China Mission 7--5K trick no longer works?

[thereIwasnt]

Just got to China Mission 7 again. Used to be that as long as you kept below $5000 GLA wouldn't build their scud storm and you could manage the mission. Now I've set it so that I barely have $2500 when the first buildings come online but GLA is still building the scud storm. Only noticeable prereq seems to be building the Barracks. Did the code change, or is there another condition that affects when they start?

[Bob of Mage]

As far as I am aware they always build it, but instead won't launch it without you hitting the magic number. You always needed to send a strike to take it out even if you used the exploit.

[A]

Man this mission was stressful af. They just stopped attacking after an hour or so of save-scumming. I had to build two lines of defenses because once the scud storm annihilates the main line, it's all over.

[Cat]

My dude, they will always build the SCUD storm but only launches it when your money is at least $5000 when the superweapon is ready.

35 6

[Vovin]

Yeah they just won't launch unless you have more than $5000.

Just turtle up at the starting area and use Black Markets and Hackers to generate income. Use MiGs and artillery ability to destroy their defences and buildings. Also make use of Tunnel Networks to get those slowass Overlords up to their base faster.

By the way, when I beat it last week I was able to destroy their SCUD Storm with two full artillery barrages and they never rebuilt. Then you can build your own superweapons.

PS: And if you think this mission is difficult, just wait until China 3 in ZH. They removed the Carpet Bomb ability and it's a real pain.

[Legion]

Never knew that when I first cleared the mission, I just sent several squadrons of Migs for a suicide bombing mission to take out the SCUD... Resources are infinite with enough hackers trained, though this level could be a marathon using my way.