Rocket soldier (Red Alert 1)

Rocket infantry are specially trained soldiers equipped with missile launchers (usually Dragon TOWs or RedEyes) and tasked with attacking enemy armour, structures and aircraft as a part of the Allied infantry corps during the Second World War.

Background
Rocket infantry use Dragon TOWs against land enemies and the Redeye against aircraft and submarines (it was especially deadly against subs). The Dragon is a little inaccurate, thus it dealt less damage to moving enemies and very low damage to infantry. They are also very slow and have less protection than rifle infantry, making them more vulnerable to enemy fire.

Game unit
Rocket soldiers can be trained by the Soviets in multiplayer. They also appear to be on the Soviet side on certain missions in the campaign, but very rarely.

As an anti-armor and anti-air infantry, they are fairly easy to mass but are slow and vulnerable to rifle and machine gun fire. They can act as good escorts against Aircraft but require a strong ground support due to their frail armor and slow speed. Strategically placed in a player's home base, they can function as cheap anti-air defenses in low power situations. They can however out-range Pillboxes, Camo Pillboxes and Flame Towers with proper micro-management.

Tactical analysis

 * Rocket infantry are the absolute best bang-for-your-buck at dealing with enemy vehicles. They alone make barracks a useful construction even late into the game.
 * Rocket infantrymen are extremely squishy and can be killed with contemptuous ease. They will always lose a one-on-one with a rifle infantry, despite being more expensive, and are horrendously vulnerable to enemy rifle fire.
 * Their dual land and air fire capabilities (as well as their boosted anti-air attack powers) make them good at interdicting helicopters and enemy light vehicles. In large groups they can easily steamroll enemy heavy vehicles such as Heavy Tanks, Mammoth Tanks, and Medium Tanks.
 * They are best used in a sort of "rifles and rockets" strategy; rifle infantry are deployed in equal ratio to rocket infantry to defend against enemy infantry and to soak up bullets. This gives you a cheap, large army that is easily replenishable, and has both anti-ground and anti-air firepower, as well as protection against rifle infantry.
 * Making a homogenous block of rocket infantry is a poor idea; unless you can jump the enemy at their base, they can simply build a force of rifle infantry and defeat your army relatively easily, and for far cheaper.

Tiberium Universe
During the First Tiberium War, both GDI and Nod adopted the Rocket infantry idea and created their own version of these infantrymen.

Red Alert Universe
These infantrymen were recalled and decommissioned after the Second World War, being eventually succeeded by Guardian GIs during the second iteration of the Third World War.

Behind the scenes

 * The sidebar icon in depicts the rocket soldier wielding an M72 LAW.