House Harkonnen lacks any sympathy for either its enemies or its own forces, and relies on brute force to accomplish their goals. Its special weapons are the most destructive pieces of technology: the Devastator, the Death Hand missile, and ex-Sardaukar mercenaries.
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.
Sardaukar (version 1.06 multiplayer only)
Cost: $200 | Prerequisites: Barracks, High-Tech Factory
Formerly aligned with the Emperor from House Corrino, Sardaukar soldiers are a force to be reckoned with, armed with powerful missile launchers that can devastate any ground vehicle, and machine guns which can mince any infantry.
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 Harkonnen 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 Harkonnen 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 Harkonnen Combat Tank is the most durable, but also the slowest.
Devastator
Cost: $1050 | Prerequisites: Heavy Factory, Ix Research Center
The Devastator, Harkonnen’s signature late game vehicle, is one of the slowest units in the game, but also the most powerful vehicle. It is armed with dual plasma cannons that can easily destroy enemy vehicles and structures. Thanks to its atomic power plant, it can be ordered to self-destruct and deal considerable damage in the blast zone, but the explosion is also set off when the Devastator is destroyed by enemy fire.
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 Harkonnen 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.
Frigate
Unbuildable
The Frigate delivers units to the Starport. It is blazing-fast and can not be controlled.