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I remember playing this game back in 1994-5 or so when my friend first picked it up.

I remember a sneaky method of using the slabs of concrete as a trail up to the enemy base or as close as possible and then putting something sneaky there. Can't remember what i did exactly!

Rocket- or machinegun-turrets, what else?

[Red Sandwich]

I downloaded this game from here about a week ago but rapidly ran into the problem of the copy protection questions. I didn't find the manual too much help for answering these because at this early stage of the game you don't always know what is the building or unit which is shown on the screen and about which the program asks you a question. After a fair bit of searching on the Net I eventually found a "Hints" file which had descriptions of the pictures and the answers to the possible questions. Very useful - it ought to be available here. I have a copy if the people running this site would like to add it to the Dune 2 downloads.

This game is so like Command & Conquer. It even uses the very same sound clips for the vocal responses that you get from units when giving them orders. It also has the same silly things that can make a scenario so hard to finish off. These include the fact that whenever you destroy one of the computer's buildings it seems to get full cash credit for it and so promptly puts up other buildings or generates a swarm of new units. Also the computer's own "magic cash" machine which allows the computer to carry on repairing buildings even after you have destroyed all refineries and silos.

Does anyone know if there is anything that you can do about the sand worms? I've just had a scenario come to a complete standstill as five consecutive harvesters, together with almost full spice loads, were consumed by the worms. As my base was under attack by Ordos throughout this period I soon ran out of credits and the repair state of some buildings became perilously low.

[gregor]

isn't this a cracked version? i eman you can put anything in the box and progress in game.

you mean C&C is like Dune 2

yeah sandworms you have two options. one is to kill them. the other one is to feed them.

if you want to kill them you have somehow make them follow your trike or somehting and when trike is on safe ground stard pounding the worm.

another solution is to get some cheap units (trikes or infantry) and feed them to the worm. once the worm eats enough it will dissapear. beware as there is usually more than one worm.

later in stage i suggest you to use carryall thing, because it will transport your haverster safe and quickly from and to your base.

Sandworms can be killed!!
Well enough so as they go away!!

When a Sandworm appears, move all your units on the concrete (base terrain)!
The sandworm should stop moving!! or may chase the enemy!!

If it stops then you can easily target it with your tanks! when it get below half health it disappers!!
If it is too far away to target, entice it close to the edge of your base by moving just onto the sand, hell move closer, then move back onto the solid terrain before he eats you!!!

Now kill IT!

If you know where they are at the start of the game, you can go find them, lead them back to base and kill them!!

I think some levels have two worms!!

[Red Sandwich]

Thanks folks for all the suggestions. I was at that stage using the Carryall to ferry my Harvesters but all five were consumed by the worms while the Harvesters were in the process of actually harvesting. I'm also not sure of the idea of feeding the worms. What I failed to mention in my previous post was that they had also taken two Trikes, two Quads and at least one Tank - I suspect that it may have been more than one.

Anyway I've subsequently tried shooting them, first with a Quad (which didn't last long before it was consumed) and then with a standard tank. The tank was also eventually consumed but I guess it must have caused fatal damage as a little later I got the screen shake and the death roar of the worm.

I eventually completed that scenario at my third attempt (just). On my second attempt I didn't build a rocket tower early enough and had my refinery taken out (while I had zero credit) by an Ordos Ornithopter which fired missiles into it until it vanished in a ball of flame.

On the third attempt I discovered that Ordos rocket towers fire further than the Harkonnen ones. They cannot be safely taken out by rocket tanks as I was doing previously. That makes it very hard to attack an Ordos base. I scraped home with zero credit and by using my last tank to destroy two wind traps, shielding it from a nearby tower by hiding it behind one of my harvesters.

I've also just tried the next scenario (warning: spoiler). This started quietly enough but after a while was subjected to an almost contanst stream of both Harkonnen and Ordos armour and heavy infantry which rapidly overcame my defences and then obliterated my base. :angry:

This scenario is going to take a bit of brainwork to try and think of a way of dealing with such an attack (unless of course the scenarion is not supposed to be winable.)

[gregor]

Originally posted by Red Sandwich@Mar 8 2006, 02:36 AM
Thanks folks for all the suggestions. I was at that stage using the Carryall to ferry my Harvesters but all five were consumed by the worms while the Harvesters were in the process of actually harvesting. I'm also not sure of the idea of feeding the worms. What I failed to mention in my previous post was that they had also taken two Trikes, two Quads and at least one Tank - I suspect that it may have been more than one.

Anyway I've subsequently tried shooting them, first with a Quad (which didn't last long before it was consumed) and then with a standard tank. The tank was also eventually consumed but I guess it must have caused fatal damage as a little later I got the screen shake and the death roar of the worm.

I eventually completed that scenario at my third attempt (just). On my second attempt I didn't build a rocket tower early enough and had my refinery taken out (while I had zero credit) by an Ordos Ornithopter which fired missiles into it until it vanished in a ball of flame.

On the third attempt I discovered that Ordos rocket towers fire further than the Harkonnen ones. They cannot be safely taken out by rocket tanks as I was doing previously. That makes it very hard to attack an Ordos base. I scraped home with zero credit and by using my last tank to destroy two wind traps, shielding it from a nearby tower by hiding it behind one of my harvesters.

I've also just tried the next scenario (warning: spoiler). This started quietly enough but after a while was subjected to an almost contanst stream of both Harkonnen and Ordos armour and heavy infantry which rapidly overcame my defences and then obliterated my base. :angry:

This scenario is going to take a bit of brainwork to try and think of a way of dealing with such an attack (unless of course the scenarion is not supposed to be winable.)

1st - you must have your tank (rocket launcher ) on solid ground when you shoot the worm. that way they (your tanks) can't be eaten.

2nd- if you ever saw movie or read the book then you would know that worms respond to surface movements. so haversters are actually attracting them. that's why you need to keep an eye on them and try to remove them at the right time.

3rd - here is a hint - the enemies might not attack you until you build a refinery (that will be first wave). once you build it and succesfully divert enemy attack (use turrets ot help you) wait a bit untill you get a little bit more money (build a silo and save it a bit more). then build turret defence first (and wall) and only then build the heavy weapons factory. because once you put it there you will encounter second wave of attack (by that i mean large forces attacking you). this time they will attack the heavy weapons factory. since you know that you can predict where they will go and build either turrets along the road or near the factory itself. if you have some money saved you can easilly and fast build the tanks.

4th - if configuraiton of terain allows you put some bazzoka soldiers on high ground (brown area) because tanks won't be able to get to them and the can shoot at tanks.

5th - worms are tough. and even with special artreides wepon you will need a few to actually kill them. that's why i usually feed them at lower stage. and also i try to take my havester off at the right time. so the worm consumes either enemy tanks trying to destroy my harvester or the worm is attracted by computer harvester and is eating them instead of mine.

[Red Sandwich]

Many thanks for the additional advice which I found useful. I managed to complete that mission; I found that the palace was essential to my victory.

The fist wave of attacks on my base wasn't triggered by construction of a refinery. It didn't happen until I had build a repair centre. I don't know if that was causative or simply a coincidence but attacks seemed to be aimed at that building. At that point I has also built wind traps (X2), radar outpost, refinery, small vehicle factory, silos and canon turrets (X3). I think that the large vehicle factory was the last building that I erected. It did cause an additional wave of attacks and was demolished once.

Eventually I scraped home with zero cash but a few units to spare.

Now comes the last mission. I've tried this three times so far without success. The problem with this one is that it doesn't matter how good your base's defences are - if they are sufficient then you can get through the first wave of attacks without too much difficulty - it's the Death Hand missiles which are the real problem. As far as I know, you can do nothing to defend against them and if one hits your construction yard then you are completely stuffed. On my last attempt the very first missile hit the bulls-eye.

[gregor]

ah there is a trick in Dune 2 with missiles.

speed up the game and they will loose accuracy, slow down the game speed and the will gain accuracy.

so when you hear the death missile approaching speed up the game and hopefully it won't be a direct hit, but a miss or damage some not so important structures. save often and reaload if they destroyed your base.

no other way but luck in this one.

once you gain sufficient forces use them to destroy their palace as fast as possible.

[Red Sandwich]

Thanks for the suggestions.

However, I was running the game on the fast setting and the missiles were still accurate enough to hit my construction yard. Also, re: the MCV. I considered that as a possible solution but there's a problem with it. In this scenario you start with fewer credits (I think it's probably 1000) which doesn't get you very far. Specifically I think I was able to build a refinery, wind traps (X2), radar outpost and about 5 rocket turrets. The latter also required harvested ore to complete them. Then the raids started: first a Death Hand missile and immediately after, hordes if tanks and infantry and further missile strikes. So I had no factories at all and from that point on all credit obtained by my one harvester went on repairing the damage which was being caused to the base. Sadly, attepting to build an MCV just wasn't possible.

Surviving the start of the last scenario really does just seem to be a matter of luck!

(Unless anyone has found an alternative approach - other than cheating).