strafing

01/19/99: tactic from CmdrCD
This strategy is designed for NOD versus GDI duels and was developed against the best GDI players on WChat in tournament competition. It will work when the settings are similar to 9999 credits tech 7 and at least 3 starting units on every standard map except Straight and Narrow, Eye of the Storm and Southern Utah 2067. For battles between two NOD players I suggest " Mixed Unit Strike" (unmodified). Like in the Mixed Unit Strike this strategy doesn't work in close base combat.

the main ideas

  • Nod uses its advantage in air superiority to strike down GDI where it has its weakest spots.
  • Whatever GDI throws in battle, NOD will have the answer.
  • No GDI infantry defense can stop a properly used flamer-Apache combination.
  • Enemy Harvesters are primary targets since they are most difficult to be defended by GDI, when GDI leaves one of its important buildings undefended of course NOD will accept the present.

the execution

  • For "strafing" build the buildings in the following order:

    The next buildings You construct according what the situation demands.
  • Unit building order: Make 2 Flamethrowers as soon as You have the Hand Of NOD, combine them with Your start units and move all Your ground units in "siege formation" in front of the enemy Tiberium field or in front of his base. as soon as Your airstrip is up You make units how You need them, in most cases You will start making light tanks to compete with the GDI tank rush. Be sure to have always a few Flamethrowers close to the enemy field or base.

the unit control

  • As always...be fast and precise with everything You do and scout the enemy area (when the base entrance is blocked You scout during Your start attack).
  • You attack early with Your starting units (no matter if they are 3 or 12) and Your 2 Flamethrowers and make sure that GDI loses its air defense units (of course when You start with 12 units You don't need to build Flamethrowers at the start...You have them already.
  • As soon as You have Your helicopters combat ready let them take off and strafe the enemy harvester (when it is in the refinery You either land them safely close to the enemy Tiberium field or strafe other appropriate targets such as grenadiers or weak and undefended GDI buildings).
  • When both players build fast and GDI constructs its factory early, it will come up at about the same time when Your helicopters are the first time in the air.
  • Strike with Your helicopters and defend them with Your Flamethrowers (against bazookas of course; when he sends grenadiers they will get strafed).

your advantages

  • You "control" the map since GDI is pushed in defense and has to keep everything together.
  • An enemy engineer attack in any form should cost You just a smile:)
  • You select the points where to strafe, the enemy is forced to react .
  • You keep Your construction yard and should have the kill advantage, too which ensures that You get the win in case when the other player disconnects the game (don't use this strategy to disconnect on others !!!!!)
  • Since You make the helicopters late, the game will take longer than 3 minutes and will count in the ranking system.
  • GDI can only win if You make the mistake.

what GDI can do and how You counter strike it

  • GDI manages it to make a few tanks and attacks with them counter: well..since it will be tanks alone attacking You (everything else You kill with the helicopters when it leaves the base) You just need some bazookas and own tanks to stop them.
  • GDI attacks with lots of tanks counter: You better have a lot of tanks, too or You did something wrong in the game.
  • GDI makes own helicopters counter: place SAM site next to Your helipads.
  • GDI makes a Mammoth Tank and drives it in the Tiberium field counter: still attack the harvesters; it takes some shoots for a Mammoth to waste a helicopter and while it shoots Your helicopters it cant shoot ground units...use that to Your advantage.
  • GDI makes a lot of Mammoth Tanks counter: resign because You really did something wrong!
  • GDI makes a Guard Tower in a really good strategical positions and saves the Rocket Soldiers from getting flamed counter: this is the biggest threat I have experienced so far while I use this strategy. Well...be flexible and stay with Your Flamethrowers out of the Guard Towers range, GDI will still find it difficult to defend the harvesters from Your helicopters. In addition GDI will fall back in the tank rush .
  • GDI makes an Advanced Guard Tower counter: GDI will definitely lose the tank rush then
  • GDI makes lots of Barracks and really pumps out the infantry counter: great! less money for tanks then:)

If You are in need for a good strategy on very specific settings on a very specific map, feel free to let me know and I will see what I can do.

Long live Kali!


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