UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; U; PPC Mac OS X Mach-O; en-US; rv:1.7.8) Gecko/20050511 Firefox/1.0.4 IP: 198.54.202.226 URI: http://wesnoth.slack.it/?AdvancedTactics - - - - - Index: AdvancedTactics =================================================================== RCS file: /home/wesnoth/cvsroot/wikiroot/AdvancedTactics,v retrieving revision 1.58 diff -u -r1.58 AdvancedTactics --- AdvancedTactics 10 May 2005 04:14:39 -0000 1.58 +++ AdvancedTactics 13 May 2005 13:20:48 -0000 @@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ must not enter into a conflict unless you are substantially stronger than your enemy. In Wesnoth, this means * more units -* better (stronger, higher level) units -* superior healing power in your 2'nd line +* better (stronger, higher level) units, and +* superior healing ability in your second line. Napoleon was especially skilled at maneuvering his forces so as to gain an advantage even when outnumbered. By attacking his enemy in the center, he broke @@ -33,34 +33,34 @@ To implement this in Wesnoth, leave a few units with many hit points in favorable terrain on one flank, while the majority of your force attacks on a different front. -For example, two red and one white mage, or three paladins. By combining healers -and the healing effect of villages, a small force can hold off superior -numbers for a very long time. +For example, two red and one white mage, or three paladins. By combining +healers and the healing effect of villages, a small force can hold off +superior numbers for a very long time. <h3>Feints</h3> You can misdirect the AI (and a surprising number of human opponents) -by sending a few units towrards an objective like an enemy leader, village, or bridge. -They will overreact and position their units badly. +by sending a few units towrards an objective like an enemy leader, village, +or bridge. They will overreact and position their units badly. Similarly, you can send fast units behind the enemy lines to capture villages. -Do not attempt to hold them; -instead move onto the next while the enemy diverts front line troops or reinforcements. +Do not attempt to hold them; instead move onto the next +while the enemy diverts front line troops or reinforcements. Flying units are particularly adept at this since they ignore terrain. <h3>Bounding (or leap frog)</h3> Every strategist throught history warns to "keep a reserve". In Wesnoth, this means that you must not attack with all your units. Instead, hold back units to exploit holes caused by your initial attacks. -Or, you might need to move a fresh unit with many hit points to the front line -so they can 'take a beating' and hold your lines. +Or, you might need to move a fresh unit with many hit points to the +front line so they can 'take a beating' and hold your lines. In modern times, the "reserve" concept has been expanded as follows. -Divide your main force into two groups, and attack with the first while holding -the second back. When the first group is chewed up, they retreat to healers -or villages, while you attack with the second group. -This approach allows you to distribute experience more evenly among your units +Divide your main force into two groups, and attack with the first while +holding the second back. When the first group is chewed up, +they retreat to healers or villages, while you attack with the second group. +This approach allows you to distribute experience more evenly among your units. -Do not use high level units, and definitely not your -commander, to guard the healers or villages, as the enemy will focus on them and +Do not use high level units, and definitely not your commander, +to guard the healers or villages, as the enemy will focus on them and attack the wounded seeking aid. <h3>Small and strong</h3> @@ -68,9 +68,8 @@ for one or two turns, then move off in a tight pack. Most should be level 2, with a few level 3 units to hold the flanks or commit in the 2-3 most decisive rounds. -With this strategy, -you'll need fewer villages to provide income, and thus be less distracted -with acquiring them. +With this strategy, you'll need fewer villages to provide income, +and thus be less distracted with acquiring them. Remember to recruit level 1 units to absorb the enemy's first attacks, as well as for feints and holding unimportant villages. @@ -78,8 +77,8 @@ any of your core group that make the final sacrifice. <h3>Rock, Paper, Sissors</h3> -Have a mix of melee and ranged units, and -attack enemy archers in melee with your fighters and attack enemy fighters in +Have a mix of melee and ranged units, and attack enemy archers +in melee with your fighters and attack enemy fighters in ranged with your archers. <h3>Hit Point Conservation</h3> @@ -101,11 +100,11 @@ ||Weapon specialties|| <h3>Backstab</h3> - "Thieves are deft of foot, and elusive, -making them difficult to hit. Being skilled at backstabbing, thieves do double -damage when attacking an enemy that has an ally of the thief on the opposite -side of him. Being of chaotic disposition, thieves fight better at night than at -day." --Thief_description + "Thieves are deft of foot, and elusive, making them difficult + to hit. Being skilled at backstabbing, thieves do double damage + when attacking an enemy that has an ally of the thief on its + opposite side. Being of chaotic disposition, thieves fight + better at night than during the day." --Thief_description Assassins, Nightgaunts, Rogues, Shadows and Thieves can backstab. A Thief costs 12 gold and has base attack of 4-3. But with a backstab, it does @@ -154,169 +153,183 @@ money in the long run, and keeps your Commander closer to the action so he may level up sooner. -If there are several enemies with significant difference in their strength of -arms, first concentrate on the weakest, or else the one with the highest income -potential. Move your Commander along with your troops, and after you have wiped -him out, use his Castle as your new base. This has the added benefit of -protecting your Commander, often a target of enemy troops, so you don't need to -recruit units only for protecting him, while your main force is engaged -somewhere else. In the end, this will save you lots of gold. Such tactics is -essential on maps with many opponents, for example against the AI on multiplayer -map 'Dwarven Doors'. +If there are several enemies with significant difference in their strength +of arms, first concentrate on the weakest, or else the one with the +highest income potential. Move your Commander along with your troops, +and after you have wiped this enemy out, use their Castle as your new base. +This has the added benefit of protecting your Commander, often a target +of enemy troops, so you don't need to recruit units only for protecting +him, while your main force is engaged somewhere else. In the end, this +will save you lots of gold. Such tactics are essential on maps with many +opponents, for example against the AI on multiplayer map 'Dwarven Doors'. <h3>Plan placement of units</h3> Place recruited and recalled units manually. -Choose the best castle tile for a unit to be placed by clicking on the tile -before recruiting or recalling. This way you can often capture villages a turn -earlier, or move units to critical map squares before your opponent. - -For maps with narrow passages leading out of the castle (like Bay of Pearls or -some of the random underground maps in Heir to the Throne), recruit or recall -pairs of slow and fast units. Both units in such a pair will then be able to -use their maximum movement without impeding each other. So recruit an Elvish -Fighter together with a Horseman, or even an Elvish Fighter with an Elvish -Archer. +Choose the best castle tile for a unit to be placed by clicking on the +tile before recruiting or recalling. This way you can often capture +villages a turn earlier, or move units to critical map squares before +your opponent. + +For maps with narrow passages leading out of the castle +(like Bay of Pearls or some of the random underground maps in +Heir to the Throne), recruit or recall pairs of slow and fast units. +Both units in such a pair will then be able to use their maximum +movement without impeding each other. So recruit an Elvish Fighter +together with a Horseman, or even an Elvish Fighter with an Elvish Archer. <h3> Unit Choice </h3> * Some units, such as Orcish Grunts or Horseman, have no ranged attack. Take advantage of this by using units that are skilled in both -melee and ranged, such as Elvish Rangers, so that when you attack you will never -be hurt, but yet will not be at a disadvantage when you are attacked. The same -goes for units with no melee attack, such at Dark Adepts. -* When a battle is -raging, use fast-moving units (your scouts) to distract the enemy by sneaking -past his troops and conquering his villages, either cutting off his gold supply -and sometimes forcing him to split up his troops. -* If a battle occurs at a -river or some other narrow pass, it can be beneficial to use skirmishing units -such as Duelists to easily cross the river and surroud your opponent or use -airborne units like Gryphons to use the river squares without being at a great -disadvantage. -* If crossing large body of shallow water, mountains, or other -difficult terrain is necessary, use units whos moves are divisible by their -water movement so moves don't go to waste. For example, if a unit takes three -moves to get through one water tile, make sure he has three, six, or nine -movement. Recalling 'quick' units can help ensure you've chosen the right ones. -* Units such as Elvish Fighters, which are especially good because they're cheap -to produce in masses, that have both decent melee and ranged attacks can often -be good for holding your front lines, because they will cause harm to their -opponents no matter what they are, while a front line or horsemen is not good -for holding a position, for they will fall like prey to elvish marksmen, and -probably will never like to strike back. +melee and ranged, such as Elvish Rangers, so that when you attack you will +never be hurt, but yet will not be at a disadvantage when you are attacked. +The same goes for units with no melee attack, such at Dark Adepts. +* When a battle is raging, use fast-moving units (your scouts) +to distract the enemy by sneaking past enemy troops and conquering enemy +villages, either cutting off their gold supply and sometimes forcing them +to split up their armies. +* If a battle occurs at a river or some other narrow pass, +it can be beneficial to use skirmishing units such as Duelists +to easily cross the river and surround your opponent or use +airborne units like Gryphons to use the river squares without +being at a great disadvantage. +* If you need to cross a large body of shallow water, mountains, cave floor, +or other difficult terrain, use units whose moves are divisible +by their movement on such terrain so moves don't go to waste. For example, +if a unit takes three moves to get through one water tile, make sure it +has three, six, or nine movement. Recalling 'quick' units can help +ensure you've chosen the right ones. If you recall a unit with five +movement points, they will only be able to move one hex per turn in +terrain that requires three movement points, while a similar unit with +six movement points can move two hexes per turn. +* Units such as Elvish Fighters that are cheap to produce in mass, and +that have both decent melee and ranged attacks can often be good for +holding your front lines, because they will cause harm to their +opponents no matter what they are, while a front line of horsemen is +not good for holding a position, for they will fall quickly to elvish +marksmen, and probably will never be able to strike back. ||Know the Battlefield|| <h3>Reconnaissance - Know the Map</h3> -While attack is influenced by the time of -day, defense is affected by terrain. First find all the castles and note the -different kinds of terrain immediately surrounding them. If you're playing under -Shroud, send out two or three scouts to locate the castles. This is also often -worth it on Fog of War, because you learn what faction your enemy is (if you -don't know already) and how defended their castle is. Expect to recruit more -when they die. The knowlege they provide is worth more than their cost. +While attack is influenced by the time of day, defense is affected +by terrain. First find all the castles and note the different kinds +of terrain immediately surrounding them. If you're playing under +Shroud, send out two or three scouts to locate the castles. This is +also often worth it on Fog of War, because you learn what faction +your enemy is (if you don't know already) and how defended their +castle is. Expect to recruit more when they die. The knowlege they +provide is worth more than their cost. <h3>Survey - Know the Terrain</h3> -Take an overall look at the size of each -terrain type and note which are the most dominant. This affects what units to -select and their overall effectiveness. Then examine whether the main terrain is -evenly distributed, scattered, or in a few large areas. Note what terrain you -want to avoid and why. Mountains and deep water are bad for all but a few unit -types. These act as walls which the opponent can use to trap you, but of course, -you can do likewise. +Take an overall look at the size of each terrain type and note which +are the most dominant. This affects what units to select and their +overall effectiveness. Then examine whether the main terrain is evenly +distributed, scattered, or in a few large areas. Note what terrain you +want to avoid and why. Mountains and deep water are bad for all but +a few unit types. These act as walls which the opponents can use to +trap you: of course, you can do likewise to your opponents. <h3>Transport - Know the Pathways</h3> -Try to link advantageous terrain areas -together in your mind from where your units are (your castle at start of play) -to opposing //and// friendly castles. For factions that don't provide healing -units, use villages scattered between you and the target to influence the route -to take. Decide which terrain is most favourable for your units and less -favourable for the enemy. If you goal is to reach an object or hex, then do the -same for that. - -If one route proves difficult, switch to another. Get to know which routes work -best for different units and locate meeting places to regroup units. Try to keep -the opponents guessing what you're going to do next. By using several adjacent -routes to a target, the opponents will have a tougher time stopping your -advance. In some cases it is easier to send a main group directly toward the +Try to link advantageous terrain areas together in your mind +from where your units are (your castle at start of play) +to opposing //and// friendly castles. For factions that don't +provide healing units, use villages scattered between you and +the target to influence the route to take. Decide which terrain +is most favourable for your units and less favourable for the enemy. +If you goal is to reach an object or hex, then do the same for that. + +If one route proves difficult, switch to another. Get to know +which routes work best for different units and locate meeting +places to regroup units. Try to keep the opponents guessing what +you're going to do next. By using several adjacent routes to a +target, the opponents will have a tougher time stopping your advance. +In some cases it is easier to send a main group directly toward the target and use fast units to circle around behind. <h3>Features - Know the Traps</h3> -Note carefully where favourable terrain on -either side of unfavourable reach their closest point. These are defense -positions for you to ambush approaching opponents (with or without a thief) and -provide protection for friendly units. Sometimes the terrain forms passages for -units to pass through quickly. Check whether it takes less turns to move around -slow terrain than through it. In slow terrain, it is tougher to encircle units -and immobalise them, so drive them toward better suited terrain (using ZoM, see +Note carefully where favourable terrain on either side of +unfavourable reach their closest point. These are defense positions +for you to ambush approaching opponents (with or without a thief) and +provide protection for friendly units. Sometimes the terrain forms +passages for units to pass through quickly. Check whether it takes +fewer turns to move around slow terrain than through it. In slow +terrain, it is tougher to encircle units and immobilise them, so +drive them toward better suited terrain (using ZoC, see elsewhere) and encircle there. ||Zone Of Control|| -The Zone Of Control allows you to build artificial barriers at will. It is hard -to measure who has Movement Control because it depends on where the units are -positioned more than how many there are. Although this is a tactical device, it -is more strategically significant than tactical because Movement Control applies -before and after encounters, rather than during. Establishing and maintaining -good Movement Control gives you better mobility and control over most other +The Zone Of Control allows you to build artificial barriers at will. +It is hard to measure who has Movement Control because it depends +on where the units are positioned more than how many there are. +Although this is a tactical device, it is more strategically +significant than tactical because Zone of Control applies before +and after encounters, rather than during. Establishing and maintaining +good Zones of Control gives you better mobility and control over most other aspects of the game, even against stronger units less well positioned. -Your units influence space beyond the hex they're standing on. The total area of -influence includes the hexes adjacent to the units and //this// is the Zone Of -Control. When strong opposing units approach your weaker ones, pay particular -attention to the ZoC and terrain types. Combine your units ZoC to form a solid -barrier. Your goal is to rearrange your units such that the opponent's attack -occurs where your units are well positioned defensively and at the worst time of -day for opposing units. Check that none of your units can be attacked by more -than two enemy units //and// that no enemy unit can pass between them. In this -case, you spread your units out, extending your ZoC and forcing the enemy to -select one or more targets. - -In most cases, the opponent will target one unit. You should ensure that each of -your units is within the ZoC of at least two others. So when the enemy hits one -unit, you can close in (encircle, encircle..) until reinfocements arrive. It is -often as important to hold a ZoC as it is a village or passage. - -While ZoC isn't very important against slow moving units, it is very effective -against fast ones, such as horsemen, bats, ghosts, and wolf riders. The approach -to handling these is assign two or three of your fastest units, target one long -range opposing unit and spread yours out defensively between its target (usually -villages) and itself in a semi-circle or line. Move these units toward the enemy +Your units influence space beyond the hex they're standing on. +The total area of influence includes the hexes adjacent to the units +and //this// is the Zone Of Control. When strong opposing units +approach your weaker ones, pay particular attention to the ZoC +and terrain types. Combine the ZoC of your units to form a solid barrier. +Your goal is to rearrange your units such that the opponent's attack +occurs where your units are well positioned defensively and at the worst +time of day for opposing units. Check that none of your units can be +attacked by more than two enemy units //and// that no enemy unit +can pass between them. In this case, you spread your units out, +extending your ZoC and forcing the enemy to select one or more targets. + +In most cases, the opponent will target one unit. You should +ensure that each of your units is within the ZoC of at least two others. +So when the enemy hits one unit, you can close in (encircle, encircle...) +until reinfocements arrive. It is often as important to hold a +ZoC as it is a village or passage. + +While ZoC isn't very important against slow moving units, it is +very effective against fast ones, such as horsemen, bats, ghosts, +and wolf riders. The approach to handling these is assign two or +three of your fastest units, target one long range opposing unit +and spread yours out defensively between its target (usually villages) +and itself in a semi-circle or line. Move these units toward the enemy so that it has increasingly less space to move. When it is within your ZoC, encircle and kill. Move on to the next long range unit and repeat. -After the first round (when everyone as recruited), all the units are grouped, -so try to create a ZoC against all of the long range units as quickly as you -can. In this way you can prevent them from spreading out, while you -systematically encircle and kill each one. Since the opponent won't have -occupied enough villages, there is a good chance all you'll have left are short -range units to deal with. - -Under FoW and Shroud, it is impossible to know what the opponent has recruited, -but it is good practice to check your ZoC around your villages so you are not -surprised by a sudden invasion. Early on, long range units are used to occupy -villages, so the sooner you engage them, the less villages they can possess. -Creating a ZoC quickly around unoccupied villages allows you to possess them at -your leisure and keep them. - -Another use in ZoC is deciding when and where battles will be fought. If the -opponent moves into your ZoC, but positioned near unfavourable attack terrain, -you have several choices. Either attack anyway, which is mostly bad, wait for -the opponent to attack on its next turn, which gives it the choice of target, or -move your units out of its ZoC to favourable terrain. You can check how far -forward the units can move and place guard units to maintain your ZoC and -centralise the others behind and protecting the guards. This forces the opponent -to commit itself and gives you time to prepare a tactical counter-attack. Keep -your guards guarding! If the ZoC crumbles your units will be overwhelmed. +After the first round (when everyone as recruited), all the units are +grouped, so try to create a ZoC against all of the long range units +as quickly as you can. In this way you can prevent them from +spreading out, while you systematically encircle and kill each one. +Since the opponent won't have occupied enough villages, there is a +good chance all you'll have left are short range units to deal with. + +Under FoW and Shroud, it is impossible to know what the opponent has +recruited, but it is good practice to check your ZoC around your villages +so you are not surprised by a sudden invasion. Early on, long range +units are used to occupy villages, so the sooner you engage them, +the less villages they can possess. Creating a ZoC quickly around +unoccupied villages allows you to possess them at your leisure and keep them. + +Another use in ZoC is deciding when and where battles will be fought. +If the opponent moves into your ZoC, but positioned near unfavourable +attack terrain, you have several choices. Either attack anyway, +which is mostly bad, wait for the opponent to attack on its next turn, +which gives it the choice of target, or move your units out of its ZoC +to favourable terrain. You can check how far forward the units can move +and place guard units to maintain your ZoC and centralise the others +behind and protecting the guards. This forces the opponent to commit +and gives you time to prepare a tactical counter-attack. Keep your +guards guarding! If the ZoC crumbles your units will be overwhelmed. The ZoC is effective when wounded units need to pass through hostile areas. -Rather than closing in, form a large circle around the wounded presenting a much -wider perimeter. This makes it harder for opposing units to attack all yours and -allows you to keep healthy units within the ZoC and leap-frog when needed. +Rather than closing in, form a large circle around the wounded presenting +a much wider perimeter. This makes it harder for opposing units to attack +all yours and allows you to keep healthy units within the ZoC and leap-frog +when needed. On approaching an opponent's castle, ZoC can be critical to your success. In some scenarios events are triggered when you occupy hexes directly next to a -castle hex. Make sure the approaching units keep their distance from the castle, -but within their ZoC. When assembled, move directly on to the castle. +castle hex. Make sure the approaching units keep their distance from the +castle, but within their ZoC. When assembled, move directly on to the castle. For skirmishing units who ignore ZoC, you have little choice but build a solid wall of units. Alternatively, you may make a ZoC to block the typical units and
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