Strategies and Tactics

## Common information about strategies and tactics

First of all, let us define terms.
Strategy answers the question "What do I do?".
Tactics answers the question "How do I do it?".
In other words, tactics is the way of carrying out strategy.

**Abbreviations list:**
AA - Anti-Aircraft unit or Anti-Aircraft defense structure.
AT - Anti-Tank unit.
TG - Tactical Group.
AI - Artificial Intelligence (the one which plays against you in Skirmish mode).

It is complex to single out one strategy for all cases and all generals in Contra. There is no such thing. Each general has a unique set of strategies and tactics suitable for different situations.

But first of all, one needs to understand a unique feature of Contra. It is the rank system. All units, buildings and upgrades are divided into 3 classes: early, middle and late technologies. Early technologies are available from the start. Middle technologies are unlocked automatically after you reach rank 3. Late technologies are unlocked after you reach rank 5.

Thus, experience becomes a critical resource. You must protect your units to prevent the enemy from gaining experience and ranks while you kill more enemies to rank up faster. The one who gains 3rd rank first has a strong advantage as a Rank 3 army is significantly more powerful than a Rank 1. Likewise, Rank 5 is a substantial advantage. The 5th rank gives access to super weapons and super units which can level bases alone.

Some common tactics and strategies are listed below, but it is not a full list. You can always think up strategies and tactics of your own.

## Tips

**Tip 1.** Don't spend your money to buy mines around buildings or building security systems without necessity.

**Tip 2.** Don't try to attack strong enemy forces with single units. Gather at least small group before you start attacking.

- Ilya123

**Tip 3.** Many new players like to use shapeless heaps of tanks or other units and don't care of losses. It is a bad idea for Contra. Each lost unit gives experience to your enemy. Enemy gains next rank faster. Next rank unlocks new technologies for him and allows to produce more powerful units. Spare your units, use them carefully, don't allow enemy to get experience.

**Tip 4.** If you need to protect your base from stealth units, there can be 2 ways: to build defense line supplied with scouts or to build mines around.

- Creator

**Tip 5.** Defense structures are quite powerful in normal ZH but not in Contra. So, you need combat units to support your defenses. Defense structures are vulnerable to artillery. Hence, you should use helicopters, planes or other counter-artillery measures. Moreover, defenses don't detect any types of stealth units. So, you need to use Radar Vans, Listening Outposts or Sentry Drones.

**Tip 6.** Scouting is quite important. It helps determine which tactic should be used. Put scouts in front of your defenses. They will warn you about enemy attack in time. Move scouts in front of your attack force. They will warn you about danger. Don't forget that many scouts detect different types of stealth units. Detection capabilities are explained in unit descriptions. Read them attentively and use scouts properly.

**Tip 7.** When you play in a team against Stealth general, it can be useful to mark his key structures with beacons. Both you and your teammates will see these beacons. It will allow to coordinate your attack.

- Casojin

## Base Defences—by Casojin

* Defense structures are quite powerful in normal ZH but not in Contra. It is quite useful while holding chokepoint as support for combat units there. You need combat units to hold those positions, not only defense structures. GLA can use different kind of defense structures to help holding the line but there should be units help guarding it. Defense structures are vulnerable against artillery. You should put some counter-artillery units there too. Use some scout units to help defending against stealthed attacks.
* Defense structures are vulnerable to artillery. Hence, you should use helicopters, planes or another counter-artillery measures. Moreover, defences don't detect all types of stealth units (the most of them detect stealth aircraft only). So, you need to use Radar Vans, Listening Outposts or Sentry Drones.

## Base Expansion—by Casojin

* It is very important to expand your base. In order to attain good money-flow during early stage of the game, at least 2 supply lines are needed. Player should expand to new supply depot nearby and hold it. If one supply line is disrupted, you can rebuild using the second supply line. Many new players don't do that even though I told them to do it when I play with them. If possible, forward outposts should be built to support continuous attacks of your enemy and siege them.

## Unit Collaboration—by Creator

* Many new players like to use shapeless heaps of tanks or other units and don't care of losses. It is bad idea for Contra. Each lost unit gives experience to your enemy. Enemy gains next rank faster. Next rank unlocks new technologies for him and allows to produce more powerful units. Spare your units, use them carefully, don't allow enemy to get experience. Brute force doesn't always beat tactics.

## Anti-Infiltration

* As most base defences no longer detect stealth, it's important to use scout units to compliment them. However, should you worry about some sneaky units sneaking through, you can place mines around crucial structures.
* BUT, one should also avoid spending money on spreading mines and building security systems unless it's absolutely necessary.

## Early Warning—by Casojin

* Scouting is quite important. It helps determine what tactic should be used. Defensively, scout units are used to prevent sneaky attacks from various stealthed units. Keep at least one scout unit at the each base entrance. Many new players don't scout before rolling in. This is a big mistake. Use spy drone or sentry drone (USA), radar van+camo upgrade (GLA), and listening post (China). In some case, infantries can help you scout too (Hero is a good choice for scout if he/she is free of duty).
* Don't forget that many scouts detect different types of stealth units (for example, Listening Outpost detects stealthed units but not mines). Detection capabilities are explained in unit descriptions. Read them attentively and use scouts properly.

## Strong Points—by Casojin

* Sometimes you might encounter an enemy that is stronger than you (factionally like Toxin vs Cyber or Cyber vs Tank). You have to rely on Hit-&-Run to survive. Creating a strong point will help you survive long enough to gain advantage. For example, Cyber gen drones are deactivated in ECM field and Tank gen has ECM at rank 1. The most effective units are Phobos artillery walkers which are fragile. Strong point (in this case Missile Defense Systems (MDS )and missile cyborgs) is created to stall your enemy while Phobos is doing its job. There are many variants of strong point. USA building with security system can be a strong point as well. China can use bunkers and def structures. GLA can use tunnel combined with defense sites. Strong point can be used in offensive too (as in Siege or Long-arm strategy on Contra website)

## Dragon Rush—by Creator

> This tactic works for both the Tank General and the Flame General
>
>

* As any other rush, this one will hardly bring you instant victory. The aim of each rush is slow down the enemy and bring advantage to your side.
* And so, you have started the game. Order existing Dozer to build a power plant near its current location (don't move it anywhere to economy time). Then build 1 Dozer in Command Center. When new builder is finished, order it to move towards the nearest supply source. When power plant is finished, build Supply Center. That Dozer, which was building our power plant, is free now. Order it to move towards enemy. When Supply Center is finished, stop your Dozer and build War Factory. War Factory exit must be directed to enemy base. When the War Factory is ready, build 2 Dragon tanks and direct them to the enemy.
* You have come to your enemy. You can see a defense structure there. It is better to avoid it. Remember, that your aim is to cripple economy. If his War Factory is not ready yet - destroy it. If ready then he will have a tank very soon. It will lay the end to your Dragons. Therefore, do not wait, destroy his Supply Center. "Firewall" ability brings more damage to buildings.
* Now you must act depending on situation. Everything depend on whom you play against. But in any case, Dragons will not live for long. It means that you must bring as much harm as possible. Destroy Barracks (they have less armor), War Factory and Airfield (if possible). You can also leave enemy base in order to find and destroy second enemy Supply Center and Oil Derricks. You can level Derricks even before enemy captures them.
* When Dragons are killed, enemy economics must be crippled, while yours must be up. Therefore, don't forget about your base while rushing.
* Variants of defense from such rush:
	1. A couple of tanks must be ready beforehand and meet Dragons with cannon fire as fast as possible. Preferably, near supply source and command center.
	2. Build Comanches or Thors.
	3. If you play as Infantry General use Jammer Trooper + Tank Hunter combo.
	4. If you play as Cybernetics General use Guardian Droids/Missile Cyborg + Leech Droid combo.

## Strategies and Tactics

For all generals:

* Attack basics
* Base building basics
* "Suicide" tactics
* "One for everybody" team play strategy
* "General Janus" team play strategy
* "Mirror" counterstrategy
* Urban battle
* Stealth

General Tactics for the GLA

General Tactics for the USA

General Tactics for China