Advanced Tips

This page lists useful tips for Brutal and Mega-Brutal difficulties.

It is highly recommended to consult Beginner Tips as this page builds on to those tips.

General tips

• To summarize, the goal of the game is to stabilise zones and contain the Insurgents.
• Ensure Corruption Risk (and by an extent, Corruption) remains below 45% — too much and it will reduce your reputation.
• Keep inflation down (at most 15%).
• If possible, ensure your reputation is at least 40.
• There are two ways to do stabilisation:
  • farming supporters (via Development Initiatives)
  • farming hostile degeneration (via Service Initiatives)

Governor

• The Smuggler and the Economist are the best governors to use on most maps:
  • The Smuggler can reduce National Soldiers' training time, get money by simply having said soldiers, and can earn extra money from Corruption.
  • The Economist can recieve the year's budget in advance, and can quickly reduce inflation on a pinch. This can allow you to buy several Coalition Soldiers quickly.

Advisors

• Choosing the right Advisors is crucial for making the game easier. See Strategy Guide:Advisor builds for additional information.

Early game

These tips are in addition to the Beginner Tips page.

• Pick your HQ zone with main road/highway access near the center of the map; this will reduce your units' travel time and increase Accessibility.
• Choose a specific initiative build order, as it will help you stabilise zones faster.
  • You should try to focus on stabilising your HQ zone; make sure to respond to Local Concerns as quickly as possible.

Mid-game

• Stay on the lookout for question marks (camps), especially in remote zones, and try to preemptively find the [camp before insurgents spawn. Early on, camps will typically spawn Insurgents in neighboring zones, not in the zone they're in.
• If you haven't already, buy Roads. They help in both reducing your Soldier's travel time and speed up Initative roll-out.