enough overall to win a match.

Video doesn't work?

[FunkyFr3sh]

Ok updated the hints on cncnet and the first post here too

[Phenomena]

Tiberian Sun

 

-when playing against corpsmakr, be sure to choose a map other than terrace, and you will have an easy victory

[Spo0kyCow]

Tiberian Sun:

 

"In a team game, you can put engineers into a teammate’s sub APC  …and…  After you are defeated, your engineers will still be alive so you can grab your teammate’s MCV in secrecy, hopefully.

 

This does not work on CnCNet like it did on Westwood and XWIS.  While you can grab your teammate's MCV with the engies after your base is killed, you will NOT be able to ally back to your teammates. For this reason this should NOT be included in the tips for Tiberian Sun.

[Nyerguds]

Huh? Why would the game act differently on xwis compared to cncnet? They're just online systems...

[amokk]

the engrs union amended their contract...

[FunkyFr3sh]

I guess this might only work when short game is off?

[Spo0kyCow]

Tiberian Sun

 

First, I want to thank FunkyFr3sh and his team for this tips feature. Very helpful for newer players (and some older ones)!

 

Huh? Why would the game act differently on xwis compared to cncnet? They're just online systems...

 

Not being able to allie back to your team when your base is killed but you have engineers in a teammate's sub is not the only difference I have noticed on CnCNet in Tiberian Sun. This behavior could possibly be a side effect of change #2 listed below instead of short game being off but I have not had the time to test that yet and I wanted to point it out specifically because I have seen it in the tips when I have joined a game lobby. Honestly I think the changes I list below are improvements to the game.

 

A few others changes in the game I have noticed:

 

1. In the past, if your EMP cannon was fully charged and you saw the enemy coming to destroy it, on both Westwood and XWIS, you could quickly turn the power off, essentially placing the EMP on hold before it gets destroyed. When you built another one (or already have it building) and placed it, it would be fully charged and could immediately be fired at the enemy. Now it has to fully charge again regardless if you turned off the power or not. Some argued this was a glitch. I am not posting this for a debate on this but only because I noticed it does not work on CnCNet.

 

2. In the past, if someone left the game without surrendering then someone else broke allies then re-allied, the computer would then attack the players it was previously allied with. This does NOT happen in CnCnet, which is a GOOD thing as it does not ruin the game for those left playing.

 

3. A rather nice recent update to Tiberian Sun is when a player goes to quit, he no longer has the option to just leave but only has two choices, surrender or return to the game. This only used to be the case in tournament games.

 

There are probably one or two more changes I have missed but so far these are the ones I can think of so no, they are not just online systems if you mean that in regards to just the chat lobby being new, there was some reverse engineering that was involved to the games, if I am not mistaken, that made some fundamental changes to how the games themselves behave. Either that or I am going crazy.  :O

 

[Eisengeist]

One quick thing to add for new players is that in new (at least cncnet) versions of Red Alert, the bookmark keys set by holding ctrl are redefined from F9 through F12 to W,R,V,space.

[Nyerguds]

1. In the past, if your EMP cannon was fully charged and you saw the enemy coming to destroy it, on both Westwood and XWIS, you could quickly turn the power off, essentially placing the EMP on hold before it gets destroyed. When you built another one (or already have it building) and placed it, it would be fully charged and could immediately be fired at the enemy. Now it has to fully charge again regardless if you turned off the power or not. Some argued this was a glitch. I am not posting this for a debate on this but only because I noticed it does not work on CnCNet.

I think that one can be filed under "patching and cheat fixing"

[MattAttack]

Tiberian Dawn- (and probably all others)  DON'T ABORT THE MISSION TO EXIT THE GAME!! Please hit the 'r' key to blow yourself up and then either spectate or leave.  I hate when you're pwning someone, or more often their engi rush fails, and they just leave the game.  It's really a hollow victory to have to kill the cpu controlled players to get a mission accomplished.  It's considered rude, poor etiquette and I personally would rather have someone DC from me! (at least then I know I really pissed them off!)

Tiberian Dawn and RA1 (also, I think) -Harvesters tend to migrate in a NW direction.  Keep this in mind when you place your base in relation to the tib and where you're located on the map.  If both your opponent AND the tiberium is NW of your base, your harvs will pretty much go in a straight line to their doom.  Conversely, if the Tiberium is SE of your base, you have a lot less to worry about.

Tiberian Dawn- Never ever ever target units with arty, as they wait so damn long to aim, its useless.  Let them fire on there own or force fire (ctrl+left click) in front your enemy's path. (don't think that was mentioned, yet)

 

Jacko: that faq is an excellent read. Good job!

[Jacko]

I think in Tiberian Dawn FFA games you manage to make someone ragequit you are entitled to salvage their base all you like (because its left there with no AI controlling it) - of course having a 2nd base makes you a popular target

 

Mattattack - cheers for the feedback. Also I beat your first mission (woo) but I only had a quick looksie at the other ones, I've been a bit busy.

[MattAttack]

Yeah I guess I forgot to specify I was primarily talking about 1v1 games, but it seems in 2v2, I always seemed to FC some idiot from the other side of the map who would leave and WHOOPIE! now my 2 enemies have his abandoned stuff  

 

[Spo0kyCow]

Tiberian Sun.

 

Huh? Why would the game act differently on xwis compared to cncnet? They're just online systems...

 

1. In the past, if your EMP cannon was fully charged and you saw the enemy coming to destroy it, on both Westwood and XWIS, you could quickly turn the power off, essentially placing the EMP on hold before it gets destroyed. When you built another one (or already have it building) and placed it, it would be fully charged and could immediately be fired at the enemy. Now it has to fully charge again regardless if you turned off the power or not. Some argued this was a glitch. I am not posting this for a debate on this but only because I noticed it does not work on CnCNet.

I think that one can be filed under "patching and cheat fixing"

 

O_o

 

Did you catch this part of what I posted when you quoted and replied to me?

 

"Some argued this was a glitch. I am not posting this for a debate on this but only because I noticed it does not work on CnCNet."

 

Now you try to turn this into a debate. sigh . . .

The majority think this is NOT a glitch but that was not even the point to my post and should not be debated here. It was to educate you that the game can act differently on CnCnet than on XWIS or Westwood for that matter. In fact, it is the changes that brings people to play here in the first place. Save the debate on "patches and cheats" for another thread. Do you even play Tiberian Sun Nyerguds? Never mind, Please don't reply. It will just take this farther from the topic of this thread. Let's stay on point shall we?

 

The larger point is that kaizen posted a tip that randomly rotates in the game about putting engies in a teammates sub and that you can use that to come back to life and it is incorrect and should be removed from the tip rotation because it no longer works like it did before, which personally, I think is a good thing.

 

The focus of this thread is to offer tips that rotate in the game and making sure the tips are accurate in regards to what tips new players may see when entering games, or at least that was my interpretation of it.

 

 

[Nyerguds]

I'm not a TS player, no, but I recognize an exploit of the "the game's not supposed to work that way" type without needing to play the game

[Spo0kyCow]

I think we should leave that question to the developers of the game, who included this feature into the game, or at the very least to those who play it, but thanks for your input.

[Nyerguds]

If regaining EMP from the moment you rebuilt your EMP cannon was supposed to be a feature, it wouldn't require you to use the depowering trick