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CnCSaga

How it works

USER INTERFACE

Use the user interface to build structures and command your units.

###Mini-map / Radar Upgrade

This section of the interface displays your combat environment as well as the locations of your units and structures.
You can also:

  • Access a specific area by left-clicking on the mini-map.
  • View your energy bar.
  • Check your gold reserves.
  • Enable faction highlighting via the Alliance button.
    • Your units and structures are shown in green.
    • Allied factions are shown in yellow.
    • Red indicates any enemy presence.
  • Click the sound alert button to alert your teammates.

###Selection pane

This section shows your selected units and structures.
You can also:

  • View the stats and health of a specific unit or structure.
  • View the stats and health of multiple units or structures.
  • Left-click on a unit or structure to deselect everything except that unit or structure.

###Shortcut tabs

Displays a shortcut tab for each production structure and/or construction unit.
You can also:

  • Select a specific production structure or construction unit by left-clicking on the tab.
  • Double-click on any tab to go directly to the corresponding production structure or construction unit.

###Contextual Actions Pane

Allows you to access the contextual actions for specific units and structures.
You can also:

  • Build structures using a construction unit.
  • Produce units using a production structure.
  • Access the special abilities of certain combat units.

###General Panel

This section displays your powers, your current rank and the progress remaining until the next rank.

  • Your general levels up by producing units, building structures and eliminating enemies.
  • The maximum rank is five.
  • As you progress, you will unlock powers specific to your general.

###General Portraits

Portraits of allied and enemy generals are displayed at the top of the screen. Each general’s faction colour is shown beneath their portrait. The stars indicate their level.

##BASIC CONTROLS###CAMERA

There are several ways to adjust the camera during the game:

  • Arrow keys
  • Move the cursor towards the edge of the screen to scroll the environment in that direction.
  • Left-click on the mini-map / radar (on the left-hand side of the user interface) to zoom in on a specific area.
  • Use the mouse wheel to zoom the camera in or out.
  • Hold down the mouse wheel and move the mouse in the desired direction.
  • The Options menu allows you to reassign the camera controls to the right-click.

###SELECTING UNITS AND STRUCTURES

When you select a unit or structure, you’ll see important information about it.

  • Left-click to select a single unit or structure.
  • Hold down the left mouse button, move the cursor and release the button to draw a selection area and thus select multiple units or structures.
    When a unit is selected:
  • Its health bar (green) appears above it in the game window.
  • It appears in the selection pane (in the centre of the interface).
  • Its abilities are displayed in the Contextual Actions pane (on the right-hand side of the interface).

###MOVING

To move units:

  • Select the units you wish to move;
  • Right-click where you want them to go.
  • If you want your units to stop automatically to attack any enemies they encounter (offensive movement), press Q before right-clicking. You can click anywhere in the game window or on the mini-map.

###COMBAT

Attack

  • Idle units automatically attack any enemy within line of sight.
  • Units with Turrets automatically attack even whilst moving.
  • If you want to use specific units to attack enemy units or structures:
    • Select the units you wish to use;
    • Right-click on the desired target.
  • When a unit can be attacked, the mouse cursor changes to an attack cursor.

Defence

  • Infantry can be garrisoned in Civilian Garrisonable Structures to increase their durability and attack range:
    • Select the infantry you wish to use;
    • Right-click on the civilian structure to garrison your units there;
    • Hover the mouse cursor over the civilian structure to see the number of garrisonable structures available.
  • To remove units from Garrisonable Structure, select the Civilian structure and click the corresponding button.

Experience

  • A unit can gain experience by inflicting a certain number of casualties in combat.
  • Where applicable, it gains bonuses based on its experience rank.
    • Rank 1
      • Health +15%
    • Rank 2
      • Regeneration +5 HP/s
    • Rank 3
      • Attack Speed +10 per cent
      • or Armour +8 (for units without a direct attack)
  • Experience bonuses are cumulative: a unit at maximum experience will therefore have all the benefits of ranks 1 to 3.

Fog of War

  • At the start of a game, unexplored areas are shrouded in a fog of war, represented by a dark veil.
  • Enemies hidden by this veil do not appear on the mini-map or in the game window.
  • Enemy structures can be seen beneath the fog. Building a Command Hub will prevent structures from being visible beneath the fog.
  • When a unit enters an unexplored area, the fog of war lifts: you can then see enemy units and structures within that unit’s field of view.
  • When the unit leaves an area, the fog of war returns, but it becomes slightly lighter to indicate that this area has already been explored.
  • A ground unit cannot see over a hill. The fog of war therefore does not lift until it has gone round the hill or reached the top of it.
  • Air units’ field of view is not blocked by hills.
  • It is not possible to cast an offensive ability in an area covered by fog of war. However, you can cast a superweapon or a Vision ability in an area covered by fog of war.

##ADVANCED COMMANDS###CONTROL GROUPS- You can assign a group of units or structures to a number key:

  • Select the units or structures you wish to group together;
  • Press CTRL-(number key), for example CTRL-1;
  • Grouped units display their group number in the bottom left-hand corner.
  • From then on:
    • Pressing the corresponding number key selects that group;
    • Pressing the number key twice in quick succession centres the camera on that group.
  • A single unit or structure can belong to several control groups.

##HARVESTING RESOURCES

You must gather resources to expand and lead your troops to victory. To do this, gather gold from resource centres and oil from wells. Each faction starts with a small contingent capable of gathering resources. It’s up to you to use it wisely to build a massive army.

Faction

Initial units and structures

APA

  • 2 Harvester(s)

  • 1 Crane

  • 1 Supply Center(s)

EU

  • 1 Harvester(s)

  • 1 Dozer

  • 1 Supply Center

GLA

  • 4 Workers (for resource gathering or construction)

  • 1 Supply Center(s)

###OR


Harvester(s)
(APA, UE, GLA)

 

 

 

 

Resource Centre

  • Gold is used to build units and structures.
  • To obtain it, select your Harvester and right-click on your base’s resource centre.
  • Resource centres eventually run out. Explore the map to find more.
  • To extract resources from a centre as quickly as possible, you need a certain number of harvesters.
  • Here is the optimal number:
    • The EU requires 3 harvesters.
    • The APA requires 5 harvesters.
    • The GLA requires 8 harvesters.

Supply Center(s)
(APA, UE, GLA)

 

 

 

If you want to increase your income:

  • Select the Supply Center in the game window or using the shortcut tabs;
  • Build another harvester via your Supply Center (up to the optimal number for your faction);
  • Select it and right-click on the same resource depot; OR
  • Try expanding to another base by building another Supply Center near an untapped resource depot!

###OIL


Derricks (APA, UE, GLA)

 

 

 

Oil wells

 
  • Oil wells are an alternative to collecting gold.
  • Wells can be found on the battlefield.
  • To use an oil well, build a derrick on top of it.
  • Oil wells under your control yield a certain amount of gold regularly, without the need for harvesters.
  • Wells eventually run dry. Explore the map to find more.

Oil Wells

##STRUCTURES###CONSTRUCTION



Construction units (APA, UE, GLA)

 

 

 

  • Select your building unit from the game window or using the shortcut tabs.
  • Then select the structure you wish to build from the Contextual Actions pane.
  • If you cannot build it, you will receive a message explaining why. Note: you need a technical structure to be able to build certain units and structures. Otherwise, these will appear greyed out in the Contextual Actions pane. See the Technology Tree section for more information.
  • A ‘Phantom’ version of the structure appears, attached to your cursor.
  • Move it to the desired location and left-click.
    • If you cannot place the structure in an area, its ‘Phantom’ appears in red.
  • The construction unit moves to the site and builds the structure.
  • A dark countdown timer then appears over the construction icon.
    • This countdown timer gradually reveals the icon it is hiding.
    • The structure is complete when the countdown is no longer visible.

###ENERGY



Power Plants (APA, EU)

 

 

  • APA and EU structures require energy to operate, unlike those of the GLA.
  • The structures that provide energy differ from one faction to another.

Faction

Energy resource management

APA

  • Your power plants generate energy and, amongst other things, supply certain energy-intensive structures.

  • Power plants do not have a specific range of action. Consequently, you do not have to place your structures next to a Power Plant.

  • The total energy consumption of each structure is displayed to the left of the mini-map.

  • The construction of structures will be 33 per cent slower.

  • Your base’s defences will no longer function.

UE

  • Your Power Plants generate energy and, in particular, supply certain energy-intensive structures.

  • Power plants do not have a specific range. Consequently, you do not necessarily have to place your structures next to a power plant.

  • The total energy consumption of each structure is displayed to the left of the mini-map.

If a structure’s energy requirements exceed the power generated by your Power Plants, your base will enter a low-energy state.

  • Unit production will be 33 per cent slower.

  • Building construction will be 33 per cent slower.

  • Your base’s defences will cease to function.

GLA

  • The GLA has no Power Plants or specific energy requirements. All buildings and vehicles are built by Workers.

##UNIT PRODUCTION- Select your production structure (e.g. a Barracks) in the game window or using the shortcut tabs.

  • The units that this structure can produce appear in the Contextual Actions pane.
  • Select the unit you wish to produce.
    • You can queue up to 9 units per structure.
    • The training queue is indicated by a number superimposed on each unit’s icon.
    • If you cannot train the desired unit, an error message will explain why.
    • You must have all the funds required to train a unit. If this is not the case, the unit will not be added to the queue. Note: you need a technical facility to build certain units and structures. If you do not have these, they will appear greyed out in the Contextual Actions pane. See the Technology Tree section for more information.
  • You can cancel a unit by right-clicking on its training icon.
  • A dark countdown timer will then appear over the unit’s icon.
    • This countdown timer gradually reveals the icon it is hiding.
    • The unit is ready when the countdown timer is no longer visible.
  • When the icon is no longer dark, the unit leaves the production building.
  • Rally points: if you select your production building and right-click on the ground, all future units produced by that building will head to that location when they are ready.

##TECHNOLOGY TREE- You must have certain structures to unlock more advanced units or structures.

  • Refer to the on-screen text to find out which buildings are required to construct other structures.

##SHORTCUTS



Q

Offensive movement

=

Switch to full screen

Ctrl + click

Units will ignore any enemies they encounter and move to the specified target.

CTRL-(1-9)

Assign units and/or structures to a control group.

1–9

Press once to select the control group. Press twice to centre the camera on the control group.

##CUSTOMISE###Unlock a general- You can unlock additional generals in the Customise section of the main menu.

  • Each General has a specialisation that grants them unique units, powers and abilities.
  • You need CP to unlock a General. If you do not have enough, you will not be able to unlock them.
  • When you start playing Command & Conquer, you have one General per faction.

###Faction Level- The faction level corresponds to the level you have reached for a given faction. You can increase it by playing with that faction.

  • All game modes earn you faction experience.
  • At the end of a match, the experience earned is added to a pool specific to the faction you played as.
  • When you reach certain experience levels with a faction, you can purchase new skills.

##GAME MODES###Choosing a General- You can choose your general from the main menu.

  • Once a match has been found, you can no longer change your general.
  • Click on the portrait in the top-left corner of the main menu to choose the General you wish to play as.
  • Once a General has been selected, they are identified as such by a blue border around their portrait.

###General Modes- Players can choose the game mode by scrolling through the menu below the PLAY button in the main menu.

###Premium Trial- At the start of the game, you have a Premium trial which gives you access to additional tools for customising game modes.

###Earning CP

  • CP is the currency used to unlock skills and Generals.
  • You earn CP in all modes, whether you win or lose.
  • At the end of a game, the number of CP earned is displayed.
How it works · C&C (2013) / Generals 2 | CnCSaga