I can't tell if I'm doing something wrong, suck, or this game is really really hard.
I can't seem to keep my guys alive or replace them fast enough to last more than 5 rounds. It's really expensive to recruit new bodies. There are so many things I just don't understand or aren't explained.
1: flareguns+radios do what?
2: how to use bandages or specials
3: how to change your character on the squad menu without just booting everyone and loading them back in, in the order you want.
4: I don't understand the loot system; Why is any of that useful, why can't I equip it on different people (is it class, rank, or kill restricted?)
5: You have the ability to occupy low cover and gives commands for it, but it largely doesn't even exist in game.
6: switching grenade launcher on your m16 locks it out of reloading normal rounds. You have to switch to sidearm first, then back to 1(main gun) to get it to fire again. Pressing 3 or 1 from a grenade round doesn't seem to cancel it.
7: taking an area leaves some of your squad behind?? But you can't add people to that area. I don't understand how you're supposed to have more troops on an area.
It's a really cool game and I'm having fun, but a lot of stuff just feels like a black box and not quite understanding how you're supposed to progress if I'm getting widled down constantly. I'll kill 25-30 men myself in a round and it's not enough to keep people alive, navigate, or add to the money pool
Also grenades/rockets/mortars(??) are really OP.
There is little to zero feedback that they are in play (cant see them, no one responds to them, no sound on impact? No trail?) and can't steer men away from them fast enough and some rounds get a whole squad wipe in seconds of starting. They really need more clear feedback
Part 1: Questions (Q&A)
Below are detailed answers to the questions that most often cause confusion for new players, taking into account the mechanics changed in recent game versions (0.4.0 and 0.5.0).
# Player's Question Detailed Answer & Mechanics Explanation
1 What do flareguns and radios do? Flareguns are used to launch illumination flares. Without them, during night operations or in thick jungle, your soldiers will only be able to shoot back by targeting the muzzle flashes of enemy weapons. Illumination significantly increases your squad's accuracy. In version 0.5.0, flareguns have been temporarily or permanently removed from the game.
Radios are required exclusively for the Radioman (Signalman) class. The radio unlocks access to 3 types of fire support: Napalm strikes (highly ineffective), Area Illumination (very convenient as it has a separate cooldown), and Artillery strikes (perfect against large groups of enemies). In version 0.5.0, radios are permanently locked to the Radioman class.
2 How do I use bandages or special items? Bandages & Medkits: In the older 0.4.0 version, bandages were a passive inventory item. For regular soldiers, they slightly increased health or saved them from bleeding out. For Medics, putting 2 bandages in their pockets seemingly doubled their healing efficiency. However, in the current 0.5.0 version, recommending giving bandages to regular soldiers is pointless — they have been completely removed. Instead, the developer added a stationary Medkit that is permanently tied to the Medic class.
Special items (like the ammo crate) work passively, doubling the maximum carried ammo capacity for the soldier holding it.
3 How do I change characters on the squad menu without booting everyone and reloading them? Currently, there is no such feature in the game. You cannot rearrange squad members or quickly swap their slots. The only way to set them up in a specific order is to completely disband your current squad (kick everyone from the list) and recruit them back one by one in the exact sequence you want them to appear.
4 How does the loot system work and why is any of it useful? Loot is your primary source of income. You need to collect enemy weapons and sell them in mass quantities. The value of firearms remains high in version 0.5.0: a standard rifle (AK-47 or M16) sells for around $3–$4 million, while rare variants equipped with an underbarrel grenade launcher are valued at $8–$12 million (though they drop less frequently due to enemy rarity).
Major economy change: The developers completely removed the ability to sell minor gear (bandages, radios, flareguns, ammo crates), which used to fetch $1–$2 million in version 0.4.0. It's not a huge loss, but now you can only earn money by selling captured firearms.
Equip Restrictions: Equipment is strictly locked behind classes and ranks. Grunts (Riflemen) can pick up other assault rifles, and at Rank 3, they can even equip the RPG-7 (though it is mostly ineffective). Medics are restricted to pistols only. Machine gunners can pick up enemy machine guns. If you can't equip an item, your character's class or rank simply doesn't meet the requirements. Tip: Never pick up the Long Rifle; it doesn't kill with a torso shot even with two hits.
5 Where is the low cover? The game has commands for it but it barely exists. Fully functional low cover objects (like sandbags or concrete walls) are rare, appearing mostly during beach landings. In most scenarios, your AI soldiers have to rely on the natural folds and dips of the terrain. Keep in mind that the enemy AI utilizes terrain irregularities much better than your own squad, so do not leave troops in wide-open spaces. However, if your soldiers are Rank 3 and wearing full armor, you don't have to worry too much about it.
6 Switching to the grenade launcher on the M16 locks it out of reloading normal rounds. This issue is not confirmed in versions 0.4.0 and 0.5.0 when using proper controls. To avoid bugs: switch to the grenade launcher by pressing '3', fire your grenade round(s), and then press '3' (or '1') again to switch back to the assault rifle mode. The weapon should correctly resume normal firing and reloading without requiring you to switch to your sidearm first.
7 Why does capturing an area leave part of my squad behind, and how do I add more troops? The mechanic where troops stay behind and volunteers arrive to form a garrison is currently either non-functional or not fully implemented. The player cannot manually add, move, or manage troops within a captured sector. This is a known placeholder limitation of the current game version.
Part 2: Strategic Tips for a Successful Playthrough
If the game feels brutally hard and replacing fallen soldiers is draining your funds too fast, use this battle-tested strategy. It allows you to beat the campaign in about 20 turns with minimal losses (around 30 casualties total across the entire game against 1000+ eliminated enemies).
1. Choosing Your Character's Class
Avoid playing as a Medic or Machine Gunner. The Machine Gun is powerful (especially if you crouch near a low wall or sandbags and aim — the gun will mount on the cover, reducing spread significantly), but it requires high skill and trigger control.
Play as a Radioman or a Rifleman. The absolute best choice is to personally control the Radioman. The friendly AI does not know how to call in support on its own. By playing as the radioman, you act as the commander, dropping heavy fire support exactly when and where it is needed. Alternatively, playing as a Rifleman is perfectly viable if you prefer pure gunplay, but keep in mind that you will lose the ability to manually request artillery or napalm.
2. Building the Perfect Squad
Your squad's survival depends entirely on class balance and timely promotions.
You must have 2 Rank 2 Medics. Medics unlock the ability to revive critically wounded soldiers only at Rank 2. Having two medics ensures they can heal and revive each other if one goes down, which massively increases the squad's survival rate.
Upgrade your Riflemen to Rank 2 and Rank 3 immediately. At Rank 2, they get helmets that protect against instant death from headshots and provide decent resistance to grenade fragments. At Rank 3, they get body armor and underbarrel grenade launchers. A fully armored squad can even survive heavy artillery barrages (especially in dense jungles where trees absorb some impact). You can promote soldiers using cash or by completing missions with an A or B rank evaluation (which grants a free promotion).
Optimal late-game squad setup:
4 Riflemen (Rank 3 with grenade launchers and full armor)
3 Machine Gunners
2 Medics (Minimum Rank 2)
1 Radioman (Signalman)
1 Engineer (Essential for mining bridges)
1 Flamethrower (Extremely effective in the late game against the Warlords fraction, since they rely heavily on melee rushes; use an extra rifleman instead during early stages).
3. Tactical Tricks on the Battlefield
Movement between locations: Always travel between sectors on foot. All other deployment methods carry hidden, bugged risks that can wipe out your squad:
Traveling by boats has a high chance of causing immediate, heavy casualties to a weak or unprepared group.
Parachute drops suffer from glitches — the game will occasionally instantly kill 1–2 soldiers because they randomly fall outside the map boundaries.
Helicopter drops are equally flawed — they can "just because" kill 2–4 of your soldiers the exact moment they step off the chopper onto the ground.
Let your enemies fight each other: Watch the map closely and identify sectors where two enemy factions (e.g., GRA and Warlords) are colliding. Do not rush into the middle of the meat grinder. Enter the sector, dig in, and wait for them to thin each other out. Once the dust settles, move in and easily eliminate the survivors.
Avoid beach landings early on: Starting the game with a beach landing guarantees massive casualties that will ruin your economy. Instead, launch an Air Assault against the Warlords to get a safe foothold.
Ignore the Rescue mission: This mission type is horribly unbalanced. The downed crew and your extraction team will most likely die, lowering your Support stat and cutting your long-term revenue. Avoid it at all costs.
Focus on Ambush and Escort missions: These are easy, low-risk, and highly profitable. In Ambush missions, have your Engineer plant mines on the bridge to bottleneck the incoming horde, then immediately use your Radioman to call down illumination and an artillery strike right on their heads.
Fight at night: When dealing with the FAoG faction (and generally across most maps), always initiate combat at night. Combined with illumination flares, this gives your squad a massive visibility advantage over the blinded enemy.
:D