Prince Kassad

Now you see me, now you are dead!

*When it is quiet, you should fear me the most.*

## Introduction

**Prince Kassad** is a GLA general specialized in stealth ops in Command & Conquer Generals Zero Hour: Contra. His super unit is the Hazael. His main technologies are advanced stealth devices, long-range weapons, high efficiency silencers, camo paint/netting, 3D holographic printing, electronic jamming and mind control (partial). Although his technologies are rumored to be mostly stolen from the USA.

## History

The 44 year old Prince Kassad has cut a dashing figure across Middle Eastern politics and a violent one in the underworld. This charismatic tribal leader has organized spies and assassins across North Africa to do his bidding. Prince Kassad has been paid millions for assassinations, hijackings, and beatings in the street. For a three-year stretch beginning in 2008, it is believed that no terrorist action was taken on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea without his involvement or blessing. A clever administrator of a serpentine organization, he has never been directly tied to any criminal activity, yet bad things continue to happen to individuals and forces that stand in his way.

Hailing from Tripoli, Libya, Kassad was aligned with the Cobra Cell of the GLA. The majority of his combat abilities are focused on stealth.

Following the defeat of Dr. Thrax, the charismatic Kassad was one of the first to exploit the new power vacuum. However, he reckoned without the forces of those loyal to Mohmar "Deathstrike". An unknown, yet highly skilled general who assisted and followed Mohmar "Deathstrike" successfully defeated Prince Kassad at his headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, taking from him his GPS Scrambler and Sneak Attack technologies. It was assumed that he was dead or maybe captured.

But the truth is different from those speculations: he actually swapped uniforms with one of his men's corpse to cover his trail and then wandered around the roads of England and France for about ten years while keeping a low profile (it is speculated that he used "Taylor" as his nickname). Like Dr Thrax, he returns in *Contra* after playing dead and hiding. His return has shocked many GLA members because of his past desertion, but he has pledged allegiance to Mohmar and swore not to betray him again. He was then reaccepted into the organization. He also played a role in helping Huchum conquer Jerusalem.

A nostalgic of his home country, Libya, Kassad has set his main base south of Tobruk.

## Arsenal

### Infantry

* **Worker** - Builds GLA structures.
* **Warrior** - Basic infantry, armed with a shotgun, stealthed.
* **Alshain** - Recon infantry riding on a very unstable gyrocopter.
* **Hijacker** - Steals vehicles, stealthed permanently.
* **RPG Trooper** - Anti-armor infantry.
* **Terrorist** - Suicidal infantry.
* **Assassin** - Sniper unit, has 10% chance of depiloting enemy vehicles, can only be summoned through a General's Power
* **Jarmen Kell** - Hero unit, can kill vehicle pilots.

### Vehicles

* **Command Truck** - Commands GLA general's powers.
* **Mobile Supply Stash** - Stores supplies and trains workers.
* **Scorpion II** - Light tank, can upgrade itself with salvaged parts. Has stronger weapon but weaker armor than regular version.
* **Technical** - Light transport, armed with a machine gun, can transport 3 infantries.
* **Radar Van** - Enables the mini-map, detects stealth, has long sight range and can reveal undiscovered terrain when upgraded.
* **Combat Cycle**
	+ **Worker Biker** - Worker on a bike, builds GLA structures.
	+ **Warrior Biker** - Mounted version of the Warrior.
	+ **RPG Biker** - RPG Trooper on a bike, armed with a rapid firing rocket launchers.
	+ **Terrorist Biker** - Suicide bomber on a bike.
* **BTR-50 Engineer** - Sapper unit, cleans up toxins and radiation contamination, detects and defuses mines. Can create a fake copy of itself for 50$.
* **BTR-50 Transporter** - Floating transport, can transport 8 infantries.
* **Quad Cannon** - Anti-air & infantry unit, leaves an anti-air mine when destroyed.
* **Toxin Tractor** - Anti-Infantry unit, can clear garrisons.
* **Battle Bus** - APC, deploys cluster mines.
* **Mortar Buggy** - Light artillery & scout unit, mortar variant of the Rocket Buggy, can fire gas shells when upgraded.
* **Rocket Buggy** - Light artillery & scout unit, fires medium-range rockets, can be upgraded with additional rocket pods thus increasing its rate of fire.
* **Ratel II** - Heavy anti-armor vehicle, can create fake targets around itself.
* **Elbrus Launcher** - Mobile superweapon, launches a toxic Elbrus missile at the target.
* **Hazael** - Super unit, a constantly stealthed tank with extremely powerful weapons.

### Structures

* **Factory** - Trains workers and builds utility vehicles.
* **Barracks** - Trains GLA infantry.
* **Arms Dealer** - Builds and repairs GLA vehicles.
* **Black Market** - Income generator, can be garrisoned by 5 infantries, provides upgrades for various GLA units.
* **Tunnel Network** - Defense structure, garrison can move from one Tunnel exit to another instantly.
* **Palace** - Technology building, can be garrisoned by infantries, unlocks important upgrades and units.
* **Quad Cannon Position** - Anti-infantry & air defence, can gain veterancy.
* **Anti-Tank Cannon Position** - Anti-armor defence, can gain veterancy.
* **Howitzer Position** - Long range defence, can gain veterancy.
* **ARML** - Anti-Radar Missile Launcher, can only target stealth detection units.
* **Elbrus Storm** - Super weapon, launches multiple Elbrus missiles at a designated area.
* **Jammer Station** - Blacks out enemy's minimap, detects all stealth units and freezes incoming enemies for a short period.

### Upgrades

* **Capture Buildings** - Allows Warriors and Rebel Bikers to capture neutral and enemy structures.
* **Bike Workshop** - Unlocks Combat Cycles.
* **Camouflage** - RPG Troopers, Terrorists and Workers become stealthed when not attacking.
* **Camo Netting** - Individual upgrade, camouflages a structure to make it invisible.
* **Junk Repair** - Allows GLA vehicles to repair themselves.
* **Gas Warheads** - Unlocks gas shells for Mortar Buggy which allows it to kill garrison soldiers.
* **Worker Shoes** - Increases worker movement speed and supply collecting efficiency.
* **Radar Scan** - Allows Radar Vans to reveal undiscovered terrain and uncover stealth units.
* **High Precision Sniper Rifle** - Assassins get 10% chance to kill a vehicle's pilot. Jarmen Kell's attack range and rate of fire are increased by 10% and his vehicle pilot killer ability reload time is reduced by 10%.

### General's Powers

* Rank 1
	+ **Radar Destruction** - Destroys enemy radars in pointed zone (such as Radar Vans, Listening Outposts, Sentry Droids and Leeches).
	+ **Radar Deployment** - Allows the player to deploy a stationary radar in selected area. The radar detects stealth aircraft and reveals surrounding terrain.
	+ **Emergency Repair** - Repairs vehicles and buildings in an area. (requires Rank 2)
* Rank 3
	+ **Panic Level 1-3** - Forces the enemy to shoot at random target and disobey their commander.
		- Level 1: lasts 10 seconds
		- Level 2: lasts 20 seconds
		- Level 3: lasts 40 seconds
	+ **Temporary Blackout** - Disables buildings within targeted area for 15 seconds.
	+ **Salvage Drop Level 1-3** - Creates salvage crates.
		- Level 1: 8 crates
		- Level 2: 14 crates
		- Level 3: 20 crates
	+ **Sniper Ambush Level 1-3** - Allows the player to create a surprise ambush of Assassins anywhere.
		- Level 1: 2 Assassins
		- Level 2: 3 Assassins
		- Level 3: 5 Assassins
	+ **Cash Bounty** - Earn a cash bounty for every enemy unit or building destroyed.
		- Level 1: 5% enemy value
		- Level 2: 10% enemy value
		- Level 3: 20% enemy value
* Rank 5
	+ **Jamming Field** - Jams enemies within designated area, thus making them unselectable and uncontrollable. Effect lasts for 30 seconds.
	+ **Sneak Attack** - Troops can create a tunnel anywhere on the map. The player must have at least one Tunnel Network node built to use this ability.
	+ **GLA Training** - All units will be built as veterans.
		- +10% rate of fire
		- +10% damage
		- +10% health

## Strengths and Advantages

* He starts off with GPS Scrambler.
* His units and buildings can always be invincible, this means that he can build expansion bases without his opponents realizing, and become harder to finish off.
* His Scorpions pack quite a punch (i.e. more powerful).
* His super unit is a heavy stealth tank that remains stealth even when moving or attacking.
* Very good at hit-and-run tactics.

## Weaknesses and Disadvantages

* Most of his unit are fragile, and lacking in firepower. Meaning that they'll loose in a direct confrontation.
* He does not have any modifications to his Elbrus Storm (He can still make them stealth however).
* One of the most challenging generals to play due to the large amount of micromanaging involved.
* A direct assault will most likely end bad for him.

## Taunts

* You can't kill what you can't see.
* When it is quiet, you should fear me the most.
* Now you see me, now you're dead!
* That road is not as unguarded as it seems, General.
* I found a backdoor to your base, General!

* Can you defend against my flanking attack? Let's find out.

* A frontal assault? That would prove a fatal mistake, General.

* Your defenses are broken, General. How will you repel us now?

* So, you have built a Scud Storm? We will have to deal with this new threat.

* You've launched? You'll regret using that Scud Storm, General!

* Colonel Burton? General, perhaps you should make him the General. You only lead him to an early grave.

* General. perhaps you should introduce me to Black Lotus. I am a great admirer of her...of her work...

* Jarmen Kell? All snipers beware, Jarmen Kell has entered the field.

* Let me give you some advice, General. That large group of infantry...it is no match for my snipers.

* You're building tanks, are you? Well, a few more snipers should take care of that.

* More planes, huh? Why so many, General? Afraid to come down and face me?

* You have fallen to Kassad, like all did before you.

* So it ends. You've defeated me, but someday, I'll have my revenge...watch your back, General.

* Now that I've captured this Oil Derrick, my forces will grow even faster.

* You've lost your tech building, General. What shall you lose next?

* I can't wait for your next attack... General, can we expect it today?

## Trivia

* The closest real Arabic name to Kassad is Kassam (قسام).
* Prince Kassad in his portrait chooses to arm himself with a camouflaged MP5SD sub-machine gun.
* "Taylor" is displayed on his uniform, meaning his last name might actually be Taylor, or the uniform was a reused prop. It is possible that he also used this name as an alias during his escapade.
* An interesting detail, if all of your opponents play as Kassad in a skirmish match, the map will be covered with pitch black fog of war and only can be "revealed" with your forces' active area like the old CNC games and his Challenge Map. This is possibly due to his GPS scrambler effect that messes up the player's radar map.
* In vanilla *Zero Hour*, Prince Kassad's faction is colored red in his challenge, in *Contra*, his faction is colored green instead to match other GLA generals.

## See also (cut content)

* **Bomb Truck** - Suicide unit, stealthed when not taking damage.