I am a new player who likes the single-player campaign, but is also trying to level up with Quick Matches so that I can unlock new settings for levels. I have a decent success rate in single player, but I haven't really thought much about "optimal gameplay", as it's quite easy to exploit the AI's strange habits. I've heard about things like bonus breaking and trading bonuses when you have an income advantage, and there are certainly more complicated strategies out there. I don't know if I can understand those though...

Here are some of the general principles I subscribe to(they may not be good, it's what I feel is optimal based on my experience):
-Use breakpoints when attacking like 3,5,6,8,10,11,13 etc. The function round(0.6x) is 5-periodic so attacking with 2 or 4 mod 5 attackers is inefficient. That said if both players in a game use this strategy it may no longer be optimal because one can poke with 1 army to ruin the breakpoint.
-Attack neutrals less likely to border opponents first. Because if your 3-stack attacks 2 neutrals before an enemy 3-stack does the same, you just wasted 3 armies. Or you can use 4 armies if you have excess, the 3 survivors can withstand a 3-stack attack.
-When facing an "incursion"(say enemies have captured a territory bordering 5 of your territories in a bonus), it's more efficient to use larger "patrols" and 1 stack designated to destroy the incursion rather than placing guards everywhere. For example, enemy territory X borders your A,B,C,D and E. Rather than placing 3 armies on each of those 5, you can put 5 on A, 3 on C and 3 on E. Then attack X from A, B from C and D from E. This will save you some armies provided B attacks C after X attacks B(if any).

So if you have any wisdom to impart, I'd like to hear it. Thanks!

Best to learn mechanics of the game (everything you need is on https://www.warzone.com/wiki/Main_Page) then dive into strategy imo: https://www.warzone.com/Forum/688994-strategy-guides

Edited 2/6/2025 14:09:25

your first point is correct, and is also true in defense, defending with 2 is less efficient than defending with 3, as you mentioned tapping with 1 early to make attacks inefficient is a common strategy.

the basic strategies to master are delays, efficient bonuses, how to figure out turn order, after that you can move on to attacks by percentages/conditional delays and timi blockades. all of this is described in Dan's links.

Good luck! You seem to be on the right track to improve and just being willing to read some guides will put you head and shoulders above most players.

edit: the MH link on the strategy guides page is broken, since it's kind of a reference here is the updated link
https://warlight.nghood.com/

Edited 2/6/2025 14:46:53

TBH strategies and tactics are like a big ocean. Reading and wanting to improve is good, and in general I'd try to apply and improve gameplay more and more. One reason is the basic stuff is always relevant, regardless of play level when advanced stuff becomes relevant at correct timing.
Another important fact is tactics and strategies goes hand to hand, the better you become in tactics, the better you can apply succesful strategies efficiently.
some areas of improvement are:
1. Ordering attack/movements: you mentioned delaying the capture of neutrals that enemy may be neighbouring, there are many more "principles" that you can follow. In general, you can put them in 3 categories: orders you want as early as possible, orders you want to delay as much as possible and the middle zone which order matters less.
2. Figuring out move order: Many games use cycle move order and figuring who moves first in each turn as early as possible can be so crucial at figuring out tactics. That should be a habit by time.
3. Trade patterns and trading efficiently, you mentioned using breaking points, stefano mentioned similar approach can be applied on defense as well, and like it is an area which can be improved really really much.
4. In a similar sense with 3, early game is a lot about picking, and expanding into first bonuses. That is an area which is really rich and open to improvement, especially since different maps have different priorities.
5. It is important to getting the habit of setting up strategies based on placements, bonuses, and vital points of the map. (and ofcourse learning what is important, it is like part of the journey and fun)
6. Because you will face another person that will try to do similar stuff, reading what your opponent will do, is both a skill but like it is also comes with experience. You try reading enemy moves all the time, and like by time become better and better on it.
7. Last but not least, having fun when playing.

Feel free to ask any questions, I am sure me or others would be willing to help.

Join https://warlight-mtl.com/ the MTL, and ask whoever you lose to how can I improve on my picks/gameplay. Fastest way to improve is playing with better players, losing, and analysing.

You also see a feed of games completed by other players there, which you can use to watch high level games and learn from them :)

Or you could apply the same to quickmatch, depending on if there is any strategic value in the template