Command & Conquer: Rivals PVP – Tips, Tricks and Strategies

Command and Conquer: Rivals is all about meeting your opponent’s head-on in the battlefield and nuking their base to smithereens. I know it sounds a little over the top, launching a nuclear weapon on someone’s home, but it really is the only way to win the game and avoid being nuked yourself. Well, if you want to become a king of the battle-zone, then you know what to do, read on.

• Get on the point! I know this may not seem like much of a tip, but remember to control the main zones in the map. If your opponent has control of the zone around the nuke, or more zones in total then you are in trouble. So get a unit on the zone closest to you and move all your units to the middle of the battlefield. This way if you need support, you can spawn in more units and move the one from your nearest pad.

• Tiberium is everything. If the environment you start in has green crystals poking out of the floor, then you should mine them. If your opponent is mining the Tiberium, he will be able to make stronger units at a faster rate, so get on the mining bandwagon. One more thing to note, the mining vehicle has a lot of health, so more often than not you don’t need to waste units protecting it.
• Choke points and flanks. For some players in strategy games, performing flanks around the enemy lines or learning where choke points are is a natural process. In Command and Conquer the same tactics can be applied, and these tactics can win games. If the enemy has strong units coming, and you are not adequately prepared for defence, then using your unit as a blockade can buy you time to defend yourself. Flanks are useful for getting around enemy lines but remember, performing a flank takes time so you will need a diversion or distraction to catch the enemy off guard.

• Be wary of the missile timer. Charging a missile in Command and Conquer is actually surprisingly realistic. If you charge the missile 99% of the way and then lose control of the pads, then you won’t have to wait long before that nuke heads your way. Timers do not reset if control is swapped once, you have got a missile charged anyone can use it. So be careful not to be ambushed near the end of the charging sequence, this is when your opponent will send a surge of troops to steal control off you at the last minute, just like in the movies.
• Eat your greens. As with any strategy game, there are many different units that are good and bad for attacking each other. You have foot soldiers, vehicles and air support to contend with, so note what units are strong against each other. That way you can tell if your unit has the upper hand, whether any green icon pops up when you select your unit to attack somebody. Just remember the rule of thumb, Command and Conquer is realistic, sending riflemen against aeroplanes will only have one outcome.

• Be bold and brave. I would be surprised if this was your first ever strategy game, but that being said it is a good one to start on. It’s rewarding and intense all at the same time, which can normally mean the daring wins. So being that unpredictable or crazy might just win you a few matches. It could cost you a match or two so use it lightly, not every situation calls for a crazy gamble.

Sam Simmons