Strategy for Cards and HQ

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Carlec
First Lieutenant
Posts: 17
Joined: Mon Sep 25, 2017 2:40 am

Strategy for Cards and HQ

Unread postby Carlec » Sat Mar 06, 2021 7:44 pm

With UoC2 coming to the Mac, I'm able to dive into this wonderful franchise. Having played war-games for over 40 years, I thought I knew things when I first picked up UoC, but had to really "go to school" to get stronger at the strategy. Well, starting UoC2, I realize I need guidance once again. Having playing only the tutorial and the first scenario in North Africa, I am already aware that I don't know the strategic options related to the HQ or the Cards. So, well, are there any veterans who can shed some light?

Are the cards just extra things to spend prestige on? Should you...I mean, is the game meant to be "without cards" for a pure experience and then "with cards" to try different flavors? Or, are the cards essential strategy points without which you can't achieve the top score?

And even doing the HQ tutorial well....just so much there? I believe I can tell they are essential to the strategy during the game. Are there any basic rules or ideas, "best thoughts" that one should do all the time? Like, I really liked the tactic allowing to attack and reduce enemy entrenchments; I did use that a few times in my initial attempt. Yet, it seems like that is only scratching the surface.

Any advice would be appreciated!!

Rommel
Brigadier General
Posts: 258
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Re: Strategy for Cards and HQ

Unread postby Rommel » Sun Mar 07, 2021 1:54 am

As far as I know, you absolutely need cards. Look at them like additional forces given to you by the high command. Or additional info. And unpredictability, as you never get the same cards for the scenario

Ultra for instance shows the entire map for a turn. Recon planes do, well, recon. The bombers are useful as they spread havoc among the exposed land units. Mind it, it is not wise to bomb the city, as it could end as a ruin. And ruins are perfect for defense. Just ask Russian in Stalingrad or Germans in Monte Cassino. Trucks are great as they are giving you additional supply point, and supply is a king in this game, while paratroopers, well, they are especially useful in later scenarios.

There is much more, like naval bombardment or SHAEF (which gives you an opportunity to buy extra units/steps)

So, consider cards an essential part of the game, not an option.

HQs are also essential. You can unlock many things, which are a must if you want to progress further. To start there is the upgrade of movement points, so HQ can move further in a turn. That will come in handy once you get to big maps. But more important than that are the upgrades that allow you to do setpiece attacks (must when sieging), artillery, and in the later scenarios you will absolutely need to get the option to cross the river, and an amphibious landing.

The game will warn you if you do not invest. So, the answer would be. Some of those options are less important than others. But in general, the game is developed to be played with cards, and HQ options. Both are essential and welcome mechanics.

Hopefully, I answered at least some of your questions. If you have more, feel free to ask :)

juoc
Major
Posts: 57
Joined: Thu Jan 16, 2014 8:34 pm

Re: Strategy for Cards and HQ

Unread postby juoc » Sun Mar 07, 2021 7:52 am

I'd say just ignore cards in conferences and focus spending prestige on HQ upgrades that seem useful, for example not being able to cross major rivers will make some scenarios difficult later on in the main campaign. Upgrading your HQs, buying specialist steps for your units and most importantly, leveling as many of your troops to elite is what gets you through the campaign on normal difficulty. You will get plenty of cards when taking bonus objectives so just make do with them and see which of them you like for later playthroughs. A paratrooper card, naval bombardment or supply card can be worth picking up in a conference when going for ahistorical branches on classic and hard difficulties but it is never necessary.

Carlec
First Lieutenant
Posts: 17
Joined: Mon Sep 25, 2017 2:40 am

Re: Strategy for Cards and HQ

Unread postby Carlec » Sun Mar 07, 2021 2:46 pm

Rommel wrote:As far as I know, you absolutely need cards. Look at them like additional forces given to you by the high command. Or additional info. And unpredictability, as you never get the same cards for the scenario

Ultra for instance shows the entire map for a turn. Recon planes do, well, recon. The bombers are useful as they spread havoc among the exposed land units. Mind it, it is not wise to bomb the city, as it could end as a ruin. And ruins are perfect for defense. Just ask Russian in Stalingrad or Germans in Monte Cassino. Trucks are great as they are giving you additional supply point, and supply is a king in this game, while paratroopers, well, they are especially useful in later scenarios.

There is much more, like naval bombardment or SHAEF (which gives you an opportunity to buy extra units/steps)

So, consider cards an essential part of the game, not an option.

HQs are also essential. You can unlock many things, which are a must if you want to progress further. To start there is the upgrade of movement points, so HQ can move further in a turn. That will come in handy once you get to big maps. But more important than that are the upgrades that allow you to do setpiece attacks (must when sieging), artillery, and in the later scenarios you will absolutely need to get the option to cross the river, and an amphibious landing.

The game will warn you if you do not invest. So, the answer would be. Some of those options are less important than others. But in general, the game is developed to be played with cards, and HQ options. Both are essential and welcome mechanics.

Hopefully, I answered at least some of your questions. If you have more, feel free to ask :)


Thank you Rommel....so, with this other second comment made below by juoc, let me focus my questions strictly on the HQ. Am I right then to understand that units now progress forward? Or at least the HQ? This was one of the unique features of UoC1, to me, and perhaps the most ahistorical, that I was encouraged to use my troops to their very destruction because the next scenario would load with fresh troops. So, if the HQ at least goes forward, then prestige spent now will pay off later?

I don't understand yet (and note, I have plans to read the manual fully through this coming week...yes, I am that old that I actually like to read rulebooks; I still remember fondly getting my next new AH game and taking the 50-75 page rule book on trips to read through things) how the "elite" thing works. In that first scenario, I was told I got one, but I could determine if some unit just "got it" or if it somehow ended up in a HQ unit that I was then to distribute. Could it be that HQ units cannot distribute such unless they have some upgrade?

And on a side note, every turn there were notes that appeared in brief, sliding down the left hand side of the screen. They looked mostly like little envelopes, so I took that suggestion to mean I could click on it for more info. Nope. I looked and looked, yet saw nowhere to review the notes from what had transpired. Surely that location exists, right?

On the set piece attacks you mention, some of my units could do that in the first scenario but others could not. I assumed that was something connected to the unit, but is it really something to do with the HQ? And, if so (or maybe just in general), are the upgrades for HQ units ONLY done prior to the start of the scenario?

Are unit points (can't think of the term right now...but when you add a point back to a unit for fighting) linked specifically to HQ, or general? In UoC1, it was general and you could add them where you saw fit. I couldn't tell fully (took me several turns to figure out where I could buy a point, let alone just points to give out in reinforcement), but it seemed like it was tied to the HQ. And at one point, I had what seemed to say 2 points of armor and 2 points of infantry, but after giving just 1 point to one armored unit, the options grayed out. Is that something connected to the HQ?

Sorry for all the questions, but thanks in advance to anyone who answers. I just know the HQ is a vital part of how this new version plays. Again, the set piece to reduce the enemy fortifications while taking no damage is clearly vital in any static defense scenario. I could just tell as I played that I didn't fully understand and most likely didn't use the units to their full capability. I did finish the campaign, and achieved most of the objectives (missed one of the turn 3 ones), but was playing on normal (second from the bottom, just above easy), and thought that had I been playing on a harder level, I would have easily been defeated.

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Danielefc
2x2 Games
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Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2011 10:03 pm

Re: Strategy for Cards and HQ

Unread postby Danielefc » Sun Mar 07, 2021 4:49 pm

RE: Set piece attacks

1. The unit must be attached to an HQ that has the set piece attack action available and enough remaining HQ points
2. The unit must have either arty or eng+arty (eng+arty makes the action more effective)
3. Enemy unit must not be on the other side of a major river

RE: Unit persistence

Units and HQs carry over, so suiciding to achieve an objective is usually not advisable ;)

RE: prestige in general

"Spend prestige to earn prestige", is the way things are now. Something we are very happy to have changed from UoC1 is that remaining prestige is no longer the "measure of your success". (there is now an overall score if you are into that sort of thing :) )

Cheers!

Carlec
First Lieutenant
Posts: 17
Joined: Mon Sep 25, 2017 2:40 am

Re: Strategy for Cards and HQ

Unread postby Carlec » Mon Mar 08, 2021 12:04 am

Danielefc wrote:RE: Set piece attacks

1. The unit must be attached to an HQ that has the set piece attack action available and enough remaining HQ points
2. The unit must have either arty or eng+arty (eng+arty makes the action more effective)
3. Enemy unit must not be on the other side of a major river

RE: Unit persistence

Units and HQs carry over, so suiciding to achieve an objective is usually not advisable ;)

RE: prestige in general

"Spend prestige to earn prestige", is the way things are now. Something we are very happy to have changed from UoC1 is that remaining prestige is no longer the "measure of your success". (there is now an overall score if you are into that sort of thing :) )

Cheers!


Hey Danielefc...hope you are well. And thank you...boy, didn't notice the change to prestige and YES!!!...that is something that makes me very happy. So, in my first attempt (which I will clearly redo), I didn't spend my prestige at all because I was thinking about the need to keep it around for as long as possible through the campaign, and to get that measure of success.