User:Caissa's DeathAngel/Factions of Command & Conquer

This subpage is where over the next couple of weeks I will create the article Factions of Command & Conquer, into which I propose merging all existing faction articles for the series. Please see the discussion here if you wish to contribute: Talk:Command & Conquer. I will remove this boilerplate text once I start adding content to the article. Caissa&#39;s DeathAngel (talk) 19:45, 14 November 2008 (UTC)

The real-time strategy video game series Command & Conquer revolves around a conflict between groups of competing factions vying for world domination. There are three sub-series, each with three main factions. The majority of these are based on real-world human organisations such as the Soviet Union and the United States of America, with one, the Scrin, being alien.


 * Note the above text exists only so that some form of a lead exists, it's not to be taken as final for any reason whatsoever*

Tiberium series
The three main factions of the Tiberium series are the Global Defense Initiative, Brotherhood of Nod, and Scrin.

Global Defense Initiative
thumb|left|125px|The original GDI emblem featured in [[Command & Conquer (1995 video game)|Command & Conquer.]] The Global Defense Initiative's internal structure and organization is quite similar to a supranational and large-scale integration of all of the world's major modern day conventional armies into a single globalized military force. GDI is capable of instantly deploying vast quantities of well-trained and well-equipped soldiers backed by powerful ground, air and naval assets to any point on the globe, and this in ways that are considerably more organized, advanced, as well as on a much greater scale than any conventional real-life military force of today possibly could. Global Defense Initiative troops utilize both superior armor and firepower, making them typically much more powerful than Nod forces in direct open confrontations, but also more cumbersome and less flexible. The Brotherhood is notoriously adept at exploiting these weaknesses through its combination of futuristic guerrilla warfare with uniquely advanced Tiberium-based technologies. In-game, their units are unit-for-unit more powerful than those of Nod and the Scrin. Their superweapon is the quintessential ion cannon, an orbital weapon that has appeared in every Tiberium title to date.

Brotherhood of Nod
thumb|right|125px|The Brotherhood of Nod emblem as featured in [[Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath|Kane's Wrath]] The Brotherhood of Nod is a mysterious and highly-militant Abrahamic society of allegedly ancient origins, which in modern times began showing the combined characteristics of a vast religious movement, a multinational corporation and a decentralized nation-state, while being none of the three in itself. The globalized brotherhood is led by a mysterious man known only as Kane, and its influence in the world at the advent of the events in which Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars takes place reached nothing short of the status of an unconventional superpower. The Brotherhood of Nod represents a flexible, elusive and worldwide cultic army which thrives on the sophisticated synergy between low-tech guerrilla warfare and highly-trained forces that are equipped with state-of-the-art communications gear and the most advanced weapon systems available, which have been derived from the Brotherhood's uniquely adept understanding of Tiberium-based military technologies. Nod tactics are highly radical and appear more cruel than GDI's, often showing little to no regard for human life, and their religious fascination with Tiberium also leads them to use the dangerous and toxic substance offensively whenever possible. Nod forces typically are weaker than GDI's or the Scrin in a head-on engagement, yet their use of stealth and advanced hit-and-run tactics to their advantage to control the pacing of the battle, as well as sabotage an opponent's momentum. Like in the original C&C game, their in-game superweapon is a nuclear missile, which replaces the cluster and chemical missiles deployed during Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun.

Scrin
thumb|left|125px|The Scrin emblem as featured in [[Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath|Kane's Wrath]] In Tiberian Sun, GDI forces locate and seize a massive alien vessel, identified as a "Scrin ship", from the Brotherhood of Nod. The ship contained the Tacitus, a crystal-like orb that contained vast information on Tiberium as well as a "warning" regarding an imminent Scrin invasion. The Scrin invade Earth in Tiberium Wars to harvest the Earth's Tiberium deposits. They are not referred to by name, though a reference of the name exists in GDI intelligence files: "...the translator returned four words: brother, ascended, enemy and Scrin. This casts some confusion over the identity of the invaders, whether they are the Scrin themselves or a distant relative..."; they are only called by GDI as "invaders" and "Aliens" and by Nod as "Visitors". They have remained dormant along the edge of our Solar System for millennia, until awakened by the massive detonation of liquid Tiberium beneath the Brotherhood of Nod's "Temple Prime"; it is revealed that GDI knew about their existence from the Tacitus, an alien databank captured from Kane at the end of Tiberian Sun; this resulted in the upgraded Ion Cannons, that can fire on incoming space-born targets with a single, concentrated beam. Upon approaching Earth, they are surprised to encounter a heavily militarized native population (according to the Scrin campaign introduction movie, "Level IV population on 50% of planetary surface" and "Level V population on 20% of planetary surface") still coping with Tiberium's spread, and swiftly proceed to launch an assault on Earth's cities, wreaking havoc on GDI and Nod alike. This is done mainly for intimidation purposes because the real objective of the Scrin is to construct large "Tower" structures all across the planet. Scrin units and structures show a distinctly bio-mechanical and insect-like appearance, and possess several economic and military advantages related directly to Tiberium, including the ability to promote the growth of the substance, store it in infinite amounts, and use it to enhance the performance of their units and weaponry in a multitude of ways. Scrin forces possess a powerful aerial fleet, capable of constructing fast "Stormrider" fighters, hovering "Devastator" warships and the versatile "Planetary Assault Carriers", which are capable of generating localized ion storms. The faction can also create wormholes and instantly teleport units around the battlefield through various means. The Scrin can deploy a large aerial unit known as the "Mothership", with a massively-powerful Catalyst Cannon that can devastate all structures in a large radius beneath it by initiating a chain reaction upon them. However, the "Mothership" is extremely slow and open to attack. Their in-game superweapon is the "rift generator", which creates a rip in space-time in the targeted area, drawing everything near to it into deep space. According to GDI intelligence on the Rift Generator, "it makes the science behind our Ion Cannons look downright primitive" and "it's destruction potential is on par with GDI Ion Cannons and Nod nuclear missiles."

Red Alert series
The three main factions of the Red Alert series are the Allied Nations, the Soviet Union, and the Empire of the Rising Sun.

Allied Nations
thumb|left|125px|The Allied Nations emblem as featured in [[Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3|Red Alert 3]]Placeholder text for the paragraph on tactics of this faction

Soviet Union
thumb|left|125px|The Soviet Union emblem as featured in [[Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3|Red Alert 3]]Placeholder text for the paragraph on tactics of this faction

Empire of the Rising Sun
thumb|left|125px|The Empire of the Rising Sun emblem as featured in [[Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3|Red Alert 3]] In the first two Red Alert games, Japan is unaligned with either faction. As an unintended result of the Soviet Union going back in time to eliminate Einstein, the Empire of the Rising Sun came into being and become a major force in Red Alert 3. They are enemies with both the Soviets and the Allies and believe it is their right to rule the world. Utilizing advanced technology, such as samurai with lightsaber-like katanas, giant transforming mecha, ninjas, a psionic schoolgirl, and submersible planes. Initially, the Empire targets symbolic structures such as landmarks and cathedrals, but later captures facilities to send propaganda to the Allies and focuses on destroying military structures.

The Empire of the Rising Sun campaign begins with a full-scale invasion of the Soviet Union, just as the Soviets are pushing the Allies to the brink of defeat. The Empire's forces take over much of western Russia. The Allies mount full-scale attacks on Pearl Harbor at the Imperial islands of Hawaii and on one of the Empire's Floating Fortresses. Though both attacks are repelled, a joint Allied-Soviet task force successfully gains a foothold in Tokyo.

After discovering that the Empire exists because of the elimination of Einstein, Emperor Yoshiro concludes that there can be no "Divine Destiny" if events can be manipulated via time-travel. He surrenders command of the Shogunate (the Empire's military leaders) to his son. Under Prince Tatsu's command, the Allied-Soviet invasion of Tokyo is repelled, and a full-scale attack on the Kremlin results in the deaths of Premier Cherdenko and General Krukov, resulting in the Soviet Union surrendering to the Empire. The Empire's continued success allows Yoshiro to overcome his guilt and opens him to Tatsu's idea that the Empire can create its own destiny.

The Empire battles the remaining Allied forces in Amsterdam, the city where the headquarters of the Allies and FutureTech- the company responsible for much of the Allies' technological advances- reside. Despite the Soviets unleashing a surprise attack on the Empire during the battle, the Empire is victorious and is in a position to rule the world.

Generals series
Generals takes place in the near future. The United States and the People's Republic of China are the world's two superpowers, and are the targets of the Global Liberation Army, a large, well-organized terrorist organization, fighting as a fanatical irregular force. The United States and China are depicted as allies in the series, and frequently co-operate with each other throughout the storyline against the Global Liberation Army, which is depicted as an omnipresent, borderless organization with unclear goals beyond opposition to and expulsion of both China and the United States. The three factions are thus engaged in a war similar to that of the real-life War on Terror.

People's Republic of China
thumb|left|125px|The People's Republic of China emblem as featured in [[Command & Conquer: Generals|Generals]] The People's Republic relies largely on brute force and sheer numbers, culminating in a variety of powerful and heavily armored tanks, and has limited air power. China's playstyle emphasizes direct assaults and sheer power to defeat American technology and GLA stealth. Chinese troops and tanks gain special bonuses when in groups, and make extensive use of propaganda (passive healing) to support their troops. China has a wide range of vehicle types, including several specialized tanks like Type 59 as "Battlemaster", BTR-80 as "Troop Crawler", "Overlord" tank(s) and two artillery units. Chinese forces also make heavy use of gattling, nuclear, and napalm weaponry to destroy the enemy. China also utilizes advanced electronic warfare technology, including elite hackers, a spy called Black Lotus, and electromagnetic pulse weapons. The Chinese "nuke cannon" and "inferno cannon" are the only artillery units whose shells cannot be intercepted by any defenses.

China has a major disadvantage in that its ground forces are generally slower than those of the other two factions. Due to having virtually no fast attack units, except for their MiGs, China is forced to make large, ponderous assaults with heavy units, a tactic that can be countered by the GLA's speed or the USA's air power. However, the Chinese forces are well-suited to winning drawn-out battles of attrition.

China's campaign is the first chronologically in Generals. China retaliates after the GLA launches a devastating nuclear attack on Beijing. During one battle, China destroys the Three Gorges Dam in order to eliminate a large GLA army. China uses its nuclear arsenal to further fight against the GLA and eventually crushes the GLA cell masterminding all Pacific rim operations. In Zero Hour, China defeats the GLA during their invasion of Europe and seizes the opportunity to rise as a world power.

Global Liberation Army
thumb|left|125px|The GLA emblem as featured in [[Command & Conquer: Generals|Generals]] Being technologically disadvantaged, the GLA has comparatively weak (though highly mobile) ground vehicles and no air force, prompting the use of guerrilla tactics such as mining, suicide bombing, hijacking, and ambushing.

The GLA has a larger array of infantry types and vehicles to make up for this disadvantage, and has the widest range of stealth options. The GLA also has a very powerful economy, with various resource-gathering techniques such as salvaging wreckage, gaining cash bounties on destroyed enemy units, and building multiple "black market" structures to bring in large amounts of money over time. Also, the GLA are unique in that they have no energy requirement for any of their structures or units. The GLA's upgrades make it more powerful when fully equipped, transforming a relatively weak group of units into a more respectable threat. The GLA is also unique in that its structures, particularly base defenses, rebuild themselves over time unless completely destroyed; this makes it difficult to permanently damage the GLA with many single-shot weapons or units.

The GLA's toxic weapons, suicide units, and stealth and surprise abilities enable it to hit enemies from unexpected directions, and its powerful economy, combined with cheap, fast units, enables it to flood opponents with sheer numbers. The GLA's primary disadvantage is that, in terms of firepower, range, and durability, its units are outmatched by Chinese and American units, and it has a complete lack of air power. This forces a GLA player to outmaneuver or outnumber opponents, as in an even, direct confrontation the GLA will lose to superior Chinese firepower and American technology.

The GLA campaign is the second chronologically in Generals. Following the setback at the hands of the Chinese, they raise funds and instigate attacks against their American and Chinese antagonists. They eventually overtake the Baikonur Cosmodrome in order to fire a Soyuz launch vehicle bearing a biological MIRV at a nondescript city. In Zero Hour, the GLA loses control of the Baikonur Cosmodrome to the USA and attacks the west coast of America in retaliation and eventually invades Europe. They are defeated in Europe by China.

United States of America
thumb|left|125px|The USA emblem as featured in [[Command & Conquer: Generals|Generals]] The United States is the most technologically-advanced faction, and fights with a combination of powerful ground units and a large, versatile fleet of aircraft. USA forces rely on skill, mobility, and high technology to defeat the raw firepower of China and the guerilla tactics of the GLA. USA ground vehicles can construct unmanned drones to support and repair them in combat, and American troops and vehicles make extensive use of laser technology to guide weapons and defend against attack. American infantry have a number of special abilities, and include stealthy long-ranged snipers and a powerful commando named Colonel Burton with a number of abilities revolving around demolition and stealth. The USA also fields the largest air fleet in the game, including attack and transport helicopters, fighter planes, high speed bombers and stealth bombers. American Generals' abilities revolve around air power, including air strikes by A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and fuel air bombs.

The USA has a major disadvantage, however, in that it has the slowest resource gathering in the game, in comparison to troop costs, it has a less stable supply of power than China, and its high-tech units are very expensive. This can be remedied by building a large amount of Supply Drop Zones. If not, this forces a USA player to construct a smaller, more specialized army than a Chinese or GLA player, and work to minimize losses. Chinese and GLA opponents can easily swarm a small American army and overwhelm it.

The USA campaign is the third chronologically in Generals. In response to the GLA's launch of the biochemical weapon, the USA engages the GLA across several locales, including Baghdad and the Caspian Sea. They later defeat a rogue Chinese general supporting the terrorists and track them back to their base of operations in Akmola, Kazakhstan. In Zero Hour, the USA retakes the Baikonur Cosmodrome, but is later pushed back into Europe after the GLA invades the west coast of the United States.

The Forgotten
First introduced to the series in Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun, The Forgotten are a loose-knit faction of people whose exposure to Tiberium radiation has begun to result in severe genetic mutations, either by freak accident or through the Brotherhood of Nod's eugenics programs. The Forgotten are commonly known as "Mutants" or "Shiners", the latter being a reference to the Tiberium crystals that grow on and through their bodies. The Forgotten can heal themselves through exposure to Tiberium radiation as it appears to trigger a highly rapid cellular regeneration within their bodies (which is rather ironic as a normal person would experience the exact opposite). They also have been shown to be capable of domesticating a number of Tiberium-based life forms. The Forgotten use equipment which consists almost entirely of scavenged, hijacked or otherwise stolen weaponry and vehicles from both GDI and Nod depots.

Rejected by Nod as corrupted abominations trapped between humanity and its alleged Tiberium future, they were nonetheless forcefully studied upon by them to have Nod enhance and speed up its "Divination" project. As a result The Forgotten are often shown being cautiously non-belligerent to the Global Defense Initiative, and even became actively involved in the Second Tiberium War at the side of GDI as loose allies to the organization. In Firestorm they were revealed to have struck a genuine alliance with the GDI in order to aid them in their efforts to stop the global spread of Tiberium. The Forgotten do not appear in Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars. Although mutant populations exist, they have degenerated into a feral race. The GDI provide shelter for the mutants, but they are seen willingly fighting for GDI, Nod, and even the Scrin.

Yuri
Yuri, a powerful telepath and the chief advisor to Premier Romanov in Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2, decides at the start of Command & Conquer: Yuri's Revenge to defect from the Soviets. He creates a secret army of his own to take over the world by using Psychic Dominators, devices with the power to mind-control everyone in the world. . His units generally rely on mind control abilities and cunning rather than brute force. The main goal of both the Allied and the Soviet campaigns in Yuri's Revenge is to destroy Yuri's psychic beacons and eventually eliminate Yuri himself.

Cultural impact
Aside from stuff about Nod and Kane being popular, I don't know what to put here.

Critical reception
Many reviewers have praised the diversity of the factions presented in the Command & Conquer games. Because of the markedly different units, a different playing style is often needed depending on the faction. Reviewers praised this diversity, particularly since similar RTS games of the time had little diversity between the factions.