Tip Thread

i want to start a HUGE thread of the community giving some of their own tips so that rookies and others can benefit from the tips. If you have any tips you'd like to add please feel free to list them. Here are a few of mine (these are probably obvious

1. Blockade- If you noticed, water moves in a way similar to on land. There are points connected on a line which is used for movement and you can be on either point or in between. This is so naval units can fight easier and not go around each other often. You can use this to protect coastal land by setting naval units up where the enemy would have to go through to reach your land/their destination. For example, if your playing Pacific Conquest and your enemy has troops on an island nearby yours, send a unit like a Submarine close to their island to easily sink their convoy.

2. Use islands to your advantage- Speaking of islands, I believe an island used properly gives you a better chance for success. While I am especially talking about one-province islands, island nations like Japan and the UK have some of the same benefits. In Pacific Conquest, my favorite map so I have bias, islands can be very important. A few of the reasons why and how these could be important are:

• Used to station troops closer to another country for defense or for a future assault
• Building Industrial Complexes give you a closer option (or at least another option) to your enemy for producing troops
• Some islands produce resources while not having a big population
• Air bases can increase your connection between air bases and airport carriers can house planes quicker than going back to mainland
• Embarking and disembarking takes time, so it gives you extra time to react to an attack

3. Choose countries wisely- In most games, you'll be able to choose your own country before officially joining the game. Firstly, know that unless you come early, the most popular countries will likely be gone. In any European-based map, the UK and Germany will almost always be gone after a few people joined if you can select your country. Then, ask yourself these questions:

• Do I plan on focusing on diplomacy or aggressiveness?
• Should I choose a country I'm familiar with or one I know I'm good with?
• Who is the country surrounded by? AI? Users? None?
• Can I use this country's situation to my advantage?

If you can live with the answer of all of those questions, you are probably in good shape.

4. Know the counters to units- All non-secret units have a counter-unit, or if not that then a unit they are significantly weaker in affecting. I think a lot of people see other countries with units like tanks and such, and copy them rather than try to counter them. Here are a couple of popular units' counters.

• Tanks: Anti-Tanks, Tank Destroyers
• Cruisers and Battleships: Submarines
• Artillery: Tactical Bombers, Any fast land unit that can come in quickly and eliminate the Artillery while taking minimal damage
• Naval Bombers: Cruisers

5. Intelligence and Spies- In a recent post I had about attacking tips, @VorlonFCW told me it was important to win the informational war. To know what units they had, how many units they had, what type of resources and terrain they had and plan accordingly. He is totally right when it comes to that. Whether you use spies, air patrol, navy coastal scouting, or armored cars, intelligence can be the difference between victory and defeat. Spies either gather intel on the country of focus, sabotage military and economical operations, or catch other spies daily. They cost $15,000 each so make sure you watch your currency. I personally use them mostly as counter-espionage and intelligence. Sabotage is okay but they cost extra money and intelligence is better for me anyway. If an ally is allies with the country of focus, ask if they are willing to betray to relay information to you. Do ANYTHING you can to gain information.

I have more but you're probably tired of reading this by now. I'll add more tips later, but please add your own. Thanks for reading.