What’s New:
'Hardcore Mode'
For this new version, I have prepared a new game mode. I will say that this is not the second game mode that I have been hinting at wanting to create for a long time (after the Horror Mode(s)), as that is still yet to be revealed. Anyway, in this new game mode, I had the trouble of what to call it. At first, the idea was 'Un-Red Alert'-mode, whereby the over-the-top technologies in Red Alert were given a backseat to more conventional technologies, but this sounded kind of silly. I also thought I would call it 'Conventional' mode, but that sounded boring. So, Hardcore it is.

In this mode, the Allied/NATO faction loses primarily the Prism tech, whilst the Soviet/CSTO faction loses primarily the Tesla tech, each replaced by more conventional means, including many items that are directly based or derived from real life. Much of this mode actually consists of models I had previously left unfinished and have finally gotten around to completing; part of that is base defense structures inspired by concepts from the old but legendary game Warzone 2100, which is sadly classed as abandonware (for some time now, this mod has included the outstanding soundtrack from this game in its available music list!). This includes base defence structures that are modelled on the faction's walls, into what are referred to as 'hardpoints'.

Hardcore Mode also inherits some properties from the other custom modes I have made; from the likes of Infantry Divisions Mode and Mechinised Infantry Mode, each team's forces will need to construct a supply depot for food and water so that their infantry's stamina is restored, and likewise a fuel depot so that there is plenty of fuel to go around for their vehicles (or else they will be forced to ration it, and drive slower!). As things stand, the elements of Horror Mode(s) are present in this mode too (may change in the future), so if you select the Yuri Faction for one of the teams in-game, then this will be the very tainted Yuri Faction that has gone beyond the limits of biological experimentation, and is now essentially a biohazard; the Forces of Darkness (FoD), consisting of hordes of zombies and other dangerous creatures. A reminder: be careful how many teams you select to be FoD, as One such team has the potential to flood the whole map with swarms of monsters.

New Stuff:
Defence Hardpoints
Now for the specifics. As mentioned, in this new mode, there are many new units and buildings based on actual, real-life ones (or at least derived from them). The Allied/NATO faction no longer has Prism towers but can now build either grenade launcher hardpoints or light artillery hardpoints. The grenade launcher hardpoint is independently-powered (that is, it will continue to function in the case of critical power loss), and is able to pepper an area with incendiary grenades. It is also cheap to produce.

Here is one in-game;



The light artillery hardpoint is more advanced; it has a high range and is able to fire a burst of artillery over an area, capable of engaging and suppressing advancing enemy forces before most other systems. This hardpoint relies on central power and is more expensive to produce than the grenade launcher hardpoint.
Here it is in-game;



The Soviet/CSTO faction no longer has Tesla coils but can now build either autocannon hardpoints or AK-630-M2 hardpoints. The autocannon hardpoint is independently powered and is able to suppress advancing enemies with essentially the same module as is mounted on the BTR-82A. It is also cheap to produce. Here is one in-game;




And now the AK-630-M2 hardpoint; this is of course based on the Actual AK-630-M2 'Duet', the fastest-firing gun in the world, which is usually seen mounted on ships, though there are land-based ones as well. It consists of two six-barrelled 30mm cannons that can send a 'cloud' of 10,000 rounds/min towards its target. I have even gone to the trouble of recording this gun's actual firing sound to use it in-game, though it can never compare to hearing it on its own, of course. In the game, this hard point can target air and ground units. It is very expensive and literally Eats ammunition, so it has a corresponding reload and cooldown time. As such, you may only produce four at a time for balance. Here is a real one;



Here it is in-game;



Amphibious Vehicles
Yes, you read that right; thanks to implementing the new features enabled by the Ares extension, I have made multiple of the vehicles implemented in-game amphibious, corresponding with their status as such in real life. This particular feature is not specific to Hardcore Mode and is now a general thing. As you would expect, this includes all vehicles of the BMP and BMD variety, which left the Allied/NATO faction at a disadvantage in this regard (bear in mind that comparatively, they have limited options in this regard), so I did add the A.A.V.; the Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAV-7). Those of you who are picky may be aware that despite this being a 'main' amphibious vehicle of NATO, its usage has been somewhat suspended due to the incident where one recently sank, killing multiple marines in the process, but I'm not spoiled for choice for picking real units, so the AAV it is. Here is a picture of a real one (from Jurassic Park 3!) ;



And here is one in-game;




The AAV is capable of carrying a fairly large amount of infantry, and as such, in-game, it has a capacity for 18 passengers. Bear in mind that this is essantially a water-borne APC, in a way, you could think of it as an amphibious M113, so do not assume it can safely assault all by itself; like other APC's in the game, it ideally needs to be supported by better protected units. It is armed with a turret that has the option to fire an automatic grenade launcher at ground targets; this is handy for peppering an area with suppressive fire in preparation for a landing. It also has a machine gun for engaging slow air targets (such as parachuting infantry or helicopters).

M-1150
Since the introduction of Hardcore Mode means less use of fictional tech, the game's mobile 'Battlefortresses' have been replaced with the real-life A.B.V. (Assault Breacher Vehicle), the M-1150. This is a demolition modification of the M-1 Abrams tank, designed for assaulting fortifications and various structures. In real life, the ABV has a prominent bulldozer, as well as associated extending 'claws' and even a couple of mine-clearing line charges. In the context of this game, however, I have not implemented line charges (yet) due to the complexity of doing so; and yes, I have considered heavily doing so and have a very good idea of how to do it, but I have refrained as of yet due to my limited time (I was even considering when doing so, to implement the UR-77 also).
But not to despair, as other interesting features are present to make up for this; for a start, the big bulldozer is not just for show; in the game, this is actually used as a main weapon, capable of ramming other vehicles or smashing into buildings! Besides that, the ABV is capable of driving through walls (as the original game's Battlefortresses do) and can even crush other vehicles, provided they are not too big. If a target vehicle is the right size, then it will first be smashed by the bulldozer and then actually crushed by the ABV if it survives that. Not only this, but the ABV has a functional machinegun on its roof, capable of firing at air targets.
As for the model in the game, it is based on a specific example used in real life. If you search for images of the ABV online, the aforementioned 'claws' extend in front of the vehicle. But I have opted for the variant seen used in Donbas; the 'claws' are not used, but instead, the bulldozer blade is modified to be bigger (taller), covering more of the upwards projection. Presumably, this was chosen to improve the chances of survival.
Here is the very ABV described in real life (albeit damaged/destroyed and also captured) ;



But of course, here you can notice the specific bulldozer blade used in comparison to the 'standard' one.
Here it is in-game;




2S38 'Derivatsiya'
With Hardcore Mode, the Soviet/CSTO faction no longer has Tesla tanks, though now the 2S38 has been introduced to the game. Being a variant of the BMP-3, this vehicle has been fitted with a powerful 57-mm autocannon. Its purpose in real life is to offer long-range direct fire against air and ground targets, with the maximum range being very impressive for a direct-fire cannon-type weapon (14+km), but for the purposes of balance in the game, extreme range won't be included. It does, however, have the ability to fire concentrated bursts with a decent effectiveness against most targets. Bear in mind it is still essentially a BMP, so it is not as armored as a tank and, therefore, is best used in a supporting role. But like other BMPs, it is amphibious and can be used on the water. Don't try to carry passengers with it; the storage space has been all given to the 57-mm autocannon and its ammunition!
Here is the 2S38 in real life;




Here it is in-game;




Hawkeye M.W.S.
With Hardcore Mode, the Allied/NATO faction loses the Prism tanks, but to make up for this, the Hawkeye M.W.S. (Mobile Weapon System) has been added. This is a light 105mm artillery system mounted on the chassis of a Humvee. Although not high caliber, its purpose is to carry out shoot-and-scoot tactics, whereby harassing artillery fire is sent out, followed by the idea of redeploying quickly. An advantage of this system is that it is relatively simple to produce and inexpensive, making them a very viable option in-game (you can build a whole fleet of these for the cost and time it takes to produce 2 or 3 tanks).
Here is one in real life;




And here is the model used in-game;



E.W. Vessel
In addition to Hardcore Mode moving the Soviet/CSTO faction Tesla tanks, this includes the Experimental Tesla Vessel. So, I have changed the combat module to that of an Electronic Warfare unit. This is meant to reflect the advancements in real life by Russia (the incident several years ago with the use of such a device fitted to a fighter jet against the U.S.S. Donald Cook comes to mind). Powerful devices have been developed, such as variants of the Krasukha system, which can remotely scramble enemy equipment right up to leaving it completely disabled. In the game, this can slowly damage enemy units (blowing fuses, short-circuiting electronics), with a chance to disable it. In the case of use against aircraft, once the target has dropped below a certain condition threshold, there is a risk of complete avionics failure, leading to the possibility that the plane may simply fall out of the sky! The effect is not guaranteed, but of course, it is best not to risk flying around it. Bear in mind that this unit will not affect organic targets.


Updated Infantry!
I have added updates for various infantry types in the game; this is something I have been planning to do for some time, and the new Hardcore Mode has made it more needed (to replace the likes of Tesla troopers or Laser troops). For some units, this is a visual overhaul (such as the beautiful female sniper model by Augusto from PPM), and some units are completely new. To sum up:


- The U.S. gets a unique infantry, the Heavy Sniper, and is able to deploy, equipped with a rifle capable of better dealing with vehicles.
-The Allied/NATO faction can train machine gunners; essentially, these are aggressive rambo-type infantry that spray a large area unsparingly, making them good for suppressing large groups.
-The Allied/NATO faction can train Shotgun Troopers; these infantry are armed with shotguns, which can kill or injure multiple enemies if they are bunched together. They can also deploy in a fortified static position.
-The Soviet/CSTO faction can train Machinegun Troopers; these are specialist light machinegun operators that are relatively costly and slow to train but do fire in more concentrated bursts rather than absolute 'spray and pray'.

Miscellaneous
That is all I can remember what I did for this release. As usual, various minor balances and tweaks have been done, and the AI has been taught to make use of new items, as well as new tactics. Oh yes, and I updated the BMP-3 model to the BMP-3M model, including the E.R.A. protection; this is mostly a visual overhaul (slight armor increase), as these are already performing well in the game.


I sincerely hope that wherever you are playing from, you enjoy the new campaign mission as well as all the stuff from previous versions. As always, have fun!


Command & Conquer Westwood Fans
Red Alert 2 YR: New Horizons
C&C: Yuri's Revenge
C&C: Red Alert 2