Command & Conquer is a real-time strategy video game series which revolves around conflicts between various competing factions vying for world domination. There are three different storylines, each with three main factions, as well as various minor factions. The majority of these are based on real-world human organizations, such as the Soviet Union and the United States of America, with a single one, the Scrin, being alien.
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The Tiberium series, which includes the original Command and Conquer game, is set in an alternate history. The three main factions of this series are the Global Defense Initiative, Brotherhood of Nod, and Scrin.
The Global Defense Initiative's internal structure and organization is quite similar to a supranational and large-scale integration of all of the world's major modern day conventional armies into a single globalized military force.[1] GDI is capable of instantly deploying vast quantities of well-trained and well-equipped soldiers backed by powerful ground, air and naval assets to any point on the globe, and this in ways that are considerably more organized, advanced, as well as on a much greater scale than any conventional real-life military force of today possibly could.[1] Global Defense Initiative troops utilize both superior armor and firepower, making them typically much more powerful than Nod forces in direct open confrontations, but also more cumbersome and less flexible. The Brotherhood is notoriously adept at exploiting these weaknesses through its combination of futuristic guerrilla warfare with uniquely advanced Tiberium-based technologies.[2] By the year 2047 GDI's forces have been restructured to allow for decentralized operations in multiple theatres of war, through the establishment of forward-operating bases in all types of terrain,[1] and the deployment of proven, specialized and cost-effective ground and air forces supported by the most advanced network of orbital artillery satellites in history. In-game, their units are unit-for-unit more powerful than those of Nod and the Scrin. Their superweapon is the quintessential ion cannon, an orbital weapon that has appeared in every Tiberium title to date; previously capable of destroying only a single building at a time, the ion cannon can now devastate a large area, through 8 small ion beams forming up into the center and ionising the air before the larger, more destructive main blast.[3]
The Brotherhood of Nod is a mysterious and highly militant Abrahamic society of allegedly ancient origins.[4] Throughout its struggle with GDI, Nod is shown possessing characteristics of a vast religious movement, a multinational corporation and a decentralized nation-state, while being none of the three in itself.[4] The globalized brotherhood is led by a mysterious man known only as Kane,[5] and its influence at the advent of the events in Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars reached nothing short of the status of an unconventional superpower.[4] The Brotherhood of Nod represents a flexible, elusive and worldwide cultic army which thrives on the sophisticated synergy between low-tech guerrilla warfare and advanced forces equipped with state-of-the-art weapon systems derived from the Brotherhood's understanding of Tiberium-based military technologies.[4] Nod tactics are highly radical and appear more unethical than GDI's, often showing little regard for human life. In addition, their religious fascination with Tiberium has lead them to use the substance as an offensive chemical. Nod forces typically are weaker than GDI's or the Scrin in a head-on engagement, yet they use stealth and advanced hit-and-run tactics to their advantage to control of the battle and sabotage an opponent's momentum. Like in the original C&C game, their in-game superweapon is a nuclear missile,[5] which replaces the cluster and chemical missiles deployed during Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun.
The third faction featured in Tiberium Wars is an extraterrestrial force is known as the Scrin, which is trying to terraform Earth with Tiberium and harvest Tiberium deposits.[6] They aren't referred to by name; they are only called by GDI as "invaders" and "Aliens" and by Nod as "Visitors". They have remained dormant along the edge of the Solar System for a millennia, until awakened by the massive detonation of liquid Tiberium beneath the Brotherhood of Nod's "Temple Prime". The Scrin swiftly proceeded to launch an assault on Earth's cities, wreaking havoc on GDI and Nod alike. These attacks were actually diversions that allow the Scrin to construct large "Threshold Tower" structures. Scrin units and structures show a distinctly bio-mechanical and insect-like appearance. Furthermore, they possess several economic and military advantages related directly to Tiberium,[6] including the ability to promote the growth of the substance, to store infinite amounts of it, and to use it to enhance their units and weaponry. As they are Tiberium-based, the Scrin are immune to the radioactive effects of Tiberium. However, they are vulnerable to anti-Tiberium weapons like Nod's catalyst missile and GDI's sonic emitters. The Scrin has the passive ability to create wormholes to instantly teleport units around the battlefield. Of all the factions, the Scrin possess the most powerful aerial force,[6] consisting of fighters, warships, and carriers. Their aerial fleet can even deploy a unit known as the "Mothership", which has a powerful Catalyst Cannon that can devastate adjacent structures beneath it by initiating a chain reaction upon them. Their in-game superweapon is the "rift generator", which creates a black hole pulls in nearby units.[7]
The three main factions of the Red Alert series are the Allied Nations, the Soviet Union, and the Empire of the Rising Sun.
The Allied Nation Coalition was created by a variety of European Nations (including the non-Nazi Germany thanks to Einstein's assassination of Hitler) and the US to fend off Soviet Union Aggression in Europe. The allies were suffering heavy defeats against the surprise Soviet invasion initially, but rallied together aided with the help of the Chronosphere were able to finally stop the Soviet War Machine. The Allied Nations once again rallied together in the invasion of the United States to once again put a stop to the Soviets. In Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 the Allies were no longer fighting a war with one enemy, they now had to contend with the Empire of The Rising Sun. However, the Allies manage to defeat the Empire with some aid from the Soviets, despite the Soviets backing out and turning on them at the last minute, and later defeated the treacherous Soviets. In the Allies campaign in the Uprising expansion, they suppress a rebellion by the Empire, but it isn't known yet whether this campaign is canon.
The Soviet Union's expansion was facilitated by Albert Einstein's mistake whilst trying to prevent the horrors of World War 2 (see Command & Conquer: Red Alert). The Soviets were defeated by the Allies in the original Red Alert, however they came back in Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 with the assistance of a mastermind and a mind controller called Yuri. Little comes of this though as they are defeated again by the Allies and Yuri begins his own army in Command & Conquer: Yuri's Revenge. In the expansion Yuri is set to control the world with "Psychic Dominators". Yuri is defeated by the Allies and partial help from the Soviets. In the latest game of the series Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 the Soviets decide to use their own "Time Machine" and reshape the past when they are on the brink of defeat. In doing so they created the Empire of the Rising Sun (see below) and without atomic bombs or nuclear missiles, the Empire soon takes over most of the land held by the Soviets (who were close to defeating the Allies before the Empire arose). The Allies and the Soviets joined forces to stop the Empire, but the Soviets ultimately showed their true colors and abandoned the Allies during the final assault on Japan, though the Allies managed to defeat the Empire regardless. After the Allies foiled the Soviet's plan to use Weapons of Mass Destruction against the United States, they defeated the Soviets. The Soviet campaign in the Uprising expansion depicts them as freeing themselves from Allied occupation, but it isn't known yet whether this campaign is canon.
The Empire of the Rising Sun is a militarized and futuristic version of Japan first introduced in Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3. As an unintended result of the Soviet Union time traveling and eliminating Einstein, the Empire of the Rising Sun came into being and become a major force. Led by Emperor Yoshiro, the Empire oppose both the Soviets and the Allies, believe it is their divine right to rule the world. Utilizing advanced technology, such as powerful navy, transforming mechaunits, robots, a psionic schoolgirl, and submersible planes. The Empire is excellent at expanding bases thanks to their nanocores, mobiles vehicles capable of unpacking into various buildings. While the Empire initially holds the upper hand against the Allies and the Soviets since it attacked them when they were at their weakest from fighting each other, the two archenemies join forces and beat back the Empire. Despite the Soviets backing out of the alliance, the Empire is defeated by the Allies. In Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 – Uprising, the Empire drives the Allies and Soviets out of Japan and reestablishes itself as a global superpower, but it isn't known yet whether this campaign is canon.
Yuri, a powerful telepath and the chief advisor to Premier Romanov in Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2, decides, near the end of that game, to defect from the Soviets. In Command & Conquer: Yuri's Revenge the allied finds out that Yuri has created a secret army of his own to take over the world by using Psychic Dominators, devices with the power to mind-control everyone in the world.[8] His units generally rely on mind control abilities and cunning rather than brute force.[9] The main goal of both the Allied and the Soviet campaigns in Yuri's Revenge is to destroy Yuri's psychic beacons and eventually eliminate Yuri himself. Dependant on the chosen side, the Allies track Yuri down in Antarctica with the aid of Soviet technology while the Soviets find Yuri in Translyvania as well as mind controlled Allied and Soviet generals, who, once certain psychic beacons are destroyed, join the Soviet player.
Generals takes place in the near future. The United States and the People's Republic of China are the world's two superpowers, and are the targets of the Global Liberation Army, a large, well-organized terrorist organization, fighting as a fanatical irregular force. The United States and China are depicted as allies in the series, and frequently co-operate with each other throughout the storyline against the Global Liberation Army, which is depicted as an omnipresent, borderless organization with unclear goals beyond opposition to and expulsion of both China and the United States.
The People's Republic relies largely on brute force and sheer numbers, culminating in a variety of powerful and heavily armored tanks, and has limited air power. China's playstyle emphasizes direct assaults and sheer power to defeat American technology and GLA stealth. Chinese troops and tanks gain special bonuses when in groups, and make extensive use of propaganda (passive healing) to support their troops. China has a wide range of vehicle types, including several specialized tanks like Type 69 as "Battlemaster", BTR-80 as "Troop Crawler", "Overlord" tank(s) and two artillery units: the Chinese "Inferno Cannon" and "Nuke Cannon". They are the only artillery units whose shells cannot be intercepted. Chinese forces also make heavy use of gatling, nuclear, and napalm weaponry to destroy the enemy. China also utilizes advanced electronic warfare technology, including elite hackers, a spy called Black Lotus, listening outpost vehicles and electromagnetic pulse weapons. There is an electronic warfare tank which can be used in tactical scale and a bomb delivered by a plane for strategic purposes. It can black out an entire base and bring down aircraft.
China has a major disadvantage in that its ground forces are generally slower than those of the other two factions. Due to having virtually no fast attack units, except for their MiGs, China is forced to make large, ponderous assaults with heavy units, a tactic that can be countered by the GLA's speed or the USA's air power. However, the Chinese forces are well-suited to winning drawn-out battles of attrition.
China's campaign is the first chronologically in Generals. China retaliates after the GLA launches a devastating nuclear attack on Beijing. During one battle, China destroys the Three Gorges Dam in order to eliminate a large GLA army. China uses its nuclear arsenal to further fight against the GLA and eventually crushes the GLA cell masterminding all Pacific rim operations. In Zero Hour, China defeats the GLA during their invasion of Europe and seizes the opportunity to rise as a world power.
Being technologically disadvantaged, the GLA has comparatively weak (though highly mobile) ground vehicles and no air force, prompting the use of guerrilla tactics such as tunnelling, suicide bombing, hijacking, and ambushing.
The GLA has a larger array of infantry types and vehicles to make up for this disadvantage, and has the widest range of stealth options. The GLA also has a very powerful economy, with various resource-gathering techniques such as salvaging wreckage, gaining cash bounties on destroyed enemy units, and building multiple "black market" structures to bring in large amounts of money over time. Also, the GLA are unique in that they have no energy requirement for any of their structures or units. The GLA's upgrades make it more powerful when fully equipped, transforming a relatively weak group of units into a more respectable threat. The GLA is also unique in that its structures, particularly base defenses, rebuild themselves over time unless completely destroyed; this makes it difficult to permanently damage the GLA with many single-shot weapons or units.
The GLA's toxic weapons, suicide units, and stealth and surprise abilities enable it to hit enemies from unexpected directions, and its powerful economy, combined with cheap, fast units, enables it to flood opponents with sheer numbers. The GLA's primary disadvantage is that, in terms of firepower, range, and durability, its units are outmatched by Chinese and American units, and it has a complete lack of air power.
The GLA campaign is the second chronologically in Generals. Following the setback at the hands of the Chinese, they raise funds and instigate attacks against their American and Chinese antagonists. They eventually overtake the Baikonur Cosmodrome in order to fire a Soyuz rocket bearing a biological MIRV at Astana city. In Zero Hour, the GLA loses control of the Baikonur Cosmodrome to the USA and attacks the west coast of America in retaliation and eventually invades Europe. They are defeated in Europe by China.
The United States is the most technologically advanced faction, and fights with a combination of powerful ground units and a large, versatile fleet of aircraft. USA forces rely on skill, mobility, and high technology to defeat the raw firepower of China and the guerilla tactics of the GLA. USA ground vehicles can construct unmanned drones to support and repair them in combat, and American troops and vehicles make extensive use of laser technology to guide weapons and defend against attack. American infantry have a number of special abilities, and include stealthy long-ranged snipers and a powerful commando named Colonel Burton with a number of abilities revolving around demolition and stealth. The USA also fields the largest air fleet in the game, including attack and transport helicopters, fighter planes, high speed bombers and stealth bombers. American Generals' abilities revolve around air power, including air strikes by A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and fuel air bombs. They also possess a Particle Cannon super weapon capable of destroying units and most buildings instantly.
The USA has a major disadvantage, however, in that it has the most expensive economy in the game; in comparison to troop costs, it has a less stable supply of power than China, and its high-tech units are very expensive. However, they gain resources the fastest, with their speedy chinooks taking $600 at a time. This method, though makes them vulnerable to a GLA quad cannon attack, or a Chinese Gattling tank.
The USA campaign is the third chronologically in Generals. In response to the GLA's launch of the biochemical weapon, the USA engages the GLA across several locales, including Baghdad and the Caspian Sea. They later defeat a rogue Chinese general supporting the terrorists and track them back to their base of operations in Akmola, Kazakhstan. In Zero Hour, the USA retakes the Baikonur Cosmodrome, but is later pushed back from Europe after the GLA invades the west coast of the United States.
Many reviewers have praised the diversity of the factions presented in the Command & Conquer games. Because of the markedly different units, a different playing style is often needed depending on the faction. Reviewers praised this diversity, particularly since similar RTS games of the time had little diversity between the factions.
The Command & Conquer series also influenced RTS gamers and affected the way other RTS games on consoles such as the Xbox 360 & PS3 were made.
A sequel for the game "Command and Conquer Generals 2" has been announced by EA and is planning to be released in 2013.[10]
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