Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 cutscenes

Tank General Challenge
Details
Game	Zero Hour Generals Challenge
Location	Base Rat, Jinan, China
Opponent	Ta Hun Kwai

The Tank General Challenge is a Generals Challenge level that pits the player against tank warfare specialist Ta Hun Kwai.

Walkthrough

“

General! I need that Oil Derrick for my tanks! Release it to me or pay! - Kwai

”

Ta Hun Kuai's mass production of armored units is fueled by his economy. He doesn't even need Hackers, because whenever if his resources fall below 1000$ he'll instantly gain another 5000$. He'll begin the challenge with Battlemaster/Gattling Tank rushes or maybe even an Emperor, then send Helixes and MiGs later on. ECM units are also a common sight. He won't ignore infantry either, and will send steady waves of Red Guards and Tank Hunters that can distract anti-armor units. Additionally, MiGs will be used for harassment air attacks, usually either from the northeast or on the player's northern flank. Expect Kwai to capture the tech platform in the northwest corner early and then send a steady trickle of tanks from the north against the player. Fortunately, he lacks proper siege units like the Nuke Cannon and beyond his armored units, he relies on a few Bunkers as well as Gatling Cannons for defense. He won't rebuild any bunkers if they are destroyed.

As with most generals confronted in the challenge, he will employ superweapons, though his Nuclear Missile usually won't be constructed unless the player already has an equivalent up and running. When attacking, it's best to approach his base from the east with ground units, taking out any Construction Dozers sent by him and destroying a few of his key structures. In such cases, Superweapons are best used ahead of time to pave way for the main assault.

Expect Black Lotus to attempt to enter the base from the southeast, potentially stealing an unguarded building.

The map itself is quite flat, with few obstacles, perfect for both Kwai's tank maneuvers and an opponent's fast hit-and-run attacks from the sides. Kwai's main ground attack usually comes down a predictable northeast route, often stopping in a large cluster just outside the dried river bed and allowing the player to preemptively strike them as they assemble.

• China, ironically, works surprisingly well against him, since they can establish their own Bunkers for a cheap yet effective source of early-game defense until they pump out their own siege units. The air-dropped Cluster Mine is quite useful, since Kwai's tanks follow predictable approach routes paths. Speaker towers behind defenses can be a great aid in strengthening the line. Their Gatling Cannons are great against both infantry and aircraft but are not effective against armor. A level 3 artillery strike combined with one Nuclear Missile can destroy his. ECM units can prove useful in disabling key vehicles, although they work slower on his heavier tanks. The Nuke cannon's neutron shells can empty large groups of vehicles in one hit and allow the player to capture them. Black Lotus is not that useful, given the tight security around Kwai's base, unless the player mounts an operation to punch a small hole in the defenses for her to enter. She can potentially be used to capture a few outlying buildings or as a long-range scout.
  • Shin Fai suffers quite a bit, since he does not have Overlords or Battlemasters. Instead, he must rely on his Attack Outpost and Fortified Bunkers, each filled with their maximum complement of tank hunters.
  • Tsing Shi Tao's Overlords come with their Nuclear upgrades by default, and can serve as a quick reaction force can bolster base defenses to fight off Kwai's ground attacks. Nuclear-armed MiGs are a good counter to heavy tanks, buying time for Tao to build enough Nuclear Missile Silos to take down Kwai's tank factories, and they can deal with the occasional air attacks as well.
• GLA would have to play smart, since Palaces are expensive. Quad Cannons, while vulnerable to armor, can be micromanaged well to engage both aircraft and infantry. Rocket Buggies and Scud Launchers can be used for assaults or for defense. Buggies in particular are good for hit-and-run attacks on lumbering armor columns. As for superweapons, a Scud Storm is required in combination with another or a rebel ambush. Jarmen Kell's ability allows the GLA to capture his Emperors for the player's own use, and can also deal with enemy infantry. A well-placed Sneak Attack tunnel can easily transport a raiding party to wreak havoc inside his base; a rebel ambush can also distract him by capturing a building or two. The Cash Bounty General Power is recommended; if the player is destroying Kwai's attacks in front of the base, then the resulting supply piles in front of the base should provide a steady income.
  • In addition to the standard GLA arsenal of vehicles, Rodall Juhziz' SCUD Storm/Rebel Ambush (when upgraded with Demolition) is able to destroy Ta Hun Kwai's Nuclear Missile easily. His overall focus on explosive weapons is a good match for Kwai's armor.
  • Dr. Thrax does have chemically-enhanced units at his disposal, but his lack of raw destructive power can greatly hinder him, having nothing beyond Marauder Tanks and Scud Launchers, each of which which require a promotion point to obtain. Like Kassad, Thrax will have to rely heavily on Jarmen Kell to steal Kwai's tanks for his own use.
  • Kassad is at a significant disadvantage; lacking any tanks or SCUD Launchers, he must rely on his Rocket Buggies, Scud Storms or Bomb Trucks for firepower. While Kassad's units are stealthed by default, Kwai tends to send stealth-detecting units along with his tanks; marauding Helixes with gatling cannon are particularly dangerous. Kassad's stealthed Hijacker can potentially steal an Emperor for him, but this is often ineffective since the addition of Gatling Cannons will allow the Overlord to detect them. Kassad must rely on Jarmen Kell to steal Kwai's tanks and, using them, form his own armored force for defense. Otherwise, packing battle buses with RPG troopers for fast strafing attacks can degrade approaching armor columns before they reach the player's base.
    • Offensively, a useful tactic is to use sneak attacks to place as many destructive bomb trucks within Kwai's own base as possible. The rebel ambush can potentially steal a building or two, but be aware of internal defenses such as the occasional Gatling Cannon placed well inside the base.
    • More daring strategies involve making a camouflaged secondary base far east of the starting corner in the area of the small lake, away from Kwai's primary attack focus. While costly, it can create a completely concealed base from which the player can slowly build for an overwhelming counterattack later. This should only be attempted once the Black Market can be built as an independent source of income.
• USA's Patriots are useful against ordinary vehicles and aircraft but not as effective against Kwai's heavier tanks; instead, a fire base filled with missile defenders is preferred, although they are vulnerable to MiG napalm attacks. The ideal setup is a patriot battery placed slightly ahead of a firebase that is filled within missile soldiers, the former to absorb attacks that can burn out the missile defenders of the latter. Humvees are initially necessary to deal with infantry; pathfinders should be used as soon as they are available, since infantry can fatally distract anti-armor units. On the offense, A-10 Strikes and Particle Cannons can help taking out key structures, but until the Gatling Cannons on Kwai's perimeter are dealt with, Spectres and Aurora bomber aircraft might not survive. Colonel Burton is not very useful in this challenge, given the placement of numerous sentry Gatling Cannons and presence of small uncrossable lakes on Kwai's base approaches. The placement of spy drones is vitally important, as they will warn the player of approaching armor.
  • Alexis Alexander's EMP Patriots are perhaps the best defenses for this challenge, since it stuns all vehicles upon impacting, stopping enemy armor dead in their tracks and instantly destroying MiGs. Her Aurora Alphas can also degrade attacking columns significantly and are almost guaranteed to destroy most buildings. With her base secure and her cheaper superweapons, it is merely a matter of time before she can build enough particle cannons to take apart Kwai's base.
  • Malcolm Granger's aircraft are not as useful against heavy tank forces themselves, as there isn't much space to build Air Fields and many Gatling Tanks appear over the course of the mission. They are good at defending against Kwais' own incoming aircraft. The Combat Chinook, filled with missile defenders, is probably the most useful aircraft against Kwai's own vehicles, strafing approaching armored columns while being more durable than other controllable aircraft. The stealth Comanche can ambush some of Kwai's lighter vehicles and act as internal base security against Black Lotus infiltration, but is too fragile to rely on against large concentrations or gatling-equipped Emperor Overlords.
    • Kwai's base is guarded with a series of well-spaced Gatling Cannon emplacements which have to be dealt with if Granger's aircraft are to attack the base itself. One way to accomplish this is to quickly helicopter in a Microwave tank just outside the base to neutralize the gun before destroying them with aircraft, then evacuating the tank before retaliation. Attack aircraft skirting the inside edges of the base and avoiding internal defenses and cause serious damage.
  • Townes' Laser Defense Turrets and Laser Tanks are effective against vehicles but have a high energy requirement. His edge with cheaper Avengers can neutralize Kwai's persistent aircraft attacks. Assuming power supplies can be maintained, the cheaper and faster laser crusaders can eventually outfight Kwai's own tanks.

Generals and Zero Hour missions

Generals China The Dragon Awakes • Hong Kong Crisis • A Flood of Violence • Broken Alliances • Scorched Earth • Dead in Their Tracks • Nuclear Winter Global Liberation Army Black Rain • Pillage the Village • Astana City • Incirlik Air Base • Appropriate Poisons • Trojan Horse • Baikonur Cosmodrome Cut: Black Sheep United States Silent Dawn • Final Justice • Treasure Hunt • Guardian Angel • Stormbringer • Blue Eagle • Desperate Union • Last Call   Zero Hour United States Global Security • Defending the Docks • Snow Fall • Black Gold • Area Fifty-Two Global Liberation Army The Great Escape • Hidden Agenda • On the Waterfront • Jarmen Kell and the Forty Thieves • Sneak Attack China The Dragon Unleashed • Defending the Fire • Liberation • Burning Skies • The Dragon's Destiny Challenge Air Force General Challenge • Laser General Challenge • Nuke General Challenge • Stealth General Challenge • Superweapon General Challenge • Tank General Challenge • Toxin General Challenge • Leang