Command & Conquer: Generals - Zero Hour/China Nuke General vs. GLA Toxin General

Hard Difficulty

Once again, it is very important on this level to spread out structures on the base, especially if the strategy in question relies on withstanding the SCUD Storm, rather than preemptively neutralizing it. Keep additional Dozers as it will very likely destroy the Command Center if given the chance.

There are contaminated Bunkers all around the map. Their AOE isn't particularly large until they are destroyed, at which point they release an a toxic blast equivalent to an Anthrax Bomb. Usually it's better to leave them untouched, but if needed they can be repaired after using Black Lotus to capture them.

Start this level building an additional dozer. Build a Barracks, Reactor and Supply Center.

Thrax will typically start off with infantry rushes coming by the two Oil Derrick, so research Capture Building and train some Red Guards to seize them for an easier startoff. The Dozers should build a Gattling Cannon near them to pick these threats off. Later on Bunkers filled with Tank Hunters will be needed to neutralize Bomb Trucks. A similar setup is required near the Command Center, except the Gattling Cannon should be flanked by two Bunkers. Prioritize filling Bunkers near the Command Center first as the Quad Cannons will come pretty early. After building a Bunker and a Gattling Cannon in the Northwest, pull out the Dozer so Jarmen Kell can't snipe it. Alternatively, it is possible to place a Reactor there to conserve space.

Get the Nuclear Missile running as soon as possible by building a War Factory and a Propaganda Center. If the SCUD Launcher comes too early, reload. Gattling Tanks are preferred over Battlemasters as Thrax' vehicles are all lightly armored, and Gattling Tanks can also neutralize his Anthrax Bombers or Jarmen Kell. Avoid contact with any enemy structures and instead focus on taking out enemy units, particularly the SCUD Launchers/Rocket Buggies.

Build an Internet Center and fill it with Hackers, as beyond the initial Supply Dock and Oil Derricks, there are no other viable sources of income anywhere else. Overlords with Propaganda Towers can help the Gattling Tanks to survive, while Red Guards are needed to retake vehicles lost to Jarmen Kell. Don't forget to keep reinforcing empty Bunkers with Tank Hunters - an Overlord with its own Bunker or a Troop Crawler can be used to ferry them if needed.

When the Nuclear Missile is ready, fire it and follow that up with a level 3 Artillery Barrage. Don't let up just yet and save the Nuclear Missile as he will rebuild the SCUD Storm at least once or twice. Meanwhile, continue pumping out units for defense, and construct additional Nuclear Missiles.

Target the enemy Command Center and Supply Stash to prevent more workers from rebuilding anything, then the Palace and all remaining production structures, including the Arms Dealer on the East.

Alternate Strategy

This mission is quite hectic at the beginning. It is necessary to survive long enough to build a Nuclear Missile before the countdown begins for the GLA’s Scud Storm.

Once you get the Nuclear Missile built (in time) and three Overlords built for protection, things flow along more smoothly. It is necessary to stay extremely alert to protect your tanks from Truck Bombs and Scud Launchers.

Good luck!

Walkthrough:

Basic start: Build a Reactor, an extra dozer, a Barracks and Supply Center. Build a second Supply Truck. Research the Capture command and create a Red Guard unit. Capture the oil derrick.

Save your General’s Powers for the third level Artillery Barrage.

Key Strategies

• As soon as possible, build one Overlord tank upgraded with Gattling Guns. This is necessary for your survival through the first portion of this game. Afterwards, as soon as your credits reach 4,500, make a beeline to building your Nuclear Missile. Create a Nuclear Reactor after the nuke starts building to save a few precious seconds.
• After the Nuclear Missile is built, create two more Overlords to join your first one. Have one upgraded with a Propaganda Tower and one with a Bunker. Move the men in the Bunker on the northern side of your base into your Overlord and use the three tanks in combination to protect your northern flank. Be careful! If you are careless, these tanks can still be lost!
• Use caution when approaching the southern flank of the main GLA base. About a dozen RPG Troopers flowing from the Barracks can blast apart your column of Overlords. Use a Nuclear Missile to clear the area right before you move in.
• Don’t waste your Nuclear Missiles on the Command Center. It will just be rebuilt. Instead, save them up for pre-destroying garrisoned buildings and Artillery Platforms to speed up offensive operations.
• Capture the oil derrick to the northwest of your base when you are able to sufficiently protect it from stray vehicles coming through the area.
• Build an extra three or more Gattling Cannons to the north of your base to destroy the plane carrying the Anthrax Bomb. This will speed up the mission when you don’t have this distraction to deal with.
• A level-three Artillery Barrage and Nuclear Missile will destroy the Scud Storm but not its base structure. It is necessary to use two Nuclear Missiles and one of the General’s Powers to totally destroy this structure. By this method, the Scud Storm will not be rebuilt as often.

The time sequence is tight here. Build two Bunkers, one to the east slightly below the oil derrick and one to the north of the base. Build two Gattling Cannons, one slightly to the north of the oil derrick and one to the north of your base by the Bunker.

Your base is at higher risk from the north, so first recruit three Tank Hunters for your northern Bunker, then three for your eastern Bunker.

Build a War Factory, then put two more Tank Hunters in both the northern and eastern bunkers.

Your base is actually quite secure to the east now and you just need to worry about the north.

Immediately build a Gattling Tank and a Battlemaster. These two vehicles are necessary to attack the Scud Launcher that will appear shortly. Try not to lose them!

Next build a Propaganda Center. This is necessary to get your Overlords rolling off the assembly line and then your Nuclear Missile up and running.

Purchase Radar to activate the radar map.

Build your first Overlord and upgrade with Gattling Cannons. Keep the Overlord to the west of your Bunker and Gattling Cannon to help keep him safe from Jarmen Kell.

Move any extra Red Guard to slightly behind your northern defense to recapture vehicles disabled by Jarmen. Keep an eye out for him and attack with your Gattling Tank.

As soon as you have 4,500 credits, start building your Nuclear Missile. As soon as you have an additional 1,200 credits, start building an additional Nuclear Reactor. Your nuclear missile should be ready to fire about a minute before the Scud Storm is ready.

Keep an eye on your resources. As soon as you have the funds for a second Overlord, build it and upgrade it with the Propaganda Tower. This will help all of your Overlords survive the Anthrax attacks.

Build a third Overlord and upgrade it with a Bunker. Either move the Tank Hunters from the northern Bunker into this unit or create another five Tank Hunters to power up this Overlord.

Your Overlords can now hold the northern flank and survive Anthrax attacks. Congratulations!

Your Overlords are now actually strong enough to destroy the Stinger Site and Toxic Bunker to the north of your base. This will help prevent you from accidentally wandering into their path later on and will position you far enough to the north to protect your base from Scud Launchers.

You can now relax a bit and build yourself an Internet Center. Wait until after the Anthrax attack before building hackers as they might be fumigated on the way to the Internet Center. Go ahead and build eight hackers, placing them in the Internet Center. You won’t have to worry about funds the rest of the mission.

Be careful and baby-sit your Overlords or Truck Bombs can destroy them.

Important: Research Chain Guns to make your Overlords more powerful.

Select Artillery Barrage (Level 3). Use this General’s Power along with your Nuclear Missile to destroy the Scud Storm.

From here on out, build up additional Overlords and Nuclear Missiles to your heart’s content. Move east, destroying Artillery Platforms and garrisoned buildings with Nuclear Missiles and your General’s Powers. Destroy the Arms Dealer to the east and start moving north.

Muscle your way north of the river, making sure the garrisoned buildings in the area are destroyed from above.

Don’t be shy about using your nukes. The Barracks will crank out dozens of RPG Troopers to shred your Overlords, so blast it to oblivion.

Don’t get overly confident yet. The Palace to the north is fortified with RPG Troopers also and, again, the second Barracks to the far north is going to crank out massive RPG Troopers. Again, don’t shy away from weapons of mass destruction.

Destroy the rest of the GLA base and victory is yours.

Mission accomplished!