Laser General vs. Air Force General

Playing on the hardest level, this mission at first seems overwhelming, with the first massive air attack destroying a large portion of your forces. Once it’s realized, though, that the Air Force General has no land attack whatsoever, you realize all of your resources can go purely to air defense and this mission becomes quite enjoyable. Once, your defense is set up, you can sit back and smell the roses while all of their air power is destroyed before reaching your base.

Key Strategy

• A string of Laser Defense Turrets built nonstop before the first attack is key to success. Build needed Cold Fusion Reactors immediately behind them so that the bulldozers do not lose time traveling from place to place. You should be able to build about seven before the first attack. Have plenty of backup power, as the air strikes will target at least one of your Reactors.

Walkthrough

A basic startup strategy that works for the Challenge maps that have oil derricks is as follows: Reactor, additional bulldozer, Barracks, Supply Depot, Capture Command researched, Ranger with Rally Point near oil derrick, extra Supply Helicopter, upgrade Reactor, capture oil derrick.

Build up to seven Laser Turrets before the first attack. Be sure to upgrade your reactors for 500 credits apiece. Replace structures lost. Keep two dozers in operation, using them to repair structures when they are not busy building.

As soon as the War Factory and Strategy Center are built, add Avengers to your defensive mix to aid in air defense. Be sure to pick one of your free upgrades from the Strategy Center.

As soon as funds permit, build two or three Supply Drop Zones to ensure cash flow.

As desired, continue to build more Reactors, Avengers and Laser Turrets to add to your defense.

Offensive Operations

The first offensive operation is to clear the garrisoned buildings that separate you from the Supply Stash on the other side of the river. Send over a convoy of about three Avengers and Colonel Burton or a Sniper. Call in various types of air strikes available from your General’s Powers until the area is clear. You can also research Flash Bang technology at the Barracks for your Rangers to speed up the process.

Once the area is clear, move Colonel Burton and the Avengers to the Supply Stash where the enemy Supply Helicopters are hovering. Colonel Burton will clear out any remaining troops and the Avengers will destroy the Supply Helicopters. The Avengers in this position will also help destroy the Cluster Bombers that are harassing your base.

Move an additional three Avengers over toward the two oil derricks that are also on the other side of the river. The oil derricks can then be captured, if desired.

From here, the tide has clearly turned in your favor and it is a matter of mop-up duties from here on out to destroy the enemy base.

It might save you time to go ahead and bring a bulldozer over to the village area to build an extra War Factory and Barracks to promptly replace lost troops.

In hindsight, this is one of the easier missions to win, as the Laser General has such great defensive assets. Its offense is a bit slow and plodding without tanks and Tomahawks, but progress can be made slowly but surely once home defenses are secured.

Mission accomplished!