Any tips for a newbie?

[Rabble]

Had two games so far, H&M been stable but the PP flow was always dropping fast.
killing Taliban and destroying IED doesn't give enough PP to survive.
I'm using a lot of helicopters to counter the IED.
Should i be focussing on ground vehicules?

What is your early tactics for the first few turn?
How fast should i build FOB to be able to visit the far away villages?

[Tay67]

After playing a few games. Here are a few things that I learned.

1. Start by looking at the beginning map, and planning on where you think you're FOBs will work best. Planning is key as it helps you prioritize the areas that you can fix immediately (close to the main HQ, will not cost a lot to connect to highway if it isn't already or unable to due to being surrounded by mountains) and the ones that will have to wait.

2. Building (and using) ANA early game is a good idea. Reduces the amount of reinforcements that you have to bring from the US (troops, and transport wise), and having them handle the initial fights builds their experince giving you access to more skilled units when you start to really need them.

3. Don't expect to win immediately, you already know what happens when you try to surge a win. It may look like you're winning at first, but then the next turn you are so deep in the negative that you won't be able to recover in time. Start small (my usual starting force: husky, buff., MRAP w/ Infantry, and up to three 3 SF to train ANA), focus on building your first FOB, Then begin working on the nearby villages.

4.Pay attention to events (newspaper articles, elections, turntracker at the bottom of the intel map) they can effect your current situation in a positive/negative manner.

5. Watch your supplies! If you don't, then you could be stuck in a difficult position (like an SF unit about to starve on a mountain because a sandstorm blocked you from using an emergency supply drop).


Sorry for the length, and if anyone else has other ideas to help him, then please feel free to add on to this.

[Rabble]

thanks friend. :D
Can we train ANA infantry?
The special force seem to be able to train only vehicule.

[CapGun1977]

Originally posted by Serpent of Eden:

thanks friend. :D
Can we train ANA infantry?
The special force seem to be able to train only vehicule.

ANA infantry can be trained at FOB`s 3units per. Take quick look at manual will help with the small stuff you need to know. Don`t stretch yourself thin keep everything 1 turn away this will pay off when it comes time to resupply. I`m curently in veteran game and 4 FOB`s built so far so don`t think 1 or 2 is enough. Water works will help with PP gain and keep husky running up and down highway those IED`s are a plenty. Hope this helps be on the look out for my guide in coming week. Enjoy and don`t give up ;)

[GrooGrux]

You can train ANA infantry at a FOB. I usually build a LOT of FOBs and keep the ANA infantry in training all the time. Get the leveled up and you have a nice squad of ANA SF soldiers to keep an eye on everything. I believe now the ANA infantry is working as designed and it's a ton more fun.

Helicopters are expensive to move around the map. That might be costing you dearly.

[Leadpaint]

Like they said, start small and expand steadily. Overspending on units or FOBs early is a good way to go into the negative PP death spiral.

I buy hardly any US fighting forces but I rely on special forces to train ANA infantry, ASVs, howitzers and transport helos. If you start your ANA infantry early you can level them up to SF and then they can train infantry - all for free. Huskys pay for themselves sweeping IEDs. As I get more PP I spend it on more Huskys, Buffalos and trucks. Eventually a Chinook or two is really handy too. Apaches are fun but howitzers are a better deal.

Think of helos as flying trucks, or flying yellow school buses. Losing them sucks, don't fly them into areas you can't already see if you can help it. I mainly use them for medevac (wounded units cost PP every turn), emergency resupply, and reaching faraway villages and opium fields. Everything else you can do cheaper and safer with ASVs and trucks.

Everything has a different range, but it can pay off to site your FOBs no more than one turns driving or flying apart. That way you can move untis around without using fuel or rations because they end their turn in an FOB. Always connect FOBs by road unless the mountains are impassable, save the Chinook build for reaching isolated valleys roads can't get to.

Look for easy wins early - villages you can connect to the road quickly. As you get control of an area keep a steady patrol of Huskys clearing roads followed by trucks, lots of trucks, delivering UN Aid over and over. Don't build waterworks early, wait until you have an area under control and can spare the PP. The best time is right before an election to give you that positive H&M trend.

Maximizing hearts and minds will pay off, with better intel, fewer attacks, and a friendlier president. Really push to boost H&M before an election, the bonuses for the more supportive Afghan president can really add up over multiple turns.

Remember, the goal isn't to kill Taliban, it's to boost H&M as high as possible while saturating the map with FOBs full of ANA. For that, the key units in the game are special forces and trucks carrying UN Aid.

[CapGun1977]

Very nice play by play Leadpaint I agree 100%.

[Rabble]

thanks everyone.

[Shenji]

Play Vietnam '65 before this, helps a lot

[metalcallous]

The Battle of Lashkagar (the first mission) is a good training. As it teaches you how to keep a Forward Operating Base supplied. Think Convoys, lead them with a husky, followed by a MRAP/ISV, followed by 2-3 supply trucks. The MRAP/ISV is essential since the militia/Taliban are crafty enough to allow Huskies to pass through, fooling you into thinking it is safe.

With Convoys you need to plan ahead, how many trucks will carry FOB supply? How many will carry ammo for that FOB's artillery, how many will carry UN aid? The First campaign mission is perfect for learning this.

Use your helo's for surgical strikes of discovered enemies/opium fields; For quick emergency extractions/resupplies; or for inserting your Special Forces at mountain spotting areas. Using them for standard resupply missions is too costly, especially early in the game.

With that in mind, your early game will have you limited to the FOBs you set up and their nearby road networks. With the use of Helos restricted to special situations. Later on as you attain a steady flow of PP, you can start being liberal with your helos for all sorts of purposes.

Other tips:
Don't be afraid to (sell) rotate out units if you need the PP badly
Vehicles gain 1 free fuel if they spend an entire turn in the FOB - use this to your advantage, rest your convoys in that FOB for awhile, before taking the return trip back to HQ

[MorrisLam]

What I do is to invest PP in waterworks in early game and then use mortars and ambush to earn more. Mortars and ambush do not cost PP nor casualty. Infantry can ambush enemy from one hex away, that means there is zero risk of injury when you strike them.
Lead the convoy with a MRAP followed by supply trucks, whenever you need to stop just unload the troops and set them in ambush position to protect the vehicles. Destorying opium fields give you extra PP too but the operation itself often requires air transport...

[Enchanted]

In general, a Chinook is a must if you don't get one to begin with as its got the range the other helos don't have and the ability to construct a FOB rather than get a Buffalo to the point. Adding an artillery pit to a FOB seems pretty useful on some missions as you can put an ANA artillery in it and big range. As others have said, Huskies are essential to clear IEDs plus just by doing that you'll gaain 250 PP per IED blown, though the bad guys will not always ignore them so don't leave them without backup.

[//]

This is a good amount of helpful information. Just what I was looking for! Thanks everyone! ;)