Video games - Command & Conquer: Generals

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	Video games - Command & Conquer: Generals - Zero Hour

Command and Conquer: Generals - Zero Hour is the expansion pack for the computer game Command & Conquer: Generals
. It was released one year after the main game and is currently on version 1.04.

Zero Hour added several new abilities to each side, and a new mode of play called Generals' Challenge. In Generals' Challenge, the player takes on the identity of one of nine generals (three representing each faction) and does battle against some of the other generals in what effectively amounts to wargames, eventually confronting a powerful "boss" general.

Campaigns

Zero Hour also contains three new campaigns of five missions each, one for each side, with their chronological order being USA first, GLA second, and China last. Unlike the previous campaigns, which were noted by Command and Conquer fans for not having cinema sequences during mission briefing, the Zero Hour campaigns return to that Command and Conquer tradition, each showing a video of a reporter of the respective side giving details about the situation behind the current mission. The plot behind the Zero Hour campaigns picks up where it left off at the end of the previous campaigns.

USA

The campaign begins right after the last campaign in Generals, with the GLA using their newly acquired base in Baikonour, Kazakhstan (the Soviet Union's, and now Russia's, equivalent to Cape Canaveral) to launch a special toxic missile at a US base in Europe. Although the destruction is catastrophic, the goal of the launch, to sink the US fleet in port at the European base, is not achieved, so the GLA attempts to try again before they are overrun. (China, according to the mission briefing, tried and failed to retake the Baikonour base.)

The GLA don't know that the US has a base not far from Baikonour, however, and although the US forces could easily destroy the train carrying the new missile, they decide to instead hijack it instead, and use it to sneak a force inside the GLA base and destroy them from within. They do this, and a B-2 bomber comes and drops a MOAB (Massive Ordinance Air Burst, commonly known as the Mother of All Bombs) in Baikonour, annihilating all the GLA there. The US continues its campaign against the GLA, protecting an international relief convoy in Somalia, then sneaking its hero, Colonel Burton, into a GLA research lab in Russia, and finding out how the GLA have been getting their new weapons tech--from a mad scientist aptly named Dr. Thrax. They then go on to liberate Iranian Oil Fields from GLA control, and finally wrap it all up by bringing down Thrax himself. But the GLA is not dead yet...

GLA

In the GLA campaign, the GLA, though dissapointed by the death of Dr. Thrax, receives a boost in morale with the sucessful appointment of their new leader, General Mohmar "Deathstrike". The GLA first attempts to reunite its splintered factions under "Deathstrike's" command, which it succeeds in doing after eliminating the defector Prince Kassad's forces in Egypt, and then begins a fervent mission to drive the Americans from Europe. Despite their lack of technology, the GLA suceeds in inflicting tremendous harm against the USA, as by capturing a USA particle uplink cannon which they use to destroy the USS Reagan and infiltrating the USA West Coast and stealing toxins from a chemical storage facility. This reaches its climax when the GLA overruns the USA’s European central command base located in Germany, partially with the use of captured Chinese weaponry. This disaster prompts the United States to return to isolationism, withdrawing its forces from Europe in an effort to defend the homeland. The GLA's primary objective accomplished, they now begin to invade a vulnerable Europe.

China

In the China campaign, China sends its army into Europe to relieve the USA and gain revenge against the GLA for their humiliating use of China's own military hardware in the capture of the German military base. In order to prevent the GLA from making use of advanced USA weapons, China launches a nuclear missile at the military base, destroying it, and then sends its forces into Germany, where the GLA invaders are concentrated. After a series of devestating losses, the nearly defeated GLA takes control of an evacuated USA military base and uses its weaponry against the Chinese army. China succeeds in recapturing this base, and eliminating the GLA for good, rooting out their influence in Europe. China gains new respect in the eyes of the rest of the world, which now looks to China, rather than the USA, for defence.

Generals

Each general has his/her own unique units/modifications to his/her side's arsenal. The generals are:

United States

General Alexis Alexander - a 4-Star American general in the US Marines that specializes in superweapons. She has a modified particle cannon which fires a more damaging purple beam for a shorter time than the standard particle cannon, is buildable at half the price of the standard particle cannon. She has an advanced control rods upgrade for her cold fusion reactors that gives much extra power. However, all of her vehicles except Avengers cost more to produce. She has the EMP Patriot missile systems, highly effective defensive structures which cause aircraft to crash with one or a few hits and disable vehicles for about 30 seconds, and the Aurora Alpha bomber, one or two of which can destroy most buildings and large groups of ground units with miniature fuel-air bombs and is invulnerable before releasing its ordnance. In addition, she receives the leaflet drop and Spectre Gunship (which has two upgrades) at earlier ranks. In online play, many new players will refuse to play against anyone using this general. This is largely due to her devastating Aurora Alpha bombers. Her greatest weakness is that her offensive options are limited to price-penalized Hummvee rushes before she builds the Strategy Center, which enables the construction of the Aurora Alpha bombers and Particle Cannons, meaning that she is especially challenged by rushes and constant pressure, though these are two techniques that only skilled players usually employ. Ironically, her extremely effective EMP Patriot systems, when used without the support of her other defensive structure, the Firebase, and other ground and air forces, are vulnerable to the cheapest units in the game: infantry. Artillery is also an effective counter unless Aurora Alphas are on hand to destroy them.
General Malcom "Ace" Granger - a 4-Star American general in the US Air Force who specializes in aircraft. He is commonly known as the United States Air Force General. He has King Raptors, tremendously powerful versions of the standard Raptor fighter / strike jets with a more ammunition, stronger armor, stealth detection, and point defense lasers that render them almost invulnerable to anti-aircraft missiles and mean that USA opponents have only one expensive option, the Avenger, for shooting them down once airborne. He can also build a Combat Chinook, which is able to carry 8 infantry units and allows them to fire from within. He can also upgrade his Comanches to have stealth capabilities. When used in large numbers by skilled players, Stealth Comanches are one of the most powerful offensive forces in the game, and with a risky build order focused exclusively on producing them as early as possible, they can be sent against an opponent fairly early in the game, before enough anti-air to counter them can be produced. All of his airplanes have the point defense lasers mentioned above, and all aircraft additionally can be upgraded with countermeasures, and are less expensive than usual. Granger's air units as a whole are certainly the most powerful in the game, although Alexander's Aurora Alpha is stronger than his. He is not able to build any tanks and his other vehicles are more expensive, so the player must rely on planes and light units used in pressure tactics and strikes at key buildings and units. He can also spend a General's point to obtain a B2 bomber strike deployable at intervals from his Strategy Center, which is essentially a fast-moving version of China's Carpet Bombing and with the Specter Gunship and A10 Strike gives him more airstrike options than any other USA general. As of Patch 1.04, General Granger is considered one of the strongest generals in the game. China Infantry has a fairly easy time nullifying his air units with his Gattling-wielding Red Guard, which are perhaps the most effective anti-air in the game, and GLA's Quad Cannon and China's Gattling Tank are effective counters as well, though more expensive to produce in large enough numbers. Granger's ability to strike anywhere on the map quickly makes him very powerful on large maps or as an ally in team games, although rushes with Quad Cannons or other anti-air can quickly take him out on maps where his base is accessible.
General "Pinpoint" Townes - a 4-Star American general in the US Army who specializes in laser weaponry. He possesses laser tanks and laser defense turrets, as well as advanced cold fusion reactors, which generate more power. His Avengers are cheaper than normal, giving him better anti-air than the standard USA general. However, should he run out of power, his laser defense turrets and laser tanks will stop functioning until power returns. This general is among the best at defending (or "turtling") as his laser turrets are among the strongest of defensive structures - though strikes on his power and lack of artillery are major weaknesses here. General Townes is, as of Patch 1.04, a very powerful but balanced USA general, perhaps the most balanced of the new generals, and is the only USA general with a decent chance of shooting down Granger's Raptors. He benefits from cheap Humvees for early attacks, and cheap Avengers for effective support and anti-air. A few of his laser tanks are a match for anything else on the ground, including Overlords, especially with veterancy, Hellfire drones, and Composite Armor, but are weak to massed missile infantry, even with Avenger support. His lack of artillery can leave him short on options when he allows the opponent to build up defenses, however, and he must pay special attention to his economy, since his forces are expensive to field in effective numbers.

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Video games - Command & Conquer: Generals - Zero Hour

Campaigns

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Generals

United States

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