Command & Conquer: Generals/USA

The USA's arsenal is unique because of its cutting-edge technologies, from laser-lock missiles lasers to hovering robots. The attitude of the USA is to strike cleanly and effectively, without resorting to the dated or even crude weapons used by the other factions. This leads to an expensive campaign, forcing selectivity of production options upon the USA.

The USA is the most-played faction online, because of the ease in the execution of their key strategies. Among the lower ranks, the USA is often deemed overpowered for this reason, though the balance is essentially perfect in the higher ranks.

USA Structures
USA structures are generally tough and more resilient than the other two factions, which makes them harder to take down. For this reason, USA structures also cost more to build and consume more power. The benefits from that, however, is that all USA structures automatically repair themselves without the aid of a Dozer. When a USA structure is destroyed (including defensive structures), occupying Rangers will evacuate from within it. Larger structures deploy more Rangers.


 * Command Center
 * The core of the USA operation, every USA player starts with a Command Center and a Dozer to build the rest of the base. Apart from producing Dozers, the Command Center also provides radar capability and spy satellite, which can reveal a large radius of the map terrain and any stealth units within range. All General Powers are all deployed from it as well.


 * Cold Fusion Reactor
 * A basic power supply, the Reactor provides 5 units of power to the base. The Control Rod upgrade can be used to maximize its output.


 * Barracks
 * All USA infantry can be trained, upgraded and healed at the Barracks. Rangers can gain the Flash Bang ability and Capture ability from the Barracks.


 * Supply Center
 * The backbone of the USA army, the Supply Center allows the player to deploy Chinooks to collect supplies. Although less efficient than GLA Workers and Supply Trucks, Chinooks carry more supplies and can travel across any terrain to pick up the goods.


 * Patriot Missile Battery
 * A defensive structure for the USA, the Patriot Missile System can target ground and air units. Due to its long range and rapid firing rate, it can be deadly to enemy aircraft and slow vehicles. It is, however, less effective against infantry, and consumes a considerable amount of power. Therefore it should be linked with anti-infantry units to prevent them getting through.


 * War Factory
 * The home of all USA vehicles. The War Factory can build and repair vehicles, and can research the TOW missile upgrade.


 * Air Field
 * The Air Field can build, maintain, arm, and hold up to 4 airplanes. Planes without an Air Field will eventually crash. Note that the Comanche helicopter does not need to return to the Air Field unless repair is needed. The Laser Missile and Rocket Pod upgrades can be purchased from here.


 * Strategy Center
 * The most advanced USA arsenal components require the Strategy Center to become available. The Strategy Center provides Advanced Training, Drone Armor, and Composite Armor upgrades. It also has three battle plans which can be applied for all USA units:


 * Battle Plans:
 * Bombardment: All units do more damage. The Strategy Center will fire cannon shells at enemies in vicinity.
 * Hold the Line: All units receive increased armor. The Strategy Center is fortified by sandbags and becomes twice as tough.
 * Search and Destroy: All units have increased sight. The Strategy Center detects all stealth units within range.
 * Supply Drop Zone
 * A secondary source of income for the USA. Although it consumes power, a plane will drop supplies at the Drop Zone every 2 minutes, which can make a huge difference in battle when all supply depots are exhausted.


 * Detention Center
 * From the Detention Center, the player can reveal everything within the sight of the enemy for a short period of time.


 * Particle Cannon
 * The ultimate weapon of the USA. The Particle Cannon fires a Particle Beam at enemy installments, dealing heavy damage. Players can maneuver the beam by left clicking at the designated targets. The beam dissipates after a certain period of time. The Particle Cannon has the shortest recharging time, can be fired immediately when ready, and therefore is ideal against closely packed enemy units. The beam can be maneuvered faster by double-clicking the designated target.

Infantry

 * Ranger - While expensive in comparison, the Ranger is the only rifle infantry in this game who can use two weapons, the Assault Rifle and the Flashbang Grenades. Their Flashbang Grenades are effective in clearing structures and dealing with angry mobs, but are useless against vehicles. Rangers can also clear out buildings by being combat dropped into them via the Chinook.
 * Missile Defender - These well-equipped rocket soldiers are essential to the USA strategy, left in Humvees for maximum effect. Optionally, they can attack with laser sights to greatly increase their rate-of-fire and range after a short delay. Unlike a RPG Trooper or the Tank Hunter, their missiles don't wear out when pursuing aircraft.
 * Pathfinder - The Pathfinder is available after the expenditure of a level 3 Generals' Point. These anti-infantry units are unique because they may fire without blowing their stealthed position. They can also hide in structures, which grant them sufficient protection while maintaining stealth. Finally, the Pathfinder detects stealthed units in a wide radius when out in the open. When moving, the pathfinder is fully visible to enemy units.
 * Col. Burton - As a hero unit, Col. Burton is stealthed when idle or moving, and can also climb over cliffs for a surprise attack. The speedy USA hero is equipped with a machine gun that proves very effective against all targets, or can choose to use a knife to kill adjacent infantry while maintaining his invisibility. Finally, Burton can choose between remote demo charges or timed demo charges to damage structures, although technically, they can be attached to vehicles too.
 * Pilot (non-trainable) - Pilots are generated when a USA vehicle or plane with veterancy is destroyed or shot down. Pilots have the same veterancy as the vehicle they evacuate. Unarmed, these units can enter friendly vehicles, be them USA, China, or GLA units, and add their own veterancy to theirs for a maximum of 3 chevs (Heroic). Their veterancy is not transferred when they enter unoccupied vehicles.

Vehicles

 * Construction Dozer - Equal to the Chinese dozer in speed and armor, this unarmed unit is necessary to build structures. It is also capable of clearing mine fields, demo charges, and Demo Traps without the risk of getting hit. USA structures are automatically repaired, but a dozer can speed up the process.
 * Crusader Tank - a heavily armored unit, very effective vs. structures and vehicles. Crusaders are rather costly to build en masse.
 * Humvee - The most versatile unit in Generals, the Humvee can carry up to 5 infantry units, which can fire normally from the Humvee. The Humvee can also be upgraded early on to carry TOW Missiles, making the Humvee dangerous as an anti-air unit, and able to hold its own vs. light armor. When it is destroyed, however, all infantries within it are also killed.
 * Paladin Tank - The Paladin fires the same shell as the Crusader, but is more heavily armored, and is equipped with a slow-firing point defense laser which destroys nearby enemy rockets and zaps nearby infantry dead. useful when facing rocket armed opponents. particularly GLA scorpion tanks which are dependent on their rockets for maximum effect.
 * Ambulance - This unit is unarmed, though any infantry unit that nears or enters it rapidly recovers health. It can carry 3 infantry units as a Humvee, though the Ambulance cannot be fired from. The Ambulance is the only unit that can remove hazardous material from the land, making it effective when resuming production after a Nuclear Missile, SCUD Storm, or Anthrax Bomb.
 * Tomahawk Missile Launcher - This thin-skinned vehicle carries a massive missile, which can outrange base defenses and do severe damage from a distance. The icing on the cake is that the missile homes in on targeted enemy vehicles, assuring heavy damage. Like the SCUD Launcher's warhead, this missile will be shot down by Paladin Tanks' laser. The weapon also has a blast radius comparable to the artillery shells, thus allowing it to remain useful against infantry.

With the exception of the Construction Dozer, all USA ground vehicles have the option of buying either a Scout Drone (costing 100) or a Battle Drone (costing 300) to follow and circle around its parent vehicle. The Scout Drone extends a unit's sight range and detects stealth infantry units. The more expensive Battle Drone is more heavily armored and carries a weak anti-infantry machine gun at the cost of intelligence capabilities, and repairs the parent vehicle when idle. Drones are destroyed upon the destruction or disablement of a vehicle, or upon fire from enemy anti-air, at which time they may be rebuilt. The Battle Drone's considerable armor makes it effective fodder against incoming attacks. The Drone Armor upgrade at the Strategy Center can increase their armor as well.

Air Force

 * Chinook - The USA's Primary Resource gatherer. These helicopters can carry $600 worth of supplies at once and ship it across the map at high speed. Additionally, the Chinook can be used to transport up to 8 friendly ground units through the air; vehicles count as three units and dozers count as five. Rangers can be dropped into combat from ropes, a tactic that can be used to clear enemy buildings as an alternative to the Flashbang Grenades upgrade.
 * Comanche - A powerful helicopter. Comanches are best used as a defensive weapon, and are quite deadly in support of a ground force. With the Rocket Pods upgrade, Comanches can easily eliminate large groups and even structures in one assault, unless challenged by anti-air units.
 * Raptor - The most powerful fighter in the game, also an efficient anti-vehicle bomber. They can be further upgraded with laser guided missiles to boost their effect. It is especially vulnerable to Chinese MiGs.
 * Stealth Fighter - As it name implies, this unit is invisible during flight, unless in the company of some means of stealth detection. This plane is notably difficult to knock out before it returns to invisibility. Like the Raptor, this plane benefits from the Laser Missiles upgrade, but still fires relatively weaker missiles, most effective against artillery and base defenses. Before the Stealth Fighter can be produced (for a lot of money), the USA player must expend a General's Point.
 * Aurora Bomber - A supersonic bomber, capable of outdistancing enemy artillery and missiles, giving it temporary invulnerability during its bombing run. Once it has dropped its payload, however, the bomber flies at half speed, making its thin frame an easy target for enemy anti-air. It can also be hit flying in large group. The costly Aurora requires a Strategy Center in addition to a USA Airfield before it can be accessed.

1 Star Generals Abilities

 * Spy Drone - Allow the player to deploy a Spy Drone to circle around a small proportion of the map, providing an out looking eye for the army. Spy Drone is stealthed but can be detected and shot down.
 * Stealth Fighter - The ability to build Stealth Fighters at the Air Field.
 * Paladin Tank - The ability to build Paladin Tanks at the War Factory.

3 Star Generals Abilities

 * Pathfinder - The ability to train the Pathfinder at the Barracks.
 * A10 Airstrike - The ability to call in A10 Thunderbolt Airstrike. A10s attack targeted area with missiles and mini-guns. There are 3 levels of A10 Airstrike, higher levels call in more A10s.
 * Paradrop - This ability to Paradrop Rangers has 3 levels. A higher level drops more Rangers.
 * Emergency Repair - The ability to repair friendly vehicles within a small area. There are 3 levels of Emergency Repair.

5 Star Generals Abilities

 * Fuel Airbomb - Call in a B-52 bomber to drop a Fuel Airbomb at the enemy.

USA Upgrades

 * Capture Building - Available at the Barracks, enable Rangers to capture most enemy structures and all civilian tech structures. Cost: 1000
 * Flashbang - Available at the Barracks, allows Rangers to switch from their machine guns to Flashbang Grenades, which are extremely effective against infantry garrisoned in buildings, killing them instantly from a safe distance. It is not effective against vehicles and structures. Cost: 800
 * Laser Missiles - Developed at the Air Field, increase the damage of Raptors and Stealth Fighters by 25%. Cost: 1500
 * Rocket Pod - Purchased at the Air Field. The Rocket Rod upgrade enables Comanches to use the Rocket Barrage ability, which can wreak havoc on large group of vehicles. It require a short time to cool down after using. Cost: 800
 * TOW Missile - Developed at the War Factory, add a TOW Missile to Humvees, which can be used to target ground and air units, greatly increasing its firepower. Cost: 1200
 * Control Rod - Upgraded at each Cold Fusion Reactor, increases its output by 100%. Cost: 500
 * Composite Armor - Available at the Strategy Center, increase tank armor. Crusader gets +40%, Paladin gets +20%. Cost: 2000
 * Drone Armor - Available at the Strategy Center, increase the armor of Battle Drones and Scout Drones by 50%. Cost: 500
 * Advanced Training - Developed at the Strategy Center, all USA units gain Veterancy twice as fast. Cost: 1500