| Unit | Old version(s) | Quotes | Gallery | Changelog |
| “ | How 'bout some action?! | ” |
| —A GI ready to fight |
The G.I. (Government Issue) is the basic infantry of the Allies. Armed with a rather weak machine pistol, they can deploy to use a machine gun which has increased damage and range, making them more useful in defense rather than offense. They can also garrison structures.
Official description[]
The Government Issue unit, or G.I. for short, is the standard infantry for the Allied ground assault troops. They are equipped with a machine pistol and a powerful DSR-80 machine gun in order to mow down enemy soldiers. Unfortunately, the DSR-80 produces far too much recoil to be used on the move. The biggest drawback however was that G.I.s were very vulnerable to enemy fire when using it.
This glaring vulnerability was solved by issuing sandbags to G.I.'s and training in using them for personal protection. The effects were immediate as casualties dropped sharply. This technique was improved and utilized for the Guardian G.I. anti-armor infantry divisions to great effect as well. For even more protection, G.I.s are trained in fortifying civilian structures to protect them from enemy fire.[1]
Overview[]
For a detailed list of changes from the original game, click here.
The G.I. is the basic Allied infantry unit. Slow and only capable of dealing light damage, G.I.s are nonetheless necessary because of their low cost and ability to deploy a ring of sandbags.
The machine gun platform in deployed mode offers increased range and firepower, dealing impressive bonus damage against light vehicles and infantry. In entrenched positions, they can be useful for defending against early rushes. While deployed however, the G.I. is unable to move. Contrary to the unit description, the sandbags offer no additional protection, and can still be easily crushed by heavy armor. On the other hand, an inferior machine pistol is equipped while undeployed. Engaging enemies in this mode would often result in heavy losses.
When loaded into an IFV, it gains stronger firepower against infantry. Furthermore, G.I.s have the ability to garrison structures, thus greatly improving their combat potential, especially when combined with Guardian G.I.s.
Conscripts have a hard time closing the distance against a squad of deployed G.I.s, as their better range and damage helps them make short work of them and other infantry on the move. Initiates and Knightframes will fare better against deployed G.I.s, especially when massed.
In large groups, G.I.s can also pose a decent threat to enemy armor provided they aren't anti-infantry vehicles. Paired with Guardian G.I.s, they can be effective against many ground troops. Unfortunately, dedicated anti-infantry units such as Pyros and Duneriders will wipe them out by the dozens no matter how large their numbers are, so an Allied commander cannot rely on them alone to hold a position. G.I.s are also very vulnerable to specialized anti-infantry units, such as SEALs, Desolators/Eradicators, Viruses and Huntresses since all the aforementioned units outrange them by default.
AI behavior[]
GIs controlled by the AI will only deploy if they are ordered to guard or patrol their friendly base. Once deployed, GIs will only undeploy if moving to another structure as part of its patrol path, or their target is out of range but only if they were attacked first. The second case often happens if an offensive support power is used against deployed GIs.
GIs controlled by the AI have the following attack patterns:
All difficulties[]
- 2x guarding Prism Towers, Gun Turrets and Pillboxes, accompanied by 1 Attack Dog and 3 Guardian GIs
- This task force will only be constructed if a Tech Center is not present
- 2x guarding friendly base, accompanied by 2 Attack Dogs and 3 Guardian GIs
- This task force will only be constructed if a Tech Center is not present
- 3x targeting vehicles, accompanied by 4 Guardian GIs
- This task force will only be constructed if an Arsenal Depot is not present
- 4x targeting infantry, accompanied by 2 Attack Dogs
- This task force will only be constructed if an Air Force Command Headquarters is not present
- 4x guarding Allied Barracks or Allied War Factory, accompanied by 2 Attack Dogs and 4 Guardian GIs
- This task force will only be constructed if a Tech Center is not present
- 5x garrisoning structures, accompanied by 5 Guardian GIs
- 6x targeting infantry, accompanied by 2 Attack Dogs
- This task force will only be constructed if an Arsenal Depot is not present
Medium/Hard[]
- 1x loaded inside a Stryker IFV, Archon AMC or Tsurugi
Appearances[]
Special Ops[]
- The GI first appears in Archetype as an enemy.
Act One[]
- GI first appears in Red Dawn Rising as a trainable unit, at the beginning of the Third Great War.
- In Peacekeeper and Shipwrecked, Initiate survivors that emerge from player's buildings are replaced by GIs.
Origins[]
- In Tainted Empire, Knightframe survivors that emerge from player's buildings are replaced by GIs; in The Great Beyond, survivors from Allied buildings are replaced by GIs.
Assessment[]
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
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Behind the scenes[]
- In the vanilla game, GIs have an unused selected quote, “Who’s next?”. This quote was restored in Mental Omega.
See also[]
External links[]
GI on the Command & Conquer Wiki
