Tactical Aids Part II
Selective Strike Tactical Aids
Hello again, this is the second part of what will become a three-part series, a trilogy I guess you could call it. This is particular piece is about the selective tactical aids, named as such because they tend to have a specific set of targets in mind instead of causing general chaos and destruction. A couple of them have a multiple uses, but most are only good for certain scenarios that end up being fairly common.
Napalm Strike:
This tactical aid is primarily used for burning stuff to a crisp, specifically infantry. Napalm strikes take a while to land, and they are released along a long, narrow corridor. The flames will more or less instantly destroy any infantry that they land on and will continue to damage lightly armored units in the area. These strikes can also burn down forests, taking infantry with them and forming new paths. As of Patch #003 to World In Conflict, Napalm Strikes now also work on buildings.
Uses:
- Napalm strikes can be used on infantry in the open. It is important to note which direction the infantry is headed and when they will arrive where. These strikes take time to land, and you don’t want to miss. There have been plenty of occasions where I have been nearly missed by a volley of napalm strikes. Consider laying down more than one.
- If there is a forest that has infantry in it, might get infantry in it, or is just in the way, you can burn it down. If I have nothing to do with my tactical aid points and am on a heavily-forested map, I sometimes burn strategic paths into the forests or hit infantry-beneficial spots.
- Napalm strikes work great on bridges that are about to be crossed. You are guaranteed to hit whatever is on the bridge, not to mention that it’s a bit intimidating to even see a burning bridge.
Chemical Strike:
These strikes work on infantry and infantry alone. A gas bomb is dropped, which sprays a green gas into the air, steadily damaging infantry inside buildings and out.
Uses:
- On infantry, of course! You can use the gas on infantry if they are in the open, or if they are in buildings. It’s a bit nicer to use gas on buildings since the building is still there for you to use, and it can get to more than one building, versus a laser-guided bomb which only strikes one.
- Chemical strikes, as pictured, may be used with a smokescreen to trick a player into missing the gas. This is best done in a more crowded, enclosed area so that the gas isn’t as visible.
Tank Buster:
The tank buster aid hits fairly quickly, and in a long, thin corridor. It shreds all kinds of vehicles, and can hit infantry too. The tank buster has little effect on forests, but can do substantial amounts of damage to buildings. All in all, it is one of the most efficient tactical aids available.
Uses:
- Tank busters are mainly there to take out vehicles, and can be used to do so effectively. However, I do not feel that this is a ‘just use whenever’ aid. It takes planning, so think about where you place it in relation to units.
- This aid is effective at taking out those pesky artillery units that are guarded by anti-air units. The aid can take out the majority of the units in the area, if positioned correctly.
- Like the napalm strike, this aid is devastating on bridges, catching everything there for certain. Take advantage of it.
- Buildings with roofs that have a large surface area can be severely damaged or destroyed by tank busters, and it’s a fairly cheap way to do so.
Laser-guided Bomb:
Also referred to as an LGB, these bombs are what I find to be over-priced aids that you will inevitably need. They mainly take out buildings and bridges, but can also do some other stuff. It’s best to have support players use these, as they are cheaper for them.
Uses:
- One bomb will take out one building. Pretty simple.
- Two to three bombs will take out one bridge. I hate this. The cheapest way to take out a bridge is for sixteen tactical aids points, more if your support player won’t do it. It then takes fifteen points to replace the bridge. On Hillside, I know the bridge that is rarely used, off to the side, takes three bombs. The other two main ones may as well, I cannot recall right now. Try and hit when there are units on the bridge.
- If I see an artillery unit or a weapons emplacement that really needs to go down and I can’t use a tank buster or something, I will occasionally slap down an LGB. They really only ever hit one unit, and this should only be done when absolutely necessary.
Air-to-Air Strike:
This aid exists specifically to take out helicopters. In the first patch, its area was increased, so you have a fairly decent chance of taking out the enemy birds. Plan ahead and try to wipe out those choppers when you don’t have the appropriate units available. Use bait if you can.
Uses:
- Since this only works on helicopters, you might want to use it on helicopters. Really only one use here, shoot down enemy choppers. Bait with tanks using smoke, or maybe a helicopter of your own. Just kill the choppers before they kill you.
Heavy Air Support:
This is an underrated, underused tactical aid. I almost never see it. The only times I have ever seen it is when I am the one who used it. It’s not that it’s a bad aid either. There are about three waves involved, and it hits only enemy units. The problem is that the area is just a bit too small for my liking, and units have an annoying tendency to slip out. In the second Patch, the TA price was even dropped, so this ought to be used more than it is.
Uses:
- This aid can create a suppressive effect for a few moments, while the waves sweep through. Use it as such.
- If there are a bunch of friendlies and enemies duking it out, this aid will hit only the enemies, which can be a godsend.
- This aid can bother the enemy drop zone if placed right. Place it when enemy units are about spawning, and the aid should hit right as they become targetable.
Keep Reading! Tactical Aids Part III: Indiscriminate Strikes
