Difference between revisions of "CampaignStrategies"

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== Campaign Strategies ==
 
== Campaign Strategies ==
  
Campaigns are multiple scenarios with a common storyline,
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Campaigns are multiple scenarios with a common storyline, played against the computer.  Most campaigns are single-player; while multiplayer campaigns are possible, that code is not yet well tested and no such campaigns ship with the game as yet. Once you have won a campaign scenario, you progress to the next. Keep in mind the following points:
played against the computer in single player mode.
 
Once you have won a campaign scenario, you progress to the next.
 
Keep in mind the following points.
 
  
 
== Recalling units ==
 
== Recalling units ==
  
The main difference between campaigns and individual scenarios
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The main difference between campaigns and individual scenarios is recalling units that survived previous scenarios. This is an important advantage that balances out later scenarios in a campaign being more difficult than early ones. Later in a campaign, you should usually have several high level units available to recall.
is recalling units that survived previous scenarios.
 
This is an important advantage that balances out
 
later scenarios in a campaign being more difficult than early ones.
 
Later in a campaign, you should usually have several high level units
 
available to recall.
 
  
 
== The importance of loyalty ==
 
== The importance of loyalty ==
  
Units with the ''loyal'' trait cost 1 gold per turn, whatever level they are.
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Units with the ''loyal'' trait do not require any upkeep, regardless of their level. During a 20 turn scenario each level 3 unit will cost 80 gold to recall and maintain, but if that unit is Loyal it will cost only 20 gold. Multiply by the number of units you recall, and soon you are talking serious money!  This is especially important in longer campaigns, where you will typically advance and recall many units.
During a 20 turn scenario each level 3 unit will cost 80 gold to recall
 
and maintain, but if that unit is Loyal it will cost only 40 gold.
 
Multiply by the number of units you recall, and soon you are talking
 
serious money!  This is especially important in longer campaigns,
 
where you will typically advance and recall many units.
 
  
In previous versions of the game (0.8.11 and earlier), Loyal was a
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Loyalty is hard to come by; the trait is only given to those units that join your cause of their own choice -- your leader, friendly units you discover hiding in villages, riders joining you, and so on.  Keep them safe, level them up carefully, and they will be worth their weight in gold.
trait that could be assigned randomly.  Because of its economic effect,
 
it was probably the most important trait for playing a long campaign.
 
Loyal is no longer random, and is only given to those units that join
 
your cause of their own choice -- your leader, friendly units you discover
 
hiding in villages, riders joining you, and so on.  Keep them safe,
 
their upkeep cost is much lower than normal units!
 
  
 
== Go back and redo ==
 
== Go back and redo ==
  
If you are struggling in a campaign scenario, perhaps you should go
+
If you are struggling in a campaign scenario, perhaps you should go back to an earlier scenario and try to win it more convincingly. If you lose all your high level units and your leader barely survives, or you use up all your gold, then later scenarios in the campaign may be very difficult to play.  Note that some scenarios are designed to sap your army and gold, so this isn't a hard and fast rule.
back to an earlier scenario and try to win it more convincingly.
 
If you lose all your high level units and your leader barely survives,
 
or you use up all your gold, then later scenarios in the campaign
 
may be very difficult to play.  Note that some scenarios are designed
 
to sap your army and gold, so this isn't a hard and fast rule.
 
  
 
== Balance your army ==
 
== Balance your army ==
  
Most campaigns call for a range of units.
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Most campaigns call for a range of units. Especially when playing the campaign for the first time, you don't know what types of terrain or opponents you are going to face later in the campaign. Some scenarios are mostly open grassland,
Especially when playing the campaign for the first time,
+
some are underground, some have lots of water, or lots of mountains. To succeed in completing a campaign, you will usually need to recall level 2 or 3 units of several different types.
you don't know what types of terrain or opponents you are
 
going to face later in the campaign.
 
Some scenarios are mostly open grassland,
 
some are underground, some have lots of water, or lots of mountains.
 
To succeed in completing a campaign, you will usually need to recall
 
level 2 or 3 units of several different types.
 
 
Keep this in mind when choosing what types of units to recruit.
 
Keep this in mind when choosing what types of units to recruit.
For instance, if your army has lots of mages,
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For instance, if your army has lots of mages, consider recruiting and levelling up some melee units in case you meet some Dark Adepts. If available, consider developing healers early in the campaign, you will probably need them later.
consider recruiting and levelling up some melee units in case you
 
meet some Dark Adepts.
 
If available, consider developing healers early in the campaign,
 
you will probably need them later.
 
  
Once you have mastered a campaign,
+
Once you have mastered a campaign, it may be fun going back and replaying it with an unbalanced army. For instance, some people have played most of [[HeirToTheThrone]] with only Shamans, Druids and Shydes. But doing this when playing the first time is probably just going to be frustrating and not much fun!
it may be fun going back and replaying it with an unbalanced army.
 
For instance, some people have played most of [[HeirToTheThrone]] with
 
only Shamans, Druids and Shydes.
 
But doing this when playing the first time is probably
 
just going to be frustrating and not much fun!
 
  
 
== Exploit your last moves ==
 
== Exploit your last moves ==
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Normally you have to worry about counterattack by the enemy,
 
Normally you have to worry about counterattack by the enemy,
 
but if you win the scenario the enemy won't have a chance to!
 
but if you win the scenario the enemy won't have a chance to!
So, on the last few turns, it is worth aggressively attacking enemy units
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So, on the last few turns, it is worth aggressively attacking enemy units as long as your own units do not die while attacking.
as long as your own units do not die while attacking.
 
 
On the last round, attack that Paladin with your Lich.
 
On the last round, attack that Paladin with your Lich.
You don't have to worry about the Lich being surrounded and killed
+
You don't have to worry about the Lich being surrounded and killed next turn, since there will not be another turn.
next turn, since there will not be another turn.
 
  
 
Usually, it is worth trying to finish a scenario early.  However,
 
Usually, it is worth trying to finish a scenario early.  However,
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income while milking the few remaining enemies for experience,
 
income while milking the few remaining enemies for experience,
 
instead of going for a quick kill.
 
instead of going for a quick kill.
 
== Credits ==
 
 
Thanks to:
 
* [http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=970 ott]
 
  
 
== See Also ==
 
== See Also ==
 
* [[AdvancedTactics]]
 
* [[AdvancedTactics]]
  
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[[Category:Playing Wesnoth]]

Latest revision as of 23:33, 21 February 2008

Campaign Strategies

Campaigns are multiple scenarios with a common storyline, played against the computer. Most campaigns are single-player; while multiplayer campaigns are possible, that code is not yet well tested and no such campaigns ship with the game as yet. Once you have won a campaign scenario, you progress to the next. Keep in mind the following points:

Recalling units

The main difference between campaigns and individual scenarios is recalling units that survived previous scenarios. This is an important advantage that balances out later scenarios in a campaign being more difficult than early ones. Later in a campaign, you should usually have several high level units available to recall.

The importance of loyalty

Units with the loyal trait do not require any upkeep, regardless of their level. During a 20 turn scenario each level 3 unit will cost 80 gold to recall and maintain, but if that unit is Loyal it will cost only 20 gold. Multiply by the number of units you recall, and soon you are talking serious money! This is especially important in longer campaigns, where you will typically advance and recall many units.

Loyalty is hard to come by; the trait is only given to those units that join your cause of their own choice -- your leader, friendly units you discover hiding in villages, riders joining you, and so on. Keep them safe, level them up carefully, and they will be worth their weight in gold.

Go back and redo

If you are struggling in a campaign scenario, perhaps you should go back to an earlier scenario and try to win it more convincingly. If you lose all your high level units and your leader barely survives, or you use up all your gold, then later scenarios in the campaign may be very difficult to play. Note that some scenarios are designed to sap your army and gold, so this isn't a hard and fast rule.

Balance your army

Most campaigns call for a range of units. Especially when playing the campaign for the first time, you don't know what types of terrain or opponents you are going to face later in the campaign. Some scenarios are mostly open grassland, some are underground, some have lots of water, or lots of mountains. To succeed in completing a campaign, you will usually need to recall level 2 or 3 units of several different types. Keep this in mind when choosing what types of units to recruit. For instance, if your army has lots of mages, consider recruiting and levelling up some melee units in case you meet some Dark Adepts. If available, consider developing healers early in the campaign, you will probably need them later.

Once you have mastered a campaign, it may be fun going back and replaying it with an unbalanced army. For instance, some people have played most of HeirToTheThrone with only Shamans, Druids and Shydes. But doing this when playing the first time is probably just going to be frustrating and not much fun!

Exploit your last moves

When you are about to win a scenario, it is worthwhile maximizing the experience your units gain before you clinch the win. Normally you have to worry about counterattack by the enemy, but if you win the scenario the enemy won't have a chance to! So, on the last few turns, it is worth aggressively attacking enemy units as long as your own units do not die while attacking. On the last round, attack that Paladin with your Lich. You don't have to worry about the Lich being surrounded and killed next turn, since there will not be another turn.

Usually, it is worth trying to finish a scenario early. However, in some scenarios you may have gained control of all the villages on the map -- in this case it might be worth just collecting the income while milking the few remaining enemies for experience, instead of going for a quick kill.

See Also

This page was last edited on 21 February 2008, at 23:33.