Rise of the Reds Update: Arena Mode Explained Options

[XAttus]

Greetings again!

In today's update I'm going to reveal a bit more details about the mechanics of gameplay as well as two renders of exclusive units that will appear in the arenas of this game mode.

First of all, as you probably know game modes in C&C Generals do not exactly work as in most other games where they are chosen with a simple setting or dropdown list. In this case we are talking about specially designed and scripted maps that alter quite a few gameplay elements while leaving the core game and mod files unchanged. The most notable change is of course that you do not need to build you production buildings, depending on which faction you choose you'll have them already at your disposal from the very beginning of the game. However, you cannot build new production buildings at all so once your enemy destroys your war factory for example, you lose the ability to produce land units for the rest of the game.

And what about economy?

On arena maps you can earn cash in 3 different ways. The first and most basic source is a passive income that you get during the entire game and without any limitations. This is of course good but not great at all so you'll need to go out and make a living by... killing! Destroying enemy units will grant you money too, regardless of which faction you are. The third way is the most common supply gathering with a little twist.. There are no supply docks in the base. You will find one large set of supplies usually in the center of the map or other neutral areas that can be easily contested. Be sure to fight for them and take them or your enemy will do so first.


Even if your opponents still decide to stay in their base just to prevent you from turning their military hardware into money for your own use, the battle will never stop until one side is completely defeated. Thanks to the continuous waves of AI controlled militia forces you will always hear the sound of tank cannons (or worse) in the outer battlegrounds.
In addition to basic militia tanks these waves will sometimes contain special combat units designed for different roles:






The Militia Artillery is a small but dangerous weapon to face. It's weak armor is compensated by the fact that it doesn't really need to come close in order to cause destruction. Armed with a long range 155mm cannon, it can lob HE shells over great distances. They do not appear often but when they do be sure to eliminate them quickly, as ignoring them is one of the biggest mistake one can make.






When standard barrels are not enough to accomplish objectives, it's time to call in the big guns. The Militia Heavy Tank is a rare but feared sight on the battlefield. Its primary armament are twin 130mm AT guns, designed to punch trough any unlucky armoured target that presents itself. As if this wouldn't be enough, it's also armed with 2 sets of missile pods that act as fire support when the cannons are on reload. Lastly, the machinegun turret on the top is a threat not only to infantry, but airborne targets as well. All of this is packaged in heavy armor and paired with surprisingly good mobility, making the Heavy Tank a serious threat even for well prepared defenses. It also has to be stated that these beasts perform their best when they are supported by additional units with anti air and long range capabilities.

And that's not all!

Additionally to these new renders I'd also like to present 5 maps that are now complete and will house our stream games tomorrow:



Twin Hills (2v2)

The very first map on which this game mode was born, it gradually transformed from a simple test map to a detailed and fully functional state. Features a large base area with straight lanes connecting the two sides. A set of two Celebrus turrets guard the base entrance as well as the lanes further outside. A single supply dock is located in the middle. Capturing an oil refinery grants 20% cost reduction, this bonus only stacks with russian mass production and the refineries are not destroyable.





Floodway (2v2)
(credits go to Xofolez for letting me use his base map)

An urban map with medium sized base areas and a lot of buildings to garrison. It contains all the features of TwinHills, including the refineries and the supply dock in the middle.





Dividing Mountain (2v2)

Hills, forests and mountains form this map's landscape with bases located diagonally in corners. The creep lane splits in two just outside the first base then rejoins again at the other. A supply dock is located in the top right corner while a blockade fortress with flak bunkers form an ideal defense position near the beach. This map also has refineries with the same attributes as the others.





Black Forest (2v2)
(credits go to Starwaker and Xofolez for letting me use the base map)

A map with an unusual layout that differs from every other, on Black Forest one lane goes through the center while 2 other one-way lanes run around the mountains on both sides. The only resistance these lanes face is a single Celebrus turret. While the forces in the middle have to go through each other to reach the turrets, the side has to be defended by the players alone, as the turret without support on it's own is only able to hold the line for a limited time. A lot of small supply crates can be found in middle forest. Additionally, each player starts with a reinforcement pad but these can be destroyed.





Harbor
(credits to BLCK)

An experimental 1v1 version, this map should be familiar to those who have the ROTR map pack. Part of the docks are dry in order to provide additional space for movement. The bases are fortified with flak bunkers against direct air assaults, a supply dock is located in the middle while a single undestroyable refinery on each side provides the same 20% cost reduction just like on the other maps.


I hope you enjoyed this extensive and long update, also feel free to check out tomorrow's stream promo video if you haven't already!



See you all tomorrow!