As the noblest and most honourable among the three major houses, House Atreides allies itself with the indigenous people known as the Fremen. Its special weapons are conventional high-tech armaments: the Grenadier, the Ornithopter, and the Sonic Tank.
Infantry
Light Infantry
Cost: $50 | Prerequisites: Barracks
Armed with an assault rifle, this soldier deals reasonable damage to enemy infantry and is commonly used for early game scouting. Unless massed, Light Infantry is hardly useful for anything else.
Trooper
Cost: $90 | Prerequisites: Upgraded Barracks
Capable of damaging armoured units, these infantrymen make up for their lack of speed with a powerful punch. In addition to dealing with ground targets, their missiles are also effective against airborne attackers. While their rockets are ineffective against infantry, they deal splash damage in a small radius and suppress them.
Engineer
Cost: $400 | Prerequisites: Upgraded Barracks
Engineers are used to capture enemy buildings or repair friendly ones. Since they carry no weapons, they are extremely vulnerable on the battlefield and must be directed very carefully. Engineers are very slow.
Thumper Infantry (multiplayer only)
Cost: $200 | Prerequisites: Upgraded Barracks
Thumper infantry is used for directing sandworms to their location.
Grenadier (version 1.06 multiplayer only)
Cost: $80 | Prerequisites: Upgraded Barracks, High-Tech Factory
The Grenadier has a longer range and more destructive power than regular infantry. In groups, Grenadiers are effective against heavily armoured units and structures. Their grenades deal splash damage in a small radius and suppress nearby infantry.
Fremen
Cost: free | Cooldown: ? | Prerequisites: Palace
The native people of Arrakis. They are stealthed when not attacking or near enemy infantry, and are effective against all ground targets.
Vehicles
Harvester
Cost: $1200 | Prerequisites: Refinery, Heavy Factory
This armour-plated vehicle seeks out and scoops up Spice, then transports it to a Refinery for processing. It is slow and unwieldy and will need to be protected. However, it is well-armoured and can take a beating until reinforcements arrive, and can crush infantry if the need arises. It can be transported to the Refinery and back to the Spice field by a Carryall.
Trike
Cost: $300 | Prerequisites: Light Factory
Fast and lightly armoured, this unit is ideal for scouting an area quickly. Used as a support unit for an infantry squad, the Trike can soften up the enemy before a direct confrontation occurs.
Quad
Cost: $400 | Prerequisites: Upgraded Light Factory
The basic Atreides anti-armour vehicle. Fast and decently armoured, the Quad works well in mixed groups, and also in large divisions. What it lacks in firepower, it makes up for in speed and rate of fire.
Combat Tank
Cost: $700 | Prerequisites: Heavy Factory
The higher-grade Atreides Tank, sturdier and with more firepower than the Quad. Used in groups with other vehicles, the Combat Tank can draw fire while the Quads destroy the threat. Among the Combat Tanks of all three houses, the Atreides Combat Tank is in the middle ground in both speed and health.
Sonic Tank
Cost: $1000 | Prerequisites: Heavy Factory, Ix Research Center
The Sonic Tank, Atreides’ signature late game vehicle, fires a powerful sonic wave at its target, that is effective against infantry and lightly armoured vehicles. However, it causes friendly fire if friendly units are caught between the Sonic Tank and its actual target.
Siege Tank
Cost: $700 | Prerequisites: Upgraded Heavy Factory
Very effective, if somewhat inaccurate, the Siege Tank can devastate infantry and structures from afar. Its slow speed and light armour require that it be protected.
Mobile Construction Vehicle (MCV)
Cost: $2000 | Prerequisites: Upgraded Heavy Factory, Repair Pad
As you will see in the section on Atreides buildings, the heart of every base is the Construction Yard. When deployed, this vehicle becomes a Construction Yard, providing you with all of the benefits of that building. To deploy an MCV, select the vehicle and hold the cursor over it. If the cursor changes to a white circle with four arrows, left-clicking on it will deploy the vehicle. If the cursor has a red circle with a line through it, there is either not enough room to deploy or something is in the way. Move the vehicle (or the offending object) to find a suitable deployment site. The MCV must be protected at all costs.
Missile Tank
Cost: $900 | Prerequisites: Upgraded Heavy Factory, Ix Research Center (for Starport)
This fast missile-armed vehicle is effective against vehicles and aircraft, but is vulnerable to infantry due to its poor armour.
Aircraft
Carryall
Cost: $1100 | Prerequisites: High-Tech Factory
Able to transport a ground vehicle through the air, the Carryall is ideal for assault teams in or out of an enemy base. If assigned to a Harvester, it will actively transport it from a Spice field to the Refinery and back.
Ornithopter
Cost: free | Cooldown: ? | Prerequisites: Upgraded High-Tech Factory
The Atreides possess not only the fastest unit in the game, but also the only combatant aircraft. The Ornithopter drops bombs right to targets right beneath it, which are effective against large groups of infantry.
Frigate
Unbuildable
The Frigate delivers units to the Starport. It is blazing-fast and can not be controlled.