Im dividing the tactics into 5 groups: Elite, Good, Average, Situational, Useless. Each Tactic is in ORDER for that group as well with the best being on top and worst being on bottom. I also divided the damage of the tactic into 3 groups, high, average, and low. High damage tactic can easily perform 99999 damage with the 6th hit onwards provided its done by a good officer. Average tactics can reach 99999 from the 8th attack onwards with a good general. Low tactics will rarely crack 30000 and almost never get 99999. Of course im refering those 3 to one target, if you target multi, you can easily get to 99999 damage) I'm also including what type of tactic each one is.

Elite
Tactics in this group are the BEST of the BEST.

1. Taunt (INT - Draws the enemy right beside the user as long as the enemy can move straight to the user, meaning no hills to shoal for example. Increase enemy morale and does low damage.

2. Pit (INT) - Same as taunt except it DOESNT increase enemy morale but requires the terrain infront of the user to be either grass or plain. Damage is low as well.

3. All Attack (LEA) - HIGHEST damage move to a SINGLE target in the game. Makes all ally adjacent to target enemy face the enemy as well. Requires at LEAST one ally adjacent to the enemy. This attack generally does 99999 to a single target on the 6-10th hit when perform by a general with good leadership and decent attack power.

4. Pincer (LEA) - HIGHEST MULTI-TARGET damage move of the game. Also confuse enemy and push them one squre forward to the direction they are facing. Requires ally inbetween enemies. This attack can easily go over 99999 damage at 6 plus hits.

5. Raid (WAR) - Very good multi-target attack. Performs just like Pincer except its average damage, wont move or confuse enemy BUT it doesnt require any ally at the end. This attack does almost as much damage as Pincer and can get 99999 damage on 6 plus hits.

6. Surround (LEA) - HIGH attack power and confuse the enemy. Requires the enemy to be inbetween you and an ally. The ally doesnt have to face the enemy nor be adjacent to the enemy. The ally will rush towards the enemy and face the enemy. This attack can do 99999 damage from the 6th hit on.

7. Aid (LEA) - HIGH attack power and lowers the enemy(s) morale as well as increase your ally(ies). This attack requires an ally to be facing the enemy and is adajacent to the enemy. You must be on either the left side or the right side of the ally facing the same direction as the ally. This can hit upto 2 enemies is you have one ally on the left side and one ally on the right side both facing an adjacent enemy.

8. Repel (WAR) - Another good multi-target attack and also a good tactic link. Attacks enemy on all 4 sides of user doing most damage infront, and least on rear. This attack has about the same attack power as raid and is great for linking combos but doesnt do as much damage as Raid on multi-targets because side and rare damage is reduced.

Good
These tactics are very good but just not at the same level as ELITE.

1. Switch (INT) - Switch places with the enemy and face the enemy. Low attack power but is a great combo linker.

2. Faint (INT) - Average damage that attacks the enemy and move him one space away from you. Also lowers the enemy morale.

3. Charge (WAR) - Average damage tactic that attacks the enemy and push him one square if he is horse class. It pushes 3 square if they arent horse class. You also follow the enemy on the push.

4. Flank (WAR) - Average damage tactic that attacks the enemy and lowers theirs morale. Also makes the enemy move one square forward to the direction they are facing. The only reason this below charge is the requirement. Requires to be on the side of the enemy.

5. Shift (LEA) - Average damage tactic that increase the target ally's morale and lower enemy's morale. User has to be facing an ally who is facing an adjacent enemy. Switch places with ally and increase ally's morale while at the sametime lowering enemy's morale.

6. Revive (LEA) - This tactic doesnt do any damage but it helps in another way. It increases your morale as well as all allies adjacent to you. Requires you to be facing an adjacent ally.

7. Awe (STR) - This attack lowers enemy(s) morale. The attack range for this attack depends on the number of enemys that are adjacent to the target and not behind the target. All enemys adjacent to target or adjacent to an adjacent enemy who is adjacent to target, etc and one square infront of user are effected.

Example:
(N = enemy not in range, R = enemy in range, X = User)

code

NNN RRRRR N X

Average
These tactics arent useless but there are generally better options.

1. Swarm (LEA) - Attack power depends on the number of ally behind the user. The base power is average but can increase. Also push enemy one square away from one. The only real draw back to this is the requirement i mention above. This tactic would be in the "good" group if the ally(ies) behind the user has shift, revive, or boost.

2. Circle (LEA) - Average attack power that circles around to the rear of the enemy and push them forward one square. Also confuse enemy. The only draw back to this is the requirement. Requires the enemy's rear to have no ally or enemy.

3. Pursue (WAR) - Average attack power tactic that pushes the enemy one space forward and you move one square forward as well. Also lowers enemy's morale. Requires to be at enemy's rear.

4. Boost (WAR) - Increases target ally's morale. Also makes ally face the same direction as the user and pushes him foward one square. This is a good morale boost but revive works a lot better and is a much better replacement.

5. Pierce (STR) - Average attack power that attacks threw the enemy and move 3 squares behind the enemy while facing away from the enemy as well. This attack is good to use when you want to run away but at anyother time, this wouldnt be the best to use.

Situational
Most of these attack can be on the good list if you can meet the requirement. The problem of course is the requirement.

1. Gather (INT) - This tactic doesnt do a lot of damage, and doesnt confuse the enemy; however it more then makes it for it with its ability to link combos. This is by far the BEST linking combo in the game. You draw all enemies that has a striaght path to the target towards the target from 3 direction (works kinda of like a multi-target pit/tuant the only direction you dont draw from is the direction you are in). You CAN have allies inbetween the enemy so you can link this with Raid for MASSIVE damage and captures/defeats. This attack would be on the Elite list if the requirement is met. The requirement is having 1 enemy that has a straight path to the target (you can have generals inbetween but the user cant be inbetween).

Example:
(O = ally, X = Enemy, A = ally using gather)

code

X X O AXO XX O X

All the enemies will rush to the target even if you have an ally inbetween. You dont have to have an ally inbetween but if you do and they happen to be facing away from the target with Raid, you can do A LOT of damage.

2. Fire Attack (INT) - Average attack power that attack enemy adjacent to user (in any direction) as well as any other enemy adjacet to the targeted enemy. Confuse all enemy it attacks. This attack would easily be on the elite list but it has one problem, the targeted enemy has to be on a grass or forest terrain. All adjacent enemies can be in any terrain and it will still it. Some levels dont have any grass or forest and this attack would become useless in those.

3. Flood (INT) - This attack is basically the same as Fire Attack except the terrain required is different. The user (NOT the enemy) has to be on a shoal or a river to perform this attack. This attack also does MORE damage then Fire Attack but has the same attack power. The reason this attack does more damage is because river and shoal lowers defense. This is ranked below Fire Attack because there is more grass and forest then there is rivers and shoal.

4. Rockslide (INT) - Same as Flood except the user is required to be on a hill or mountain. The damage of this is also just like Flood and has the same attack power. The only difference is, this time the user's attack is higher and thus the damage is higher then fire attack.

5. Muddle (INT) - Make all enemy adjacent to target enemy attack target enemy. Target enemy takes average man lost while adjacent enemy take low man lost. Lower all enemy's morale. The requriment for this is at least 1 enemy adjacent to target enemy. This is only situational because sometime there is only one enemy left or the enemy are far away; otherwise, this would be on the good list.

6. Fire Arrow (WAR) - This attack does low damage but confuse the enemies as well. This attack also moves enemy one square away from attacker. The attack range on this is

code

(I = range, X = User) RRR RRR RRR X

in front of the direction the user is facing. Also requires the user to be user bow class or bow horseman and at least 2 enemy in range.

7. Volley (STR) - Low attack power that can hit a lot of enemies. Attack range is

code

(R = range, X = user) RRRRR RRRRR RRRRR X

The requirements for this is same as Fire Arrow; which means 2 enemy within range and user has to be archer class or horse bowman.

8. Ambush (INT) - This attack has average attack power, confuse enemy, and move enemy one square away from user. The requirement for this attack is the user being on grass or forest.

Useless
There are only 2 moves in this group and these attacks should only be used when the general has nothing better.

1. Decoy (INT) - Low attack power attack that draws the enemy back one space or just attack the enemy if something is behind the user. The enemy faces the user and the user faces away from the enemy. This attack can easily be replaced by switch which is a LOT better.

2. Mislead (INT) - THERE CANT BE A MORE USELESS ATTACK in the game. This attack does no damage, doesnt lower the enemy morale or raise your morale. All this attack does is make the enemy go 3 squares away from you and face away from you. This tactic should only be used by weak generals who cant fight at all. Awe can easily replace this tactic.

Closing Note, all damage on tactic is determined by: how high the the unit's attack power is, how high the defense is, the terrain the attacker and the terrain the target is in, the stats of the general (Detail next sentence). LEA attacks are based on LEA stats, STR attacks are based on STR stats, INT attacks are based on INT stats.
All morale changes are determined by purely the stats (LEA type = LEA, etc) and not attack power/defense or terrain.

Feel free to post comments or post your own list. I hope i didnt miss any tactics, if i did, please post and tell me because i did the list from the top of my head. I might have left out a tactic or 2.

Geez Paigne your awesome at this game:). I just bought the game and after reading all the stuff you put on this forum I hardly have any questions.......

To not go off topic my fav tactic would be all attack. It dose lots of damage when you have the enemy surrounded and its easy to use a combo with it cause you must have another unit around to use it. Below is some i ranked from out of ten.

All attack 10/10
Aid 8/10
Raid 9/10
peirce 6/10
volley 8/10
fire attack 9/10
charge 7/10
switch 5/10
pit 9/10
taunt 9/10
decoy 3/10

Thanks. I picked up the game pretty fast because i played all KOEI's game. Also, some of the info i posted has being updated in different threads... ie you can do more then 99999 damage if you attack multi-targets. Right now im working on item/city list which i hope to post soon.

Oh yea, i forgot to note that fire arrow and volley are the weakess attack in the game but most generals who have those move have over 50 war so it seems stronger then it actually is. Also STR will basically increase the damage of your tactic no matter what type it is because STR increase attack power. INT will also increase defense while LEA increase morale. Base morale is determined by unit experience and LEA.

This message was edited by Paigne on Oct 08 2002.

I disagree. Decoy should be Situational. Many a time have I lured Sun Ce with a decoy into a surround and pincer. That shut him up. Thats over 5000 damage per hit. Its not alot, but if it takes him out.... I'll use it any day of the week.

Mislead is good if you dont have Awe, and are using it to set up a combo. If you are Cao Cao, you get plenty of raid guys (Xiahou Dun, Lu Bu, Yan Liang, etc.).

Decoy is ranked in the useless because SWITCH does the samething and is A LOT better. Some tactics has to be the bottom feeder and decoy can easily be replaced by switch which is also an INT move. Thus its a "useless" tactic.

Next mislead. Yes you can use it to start a combo BUT there are A LOT of better options. You can use Charge for someone who isnt horse type or Awe someone someone who is. More will move 3 spaces and does something else. Mislead can start a combo but whats the point of it @ the end or the combo? There is do damage or morale drop. Im pretty sure anyone who has all the tactics to choose from wouldnt select those 2. There are just too many better options.

If the general has no troops, it can be the final push to capture him. I did that before to Lu Bu as Sun Quan. (last hit went to him, then the guy with Mislead) It works. But, if you mean to knock the enemy away, then its good.

Basically, its all in the style of how you play. I like mislead since I usually knock it into a big ole pit/taunt into a raid. So, it IS circumstance. I COULD use Awe, but there is not guarentee on how far it goes. I'm just used to Mislead, so I mastered it.

And it can be a good end even IF you dont beat the general. I stopped Zhang Liao's raid (being Wu again) a good 3 turns, before he FINALLY nailed the no name spy. lol

You dont know how far it goes??? Just read my post above. I already said how far each one goes. If you dont get it, read it again.

It doesn't matter how many times i read it. (I have 5 times) Its just I can't seem to remember the distance they go. Its not like it just clicks like everything else. Sides, I have had the game for like 2 weeks.

Charge = same distance as mislead if you do it on a NON-Horse unit.
Awe = same distance as mislead if you do it to a HORSE unit.

Yo i would agree with you except revive which i luv coz it helps if you haven't got a builder. B i think Flank isn't that great because Jiang Wei has loads of it, but he's crap unless its like a 6 hit combo:P