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

This is one of the more challenging missions for the GLA generals. Thankfully, the Marauder tanks have a bit of a thick skin to help deal with the Tank General’s arsenal.

This mission can be played in a practically identical manner to the Demolitions General. The Marauder tanks and Rebels use toxins versus fire power, so enemy troops are easier to deal with.

This is practically nonstop, hands-on action to deal effectively with the powerful tanks coming toward your base, but the mission can still be won. You may want to save frequently for reloads when battles don’t go exactly your way.

The goal is to find the right balance between having a sufficient minimal defense and still build two Scud Storms before the Tank General launches his Nuclear Missile. A northern and eastern group of vehicles backed up by a Stinger Site will work. Jarmen Kell needs to be kept busy on the east sniping troops and vehicles, with extra Rebels on hand to capture them. An extra Quad Cannon needs to be added to the northern defense to handle the area where Jarmen Kell is not present.

The tide finally begins to turn slightly in your favor when you have the opportunity to snipe and capture your first Emperor tank. The intensity decreases a bit each time an Emperor is added to your front-line defenses to heal your surrounding units and fight off enemy armor.

Walkthrough

Queue up eight or nine extra workers. You will need to raise funds quickly to quickly build two Scud Storms and a reasonably strong defense.

Key Strategies

• Build a Barracks directly to the east of the Command Center and a Stinger Site just very slightly to the east of the Barracks. This will be the eastern flank of your base. You want your base to be reasonably compact so that it will be easier to defend. Build your defenses to the north at a position where it can just barely defend the western portion of your base.
• Have very active management of your units. Constantly send your units to be repaired.
• Launch two of your Scud Storms simultaneously at the northern tip of the Nuclear Missile. This will destroy both the nuke and the Propaganda Center. The Nuclear Missile will then not be rebuilt.
• Always have a few Rebels on standby in a safe location to capture sniped vehicles. Once you have the Rebel Ambush command, you can create troops this way.
• A nominal defense of a Quad Cannon and three or four Marauders is needed for both the northern and eastern flanks – both backed up by a Stinger Site. The more units, the better. Place Jarmen Kell on the eastern flank, so keeping at least one Quad to the north is extremely important. (See alternate defense below.)
• It seems somewhat random from which direction the first Emperor will come. Reload from your last save if you are not able to capture the first Emperor. If there is an extremely intense assault from any one direction, don’t be shy to borrow units from another area of your base.
• Do not center the Guard mode for your units too far in front of the Stinger Sites or they will be picked off before the Stinger Sites kick in to help. Have the unit’s Guard mode set directly on the Stinger or even slightly behind it.
• You can survive the first Nuclear Missile in case your Scuds are not ready in time. Simply pull your troops outside of the base once the nuke launches. Most or all of your structures will rebuild automatically.

Build a Supply Stash. Build a Barracks directly east of your base. Build a Stinger Site slightly to the east of the Barracks. Build a Stinger Site to the north of your base.

Build an Arm’s Dealer and crank out two Quad Cannons and then six Marauders, to be divided between the two flanks, north and east.

Alternate defense: Build a Stinger Site directly north of your Command Center and then a second one directly to the west of the first Stinger. Build a Stinger directly to the east of the Barracks and another one directly below it. You can now use fewer armored units to guard your base. Center the Guard command for the vehicles between the two Stinger Sites.

Immediately start building a Palace, then recruit Jarmen Kell. Place him to the east of the base to start sniping vehicles and protect against infantry. Recruit a few Rebels so they can capture these vehicles.

The first Emperor may come from either direction, so be alert. Snipe it with Jarmen Kell and capture it with a Rebel. Place it at either your northern or eastern flank. Upgrade it with Gattling Cannons only after you have started building your second Scud Storm.

As soon as you have the funds start building your first Scud Storm. By now you should be Level 3, so select your Cash Bounty General’s Power to quickly build up funds for a second Scud Storm. (Note: You may want to delay building your first Scud Storm until you have $10,000 to build two at once. The tank general doesn't build his Nuke until after you build your first superweapon.)

If you want, sell your Barracks for a nice secure position for your second Scud Storm, plus this will give you a few extra credits to start the building more quickly. Don’t delay or you will be hit by the Nuclear Missile.

Choose the Rebel Ambush General’s Power to create more Rebels to capture sniped vehicles. Place captured Gattling Cannons behind your enemy lines on the southeast and northwest corners of your base to be sure troops don’t get past your other defenses.

A second Emperor should be rolling around about the time the second Scud Storm is finished building. Be sure to capture it. If it comes on the wrong side of the base where Jarmen is not located, it may be best to go back to your last save and try again.

Before your Scud Storms are ready to launch, try to capture a third Emperor. Be sure to upgrade all of them with Gattling Cannons.

Important: Center the Scud Storm strikes on the northern edge of the Nuclear Missile. This double strike should destroy both the Nuclear Missile and the Propaganda Center. Once the Propaganda Center is destroyed, the Nuclear Missile will not be rebuilt.

Keep capturing further Emperors and build a total of four or more Scud Storms. When they are ready to fire, destroy the Command Center, then all dozers that come back to rebuild it. Once you do this, the Tank General’s base can be disassembled at will.

You can also use the Rebel Ambush and Sneak Attack tunnel to help you destroy the dozers returning to this area and other enemy units and structures.

It is not necessary to destroy Speaker Towers, Bunkers and Gattling Cannons for the Tank General to surrender.

Mission accomplished!