In an effort to help new players, I am periodically posting a series of topics called "Rookie Mistakes," which discuss obvious tactical and strategic errors that are common among many new players (and some experienced ones, too). This third post will discuss the consequences of ignoring the often dramatic impact that terrain can have on the results of battles.
Call of War is played on a series of maps, which usually cover one or more major theaters of operations from World War II (e.g., Europe, the Mediterranean, the Pacific, etc.) The maps include a number of historical and partly fictional countries, each of which is divided into 20 to 25 provinces that are named for the most prominent city within the region. In turn, every province is classified by its predominant terrain; these types of terrain include major cities, mountains, hills, forests and plains. Each type of terrain may have a positive or negative effect on the strengths of different unit types.
Here are five examples of the most important effects that terrain may have on unit strengths:
1. Probably the single most negative effect of terrain on unit strength is the impact of cities on most armored units (i.e., armored cars, light tanks, medium tanks, heavy tanks, tank destroyers). When present in a city, all armored cars, light tanks, medium tanks, heavy tanks, and tank destroyers are reduced in both offensive and defensive strength by 50%, and the hit points of armored cars and all tank units (but not tank destroyers) are also reduced by 50%. As a practical matter, this means that cities can become a trap for tank units because they can be killed twice as easily when they are present in cities by air attack, artillery, rockets or other ground forces.
The strength of self-propelled artillery and self-propelled anti-aircraft units is also reduced by 50% when they are located in cities, but not their hit points.
2. The most dramatic positive effect of terrain on unit strength is the impact of mountains on commando units: when they are present in a mountain province, the offensive and defensive strengths of commandos increases by 100% against both infantry and armor class units.
3. The second biggest positive effect of terrain on unit strength is that of forests and hills on militia units, whose strengths increase by 75% in a province dominated by hills or forests. In forests and hills, militia stop being a poor man's infantry regiment and can inflict some real damage on attacking enemy units.
4. The third biggest percentage impact on unit strength ---- and one of the most important in the game ---- is the 50% increase in strength of all tank, tank destroyer, armored car, self-propelled artillery and self-propelled anti-aircraft units when they are located on plains. This applies to all units that are members of the "armored" armor class except mechanized infantry.
5. The strengths of all units of the "armored" armor class (including mechanized infantry), as well as motorized infantry, conventional (non-SP) artillery and conventional (non-SP) anti-aircraft units are reduced 25% in the mountains.
There are other terrain effects, too; notably, the speed of all ground units is reduced in the mountains by half or more ---- excluding commandos, who move at a constant 25 kmh on all terrain. Cities, hills and forests may also reduce the speed of units. Ground units move at 50% of their normal speed for any given terrain when traveling through enemy territory, and 80% of normal speed when traveling through the territory of allies or neutral countries.
I provide the following example to demonstrate just how important terrain can be in determining the outcome of a battle:
A stack of four L5 medium tank brigades confronts an enemy stack of two L6 infantry regiments, two L5 anti-tank regiments, and two L5 anti-aircraft regiments. All units on both sides are the highest non-elite level of research tech:
4 x L5 MT
vs.
2 x L6 infantry + 2 x L5 AT + 2 x L5 AA
What are the results of battle? Well, the outcome of the battle can be completely different depending on the terrain where the battle takes place.
In the first case, the stack of four medium tank units attacks the stack of six mixed units on a plain. The attacking stack loses one medium tank brigade, but destroys all six of the defending units.
In the second case, the stack of four medium tank units attacks the stack of six mixed units in a city. The six defending units are damaged, but all four of the attacking medium tank units are destroyed.
The impact of terrain on battle does not get much starker than that.
Bottom line: Read the unit spec sheets, know the impact of terrain on your units, pick your most advantageous terrain for battle for your units. Terrain is not some annoying detail in the game rules. It can be the difference between winning and losing the game.
Call of War is played on a series of maps, which usually cover one or more major theaters of operations from World War II (e.g., Europe, the Mediterranean, the Pacific, etc.) The maps include a number of historical and partly fictional countries, each of which is divided into 20 to 25 provinces that are named for the most prominent city within the region. In turn, every province is classified by its predominant terrain; these types of terrain include major cities, mountains, hills, forests and plains. Each type of terrain may have a positive or negative effect on the strengths of different unit types.
Here are five examples of the most important effects that terrain may have on unit strengths:
1. Probably the single most negative effect of terrain on unit strength is the impact of cities on most armored units (i.e., armored cars, light tanks, medium tanks, heavy tanks, tank destroyers). When present in a city, all armored cars, light tanks, medium tanks, heavy tanks, and tank destroyers are reduced in both offensive and defensive strength by 50%, and the hit points of armored cars and all tank units (but not tank destroyers) are also reduced by 50%. As a practical matter, this means that cities can become a trap for tank units because they can be killed twice as easily when they are present in cities by air attack, artillery, rockets or other ground forces.
The strength of self-propelled artillery and self-propelled anti-aircraft units is also reduced by 50% when they are located in cities, but not their hit points.
2. The most dramatic positive effect of terrain on unit strength is the impact of mountains on commando units: when they are present in a mountain province, the offensive and defensive strengths of commandos increases by 100% against both infantry and armor class units.
3. The second biggest positive effect of terrain on unit strength is that of forests and hills on militia units, whose strengths increase by 75% in a province dominated by hills or forests. In forests and hills, militia stop being a poor man's infantry regiment and can inflict some real damage on attacking enemy units.
4. The third biggest percentage impact on unit strength ---- and one of the most important in the game ---- is the 50% increase in strength of all tank, tank destroyer, armored car, self-propelled artillery and self-propelled anti-aircraft units when they are located on plains. This applies to all units that are members of the "armored" armor class except mechanized infantry.
5. The strengths of all units of the "armored" armor class (including mechanized infantry), as well as motorized infantry, conventional (non-SP) artillery and conventional (non-SP) anti-aircraft units are reduced 25% in the mountains.
There are other terrain effects, too; notably, the speed of all ground units is reduced in the mountains by half or more ---- excluding commandos, who move at a constant 25 kmh on all terrain. Cities, hills and forests may also reduce the speed of units. Ground units move at 50% of their normal speed for any given terrain when traveling through enemy territory, and 80% of normal speed when traveling through the territory of allies or neutral countries.
I provide the following example to demonstrate just how important terrain can be in determining the outcome of a battle:
A stack of four L5 medium tank brigades confronts an enemy stack of two L6 infantry regiments, two L5 anti-tank regiments, and two L5 anti-aircraft regiments. All units on both sides are the highest non-elite level of research tech:
4 x L5 MT
vs.
2 x L6 infantry + 2 x L5 AT + 2 x L5 AA
What are the results of battle? Well, the outcome of the battle can be completely different depending on the terrain where the battle takes place.
In the first case, the stack of four medium tank units attacks the stack of six mixed units on a plain. The attacking stack loses one medium tank brigade, but destroys all six of the defending units.
In the second case, the stack of four medium tank units attacks the stack of six mixed units in a city. The six defending units are damaged, but all four of the attacking medium tank units are destroyed.
The impact of terrain on battle does not get much starker than that.
Bottom line: Read the unit spec sheets, know the impact of terrain on your units, pick your most advantageous terrain for battle for your units. Terrain is not some annoying detail in the game rules. It can be the difference between winning and losing the game.