| Mission | Walkthrough | Gallery | Changelog |
| “ | Intel acquired from the Chinese Military HQ in Shanghai reveals to the Soviets the existence of a fully automatic siege machine and an array of Iron Curtain-based weapons are being developed by a research division led by China's scientist, Yunru. On site, the Soviets find out the weapons are already operational. | ” |
| —Mission description |
Operation: Thread of Dread is the eighth Soviet Act Two campaign mission.
Briefing[]
While we won't be able to hold Shanghai for long, the intel acquired from the Chinese Military HQ in Shanghai has been most enlightening. Their lead scientist, Yunru, has stationed herself with her fellow researchers in the disputed land of Kashmir to work on a plethora of weapons for the Chinese army. Among these appears to be a fully automatic siege machine, which was going to be used to conquer our territories in the east, and perhaps even storm Moscow itself. The recovered documents state, that this branch of their industry was supposed to give the Chinese their own technologically advanced independent army, fully divorced from the Soviet equipment. Not limited to just EMP or cybernetics, this army would heavily rely on the experimental nanotech we've uncovered previously in Xinjiang, as well as elements of the weather manipulation tech, which apparently the Kanegawa Industries have provided to the Chinese research divisions.
This information confirms our suspicions about their true intentions and the deceptive nature of their ongoing research. Since our forces are still stationed in Shanghai, you will be tasked with a Confederation unit deployed to demolish the facility. As this appears to be the main hub for all of their developments, the primary facility building, referred to as a Mainframe, must be captured so we can acquire their advanced technologies. This operation should be rather straightforward and clean-cut, but who knows what tricks Yunru will has up her sleeve..
Objective 1: Destroy the Centurion Siege Crawler.
Objective 2: Kill Yunru.
Objective 3: Capture the Mainframe.
Objective 4: Destroy the enemy bases.
Events[]
Establishing a foothold[]
The Soviet General acquires his Mobile Construction Vehicle but before he starts to construct his base of operations, he finds himself being pit with not just one but two more opponents: Epsilon forces and Chinese forces. With Epsilon present on the battlefield, he knows that this will not be easy. First, with two Epsilon bases surrounding him; this will put him on trouble. Second, multiple EMP Control Stations are deployed in the area, posing a problem for his armored strike forces. Third, Yunru has falsified multiple informations so this will also be more problematic for the General himself to handle the problem as there are more hindrances that escalates as time passes by. Finally, the presence of four Tactical Nuke Silos. The General himself had no other choice but to face the wrath of both parties head on. Moments later, Morales arrives via Drakuv and lends the General a helping hand. Not long enough, the Soviet high command decided to deploy a Stalin's Fist on Kashmir to provide advanced deployment of armored divisions on the battlefield anywhere so it will be easier for the general to mass produce vehicles and strike at enemy bases with ease.
The long hunt[]
Two squads of Saboteurs were later deployed to jeopardize the Chinese operation. Furthermore, Tactical Nuclear Silos are starting to arm themselves one by one, targeting both Epsilon and Confederation parties. Despite this, the Soviet General himself pay no attention although Epsilon Basilisks are now providing too much bothersome for him to the point he has to fortify more anti-air defenses on his base.
IT'S A TRAP!![]
With the Mainframe captured, the Soviet General realized that there was now hope for the Russians in their struggle against the traitor Yuri. However, Yunru and the Centurion is nowhere to be found, although the General thought that the Epsilon might have destroyed it and captured her.
Just as it seemed the battle was over, the General received a transmission from an unknown source, possibly Yunru herself:
| “ | You will never take my home. | ” |
Seconds later, a MIDAS warhead – that the Chinese had somehow acquired for their own use – inside the Mainframe detonates, vaporizing the facility along the Confederation, Chinese and Epsilon forces in a flash of nuclear fire. Fortunately the General survived, although Morales was among those who perished in the MIDAS' detonation.
Aftermath[]
| “ | The last MIDAS revealed itself; not lost, but stolen by the Chinese, hidden under the Mainframe. Yunru's, Morales' and lives of many were taken by this suicidal act, which buried the advanced tech and the Centurion in the ground. All of this cost us way too much.. | ” |
| —Battlefield report |
It turns out that the Chinese did not actually destroy the last MIDAS warheads during the Sino-Russian conflict two years earlier, but rather stole it for their own use. With the destruction of the Kashmir facility through Yunru's reckless "fail-deadly" move that costs countless lives on all sides, including her own, China's remaining advanced technologies as well as the Centurion is lost forever (or so what the Soviet General believes).
The so-called Chinese campaign becomes the biggest blunder the Soviets ever made that they have to pay dearly with their insurmountable losses and Morales' untimely demise during the operation, although at least they didn't return empty-handed, since the Soviets managed to salvage some of China's technologies they tried to covet, such as Cyborg Vanguards and upgrades for Chitzkoi. With these, the Soviets began to refocus their attention towards Yuri and the Epsilon Army, discovering a space transportation facility on Sweden in the process.
Unbeknownst to the Soviets and the Epsilon, the destruction of the Kashmir facility, which is known as the "Home" base to Yunru – who turned out to be alive and well after escaping with the Centurion prior to the Soviets' attack, also erases any traces that could link her to "the master plan", which she starts to set into motion after an artificial intelligence comes online...
Difficulty changes[]
Casual[]
- Starting credits: 100,000
- Enemy AI's attack intensity is the lowest.
- Countdown of enemy EM Pulse is 14:00.
- Pack Attack support power used by the Revolt and China has the longest cooldown.
- Removed all Flak Cannons, Sensor Towers, and numerous Tesla Coils inside the Revolt's home base.
- Removed a large number of the Revolt's stationary units in the home base, including most Iron Dragons.
Normal[]
- Starting credits: 75000
- Enemy AI's attack intensity is medium.
- Countdown of enemy EM Pulse is 12:00.
- Pack Attack support power used by the Revolt and China has medium cooldown.
- Removed numerous Tesla Coils inside the Revolt's home base.
- Chinese troops will send more Dragonflies, Terror Drones and Qilin Tanks to attack.
- The Revolt will send Eradicators and Iron Dragons to attack.
- After 20 minutes passed, the enemy will dispatch Demolition Truck team protected by Invulnerability to attack.
- More Dragonflies will guard the Revolt's home base.
Mental[]
- Starting credits: 60000
- Enemy AI's attack intensity is the highest.
- Countdown of enemy EM Pulse is 10:00.
- Pack Attack support power used by the Revolt and China has the shortest cooldown.
- The Revolt will send large amount of Eradicators and Iron Dragons to attack.
- After 20 minutes passed, the enemy will dispatch Demolition Truck team protected by Invulnerability to attack.
- More Dragonflies and Iron Dragons will guard the Revolt's home base.
- Chinese forces will send a large number of Kirov Airships to destroy Epsilon and player's production structures.
- Massive Demolition Trucks will rush towards player's Construction Yard after 85 minutes passed.
Easter egg[]
Infiltrate the house protected by Windbelts in Yunru's base can get a full map reveal.
Behind the scenes[]
- Prior to version 3.3.4, this mission was the only one where stolen tech units could be built: in this case Iron Dragons, which were unlocked by capturing a Chinese Atomheart or building one using a captured Chinese Construction Yard.
Trivia[]
- If the fog of war is removed using cheats, it can be seen that the Centurion left the battlefield through a tunnel as soon as the mission began.
- Speakers that play the sound of the Centurion's footsteps are present on the map, creating the illusion that it is still on the battlefield.
- The map of this mission is similar to a Fortress mode map called Stronghold Prime. The map's name and layout, as well as the design of this mission are similar to Siege of Temple Prime mission in Tiberium Wars.
