CnC: Red Alert Strategies Center

Even though CnC:Red Alert was released over four years ago, this game from Westwood Studios still remains very popular with real-time-strategy fans. It continues to be an online favorite. And even though this game has been available since 1996, some players are just now discovering this great RTS game. For those who are new, and for those wondering how some players seem to amass a huge army of tanks and buildings in a relatively fast time, this section is for you. 

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Game Strategies: 

Global Dominance is home to some of the top Red Alert players in the world. These strategies are from those and other Red Alert players that know how to play the game.

Hot Keys: Using the hot keys (keyboard) will help you attain more speed while playing Red Alert. This downloadable guide lists all the keyboard commands available for Red Alert, and tips on their use.

Download Hot Keys guide here.

Control the money: The player that controls the ore fields generally comes out the winner in medium to long games. When you have control over the majority of the money source you deny your enemy the only means he has to build his army. Timid players and those who stay bottled up in there base don't win many games. It is very important early on in the game to expand your base. Always expand toward the ore fields as you go. Most players will use power plants to extend their base and build multiple MCVs to cover as much of the map as they can. The key is to never stop building.

Scouting the map: Any good commander knows the value of information. Half the battle is knowing where your enemy is and what he's up to. Once you build a barracks, you should immediately build infantry and use them to uncover the map and find your opponents base. Send your infantry to the corners of the map and a few down the center. Build a few and place them around your base to guard against your opponent's infantry who will most likely do the same. Once you have found the base, bookmark this spot (CTRL + F9-F12). When you have built your first tank, send it to the enemy base and uncover as much of it as you can. Normally when playing against well seasoned players, it's difficult to use infantry to scout the enemy base. You have a better chance using the tank.

Tank Rushing: New players soon learn what Red Alert is all about. Tanks, tanks, and more tanks. I can't count how many times I've heard new players make the statement: How do they build so fast? Building fast is not a mystery or a cheat. It is the order in which buildings are placed on a given map. Specific build orders are listed here in the build order section. Speed building tanks simply requires the construction of at least four War Factories. Just as building several Construction Yards enables you to speed up the time it takes to construct a building, so it is with the War Factory when building tanks. The more of these you have, the faster you'll be pumping out the tanks. 

Using your tanks for battle: Most seasoned players will group their tanks so they can keep them together once the battle starts. This grouping (assigning them) will help when using the infamous Q-trick discussed next. 

To group several tanks select all the tanks you want in that group. Next hold down the CTRL key, and hit any one of the number keys on your keyboard (0-9). Now you've made a team. To select this team, simply hit the number you assigned to them and give them your orders. This can be done with any units you wish to use. You can make up to 10 teams. Now that your teams are ready, it's time to do battle. When attacking, it's best to do so from at least two different directions. You can use one group as a diversion team, and use the other as your main force. Trial and error will decide what works best for you. Next, we'll explore how to use your tanks effectively in a skirmish with your opponents tanks.

The Q-Trick: The Q trick is not a cheat or mystery. What it does is allow you to fire your tank while on the move. It is most effective when up against enemy tanks. Here's how to use the Q-trick. Select the group of tanks you have placed in a team (0-9). Now hold down the 'Q' key and target an enemy tank. Then click somewhere around the enemy tank. Your tanks will now move where you clicked and fire at the same time. Just keep repeating this. Just be aware that most good players know how to use the 'Q' key very well. But with practice you will learn. I suggest playing in Skirmish mode to get the hang of it. This method also works once inside an opponents base. Just simply target buildings and keep moving around the outside of the base. Firing on the move makes it difficult for the enemy to hit you, and at the same time you'll slowly destroy his/her base. 

Summary: The key to playing and winning at Red Alert online is to never stop building. You can never have enough tanks or buildings. Your goal is to control the battlefield. To do this you must expand your primary base. You'll be going up against players who will be doing the same thing. In the end, the player with the most wins. A single base with defenses wins very few battles. The aggressive player on the offense will win the majority of the battles. Good luck soldier. May the GD force be with you in your quest for victory!

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