Command & Conquer: Red Alert series

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Command & Conquer: Red Alert is a series of real time strategy games set in the Command & Conquer universe.

The Red Alert series is set in an alternate timeline, created when Albert Einstein travels back in time and makes contact with Adolf Hitler in an attempt to prevent World War II. This backfires and results in an unchecked Soviet invasion of Europe by Joseph Stalin. This Stalin-led invasion of Europe serves as the backdrop for the first Red Alert game. Two expansion packs for the original Red Alert were released: Counterstrike and The Aftermath. New units, missions, multiplayer maps, and music were included in the expansions.

The Red Alert series was originally thought to be an exploration of the alternate history leading to the Tiberian series, even Kane made some appearances. With the release of Red Alert 2, the connection became somewhat unclear, with fans of the series split as to whether or not the time travel excursions of the series were forming a separate continuity or just another side adventure on the way to the Tiberian era. Some state that the timeline depends on which faction wins the battle in Red Alert. Some say that if Soviets succeed in conquering Europe, this would trigger the events in Command & Conquer; if the Allies defeat the Soviets, the Red Alert 2 timeline follows. During a cutscene early in the Allied Campaign, a newsreel playing on a television screen does hint at the "formation of a Global Defense Initiative" which does link Red Alert to Tiberian Dawn. However - this passive bit of dialogue is not realized in Red Alert, or its expansions or sequels. A feasible explanation is that in the Allied victory timeline, the GDI is unnecessary as the Soviets have been defeated, while in the Soviet victory timeline, the GDI grow to replace the defeated allies. Since there are science fiction stories that occasionally have parallel or alternate universes, the parallel universe theory is the only logical theory in which the timelines with different outcomes take separate paths. Others believe, using concept art from the cancelled Command & Conquer: Renegade 2 and official claims by Westwood Studios, that the series will be reunited in Red Alert 3.

In the 10th anniversary release Command and Conquer, The First Decade, the interviews with the C&C designers (on the bonus DVD) clearly refer to the games as existing in three separate universes - Tiberium, Red Alert and Generals. This implies (but does not state conclusively), that the designers are abandoning attempts to link RA and C&C together.

Red Alert 2 is the sequel to Red Alert and has an expansion pack, Yuri's Revenge. In Red Alert 2, the Soviet Union invades the United States, using mind control technology to capture US forces and deactivate America's nuclear arsenal. In Yuri's Revenge, Soviet Premier Romanov's advisor Yuri attempts to overtake the world using his psychic dominator technology. A second and last attempt to stop Yuri's plans sends the player back in time to the conflict occurring in Red Alert 2, but instead of fighting the Soviets/Allies, the player fights against Yuri. Unlike Red Alert, the Red Alert 2 games do not make any explicit or passive references to the Tiberian series.

The Red Alert games typically are released following the release of a game in the Tiberian timeline; There were unofficial rumours regarding the production of a new Red Alert game, out of sync with previous releases, but with the official announcement of Command & Conquer 3 in April 2006 (due March 2007), an official Red Alert sequel is no longer on the cards at this time.

Westwood Studios also released a music disc with the music from the Red Alert series. This disc was bundled with some later versions of the game.

[edit] Games in the series

• Command & Conquer: Red Alert
  • Counterstrike (expansion)
  • The Aftermath (expansion)
  • Retaliation - this was a compilation of Counterstrike and The Aftermath released for the PlayStation
• Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2
  • Yuri's Revenge (expansion)
• Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 - this was announced December 2004

[edit] Production History

[edit] Command & Conquer: Red Alert

Main article: Command & Conquer: Red Alert

Released in October, 1996, Command & Conquer: Red Alert was the second Command & Conquer game to be released by Westwood Studios. Instead of going back to the Tiberian universe, Westwood decided to create a whole new storyline, centering around the concept of "What would happen if World War II hadn't happened?"

Two expansion packs were released within a year, called Counterstrike & The Aftermath, these where also released for the PlayStation in a pack called Retaliation, with new missions and cut scenes.

[edit] See also

• Technology of the Allies (Red Alert series)

[edit] Fan Sites

• RTS World 2002 - C&C Fan Site