Combat System
Master MENACE's turn-based tactical combat. From Action Points and suppression to cover, directional armor, morale, and orbital strikes — every mechanic explained in detail.
# FAQ
How does the turn order work in MENACE?
There is no initiative system. Each faction must complete all their squads' actions before the next faction acts. You control the order of your squads. A key tactic: move a tank into position at the end of your turn, then attack with it first next turn.
What's the optimal combat flow?
The core loop: Suppress enemies with LMGs or grenades → Flank to hit weaker armor → Destroy with focused fire. Suppressed enemies have reduced accuracy and AP. Never engage fresh, unsuppressed enemies with single squads — coordinate your attacks.
How do I deal with enemy vehicles?
Vehicles have directional armor — attack from the side or rear. Use anti-tank weapons (RPGs, AT-Grenades, ATGM Launchers). The Anti-Materiel Rifle 'Crocodile' is excellent. EMP grenades can disable vehicle weapons temporarily. Orbital strikes bypass armor entirely.
01 Action Points (AP)
All actions cost AP: crouching (20 AP), standard shots (40 AP), special weapons (40-80 AP), and movement (varies by terrain and load). AGI determines max AP — higher AGI leaders can perform more actions per turn.
02 Suppression System
Suppression accumulates from incoming fire. Levels: Normal → Suppressed (reduced accuracy) → Pinned (severe AP penalty). High fire-rate weapons (LMG, SMG) apply the most suppression. Leaders with high Valor resist suppression better.
03 Directional Armor (Vehicles)
Vehicles have different armor ratings on front, sides, and rear. Always face front armor toward enemies. Use the X key to rotate in place. Reverse movement keeps front armor facing threats while repositioning.
04 Cover & Concealment
Cover reduces incoming damage and is directional — the same building can provide full cover on one side and no cover on another. Concealment (from camouflage, smoke, night) makes units harder to detect. Fully concealed units cannot be targeted.
05 Shaken & Routed
Repeated attacks or losing multiple soldiers in one turn causes Shaken (white flashing icon, no attacking this turn) and Routed (may flee battlefield). Routed enemies are defenseless — use these turns to reposition or eliminate other threats.
06 Orbital Strikes
Unlocked through Weapons O.C.I. upgrades. Takes a full turn to arrive. Use suppressive fire on the target area to prevent enemies from escaping. Orbital strikes don't cost AP and have limited uses per mission.
Advanced Combat Tips
Orbital Strike Combos
Orbital strikes take a full turn to arrive. The target area is visible to enemies — they'll try to escape. Counter this by suppressing targets in the strike zone with LMG fire. Suppressed enemies have reduced AP and cannot escape the blast radius. Landing a strike on a pinned squad is devastating.
Vehicle Ramming
Vehicles can ram enemy infantry, dealing instant casualties and massive suppression. This is especially effective against suppressed or shaken squads. Ramming consumes movement AP but no attack AP — you can ram and still fire weapons in the same turn. Use light vehicles for hit-and-run ramming tactics.
Concealment Breaking
Breaking concealment to attack grants a significant accuracy bonus on the first shot. Pair this with Kody Greifinger's Guerilla perk for devastating alpha strikes. Use smoke grenades to re-establish concealment after attacking, enabling repeated ambush cycles.
Morale Cascades
When a squad loses multiple soldiers in one turn, they become Shaken (no attacks this turn). If they continue taking losses or are isolated, they rout and may flee the battlefield. Focus fire on already-shaken squads to trigger rout cascades — a routed enemy is defenseless and can be ignored while you eliminate other threats.