GLA Units and Structures Summary

This page is a summary of the units and structures of the Global Liberation Army during the events of the GLA War depicted in Command and Conquer Generals and Expansion Pack Zero Hour.

GLA Military Doctrine
"We shall descend upon them like lightning from a cloudless sky!"

- GLA Militia

In terms of unit firepower and strength, the Global Liberation Army is the weakest of the three main warring factions of the GLA War. The GLA lacks the enormous economic resources of the global superpowers America and China, and they have no Air Force to speak of (except for transport aircrafts) but they are arguably the most resourceful faction in the conflict, and they have to be. The GLA compensated for their weakness by buying weapons, ammunition, and spare parts from Black Markets, converting civilian vehicles into combat vehicles (as with the Technical and Battle Bus), assembling vehicles themselves at the Arms Dealer, grab any salvageable leftover from any remains, or activating bounty stash where "anti imperialist" fund can be funneled to the cause with evident of imperialist destruction as compensation. GLA commanders also upgrade some of their vehicles, including Technicals, Quad Cannons and Marauder Tanks with salvaged parts left on the battlefield to bring more deadly effect to the cause.

"One path to freedom!"

- GLA Rebel

The Global Liberation Army prefers to use stealth, subterfuge and speed to defeat its enemies. Lacking the strength to engage the Americans or Chinese head on, the GLA has learned to master the art of camouflage, traps and disguise. Typical GLA units have weak armour but move quickly, perfect for hit-and-run attacks. The GLA also use their Tunnel Networks to resupply, heal and move their troops out of sight of American and Chinese spy satellites. Another way for the GLA to avoid direct confrontation is to develop long-range strike capabilities. GLA Rocket Buggies can deal considerable damage to enemy units and structure from long distances and can retreat quickly. The GLA can also deploy their long-range SCUD Missiles.

Of the three factions, GLA units are generally the cheapest and quickest to train or build. They can therefore be deployed in large numbers to compensate for their lack of armour or firepower, and casualty is less of an issue. In fact, the GLA is notorious for its use of suicide attacks. The GLA can train Terrorists, often at the wheel of a Bomb Truck, who are willing to sacrifice their lives for the cause.

Infantry
All GLA infantry are trained at the Barracks unless specified.


 * Rebel: GLA rebels are the standard GLA infantry, carrying nothing more than an AK-47 to battle. When upgraded, they can capture structures or plant booby (explosive) traps (Zero Hour only). They may also be upgraded with Camouflage at the Palace. Good against enemy infantry (in sufficient numbers) but weak against vehicles and aircraft.
 * Toxin Rebel: Dr. Thrax's replacement for regular Rebels, the Toxin Rebels traded their AK-47s for a backpack-mounted chemical sprayer to deal heavier damage to enemy troops. The sprayer is fairly weak against vehicles and utterly useless against aircraft and structures. (note Dr. Thrax has no camouflage abilities)
 * RPG Trooper: The GLA's way of dealing with the evil imperialists' tanks and aircraft. RPGs are rather simple but extremely effective. They cost twice as much as a Rebel. However, buy a Tunnel Network today and get two free RPG Troopers at no extra charge.
 * Terrorist: The GLA's more fanatical/disposable recruits are strapped with explosives and sent towards the enemy lines as suicide bombers. If they reach their target before the enemy kills them, the bombs can be quite destructive. A terrorist may get behind the wheel of a car and load it with explosives for a faster, more destructive delivery. Dr. Thrax's version is known as the Toxin Terrorist.
 * Hijacker: The hijacker stands patiently on the roadside waiting for an enemy vehicle to pass by. Then the hijacker emerges from the shadows and runs towards the vehicle, forces his way in, kills the driver, and takes control of the vehicle himself. This is known in GLA lingo as "car shopping". They are quite costly to train, and the general must be of a certain rank to call for their assistance in battle. However, if it means the GLA can get hold of, say, an Overlord, then the cost of the hijacker is really a bargain.
 * Angry Mob: These are civilian mobs whipped into a frenzy by GLA propaganda/bribes and armed with simple but deadly Molotov Cocktails. In sufficient mass, and upgraded with AK-47s at the Palace, they can make the enemy's life very difficult indeed. Watch out for anti-infantry vehicles like Microwave Tanks, Gatling Tanks, Dragon Tanks and Toxin Tractors, as well as riot-dispersal Flash Bangs as they won't survive long against those.
 * Jarmen Kell: the legendary GLA hero is a master sniper who can kill not only infantry in one shot but also the driver of a vehicle (the empty vehicle can then be taken over by GLA soldiers). In the service of General Juhziz, Jarmen Kell gets trained in Demolitions, like Colonel Burton.
 * Workers: The GLA '"recruited" these civilians for construction and repair work in their bases as well as supply gathering. They can be trained from both the Supply Stash and the Command Center.

Vehicles
All GLA vehicles are acquired from the Arms Dealer unless specified.
 * Scorpion Tanks: A fast, versatile tank that is quite fast but weak in armor and firepower. However with scrap upgrades both the cannon and the missile upgrades become more effective. With all the scrap upgrades plus the missile upgrade it can have two missiles and an excellent cannon, capable of doing severe damage to any unit, even an Overlord.
 * Technicals: A very fast, lightly armed and armored truck that can transport 5 soldiers in and out of harm's way, the Technical can easily run down slower infantry and vehicles but rarely packs enough punch to drop them, especially Armored Fighting Vehicles. However, with scrap upgrades it becomes more effective at destroying the opposition. Salvage crates can upgrade it from a light machine gun to an anti-personnel cannon, to finally a rocket launcher that is a threat even to tanks.
 * Toxin Tractors: Essentially a farm tractor with several tanks strapped on the back and a turret on top spouting toxins out of the top. It is a mirror image of the China's Dragon Tank, being effective at both clearing infantry out of buildings and destroying infantry. It has weak armor and but is surprisingly resilient against rocket infantry. It is capable of spraying the ground around it with toxins which lingers for a few seconds after the tractor stops. Dr. Thrax 's versions can be upgraded with Anthrax Gamma while GLA resourcefulness later in the War allowed it to be upgraded with scrap.
 * Quad Cannons: The GLA 's premier anti-air vehicle, it is a half track with a quad cannon mounted on the back. It is lethal to aircraft and infantry alike, and even to lightly armored vehicles when upgraded with scraps from defeated enemies. At full veterancy and full scrap upgrades it can be very dangerous even to tanks.
 * Battle Bus: An improvised personal carrier, the Battle Bus is both fast and defenseless without infantry. However, it can be loaded with 8 infantry to make it into a very dangerous vehicle. It is unique in that once its health is diminished it does not blow up. Instead it turns into a bunker. Being fast, able to carry 8 infantry and able to have a second health bar makes the battle bus a very dangerous vehicle in large numbers.
 * Combat Cycle: With little or no armor, the Combat Cycle can barely take two shells from a Crusader and live, however it can traverse up and down cliffs, move at incredible speeds and change its playing style by putting a different infantry on it. Being able to attack at any angle and move away quickly makes this vehicle very irritating and down right dangerous in the right hands. More or less the Generals equivalent of the Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 vehicle; the IFV.
 * Marauder Tank: Having more armor and a bigger gun than the Scorpion Tank, the Marauder is capable of doing some heavy damage. Especially once it picks up two scrap piles and gains a second cannon, it turns into a poor man's Overlord . It's not very good at hit-and-run strikes due to its slow turning speed and fixed turret.
 * Rocket Buggy: Just as the name says, it's a buggy with a pack of rockets on the back. It is one of the fastest vehicles in the game and combined with its ability to fire on the run, makes for a very flexible siege weapon. It's not very durable, as it can be destroyed rather quickly by rocket infantry and tanks but its high speed and range can make it virtually untouchable. It can be the bane of slower moving vehicles such as Overlord tanks, but is vulnerable to fast moving aircraft.
 * SCUD Launcher: A Soviet-era SSM, the scud launcher is the GLA 's equivalent of the Chinese Nuke Cannon and the USA 's Tomahawk Launcher . The missiles fire up slowly and arc down on the target, making them easy pickings for laser defenses and chain guns. However, 2 or 3 SCUD Launchers are enough to overpower most defenses and with the capability of switching to high explosive (only option for Rodall Juhziz) and/or toxic warheads (only option for Dr. Thrax), it can be a surprising flexible weapon system. Collecting parts from defeated enemies increases the range of the ballistic missiles, to the point of surpassing even the Nuke Cannon.
 * Bomb Truck: A dump truck filled to the brim with explosives, it can do serious damage to any unit stranded on the ground. It can wipe out entire battalions of infantry and destroy or severely damage any tank it rams. It can be upgraded with high explosive packages and toxins, with Rodall Juhziz and Dr. Thrax gaining extreme ends of the upgrades. Can be camouflaged to look like ANY ground vehicle.
 * Radar Van : The only unarmed vehicle in GLA inventory. It provide GLA with radar facility which enable GLA to secure their radar by mobilizing it. It also provide mine and booby trap sensor to GLA . Later in war its radar can be upgraded to sense any area far away, courtsey of salvaged radar from USA command center's remain.

Structures
GLA structures are built by its own army of Workers - civilians who either volunteered or were "volunteered" to work for the greater glory of the cause. All GLA structures are connected to an underground tunnel network and if a GLA structure is destroyed, it will leave a GLA Hole. If the Hole is not destroyed, workers will eventually come out and rebuild the structure, at no extra cost to the GLA commander. GLA structure require no power plant,but will be much more efficient if a power plant is present. These feature have some drawback as some structure like Arms Dealer cost more to build its own integral generator. All GLA building (except demo trap) can receive fortification upgrade.

Note to Chinese and American generals: a single nuclear missile strike will not destroy GLA Holes, nor will a fuel air bomb. It will be necessary to have ground troops or bombers ready at hand to send in to destroy the Holes.

During Zero Hour, GLA base defences may be upgraded with Camo Netting to hide them from the enemy. Prince Kassad's forces can upgrade all their buildings with Camo Netting. Fortification upgrade is available to put more durability to the building with whatever material available.

Key Structures
The GLA structures are:

Command Center: Used to train Workers how to build their structures in the field of battle; needed to use some general's powers.

Supply Stash: Trains Workers how to collect supplies in a pile or using a Supply Dock.

Barracks (Generals): Trains GLA Infantry, lets Workers build Stinger Sites or Tunnel Networks.

Stinger Site: A base defense used to destroy enemy Tanks (Generals) and Aircraft (Generals).

Tunnel Network: A base defense to kill enemy Infantry, known as a Toxin Network in Zero Hour used by Dr. Thrax.

Arms Dealer: Acquires GLA Tanks and Vehicles, lets Workers to build a Palace.

Demo Trap: Built by Workers as a trap to destroy the enemy, known as the Advanced Demo Trap in Zero Hour used by General Juhziz.

Palace: Places five GLA Infantry and used for upgrades, lets Workers build a Black Market or Scud Storm.

Black Market: Used for GLA upgrades to any Vehicle or Infantry in the field, same as the Palace; generates cash (20 per flash).

Scud Storm: The GLA's superweapon, comes with nine SCUD missiles.

Fake Buildings (Generals): Used in Zero Hour, only Workers can build these as a Command Center, Black Market, Barracks, Arms Dealer or Supply Stash; can be upgraded into real buildings with a cost.

GLA Hole: If GLA structure is destroyed, they leave a hole as a warning to their enemies if they destroy it or GLA Workers can build it back to that structure for free.

GLA can also build demo traps. A simple but overloaded mine that explode under contact or remote controlled. Chermical variant also available, especially by Dr. Thrax. Its the only GLA building which doesnt have GLA hole attachment