Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun manual

The following article serves as a partial transcript† of the Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun manual. All material written in this article is of copyright ©1998 by Electronic Arts, Inc. The author of this article claims no right of the material written.

† The following sections were removed to preserve only or mostly the lore-related information:


 * How to Play C&C Tiberian Sun
 * How to Engage
 * Basic Interface
 * Options
 * Advanced Manoeuvres
 * Multiplayer Only Keys
 * Personnel Credits

Databurst Contents
"Kane is dead and I'm not afraid of ghosts."

- General Solomon, GDI

"It would be a bad error in judgement to mistake me for a corpse."

- Kane, Nod

 CONFIDENTIAL

> GLOBAL DEFENSE INITIATIVE

DIVISION 85567

SERVER CLASSIFICATION RED / NO DISCLOSURE

SATELLITE NET INTERLINK, ORBITAL STATION PHILADELPHIA

INTEL ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT CONFLICT -- GDI VS. NOD

DATABURST PROCESSED BY: EVA 9

RECEIVED: January 19, 2030

ENCODED FILE CONTACT: GENERAL JAMES SOLOMON

GENERAL SOLOMON................

.....HAVE PROCESSED DATA AS REQUESTED........

.....HAVE CALCULATED COMBAT SCENARIOS........

.....HAVE COMPARED OUR RESOURCES..............

.....HAVE CALCULATED ODDS OF WIN/LOSS.........

.....HAVE DETERMINED HUMAN LOSSES WILL BE....

.....TREMENDOUS ON ALL SIDES....................

.....CONCLUSIONS ENCRYPTED BELOW...............

.....AWAITING ORDERS..............................

......EVA.... 

Battle Assessment: GDI vs. Nod
ABOUT THIS REPORT

The following report has been generated by EVA in accordance with a directive issued from the office of the Chief Commander of the GDI, General James Solomon, dated January 19, 2030.

This document serves two purposes. First, to compile and assess the most recent intelligence reports, including detailed descriptions of Nod units, structures, vehicles and personnel. Second, to evaluate GDI units, structures, vehicles and personnel versus their Nod counterparts. All personnel reviewing this report must have security clearance level RED or greater. Violation of security procedure is a court-martial offence and is punishable by death.

Twentieth Century Conflict
The conflict between the Global Defence Initiative and the Brotherhood of Nod originated in the late twentieth century. GDI, now the most powerful military organisation on Earth, was formed forty-five years ago by the final act the United Nations Global Defence Initiative.

Conceived as a united military force for global peacekeeping, GDI relies upon the technological sophistication of its weaponry and the superior training and loyalties of its officers, to end violent conflict between countries across the planet.

At the same time, the Brotherhood of Nod, led by the charismatic Kane, grew to prominence. Working largely in third world countries, wherever there was discontent, unrest, and unhappiness – there was Kane.

With the promise of a New World Order and bankrolled by the illicit Tiberium research and trade that Kane made famous the Brotherhood of Nod began to gain power. A few scattered, disaffected units grew into an army - an army with powerful atomic weaponry, ruthless tactics and a Tiberian fortune.

Twenty-First Century Conflict
Kane was presumed dead during the final battle of Nod's first comprehensive bid for global domination. Though Nod was effectively disbanded and GDI claimed total victory, Kane's body was never recovered. (In hindsight, top GDI personnel have concluded that this was a costly oversight.) Kane's followers continued to hold vigils believing their leader would someday return.

In the decades following his disappearance, Kane sightings became common myth, especially prevalent amongst regions of former Nod strongholds. After a series of GDI investigations, the case was closed and the records sealed. Kane was officially declared dead – and a disenfranchised Nod became scattered into separate factions.

Three Factions
In the current global battle climate, GDI watches over world combat situations from the Philadelphia, an orbital command centre stationed high above the earth.

Three major military factions increasingly affect the state of world relations:

GDI FORCES continue to fight for world order — as defined by United Nations Global Defence Initiative Directive 3115.

THE BROTHERHOOD OF NOD has broken into several distinct factions after the loss of Kane in the last Tiberium War. The various leaders of these factions have tried to reunite the Brotherhood under their control but as of yet have been unsuccessful. The fragmented command structure of the Brotherhood makes them unpredictable and especially dangerous.

THE FORGOTTEN, or Mutants, have begun to shift the balance of global combat. A tribal community composed of victims of extreme Tiberian poisoning, the Forgotten are vicious warriors. Abandoned by both GDI and Nod, the Forgotten trust no one and are extremely dangerous.

The Return of Kane
In a recent communique, Kane himself made contact with top GDI officials. Additional testing has revealed that the message from Kane is indeed authentic. However, the tests have revealed a minor anomaly that has been determined to be some sort of image enhancement. Make no mistake though - Kane is back.

Days after first contact, Kane launched his initial blitzkrieg. He now appears to be operating from a concealed subterranean base with awesome strength and unknown personnel.

Due to insufficient data, EVA is unable to determine where Nod is getting its resources, aircraft, personnel, or technology.

Environmental Impact of Conflict
Across the earth, Tiberium is found mainly in the temperate, tropical and sub-tropical regions of the equator. Tiberium, for unknown reasons, spreads much more slowly in the arid frozen poles, both North and South. Tiberium is harvested in two forms, blue and green, that can be found in Tiberium fields and processed in a refinery.

The process by which Tiberium grows is largely unknown. It has been determined that Tiberium leeches valuable minerals from the soil, virtually destroying the ground it comes from.

Additionally, in recent years, Tiberium vein holes have sprouted unpredictably throughout the temperate zones and have created havoc for all that encounter them. Reports indicate the veins may be a form of mutated flora, capable of causing damage to nearby structures, units and vehicles.

Violent Ion Storms, whose relationship to Tiberium remains unclear, continue to batter the temperate Tiberium Zones.

Tiberium, though largely mysterious and misunderstood, remains inarguably the most powerful substance on the planet. Originally championed by Kane, Tiberium brought to rise the Brotherhood, empowering their otherwise impoverished forces.

GDI's research facilities have been attempting to decipher the secrets of Tiberium for years but, to date, few definitive conclusions have been reached. The compound remains 1.5 percent unidentifiable, with elements of unknown origin that elude standard classification.

Once thought to be the next great clean energy source, both Nod and GDI have invested many decades into the research of Tiberium — building on the pioneering work of renowned GDI scientist, Dr. Ignatio Moebius. Without Tiberium, neither GDI nor Nod would have the wealth or power to fuel their great armies.

However, in recent years, the research into Tiberium has shown startling results. Tiberium has always been known to be dangerous to life but, in the past few years, a majority of the exposed population has begun to show signs of genetic mutation and a variety of Tiberium-based maladies.

Calling themselves "The Forgotten", the remaining mutated population has retreated underground, demanding retribution for their plight and engaging in terrorist activities.

GDI has recently launched a full-scale effort to rescue these infected populations. Nod has allegedly been more interested in using these people as test subjects for a variety of unknown experiments. At this point, GDI recommends that no uninfected, unprotected humans expose themselves to Tiberium.

GDI Personnel Evaluation
This EVA unit has thoroughly evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of the GDI personnel.

GDI has watched over the planet for decades from their orbital command centre, the Philadelphia. The GDI position has flourished as a result of this of global support – benefiting from superior technology, weaponry, economic resources and recruitment practices of conventional armed forces.

GDI troops are ambitious and hard working, co-operative and loyal. These twenty-first century marines want both peace and honour. More than that, they want to win – to destroy all traces of the Brotherhood of Nod.

Rank and file GDI troops are unconditionally devoted to each other, to their squadron leaders and to their highest commander, General Solomon.

A GDI career officer, General Solomon graduated first in his class from West Point. Now monitoring GDI global operations from the orbital Philadelphia Command Centre, Solomon has become the figurehead of the Global Defence and the archrival of those who would threaten the peace he lives to defend.

General Solomon's field campaign against Kane has been entrusted to Commander Michael McNeil. As profiled by PSY89902 in his annual medical examination, Commander McNeil has been characterised as uncompromisingly loyal and as a competitive athlete who is intense in everything he does. As long-time second in command Lt. Commander Chandra writes in one of the requisite review forums, "Mac doesn't view life as complicated. He knows what he wants and he will do anything to get it. And like every good GDI marine -- what he wants is to win."

Nod Personnel Evaluation
This EVA unit has evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of Nod personnel according to the most recent GDI intelligence. Historically, Nod forces have been strong – because their leader is strong. Nod soldiers take their cue from the ruthlessness of Kane and his commanders – the cold Commander Slavik and the cunning propagandist Oxanna.

Nod forces are equally strengthened by their willingness to engage with unbelievable force, their cruel tactics and their sophisticated Tiberium-derived weaponry. Nod soldiers are willing to die for their leader and for their cause. Traditionally composed of third world renegades, Nod forces often have nothing to lose.

Consequently, the Brotherhood of Nod is a cruel clan, equally violent toward friend and foe. Fuelled by a long history, Nod has earned a reputation for employing violence and fear in order to achieve their objectives. GDI intelligence has difficulty keeping up with the rapid shifting of rank within Nod's command structure as treachery and assassination is often the key to career advancement.

The exception, of course, is the nearly totalitarian control of Kane. Nothing will stop Kane and his loyalists, Slavik and Oxanna, in their pursuit to conquer GDI and control the world.

The Forgotten Personnel Evaluation
"The Forgotten", also called "Shiners" due to Tiberium crystals that grow on their bodies, are the one remaining indigenous population of the temperate Tiberium zones. Underground warriors, innocent victims – the Forgotten are the Tiberium Tribes of the planet. Once productive members of mainstream society, their nomadic tribes grew out of their common status as outcasts. Victims of irreversible Tiberium poisoning, the Forgotten are reclusive and secretive homeless wanderers. It is unknown how many they number in their tribal dwellings hidden deep beneath the Tiberian ridden terrain. They are a fierce warrior people who can defeat most Nod and GDI soldiers in combat.

The Forgotten are lead by a venerable warrior named Tratos. He has assumed responsibility for his people for many years, offering them acceptance, home and community where once they had none.

Tratos is plagued by visions of the death of the planet, an alien Armageddon that haunts his dreams. He is the first to know the secret of the Forgotten that not only is Kane alive but that he is heir to almost unlimited power through use of the Tacitus. The Tacitus was once protected and studied by the Forgotten in the hopes that they could use it to find a cure for their Tiberium mutation. Tratos was tricked into translating the Tacitus for Kane and now must live with the knowledge that he has betrayed his planet and the human race.

Tratos surrounds himself with a cadre of the finest Forgotten warriors. Foremost amongst these is the beautiful and fierce Umagaan, a particular favourite of the old chief. Umagaan is famous even among Nod and GDI military personnel for her remarkable strength as a warrior. A beautiful "Shiner" (slang for mutant), Umagaan has been terminally exposed to Tiberium and one day will no longer resemble a human being. Today though, she is only made more beautiful by the Tiberium crystals that glitter on her marred face

Kane - Personal Profile
Long presumed dead, Kane is the charismatic leader of the Brotherhood of Nod. Although he appears to be in his thirties, with his trademark sadistic grin and bald head, Kane's age is indeterminate. Indeed, many of his followers maintain the belief that he is no longer mortal.

Man or myth, Kane wields a nearly totalitarian hold on his Nod followers. Cold, brutal, passionate – the Nod leader is a dark visionary for the next millennium. Armed with compelling anti-establishment, anti-western rhetoric, Kane seduces Nod armies into total compliance to both his ideologies and his military directives.

Using terrorist tactics and a slew of Tiberium-based super weapons, Kane has consolidated the factions of the third world. He has risen from hiding to attack the conventional military of GDI in an attempt at world domination.

Kane relies on the power of the strange mineral compound Tiberium to set his dark plan in motion. It matters little to Kane that, in the process, Tiberium has destroyed most of the earth's surface and most of the human race.

Light Infantry
The Light Infantry are the mainstay of the GDI and Brotherhood troops. Armed with an M16 Mk. II pulse rifle, they deliver light damage to most targets. Although slow, infantry are capable of movement over varied terrain types with little loss in speed. They are also able to pass through certain terrain or hazards that are inaccessible or damaging to vehicles.

Disk Thrower
The Disk Thrower is a light infantry unit that carries a long-range grenade delivery system. Instead of traditionally shaped grenades, the Disk Thrower uses an aerodynamic grenade that is designed with longer flight in mind. Because of the dynamics of the discus-like projectile, the grenade can bounce along terrain if it does not impact its intended target.

Jump Jet Infantry
The airborne divisions of GDI's infantry, Jump Jet soldiers are able to perform surgical hits on targets normally inaccessible to standard infantry. Armed with a Vulcan cannon, these flying soldiers can provide an anti-air defence as well as quick air-to-ground attacks on poorly defended targets.

Medic
Among the chaos of battle, the Medic is solely responsible for treating the injured and getting downed soldiers back in the fight. Left on his own, the medic will automatically heal any nearby friendly soldiers. Medics can also be targeted to treat a specific soldier.

Engineer
Slow and unarmed, the Engineer is, nonetheless, deadly in his own right. The only unit able to capture enemy structures; tactical use of engineers is considered an art among many commanders. The unit has multiple purposes, each explained below. Note that the engineer unit will be lost when any of the actions below are performed.


 * 1) Capturing enemy structures: The engineer has the ability to capture enemy structures and bring them under your control. This is done by selecting an engineer and then clicking on an enemy structure to send the engineer into the building to capture it. A blue "enter" cursor will tell you if your side can capture that building. Only one engineer is required to capture any structure.
 * 2) Repairing Damaged Structures: The engineer has the ability to bring any of your own structures back to full health. Select the engineer and highlight the building you want fully repaired. A golden "wrench" icon will tell you if this building can be repaired. Left click to send the engineer into the building to repair it.
 * 3) Repairing Damaged Bridges: Most bridges in Tiberian Sun have a "repair hut" at one or both ends of the span. Sending an Engineer into the repair hut will rebuild missing sections and repair any damaged ones. Left click to send the engineer into the repair hut to repair the bridge.

Ghostalker
Part of Forgotten, Ghostalker carries a small rail gun and is armed with C4 charges. His railgun has the ability to shoot through multiple targets at once, eliminating rows of enemies in a single hit. Ghostalker's C4 ability can be used to destroy any enemy structure when a C4 icon appears. Left-clicking will send Ghostalker to the building and once he touches the building, it will flash for a few seconds then explode. Like all mutant units, Ghostalker can heal in Tiberium.

Wolverine
The Powered Assault Armour or "Wolverine" is a small, eight to nine foot bipedal unit that is piloted by a single soldier. Fast and agile, these lightly armoured suits excel at suppression fire and in light skirmishes. Handling large groups of enemy infantry is no problem for a squad of these troopers.

Amphibious APC
The Amphibious APC is a heavily armoured unit that can carry up to five infantry units. Capable of ferrying units over land and sea, the amphibious APC is a valuable asset to GDI's forces. To load the APC, select the infantry soldier(s) you wish to load and highlight the APC. A blue "enter" cursor will appear. Left clicking will load the units into the APC. To make the units exit the APC, select it and click on it again when the "deploy" cursor appears. Note that an APC cannot be unloaded while in water

Titan
The Medium Battle Mechanised Walker, or "Titan", is GDI's all-purpose assault and defence unit. Standing 25 feet tall and packing a 120mm cannon, the Titan is a force to be reckoned with. Its long range makes it an ideal unit for use in base assaults, as it can pummel defences without fear of retaliation.

Hover Mutli-Launch Rocket System
The Hover MLRS is a medium to long range missile delivery system mounted on a hover chassis. Like the Amphibious APC, the hover MLRS is capable of crossing both land and sea. Because of its hover capability, the unit is unaffected by most terrain types, making it an ideal (although somewhat expensive) unit for scouting enemy territory. Its rockets are capable of hitting both air and land targets with equal effectiveness.

Disrupter
Recent developments aboard the Philadelphia have lead to breakthroughs in harmonic resonance. The Disrupter [sic] is the first to use this new technology. Firing a harmonic resonance wave, the Disruptor is capable of shattering any unit or structure caught in the wave – enemy or ally alike. Care should be used in the positioning of Disrupter units as to minimise incidence of "friendly fire".

Mammoth Mark. II
This prototype behemoth is GDI's most powerful weapon. Towering over the battlefield, the Mammoth II carries dual rail guns and a back mounted anti-aircraft missile launcher. The rail guns are capable of reducing most units to slag in a matter of seconds, while its AA launcher ensures air protection for the unit. Virtually indestructible, the Mammoth Mk. II is still in its testing phases and, due to limitations on the technologies involved, only one can be deployed at any time.

Mobile Sensor Array
The Mobile Sensor Array (MSA) is a vehicle equipped with a state-of-the-art sensor package that can detect the presence of enemy units even if they are cloaked or burrowing underground. Detected units will not be "uncloaked" but will be displayed on radar and the tactical view, allowing a commander to take the necessary measures to destroy the hidden unit(s).

Orca Fighter
The mainstay of GDI's air force, the Orca Fighter is a versatile and lightweight attack aircraft. Fast, lightly armoured and armed with dual missile launchers, the Orca Fighter can deliver a missile barrage to any location on the battlefield within moments of receiving orders. However, like all aircraft, the Orca must return to a helipad in order to reload its weapons.

Orca Bomber
Heavier and better armoured than its fighter cousin, the Orca Bomber trades speed for firepower. Delivering a stream of high-explosive bombs in strafing runs, the Orca Bomber is ideal for softening up ground defences during the beginning of a base assault.

Orca Carry-All
The largest of all the Orcas, this transport aircraft has the critical job of rescuing or delivering units to any destination on the battlefield. Using a large grappling device, the Carry-All is capable of picking up any vehicle found on the battlefield. To make the Carry-All pick up a unit, select the Carry-All, then left click on the unit you wish to pick up. To put the unit down, select the Carry-All when it is on the ground, highlight it and left-click on it when the "deploy" cursor appears.
 * Note: You may drop units directly onto Service Depots and refineries without detaching them first.

Hunter-Seeker Droid
The Hunter-Seeker Droid is a lightning fast drone unit that is deployed to "clean up" the battlefield. Hunter-Seeker Droids randomly search out an enemy unit or structure and latch on to it. Once attached, the Hunter-Seeker Droid will self-destruct, destroying itself and the object it has attached to. The unit cannot be controlled and will automatically seek prey when released.

Harvester
Critical to the financial success of both sides, the Harvester is the only unit capable of collecting Tiberium for refinement. Harvesters will automatically begin to collect Tiberium if a patch is nearby. The Harvester can be ordered to a specific location to harvest by selecting it and targeting the new area. The Harvester will automatically avoid threat areas and will inform you when it cannot enter an area because of nearby threats. Tiberium Harvesters will not enter a hostile area unless specifically ordered.

Dropship
Dropships allow the delivery of crucial supplies and reinforcements to specific areas on the battlefield. The arrival of a dropship with reinforcements during a heated battle can mean the difference between victory and defeat. Dropships are only available in certain solo play missions and can never be directly controlled.

Kodiak
The Kodiak is GDI's mobile command centre. Commander McNeil and his crew reside on the Kodiak and use it to travel from battle to battle. Typically, the Kodiak observes the battle from afar so as not to put commanding officers in direct danger. However, certain conditions could cause the Kodiak to become vulnerable to attack. If that were ever to happen, protect it at all costs, for if it is destroyed, the battle is over.

Orca Transport
Available only in certain solo-play missions, the Orca Transport can carry up to 5 infantry units to any location on a battle map. Loading and unloading it is identical in function to loading and unloading an amphibious APC.

Mobile Construction Vehicle
The foundation of any base starts with the Mobile Construction Vehicle (MCV). Able to deploy itself into a fully functioning Construction Yard, the MCV is a highly prized piece of equipment for both GDI and Nod. To deploy the MCV, select it, then double-click. If you get a "no deploy" cursor, something is blocking deployment of the unit. Move any other vehicles and infantry away from it, or move it away from trees or rocks that would prevent deployment.