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Good morning, Commander! Welcome to Broken Arrow!
In this guide, you’ll learn to master modern warfare tactics within the most anticipated real-time strategy (RTS) game of 2025.
Broken Arrow is a large-scale, tactical real-time strategy (RTS) game that plunges you into a realistic US vs. Russia conflict set in the modern-day Baltic. As commander of either the US or Russian forces, you'll have at your disposal a vast arsenal of modern military units and advanced weapon systems. These can feel overwhelming, especially for newcomers to large-scale military games. That's why we've put together this comprehensive Broken Arrow beginner's guide: to help you delve into the game, explain and simplify its complex mechanics, and get you prepared for your first successful combat mission!
With over 300 realistic military units and cutting-edge modern technology, aspiring commanders must become familiar with the basics of modern military operations and the concept of combined arms. Broken Arrow eases you into learning this concept across a massive single-player campaign. Played from the perspective of both US and Russian forces, you'll fight for the fate of the Baltic States in this 19-mission campaign. It will have you explore several critical concepts of modern warfare before you jump into the exciting multiplayer action of Broken Arrow. If you prefer honing your skills against the AI, you can do so in skirmish battles or by using the game’s powerful editor to create and customize the kind of challenge you're looking for.
As a real-time strategy and tactics game, Broken Arrow plays very similarly to other titles in the genre, where you act as the leading element behind your forces, making strategic decisions in real-time. However, Broken Arrow distinguishes itself by requiring you, the Commander, to also decide your army's composition using the game's Specialty system, determine what equipment your forces should use for the challenges they might face, and master how to leverage all of the game’s unique systems to win.
Broken Arrow boasts a host of unique mechanics designed to authentically simulate the complex challenges faced by battlefield commanders. Let's go over a couple of them before you get to know your men.
There’s a limit to the combat assets available to every Commander. In Broken Arrow, this limited availability is represented by requisition points, which are obtained passively. Commanders must use these points wisely, deciding which units to call upon at any specific moment.
Is it better to requisition several squads of infantry in basic unarmed trucks, which are relatively inexpensive but have no usefulness in a fight, and are defenseless against enemy airstrikes? Or is it more effective to field fewer squads, but transport them swiftly by Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs)? Should you spend a significant number of requisition points to field one advanced fighter to counter enemy air incursions, or is it better to bring cheaper anti-air support units? As the one in charge, these moment-to-moment decisions will constantly weigh on your mind.
"Leave no man behind" isn’t just a motto; it has a real impact on how requisition points work. As an incentive to avoid letting your existing troops fight to the death, you can call them off the fight and have them return to base. Doing this will garner you some much-needed requisition points, allowing you to call other units into battle. Remember to keep an eye on your men and don’t let them die!
You can only fight what you can see, which is why it’s crucial to understand two other basic mechanics: Field of View (what your unit can see) and Target Acquisition. In Broken Arrow, a unit's field of view is the deciding factor on whether it can spot, acquire, and engage an enemy. To assist Commanders, a Field of View tool, accessible in real-time by pressing the left ALT key, will instantly show you what your selected units can see. Utilize this tool to make informed decisions about the most advantageous positions for your units.
