Commander's Challenge

Not to be confused with Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3: Commander's Challenge.

The Commander's Challenge is a special feature introduced in Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3: Uprising. In this mode, the player controls a FutureTech Commander, who must collect technologies from the three major powers by defeating enemy commanders all across the world.

Gameplay
In Commander's Challenge, the player is pitted against nine commanders from the three major factions in 50 challenges all around the world, each with its own unique rules and conditions.

The player has access to the arsenal of all three factions, and can select which faction to use before each challenge. However, only the most basic units and structures are available from the start. Technologies can be unlocked by completing challenges, which can then be used in all subsequent challenges. All challenges can be replayed at any point.

Only 13 of the 50 challenges are "main challenges", which need to be completed to unlock the ending. The other 37 "side challenges" are unlocked by completing main challenges, and completing them unlocks useful technology and even more side challenges, which can make subsequent challenges easier.

After completing a challenge, the "completion gauge" in the main page will fill up by 1% if the elapsed time is longer than the par time, and 2% if shorter. 100% completion can only be achieved by completing every challenge under their respective par time.

The Red Alert button, which was cut from the original Red Alert 3, is made available in Commander's Challenge, though its effects have been drastically changed. It is an emergency button that can only be activated when the Threat Meter is completely full. When pressed, it empties the Threat Meter, gives the player 50,000 credits, and promotes all of the player's units to Heroic veterancy. However, using the button turns the record time to 99:59, making it impossible to complete the challenge under par.

Plot
Kelly Weaver greets the Commander, explaining to him that FutureTech has already acquired the Mobile Construction Vehicles of all three world powers, and instructs him to take advantage of the post-war chaos to acquire the military assets of the Allies, the Soviets, and the Empire. Though she never explains what FutureTech intends to do with the technology.

After finishing all main challenges, Weaver congratulates the Commander on his progress and offers to discuss the terms of the Corporation's offer with him "in private this evening".

Unlocking
For each challenge completed, new technologies and additional challenges are unlocked. Unlocked technologies can be used in all subsequent challenges.

Main Challenges

 * Dead Meat
 * Unlocks Attack dog
 * Blood Feud
 * Unlocks Archer Maiden
 * Defense of The Archipelago
 * Unlocks Tesla trooper
 * Where Satellites Go To Die
 * Unlocks Mortar Cycle
 * Symphony of Steel
 * Unlocks Steel Ronin
 * Athena's Wrath
 * Unlocks Athena Cannon
 * Scavenger
 * Unlocks Natasha
 * Offshore Killing
 * Unlocks Akula submarine
 * Chrono You Didn't
 * Unlocks Chronosphere
 * Tesla's Castle
 * Unlocks Tesla coil
 * Double-Barreled
 * Unlocks Apocalypse tank
 * Out of the Blue
 * Unlocks Century bomber
 * Fury of the Empire
 * Unlocks Giga Fortress

Side Challenges

 * Two Sides To Everything
 * Unlocks Sea-Wing
 * Crate and Red Barrel
 * Unlocks Multigunner IFV
 * Are You Experienced
 * Unlocks Assault destroyer
 * Number One Threat To America
 * Unlocks War Bear
 * No Place To Hide
 * Unlocks Spy
 * Creeping Death
 * Unlocks Striker-VX
 * Cat Fight
 * Unlocks Tanya
 * High-Water Mark
 * Unlocks Aircraft carrier
 * The Omega Program
 * Unlocks Yuriko Omega
 * Behind the Iron Curtain
 * Unlocks Iron Curtain
 * King of the Monsters
 * Unlocks V4 rocket launcher
 * Reap What You Sow
 * Unlocks Reaper
 * All Guns Blazing
 * Unlocks Wave-Force Tower
 * Show of Force
 * Unlocks Wave-Force Artillery
 * Dirty Tricks
 * Unlocks Terror drone
 * Kill-A-Ton
 * Unlocks Desolator
 * Caught in the Crossfire
 * Unlocks Twinblade
 * Dangerous Skies
 * Unlocks Vindicator
 * Viscious Circle
 * Unlocks Harbinger gunship
 * Gosh Darn Mongolians!
 * Unlocks King Oni
 * Ready to Roll Out
 * Unlocks Pacifier FAV
 * The Final Countdown
 * Unlocks Proton Collider
 * No Match for the Guardian
 * Unlocks Spectrum tower
 * Your Gold Mine Has Collapsed
 * Unlocks Mirage tank
 * Be Quick or Be Dead
 * Unlocks Rocket Angel
 * Robots and Ninjas
 * Unlocks Shinobi
 * Battle Royale
 * Unlocks Naginata cruiser
 * Shrink Zone
 * Unlocks Cryocopter
 * Ice Breaker
 * Unlocks Cryo Legionnaire
 * Superb Commander
 * Unlocks Dreadnought
 * High Seas Duel
 * Unlocks Shogun Battleship
 * Red Crush
 * Unlocks Grinder
 * The Motherland
 * Unlocks Kirov Airship
 * Come and Get It
 * Unlocks Psionic decimator
 * Arms Race
 * Unlocks Vacuum imploder
 * Battle Room
 * Unlocks Nanoswarm hive
 * Future Warfare
 * Unlocks Future Tank X-1

Rewards
Completing all main challenges unlocks the "Commander's Challenge Conclusion" cutscene, and adds a star to the "Challenge" section of the main menu. It also unlocks this congratulatory message:

"OUTSTANDING! You have completed the Commander's Challenge and earned a much-deserved promotion to CEO of FUTUREFECH CORP., together with all the wealth, privileges, private jets, newfangled gadgets, adoring fans, fabulous attire, fame, luxury automobiles, beachside property, tax breaks, backstage concert tickets, season box-seat sporting event tickets, attractive personal assistants, peace of mind, and occasional work-related responsibilities implied forthwith. ...

But before you rest on your laurels, do consider that still-wilder fortunes await, should you return to finish all of the side challenges--let alone, finish all the challenges under the posted par times. Not that this could reasonably be expected of anyone, not even our illustrious CEO."

Completing all side challenges unlocks the "Commander's Challenge Bonus Ending" cutscene, and adds a second star to the main menu. It also unlocks the following message:

"UNBELIEVABLE! You successfully completed each and every battle in the Commander's Challenge, thereby earning the vaunted rank of CHAIRMAN for LIFE and the bragging rights implied forthwith. Mere words cannot express the honor, glory, and prestige implied in this rare accomplishment. ...

Although, at the risk of downplaying your accomplishment, you do know that you have not yet managed to finish every challenge under the posted par times, don't you...? Imagine the secrets that would be revealed to you should you be able to pull off that unlikeliest of feats."

Completing all challenges under par times and achieving 100% completion adds a third star to the menu, causes stars to fall in the menu's background, and unlocks the following message:

"UNBELIEVABLE! You have shown incomparable wherewithal in finishing each and every battle in the Commander's Challenge under the posted par times, and hereby earn the illustrious rank of FIFTY-STAR COMMANDER and ATTACK-MOVER EXTRAORDINAIRE. Bear it with all due pride, as your heroic deeds will surely be forever remembered in the annals of all the world's history books! And just for kicks, we're going to put some extra stars on the main menu. Here they come!"

Trivia

 * The mission briefing for The Omega Program mentions that the Empire is researching cloning technology in order to augment its fighting population, and comments that "apparently the Empire never learned its lesson after the Shiro Incident", implying that Commander's Challenge takes place after the Yuriko campaign.