Command & Conquer: Renegade

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Command & Conquer: Renegade
Developer(s)	Westwood Studios
Publisher(s)	EA Games
Engine	W3D (Westwood 3D) engine
Latest version	1.037, 2003-01-23
Release date(s)	February 26, 2002 March 1, 2002
Genre(s)	First-person shooter, Third-person shooter
Mode(s)	Single player, Multiplayer
Rating(s)	ESRB: T (Teen) ELSPA: 15+
Platform(s)	PC (Windows)
Media	CD-ROM (2)
System requirements	Pentium II 400 MHz, 96 MB RAM, Windows 98/ME/2000/XP, DirectX 8.1, 16 MB DirectX 8.1 compatible video card, DirectX compatible sound card, 950 MB hard disk space, 4x CD-ROM drive.
Input	Keyboard, Mouse

Command & Conquer: Renegade is a first-person shooter (FPS) computer game developed by Westwood Studios and is part of the Command & Conquer series. It was released on February 26, 2002 and is to date the only Command & Conquer game that is not a real-time strategy (RTS).

Its story takes place during the final days of the First Tiberium War originally depicted in Command & Conquer where the player assumes the role of commando Nick 'Havoc' Parker carrying out various missions assigned to him by his superiors. These missions take him all over the world in various countries and climates, both indoor and outdoor, and his actions greatly affect the current state of the war.

The game originally featured a different commando (Logan Shephard), looking much more akin to the original Command & Conquer unit and was much less action-oriented than it's final incarnation. Also, Nod troopers looked more alike their Tiberian Dawn equivalent, donning professional urban camouflage battle dress unforms rather than red jumpsuits easily distinguishable on the battlefield.

Contents 1 Story 2 Havoc Takes on Westwood 3 Gameplay 3.1 Weapons 3.1.1 Multiplayer-only weapons 3.2 Infantry Types 3.3 Vehicles 3.3.1 Ground vehicles 3.3.2 Aircraft 3.3.3 Other 3.4 Credits 3.5 Buildings 3.5.1 GDI buldings 3.5.2 Brotherhood of Nod Structures 4 Multiplayer 4.1 Strategy 5 Technology 6 Series links 7 Further developments 8 Awards 9 Mod awards 10 See also 11 References 12 External links

[edit] Story

Renegade's storyline deals with the abduction of GDI's top three Tiberium research specialists by the Brotherhood of Nod. The player takes on the role of GDI commando Nick "Havoc" Parker, who is assigned to rescue these experts. As the game progresses it is revealed that they have been forced into biochemistry research for the Brotherhood's top secret "Project Re-Genesis," an attempt to create genetically enhanced super-soldiers.

At one stage, Havoc's commanding general, Adam Locke introduces him to Nod's leader of the Black Hand of Nod, General Raveshaw. Havoc responds saying "Peewee and I have already met." This line is derived from an introduction cutscene that was removed late in the game's production which can be downloaded here.

[edit] Havoc Takes on Westwood

When the game missed its shipping date, Westwood made a humorous video titled Havoc Takes on Westwood wherein Havoc, the game's main character and hero, goes to Westwood Studios to make sure the game doesn't miss its shipping date again. The video can be downloaded here.

[edit] Gameplay

[edit] Weapons

The game features a wide variety of weapons, including:

• Vervac Commando Elite Silenced Pistol ("Falcon"): standard 9mm magazine used by both GDI and Nod. It has an integrated silencer, a 12 bullet clip and unlimited ammo.
• Cobretti AR-70 Automatic Rifle ("Raptor"): the standard issue assault rifle for both the GDI and Nod foot soldiers. It is fed from 100 bullet drum magazines and is reasonably accurate at medium distances.
• Chaingun ("Condor"): A six barreled personal chaingun, primarily issued to Nod Officers. It has a very high rate of fire and uses ammunition up very quickly.
• Vervac R-59 Sniper rifle ("Pierce"): a long range sniper rifle, this weapon is the standard issue weapon of Nod Black Hand operatives. It is equipped with a high precision scope, a directional microphone and a four round magazine of armor-piercing bullets.
• Flamethrower ("Dragonfly"): This simple weapon fires a long stream of ignited gas, highly effective against infantry and light vehicles.
• Chemical sprayer ("Venom"): A weapon utilizing raw, unrefined Tiberium as ammunition, it is effective against most infantry and lighter vehicles. As with all the tiberium-based weaponry in the game, the chemical sprayer heals tiberium mutants. It has been noticed, that prolonged use of this weapon can result in genetic mutation as users have been known to turn into Viseroids as a result. Also, streams of Tiberium can cause accidental mutations in victims.
• Sarcus A-6 66mm Rocket launcher ("Locust"): A portable anti-armour weapon, this rocket launcher is reloaded with cartridges containing six 66mm rockets. The missiles are accurate and deal tremendous damage, but have no tracking equipment and are ineffective against faster moving targets, such as infantry and attack helicopters. Gunner has a high proficiency with this weapon in Multiplayer mode, and as such, can fire rockets slightly faster that hit things slightly harder.
• Laser rifle ("Firefly"): an experimental Nod weapon, this portable Obelisk module fires red beams of amplified light, dealing massive damage to infantry and vehicles alike. It is the standard issue weapon of Nod Black Hand Stealth Troopers
• Laser chaingun ("Tarantula"): an advanced version of the laser rifle, the Tarantula fires highly accurate and devastating laserbeams down three rotating barrels. It is the standard weapon of Nod Officers and Black Hand Heavy Weapons troopers protecting the Temple of Nod.
• Tiberium auto-rifle ("Mantis"): a bullpup assault rifle firing Tiberium gas cartridges, this weapon possesses a very high rate of fire, as well as a very distinctive discharge sound. Unlike the Chemical Sprayer, it is very accurate at long ranges and less cumbersome. It is the weapon Acolytes (early Nod cyborgs) are armed with. In multiplayer it is effective against infantry and vehicles alike.
• Tiberium Flechette Gun ("Talon"): a submachinegun firing processed Tiberium shards at high speeds. The processing has removed Tiberium's hazardous properties and the weapon can be employed by any personnel.
• Grenade launcher ("Kestral"): a standard grenade launcher, fed from a cylindrical magazine. It fires highly damaging, but also highly inaccurate projectiles, effective against all targets. It is the standard weapon of GDI Grenadiers.
• Personal Ion Cannon ("Merlin"): A shoulder-mounted heavy weapon, firing accurate particle beams. The damage dealt by the Ion Cannon beam is tremendous, often destroying an armoured vehicle with a single blast. The Nod introduced a similar weapon, the Railgun, to compensate for this destructive cannon.
• Volt auto-rifle ("Black Widow"): this strangely-shaped weapon fires a constant electrical beam that deals high damage to all targets but suffers from short range.
• Remote C-4 ("Hair-Trigger"): A brick of C4 explosives with a remote detonator. It is highly destructive against all targets, especially buildings.
• GS-2 Ion Cannon beacon ("Godsend"): A GDI device, that broadcasts a signal, allowing for highly accurate targeting of the space-based Ion Cannon.
• Nuclear Strike Beacon ("Retribution"): a targeting device emitting an ultra-low frequency signal, providing target coordinates for Nod's nuclear missile.

[edit] Multiplayer-only weapons

In addition to the above, certain weapons can only be acquired in multiplayer games:

• Shotgun ("Vulture"): A single barrel, pump-action shotgun that holds eight shells. Though it appears in single player, wielded by Black Hand operatives, it is non-usable by the player. In Internet games it is very useful in tunnel combat, or when picked up by a Stealth Black Hand soldier, due to its devastating power at short ranges.
• Ramjet Rifle ("Hawkeye"): this advanced anti-materiel rifle fires a jet-propelled shell which can pass through multiple infantry targets. The round is also effective against light vehicles. The rifle is equipped with a scope. Used against the player at least once in single player mode. It is wielded by Havoc and Sakura in Multiplayer.
• Repair gun ("Gizmo"): basic tool of engineers and technicians, it can be used to disarm C-4 charges, mines, and superweapon beacons, as well as repairing buildings, vehicles, and infantry. Two versions of the gun exist. The Multiplayer mode version is carried by Engineers, Hotwire, and Technicians. The latter have a higher proficiency with them, and as such, can repair/disarm twice as fast, and operate the gun at longer ranges. The other version, used in Single Player mode, is very different from the multiplayer Repair Gun. Primary Fire would have it emit a very weak, blue Repair Beam for about four seconds, pause for one second, and repeat. Secondary Fire would do the same, but the beam would be red, and instead of repairing things, would injure or destroy them (a "dismantle beam" of sorts).
• Mass driver ("Scorpion"): Nod's answer to the GDI's Personal Ion Cannon. It is a railgun that accelerates 30mm metal slugs to high speeds and deals the same damage as the Personal Ion Cannon. It possesses a faster reload. It is wielded in Multiplayer exclusively by gen. Gideon Raveshaw.
• Proximity C-4 ("Feather") an explosive mine mainly used defensively against infantry, especially Stealth Black Hands and engineers, or light vehicles.
• Timed C-4 ("Tick-Tock"): an explosive charge with a thirty-second fuse. Wielded by all character classes.

[edit] Infantry Types

There are basically two types of infantry: The ones you have to pay for and the ones that are free. Also, every infantry type carries a pistol.

• Soldier: Both GDI and Nod (free): The standard soldier is what all players start with in the very start of the game and respawn with. He is armed with an auto-rifle and is effective against other infantry at medium range and lightly armoured vehicles, especially aircraft.
• Flamethrower: Nod Only (free): Wielding a powerful, but short ranged flamethrower, the flame infantryman is effective against infantry, reasonably dangerous to vehicles and can obstruct the enemy's view and allow one to escape from snipers and provide covering fire for teammates.
• Grenadier: GDI Only (free): Armed with a grenade launcher, the Grenadier can be very deadly to infantry and vehicles, however, mastering the weapon requires patience and skill, as it's very difficult to use properly. The grenades bounce slightly when fired at an appropriate arc.
• Shotgun Trooper: Both GDI and Nod (free): Wearing rocket infantry armour, the shotgun trooper is brutally effective at short ranges against infantry. However, he seriously lacks firepower in the anti-armour department.
• Engineer: Both GDI and Nod (free): Wearing a bright coloured vest and pants, the engineer is very vulnerable on the battlefield, but is an irreplaceable asset on the battlefield, being able to repair vehicles and buildings alike with the Gizmo repair gun and cripple enemy bases with Remote C4.

[edit] Vehicles

Renegade features a variety of vehicles from the Command & Conquer universe.

[edit] Ground vehicles

• GDI M1026 Humvee utility vehicle: The Humvee is the GDI recon vehicle. It is armed with a machine gun and has better armor than the buggy, but is larger and more cumbersome, when maneuvering. Squads of infantry can easily destroy this vehicle.

• Nod Buggy: The Nod Buggy is a lightly armoured recon vehicle with a .50 caliber machine gun mounted on the top. Its light armour is its main disadvantage, as even squads of basic infantry can tear it apart. Note: the buggy used by Nod in C&C Tiberian Dawn looks very different, as it is a Chenowth fast attack vehicle.

• APC (both GDI and Nod): The basic infantry carriers for both sides, the APCs differ only in appearance - GDI utilizes the M113, while Nod uses a less mobile wheeled APC. The APCs can carry up to four passengers in-game and are armed with machine guns for repelling infantry. The armour protects the personnel inside completely, and can withstand a single, direct Obelisk of Light hit.

• M270 MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System) rocket launcher: This lightly armoured tracked vehicle with a back mounted rocket launch system is GDI's long range support weapon, equivalent to the Nod Artillery. It houses twelve 227mm rockets, but has to be reloaded after each six rocket salvo. The rockets have a very long range, and can be fired around corners. However, they are largely ineffective to light, fast vehicles, as they can outmaneuver the rockets, but this is compensated to a degree by the limited tracking ability of the missiles. Due to its light armour, the MRLS has to be closely guarded, or it will be destroyed even by basic infantry. Unlike the Nod artillery it can enage air targets.

• G6 Mobile Artillery: Nod's artillery has less firepower than the MRLS, and can't fire around corners. However, its 155mm ballistic charges travel much faster than the MRLS missiles, making them a more feasible choice for regular combat. As its GDI counterpart, the Artillery is lightly armoured, and must be defended fiercely. Note: the artillery used by Nod in C&C Tiberian Dawn looks very different, being a M110 self propelled howitser.

• FROG-7 SSM launcher: Nod's SSM launcher is another Nod artillery. Its surface-to-surface missiles have further range then the weapons of the artillery and rocket launcher and contain a powerful napalm warhead. The vehicle does have a very long reload. Note: the SSM launcher used by Nod in C&C Tiberian Dawn looks very different, being based on the hull of a M270 MLRS but with 2 surface to surface missiles instead of the multiple rocket launcher.

• Nod Light Tank: Belonging to Nod, the light tank possesses a very low profile and moves on four tank threads, similar in manner to the Mammoth Tank, making it arguably the fastest armoured vehicle in the game. However, the speed is given at the expense of firepower (the tank is armed with only a 75mm cannon with APFSDS-T round) and armour (lightest armour among tanks). Although the light tank does not have the armor of the GDI medium tank it is the best armored Nod unit. It is worth noting, that due to its low cost, rushes of light tanks may prove an effective tactic in multiplayer games. The light tank used by Nod in C&C Tiberian Dawn looks very different, it is a M2-F Bradley light tank (a modified M2 Bradley fighting vehicle upgunned with a 75mm gun).

• M1 Abrams medium tank: GDI's main battle tank is better armoured and equipped than Nod's basic light tank. Its 120mm cannon with APFSDS-T rounds allows it to match most of Nod armor and effectively demolish buildings. It also possesses average speed. All these feats make it a good all-around unit on the battlefield, but with no specialisation. Its main disadvantage is its susceptibility to Nod's laser-based weaponry, especially those employed by the Stealth Troopers.

• Devil's Tongue Flame Tank: The fastest of all Nod armored vehicles, this tank utilizes twin flame cannons as its main weaponry. These are extremely effective against buildings, light vehicles and infantry, melting them down fast, while the tank's speed allows it to quickly charge the enemy, including GDI's advanced guard tower. The drawbacks of the flame tank are its short range and light armor. The flame tank used by Nod in C&C Tiberian Dawn looks very different. Despite the different appearance the flame thrower on the Flame tank in Renegade is mounted on a turret.

• Mammoth Tank: The pinnacle of GDI's combat vehicle technology, the Mammoth Tank possesses a stunning armor, twin 120mm cannons and Mammoth Tusk rocket pods, as well as self-repair mechanisms, allowing it to restore half of its health. It is also the most expensive tank in the game. However, it also has its disadvantages, apart from cost, it is very slow, almost no maneuvering capability.

• Nod Stealth Tank: The Ezekiel's Wheel stealth 'tanks' are among Nod's most advanced units - the Lazarus Shield allows them to remain cloaked on the battlefield, leaving only thread marks on the battlefield and the twin Dragon TOW rocket launchers allow it to be a threat to every enemy in the game. However, its advantages are recouped by its light armor and the fact that the Lazarus shield temporarily shuts down when firing.

[edit] Aircraft

• CH-46 Sea Knight transport helicopter: This twin-rotor unarmed transport helicopter allows for transportation of four infantry units to any part of the map within its reach. They are used by both sides of the conflict.It is used most often in the map C&C_walls_flying because they are used to ferry troops to the mesa in the center of the map, or to sneak up the one-way ramp leading out of the enemy base. Although referred as a Chinook the version in Renegade resembles more of the CH-46 Sea Knight.

• GDI ORCA VTOL Assault Craft: The ORCA is a multi-purpose support gunship of the Global Defence Initiative, employing a set of twin articulated jet engines as propulsion, giving it unmatched power. It is armed with Dragon TOW missiles and a nose-mounted machine gun, firing non-incendiary bullets. It is used by the GDI in a primarily anti-armor role, and has a limited fuel range. It is available in multiplayer on maps allowing flying vehicles. The most effective countermeasure to these units are either infantry armed with laser weaponry or the monumental Obelisk of Light, which can easily take down an ORCA with a single shot. Note: In C&C: Tiberian Dawn, the Obelisk cannot fire at aircrafts.

• AH-64 Apache attack helicopter: The only air combat vehicle Nod possesses, the Apache is the less-maneuverable equivalent of GDI's ORCA. It is armed primarily with a 30mm high-speed gattling cannon firing red non-incendiary bullets and missiles as a secondary weapon. It cannot fire its machine gun at the same elevation as the ORCA does, and is as susceptible to base defence systems (the Advanced Guard Tower) as the GDI's unit is.

[edit] Other

This section covers vehicles that appear in the game, but are unusable by the player, either in single- or multi- player games.

• Cargo Truck: A standard cargo truck, appearing in several single-player missions. It is lightly armoured, and carries no weapons. It can be accessed in multiplayer on non laddered servers by typing "extras" in the console window and holding down the "control" key whilst selecting "Vehicles" at a GDI Purchase Terminal. It is a very lightly armoured and unarmed truck, which has slower response than either a Nod Buggy or GDI Humm-Vee.
• Recon Bike: Its only appearance is during a cutscene in the single player campaign, when it can be seen destroying a GDI Transport Helicopter using its rocket launchers. Ideal for hit-and-run attacks and reconnaissance. Like the Cargo Truck, the recon bike can't be accessed on unmodified servers.
• GDI Gunboat: These naval vessels serve as command centers and support for ground forces. They are armed with Tomahawk missile launchers, which are able to engage both aerial and ground targets with ease, dealing massive damage. However, even though they are heavily armoured, they are still susceptible to damage, especially from high caliber weaponry, such as Turrets.
• LCAC Hovercraft: Very fast support vessel, allowing for rapid deployment of men, vehicles and ordnance on the beaches of an unsuspecting enemy. However, despite their armor plating, they are very susceptible to explosive weaponry, such as rockets. The hovercraft in C&C Tiberian Dawn is a JEFF-A hovercraft.
• A-10 Ground Support Aircraft: A fast, highly maneuverable aircraft supporting GDI ground forces during war operations. However, due to its low flight altitude, its susceptible to anti-aircraft weaponry.
• Harvester: Slow, armoured and defenseless vehicles designed with harvesting Tiberium in mind. Its armor plating allows it to take a lot of beating, but without any protection, it is easily destroyed, effectively cutting off income for the owner's faction.
• C-130 Hercules Transport Planes: The Brotherhood employs cargo planes, as their methods of purchasing vehicles. The large, four engine C-130 is perfect for delivering large amounts of ordnance very fast, very reliably. However, the transport plane in C&C Tiberian Dawn is a C-17 Globemaster III (although an ingame string in Tiberian Dawn says it is a Russian Antonov transport plane, possibly the Antonov An-124)
• RAH-66 Comanche: A modified Comanche attack helicopter, supplied to Sakura Obata by her employer, gen. Gideon Raveshaw, leader of the Black Hand of Nod.
• Nod Chameleon: An easter egg vehicle, the Chameleon is fast, manuvureable with a low profile and thick armor, which make the chameleon ideal for infiltrating a base. Only allowed in servers where the 'extras' command is available.

[edit] Credits

The in-game currency comes from two sources - as rewards for damaging enemy infantry, vehicles, buildings and disarming beacons and from Tiberium unloaded from the Harvester (a one-time boost of a large quantity of credits) and later its processsing in the Tiberium refinery, which guarantees a small, but steady income, at about two credits every second.

[edit] Buildings

The game also features buildings taken directly from Tiberian Dawn introduced into the third dimension. They are often a map within itself (such as the Hand of Nod) and are mission objectives. In Multiplayer mode, they have greatly simplified designs, are 40% smaller, and give their respective teams certain abilities, such as buying weapons and vehicles. If all the buildings in a team base are destroyed, that team loses.

[edit] GDI buldings

• GDI Power Plant: Powers all team buildings. If this is destroyed, all production costs double. Power is required for the Advanced Guard Tower and Nod Obelisk to operate.
• GDI Weapons Factory: The GDI produces its vehicles on the spot in vehicles factory, using harvested Tiberium as raw material.
• GDI Infantry Barracks: Allows players to change weapon classes. This building also houses the beacon pedestals. The other side will win if an enemy beacon is successfully placed on top of a pedestal.
• GDI Advanced Guard Tower: Automated base defense. Attacks any enemy that comes within its range, but requires an active power plant to function properly. The GDI Advanced Guard Tower comes with a Tomahawk missile launcher and several mounted machine guns for defence. Due to the Advance Guard Tower having multiple weapons, it could target multiple enemies.
• Repair Facility: Seen only on the Glacier map, the NOD and GDI repair facility, resembling a helipad, repairs allied vehicles. Unlike other buildings, it does not have a Master Control Terminal nor does it appear in the Team Information screen. However, it does have to be destroyed in order for the opposing side to win.
• GDI Tiberium Refinery: Grants its team a steady flow of money.
• GDI Adv. Comm. Center: A hidden structure for GDI in multiplayer maps. Originally intended to be the structure to grant ion strike beacons. Can only be played in custon made maps.
• GDI Guard tower: A hidden structure for GDI in multiplayer maps. Originally intended to be a bonus defence for GDI. Can only be played in custom made maps.

[edit] Brotherhood of Nod Structures

• Hand of Nod: The Nod's equivalent of the GDI Barracks, the Hand is an immense structure, housing several facilities and extending four levels underground. The top level of the Hand houses the infirmary and emergency medical helicopter landing pad. At the ground level the Master Control Terminal and infantry command center are located, with a memorial to all Brotherhood of Nod members killed or deceased. The main facilities are located underground, with living quarters and mess hall being the ones located closest to the surface. One level below are the training areas, complete with a live-fire training exercise arena. The deepest level houses the structure's interrogation/faith restructuring facilities, lab and the morgue.
• Nod Airstrip: Nod prefers delivery of vehicles to the battlefield, rather than producing them on the spot. All units are delivered to the airfield via cargo planes.
• Nod Obelisk: Automated base defense. Attacks any enemy that comes within its range, but requires a working Power Plant to power its laser systems. The Obelisk of Light bases strictly on Nod's laser technology, making it extremely effective against all kinds of enemies. It should be noted, that both installations are more than capable of shooting down aircraft. The Main Disadvantage of the Obelisk is that it can only fire on one target at a time, making it weak against rushes.
• Nod Turret: Basic Brotherhood defence emplacement. Good against tanks and groups of infantry. Can work without power.
• SAM site: Nod's air defence structure. These turrets fire homing ground-to-air missiles extremely damaging against GDI aircraft. Their fragile construction makes them especially susceptible to explosives.
• Nod Tiberium Refinery: Grants its team a steady flow of money.
• Nod Communications Center: The hub for Nod communication, the communications center processes information and radar images, doubling as a radar scrambler, jamming personal EVA units of infantry operating in the vicinity.
• Repair Facility: Seen only on many of the new fanmaps, the NOD and GDI repair facility, resembling a helipad, repairs allied vehicles. Unlike other buildings, it does not have a Master Control Terminal nor does it appear in the Team Information screen. However, it does have to be destroyed in order for the opposing side to win.
• Temple of Nod: The heart of the Brotherhood and its operations, this building is only encountered in the single-player campaign.
• Shrine of Nod: A hidden structure for Nod. Originally intended to be the structure for the production of nuclear missile strikes in multiplayer games. If destroyed, nuclear strike beacons cannot be purchased. Can be played only in custom made maps.

[edit] Multiplayer

The multiplayer element of this game takes the form of 'Command and Conquer Mode', in which players are divided into the two teams: GDI and Nod. Each team starts with a base and must purchase vehicles and advanced character classes in order to destroy the enemy base and defend their own base. The game is won when one team destroys the other's base or the time limit expires and the team with the highest score is declared the winner. Damaging and destroying enemy units and structures earns points. Some servers allow the 'endgame beacon' that causes the game to be instantly won by the team that successfuly detonates a superweapon beacon on the opposing team’s pedestal located in their Barracks or Hand of Nod. Gameplay is a combination of FPS and RTS elements, since team members receive money form tiberium harvesting and must purchase their own individual equipment.

[edit] Strategy

On many of the battlefields the bases include the Advanced Guard Tower (GDI) and Obelisk (Nod) that can easily eliminate lone attackers and are difficult to overcome without team coordination. The following are popular individual and group strategies used online:

• APC rush This often occurs early in the game. One player buys an APC and several other players enter the vehicle as engineer classes. The APC is driven into the enemy base and can withstand the defence tower until it reaches the door of the tower or another vulnerable structure. The engineers inside will run into the building and attempt to destroy it by detonating their C4 explosives on the building’s Master Control Terminal. If successful it can open the base up to further attacks or cripple production early on. Its success depends on the number of alert guards in the base and whether the doorways of the buildings have been ‘mined’ with proximity C4 or not.
• Flamer rush (Nod Only) This involves a group purchasing several flame tanks and charging into the enemy base at the same time in order to destroy the AGT or the remainder of the base. It is most effective on the map ‘C&C Hourglass’, where the tanks can convene at the top of the hill under the cover of their own Obelisk and then quickly charge down the other side of the hill in order to attack the AGT. It is less successful on other maps where the tanks are vulnerable to long-range fire whilst moving through the battlefield between the bases and are unable to retaliate due to their short firing range.

• Stank rush (Nod Only) This is similar to the above except it involves a group of stealth tanks. It can be highly effective if the group manages to sneak undetected into the enemy base but premature discovery by GDI units that get close enough to detect the stealth signatures can mean the stealth tanks are all destroyed easily before they reach their target. For this reason it is popular on the map ‘C&C City (Flying)’ since the stealth tanks can use the cover of buildings to evade enemy patrols.
• SBH beacons (Nod Only) This occurs on maps where the bases do not have defence towers or after the towers have been disabled. The Stealth Black Hand Trooper’s invisibility allows him to easily sneak into the enemy base and wait for an opportune time to plant a nuclear strike beacon. This would be impossible otherwise since the defence tower can detect stealth units. Individuals often use this strategy but groups can coordinate their beacon placement in order to overwhelm defenders who can disarm the beacons, causing the destruction of several buildings. After having deployed his beacon the stealth trooper will cloak in order to assassinate any engineers that approach to disarm the beacon. The most popular map for this is ‘C&C Islands’. GDI do not possess stealth troopers, but teams of higher end troops armed with the most powerful weapons can also attempt to place and defend beacons in the enemy base after having fought their way in.
• SBH C4 Rushing (Nod Only) (Requires that spawn weapons are enabled)This strategy works best at the start of the game with a map that doesn't have base defenses. One person buys a engineer while the other buys an SBH. The then engineer commits suicide, leaving remote C4 on the ground where he died. The SBH can pick this up. The players now both have the advantage of stealth and have enough C4 explosive to destroy a building on their own.

• Siege (Usually GDI Only) Groups of Medium or Mammoth tanks can surround the entrance of Nod base and destroy the Nod harvester whenever it attempts to leave in order to collect resources. From this position they can often bombard exposed structures in order to gain a significant advantage in score. This strategy is often successful if GDI engineers are constantly repairing the besieging vehicles. Nod may respond by preventing the harvester’s exit, employing laser troopers to destroy the GDI armour, employing snipers to kill the repairing engineers or sending out stealth troopers in order to steal the enemy vehicles when the driver gets out to repair them. This style of gameplay is almost guaranteed on the map ‘C&C Field’. Nod’s lightly armoured vehicles make it harder for them to use this strategy but skillful positioning and use of artillery units can lead to a successful Nod siege.
• APC charging (Usually GDI Only) Also known as 'APC Whoring', this usually occurs in the later stages of the game when the enemy base is in disarray, the defences have been disabled and the enemy are limited to only basic infantry classes. Often it is used to protect a deployed beacon, or to weaken Nod morale. A player in an APC will charge into the enemy base and attempt to run over enemy soldiers as they run from building to building. The high speed and manoeuvrability of the APC allows the driver to score many kills and its heavy armour makes it next to impossible to stop with basic weapons. This tactic is widely frowned upon, and even banned by some servers.
• Gunner Rush (GDI Only) This is often used when the GDI Weapons Factory has been destroyed, or Nod is defending all vehicle entrances too heavily. In this attack strategy, several players will attempt to rush through the infantry-only routes and use their rocket launchers to shoot at and destroy enemy buildings, usually the Obelisk of Light or the Nod Power Plant. This tactic is very rarely used, as each individual rocket launcher inflicts damage at a much lower rate than any tank. Because of its rarity of use, the element of surprise often gives it the leading edge over other tactics.A gunner rush is also often used at the map called 'C&C_Mesa' at the beginning, because infantry can easily hit the Tiberium Refinery without being hit by base defences. A quick and successful Gunner rush at the beginning of the map can win you the game.
  

  

  A tunnel beaconing attempt in progress.
• Base to Base or B2B is an exploit that allows GDI Mobile rocket launchers or rocket launcher armed infantry to attack structures in the enemy base from the safety of their own base. The high profile of the Hand of Nod and the spire attached to the Tiberium Refinery mean that on some maps they are targettable from the opposing base over the separating terrain. The map 'C&C Islands' offers the most opportunities for this since a GDI MRLS just outside of the GDI base can attack the Hand of Nod and infantry standing on the walls of both bases can see the structures of the enemy base over the body of water that separates the two bases. Since it provides an unfair advantage to the attacker who is protected in their own base it is considered an offense on major servers.
• Tunnel Beaconing is a strategy unique to the map C&C Field. The tunnels of the map are situated directly between the two opposing GDI and Nod bases, and thus the refineries of each team are located next to the tunnel. Placing beacons at a spot in the tunnel that is next to a refinery is an easy way to destroy the refinery or score points. The tunnel is also easily defendable from such a position. However, many servers do prohibit tunnel beaconing on the grounds of unfairness.

[edit] Technology

The game engine, called the "Renegade engine" or "Westwood 3D", was developed in-house by Westwood. It is designed to support real world physics and allow seamless movement from indoor to outdoor environments. The game was originally intended to use more advanced graphics technology, as well as a style of play based more around stealth than run and gun action; however, this was all scrapped due to the game's release date being pushed back too many times.^{[citation needed]}

The "Westwood 3D" engine was re-used as the base of the Strategy Action Game Engine used in Command & Conquer: Generals.

[edit] Series links

See also: List of references of Command & Conquer Renegade

Nearly every unit and most of the structures featured in the original Command & Conquer have been re-created in the game. New characters include various mutants, GDI elite commandos known as the "Dead Six" and Nod elites such as the Black hand, Sakura, and Mendoza.

Some of the game's missions seem to be expansions of GDI missions in Tiberian Dawn, such as one in which Dr. Mobius is abducted by Nod and the player is charged with rescuing him, and the final assault on Kane's Cairo headquarters. In the final Renegade mission, set in the Temple of Nod, certain rooms are recognizable as those from Tiberian Dawn's Nod mission briefings.

[edit] Further developments

No official expansion packs were ever released for the game. However, a software development kit (SDK) was released by Westwood Studios so that users could add their own content to the game. The studio also released a number of high-resolution models to the mod-making community, including some from the Red Alert games. Many fan sites have been established to celebrate the game and allow players to download new maps and custom expansion packs.

After the closure of Westwood Studios in February, 2003, the responsibility for maintaining the official forums for Renegade was passed on to Christine "Crimson" Korza of Blackhand Studios, a non-profit organization whose mission statement includes keeping the game's community active, enhancing and patching the game, and keeping multiplayer games cheat-free through their RenGuard software.

While Westwood originally intended to make a sequel to Renegade set in the Red Alert universe, the project was cancelled before any official announcements were made.^[1]

Renegade was shipped in an EA Classic box sometime after its initial release and was included in one of the Command & Conquer compilations known as the Command & Conquer Collection which was a big box packaging 5 Command & Conquer titles in it.

On February, 2006, Renegade was shipped in the compilation, Command & Conquer: The First Decade along with 11 other Command & Conquer titles on a single DVD. It was noticed by many that on the Bonus DVD that was also delivered in the compilation, Renegade received less attention than each of the other games in the interviews and footage given. Renegade only made more of an appearance than the add-on packs to each of the games such as Command & Conquer: The Covert Operations, Red Alert The Aftermath and Red Alert Counterstrike, and Generals Zero Hour. Even Yuri's Revenge which was another add-on pack included in the compilation received more publicity within the Bonus DVD than Renegade did.

The Bonus DVD contains slightly less than an hour's worth of content and Renegade only appears for roughly 3 minutes. The other games (not including expansions) are seen for approximately 6 to 8 minutes. There was a decent amount of Renegade footage shown in the DVD, but just not much said about it. The time that the interviewees spent talking about the concept of "Tiberium" or "Commando units" can to some extent be referenced towards Renegade but it was really the Tiberium world as a whole that was being talked about at these points.

In the Game DVD of Command & Conquer: The First Decade, Renegade had a few changes done to it but nothing drastic as it could already run without problems on the Windows XP platform. The changes include that the game is installed at its latest patch (1.037) by default, has a sanctioned No-CD application on it, plus the CD components such as the movie files are now installed into its folder. Like all the other games Renegade is launched through The First Decade's launching program rather than as an individual game. Renegade, along with a few other titles had problems with its registry entry in the compilation's initial release, which has been since fixed in The First Decade's 1.02 patch. A few months prior to The First Decade's release saw EA Games opening up a new official Command & Conquer forum which catered for support and discussion of all Command & Conquer games (except Sole Survivor) and not just Generals.

In July, 2006, EA Games released a software development kit (SDK) that catered for 3DS Max software for Command & Conquer: Generals and The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle Earth games. Strangely, although Renegade used the same basic game engine as these other two games, it was not made compatible to this new SDK. However, the fanbase has modified it to be compatible with Renegade and it can be found here. 3DS Max 7 users need to have SP1 installed, which can be found here. EA Games' official Command & Conquer community manager, Aaron "APOC" Kaufman, has stated that there is a possibility of another official SDK release for Renegade due to the demand for it.

Renegade appeared in the July 2006 issue of PC Gamer magazines along with the other Command & Conquer games on a single chapter. The mainstay of Command & Conquer publicity in the magazine was given to Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars as it had just been announced to be in production.

A lot of trailers and other video clips including interviews for Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars have been released and since no original scores of the game have been made yet, EA Games has made use of Tiberian Dawn, Tiberian Sun and Renegade music extensively to promote the game.

[edit] Awards

Gamespy PC Game Of the Year Awards - 2002 "Wish it had been a hit"

3DActionPlanet Editorial Awards 2002 "Best Multiplayer Shooter"

AIAS Interactive Achievement Awards - 2003 Finalist for "Best Online Gameplay of the Year"

[edit] Mod awards

ModDB Mods of the Year (Mods made for Renegade) -

• Red Alert: A Path Beyond - (2004) "Best Level Design"
• C&C Reborn - (2005) "Visual Delight"
• C&C Reborn - (2006) "Most Hyped"

[edit] See also

• Command & Conquer: Tiberian Series
• Command & Conquer: Red Alert
• Command & Conquer: Generals
• Command & Conquer: The First Decade

[edit] References

• ↑  Parker, Sam. "Westwood says no to Renegade sequel". GameSpot. July 30, 2002.

[edit] External links

• Official EA Games website for Command & Conquer: The First Decade
• Official EA Games page for Command & Conquer: Renegade
• Official Website for Command & Conquer: Renegade hosted by Blackhand Studios
• Official Forums for Command & Conquer: Renegade hosted by Blackhand Studios
• RenGuard anti-cheat software for Command & Conquer: Renegade
• Wiki for Command & Conquer: Renegade
• Command & Conquer: Renegade Mods and Tutorials
• Command & Conquer: Renegade at MobyGames
• Original Renegade trailer, featuring Logan Shephard and original Nod soldiers