In Game Strategies

just started...Needs a lot of work, though.

Base Fundamentals - stretching, base layout, defenses

Tank Battles - tanks, ingredients, offensive base rushing, defending bases, grunt work (the real meat of the subject)

Scenarios - Allied vs. Soviet counterrushing, naval cheapness

Terrain - bridges, buildings, hills

Base Fundamentals

Stretching

This means buildings towards a certain structure/object. Because you can build only a couple of square tiles off of any building you own (besides defensive structures), it is essential that you build in a certain "direction" for easier access to gems, choke points, etc. For example, on Urban Rush, you want to build towards the larger ore patch (down if left, up if right). On South Pacific, you want to build towards the choke point to cover it more easily.

More advanced stuff: On Country Swing as left, you want to build up, so that once your initial ore runs out, you can build closer to the other patch of ore closest to you.

Base Layout

Surely, you don't want to build barracks far from derricks and battle labs in vulnerable places. Several dos and donts, although there are always exceptions to the rule.

Do

- Build barracks closer to tech buildings initially. So, on the Alamo, you want to build it so that your infantry can run quickly to vital landmarks.
- Build war factory closer to where the action is. Building it near the back of your base will give you a 3-4 second disadvantage.
- Mine off gems, whenever possible (duh). On Little Big Lake, bottom, although the ore might be "slightly" closer and easier to find, build first refinery left.
- Wall off AFC! You don't want to lose those 1200 credit planes to terror drones, paradrops, or worse yet, engis.
- Build battle lab close to center of base, and next to barracks. So, if an emergency arises, you can always get dogs to defend.

Dont

- If you do the dos you won't do the donts.

Defenses

Early game, you almost always want a queued pillbox to protect against an engineer rush. Most defenses are useless, however, as tanks are mobile.

Wall up AFC, CY if you're paranoid and you know it won't be necessary to move it, battle lab if you must. Realize that 4 walls = 400, while 1 pillbox = 500.

Tanks make the best defense. Mix in infantry.

Tank Battles

The most important element in the game...

Tanks

As someone once said, this is your bread and butter. Very powerful and tough, although it is only medium speed. Rush with this early, and you win about 80% of your games.

Extremely powerful, although rhinos will often suffice. They're good on certain maps long games, and is part of Breznov's apoc+desolator push.

Allies only early defense, which juulepuul calls "peashooters." However, they are fast, and hit-and-run tactics work well with them.

"Awesome firepower," mirage capabilities, and fast speed make this the ultimate tank killer. But, they have extremely light armor, and burn as fast as California Wildfire when desos get close...

Newbies get all prisms...don't let us catch you getting tons. Great to siege castles and to provide support for mirages during allied-allied games, but they have horrible armor and can't put a dent into a rhino.

Ingredients

For both factions, you will want to mix in infantry (some abide by the rule 1 unit per tank used). Dogs are best (since they can keep up with your tanks). Although they do no damage, they absorb hits for your tanks.

Allies
GIs are excellent tank killers, and if you're America, they number quickly. Walk them with your tanks, and contrary to common sense, you want to deploy them late, when you're sure your opponent is going to hunker down and battle. Keep them mixed in between (or right in front), or they will get squished. If they have dogs, deploy (about 2 sec before they reach you), and they're dead.

Soviet
If your opponent does not have anti-infantry, tesla troopers in a flak track can turn the tide of the battle. Tanks can't run over them, and when they're elite, they blast anything out of their way. Whatever you do, do NOT use terror drones (unless you plan to put them in the lagging tanks), since you're going to kill his tanks anyway.

Offensive Base Rushing

Assuming you mixed in infantry, observe the following:

- Stay away from pillboxes, GIs, and other infantry if possible. Drive around, because they detract your tank shells. Infantry mixed well with tanks, however, is impossible to avoid, so you'll have to.

- If your opponent is staying back to gather some defenses, go for his harvesters. Your opponent will have to come chase you then (get first strike), because even 1 lost harvester is deadly in the long run.

- After destroying his forces, you usually want to go for these: barracks (easy kill, tesla troopers and GIs can be deadly, also opponent can't get pillboxes), war factory (no tanks = no game no more), refinery (no money = no tanks = no game no more). Don't be tempted to destroy the CY first! If you do, and your opponent fends you off, he'll instead get non-stop tanks instead of wasting money on more structures.

Defending Bases

Chances are, your opponent will have a equal if not more powerful force (or he wouldn't rush, duh). Gather whatever you can (make sure you protect your miners, and wait). Last thing you want to go is to kamikaze right into his forces.

Allies - Build 2 refineries on opposite sides of the base, so if they're getting attacked, you can always chrono to the other end. Credit to AZwhoopin

Since your opponent will usually charge, you'll probably get first strike on the tanks. Don't rush out like a fool! If you see your opponent commit, put up a pillbox and defend behind it.

Grunt Work

Charging, "stalemates," retreating, waypoints, number of shells...will go to boards for this. Breznov had some good posts, but I think they were deleted.

Terrain

Bridges

Ever play "A Bridge Too Far"? I haven't but I'm sure bridges were important in that game, as they are in this game.

Break bridges (with tanks, planes, Tanya, crazy ivan).

- When you need to defend against an early soviet rush (force your opponent to other points. Example: Montana DMZ, left vs. right, soviet vs. America, respectively. Break bottom bridge, forcing opponent to go up through path with buildings, which is conveniently garrisoned with GIs).

- When you need to go naval - Hammer and Sickle.

- Prevent them from ever crossing - Isle of War - put a sniper near the bridge so your opponent can't rush through the bridge, and must go through middle (where you have plenty of mirages ;)

Fix / Surround Bridges

- Place GIs at the end, an ideal choke point.

- Easier access - May Day, bottom - fix the bridge so you can capture derricks faster

Buildings

Garrison them...or destroy them if you're not. For example, if you're playing Alamo, bottom, you want to put 1 infantry unit into the close building (and perhaps more). Your opponent can easily cneak his paradropped troops into it...

Hills

Stay on top of them. Remember the "Battle of Bunker Hill".