Ranger (Generals)

	For the Red Alert 1 vehicle of the same name, see Ranger (Red Alert).

Ranger
Unit
Faction	United States Townes Malcolm Granger Alexis Alexander Leang
Role	Basic infantry
Armament	M16 assault rifle Flashbang grenades
Protection	Low
Properties
Hit points	180
Armor type	Human Armor Chem-Suit Human Armor (with Chemical Suits)
Production
Cost	$225
Build time	0:05
Produced by	American barracks Chinese barracks (Leang only)
Hot key	A
Combat
Ground attack	5 (x3) (Small Arms) (M16) 35 within a radius 10, 10 per fragment (4 fragments) within a radius 10-40 (Surrender) (Flashbang)
Cooldown	700 per 3 shots, 100 delay between shots (M16) 2000 (Flashbang)
Speed	20 (10 if badly wounded)
Attack range	100 (M16) 175 (Flashbang)
Sight range	100-400
Function
Upgrades	Capture Building Flash-Bang Grenades Chemical Suits Advanced Training
Abilities	Capture Building Machine Gun Flash-Bang Grenade

“

There is no fighting man like the USA Ranger. Trained with the latest techniques and armed with the best weapons, the Ranger is a low-cost, effective weapon in Urban Terrain numbers. His ability to clear neutral structures by upgrading to Flash Bang Grenades makes him an effective fighter in urban combat. Rangers can also combat drop into neutral structures via Chinooks. When trained to do so, Rangers can capture enemy facilities or tech buildings. - Generals manual(src)

”

Rangers are USA's basic infantry in Generals.

Background

“

Special Forces here! - Ranger

”

US Army Rangers are some of the most elite infantrymen in the American military and the frontline infantry deployed during the GLA Conflict. They are equipped with M16A2 assault rifles and wear PASGT vests and helmets for protection. In addition to being deployed by the USA, Chinese General "Tigress" Leang has command over a detachment of Rangers, which she uses in place of the standard Chinese Red Guard.

Game unit

“

What's the mission, sir? - Ranger, reporting for duty

”

Generally the same as the GLA Rebel and Chinese Red Guard in terms of firepower, the Ranger the most expensive base infantry unit at $225 each. They have the same training time as the Rebel and inflict similar damage. Rangers may also be created free by using the paradrop General's power, which can deploy them anywhere on the map. Rangers used in massive numbers can be a threat to vehicle and light tanks, while the Flashbang upgrade makes even small numbers of Rangers highly effective against both patrolling and garrisoned infantry. While they have unique abilities, against specialized anti-personnel weapons, the Ranger is extremely vulnerable.

Abilities

Capture Building Orders the Ranger to capture neutral or hostile structures. Requires Capture Building upgrade

Flash-Bang Grenade The Ranger switches to flash bangs for crowd control and building clearing. Requires Flash-Bang Grenades upgrade

Machine Gun The Ranger switches to regular rifles.

Upgrades

Capture Building Allows Rangers to capture some neutral and hostile structures. Purchased at the American Barracks

Flash-Bang Grenades Equips Rangers with flash bangs, which can dispatch enemy infantry groups in the open or in buildings. No effect on vehicles. Purchased at the American Barracks

Chemical Suits (Zero Hour only) Rangers affected by toxin contamination or nuclear radiation will take damage slower. Purchased at the Strategy Center

Advanced Training Allows Rangers to gain veteran status twice as fast. Purchased at the Strategy Center

Usage

Garrisoned in buildings or bunkers, Rangers can be very dangerous against other infantry or some tanks. They are completely useless against any aircraft and fall relatively quickly in small groups. The Rangers' short range means they are highly vulnerable against artillery. Rangers are more effective when crewed inside Humvees, from which they can shoot while enjoying the protection and mobility of the vehicle.

The Ranger may instantly clear garrisoned structures from a distance with flash-bang grenades. The flash-bang may be used to clear out Stinger Sites, but it seems in some versions of the game, this ability was removed. In later versions however, Rangers in Zero Hour could garrison a building with flash-bangs.

It is also worth noting that when using flash-bangs the unit has improved range compared to his assault rifle, however unlike the rifle attack which cannot miss its target, the flash bang grenade takes time to reach its target and enemy personnel may sometimes be able to move out of the aim point in time to survive, due to it not being adjustable while in flight. The flash-bang grenade has an area of effect impact damage, which may compensate for the delayed time to target.

Rangers have the unique ability exclusive to USA generals: the Chinook Combat Drop. When in an airborne Chinook, the Chinook will fly directly over the targeted civilian building or area and the Rangers within will rappel down into the garrisoned building, killing any enemy infantry within and garrisoning the structure themselves. Note: ONLY the Rangers will do the Combat drop. Any other infantry will remain behind in the Chinook. Some specialized enemy bunkers are protected against this attack, however.

Like the Rebel and Red Guard, they can be upgraded to capture enemy structures or neutral tech structures on the map. They are vulnerable during this procedure, which takes up to , a full minute. Like all infantry, they can also crew or recapture recapture neutralized (driverless) vehicles disabled by Jarmen Kell or the Neutron Shell attack.

Quotes

When created
What's the mission, sir?
When selected
Army's elite. Need a point man? Always prepared. We'll lead the way. Special forces here. Ready for action.
When ordered to move
On the go. Rally point confirmed. Taking new position. Heading out. Search and destroy!
When ordered to attack with Machine Gun
Raid in progress! Fully engaged! Enemy identified! He's on the target list! On task! Exploiting target! Providing fire support!
When ordered to attack with Flash-Bang Grenades
Pin them down! Put your arms in the air! Don't want any trouble here! Hold it right there!
When clearing garrison with Flash-Bang Grenades
Exterminator has arrived! Cleaning house! Anybody home? Little house party!
When ordered to garrison a structure
Entering the structure. Let's get in there. Take the building. Secure and occupy.
When suppressed
Where's the extraction point?! Who's covering me?! Need some help here! This is bad! We're under fire! Man down! Pretty banged up here!
Upon capturing a building
Building capture complete! The building is captured, sir! The building is ours! We have their building!
When base is under attack
Our base is under attack! General, our base is under attack! They're attacking our base!
When enemy captures a building
General, they've stolen our building! They've taken one of our buildings! They captured our building!
When ordered to perform ability: Capture Building
Let's change the decor. Meet your new owner. Taking charge! Let's take the building! We'll take it from here.
When ordered to perform ability: Flash-Bang Grenade
Arming flash-bangs. Grabbing a flash-bang. Plenty of flash-bangs here. We'll take them prisoner.
When ordered to perform ability: Machine Gun
Arming assault rifle! Assault rifle ready! Armed and loaded!
When received upgrade: Flash-Bang Grenades
Flash-bangs are ready!
When received upgrade: Chemical Suits
These chemical suits are going to help! The new chem suits have just arrived! Upgrading to chemical suits!
When received upgrade: Advanced Training
Advanced training is completed, sir! We've completed the advanced training!

Cut quotes

When selected (Laser Ranger)
Ranger here, equipped with laser rifle! Laser Ranger ready for combat! Laser scopes clean!
When ordered to move
Got my laser with me!
When ordered to attack with Laser Ranger
We'll cut through. Light them up!
When surrendering
We surrender! We're standing down! Hold your fire!
When received upgrade: Capture Building
We can now take control of enemy structures! Let's go capture some buildings! We can capture the enemy's building now!

Changelog

• Zero Hour patch 1.03:
  • General Granger now uses his own Rangers
  • flash-bangs no longer damage Chinooks
  • increased flash-bang primary damage from 25 to 35

Trivia

“

Flash Bangs are ready! - Flash bang grenades upgrade complete

”

• Rangers are the first units that the player uses in Generals, being available as the starting units in the Generals' training level.
• The Flash Bang grenades were originally designed as USA's method to incapacitate enemy infantry so they could be captured as POWs. When the mechanic was scrapped, they were repurposed as lethal anti-infantry weapons.
• The United States Army Rangers in real life are not basic infantry; they fall under the umbrella of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). The Rangers themselves are elite light infantry and are closer to commandos, much like Burton, than the front-line grunts shown in Generals. However it is possible that it wasn't supposed to be viewed as a front-line grunt and more of the special forces soldiers as evidenced by the fact that one of its quotes are "Special Forces here!".
• Apparently, the Ranger was supposed to mount a snowbike under snow conditions. This was more than likely planned for all infantry, rather than just this one. However, there would be all kinds of issues with it (like snowbikes entering transport vehicles), which was likely why the idea was abandoned.
• The weapon shown in the picture is the M16A2 assault rifle, however, the weapon shown on the button when you want to switch back the normal weapon is an M249 Para, which seems more likely, as in both the game and in real life since the preferred weapon of special forces and even grunts are light machine guns that can provide much more firepower than a regular assault rifle, especially in urban medium-medium close range engagements. Rangers can parachute out of planes and the M249 Para is a modified version of the normal M249 SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon) which is a preferred firearm of many special forces and grunts, alike, thanks to its firepower. The LSAT utilizing caseless ammunition is starting to replace SAWs and Paras thanks to its lighter weight of its ammo, meaning LMG gunners can carry more ammunition and other equipment.
• Rangers shoulder their primary weapons instead of poise them while not firing. One possible reason is their primary weapons are M249 machine guns which are too heavy to be constantly poised.
• Rangers will emerge from most American structures if they are destroyed, a feature unique to the USA faction.

“

Laser scopes clean! - Laser Ranger unused quote

”

• According to Zero Hour's sound files, General Townes was to have access to Laser Rangers, which attack their targets with lasers.

Bugs

• The Ranger's Flash-Bang ability can sometimes backfire due to graphics defects, and flash bangs fired from buildings can hit the parent structure, killing all units with friendly fire.

Gallery

• 

  Snowbike Ranger

• 

  Concept art

• 

  German cameo

• 

  Idle Rangers

• 

  Ranger engaging the enemy

• 

  Ranger launching flash-bang grenades

• 

  Flash-banged building

• 

  Ranger on the move

• 

  Heavily injured Ranger

• 

  Dead Ranger

See also

• Red Guard, Chinese counterpart
• Rebel, GLA counterpart

General Leang Arsenal

Units Infantry Ranger Tank hunter Angry mob Hacker Pathfinder Burton Jarmen Kell Black Lotus Vehicles Construction dozer Supply truck Combat cycle Dragon tank Sentry drone Gatling tank Avenger Overlord tank Tomahawk launcher Rocket buggy Paladin tank Aircraft MiG Helix King Raptor Aurora Buildings Production Command center Cold fusion reactor Supply center Barracks War factory Air field Defenses Speaker tower Bunker Gatling cannon Nuclear missile silo Land mine Patriot missile system Tunnel network Particle cannon Scud storm Support powers & upgrades Support Powers Nuclear missile Particle cannon Scud storm Upgrades Radar upgrade Control rods Capture building Flash-bang grenades Chemical suits Chain guns Black napalm MiG armor Uranium shells Nuclear tanks Nationalism Subliminal messaging Neutron shells Sentry drone gun Advanced training Composite armour Arm the mob Armor-piercing rockets Buggy ammo General's Promotions Level 1 Paladin tank Pathfinder Cluster mines General's Promotions Level 3 Carpet bombing Artillery barrage level 1 Artillery barrage level 2 Artillery barrage level 3 Cash bounty level 1 Cash bounty level 2 Cash bounty level 3 General's Promotions Level 5 Electro-magnetic pulse Spectre gunship level 1 Sneak attack General Leang is not playable.