2024 TIBERIAN SUN STRATEGY GUIDE
VETERAN STATUS UPGRADES
Veteran Status = better units: Units can upgrade their weapons, speed, and other attributes by destroying many enemy units and structures during a game. Try to keep your units alive during a game so that they can become more powerful by upgrading their Veteran Status. Every time one of your units kills an enemy unit or destroys an enemy building its Veteran Points are increased.
Two Veteran status upgrades: In original maps, a unit can upgrade it's status two times. To upgrade one of your unit's Veteran status in original maps, it must destroy 10x its cost. (Example: A mammoth MK2 costs $3,000, so each of the two upgrades will require that you kill or destroy units/buildings worth $30,000. $60,000 = Gold Star Mammoth MK2).
Information Panel shows Veteran Status points: To see the Veteran Status Statistics of a unit during the game, toggle the Info panel on, using the “Toggle Info Panel” hotkey that you assigned. The Information panel will appear below your building options on the right side of your screen. Press the “Toggle Info Panel” Hotkey twice to show how many veteran points a unit has. Look under the column that says “Veteran”. This “Veteran” category will show you how close you are to achieving the first or second Veteran Status. Once the number reaches 1.00, your unit will receive the first (Two Gold Bars) Veteran Status. Once the number reaches 2.00, your unit will receive the second (Gold Star) Veteran Status). (Warning: The enemy can also see the veteran status of your units by highlighting your unit and looking at the information panel “Veteran” category.
Highlight your unit = see vet status: You can see the veteran status of your units by highlighting that unit with your left mouse click. Two Gold Bars in the lower right corner of the unit means that it has achieved Veteran Status 1 (1.00) A Gold Star in the bottom right corner of the highlighted unit means that it has achieved Veteran Status 2 (2.00) (Warning: You can not see the veteran status of an enemy unit by highlighting it with your left mouse click).
Humble Vetbal link: Humble explained the differences between normal map veteran status upgrades and Veteran Balance maps veteran status upgrades at the following link:
​
Maps can change the TS code: Every map has its own code for new rules that changes the original rules.ini file. When you click the blue button in the bottom middle of your screen in a Game Lobby, you can see the modifications, that the selected map has, to the original rules.ini for Tiberian Sun. (The blue button will say NO CHEATS or WARNING)
KO blow = VB points: You get points for Veteran Upgrades when your unit delivers the fatal shot that kills an enemy unit or structure. So always let your important units that you are trying to level up get finishing blows. (Example: let the Mammoth MK2 or Cyborg Commando get the final shot on predamaged enemy units and buildings.)
​
More expensive buildings = faster veteran: Target the more expensive buildings that will level up a unit to veteran status more quickly if you destroy it. This helps units level up faster.
Always be Leveling: Theoretically you should always be trying to level up the MK2, Cyborg Commando, and really any other useful units at all times. At all times try to let those units get the final shot before enemy units die, to get the points.
Vet status planes: Veteran Status planes can always be used to hunt Harvesters or defend your base. Consider trying to keep them alive in less dangerous areas, or attack with them not in the lead of your group of other planes that are not Veteran Status upgraded.
NORMAL MAPS VETERAN STATUS UPGRADES:
Rules.Ini file = Tiberian Sun code: The original Rules.Ini file for Tiberian Sun can be found at the following link:
​
Search Rules.Ini file with CNTL+F: Use the CNTL+F search function to find the words “Elite”, and “Elite Abilities” to find the Veteran Status Upgrades for original maps like terraces. Elite means that the unit gets a new primary weapon, and Elite Ability means that the unit gets a new ability. “Veteran abilities” is a list of veteran abilities to grant (def=none)
Veteran Status Code Words: Look at the code for each map, for these words, to see if there are new Veteran Status Upgrades that are changed for that specific map:
VeteranRatio=10.0 ; must destroy this multiple of self-value to become a veteran [per level]
VeteranCombat=.25 ; combat BONUS factor when unit is a veteran
VeteranSpeed=.30 ; speed BONUS factor when unit is a veteran
VeteranSight=0.0 ; sight range BONUS when unit is a veteran
VeteranArmor=.25 ; armor BONUS when unit is a veteran
VeteranROF=.20 ; rate of fire BONUS when unit is a veteran
VeteranCap=2 ; maximum veteran level that can be obtained
InitialVeteran=no ; Do initial forces start as veterans?
GDI Units Elite Abilities (Veteran Status 2 - Gold Star):
Light Infantry --------------------SCATTER (Gets M1 Carbine better weapon)
Disc Thrower --------------------SCATTER
Titan-------------------------------SENSOR: Can see Stealth Tanks next to it.
Wolverine-------------------------VEIN PROOF: Not hurt by walking on orange weed vein
Jump Jet Infantry----------------RADAR INVISIBLE
Hover Mrls-----------------------SELF HEAL: heals itself
Orca Fighter----------------------NONE
Ghost Stalker---------------------NONE
Disrupter-------------------------EXPLODES:Huge explosion when it dies (Bigger than blue Harv bomb)
Mammoth MK2-----------------NONE
Orca Bomber---------------------RADAR INVISIBLE
Nod Units Elite Abilities (Veteran Status 2 - Gold Star):
Light Infantry----------------------SCATTER (Gets M1 Carbine better weapon)
Rocket Infantry--------------------SCATTER
Cyborg------------------------------STRONGER
Attack Buggy----------------------CRUSHER
Attack Cycle-----------------------HoverMissile: It gets the HoverMRLS's primary anti air weapon.
Tick Tank---------------------------SENSOR: Can see Stealth Tanks next to it. (Stronger main weapon)
Artillery-----------------------------SELF HEAL: It heals itself
Devil Tongue-----------------------SELF HEAL: It heals itslef
Stealth Tank------------------------EXPLODES: It explodes when it dies
Harpy--------------------------------NONE
Banshee----------------------------RADAR INVISIBLE
Cyborg Commando--------------NONE
Mutant Hijacker-------------------NONE
​
​
TIPS FOR NORMAL MAPS UPGRADED VETERAN UNITS
Gold Star Veteran Diz & Stealth Tank = explode: The Gold Star Disrupter and Stealth Tank Explode when they are destroyed. This explosion can destroy multiple buildings. The explosion is much bigger than a Blue Harvester Bomb. The Stealth Tank explosion is not as strong as the Disrupter explosion.
Gold Star Attack Cycle = anti air: The Gold Star Attack Cycle can shoot at flying units just like the HoverMRLS when it is upgraded.
Gold Star Hover,Art,DT = self heal: The Gold Star HoverMRLS, Artillery, and Devil Tongue self heal so you can escape after a battle and come back to fight again after healing without needing the Service Depot or MRV to heal.
Gold Star JJ, Orca B, Ban = Invisible on radar screen: The Gold Star Jump Jet Infantry, Orca Bomber, and Banshee are invisible on the enemy's radar map so the enemy is less likely to see those units coming unless they are watching the map closely.
​
Gold Star Buggy = squish soldiers: The Gold Star Attack Buggy can run over soldiers. This is what CRUSHER means.
​
Gold Star Inf, Disc, Rocket Inf = auto scatter: The Gold Star Light Infantry, Disc Throwers, and Rocket Infantry can automatically scatter when a vehicle tries to squish them. (like the A.I. units do) So you don't have to watch out for vehicles running them over.
​
Gold Star Cyborg = better armor: The Gold Star Cyborg stronger, which means its armor protection is better and it receives less damage when attacked.
​
For more information on Veteran Abilities you can check out the following link:
​
https://modenc.renegadeprojects.com/VeteranAbilities
​
​
VETERAN BALANCE MAPS – VETERAN STATUS UPGRADES:
Veteran Balance Map Veteran Status Upgrades and elite abilities can be found at the following link:
https://github.com/HumbleTS/Balance-Veteran-Patch/wiki/Balance-Veteran-Summary
There are two possible Veteran Status upgrades on Veteran Balance Maps:
-
Vetbal Vet Status 1: The first Veteran Status upgrade looks like two gold bars in the bottom right corner of a highlighted unit. To achieve this status, you must kill 3.5x the value of the unit.
-
Vetbal Vet Status 2: The second Veteran Status upgrade looks like a gold star in the bottom right corner of a highlighted unit. To achieve this status, you must kill 7x the value of the unit.
TIPS FOR VETBAL UPGRADED VETERAN UNITS:
Save Veteran Units: You might want to consider keeping upgraded units alive because they are better. The most important units to save are the Mammoth MK2 and the Cyborg Commando. Consider keeping these units away from enemy Sams, EMP Cannons, or other enemy base defenses.
Veteran MK2 and Commando: Harvester hunting in the middle of the map is a safer option to keep your Veteran Mammoth MK2 or Cyborg Commando alive longer. Remember that the Carryall and Subterranean APC can not be upgraded so they will be weak. If the Carryall dies while flying a MK2 or sitting on top of your MK2, your Mammoth MK2 might die too. You might want to keep a spare Carryall with full health near your MK2 at all times to switch it out.
Veteran Planes: Star planes have 50% more health so you could lead a pack of Banshee with the Star Banshee to keep all of the planes alive longer because the first Banshee gets hit most by enemy Sams. This tactic might work with other planes too, but works best with a pack of Banshee. Consider saving Veteran Status upgraded planes for destroying enemy Titans or other vehicles that are rushing to attack your base and are not protected by Sams.
​​
​
Thanks for stopping by!
​
-Kaizen