Napalm (Generals)

Napalm was a highly flammable chemical used by the Chinese during the GLA Conflict to counter the GLA's usage of toxins.
The Chinese used many mediums for delivering this chemical. One such way was through air power, in which Chinese MiGs would conduct strikes using warheads infused with the volatile substance. Inferno Cannons were armed with similar munitions, and would lob these incendiary shells at their targets. When deployed in larger groups, both of these units created a miniature firestorm that persisted for some time. The Helix was also capable of dropping a Napalm bomb directly underneath it, though they had to be upgraded with the bomb to do so. 
The most iconic usage of napalm, however, had to be the Dragon Tank, which was, quite literally, a flamethrower on treads. These tanks were capable of burning down anything they got too close to, and if necessary, could deploy the "Fire Wall" and torch a large amount of the battlefield in a 180-degree arc in front of them - a tactic that was both extremely destructive and served as area denial. Since they directly shot fire, they were also capable of pumping napalm through holes in buildings, effectively eliminating any infantry stationed within it - with an exception.
China's military officers could additionally research the "Black Napalm" upgrade, which further increased the lethality of their incendiary weapons. The flames' appearance also changed from the traditional orange/yellow to a more sinister blue/black color - perhaps unintentional, but also, perhaps, a warning to enemies to flee before they were burned to ashes.
Rather like the toxins they were meant to counter, however, firestorms created by napalm-based weaponry could persist for some time, and would injure friendly troops just as badly as enemy ones. Additionally, while Dragon Tank crews were well trained to avoid direct friendly fire, their Fire Wall ability could easily cause friendly fire incidents if not handled correctly. The high heat of firestorms also meant that, unlike other weapons that persisted, they could not be cleaned up by the proper personnel. 
Curiously, Dragon Tanks were immune to napalm (direct or exposure otherwise), which made them both an valuable asset and a liability against a flame-happy general. However, flame-resistant plating does not appear to have been a high priority for any of the three sides in the conflict, as the Dragon Tank was the only unit who had that trait.
== Trivia ==
* Chinese nuclear general Tsing Tao's Helixes and MiGs cannot create firestorms, as they are given nuclear versions of their munitions instead.
* China's incendiary arsenal was to also include a base defense that utilized napalm, but the idea was ultimately discarded.
==See also==
*
*Napalm (Red Alert and Tiberium universes)
Category:Generals science and technology