Veterancy

Veterancy is the term used to describe unit promotion. By default there are two such levels, the first being 'veteran' followed by 'elite'. Units attain promotions by destroying objects, until the cumulative unit cost of destroyed enemies exceeds the units own Cost multiplied by VeteranRatio.

Each promotion level reached modifies the properties of the unit, according to the following multipliers found under the [General] section:

• VeteranCombat
• VeteranSpeed
• VeteranSight
• VeteranArmor
• VeteranROF
• VeteranCap

In Red Alert 2

When a unit reaches its full promotion to 'elite', the unit will switch to use ElitePrimary and EliteSecondary weapons if it has them. If only one of those is present, the main Primary or Secondary weapon will be used for the other. The above multipliers will then cumulatively increase the effectiveness of the weapon upgrade, potentially making 'elite' level vehicles quite fearsome.

When achieving the first level of promotion, a sound effect defined by UpgradeVeteranSound will play, and upon the second level promotion UpgradeEliteSound will play instead. However in RA2/YR at least, the sound effect used by default is the same for both, unless substituted by a mod.

The unit will also flash brightly when promoted to 'elite' for a number of frames specified by EliteFlashTimer in [AudioVisual].

In Yuri's Revenge

Unlike in base RA2, units can gain experience towards their promotion for their kills, while garrisoned. Infantry will accumulate points towards that promotion, but they will be held in reserve until the unit evacuates (un-garrisons) the building, only then will they receive the promotion they earned.

Gaining New Abilities

When promoted from base to 'veteran' level, a unit is also granted a list of explicit abilities defined by the VeteranAbilities list, if present in the unit code. For the second stage promotion it will gain what's in EliteAbilities. The following abilities can be specified:

• FASTER (speed multiplier)
• STRONGER (armor multiplier)
• FIREPOWER (damage multiplier)
• ROF (fire rate multiplier)
• CRUSHER (adds crushing ability regardless of SpeedType)
• C4 (receives C4 planting ability, if weapon arrangement allows it)
• SCATTER (auto-scatter when attacked by vehicles with StupidHunt or AutoCrush)
• GUARD_AREA (equivalent to DefaultToGuardArea)
• SIGHT (sight range multiplier)
• SELF_HEAL (equivalent to SelfHealing)
• FEARLESS (Infantry will not go prone when attacked)
• EXPLODES (Infantry will not use normal death Sequence)
• RADAR_INVISIBLE (mini-map will not show unit to enemies)
• CLOAK (equivalent to Cloakable)
• SENSORS (reveals cloaked units nearby)
• TIBERIUM_HEAL (used by Harvesters to regain health while on Tiberiums)
• TIBERIUM_PROOF (won't take damage on Tiberium, irrelevant in RA2)
• VEIN_PROOF (won't take damage on Weeds, irrelevant in RA2)

Bugs/Side-Effects/Unexpected Limitations

VeteranAbilities and EliteAbilities don't stack, that is when promoted to 'elite' the unit will gain only new traits specified in EliteAbilities, not double the effect of traits duplicated in VeteranAbilities.