Well, I was bored and talked to some GDI players that had problems against Steel Talons. I base most of my information off playing my own games plus watching the techniques used in pro games posted on this site. THIS SITE ROCKS !
Onward:
GDI vs Steel Talons
A great matchup. But since we're pro-vGDI here we're gonna talk about how to effectively play against ST.
Lets start with good news and bad news :
Good News : Well, as vGDI you could say you're technologically superior to your ST counterparts. Well, at least according to game lore. You see, vGDI's technology level is supposed to be exactly fit for the period DURING the 3rd Tiberium war. Steel Talons have hybrid technology between the 2nd and 3rd Tiberium Wars ( thin Tiberium Sun/C&C3-KW admixure). You gave up Titans in favor of cheaper , faster , REVERSABLE Preditor Tanks.You turned in your Wolverines for Guardian APCs and Zone Troopers. You took the MKIII Juggernaut over the MKII ( a.k.a. Behemoth) in favor of Bombard abilities. You also have better access to EMP abilities than Steel Talons.
Bad News : Ok ,so you best STs in unit pricing and infantry , however , there is a trade off. vGDI has some of the most powerful vehicles in the game but even they can be turned into scrap metal by ST vehicles. To make matters worse, Steel Talons have potentially better railguns than you, potentially stronger vehicle armor , and their Tier1 MBT (Main Battle Tank-Titan) can crush most of your vehicles ( even some Tier 3 stuff) , and this vehicle along with the Steel Talon Mammoth Tank, is potentially IMMUNE to EMP attacks.
Unfortunately, this is the old vs the new , with you representing the new. I say unfortunately because some Steel Talon old model GDI equipment like the Titans , Wolverines, and Behemoths have been specially customized for Steel Talon division in the post-3rd Tiberium War Era to deliver quite a punch. Your advantages are better infantry and cheaper, faster vehicles. Yes, vGDI is already a slow faction compared to that of Nod and Scrin but the Steel Talons are even SLOWER than vGDI.
So how do you fight them? Ah , good question young grasshoppah' and no doubt you've taken on this little nifty strategy guide to help you on your quest of bashing their teeth in...well, maybe those are wrong choice of words. Yeah, think of it this way, in typical games GDI is usually the powerhouse in terms of really kick butt durable vehicles. You could say vGDI is like a tough guy in a bar that can kick almost anyone's butt in straight brawling but note I say ALMOST. Yes, the Steel Talons would be that other guy in the bar that is even more brutish than you and could potentially snap you like twig in a straight up contest of power. Pretty strong eh? So does he have a weakness? Well , fortunately for you , he does! At the cost of being awesomly strong, he lacks in speed and much finese. His ( think Steel Talons) preferred method of winning is just bullying you by over powering you ( think steamroll). Now wait a minute ! You're GDI! How can some BEAT YOU AT STEAMROLLING? Well trust me, he (ST) can. Which means you have to rely more on technique , speed, and finese if you hope to put this ogre down.
First of all , I'd advise against heavy spam when going against Steel Talons. Why? Well, in a match of mainly MBT vs MBT , you could probably crank out a few more Preditors than he can Titans but they don't call them Titans for nothing. Tank spamming is really ill-advised especially when Steel Talons are on the defensive.
Here is why:
-The Steel Talons' MBT, the Titan, has a range advantage on you and is slightly more powerful than your MBT Pred Tank. Even if you focus fire and reverse, chances are that a Titan can still nail you. -Titans are potentially the most dangerous when they are defending a base. A good Steel Talons player will actually set up his buildings defensively to give his Titans a distinct advantage. Why is this? Because Titans have the unique ability to shoot OVER structures. Against a tread tank, like the Preditor, it offers the Titan invaluable defense and makes it hard to target. -So you're thinking, no problem, I can just overwhelm him with classic GDI Preditor spam... again, ill advised. The Titan can potentially go right up to your Preditor spam and crush them into scrap metal ( in other words , instant kill). A Titan at Tier 3 can acquire the Adaptive Armor upgrade which makes it tougher and immune to EMPs while simutaneously increasing its chances of stomping most of your vehicles and infantry. Steel Talon Mammoths, Titans , Battle Bases, and Guardian Cannons can all get the Railgun Upgrade like yours, therefore, offsetting your railgun advantage with the added nasty ability of Rail Gun Accelerators(RGA) which can quickly dispatch even your strongest metal spam ( yes..this includes raping your MARV).
Needless to say , some classic GDI tactics will have to be heavily modified or omitted against any decent Steel Talons player.
But there is some light at the end of the tunnel. Yes there is a way to beat the snot out of Steel Talons with GDI but as I said earlier, it requires a bit of finese and fine tuned strategies ( i.e. micro work).
One distinct advantage you have over Steel Talons is that you are better suited for a larger variety of tactics ( not bad for GDI eh?) The Steel Talons' greatest strength ( their insanely powerful vehicles) are also their greatest weakness. Steel Talons had to forgo any advanced infantry, therefore, limiting their range of battlefield options. This is where, you, as GDI , step in and demonstrate why GDI is a badass faction.
Here is what you don't have to worry about vs Steel Talons:
-They don't have a Commando. Yay! None of that rambo action terrorizing your base or blowing up your Juggernauts. - They have pretty weak infantry, its highly unlikley that a Steel Talons player will try to infantry spam you. - No Zone Troopers or Zone Raiders to contend with, no sneaky Drop Pods! - They don't have EMP capabilities till Tier 4 ( unless they grab an EMP Station but you already know to play keep away with that:)) - No Guardian APCs
This already tells you that a Steel Talons player is likely to hit you with a combination of air and vehicles so you already know to prepare for counters.
Well like any ol' RTS game, scouting is important. For you, your scouts will be able to give you invaluable information. I suggest drafting Watchtowers for quick Riflemen scouts.( Make a Watchtower, sell it back to get a Rifleman Squad.) Perhaps some Pitbulls, and as always, Radar Scan. A typical Steel Talons player will start off by building up his economy. This typically means 4-5 harvesters and at least 2 refineries per Tib Field ( you should mimic this). From here he can go several predictable routes. He might pop up a Command Post and Airfield and then quickly proceed to harass your harvesters with Orcas during which he might take the time to expand ( depending on the size of the initial tiberium field he starts at, or tech up to Tier 3.) From Tier 3 , he might start cranking out Firehawks, upgrading railguns and Adaptive Armor, and make a nice combination of primarily Titans, Mammoths, and Behemoths.
Your job is to severely slow down or even prevent his teching to eliminate his powerful Tier 3 options. This makes his Tech Center one of your primary targets. If you can keep him Tier 2 at least, its unlikely that he'll have Adaptive Armor making him vulnerable to EMPs and you can elimate the Firehawk threat.
There are several ways to go about this. One option, as typical as it is, is to slow down his economy. You have Orcas and Pitbulls as primary harass units. Be careful harassing Steel Talons though. Their Heavy Harvesters are not exactly pushovers. Steel Talons have the option of garrisoning any of their infantry in their harvesters. The infantry of choice are typically Missile Squads. 4 or 5 harvesters loaded with Missile Squads can really give your Orcas and Pitbulls a hard time, especially if he has a Titan or two , or a couple extra dedicated anti air units around his tib field. This probably isn't the best course of action.
Instead, try to focus your air attacks on his tech buildings and Airfield if he has one. Suppliment that with Pitbulls to harrass his Orcas and maybe assist your raids on his buildings. If you're feeling ballsy, training a few Missile Squads and airlifiting them somewhere out of sight close to his tib field would be a great harassment technique. If you want to do this, I suggest popping up an Armory as well so you get the Paratrooper support ability and upgraded infantry.
Be weary, Steel Talons have an excellent anti-infantry unit called the Wolverine. The Wolverine is simply nasty against infantry.
Little background on the Wolverine : It was a common GDI unit in the Tiberium Sun era. Its basically a cross between an APC vehicle and Zone Trooper power suit. The ZT and ZR power suits were designed after the Wolverine model which is really a guy in a small mech. After Firestorm, the Wolverine was decomissioned for most GDI batallions in favor of more advanced infantry squads, but the popularity of the small mech never died. The Wolverine was allowed to continue production for the Steel Talons regiment of GDI forces as an upgraded model. Needless to say, the Wolverine is back and badder than ever. A stock ( un-upgraded out of the war factory) Wolverine is devestating enough for infantry with its twin gatling guns but it is also upgradable with Armor Piercing Ammo (AP Ammo).
Ok , second segment of info is about the AP Wolverine. I decided to make this because the AP Wolverine is one of the most powerful units in the game to contend with and is available as early as Tier 2.
Wolverines are the price of Scorpions so they are easily spammable and most Steel Talons players take advantage of this as it is one of their few mass spammable vehicles. AP Wolverine spam is simply rape city. These guys in numbers can easily dispatch even medium tanks with GUN damage. Not only that , they can make short work of buildings , even those as sturdy as Construction Yards. And against infantry, they inflict mass carnage! If backed up by a Battle Base or two, they are even harder to counter. Personally, I think in the game's description of the Wolverine ( when you scroll over their portrait) it should say STRONG vs EVERYTHING (except air) when upgraded with AP Ammo. Fortunately for you, that 'except air' disclaimer is your ticket to countering them. Unlike your Guardian APC, Wolverines have no response to air.
There are several ways to handle Wolverine spam.
-First of all , if your teched up enough or captured an EMP Station, EMP is your friend so long as you can follow it up with some powerful anti-vehicle attacks on the Wolverines.
-Hardpoint Orcas, they can take out a good chunk of them.
-Zone Troopers in Hammerheads ( preferably AP Ammo upgraded HHs). This option is more expensive but if microed correctly, extremly effective. Watch out for anti-air back up for the Wolverines.
-Missile Squads in AP Hammerheads. Cheaper but with less power than the ZTs. Available at Tier 2 as well. Can be more cost effective than ZTs in HHs.
-Juggernauts, but only at a distance. Have them fire vollies as support. A Juggernaut in AP Wolverine firing range will go down so quick that it probably won't even get an effective volly out.
-MARV with garrisoned Zone Troopers or even Missile Squads. The MARV has a lot of health and can take a beating even from AP Wolverine spam. If possilbe crush some of the Wolverines. There is a down side to this option. Like the Juggernaut, its slow and can be hit from the weaker behind.
- If you're Tier 4 and have the money, Shockwave Artillery immediately followed with Orbital Strike.
I would probably go with air in most situations.
Anyway, not all ST players will go for Wolverine spam unless they see you are massing infantry or attempting Commando raids. This leaves you against primarily Titans , Mammoths, and Behemoths.
We went over Titans. Un-upgraded Titans are not that difficult to take down, especially if they are out in the open without building cover. Missile Squads and Orcas can deal with them pretty effectively. If you're Tier 3, and can build a Commando, they are really effective against Titan spam as Commandos can't be crushed and they can blow up walkers which include the Titan. (Oddly enough , Commandos can't C4 Wolverines which are classified as walkers, but it would probably be useless anyway as the Wolverine is specially designed to dispatch infantry , even Commandos).
Steel Talon Mammoth Tanks. Really a b*tch if they are upgraded with Adaptive Armor and Railguns + the Railgun Accelerator ability. Mammoths can fire at air but only rather weakly unless in sufficient numbers ( but thats expensive for your opponent but he might think it worth it). Zone Troopers can handle these guys as ZTs are resistant to railgun fire as well. Try to get the ZTs to flank the Mammoth Tanks. They can jump jet but don't fly over the Mammoth as a bug in a game will cause the ZT to be crushed in mid flight. A Drop Pod sort of away from the action but close enough not to be hit might be a good idea to sneak in some veteran ZTs for a pincer attack. Missile Squad spam works as well but watch out for Wolverines. Finally ZTs and/or Missile squads in HHs ( preferably ZTs given the insane health points of the Mammoth, especially with Adaptive Armor - expensive but if controlled correctly, very effective) I wouldn't recommend Predators, MARV, or vehicles as the ST player can easily slap on Adaptive Armor or Railgun Accelerators ( or a combination of both) and eat your vehicles, including your MARV, for lunch. Even if Steel Talons don't have EMP Grenadiers, their powerful upgrades are enough to take down even your most powerful units with brute force. If you must make a MARV i recommend doing so only for Marvesting or if you're gonna attack make sure you're keeping the ST player teched down.
What are the most effective ways of keeping ST tech down with GDI?
If you let him tech to cranking out some Mammoths , especially with upgrades, you're gonna have a hard time. So, we should focus on preventing this. Again, making his tech structures your priority is key. You have several options at your disposal.
Option A : Go on the offensive with Tier 1 and Tier 2 units forcing him to focus on unit spamming rather than teching. However, this requires you to have a good plan. Depends on HIS scouting and YOUR anti-scouting. Vehicle spamming for you is doable IF you go two Warfactories and proceed to make a mix of Preditors and APCs and/or Pitbulls. However, you have to concentrate on keeping his scouts away from your base. This requires more Rifle Squads in the beggining and a couple Missile Squads to knock out a scouting Pitbull. You can just then overwhelm him with superior numbers of cheaper vehicles, sort of Nod tactic. If, however, he sees your dual War Factory built in time, he can counter with Defensive Titans, Wolverines, and Missile Squads making your attack very difficult and then he would probably retailate with a counter strike.
Option B: If you're gonna hit him with early attacks at Tier 1, then I suggest possibly going 'Tier 1.5' which is basically popping up an Armory as well. The Armory is available after your Barracks so you can get it out quickly. Good news about this is that you can stick to one War Factory and have a Barracks pumping out upgraded infantry. A Command Post should be your next structure for EMP Grenadiers. His vehicles are still vulnerable to EMPs without Tier 3 Adaptive Armor. Having a mixed force of upgraded infantry ( mainly Grenadiers and Missile Squads) Preds and Shatterers is nothing to laugh at. Point is , it will force him to spam lower tier units preventing his teching to Tier 3. He will likely then go for AP Wolverines which is good and bad news. At least you can expect it. If you see him start making more Wolverines in response, then you're next move should be to pop up an Airfield and get some Orcas out. Use Orcas and Orca Strike to prevent his Command Post from sticking around. Try to pick off some harvesters of possible as well. Meanwhile, focus your funds on producing a mixed force of EMP Grenades, Missile Squads, Shats , and Predators.
Option C: Quick teching to MARV and get Firehawks. This is actually pretty common GDI strategy but surprisingly effective vs Steel Talons. Its probably the easiest as well. Your focus is a couple things. 1. Keep your harvesters safe from air attacks. Five-Six Pitbulls around your Tib Field should deal with any Orcas he throws your way. 2. Tech up as fast as possible. This means dual refinery with customary 4-5 harvesters. Forgo Airfiled for now, follow your Command Post immediately with a Tech Center and then a Reclaimator Hub. Start building MARV and then pop up an Airfiled and immediately start producing Firehawks. Get out 3 Zone Troopers and an Engineer and throw him in the MARV. Spearhead an attack with your MARV while bombing some of his tech structures with Firehawks.
This is effective for several reasons. One, Steel Talons probably won't have EMP(Space Command Uplink) or Railguns by this time, especially if he went for Orcas first. And even if he did have Railguns, he probably doesn't have a lot of units to use it effectively against your MARV yet. Two, the Firehawks can proceed to bomb his tech structures. Three, you have access to Sonic Emitters as base defenses in case he does try to send something directly at your base or your expansion you would be setting up, admittingly, late. Accompany the MARV with some Missile Squads or Grendiers ( if he decides to spam his own Missile Squads).
Option D: Sort of like Option B but slightly different, a combo of teching and advanced infantry. Keep in mind , the following tactics aren't always popular but can be really effective if pulled off correctly. In order to pull it off quickly, you're gonna have to forgo air ( yes, this means Firehawks and Orcas). Eco boom to 2 refs and 4-5 harvesters. Then, Armory, Command Post, Tech Center. As soon as the Armory and Command Post are up, call in your Sniper Sharpshooter team support power. (You can sell off your Armory for extra cash after this if you want) Do it out of sight of his units of course. Set them on don't attack mode ( thats the no-smoking like sign at the bottom of your screen). Sneak them tactfully around his base so you can see his tech structures. Beware of stealth detection. As soon as your Tech Center is up, start cranking out Juggernauts , preferably 5. As soon as you have about 3 Juggs, set them to Bombard his most valuable tech structure. If he's not expecting it ( i.e. didn't detect your snipers), you should be able to take out something before he has time to react. Then build like normal option C. MARV is next. Move your Snipers as soon as the last volley comes in to destroy the structure. He might call in Blood Hounds but that would be hard if you maybe target his Airfield first . It takes a bit of control but if you can move around your Snipers in and out of his base you can dedicate at least 3 of your Juggernauts ( maybe Control + some number) to Bombardment. He can also radar scan where he thinks your Snipers are but hopefully you would've activated enough Bombard damage before that happens. And then pretty much continue similar to option C. This is a bit more risky but it has some potential high gains. If you think you have the micro and multitasking skills, I'd say go for it.
There are other ways, of course, and again, it depends on what your scouting tells you. If he scouts you quick teching he'll probably do it himself and prepare as best he could for an early MARV. But thats why you have Firehawks. He can also build his own Firehawks. Just two of his set on anti-air patrolling his structures can wipe out four of your bombers. He could also see you early teching and might go for Pitbull spam at your relatively undefended base. Sonic Emitters help but mass Pitbulls are nothing to laugh at.
Now there are situations where you might have a pretty evenly matched game and he was still able to tech up and crank out those upgraded and crippling Steel Talon vehicles such as Behemoths and Mammoths. Some of this I covered earlier but here is a quick recap if it happens to get that far.
First:
Upgraded Titan ( Adaptive Armor + Railguns): Weaknesses: Lots of infantry ( Missile Squads) or fewer Zone Troopers. Commandos can blow them up if microed properly but enough railgun shots can down a Commando. Juggernaut vollies, at a distance of course. Use Air. Either Hardpoint Orcas or Zone Troopers and/or ( for more cost effective option) Missile Squads in Hammerheads or even without Hammerheads ( definitely use Hammerheads if he has Wolverines out there). In fact, a well managed, diversified airforce will wreak havoc on any of the three main Steel Talon battle vechiles ( Titan, Mammoth, Behemoth). Support Powers : Shockwave Artillery ( though he could slap on Adaptive Armor at the SW warning shot, but its still does damage) and Orbital Strike.
Upgraded Mammoth ( Adaptive Armor+Railguns) Again, the hardest to take down. Weaknesses: Missile Spam like there is no tomorrow. Not really feasible if the Mammoth is backed up by some AP Wolverines. Zone Troopers work very well , especially at flanking. Of course, the Air option is generally nice ( Hardpoint Orcas-Zone Trooper Hammerheads.) Juggernaut vollies from a distance. Support Powers : Pretty much the same as the Titan but Orbital Strike should only be used in tandum with Juggernaut fire for added support.
Behemoth:
Well, at least the Behemoth doesn't have Adaptive Armor so its very prone to EMPs Weaknesses: It has almost the same weaknesses as your own Juggernaut. Air, Hardpoint Orcas/ZT or Missile Squads in or out of Hammerheads depending on Wolverines. EMP Grenadiers. Commando. Juggernaut fire if the Juggernaut gets the first vollies off over the Behemoth. Support Powers : Shockwave Artillery, Orbital Strike ( nice combo). Other Support Powers to maybe use are Paratroopers and Zone Trooper Drop Pods but AWAY from the Behemoths at some distance. Jump Jet with Zone Troopers into flanking the Behemoths.
Note about the Behemoth: It differs from the Juggernaut by being able to garrison infantry. A pack of Behemoths , maybe 4 or so with AP Riflemen garrisoned can even kill your Commando before he can C4 all of them. They can also kill small numbers of infantry you send their way. Garrisoned with Missile Squads they can take down a weak air attack you send ( so don't make it weak.) Given Steel Talon weak infantry, they are still prone to strong infantry./ air attacks even when garrisoned. A Steel Talons player with some micro skill can actually garrison Engineers and evacuate them right before the Behemoth dies and then resurrect the beast immediately.
AP Wolverines:
Covered earlier. Basically air attacks and support powers such as Shockwave Artillery and Orbital Strike combo.
MARV:
Well, I didn't mention it this whole time but Steel Talons also have access to the MARV. This actually doesn't make sense according to game lore. The Steel Talons do not use GDI's new sonic technology nor are they involved in Zone reclaimation missions for GDI ( they lack Shatterers , zone infantry power suits, Sonic Emitters) but they do have Sonic Fencing, Supersonic Air Strike, and a MARV fully equiped with an oversized, kinda useless, mounted sonic cannon, and an inbuilt Tiberium reclaimation/harvesting bay. ( However, another GDI faction specializes in this stuff, we'll talk about them later.) Many ST players, including myself have brought up the issue and thought it might be more interesting ( and closer to actual game lore) if the Steel Talons didn't have a MARV and instead recieved veteran Mammoth Tanks. This is actually in agreement with game lore since Steel Talons' personale were the first 'veterans' to test run the Mammoth Tanks. Perhaps something else can take place of 'sonic' fencing for general building fencing? And how often is the Super Sonic Air Strike used? Sure, I'd trade it in along with the MARV for veteran Mammoths. Perhaps the game developers thought that since the Steel Talons already lack an infantry based epic unit ( Commando), taking away the vehicle based epic unit ( MARV) would be maybe inbalanced. Oh well, I don't think so and I think it would truly make Steel Talons even more unique and fun.
Anyway, on to the Steel Talon MARV:
What can I say?Its the crappiest MARV out of the 3 possible GDI factions. It can only obtain basic infantry hardpoints and for some reason, the Steel Talon MARV tends to not 'Marvest' tiberium sometimes ( moreso than other MARVs, obviously a game bug.) The most effective hardpoint for the ST MARV is the Engineer and Missile Squad. Yeah but so what? Sinking money into other ST vehicles at MARV tier is a much better investment and thus you won't see too many ST MARVs out there. Better that way. At best it can maybe have 4 Engineer hardpoints making it a sturdy 'meat shield' while the other Steel Talon units pound the snot out of you. Again, the MARV's upgrades seem estranged from the core Steel Talon talents ( much like it does with the actual game storyline.) This MARV can be EMPed like any MARV and even if it isn't , it can be taken down with some hard hitting units such as Zone Troopers or mass Missile Squad, Railgun Preds + Mammoths.
Another unique ST unit to watch out for is the MRT.
The MRT pretty much sucks and you probably won't go against it too often. Mainly because it can't target offensively and has a very small and crappy repair radius. It wont even follow Steel Talon vehicles into battle unless microed. Trust me, your Guardian APC is much better to have.
Oh, and the 'Combat' Engineer. Despite the 'combat' reference it sucks at combat just like any other engineer unit. It has this little crappy pistol that does virtually no damage, can't even 1 shot an enemy engineer. Its portrait looks cool though and the 'hardhat with a handgun' is kinda catchy and rolls off the tongue. No worries, it does nothing really special and for all intents and purposes is basically the same as your Engineer. Think of it in terms of your engineers joining the NRA ( National Rifle Association.)
Well , that about sums it up. Oh yeah, before I forget. I didn't really talk about how to counter Steel Talon air abilities. Just so you know his airpower ( aside from advanced infantry in Hammerheads possibility) is the exact same as yours. He has Orcas, Firehawks , Stratofighter, and Hardpoints. Counter his Firehawks with your own Firehawks set to anti-air. Counter his Orcas with Pitbulls ( thats what I prefer) or even Slingshots, Firehawks, or Missile Squads. You probably won't need Tungsten upgrade against Steel Talons. And the very best anti-air counter is taking out his Airfields . Orca Bomb his airfield especially if his own aircraft are docked there.
And this is too long already. Here's the short and sweet conclusion. Basically as GDI, you get the best of both worlds( I'm talking compared to Steel Talons and ZOCOM) You don't have the best vehicle power, but you don't have the worst, and you can hold your own in this department. The same applies to infantry and air. GDI is balanced and can hit you many different ways very potently. Your Steel Talons opponent, by picking that faction, implicitly dedicated himself to more vehicle + air based combat at the sacrifice of strong infantry. He is more predictable than you are so you potentially have the element of surprise on your side. Some of your units are faster than his. All in all, you don't want to match raw strength against Steel Talons but rather diversify your units in a nice combo of infantry, vehicle , and even air based attacks. This is not the best guide out there for sure but I think it is somewhat helpful.
Thanks for the positive feedback guys. Due to popular demand I've decided to continue my 'series' soon.
My intent was to make the guide useful , gameplay wise, but also dip into the great lore that is C&C Tiberium Universe in hopes of raising interest in this great game ( way better than RA3 IMO)
My guides will be focused mostly on GDI, Steel Talons, and Zocom matchups ( perhaps MoK too) since I know these factions better than others.
However, I really would love if other experienced players would contribute info and tips. vOddy's guide was good, the other GDI guide was also nice. I can always use tips for improvement myself .
I dont understand the whole veteren Mamoth think for steal talon, are you saying you can build verteren mammoths out of the recreator hub, you can always build veteren mammies from anywear like blackhand flametanks/ blackhand, or like just a marv with a tripple barreld railgun that does more damage to buildings/tier 3 viehichals as apposed to spam and infentry? Or as i have also heard elsewhere are you talking about bringing back the old MK2 mamoths. I dont know not really on topic but its a great guide through and through, even got 4 or 5 positive comments on the ST forums.
Good guide but still a bit missing... you say the primary harassment units are your pitbulls and orcas but dont forget that is the SAME for ST!!! and generally while you are harassing I am destroying your base and economy with titans just CRUSHING your harvesters!!! (I always use this strat early game then a quick tech to T2 and your air units fall like flies!) Be caucious of this strat it can destroy you while you believe you have the upper hand!
Good guide but still a bit missing... you say the primary harassment units are your pitbulls and orcas but dont forget that is the SAME for ST!!! and generally while you are harassing I am destroying your base and economy with titans just CRUSHING your harvesters!!! (I always use this strat early game then a quick tech to T2 and your air units fall like flies!) Be caucious of this strat it can destroy you while you believe you have the upper hand!
Thank you, Captain Obvious. Unless Wolverines are mixed in, it's easy to just stop the Titans with some rocket infantry.
I didn't finish reading your word spam there. I got halfway through though. And I must say, from what I read, word spam or not, you put a lot of thought into this. And on top of that, it's all relevant and good info. However, I must throw this in, since I didn't finish reading. Have you ever considered a group of shatterers and preds. Of course you will need AA units in case he does have that airfield. I find it has worked well for me on several occassions. Which means almost every single time I've come across an ST player. A balanced group of shatterers and predators (6-12 of each), can rip apart his titans in no time. Even if they are hiding behind buildings, the shatterers take those out and allow your preds to fire on the (now cowering/trembling in fear) Titans.
commandoes can kill wolveries, the mrt if you have the skill and patience can be extremely useful as titans or any ST UNIT almost doesnt die when fighting other tier 1 tier 2 tanks wit them around.
This post has been edited by Jacobjb: Dec 23 2009, 23:04 PM
Very good guide. A good way to cost effectively counter a ST Titan / Missile Squad push is to build a few more Missile Squads than he has Titans, followed by 5-10 Shatterers. The Missile Squads will put good DPS on the Titans while your Shatteres nail multiple Titans and/or Missile Squads for a good chunk of damage. It can be optional to mix some Snipers and/or Rifleman Squads to get steady damage over time on Missile Squads.
Pure preds spam until they go pure titan/mammie/behemoth spam the jump in with the commandoe from hell... I'm pretty sure commandos can C4 Titans and It is the most annoying thing in the world watching titans fall like that...
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Onward:
GDI vs Steel Talons
A great matchup. But since we're pro-vGDI here we're gonna talk about how to effectively play against ST.
Lets start with good news and bad news :
Good News : Well, as vGDI you could say you're technologically superior to your ST counterparts. Well, at least according to game lore. You see, vGDI's technology level is supposed to be exactly fit for the period DURING the 3rd Tiberium war. Steel Talons have hybrid technology between the 2nd and 3rd Tiberium Wars ( thin Tiberium Sun/C&C3-KW admixure). You gave up Titans in favor of cheaper , faster , REVERSABLE Preditor Tanks.You turned in your Wolverines for Guardian APCs and Zone Troopers. You took the MKIII Juggernaut over the MKII ( a.k.a. Behemoth) in favor of Bombard abilities. You also have better access to EMP abilities than Steel Talons.
Bad News : Ok ,so you best STs in unit pricing and infantry , however , there is a trade off. vGDI has some of the most powerful vehicles in the game but even they can be turned into scrap metal by ST vehicles. To make matters worse, Steel Talons have potentially better railguns than you, potentially stronger vehicle armor , and their Tier1 MBT (Main Battle Tank-Titan) can crush most of your vehicles ( even some Tier 3 stuff) , and this vehicle along with the Steel Talon Mammoth Tank, is potentially IMMUNE to EMP attacks.
Unfortunately, this is the old vs the new , with you representing the new. I say unfortunately because some Steel Talon old model GDI equipment like the Titans , Wolverines, and Behemoths have been specially customized for Steel Talon division in the post-3rd Tiberium War Era to deliver quite a punch.
Your advantages are better infantry and cheaper, faster vehicles. Yes, vGDI is already a slow faction compared to that of Nod and Scrin but the Steel Talons are even SLOWER than vGDI.
So how do you fight them? Ah , good question young grasshoppah' and no doubt you've taken on this little nifty strategy guide to help you on your quest of bashing their teeth in...well, maybe those are wrong choice of words. Yeah, think of it this way, in typical games GDI is usually the powerhouse in terms of really kick butt durable vehicles. You could say vGDI is like a tough guy in a bar that can kick almost anyone's butt in straight brawling but note I say ALMOST. Yes, the Steel Talons would be that other guy in the bar that is even more brutish than you and could potentially snap you like twig in a straight up contest of power. Pretty strong eh? So does he have a weakness? Well , fortunately for you , he does! At the cost of being awesomly strong, he lacks in speed and much finese. His ( think Steel Talons) preferred method of winning is just bullying you by over powering you ( think steamroll). Now wait a minute ! You're GDI! How can some BEAT YOU AT STEAMROLLING? Well trust me, he (ST) can. Which means you have to rely more on technique , speed, and finese if you hope to put this ogre down.
First of all , I'd advise against heavy spam when going against Steel Talons. Why? Well, in a match of mainly MBT vs MBT , you could probably crank out a few more Preditors than he can Titans but they don't call them Titans for nothing. Tank spamming is really ill-advised especially when Steel Talons are on the defensive.
Here is why:
-The Steel Talons' MBT, the Titan, has a range advantage on you and is slightly more powerful than your MBT Pred Tank. Even if you focus fire and reverse, chances are that a Titan can still nail you.
-Titans are potentially the most dangerous when they are defending a base. A good Steel Talons player will actually set up his buildings defensively to give his Titans a distinct advantage. Why is this? Because Titans have the unique ability to shoot OVER structures. Against a tread tank, like the Preditor, it offers the Titan invaluable defense and makes it hard to target.
-So you're thinking, no problem, I can just overwhelm him with classic GDI Preditor spam... again, ill advised. The Titan can potentially go right up to your Preditor spam and crush them into scrap metal ( in other words , instant kill). A Titan at Tier 3 can acquire the Adaptive Armor upgrade which makes it tougher and immune to EMPs while simutaneously increasing its chances of stomping most of your vehicles and infantry. Steel Talon Mammoths, Titans , Battle Bases, and Guardian Cannons can all get the Railgun Upgrade like yours, therefore, offsetting your railgun advantage with the added nasty ability of Rail Gun Accelerators(RGA) which can quickly dispatch even your strongest metal spam ( yes..this includes raping your MARV).
Needless to say , some classic GDI tactics will have to be heavily modified or omitted against any decent Steel Talons player.
But there is some light at the end of the tunnel. Yes there is a way to beat the snot out of Steel Talons with GDI but as I said earlier, it requires a bit of finese and fine tuned strategies ( i.e. micro work).
One distinct advantage you have over Steel Talons is that you are better suited for a larger variety of tactics ( not bad for GDI eh?) The Steel Talons' greatest strength ( their insanely powerful vehicles) are also their greatest weakness. Steel Talons had to forgo any advanced infantry, therefore, limiting their range of battlefield options. This is where, you, as GDI , step in and demonstrate why GDI is a badass faction.
Here is what you don't have to worry about vs Steel Talons:
-They don't have a Commando. Yay! None of that rambo action terrorizing your base or blowing up your Juggernauts.
- They have pretty weak infantry, its highly unlikley that a Steel Talons player will try to infantry spam you.
- No Zone Troopers or Zone Raiders to contend with, no sneaky Drop Pods!
- They don't have EMP capabilities till Tier 4 ( unless they grab an EMP Station but you already know to play keep away with that:))
- No Guardian APCs
This already tells you that a Steel Talons player is likely to hit you with a combination of air and vehicles so you already know to prepare for counters.
Well like any ol' RTS game, scouting is important. For you, your scouts will be able to give you invaluable information. I suggest drafting Watchtowers for quick Riflemen scouts.( Make a Watchtower, sell it back to get a Rifleman Squad.) Perhaps some Pitbulls, and as always, Radar Scan. A typical Steel Talons player will start off by building up his economy. This typically means 4-5 harvesters and at least 2 refineries per Tib Field ( you should mimic this). From here he can go several predictable routes. He might pop up a Command Post and Airfield and then quickly proceed to harass your harvesters with Orcas during which he might take the time to expand ( depending on the size of the initial tiberium field he starts at, or tech up to Tier 3.) From Tier 3 , he might start cranking out Firehawks, upgrading railguns and Adaptive Armor, and make a nice combination of primarily Titans, Mammoths, and Behemoths.
Your job is to severely slow down or even prevent his teching to eliminate his powerful Tier 3 options. This makes his Tech Center one of your primary targets. If you can keep him Tier 2 at least, its unlikely that he'll have Adaptive Armor making him vulnerable to EMPs and you can elimate the Firehawk threat.
There are several ways to go about this. One option, as typical as it is, is to slow down his economy. You have Orcas and Pitbulls as primary harass units. Be careful harassing Steel Talons though. Their Heavy Harvesters are not exactly pushovers. Steel Talons have the option of garrisoning any of their infantry in their harvesters. The infantry of choice are typically Missile Squads. 4 or 5 harvesters loaded with Missile Squads can really give your Orcas and Pitbulls a hard time, especially if he has a Titan or two , or a couple extra dedicated anti air units around his tib field. This probably isn't the best course of action.
Instead, try to focus your air attacks on his tech buildings and Airfield if he has one. Suppliment that with Pitbulls to harrass his Orcas and maybe assist your raids on his buildings. If you're feeling ballsy, training a few Missile Squads and airlifiting them somewhere out of sight close to his tib field would be a great harassment technique. If you want to do this, I suggest popping up an Armory as well so you get the Paratrooper support ability and upgraded infantry.
Be weary, Steel Talons have an excellent anti-infantry unit called the Wolverine. The Wolverine is simply nasty against infantry.
Little background on the Wolverine : It was a common GDI unit in the Tiberium Sun era. Its basically a cross between an APC vehicle and Zone Trooper power suit. The ZT and ZR power suits were designed after the Wolverine model which is really a guy in a small mech. After Firestorm, the Wolverine was decomissioned for most GDI batallions in favor of more advanced infantry squads, but the popularity of the small mech never died. The Wolverine was allowed to continue production for the Steel Talons regiment of GDI forces as an upgraded model. Needless to say, the Wolverine is back and badder than ever. A stock ( un-upgraded out of the war factory) Wolverine is devestating enough for infantry with its twin gatling guns but it is also upgradable with Armor Piercing Ammo (AP Ammo).
Ok , second segment of info is about the AP Wolverine. I decided to make this because the AP Wolverine is one of the most powerful units in the game to contend with and is available as early as Tier 2.
Wolverines are the price of Scorpions so they are easily spammable and most Steel Talons players take advantage of this as it is one of their few mass spammable vehicles. AP Wolverine spam is simply rape city. These guys in numbers can easily dispatch even medium tanks with GUN damage. Not only that , they can make short work of buildings , even those as sturdy as Construction Yards. And against infantry, they inflict mass carnage! If backed up by a Battle Base or two, they are even harder to counter. Personally, I think in the game's description of the Wolverine ( when you scroll over their portrait) it should say STRONG vs EVERYTHING (except air) when upgraded with AP Ammo. Fortunately for you, that 'except air' disclaimer is your ticket to countering them. Unlike your Guardian APC, Wolverines have no response to air.
There are several ways to handle Wolverine spam.
-First of all , if your teched up enough or captured an EMP Station, EMP is your friend so long as you can follow it up with some powerful anti-vehicle attacks on the Wolverines.
-Hardpoint Orcas, they can take out a good chunk of them.
-Zone Troopers in Hammerheads ( preferably AP Ammo upgraded HHs). This option is more expensive but if microed correctly, extremly effective. Watch out for anti-air back up for the Wolverines.
-Missile Squads in AP Hammerheads. Cheaper but with less power than the ZTs. Available at Tier 2 as well. Can be more cost effective than ZTs in HHs.
-Juggernauts, but only at a distance. Have them fire vollies as support. A Juggernaut in AP Wolverine firing range will go down so quick that it probably won't even get an effective volly out.
-MARV with garrisoned Zone Troopers or even Missile Squads. The MARV has a lot of health and can take a beating even from AP Wolverine spam. If possilbe crush some of the Wolverines. There is a down side to this option. Like the Juggernaut, its slow and can be hit from the weaker behind.
- If you're Tier 4 and have the money, Shockwave Artillery immediately followed with Orbital Strike.
I would probably go with air in most situations.
Anyway, not all ST players will go for Wolverine spam unless they see you are massing infantry or attempting Commando raids. This leaves you against primarily Titans , Mammoths, and Behemoths.
We went over Titans. Un-upgraded Titans are not that difficult to take down, especially if they are out in the open without building cover. Missile Squads and Orcas can deal with them pretty effectively. If you're Tier 3, and can build a Commando, they are really effective against Titan spam as Commandos can't be crushed and they can blow up walkers which include the Titan. (Oddly enough , Commandos can't C4 Wolverines which are classified as walkers, but it would probably be useless anyway as the Wolverine is specially designed to dispatch infantry , even Commandos).
Steel Talon Mammoth Tanks. Really a b*tch if they are upgraded with Adaptive Armor and Railguns + the Railgun Accelerator ability. Mammoths can fire at air but only rather weakly unless in sufficient numbers ( but thats expensive for your opponent but he might think it worth it). Zone Troopers can handle these guys as ZTs are resistant to railgun fire as well. Try to get the ZTs to flank the Mammoth Tanks. They can jump jet but don't fly over the Mammoth as a bug in a game will cause the ZT to be crushed in mid flight. A Drop Pod sort of away from the action but close enough not to be hit might be a good idea to sneak in some veteran ZTs for a pincer attack. Missile Squad spam works as well but watch out for Wolverines. Finally ZTs and/or Missile squads in HHs ( preferably ZTs given the insane health points of the Mammoth, especially with Adaptive Armor - expensive but if controlled correctly, very effective)
I wouldn't recommend Predators, MARV, or vehicles as the ST player can easily slap on Adaptive Armor or Railgun Accelerators ( or a combination of both) and eat your vehicles, including your MARV, for lunch. Even if Steel Talons don't have EMP Grenadiers, their powerful upgrades are enough to take down even your most powerful units with brute force. If you must make a MARV i recommend doing so only for Marvesting or if you're gonna attack make sure you're keeping the ST player teched down.
What are the most effective ways of keeping ST tech down with GDI?
If you let him tech to cranking out some Mammoths , especially with upgrades, you're gonna have a hard time. So, we should focus on preventing this. Again, making his tech structures your priority is key. You have several options at your disposal.
Option A : Go on the offensive with Tier 1 and Tier 2 units forcing him to focus on unit spamming rather than teching. However, this requires you to have a good plan. Depends on HIS scouting and YOUR anti-scouting. Vehicle spamming for you is doable IF you go two Warfactories and proceed to make a mix of Preditors and APCs and/or Pitbulls. However, you have to concentrate on keeping his scouts away from your base. This requires more Rifle Squads in the beggining and a couple Missile Squads to knock out a scouting Pitbull. You can just then overwhelm him with superior numbers of cheaper vehicles, sort of Nod tactic. If, however, he sees your dual War Factory built in time, he can counter with Defensive Titans, Wolverines, and Missile Squads making your attack very difficult and then he would probably retailate with a counter strike.
Option B: If you're gonna hit him with early attacks at Tier 1, then I suggest possibly going 'Tier 1.5' which is basically popping up an Armory as well. The Armory is available after your Barracks so you can get it out quickly. Good news about this is that you can stick to one War Factory and have a Barracks pumping out upgraded infantry. A Command Post should be your next structure for EMP Grenadiers. His vehicles are still vulnerable to EMPs without Tier 3 Adaptive Armor. Having a mixed force of upgraded infantry ( mainly Grenadiers and Missile Squads) Preds and Shatterers is nothing to laugh at. Point is , it will force him to spam lower tier units preventing his teching to Tier 3. He will likely then go for AP Wolverines which is good and bad news. At least you can expect it. If you see him start making more Wolverines in response, then you're next move should be to pop up an Airfield and get some Orcas out. Use Orcas and Orca Strike to prevent his Command Post from sticking around. Try to pick off some harvesters of possible as well. Meanwhile, focus your funds on producing a mixed force of EMP Grenades, Missile Squads, Shats , and Predators.
Option C: Quick teching to MARV and get Firehawks. This is actually pretty common GDI strategy but surprisingly effective vs Steel Talons. Its probably the easiest as well. Your focus is a couple things. 1. Keep your harvesters safe from air attacks. Five-Six Pitbulls around your Tib Field should deal with any Orcas he throws your way. 2. Tech up as fast as possible. This means dual refinery with customary 4-5 harvesters. Forgo Airfiled for now, follow your Command Post immediately with a Tech Center and then a Reclaimator Hub. Start building MARV and then pop up an Airfiled and immediately start producing Firehawks. Get out 3 Zone Troopers and an Engineer and throw him in the MARV. Spearhead an attack with your MARV while bombing some of his tech structures with Firehawks.
This is effective for several reasons. One, Steel Talons probably won't have EMP(Space Command Uplink) or Railguns by this time, especially if he went for Orcas first. And even if he did have Railguns, he probably doesn't have a lot of units to use it effectively against your MARV yet. Two, the Firehawks can proceed to bomb his tech structures. Three, you have access to Sonic Emitters as base defenses in case he does try to send something directly at your base or your expansion you would be setting up, admittingly, late. Accompany the MARV with some Missile Squads or Grendiers ( if he decides to spam his own Missile Squads).
Option D: Sort of like Option B but slightly different, a combo of teching and advanced infantry. Keep in mind , the following tactics aren't always popular but can be really effective if pulled off correctly. In order to pull it off quickly, you're gonna have to forgo air ( yes, this means Firehawks and Orcas). Eco boom to 2 refs and 4-5 harvesters. Then, Armory, Command Post, Tech Center. As soon as the Armory and Command Post are up, call in your Sniper Sharpshooter team support power. (You can sell off your Armory for extra cash after this if you want) Do it out of sight of his units of course. Set them on don't attack mode ( thats the no-smoking like sign at the bottom of your screen). Sneak them tactfully around his base so you can see his tech structures. Beware of stealth detection. As soon as your Tech Center is up, start cranking out Juggernauts , preferably 5. As soon as you have about 3 Juggs, set them to Bombard his most valuable tech structure. If he's not expecting it ( i.e. didn't detect your snipers), you should be able to take out something before he has time to react. Then build like normal option C. MARV is next. Move your Snipers as soon as the last volley comes in to destroy the structure. He might call in Blood Hounds but that would be hard if you maybe target his Airfield first
There are other ways, of course, and again, it depends on what your scouting tells you. If he scouts you quick teching he'll probably do it himself and prepare as best he could for an early MARV. But thats why you have Firehawks. He can also build his own Firehawks. Just two of his set on anti-air patrolling his structures can wipe out four of your bombers. He could also see you early teching and might go for Pitbull spam at your relatively undefended base. Sonic Emitters help but mass Pitbulls are nothing to laugh at.
Now there are situations where you might have a pretty evenly matched game and he was still able to tech up and crank out those upgraded and crippling Steel Talon vehicles such as Behemoths and Mammoths. Some of this I covered earlier but here is a quick recap if it happens to get that far.
First:
Upgraded Titan ( Adaptive Armor + Railguns):
Weaknesses: Lots of infantry ( Missile Squads) or fewer Zone Troopers. Commandos can blow them up if microed properly but enough railgun shots can down a Commando. Juggernaut vollies, at a distance of course.
Use Air. Either Hardpoint Orcas or Zone Troopers and/or ( for more cost effective option) Missile Squads in Hammerheads or even without Hammerheads ( definitely use Hammerheads if he has Wolverines out there). In fact, a well managed, diversified airforce will wreak havoc on any of the three main Steel Talon battle vechiles ( Titan, Mammoth, Behemoth). Support Powers : Shockwave Artillery ( though he could slap on Adaptive Armor at the SW warning shot, but its still does damage) and Orbital Strike.
Upgraded Mammoth ( Adaptive Armor+Railguns)
Again, the hardest to take down.
Weaknesses: Missile Spam like there is no tomorrow. Not really feasible if the Mammoth is backed up by some AP Wolverines. Zone Troopers work very well , especially at flanking. Of course, the Air option is generally nice ( Hardpoint Orcas-Zone Trooper Hammerheads.) Juggernaut vollies from a distance. Support Powers : Pretty much the same as the Titan but Orbital Strike should only be used in tandum with Juggernaut fire for added support.
Behemoth:
Well, at least the Behemoth doesn't have Adaptive Armor so its very prone to EMPs
Weaknesses: It has almost the same weaknesses as your own Juggernaut. Air, Hardpoint Orcas/ZT or Missile Squads in or out of Hammerheads depending on Wolverines. EMP Grenadiers. Commando. Juggernaut fire if the Juggernaut gets the first vollies off over the Behemoth. Support Powers : Shockwave Artillery, Orbital Strike ( nice combo). Other Support Powers to maybe use are Paratroopers and Zone Trooper Drop Pods but AWAY from the Behemoths at some distance. Jump Jet with Zone Troopers into flanking the Behemoths.
Note about the Behemoth: It differs from the Juggernaut by being able to garrison infantry. A pack of Behemoths , maybe 4 or so with AP Riflemen garrisoned can even kill your Commando before he can C4 all of them. They can also kill small numbers of infantry you send their way. Garrisoned with Missile Squads they can take down a weak air attack you send ( so don't make it weak.) Given Steel Talon weak infantry, they are still prone to strong infantry./ air attacks even when garrisoned. A Steel Talons player with some micro skill can actually garrison Engineers and evacuate them right before the Behemoth dies and then resurrect the beast immediately.
AP Wolverines:
Covered earlier. Basically air attacks and support powers such as Shockwave Artillery and Orbital Strike combo.
MARV:
Well, I didn't mention it this whole time but Steel Talons also have access to the MARV. This actually doesn't make sense according to game lore. The Steel Talons do not use GDI's new sonic technology nor are they involved in Zone reclaimation missions for GDI ( they lack Shatterers , zone infantry power suits, Sonic Emitters) but they do have Sonic Fencing, Supersonic Air Strike, and a MARV fully equiped with an oversized, kinda useless, mounted sonic cannon, and an inbuilt Tiberium reclaimation/harvesting bay. ( However, another GDI faction specializes in this stuff, we'll talk about them later.) Many ST players, including myself have brought up the issue and thought it might be more interesting ( and closer to actual game lore) if the Steel Talons didn't have a MARV and instead recieved veteran Mammoth Tanks. This is actually in agreement with game lore since Steel Talons' personale were the first 'veterans' to test run the Mammoth Tanks. Perhaps something else can take place of 'sonic' fencing for general building fencing? And how often is the Super Sonic Air Strike used? Sure, I'd trade it in along with the MARV for veteran Mammoths. Perhaps the game developers thought that since the Steel Talons already lack an infantry based epic unit ( Commando), taking away the vehicle based epic unit ( MARV) would be maybe inbalanced. Oh well, I don't think so and I think it would truly make Steel Talons even more unique and fun.
Anyway, on to the Steel Talon MARV:
What can I say?Its the crappiest MARV out of the 3 possible GDI factions. It can only obtain basic infantry hardpoints and for some reason, the Steel Talon MARV tends to not 'Marvest' tiberium sometimes ( moreso than other MARVs, obviously a game bug.) The most effective hardpoint for the ST MARV is the Engineer and Missile Squad. Yeah but so what? Sinking money into other ST vehicles at MARV tier is a much better investment and thus you won't see too many ST MARVs out there. Better that way. At best it can maybe have 4 Engineer hardpoints making it a sturdy 'meat shield' while the other Steel Talon units pound the snot out of you. Again, the MARV's upgrades seem estranged from the core Steel Talon talents ( much like it does with the actual game storyline.) This MARV can be EMPed like any MARV and even if it isn't , it can be taken down with some hard hitting units such as Zone Troopers or mass Missile Squad, Railgun Preds + Mammoths.
Another unique ST unit to watch out for is the MRT.
The MRT pretty much sucks and you probably won't go against it too often. Mainly because it can't target offensively and has a very small and crappy repair radius. It wont even follow Steel Talon vehicles into battle unless microed. Trust me, your Guardian APC is much better to have.
Oh, and the 'Combat' Engineer. Despite the 'combat' reference it sucks at combat just like any other engineer unit. It has this little crappy pistol that does virtually no damage, can't even 1 shot an enemy engineer. Its portrait looks cool though and the 'hardhat with a handgun' is kinda catchy and rolls off the tongue. No worries, it does nothing really special and for all intents and purposes is basically the same as your Engineer. Think of it in terms of your engineers joining the NRA ( National Rifle Association.)
Well , that about sums it up. Oh yeah, before I forget. I didn't really talk about how to counter Steel Talon air abilities.
Just so you know his airpower ( aside from advanced infantry in Hammerheads possibility) is the exact same as yours. He has Orcas, Firehawks , Stratofighter, and Hardpoints. Counter his Firehawks with your own Firehawks set to anti-air. Counter his Orcas with Pitbulls ( thats what I prefer) or even Slingshots, Firehawks, or Missile Squads. You probably won't need Tungsten upgrade against Steel Talons. And the very best anti-air counter is taking out his Airfields
And this is too long already. Here's the short and sweet conclusion. Basically as GDI, you get the best of both worlds( I'm talking compared to Steel Talons and ZOCOM) You don't have the best vehicle power, but you don't have the worst, and you can hold your own in this department. The same applies to infantry and air. GDI is balanced and can hit you many different ways very potently. Your Steel Talons opponent, by picking that faction, implicitly dedicated himself to more vehicle + air based combat at the sacrifice of strong infantry. He is more predictable than you are so you potentially have the element of surprise on your side. Some of your units are faster than his. All in all, you don't want to match raw strength against Steel Talons but rather diversify your units in a nice combo of infantry, vehicle , and even air based attacks. This is not the best guide out there for sure but I think it is somewhat helpful.
And lastly, have fun
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