City Control and Strategy - City Basics - City Terrain and Combat

City Control and Strategy ~ Axis and Allies RTS

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Axis and Allies RTS - City Control and Strategy - Page II

City Terrain & Holding Cities

It is important to understand the basics of city terrain in Axis and Allies RTS. Simply put, it's good for infantry, and bad for vehicles. The city terrain modifier can be seen in the information panel as magnified below.

The Information Panel and City Terrain

terrain-city-infantry
TerrainSpeedModifier
amount = 2
AddModifier
attribute = DV
amount = 4
ResistDamageModifier
damage-type = armor-piercing
amount = 0.20

terrain-city-vehicles
TerrainSpeedModifier
amount = 3.0
ResistDamageModifier
gunfire
amount = -0.20

Affects of City Terrain on Infantry and Vehicles

Infantry

As you can see, infantry receives a huge defense value bonus as well as an additional 20% resistance to armor piercing (AP) attacks. Infantry already has a base resistance of 20% to AP attacks, giving Infantry at total of 40% AP resistance while in city terrain

Vehicle

Vehicles have a base resistance of 40% to Gunfire attacks, so they still possess a 20% Gunfire resistance while in city terrain. The speed penalty by itself is not huge, as most mechanized regiments being produced online will have tank destroyers in them [AT-Mech] which have a max speed of 3.5. A regiment can only move as fast as it's slowest unit.

The biggest problem vehicles face in city terrain is retreating. City streets can become very congested, and units/regiments easily get tangled with each other, making retreating your regiments more difficult. Use of the single retreat is nearly impossible as regiments often cannot get past the friendly and enemy forces around them.

There will be times you have to enter a city with vehicles, just do so with care. Make sure you leave yourself a clear path of retreat, and don't let enemy forces flank you, and block your avenue of escape. If your vehicles rout within the city they will likely be killed.

Tanks/Armor

Tanks inherit the same problems that vehicles face in city terrain, except Tanks have a total base resistance of 60% to Gunfire attacks, as well as additional resistances to AP and Explosive. Tanks are also less effected by the speed penalty as they are generally slower than any mechanized regiments.

City Terrain ~ Examples of Use

Hopefully by now you have a basic understanding of City Control and Strategy, City Basics, Beginning the Game, Capturing Cities, the Race for Entrenchment, and City Terrain. So lets take a moment to show four examples of how these techniques are commonly applied in online play.

Example I: Fighting from Beneficial Terrain - In the example below, we have highlighted an area in yellow that represents the boundaries of city terrain. The blue infantry has had an opportunity to capture the city, and entrench on the edge of city terrain. Making sure they positioned themselves on the side they believed the enemy would likely approach from. As battle begins, the Blue Infantry enjoys not only the entrenchment bonus, but the city terrain bonuses as well... The Grey Infantry will be outside of the city terrain, and receives no bonuses.

Keep this basic concept in mind with all types of Axis and Allies combat. Fight from beneficial terrain, force your opponents into poor terrain, or hopefully both!

Example I: Fighting from Beneficial Terrain

Example II: Take the Battle to Them - In the example below, we have highlighted an area in yellow that represents the boundaries of city terrain. The blue infantry has had an opportunity to capture the city, and entrench on the edge of city terrain. This time grey has run his regiment into the city terrain, and will receive the city terrain bonuses.

Although attacking in this manner with a single regiment would be ineffective, do this with a group of SaS or Snipers and it's another story altogether.

Keep this basic concept in mind with all types of Axis and Allies combat. Do not allow your enemies to decide where the battle will be fought!

Example II: Take the Battle to Them

Example III: Hold Cities as Long as Possible - In the example below, we have highlighted an area in yellow that represents the boundaries of city terrain. The blue infantry has had an opportunity to capture the city, and entrench a couple of regiments. Grey has launched an assault, and the city will soon fall under enemy control unless counter-measures are taken.

In this case it is helpful that blue has entrenched recon in multiple locations, as it will take the enemy longer to capture the city. If played correctly, blue will allow the first recon regiment to engage the enemy, but retreat it before it routs (if being attacked by snipers you might want to retreat immediately).

At this point blue should have some reinforcements cooking or en-route, and will likely "buy time" by retreating his regiments in circles around the city, making sure not to leave city terrain, doing anything possible to keep his regiments alive and in the city.

It is much easier to defend a city you control rather than to recapture a city that has fallen into enemy hands. So get those reinforcements to the city ASAP!

Example III: Hold Cities as Long as Possible

Example IV: "When Mech Attack, Fall Back" - In the example below, we have highlighted an area in yellow that represents the boundaries of city terrain. The blue infantry has fallen back from their original position, and entrenched on the back side of city, still within city terrain. Making sure they positioned themselves on the opposite side they believed the enemy vehicles would approach from. The attacking AT Mech will either have to fight inside the city, or go all the way around it and risk being "pinched"

Of course at this point, you will need something other than infantry to hold the city much longer, but this should help to buy some time for reinforcements to arrive.

Example IV: "When Mech Attack, Fall Back"

Holding Cities ~ Scouting and Communication

The last bit of advice we can offer on holding cities may be one of the most important. Scout enemy territory and communicate with your allies! You will have much better luck in battle if you know what is coming.

"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle."

^{Sun Tzu, the Art of War}

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