Frozen Synapse - How to sow destruction for begginers

Are you afraid of tutorial button in game menu? Its ok, not everyone completed it ( although there is achievment for that)... So, here is pretty basic knowledge, about how to keep your squad alive!

Units adventages and disadventages

Different units have different perks, stats and predispositions. First some rules and facts:

• Every unit have potential to kill at last one enemy.
  
• Every unit is capable of operating on its own,
  
• Every unit is more efficient when working in group ( at last one cooperating unit)
  
• Units are even more efficient when timing is right. Good timing is one of the first rules of engagement!
  
• Units ARE NOT suppose to work on group bigger than 3. The bigger the group the bigger are (eventuallly) loses!
  
• ...but groups can cooperate too!

Now, lets see how, and in what situations units have advantage.

• => Rifleman (a.k.a. machinegunner)
  yeah, he is pretty lame but he can be used as a tactic advantage. He is reallybasic so i just show u the math:
  *chances to win match -> 1 sniper vs 1 machine gun are equal only when playing heavy urban map and/or machine gun have cover and/or is in medium range toward sniper and sniper didn't spot him yet.
  *...also playing CQC(shotgun) vs rifleman, CQC will loose only if no obstacles are found or player is a total newbe. []
  * Other classes will probably loose even in 1vs2, sometimes, maybe if you will be lucky, an rpg will accidentaly blow rifleman's hideout and you can win but chances are very, very low...
  
  
• => CQCs (close quarter combat specialist a.k.a shotgun)
  believe me, he can do magic. This is best choice, and if u have one on urban map, try keep him safe. Using him in squadfight make him just fabulous. He have superior reaction time but very short range so try to jump from cover to cover till reach the target. Surprise attack are also very effective. Beware, he is lame at open field!
  
  
• => Sniper
  Sniper are good choice to control open field or keeping units inside zones we want them. He is something like queen in chess in exception he will die in cqc combat. I will tell more about advantages of having these dudes on your side later.
  
  
• => RPG/exp
  RPG and explosive specialists are solely support units. Difference between them are somehow linked to walls. RPG can only shoot walls, and easily kill anything on other side but have smaller blast radius than grenades which can bounce from walls and be fired over cover when ducked.
  

and now, some "Tactics"!

As i told you before, its highly recommended to use squads to fulfill your goals. I will tell more bout field control and goals in third part. Now, what can we do about our situation on the field? First of all, don't keep your units together. Bigger groups of units are great target for RPG/explo units {yeah, and if RPG have LOS on you keep away from walls if possible}, even machinegun can frag some additional troops. Best idea is to split forces to 1 or 2-3 unit suqds and put them to the field. Configurations of the squads should depend on field situation and be elastic in use. You may need to adjust them on the fly so if its possible they also should have some escape way.

There are 3 scenarios to simulate: FullUrban(FU), HalfUrban(HU), and OpenField(OF) of course map can also have subspaces like 3/4 map is FU and 1/4 is big wmpty space in the middle, its callsed subspace and will be callsed with little 's' in front lik sOF.

Now, to control FU best units combos are machine and CQCs. Common tactics is also use combo with RPG to terraform FU toward OF or explo to clear rooms before rushing in. Sniper, if possible, should cut possible ways from area, or keep an eye on possible trenches, like strategically guarded windows or choke holds. If u choose not to demolish whole map, progressively and carefully clear the map part by part keeping CQCs in fron and supporting them with machinegun in middle range, in case enemy CQC will pop up.

HU is map weighted more toward machinegun and sniper domination. RPG have bgger value but explo is weaker, however the main strategy is not very different from FU.

OF or OF with sFU/sHU are the most difficult scenario's ever. Always try to find cover as soon as possible - Covered units are harder to shoot to. Snipers have greatest value, RPG/CQCs are just cannon fodder(and yeah you can use them that way (i mean create diversion, not everyone remember to use ignore function!), even short time the enemy is distracted by presence of your RPG can create opening for you to kill him. Explo in other hand, can be used tactically to keep enemy in bay, Rifleman, even if not very accurate on long distances can accidentally shoot other units so be careful. Of course its two sided weapon so you can let your machinegun sow bullets in opposite direction too,(and praying to hit something) Try to focus your snipers on enemy snipers to eliminate them asap. The worst scenario between snipers units is draw (2-way kill or also called nemesis kill) but hey, they loose their snipers too! More common strategy is focusing them on machinegunners, and letting your rifle clear distracted snipers (still, it work sometimes). The worst thing you can do in OF is rush all your forces to battle in one charge.

How I see my battlefield in future

Its time for short goals and long goals. Learning to think this way may allow you to gain advantage over your enemy but my be hard and unnatural for som of you so if you really dont want to, skip this part and start practicing!

Short goal - fulfilling those will take no more than 2, max 3 turns
Long goal - 30%-60% time limit, usually weighted toward 50% except lifelong main rules(below)

The way you want to dominate battlefield should be divided over multiple stages. First of all, there are two basic rules with highest priority: (main short goal) -> ensure your units safety and (main long goal) -> fulfill game mode objective or eliminate all enemies.Be aware that usually you have turn limit so plan carefully.
When game flow starts, usually two basic short term goals will pop up, advance or retreat from position. Advancing always depend on diversion or flanking. Remember that ensuring safety of your units is vital to your tactical capabilities so it is always on first place (except for cannon fodder). Of course having more than one squad allow you to strategically make retreat of one squad opportunity to advance with another or just wipe the advancing units. It's of course adviced but also somewhat risky. Retreat is the best option when facing wrong type of unit, lets say CQCs vs Rifle on OF.

Another advice on object based tactics is assigning to one task only units that are essential to make it done. Of course remember the first rule, if it's necessary assign more units to task to keep allies alive. Its crucial to find balance in that thinking and of course evaluate situation, because this sometimes may have opposite effect -> the more units u SEND the more of them can be neutralized so be careful.

Last Advice, hold ground if possible, Especially on FU or HU, chasing one last unit over whole map can be tiring and even dangerous, one unit usually have element of surprise and window of opportunity to kill your units one by one, especially on dark game modes. Of course one unit have bigger element of surprise than tactically placed squad so if its possible, you should take them down from safe distance.

[esavier]

Glad to help! The idea is just to know what assets you have and then outsmart your enemy. Now, go, rule the world :9

I am always happy to see new players around :) especially in sucha great game.

[Capo]

Thank you for teaching.
Learned something, again.