ShockWave is a Generals Zero Hour mod by SWR Productions that reworks the generals so each one plays more differently, and adds three new ones. The last public version, 1.201, came out in March 2016, and you can download it from ModDB and the mod's official site. It's free and installs on top of Zero Hour 1.04.
What ShockWave adds
The authors set out to make Zero Hour more interesting without breaking what it is. The sides are the same: USA, China and GLA. But in ShockWave your choice of general matters much more than in the original. Each one has its own set of units and tricks, and you have to learn each of them from scratch.
What's inside:
- three new generals: Deathstrike, Ironside and Leang;
- over a hundred new units, plus new buildings, upgrades and maps;
- its own sounds and music, new weapon effects;
- fixes for bugs in the original game;
- a higher camera, so you see more of the battlefield.
The authors call ShockWave one of the most stable mods for Zero Hour. They spent about five years on version 1.0. Project lead The_Hunter is best known in the community for ShockWave, and he later relaunched Rise of the Reds.
ShockWave versions
| Version | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 0.95 | Before 2008 | Early version, received patch 0.951 |
| 1.0 | Nov 24, 2010 | First full release after five years of work |
| 1.1 | Mar 16, 2011 | Windows Vista and 7 compatibility, a separate installer-free build for Mac |
| 1.2 | Mar 16, 2016 | Anniversary release for the project's 11th birthday |
| 1.201 | Mar 18, 2016 | Fixed crashes in Generals' Challenge. Latest public version |
| 1.3 | Beta | Played at the Zero Hour anniversary in 2021; available through the SWR community server |
If you search for a ShockWave download without a version number, it's almost always 1.201 you'll find.
ShockWave download and install
There are two official pages: the mod's site, shockwave.swr-productions.com, and its ModDB page. The "ShockWave Version 1.201" file there is a full release, so you don't need to install 1.2 first.
Install order from the authors:
- Generals.
- Zero Hour.
- The Zero Hour 1.04 patch. If you have The First Decade, skip this step: 1.04 is already included.
- ShockWave.
If the mod starts acting up, the authors recommend a clean reinstall: uninstall ShockWave, delete the leftover folder by hand, then install again. Get the game itself legally; see where to get the Generals files.
ShockWave Chaos
People often search for ShockWave Chaos alongside the main mod, but it's a separate add-on from other authors. It requires ShockWave 1.201 and adds its own .big file. The idea is a joke: make the game so unbalanced that the balance comes back on its own. It's still maintained, with the latest update on ModDB dated August 31, 2026.
ShockWave Chaos won't run on its own. Install the main mod first, then the add-on.
ShockWave or Rise of the Reds
Both mods come from SWR Productions and share the SWR.net online service. ShockWave stays closer to the original: the three familiar sides, but with deeper generals. Rise of the Reds adds Russia and the European alliance and changes the rules more. If you love Zero Hour and its generals as they are, start with ShockWave.
Multiplayer
Since 2015, ShockWave and Rise of the Reds have shared the SWR.net online service. The ShockWave showmatches at the Zero Hour anniversary in September 2021 were played on the 1.3 beta, not 1.201. So if you plan to play online, ask the SWR community first which build people are actually using. For games against the AI, public 1.201 is enough.
ShockWave on a phone
We haven't run ShockWave on Android yet. We've tested Contra 009 Final (see Contra 009 on your phone) and Contra 007. Tell the bot you want ShockWave 1.201, and we'll test it. It would load like the other mods: the ShockWave folder as the game folder, the original Generals separately. All mods and their status are collected on the mods page.
FAQ
What's the latest ShockWave version?
Public 1.201 from March 2016. There's also a 1.3 beta that circulates in the SWR community, but it isn't on ModDB.
Is ShockWave still being updated?
No new public versions have come out since 2016. Players ask about updates in the ModDB comments, but the authors haven't given a date.
Do I need the original Generals?
Yes. Per the authors' instructions, you install Generals first, then Zero Hour, the 1.04 patch, and only then ShockWave. It's the same on a phone: ZeroFront asks for the original Generals folder separately.
Will ShockWave run on Android?
We haven't tested it. Message the bot, we'll try it and reply. Mods already proven on a phone: Contra 009 Final and Contra 007.
Check Zero Hour and mods on your own phone in the bot @generals_mobile_bot: the first 24 hours are free.