Version 0.9; last updated 6/18/04
Written by Jack Power
Questions, additions, and comments can be directed to JackPower "at" aol "dot"
com with "Daisenryaku" in the subject line.
Version history
0.5; 7/8/03 Initial release
0.7; 10/23/03 Added corrections and clarifications, country and unit overviews
0.8; 12/18/03 Made a few minor corrections, added the remaining unit type and
country overviews and a few more hints
0.9; 6/18/04 Tweaked a few things, and added more important info about games in
this series
This document contains Japanese characters in Shift JIS format.
--------
Contents
--------
Introduction
Game overview
System requirements
How to play Japanese PC games on Western Windows
Playing the game
Setting up a game
Building an army
Holdings
Taking action
Engaging the enemy
Maintaining your forces
Victory Conditions
Production types
Unit types
High sky
Low sky
Ground
Surface
Subsurface
Special traits
Rules
Hints and tips
Recources
News
Special thanks
Legal info
------------
Introduction
------------
The purpose of this faq is to provide basic information about the Windows PC
game Daisenryaku Perfect (henceforth DSP) for the English-speaking community.
DSP was released in Spring 2003 for a suggested retail price of 9800 yen.
Although it may be rather obscure compared to some import games, it's such an
outstanding strategy game-- with no real equal or equivalent in the West-- that
it deserves to be known outside of Japan. I wrote the portion of this guide
that covers actual gameplay with the assumption that the reader:
A) Has some knowledge of the Japanese language, as this game is not
import-friendly, or
B) Has some knowledge of the military of some country or another, or
C) Has both A and B (preferred).
-------------
Game overview
-------------
DSP is a turn-based modern tactical/strategic warfare simulation. It is the
latest and most complete (hence, "Perfect") title in the series of Daisenryaku
("great strategy") games. Daisenryaku games have been released for nearly every
console, including SNES/Super Famicom, Genesis/Megadrive, Game Boy, Dreamcast,
Playstation 1 and 2, not to mention at least 7 previous editions on the PC. It
features over 700 real life military units from 16 countries, the majority
being modern (post-1980's) hardware. If you've played any of the older
Daisenryaku games, or any other strategy games with a hex map like Conflict or
Advance Wars, you'll have a good idea of what to expect. But compared to
everything else (except the legendary Harpoon series), this game is much deeper.
The game can be played by up to 8 players on the same computer, either
cooperatively, competitively, or a mix of both. A new feature to the series,
games can be played through e-mail.
The limited edition version of this game comes with a mouse pad (with nice
artwork of a Leopard MBT), and an index booklet with most of the units in the
game.
-------------------
System requirements
-------------------
-Windows 2000/XP/ME/98/95 (should be Japanese edition, but there are ways
around that)
-PII 266Mhz processor or better, PIII 400 recommended
-800MB of free disk space
-CD rom drive (CD must be in drive to run too)
-1024 X 768 16bit high color monitor
Note: DSP runs in a window, not fullscreen like most newer PC games. For
whatever dumb reason, there are no scroll bars on most game windows and you
won't be able to see everything being displayed unless your monitor is at 1024
X 768 resolution. Personally I hate that resolution, but YMMV.
------------------------------------------------
How to play Japanese PC games on Western Windows
------------------------------------------------
This is probably the most important issue. The Japanese text in the game (and
also in the installation screens) will come out as gibberish on an English OS.
You can probably install the game on any Windows system without much trouble if
you can guess where to click your mouse, but the game will be fubar when you
play it because all the text except simple alphanumerics and everything in the
all-important toolbar will be unreadable.
There are three ways to fix this and run the game (and any Japanese PC game)
properly.
1) Get Windows 2000/XP. It has a built-in global IME which supports all
langauges in all applications... for the most part. Windows XP runs this game
(and any other Japanese game) flawlessly.
2) Get a Japanese edition of Windows (any version listed in the system
requirements). It would seem that most Western programs run fairly well in
Japanese Windows. You could also try partitioning your hard drive and install
both a Japanese OS and keep your English OS. Don't ask me how to do that.
3) Get NJStar Communicator. It's an IME program that will let you display and
input Japanese text anywhere, on anything (almost). It's really a fantastic
application for anything you need to do involving Japanese, not just gaming.
But, it is quite buggy, eats a bit of memory, and you will need to turn it off
while installing DSP. Also, the registered version costs an arm and a leg.
----------------
Playing the game
----------------
Playing this game with limited knowledge of Japanese can be very easy, but
getting the most out of it can be very difficult. The reason for this is that
the game itself is mostly icon driven. You click on your units, click where you
want them to move, and give them orders through a small panel of buttons.
However, configuring the game rules, understanding unit capabilities, and other
issues will not come so easily unless you can read a lot of kanji (and at 1024
X 768, that isn't easy for anyone).
Setting up a game
-----------------
For your first time playing, select New Game from the file menu. Select one of
the maps (which range from accurate real-life maps to bizarre concoctions).
You'll be brought to the game setup screen, where you can change the players
involved, production types, unit limits, how much each camp starts with, BGMs,
and so on. In the bottom left hand corner is the rule setup; see the Rules
section for details. Just click OK when you're ready and get into the game.
Building an army
----------------
In the first turn of the game, no players (including the AI) have any standing
forces. It's a bit unrealistic, but you have to start from scratch.
Look for the large city-like hex that the screen will usually be centered on at
the start of the game. This is your capital. It should be the same color as you
selected for your team, and may likely be labeled something like your army's or
country's name. Clicking this city will bring up the production menu, where you
will see a list of all the units available for you to purchase. Depending on
the rules settings, you can either build just one unit at a time per production
center or up to six. You can preview any unit before purchasing by clicking on
the button to the left of Cancel and OK. When you’ve decided on a unit, just
double click on it to move it into the production list on the right. To remove
a unit, double click it while it's in that list. Any units being refueled or
repaired inside the holding will also appear here. Note that all units take
just one turn to acquire once ordered.
Move the screen around my clicking and dragging the right mouse button or using
the scroll bars. You'll notice a lot of other types of holding and terrain. The
terrain is pretty self explanatory, but each has a different defense bonus for
units, and some inhibit or prevent units from moving across them.
Holdings
--------
Here is a list of all the holding types, including holdings that can't actually
be held. In addition to the abilities listed below, they offer defense bonuses
to units located there. (Air units are not normally affected by terrain,
however.)
-Capital: Your headquarters for the map. Ground units can be built or repaired
here. If your capital is captured or destroyed, you lose the game. Your capital
gives you 2000 credits per turn. Holds up to 6 units (ground/low sky).
-Large factory: Ground units can be built and repaired here. Holds up to 6
units (ground).
-Small factory: Ground units can be resupplied here (no repairs). Holds up to 4
units (ground).
-Air base: Air units can be built and repaired here. Holds up to 6 units
(high/low sky).
-Airport: Air units can be resupplied here (no repairs). Holds up to 4 units
(high/low sky).
-Naval base: Sea units can be built and repaired here. Holds up to 6 units
(surface/sub).
-Port: Sea units can be resupplied here (no repairs). Holds up to 4 units
(surface/sub).
-Large city: Ground units can be resupplied here, and helicopters can refuel,
but not reload weapons. Each large city earns you an extra 1500 credits per
turn. Holds up to 4 units (ground/low sky).
-Medium city: Ground units can be resupplied here. Each medium city earns you
an extra 1000 credits per turn. Holds up to 3 units (ground).
-Small city: Ground units can be resupplied here. Each small city earns you an
extra 500 credits per turn. Holds up to 2 units (ground).
-Village: Can't be captured, provide no income. Useful only for stationing
disgruntled infantry units. "Let's do the village. Let's do the whole f***ing
village!"
-Radar base: If captured, the fog of war for a large hex radius around the base
is lifted. They also provide excellent defense bonuses.
-Bridge: Can be captured, giving a 1 hex detection range and inhibiting enemy
units trying to cross. If a bridge is destroyed, any land unit on it is wiped
out.
-Tochka: I had to look this one up. It's Russian for "outpost" or "radio relay
station." You can blow them up but can't capture them. Station infantry here
for defense bonuses.
Note 1: Any holding that can build units can also repair them, and vice versa.
Note 2: Any holding that can repair units can also resupply/refuel them.
Note 3: You can refuel at allied holdings, but you cannot repair or
reload/rearm your units there.
After you're finished building, click "End Turn." After your opponents and
allies have finished their production phase, you'll proceed to the next step.
Taking action
-------------
When your turn comes up, you should have some units waiting for you in your
capital, factories, or bases. Click on one of those holdings, which will have a
small triangle in the corner if they contain something. The unit inside can now
be moved anywhere displayed by the white hex outlines. If there is more than
one unit, you will be given a list of them to move. Try moving a unit
somewhere. Moving uses fuel, and range is restricted by the terrain. Once you
have decided where to move it, you can give it orders through the action bar
that appears. The bar is made of small icons, but some of them are not
completely intuitive. Here is a list of commands. Note that only some commands
are available depending on the unit and situation, and the rest will be
ghosted. Any action the unit takes from this menu will end its turn.
Attack Ballistic
Occupy Transform
Destroy Repair
Merge Disperse
Enter Board
Rearm Jam
Conceal Bridge
Disband
Cancel End move
-Attack lets you attack the enemy. This order will remain ghosted until the
unit is within attacking range. Once selected, crosshairs will appear over all
units within range. Click on one of them to bring up a battle projection
screen. See below for more details on combat.
-Ballistic is only available to units that can launch ballistic missiles, such
as mobile launchers and certain subs. You can select either units or holdings
as targets. Note that targetting holdings will not harm nearby units and vice
versa. Once you have chosen, the missile will launch and head toward its
target. It may take several turns to get there depending on the range. There
are a few rare units that can shoot down ballistic missiles, so theoretically
the attack can be stopped with careful planning. All ballistic missiles cause
megahex damage. Mobile launchers can only fire every 5 turns, and subs can only
fire every 2 turns. If the targeted unit or holding is destroyed before the
missile reaches it, the shot is wasted.
-Occupy is only available to infantry units. It lets them capture cities and
other holdings. Depending on the rule settings, this can happen instantly or
take several turns. If “occupation enduranceEis on, an enemy capital takes 4
turns to occupy. Large cities take 3 turns to capture; small medium cities,
large factories, air bases and naval bases take 2; small cities, small
factories, airports, ports, and bridges take 1 turn. These numbers assume a
full infantry squad; it will take longer if the unit is damaged. Occupying is
the most crucial aspect of expansion, so get used to it.
-Transform changes units like towed artillery and missile launchers from their
transport formation to their combat formation. It is more of an inconvenience
than a feature, so time things carefully.
-Destroy is an order to raze a holding. This is common to bombers, attack
aircraft, missile launchers, and some specialty units. A destroyed holding
confers no benefits (like income or resupplying ability) to its owner and
cannot be entered. Destruction ability depends on the weapon being used, and is
listed under the unit's weapon specs. The larger the holding, the more damage
it can take before collapsing. Remember: Destroying stuff uses ammo too.
-Repair is available only to certain units like infantry and the construction
vehicles. This allows you to increase the HP values of damaged or destroyed
buildings, allowing them to function again. Repair is done in only small
increments, so it takes a while to bring a holding to full working order..
-Merge allows you to combine two adjacent units of the same type. For example,
if you have 5 T-80's left in one squad and 3 in another, you can transfer one
squad into the other for up to 8 units, or balance them out at 4 each.
Experience, fatigue, and ammo are averaged between the transferring units. Be
careful, because this command uses both unitsEactions and they can't do
anything else that turn.
-Disperse is the opposite of merge, as it allows you to split a unit into
smaller groups. This is generally useless because full/undamaged units are
always more effective than smaller ones. However, if you are short on infantry
and need to take cities fast, you may want to try it with your foot soldiers
(only if "occupation endurance" is off).
-Enter allows the unit to enter the building or holding. While stowed in the
holding, the unit is immune to conventional enemy attacks, and may be repaired
or resupplied depending on the holding type (see the above list). Obviously, do
not let the opposing forces capture or destroy your holdings while you have
troops in them.
-Board allows one unit to be stowed aboard another. This is only available when
a unit ends its move on the same hex as a compatible carrying unit. Many
stacking combinations are possible; you could stow an infantry unit aboard a
truck, the truck aboard a helicopter, and the helicopter aboard an aircraft
carrier. Carrying another unit does not effect the carrying unit in any way.
-Rearm allows the unit to change its weapons loadout. This is only available at
bases and factories that you own (not your allies), as well as your aircraft
carriers. Usually only aircraft and some ships have multiple configurations.
While an aircraft can fly into an airport and rearm on the same turn, they must
start and end their turn on the boat if rearming on a carrier.
-Jam, an option available on electronic warfare planes, turns on the active
jamming field to defend against enemy radar over a large area. It basically
prevents the enemy from seeing anything in the area around it. Be sure to do
this any time you anticipate an attack, particularly by air, on your forces.
-Conceal orders the unit to hide in its surroundings. This seems to work best
in forests for infantry. While concealed, a unit usually can't be detected
until an opposing unit moves right next to it, where upon they will be ambushed.
-Bridge is only available to the construction unit. It builds a bridge to span
a small gap or river. The construction unit must be right next to the hex where
you want to build the bridge.
-Disband deletes the unit. This is important in scenarios where the maximum
number of units you can have is limited, as you can get rid of ineffective or
nearly dead units in order to produce more useful fresh troops. In any other
situation it is a waste.
Engaging the enemy
------------------
As you move your units around the map, taking holdings and setting up defenses,
sooner or later you'll run into the opposing forces. Combat is quite simple.
Move your unit into weapons range of the enemy, and click the "attack" button
on the upper left hand corner of the action bar that pops up (it looks like a
bomb). Most units can only attack in the adjacent hex, but some weapons like
missiles and artillery have much longer range. Crosshairs will appear on all
units that can be attacked. Click on one of them, and you will see the battle
projection screen. This shows the projected losses on both sides as red X's
imposed over the current unit strength. You can also select which weapon to use
if more than one is capable of attacking your target. Click the confirm button
and you'll see the units do battle (unless you turned off "real fight" in the
configurations menu). Opposing units will counterattack automatically if they
are able to; the other players don't have to do a thing.
Sometimes, you will be attacked by enemy units out of your radar range. If this
happens, the enemy won't show up in the battle display; you'll just see
“UNKNOWNEon the enemy side and your troops getting blown up.
When you’ve finished giving orders to your existing units, just click the "End
Phase" button in the action bar. At this point, you'll be returned to the
production phase, and can click on any of your unit-producing holdings and
order more forces.
Maintaining your forces
-----------------------
Inevitably, your units will be damaged in combat. They will run low on ammo and
fuel. They may even become too tired to fight. Like a real army, they need
supplies and rest. The easiest way to do this is park a unit in an allied
holding. See the holding type list above so you know what to put where. Note
that you cannot repair or rearm at allied holdings, only refuel
Another way to maintain your forces is with supply units. Each production type
has a generic supply truck and supply ship. At the end of the turn, any
adjacent units (land and sea, respectively) will be refueled and rearmed. For
aircraft, you will need a tanker plane. They will refuel any adjacent allied
aircraft at the end of their turn. Each production type has at least one, if I
recall correctly. Note that helicopters can't do mid-air refueling. They can
enter and refuel at large cities, but not rearm. Also remember that the supply
units and tankers can only carry a limited amount of supplies themselves, so
keep them maintained as well.
One last note about maintenance: DSP is extremely stingy about repairing units.
Only the capital, large factories, airbases, and naval bases can repair units,
and these are few and far between. Often you must simply accept the fact that
front line forces cannot be repaired and will eventually be destroyed. However,
if you are close enough to the appropriate holding, or have invested enough in
strategic airlift, repairing veteran units is a very good idea. As units fight
and perform other actions, they gain experience and become more effective in
combat. If at all possible, you should keep high level units in top condition;
this will increase your army's fighting potential tremendously.
----------------
Production Types
----------------
There are 16 default production types in DSP. Production types are basically
the arsenals of different countries. The game includes a production type
editor, which you can use to create your own national arsenals to play as, but
that may be covered in a future update. Here are the 16 countries/types, along
with their strengths and weaknesses and notable units.
Japan
-----
Japan is a defensive powerhouse. They have a large number of advanced units,
including US imports and their own modified versions of such weapons. They have
an excellent navy, including powerful Aegis destroyers, subs, frigates, and
corvettes for all occasions. However, they lack a true aircraft carrier and
land attack capability, so their ability to project power is limited.
Key units
-F-15J Refit: Best overall interceptor in the game, with very accurate long
range AAM-4s.
-F-2: A bit pricey, but a very cool fighter/attacker with strong anti-ship
power.
-Kongou Refit: An outstanding Aegis destroyer with both anti-air and anti-sub
ability.
-DDH: A destroyer-sized helicopter carrier. Gives some semblance of overseas
power projection.
USA
---
Hands down, this is the strongest production type in the game. The US armed
forces have units for every conceivable situation, and not only that, they have
the best money can buy. With the exception of a couple of units (like the
export F-35C and a Swedish destroyer), the US has a monopoly on Stealth tech,
which is just plain evil in this game. Their one weakness is that their better
units are extremely expensive.
Key units
(Oh man, where to begin?)
-F-22 Raptor: Overpriced and not given due credit, but still godlike. Fly right
through radar and ambush zones, fire the AMRAAMs, and watch the fireworks.
-B-2 Spirit: Stealth + range 18 Advanced Cruise Missiles = enemy capital
destroyed before they even know there's a threat.
-USS George H. W. Bush: Upgrade to the Nimitz class (the name is speculation, I
hope). It's a huge nuclear carrier and the most expensive thing in the game.
-CGX: The ultimate Aegis cruiser. No land attack ability, but it has stealth
and SM-3 SAMs.
Russia
------
Russia has a very large and well-balanced inventory of units, much like the US,
but cheaper and lower quality. In actuality, they have a number of very
advanced systems, making them one of the best production types in the game, and
have excellent long range weapons. "In Soviet Russia, ballistic missiles launch
YOU!"
Key units
-Su-27 Flanker: A very nice interceptor. Has good agility, range, and weapons.
-Su-35 Super Flanker: Next to the F-22, this is the best fighter in the game.
Expensive for Russian gear, it has great evasion and good armament. (What the
hell is an R-37 though?)
-S-300: The Russian answer to the Patriot, it is not as accurate but has longer
range.
-Kirov: A powerful nuclear battlecruiser with a huge arsenal of weapons,
including deadly anti-ship missiles as well as long-range SAMs.
Germany
-------
Germany has extremely powerful ground forces, with some of the best tanks and
artillery. They have an interesting mix of ex-Russian gear (MiG-29s), US tech
(MLRS), and European specialties (Typhoon). Unfortunately, their air force and
navy are sub-par at best, and thus their power projection is very limited.
Key units
-Typhoon: Germany is one of several production types to have the Eurofighter,
and it's their best air unit.
-Leopard 2A6: Probably the best tank in the game, edging out even the M1A2.
(How do the developers know this when it's never even seen combat?)
-PzH2000: A very nice self-propelled artillery piece, it's at least as good as
the Paladin in most respects, but with less ammo.
UK
--
The United Kingdom is one of the most well-balanced countries. They literally
have a little bit of everything, and in some cases that little is very good.
Their navy is also well above average, complete with a range of carriers,
destroyers, and subs.
Key units
-F-35C: It's stealth, it's VTOL, and it's versatile. The only weaknesses of
this jet are its low payload and fuel.
-Challenger 2: One of the best MBT's in the game, and possibly the best armored.
-Type 45 Daring: A fairly powerful destroyer for any occasion.
-CVF: A proposed future carrier design. As cool as it is, there are no
navalized aircraft in Britain's arsenal to take advantage of it. It's still
good with VTOLs.
France
------
France has a good mix of both unique units and European specialties.
Unfortunately, France cannot be played accurately in this game, as there are no
"surrender" or "appeasement" options.
Key units
-Rafale M: A multirole fighter with decent capabilities. Its biggest advantage
is that it can land on carriers.
-Leclerc: A surprisingly good MBT, almost on par with the
Challenger/Abrams/Leopard/Type 90.
-Charles de Gaulle: The only non-US nuclear powered carrier in the game. It's
not as good, but it gets the job done when it isn't falling apart.
-Le Triumphant: A nuclear ballistic missile sub. It's not the best of its type,
but doesn't need to be.
Italy
-----
Italy has a slightly below average ground force, an average air force (with
Typhoons, Harriers, and even Starfighters), and an above average navy. Their
weapons aren't the highest quality but they aren't the worst either.
-C-1 Aliette: It's a decent MBT, and its the best they've got. At very least it
can take some hits.
-Vitrio Venneto: Italy is one of only 3 countries that have a cruiser. This one
has a good array of weapons.
-Horizon: A surprisingly expensive and well-armed frigate, notable for its long
range SAMs.
-Andrea Doria: A very nice VTOL/helo carrier, which matches nicely with their
AV-8B squadrons.
Sweden
------
Sweden has a number of unique and powerful units, mostly thanks to Saab's
military contracting. While they only have a few good units, you have little
reason to use anything else.
-JA-37 Yakuto Viggen: Not every country is fortunate enough to have an
interceptor. This one is only average, but much better than nothing.
-JAS-39 Grippen: A very maneuverable multi-role fighter. Powerful for its cost.
-Strv.122: An imported variant of the Leopard 2A5. Needless to say, it's their
best tank.
-Rbs.15KA: A truck-mounted anti-ship missile launcher perfect for defending the
coasts.
-Visby: What the hell? Yeah, I know it's a "stealth boat" made in collaboration
with the US military. Still, what the hell?
Israel
------
This little country kicks some big ass. Israel has excellent tanks, SAMs,
missiles, and fighters for every occasion. The sea is their one weak point, but
it doesn't decrease their overall strength much.
-F-15I Ram: Israel has a couple of excellent F-15 and F-16 variants, but this
one really rocks. It's the only F-15 I know of with anti-ship missiles.
-Merkava IV: This series of MBT is called the best protected tank in the world.
Not only do they have superb armor and main guns, but they come standard with
60mm mortars.
-Arrow 2: The one missile defense system that's actually superior to the
Patriot.
-Jericho 2: This range 40 ballistic missile platform insures that your enemies'
walls will indeed come tumbling down.
India
-----
In many ways, India is the poor man's Russia. Their ground forces aren't as
good quality, but their airforce is solid Russian tech, and they even have a
traditional carrier for power projection.
-Su-30MK1: A very nice multirole fighter. Very maneuverable with good weapons
selection.
-MiG-29K: A navalized upgrade of the infamous fighter. Comes with anti-ship
missiles.
-EX: A decent modern MBT, and probably the best India has (even over imported
T-90's).
-Gorshkov Refit: A conventional carrier bought from (guess who!) Russia. Not
bad at all.
China
-----
Don't be fooled by the fact that the majority of Chinese equipment is crap.
They are a dangerous force thanks to all the stuff they bought, copied, or
stole from Russia. While their sea power is nearly nonexistant, they have
ballistic missiles and even nuclear subs.
-Su-30MKK: Almost exactly like the Indian version, except with 500lb bombs
instead of 1000lb bombs. And it's black. (Eeeevil!)
-Jianzi 11: Speaking of evil planes, this Chinese-built SU-33 copy is one to
watch out for.
-Tonpuu 21: Mobile ballistic missile launcher. Not as powerful or long-range as
the Tonpuu 3, but more accurate.
-Destroyer #170: A sleek, powerful, modern destroyer, and the most expensive
surface ship in the PLA Navy. ("170" is the actual hull number. The in-game
name is some incomprehensible kanji...)
South Korea
-----------
South Korea has an even mix of outdated equipment and powerful new gear on
liscence from America. Similar to Japan, its power projection ability is meager.
-F-15K: Import version of the Strike Eagle. The paint job is great, but it
could use more weapons.
-K1A1: Import version of the M1A1. Enough said.
-KDX-2: A modern destroyer with nice armament, including SM-2MR missiles.
-Type 214: A diesel submarine that can launch Harpoon missiles like its big
American cousins.
Australia
---------
Australia has few if any unique units, and little power projection ability.
They do have a reasonably good navy, however, and can last in a defensive
battle.
-F-111 Aardvark: One of the best fighter-bombers ever built. Fast, long range,
and good payload.
-Leopard AS1: A cheap, relatively effective tank (and pretty much all they
have).
-Adalaid: Australia's version of the venerable O.H Perry frigate. A very
effective ship.
-MRA: A shiny new transport ship that can carry all kinds of vehciles,
including helicopters.
South Africa
------------
With a surprising amount of unique gear, South Africa is interesting to play.
They have strong artillery and decent armor, but only a marginal navy.
-JAS-39 Grippen: A Swedish import, this fighter is agile and has a nice weapons
load.
-AH-2 Royhawk: An odd attack helicopter with a large load of missiles and
rockets, but no gun.
-Oliphant 1B: Their main battle tank, it is well-armored for its size and cost.
-G-6 Rhino: Mobile artillery. It can't fire and move, but it has tons of fuel
and a fast move rating.
Iraq
----
Nearing the bottom of the barrel, we find Iraq. With mostly older Russian
imports for weapons, they're at a disadvantage to most of the other production
types. However, mind their missiles, or they'll amass some weapons to destroy
you.
Key units
-Mirage F-1CT: I mention this unit only to make a snide politcal jab at a
certain Eurpoean country.
-M-87 Okan: A nice mobile missile launcher, it can outrange the MLRS.
-Al Hussein: One of Iraq's few unique units, the Al Hussein is an upgraded Scud
missile launcher. It has the best range of any non-ballistic missile.
-Information Minister: A support unit best used in multiplayer. He can make it
appear that enemy units are being destroyed, possibly forcing their withdrawal.
North Korea
-----------
North Korea has some of the worst units in the game. However, their heavy
artillery and ballistic missiles cannot be ignored. Unlike real life, PRK is
not just saber-rattling for cash in this game.
-MiG-17: I list this aircraft only for sheer comedic value. Ph33r teh
MiG-17!!!!!!1111oneone
-M-1989 Kokuson: A self-porpelled artillery gun with superb range.
-Scud C: The most accurate and second-longest range of the three Scud variants
in this game.
-Tepodong: A big, nasty ballistic missile launcher for when the yankee dogs
ignore your demands.
----------
Unit types
----------
Here I'll detail the different kinds of units and what they are ideally used
for. This list is in the same order as the in-game one. The Archetype is the
machine most typical of that type, and the one that represents them on the map.
High sky
--------
-Interceptors: Aircraft designed to intercept and shoot down incoming threats.
Their weapons tend to be longer range than fighters, but are not as
maneuverable. They generally have no ground attack ability. Interceptors have a
3 hex ambush range. Use them to establish no-fly zones and guard valuable
units, but keep them away from SAMs and furballs.
Archetype: F-14
-Fighters: Aircraft designed to shoot down enemy aircraft. They are agile and
carry accurate air to air weaponry, but most do not carry air to ground
weapons. Use them to shoot down whatever aircraft the opposing forces field.
Archetype: F-16
-Fighter/Attackers: Multirole aircraft with the ability to engage both air and
ground forces effectively. They have a great variety of weapons loadouts and
can be used in any situation. However, they are not as effective as pure
fighters or attackers in either role.
Archetype: F/A-18
-Attackers: Aircraft designed for destroying ground or surface forces. They are
great for breaking enemy formations with minimal loses. However, their air to
air weaponry is limited and fighters will cream them.
Archetype: A-10
-VTOL: Vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, they are typically oriented
towards an attack role. They are inferior in most respects to other fixed wing
combat aircraft, but their ability to land and refuel at places other jets
can't makes them more convenient.
Archetype: AV-8
-Bombers: Large aircraft carrying heavy air to ground weapons. They are
excellent for destroying anything on the ground, including holdings. However,
they are nearly defenseless against fighters and the like, so send them with
escorts.
Archetype: B-2
-ECM aircraft: Aircraft with electronic warfare and jamming equipment to help
defend against missiles. Using the Jamming action, they can hide surrounding
allied craft from detection. They are never armed.
Archetype: EA-6B
-Early warning aircraft: Large planes with very powerful radar, able to locate
enemy aircraft from great range. They have a long loiter time (lots of fuel),
and are a vital part of a air defense network. They are expensive and unarmed,
so keep them escorted.
Archtype: E-767(?)
-Recon aircraft: These are basically scout planes with powerful ground radar.
Their purpose is to locate enemy forces on the surface. They carry light
armament if anything at all, so try not to let the enemy get too close.
Archetype: I have no idea, but it has a delta wing
-Anti-sub aircraft: These are specialized scout planes with sonar and (usually)
depth charges or torpedoes. These are the most effective way to defeat enemy
submaries, but if the OPFOR doesn't include subs, they're worthless.
Archetype: P-3C
-Transport aircraft: Huge planes designed to transport troops and vehicles.
Strategic airlift is one of the most important factors in modern warfare, so
don't underestimate them. Just remember that they need protection, as well as
an airfield to land and unload troops on.
Archetype: C-17 (I guess)
-Tanker aircraft: Large planes that carry fuel. Any friendly fixed-wing
aircraft in an adjacent hex will be refueled at the end of the turn. They are a
necessity in air operations far from friendly airports. They are also expensive
and unarmed, so keep them protected.
Archetype: KC-135 (probably)
-Anti-balistic missile aircraft: The airborne laser is a one-of-a-kind unit
which can shoot down incomming ballistic missiles (range 12, accuracy 98!).
Unfortunately, it is defenseless against fighters and SAMs, so it must be kept
protected.
Archetype: YAL-1 (duh)
Low sky
-------
-Attack helicopters: Helicopters designed for close air support. These tend to
be fairly fast and very heavily armed, and are among the most effective
anti-armor units. But, they cannot take damage well, and are vulnerable to
fighters, SAMs, AA guns, and even a lucky shot from machine guns on the ground.
Archetype: AH-64
-Troop transport helicopter: As the name implies, these are designed to ferry
infantry units into and out of battle quickly. Rememeber that you need flat
terrain to make a drop or pickup. They have light weapons if any, and are even
more fragile than attack helos.
Archetype: UH-60
-Heavy transport helicopter: Bigger than the troop transports, these helos can
carry a couple of infantry units and small vehicles. They are hardly ever
armed, but they have more fuel than the smaller helos.
Archetype: CH-47
-Recon helicopter: Helicopters optimized for scouting missions. Recon helos
have powerful ground radar, which makes them one of the most useful tools in
lifting the fog of war. Only a few of them have any substantial weapons, and
they are usually quite vulnerable to attack.
Archetype: OH-1
-Anti-sub helicopter: Like the ASW planes, thes helos are equipped with sonar
and (usually) depth charges or torpedoes. Again, these are the most effective
way to defeat enemy submaries, but if the OPFOR doesn't include subs, they're
worthless.
Archetype: Sea King
-Patrol helicopter: Somewhat similar to ASW and recon, these craft are designed
to protect surface groups and costal waters from both ships and submarines.
They have good air to surface radar and sonar, and some have torpedoes or
similar weapons, but they are much too fragile to engage enemies without
support.
Archetype: SH-60
Ground
------
-Main battle tank: Large, heavy tracked armored vehicles with a powerful main
gun. These are the heavy hitters of the ground forces. They are best used for
making a wall of armor to protect your forces, and destroying anything on the
ground that isn't a tank. (Leave enemy MBTs to your close air support.)
Archetype: M1A1 (most likely)
-Infantry fighting vehicle: Lightly armed and armored vehicles (usually
tracked) used in support of infantry. They usually have a bit more speed, fuel,
and variety of weapons compared to tanks, and are decent for stopping most
other vehicles. However, MBTs will eat them alive, as their armor isn't too
thick.
Archetype: M-2 (I’m guessing)
-Armored personell carrier: lightly armed vehicle used for trnasporting
infantry. These have similar armor to IFVs but less (and sometimes no)
offensive power. They are good for speeding a couple of infantry units towards
an enemy holding through dangerous territory, but are still a bit fragile.
Archetype: AAAV (perhaps)
-Scout vehicle: Similar to AFVs again, but usually lighter and faster. Use
these to take point in a ground operation and see what's coming at you.
Understandably, these vehicles are often the first casualties.
Archetype: Type-87 (shot in the dark here)
-Anti-tank vehicles: Basically trucks with missile launchers mounted on them.
They are actually rather bad at their intended purpose, as have no greater
range than MBTs, and as they are unarmored, tank rounds absolutely demolish
them. Fortunately, they are very fast and cheap, and could be used to finish
off some damaged and fleeing armor.
Archetype: Hum-vee TOW (could be)
-Self-propelled artillery: Artillery cannons mounted on lightly-armored treaded
or wheeled chasis. There are many types of SPA, but they all share the common
traits of mobility and range. The better ones can fire immediately after
moving. Use lots of these behind your tank lines to wreck havoc from a distance.
Archetype: M109A6
-Towed artillery: Simple stationary artillery cannons. These have the Transform
feature which you must use to get them from their towed state to their
ready-to-fire state. This means they are not good for much except defending
your borders, or whatever. They are cheap, though, and have lots of ammo.
Archetype: FH-70 (though these really all look the same)
-Self-propelled rocket launcher: Just what the name says. These fire rockets
that do Megahex damage (attacking any units in the 6 adjoining hexes to the
target). They are perfect for wiping out infantry blocks and skattering armor
columns. Remember that they can't fire after miving, though.
Archetype: MLRS
-Tactical missile launcher: Huge surface-to-surface missiles carried on large
trucks (not to be confused with ballistic missiles). These must be Transformed
before launch, which is a pain, but their range and damage make it worth it.
Keep them behind the lines on a city or near a supply truck, and watch the
fireworks.
Archetype: Scud
-Anti-aircraft artillery: Ground vehicles with guns designed to take out
aircraft. These are best against fighters and helicopters, as attackers and
bombers outclass them for damage, but the AA guns are pretty good against soft
ground targets too. Some of the more modern systems have SAM missiles as well
as guns.
Archetype: ZSU-23-4 (another guess)
-Towed anti-aircraft artillery: Similar to towed artillery, but used against
aircraft. My vote for most useless unit in the game. When dealing with enemy
aircraft, mobility and response time is critical. These units have neither, as
they need to be Transformed and are then stuck in one place.
Archetype: L-90
-Self-propelled SAM: Trucks or other vehicles equipped with surface to air
missiles. These are the backbone of most air defense systems. They are mobile,
fairly inexpensive, and are very dangerous for any aircraft. The better ones
can fire from range 2, and some can even fire radar-guided SAMs from range 3.
Any armor division should have a couple for defense.
Archetype: Avenger
-Surface to air missile: Stationary SAM launchers transported by truck. These
are great. Although they lack mobility and response time like the towed AAA,
stationary SAMs have excellent range and an ambush radius. Perfect for
defending your bases from any aerial attacks.
Archetype: Patriot
-Anti-ship missile: Just like the other stationary launchers, but used against
ships. There aren't too many of these, and everything they can do is better
accomplished by air or sea. However, if those other means aren't available,
these units are a good way to defend your coastal territory. They do have a
large ambush radius, which is good.
Archetype: Silkworm
-Ballistic missile: You were waiting for these, huh? Admit it. These things
have incredible range (30-40 hexes), deal massive megahex damage to any ground
units, and cause massive damage to holdings. Their downside is their very high
cost, their limited ammo (1 or 2 shots, tops), and the fact that you need to
wait 5 turns between launches. For best results, put these on a well-defended
city within range of the enemy's capital.
Archetype: Topol
-Infantry: The most important unit type in the game, as they can capture
holdings. Infantry come in 4 types: basic infantry, airborne units, assault
units, and special forces. All have anti-tank rockets, and all except airborne
units have SAMs. Airborne units can be dropped by helicopter or transport
anywhere on flat ground (holdings included). Assault teams are tougher, have
better weapons, and can repair or destroy holdings. Special forces can do all
of the above and more. Use the right type for the right job.
Archetytpe: Uh, human beings?
-Construction: Special vehicles resembling armored bulldozers. They have little
to defend themselves with, but are very useful in that they can repair or
destroy holdings (in any surrounding hex, unlike infantry), or build outposts
and bridges. These are best used to maintain your own holdings after bomb or
missile strikes, or to repair captured holdings that have suffered damage.
Archetype: N/A
Surface
-------
-Battleship: Vessels with the biggest guns and heaviest armor designed to serve
a fleet command role. There is only one BB in the game, and that is the Iowa.
It is nearly invincible to surface attack and can dish out damage like nothing
else. However, it is still vulnerable to airstrikes and torpedoes, so don't let
it go unescorted.
Archetype: Iowa (obviously)
-Aegis cruiser: Vessels designed to protect the fleet from aerial attacks. They
have a huge ambush radius and an even larger ECM field. Add to this long-range
SAMs and you have a recipe for disaster for any enemy aircraft. They also carry
long-range anti-ship missiles, making them the best support vessel you can get.
Exclusive to the US.
Archetype: Ticonderoga
-Cruiser: The standard surface combatant in the larger navies. Cruisers are
jacks of all trades, and ideally can perform anti-ship, anti-air, and
andti-surface duties. They tend to have good speed and range as well. Some have
an anti-air ambush radius, but it is not very large.
Archetype: Slava
-Aegis destroyer: Versatile vessels optimized for fleet defense. Aegis
destroyers have the same role as Aegis cruisers, with the only differences
being their size and their better anti-submarine weaponry. They are exclusive
to the US and Japan.
-Destroyer: Multipurpose medium-sized warships. Each class of destroyer is
different, so it is hard to describe them as a whole. They all tend to have
fair to good ASW ability, some anti-air ability, and varying anti-surface
ability. Destroyers are the largest ships some navies have.
Archetype: Spruance
-Frigate: Small multipurpose vessels. There has always been ambiguity between
the classification of frigates and destroyers, but generally frigates are
smaller and less well-protected. Like destroyers, most frigates are geared
towards sub-hunting.
Archetype: Oliver Hazard Perry
-Corvette: Small, fast, short-range vessels. Not to be confused with the sports
car, corvettes are often used on patrol missions. They are not large enough to
carry the versatile weapons suite of a frigate, so they usually are good at
either surface, sub, or air defense (never all three).
Archetype: Visby (wild guess)
-High-speed missile boat: Just what it says. These are very small, fast boats
with missiles. Most carry either SAMs or anti-ship missiles, and a scarce few
carry both. They can't take damage very well compared to the capital ships, but
are fairly cheap.
Archetype: Hayabusa
-Aircraft carrier: Very large ships designed to carry, tend, and launch
fixed-wing aircraft. Aircraft carriers are not weapons themselves, but merely
launching platforms. Carriers are extremely expensive already, but since you
have to have an air wing and escorts for it, it becomes doubly so. But it's
worth every credit, because it gives you a mobile airbase that can attack any
enemy remotely close to water.
Archetype: Nimitz
-Helicopter carrier: Similar to traditional aircraft carriers, but without
features like catapults or an angled deck. These flat-tops can only carry and
tend VTOL and/or helos. Because VTOLs and helos aren't quite as powerful as
other navalized aircraft, they are less powerful as platforms, but they are
also cheaper.
Archetype: Kiev
-Transport ship: Large ships designed to carry vehicles. These vessels can
carry more heavy armor than any other unit (a rare few can carry helicopters
too), and are generally not too expensive. However, they are lightly-armed,
slower than most ships, and must load and unload their cargo at ports.
Archetype: San Antonio
-Hovercraft: Vehicles that float on a cushion of air. Hovercraft can only move
over flat terrain (including plains, water, large cites, and some other
holdings). Their range is limited in this respect, and they have very little
fuel, but they are the best way to land troops from a transport if you can't
secure a port. Note that hovercraft are actually built from factories, not
shipyards.
Archetype: LCAC
Subsurface
----------
-Attack submarine: Subs designed to hunt surface ships and other subs. Subs are
extremely hard to detect, providing stealth and the element of surprise. Their
torpedoes are extremely powerful to boot. However, the range of standard subs
is very short, and nuclear subs are very expensive.
Archetype: Los Angeles
-Ballistic missile submarine: Subs deisgned for launching ballistic missiles.
One of the most dangerous units in the game, they can remain undetected and
nuke the enemy from 30-40 hexes away. Only 3 turns are required between
launches. Their only disadvantage is their price; they are among the most
expensive units available.
Archetype: Ohio
--------------
Special traits
--------------
These are the traits each unit can have, viewable on the in-game listing.
Again, these are translated from the instruction booklet.
-Stealth: Stealth units are invisible to enemy radar. Opposing forces cannot
see a stealth unit, and thus cannot attack it, until one of their units happens
to move into an adjoining hex. Stealth craft can move freely through known
ambush zones.
-Destruction: This unit has the ability to attack holdings with at least one of
its weapons.
-ECM: This unit has the ability to project an ECM field. Aegis warships and
electronic warfare planes have this.
-Jamming: Neutralizes an enemy unit's search range. Found only on electronic
warfare planes.
-Ambush: This unit is able to ambush enemies that come into a certain range.
-Load: This unit is capable of loading and carrying another unit of a specific
type(s).
-Navalized: This is a fixed wing aircraft that can land on aircraft carriers.
-VTOL: Vertical take-off and landing craft.
-Armored- Hard/Armored- Soft: Two categories of ground units. This trait
reflects their evasion ability vs. different weapons.
-Occupy: This unit can capture and occupy holdings. Exclusive to infantry.
-Load: This unit can load and carry another unit.
-Repair: This unit can repair damaged or destroyed holdings. (Not to be
confused with repairs done on other units.)
-Ballistic: This unit can launch ballistic missiles.
-Transform: This unit has two different forms, usually one for transportation
and another for firing weapons. Towed artillery and missile launchers are prime
examples.
-Supply: This unit can resupply allied units. The type of supplying done (fuel
and/or weapons) depends on the unit types involved.
-Airborne: This unit can be unloaded from an aircraft even if there is no
airbase or airport in the hex.
-Bridge Building: This unit can build a bridge over a river.
-Construction: This unit can build a tochka on level terrain.
-Conceal: This unit can hide in woods, forests, and mountains, remaining
undetected by the enemy until they are in direct contact (1 hex away).
-Hover: This unit is a hovercraft, and has very specific movement ability
(shallow waters, flat plain, etc).
-Underwater: This unit operates underwater; in other words, a submarine.
-----
Rules
-----
Rules are the gameplay settings. They effect what the players can and cannot
do. It is important to know exactly what the rules settings are before you play
a scenario, lest you end up screaming "why can't I move my troops into that
%@&#ing city?" Not that I would know from personal experience or anything...
If you want to change the rules settings yourself, select Custom (ƒJƒXƒgƒ€) and
select them manually, usually either On (E‚è) or Off (‚È‚µ).
Here are all the rules as they appear on the menu. Details on each are my
translations from the intruction booklet, along with my comments.
- ‘Šê - Market price. (off/on) This enables random inflation and deflation
which affects the cost of units and supplies. This shows up as a percentage
under your earnings at the beginning of each turn.
- ”æ˜J“x - Fatigue. (off/on) If this is on, the Fatigue points of units will
increase when they are exposed to combat. When this gets too high, the unit
will stop performing. Fatigue decreases with time (no actions taken during a
turn), or when the unit is being supplied (at a base).
- ŒoŒ±’l - Experience. (off/on) If this is on, units will gain experience
points (like RPG characters) for doing their job. This could be fighting,
capturing cities, supplying allies, etc. With enough experience, units will
gain levels and increase from E to D, C, B, A, and finally * (star). Each level
gives bonuses to all applicable accuracy and evasion scores.
- Å’á”R-¿Á”ï - Minimum fuel consumption. (half/quarter) This option is for
fixed wing aircraft, who will either lose 1/2 or 1/4 of their move points in
fuel per turn even if standing still (as they're circling/hovering).
- è-Ì‘Ï‹v“x - Occupation endurance. (off/on) This determines if holdings can
resist occupation. If this is on, holdings cannot always be captured instantly.
Occupation attempts will decrease the endurance meter instead, with capture
occurring when it is empty.
- Œš·¨‚̉ó-Å - Destruction of buildings. (off/on) This determines whether you
can attack and destroy holdings or not.
”j‰ó‚³‚ꂽŒš·¨‚ÌŠ‘® - Belongings of destroyed building. (‚»‚Ì‚Ü‚Ü as
is/’†-§‘ neutral) This determines what happens to the units inside a holding
when it is destroyed or captured. They can either stay as they are or become
neutral (disappear).
- Œ}Œ‚ - Ambush attacks. (off/on) New to the series, this allows certain units
(notably SAMs and interceptors) to automatically strike enemies that come into
their set ambush range. Even regular units can sometimes do this if opposing
forces run into them by accident.
- ƒNƒŠƒeƒBƒJƒ‹ƒqƒbƒg - Critical hit. (off/on) If on, occasionally an attack
will wipe out the target unit completely in one hit. If there is a chance for a
critical hit, it will usually be shown in the battle projection screen.
- ŒëŽË - Misfire. (off/on) If on, ocassionally (and for no good reason),
attacks will miss the target completely. It seems to affect missiles more than
anything else. Unless you enjoy screaming obscenities as your last Tomohawk
splashes down harmlessly, turn this off.
- -¡·E½’†Žž‚Ì‘¹ŠQ - Damage from friendly fire. (off/on) This determines if
allied troops will take damage from attacks. This is especially important if
you're using “megahexEweapons.
- ‡-¬ - Merging. (off/on) This allows you to combine two units of the same
type that are not at full capacity. Experience and level is averaged between
the two.
- ·ªŽU - Dispersion. (off/on) This allows a unit to split up into two smaller
squads. For example, a fresh infantry unit could split into two 5-point groups.
- ‚‘¬ˆÚ“® - High speed movement. (off/on) This allows some units to exceed
their normal movement range for the cost of extra fuel. Consider it "full
afterburner" or "flanking speed" or whatever. The "high speed move" range is
signified by different colored hexes around the normal movement range.
- ·EÍŒø‰Ê - Seige effectiveness. (off/on) If on, units attacking an enemy with
allies nearby will receive a bonus.
- “¯-¿‘‚Ö‚ÌUŒ‚,è-Ì - Attack or occupy allies. (off/on) This determines
whether you can target your allies and capture their holdings. If you're
playing with AI allies, turn this on and take some of their cities, since they
waste their money anyway.
- Žñ“sè-ÌŽž‚ÌŒš·¨Š‘® - Buildings of captured capital. (allied/neutral) This
determines what happens to a player's holdings once his/her capital is
captured. They can either fall under control of the forces who defeated that
player, or they can revert to neutral status.
--------------
Hints and tips
--------------
Here, I'm placing all the miscellaneous stuff that I've figured out along the
way. Additional tips welcome, and will be added with due credit. I suppose I
should give credit to the US armed forces in general, as I found after playing
the game a few times that I had unconsciously been following their military
doctrine.
-When playing with other humans on the same computer, you should enforce house
rules that players do not look at the screen when it's not their turn.
Otherwise it's just as bad as looking at another player's hand during a card
game.
-Keep in mind that different units move across terrain differently. High-sky
units (including all fixed-wing aircraft) can fly over everything. Low-sky
units (helicopters) cannot fly over the really high mountains. Tracked vehicles
have an easier time on rugged terrain than wheeled vehicles, but wheeled
vehicles can move swiftly on roads. Ships move more slowly through shallow
waters.
-Infantry are the most important unit in the game, bar none. Only infantry can
capture holdings. They are limited by their lack of weaponry, relative
fragileness, and slow movement (especially the assault teams with heavy machine
guns and mortars), but they get superior terrain bonuses and are very
versatile. Plus, they're very cheap.
-The first step in nearly any battle is to establish a perimeter. Send out a
recon unit (with escorts if you have the resources) in the general direction of
the enemy camp(s). You need to know what's coming at you before it delivers its
weapons payload on your head.
-The second step should be to secure a solid income and stable borders. Get a
load of transport helicopters, trucks, or infantry support vehicles, fill them
with troops, and take over as many cities and factories within reach. Large
cities are 1500 credits per turn; make them a priority. At the same time, get
SAMs and anti-aircraft weapons to cover your key holdings. The computer has a
compulsion about launching airstrikes within the first few turns, but has
little ambition for capturing cities out of the way.
-The third step is air superiority. If you control the air, you can control the
land, as you will be able to bomb enemy forces with little fear of reprisal.
"If it's up, shoot it down. If it's down, blow it up." As fighters and
interceptors are so costly, this will take significant time to achieve, which
is why I recommend expanding for cash as quickly as possible. If you are
playing as the USA or Russia, enjoy the ride. If you are playing against them,
start praying. In any case, never assume that there are no enemy fighters until
you control every airbase on the map.
-A note about interceptors: Think twice about attacking a fighter with an
interceptor. Unless your weapons outrange theirs, you'll get counterattacked.
Instead, park your interceptor right along the flight path of the offending
aircraft, blocking either its airbase or its target. It will be forced to
abandon its mission or get shot down (without possibility of counterattack). If
your enemy is AI controlled, scoot right up next to him within 2 hexes. The
fighter will almost always get waxed on the computer's turn. Also, interceptors
placed on (not in) an airport will operate indefinitely; refueling and rearming
each turn for free coverage. (You'll still have to pay for fuel though.)
-Once you have obtained at least partial air superiority, start advancing your
main force. Use close air support from helos and fighter bombers. Your front
line should be MBTs, with artillery and missile launchers in tow. Obviously,
bring tons of infantry in trucks and support vehicles so you can occupy
everything along the way.
-When using transport ships, timing is critical. Often times I will order an
armor batallion and ship them off to battle, only for the battle to be over by
the time they get there. Think ahead, WAY ahead. Your only alternative is
strategic airlift. It's faster, but more expensive (since you can't carry many
vehicles on each plane) and you need an allied airfield to unload. Also
remember that only certain countries have big enough planes to carry tanks and
other heavy vehicles.
-You can use airborne units to make quick territory grabs deep in dangerous
territory. Paratroopers and special forces can be dropped out of a transport
aircraft onto any flat ground, including plains, snowfields, deserts, and all
kinds of cities and holdings. Just be sure to have the cavalry ready to bail
them out once the enemy catches on.
-Don't neglect supply trucks. If you're not near a city these are your only
ways to restock and refuel. The same goes for supply boats and tanker aircraft
if you use a lot of sea and air power.
-Speaking of supply trucks, they can actually refuel helicopters if they are
landed next to them on flat terrain.
-Just in case you were going to try it, no, you can't daisy-chain your supply
units. The supply stores on trucks, carriers, transports, and tankers isn't
refilled by supply vehicles like other ammunitions are. If you want to fill
them back up, you need to stop at a city, factory, base, or port.
-A note about helicopters: Though they are air units, they can refuel at
friendly bases and large cities as if they were ground units. They can even be
resupplied if they are parked on flat terrain near a supply truck. However,
they cannot fly over high mountains.
-Be careful about moving units into cities and other holdings. While they are
safe (as far as I know) from enemy fire, if a hostile unit moves on top of the
holding they will not be able to get out. What's worse is that if an infantry
unit captures that holding, your units may be destroyed (depending on the rule
settings).
-Pick the right weapons for the job. Many aircraft, and a few land and sea
units, have multiple weapons loadouts. You can select which you want on the
unit production screen (the button that says Pack‘I‘ð). Alternatively, you can
land the unit and click the Rearm button on the action bar. This takes up that
unit's turn, however.
-If here is a bottleneck on the terrain, such as a valley between two mountain
ranges, set up rocket launchers or other megahex weapons, along with ample
supply trucks, and lure the enemy in. This goes double if you're assaulting a
key holding surrounded with hostile units.
-ECM can save lives. Radar guided weapons, particularly most missiles, have a
penalty to hit while in an ECM field. This can be as high as 50% depending on
the range from the jamming source. A stealth unit in an ECM field is nearly
impossible to hit with radar guided missiles.
-Protect your important investments. Don't just make a bomber for a deep
strike, make a bomber escorted by an interceptor squadron, and throw in another
fighter squadron or jamming aircraft. Don't just field a carrier, field an
entire carrier group with escorts on all sides and early warning aircraft
sweeping the area.
-If you're playing against the computer, keep in mind that it the AI is very
agressive... and very stupid. At times they will seem to just rush you with
random units; I've seen the enemy send out 5 early warning planes all to the
exact same area, and barely-armed aircraft carriers with neither escorts nor
aircraft into the middle of the ocean. Just play smart, stand your ground, and
punish them for their mistakes; you will own them in time. The last
evenly-matched scenario I played, only one of my units was lost, and only a
dozen or so were ever damaged.
-If all else fails, nuke them. Sometimes the enemy can deploy in overwhelming
numbers, and you simply can't get enough forces to the front to make a dent and
capture their territory. Unless you turned it off in the Rules, destroying an
enemy capital takes them out of the game. Heavy bombers and ballistic missiles,
if your country has them, can win the war for you when conventional forces
can't.
-If you suspect your enemy is developing weapons of mass destruction, you'll
need to go to the UN, and after months or years of deliberating and sanctions,
you-- Oh, wait, we're talking about the game here. Heavy bombers can be
defended against with simple fighters and interceptors, but ballistic missiles
aren't so easily stopped. Unless you have something that can shoot down
missiles, like the Patriot (or best of all the Airborne Laser), you'll need to
find enemy launchers and/or subs and preemptively destroy them before they
launch.
---------
Resources
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The official site is http://www.ss-alpha.co.jp/products/DSPerfect.html. You can
download a demo, patches, and special maps.
Speaking of which, the first thing you'll want to do is get more maps. If you
own the game and can read Japanese, you can sign up for the Daisenryaku
Fanclub. One of the benefits is the user map directory, where players can
upload and download their work. I have a few maps on there as well (see below).
Also, the built-in map editor can convert maps from the earlier DS games. Go to
www7.plala.or.jp/yosi_k/ for a bunch of great DSVII maps.
Here are the maps I've made for the game so far. If you want them, ask nicely
and I'll e-mail them to you.
-Korean War 200X. A hypothetical scenario in which the PRK finally snaps and
storms the border. I strived to make it as accurate as possible, and while I
can't replicate the huge minefield across the 38th parallel, it's a pretty fun
battle to fight on any side.
-Rokugan. If you haven't heard of it, it's the oriental fantasy world of the
RPG and card game "Legend of the Five Rings" (by Alderac Entertainment) which I
used to play. It's a fast-paced scenario and great for multiplay. I managed to
capture the "clan flavor" with the default production types pretty well.
-Alefgard. Old school Dragon Quest, baby! Good for either a solo challenge or a
two-player game, I tried to give it an RPG feel. You'll need to level up your
units because you don't get a whole lot of them.
-Spira. New school Final Fantasy, baby! Taking place 1000 years before the
events of the game, this scenario recreates the war that destroyed Zanarkand.
SS-Alpha declined to host this map, so the only way to get it currently is
contact me. (Ironically, they had no problem putting up my Alefgard map...)
-Hawaii. A fairly good map of the islands (if I do say so myself) in 128x128
glory. Three world powers want to take over Hawaii with the US on the
defensive. It's good for either single player or free for all.
-Urban Conflict. A work in progress involving heavily armed para-military gangs
fighting in out in a large metropolis. It's a small map, somewhat reminiscent
of something one could make in Sim City, and it's ideal for four human players.
Another project I'm working on is a retooling of the spec file, called
weapons.dat. I hate to nitpick such a great game, but it deserves mention that
some of the units are not represented are not faithful to their real life
counterparts. This may have been done for balance issues or out of ignorance of
some little-known details. There may be more things that need fixing than I
detail here, but my specialty is US, Russian, and Japanese equipment. Note that
his modification is not endorsed in any way by the developers, and neither they
nor I assume responsibility for the results of anyone using it recklessly (i.e.
without backing up the original file first). I'd like to be able to add new
weapons and units, but they don't animate. If anyone figures out how to do so,
let me know.
I will put the file up on the web somewhere if there is demand for it. Until
then, it is available by request; just send me an e-mail and ask nicely.
Here is a list of changes so far.
-Ammo loadouts for many battle tanks improved (most tanks hold at least 30
rounds of main ammo and hundreds or thousands of rounds of machine gun ammo,
not just 4 or 5. I compromised at 6-8 for now.)
-Altered the basic "machine gun" weapon found on many armored vehicles to
reflect the number and type of weapons actually used. For example, the
Challenger has a pair of 7.62mm guns, while the T-80 has a 7.62 and a .50
caliber.
-Improved accuracy for all aircraft using the M61 Vulcan, which for some absurd
reason the game presents as less accurate than the GSh-30 and similar 30mm
machine guns. The GSh-30 has less than half the fire rate (max of 3000 spm
compared to 6-7000 for the Vulcan), which means a much lower kill probability
per burst. I won't even start on the reliability issues.
-Increased number of shots for aircraft to reflect their actual number of
rounds carried, assuming approximately 1 second bursts.
-Gave strafing capability to some attackers and fighter-bombers.
-Changed the sidewinders on newer US planes to the AIM-9M, and AIM-9X for those
using the JHMCS (Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System), including the Raptor,
JSF, Super Hornet, Strike Eagle so far.
-Slightly increased payload, power, and accuracy of the GAU-8 Avenger (the
A-10's weapon).
-Increased F/A-22's evasion and ECM to properly reflect it's thrust vectoring
and 1-yen coin-sized radar signature. Also added the 3rd and 4th official
weapons loadout with underwing ordinance at the cost of some ECM and speed.
Added interceptor ability.
-Fixed the stats on the Small Diameter Bombs (FB-22).
-Improved weapons loadout on Su-27~35.
-Improved Su-35's evasion; the canards make it much more agile than the other
Sukoi craft.
-Fixed the MiG-29 series's weapon's loadouts.
-Changed the standard (and boring) 1000lbs on the A-10 and F-15E to CBU-87
Combined Effects Munitions. As maligned as cluster bombs are, there's nothing
better at destroying soft targets.
-Slightly improved agility and weapons loadout on the Japanese F-2.
-Reduced cost of F-35A and C (changed to F-35B since it's VTOL). I presume that
they were made overpriced to prevent rush tactics, but that's exactly what the
US military intends to do with them. Their payload is so tiny that it's still
quite balanced though. I might have to change the 20mm gun to a 27mm depending
on what the final product ends up with.
-Enabled move and fire for Phoenix missiles. There's no such thing as an AAM
that requires the plane to be sitting still to fire.
-Gave F-14D Interceptor ability.
-Added tentative NATO codename "Fullback" to Su-34.
-Improved B-1B weapons load to reflect the fact that it actually carries 1.5
times the max payload of the larger Tu-160 (whose payload was also increased
slightly). Tu-160's endurance also increased.
-Decreased B-52's cost. In reality it's only $30 million, nearly the same as a
modern jet fighter. Decreased cost of Tu-95 and other older bombers similarly.
-B-2A's ECM rating and defense against ground fire improved. Added Megahex
damage for the advanced cruise missiles.
-Added the attack loadout for the RAH-66 Comanche, with extensive weaponry at
the cost of ECM (stealth) coverage. Also increased its evasion (since it's so
incredibly maneuverable).
-Fixed M1/M1A2 mess. The old M1 tanks (with the 105mm gun) are no longer
produced or used. Upgraded to M1A1, using the current M1A2 stats. The M1A2 is
given boost in accuracy vs. armor, and defensive power (unique depleted uranium
reinforced chobham armor). Costs adjusted accordingly.
-Increased weapon capacity of some heavy warships.
-Fixed the Iowa, which had been absolutely neutered in this game. (Hmmm,
holding a grudge against this class of ship, guys?) Missile payload increased,
main battery given a realistic range and damage, and all guns given an ample
number of rounds.
----
News
----
-SystemSoft has released an "expansion pack" of sorts called Daisenryaku 2003.
It features new scenarios (focusing on the war on terror), a few new units
(like the EF-18G Growler), and a new "campaign" feature that apparently links
scenarios together.
-Systemsoft has also released "Real-time Daisenryaku Perfect 1.0." I haven't
played it, but somehow they managed to transform a hex map turn-based strategy
game into a real-time network playable game. Could prove very interesting.
-On June 27, SystemSoft will release the strategy game to end all strategy
games: Daisenryaku Perfect 2.0. Featuring an improved game engine with more
detailed unit icons, new rules and game mechanics (like varying stealth levels
and night vision), 256x256 maps (twice as large as the previous maximum),
internet and network playability, dozens of new production types, over 100 new
units (including the Su-47 Berkut and SR-71 Blackbird), and the holy grail: a
Unit Editor. Now, it truly is "Perfect." I now know that there is a God, and He
will receive another 9800 yen from me.
--------------
Special Thanks
--------------
Don "Gamera" Chan, for solid questions which lead to the improvement of this
FAQ, and interesting conversation in general. (Check out his Gaika no Gouhou
FAQ if you're looking for another good Japanese strategy game.)
----------
Legal Info
----------
This document is copyright 2003 by Jack Power. It is not to be used for profit
in any way. If you wish to reference part of it in your own guide, please ask.
The Daisenryaku series is property of System Soft.
