General Townes: the US Laser General

General Townes is the US laser general in Zero Hour. The Laser Tank replaces the Crusader and Paladin, a beam turret takes the Patriot's place, and Avengers get cheaper. The price you pay: the whole army depends on base power. The numbers below come from the Zero Hour INI files, version 1.04.

Who is Townes

His nickname is "Pinpoint". He is a four-star US Army general stationed at Fort Union, Redwood Shores, California. His age is not given in the bio card.

According to the card, he fights with cutting-edge laser technology. He plays a calculated game: after a defeat he promises to scan your tactics and come back with a better plan, and after a win he says your weak spots became obvious once he scanned your moves.

How Townes's army differs from the USA

The game lists his features: a new tank, a new defense turret, cheaper Avengers, Advanced Cold Fusion Reactors and no Tomahawk Missile Launchers. The Crusader and Paladin are missing from his War Factory menu too.

Compared using the Zero Hour 1.04 files:

The first row matters most. On cost, build time and health the new tank equals the Crusader, but it hits for 80 instead of 60. The turret fires at both ground and air targets like the Patriot, only harder.

Strengths

• His main tank beats similarly priced Crusaders and Battlemasters on damage.
• At 1500 the Avenger is easier to afford, so the army is better covered against aircraft.
• Reactors are cheaper, which makes the base quicker to set up.
• Base defense outdamages the standard version on every shot.

Weaknesses

• The tanks draw power from the base. If the enemy kills your reactors and power runs short, they stop firing.
• No Tomahawks, so enemy defenses have to be cracked with Microwave Tanks, aircraft and general powers.
• No heavy Paladin with missile defense, so his armor dies faster to rocket infantry.

His faction neighbors play differently: Granger has no tanks at all and cheap aircraft, and Alexander has stronger defenses and a cheap Particle Cannon. The base army is on the USA units page.

Playing Townes on a phone

Townes has one main job: keep the power up and drive the armor. On a phone it breaks down like this:

1. Main tanks in group "1", Avengers in "2". A tap on an empty slot of the group bar saves the selection.
2. A double tap on one vehicle selects all of that type on screen, handy for adding reinforcements to the group.
3. Check the power meter after every attack on your base. An extra reactor at 700 is cheaper than an army that stops shooting.

When the enemy goes for your reactors, the fastest way home is a double tap on the Avenger slot: the camera moves there by itself. Gestures are covered in detail on the controls page.

FAQ