Mastering the Early Game: Your Guide to the Best Start in Call of War

The best start in Call of War is a multifaceted approach that balances economic development, strategic research, and tactical expansion. It involves rapidly securing resources, bolstering your industry, choosing the right initial research paths, and making calculated land grabs. The specific country you choose can significantly impact your opening moves. While the United Kingdom offers a defensively strong start due to its island status, a more aggressive player might prefer a landlocked nation like Germany or China to quickly expand across the continent. Understanding your preferred play style and the inherent advantages of your chosen nation is key to a successful early game.

Laying the Foundation: Economic and Industrial Power

The first few days in Call of War are critical for setting the stage for your entire game. Neglecting your economy and industry in this phase can cripple your progress later on.

Resource Acquisition and Management

Prioritize securing access to a diverse range of resources. Food, metal, oil, and rares are the lifeblood of your war machine. Focus on developing provinces rich in these resources by building infrastructure and industry buildings. Aim for at least level 2 infrastructure in key resource provinces within the first few days. This significantly boosts resource production and improves morale.

Don’t neglect morale! Low morale directly impacts resource output and can lead to rebellions. Ensure you have sufficient food surplus to keep your population happy. Building local industry also helps improve morale in provinces.

Industrial Expansion

Invest heavily in building industrial complexes in your core provinces. These complexes are crucial for boosting your overall production capacity, allowing you to build more units, faster. Focus on industries that complement your resource production. For example, if you have abundant metal, prioritize building factories and arms industries.

Consider strategically placing your industrial complexes based on their proximity to resources and potential chokepoints. This can significantly improve your logistical capabilities and defense.

Strategic Research: Choosing Your Path

The research tree in Call of War is vast, and choosing the right initial research can give you a significant edge.

Initial Research Priorities

• Level 1 Infantry and Armored Car: As the article states, these are crucial for unlocking other units. Infantry forms the backbone of your army, while armored cars provide early scouting and mobility. Allies doctrine nations get a research time bonus on these, giving them a slight early advantage.
• Early Artillery: Artillery provides long-range fire support, essential for both offense and defense. Researching Artillery early allows you to quickly establish a strong defensive line and bombard enemy positions.
• Air Superiority Fighters: Securing air superiority is vital for controlling the battlefield. Investing in Interceptors early on can deter enemy air attacks and allow your bombers to operate with greater freedom.

Doctrine Considerations

Your chosen doctrine (Allies, Axis, Comintern) will influence your research path. Each doctrine has unique strengths and weaknesses that should inform your research choices.

• Allies: Balanced unit stats and faster research times on certain units. Great for a versatile and adaptable play style.
• Axis: Emphasis on powerful armored units and strong air force. Ideal for aggressive players who favor blitzkrieg tactics.
• Comintern: Focus on cost-effective units and strong infantry. Suited for players who prefer attrition warfare and overwhelming numbers.

Tactical Expansion: Securing Your Borders

Expansion is inevitable in Call of War, but it must be done strategically and cautiously.

Early Land Grabs

Identify nearby nations that are weak or inactive and seize their territory quickly. This provides you with additional resources and expands your industrial base. Focus on provinces that offer strategic advantages, such as resource-rich regions or chokepoints.

Border Security

Fortify your borders with forts and units to deter potential attacks. Prioritize building forts in provinces that are strategically important or difficult to defend. Use armored cars for scouting and patrolling your borders to detect enemy movements.

Diplomatic Maneuvering

Engage in diplomacy to secure alliances and non-aggression pacts with neighboring nations. This can buy you valuable time to develop your economy and military before engaging in large-scale conflicts. Remember that treaties can be broken, so always maintain a healthy level of skepticism. Learn more about strategic gaming and collaboration through resources offered by the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org.

FAQs: Mastering the Call of War Start

1. What’s more important: economy or military at the start?

Both are crucial, but economic development should be your initial focus. A strong economy provides the foundation for a powerful military.

2. How many provinces should I aim to control in the first few days?

Ideally, aim for controlling at least 10-15 provinces in the first few days. This provides a solid resource base and allows for industrial expansion.

3. Is it better to focus on one resource or diversify my production?

Diversify your resource production as much as possible. Relying on a single resource makes you vulnerable to blockades or resource shortages.

4. Should I join a coalition early on?

Joining a coalition can provide valuable protection and support, but choose your allies carefully. Ensure they are active and trustworthy.

5. What’s the best way to defend against early air attacks?

Build anti-air artillery in key provinces and maintain a strong fighter presence in the air.

6. How do I deal with aggressive neighbors?

Fortify your borders, build a strong defensive force, and seek alliances with other nations to deter aggression.

7. Should I prioritize upgrading existing buildings or constructing new ones?

A combination of both. Upgrade existing infrastructure in resource provinces and construct new industrial complexes to expand your production capacity.

8. What’s the best unit to produce early on besides infantry and armored cars?

Artillery is a valuable early-game unit for providing fire support.

9. How important is naval power in the early game?

Naval power is crucial if you are playing a coastal nation or plan to control key sea lanes. Invest in destroyers and submarines to protect your coast and disrupt enemy shipping.

10. Should I use gold to speed up production or research?

Use gold sparingly. Focus on using it to address critical resource shortages or speed up essential research.

11. What’s the best way to use spies in the early game?

Use spies for intelligence gathering and counter-espionage. Identify potential threats and protect your provinces from enemy sabotage.

12. How do I increase morale in my provinces quickly?

Ensure sufficient food surplus, build local industry, and lower taxes.

13. What’s the best doctrine for a beginner?

Allies doctrine is generally considered the most beginner-friendly due to its balanced unit stats and research bonuses.

14. How do I deal with rebellions in captured provinces?

Maintain a garrison of troops in the province, increase morale, and invest in law enforcement buildings.

15. What should be my main focus after the first week?

Continue expanding your economy, upgrading your military, and building alliances. Focus on achieving your long-term strategic goals, such as dominating a continent or controlling key resources. You can learn more about the benefits of gaming in education at the Games Learning Society.