- Beyond Revenge: The 3rd Timeline - From the journal of Professor Einstein, inventor of the Time Machine: Perhaps my greatest miscalculation was the belief that traveling through time was the means to change the past. Now I understand that creating major temporal events through time travel do not actually change the past, but instead precipitate the spin-off of alternate timelines, or "alternate universes", if you prefer. When I provided the means for the Allied forces to travel back in time before Yuri's global domination, that created a new timeline where the Allied forces vanquished Yuri. When the Soviets captured my time machine and traveled back in time to before the previous Allied victory, that created a new timeline where the Soviets won the war before Yuri could even implement his plans. But the original timeline - where Yuri dominated the world - that timeline never ceased to exist. It continued, and we can refer to that timeline as "The 3rd Timeline". Fortunately for our alternate selves in the 3rd Timeline, Yuri's Psychic Dominators suffered a power interruption which gave both the Allies and the Soviets a chance to destroy them before they could be brought back online. This was not enough to defeat Yuri however... he continued the fight, causing major destabilizations in the world's balance of power, and a 3-way war between the Allies, Soviets, and Yuri grew to epic proportions. All factions scrambled to develop an advantage they could use to turn the tide of the war to their favor. Each strived to build new high-tech weapon systems to accomplish this. The war is entering a new phase... one that future historians may well refer to as "Beyond Revenge"... Note: The following units are only buildable when playing Beyond Revenge game modes. So, if you don't want to play with these units in the game, simply play the other game modes instead. But you may come across these units in other modes as well from time to time, either from capturing a Secret Lab or from a random crate. See the Game Options page for more details on these new game modes. Each Beyond Revenge addition is designed to differ widely from every other Beyond Revenge addition in terms of capability, strength, speed, and weapon system. This is to enhance the differences between the factions and therefore help each faction seem even more unique. But there are several attributes that all of these units share: Available at Battle Lab tech level. Cost = $2500 Builds faster than the price would suggest Self-heals always Available as a crate goodie in every game mode (units only) Possible Secret Lab boon in every game mode

M1A1 Abrams Tank - USA's Special Unit  The United States set out to create the mightiest tank in the world, and the result is the M1A1 Abrams Tank. Easily the most powerful anti-tank vehicle on the battlefield, it can prevail against any other tank one-on-one. Its tank gun is also highly destructive when attacking buildings. For dealing with enemy infantry, the tank is armed with twin machine guns which are moderately effective. It has no anti-air capability. This massive, heavily armored tank maneuvers fairly slowly, but when traveling long distances, is capable of a high top speed. The Americans now have the ability to deploy heavy armor where it is needed, when it is needed. To build the Abrams Tank, an Allied War Factory and an Allied Battle Lab are required. Their cost is $2500 each.

Crocodile Missile Tank - Britain's Special Unit  When designing their new heavy tank, British weapons engineers looked to the past, using the modified dual-purpose Churchill tanks from the last war for their inspiration. Named for the variant that also used a flamethrower, today's Crocodile Tank instead doubles as a heavy missile launching platform. The Crocodile Missile Tank's main strength is its versatility. It fires its tank shells at vehicles and infantry; these tank shells are not terribly damaging but their rate-of-fire is reasonably fast. However, these shells have a fairly short range, so the Crocodile must wade into the midst of enemy units to engage them, depending on its strong armor and maneuverability for survival. Missiles are targeted against buildings, and are optimized to be most effective versus base defenses. Their range is good; but will not outrange networked Prism Towers nor overcharged Tesla Coils. Missiles are also used against all air units, and are used against non-organic naval units. Neither weapon is very effective against infantry, so the wise British commander shouldn't leave his Snipers at home. To build the Crocodile Tank, an Allied War Factory and an Allied Battle Lab are required. Their cost is $2500 each.

King Tiger Tank - Germany's Special Unit  German war planners determined their greatest need was not a new weapons system, but instead was for a tank which was survivable under the most punishing conditions. To fill this need, they designed the King Tiger, the most sturdily constructed and well-armored battle tank ever built. A conventional tank gun was mounted, which fires a shell designed to be highly effective against enemy structures. The usefulness of this tank shell versus other tanks is only average, meaning despite the vehicle's great strength, it is still very possible for the King Tiger to be outtanked. Germany's favorite son, Einstein, was once again called in to add whatever improvements he could to this latest addition to the German mechanized armor division. First he added a fusion-powered high-torque engine, capable of moving the massive tank without any sort of acceleration delay. Tapping off the innovative powerplant, Einstein was able to strengthen the tank even more by polarizing its armor plating. Lastly, to make the King Tiger effective against infantry, he mounted a small prototype electromagnetic railgun on top, which can target enemies independently of the facing direction of the turret. When backed by Tank Destroyers to help eliminate enemy armor, the King Tiger can boldly penetrate any enemy's stronghold and level it in short order. To build the King Tiger Tank, an Allied War Factory and an Allied Battle Lab are required. Their cost is $2500 each.

Grand Rapier Missile - France's Special Unit  Given their reliance on the awesome defensive capability of the Grand Cannon, it comes as no surprise that France would develop an equally powerful anti-air defensive emplacement. The result is the Grand Rapier Missile system. Its missiles use a unique "shockwave" warhead, which not only does heavy damage to aircraft on impact, but also does collateral damage to any other aircraft unlucky enough to be in the detonation vicinity. Equally important to the effectiveness of this new missile system is its long range, meaning that a single Grand Rapier can cover an incredibly large area. The overlapping coverage of several Grand Rapiers can create a defensive screen that no aircraft can penetrate. When faced with airborne infantry, the Grand Rapier automatically switches to small, but highly lethal, rapid-firing seeker missiles. Like the Grand Cannon, the Grand Rapier Missile system can become even more effective with experience. French military planners are certain that they have given their commanders the ability to turn their bases into impregnable fortresses - as long as base power is uninterrupted, of course. To build the Grand Rapier Missile, an Allied Construction Yard and an Allied Battle Lab are required. Their cost is $2500 each.

Fireclaw - Korea's Special Unit  Knowing first hand how devastating air power can be, Korea put its efforts behind the development of a unit with exemplary anti-air capabilities. Korean scientists made use of the innovative electronics expertise that they are known for, to create a mobile microwave emitter which they dubbed the Fireclaw. This high-tech tank can fire rapid pulses of focused microwave energy from a small aperature in its turret. These heat rays can quickly knock enemy planes out of the sky by literally cooking the pilots in their cockpits! Unlike the units built by many of its allies which depend on heavy defensive armor, Korea's Fireclaw relies on its speed, maneuverability, and healthy weapon range, and veteran Fireclaws will attempt to dodge incoming missiles whenever possible. Primarily designed for AA duties, the Fireclaw can attack ground targets also. No building can stand the rapid-fire onslaught of heat rays for very long, and enemy infantry are fried very quickly. Armor does offer protection from the microwave beams, so enemy vehicles will fare better. To build the Fireclaw, an Allied War Factory and an Allied Battle Lab are required. Their cost is $2500 each.

Stalin's Fist - Russia's Special Unit  Russia combines its Telsa technology with its heavy armor to create the ultimate in Soviet tank design: The Stalin's Fist. This large, uncrushable tank fires charged Tesla shells which create electrical discharge explosions on impact. While no match for the mighty Apocalypse tank shell in pure destructive power, this Tesla shell enjoys effectiveness against any and all ground targets. But the real strength of the Stalin's Fist lies in the twin outboard bunkers mounted on its turret. Here a pair of infantry can take firing positions, adding their firepower to that of the tank itself. Fully manned, the Stalin's Fist is a nearly unstoppable juggernaut that will make Mother Russia's enemies tremble in fear. To build the Stalin's Fist, a Soviet War Factory and a Soviet Battle Lab are required. Their cost is $2500 each.

Rad Artillery - Iraq's Special Unit  Only Iraq could devise such a devilish means to bring death to the enemy. The Rad Artillery is equipped with a pair of radioactive waste storage tanks, which are used to arm artillery shells which splatter the countryside with radioactive sludge. Useless against buildings, these shells will do some damage both at their point of impact, and in a surrounding area caused by the shockwave of their detonation. But the real damage is done by the radioactive contamination these detonations leave behind. And, the Rad Artillery is immune to radiation, so it can advance with impunity into areas it has already poisoned. The vehicle itself is not heavily armored, and if destroyed its storage tanks will explode. On its own, this unit is unlikely to fare well in battle, but when used as a support unit for other armored vehicles, it can fatally weaken the opposition before the engagement begins. It is also an excellent siege weapon, able to render enemy bases uninhabitable to defenders. To build the Rad Artillery, a Soviet War Factory and a Soviet Battle Lab are required. Their cost is $2500 each.

Ravager Troop Carrier - Cuba's Special Unit  Cuba has opted to create a swift and very durable APC, capable of carrying 10 soldiers quickly to where they can do the most damage. While not armed in the traditional sense, it can simply roll over enemy tanks, leaving crushed scrap metal in its wake. Observers report that Ravager Troop Carrier drivers often appear very eager to demonstrate this ability whenever they can. The Ravager's speed and armor can help it storm an enemy base, where slower and weaker units fail. This new capability to deploy significant numbers of Terrorists (or any other infantry) at greater distances, with much greater effectiveness, has made Cuba into a threat that will cause nightmares for more than a few enemy commanders. To build the Ravager Troop Carrier, a Soviet War Factory and a Soviet Battle Lab are required. Their cost is $2500 each.

Scorpion Raider - Libya's Special Unit  Libyan strategists have long understood that reliance on suicide units alone does not make for effective base assaults. The Scorpion Raider changes everything. This fast, maneuverable, and heavily armored vehicle uses a low-yield and shorter-range version of the V3 rocket, which is very damaging to all land targets. The rocket's payload contains conventional explosives, and this is how it does its damage; however Libyan weapon engineers could not resist adding a small amount of toxic gas to the warhead as well. This gas is released on detonation and lingers for only a very short while, which is enough to kill most infantry unfortunate enough to become exposed to it. The launcher's rapid reloading mechanism ensures that the Scorpion Raider is always ready to deliver yet another blow against the enemy. The control cockpit, launcher, and reloading system are integrated into a single large turret which rotates independently of its high-torque tracked drive assembly, which allows the unit to fire even while charging into battle. Finally, special armor protects the Raider against all forms of radiation, making this an ideal unit for use on irradiated battlefields. To build the Scorpion Raider, a Soviet War Factory and a Soviet Battle Lab are required. Their cost is $2500 each.

Mole Machine APC - Yuri Army's Special Unit  The Mole Machine Armored Personnel Carrier represents the latest underhanded strategy to be employed by Yuri's Army. Capable of carrying up to 8 infantry (or 4 Brutes or Chaos Drones), the Mole Machine can tunnel beneath base defenses and other obstacles to emerge without warning behind enemy lines. Its hardened shell, designed to withstand the stresses of burrowing long distances underground, makes it the most heavily armored vehicle on (or under) the battlefield. The Mole Machine APC is a formidable threat on its own as well. Its powerful twin boring bits can be used as weapons, able to grind buildings into rubble, shred vehicles into scrap, and cut infantry into pieces. Its behavior can be quite aggressive in this regard, eagerly engaging threats on its own that come within its scanning range. To build the Mole Machine APC, a Yuri War Factory and a Yuri Battle Lab are required. Their cost is $2500 each.

Continue the tour of CannisRules with a review of Stolen Technology.