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Discussing Strategy - IV of V - Squad Design
KingEridani
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Squad Design Strategy

The following is part IV of V on my series of posts on ‘Discussing Strategy’. I hope for the following guidelines and jargon to be adopted by players both veteran and new alike to foster better communication about the game. I will update these posts as corrections arise from discussion in attempt to create a referable resource should this catch on.

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Unlike the vast majority of games being published today, Darkwind truly accomplishes versatility in effective strategies. This means many different player-skills can be utilized in making your gang more profitable.* Not only does Darkwind offer three separate top-level strategies (Trading, Towning and Scouting -- the missing part VI which I am too inexperienced to write) but within each of these spheres of the game there is diversity to your approach. You can do perfectly well in Evan by mastering a sole technique to the exclusion of others; but the synergy between the varied skills and equipment provide the ability to be a Jack of all master of none as well.

What follows is a brief contextual note then some examples of commonly used ‘squad-level’ tactics. I will avoid identifying the different tactics by Player Progress or Vehicle Tier as different tools may be used to accomplish the same job. Instead I seek to provide a list of the most basic tactics for you to use, mix and get inspired by.

Whatever tactics you adopt it is important to consider the design of your vehicles; a rear mounted apache will not perform as well as a front-mounted one for ‘Muscling:’ vice versa for ‘Running and Gunning’. First and foremost; Have A Plan. Second; Be Prepared for when the plan goes ‘South’. If you have a plan and are prepared to ditch it your squads will see greater success more often. From there--in the Eastern tradition--look for your squad’s overlaps, redundancies, double-redundancies and waste; eliminate this to perfect a team.

The last consideration to make after you have identified your squads plan and potential vehicles is the CR of the squad. You have two options and the decision is primarily a matter of scale. Take into account your Gangers’ skills, (especially Scouting) and your geo-location. The crew in your car (and pedestrians!) do not add CR to the value of the car. If you are able to make favorable rolls on the scouting charts, with a sufficiently small or punch-packing-synergy squad, counting your CaloRies is the safest way to actively train. The reverse uses the same concept of synergy, especially with the use of AOE Weapons, to be able to handle (potentially) any amount of enemy vehicles. Meaning you should add as much CR to your squad as possible even if it is just tertiary support to the main tactic. Some players take this as far as to not use a scout at all, especially in Somerset.

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The ‘Killing Ground’ Tactic

The simplest of the three basic tactics. This tactic revolves around the positioning skills; you must choose an area that offers a preferable ratio of cover and good alleys of fire. Best utilized with one or more lines of vehicles. If used, duration ballistics/droppers are centered in the Kill Zone. Also known wholly or in part as ‘Line Fighting,’ ‘Park-n’-Bark’ or ‘Fortressing.’

The ‘Run and Gun’ Tactic

This tactic is by far the most utilized and perhaps the most powerful of the three basic tactics. Many players swear by this tactic and the further South you go the more this tactic must be incorporated into your strategy. Vehicle mounting is reversed, with the primary side being the rear with more ubiquitous use of duration ballistics/droppers. Also known wholly or in part as ‘Stringing,’ ‘Leading’ or ‘Being Russia.’

The ‘Dogfighter’s Skirmish’ Tactic

This tactic may be utilized on a squad-wide basis (‘Muscle Scouts’ being a common type of social scout) but it is rather restrictive as it requires vehicles which are able to outmanoeuvre the enemy’s. More often you see this tactic used partially by one or a small group of ‘Chaser’ vehicles, with the intent of wrangling NPC ‘Trader’ vehicles. To properly use this tactic requires knowledge of the AI aggro system and either clever use of terrain or high speed driving skills. It isn’t simply enough to drive around fast though, you will have to eventually attack your enemy. The whole idea is to navigate the game to a board state where you may engage in a series of small and favorable fights (Divide and Conquer). Since the vehicles used for this tactic are required to be agile anyway they play well with both of the other tactics as light gap-fillers. The further South you venture the more ‘Bristle’-minded or reliable you will want your ‘Chasers’ to be as the further your main force must travel, the harder it will be to support either force. Also known wholly or in part as ‘Muscling,’ ‘Chasing,’ ‘Flanking’ or ‘Guerilla Tactics.’

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*As a praxeologist this, in my eyes, fixes a greater break in the suspension of disbelief than artificially fluctuating prices. Compare the drop rate of T1 and T2 vehicles in different Southern towns to the different mineral densities in Diamond mines in Africa. The more the mining is done the lower the price of diamonds become. The player market saites the economist in me; which is good; as no new mechanics will be released.

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TL;DR: Identify your tactics before heading into the wilderness.
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vet wv

Posted Jun 30, 2016, 10:47 pm
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