Chronosphere (Red Alert 1)

The Chronosphere was a teleportation device developed by the Allies during the Second World War. Albert Einstein was a notable contributor to the Chronosphere's design.
==Background==
The first prototype Chronosphere device was built by Albert Einstein in 1946 to travel back in time and eliminate Adolf Hitler.Briefing: "In 1946, Albert Einstein used his Chronosphere device to go back in time and forever alter history." Westwood Pacific, Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2. Installation. While Einstein's intentions prevented the horrors of World War II as he had known from occurring, the removal of Nazi Germany disrupted the balance of world powers, causing the Soviet Union to start a new Second World War.Westwood Pacific, Command & Conquer: Red Alert. Cinematic: "Introduction", prolog.vqa.
In the altered timeline, the Chronosphere device was designed again, but to teleport matter instead. Based on experiments with electrokinesis by Harvard and MIT physicists in 1937, the device would transport matter by converting the atoms into wave energies that can be easily transported by beams of light. The experiments were successful with inanimate objects, but faced issues with living beings due to their complex molecular structures.Westwood Studios, Red Alert official site: . Retrieved 28 January 2001.
Initial testing of the device during the Philadelphia Experiment showed a lack of control over the process of teleportation. Solving the control problem became the main preoccupation of Albert Einstein and other personnel working on the project.Westwood Studios, Red Alert official site: . Retrieved 28 January 2001.Westwood Studios, Command & Conquer: Red Alert. Allied mission 8: "Protect the Chronosphere".
===Allied campaign===
A crucial control test of the Chronosphere was performed in a facility near Liechtenstein. Advancing Soviet forces discovered the facility and threatened to destroy it. The base was preparing for a critical test and evacuation would mean the loss of months of preparations. Field Commander A9 was sent to hold the facility. Despite the sustained Soviet assault, the test proceeded on schedule.Westwood Studios, Command & Conquer: Red Alert. Allied mission 8: "Protect the Chronosphere".
Even after rigorous testing, the Chronosphere still continued to exhibit problems when used. Personnel were still liable to disappear during teleportations and nuclear warheads could explode if teleported. The appearance of the Chrono vortex during use also highlighted the device's flaws. Regardless, the Chronosphere was officially released for use at the Battle of Moscow in the final stages of the war.Westwood Studios, Command & Conquer: Red Alert. Allied mission 14: "No Remorse".
Its various drawbacks were overcome by Einstein at his Black Forest laboratory during the Third World War.
===Soviet campaign===
The Soviets first became aware of the Chronosphere when their agents observed it in operation on Elba Island. Stalin became obsessed with acquiring it, especially after Allied forces began using it.Westwood Studios, Command & Conquer: Red Alert. Soviet mission 8: "Elba Island".
The Soviets tracked the Chronosphere to Seti, Switzerland.Westwood Studios, Command & Conquer: Red Alert. Soviet mission 12: "Capture the Tech Centers". The attack led to the capture of Albert Einstein. The Soviets placed a tracking device placed in Einstein's watch which allowed the Allies to rescue the scientist using the Chronosphere. The tracking device led the Soviets to the Chronosphere's new location on the Iberian Peninsula.
The Allies set their radar stations to automatically send a self-destruct sequence to the Chronosphere if Soviet forces approached.Westwood Studios, Command & Conquer: Red Alert. Soviet mission 13: "Capture the Chronosphere". Another Soviet attack failed to disable all of the radar stations and the Chronosphere was destroyed; General Georgi Kukov failed to inform the field commander of the last radar site and for this oversight Stalin personally strangled Kukov.Westwood Studios, Command & Conquer: Red Alert. Soviet mission 14: "Soviet Supremacy".
In Don't Drink the Water, the Soviets capture and successfully use the Chronosphere to destroy the local Allied base. This Chronosphere had a quicker cooldown, taking one and a half minutes instead of three.
==Game building==
The Chronosphere may only teleport one unit at a time. The Chronosphere may not be used on enemy units. A teleported unit will return automatically to its pre-teleported location after three minutes.CnC_Remastered_Collection / REDALERT / RULES.CPP. GitHub. 27 May 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
The Chronosphere cannot transport infantry, either inside or outside a personnel carrier. Attempting to do so results in the infantry getting destroyed.CnC_Remastered_Collection / REDALERT / HOUSE.CPP. GitHub. 16 September 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2022. A will explode immediately without being moved if a teleport is attempted. Each use of the Chronosphere has a small probability of generating a Chrono Vortex, or even a deadly Time Quake.
Teleporting a sea unit onto land, or vice versa, destroys the unit at the destination.
Unlike other buildings, the damaged Chronosphere emits a monochromatic time distortion energy, signifying that its controls has been breached.
===Abilities===
==Appearances==
* In the Allied campaign of Red Alert, the Chronosphere needs to be protected in the mission Protect the Chronosphere. The Chronosphere is later buildable by the player in the final mission No Remorse.
==Trivia==
* In the game's source code the Chronosphere is referred to as the Paradox device.CnC_Remastered_Collection / CnCTDRAMapEditor / RedAlert / ActionDataTypes.cs. GitHub. 10 September 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2022.CnC_Remastered_Collection / REDALERT / DEFINES.H. GitHub. 16 September 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
* In the beta version of the game, the Chronoshift support power was called Time Warp. At one point, it was also known as Paradox.
* The Chronosphere in the original Red Alert has a unique damage animation — when reduced to less than 50% health, instead of the usual cratered and/or burning appearance, the Chronosphere will flash and emit bursts of energy, which was originally intended to be played when used. This has been fixed in .
==Gallery==
Chronosphere 1950.jpg|Icon render
RA_Chronosphere_Effect.jpg|Chronoshifting units attack Mammoths from behind
Chronosphere.png|The Chronosphere activating after the research was completed
RAR Chronosphere Steam Trading Card render.jpg||Render from Command & Conquer: Red Alert - Remastered, used as Steam trading card 
RA1_Beta_Chronoshift_icon.png|Chronoshift beta icon
Red_Alert_pre-release_screenshot.png|A pre-release screenshot referring to the Chronosphere's ability as Paradox
===Cameos===
==Videos==
==See also==
* Iron Curtain, Soviet counterpart
* Nuclear missile silo
==References==
Category:Red Alert science and technology
Category:Red Alert 1 support structures
Category:Red Alert 1 superweapons