Waragem: EE

Hopefully this guide can get you started in Wargame, give you some basic info about the game, hwo to play, what to expect, etc.

About the Game

Wargame: European Escalation was made by the same creators of R.U.S.E, another RTS game. Also, in March, 2013, they will be coming out with their new game - Wargame: Airland Battle - which will contain new factions, units, maps, game modes, and fix some of the problems and suggestions of Wargame: EE.

Wargame is an RTS (real time strategy) game that puts you back in the Cold War. Obviously, no battles are actual fighting broke oout during the "war", but the idea of Wargame: EE is to produce scenarios of the "battles that could have happened". In Wargame: EE, you will find units, like tanks and infantry, that each faction had in their armory at that time.

Wargame: EE brings a much deeper perspective into RTS games, unlike R.U.S.E. While R.U.S.E. is still a very fun game, it does not go into much depth in the gameplay, compared to Wargame. Wargame is much more realistic - you must deal with supplies, territory, economy, units, and even the psychological state of your units. Although Wargame does have a steep learning curve, you will learn the tricks and skills with every battle you fight. And hopefully this guide will be able to help you out too.

Gameplay

Wargame: EE brings in new perspectives to RTS games. In a game, you will have the chance to fight a small war on very large maps, while at the same time watching every little battle, ensuring that your units can do everything thing so that they come out as the victors. While this can be very entertaining, it can also be difficult. Units can take a lot of attantion to get them to do exacly what you want them to, and a lot of the time you feel rushed and panicked. With time and experience, it becomes easier.

In the game, there are many different types of game modes, maps, and ways to set up your game - each of which I will go over later. But before you play a game, you have to look at your deck. Your deck is just like a hand of cards. You can choose what's in it - 25 core units overall (max 5 for each type of unit). What I mean by core unit is that most units have variations, which may have better fuel capacity, armor, guns, etc. As you increase in variations, he cost goes up. But variations of units do not count towards your 25 core units. Also, there are 7 types of units; Logistic, Recon, Tanks, Infantry, Support, Vehicles, and Helicopters. Logistics include command vehicles, supply vehicles, and F.O.B.s. Recon units consist of units with exceptionally better optics, and can come in the form of ground or air units. Tanks have hearier armor and high powerd guns, but nicer ones can cost upwards of a lot. Infantry can come in the form of recon infantry, anti-tank, anti-air, special forces, and others. As you can see there are many types of units - over 300.
Each game will contain two sides - one usually NATO and the other PACT, but you can change it so you can do PACT vs. PACT or NATO vs. NATO. You can set the game mode, the map, the time limit and some other options.
In Wargame, there are 4 different types of game modes (3 of them are included in the free DLC packs) - Destruction, Conquest, Economy, and Seige. In destruction, you try to destory a certain amount of enemy units up to a set number of points. In conquest, you try to capture and hold the set number of scattered sectors. In economy, you try to accumulate a certain number of command points. In Seige, the starting conditions are uneven, making an interesting game.

In the game, there are sectors which your team needs to capture in order to make command points (which are used to order new units) and bring in troops (which is a special type of sector). Each sector will have a name, and a number (unless the game mode is seige, in which case some sectors will not have numbers) and some sectros around the edge of the map will have arrows. In game, on the HUD, there is a button that can turn the visibility of these sectors on and off. The number indicates how many command points your team will recieve every 4 seconds. The arrow indicates that it is a reinforcement sector, and that when you order new units, they will arrive from the nearest sector with an arrow, as shown in the picture above. These reinforcement sectors are extremely important to the game - if you don't own any, you will not be able to call for reinforcements.
Each sector must be captured by a very special type of unit, found in the logistics section. This is a command unit. Command units are very expensive, the cheapest being $200, and they can be ground units or helos. Command units are also vulnerable, and have weak armor. This is why you must protect them carefully.

Units

As I mentioned before, there are many different units in this game. The units come from two factions: PACT and NATO, each faction containing 4 nations. There are 7 different types of units each with a different set of skills.

Logistics are used for resupplying units and taking sectors.
Recon is essential for your units to fire at maximum range.
Tanks are fast, heavily armored and gunned, but do have some weaknesses.
Infantry do well in forests and protecting command vehicles.
Support is good for long range artillery and anti-aircraft.
Vehicles will contain special units and anti-tank,
Helicopters are good for fast response, but are vulnerable to long range AA.

*The following pictures are from in-game photos*
As you play, you will find out which units you like to use, and build your deck to fit your type of gameplay.

Maps and Terrain

The maps in Wargame come in multiple sizes. Small maps are more suitable for 1v1 games, while some maps can accommodate up to 4v4 games. Many maps come with the 3 free DLC packs.
Maps will contain different features and types of terrain. Holding your cursos over it will give you details.

Woods

Woods are thick and provide heavy cover. units must be on the edge of the woods to shoot at their maximum range. Your unit will not be able to see very far through a forest, even if they are recon units. This takes the range advantage away from tanks, so infantry will be able to get close and fire at armor with rocket launchers. It is usually a bad idea to use armor un unsecure woods.

Fields

Tanks and units with armor will usually do better in fields. Infantry, however, won't. Infantry is slow, so it would take time for it to cross a large, open field with no cover, making them easy pickings for helos, tanks, or artillery. Recon units will also be able to see far across fields,

Hills

Hills in Wargame are interesting. Only in a couple maps will you find realistic hills. Most changes in elevation are constant slopes - not realistic. But besides realism, these hills can be usesful, or painful. Even the best recon unit is useless if its view is blocked by a hill. They can be used for planning ambushes, or getting a better view of an area.

Hedges

Hedges can usually be found next to roads, but are also scattered through fields. Some hedges are thick and will provide heavy cover, whiles others are smaller. Hedges are good for making defensive lines, and can also slightly block your units' line of sight.

Buildings

Buildings can be very useful. They can block any units line of sight completely, making them ideal for command units. Buildings will also give infantry the most over and protection from enemy fire. These are randomply placed along side roads.

Towns

Towns are awesome. Also great for command vehicles and infantry, they can make some large battle gounds. But towns have streets and toads inside, concealed by by houses. This makes them a good hiding place for almost any unit. Towns can be found throught the map, most times where two roads intersect.

Swamps

Swamps don't provide as much cover as forests, but are good areas for F.O.B.s and anti-aircraft missiles. Helicopters can land in them making for a quick refuel, and units can see out of them.

Roads

Roads and highways are critical to Wargame. You can use the "move fast" command to tell your units to use roads. This will increase the sped of your units greatly because of the roads. But some roads can be risky. Roads that run through or nearby forests can be perfect for laying ambushes. Also, roads that run through towns can be dangerous.

Multiplayer

Wargame offers you a unique multiplayer experience. In multiplayer, you can test your skills against players from around the world, and work together with your friends and strangers in a variety of battles.

In multiplayer, you will earn experience points depending on certain game statistics. The more kill points you recieve during the game, the more XP you will recieve. Also, other factors like casualties, time bonus, and win streak can affect your score. In a multiplayer game, you can play against AI, or another team (playing against AI will reduce the amount of points you recieve for the game). As far as AI, there are three difficulties, and no other human player can play on the AI's team. I think that AI games aren't very challenging, especially when you have more than two people on your team. AI games are useful for testing out new units, or just learning the game.
With human vs human, you can have up to 4 players on each team. There are three types of games you can play as far what factions will participate: Confrontation - meaning NATO vs. PACT, NATO - meaning NATO vs NATO, and PACT - meaning PACT vs PACT. The most commonly played is confrontation. There are also 4 different game modes you have to choose from (if you don't have 4, look for the free DLC downloads in Steam). These include Destruction, Conquest, Economy, and Seige. Depending on the game mode, you can set the number of points each team starts with (it will divide that number by the number of players on each team, and that is how many points each individual player haas to begin), the points to achieve, sectors to capture, etc.

When you are ready to begin the game, the host will click "launch" and the game will begin. At the beginning, everyone will have time to set up their units. What usually happens when each game starts is this:
1. Your teammates will claim which sectors they will attack, using flares or typeing a message (press enter to type a message, press "shift" + "enter" to type a mesaage to everyone, even the enemy. Sometimes this doesn't happen, and if that is the case, people will just take the sector(s) that they are closest to.
2. Some one will have to keep a command vehicle in the sector you are strating in, usually the person who will be taking the least sectors.
3. Your team will have to set up F.O.B.s (forward operating bases) which each hold 10,000 supplies. Your whole team shares F.O.B.s (you can use your teammates and they can use yours) so you need to decide how many you think you need for the whole game. While doing this, keep the time limit in mind, and what kind of units you have, like artillery are ATGM units, which use up A LOT of supplies.
4. Players will often set their units up near roads, for a quick launch and rout to the battlefield. Tip: place your helos, if you have any, over forests so they will start in the air. If you have infantry in transport helos, this will give them a head start, because taking off from the ground can take time.
In multiplayer, everyone has to have internet connection. That;s right, lag. In Wargame, lag can get on your nerves. When Wargame is having troubles with soome one, a message will pop up on the screen saying a player's name and counting down, starting somewhere about 25 seconds. Most of the time, the warning will just flash for half a second. Sometimes it will count down for more. If the timer starts counting down for some one, and it has been going for some time, chances are that the player won't recover. Only once or twice have I seen a player recover with a couple seconds left. If you start seeing a Warning where everyone is encountering problems, that probably means you are the one with the internet problem!
Wargame will also slow down to allow for the game to "catch up" with some peopel. If you notice that your units are moving very slowly, or the clock is counting down slowly, that means Wargame is trying to handle bad internet. Sometimes the person that is slowing it down will get disconnected and the game will speed up, but most of the time the game will continue, making for a really long, and slow game. But just like every other game, lag is something you have to deal with.

In a game, you can also use flares to communicate with your team. Flares are only visible to your team. You can use a flare by looking in the upper left hand corner of the screen, above the minimap. Click the flare you want, and click to place.

Remember that it is just a game, so don't get too frustrated. Sometimes enemy artillery in massive quantities can get on my nerves, but I just have to remember that artillery is part of the game!

NATO vs. PACT

Personally, I think that while playing PACT you get more for what you spend. If you take a look at the PACT armor, you can see that some tanks, such as the T-62s or T-55s will come with ATGM in newer verions. Also, PACT has many more variences on their units, so by adding a "T-62" to your deck, you can get 5 differnet tanks, each of which you can produce a different amount of.

If you take a look and NATO, you can see that they do not have anything that can even touch some of those. Maybe the MBT-70s can compare, with ATGM, and autocannon, and a fair gun, but lets compare the T-80Us and the Leapord 2s. While you can only make 2 T-80Us, two is sufficient. The T-80U comes with tramendous armor, a very high powerd gun, a fir stabalizer and speed, and one of the most deadly ATGM missiles in the game. This missile nearly has the same specs as the Hell fire missile on the Apache. If you look at what the Leapords have to offer, all you can get is high armor, speed, high poer gun and ok stabalizer - the T-80Us will be shooting at you far before they are in range of you.

Also, PACT ATGM has its advantages. PACT owns the farthest shooting ATGM vehicle, which can max out at around 2900m. PACT anti-air missiles also have the furthest range and explosiveness, which the Rollands or Charraples can't compare to. PACT has much more acurate, long range, destructive and abundant artiller, making barrages devastating to NATO units.

This is just my general feel towards PACT and NATO. Maybe some peope would argue differently, but the stats are there for everyone to see, I'm not saying NATO has bad units, I'm just saying that PACT can often buy nicer equipment than NATO for the same price.

[TigerB44]

For someone who don't play PvP it is hard to earn stars for units.

[acesun]

Your feelings towards pact vs NATO is a reflection of the history where the Soviet does have a land equipment advantage I :) good guide!

[JimboSlick]

Whenever I playa game like this I am always the 'good guy' always the American, etc. I don't ever play the other side even though I may be missing on half the game. Do any other Americans feel this way? I'd like to know. And yes, I know it's just a game. It's just uncomfortable for me to be a Russian or Viet Cong and 'kill' Americans. I watch a lot of YouTube walkthroughs and they do it so casually. They never even comment on the contradiction(for those who are Americans or close allies).

[theoldgamingtramp]

good guide, thanks

[Rambotz]

yea my favorite vehicle is the t-80U's because of those missles however if u want an accurate tank that wont miss go for the leopard 2a4's the only down side to those tanks is they are quite pricey

[Darkangelus]

You´re right, it´s sad, some dude told me that before some Multiplayer match and it blew my mind, thanks for this awesome guide.

[Zach]

Darkangelus: You're probably right. Which is sad because those play a major role in the game.

[Darkangelus]

I really think more than 60% of the playerbase doesn´t know about the numbers above sectors and the meaning of them (The higher the number, more Command Points per second)

[Zach]

B1G_DAWG: The command unit does not have any effects on nearby units. But, it does play a major role in the game. Ech sector has an amount of command points marked next to the name of the sector. This number is the amount of command points or "deployment points" that your team will recieve every 4 seconds from that sector. For example, if you own 2 sectors with a total of 6 points, then you will recieve 6 deployment points every 4 seconds if you are on a team by yourself. If there are 2 players, you will recieve 3 points every 4 seconds. These sectors can only be captured by command vehicles. Therefore. the only way to earn deployment points is to capture sectors with command units.

[Dimonay]

@B1G_DAWG: none