CNC Generals: The USA - Rush Tactics

This strategy section has been brought to you by our Generals Strategist.  He has played the multi-player test since it was introduced, so he has been strategizing for a long time.  More information can be found in our staff page.

     Rushing is a very controversial subject. Many people like it and many other people hate it. The fact is rushing exists and always will. Almost every good player rushes. Not only that but almost every good player anticipates a rush and takes steps to prevent it.

    Before I get into details let me clarify what rushing actually is in my perspective. A rush is a small attack in the early stages of the game with the main goal being to disrupt base building and supply gathering thus giving you an early advantage. That is the definition of rushing as I see it and that is the context in which I will use the word.

    Unfortunately, when most people use the term "rush" they are using it to describe an attack they are not prepared for. This is very apparent with people who dislike the rush because they claim to be "rushed" by 10 tanks or a group of Overlord tanks. Under my definition you cannot classify those attacks as "rushing" because you will not be in the early stages of the game and you are using a lot of units.

    Now for the good stuff. Like I said before, when you rush someone your main goal should be to hamper their base building/supply gathering using only a few simple units. Some people devote most of their starting money to making a good rush. The problem with that is if you do not severely cripple your enemy you will be at a disadvantage because you will not have enough starting money left to expand quickly. Like I said in the Early Game section your starting funds need to go primarily into getting a good money flow. With that in mind the best rush is one that allows you to expand while you rush so if you fail you still have a good chance of winning. I will now cover the more popular rushes you can do as the USA as well as how effective they generally are.

The Chinook Rush

    I personally dislike this rush because it is very expensive and can be easily stopped. With this rush you can do several variations. Basically you use one of your first couple Chinooks to transport either a bulldozer or infantry (or both) to your enemies base. If you bring a bulldozer I would suggest making a barracks first because they build fast and you can get infantry to protect your dozer as it makes a patriot missile. If you bring infantry make sure you have both rangers and missile defenders depending on what your enemy has (from drone). Its also a good idea to research flash bangs on your way there. Using a Chinook is very expensive though do to its high cost and the fact that it will take a while for it to start gathering funds. You may find it difficult to expand while doing this rush which is why I would not suggest it,


The Humvee Rush

    This is my favorite rush. You can do it relatively fast and still expand while you do it. Just make anywhere from 2-5 rocket guys/rangers depending on how much money you want to spend add a Humvee and you have yourself an effective rush. Humvees are fast so go in and try to kill their supply gathering units then dozers and small buildings. If he comes at you with a tank deploy your men and use laser lock. At any point during the attack if you think your Humvee is going to die make sure you deploy your men so they survive. If you come up against strong resistance pull back and garrison a structure or go after an expansion. If you can keep your Humvee alive you can use it for attacking his supplies later or assisting your larger attacks.

The Comanche Rush

    This is another good rush but it can be less effective than the Humvee. Instead of making a war factory first make an airfield then make Comanche's. This rush is the most effective against another USA player since early on they will not have tows and one Comanche can keep him from making missile defenders. If your enemy is not the USA make at least 2 Comanche's before attacking but if you have enough time to get more and possibly the rocket pod upgrade do it. A Gattling tank or quad cannon can easily kill one. Also if he has any defensive structure up you may not want to do this rush. It is fairly expensive and a couple anti-air units will ruin you but if you get there without him expecting it you can kill him quick.