The Soviet Units

The Soviet Units:

Below are the units you can train/make as the Soviets.

Picture of unit:	Unit description:	My tips regarding the unit:
	Rifle Infantry are the backbone of the Soviet infantry and are armed with an AK-47 each.	I use the Rifle Infantry as scouts. They are good at searching around and finding the enemy. They can also kill Rocket Soldiers easily. Build them at the start of the game and set up a perimeter so other scouts won't infiltrate your base. After you find your enemies base and have a solid barrier of Infantry, there is usually no need to train them anymore.
	The Grenadier is a step up from the Rifleman tossing grenades at structures and units.	I don't train them. Yes, they are better at destroying buildings, but who attacsk with Grenadiers? Yes, they have a longer range then the Rifle Infantry, but they have a hard time hitting moving objects. The only time I use footmen is to search or protect from incoming scouts, and Rifle Infantry do it better for 60 less credits.
	Armed with a Dragon TOW rocket, Rocket Soldiers can shoot air units as well as ground units and structures.	I use Rocket Soldiers as my main air defense. Don't build Sam Sites, but instead build 7-10 of these guys and spread them throughout your city. No air unit will make it out alive. If you areattacked by tanks and you can't stop them, Rocket Soldiers can do some serious damage to armored vehicles. Especially in numbers. Keep them spread out though and be aware that Rocket Soldiers are terrible at attacking other footmen (keep Rifle Infantry Nearby).
	Engineers can fully repair any of your damaged strucutres instantly. They can also damage and capture enemy buildings.	Early on in the game when your training Rifle Infantry and Rocket Soldiers, its good to train an Engineer occasionally. It the enemy attacks a vital structure early on, an Engineer can fully repair it in a second. As far as using an Engineer as an offensive unit (capturing/damaging), I wouldn't suggest it. If you see a weakness and think you can sneak a footman into your enemies base, a Tanya would do a hell of a lot more then an Engineer.
	Attack Dogs are the only units that can detect Spies. Although unarmored and easily killed, they can kill any ground soldier with one bite.	These puppies would seem to be an advantage for the Soviets. Killing any footman in one bite is quite amazing. Problem is, very rarely does the Attack Dog make it to the enemy. One shot and the dog is dead. The enemy rarily attacks with footmen anyway and Attack Dogs can do nothing to vehicles. I suppose if the enemy is always sending spies, then the Attack Dog may have some use, but don't count on it
	The Flame Soldiers can destroy small buildings and footmen in seconds.	Again, not many people attack with only footmen. If they do, the Flame Soldier may have some use. An Rifle Infantry can usually kill the Flame Soldier before he gets close enough to attack though. And when the Flame Soldier dies, he explodes damaging/killing nearby structures and units (yours included).
	Armed with two .45s, Tanya Adams can mow through infantry like they weren't even there. Her C-4 explosives can destroy any building if you can get her next to it. However, she cannot be put into guard mode so all shots must be manually done.	If Duke Nukem has a girlfriend, its probably Tanya Adams. She is definitly a useful unit. Try to train one early (but don't get low on credits). Get a good amount of tanks (at least 10) and send them in one direction toward your enemy. Then send Tanya the other way. Most people will move their tanks to defend against yours that are attacking, leaving Tanya open to destroy what she likes from the opposite direction. That is only a suggestion, anyway you can, get Tanya in to your enemies base safely and get ready for fireworks. Don't forget she can kill hords of footmen from afar in her defense. Just watch out from Pillboxes, Tesla Coils, and Tanks trying to run you over.
	The basic tank of the Soviet Empire, this beast is equipped with twin 105mm cannons, giving it twice the punch as the nearest Allied equivalent.	You must build a lot of Heavy Tanks to win. And I mean a lot. Two War Factories and a constant flow of credits will keep the Heavy Tanks pouring out. Get at least 10 before you even attempt to attack your enemies base. When you do attack, ignore their tanks and go straight for structures. It may sound illogical, but it works. You can usually take out their Construction Yard and serveral other structures before the enemies tanks can bury you. The whole time you are attacking, keep building Heavy Tanks. A couple of these runs and the enemy will be left with nothing but a smoking field and a bunch of tanks. Its important to have a good defense as they will usually attack in a last ditch effort.
	Tanks don't come any bigger. The largest land-based weapons platform, the Mammoth Tank, can dish out a lot of punishment while taking one to. Its twin cannons are unmatched in power on land, and its missles make it effective against infantry and air units as well.	Perhaps if you had four War Factories and the cash flow of Bill Gates, the Mammoth Tank would be more of a useful unit. It just takes too long to build and costs too much. Not to mention it is unbelievably slow. Yes, its armor is better and it has larger cannons, but you can build nearly two Heavy Tanks in the time it takes to build one Mammoth Tank (for nearly the same price too). And two Heavy Tanks will destroy a Mammoth Tank. All to often it comes down to the quantity of tanks and not quality, and the Mammoth Tank just takes too much time and money.
	Used in the collection of raw ore, the Ore Truck is an indispensable piece of equipment. Although slow, it is heavily armored, able to take withstand a hammering.	You can't win without credits, and you can't get credits without Ore Trucks. You get one with each Ore Refinery you build. I usually have at least four. They should be your first priority before Heavy Tanks. Once you have enough Ore Trucks to get a constant income of ore, then start building Heavy Tanks. You may want to escort your Ore Trucks with some Rocket Soldiers or a couple Heavy Tanks. That way your less likely to lose an Ore Truck to a quick Mig or Tank attack.
	The AP Mine Layer deploys Anti-Personnel Mines to damage the enemies tanks. The mine can also destroy infantry with one explosion. The Mine Layer carries 5 mines and can be reloaded at the Service Depot.	Most people in multiplayer games don't build Mine Layers. Thruthfully though, Mine Layers are not that bad. They are quick and if placed in the right spot, can really damage your opponent before he even gets to you. Problem is, you have to build a Repair Depot to get Mine Layers, and that takes time and money. Once you build a Mine Layer, it again takes time to place them everywhere. And time is a precious thing in multiplayer games. If you have enough time and money during your game, a Mine Layer may come in handy if placed in the right spot.
	The Mobile Construction Vehicle allows the creation or expansion of a base.	If you've got a Repair Depot and a lot of time and money, build an MCV. As like the War Factory and Sub Depot, the more of these structures you have, the faster you can build. So with two Construction Yard's, almost anything can be built in a few minutes. Not only this, but as long as it is spread out from your other Construction Yard (recommended), you will have some extra insurance in that you will be able to build even if your enemy attacks and destroys your original Construction Yard.
	This unit is a striped down tank that carries a powefull V2 Rocket. It can fire at buildings and units.	These things can destroy a regular Power plant in one hit! And a group of three can destroy a Construction Yard, all from very far away. The problem is that V2 Rockets are very weak against tank fire and take quite some time to reload. Sending a couple V2 Rockets into a base, even unprotected, will usually gurantee that they will destroy something. But it is also almost guranteed that that won't make it back alive. It is usually a good strategy to send a V2 rocket or two into your enemies base with about 10 tanks. Go straight for the construction yard and you can't go wrong. Also note that the V2 Rockets are quite fast so during the long load time, either move them to safety or have them go on infantry squishing raids.
	Nicknamed the "Infantry Eraser", the Yak fires in strafing runs, swooping down on groups of marching infantry. It can also fire upon larger units and structures.	What costs 800 credits, has a short range, and little to no armor? The Yak. The Manual nicknames the Yak the "Infantry Eraser". Its true that the Yak can kill many Infantry units standing in groups, but a few Rocket Soldiers can take out a fleet of Yaks. I've nicknamed the Yak the "Flying Piece of Crap". Not as catchy as "Infantry Eraser", but its a much more accurate description.
	This fast-attack craft carries a limited number of powerful and accurate heat-seeking missles. Faster then the Yak and better at destroying structures.	If you are going to attack by air, Migs are the way to go. A group of Migs can take out nearly any enemy structure. There not as good as Yaks at attacking soldiers, but if your attacking footmen with Migs, you have a problem.One of the best strategies to do, if you have a lot of Migs, is to have them attack your enemies Ore Truck(s). It is usually a sitting-duck. Wide open in a field and un-protected. In defense to this, just have a few rocket soldiers escort your ore trucks. Migs are good in groups, but if the enemy has Rocket Soldiers, land attack is a better way to go.
	When targeted, the Spy Plane will swoop in from off board and take a snapshot of the targeted area, removing the black shroud.	I sometimes build an Airport just to get a Spy Plane. I suggest you do the same if you have time and money to do so. The Spy Plane is a great way to find out what your enemy is doing without sacrificing units. If you have most of the screen revealed and you need money, just sell the Airport. Be sure to note that if the Allies have a Gap Generator(s), the land will not be revealed. Don't waste it on a Gap Generated area unless you need a second to Spy in for an A-Bomb attack...
	Dropped from the Badger, this squad of 5 Rifle Infantry are in every way similar to regular, ground based, Rifle Infantry. Paratroopers can be dropped anywhere on the map, even in areas not yet explored.	As like the Spy Plane, Paratroopers are automatically called in when you build an Airport. Ever once in awhile you can drop Paratroopers onto an area, even if you can't see that area yet. So in reality, the Pratroopers can also be used as a type of Spy Plane. If drooped onto an area in the back of your enemies base, they may actually be able to do some damage by the time your enemy gets to you.
	Dropped from the Badger, these explosives fall in a line over their target, removing the object targeted and anything in the area around it. Troops can see these falling and will attempt to leave the targeted area.	These are only available in Single Player games, unless you find a crate allowing you access Parabombs in a Multiplayer game. Try to aim just alittle above the actual target you wish to attack. Parabombs are not the most accurate things. Its a good idea to aim for an area crowed with buildings.
	The Badger Bomber is the transport plane used for dropping Paratroopers and Parabombs onto a designated target. It has little armor and is quite slow.	The Badger itself doesn't attack, but rather it drops Paratroopers and Parabombs. You must have an Airport to use the Badger. The only advice I can give on using the Badger is to try and avoid Rocket Soldiers. The Badger is god aweful slow and weak. If it is destroyed, you lose the Paratroopers inside.
	The Landing Ship Transport allows the transportation of up to 5 units across the watter. Transports can be loaded/unloaded on shore terrain, and they are most vunerable while unloading.	Playing a water map? Well, the Allies are a better side to pick on water since they have better Water Units. The Soviets really shine on head-to-head fighting on land. So make a lot of tanks, make at least 4 transports, and send your army over to attack. Be sure tyou don't lose your transport though, always have subs bear. Five Heavy Tanks don't come cheap. Your usually limited as to where you can punload your transports, but try to unload far away from your enemies base unless it is unguarded. Be careful that the transports aren't lost while unloading.
	Silent and stealthy, Submarines can attack ships from afar. Subs must surface to fire, giving away their position, and opening themselves up to any nearby units that can hit them.	The one and only attacking water unit for the Soviets, the Submarine. You would think it would do a lot, but it must surface to fire and everytime it is hit. Sort of defeats the purpose of a SUBmarine, eh? Needless to say, get a lot of Subs before you launch a naval attack and always have some around when transporting units. Its best to get in a line next to your target, then all at once fire upon him. This way you can kill the enemy ship and dive quickly before more ships come. Be warned that subs can also hit themselves, so fire safetly.
	Large and armored, the Hind uses its high-velocity Vulcan chain-gun to tear apart enemy units and structures. Equipped with a large ammo supply, the Hind will follow its target for quite some time, all the while wearing away at its defenses.	I guess it wasn't enough of a joke to have the Yak, but now we have the Hind. I tell you, the pilot must be a moron. The Hind is very unresponsive and slow. When it does finally get to its target, if the target moves, it has to re-adjust its placement. Not only that, but it attacks with machine guns, so it is only good against footmen. I suppose if you attack with a large group against something stationary, the Hind may be somewhat useful, but by then you'll be in debt since they cost 1200 credits a piece.
	Able to transport 5 infantry-type units through the air, the Transport Helicopter is ideal for landing engineers and other assault squads in an enemy base.	Since this transport flies, it is only good if your enemy doesn't have a lot of air defenses. Even then, you can only transport footmen and not vehicles. The obvious thing to do would be to load it with a tanya and send it off. Problem is, even if it makes it, you'll have to unload it quickly and hope your enemy doesn't have a good ground defense (pillboxes are a Tanyas worst enemy).

Unique hits since 8/18/01