The Standard Multi-player Install [DOWNLOADS]
Total Annihilation will 'play well with others' when installed in the following order.
Total Annihilation (v1.0 or v1.1)
Install this first. The original TA disk
Multiplayer Spawn
From the original TA disk. This puts the original maps on your hard drive allowing you to play them online should you forget your CD
The Core Contingency (v3.0)
The second and largest CD release for TA by Cavedog. Contains many excellent new units and maps. You may wish to omit the mission install
Battle tactics (v3.0a)
The third CD release by Cavedog. Contains 4 new units and 6 new maps. Over 100 new missions come with this CD. The maps are quite good, although the extra units also come with the free v3.1 download
v3.1 patch (v3.1c)
The final TA patch from Cavedog (omitting the obsolete 'Boneyards' gaming service variant) is a free download. This includes the 4 new units found in Battle Tactics and improved anti-cheat code
No CD patch
Only for the above v3.1 patch. Save wear and tear on your precious TA CD, also kills startup movie for speedy game entry :)
Cavedog's Final 6 'download only' units
In the heady days of the Boneyards, prior to Cavedog's final demise, 6 final units were released.

You can download them either as a zipped single file or by downloading the original Cavedog installer files as linked on each unit's description.
Summary Final 6 units (Single ufo file and docs) 201K

Cavedog's original individual files:

Summary CORE COR-AMD1 "Hedgehog"
The anti-nuke unit for Core. Much more reliable than it's fixed cousin, and definitely no sitting target
Summary ARM ARM-AMD1 "Scarab"
Arm gains anti-nuke mobility with this great unit. Hide him under trees or upside a cliff, or just set it on patrol :)
Summary CORE COR-RES "Necro"
Brings dead units back to life. Handy after you base has been mashed, or to resurrect Arm con. units!
Summary ARM ARM-MED "FARK"
A small footprint, and high build speed means this is a great unit for guarding your plants. Also very handy to patrol the wreckage fields with
Summary CORE COR-PLAS "Immolator"
Has higher damage against against EMG units. However not very effective, and even worse vs. regular units
Summary ARM ARM-KS "Flea"
The 'Flea' is not to be underestimated. Can climb all but the steepest slopes, and is a very cheap, fast, and agile scout to improve your LOS
Cavedog's Final 13 'download only' maps
Toward the end of Cavedog's operation, 13 new maps were released. Most of them were resource laden Lush/Green World maps, perhaps reflecting the particular preferences of the map maker employed at the time.

You can download them either as the repacked and zipped single file or by downloading the original Cavedog installer files as linked on each map's description.
Summary Final 13 Maps (Single ufo file) 35M

Cavedog's original individual files:

Summary A Plethora of Ponds
18 x 18 Green World. Rich in metal patches, this world allows rapid expansion. Maintaining this momentum in the face of your enemy can be another matter ;)
Summary Abysmal Lake
16x18 Green World. A medium-large map with a swift flowing river ensuring 40e/s. Passable regions liven up game-play :)
Summary Ancient Issaquah
10 X 10 Lush world. Rough seas return a whopping 50e/s and many metal rich Oolok trees dominate the coast. Not a well balanced map, but those who rush for the resources are most amply rewarded.
Summary Cloudious Prime
20 X 20 Slate world. Huge winds dominate this island in the clouds with its giant terraced canyon. A world where the 'high ground' has new meaning.
Summary PC Games' Evad River Delta
14 X 14 Green World. Take to the seas or test your lumberjack skills? The choice could determine your fate :o
Summary Long Lakes
9 x 13 Archipelago World. Two long lakes separate three islands with good winds, tides, and heavy gravity.
Summary Luschie
16 X 16 Lush World. Lake, rivers, mountains, and plateaus dominate the landscape. Strong tides of 45e/s offset the variable winds.
Summary Luschinfloggen
8 X 10 Lush World. Find your way through the shallows into the enemy base. Reliable winds speed your expansion.
Summary Luschious
12 X 15 Lush World. Control the water or the highlands? The decision could cost you, so choose wisely.
Summary Mounds of Mars
8 X 17 Mars World. Nice little map with a ton of features to reclaim. Similar to the popular 'King of the Hill'
Summary Starfish Isle
18 x 18 Archipelago World. Big map, big resources. High winds, good tides, and metal patches for Africa. Expand... build... expand... build... OK, you geddit, now just keep up :)
Summary ThundurLok Rok
12 X 12 Lush World. Trees can fuel your speedy expansion, but those pesky central mountains should be considered with a BB in mind.
Summary Tropical Paradise
16 X 16 Archipelago World. A map with islands galore. Good but uncertain winds are balanced with strong tides making 40e/s.
TA Demo Recorder
Install the Swedish Yankspanker's game recorder.
TA Demo Recorder Update
Install the recorder updates contributed by Xon. Extract and copy to your C:\Cavedog\Totala\ folder. (Also gives TA to 1500 unit limit.)
AI enhance and LOS patch
Install the widespread McnTerra-NS file to enhance your AI, but more importantly to fix the originally broken LOS ranges of units. As this adds special AI only units it is a good idea to also have this file for watching TA Demo Recordings with "missing units" messages in the replayer game lobby. Copy to your C:\Cavedog\Totala\ folder.
Gaming Services
Finally, install a multiplayer gaming service.

GameRanger | MSN Zone, Gamespy, PhoeniX WorX, and WarZone have all closed. GameRanger is the last man standing! Thank goodness it supports TA too!