GDI

Armed with 5.56mm GAU-3 “Eliminator” machine guns, these units form the backbone of the GDI’s international forces. When grouped together, these units are particularly effective against slow-moving enemy units, especially tanks. But beware: Minigunners are no match for heavy armoured vehicles or Flamethrowers.

These multi-purpose units are faster and more effective than standard infantry. They also have a longer range of vision. Their grenades are very useful for knocking down walls, but they can also be thrown over obstacles.

These units are slower and more vulnerable than other infantry units, but no one is as quick at destroying enemy armoured vehicles. Their main advantage is their ability to attack airborne troops. Use them as reinforcements.

Engineer units are used to capture enemy buildings. As engineers are unarmed, they are extremely vulnerable on the battlefield and must be commanded with the utmost caution. These units are particularly slow, so it is best to move them in a VBT.

Commando units are part of the GDI’s elite forces. They are armed with highly powerful assault rifles, the ‘Raptors’, which are equipped with a jamming system and a long-range infrared scope. They specialise in taking out enemy infantry from a distance.

This armoured vehicle searches for and collects raw Tiberium before transporting it back to its Tiberium Refinery for processing. This vehicle is relatively slow and not very manoeuvrable. It needs to be protected. However, it can withstand a great deal of damage before being destroyed, and is quite effective at crushing enemy infantry.

The Mobile Construction Vehicle allows you to establish a site for your bases. Once the site has been identified, deploy the MCV to set up your operational base and then build other structures. As this vehicle is slow, expensive and unarmed, it must be protected at all times.

These high-speed all-terrain assault vehicles are armed with a 7.62mm machine gun. They are a formidable threat to enemy infantry and can destroy large numbers of assault motorbikes when used in groups. However, their light armour makes them vulnerable to explosive weapons.

Armoured personnel carriers (APCs) can transport and protect up to five troops to the battlefield, or evacuate them. Its thick armour, speed and wide field of vision make it an ideal Transport for attacking enemy infantry or for reconnaissance missions.

This Mobile Rocket Launcher System (MLRS) is deadly and boasts the longest firing range in the GDI’s arsenal. Not even aircraft can withstand it. However, the LMM requires close protection, as it has no short-range weapons. Its role is limited to attacking, so keep it at the rear and ensure the enemy does not get too close.

With its single gun, the Medium Tank fires shells capable of penetrating armour. It is fast, heavier and has greater destructive power than the Brotherhood of Nod’s Light Tank. It is one of the best weapons in the game. It is just as effective against structures as it is against enemy vehicles, but it is no match for a group of enemy infantry or airborne units.

As well as its two 120mm guns, this Mastodon is also armed with two missile launchers to compensate for its slowness and lack of manoeuvrability. When it has come under heavy attack, this tank can automatically (albeit slowly) regain up to 50 per cent of its power. In Guard mode, the Mammoth can attack enemy aircraft.

Gunboats are the spearhead of the GDI’s navy. They are protected by heavy armour and armed with surface-to-surface missiles. This unit is available on an irregular basis in GDI missions.

This heavily armoured unit is used to deploy troops and vehicles during amphibious assaults. You will not be able to build it in missions.

The Chinook Transport helicopter can transport all infantry units and deploy or evacuate them rapidly. It is the airborne equivalent of the VBT, but it is unarmed.

This vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is armed with a nose-mounted machine gun and five Dragon rockets. Orcas are highly effective against enemy Harvesters. They can prove a formidable threat to enemy structures if their raid is supported by an Ion Cannon attack. If an Orca runs out of rockets, it must return to a Helipad to be rearmed.

This aircraft, nicknamed the Phacochère, is highly manoeuvrable and can fly low enough to destroy enemy units with its Air Strike. The Phacochère bombs in a straight line, so it is best to choose targets that cover a large area.

The Construction Yard is one of the essential elements of a base, as it enables you to build other buildings and structures. It is vital to protect it, as without it you will not be able to build anything. The Construction Yard is relatively sturdy, but like many structures, it is vulnerable to Engineers. Build protective walls around your Construction Yard.

A Power Plant supplies energy to neighbouring structures. The construction of new buildings sometimes requires a new Power Plant. The amount of energy supplied depends directly on the overall condition of the Power Plant. You must therefore protect it from attacks, otherwise your defence system may shut down. A power plant produces 100 units of energy.

This high-efficiency structure makes it possible to meet the energy requirements of certain highly sophisticated but more energy-intensive facilities. The advanced power plant costs more than a standard one, but it produces twice as much energy (200 units).

This structure processes Tiberium to extract its essential components. A Harvester is built immediately once the Tiberium Refinery becomes operational. A refinery can employ as many Harvesters as you wish and can store the equivalent of 1,000 credits’ worth of processed Tiberium.

This structure can store the equivalent of 1,500 credits’ worth of processed Tiberium. Silos take over from Tiberium Refineries once the latter have reached their maximum storage capacity. Silos must be well protected. If a silo is destroyed, the value it contained will be deducted from your account.

This building serves as a training base for all available infantry units. By building more Barracks, you increase the rate at which infantry are produced.

This well-protected facility enables the construction of all GDI vehicles (both light and heavy). It is a prime target for the enemy. If you lose a factory, not only will you be unable to build any more vehicles, but worse still… the enemy will be able to use it to their advantage. Build more factories to reduce vehicle production times.

This centre allows you to use the radar screen, provided you have enough power to run it. The radar enables you to see the entire combat zone and issue orders to units at a distance. It also serves as a relay for the A-10s.

Building a helipad enables you to use Orca-class Longbow helicopters. This is where they are rearmed after each attack. Without a helipad, an Orca cannot be rearmed. An Orca can use any helipad under your control.

This Repair Facility allows you to repair damaged vehicles. Simply take the vehicles to the repair bay. The total cost of the repairs will be deducted from your account. If you run out of credits, repairs will be suspended. If these facilities are damaged during combat, repairs will take much longer.

Armed with a Chain Gun with a very high rate of fire, this defence protects against ground attacks by the Brotherhood of Nod. This turret is particularly effective against infantry and other light units. Its low energy consumption allows it to remain operational even when energy production is too low. It can also detect the presence of Nod Stealth Tanks.

It helps to strengthen defences against ground units and enemy aircraft. This structure can fire Tomahawk missiles at targets a great distance away, but it consumes a lot of energy. The Advanced Tower cannot fire at close-range targets, so it is advisable to protect it with standard Guard Towers.

An upgraded version of the standard Communications Center, this structure acts as a link to the Orbital Ion Cannon, the most devastating weapon in the GDI’s arsenal. The Ion Cannon consumes a great deal of energy, and it will cease to function if your base’s energy output is too low.

Carried by an A10 attack aircraft, these bombs are capable of decimating an army.

The Ion Cannon is the ultimate weapon in the GDI’s arsenal. It is an orbital cannon mounted on a satellite, which enables the GDI to destroy a structure anywhere on the map.