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The Art of WW1
The Art of WW
Country Grammar by Carnage :)
Before going in specific details, let me tell you guys that what you are reading here is the result of 4 years intense playing. You can’t expect being a god after reading this, but you will upgrade for sure your skills over all other clan base training you would get. In this method you will learn by order of importance:
1-Developing your global view of the map
2-A good ww1 player attitude
3-Specifics country tactics
I got over 50 active players on my trainees list, not that I’m bragging of it, but now they are amongst the best of b.net. Some got helped all around, others just purified their style (Sid, Carnage, La Main, Alpha_8, Veterin, just to name some...). The biggest influence this training had is on the general way of playing. For example, the Austria quick drop over UK, the germ rush over France, etc...
1-Developping your global view of the map
Marines strongly dominate this map. For example if you are a tank adept, they cost 500 minerals and get killed by 3 marines, for a total of 110 minerals. The tank adept just lost 390 minerals trying to compete with marines. IT IS NOT HOW MANY MARINES YOU BUILD, WHAT MATTERS IS HOW FAST YOU BUILD THEM, HOW GOOD YOU USE THEM. That’s the main difference from a pub to a clanner. Ok now that using marines is clear and obvious, let’s get into real things.
The map WW1 settle a war over 6 countries who are Centrals (Germany-Austria-Otto) VS Allies (UK-France-Russia), as it really happened during 1914-1918. On centrals side, the main power, Germany, start the game with most of all centrals units. Letting Germany die result in losing the game, automatically. Otto and Austria are really weak, and need to be protected from allies possible attacks. A good way to visualize the team work importance is this way: ITS 3-3, and if 3 of one side take down one, the game gets 3-2. You don’t care about the risks of losing a partner because your bases are uncovered, since for the little moment its 3on2 you guys get 1.5 the playing others have. For example, centrals wait for France and uk to attack and then take out russia with Ottomans help.
Worst thing to do while playing in a ww1 is to think to your own survey: then you lose your focus on the team objective, which is win the war. For example, avoid mass bunkering. Bunkers in every SC maps were designed for defense. Massing them is like if do accept you’d stay on defense while waiting for the enemy to eventually kill you. Each bunks cost 200 minerals, this mean around the price of 7 marines. If u made 10 bunks for example, you lose 70 marines, who could have killed an opponent country easy. But now you are waiting for the upcoming enemy wave with those 10 bunks... pathetic... instead try getting 2 bunks with 5 scvs and the rest in marines, you’ll see you’ll get a moving defense/offence instead :)
Here’s the list of units building you using in this map
barracks-marines
starport-dropships
engineering bay-upgrade
command center-general repairs and build with SCVS
bunkers-defense
supplies depots- try keeping 200 max power support at anytime
YOU NEED NOTHING ELSE, if you build anything that is not on this list its a waste
ok now that u know the importance of team work and not mass bunkering, you have to learn basis over units control. First of all, having 200 marines (max population over 200) and sending them everywhere without a good unit control results in losing big time effectiveness. I saw many fight were I had 50 marines and took over around 80... the guy had NO unit control and that’s what we want to avoid here. First of all, remember of using the button A (for attack) and clicking it on ground near a potential strike point. This way your units attack automatically as soon as they see an enemy unit approaching. Second important thing, try packing up all marines together. This mean if you are France and have like 100 marines and you want to attack germ by ground, put all your marines on one of the both extremity of the bunk line germ has (north or south), in order to shoot with the most marines on bunks while taking the less bunks shot. Same for Russia: if you got 150 marines ready at Moscow and you want to rush Germany, bring them all on a same spot near Germany border and then attack. This will save unnecessary loses and make your attack double force. That’s called unit control, and if you guys got specific questions about it, ask an experienced player for more details. That’s the first thing to be a master. Some players are better than others at it naturally, but there’s still a good marge left of improvement anyone can gain.
Another important point is the upgrade for your marines attacks, that you can get at the engineering bay for a price of 800 minerals. Try not losing your engineering bay at any cost, because it’s long to rebuild one and the game might be over when u just finished rebuilding it. An upgraded marine get +2 on its attack and its making a hella big difference when the main unit is actually marine. Let’s say I’m playing against a poor player who got no unit control (we just talked about it) and doesn’t have his upgrade when I have mine, I could easily win 60 marines of mine vs. 120 of his if not more. When to start upgrade? Now that’s one of the many ww1 subtitles. Some suggest right away as the game start. On my opinion I would suggest right away for UK and just as the first tax comes (first round of money by the clock of 0:00)for other nations. Why waiting this little while? I discovered that with 800 minerals free you can get a way better liberty of taking zones before the timer 0:00. Anyway many experts ww1 games ends before the upgrade is done so why starting it right away. For example France could achieve to take Belgium away from germ instead of upgrading, which is a better help to your team for most games. So start upgrade as first tax come as first tax come, at 0:00, EXCEPT FOR UK WHO START IT RIGHT AWAY.
Dropping is the most common attack used in ww1. We call it dropping because you take from 10-12 dropships each one full of 8 marines. The drops are really effective and are used by every good player. They become even more dangerous when synchronized (UK and France dropping at same time). The skilled dropping players can fill those fast and knows how to well pack them. The loading speed of dropships comes with practice, nothing else. But the packing the dropships is the same as packing marines: YOU get all the dropships one near another by selecting them and right clicking on a unique point. As soon as u clicked and all dropships made the placement, start moving in the enemy zone and do not wait too long else they will divide!! This assures you of a good centralized drop that unload your marines one shoulder to another (like I said for attacking by ground)! When u just dropped and all your marines are on ground attacking enemy, try moving them to the important points (capitals bonus). Never let them there waiting to be killed. When you are done with moving your units, don’t forget to pull back your dropships to your base: they cost 50 mins each that’s 600 mins every drop!! And go right back to your barracks to produce more marines!
A good way of turning the game to your advantage is gathering the 2k minerals bonus every enemy capitals gives when you clear it. There are 6 bonus zones (London, Paris, and Moscow for allies, Berlin, Vienna, and Bosphorus Straight for centrals). Those bonuses are most of the time taken by dropping, since it eradicate every building around a certain point fast enough. For example I made many time a drop on Otto which resulted in getting his bonus zone. 2k per players = it’s a boost of 6000 minerals for a side. That’s why you want to protect your capitals at all costs while trying to take out enemies ones.
Now let’s talk about air. Germ gets 10 all over its territory while France gets 4 and UK 6. THOSE ARE THE ONLY AIR THAT SHOULD BE IN THE GAME. Don’t make any air, they are 800 mins each, that’s the price of an upgrade or again the price of like 25 marines! As Germany, mass the air you got at start together: they are way more effective that way. These wraiths will help against any dropping u might encounter: they are good for aiming dropships directly, BUT stop aiming dropships if they are about to unload, else you’ll lose your air fast, it’s a question of timing. One more thing, always send marines before the air, this way air doesn’t get the hit from ground and can rail hell down on enemy marines safely.
Final thing, vision of the map. With any country you want to be aware of what’s the enemy doing. Since AcE is against any use of maphack there’s still the surprise element. In order to upgrade your map vision, u can lift your unnecessary buildings over sea (over where are passing eventual drops) or over your defense line in order to take hits with those. This way u gain room for making barracks and depots and u get a better vision overall. (Good buildings to lift are factories, second starport France has, etc.) You don’t need those anyway.
2-A good ww1 player attitude
Ok you guys got the basis, now let’s get it to republic of war level. A good ww1 player will try at any cost to get aggressive, that’s the key word. A side needs its 3 complete players to win a game over a good enemy. That’s why you avoid mass bunkering like said previously. Best way to win a game is to use ally chat brightly. Try having a synchronized attack on every invasion you plan, unless little forces are needed. (Examples: the 3 centrals over Russia, the double France/uk drop + Russia on Austria or Germany, they all classic ways u need to learn). Try always be attacking. Even if the attack u made fail, this means the enemy was passive and being defensive, and you didn’t have to waste any money on defense. REMEMBER, A GOOD OFFENCE IS THE BEST DEFENCE. TEAM WORK and AGRESSIVENESS are the 2 qualities a good ww1 player needs.
The MAIN important feature of a good ww1 player attitude is his sense of anticipation. For example if you are Germany and France didn’t rush you at all for 3 minutes, it’s almost sure he is dropping (or he is in UF and he sucks :)! You can seize the occasion to rush him and make him unload his drop or wait for him with a good prepared def. This sense of anticipation will come with time and the amount of games you played. Always be on the nerves before every game, this way you are way more careful to any changes in enemy activities.
3-Specifics country tactics
Now that you guys know how to do it, let’s see what to do. I'll describe every country specific aspects, so if you prefer a country in particular, there you are served! One thing: try being good with at lest 4 countries, which would give you the possibility of playing many positions. A good player is a voluble player. Rocking with only one country means u didn’t get the right sense of ww1 and you just followed the third point of my resume.
Allies-stronger at start, since they have 2 strong countries (UK + Russia) and a middle strength one (France) vs. 1 really strong country (Germany) and 2 little ones (Austria + Otto)
Centrals- as the game moves on, the fact that they are linked geographically together helps them turning the tides
here is the number of barracks each country should have (if you got more its ok but aim for those numbers)
UK- 7-8
France- 7-8
Russia 10-12
Germany- 12-14
Austria- 7-8
Otto- 7
A L L I E S
UK- The dropping machine
Some say Uk is the easiest country to play, on my opinion its the hardest, maybe because I’m a ground player :)
As uk, you have 2 ultimate goals:
1)achieving a 12 full dropships drop at 1:00 on counter
2)get a 12 full dropships drop ready every 2 minutes afterwards the first one
1-Start upgrade
2-Take the 6 air and clear Norway. Send one factory there right as the game start
3-Lift other factory out of main land to west(in order to see upcoming germ drops) and send your CC to iceland
4-Build 2 racks on main land with scvs and 2 on Ireland
5-Start to build 5 dropships per starports
6-Start building marines in your barracks
7-Pull your air out of Norway (which should be under your control with the factory) and send it to clear Iceland. Your CC should be near it, since u sent it way before. 7-Fill your dropships with the marines pull back air from Iceland to London(Iceland should be cleared) and follow the dropping strategy your side has chosen.
Those steps should be done by 1:00.
Later in the game u can build depots in Iceland with your cc there.
Good dropping spots are: East Germany by Norway, West Germany, and Austria
France- The country who can make the difference
As France you have 2 ultimate goals:
1)survive a germ rush if there’s one
2)take over centrals by dropping with uk
1-Bunk up marines in bunkers and start building one additional bunk between the 2 you got on the SOUTH of your def
2-Send all your units to front to prevent early drop: all mean air and also the 8 marines u got at south France
3-Lift the factory and the unused starport to bring them over your bunks
4-Start building dropships: you’ll need 6
5-Start 3 barracks with your scvs and send one on front
6-Start building marines and fill your dropships
*your drop must be ready when UK one is.
Then make back another drop when the first one is dead. ALWAYS drop with UK for a better effect.
A good France usually makes the difference. If you see that Germany defense on west is weak u can still choose to go ground and secure eventually Belgium and Alsace.
Russia- The production motherland
Russia has one simple goal:
1)Survive Otto attacks while taking out Germany or Austria with the main of its forces
1-Bunk up Poland (western zone of Russia near of Germany)
2-Bunk up Serbia (Russia outpost south to Austria)
3-Bunk up Caucasus (the only bunk u got on Otto front)
4-Fill your 5 barracks with marines
5-Lift engineering bay and bring it near Moscow
6-Start to build 5 barracks with the 5 scvs u had when game started
*With this all done you should be able to help with a triple rush on germ or Austria or you can also turn on Otto to take him out.
As Russia it’s important for you to never stop invading even if u think you guys are winning. Russia is the main allied power.
One other thing do not send your units everywhere. Keep your marines together, Russia is big and can be hard to kill even in 3v1 if well defended.
C E N T R A L S
Germany- The Aggressor
Germany has many tasks:
1)Make sure the centrals survive the 4 first minutes of game while securing zones
2)Launching majors attacks/being a punching bag in order to let time to its allies to grow
3)Eventually take out 1 or 2 allied countries while your allies do the rest
4)Surveying Austria and Otto and make sure they are well protected
1-Select men near Denmark (white little thing to the north of germ) and rush it before white men bunk
2-Take up east men and rush Poland before Russia bunks if possible
3-Take 2 scvs + west men in order to secure Belgium and the west front
4-Make 3 bunks on west and 2 bunks on east and fill those
5-Start 3 barracks (you need lots of scvs with germ so make like 3-4 right as game start)
6-Take free units +10 air and bring them to Berlin to prevent uk drop
*If you made it trought first turn this mean your germ now has 1.2k minerals bonus with the 3 zones u took
You are now way stronger and able to dominate allies. Don’t hesitate to help Austria he’s often double dropped and he wont make it if you don’t interfere. As the time pass try to get to a number of 15 barracks this way u can cover uk-France while your 2 allies take out Russia slowly.
Austria- The backup country
Austria tasks are hard, really hard:
1)Take out Russia eventually with Ottoman
2)Help Germany in case of too much pressure
1-Take up bunks men and mass all of them near your 2 barracks
2-Rush Serbia and take it
3-Lift both factories send one passed Italy to the west to see drops coming and the other on the germ east side bunks
4-Make 3 barracks and mass between Vienna and your barracks in order to prevent a double drop.
Those 4 things should be done by 1:00.
Austria is a support country that can become large with less or more time depending on events and players. Watch out as allies will try to take out Vienna to get the bonus (easiest bonus to get). Take Greece (white outpost down to Serbia) eventually, but make it the priority to survive the first allies drop coming. After those things done start getting on Russia with Otto. You could also prepare a drop to take over UK its working well too but you gotta be strong enough.
Ottoman- the weak nation
Personally I think Ottomans are the hardest to play. Still Ottomans are really important to centrals cause and without them a win is hard to wish.
Here are Ottomans task:
1)Survive a possible Russia rush
2)Eventually take out Russia with Austria
1-Take your men near Russia front and rush the bunker of Caucasus before Russia can bunk his marines there
2-Bunk up all 3 bunk at west
3-Bring 5 scvs to the east: make 3 racks and 2 bunkers
3-Take out the southern zone with your tank and your 8 marines.
If well played Otto should have 5 zones instead of 3 by 1:00 and he should be ready to rush Russia with 40-50 marines to relieve pressure of the 2 main centrals. Ottoman role is to strike on ground unless Russia is out.
Conclusion
Have fun AcEs I made it for all you guys that I wish I had the time to train with. Ill still be around for questions and personal training :D
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