Combat tactics

Combat tactics are determined for both sides at the beginning of a battle. Tactics last for 24-hour periods after which they are subject to change at the beginning of every 24 hour period the battle still goes on.

Each side has a weighted list of available tactics to choose from based on the current battle phase, commander skill (and reconnaissance advantage), researched techs and the fulfillment of other special prerequisites (as shown below). If successfully pulled through tactics may provide damage, defense, movement speed, and combat width modifiers. If an enemy's tactic is countered, they do not receive the benefits from their tactic choice.

Battle reports in progress show the combat tactics being used by each side for the current day, with a big red 'X' on a tactic if it is being countered. In the middle there is a button that displays a list of all available tactics (with unavailable tactics padlocked).

Note: Reconnaissance advantage is determined by comparing the sum of recon values in all divisions in combat of each side. It translates to a flat bonus equal to 5 leader skill points. The side with higher total leader skill points has combat "initiative" to pick a counter. The side with initiative will pick their tactic after the other side, and if a tactic is available to counter the other side's tactic its weight will be multiplied by 1 + 0.35 * difference in skill points. Reconnaissance advantage doesn't help dodge counters, that is, if the other side's tactic can't be countered and a certain available tactic is countered by the other side, this certain tactic has the same chance of being picked.

Phases

Default

Name	Trigger	Weight	Countered by					Starts battle phase	Requires research
Attack	–	4	Counter-Attack	+5%	–	–	–	–	–
Assault	–	2 4, if has trait  Aggressive Assaulter	Counter-Attack	+25%	–	–	–	Close combat	–
Encirclement	Frontage filled Has reserves. At least 1 of the following: Skill advantage is over 0. Has trait  Panzer Leader. Has trait  Trickster.	4 8, if at least 1 of the following: Has trait  Panzer Leader. Has trait  Combined Arms Expert.	Tactical Withdrawal	+25%	+5%	+50%	–	–	–
Shock	–	4 8, if has trait  Aggressive Assaulter	Ambush	–	−25%	–	–	–	–
Breakthrough	At least 1 of the following: Hardness over 50%. Skill advantage is over 1.	4	Backhand Blow	+25%	−15%	–	+50%	–	Blitzkrieg  Combined Arms  Shock and Awe  Assault Breakthrough  Breakthrough Priority
Blitz	Hardness over 50%. At least 1 of the following: Skill is over 2. Has trait  Panzer Leader. Skill advantage is over 1.	4 8, if at least 1 of the following: Has trait  Panzer Leader. Has trait  Combined Arms Expert.	Elastic Defense	+15%	−15%	–	+50%	–	Armored Spearhead  Mechanized Offensive  Mechanized Offensive  Mechanized Offensive  Armored Operations  Deep Operations
Seize Bridge	Has combat modifier: River Crossing. At least 1 of the following: Skill is over 3. All of the following: Has trait  Offensive Doctrine. Skill is over 2.	2	–	+20%	−5%	−25%	+10%	Seize bridge	–
Mass Charge	Frontage is filled. Has reserves.	4	–	+10%	+10%	+50%	–	–	People's Army
Banzai Charge	Country is  Japan.	4	Overwhelming Fire	+25%	+10%	–	+10%	–	–
Infiltration Assault	–	4	–	+10%	−5%	–	–	–	Infantry Offensive
Well-Planned Attack	–	4	–	+15%	–	–	–	–	Grand Assault
Relentless Assault	–	4	–	+20%	+5%	–	+15%	–	Large Front Operations
Unexpected Thrust	–	4	–	+15%	–	–	+15%	–	Mobile Warfare
Suppressive Barrage	–	4	–	+10%	-20%	–	–	–	Superior Firepower
Defend	–	4	–	–	+5%	–	–	–	–
Counter-Attack	Skill advantage is over 0.	4 8, if has trait  Unyielding Defender.	–	–	+25%	–	–	–	–
Delay	–	4	Shock	−25%	−15%	–	−25%	–	Delay  Delay
Tactical Withdrawal	At least 1 of the following: Skill advantage is over 0. Has trait  Trickster.	4	–	−25%	−5%	−25%	–	Tactical withdrawal	–
Ambush	At least 1 of the following: Skill advantage is over 1. Skill is over 2. Has trait  Trickster.	4	Breakthrough	−25%	–	–	–	–	–
Elastic Defense	At least 1 of the following: Has trait  Defensive Doctrine. Skill is over 2.	4	–	−15%	+10%	–	−25%	–	Elastic Defense  Mobile Defense  Mechanized Offensive  Armored Operations  Operational Concentration
Backhand Blow	At least 1 of the following: Skill is over 4. All of the following: Has trait  Defensive Doctrine. Skill is over 3.	4	–	−20%	+25%	–	−30%	–	Backhand Blow  Continuous Offensive
Hold Bridge	Has combat modifier: River Crossing. At least 1 of the following: Skill is over 2. Has trait  Defensive Doctrine.	2	–	+20%	−5%	−25%	+10%	Hold bridge	–
Guerrilla Tactics	At least 1 of the following: Skill is over 2. Has trait  Trickster.	4	–	−70%	−60%	−50%	–	–	Guerrilla Warfare  Werwolf Guerrillas
Overwhelming Fire	–	2	–	−10%	+10%	–	–	–	Kampfgruppe  Overwhelming Firepower  Regimental Combat Teams  Assault Concentration  Vast Offensives

Close combat

Name	Trigger	Weight	Countered by					Starts battle phase	Requires research
Close Quarters Attack	–	4	–	+10%	+5%	–	–	–	–
Close Quarters Storm	–	2	–	+20%	+20%	–	–	–	–
Close Quarters Withdraw	–	1	–	−5%	−5%	–	–	Default	–
Close Quarters Defense	–	4	–	+5%	+10%	–	–	–	–
Close Quarters Local Strongpoint	–	2	–	−20%	–	–	–	–	–

Tactical withdrawal

Name	Trigger	Weight	Countered by					Starts battle phase	Requires research
Tactical Withdrawal Attack	–	4	–	−25%	−10%	−25%	–	–	–
Pursuit	–	4	–	−15%	−5%	−25%	–	–	–
Intercept	–	4	–	−5%	−10%	–	–	Default	–
Withdrawal	–	4	–	−30%	−5%	−25%	–	–	–
Evade	–	4	–	−40%	−10%	−25%	–	–	–

Seize bridge

Name	Trigger	Weight	Countered by					Starts battle phase	Requires research
Hold Bridge	–	4	–	+20%	–	−25%	–	–	–
Defend Bridge	Skill is over 4.	4	–	+20%	−10%	−25%	–	–	–
Assault Bridge	–	4	–	–	−5%	−25%	–	–	–
Reckless Assault	Skill is under 3.	4	–	+25%	−10%	−25%	–	–	–
Recapture Bridge	At least one of the following: Skill is over 2. Has trait  Trickster.	4	Defend Bridge	+10%	−5%	−25%	–	Hold bridge	–

Hold bridge

Name	Trigger	Weight	Countered by					Starts battle phase	Requires research
Attack	–	4	–	+10%	–	−25%	–	–	–
Rush Bridge	Skill is over 4.	4	–	+20%	–	−25%	–	–	–
Storm Bridge	–	2	Defend Bridge	+20%	+5%	−25%	–	Seize bridge	–
Hold Bridge	Skill is under 3.	2	–	+20%	−10%	−25%	–	–	–
Defend Bridge	At least one of the following: Skill is over 2. Has trait  Trickster.	2	–	+10%	+5%	−25%	–	–	–