Technology of the Allies (Red Alert series)

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This page lists various technologies employed by the Allies in the fictional, alternate history setting of the Command & Conquer: Red Alert series real-time strategy computer games.

[edit] Chrono technology

[edit] Background

Seeing the devastation of the Second World War, Albert Einstein designs the Chronosphere - a device which could send one person to specified place in space and time. Einstein travelled back to interfere with Adolf Hitler's release from prison after the Munich Putsch. He proceeded to send Hitler to a random place in space and time, causing the creation of a parallel universe in which the Command and Conquer timeline occurs. Einstein succeeded in averting World War 2, but inadvertently caused the Great World War 2, a Soviet invasion of Europe. In the new universe, the Chronoshift technology is greatly advanced and is eventually deployable in the field, and can be used for a tactical advantage. The inspiration for the Chronoshift technology is the Philadelphia Experiment, which Einstein and Nikola Tesla were supposedly involved in.

[edit] Chronosphere

The Chronosphere is a large device housed in a building, created by Albert Einstein and featured in Command & Conquer: Red Alert and Red Alert 2. The Chronospheres available to the player are only teleportation-capable, and cannot send units through time. It allows the user to cause controlled chronoshifts. In-game, commanders could teleport units - however, it kills infantry units without special shielding.

[edit] In Command & Conquer: Red Alert

In the first installment of the series, chrono technology is still primitive and chrono-devices can only be found housed in special facilities called chronospheres. When fully charged, a chronosphere can teleport a single mechanical unit to anywhere on the battlefield, though the effect (excluding the transport and deployment of MCVs) is temporary. Living beings subjected to the process (called chronoshift) are instantaneously killed. Choronospheres at this point lack the capacity to teleport multiple units, nor do they possess time-travel capabilites. The premature application of chrono technology caused chronospheres to be somewhat unstable: multiple chronoshifts over a short period of time can cause chrono storms. When a Chronosphere enters the "yellow" zone of its health, it suffers from a dimensional-breakdown. It will turn black and flash like a broken TV screen. This is purely cosmetic and has no effect on the game. However, if the Chronosphere is destroyed it might cause a Chrono Storm just like the one created by prolonged usage.

[edit] In Command & Conquer: Red Alert Aftermath

The expansion pack of C&C Red Alert brought improved chrono technology in form of chrono tanks. Equipped with a dedicated chrono-device, these vehicles can independently teleport around the battlefield, and, unlike the older technology, their teleportation is permanent.

[edit] In Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2

In the second installment of the series, the Allies have drastically improved the chrono technology and deployed it in a variety of battlefield situations. The chrono miner, the standard ore extraction vehicle of Allies, is equipped with its own dedicated chrono-device, enabling it to teleport to the nearest refinery once it has gathered enough resources. Chronospheres have undergone modifications and can now teleport multiple units across the battlefield. And the revolutionary chrono legionnaires are elite troops equipped with personal chrono-devices and a special chrono weapon that can "undo" enemy ground units and buildings by erasing their existence from time.

[edit] In Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 Yuri's Revenge

In the expansion pack of C&C Red Alert 2, some modified chronospheres show time travel capabilities although they are exclusive to the single player campaign and cannot be built in skirmish or multiplayer games.

[edit] Gap Generator

A stationary Gap Generator tower as seen in-game from Red Alert 2 (left) and rendered picture from Red Alert 1 (right).

Gap generators are large, fork-shaped devices with rotating bases and can be attached to either stationary towers or mobile vehicles. In either case they create a "blind spot" around themselves, obscuring the nearby area both from enemy view and radar. Even if an area covered by a gap generator is explored by enemy forces, it will be hidden from view once again as soon as enemy units leave the area. This also applies to such buildings and technologies like the Allied Spy Satellite of Red Alert 2, and the GPS Satellite of Red Alert. Stationary gap generators have high power requirements and will cease to function in case of a power shortage. Mobile variants can run on the internal power supply of the vehicle, but are less effective than their stationary counterparts in terms of both coverage area and production costs.

[edit] Weather Control

Introduced in C&C Red Alert 2, the Allies can build a weather control device and manipulate meteorological conditions. When fully charged, a weather control device can create a semi-controlled lightning storm of enormous magnitude, which is then unleashed upon a target area specified by the Allied commander. This artificial storm disrupts communications and knocks out the radar screens across the entire battlefield while lightning strikes ravage the target zone, causing considerable damage to all units and buildings. The storm inevitably dissipates once the charge of the weather control device is depleted, at which point the device will start the lengthy process of powering up for another strike.

[edit] Prism weapons

In C&C Red Alert, the Allies fully depend on conventional weapons for vehicles and stationary emplacements. By the time of C&C Red Alert 2 however, the advanced Allied science has expanded into beam weaponry and the prism type weapons are deployed both in offensive and defensive roles. Prism weapons fire a condensed beam of light that can kill any infantry with a single shot and deals considerable damage to armored units and structures. The mobile weapon platforms called prism tanks fire a beam that breaks down into thinner, weaker beams when it hits a target, creating an area-of-effect weapon. While small numbers of prism tanks are no match against conventional heavy tank designs, this "splash damage" can stack to devastating effect in larger groups. Prism weaponry is also employed as perimeter defense in the form of prism towers. These towers carry a modified prism weapon so that their beam does not multiply, but several closely built prism towers can "empower" each other to fire a single powerful beam. In the missions, the Soviets stole the Prism Technology and created prism cannons which were hidden in Mayan pyramids. The prism cannons allowed the soviets to fire at long ranges. This technology was later recovered by a team of Navy Seals.

[edit] Mirage Tank

Another result of advanced Allied science in C&C Red Alert 2, these tanks are lightly armored and fire phosphorus shells that are devastating against infantry and deal moderate damage to vehicles, but are rather ineffective against structures. The distinguishing feature of these tanks is that they carry holographic image projectors and thus disguise themselves as trees when they are stationary (hence the name). This practically renders the tank invisible when deployed on a terrain where it can blend in with the natural surroundings. The holographic projection is briefly disturbed when the tank opens fire, but will quickly revert back as long as the vehicle remains stationary. There are two main flaws with this in-game. 1. When a player moves the cursor over the "tree", it will turn into an attack cursor. 2. When over pavement, the Mirage tank can only simulate a tree, not the dirt. Needless to say it's a dead giveaway. On the other hand, when stationary, the Mirage Tank is the first unit in C&C history that cannot be detected by the computer (whereas older "stealth technology", such as the Stealth Generator in Tiberian Sun, is completely useless against the computer.)

[edit] Rocketeer

Allied Rocketeer concept drawing.

Rocketeers are special troops equipped with jet packs and therefore act as flying units. They are armed with twin 20mm assault rifles which are integrated into their flight equipment. While capable of engaging both ground and air units, these weapons are mostly effective against infantry and lightly armored targets and vastly superiour numbers are needed to engage heavier targets like Kirov Airships or buildings. Rocketeers are very fast and agile, and rely on these traits to outmaneuver enemy forces to strike at their unprotected flanks. They are highly susceptible to anti-aircraft weaponry and usually retreat when faced with such enemies, making Rocketeers surgical strike units rather than assault infantry. They are perfectly capable of overwhelming enemy positions lacking anti-aircraft capability and can make repeated hit-and-run attacks thanks to their ability to outrun any unit in the Soviet arsenal.