Getting Started in CAOS

## Starting a Game

Creating a game is a quick process. simply select the game you want on the game drop down menu - Battles or Sandtable for example. Then the map you want from the map drop down menu. Click on the particular scenario name and select the side you would like to create the game as from the side drop down menu.

At this point you are ready to create the game. A quick checklist is provided for convenience below and depending on what game and scenario you have selected there may be other options available to you that are discussed at the bottom of the section.

After a game is created it will be open for other players to join, you can even join it yourself and play as both sides for practice. It will remain in your current games until the game is finished or you delete/resign from it.

### New Game Checklist

Click the New Game button on the top bar.

1. Select the Game (this lets you select between battles, sandtable and campaigns).
2. Select the Map
3. Select the Scenario
4. Select a side
5. Select any selectable options that are applicable such as game length, nationality and starting points. (Most of these options are relevant to sandtable games.)
6. Create Game

### Core Options

* **Game** - This allows you to select the game type. The current options are OP Husky (the only campaign currently), Sandtable (hypothetical games fought between any combination of nations and years) and Battles which are historical battles.
* **Map** - This allows you to select what map you want to play on.
* **Scenario** - This allows you to select between different scenario types on the same game/map combination. Often there are several different scenario options ranging from a meeting engagement where both sides start with exactly the same amount of points an objective to attack scenarios where one side defends and one attacks.
* **Side** - This allows you to select between Blufor and Redfor - in historical scenarios Blufor is the Allies while Redfor is the Axis.

### Other Options

The options described above are the basic options necessary to start any game. But depending on what game and scenario you chose there may be many other options available to you.

* **Starting/Ending Year** - This limits what force pool years will be available in the game. Setting the starting year to 1943 and ending year to 1945 would **only** allow players to select force pools from 1943 to 1945. It is highly recommended that you set the starting year and ending year to the same year for game balance.
* **Length** - This allows you to select how many turns long the game will be within a set of options.
* **Points** - This allows you to select how many requisition points each player will start with.
* **Fog of War** - This enables/disables fog of war. It is enabled automatically but can be disabled when creating a game.
* **Nationality** - Where applicable this allows a player to select a specific nation that they would like to play.
* **Pool Year** - This selects the specific year (within starting/ending year parameters set earlier) that you would like to draw your units from.
* **Pool Type** - Allow players to select between different unit pools from the same nation in the same year. Currently this feature is only enabled for German orders of battle in 1944/1945.
* **Player Slot** - This is only applicable in games with more than 1 player on each team. It allows you to choose which player slot on a particular team you would like to join as.

## Joining a Game

Joining a game that is already in progress is quick and easy. Simply click on the join game button at the top of the screen and press refresh to bring up a list of all currently open games in CAOS. Click on a game from the list that interests you and don't forget to choose your nation. Then press join game.

### Join Game Checklist

1. Press the Join Game Button on the quick bar at the top of the menus.
2. Pressing the Refresh button in the bottom right without setting any filters will show **all** currently open games.
3. Set any filters such as game, map or scenario that you desire and press refresh or select no filters at all.
4. Click on the game name of the game you wish to join.
5. Select the nation you want to join as.
6. Press the Join Game button in the bottom right.

After you press join game you will be taken directly to the game and the game will stay in your current games until the game is finished.

## Your First Game in CAOS

### Buying Units

New units are purchased in the unit pool (in scenarios where units may be purchased). Left click on a unit to select it, left click again to deselect it. Double clicking on a unit will open its unit card to view its contents.

Right clicking on a headquarters unit will automatically select it and all of its subordinates.

### Placing Units

After units are purchased they are moved to the deployment box. From here simply click and drag them onto a deployment zone. You may drag deployable units between hexes during the pre-turn if you are not happy with the hex you initially dragged them to. When deploying large numbers of units it is wise to spread them out over multiple hexes to prevent complications from overstacking.

Remember, the max stacking limit of a hex under normal conditions is 4 stacking points. (Roughly 2 regiments.) Hexes that end the turn overstacked will automatically jettison their contents into neighbouring hexes.

After all units have been deployed, press the pre-turn button in the top right to begin the order phase.

### Issuing Orders

To issue orders to a unit or a stack of units simply right click on the stack and select the order you wish to give them and then left click the desired order and left click the destination. Some orders such as fire missions are multi-step processes and will require more input than simply selecting a target.

If you only want to issue orders to a specific unit or set of units in a stack:

1. Left click the stack.
2. Left click on each unit you wish to select.
3. Right click on one of the hi-lighted units to issue orders to **all** selected units.

## Recommended Force Composition

### Mechanized Emphasis

As a rule of thumb, try to maintain a good balance of infantry and armor supported by artillery to ensure that you enjoy the combined arms combat bonus as often as possible. In most cases, emphasize mechanized or motorized infantry in the early game to ensure that your infantry can keep pace with your advancing armor. Similarly, use motorized or self propelled artillery as much as possible. Gaining an upper hand through mobility early on is often key to victory, if mobile forces can take facilities or good defensive terrain early on then slower moving infantry can be brought up later to hold it.

### Air Units

Never forget the value of air units, and never forget to purchase at least a handful at the beginning of each scenario. It is usually wise to start with at least 1 or 2 Interceptors, 1 Multi-Role (if available), 1 Strike, 1 Bomber and 1 Recon to cover all bases. More air units are desirable but not always possible due to starting point limitations. Keep an eye on your air command to micromanage your air units and monitor their combat efficiency.

For a more detailed description of each unit type, reference the units page of the wiki.