The 51 year old[1] General Ta Hun Kwai is convinced that the People's Liberation Army will see its greatest military successes in this century through the view holes of its tank divisions. A disciple of Soviet tank tactics of the Cold War, General Kwai has produced technical papers on various modifications to them. He has initiated development of techniques to reduce the costs of tank production and has sponsored the Emperor program, whose first tanks rolled off the assembly line in 2013. Considered part of the old guard in the PLA hierarchy, General Ta nevertheless continues to roll up victory after victory in battle.[2]
Stationed at Base Rat, Jinan, China, General Kwai's Combat Number is 9999-322436-5.
In-game[]
Overview[]
Ta Hun Kwai has an aggressive and straightforward play style centered around basic rush tactics and mass ground attacks, with his infantry and aircraft serving in support. He can gain the upper hand early n the absence of air units and artillery with basic offense vehicles (Battlemasters, Gatling Tanks, and Dragon Tanks) that cost cheaper than their standard counterparts without sacrificing firepower. Kwai can ultimately overwhelm opponents with massive waves of armor and sheer weight of fire. This also makes him a decent AI opponent, since his force composition does not require creative strategies.
However, without the player's creativity, an AI-controlled Kwai is also rather predictable and easy to prepare against for most opponents. The enormous cost of producing the number of units necessary for his strategy to work means that, when playing as Kwai, it is vital that the player establish secure long-term income sources before supplies on the map are depleted.
Kwai has a very serious shortcoming in that he completely lacks any siege units. This deficiency cannot be easily remedied with tactical aircraft, which suffer a cost penalty. Lack of artillery and a costly air force put him at a disadvantage in a long-range battle or in restricted terrain. As a result of his standard strategy of slow, large scale, predictable ground attacks, the tank general runs the risk of exhausting his resources more than other PLA Generals. In order to breach enemy defenses that are too strong for his armor alone, Ta Hun Kwai must must rely on Chinese General's Powers, support Aircraft, or Superweapons.
Your tank rush is nothing compared to mine! - Kwai's call to challenge in the loading screen.
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Don't challenge my tanks, General. You will lose. - Kwai's call to challenge in the loading screen.
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My armor will crush your pathetic forces! - Kwai's call to challenge in the loading screen.
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This area was once fertile farmland, soon your blood will make it fertile again. Soon we will remove you from our lands. - Kwai's introduction to the player.
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It's quiet out there, General. There must be a lot of tanks rolling toward your base, don't you think?
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Your supply pile looks low. Now nothing can stop us. - Kwai when the player's supplies are depleted.
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Supplies! I need more supplies! - Kwai when his supplies are depleted.
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I see you've built a barracks, general. Please... try to keep your men out from under my tanks... *snorts* - Kwai, when the player builds a Barracks.
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Build your War Factories, general, they still will not produce tanks capable of stopping mine. - Kwai, when the player builds a War Factory or an Arms Dealer.
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An airfield is a wise choice against me, but it won't save you from defeat, general. - Kwai when the player builds an airfield.
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So many base defenses, general. Also useless! - Kwai when the player builds many base defenses.
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General, I need that Oil Derrick for my tanks! Release it to me or pay. - Kwai when the player captures an Oil Derrick.
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I found your Tech Building, General. Now should I destroy it or capture it? - Kwai when his units approach the player's captured tech buildings.
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Oh you didn't need that tech building did you? - Kwai when he destroys the player's captured tech buildings.
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Your defenses fall like toys before my armor. - Kwai when he destroys the player's base defense.
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Your barracks has fallen to my tanks, general. - Kwai when he destroys the player's barracks.
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There goes your Factory, General! How will you match my armor now? *chuckles* - Kwai when he destroys the player's War Factory.
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Without your airfield, you've lost your only chance against me, general. - Kwai when he destroys the player's airfield.
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Ah, you have lost your Command Center and all hope to win against me, General. I await your surrender. - Kwai when he destroys the player's Command Center.
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*sigh* You have trained too many men, General. They will all be crushed beneath my treads. - Kwai when the player trains too many infantry.
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So, you're trying to match my tanks in the field? I question your tactics, General. - Kwai when the player builds too many vehicles.
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I see many planes, general, like gnats waiting to be swatted out of the sky! - Kwai when the player builds too many aircraft.
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Your base has grown too large, General. My tanks will enjoy the target practice. - Kwai when the player builds many structures.
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Oh, stop targeting my infantry, you coward! - Kwai when he loses many infantry units.
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Enough! Do not destroy any more of my tanks, General! - Kwai when he loses many vehicles.
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You're shooting at my planes? Do you think this is the best tactic against me, General? - Kwai when he loses many aircraft.
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That particle cannon will not live to fire at me. - Kwai when the player builds a Particle Uplink Cannon.
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And now this war has gone nuclear, excellent! - Kwai when the player builds a Nuclear Missile Silo.
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And what do you plan to do with that SCUD Storm, general? - Kwai when the player builds a SCUD Storm.
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This particle beam will not defeat us, General. - Kwai when the player actives the Particle Cannon.
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Only a failed general would resort to Nuclear Missiles. - Kwai when the player launches a nuclear missile.
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Your SCUD Storm will harm us, but now you have made me angry, General. - Kwai when the player launches a SCUD Storm.
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I see you haven't run in fear, General. Soon, you'll wish you had.
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All hope is gone now, General. Surrender... or die.
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Ah... Can you feel the thunderous song of approaching armor, General?
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Another battalion is on its way, General. Please make them feel welcome. *laughs*
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Here we come, General. I hope your defenses are up. - Kwai when he begins his attacks.
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Destroying my base defenses only lets me know where you are, General. *laughs* - Kwai when the player destroys his defenses.
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So you've destroyed my barracks, so be it. Now, I will destroy yours. - Kwai when the player destroys his barracks.
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You dare attack my War Factory? All forces: Remove this pest! - Kwai when the player destroys his War Factory.
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Destroying my airfield will not stop me, General! - Kwai when the player destroys his airfield.
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You've destroyed my Command Center, I'm impressed general, few survived this long... - Kwai when the player destroys his Command Center.
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I see you've built a Second Base, General. It will soon be removed. - Kwai when the player expands his base.
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Yes! Garrison your buildings! You'll only delay the inevitable! - Kwai when the player's infantry has garrisoned buildings.
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I see you've defeated my scouts, General. The next attack won't go so well for you, I think. - Kwai when the player destroys his Listening Outposts.
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We're awaiting your assault, General... But i'm beginning to wonder if it will ever come.
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I'm going to take this time to construct more defenses. No, wait - I'll build more tanks instead! *laughs*
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No One-Soldier can turn the tide, not even Colonel Burton. - Kwai when the player trains Col. Burton.
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Ah, Black Lotus... You grace us with your presence! Perhaps you would consider fighting for me. - Kwai when the player has trained Black Lotus.
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All tanks beware, Jarmen Kell has entered the field! - Kwai when the player trains Jarmen Kell.
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Trivia[]
In the Taiwanese version of Zero Hour, his name was translated as "寬大漢". Both the original name and translation are just senseless in Chinese for it was neither Wade-Giles romanization nor Pinyin.
The Chinese Pinyin pronunciation of Kwai's name sounds like "Ta Hen Kuai" (他很快, lit. "He's very fast"), perhaps a play on words on his rush tactics. Since none of the characters in his name match actual Chinese characters, his name was most likely chosen as a joke.
In the worldbuilder script for his general's challenge, whenever his credits fall below 1000, 5000 credits are added. This gives him effectively infinite credits. No other general gets this.
He seems to be armed with an IMI Desert Eagle. This is suiting, as he prefers heavier equipment.
The tank behind him in his portraits is a T-72B/T-90, recognisable by the three square armor plates on the side skirt and the stowage boxes on the side of the turret. None of these tanks is in service in the Chinese army.
There were unused variant models of the 3 main offense tanks which never reached the final cut of the game. One of Kwai's dialogues (asking if the player is "impressed with his modifications to his tanks") hints that he was supposed to have access to these variants in contradiction to the Emperor tank being the only improved variant in his arsenal.