Terrain Guide

Understanding Movement Cost

Movement cost determines how many movement points a unit needs to enter a hex:

• Each unit has a total movement budget per turn
• Entering a hex subtracts that hex’s cost from the budget
• When movement points reach 0, the unit can’t move further
• Different terrain types have different costs

Example: Infantry with 2 movement points entering forest (cost 2):

• Unit uses 2 movement points
• 0 movement points remain
• Infantry stops after entering forest

Terrain Types

Grass (Plains)

Movement Cost: 1
Passability: All units
Vision Blocking: No

Description

The default, open terrain. Grass represents plains, fields, and other open ground.

Properties

• Standard movement for all units
• No special effects
• Provides no cover or defensive bonuses
• Most common terrain type

Tactical Use

• Rapid Movement: Fastest way to move (aside from roads)
• Open Battles: Direct engagements with clear sightlines
• Vulnerable: No defensive advantages, avoid staying in grass if possible
• Staging Areas: Good for assembling forces before an advance

Best For

• Vehicle maneuvers
• Quick repositioning
• Open field battles

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Forest

Movement Cost: 2
Passability: All units (slow for vehicles)
Vision Blocking: Yes

Description

Dense woodland that provides cover but slows movement. Forests are critical tactical terrain.

Properties

• Costs 2 movement points to enter
• Vehicles can enter but move very slowly (uses 2 of their 3 movement points)
• Blocks line of sight for vision
• Provides cover for units inside

Tactical Use

• Infantry Advantage: Infantry can traverse forests more efficiently
• Ambush Points: Hide units and surprise enemies
• Defensive Positions: Natural protection from attacks
• Flanking Routes: Move infantry through forests to attack from unexpected angles
• Vision Denial: Block enemy scouting and intelligence
• Vehicle Slowdown: Vehicles become vulnerable when moving through forests

Strategic Considerations

• Forests still favor infantry mobility
• Vehicles can enter but are at a disadvantage
• Use forests to slow down enemy vehicle advances
• Infantry can still outmaneuver vehicles in forest terrain

Best For

• Defensive infantry positions
• Flanking maneuvers
• Ambush tactics

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Mountain

Movement Cost: 2
Passability: Infantry only
Vision Blocking: Yes

Description

High ground that offers defensive advantages but is slow and difficult to traverse.

Properties

• Costs 2 movement points to enter
• Vehicles cannot enter (impassable)
• Blocks line of sight for vision
• Units on mountains gain +1 vision range bonus

Tactical Use

• Observation Posts: Extended vision for reconnaissance
• Strong Defense: Costly for enemies to assault
• Choke Points: Block and control narrow passages
• Artillery Positions: High ground for overlooking battlefield
• Defensive Positions: Excellent for holding key terrain

Strategic Considerations

• Infantry can reach mountain tops (uses exactly 2 movement points)
• Mountains are now accessible strategic objectives
• Creates strong defensive positions
• Vision bonus makes mountains valuable for scouting
• “King of the hill” battles for strategic high ground

Special Note

:::tip Vision Bonus Infantry on mountains can see 3 hexes instead of 2! This makes mountains excellent for reconnaissance. :::

Best For

• Defensive positions
• Scouting and reconnaissance
• Controlling key heights

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Road

Movement Cost: 0.5
Passability: All units
Vision Blocking: No

Description

Paved or improved paths that allow rapid movement for all units.

Properties

• Costs only 0.5 movement points (half the normal cost!)
• All units can use roads
• No defensive advantages
• No vision blocking

Movement Bonuses

• Infantry: Can move 4 hexes on roads (2 ÷ 0.5)
• Vehicles: Can move 6 hexes on roads (3 ÷ 0.5)

Tactical Use

• Rapid Deployment: Move forces across the map quickly
• Vehicle Highways: Vehicles excel on road networks
• Supply Lines: Connect your bases efficiently
• Retreat Routes: Fast escape when battles go poorly
• Advance Routes: Quick approaches to objectives

Strategic Considerations

• Roads are predictable - enemies know you’ll use them
• Vulnerable to ambush from adjacent forests
• Control of roads = control of tempo
• Vital for vehicle-heavy strategies

Weaknesses

• No cover or defensive bonus
• Easy to predict enemy movement
• Can become kill zones if controlled by enemy

Best For

• Vehicle maneuvers
• Rapid reinforcement
• Strategic mobility

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Shallow Water

Movement Cost: 2
Passability: Infantry only
Vision Blocking: No

Description

Rivers, streams, and shallow coastal areas that infantry can wade through but vehicles cannot cross.

Properties

• Costs 2 movement points to enter
• Vehicles cannot cross (impassable)
• Does not block vision
• No defensive bonuses

Tactical Use

• Natural Barriers: Channels vehicle movement
• Infantry Routes: Crossing points for foot soldiers
• Defensive Lines: Rivers form natural boundaries
• Flanking Opportunities: Infantry can cross where vehicles can’t

Strategic Considerations

• Creates vehicle-free zones
• Forces vehicles to find alternate routes
• Can divide battlefield into sectors
• Control of crossings becomes critical

Best For

• Defensive lines
• Channeling enemy vehicles
• Infantry flanking maneuvers

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Deep Water

Movement Cost: Impassable
Passability: None
Vision Blocking: No

Description

Lakes, seas, and deep bodies of water that no land unit can cross.

Properties

• Completely impassable to all current units
• Cannot be entered under any circumstances
• Does not block vision
• No units can occupy these hexes

Tactical Use

• Absolute Barriers: Divides map into separate regions
• Secure Flanks: Cannot be attacked from deep water hexes
• Map Boundaries: Often used at map edges
• Chokepoint Creation: Narrows available paths

Strategic Considerations

• Forces all movement around water features
• Creates natural defensive positions
• May isolate portions of the map
• Can trap units if they advance too far

Caution

Future naval units may be able to traverse deep water, changing how these areas work!

Best For

• Natural map boundaries
• Creating defensive positions
• Channeling enemy movement

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Buildings

Buildings are strategic structures separate from terrain. They generate income, can produce units, and can be captured by infantry.

Building Types

Base

Income: 100 gold/turn
Can Produce Units: Yes
Capture Time: 2 turns

The standard military outpost. Generates solid income and can produce new units.

Headquarters (HQ)

Income: 200 gold/turn
Can Produce Units: Yes
Capture Time: 2 turns

Your most valuable building. Generates the highest income. Bases can be upgraded to HQ.

City

Income: 50 gold/turn
Can Produce Units: No
Capture Time: 2 turns

Civilian settlements that provide modest income but cannot produce military units.

Factory

Income: 150 gold/turn
Can Produce Units: Yes
Capture Time: 2 turns

Industrial facilities with high income and unit production capability.

Building Ownership

Buildings can be:

• Player-owned: Colored to show the owning player, generates income for them
• Neutral: Grey colored, generates no income until captured

Capturing Buildings

Infantry units can capture enemy or neutral buildings:

1. Move an infantry unit onto a building
2. End your turn - capture progress begins automatically
3. After 2 turns with your infantry on the building, it becomes yours
4. If your infantry leaves or is destroyed, capture progress resets

:::tip Strategic Priority Capturing buildings is crucial! More buildings = more gold = more units. Prioritize expanding your territory early. :::

Building Income

At the start of each turn, you receive gold from all buildings you own:

• This gold can be spent to produce new units
• Building income is the primary way to grow your army
• Losing buildings means losing income

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Terrain Combinations

Creating Kill Zones

• Forest adjacent to roads creates ambush opportunities
• Mountains overlooking roads enable vision control
• Water features force enemies into predictable paths

Defensive Lines

• Combine mountains, forests, and water to create strong positions
• Use terrain to protect flanks
• Force enemies to attack through disadvantageous terrain

Mobility Corridors

• Road networks through open terrain enable rapid movement
• Control roads to control the pace of battle
• Deny road access to slow enemy response

Terrain Strategy Tips

1. High Ground: Always try to control mountains for the vision bonus
2. Forest Control: Forests give infantry significant advantages
3. Road Networks: Dominate roads for strategic mobility
4. Natural Barriers: Use water and mountains to secure flanks
5. Terrain Synergy: Combine different terrain types for maximum advantage

Movement Planning

Infantry Movement Priorities

1. Mountains (when vision is needed)
2. Forests (when cover is needed)
3. Roads (when speed is needed)
4. Grass (default movement)
5. Shallow Water (only when necessary)

Vehicle Movement Priorities

1. Roads (primary movement network)
2. Grass (acceptable alternative)
3. Forests (passable but slow - use only when necessary)
4. Mountains and water (impassable)

Next Steps

• Understand Unit Types and how they interact with terrain
• Learn Game Setup to start your battles
• Try the Map Editor to design terrain layouts

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Master the terrain, master the battlefield!