Zhang Jian's Version of Mental Omega
zj 1.2.2
by Zhang Jian, the Silent
Chinese edition (in-depth analyses on translation, more than 60 thousands “words”; immense discussions in comments): https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/157799050
zj 1.2.2’s EXORDIUM
Once I translated my paper into Chinese, Mr. @大力出奇迹 reviewed it thoroughly and offered me a lot of valuable suggestions, many of which were adopted in zj 1.2.2. I’m grateful for his talent and generosity.
English edition of zj 1.2.2 was finished a long time ago, but Chinese translation was delayed again and again, because I, with the support of my team, have been working on a new and exciting project, “Math of War 1”, since 2020.
My enthusiasm for Mental Omega has already been waning.
PREFACE
The first principle of my work is systematizing / co-ordinating / rationalizing.
For example, I regulate and rename the subfactions, so that all of their names are fairly two words and the second words begin with the same letter in the same faction (and with different letters in different factions):
Allied (The Allied Bloc): PA (Pacific Armies), UA (Upper America -- zj 1.2.1), EA (Euro Alliance);
Soviet (The Soviet Empire): HK (Havana Kingdom), RK (Russian Khanate), KK (Korea-Kashmir);
Epsilon (The Epsilon Domain): SC (Scorpion Cell), PC (Psi Corps), AC (Antarctic Castles);
Foehn (The Foehn Revolt): HH (Hai Head), CH (Coronian Hurricanes), LH (Last Havens -- zj 1.2.1).
By the way, we’d better use fictional names. Don’t forget why “Command and Conquer: Generals” was doomed in China.
Another example is that I standardize heroes/heroines and epic units: 1 each subfaction has either two heroes or one hero + one epic; 2 in every faction two subfactions are one hero + one epic and one subfaction is two heroes; 3 all heroes and epics have obvious shortcomings, but every duo (either two heroes or one hero + one epic) is (almost) all-round; 4 every epic has special connections with its subfaction (support powers, units, etc.).
The second purpose is to polish the words.
For instance, I rewrite all subfactions’ introductions (RK’s and KK’s are redefined):
Pacific Armies chills its foes to the bone even from long distance.
Upper America’s state-of-the-art laser precisely leads to victory.
Euro Alliance masters firepower calculations, teleportation and defensive tactics. (zj 1.2.2)
Havana Kingdom employs flame, smoke and suicide in harassment and sabotage.
Russian Khanate wields formidable nuclear weapons. (zj 1.1.2)
Korea-Kashmir’s advanced Tesla EMPs disable its enemies in groups. (zj 1.2.2)
Scorpion Cell swamps its targets with lethal poisons.
Psi Corps manipulates psychics and gravity.
Antarctic Castles is armed to the genes. (zj 1.0.8)
Hai Head spearheads cyber techs and confusion. (zj 1.2.2)
Coronian Hurricanes is the god of the heaven.
Last Havens develops heavy units and nanofibers to keep it intact. (zj 1.2.2)
However, I’m merely familiar with Chinese and English. That’s to say I’m not sure whether I use other languages properly. (zj 1.0.8)
This paper mainly consists of five Chapters.
Chapter One: I list all the buildings and units with some comments.
Chapter Two: the explanations for the fundamental changes of Allied’s and Soviet’s tech trees, and quite a few other discussions.
Chapter Three: more details in order.
Chapter Four: missions and sets (e.g. the ideal location for LH’s capital is Alert).
Chapter Five: miscellaneous.
I’m not proficient in setting stats for MO. Please forgive me that I omit most of numerical discussions. And all the values I set need rethinking. (Of course, stats is important for any game, not to mention for this one.)
Neither game engine nor coding is within my abilities and interests. (zj 1.2.1)
There’re a lot of “?”s, which mean I’m not confident about the ideas and/or the numbers. Sometimes I offer several options.
CHAPTER ONE
1 The Allied Bloc (Allied)
1.0 General
1.0.1 Structures
T0:
- Power Plant,
- Barracks,
- Ore Refinery,
T1:
- War Factory,
- Navy Shipyard,
- Airforce Command (interchange with Soviet’s, but still $1500).
T2:
- Power Turbine (Structure now, unlocked by either of the T2 lab -- either Airforce Command or Triple Star Kikan / Satellite Uplink / Shield Institute),
- Runway (T2 & Structure now, unlocked by Airforce Command),
- High-tech Skyscraper ($2250, unlocking some T3 & T2),
- Experimental Warpshop ($2250, unlocking some T3 & T2, allowed to be built more than one).
T3:
- Deposit Bank (interchange with Ore Purifier, only $X per 100 frames -- zj 1.1.8),
- Chronosphere (superweapon),
- Weather Controller (superweapon).
1.0.2 Defenses
T0:
T1:
- Pillbox,
- Anti-tank Mine (new),
- Patriot Missiles.
T2:
T3:
- Grand Cannon (new version -- zj 1.1.8),
- Gap Generator.
1.0.3 Infantry
T0:
- GI,
- GGI,
- Engineer,
- Attack Dog.
T2:
- Rocketeer,
- Siege Cadre,
- Field Medic (unlocked by Triple Star Kikan / Satellite Uplink / Shield Institute; new version -- zj 1.2.2),
- Navy Seal (unlocked by Triple Star Kikan / Satellite Uplink / Shield Institute, C4 against vehicles, vessels, buildings and mines, immune to normal crush, HP+).
T3:
1.0.4 Vehicles
T0:
T1:
- Robot Tank (no longer anti-cloak),
- Stryker IFV (common now, stats modified).
Stolen Tech:
- Quickshifter (from Allied, passenger can open fire from inside -- zj 1.2.2),
- Chrono Prison (from Epsilon, Teleport, anti-cloak -- zj 1.2.2),
- Future Tank X-2 (from Foehn, no more anti-cloak, switch between two weapon modes: lasers + grenades/particle collider (3.3.5), omnicrush [= Battle Tortoise + Mastodon, only Future Tank X-2 and M.A.D.M.A.N. can omnicrush, among Stolen Tech units] -- zj 1.2.2).
1.0.5 Aircraft
T1:
- Osprey (from Horizon Destroyer).
T2:
- Chinook Transport (replace Stallion Transport -- zj 1.2.1; unlocked by Triple Star Kikan / Satellite Uplink / Shield Institute; HP 700 = Cargo Plane).
T3:
- Barracuda,
- Cryocopter,
- Hummingbird,
- Black Widow (from support power),
- Hornet UAV (from Enterprise Aircraft Carrier).
Stolen Tech:
- Lionheart (from Soviet, new version -- zj 1.2.2).
1.0.6 Navy
T1:
- Voyager,
- Horizon Destroyer.
T2:
- Aegis Cruiser,
- Dolphin (unlocked by Triple Star Kikan / Satellite Uplink / Shield Institute).
T3:
- Enterprise Aircraft Carrier,
- Trident Battleship
- Siren Frigate (3.3.5).
1.0.7 Support powers
T1:
- Scan,
- Detect Pulse (now from Airforce Command, revealing cloaked units and subs).
T2:
- Black Widow ($800, no more jamming),
- Radar Jamming ($600?, directly targetting an enemy’s radar to jam it [Plan A] or to jam all enemies’ radars [Plan B])
- Ruiner (Allied now, called from High-tech Skyscraper -- zj 1.2.2),
- Backwarp,
- Chronolift.
T3:
- Warp Miner (from Deposit Bank, only one Chrono Miner, $0),
- Chronoshift (superweapon, teleport both friendly infantry and vehicles),
- Lightning Storm (superweapon).
1.1 Pacific Armies (PA)
1.1.1 Structures
T1:
- Triple Star Kikan (Kikan = 機関; 1 a shorter and better name for “Robot Ops Control Center”, 2 to avoid mislinking St. Michael Powersuit with PA).
1.1.2 Defenses
T1:
- Zephyrobot (from support power).
T2:
T3:
1.1.3 Infantry
T3:
- Suppressor (zj 1.2.2),
- Norio (hero, invisible on enemy radar),
- Zhang-Jian (hero, new, Aether bow, the pronunciations of “Zhang (張)” and “Jian (箭)” are [tʂɑŋ55] and [tɕiæn51] respectively).
1.1.4 Vehicles
T1:
T2:
- Zephyr,
- PA MCV (unlocked by either Airforce Command or Triple Star Kikan).
T3:
- Hailstorm,
- Blizzard Tank,
- Battle Tortoise (preloaded with 1 GGI -- zj 1.2.2).
1.1.5 Aircraft
T1:
- Black Eagle (I’ll explain why Black Eagle is T1 not T2),
- Hunter-Seeker (from support power).
T2:
- Tora (虎, new aircraft, to bury Cryo Mines anywhere, invisible on enemy radar, unlocked by Triple Star Kikan).
T3:
- Hailjet (from Hailstorm).
1.1.6 Navy
1.1.7 Support powers
T1:
- Hunter-Seeker ($1000?, fixed number of three, from and only from Triple Star Kikan, invulnerable, no more Sunburst laser, target order: building → armored unit → infantry -- zj 1.1.4),
- Zephyrobot.
1.2 Upper America (UA)
1.2.1 Structures
T2:
1.2.2 Defenses
1.2.3 Infantry
T3:
- Riot Trooper,
- Tanya (hero/heroine, invisible on enemy radar, Laser rifle + Max C4 -- just a new name to distinguish Tanya’s from others’, clear garrisoned structures from range 9 instead of having be close -- zj 1.1.4).
1.2.4 Vehicles
T1:
T2:
- St. Michael Powersuit (new version, UA & T2 now, delete #Humvee),
- UA MCV (unlocked by either Airforce Command or Satellite Uplink).
T3:
- Statue of Liberty Cannon (deployed to toggle between free fire and hold fire mode -- this idea comes from @瞌睡附图),
- Abrams Tank,
- Aeroblaze (free mode and deployed mode),
- Boidmachine (epic, new version, UA now, anti-air + siege + supporting Statue of Liberty Cannon, Teleport -- zj 1.2.2).
1.2.5 Aircraft
T1:
T2:
1.2.6 Navy
1.2.7 Support powers
T1:
- Target Painter,
- GPS Navigation (replace Chronoboost, UA only and T1 now).
T3:
- Boid Strike (from Boidmachine).
1.3 Euro Alliance (EA)
1.3.1 Structures
T1:
- Shield Institute (1 Under Professor Einstein’s guidance, it’d better be named as “Institute” rather than “Command”. 2 “Command” is occupied by “Airforce Command”.).
1.3.2 Defenses
T1:
- Lightning Rod (from support power).
T3:
1.3.3 Infantry
T3:
- Sniper (3.3.5),
- Siegfried (hero, Speed 5(teleport) -- his weapon may or may not need to be adapted accordingly).
1.3.4 Vehicles
T1:
T2:
- Mirage Tank,
- EA MCV (unlocked by either Airforce Command or Shield Institute).
T3:
- Prism Tank (anti-cloak),
- Charon Tank (Temporal displacement device, Teleport, i.e. vehicle version of Chrono Legionnaire, against ground units and buildings -- zj 1.2.2).
1.3.5 Aircraft
T1:
T3:
- Thor Gunship,
- Haloed Thor (epic, new, "Mjölnir" beacon + Loudspeaker, HP 2000?, Heavy Aircraft, invisible on enemy radar).
1.3.6 Navy
1.3.7 Support powers
T1:
- Force Shield,
- Lightning Rod ($500, no more providing Power, only supporting Thor and Haloed Thor, not self-destructing, unable to be called when in low power, but after being called, able to work even when in low power).
2 The Soviet Empire (Soviet)
2.0 General
2.0.1 Structures
T0:
- Tesla Reactor (able to boost Tesla Coils a radius of 9 -- zj 1.2.2),
- Barracks,
- Ore Refinery,
T1:
- War Factory,
- Naval Shipyard,
- Field Bureau,
- Aviation Committee (a new name, interchange with Allied’s, $1500, HP 1000, Big Light Structure).
T2:
- Nuclear Reactor (unlocked by Aviation Committee + Field Bureau).
T3:
- Industrial Plant,
- Iron Curtain Device (superweapon),
- Tactical Nuke Silo (superweapon).
2.0.2 Defenses
T0:
T1:
- Sentry Gun,
- Battle Bunker (preloaded with 2 Flak Troopers),
- Flak Cannon,
- Instant Shelter (from support power).
T2:
- Tesla Coil (unlocked by Aviation Committee, boosted by Tesla Reactor instead of Tesla Trooper -- zj 1.2.2),
- Repair Crane (unlocked by Field Bureau),
- Naval Mine (from support power).
T3:
- Hammer,
- Iron Guard (protect both infantry and vehicles, unlocked by Guerrilla Facilities / Palace / EMP Complex, limited to ONE to each player)
- Stalin’s Fist (common now; the alternative of Iron Guard or Stalin’s Fist, unlocked by Guerrilla Facilities / Palace / EMP Complex -- zj 1.2.2).
2.0.3 Infantry
T0:
- Conscript,
- Flak Trooper,
- Attack Dog,
- Engineer.
T2:
- Crazy Ivan (unlocked by either Aviation Committee or Field Bureau).
T3:
2.0.4 Vehicles
T0:
T1:
- Terror Drone,
- Drakuv Prison Vehicle (from support power, directly from Field Bureau, unable to attack vehicles and buildings -- zj 1.1.9)
T3:
- Stalin’s Fist (from Defense -- zj 1.2.2)
Stolen Tech:
- Grumble (from Allied; all Stolen Tech units are always immune to omnicrush -- zj 1.2.1; add "Jupiter" laser cannon [Robot Tank’s weapon], no matter deployed or undeployed, anti-disguise -- zj 1.2.2),
- Apocalypse Tank (from Soviet, 2* 125mm Nuke-enhanced cannons + 4* "Mammoth Tusk" missiles, immune to radiation, vulnerable to EMP -- zj 1.2.2),
- Iron Dragon (from Foehn).
2.0.5 Aircraft
T1:
- Foxtrot (cheaper, no more targeting randomly -- Double-headed Eagle will incorporate the feature)
- Rejuvenator (replace Repair Drone, from Support powers; HP 200, Light Aircraft, healing 50 hit points every 80 frames -- zj 1.2.2)
T2:
- Wallbuster (A new sort of pad bomber, two ammunition, one ammunition ≈ 1/4 3.3.4’s Wallbuster missile’s, i.e. Damage 80 ~ 52, Radius 1.5; unlocked by HK/RK/KK Aviation Standing Committee; replace Wallbuster Missile; reuse Smoke Bomber’s image?),
- MiG Transport (from support power, Speed 24(fly), invulnerable).
T3:
- Dragonfly (common now),
- Kirov Airship.
Stolen Tech:
- Double-headed Eagle (from Epsilon, a new kind of jet, replace Syckle).
2.0.6 Navy
T1:
- Zubr,
- Typhoon Attack Sub.
T2:
T3:
- Mosquito Demoboat (3.3.5)
2.0.7 Support powers
T1:
- Spy Plane,
- Rejuvenator (from Aviation Committee, replace Repair Drone Paradrop -- zj 1.2.2),
- Instant Shelter,
- Drakuv Prison Vehicle.
T2:
- Naval Mine Paradrop (from HK/RK/KK Aviation Standing Committee).
T3:
- Elite Reserves (3.3.5)
- Gear Change (only gaining $2400, only Industrial Plant being shut down),
- Iron Curtain (superweapon, affect both friendly infantry and vehicles, no more protect buildings),
- Tactical Nuke (superweapon).
2.1 Havana Kingdom (HK)
2.1.1 Structures
T2:
- Guerrilla Facilities ($3000, unlocked by Aviation Committee + Field Bureau. The old name “Battle Lab” is a bit plain. By contrast, “guerrilla” not only is HK’s feature, but also roots in Spanish.),
- HK Aviation Standing Committee (adding on Aviation Committee, $500, new).
2.1.2 Defenses
T2:
- Flame Tower (from support power).
T3:
- Smoke Turret (also able to reduce air unit’s firepower -- zj 1.2.2).
2.1.3 Infantry
T1:
- Bomb Pilot (Desperate Driver, from Jaguar Tank).
T2:
- Desolator (interchanged with Tesla Trooper, unlocked by Aviation Committee),
- WP Pyro (White Phosphorous Pyro, this idea comes from @一家之主风见幽香),
- Senior Bomb Pilot (new, unlocked by Aviation Committee, able to capture depiloted vehicles and vessels, amphibious, emitting smoke when exploding, vulnerable to omnicrush and Dog / Spook, immune to normal crush, EMP and gravity),
- Mortar Quad (3.3.5).
T3:
- Tesla Trooper (interchanged with Desolator, disabling units vulnerable to EMP),
- Arsonist (Speed 6, HP 130),
- Morales (hero, new version, Dragunov incendiary rifle + Timed incendiary explosive ejector, amphibious),
- Cyborg Culpeo (hero, replace Chitzkoi, Razorblade teeth + "Schturm" missiles + smoke).
2.1.4 Vehicles
T1:
T2:
- Smoky Demolition Truck (new version, replace Bomb Buggy, unlocked by Aviation Committee),
- Armadillo (HK now, HP 700, Speed 6, Turn rate 5, Transport slots 6, 2 WP flamethrower),
- HK MCV (unlocked by either Aviation Committee or Field Bureau).
T3:
- Catastrophe,
- Buratino,
- Fury Drone (no more anti-disguise; always cloaked, deploy to toggle between free kamikaze and hold kamikaze mode, no more burrowing itself -- zj 1.1.9; the explosive image is changed to something different from Crazy Ivan’s -- zj 1.2.2).
2.1.5 Aircraft
T2:
- Arch Dust Devil (unlocked by HK Aviation Standing Committee, new jet, superior version of Dust Devil, HP 500, $1500, replace Smoke Bomber),
- Flamingo (new, from support power).
T3:
- Vulture (2* 12.7mm DShK + Napalm -- no change).
2.1.6 Navy
T3:
2.1.7 Support powers
T2:
- X Firebombing (new, from HK Aviation Standing Committee, replace both Toxic Strike and Smoke Bombs),
- Flame Tower (improved version, ≈ T2 Defense, $1000),
- Mortar Ambush.
2.2 Russian Khanate (RK)
2.2.1 Structures
T2:
- Palace ($3000, unlocked by Aviation Committee + Field Bureau),
- RK Aviation Standing Committee ($500, new).
2.2.2 Defenses
2.2.3 Infantry
T2:
- Eradicator (unlocked by Aviation Committee),
- Pyro.
T3:
- Tesla Trooper,
- Gyrocopter (effective against all kinds of units, weak against buildings),
- Krukov (hero, new version, Radiation gun + X-MiGs + Irradiation).
2.2.4 Vehicles
T1:
- Halftrack,
- Rhino Tank (immune to radiation).
T2:
- Irradiative Demolition Truck (new version, unlocked by Aviation Committee),
- Borillo (Transport slots 8),
- RK MCV (unlocked by either Aviation Committee or Field Bureau).
T3:
- Sickle Nuclear Cannon (HP 550, smaller, able to enter Tank Bunkers, Speed 6, Attack range 7),
- Sentinel (free mode and deployed mode).
2.2.5 Aircraft
T2:
- Dust Devil (unlocked by RK Aviation Standing Committee).
T3:
- Wolfhound Siege Chopper (new version, deployed to use its siege cannon as in Yuri’s Revenge, but having no weapon when airborne, immune to radiation),
- X-MiG (summoned by Krukov),
- Nuclear Kirov Flagship (NKF, new, epic, 2* SPM3 + Mini-nuke).
2.2.6 Navy
T3:
2.2.7 Support powers
T2:
- Terror Paradrop (from RK Aviation Standing Committee),
- Irradiation,
- Gastroburners (new, from Palace).
2.3 Korea-Kashmir (KK)
2.3.1 Structures
T2:
- EMP Complex (replacing Atomheart, $3000, unlocked by Aviation Committee + Field Bureau),
- KK Aviation Standing Committee ($500, new).
2.3.2 Defenses
T3:
- EMP Mine (only harm and disable units vulnerable to EMP).
2.3.3 Infantry
T2:
- Desolator (unlocked by Aviation Committee),
- Pyro.
T3:
- Chain Tesla Trooper (new, somewhat replacing 3.3.4’s #Volkov, Tesla chains have no damage and only disable units vulnerable to EMP, and Chain Tesla Trooper has no Tesla grenade),
- Yunru (hero/heroine, HP 600?).
2.3.4 Vehicles
T1:
- White Tiger APC (白虎, KK now, a new name for Tigr APC),
- Qilin Tank.
T2:
- EMP Demolition Truck (new version, unlocked by Aviation Committee),
- Pangolin (a new name, HP 820),
- KK MCV (unlocked by either Aviation Committee or Field Bureau).
T3:
- Tesla Cruiser (anti-cloak, bigger, unable to enter Tank Bunkers, HP 1150, Speed 3, Attack range 8, Tesla Chain has EMP),
- Musudan Launcher (= 3.3.4’s Scud, @大力出奇迹 asked me for the name -- zj 1.2.2; deployed to toggle between free fire and hold fire mode -- this idea comes from @瞌睡附图),
- Centurion Tesla Crawler (epic, new version; 420 mm Tesla-enhanced cannon [with EMP effect -- zj 1.1.9] + "Yin-Yang" missiles; amphibious; able to be boosted by Tesla Overcharge; now that KK has Musudan Launcher, Centurion might as well has less damage to buildings and more damage to units).
2.3.5 Aircraft
T2:
- Dust Devil (unlocked by KK Aviation Standing Committee).
T3:
- NL30 Helicopter (= 3.3.4’s Wolfhound; its Speed is 20(fly), slower than both Dragonfly’s 38(fly) and Gyrocopter’s 22(fly), so it cannot be a Russian “highly mobile unit”, but should be a KK’s slow while powerful machine).
2.3.6 Navy
T3:
- ScU Missile Sub (replace Akula).
2.3.7 Support powers
T2:
- Airborne Team (KK now, from KK Aviation Standing Committee, 9 Conscripts + 5 Flak Troops + 2 Dogs, $1500, Note: Airborne Team and Instant Shelter deserve one another; KK, unlike HK and RK, doesn’t have special T2 infantry, so KK needs Airborne Team),
- Tesla Overcharge,
- Concentric EMPs (a new name for “EM Pulse”, from EMP Complex).
3 The Epsilon Domain (Epsilon)
3.0 General
3.0.1 Structures
T0:
- Bio Reactor,
- Barracks,
- Ore Refinery,
T1:
- War Factory,
- Naval Shipyard,
- Pandora Hub,
- Spire (no longer provides mini map, and the old name “Radar Spire” becomes “Spire” -- zj 1.2.2)
- Dybbuk Vault (a new name for “Aerodome”, $1500. All airfields, Runways, and Cyberkernels are immune to capture and mind-control. On the other hand, all airfields and Cyberkernels are vulnerable to infiltrate. T1 and provides mini map -- zj 1.2.2)
T3:
- Cloning Vats,
- Rage Inductor (superweapon),
- Psychic Dominator (superweapon).
3.0.2 Defenses
T0:
T1:
- Gatling Cannon,
- Tank Bunker,
- Palladium (new, from support power),
- Choir of Believers (new, from support power).
T2:
- Railgun Tower (a better name for “Inferno Tower”),
- Mind Reader (add anti-cloak),
- Grinder,
- Toxic Mine (new, from support power).
T3:
- Chimera Core,
- Antares Battery (the new version -- zj 1.2.0).
3.0.3 Infantry
T0:
- Initiate,
- Archer,
- Spook (How about immune to poison clouds while more expensive? -- zj 1.1.3),
- Engineer,
- Raven (from support power).
T2:
- Brute (vulnerable to Gravity -- to co-ordinate with Rahn),
- Bloatick,
- Dunerider.
T3:
- Infiltrator,
- Virus (now unlocked by Chem/Psych/Gene plug).
3.0.4 Vehicles
T0:
- Ghost Miner (unable to crush infantry, no more reveal itself periodically -- zj 1.1.7),
T1:
- Gatling Tank,
- Stinger ($500, no more repairing, no more anti-cloak, healing in poison clouds).
T2:
- Driller,
- Grinder (3.3.5, from defense).
Stolen Tech:
- Scavenger (from Allied, amphibious [anti-gravity], no more omnicrush, able to drain a vessel’s weapon -- zj 1.2.2),
- Wormqueen (from Soviet, new version -- zj 1.2.2).
3.0.5 Aircraft
T1:
T2:
- Invader,
- Dybbuk-Transporter (from support power, Dybbuk names are unified as “-verb+er/or”).
T3:
- Dybbuk-Crasher (new, jet, unlocked by Chem/Psych/Gene plug, suicide crash to permanently mind-control a building -- zj 1.2.2)
Stolen Tech:
- Dybbuk-Seizer (from Epsilon, cloaked, reveal to “attack”, Speed -, 2 ammunition, each ammunition takes 18 in-game seconds to reload, each ammunition permanently controls a ground unit, no more rage),
- Salamander (from Foehn).
3.0.6 Navy
T1:
- Mandjet,
- Piranha Minisub.
T2:
- Squid (Because “giant” is occupied by “Giantsbane”, “Giant Squid” is simply called “Squid” -- zj 1.2.1).
T3:
- Nautilus Gravity Sub (manually deploy to use gravity ring?).
3.0.7 Support powers
T1:
- Raven (from Dybbuk Vault -- zj 1.2.2),
- Railgun Enhancing (from Dybbuk Vault, increase the firepower and range of all Railguns by 50% and 1 respectively; $500? -- zj 1.2.2)
- Choir of Believers (new, ≈ T1 Defense, from Spire [zj 1.2.2], heal friendly infantry and vehicles, not self-destructing),
- Palladium (new, ≈ T1 Defense, anti-vehicle, from Pandora Hub, not self-destructing, replace Risen Inferno)
T2:
- Toxic Mine Paradrop (new, from Dybbuk Vault, unlocked by Spire, reuse Toxic Strike’s image -- zj 1.2.2)
- Shadow Ring (3.3.5).
T3:
- Lunch Money (new, from Cloning Vats),
- Rage (superweapon, no longer heal infantry, increase the firepower by 100%?),
- Domination (superweapon).
3.1 Scorpion Cell (SC)
3.1.1 Structures
T2:
- Chemplug ($2500, because Dybbuk Vault +$500).
3.1.2 Defenses
T1:
- Fake Dybbuk Vault (new, limited to one for each player, $210, HP 1500, - 0 Power) (Note: all fakes’ requirements are the same as the reals’. -- zj 1.2.2)
T2:
- Fake SC Construction Yard (HP 2500, $420, unlocked by either Spire or Pandora Hub, able to provide ground control -- otherwise it’s useless)
T3:
3.1.3 Infantry
T2:
- Epsilon Adept (Psychic blast can’t damage vehicles even when elite, Damage decreases from 250 to 200).
T3:
- Hijacker (Speed 8, immune to poison, amphibious [no disguise on the water], also able to capture vessels, the passengers of the captured vehicle should yield temporarily),
- Malver (hero, Autolyze, healing in poison clouds, amphibious without trail, also able to attack buildings without triggering EVA’s “Our base is under attack” and “Our ally is under attack”, but unable to break through walls, decrease the damage to infantry; Note: units killed by poison clouds will trigger “Unit Lost!”).
3.1.4 Vehicles
T1:
- Mantis Tank (exploding when destroyed, healing in poison clouds, like Tyrant; my idea is better that 3.3.4’s repairing near friendly Mantises).
T2:
- Speeder Trike (immune to poison clouds, vulnerable to EMP),
- Manticore Tank (new; from support power -- zj 1.2.2),
- SC MCV (unlocked by either Spire or Pandora Hub)
- Fake SC MCV (from Fake SC Construction Yard).
T3:
- Tyrant,
- Plague Splatter (healing in poison clouds, no longer reducing enemies’ armor),
- Oxidizer (now able to targeting a ground unit too).
3.1.5 Aircraft
T3:
- Basilisk (decrease the damage to infantry while reduce the price),
- Dybbuk-Mutator (inferior version of Dybbuk-Evolver, unlocked by Chemplug),
- Dybbuk-Jobseeker (epic, new).
3.1.6 Navy
T3:
3.1.7 Support powers
T2:
- Manticore Paradrop (new, from Dybbuk Vault, unlocked by Pandora, air drop 3 Manticore Tanks, $3000, replace both Bloodhounds and Tank Drop, Manticore Paradrop and Quick Fort deserve one another -- zj 1.2.2),
- Quick Fort,
- Bloatick Trap (3.3.5).
T3:
3.2 Psi Corps (PC)
3.2.1 Structures
T2:
3.2.2 Defenses
T3:
- Psychic Tower (mind-controlling both ground and air units -- only levitating air units).
3.2.3 Infantry
T2:
- Epsilon Elite (Psychic blast can damage both infantry and vehicles even when being a recruit, Damage 200; Adept + IFV = Elite + IFV = Elite’s Psychic Blast),
- Libra Clone (from support power).
T3:
- Libra (hero/heroine),
- Yuri (hero, able to mind-control an unlimited number of units and buildings permanently; permanently defense boosted; Psychic blast can damage all kinds of ground units and buildings, Damage 200; Yuri + IFV = Yuri’s Psychic blast).
3.2.4 Vehicles
T1:
T2:
- Marauder,
- PC MCV (unlocked by either Spire or Pandora Hub).
T3:
- Mastermind (mind-controlling both ground and air units; toggle between free mode and limited mode; if it has controlled more than three units when switching to limited mode, Mastermind will only keep the first three units and release the others -- zj 1.1.6),
- Gravitron (a better name for Magnetron),
- Gehenna Platform (free mode and deployed mode).
3.2.5 Aircraft
T3:
- Basilisk,
- Dybbuk-Mutator (unlocked by Psychplug),
- Dybbuk-Interceptor (from Gehenna Platform).
3.2.6 Navy
T3:
3.2.7 Support powers
T2:
- Libra Clone Paradrop (from Dybbuk Vault, unlocked by Pandora -- 1.2.2),
- Psychic Vision (now PC only and T2, from Psychplug; considered as reconnaissance, i.e. able to be called even in shroud -- zj 1.2.2),
- Gravity Beam (a better name for Magnetic Beam).
3.3 Antarctic Castles (AC)
3.3.1 Structures
T2:
3.3.2 Defenses
T3:
3.3.3 Infantry
T2:
T3:
- Stalker,
- Rahn (hero, cloaked, reveal to attack, deploy to toggle between free fire and hold fire mode, Speed 7 → 6, HP-).
3.3.4 Vehicles
T1:
T2:
- Shadow Tank,
- AC MCV (unlocked by either Spire or Pandora Hub).
T3:
- Colossus (no more friendly fire),
- Hazequad.
3.3.5 Aircraft
T3:
- Plumed Basilisk (new version without friendly fire, decrease the damage to infantry, slower, cheaper),
- Dybbuk-Evolver (now unlocked by Geneplug),
- Irkalla (epic, cloaked, reveal to attack, deploy to toggle between free fire and hold fire mode -- zj 1.2.2).
3.3.6 Navy
T3:
- Nightmare Ballistic Ship (new, surface version of Resheph without friendly fire).
3.3.7 Support powers
T2:
- Castles In The Air (new, from Dybbuk Vault, unlocked by Pandora -- zj 1.2.2),
- Kinetic Barrier,
- Geneburst (Damage 250 ~ 87.5).
4 The Foehn Revolt (Foehn)
4.0 General
4.0.1 Structures
T0:
- Windtrap,
- Barracks,
- Ore Refinery
T1:
- War Factory,
- Naval Shipyard,
- Cyberkernel (immune to being captured and mind-controlled; assuming it can house four jets just as other airfields -- zj 1.2.2),
- Cloud Piercer,
- Nanofiber Loom.
T2:
- Nanofiber Capacitor (from support power -- zj 1.2.1).
T3:
- Reprocessor,
- Blast Furnace (superweapon),
- Tempest Architect (superweapon).
4.0.2 Defenses
T0:
T1:
- Sonic Emitter,
- Armor Cutter (new -- zj 1.2.0),
- Shrike Nest,
- Spinblade (from support power).
T2:
- Golden Rocket Tower (new, replace 3.3.4’s Railgun Tower, unlocked by Nanofiber Loom -- zj 1.2.2),
- Stun Grid (from support power),
- Turmoil Grid (unlocked by Cyberkernel -- zj 1.2.2),
- Confusion Mine (from Angelshark).
T3:
- Nanocoat Regulator,
- Neutralizer (new version -- zj 1.2.0),
- Signal Inhibitor,
- Blast Trench (superweapon).
4.0.3 Infantry
T0:
- Knightframe {Kingsframe},
- Lancer {Lambaster (a better name for “Railguneer”)},
- Engineer,
- Clairvoyant (no longer anti-cloak and infiltrate) {Duplicant (anti-cloak instead of anti-disguise)}.
T2:
- Huntress (unlocked by Cloud Piercer, decrease Damage to 175, HP+) {Deviatress}.
T3:
- Trojan (new, spy, able to receive Spinblade’s speed buff).
4.0.4 Vehicles
T0:
T1:
- Teratorn (free mode and deployed mode),
- Jackal Racer.
T2:
- SODAR Array (Sonic Detection And Ranging Array) (unlocked by Cyberkernel),
- Sweeper (common now, anti-disguise, also able to attack air units, unlocked by Nanofiber Loom; 3.3.4’s Foehn’s anti-disguise is too weak -- zj 1.2.2).
Stolen Tech:
- Phantasm MLRS (from Allied),
- Archelon (from Epsilon; Damage 175 ~ 75, Cooldown 70 frames, Attack range 7.5, minimum 1 -- not worse than Huntress),
- M.A.D.M.A.N. (from Foehn, new version -- zj 1.2.2).
4.0.5 Aircraft
T1:
- Shrike Drone (from Shrike Nest),
- Virgin (new, from support power, replace Recon Drone).
T2:
- Buzzard (no more deploying Stun Grids -- this idea comes from @Arc137, cheaper),
- Diamond (new, jet, increase friendly vehicles’ armor by 25% for a certain time, unlocked by Nanofiber Loom -- zj 1.2.2),
- Peregrine Falcon (Foehn now with a new name, Speed 100(fly), from support power).
T3:
- Quetzal,
- Eye (from Quetzal),
- Helibot (from Leviathan).
Stolen Tech:
- Seitaad Airship (from Soviet, levitating aircraft version of Seitaad Ballista).
4.0.6 Navy
T1:
T2:
- Angelshark (unlocked by Cyberkernel)
- Whipray (unlocked by Cloud Piercer)
T3:
4.0.7 Support powers
T1:
- Virgin (new, replace Recon Sortie),
- Spinblade,
- Nanofiber Sync.
T2:
- SODAR Array Paradrop (new, from Cyberkernel, unlocked by the three T2 labs),
- Stun Grid Paradrop (from Cloud Piercer, unlocked by the three T2 labs),
- Nanofiber Capacitor (Foehn now, from Nanofiber Loom, unlocked by the three T2 labs).
T3:
- Devourer (from any Expansion, Damage 175 ~ 75, lasting for a period -- zj 1.2.2)
- Ore Regeneration (new, from Reprocessor),
- Blasticade (superweapon),
- Great Tempest (superweapon).
4.1 Hai Head (HH)
4.1.1 Structures
T2:
4.1.2 Defenses
T2:
- Megaarena Projector (from support power).
4.1.3 Infantry
T3:
- Syncronin (+ reducing a target’s speed) {Syncronaut (new version, suicide to hack all buildings and vehicles in radius 4 for 330 frames, replace Blackout Missile)},
- Fin (hero, anti-infantry + siege, sharing the same ammunition, unable to break through walls, amphibious),
- Alize (hero/heroine, anti-armor + anti-aircraft, not including flying infantry, sharing the same ammunition, amphibious).
4.1.4 Vehicles
T1:
T2:
- Irritator (confusing both ground and air units, only confusion -- zj 1.2.2),
- HH MCV (unlocked by any of the T2 labs).
T3:
- Megalodon,
- Shadray Sonic Tank.
4.1.5 Aircraft
T3:
- Diverbee,
- Wyvern (new, jet version of Leviathan’s Helibot, unlocked by Cyberkernel Expansion; this idea comes from LukeZ MOD, while I rename and recontribute it -- zj 1.2.2).
4.1.6 Navy
4.1.7 Support powers
T2:
- Megaarena (the energy shield confuses enemy infantry and vehicles -- zj 1.2.2),
- Chaos Touch (HH only -- zj 1.2.2).
4.2 Coronian Hurricanes (CH)
4.2.1 Structures
T2:
T3:
- Knightfall Protocol (Structure now).
4.2.2 Defenses
T3:
- Harbinger Tower (from $2000 to $3000; Harbinger: ammunition from 8 to 4, no more warning, $0, Cooldown from 9:00 to 7:00?),
- Knightfall Beacon (from support power).
4.2.3 Infantry
T3:
- Zorbtrotter {Zorbfloater},
- Eureka (hero/heroine, new version, windflow manipulator).
4.2.4 Vehicles
T1:
T2:
- Raccoon (CH only now, unlocked by Cloud Piercer),
- Orcinus (3.3.5)
- CH MCV (unlocked by any of the T2 labs).
T3:
4.2.5 Aircraft
T1:
- Draco Drone (from Draco Tank).
T3:
- Pteranodon,
- Alanqa Skystation,
- Future Fighter Z-0 (new jet, 2 * experimental beam cannons [= Future Tank X-0], unlocked by Cloud Piercer Expansion; this idea comes from LukeZ MOD, while I rename and recontribute it -- zj 1.2.2),
- Harbinger (epic).
4.2.6 Navy
4.2.7 Support powers
T2:
T3:
4.3 Last Havens (LH)
4.3.1 Structures
T2:
- Nanofiber Loom Expansion.
4.3.2 Defenses
T3:
- Plasmerizer,
- Smart Mine (new, replace M.A.D. Mine -- zj 1.2.2).
4.3.3 Infantry
T3:
- Giantsbane {Godsbane},
- Uragan (hero).
4.3.4 Vehicles
T1:
T2:
- Roadrunner (now LH, unlocked by Nanofiber Loom, no longer anti-disguise, repair other friendly Roadrunners in a radius of 1.5 around the Roadrunner over 35 frames (2.3 in-game seconds) when destroyed -- zj 1.2.2),
- LH MCV (unlocked by any of the T2 labs).
T3:
- Mastodon (no longer friendly damage -- zj 1.2.2),
- Gharial (anti-cloak),
- Ramwagon (epic, new version; anti-unit + hacking, nanoids; HP1500).
4.3.5 Aircraft
T3:
- Yi (new jet, Plan A: Nanite container gun [=Huntress], Plan B: Nanoid cannon [=Archelon], unlocked by Nanofiber Loom Expansion, thank @大力出奇迹 for helping me name the new plane -- zj 1.2.2)
4.3.6 Navy
4.3.7 Support powers
T2:
- Nanocharge,
- Signal Jammer (LH now, from Nanofiber Loom Expansion).
5 Neutral
- Tech Paratrooper Liaison Office: new, replace Tech Airfield, only provide Tech Paratroopers.
- Tech Base Expansion Post: also healing infantry (like Drakuv).
- Tech Ore Purifier: interchange with Deposit Bank, only increasing money from mining ores and gems by 25%, able to stack up. -- zj 1.1.5
- Tech Sensor Tower?
CHAPTER TWO
The Fundamental Changes in Soviet’s Tech Tree
1. Each Soviet subfaction’s T3 lab (Guerrilla Facilities / Palace / EMP Complex) needs both Aviation Committee and Field Bureau to unlock.
2. Some T2 buildings and units now are unlocked by Aviation Committee instead of Field Bureau.
3. Each Soviet subfaction has a new tech building, Aviation Standing Committee, adding on Aviation Committee. Therefore, fairly speaking, each faction has four kinds of “labs” and its special developing way; moreover, each faction has a sort of add-on.
4. Now that Aviation Committee and Aviation Standing Committee cost $1500 and $500 respectively, the cost of Soviet T3 labs reduces from $5000 to $3000. Nevertheless, Soviet T3 labs are still the most expensive labs.
5. Nuclear Reactor also requires Aviation Committee + Field Bureau to unlock. Somewhat neutralize Nuclear Reactor’s low price-performance ratio.
6. Players may build Aviation Committee (even plus Aviation Standing Committee) before Field Bureau, i.e. players have more meaningful choices.
7. As regards the redistribution among the Soviet subfactions, I’ve already given some explanations, and I’ll give more in Chapter Three.
The Fundamental Changes in Allied’s Tech Tree
Now Allied has two separate tech branches.
α Airforce Command → Experimental Warpshop, unlocking some T3 Structures, T3 Defenses, T3 units and T2 Support powers:
General: Deposit Bank, Chronosphere (superweapon), Grand Cannon, Chrono Legionnaire, Barracuda, Hummingbird, Siren Frigate (zj 1.2.2), Enterprise Aircraft Carrier, Backwarp, Chronolift;
Pacific Armies: Skyray, Norio (hero), Battle Tortoise;
Upper America: Tanya (hero), Abrams Tank.
Euro Alliance: Coordnode, Siegfried (hero), Charon Tank.
β Triple Star Kikan / Satellite Uplink / Shield Institute → High-tech Skyscraper, unlocking some T3 Structures, T3 Defenses, T3 units and T2 Support powers:
General: Weather Controller (superweapon), Gap Generator, Spy, Cryocopter, Trident Battleship, Black Widow, Radar Jamming, Ruiner (zj 1.2.2);
Pacific Armies: Suppressor, Zhang-Jian (hero), Hailstorm, Blizzard Tank;
Upper America: Riot Trooper, Statue of Liberty Cannon, Aeroblaze, Boidmachine (epic).
Euro Alliance: Sniper, Prism Tank, Thor Gunship, Haloed Thor (epic).
In addition, some T2 buildings and units are now unlocked by Triple Star Kikan / Satellite Uplink / Shield Institute instead of Airforce Command, see CHAPTER ONE.
Experimental Warpshop only requires Airforce Command to unlock, and High-tech Skyscraper only requires Triple Star Kikan / Satellite Uplink / Shield Institute to unlock. That’s to say, Allied is the only faction that can quickly reach T3. However, this is hampered by Allied’s power problem: 1 Power Turbine is now strictly categorized as “Structures” not “Defenses” (now choosing between Power Plant and Power Turbine is almost merely a space matter); 2 EA’s Lightning Rod no longer provides power. 3 Even if players succeed, unlike 3.3.4’s Soviet, they only get a part of T2 and a part of T3, which means they have significant defects. 4 The total price of Allied labs (Airforce Command + Experimental Warpshop + Triple Star Kikan / Satellite Uplink / Shield Institute + High-tech Skyscraper) is the most expensive amongst the four factions.
Experimental Warpshop and High-tech Skyscraper are equally $2250, power -300 and unlimited in number.
However, to get or produce stolen tech units, only Experimental Warpshop is needed to infiltrate or exist, while High-tech Skyscraper is now out of business (because Lionheart needs Airforce Command)? Or Plan B (zj 1.1.9): It works to infiltrate / build either Experimental Warpshop or High-tech Skyscraper?
The reasons why I give “Tech Center” the new name “High-tech Skyscraper” are: 1 “High-tech” parallels “experimental” better; 2 to describe the image vividly; 3 the old name, “Tech Center”, is not impressive; 4 “high” is a pun here.
zj 1.1.9: In previous version, I named High-tech Skyscraper as “Avant-garde Skyscraper”, which is somehow muddled with #Cyborg Vanguard.
Some Disadvantages of Each Faction’s Tech Tree
Allied: the total price of the four labs are the highest.
Soviet: T3 lab is the most expensive lab.
Epsilon: Pandora + Plug is the most expensive compound lab.
Foehn: T3 lab requires three T2 labs to unlock.
Why Are Black Eagle, Foxtrot, Raven etc. T1 Not T2?
Airforce Command, Aviation Committee, etc. are all T1 structures, so the units and support powers they directly generate are T1, just as other T1 structures (e.g. War Factory) produce T1 units (e.g. Rhino Tank).
Both Stormchild and Rocketeer are unlocked by Airforce Command, why is Stormchild T1 whereas Rocketeer T2?
Buildings / units / support powers need to not only unlock but also build / train / call. Stormchild is not only unlocked by Airforce Command but also trained at Airforce Command, so Stormchild is T1+0 = T1. In contrast, Rocketeer is unlocked by Airforce Command (T1) while trained at Barracks, so Rocketeer is T1+1 = T2. Similarly, Psychplug is unlocked by Pandora Hub (T1) + Dybbuk Vault (T1) while built by Epsilon Construction Yard, so Psychplug is max{T1,T1}+1 = T2. Barracuda is unlocked by Experimental Warpshop (T2) while trained at Airforce Command, so Barracuda is T2+1 = T3.
Formula: if a building / unit / support power X is unlock by building Y while built by / trained at / called from building Z, then Tier of X = max {Tier of Y} + f(Y,Z). If Y = Z, f(Y,Z) = 0; if Y ≠ Z, f(Y,Z) = 1. Set Tier of Construction Yard = 0, as the initial value. (Note: Tier of MCV = 2.)
If a building Y adds on another building Z, we consider Y+Z as a whole. For instance, Dustdevil is unlocked by Aviation Standing Committee (T2) while train at Aviation Committee, but Tier of Dustdevil is still 2, because Aviation Standing Committee is NOT an independent building but an add-on, which means Dustdevil is both unlocked by and trained at upgraded Aviation Committee (Aviation Committee + Aviation Standing Committee), therefore Tier(Dustdevil) = Tier(upgraded Aviation Committee) + 0 =2.
The Fundamental Change of Power System (zj 1.2.2)
See “Zhang Jian's Frist Paper on ‘Resources’ & ‘Restrictions’ of 4x games” (https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/348151223, in Chinese)
Some Units And Buildings Can Be Unlocked By Either/Any T2 Labs
Allied: MCV, Power Turbine.
Soviet: MCV, Crazy Ivan.
Epsilon: MCV, Fake Construction Yard (zj 1.2.2).
Foehn: MCV.
Mine, Including Turmoil Grid And Stun Grid
All mines consume 0 Power and work well even at low-power.
All subfactions have mines and all defensive subfactions (i.e. EA, KK, AC, LH) have special defenses (not necessarily Mine). That’s why I introduce Toxic Mine for Epsilon and Anti-tank Mine for Allied.
Now each faction has at least two sorts of mines: 1 some are general, while some are subfactional; 2 some are constructed around the base, while some are delivered by airplane (only Confusion Mine is delivered by Angelshark), yielding some clues for your adversaries.
Transport Aircraft
Neutral:
Tech Paratrooper Liaison Office and Tech Reinforcement Pad use the same sort of Cargo Plane: HP 700, Medium Aircraft, 24(fly), Turn rate 2.
T2:
T2 paradrops use factional and better aircraft.
Allied
Chinook: customizable, anywhere (including unexplored terrain), immune to signal jamming, recyclable, surviving passengers will paradrop from the Chinook Transport when shot down, Speed 40(fly), invisible on enemy radar.
Soviet
MiG Transport: invulnerable.
Epsilon
Dybbuk-Transporter: cloaked, HP 1000, Speed 50(fly).
Foehn
Peregrine Falcon: Speed 100(fly), the fastest.
(Peregrine falcon is the fastest bird in the world.)
Jet
I put a great deal of efforts to encourage players to use jets:
1. I degrade Runway, Dybbuk-E and Dybbuk-M.
2. I set all airfields and Runways are immune to capture and mind-control.
3. I set all jet are immune to mind-control, hijack and depiloted.
4. I create some imaginative sorts of jets, such as Wallbuster, Arch Dust Devil, Double-headed Eagle, Dybbuk-C, Dybbuk-J, Virgin, Diamond (zj 1.2.2), Yi (zj 1.2.2).
5. (zj 1.2.2) I absorb new jets (Wyvern, Future Fighter Z-0) from others (LukeZ MOD).
6. I improve some kinds of jets (Lionheart, Foxtrot, Dybbuk-E, Dybbuk-M, Dybbuk-S).
7. (zj 1.2.2) My version may have the most jets among all serious MODs of Red Alert 2. There are 22 kinds: Arch Dust Devil, Barracuda, Black Ealge (Sky-Wing), Diamond, Double-headed Eagle, Dust Devil, Dybbuk-Attacker, Dybbuk-Crasher, Dybbuk-Evolver, Dybbuk-Jobseeker, Dybbuk-Mutator, Dybbuk-Seizer, Foxtrot, Future Fighter Z-0, Harrier, Hummingbird, Lionheart, Stormchild, Virgin, Wallbuster, Wyvern, and Yi.
8. I set Airforce Command, Aviation Committee and Dybbuk Vault can be built before War Factory.
9. I set Aviation Committee as a precondition for all Soviet T3 labs.
10. I generalize the expansion on Aviation Committee.
11. I invent Fake Dybbuk Vault. Now Allied has Airforce Command + Runway, Soviet has Aviation Committee + Aviation Standing Committee, Epsilon SC has Dybbuk Vault + Fake Dybbuk Vault.
12. In 3.3.4 jet’s armor type is monotonously Light Aircraft. In point of fact, it’s better to diversify the armor types of jets, even into Special Armor I and Special Armor II.
13. (zj 1.2.2) I set Cyberkernel also able to house four airplanes. Now every faction has its airfields and jets.
14. (zj 1.1.3) All jets are immune to radiation. In another words, view airplanes as robots.
Additional Explanations of Jets
zj 1.2.1
1. Both Epsilon’s Dybbuk Vault and Soviet’s Aviation Standing Committee are not labs, i.e. not in their main tech trees, so players are likely to end up not using them, unless they are either the most powerful (Epsilon) or the cheapest (Soviet), given that the standard medium is already occupied by Allied.
2. The jet (only jet, not the whole air force) strength: Epsilon > Allied > Soviet > Foehn. So as for the question how many jets you can house, Soviet (let alone Foehn) only has a small demand, because it doesn’t rely on jets. And Foehn’s Vigins can be sacrificed. Allied has Runways to meet the demand. Moreover, Runways is T2 and more convenient than in 3.3.4. Epsilon? The newly invented Dybbuk-Crashers are kamikazes, which will leave rooms for other jets.
The Names of Airfields (zj 1.2.1)
Allied
The old name “Air Force Command Headquarters” is verbose, so I simply use “Airforce Command”.
Soviet
1. The old name “Airbase” is flavorless.
2. “Airbase” and “Air Force Command Headquarters” share the same word “air”, while “Aerodome” doesn’t. The three names should either share something together or share nothing at all.
I rename it as “Aviation Committee”.
The add-on that I have invented now also gets its new name “Aviation Standing Committee”.
Patterned after “command”, the word “committee” is set exclusive to Soviet.
Epsilon
Give credit where credit is due, the old name “Aerodome” shows there’s a “dome” as a part of the building. And I presume the namer played a word game between “Aerodome” and “Aerodrome”. Therefore, notwithstanding its common meaning (inflatable in “aerodome tent”), “Aerodome” works. In fact, I had no desire to rename it until I’m translating this paper into Chinese, i.e. until I have to look closely at MO’s Chinese translations.
官方汉化 (the official translation) is “停机坪”. 火星鼠汉化 (another established translation) is “航空基地”. Neither conveys the “dome”. What’s worse, @Kristov, who critiqued the two translations (“对比一下官方汉化和火星鼠汉化” https://tieba.baidu....6530381816?pn=1), failed to point out the blunder either. Did all of them mistake “Aerodome” for “Aerodrome”? I feel sorry for the namer and Nooze (the artist). And I start to have doubts about whether “Aerodome” is a good word play.
So I conceive a better name “Dybbuk Vault”.
“Dybbuk” indicates the airfield belongs to Epsilon and the jets the airfield produces are Dybbuks.
“Vault” means both “tomb” (“dybbuk” is the soul of a dead person) and “arched roof” (i.e. “dome”). I also play a word game here. “Vault” can be on the ground, like “Dragon Vault” in both “Heroes of Might and Magic 3” and “Heroes of Might and Magic 5”.
Pure Anti-air Units (zj 1.1.5)
All pure anti-air units gain the deployed mode to prevent unwanted movements. They are Aeroblaze (UA), Sentinel (RK), Gehenna (PC), and Teratorn (Foehn).
My idea is inspired by @陈二烦 (《来一起调整平衡》https://tieba.baidu.com/p/6581311022).
AI behavior: as Colossus, when trained by War Factory, these units are always in undeployed mode; when built by Construction Yard, these units are always in deployed mode.
zj 1.2.2: It seems unnecessary now.
Anti-tank Mine, Battle Bunker, Palladium, Armor Cutter
Now each faction has its T1 anti-armor defense “tower”.
zj 1.2.0:
Palladium = Gun Turret from support power.
Armor Cutter:
Ground attack: 12 ~ 1 (effective against armor, mediocre against buildings, and weak against infantry).
Cooldown: 1 frame (0.07 in-game seconds).
Attack range: 7, radius 0.3 (= Gun Turret).
Cost: $600 (= Gun Turret).
Grand Cannon, Hammer, Antares Battery, Neutralizer
Now each faction’s main T3 defense towers are very different.
zj 1.1.8
Grand Cannon ≈ lang range Chrono Legionnaire.
Hammer ≈ 3.3.4’s, no delay.
zj 1.2.0
Antares Battery = 3.3.4’s Neutralizer. Let’s set “Plasma cutters” as “High-pressure acid streams”.
Infantry killed release poison clouds.
Neutralizer ≈ lang range Godsbane.
In every faction, different defense “towers” have different attack styles.
Epsilon: Antares is similar to neither Railgun Tower nor Toxic Mine.
Foehn: Partly because of Plasmerizer, 3.3.4’s Railgun Tower is replaced by Golden Rocket Tower. Partly because of Sonic Emitter, Neutralizer uses Nanofiber threads instead of Plasma cutters.
See
@Zharakov said: “that the Inferno Tower and Antares Battery have the same animation and weapon, hoping that either one of them changes as the only difference is that the Inferno is concentrated thermal energy and the Antares is not. Also sometimes makes it hard to distinguish which is which in battle.” (https://forums.revor...44#entry1108717)
Frost, Radiation Field, Firewall, Poison Cloud (zj 1.2.2)
Frosts damage infantry, vehicles and buildings.
Radiation Fields damage and IRRADIATE infantry and vehicles.
Firewalls damage infantry and buildings. Firewalls won’t trigger “Our base is under attack!”
Poison clouds damage infantry and vehicles. Infantry killed by poison clouds will release new poison clouds. Some units can heal in poison clouds.
Infantry That Spies Alike Can’t Or Have Little Sense To Mimic
Allied
General: Dog, Rocketeer, Chrono Legionnaire, Spy.
PA: Norio, Zhang-Jian.
UA: Tanya.
EA: Siegfried.
Soviet
General: Dog, Saboteur.
HK: Arsonist, Morales, Cyborg Culpeo.
RK: Eradicator, Gyrocopter, Krukov.
KK: Chain Tesla Trooper, Yunru.
Epsilon
General: Spook, Raven, Bloatick, Infiltrator.
SC: Hijacker, Malver.
PS: Libra Clone, Libra, Yuri.
AC: Rahn.
Foehn
General: Clairvoyant, Duplicant, Trojan.
HH: Fin, Alize.
CH: Zorbtrotter, Zorbfloater, Eureka.
HH: Uragan.
Anti-cloak, Anti-disguise
The duo:
PA: Norio anti-disguise, Zhang-Jian anti-cloak.
UA: Tanya both anti-disguise and anti-cloak.
EA: Haloed Thor anti-disguise, Siegfried anti-cloak.
HK: Cyborg Culpeo anti-disguise, Morales anti-cloak.
RK: Krukov both anti-disguise and anti-cloak.
KK: Centurion anti-disguise, Yunru anti-cloak.
SC: Malver both anti-disguise and anti-cloak.
PC: Libra anti-disguise, Yuri anti-cloak.
AC: Irkalla anti-disguise, Rahn anti-cloak.
HH: Fin anti-disguise, Alize anti-cloak.
CH: Eureka both anti-disguise and anti-cloak.
LH: Ramwagon both anti-disguise and anti-cloak.
(Libra and Fin are no longer anti-cloak.)
Besides the duos, mines and some Navy units, each faction has two ways to detect disguised units and cloaked units (including subs) respectively, and the four defensive subfactions do a bit better.
Anti-disguised:
Allied: Dog, Robot Tank.
Soviet: Dog, Terror Drone.
Epsilon: Spook, Stinger.
Foehn: Clairvoyant, Sweeper (zj 1.2.2).
Stolen (zj 1.2.2): Grumble, Wormqueen.
Anti-cloak:
Allied: Detect Pulse, Navy Seal; Prism Tank (EA).
Soviet: Tesla Trooper / Chain Tesla Trooper, Armadillo / Borillo / Pangolin; Tesla Cruiser (KK).
Epsilon: Mind Reader, Dunerider; Shadow Tank (AC).
Foehn: SODAR Array, Duplicant; Gharial (LH).
Stolen (zj 1.2.2): Chrono Prison, Archelon.
By the way, some people say 3.3.4 Foehn’s anti-cloak is a bit weak. Now I degrade Duplicant and give you a new support power (SODAR Array Paradrop) and a new unit (Gharial).
Except mines, heroes and epics, no unit or building is both anti-disguise and anti-cloak.
Now Robot Tank, Terror Drone, Stinger and Sweeper are all merely anti-disguise.
Clairvoyant and Duplicant are only anti-disguise and anti-cloak respectively.
zj 1.1.4: In previous versions, I set Clairvoyant and Duplicant be only anti-cloak and anti-disguise respectively. After considering PvE and EvE (besides PvP), I now interchange them.
Fury Drone is no longer anti-disguise. If you think all drones / robots should be anti-disguise, then how about Megalodon, Teratorn as well as St. Michael Powersuit?
zj 1.1.7: Since there’s no T0 or T1 anti-cloak unit, Ghost Miner loses the ability to crush infantry. As a compensation, Ghost Miner will not reveal itself periodically, either.
Heroes/Heroines
The “pure human beings” have less HP (< 300 = Libra) and are vulnerable to Dog / Spook, mutation and omnicrush, but fast (≥ 7, except Malver) and immune to EMP and gravity: Zhang-Jian (PA, HP 200?, Speed 10?), Tanya (UA, HP 200, Speed 9), Morales (HK, HP 240, Speed 7), Malver (SC, HP 200, Speed 6), Yuri (PC, HP 220?, Speed 8?), Fin (HH, HP 280, Speed 7), Alize (HH, HP 280, Speed 7); Norio (PA, HP 270, Speed 45(fly)).
The “mutated human being”, i.e. Rahn (to co-ordinate with Brute): on one hand, immune to Dog / Spook, and HP ≥ 300; on the other hand, vulnerable to gravity, and slow (Speed 7 → 6). (Rahn now is immune to EMP and can also be mutated to Brute.) -- zj 1.1.7
The rest are “human+machines” / cyborgs / AIs, the opposite of the “pure human beings”, i.e. HP ≥ 300, slow (except Cyborg Culpeo and Libra), immune to Dog / Spook, mutation (merely being killed) and omnicrush, but vulnerable to EMP (except Yunru) and gravity (except Libra): Siegfried (EA, HP 450, Speed 5(teleport)), Cyborg Culpeo (HK, HP 500, Speed 10), Krukov (RK, HP 360, Speed 6), Yunru (KK, HP 600?, Speed 6), Libra (PC, HP 300, Speed 10), Eureka (CH, HP 540, Speed 6); Uragan (LH, HP 1000, Speed 8(fly)).
The heroes that need to attack in short range (≤ 5) are immune to poison clouds and radiation: (only listing ground heroes) Tanya (Max C4), Cyborg Culpeo (Razorblade teeth), Krukov (Radiation leaking), Malver (Autolyze, able to heal in poison clouds), Libra (Anti-gravity Field), Yuri (Psychic blast).
(Yunru is no longer immune to poison or radiation.)
Amphibious: Tanya (UA), Morales (HK), Malver (SC, stealthier), Libra (PC, anti-gravity), Yuri (PC, anti-gravity), Fin and Alize (HH, any duo should not be excluded from water).
Campaign Heroes (zj 1.0.8)
(# means campaign unit)
#Flint Westwood (Allied → HK)
Armament: 1 Negation Field (= Suppressor); 2 deployed to increase firepower of friendly units and defenses in a radius of 10 by 15%, unable to move when deployed.
#Sammy Stallion (Allied → Foehn)
Armament: 1 lift and draw vehicles (= 3.3.4’s Zorbfloater); 2 deployed to stun all of enemy’s infantry in a radius of 10, unable to move when deployed.
#Boris (RK)
#Reznov (RK)
#Volkov (RK)
Interchange Volkov’s weapons with #Cyborg Vanguard’s? (Chain lightning Tesla cannon only disables units vulnerable to EMP.)
#Chitzkoi (RK)
#Zhongjie (new, 終結, KK → Foehn)
Armament: 1 Confusion ray (= Deviatress); 2 Hacking ray (disable a unit or building).
Deployed to toggle between two modes. (zj 1.2.0)
Zhongjie + IFV = Deviatress + IFV.
#Rashidi (SC → Foehn)
Armament: 1 Rapidly healing all kinds of friendly units and buildings in a radius of 15 (= Stalker’s 12+3 = Morales); 2 Deploy to reduce enemy structures' armor by 20% for 240 frames in a radius of 15; no more attacking.
Rashidi + IFV = Field Medic + IFV (zj 1.2.2).
Rashidi is immune to poison clouds.
#Cyborg Spaceman (PC)
Armament: Psionic bolt, absorbing damage from Tesla weapons (= 3.3.4’s Wormqueen).
Receive Tesla Overcharge’s buff.
Immune to EMP, but vulnerable to gravity (just as in “Earthrise”).
Cloaked, reveal to attack (just as in “Earthrise”).
#Cyborg Alpha(Foehn? Neutral?)
zj 1.2.1:
Since “Command” and “Commander” are exclusive to Allied, “Commando” should not be used to name any non-Allied unit. So I call “Space Commando” as “Cyborg Spaceman”, and call “Cyborg Commando” as “Cyborg Alpha”. And “Alpha” is the very opposite of “Zhongjie (Omega)”.
Meanwhile, “Future Tank Alpha” returns its original name “Future Tank X-2”. And it is “Future Tank X-2” instead of “Future Tank Alpha” that coordinates with its prototype “Future Tank X-0”.
(Arnnie Frankenfurter, who somewhat overlaps Zhongjie, is on longer needed.)
If a campaign hero(ine) shifts his/her alignment, he/she will appear in both (sub)factional challenges.
Heroslayer Challenge
Group A: add Zhang-Jian and Flint Westwood; replace Volkov with Krukov.
Group B: add Sammy Stallion, Yuri and Cyborg Spaceman; remove Uragan.
Group C: add Uragan, Rashidi and Zhongjie, replace Krukov with Volkov.
Epic Units
All epics are immune to EMP, poison and radiation.
Centurion is the only one that’s amphibious. It’d better be, otherwise there’s no navy or amphibious epic unit, and a naval epic is a bad idea.
Epic’s special connections with its subfaction:
UA
1 Boidmachine supports Statue of Liberty Cannon. 2 “Boidmachine” and “Statue of Liberty Cannon” share relationships with New York City.
EA
Lightning Rod boosts Haloed Thor’s firepower.
RK
1. Gastroburners speeds up Nuclear Kirov Flagship. 2. RK subfactional units are all immune to radiation.
KK
Centurion’s firepower is increased by Tesla Overcharge.
SC
1. Fake Dybbuk Vault both intimidates and distracts enemies as if it house Dybbuk-Jobseeker. 2. All SC subfactional units are immune to poison, and lots of them are even able to heal in poison clouds.
AC
Castles In The Air saves Irkalla’s face (I mean life).
CH
1. Harbinger is called from Harbinger Tower. 2. Nanofiber Capacitor supplies power to Harbinger Tower. -- I tried to set Nanofiber Capacitor exclusive to CH, but that design didn’t work well.
LH
Like Mastodon, Ramwagon is also affected by Nanocharge and releases nanoids to repair itself and fellow Foehn units.
Epicsunk Challenge
Since there’s Heroslayer Challenge, why not “Epicsunk Challenge”?
zj 1.1.6: The enemies also have some campaign epic units and special buildings in their birth spots.
zj 1.1.7:
EU: Nuclear Kirov Flagship + Boidmachine + Haloed Thor + #Paradox Engine + #Advanced Gap Generator (as in “Lights Out”).
SC: Centurion + Dybbuk-Jobseeker + Irkalla + #Psychic Beacon.
SC owns a Dybbuk Vault housing Dybbuk-J and Fake Dybbuk Vault at the beginning.
Epicsunk Challenge has time limit: 2:00:00 (Casual) / 1:30:00 (Normal) / 1:00:00 (Mental). The player(s) can cut off SC’s power to buy more time.
CH: #Ultimate Apocalypse Tank + #Topol-M (mini-nukes) + Harbinger + Ramwagon.
CH owns Harbinger Tower at the beginning.
Additionally, #Stone Golems periodically reinforce each AI.
Economic Support Power
Each faction should have a special financial reinforcement that is called from its special economic booster and costs something except money.
When you have $3000, 3.3.4’s Warp Miner is a low priority; when you desperately need it, you don’t have enough money.
Allied: Warp Miner
One Chrono Miner is teleported to the target location.
Pros: 1. The Miner will work for you from now on. 2. Because it can be teleported nearly anywhere, the Miner’s function is actually beyond economics.
Cons: Your Chrono Miner has to go out to gather ores and come back to Refinery, the stakes of which are high.
Soviet: Gear Change
You immediately receive $2400.
Why is $2400 not $3000? 2400 = 1000 + 1400. 1000 is the max of a Chrono Miner can gather from gems, and 1400 is the price of a Chrono Miner.
Pros: What you get is direct, definite and without delay.
Cons: Your Industrial Plant is disabled for 60 in-game seconds.
Epsilon: Lunch Money
Your Cloning Vats spawns 5 Brutes.
Pros: 1. The total value is $2500, the most of all. 2. The Brutes can fight.
Cons: You need a Grinder to recycle them. Even so, you only get $1250 actually.
zj 1.1.3: In previous versions, I introduced “Spook Boom”, after considering Brute (just as in “Huehuecoyotl”) and Civilian ($100). Now I realize the Brute Plan is much much better. The name is derived from Brute’s quote “Give me your lunch money!”
Foehn: Ore Regeneration
Some ores (worth $2400 without Purifier) immediately appear in the target area.
Pros: You can regenerate ores near or even within your base.
Cons: You have to use Minermites and Refineries to transform the ores to cash, which takes a little time.
Slave Miner
@SOSolacex reuses Slave Miner as T2 Refinery for all factions.
I’m still thinking over the idea.
CHAPTER THREE
The Allied Bloc
(old: The Allied Nations)
I replace “Nations” with “Bloc” because:
1 the other three are “Empire/Union”, “Domain/Army” and “Revolt”, none of which is a plural;
2 now the plural form only applies to subfactions (In fact, “the Wings of Coronia” just uses the plural form).
Deposit Bank (zj 1.1.8)
In zj 1.1.5 I interchanged Deposit Bank with Ore Purifier. Some Chinese players told me $40 per 100 frames is not enough, but they didn’t agree on how much is balanced. See: https://tieba.baidu.com/p/6678173217
Navy Seal
When attacking armors, no matter in sea or on land, Navy Seal uses C4 consistently, so that Allied has a T2 anti-armor infantry. Because it must get close to plant C4, Navy Seal should be uncrushable by normal vehicles and have higher HP.
When attacking Mines, Navy Seal uses C4, too.
AI Behavior (zj 1.2.2)
A Chinook transport two Seals instead of one.
Field Medic (zj 1.2.2)
Field Medic and Field Medic + IFV/Powersuit can both heal infantry and repair vehicles.
Field Medic can “fire” from an opentopped vehicle, e.g. Battle Tortoise.
See also: Choir of Believers
Stryker IFV, St. Michael Powersuit
Allied share the same kind of IFV as their common T1, and UA has a T2 version, which is robotic and gets a new name, “St. Michael Powersuit”.
St. Michael Powersuit uses the same weapons of IFV, but has higher price, HP, speed and passenger survivability rate. Being a robot, St. Michael Powersuit is immune to radiation, poison, mind-control, hijacking and depiloted. Additionally, St. Michael Powersuit is amphibious.
zj 1.0.8: Tanya + Powersuit is still vulnerable to air units. And still Powersuit does Tanya a disservice sometimes such as facing Dragonfly (which is general for Soviet now), Yunru, Gravitron, Palladium and Deviatress.
zj 1.1.2:
In previous versions, I renamed the Powersuit “McNaughton Powersuit” after Canadian General A.G.L. McNaughton (1887 ~ 1966), who was Chairman of the Canadian Section of Canada-United States Permanent Joint Board on Defence (1950 ~ 1959). Now I rename it as “Tomahawk Powersuit”, because “tomahawk” parallels “tsurugi”.
zj 1.2.1:
Although its meaning and its etymology have nothing to do with English word “hawk”, “Tomahawk” happens to end with “hawk”, which means there is a risk to muddle it with “Warhawk”.
Now I rename it as “St. Michael Powersuit”, not only because of Saint Michael the Archangel, but also because of President Michael Dugan.
Unlike the title or the last name, the first name “Michael” is rarely used to refer to the President. So the name “St. Michael” can enjoy a close relationship without mess.
Mythologically St. Michael is an angel, but literally St. Michael doesn’t use “angel”, so St. Michael Powersuit won’t muddle with Foehn’s Angelshark. By contrast, “tomahawk” will muddle with “warhawk”.
Chinook Transport
Since there’re so many kinds of single rotor helicopters, why not depict Chinook as a tandem rotor, like original NightHawk?
zj 1.2.1:
Name
“Stallion” is no longer suitable for the name:
1 The real-life Stallion helicopter is NOT a tandem rotor;
2 “Stallion” muddles with “Sammy Stallion”.
I rename it as “Chinook”.
The real-life Chinook is a kind of tandem-rotor transport helicopters, and used by “The Allied Bloc”, such as USA, Canada, Britain, Italy, Spain, South Korea, Australia.
We don’t reuse “Nighthawk”, because it will muddle with “Warhawk”.
Quotes
“LZ is hot!” may be reused as Chinook’s quote when under fire.
Lionheart (Stolen)
before zj 1.2.2
immune to EMP, boosted by Tesla Overcharge, Heavy Aircraft
zj 1.2.2
When againt buildings, Lionheart plants Arsonist’s Napalm. And Lionheart cannot be stopped by walls.
Now Lionheart really uses EMP/Fuel hybrid bomb, which shares the same ammunition.
Consequently, Lionheart is unaffected by firepower buffs/debuffs.
See my discussions with @大力出奇迹: https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/157805626
Aberration Challenge (my proposals)
1. The players’ radars are always jammed (or there’s no mini-map at all).
2. There’re permanent lightning storms above the players’ ore area, like the map “Maelstorm”.
3. Chrono Prisons.
4. #Paladin Tank Destroyers.
5. A large quantity of Anti-tank Mines.
Pacific Armies
(old: Pacific Front)
Triple Star Kikan (zj 1.2.1)
In previous version, I renamed “Robot Ops Control Center” as “Remote Command”. Now I rename it as “Triple Star Kikan”.
1 “Command” is now occupied by Airforce Command.
2 Japanese “機関”(Kikan) means “organization, facility, government body”.
3 I used “Remote” to display PA’s “control from long distance”, and it was already an excellent name. However, thank to my lucky stars, I think up a divine name -- “Triple Star”.
4 The building looks like a “triple star”. An equilateral triangle, three vertex stand three pillars, and three pillars hold up three “radars”.
5 The triple star also refers to PA’s three (main) parts: South Korea, Japan, and Australia. “Guard Pacific’s triple star”, says Tora, which needs Triple Star Kikan to unlock.
6 There’s a well-known South Korean electronics conglomerate called “Samsung” (삼성), where “sam” = “three” and “sung” = “stars”.
Tens of millions of people have been playing “Yuri’s Revenge” since 2001 and numerous MODs have been made, but only I am blessed by “Triple Star”. And “Triple Star Kikan” has so many connections within MO that it should amaze everybody.
Suppressor, Sniper
before 1.2.2
Sniper had better belong to PA, because “The Pacific Front employs ... long range attacks.”
If you feel the name “Sniper” no longer fits the unit because it has low damage per time and high fire frequency, you may use another name. (zj 1.1.6)
Suppressor belongs to EA to further manifest EA’s “firepower calculation”.
zj 1.2.2
3.3.5 is better.
Norio
It’s said “迦楼羅[Karura]” is Japanese version of Garuda. If that’s true, Norio should use Karura instead of Garuda.
Zhang-Jian (張箭)
Before zj 1.0.9:
Zhang-Jian is a human version of Skyray Cannon (Thermal inversion cannon) + Zephyr (120mm howitzer cannon). Thermal inversion cannon is anti-air. 120mm howitzer cannon is anti-ground.
Zephyrobot also allows Zhang-Jian to fire past his maximum range across the map. (zj 1.0.8: if the feature is possible)
Which weapon does Zhang-Jian use, when he’s in IFV/Powersuit? -- zj 1.0.6: Zhang-Jian should use Thermal inversion cannon.
I name the new hero after my own name, Zhang Jian, not only because I invent him, but also because my name fits him. In Chinese, “Zhang” (張) means “draw a/the bow (weapon)”, and “Jian” (箭) is “arrow”. My name is sort of wordplay, too.
There’re various ways to explain why the hero with the Korea-Kashmiri name belongs to Pacific Armies instead. For example, you may say Zhang-Jian defected from KK to PA, and this caused Prime Minister of KK (1 “President” now is exclusive to UA, 2 “PM” harmonizes with “King” and “Khan”, 3 Kim Il-sung held the very title of DPRK from 1948 to 1972) to put Yunru’s parents under house arrest in Shanghai to prevent Yunru from being another Zhang-Jian.
“How careful!, like in winter, oh, to wade across a river so,” (“豫兮，其若冬涉川。” Verse 15) may be used as a Zhang-Jian’s quote. The sentence and Norio’s “Heaven's net is wide, but lets nothing through” (“天网恢恢，疏而不失。” Verse 73) both derive from “Dao De Jing” (道德經) by Laozi (老子), which Zhang-Jian has studied. (Here I adopt Hilmar Alquiros’s translation.)
zj 1.0.9:
Zhang-Jian now use the new weapon “Aether bow”. (I’m inspired by “Aether Cannon WH”, a hidden weapon.)
Aether arrow reduces one target’s HP by 10%(?) per time, regardless of whatever the target is (unit or building, ground or air). Of course, he can’t exterminate anyone or anything.
Attack range: 15 (both ground and air).
Cooldown: 50 frames?
HP: 200.
Speed: 10.
Unaffected by firepower buffs/debuffs.
Able to fire from opentopped transports (Zhang-Jian and Battle Tortoise deserve one another).
Zhang-Jian + IFV = Aether arrow IFV.
Zhang-Jian may be depicted as a bowman wearing a pair of archery glasses, which is made by Fellow Yunru (J “Yunru’s Snow-glasses”). -- zj 1.1.9
His quotes I drafted:
When selected:
- Zhang-Jian, the Silent. (“希言子” is derived partly from President Calvin Coolidge’s nickname “Silent Cal”, partly from “希言自然” Verse 23)
- 안녕하세요, Commander. (Korean 안녕하세요: annyeonghaseyo, hello. To parallel with Siegfried’s “Guten tag, Commander.” -- zj 1.1.1)
- I don’t have a second string to my bow, so I have to play second fiddle.
- The gifted designer has a design in designing himself as the gift. (a pun and an allusion to Cleopatra VII)
- Help me, help you. (“Warcraft 3”, Sorceress)
When ordered to move:
- Welcome to Kanegawa Industries.
- They, who are good in using men, act from below so humbly then. (善用人者，爲之下。Verse 68 http://www.tao-te-king.org/68.htm)
- All good ideas start out as bad ideas. That's why it takes so long. (by Steven Spielberg)
- Swift as an arrow.
- From zero to hero. J (Archelon: “From hero to zero.”)
When ordered to attack:
- もちろん! (もちろん: Mochiron, of course. RA3, Rocket Angel -- zj 1.1.8)
- My bow is drawn as foes draw near. (my parody of Archer maidens’ Creed of Red Alert 3 -- zj 1.1.8)
- No solo mission.
- Let the hero, pawn of woman, thrash the opponent with his arrow. (♬ my parody of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” by Julia Ward Howe -- zj 1.2.2)
- Draw the Aether bow fully, shoot the non-lethal arrow forward. (a wordplay of Zhang-Jian’s name)
- Use surprise tactics in war. (以奇用兵。 Verse 57, translated by Charles Muller http://www.egreenway...ism/ttclz57.htm)
When under fire:
- I’m a pacific man. (a pun)
- だめ。 (だめ: dame, no good)
- A single arrow is easily broken, but not ten in a bundle. (Japanese proverb -- zj 1.1.8)
- Bad luck: good fortune's underlays, good luck: misfortune's lurking place. (禍兮，福之所倚；福兮，禍之所伏。Verse 58 http://www.tao-te-king.org/58.htm Plan B [Chang Chung-Yuan’s translation]: “From misfortune, good fortune is derived. In good fortune, misfortune is conceived.” http://www.egreenway...ism/ttclz58.htm)
- Whoever is the cause of someone's becoming powerful is ruined. (“Il Principe” by Niccolò Machiavelli, Chapter 3, translated by Harvey Mansfield)
When promoted to heroic:
When being killed:
***
Battle Tortoise
zj 1.1.5
@你咋不上天啊hh’s idea (preloading with 2 GGIs) is in 《来一起调整平衡》(https://tieba.baidu.com/p/6581311022)
zj 1.2.2
Preloading with only one GGI.
Tora
zj 1.0.9:
The word “tora” (虎) means "tiger" in Japanese.
“Tora! Tora! Tora!”, a radio code word, is the icon of Japanese surprise aerial attack on Pearl Harbor. In this case, “tora” is an acronym for “totsugeki raigeki” (突撃雷撃), literally meaning "lightning attack".
His/Her quotes I drafted:
When selected:
- New generation of mine and minelayer. (The old generation is Red Alert 1’s Anti-tank Minelayer with Anti-tank mines, and Anti-personnel Minelayer with Anti-personnel mines.)
- 虎，最高。(最高: saikō, the best, the highest)
- Guard Pacific’s triple star. (♬ “God Defense New Zealand”. In MO the “triple star” is: α South Korea, Japan, and Australia; β Triple Star Kikan, which unlocks Tora.)
- Zhang-Jian-様’s idea, everyone’s efforts. (様: sama, a Japanese honorific title -- zj 1.1.8)
When ordered to move:
- Anywhere, commander... J (Tyrant’s unused quotation)
- Grrrreat! (“Warcraft 3”, Moon Priestess Amara)
- 凄い！ (凄い: sugoi, great, cool)
- Camouflaged as a tiger. (invisible on enemy radar)
- Delay gratification.
- (The) winner is coming.
When ordered to “attack”:
- Preys are going to be killed by my cryo mines. No, by their own curiosity!
- Let it snow! (♬ “Let it snow!” by Dean Martin)
- 虎！虎！虎！
- Snowball delivered. (“Overwatch”, Meiling Zhou)
- It only takes one mine. (by Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf https://www.popularm...pjack-flounder/)
When under fire:
- Our forces are melting down like snowflakes.
- You’ve caught a tiger by the tail. (zj 1.2.1)
- やめて！ (やめて: Yamete, stop)
- There is a very unstable situation in the sky. That is unfolding very quickly. J (♬ my parody of “Act On Instinct” -- zj 1.1.0)
***
zj 1.2.1:
Tora is a levitating aircraft.
Black Eagle (zj 1.2.2)
Although “Black Eagle” and “Double-headed Eagle” overuse the word “eagle”, we perhaps have to tolerate this fault. “Double-headed Eagle” is an established phrase, and mustn’t be altered. Black Eagle’s voice set highlights the word “eagle”, so we will suffer a great loss if we rename it.
However, if you like, you may rename it as “Sky-Wing” and use part of Sea-Wing/Sky-Wing’s voiceset in RA3.
Regenbogen Challenge
1. RED: Reset the countdown of the players’ superweapon and support powers; no more inverted firepower.
2. Add Cryo Mines? (zj 1.1.9)
Upper America
(old: United States of America)
zj 1.2.1
In previous version, I used the name “North America”. It isn’t appropriate, given that “North America” is an established geographic term, which refers to a larger area than what I intended to.
As I’ve said, we’d better use fictional names. So I make up the name “Upper America” and its short form “UA”. And “UA” also happens to be similar to “USA”.
Tanya (zj 1.0.8)
I file Tanya’s voice set:
When selected:
- What's up?
- No fear, Tanya's here.
- I'm so good!
- How about some action?
- Untouchable!
- I hear ya.
- I'm the best there is.
- You got an order?
- Anytime, boss.
When ordered to move:
- Where's the party?
- Show me the way. (Plan B: “On my way.”)
- I'm there.
- Let's go! (Plan B: Let's get to it.)
- Movin' out, boss.
- How about a target?
- Nothin' to stop me! (Plan B: “Nothing can stop me!”)
When ordered to attack (Laser rifle):
- Bag 'em up!
- Gotcha.
- Chaching!
- Another loser!
- Yeehaw!
- Locked and Loaded!
- (maniacal laugh)
When ordered to attack (Max C4):
- Shake it, baby!
- Woohoo!
- I'm on it.
- Let’s rock and roll!
- (laughter)
When under fire:
- Hey, hey, watch it!
- I'm hit!
- Just a scratch!
- That all you got?
- Must resist. (Plan B: ignore the sentence)
When promoted to heroic:
(laughter)
***
Statue of Liberty Cannon
It should be deployed to toggle between free fire and hold fire mode, otherwise it’s the devastator of your own base. @瞌睡附图’s idea is a comment at https://www.bilibili.../read/cv2764124.
“Athena” is too Greek, thus too “Euro Alliance”. (“Athena” works in Red Alert 3, because RA3 has no subfaction.) I replace it with “Statue of Liberty”: Upper American, check; feminine, check; famous, check. What’s more, the new name is perfect for Freedom Challenge and Boidmachine.
Aegis Cruiser, Hyperion
In this sense, “Hyperion” isn’t a good name for PA.
“Aegis” is also very Greek, so it only applies to EA or Allied general.
zj 1.2.1:
Although Aegis and Palladium are related mythologically, they are not related linguistically, so it’s not a (big) issue that Aegis and Palladium belong to Allied and Epsilon respectively. However, if you like, you may rename “Aegis Cruiser” as “Priwen Cruiser” or something else.
Boidmachine
I combine 3.3.4’s Boidmachine, Mercury Strike, Wallbuster and my own ideas together to make a new version.
1. Boidmachine uses 4* "Quasar" lasers (= 2 Aeroblazes) when undeployed, or Boid Strike when deployed.
2. Boid Strike hits precisely like 3.3.4’s Mercury Strike.
3. Boid Strike is dedicated to siege. Target Painter + A Boid Strike’s central damage + a Navy Seal’s C4 should destroy any building?
4. Boid Strike increases the firepower of Statue of Liberty Cannons like Mercury Strike.
5. Boid Strike costs $0.
6. (zj 1.1.5) When in vehicle mode, Boidmachine can crush vehicles, like Stalin’s Fist. zj 1.2.2: Teleport, and lose the ability of crushing.
7. (zj 1.1.6) Neither weapon reveals Boidmachine’s position.
AI behavior:
In 3.3.4, unlike Irkalla, three Boidmachines do little more than one Boidmachine, so AI (Mental Boost) doesn’t build more than one. Now, AI may have as many as five Boidmachines to defend its airspace.
zj 1.2.1
When attacking air units, Boidmachine reuses its unused attacking quotes:
- They will never forget this.
- Witness our finest moment!
- The heavens will come crashing down!
- Hear us knocking on your door!
- This madness ends now!
***
“Boid” is “bird” in some New York City dialects. Therefore, “Boidmachine” takes up its new position “without issue”.
1. New York City is in Upper America.
2. One of Boidmachine’s main functions is to support Statue of Liberty Cannon. What a happy coincidence that the statue stands in New York City.
3. Another main function is anti-air, so a variation on “bird” is instructive.
Freedom Challenge (new version)
1. Permanently buffed Statue of Liberty Cannons.
2. Lionhearts. And Replace Tech Airfields with Runways. -- Paradrops shouldn’t be UA’s feature in MO.
3. Faster enemy infantry and vehicles.
4. Constant Target Painter.
5. Sammy Stallion. (zj 1.0.8)
Euro Alliance
Siegfried
Both teleport should be a hero’s feature, and Siegfried should be able to teleport. His weapon and stats may or may not be modified accordingly.
Every kind of ordinary infantry features should also be applied to heroes, except sacrifice and disguise.
zj 1.2.0: His voice set should be louder.
Haloed Thor
Haloed Thor’s two weapons are the same as ordinary Thor’s. And Lightning Rod boosts Haloed Thor’s firepower, too.
The dazzle of Haloed Thor is its HP 2000 (or even 2500?), Heavy Aircraft, and invisible on enemy radar.
Haloed Thor is anti-disguise.
zj 1.1.9:
Plan A: Haloed Thor is the successor of #Super Thor, which is annihilated in Sweden (“Thunder God”).
Plan B: Replace Super Thor with Haloed Thor.
Haloed Thor may reuse modified Perun Flagship’s voice set, since Perun Flagship is also an epic and Perun is also the god of thunder and lightning (albeit in the Slavic mythology):
When selected:
- I have the power.
- Behold, I am awake.
- Who calls upon the gods?
- We are the oak, but the rest are weeds.
When ordered to move:
- Directly!
- At last!
- Let it flow!
- Into the stone sky.
When ordered to attack:
When ordered to deploy (Loudspeakers):
- Can you feel the energy?
- There is enough for everybody!
- I bring you light! (“Thunder in our hearts, lightning in our blades” is not suitable, because Haloed Thor has no conspicuous blade)
When under fire:
- I've been struck!
- Generators failing!
- Gods cannot be killed!
When shot down:
- I shall return!
- Remember my name!
***
Timekiller Challenge (new version)
1. All enemy units’ and defenses’ firepower is buffed, and AI doesn’t needs Lightning Rod or Coordnode. -- zj 1.2.2
2. Faster rate of fire of all enemy units.
3. The enemy's Force Shield recharge time is halved.
4. The enemy's Backwarp recharge time is halved.
5. Quickshifters.
6. Flint Westwood. (zj 1.0.8)
The Soviet Empire
(old: The Soviet Union)
“Empire” is more suitable than “Union” in the context of “Havana Kingdom”, “Russian Khanate” and “Prime Minister of KK”.
“Building The Soviet Empire” is what HK/RK/KK MCV says.
Alexander Romanov has “tsarist roots” (https://cnc.gamepedi...exander_Romanov), so “Empire” and “Khanate” works.
Tesla Trooper, Chain Tesla Trooper, Desolator, Eradicator
Weak Desolator + strong Tesla Trooper has several benefits:
1. HK, RK and KK all have special T3 non-hero infantry (Arsonist; Gyrocopter; Chain Tesla Trooper) and special T2 “infantry” (Senior Bomb Pilot, WP Pyro, Mortar Quad; Eradicator; Airborne Team).
2. Now that ordinary Tesla Trooper has EMP and Chain Tesla Trooper somewhat replaces a hero, they’d better be T3.
3. Buildings and quite a few units are immune to radiations.
4. Now there’s a good way to explain why Tesla Trooper is anti-cloak while Tesla Coil isn’t: Tesla Trooper and Tesla Cruiser are T3, while Tesla Coil is T2.
There’s no need to list up their stats interchange. Their features are still theirs, such as Desolator / Eradicator still can eliminate tanks within Tank Bunkers, Tesla Trooper / Chain Tesla Trooper still can charge Tesla Coils.
Tesla Coil
zj 1.1.2:
Now that Tesla Trooper / Chain Tesla Trooper is T3:
When charged by (Chain) Tesla Trooper, Tesla Coil: attack range +1, firepower *150%, rate of fire * 183%, + Chain EMP effect (like Chain Tesla Trooper, Chain EMP has 0 damage).
When in low power, ONE (Chain) Tesla Trooper is enough to make a Tesla Coil online, two (Chain) Tesla Troopers are enough to charge a Tesla Coil.
Meanwhile, the fully upgraded bonuses no longer have EMP (no single EMP, no EMP arc).
zj 1.1.8:
Tesla Troopers garrison Tesla Coil instead of standing aside.
@Tathmesh said: “Putting Tesla troopers on Tesla coils is too janky to control, so you usually don't bother. If I play Soviet and I want to get a newly produced unit added to my army on the field, I select my army and press T. But if I happen to have a Tesla troopers in the army, pressing T pulls the trooper out of the coil. So you have to gimp your own mechanics to make Tesla Troopers work with coils. I wish coils had a garrison mechanic or something.” (https://forums.revor...44#entry1108727)
Moreover, garrison can easily explain why (Chain) Tesla Trooper can charge Tesla Coil while Tesla Cruiser can’t.
Demolition Truck
HK
Smoky Demo: emits smoke in a radius of 8 when exploding, which halves enemy firepower. -- “It will be a smoking crater!” as the driver says.
RK
Irradiative Demo: has constant radiation (like Eradicator); is immune to radiation; generates a radiation field when exploding (similar to Yuri’s Revenge or a smaller area).
KK
EMP Demo: is immune to EMP; emits EMP in a radius of 8 when exploding.
Naval (zj 1.2.2)
It’s said that 3.3.5 would add Mosquito Demoboat. I think the better design is to set all the three Demo Trucks amphibious.
AI behavior (zj 1.2.2)
Demos always target enemy’s buildings.
Stalin’s Fist (zj 1.2.2)
Now Stalin’s Fist is defined as Defense, and a player has a choice between Iron Guard and Stalin’s Fist.
Stalin’s Fist is no longer considered as an epic, and can be chronoed and hacked. However, it is limited to one and cannot be captured or mind-controlled.
Stalin’s Fist, when standing alone, trains T1 tanks of the owner’s initial subfaction, as in the mission “Retaliation”, where two Proselytes use the two Stalin’s Fists to produce SC T1 tanks.
Apocalypse, Ultimate Apocalypse
Since Lionheart and Seitaad already use Tesla / EMP, Apocalypse is redesigned to use 2* 125mm Nuke-enhanced cannons, which is similar to Sickle Nuclear Cannon. (Among stolen tech units, only Apocalypse and Wormqueen are equipped with nuclear weapons.)
Ultimate Apocalypse Tank also uses Nuke-enhanced cannons.
zj 1.1.9
By the way, Nuke-enhanced cannons are more suitable to Apocalypse’s “Eradicate them!”, since MO has introduced a new nuclear infantry -- Eradicator.
Ultimate Apocalypse may use RA3’s Apocalypse’s voice set.
Since “super” is already occupied by “superweapon”, I rename “Super Apocalypse” as “Ultimate Apocalypse”.
zj 1.2.2
Ultimate Apocalypse can also omnicrush.
Wormqueen
Before zj 1.1.7:
Since Lionheart and Seitaad already use Tesla / EMP, Wormqueen is redesigned to use 2* Rad cannons against ground units (inheriting Syckle’s weapon) and 2* Flamethrowers against buildings. (Among stolen tech units, only Apocalypse and Wormqueen are equipped with nuclear weapons.)
Since Wormqueen is subterranean, its minimum attack range should reduce from 5.5 to 1.
Psionic bolt is transferred to Cyborg Spaceman.
zj 1.1.7:
Keep 2* Rad cannons.
Trade 2* Flamethrowers for the capacity of 8 transport slots (= Borillo).
HP: 350 → 820 (= Pangolin)
Armor type: still Medium (Driller is Light, Armadillo is Heavy)
Speed: still 4 (1 when underground)
Turn rate: 3 → 5 (= Driller = Borillo).
Sight radius: still 6.
Add anti-disguise.
Fusing Epsilon and Soviet, Wormqueen becomes the queen of transporters. And, Wormqueen itself (not to mention when carrying certain infantry) is useful in both tough fight and harassment.
zj 1.2.2
Pre-loaded with two Engineers.
Double-headed Eagle, Syckle
Before zj 1.0.7:
In 3.3.4 Syckle’s two features, radiation and Iron Curtain, are all Soviet; meanwhile, none of stolen units uses chemical / biological weapons. So I replace Syckle’s 2* Rad cannons with 2* Chemical cannons. Now Syckle can attack both ground units and buildings.
zj 1.0.7:
I invent a brand new sort of jet, Double-headed Eagle, to replace Syckle.
“Double-headed Eagle” is the national emblem of both Tsarist Russia and Russian Federation.
Armament: Pathogen plus sniper rifle (zj 1.1.9).
1. Like Virus, Double-headed Eagle injects a pathogen that is released after 160 frames (10.7 in-game seconds), causing 200-60 damage over a radius of 1.
2. Double-headed Eagle can randomly pick ONE additional unit at one time (inheriting the feature of 3.3.4’s Foxtrot, but targeting with accuracy).
Ammunition: 2(+2).
Attack range: 15.
Like Virus, Double-headed Eagle won’t reveal position when attacking, and can target both ground infantry and vehicles.
Plan A: Double-headed Eagle is invulnerable when parking on airfields. -- Airfields are fragile though, be careful. Plan B (zj 1.1.2): Double-headed Eagle is always invulnerable. The only way to destroy it is to destroy the airfields. Plan C (zj 1.2.2): Double-headed Eagle is invulnerable when parking on airfields, and the plane’s iron curtain lasts for a while (45 in-game seconds?) after taking off. -- This idea comes from the discussions with @大力出奇迹 (https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/157805626).
See Dybbuk-Jobseeker below for Double-headed Eagle’s stats I suggest.
zj 1.0.8: His/Her quotes I drafted:
When selected:
- Double-headed Eagle, heading the air forces.
- Culturing coronaviruses.
- The fighter whose speed and range are second to none. (zj 1.1.9)
- The vaccination, kick-started by Catherine the Great through her example, makes me invulnerable.
- (♬ Playing a clip of the opening music of Russian series “Екатери́на” [Ekaterina], only instrumental music)
When ordered to move:
When ordered to attack:
- Buy one, get one free.
- Have a drink, friends. (my parody of Mugen’s quote in “Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun”)
- Useful idiots.
- Smallpox or bubonic plague?
- Shall I pencil you in ... twice? (“Fresh off the Boat” S02E18 “Week In Review”)
- Not missiles, but microbes. (“The next outbreak? We're not ready” by Bill Gates https://www.ted.com/...up-next#t-48834 -- zj 1.0.9)
When under fire:
- The highest branch is not the safest roost.
- Coup d'état!
- Be curtains for me?
- Why don’t I have three heads? (“Amadeus” by Milos Forman)
***
Wallbuster (zj 1.1.0)
His/Her quotes I drafted:
When selected:
- Wallbuster, war master.
- Blood and brick. (“Walls: A History of Civilization in Blood and Brick” by David Frye)
- The fastest, the cheapest, and the most accessible siege bomber. (zj 1.2.2)
- Let no one build walls to divide us, walls of hatred nor walls of stone. (♬ “Internationale” translated by Billy Bragg)
When ordered to move:
- Red skies! (RA3, MiG Fighter -- zj 1.1.9)
- Think out of the box.
- March, march, Wallbuster. (♬ my parody of “Whirlwind of Danger” / “March Song of the Workers”)
- The aviator sunglasses reflect Fellow Yunru’s genius. (zj 1.1.9)
When ordered to attack:
- 拆！(Chinese 拆 = pull down, demolish, dismantle)
- Tear down this wall! (“Tear Down This Wall” by Ronald Reagan)
- The best defense is a good offense.
- The writing is on the wall for the wall itself. (zj 1.1.2)
- There is no real wall in war. J (3.3.4’s Cyborg Vanguard: “There is no real law of war.”)
When under fire:
- I get busted.
- They bust the bust of General. (zj 1.1.9)
- I feel airsick.
- The plane is going to the wall... (zj 1.1.9)
***
Naval Mine Paradrop
Naval Mines not only should apply to “seas” but also should apply to “rivers” and “pools” to kill Riot Troopers, Crazy Ivans, Epsilon Elites and Jackals etc., even if a Shipyard is not an option at all.
So Navy Mine Paradrop should be called from Aviation Committee instead of Shipyard.
Revolution Challenge
1. Replace Topol-M with one Stalin’s Fist for each subfaction.
2. Only ordinary Kirov reinforcement.
3. Replace Bomb Biker reinforcement with Mortar Quad reinforcement.
Havana Kingdom
(old: Latin Confederation)
Don’t you think LC is easily mixed up with SC, PC and WC?
Smoke Turret (zj 1.2.2)
All ordinary T3 debuffing units and defenses have two abilities.
Allied: Hummingbird
It reduces ground units’ both speed and firepower.
HK: Smoke Turret
It reduces both ground units’ and air units’ firepower.
SC: Oxidizer
It reduces both ground units’ and air units’ armor.
HH: Syncronin
It reduces boht ground units’ speed and buildings’ armor.
WP Pyro
@一家之主风见幽香’s white phosphorus idea is in the paper “【简谈】对于心灵终结335的对战平衡性设计理念以及其中的过程和细节” (https://www.bilibili.../read/cv2764124).
Senior Bomb Pilot
Compare the basic stats of Bomb Pilot, Senior Bomb Pilot and Bloatick:
HP: 150; 150; 100.
Armor type: Flak; Plate?; Animal.
Speed: 8; 9? (10 may be imba); 10.
Sight radius: 6; 7; 7.
Cost: UA($100); $400?; $400.
Train time: N/A; 0:12?; 0:09.
Damage: 150 ~ 75; 150 ~ 75; 150 ~ 37.5.
Damage rate: anti vehicle; anti vehicle + infantry; anti infantry + building.
Attack range: 1.73, radius 2; 1.73, radius 2; 1.73, radius 3.
Special abilities: Capture depiloted vehicles; Capture depiloted vehicles and vessels, amphibious, emit smoke when exploding; Generate poison clouds, heal in poison clouds, immune to mind-control, Spy alike cannot disguise them as Bloatick.
Bomb Biker doesn’t server my purpose, so I develop a new unit, but I have no problem to use the name and image of Bomb Biker, if you like.
zj 1.1.2: In previous versions, “Bomb Pilot” and “Senior Bomb Pilot” were named “Bomb Apprentice” and “Bomb Mentor”.
Morales
3.3.4’s Morales summons X-MiGs to siege:
1 it doesn’t display HK’s “fireworks”;
2 it messes up other subfaction’s nuclear feature;
3 it is the very opposite of “harassment and sabotage”, because Morales has to stand still to wait X-MiGs while the enemies know clearly which building is being targetted.
My idea “Timed incendiary explosive ejector” solves all the problems. Morales now can ejector an Ivan’s explosive to an enemy’s building from range 15 and immediately run away (now Speed 8 or amphibious). The adversary is irritated by the tick-tock, but has little to do or even doesn’t know which building has been targetted (if lacking certain methods). After a while, “Fireworks for everyone!”
Morales’s ejector is able to cross over walls.
Morales’s Timed incendiary explosive can destroy a bridge. -- zj 1.2.2
Morales’s Speed increase from 7 to 8 (Plan A).
Cyborg Culpeo
Cyborg Culpeo is HK’s version of Chitzkoi.
“Culpeo” is a native South American fox species.
Morales attacks far and slow, whereas Cyborg Culpeo attacks closely and fast: they complement each other.
Cyborg Culpeo is enhanced with "Schturm" missiles (= an empty Catastrophe) to fight air units.
Another interesting new feature is Cyborg Culpeo emits smoke in a radius of 8 when killed, which halves enemy firepower for 12 in-game seconds.
Cyborg Culpeo + IFV = "Schturm" missiles. (zj 1.0.8)
To balance these improvements, Cyborg Culpeo loses the ability to clear garrisoned structure (of which Tanya has sole ownership now).
Plan A
Cyborg Culpeo is amphibious and able to parasitize vessels. MO’s Squid has lost the ability to grapple ships, let’s make Cyborg Culpeo somewhat inherit this lost feature.
To balance the amphibious ability, Cyborg Culpeo‘s HP reduces from 500 to 400?
Plan B
Instead of Cyborg Culpeo, Morales is amphibious and able to depilot most T1 and T2 vessels, including subs (then Senior Bomb Pilots can capture them).
If Morales is amphibious, his Speed is still 7.
Note: If vessels can be depiloted, HK should have Dreadnought, and KK should have ScU Missile Sub. Hijacker can also swim and hijack vessels.
zj 1.0.6: Plan B is better.
In early version, I once considered: Inca Missile Sub (now HK with a new name, Gordost missiles able to cause fire that lingers for a while, Speed 4, HP 1000? -- These alterations are to match HK’s “harassment”, but they unfortunately diminish the difference between Inca and Resheph. If you insist Akula’s Speed 3 and HP 1250, then the missile sub should be transferred to KK and renamed. How about “ScU Missile Sub”?).
Armadillo (HK), Borillo (RK), Pangolin (KK)
To differ from Scorpion Cell, Havana Kingdom needs some expensive units and more kamikaze units.
Before zj 1.1.1:
Armadillo, as well as WP Pyro, is not only valuable but also in HK’s flame style.
$1200, HP 700, Speed 6, Turn rate 5, Transport slots 6. Now Armadillo merely has one more flamethrower, uses White Phosphorus and costs $200 more, compared with Borillo.
It’s not wise to (still) give Armadillo to Korea-Kashmir. And now there’s no necessity to introduce a new vehicle (“South American Tapir”, as @一家之主风见幽香 recommends). By the way, “armadillos” mainly live in Central and South America, and the word itself comes from Spanish; whereas “tapir” comes from French.
zj 1.1.1:
Armadillo (HK), Borillo (RK), Pangolin (KK)
Armadillo: 2 WP flamethrowers.
Borillo: 8 transport slots (the other two are 6), immune to radiation.
Pangolin: HP 820 (the other two are 700), immune to EMP.
The other stats are all the same.
Vulture (zj 1.2.2)
AI behavior
When attacking buildings, Vulture uses Napalm instead of 12.7mm DShK.
X Firebombing (zj 1.0.8)
X Firebombing is HK version of Toxic Strike.
Call 4 Flamingoes to perform ONE strafe run by dropping their firebombs to create an X firewall at the target radius of 5.
● ●
● ●
●
● ●
● ●
Every explosion causes 45 ~ 6.75 damage in a radius of 1.5 (= Vulture). The central point will be stricken 4 times (Damage 180 ~ 27), and every side point will be stricken 2 times (Damage 90 ~ 13.5).
The X firewall lasts 125 frames (= 1/4 Arsonist’s Fires), and the damage = Arsonist’s Fires.
Dybbuk-Striker is renamed Flamingo.
“Flamingo” fits HK well, because the word has the root “flame” and partly comes from Spanish, and many of the birds live in Caribbean Sea and South America.
Moreover, flamingoes are highly gregarious. And four Flamingoes come together each time in the game.
Scorpion Cell on longer has Toxic Strike and Dybbuk-Striker.
Flame Tower
1. Improved to T2, HP 650 → 850, Attack range 6.5 → 8, Cost $500 → $1000.
2. White Phosphorus.
Moltencore Challenge
1. Initial WP Pyros for Catastrophe Tanks.
2. Flint Westwood. (zj 1.0.8)
3. Add some Aviation Committees, and replace Syckles with Double-headed Eagles.
4. Replace Bomb Biker reinforcement with Senior Bomb Pilot reinforcement.
Russian Khanate
(old: Russia)
All RK subfactional units (except RK MCV) are immune to radiation: Eradicator, Krukov, Rhino Tank, Irradiative Demolition Truck, Borillo, Sickle Nuclear Cannon, Sentinel, Wolfhound Siege Chopper.
Sickle Nuclear Cannon
Of course, Sickle Nuclear Cannon and Tesla Cruiser should interchange their basic stats, and I’ve already listed some. Still Tesla Cruiser is not effective against buildings.
It’s a little weird that a unit is named after a female deity (女媧, Nüwa) while dubbed by a male (Gabriel Wolf). The new name “Sickle Nuclear Cannon” doesn’t have this problem.
zj 1.2.1
In previous version, I named it as “Khan Nuclear Cannon”:
1 to fit its new affiliation (Russian Khanate);
2 to fit its voice actor;
3 to parody MO2 unused Khan Tank.
However, because I use “Khan” as the title of the leader of Russian Khanate, I was a fool to overuse “Khan” to name a unit.
Now I rename it as “Sickle Nuclear Cannon”.
Sickle may reuse Syckle’s voiceset.
Krukov
Krukov’s Radiation gun also can eliminate tanks within Tank Bunkers.
Krukov’s Laser Designator’s Attack range is 12 (= Boris) not 15.
Krukov is constantly leaking radiation around him, just like Eradicator.
Krukov no longer has Smoke bombs.
zj 1.2.1: Krukov + IFV = Boris + IFV = Laser Designator (Range 15, against units and buildings).
Nuclear Kirov Flagship (NKF)
The epic’s HP, Armor type, Speed, etc. are all equal to ordinary Kirov Airship. (I guess HP 3000 might be imbalance.)
The critical change is NKF’s weapons are 2*SPM3 (against both air and ground) + Mini-nuke (against ground).
SPM3 can fire on the move.
SPM3 is effective against all kinds of units, weak against buildings.
AI behavior:
1. AI’s NKF only bombards the enemy’s main Construction Yard. NKF’s Attack range is 1 with radius 9, whereas 3.3.4’s M.A.D.M.A.N.’s is 16. That’s why 3.3.4’s AI still cannot use M.A.D.M.A.N. properly. By contrast, AI at least won’t use NKF to destroy itself.
2. Unlike Stalin’s Fist, AI is allowed to train several NKFs.
zj 1.0.8: NKF may adopt RA3’s Kirov’s voice set.
Wolfhound Siege Chopper (zj 1.1.9)
We may call its weapon as “Tschmel siege cannon”.
Gastroburners
Atomheart (Plan A)
It temporarily increases the speed of Nuclear Kirov Flagship and Krukov (and X-MiGs?).
Fission Speed Up (Plan B)
It temporarily increases the speed of all kinds unclear units: Desolator, Eradicator, Krukov, Volkov(?), Irradiative Demolition Truck, Sickle Nuclear Cannon, Apocalypse, Ultimate Apocalypse, Wormqueen, X-MiG(?), Nuclear Kirov Flagship.
Gastroburners (Plan C, zj 1.0.8)
Somewhat similar to RA3, temporarily increase Kirov Airships’ and NKF’s speed (no HP sacrifice though).
Battlecity Challenge
1. Replace Tesla Overcharge effect with permanent Gastroburners effect on Nuclear Kirov Flagships and Kirov Airships.
2. Replace Stalin’s Fists with Topol-Ms using mini-nukes.
3. (zj 1.1.6) All enemy units have permanent irradiation.
Korea-Kashmir
(old: China)
All KK subfactional units (except KK MCV) are immune to EMP: Chain Tesla Trooper, Yunru, Qilin Tank, White Tiger APC, EMP Demolition Truck, Pangolin, Tesla Cruiser, Musudan Launcher, Centurion Tesla Crawler, ScU Sub.
White Tiger APC (zj 1.2.1)
Why should White Tiger belong to KK instead of RK?
1 As in 3.3.4, White Tiger goes along with NL30 Helicopter.
2 Compared to Halftrack, White Tiger is slower and better armored. That’s to say it’s more KK than RK.
3 RK has Borillo to carry more transport slots.
Why and how does the name change from “Tigr” (Russian “Тигр” means “tiger”) to “White Tiger”?
1 Significantly amplify the difference from Tora, through only a few alterations.
2 The name had better be very KK and in harmony with other KK units.
“白虎” (Bai Hu; 白 = White, 虎 = Tiger) is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations. It is the Lord of the Armed Forces.
Both Qilin and White Tiger are mythical beasts.
Yunru
Raising Yunru’s HP prominently so that using Yunru outside Centurion, e.g. deploying, also makes sense.
At the same time, Yunru is no longer immune to poison or radiation.
NL30 Helicopter (zj 1.1.9)
Armament:
4* 12.7mm Minigun (against infantry);
EL missiles (against vehicles, aircraft and structures).
Now that NL30 belongs to KK, the word “Tschmel” no longer works, so I introduce “EL”.
NL30 might reuse the image of Hindblade Heavy Helicopter?
His/Her quotes I drafted:
When selected:
- More to NL30 than meets the eye.
- བཀྲ་ཤིས་བདེ་ལེགས་, comrade. (Tibetan བཀྲ་ཤིས་བདེ་ལེགས་: Tashi Delek, blessings and good luck)
- Congratulations on your promotion, General. And when is mine?
- And we’ll only be making it right. (♬ “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler. 1 “Eclipse” is one of KK’s mission. 2 The song is the opening of “Battlefield 4”, which a few of NL30’s quotes hint at)
When ordered to move:
- Accidents don’t just happen, they are caused. (zj 1.2.2)
- Did you see something? (RA3, Twinblade)
- Sir, the attitude is not going to speed things up any bit at all. (“Transformers” by Michael Bay)
- 105°49'30"
When ordered to attack (Machine guns):
- Always keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
- NL 30: Air Assault. (“Apache: Air Assault” by Gaijin Entertainment)
- This helicopter responding.
- 整點兒子彈來。 (Bring some bullets / money. In Chinese, “子彈” = “bullet”; and in my dialect, “子彈” also = “money”. It’s a pun.)
When ordered to attack (EL Missiles):
- The aiming angle 10'46"
- Also have long range anti-aircraft engagements. (“Bringing a chopper early game MAKES YOU STUPID..or does it” by PhlyDaily)
- EL발사. (Korean 발사: balsa, launch)
- They’re eclipsed by KK. J
When under fire:
- 自己人！ (One of us!)
- I can’t measure the altitude.
- But odds being what odds are and the wind being what it is. (“Straight Up: Helicopters In Action”)
- Only the paranoid survive. (by Andrew Grove -- zj 1.2.0)
***
Considering Wolfhound’s voice set, I rename both “Wolfhound Siege Chopper” and “NL30 Helicopter”.
ScU Missile Sub
zj 1.0.8
“ScU” (川大) is the short form of “Sichuan University” (四川大學).
I choose “ScU” to name the sub because: 1 ScU is in Korea-Kashmir; 2 ScU is my alma mater; 3 both “ScU” and “Sub” begin with “s” and have the equal number of letters; 4 “川” means “river” (it’s a sub); 5 the motto of ScU, “海納百川，有容乃大”, also refers to “sea” and “rivers” (it’s a sub).
The motto of ScU, derived from a classic couplet. It literally means “The sea admits hundreds of rivers; having (huge) capacity for accommodation/tolerance makes itself great.” It’s also a wordplay. The last words of the two clauses are “川” and “大” respectively, the combination of which is “川大”(ScU). The quotation’s pronunciation and another interpretation: https://translate.go...&text=海納百川，有容乃大
zj 1.2.2: The quasi-official translation of “海納百川，有容乃大” is “Sea, all water, receives all rivers; Utmost wit listens to all sides.”
His/Her quotes I drafted:
When selected:
- ScU Sub, beyond material physics.
- Straight A’s.
- A dark horse or a black sheep? (The submarine looks black.)
- The library is inscribed with your name.
- 海納百川，有容乃大。
When ordered to move:
- We only have to send me. The "others" don't need to know. (“Fresh off the Boat” S03E22 “This Is Us”)
- From my Yin to my Yang to my Yang Tze. (♬ “The Warrior Song” by Sean Householder)
- Navigating with utmost caution. (3.3.4’s Akula)
- To discover the secrets beneath the surface. (“Ocean Maker” by ScU http://wuco.scu.edu....o/1081/1193.htm)
When ordered to attack:
- Fellow Yunru’s Pride! J (zj 1.1.9)
- The point, however, is to change it. (“Theses On Feuerbach” by Karl Marx)
- And so begins the final drama. (♬ “The Internationale”, translated by Billy Bragg)
- Give ‘em some Sichuan pepper! J (Vulture: “Give 'em some pepper!” -- zj 1.1.9)
When under fire:
- There is no teacher but the enemy. And he will tell you where you are weak, where he is strong. (“Ender's Game” by Gavin Hood -- zj 1.1.7)
- Besides, there’re a few things worth learning that they just don't teach you in school.
- This word game puzzles me.
- Another Beiyang Fleet? (北洋艦隊 https://historica.fa...i/Beiyang_Fleet)
- What's that dripping sound?! (RA3’s Akula)
***
zj 1.1.9
Now that ScU Sub belongs to KK, the name of its missile may directly be “Pride” instead of “Гордость” (Gordost, Pride). -- “Fellow Yunru’s Pride!” ScU Sub says.
Tesla Overcharge
It temporarily boosts the potency of Tesla / EMP weapons, except EMP Mine and EMP Demolition Truck: Tesla Coil, Tesla Trooper, Chain Tesla Trooper, Cyborg Vanguard(?), Tesla Cruiser, Seitaad Airship(?) and Stone Golem.
Ironwall Challenge (my proposals)
“Ironwall Challenge” sounds cool, and I infer it is the Challenge vs KK. Nevertheless, before I heard “Ironwall”, I had though up another name, “Everest Challenge”, which I just record here to remember.
1. In the beginning the players’ bases are already surrounded by a string of Battle Bunkers.
2. Constant infantry paradrops with NL30s escort. Each enemy owns a Tech Paratrooper Liaison Office.
3. Numerous Dragonflies.
4. Permanent Tesla Overcharge effect on Chain Tesla Troopers, Tesla Cruisers and Centurions.
5. Irondragons.
6. EMP Mines.
7. Zhongjie. (zj 1.0.8)
The Epsilon Domain
(old: The Epsilon Army)
1. “Army” now belongs to “Pacific Armies”.
2. “Domain” echoes Psychic Domination.
Epsilon Barracks (zj 1.0.8)
Using “Yuri is master” as the sound effect is more of a hindrance than a help. Any uint’s voice set shouldn’t be used as the sound effect. Try something else.
Choir of Believers
Now each faction has its special ways to heal friendly units.
Heal infantry:
Allied: Field Medic, Backwarp.
Soviet: Drakuv, Apocalypse (stolen).
Epsilon: Choir of Believers, Stalker (AC), some infantry can heal in poison clouds.
Foehn: Huntress, Devourer, Yi (LH), Archelon (stolen), Nanofiber Sync.
Neutral: Tech Hospital, Tech Base Expansion Post.
Repair vehicles:
Allied: Engineer IFV/Powersuit, Field Medic, Backwarp.
Soviet: Rejuvenator, Repair Crane.
Epsilon: Choir of Believers, some vehicles can heal in poison clouds. (Stinger+Engineer is repetitive.)
Foehn: Minermite, Nanocharge (LH), M.A.D.M.A.N. (stolen).
Neutral: Tech Machine Shop, Tech Base Expansion Post.
My modification is better than @SOSolacex’s, which assigns Field Medic to Epsilon (https://www.bilibili...ideo/av45805124 or https://mega.nz/#!h1...zj9e_wV93RaILK0, the latter of which I have no access to, what a shame).
@一家之主风见幽香’s idea, a new Foehn unit “纳米修复者”, rapidly healing friendly infantry, hasn’t persuaded me.
It’s said that 3.3.5’s Rage will no longer heal infantry. It gets along with my idea.
zj 1.0.8
Compare Repair Crane to Choir of Believers:
Choir of Believers ≈ T1 Defense, effectively “attack” friendly ground units, Range 6 (only one unit at a time), $500, -0 Power.
Repair Crane ≈ T2 Defense, effectively “attack” friendly airborne and ground armors, Radius 8 (all units simultaneously), $1200, -50 Power.
zj 1.2.1
“Believer” is the antonym of “Non-believers”, who Initiates swear at.
What does Choir of Believers sing? Or what are its sound effects? Some clips of Epsilon’s BGM.
In previous version, I named “Choir of Believers” as “Nutrient Column”. Now thanks to the new name, it has much more options for its image.
Palladium (zj 1.2.1)
Palladium = Gun Turret from support power.
Before zj 1.2.0, what I envisaged was Risen Caustic Column, which partly replaced Risen Inferno.
Now that the building is re-set as Gun Turret, both “caustic” and “column” are no longer suitable, and a new name is needed.
“The Socialist Confederation of Latin America”, “North America”, “Nuwa Nuclear Cannon”, “Basilisk-AC” and the like are failed names.
“Gun Turret”, “Nutrient Column”, “Armor Cutter” and the like are qualified names.
“Caustic Column” (if the building suits), “Terror Drop”, “Cloud Piercer” and the like are excellent names.
I won’t accept the degeneration from excellent to qualified. Actually I divine a divine name -- “Palladium”. And the Palladium is a divine statue (associated with Athena).
1 Since the Palladium is a statue, so the name fits a building (like The London Palladium).
2 The building is a defense tower, and the Palladium is just a safeguard.
3 Palladium also refers to the 46th chemical element, Pd. The metal Pd is extremely ductile and easily worked. And in the game, Palladium is one of the only two defense towers that can be “built” nearly anywhere.
4 Palladium is as Greek as Epsilon, Pandora, Chimera and Libra.
Initiate, Railgun Tower, Marauder, Antares Battery
There’s no problem for Yuri’s Revenge to say Initiates use fire. However, it’s confusing for Mental Omega to say some Epsilon arsenals are “fire”, “inferno” and “thermal”, because this feature is supposed to be HK. So let’s say Initiate, Railgun Tower and Marauder use some sort(s) of psychic energy, similar to Adept, Elite and Yuri. There, I fixed it. Er, it would be better if the colour of their weapon visuals turn purple.
The name of “Inferno Tower” returns to 3.3.0’s “Railgun Tower”, after I replace Foehn’s “Railgun Tower” with “Golden Rocket Tower” and give “Railguneer” a new name “Lambaster”. (zj 1.1.2)
The adjustment to Antares Battery is more delicate. “Antares” is Alpha Scorpii, so set it use Antares acid beam (High-pressure acid streams -- zj 1.2.1).
Infiltrator
zj 1.1.5
The training images of Infiltrator and Adept are too similar to identify. Infiltrator’s avatar may: 1 face left, 2 have hair, 3 wear a pair of glasses (?).
zj 1.2.2
We may say Infiltrator wears a wig.
Infiltrator, like Crazy Ivan, plants Timed incendiary explosive (instead of C4-like demonition) on a bridge repair hut to destroy the bridge.
Use C4 or Max C4: Seal, Tanya, Clairvoyant, #Reznov;
Use Timed incendiary explosive: Crazy Ivan, Morales, Infiltrator.
Dybbuk-Crasher
zj 1.0.8
In previous versions, I introduced this brand new kind of kamikaze airplane to replace Blackout Missile.
Now I redesign it as the most powerful siege aircraft. On the other hand, it’s quite costly, given that it’s a one-off.
When being shot down, Dybbuk-C ONLY causes splash damage like other airplanes.
Meanwhile, I set Syncronaut to replace Blackout Missile, instead.
zj 1.1.9
We may say Dybbuk-Crasher uses the data of Barracuda, which is retrieved by Allied in “Stone Cold Crazy”.
zj 1.2.1
Thank @Handepsilon for expanding my knowledge of how buildings take damage in the game engine.
zj 1.2.2
Dybbuk-Crasher no more directly destroys a building, instead it commits suicide to permanetly mind-control a building.
Meanwhile, Dybbuk-seizer only mind-controls units.
To balance Dybbuk-Crasher’s and Yuri’s ability of mind-controlling buildings, we may set more buildings immune to mind-control?
His/Her quotes I drafted:
When selected:
- We crash into each other, just so we can feel something. (“Crash” by Paul Haggis)
- Epsilon’s kamikazes.
- I’m more than a crasher, I’m a Dybbuk-Crasher. (Plan B: “This Crasher is a dybbuk.” -- zj 1.1.0)
- Proselyte, I feel like a million dollars.
When ordered to move:
- Crashing through the firmament. (zj 1.1.0)
- From Mountain Pensacola to the shores of Tripoli. (♬ my parody of USA “Marines' Hymn”. BTW, we may narrow the location of “Survivors” down to Tripoli.)
- Rule #33 - Never go back to your place. (“Wedding Crashers” by David Dobkin -- zj 1.2.2)
- Crash, crash, one hundred yard dash. (my parody of “Zootopia”)
When ordered to “attack”:
- Nothing succeeds like success.
- Turn the tables. (zj 1.2.2)
- One for one. (zj 1.2.2)
- There is a fine line between being a host and being a hostage. (zj 1.2.2)
- The destiny of the building is to serve Yuri. (zj 1.2.2)
When under fire:
- What a martyr craves more than anything is a sword to fall on. (“House of Cards” S01E02)
- Crash land the dybbuk!
- It is almost a relief to find myself in an actual accident. (“Crash” by J. G. Ballard)
- Now the pain is my pleasure, cause nothing could measure. (♬ “S&M” by Rihanna)
***
Dybbuk-Mutator, Dybbuk-Evolver
Before zj 1.2.2:
One Dybbuk-E’s damage to infantry should equal to two Foxtrots’.
Bloatick and Dybbuk-M should be able to neutralize each other: on the one hand, Bloaticks can destroy Dybbuk Vaults easily; on the other hand, a Dybbuk-M can kill a pack of Bloaticks easily.
zj 1.2.2:
Dybbuk-Mutator:
Damage: (125 ~ 50) * 2;
Speed: 18(fly) = 3.3.4’s Dybbuk-E;
Cost: $1900?.
Dybbuk-Evolver:
Damage: (125 ~ 50) * 2;
Speed: 22(fly) = Gyrocopter;
Cost: $2000.
Piranha Minsub (zj 1.1.7)
The voice set had better use the private beta version.
Scorpion Cell
All SC subfactional units (except SC MCV and Fake SC MCV) are immune to poison: Hijacker, Malver, Mantis, Speeder Trike, Manticore, Tyrant, Plague Splatter, Oxidizer, Dybbuk-Jobseeker.
All poison units can heal in poison clouds: Dunerider, Bloatick, Virus, Malver, Stinger, Mantis, Manticore, Tyrant, Plague Splatter, Dybbuk-Jobseeker, Double-headed Eagle.
We shouldn’t emphasize SC’s “sheer number” and AC’s “illusion” too much, otherwise we should both interchange Malver and poison with Rahn and gene, and interchange Soviet T0 infantry with Epsilon T0 infantry. And neither of the two ideas is bright.
Hijacker
zj 1.0.8
To solve the image problem: once a Hijacker is on water, the Hijacker changes his disguise to a Dunerider and moves like a Dunerider. We can even set Hijacker’s default image is Dunerider (instead of Initiate).
zj 1.1.3
In 3.3.4, when you hijack or mind-control a Gehenna, the Dybbuk-I consequently shifts its alignment, but it will continue to attack you. To solve the problem, you can simply order Gehenna attack something else. It’s not a big issue.
However, when you hijack a Tortoise, the soldiers on board will still fire at you. And you have to unload them to deal with them.
If only AI can use Hijackers.
Malver (zj 1.0.8)
Bug
Suppression sometimes doesn’t affect flying units, particularly when they enter the area after Malver is deployed.
Suppression sometimes affects allies. -- zj 1.1.5
“making them slower, weaker and more susceptible to damage”
Function
If Malver can’t attack buildings, SC and only SC has no T3 infantry able to destroy buildings (ignoring Infiltrator). What’s worse, Epsilon relies heavily on infantry. Malver must have the ability to damage buildings. Meanwhile, for the sake of balance, I set Malver can’t break through walls and reduce his damage to infantry.
See @寻惘丶’s “自娱自乐的自改ini” (https://tieba.baidu.com/p/5579023830).
Lore (Autolyze)
“Kinetic blade” isn’t a good name for Malver’s weapon. 1 “Kinetic” isn’t the feature of SC. Instead, we should contribute psychokinesis / telekinesis to Libra (as well as her clones). 2 To emphasize meditation and co-ordinate with Brain, “blade” should be replaced too.
Malver, through meditation, autolyzes his target, causing it to self-attack, self-digest and self-putrefy both mentally and physically. The target (if it’s infantry) will finally turn itself into toxic clouds, which are contagious but less deadly than Malver’s autolyze.
Autolyze, of course, won’t trigger certain warnings, like “Unit lost!” and “Our base is under attack!”
Lore (Cloaked)
Malver gains his unique stealth (even in water) through his intense meditation independently. No other infantry ever matches.
The man-portable Chimera Core is Rashidi’s reproduction of Yuri’s Chimera Core. By “Obsidian Sands”, Rashidi has made two, and Yuri distributes one to PC (Cyborg Spaceman) and the other to AC (Rahn). After Rashidi joins Foehn, HH massively products the man-portable Chimera Core to supply Syncronauts.
Compared to Malver’s meditation, the man-portable Chimera Core is still cumbersome: 1 it will sink in the water; 2 it’s vulnerable to gravity (just like Chimera Core); 3 it can’t cover firing. And that’s why both Rashidi and Yuri don’t equip themselves. (zj 1.1.2)
Quotes
Since there’s “Even the mighty shall fall”, “They will all fall” is repetitive.
Plan A (simply alter “fall”):
“They will all decline / be depressed / compromise themselves.”
Plan B (replace the whole sentence):
“At the end, saber is always defeated by mind.” (Napoléon Bonaparte)
or
“À la longue, le sabre est toujours vaincu par l'esprit.”
Manticore (zj 1.2.2)
Manticore Paradrop
Tip: Let your opponent infiltrate your Fake Dybbuk Vault (with the help of Mind Reader), then catch your opponent off guard (Manticore Paradrop + Toxic Mine Paradrop).
Manticore Tank
Armament: Manticore venom (leaving poison clouds). The direct attack effectively damges vehicles and vehicles only.
Healing in poison clouds.
Able to enter Tank Bunker.
HP: 600 [= Colossus]
Armor type: Heavy
Speed: 7 [= Mantis]
Attack range: 7, radius 0.3
I file Manticore’s voiceset in “Rise of the Reds” (a modification for “Command & Conquer: Generals Zero Hour”) as my Manticore Tank’s quotes:
When selected:
- Right out of the assembly line!
- This is the Manticore.
- She's got a learning processing computer. (Affirmative.)
- It's got that new tank smell.
When ordered to move:
When ordered to attack:
When under fire:
***
Oxidizer
Oxidizer had better NOT be amphibious.
Yes, SC needs more units to be amphibious, then they should be Malver and Hijacker.
Yes, Oxidizer needs to be better, then the improvement should be able to target ground units too.
In addition, Oxidizer needs to enter Tank Bunker, which may be incompatible with being amphibious.
Meanwhile, Plague Splatter no longer reduces enemies’ armor, but can heal in poison clouds.
My idea (Oxidizer becomes both anti-air and anti-ground) is better than @Frogician’s and @SOSolacex’s (Stinger reduces enemies’ armor).
See “Smoke Turret” in “Havana Kingdom”.
Dybbuk-Jobseeker
I introduce this brand new sort of epic.
Because epic is limited to one to each player, airfields, Runways and Cyberkernels are immune to capture and mind-control, and Tech Airfield is replaced by Tech Paratrooper Liaison Office.
Dybbuk-J is always cloaked like Malver.
zj 1.0.8
Like Malver, Dybbuk-J won’t trigger EVA’s “Unit lost” or “Our base is under attack” or “Our ally is under attack”, but units killed by poison clouds will trigger “Unit Lost!”.
Dybbuk-J can attack both air units (like Dybbuk-Interceptor, but the ammunition is limited) and ground units (like Dybbuk-Attacker, but simultaneously leaving poison clouds). Attacking air and attacking ground share the same ammunition.
Very effective against vehicles, effective against infantry and buildings. -- zj 1.2.2
Compare Dybbuk-J, Dybbuk-S, Double-headed Eagle and Lionheart:
Speed: 40(fly) = Chinook(?); 25(fly) = Foxtrot(?); 45(fly) = Norio(?); 16(fly).
HP: 280?; 420; 200; 700.
Armor: Light Aircraft; Medium Aircraft(?); Light Aircraft; Heavy Aircraft(?).
Special protection: always cloaked, healing in poison clouds, immune to EMP (as an epic); cloaked, but reveal to “attack”; attack without revealing its position, “invulnerable”, healing in poison clouds; invisible on enemy radar, immune to EMP.
Ammunition: 15; 2; 2(+2); 2.
Attack range: 6 with radius 1 (ground), 10 (air); 8; 15; 3.5 with radius 3.
Dybbuk-Jobseeker should be depicted as a scorpion-like airplane.
His/Her quotes I drafted:
When selected:
- We hire smart people so they can tell us what to do. (by Steve Jobs -- zj 1.1.8)
- The مجاهد of Scorpion Cell. (Arabic مجاهد: Mujahid, fighter, a person engaged in jihad -- zj 1.1.3)
- A pair of pincers at the front, and a stinger at the rear. (2* Secret ARO launchers + Aqua regia)
- Build me the Fake Dybbuk Vault. J (Tyrant: “Build me a palace! No, five!”)
- War and peace. (1 The War and Peace Nebula is a part of Scorpius. 2 To parallel Malver’s “Hope and despair.”)
When ordered to move:
- Beyond the obsidian sands. J
- This dybbuk is seeking a job.
- The stealth death on eight legs.
- If the mountain will not come to me, I must go to the mountain. (https://www.phrases....o-muhammad.html)
When ordered to attack (ground):
- One can survive a dog’s bite better than a scorpion’s sting. (by Matshona Dhliwayo)
- I would not choose to become my enemy. (“Mortal Kombat 11”, Scorpion vs Kotal Khan -- zj 1.2.0)
- مَعَ السَّلامة. (Arabic مَعَ السَّلامة: maʿ al-salāmah, farewell -- zj 1.1.8)
- (with a sarcastic laugh) Aqua regia rain soaks all with quiet care. (潤物細無聲 from “Spring Nights Welcome Rain [春夜喜雨]” by Du Fu [杜甫], translated by Ray Brownrigg, https://homepages.ec.../ChunYeXiYu.htm Note: A poem from North Africa would be better. -- zj 1.1.9)
When ordered to attack (air):
- The sky is purple! (“The Sky is Purple” by Zaeema J. Hussain)
- Haunting the pilot.
- They’re dead where it doesn't count. (“The Wire” S05E03 “Not For Attribution”)
- Secret AROs whisper power instead of shouting it. (“Fresh off the Boat” S03E22 “This Is Us” -- zj 1.1.9)
When under fire:
***
Because Toxic Mine Paradrop, Dybbuk-J, Double-headed Eagle and X Firebombing are introduced, Dybbuk-Striker (Toxic Strike) is cancelled, but its icon can apply to Toxic Mine Paradrop.
Now the Dybbuk aircraft series contain: -A (Attacker), -C (Crasher), -E (Evolver), -I (Interceptor), -J (Jobseeker), -M (Mutator), -T (Transporter), -S (Seizer). In addition, there’re three related “buildings”: Dybbuk Vault, Fake Dybbuk Vault, #Dybbuk Hive.
Fake Dybbuk Vault
Tip: use Chimera Cores to cloak Dybbuks, then your opponents can hardly tell the fake from the real.
Contagion Challenge
1. Add constant Manticore Paradrop with Toxic Invaders escort.
2. Delete Dybbuk-Strikes.
3. Add a Fake Construction Yard to each AI in the beginning.
4. Replace toxic barrels with Toxic Mines.
5. Add two Tech Reinforcement Pads for each AI.
Psi Corps
Mastermind, Psychic Tower, Yuri
Only ordinary levitating air units (e.g. Gyrocopter, Pteranodon, including Chinook and Wolfhound Siege Chopper) can be mind-controlled. The other air units (e.g. Norio, Hornet, Dybbuks, X-MiG, Irkalla, Peregrine Falcon, missile) are all immune to mind-control.
In vanilla MO, Mastermind can mind-control Barracuda (when on the airfield) but cannot mind-control Rocketeer. Now Mastermind can mind-control Rocketeer but cannot mind-control Barracuda. The goal is to encourage players to use jets.
Now the only two air units that Epsilon Adept and Elite can mind-control are Chinook Transport and Wolfhound Siege Chopper, when they’re on land.
Libra Clone (zj 1.2.2)
To coordinate with new Libra, Libra Clones are also immune to Dogs / Spooks.
Mastermind (zj 1.1.6)
My two mode idea is inspired by @Dr.Octavia-Pus, who said “Mastermind: Deploy when a mastermind already mind-controlled 4 or more units to explode all mind-controlled and keep the remaining 3.”
AI behavior:
Mastermind is always in free mode until it’s at low health, when it will switch to limited mode. And it stays in limited mode from then on, regardless of its (new) health condition?
Gravitron, Gravity Ring, Nautilus
“Magnetic” is an awful name, when there’s EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse), and they have quite different functions, such as the former can heavily damage buildings, but the latter can’t. What’s worse, Nautilus is both immune to “Magnetic” and vulnerable to EMP, and “Magnetron” is even EMP sunk.
I introduce “Gravity” to distinguish from EMP and manifest PC’s gravity feature.
We may say most infantry’s mass is too low to affect, whereas armors and buildings are vulnerable.
Epic, Gravitron and Nautilus are all NOT immune. The center of Nautilus’s gravity ring is hollow, so the field doesn’t drag the Nautilus. However, a Nautilus can trap other Nautiluses, even friendly ones. Correspondingly, Nautilus’s gravity ring needs manual deploying?
Purgatory Challenge
1. Yuri certainly appears.
2. Add Cyborg Spaceman.
Antarctic Castles
(old: Epsilon Headquarters)
AC vs HQ (zj 1.1.9)
1. “Epsilon Headquarters” overuses the faction’s name “Epsilon”.
2. A (sub)faction’s name should be exclusive, but 3.3.4 has too many “Headquarters”, like “Air Force Command Headquarters” (Allied), “Chinese Military Headquarters” (Soviet), etc.
3. “Antarctic Castles” is in harmony with “Rahn's Snowy Castle” (a Fortress map).
4. “Antarctic Castles” is also in harmony with its support power “Castles in the Air”.
5. SC, PC and AC, what a beautiful rhythm.
Rahn
“So, you think you can compete?” is better used when under fire than selected.
“Join me! It's not too late!” is better used when to attack than under fire.
“Haha, worthy specimens!” is better than “Haha, a worthy specimen!”, considering "Terranova" beam damages targets in a line.
Irkalla (zj 1.0.8)
In early version, I proposed either to replace Exploders by Genoexploders, which can mutate most kinds of infantry to Brutes, or to set its both weapons can. My old idea came from @寻惘丶’s “自娱自乐的自改ini” (https://tieba.baidu.com/p/5579023830).
Now I think it’s better to enhance Irkalla with stealth (reveal to attack) while not to change its weapons, especially considering I’ve remarkably improved Dybbuk-Evolver.
Colossus, Plumed Basilisk, Nightmare
All AC units that have significant AOE and/or poor accuracy had better not have friendly fire, even if they may consequently be dearer (Colossus), slower (Plumed Basilisk) or more time consuming (Polar Resheph) -- or losing stealth (Nightmare).
Nightmare (zj 1.0.8)
The Nightmare Plan is better than the Polar Resheph Plan. Sometimes a subfactional unit can be inferior.
Comparing to Resheph, Nightmare trades stealth with no friendly harm, which makes it both more suitable for AC and less useful for general (arguably the weakest siege vessel).
In the air (unit + support power): AC > SC > PC.
On the water (naval + amphibious): PC > SC > AC.
Nightmare’d better be dubbed by a female.
Her quotes I drafted:
When selected:
- Warriors of the Nightmare, assemble! (my parody of Warcraft 3’s Moon Priestess Amara -- zj 1.0.9)
- Nightmare, the night mayor of brains. (my parody of “Candidate Games: Battlefield Perth”)
- I sense a soul in search of answers. (“Diablo 1”, Adria)
- Lots and lots of great sea food. (“The Contract” by Bruce Beresford)
When ordered to move:
- The Nightmare comes true.
- Good tidings we bring to Yuri. (♬ my parody of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”)
- The area is full of underwater mines, so you must be extra cautious in the water. (“Commandos 1: Beyond the Call of Duty”, Mission 1 “Dying Light”)
- A Nightmare journey.
When ordered to attack:
- Vēnī, vīdī, vīcī. (I came, I saw, I conquered. To parallel Resheph’s “Deus ex machina!”)
- Fishing in troubled waters. (zj 1.2.2) (Resheph: “Through troubled waters, Yuri brings clarity.”)
- In the name of Antarctic Castles!
- Bring the house dowm! (a pun)
When under fire:
- Shadow Ring! I need cloaking!
- Steel yourself, Proselyte! (my parody of Red Alert 3’s Dreadnought)
- Now, I'll never sail alone, oowee. (♬ “Death Defying” by Hoodoo Gurus)
- Our forces are falling like flies. J (“Unthinkable”)
- The stakes are high, the water’s rough. (♬ “Ours” by Taylor Swift)
***
Plumed Basilisk (zj 1.2.1)
One of the monickers of the green basilisk lizard is “plumed basilisk”.
In previous version, Plumed Basilisk was temporarily called as “Basilisk-AC”. We should try the best to avoid overusing (sub)faction’s names to name buildings, units or support powers. As for “Epsilon Adept”, “Epsilon Elite”, “Allied Barracks”, “Soviet Ore Refinery”, “Foehn Factory” etc., they are almost unavoidable. Every cloud has a silver lining. People usually use the shorter forms (e.g. “Adept”, “Factory”) in actual communication.
Castles In The Air
All friendly AC subfactional aircraft, i.e. Dybbuk-Es, Plumed Basilisks and Irkalla, halves the damage they receive for a period of time, like Kinetic Barrier.
Geneburst, Devourer, Huntress, Archelon
Geneburst: Radius 3; high damage (250 ~ 87.5); momentary; distinguish friends from enemies; enemy infantry (most kinds) killed turns into friendly Brutes.
Devourer and Archelon: Radius 3; low damage (175 ~ 75); both the damage and healing will last for a period; NOT distinguish friends from enemies, BUT distinguish Foehn infantry from non-Foehn (Engineer is considered as non-Foehn); non-Foehn infantry (no matter friendly or not) killed creates nanoclouds that heals Foehn infantry (no matter friendly or not).
Huntress has only central damage (175), compared to Archelon.
See
@Glioper:
“Unit - Huntress
Suggestion - Make nanoclouds from kills last longer
Why? - Benefiting from them is so damn hard even when enemies fleeing”
(https://forums.revor...37#entry1104360)
@Frogician:
“恐龟和吞并伤害增加或造成在当前区域持续伤害”
(https://www.bilibili.../read/cv2184763)
Ascension Challenge
1. Replace Basilisks with Plumed Basilisks.
2. Dybbuk-Es, Plumed Basilisks and Irkallas are permanently buffed.
3. Add Yuri. (zj 1.0.8)
The Foehn Revolt
I adjust Foehn’s tech tree mainly because:
Before zj 1.2.2
1. Since Nanofiber Loom provides Nanofiber Sync to upgrade T0 infantry, Huntress should be unlocked by other T2 lab. Nanofiber Loom shouldn’t be the only elevator to reach better infantry.
2. Turmoil Grid and Stun Grid had better be in different tech trees, i.e. different T2 labs unlock different defenses.
3. Buzzard and Whipary are the only two anti-air machines, so they’d better be unlocked by different labs.
zj 1.2.2
After discussing with @大力出奇迹, I overhauld the tech tree. See: https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/157808836
Virgin, Cyberkernel (zj 1.0.8)
Recon Drones (Recon Sortie) is repetitive, so I invent a new kind of jet, Virgin.
Virgin, is called from Cyberkernel. Cooldown: 4:00. Cost: $0.
Note: You must have enough space (not necessary Cyberkernel) to house Virgin(s).
Now Cyberkernel is a sort of airfields, like Airforce Command, Aviation Committee and Dybbuk Vault. The difference is that a Cyberkernel can only house ONE airplane (any kind of airplane).
Cyberkernel happens to have a large flat roof, which can be set as the apron.
Virgin’s other stats
Speed: 50(fly) = Recon Drone.
Turn rate: 6 = Stormchild?
Sight radius: 4 = Recon Drone.
HP 700 = Lionheart? (zj 1.1.7)
Armor type: Special II?
It has no weapon but will cause splash damage when crashed.
His quotes I drafted:
When called:
- The debut of the virginalist. (zj 1.2.1)
When selected:
- The virtuoso in information warfare.
- Foehn’s good scout. (a pun -- zj 1.2.1)
- Connected to the Cyberkernel.
- Know thine enemy. (https://en.wikipedia...Know_Your_Enemy)
- Veritas et virtus. (Truth and Virtue.)
When ordered to move:
- Rightly guided. (The meaning of Rashidi’s name)
- Mapping virgin territory.
- I dare to go.
- Virga will be picked up on radar. (https://whatsthisclo...features/virga/ -- zj 1.2.1)
- The ability to get to the verge without getting into the war is the necessary art. (by John Foster Dulles -- zj 1.2.1)
- I’m a teetotaler both in and out the cockpit. (a pun; Plan B: “I’ve never had a cigarette. I’ve never had a glass of alcohol. I won’t even drink a cup of coffee.” by Donald J. Trump) -- zj 1.2.1
When under fire:
- Everyone dies....But not everyone truly LIVES. (zj 1.2.1 @Zharakov)
- I’m still a virgin! (a pun)
- Not my department.
- There are plenty of fish in the sea, but I’m in the heaven. (Plan B: “There are plenty of fish in the sea, but there is also Flight 370.” -- zj 1.0.9 Plan A is better -- zj 1.2.1)
- 前人強不如後人強。（https://ell.stackexc...-is-inferior-to）-- zj 1.2.1
***
Buzzard, Stun Grid
@Arc137: “How are you supposed to use Buzzard's stun grid? Since it completely disables the gun on it for the whole duration, wouldn't you just... shoot the infantry? Only (rare) situation I would think it's useful is if you're trying to trap a stealthed infantry or a hero unit you can't hope to defeat.”
Now Stun Grid is delivered by Peregrine Falcon, i.e. built from support power. 9 Stun Grids per time, at the target location. The Stun Grid won’t self-destruct, but won’t keep the player in game either if Short Game is enabled.
Golden Rocket Tower (zj 1.0.8)
Ground attack: 100 ~ 50 * 2 (200 ~ 100 total).
Cooldown: 150 frames (10 in-game seconds).
Attack range: 8, radius 0.8.
Golden Rocket Tower receives a 15% firepower buff while inside a deployed SODAR Array's radius.
3.3.4’s Railgun Tower is repetitive, since there’re Inferno Tower and Plasmerizer.
Clairvoyant, Duplicant, Trojan
I agree with @SOSolacex that Foehn had better have traditional spies. Nevertheless, Clairvoyant had better maintain its stunning feature rather than being changed to kill infantry.
Clairvoyant is no longer anti-cloak.
Trojan receives a speed buff while inside a Spinblade's radius.
zj 1.0.8
I temporarily named Foehn spy as “Mole”, with which I wasn’t satisfied. Now I finally come up with the excellent name “Trojan”.
zj 1.2.0
Clairvoyant’s quotes I file:
When selected:
- Clairvoyant.
- I see you sitting there.
- ESP module loaded.
When ordered to move:
- I knew you'd say that!
- Rotors engaged.
- Steady.
- Remote viewing active.
- Increasing forward momentum.
When ordered to destroy a bridge:
- Analyzing points of insertion.
- All yours.
- This one's future is set.
- Disabling.
When ordered to immobilize infantry:
- Sentry mode on.
- Keep no witnesses.
- A nuisance.
- Ignoramuses.
- Suppression mode activated.
When under fire
- Malfunctioning!
- Unexpected error!
- Failure!
***
Trojan’s quotes I drafted:
When selected:
- Trust not their presents, nor admit the horse. (by Virgil)
- It is not intelligence but integrity which determines whether or not a man is a good mark. (“The Big Con: The Story of the Confidence Man”)
- A price is always exacted for what fate bestows. (“Marie Antoinette: The Portrait of an Average Woman” by Stefan Zweig) (zj 1.2.2)
- Knowing is half the battle. (3.3.4 Clairvoyant)
When ordered to move:
- Work like a Trojan.
- Enter the password.
- Able to be accelerated by Spinblades.
- Find somebody who wants something for nothing, then give him nothing for something. (“Hustle” by Bharat Nalluri)
When ordered to disguise:
- Dress the part.
- A horse of different color.
- Illusion games. (Besides the literal meaning, Illusion is also a great game company in Japan.)
- Wait for the other person to reveal any political opinions, then agree with them. (“Ten Commandments for Con Men” by Victor Lustig)
When ordered to infiltrate:
- They'd have to have another leak enquiry. (“Yes, Minister” S03E05 “The Bed of Nails”)
- Access to the backdoor.
- Infiltration algorithms running. (3.3.4 Clairvoyant)
- Searching for keyword: Classified. (3.3.4 Clairvoyant)
- Preparing for data transmission. (3.3.4 Clairvoyant)
When under fire:
- Don't take anything for grounded!
- Disinformation!
- Long live The Foehn Revolt!
- I’m whitelisted, am I not? (zj 1.2.1)
***
Nanofiber Capacitor (zj 1.2.1)
In previous version, it was temporarily named as “Temporary Nano Plant”.
Sweeper
zj 1.2.1
Sweeper may reuse Humvee’s most voice set?
zj 1.2.2
The idea (anti-air) partly comes from LukeZ MOD, partly comes from my discussions with @大力出奇迹 (https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/157808836).
Diamond (zj 1.2.2)
His/Her quotes I drafted:
When selected:
- Zhongjie’s diamonds. (a pun)
- अंजलि मुद्रा. (Sanskrit: Anjali Mudra.)
- A diamond is forever. (by Frances Gerety)
- Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate. (“Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl”) (My Diamond idea comes from “Golden Wind” in 3.3.5)
When ordered to move:
- Vajra Prajñā Pāramitā.
- Thus have I heard.
- Like a little star in the sky. (♬ my parody of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”)
- Great Vehicle. (Mahayana)
When ordered to “attack”:
- 不住相佈施。 (“The Diamond Sūtra”, translated by Kumārajīva)
- Shine bright like a diamond. (♬ “Diamonds (In The Sky)” by Rihanna)
- In real life it is always the anvil that breaks the hammer. (“Politics and the English Language” by George Orwell)
- May Vajrapāṇi bless you and keep you.
When under fire:
- Diamond cut diamond.
- But they find it convenient to hold it against me, you see. (“The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond” by Jodie Markell)
- Is this diamond cursed?
- No pressure, no diamonds.
***
M.A.D.M.A.N. (zj 1.2.2)
After discussions @大力出奇迹 and I agree its function is siege (the plasma shockwave no longer damages any unit) + repairing friendly vehicles (as Minermite) + omnicrush.
Leviathan (zj 1.2.2)
“Channel's all yours, command.”
“Commander, what news?”
Both of the two quotes had better be cancelled.
Endurance Challenge
Add Cyborg Alpha. (zj 1.0.8)
Hai Head
Syncronaut (zj 1.0.8)
Syncronaut is deployed to suicide.
Syncronaut, if being killed, won’t disable anything.
Electronic Counter Measures (Blackout):
General: Signal Inhibitor;
HH: Syncronaut;
CH: Raccoon;
LH: Ramwagon, Signal Jammer.
Wyvern (zj 1.2.2)
His/Her quotes I drafted:
When selected:
- Wyvern? Why not. (“Dota 2”, Winter Wyvern, a word play)
- My name is straightly “Wyvern”, not “Cave Wyvern”. (Cave wyvern is the siege warfare unit of the Dungeon in “Might & Magic: Heroes VII”.)
- Sleep and heal. (“Dota 2”, Winter Wyvern)
- You've earned a Wyvern's gratitude. (“Dota 2”, Winter Wyvern)
When ordered to move:
- See you later, Irritator.
- Last time they made me race against a Diverbee. (drafted by @大力出奇迹)
- Riding like the wind he opens his wings. (♬ “Wyvern” by Wyvern (IT))
- Let me just quickly count my treasure and I'll be off. (“Dota 2”, Winter Wyvern)
When ordered to attack:
- Hit the nail on the head. (“head” is a pun)
- A wyvern’s breath! (“Dota 2”, Winter Wyvern)
- As a siege machine, am I cheating in “RichMan 10”? (“RichMan 10” is a game similar to “Monopoly”, and I’ve wrtitten an article on it: https://www.zhihu.co...swer/1590133502)
- Let them all fall still beneath my shadow. (“Dota 2”, Winter Wyvern)
When under fire:
- Ow ~ ow ~
- Bone fracture!
- Fancy that, huh. (“Dota 2”, Winter Wyvern)
- So far from my roost! (“Dota 2”, Winter Wyvern)
***
Madness Challenge
1. Add massive number of hidden Sweepers, which are always buffed.
2. Delete Seitaads.
3. Replace hordes of Clairvoyants with Syncronauts. (zj 1.0.8)
4. Numerous Diverbees.
5. Add Rashidi. (zj 1.0.8)
Coronian Hurricanes
(old: The Wings of Coronia)
Draco Tank
zj 1.0.8: Once I agreed with @Frogician that Draco Tank should be able to change to Draco Drone, but unable to change back. Now I think 3.3.4’s design has no fault.
@Frogician’s idea is in the paper “我个人对心灵终结平衡性改动的见解” (https://www.bilibili.../read/cv2184763).
Raccoon (zj 1.2.2)
Now that Raccon belongs exclusively to CH, the quote “Supporting Coronia” can be reused.
Pteranodon (zj 1.2.2)
Further reduce its damge against infantry.
5% vs. Basic/Animal, Flak, and Plate/Cyborg?
See my discussions with @大力出奇迹: https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/157805626
Harbinger
Except superweapons, there should be no warning. Players need to scout, estimate and prepare.
Instead, Harbinger Tower will have a different image when Harbinger is ready or nearly ready?
It’s wrong to add the creation announcement of any unit (as @一家之主风见幽香 does).
Eureka
Before zj 1.2.2:
Like Alanqa and Zorbfloater, Eureka throws vacuum spheres to attack air and ground units.
It’s a joke that the heroine of the subfaction which “rel[ies] on air manipulation and flying weapons” has nothing to do with the air.
Harbinger and Eureka should complement each other, so Eureka had better be set as anti-infantry rather than anti-armor.
zj 1.2.2
Eureka uses Tornado.
Zorbtrotter, Zorbfloater
Plan A
Just like 3.3.4.
Plan B (zj 1.0.7)
If 3.3.4’s Eureka’s Plasma wave needs to incorporated into a unit, Zorbtrotter is an option.
Consequently, Zorbtrotter and Zorbfloater exchange their grades and images.
zj 1.2.2: Plan A is better.
Future Fighter Z-0 (zj 1.2.2)
How about using the female vocal version of Future Tank’s quotes?
Firestorm Challenge
Add Sammy Stallion. (zj 1.0.8)
Last Havens
(old: Last Bastion)
Before zj 1.2.1, I called it as “Last Home”. Now I rename it as “Last Havens”, because the word “Home” is occupied by Hai Head’s capital, “The (Kashmir) Home Base”, and a related mission “Nobody Home” (after The Home Base is sacrificed).
Smart Mine (zj 1.2.2)
1. Unlike M.A.D Mine, Smart Mine does not cause friendly fire.
2. Unlike any other kind of mines, Smart Mine can both be triggered by enemies and be deployed by its owner.
My discussions with @大力出奇迹 see: https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/157808836
Uragan (zj 1.1.9)
Now that there is Havana Kingdom, Uragan’s quote “The king has spoken!” might be cut off?
Ramwagon (zj 1.0.8)
Instead of being deployed to disable buildings in a radius of 4, Ramwagon now attacks and hacks simultaneously, but only hacks one ground unit / building at one time.
Hack range: 9 = Raccoon?
Yi (zj 1.2.2)
His/Her quotes I and @大力出奇迹 together drafted:
When selected:
- Dr. Yi, the doctor of Last Haven. (1 a word play of “doctor”; 2 @大力出奇迹, one of the authors, has actually got a Ph.D. in Biomedical engineering.)
- On high alert for enemy infantry. (Both “alert ” and “high” are puns.)
- A little knowledge about paleontology is a dangerous thing.
- To survive by surviving.
When ordered to move:
- A Yi's two wings, and the Yi's a wing. (a word play)
- Away down south in the land of Stalkers, Libra Clones, and Infiltrators. (♬ our parody of “Union Dixie” by Tennessee Ernie Ford. Thank @ DM_with_secrets for helping us.)
- Right away! Come away! Right away! Come away! (♬ “Union Dixie” by Tennessee Ernie Ford)
- Totally different from the archetypal feathered wings of birds and their closest relatives. (https://www.nature.c...les/nature14423)
When ordered to attack:
- An army goes upon its belly.
- Activating the IFF system of Nanoclouds.
- Make sure nothing goes to waste.
- Yi’s undying resolve.
When under fire:
- Does my health insurance cover this?
- My patagium was torn by thorns.
- 亢龍有悔。(“Zhou Yi (The Book of Changes)”)
- Too much pretentious jargon ...
***
Ouroboros Challenge
1. Add Seitaads, since Ramwagon now is LH epic, and Seitaad Airship’s weapon is Nanofiber threads.
2. Add massive number of Smart Mines. (zj 1.2.2)
3. Delete Boidmachines.
4. Add Zhongjie. (zj 1.0.8)
Other Challenges
Heavyobject Challenge
Replace Ramwagon with M.A.D.M.A.N.
Watercube Challenge (zj 1.1.7)
Now that UA has more kinds of amphibious units than PA, replace PA with UA.
The enemies’ reinforcements may not be in large quantity, but should have more diversities. Let nearly all ordinary amphibious and navy units go onstage, while aerial units (Invader and Basilisk) don’t have to show up.
For UA: Suppressor + Kappa + Dunerider + Gravitron;
For KK: Piranha + Squid + Resheph + Nautilus;
For CH: Sweeper + Gharial + Epsilon Elite + Marauder.
Unholy Challenge (new)
Each enemy has four MCVs of every faction and all techs (including stolen techs).
CHAPTER FOUR
Lessen the missions that require to clear all enemies.
The Subfactions’ Capitals And Example Missions There:
THE ALLIED BLOC
Pacific Armies
Kyoto (nothing happens in Tokyo): “The Gardener”.
Upper America
Washington, D.C.: “Red Dawn Rising”.
Euro Alliance
London: “Godsend”.
THE SOVIET EMPIRE
Havana Kingdom
Havana: “Killing Fields” (redesigned).
Russian Khanate
Moscow: “The Conqueror”.
Korea-Kashmir
Shanghai (nothing happens in Beijing): “Power Hunger”.
THE EPSILON DOMAIN
Scorpion Cell
Bissau: “Obsidian Sands”.
Psi Corps
Tranquility Base (even Totoya Island is better than Moscow): “Earthrise”.
Antarctic Castles
The South Pole: “Hamartia”? “Babel”?
THE FOEHN REVOLT
Hai Head
The (Kashmir) Home Base: “Thread of Dread”.
Coronian Hurricanes
Coronia: TBD.
Last Havens
Alert (the perfect location, much better than Alaska): TBD (How about “Alert! Alert!”?).
Where And Why Is Alert?
“Alert, in the Qikiqtaaluk Region, Nunavut, Canada, is the northernmost permanently inhabited place in the world.” (https://en.wikipedia.../Alert,_Nunavut)
Alert is north of Deven Island, where “Idle Gossip” occurs.
By contrast, Alaska is not north enough (most areas are even out of the Arctic Circle), and too extensive to be a capital.
What’s more, this MOD is based on “Red Alert 2”. How can you imagine a place better than “Alert” itself?
Last Havens can be set:
Plan A
The whole strip from Bering Sea to Nares Strait (even to Greenland?).
Plan B
Some strongholds between them.
Fan missions can have whatever sets the authors like. However, the official missions had better not contradict the subfaction frame, which the skirmish relies on.
Rashidi may change his allegiance from time to time, even become of the boss of Foehn. KK may usurp RK’s throne of The Soviet Empire. Everyone may win or lose. Anyway, they are all backgrounds, not the skirmish itself.
By contrast, SC and Malver had better belong to Epsilon at the end of the day, no matter whether Epsilon, including SC, finally succeeds or fails. We may set Malver breaks up with Rashidi and the remaining SC splits. The part following Rashidi, which may also include some Americans, is integrated into Foehn. The other part, after “Neuromancers” and “Nightcrawler”, still holds the name and the territory, as a subfaction of Epsilon. And Malver, (re)affirming “My blade for Yuri”, becomes the new leader of SC.
Similarly, Yunru founds Foehn and forsakes KK, but she eventually rejoins KK, perhaps for the sake of her parents, to whom KK’s carrot and stick approach works.
zj 1.0.6: Perhaps the Prime Minister of KK is mind-controlled, and this is a trap. Perhaps Rashidi is marginalizing Yunru within Foehn.
zj 1.0.8: To retain Yunru in KK, we may create a new campaign hero(ine) named “Zhongjie”(終結), who leeches KK, founds Foehn and is Libra’s antagonist. Consequently, Yunru is less dramatic. On the other hand, she has some compensations, e.g. an academic rank, ScU Sub, Wallbuster, Zhang-Jian, to enrich her scientific character.
So do Norio and Zhang-Jian. If they die, they had better die as PA’s infantry.
Sammy Stallion may be set as Allied campaign hero that joins Foehn.
zj 1.2.2: Because of Dr. Yi (as well as Ph.D. 大力出奇迹), Yunru’s title changes from Ph.D. to Fellow.
The Divergence of Divergences (zj 1.0.8)
The cloak-and-dagger story is charming. However, if everyone is cunning and ambitious, while everything is conspiratorial and complicated, the story is ruined. Different characters should have different personalities. Different betrayals should have different plots, and even some “betrayals” may not be betrayals from certain views.
1. Norio temporarily leaves PA
Norio PUBLICLY opposes the non-aggression pact that Commander-in-Chief (a Korean woman) of Pacific Armies signs with KK. Norio not only leads the resistance movement against Sino-Pacific forces (“Think Different”, “Eclipse”), but also personally helps RK and sells out the pact (“Unshakeable”). Furthermore, Norio secretly backs Rashidi in “Singularity”.
After KK is expelled from Kagoshima (“Unshakeable”), PA fails to invade RK (“Dragonstorm”), and finally the pact breaks (“Singularity”), Norio returns to PA in triumph.
2. Zhang-Jian leaves KK
Fellow Yunru handpicks Zhang-Jian, who holds a bachelor’s degree magna cum laude from ScU, for ScU Sub Project, which is led by Yunru herself.
Yunru also offers Zhang-Jian one of her “heartworks” -- a pair of advanced archery glasses, which not only protects his eyes, but also gives him one of Yunru’s own abilities -- to detect cloaked units. (zj 1.1.9)
Later when KK and PA becomes de facto allies, a cluster of KK Technicians, including Zhang-Jian, are assigned to Kanegawa Industries, CEO of which Zhongjie has been appointed. (In “Eclipse”, one of these Technicians tries to decode the Future Tank X-0.)
When Zhang-Jian works in Okawa Falls, an Australian she-wolf discovers that he is not only a bachelor in both senses of the word but also won’t refuse to be hen-pecked and a naturalized subject of PA. Therefore she marries him. (In spite of its rarity, the naturalization is easy and inconspicuous, since PA and KK are enjoying their own honeymoon too.)
On one occasion when Zhang-Jian and his wife goes to Australia, RK with Norio’s aid drives KK forces, including Zhongjie, away from Kagoshima (“Unshakeable”). Soon the shady romance between PA and KK turns out to be the bloody divorce (“Singularity”). Then Zhang-Jian loses his connections with KK.
Now Commander-in-Chief desperately needs both something as the fruit of her foreign policy and someone to balance Norio. And she chooses Zhang-Jian, because he came from KK as her ally, took the oath of allegiance on her watch, does research at KI, has a PA family, and is willing to be in her pocket (“pawn of woman”).
As a reward, Zhang-Jian is prompted “from zero to hero” and furnished with high-tech KI weapons.
By the way, all the characters with academic ranks are: Prof. Einstein, Assoc. Prof. Siegfried, Fellow Yunru, B.S. Zhang-Jian, LL.B. Norio (Sorry, I barely know 若本規夫 早稲田大学法学部を卒業) and Dr. Yi (zj 1.2.2).
zj 1.2.2: We can set Zhang-Jian becoems Commander-in-Chief’s gigolo instead of some Australian’s husband in Okawa Falls. When Commander-in-Chief as well as her lover Zhang-Jian visits Australia, “Unshakeable” happens.
3. Yuri leaves Soviet
How about that the “friendship” between Yuri and Romanov is of convenience from day one?
4. Zhongjie leaves KK
The Prime Minister, Fellow Yunru, Zhongjie and The Wheel Party ...
before zj 1.2.2:
I invent the fictional name, “The Snow Leopards”, to replace “ROC Rebels” / “The Republic of China”.
“[V]ast majority of snow leopards reside in China. They are more commonly found in the Himalayan mountain range” (https://animals.net/snow-leopard/) And the so-called “ROC Rebels” appears in Tibet (Xizang).
The name, “The Snow Leopards”, imitates “The Tamil Tigers” and “The Black Panthers”, both of which are / were anti-government forces.
zj 1.2.2: Too many feline names is not a good idea, so I invent the new fictional name, “The Wheel Party”, to replace “The Snow Leopard”.
How about Zhongjie is behind The Wheel Party, and when Zhongjie completely secedes from Korea-Kashmir, The Wheel Party reveals itself as Zhongjie’s Guards under the Foehn banner (“Nobody Home”)?
By the way, we may set the Babel can’t affect the Arctic as well as Himalayas, Alps and other great mountains, where some Act Three missions occur.
5. Rashidi leaves Yuri
Rather than saying Rashidi betrays Yuri, let’s say SC, when controlled by Rashidi, only cooperates with Epsilon. From Rashidi’s perspective, he isn’t Yuri’s vassal, and he works with Yuri just as he works with Zhongjie, Soviet, and Allied. Rashidi, the technical geek, is willing to make friends with anyone as long as he/she supports his research.
From Yuri’s perspective, Rashidi is unfaithful and insubordinate, he has to tolerate the love rat at the beginning, but later must take over SC and punish the so-called Miracle Man, who turns out to have a foot in all camps. After “Obsidian Sands”, “Neuromancers” and “Nightcrawler”, Rashidi is ousted, and SC really affiliates to Epsilon (e.g. in “Brothers in Arms”).
6. Malver leaves Rashidi
“Nothing lasts forever.”
Malver, belonging in desert, isn’t used to the cold. Simply by virtue of this, his friendship with Rashidi freezes, after the neurotoxin is delivered (i.e. after Malver fulfills his obligation).
“Even the mighty shall fall.”
Malver “live[s] out most of his life in solitude” and doesn’t care whether the globe has a boss or who is that boss.
When Yuri warmly offers him the position of the head of SC, main of which is already in Yuri’s grasp, and exempts him from the duties in frigid zones, Malver has few reasons to say no.
For Malver and Yuri, it’s “it takes one to know one”, it’s “live and let live”, and it’s a win-win.
Malver is not a big fan of Yuri, but he is not a big foe either, as long as Yuri leaves him in peace. On the other hand, Yuri makes a good deal to trade a position for recruiting Malver as well as SC rebels marshaled by him and shifting the daily management of SC onto Malver.
Compare the traits of Zhang-Jian and Malver.
Both are male but non-aggressive, and both change their allegiance unintendedly. However, they have many basic differences:
α Social interaction. Zhang-Jian is extrovert, often involved with someone or something. Malver is introvert, even reclusive.
β Adaption. Zhang-Jian lives well in various circumstances (e.g. Kashmir, Korea, Japan, Australia). Malver prefers and thrives on deserts just like a scorpion.
γ Intelligence. Zhang-Jian is book smart, full of allusions and quotations. Malver is “desert smart”, deep in Meditation.
δ Specialization. Zhang-Jian indeed is a talented scientist, but has never reached “summa cum laude”. Malver is one of the only three most powerful psychics (Malver, Yuri and Libra). And he has completely mastered all his abilities (including stealth and swimming).
ε Leadership. Zhang-Jian has no leadership at all. In fact, he is always led by others, even happy to be a “pawn of woman”. Malver has charisma. Even in unfavorable conditions, he can organize a troop and win a battle (“Survivors”). Both Rashidi and Yuri call him up to run SC.
ζ Independence. “Help me, help you” is Zhang-Jian’s creed. On one hand, Zhang-Jian can’t support himself. On the other hand, a lot of things would be impossible if Zhang-Jian weren’t there. Malver is autonomous. When assisting Rashidi, Malver doesn’t have to protect him in Bissau. Later Malver voluntarily mobilizes “Survivors” to do him a favor. Then Malver suspends their friendship. When representing Yuri, Malver is free from his presence in the polar regions. By contrast, Libra, Cyborg Spaceman and Rahn are not merely Yuri’s agents, but also his creatures, and therefore have infinite obligations.
In addition, the external factors are different. Zhang-Jian changes his nationality when the relationship between KK and PA flourishes. Malver accepts his new role when the relationship between Rashidi and Yuri sours.
7. Romanov rebels against UA
8. Sammy Stallion leaves Allied
After Allied expedition forces perishes in Antarctica (“Hamartia”), Sammy Stallion, leading residual Allied militia, joins The Foehn Revolt.
The stallion eventually breeds. We might as well say Zhongjie, Rashidi and Sammy Stallion are the founders of Foehn. -- zj 1.2.1
9. Flint Westwood leaves Allied
About Hollywood action hero joining HK, ONE is enough.
The flint finally spark a flame. We might as well say Flint Westwood wants to join “the winning side”. -- zj 1.2.1
10. KK rebels against RK
Yunru, Zhongjie
zj 1.0.8:
“終結” means “end, terminate, finish, the last, over, ultimate”. The game “Mental Omega” is just translated as “心靈 終結”. So “Zhongjie” is an appropriate name of the first antagonist (or protagonist), as “Libra” (♎) is the name of the first protagonist (or antagonist).
In contrast, “Yunru” lacks this sort of connotation and colouring. What’s worse, “Yunru” has too many Chinese translations (云茹, 雲如, 芸如, 蕓茹, etc.) and each translation has its inflexible “Red Guards” (or “Yun Guards”). BTW, https://moapyr.fandom.com/wiki/Yunru says “[云茹] means ‘cloud-like’ in Mandarin”. If so, her name should be “雲如” not “云茹” (the official translation, which the website adopts).
Furthermore, Libra goes berserk and attacks anyone indiscriminately in “Machinehead” and “Blood Rage”. This effect is way closer to Zhongjie’s Confusion rifle than Yunru’s Immobilizer.
The pronunciations of “Zhong (終)” and “Jie (結)” are [tʂuŋ55] and [tɕiɛ35] respectively.
zj 1.1.9
What if Zhongjie is another bishoujo?
What if Zhongjie is a bishounen?
What if Zhongjie is a drag queen?
zj 1.2.0
His/Her quotes I drafted:
When selected:
- 心靈終結。J
- The die is cast. (by Julius Caesar. Plan B: Alea iacta est.) (1 Almost all Zhongjie’s quotes are about board games. 2 Like Caesar, Zhongjie leads a rebel army -- The Wheel Party, and establish a new regime -- The Foehn Revolt.)
- The new version of Xiangqi. J
- Every master was once a beginner. (How about the boss of Foehn came from a humble background in KK?)
When ordered to move:
- I don't believe in psychology. I believe in good moves. (by Bobby Fischer) (Zhongjie vs Epsilon’s psychology)
- Let’s play Go. (A pun. “Go” refers to both leaving and a turn-based board game.)
- The most powerful weapon in Chess is to have the next move. (by David Bronstein)
- Good offense, and good defense, both begin with good development. (by Bruce A. Moon)
- 仙人指路。 (The most popular pawn opening in Xiangqi. “仙人指路” literally means “A wizard points out the road.” I might translate it as “Celestial pawn opening”. See http://www.xqinengli...ngqi_terms.html)
When ordered to attack (Confusion ray):
- It is always better to sacrifice your opponent's men. (by Savielly Tartakower)
- Double attack.
- Zugzwang.
- Lookers-on see most of the game. (Plan B: 當局者迷，旁觀者清。)
When ordered to attack (Hacking ray):
- The pin is mightier than the sword. (by Fred Reinfeld)
- That’s a card you can’t play. (“Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath”, Chapter 3 “Winds of Change (Fujin)”)
- Occupy one liberty of the stone.
- Smothered checkmate. (悶殺 http://www.xqinengli...dcheckmate.html)
When under fire:
- A gambit.
- The winner is the one who makes the next-to-last mistake. (by Savielly Tartakower)
- 寧失一子，不失一先。(It literally means “Lose one piece rather than one initiative.” https://chess.stacke...than-losing-a-t)
- Plan A and Plan B aren't good enough. You need Plan Z. (“Secret Service Secrets” S01E02 “Campaign Nightmares”) (Z = Ω = 終結)
- I really have to go ... Number One. (“StarCraft 1”, Battlecruiser. “Number One” is a pun.)
- Once the game is over, the King and the pawn go back in the same box. (zj 1.2.2)
When promoted to heroic:
When being killed:
***
Epsilon Missions
Since Yuri has already “long been criticized by the High Command” and “does not have clearance to the Weapons Protocol” and has to flee after stealing a Stalin’s Fist, it’s weird that the Proselyte commands so many Soviet units, even Soviet MCVs, particularly when the operations are behind Soviet’s back. -- All the Soviet’s units can and should either be replaced by Epsilon’s or controlled by AI (“Warranty Void” is an exception, because of The Wheel Party).
The Proselytes never officially work along with Russians, even if some actions might be temporarily beneficial to RK in one way or two. In fact, the first time the Proselyte enters the inland of Russian Khanate is in “the Conqueror” as a “tourist” to “watch” the Soviet Victory Parade. Before that, the Proselyte merely touches some borders in “Human Shield”, “Focus Shift”, “Brain Reset” and “Moonlight” (not long ago when two Proselytes carried out “Television Lie”, Kazakhstan was even occupied by UA yet).
Yuri himself isn’t a Russian but a Romanian (“Memory Dealer”). And when the Third Great War starts, he is just a Kremlin adviser and the General of a department (Psi Corps), which Khan Romanov is considering to dissolve.
The partners Yuri chooses, from the Proselytes to Rashidi to Malver, are not Russians either. Within RK, Yuri only has his soldiers (Epsilon Adepts) and one friend or two (for the sake of “Brian Reset”).
“Accelerate”
The only object is to capture or destroy Artillery Bunkers before the Soviet tank division arrives, and at least one Epsilon Adept lives.
The last thing Yuri wants is that RK uncovers he has a new “comrade” who is no Soviet at all, especially when Yuri himself is in a “fragile position”.
“Scrapyard”
Plan A: Replace the Borillo with the prototype Driller, which must survive.
Plan B: Replace Epsilon Adepts with Epsilon Elites, at least one Elite must survive. -- We may say Yuri has secretly trained several Elites, and appoint them to the Proselyte. Working for oneself is very different from working for others, let alone for those you want to kill.
When the Proselyte's funds are collected to 10,000, Rashidi builds up an Epsilon Barrack, as both a show-off of his engineering and a sign to associate himself with Yuri. Now the Proselyte can train Initiates and Archers (and Engineers?).
To accomplish the mission, the Epsilon Barrack must be built and conserved.
During the whole mission, the player cannot control Stalin’s Fist and Rashidi, but must protect them.
Rashidi can buff you and will call in some Mantis Tanks, Gatling Tanks and Piranha Minisubs at certain stages.
“Human Shield”
Since the goal is to use Allied as the human shield, the Epsilon Adepts should use an Allied transport to both arrive and leave. So, at the start, the Proselyte needs to command a Hijacker to get a Chinook, then uses the Chinook to transport the Adepts to the battlefield. At the end, the player needs the Chinook to withdraw.
Aftermath: The Chinook will be used to evacuate Rahn in “Huehuecoyotl”.
“Think Different”
As the partner of KK’s invading force, six Epsilon Adepts reach Kanegawa Industries by a KK’s Pangolin (zj 1.1.2). Once Korea-Kashmir establishes its Construction Yard, a horde of Pacific Armies’ engineers will try to capture it. Here the player has two choices.
1. Use psychic blast to help your ally, KK, out. As long as KK keeps its Construction Yard, KK will send abundant reinforcement periodically, which will finally occupy Kagoshima. All the player needs to do is to infiltrate PA’s High-tech Skyscraper (plus Triple Star Kikan, Experimental Warpshop, and Construction Yard now) before they’re destroyed by KK. Your Epsilon Adepts can mind-control either PA’s Spies or KK’s Saboteurs to complete the mission.
2. Mind-control several PA’s engineers, and wait the rest to capture KK’s Construction Yard. Then re-capture KK’s Construction Yard. The player can defeat PA himself/herself, as in 3.3.4. (The only object is to infiltrate the critical buildings though.)
Now different players can think differently.
“Killing Fields”
In order to gather intelligence on Senior Bomb Pilot, Rashidi goes to Havana as a “merchant”. Near the success of the espionage, Rashidi is spotted and arrested by Havana Kingdom. And HK is about to execute Rashidi in HK Capital’s killing fields.
Luckily, a squad of Epsilon Adepts, as HK’s “ally”, has arrived in Havana. They want some condemned prisoners for experiments, and visit the killing fields.
The Proselyte must find Rashidi and escort him into the cargo plane within a limited time and without any conflict (you mustn’t kill anyone and Rashidi must avoid any HK’s fire before aboard). For instance, when two Tesla Troopers (Attack range 7.5) are charging a Tesla Coil (Attack range 8), an Adept can mind-control one Tesla Trooper and move it somewhere else, then Rashidi can pass through the side.
How about the player cannot control Rashidi during the mission and he automatically walk into the cargo plane after the Proselyte meet him in the prison, like in “Focus Shift”? (The mechanism is the player and HK are allies, while Rashidi is the enemy of the two.) It’s said Ares is fixing the pathfinding AI, I wish it successful.
Aftermath: Digesting the information obtained from HK, Rashidi and Yuri are able to train Bloaticks.
zj 1.0.8 zj 1.1.2 (new background):
In order to deal with Americans in Africa, Rashidi not only collaborates with Yuri, but also goes to Havana for help.
Yuri must prevent SC-HK alliance. Taking the advantage of being a senior cadre of Soviet, he disinforms HK that Rashidi is an Allied spy. Meanwhile HK itself notices Rashidi has some questionable activities, which seem to also involve Norio. Consequently, Havana arrests Rashidi and is going to interrogate him.
Right now Yuri cannot lose Rashidi or let HK get any information out of Rashidi.
Proselyte, rescue Rashidi from the killing fields before the interrogation ever happens. Show Rashidi what side his bread is buttered on. Meanwhile, make the thing look like the “Allied spy” breaks the prison, so that HK really doesn’t trust Rashidi and maintains confidence in Yuri.
“Focus Shift” (zj 1.0.7)
The THREE Topol-M Launchers are stationed and protected in Kemerovo Oblast by Russians (one of the two MIDAS has been fired in “Road to Nowhere”). However, RK, Yuri, Allied and KK all know the Launchers’ whereabouts, and have their own schemes (some of which have been executed already). -- If Yuri first had hidden two Launchers and later handed them over to Kremlin, then he voluntarily confessed he had committed a crime that was more serious than stealing a Stalin’s Fist.
Only after KK riots, Epsilon Adepts and the Proselyte are reluctantly allowed to enter the battlefield. Even so, none of RK’s arsenal, from the Topol-M Launcher to the Repairman, is directly under the player’s command.
Thanks to the chaos, the Soviet General pays little attention to the Proselyte.
“Brain Reset” (zj 1.0.7)
Let’s say the Soviet General in charge of Southern Primorsky Krai happens to be a friend of Yuri’s. In addition, Yuri is still a senior cadre, at least nominally. So the Palace here, which is far from Moscow, “is within Psi Corps' reach”, and the two Proselytes, on Yuri’s behalf, come to help the general in the face of Sino-Pacific invasion.
Aftermath: The general is purged because of the loss of Southern Primorsky Krai and his/her personal ties with Yuri.
zj 1.1.2: The general approves the collaboration without Kremlin’s permission, because he/she thinks he/she will win and “Победителей не судят.” (The winners are not to be judged. / There’s no condemnation for winners.)
By the way, Soviet Mission “Dragon Storm” had better be set after “Brian Reset”. KK and PA need to move from Southern Primorsky Krai to Northern Primorsky Krai. In “Dragon Storm”, Soviet has already lost access to Yuri’s tech.
“Singularly” (zj 1.0.8)
Yuri thinks “Rashidi has come out in full support of me. As gratitude for rescuing him from [Havana], he asked his best friend and assassin, Malver, to help us out.”
However, it’s only half true. Rashidi did fail to collude with HK, but succeeded in shaking hands with Norio behind the scenes, who also asks Rashidi to undermine the Sino-Pacific pact.
“Rush Tactics” (zj 1.0.8)
The convoy should move from South Korea (bottom) to North Korea (top). The map should rotate 90 degrees. (zj 1.1.2)
After the convoy leaves the bottom outpost, player A and B respectively gets six (Mental) / nine (Normal) / twelve (Casual) engineers sent into the outpost by driller.
The bottom outpost now has one Construction Yard (no access to T3), one Barrack, one Shipyard, one War Factory, one Triple Star Kikan, one Airforce Command (unable to be captured), a few Power Plants, a few Tech Oil Derricks, one Tech Paratrooper Liaison Office, one Tech Missile Bunker, one Tech Secret Lab (Battle Tortoise), two Tech Turrets, one Tech Artillery Bunker, two Tech SAM Sites, one Tech Concrete Bunker.
If and only if the Construction Yard is captured, PA will paradrop infantry and vehicles to destroy or recapture the outpost.
Various tactics.
Proselytes, catch up and destroy all the Hailstorms.
The escort units won’t leave (disappear) until the last Hailstorm leaves.
No more Soviet MCVs at all.
Aftermath: Norio’s calculation is: tacitly sparking the war in the Korea DMZ, and then deploying the Hailstorm regiment to win the war, and then himself becoming Commander-in-Chief. Now as a result of Psi Corps’ “Rush Tactics”, Norio partly loses his momentum both at home and abroad, while Commander-in-Chief secures her position.
“Moonlight” (zj 1.0.7)
Instead of being offered a RK MCV, the player can train RK MCVs after capturing both RK War Factory and Field Bureau.
Aftermath: Although Russians now know Yuri was behind recent events, they still don’t know the Proselyte standing beside Yuri. And they won’t declare Yuri as an enemy, because they need to lie to the entire world that Yuri’s psychic and gene techs are components of their arsenal. No matter, Yuri now invite you to enjoy the amalgamation of fire (the Sahara) and ice (the Antarctic) with him.
“The Conqueror”
zj 1.0.7:
The reinforcements sent by Drillers should not contain any Soviet soldiers.
Rather than an Epsilon Construction Yard, the player is given more engineers.
zj 1.0.8:
No more SC, merely AC (the player) and PC (AI).
This is the debut of Antarctic Castles.
AC: Stalin’s Fist (produce Opus Tank, Gatling Tank, Stinger, Ghost Miner), Shadow Tanks, Drillers, Initiates, Archers, Engineers, Adepts, Duneriders, Viruses.
PC: Drillers, Initiates, Archers, Engineers, Elites, Duneriders, Viruses, Yuri.
Shadow Tank reinforcement (except the initial) only comes from the left outpost, where Topol-M platforms are evacuated.
“Divergence” (zj 1.0.8)
After retaking the PC outpost, Malver will retreat.
“Lizard Brain” (zj 1.0.8)
Since Opus Tanks make the debut in “Conqueror” now, replace Opus Tank prototype with Scavenger prototype?
“Obsidian Sands” (zj 1.0.7)
Rashidi should own the Stalin’s Fist, which Yuri has given to him.
Rashidi should have some UA weapons (like in “Ghost Hunt”) and PA weapons (like in “The Great Beyond”).
Rashidi should command a battalion of Foehn troops, not just one Jackal Racer. After all, he is a co-founder of The Foehn Revolt.
Soviet Missions
“Archetype”
zj 1.0.8
Morales doesn’t come to Ukraine for nothing. Chitzkoi is HK’s spoils. Later HK will improve it to Cyborg Culpeo.
Since Morales now has Timed incendiary explosive ejector, some barrels can be removed.
zj 1.1.9
Replace Boris with Reznov. 1 Now Morales is more similar to Reznov than to Boris. 2 Establish a strong relationship between Reznov and Volkov.
“Thread of Dread” (zj 1.0.8)
Russian Khanate is north of Korea-Kashmir, so the map had better be reversed, i.e. HK should start at the top, and Zhongjie should defend at the bottom.
Fan Missions
“Blaze [a] Trail” (《筚路蓝缕》 by @盖世侠盗v)
https://www.bilibili...deo/av30308660/
If a hero/heroine is able to disguise himself/herself, then spies alike can impersonate the hero/heroine, which fails to agree with one general set of MO.
My discussions with the author: https://www.bilibili...reply2067106805
Special Relationships (zj 1.1.9)
Some main characters have some special and UNIQUE relationships.
Einstein and Siegfried: mentor and protégé.
Reznov and Volkov: rescuer and rescuee. So they fight together from “Archetype” on.
Morales and Cyborg Culpeo: beast master and pet. HK not only recovers Chitzkoi but also transforms it into Cyborg Culpeo.
Yunru and Zhang-Jian: alumna and alumnus?
Boris and Cyborg Spaceman: original and mutant.
Yuri and Libra / Libra Clone / Rahn / Cyborg Spaceman: creator and creation. So Libra, Libra Clone, Rahn, and Cyborg Spaceman are somewhat siblings. And Libra is “Daddy’s girl”.
Fin and Alize: boyfriend and girlfriend. Given 3.3.4 lacks romantic relationships while has other brothers and sisters, it had better set Fin and Alize are a couple. As for their voice sets, we may say “brother” and “sister” here are both endearments.
CHAPTER FIVE
EVA (zj 1.0.8)
Superweapon “Ready!”
Of course, it’s impractical to make Lieutenant Zofia and her counterparts say “Great Tempest ready!” However, we can let them remind the player by simply saying “Ready!” when any superweapon is ready.
BGM (zj 1.0.8)
I expect to enjoy those unique mission soundtracks (e.g. “Godsend Intro”, “Relativity", “Libra Requiem”, “Viratia”, “Treachery”) when playing skirmishes.
AI
zj 1.1.2:
1. Build walls to protect the Construction Yard, considering that AI won’t pack it up.
2. Either make AI regularly repair broken bridges, or modify a few skirmish maps.
zj 1.1.3:
4. When AI vs AI, the winner is the one which first produces large quantities of Kirovs / Quetzals. Generally speaking, AI has serious problem of dealing with -- or NOT dealing with aerial units. I even saw several Rocketeers killed a health Centurion without any retaliation!
5. Since AI is omniscient, how about making AI (re)acts accordingly? For example, when enemy Kirovs are approaching, AI mobilizes all its anti-air units to attack them.
6. Set AI use units "restrictedly". Such as: set Thor, Dybbuk-A, and Iron Dragon only attack units, ignoring buildings; set Basilisk only attack buildings, ignoring units.
zj 1.1.4
7. In 3.3.4 AI EA always puts Force Shield on its Construction Yard (as long as it has one) when facing a major superweapon attack. Why not let it put Force Shield where the major superweapon is actually going to occur? AI is omniscient. I once used Tech Missile to strike an AI EA’s Airforce Command (after its Construction Yard was destroyed), AI used Force Shield to protect its Airforce Command. -- Oh, it was fooled. After the Force Shield disappeared, my Domination came. I think it’s better to set AI use Force Shield when and only when 1 it’s facing a major superweapon (and put it in the right place), 2 its Construction Yard is at low health (and put it on Construction Yard).
Maps
Standard
Zhang-Jian’s Archery Range (zj 1.1.9)
Every hero(ine) has a map named in honor of him/her. And “Zhang-Jian’s Archery Range” works.
I personally don’t care which map will be “Zhang-Jian’s Archery Range”.
Cyborg Culpeo’s Iron Cages (zj 1.1.9)
The map “Chitzkoi's Iron Cages” is renamed as “Cyborg Culpeo’s Iron Cages”.
Krukov’s Radiated Field (zj 1.1.9)
The map “Volkov's Dominion” is renamed as “Krukov’s Radiated Field”.
“Dominion” overlaps Epsilon’s “Domain” and “Domination”. Whereas “Radiated Field” fits for Krukov.
Another “Sinkhole”?
Yunru’s Snow-glasses (zj 1.1.9)
In 3.3.4 it’s called “Yunru’s Snowglass”.
“Snowglass” has various interpretations among Chinese community, just like Yunru’s name (her name is beyond remedy).
I prefer a/the pair of spectacles that protect her eyes in a snowfield (e.g. Kashmir). Moreover, this understanding can make Yunru have more connections with other units (Zhang-Jian’s archery glasses, Wallbuster’s aviator sunglasses).
If so, glassES ought to be plural, and the name had better be “Yunru’s Snow-glasses”.
Zhongjie’s Bastion / Mentality (zj 1.2.0)
Though Zhongjie is a campaign hero(ine), it doesn’t hurt to have one or two like “Rashidi’s Ambition” (Standard) and “Yunru’s Keep” (Fortress).
Other Bugs
1. Sometimes when I click at the bottom of the screen (full screen), I’ll click on the Windows 10 taskbar instead.
debug (zj 1.1.9)
The debug files are toooooooo large.
CNC Multiplayers
I can play single player mode, and I can chat on CNC, but I can’t play with other people on CNC, because others’ loading bars are always 0%, even if DTA Client has been added in the firewall white list.
Colour (zj 1.1.6)
More colour options.
POSTSCRIPT
Thanks for reading my humble opinions on how the game had better be. All comments are welcome and appreciated.
E-mail: xiyanzi23@163.com
Another thesis on another MOD of “Red Alert 2” I wrote in 2017: https://www.zhihu.co...nswer/242771664 (in Chinese).
On “Heroes of Might and Magic 3”: https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/313031344 (in Chinese).
On “Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun” I wrote two articles (in English) in 2018.
I also created my version of Xiangqi (象棋, Chinese Chess).
Zhang Jian
2019-09-09 Monday
Tongnan, Chongqing, China
zj 1.0.6 (2019-11-01)
zj 1.0.8 (2020-02-09)
zj 1.0.9 (2020-02-14)
zj 1.1.1 (2020-03-04?)
zj 1.1.3 (2020-03-11?)
zj 1.1.4 (2020-03-15?)
zj 1.1.7 (2020-05-03)
AFTERWORD
Profusely thank @Handepsilon for the advice on the layout of my work.
I spent two days retouching the composition, correcting my errors and adding new ideas (labeled “zj 1.1.7”), while watching some MO videos.
By the way, I’m writing a paper on “Heroes of Might and Magic 8” these days.
Tongnan (潼南)
zj 1.1.8 (2020-05-17)
zj 1.1.9 (2020-06-01)
zj 1.2.0 (2020-06-10)
zj 1.2.1 (2020-07-06)
AFTERWORDS
Finally I’ve translated my paper to Chinese, during which I’ve corrected a lot of faults and gotten a lot of new ideas.
Tongnan (潼南)
zj 1.2.2 (2021-07-27)
Edited by Zhang Jian, 27 July 2021 - 09:19 AM.
