Tips not to be (totally) owned in your first (mp) game.

[Deuzerre]

Follow this set of rules, and this might not be a humiliating defeat to start with.


Rule n°1: Capture areas. Command units (with a star) can capture objectives by standing still in them. Some areas permit reinforcements to come through (arrowed areas), and all give you points/second to spend on units. The value of the area is included in it's name (ex: Foxtrot 4 is worth four points / 5 second.)

Rule n°2: Losing Command units (CU in this guide) is a no-no. First, you have a limited number of these. If you loose too many, you won't be able to follow rule n°1. Hide them in bushes, at least. Second, they cost a lot, and that means a lot of points to the enemy when you loose one. Oh, by the way, losing all your CU causes an instant defeat. So related to that, you can permit yourself to lose some units to take one CU down.

Rule n°3: Scout! You have recon units, so use them. You will know where the enemy comes from, and have a more accurate artillery fire.

Rule n°4: Build AA! You should at least have 4 basic AA to begin with, as this would put a big dent on a full helicopter (noob) tactic, and is sufficient against moderately numbered air support.

Rule n°5: Use cover! If you put tanks in hedges, they will have an hedge (hoho) over any unit attacking them. Infantry in forest will survive long enough to shoot with their special weapons. Units are harder to spot for the enemy, and can sometimes shoot without being seen, while in cover.

Rule n°6: Don't charge in unchecked areas, and if there are enemies in that area, follow rule n°7.

Rule n°7: Reduce enemy morale before charging. Artillery isn't here to kill, it's here to panic units, so they become less efficient than your own. Some artillery units are good at both though.

Rule n°8: Always keep your units ressuplied. No supply = no shooting/repairs = loosing. Oh, and be careful, supply units can be captured if not protected. Even helicopters.

Rule n°9: Fight dirty. No war is won by playing fair. So expect the same in return.

Rule n°10: FOBs are where to ressuply your supply units. One for a small game is good. Two if you are artillery intensive (and that's a bad tactic). The number depends on the size of the game really.

Rule n°11: Cover your reinforcement lines: When a unit enters the battlefield (from arrowed areas) they can be ambushed rather easily.

Rule n°12: During the deployement phase, one should be aware that roads are faster to move on than plains, forests, bushes, hill... So deploy near roads and unse the "move fast" command at the start of a game to approach objectives.

Rule n°13: The king of the jungle (or forests for instance) is the humble infantry. Use law-type rockets to attack forests with tanks, use missile units to ambush areas from forests, and use stinger-like units to take down unsuspecting helicopters.


That's all for now, and win yerself a war!

[Edited not to "loose" it's seriousness]

[Dolemitexp]

Good tips, I'd also like to add for people to protect your FOB's. There have been a few times where I was able to destroy FOB's from range because they were either unprotected or out in the open somewhere and not in cover. FOB's are VITAL for resupplying your supply units and since you can't build them after the initial setup(at least I don't think you can), losing them is very bad. GL and HF on the battlefield!

[Deuzerre]

One of my main tactics on maps where the initial base is far behind (like the highway) is to drop some guys from a helicopter and capture the stuff behind. Worst case scenario: He recaptures them. best case scenario: He has no other supply route, and is wrecked.

[Oliolli]

Some things regarding those...

Originally Posted by Deuzerre

Rule n°1: Capture areas. Command units (with a star) can capture objectives by standing still in them.

Addendum: Try to find a good balance between reinforcement areas and command areas. Command areas are ones with a high point value, reinforcement areas are the ones you can use to bring in more troops.

Originally Posted by Deuzerre

Rule n°2: Losing Command units (CU in this guide) is a no-no. First, you have a limited number of those. If you loose too many, you won't be able to follow rule 1. Hide them in bushes, at least. Second, they cost a lot, and that means a lot of points to the enemy when you loose one. Oh, by the way, loosing all your CU causes an instant defeat.

Addendum: Focus on deestroying enemy CUs. Reasons explained earlier.

Originally Posted by Deuzerre

Rule n°4: Build AA! You should at least have 4 basic AA to begin with, as this would put a big dent on a full helicopter (noob) tactic.

One thing to mention is that it is good to have both bullet and missile-based AA. The USSR Tunguska is an extremely effective AAA unit.

Originally Posted by Deuzerre

Artillery isn't here to kill, it's here to panic units, so they become less efficient than your own.

Smerch. Your argument is invalid

Otherwise an excellent point. I've seen well organized attacks get beaten back by inferior forces simply because of artillery.

One group of ATGM infantry, one APC (no ATGMs), 4 Rolands (AA missiles only) and 4 pieces of artillery beating back 8 T-80s and a large-ish group of gunships? Artillery was max-level after that.

Then again, the artillery was the type that is capable of dealing direct fire as well. That helped.

Also brings the importance of point #9. The enemy had no resupply, I had two FOBs.

Originally Posted by Deuzerre

Rule n°8: Fight dirty.

In Finland that is Rule #1.

Originally Posted by Deuzerre

One of my main tactics on maps where the initial base is far behind (like the highway) is to drop some guys from a helicopter and capture the stuff behind.

Also good for destroying artillery. Been on both ends of that myself

[Deuzerre]

This was intended for first games. Sure, I could try develo^pping it a bit further. I tried to be as informative as possible.

And my point with artillery was made before I met concentrated MILF... I mean MRLS shots in a spread formation.

[giskarduk]

Rule 1 in playing most RTSGs online.

Build a lot of cheap units, charge the enemy, disconnect if the game takes longer than 10 minutes other wise you may miss out on the usual 6 games per hour needed to stay at the top of the league tables.

Which is why a guy like me no longer bothers with online play because it always ends up as a one tactic fight and that tactic is always rushing.

Anybody wanting to try anything different usually finds him selve alone in most RTSG games online once you start to win against a rusher... rushers bravely disconnect from longer games I found.

Skirmish is there for my prefered place to be these days. I get the type of game I like that way.

[Dolemitexp]

I don't mind if rushers disconnect. I still get the xp for the win...

[JoeCoastie]

Originally Posted by giskarduk

Rule 1 in playing most RTSGs online.

Build a lot of cheap units, charge the enemy, disconnect if the game takes longer than 10 minutes other wise you may miss out on the usual 6 games per hour needed to stay at the top of the league tables.

Which is why a guy like me no longer bothers with online play because it always ends up as a one tactic fight and that tactic is always rushing.

Anybody wanting to try anything different usually finds him selve alone in most RTSG games online once you start to win against a rusher... rushers bravely disconnect from longer games I found.

Skirmish is there for my prefered place to be these days. I get the type of game I like that way.

The problem is that rushing is easily countered in this game. Nothing like some tank destroyers in cover, firing in volleys to ruin an opponents day! I've learned that the hard way.

[Oliolli]

Originally Posted by Deuzerre

This was intended for first games. Sure, I could try develo^pping it a bit further. I tried to be as informative as possible.

And my point with artillery was made before I met concentrated MILF... I mean MRLS shots in a spread formation.

Alright, maybe it is a bit unlikely to meet multiple rocket launcher vehicles in your first few games, so you have a point there.

Then again, infantry can be easily defeated and killed by any type of artillery if used correctly.

[RKaz]

If you do use artillery, make sure to move them in, but still staying behind the main force. They will fire more accurately this way, albeit you'll have to keep constantly resupplying them when needed and they become easier prey for enemies.

ATGM squads should always be called in with at least vet 2 or higher when able, otherwise get used to watching those missiles miss their target completely.

It's a good idea to keep some supply units behind your main force just in case, it's faster than waiting for supply units to be called in. Make sure to resupply them at FOB's.

[T-1001]

Originally Posted by Dolemitexp

I don't mind if rushers disconnect. I still get the xp for the win...

Disconnections count as losses, no?

[Deuzerre]

He meant he doesn't care if an opponent rushes and leaves.

I should add: Don't worr if you loose, because it happens often".

And "Don't buy groups of costy units, put them in your cheap crap formations."

[CountBrass]

'Loose' is the opposite of tight.
'Loosing' is a synonym for releasing.


I don't normally post just to correct the odd typo- but you managed to mispell 'lose' and 'losing' every time you used it.

Shame- the only flaw in an otherwise useful post.

PS: Supply should be the top of your list
PPS: And you should probably mention something about FOBs (and not go mad an spend all your points on them as I have seen some players do).
PPPS: And you should probably mention deployment.

[Oliolli]

Originally Posted by CountBrass

'Loose' is the opposite of tight.
'Loosing' is a synonym for releasing.


I don't normally post just to correct the odd typo- but you managed to mispell 'lose' and 'losing' every time you used it.

The definitions of "loosing"

Originally Posted by CountBrass

PPPS: And you should probably mention deployment.

Also, maybe he should mention deck building.

[delastone]

Originally Posted by giskarduk

Skirmish is there for my prefered place to be these days. I get the type of game I like that way.

If only Skirmish mode worth it... HEre it is totaly sucky. Just one opponent to select I am still wondering why is that they could not let us select more AI opponent or why we cannot just make a game Humans Vs AIs (notice the plurial)