Command & Conquer Red Alert 3: Defend the Archipelago

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Alright, let's dive into the 'Defense of the Archipelago' mission in Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3. This one can be a bit tricky, so pay attention! It's set on Apocalypse Mountain and classified as Medium difficulty. Your main opponent is Moskvin, playing as the Soviets. You'll unlock the Tesla Trooper and some fun challenges like 'Where Satellites go to die' after this. The key twist here is that Moskvin's forces get tougher each time you destroy one of his bases, so you'll need to be smart about how you approach them. The mission requires you to have completed 'Blood Feud' first, and the par time to beat is 11 minutes and 15 seconds. The guide suggests anti-infantry weapons are your best friend here, so keep that in mind!

Walkthrough

1
First things first, get a Barracks up and running. Then, make sure you capture all three nearby Ore Nodes. You'll also want to send an Engineer up the mountain to capture the Oil Derricks you can see from your starting position. Once that's done, start building some Anti-Infantry Defenses around your base.
2
The main threat is coming from the east, so start building up a solid force of infantry to deal with Moskvin's initial assaults. Alongside your infantry, begin producing some Anti-Infantry Armour and then some Tanks.
3
Your first target should be the southwest outpost. Use your Armour units to punch through Moskvin's defenses, and then focus on destroying his Barracks. After that, take out his Construction Yard – this will force him to withdraw from that area. As you take over his outposts, make sure to secure the Ore Nodes he was using.
4
Once the southwest is clear, repeat the same process for the northwest outpost.
5
Finally, move on to the eastern outposts. Be aware that Moskvin's last base will fight back fiercely, so be prepared to destroy every last structure he has left.

Faction-Specific Tips:

As the Soviets: The Sentry Gun is fantastic against Moskvin's raiders; two should be enough to defend each flank. For infantry combat, the Sickle is a top choice thanks to its leaping ability. If a Super Reactor gets damaged and starts hurting your units, use the Leech Beam to repair your Hammer Tanks – it also outranges the Super Reactor's blast radius.
As the Allies: The Multigunner Turret isn't the best here. Instead, focus on building plenty of Peacekeepers and Attack Dogs to hold off Moskvin's forces. Your Engineers can heal damaged soldiers, which is super useful. When Tanya becomes available, she's a powerhouse for taking down mass attacks and Moskvin's outposts. Cyro Legionnaires can also significantly weaken his militia units.
As the Imperials: The Defender-VX is decent, but it takes time to deploy. Make sure to escort each Defender with a few Imperial Warriors. A Sudden Transport loaded with Tankbusters or Engineers can be a great way to sneak past Moskvin's troops and surprise his bases. Just remember to have some aircraft to disguise the transport as an Ore Collector!

Pro-Tip from VX4:

Here's a speedrun strategy: Moskvin doesn't retreat with his MCV from Engineers. Build two Barracks, train five Dogs or Bears, and park them in front of all hostile Barracks. They're fast enough to reach their targets before Moskvin builds too many Conscripts and will rank up quickly. Be careful in the northern base, as the Barracks is close to a Refinery, and the Ore Collector might try to crush your unit. After scouting, build five Engineers and send them into all five Construction Yards. Sell the Construction Yards and capture the respective Barracks with the Engineer you get from the sale. The first four bases will then surrender and sell all their buildings. In the last base, you'll need to use additional Engineers to capture the remaining structures. Remember to be quick, or he'll build Super Reactors and Tesla Troopers, which your Dogs/Bears can't handle.

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>Defense of the Archipalego<