Strategy Guide for Dune 2000 Mod

It may be hard for new players to see the difference between the 3 houses in Dune 2000 because the houses share so many units in common. The differences between the houses are their unique units and the differences between their combat tanks. The unique traits of each house are listed below.

House Atreides

Atreides' unique units:

• Grenadier [Unfortunately, for technical reasons the D2K mod does not yet support the grenadier unit.]
• Atreides Combat Tank The Atreides' combat tank's advantage is long range. It has a weapon range of 7, while other combat tanks have a range of 5. If utilized properly, its long range can be deadly. The best place to use the range advantage is when a ridge separates your units from your opponent's. You can hit the enemy from longer range, and if they come closer, just retreat a bit and then resume fire from beyond your opponent's range. Even in open desert, the longer range can be an advantage. The Atreides tank's speed is modest, but it has good rotation speed and turret rotation speed.
• Sonic Tank The Atreides' other unique vehicle is the sonic tank. It requires the Ix research center to unlock it, and it cannot be bought from the starport. Its weapon is long range and quite powerful, but the tank does not have high hitpoints, so it should stay safely away from enemy units.
• Fremen Once you get a palace, you can build the fremen infantry unit. They are invisible and have a sniper rifle, as well as a rocket launcher. Cloaked units can be detected by turrets and the outpost building.

The Atreides also get the airstrike support power after building a palace.

House Harkonnen

House Harkonnen has the advantage of being able to build a quad from its light vehicle factory early-game, without having to first build an outpost. The quad is useful against vehicles and tanks, and can be useful at harassing enemy harvesters.

Harkonnen's unique units:

• Harkonnen Combat Tank Harkonnen's combat tank is far tougher than the other houses' tanks, with 25% more hitpoints, but this at the expense of having slower speed and turning.
• Devastator Tank The Devastator tank has a powerful plasma charge that can make quick work of anything in its path and has heavy armor. It is also very slow. This unit is unlocked after building the Ix research center.
• Sardaukar These powerful heavy troopers have a machine gun that's effective against infantry, and a rocket launchers for vehicles. They are unlocked when you build the palace.
• Nuclear strike Once you build the Harkonnen palace, you get the ability to launch the Death Hand missile anywhere on the map. It takes a while to arrive at its destination, so is best suited for destroying enemy structures.

House Ordos

The Ordos rely on hit-and-run tactics with fast units, and in the late-game use special units like the deviator and saboteur.

Ordos' unique units:

• Raider Trike The raider trike is an upgraded trike that is powerful early-game unit. Costing $300 instead of the regular $250, its advantages are well worth the cost. Its gun does far more damage than regular trikes, and it is faster. The raider trike is powerful enough that it can be used early-game to harass an opponent's harvesters, even though they have heavy armor. The raider trike is also fairly effective at going toe-to-toe with quads, as long as it does not get out-ranged by the quad's longer range missiles.
• Ordos Combat Tank The Ordos combat tank's advantage is its speed, which is 50% faster than the Atreides tank, and with a fast turning rate and a fast turret. This ability is not as obviously strong as the extra range and extra hitpoints that the other houses' combat tanks get, but in the hands of a skilled player can be used to great effect. Strategically, the combat tank should be used for incessant hit-and-run attacks on vulnerable enemy targets. Its high speed allows it to keep up with faster units like the raider trike and quad. For close-in tactics, you'll want to "shoot and scoot": ideally you want to attack and retreat quickly to avoid fighting the a large enemy force all at once. The Ordos tank's high speed can be used to avoid artillery fire (as long as it keeps moving), and allows it to go around enemy lines to attack vulnerable units like artillery and light vehicles.
• Stealth Raider Trike Once you build a high-tech factory, you can build the stealth raider trike, which is simply a raider trike with an invisibility cloak. Being cloaked allows it to sneak up to enemies, uncloak and attack quickly, and then retreat again into invisibility. A large group of stealth raiders can be effective for suddenly ambushing harvesters or for infiltrating an enemy base and destroying its important buildings. Cloaked units can be detected by turrets and the outpost building.
• Deviator Tank This rocket launcher hits the opponent with a chemical agent that temporarily gives you control of the unit, which can cause havoc. It is unlocked when you build the Ix research center.
• Saboteur This is a commando unit that can be used to demolish enemy buildings quickly. It is unlocked with the palace.

The Ordos also get the airstrike support power when you build a palace.