New Player Beginners Guide!

[kirk23]

I just seen this over at the Steam forum,some sound advice contained within.

As you can see Dr Duh is the guys name who wrote this guide,so thank you Dr Duh

He responded to a new player's cry for help because he was getting clobbered by the games AI.


Dr Duh.



Don't worry, it isn't just you - the game AI is definitely a challenge. I consider myself a very experienced long-time wargamer (I was playing Avalon Hill boardgames back in the '60s) and I still got my butt kicked the first several times I tried starting the game.

So first thing is don't expect a walk in the park the first time just because you pick easy settings. Do try to learn something from each defeat though and try again. I suggest alternating back and forth between the two sides and rather than just worrying about your own moves, try to pay better attention to how the AI is playing so that next round you can try to emulate it - or better yet, understand why it plays the way it does.

Some say learning the game by starting in 1914 is easier because you don't have to handle as much in the early turns - you start out with just Serbia, then add France, and then Britain and Russia. I'm not so sure that's right though - although your unit count may be lower at the start of the 1914 campaign, every single thing you do with those units has a greatly magnified importance. The situation is still fluid. The trench lines aren't established yet so you don't start from a stalemate position and even small mistakes can doom you.

Some specific tips on starting in 1914:
1) Whichever side you're starting with, say Serbia, look at where you can make a continuous front. If you don't have enough units to fill the entire line then you're going to be in big trouble fast. Either re-evaluate where you can fall back to shorten your lines, or realize you're going to need more units to plug those holes fast. The first turn or two after mobilization, most countries are going to need to spend everything on garrison units just so they won't have holes in their lines.

2) Bends in the line, or bumps in or out - the AI will want to attack at points along your line where it can bring 3 or 4 attackers to bear on a single defender. Avoid bumps that allow 4 attackers and minimize bends where you have a unit exposed to 3 attackers. Put your stronger infantry units in those vulnerable spots if you have them. Use garrison units first in bends where they only face 1 attacker, or along straight lines where they face two if you must.

3) Try to back your line with reserves spaced along it. When you get attacked, look at the result - if the damaged unit has a white 7 or 8 strength, the best thing is probably to apply replacements (2) in place. If it is a yellow 7 or 8, or 6 or below, you want to get that unit out of the line. If there is a full strength reserve directly backing it, just swap the units - then apply replacements (only 1, since you moved). If there isn't a suitable reserve directly behind the damaged unit, look down your line - see if you can shift the damaged unit out, then shift a whole section of line down one space, all the way back up to where you can pull a reserve unit into the line. Watch the AI do these things.

4) See the AI always use its fighter units to attack one of your units before a ground attack, even though it looks like it does no damage? Try it yourself on an attack. Disappointed that it did no damage and not going to bother doing that any more? Check a defender's unit card before and after your next fighter attack - hey, it lowered the defender's efficiency by 1. So always use your fighters first on your most important attacks in a turn.

5) Order of attacking units is important. Use this order: Fighters, airships, artillery, bombers, infantry, garrison. This will maximize your damage done and minimize your casualties.

[carlisimo]

Thanks, I needed that! On my second run-through as the Entente things went quite well, but I'm really struggling as the Central Powers (Balanced). I can take Belgium and Calais by winter 1914, but that's as far as I can go on that front (I haven't been able to take Verdun). I'm slowly winning in Serbia, but in Feb. 1915 I'm still grinding through it. I'm losing slightly on the Eastern Front. Really not sure what I can do... how hard is the CP campaign meant to be?

[kirk23]

Thanks, I needed that! On my second run-through as the Entente things went quite well, but I'm really struggling as the Central Powers (Balanced). I can take Belgium and Calais by winter 1914, but that's as far as I can go on that front (I haven't been able to take Verdun). I'm slowly winning in Serbia, but in Feb. 1915 I'm still grinding through it. I'm losing slightly on the Eastern Front. Really not sure what I can do... how hard is the CP campaign meant to be?

Hi carlisimo,

I'm glad the new player strategy guide was helpful,another way to learn is by watching how the AI plays,on land at least. ( At sea the AI sucks big time )

Playing as the Central Powers is harder,simply because in history they were up against it,against all the Entente alliance Countries,that said it is possible to win playing as the Central Powers.