Though you’re not controlling thousands of individual units, Broken Arrow still requires a basic grasp of combined arms tactics. You’ll soar overhead with attack helicopters, slink through the underbrush with stealthy sniper units, and roam the plains in force with a battalion of armored tanks. Your army is an extension of your will. Knowing how to effectively use each unit, stomp opponents, and take control of sectors is the difference between yet another loss and the coveted win.
Use a starter deck initially
I have a long, storied history in the real-time strategy and tactics genre, and yet, in titles such as Warno, Steel Division 2, and now Broken Arrow, I’ve always been terrible at creating decks. I want to bring everything, to wield every toy in the arsenal, and I wind up with choice paralysis. Ultimately, I opt for the strongest or the most aesthetically pleasing units, and that’s my downfall.
If you’re a new player, especially to the whole genre, then Broken Arrow may feel overwhelming with all of its mechanics and macro/micro tactics. To enter the scene and delve straight into deck-building can lead to disaster.
There are two starter decks: US and Russian. They both approach the 10,000 point limit, with the Russian hitting the cap straight off the bat, and both include an array of units from all disciplines, including recon, infantry, helicopter, and air. They’re both well-rounded, with units designed for introductory gameplay.
Utilize your recon strategically
I cannot begin to tell you the number of players I’ve met online who chose to outright bumrush opponents instead of wielding all of the tools at their disposal effectively. Namely, recon units. You have access to an array of recon that can hide in dense forests and, so long as they have line of sight, they’ll provide advance notice when enemy units approach.
Place your recon units strategically. Look at your map, identify chokepoints and ingress points, then note key cover locations for your recon. Get them there quickly.
Place your recon at the edge of the forest, then hold ‘Alt’ on your keyboard to activate the line of sight tool and ensure your units have a clear field of vision. Second, turn off the ‘Return Fire’ command, which disables auto-fire targeting, allowing them to remain stealthy.
Your infantry is an effective tool, but only when used properly
Many new players will resort to a “safe” tactic by deploying mass groups of infantry, thinking the overwhelming force will dominate control points. It’s much easier than controlling tanks, helicopters, and infantry simultaneously, right? Yes, but also no. If you bunch up your infantry, a single bombing run from a jet overhead, or a well-placed artillery/mortar shot, will decimate the entire group.
Instead, use your infantry as a pseudo-guerrilla force. Send your infantry toward multiple control points, just to make it seem like you’re spread out across the map in a way that will force your opponent to divert forces elsewhere. Then, flank with your most powerful units, like tanks and helicopters, once the enemy’s forces thin out. If your micro game is on point, you can kite enemies with your infantry to keep them out of harm’s way long enough for reinforcements to push forward. The ol’ bait and switch!
Broken Arrow is available now exclusively on Windows PCs.
