Ok, let's see if I can give a quick guide that might help a bit:
Phase 1: Guerilla phase.
In the info panel, you can see an area marked "guerilla". This is a dollar value that is given to the enemy of an invader the first time a country is invaded. After that happens, the guerilla number disappears.
During the Guerilla phase, you are prompted to buy troops with the guerilla money of any countries your enemy has invaded the previous turn.
Phase 2: Combat
During this phase, you move your guys around (including any troops bought with Guerilla money that turn) and blow stuff up. No money is gained during this phase.
Phase 3: Revenue
Each country produces $2, $3, or $4 each turn (shown in the info panel) for you to use. This ONLY happens if ALL of the following are true:
1) It still has revenue turns left (a country only gives revenue for a total 10 turns, then stops forever).
2) You control the capital.
3) The enemy has no units in that country.
If all these conditions are met, the country adds its per-turn revenue to its treasury, and the treasury money can then be either spent on placing troops inside the country or saved for later turns.
Special condition: Indemnity.
A disclosed ally will have a box in its info panel labelled Indemnity. When the enemy of the ally's original owner completely conquers it, this money is added to the treasury for that player to use. Like Guerilla money, this is only used once. This ONLY occurs for DISCLOSED allies: undisclosed countries do not give indemnity, but instead act just like a conquered neutral country until disclosed.
Phase 4: Disclosure
During this phase, you "disclose" a secret ally. You can only disclose one ally per turn, and may refrain from disclosing if you choose. In each ally's info panel is a box labelled Secret Army. When a nation is disclosed, its owner instantly gets however much money is there and spends that on troops. The only exception to any of this is the first turn: on the first turn, it skips right to Disclosure, and you can and must disclose two (and only two) allies.
Because I tend to be incoherent without realizing it, an example turn from an example battle:
Example: Turn 6, Artanis vs. Ptahhotep, Planet Emerald
Guerilla Phase Artanis watches Ptahhotep's turn, and sees that his enemy has invaded Ittaleria and Crownland. Crownland had already been invaded on Turn 3, so its Guerillas are not available. Ittaleria, however, is under assault for the first time, so Artanis is prompted to place its advertised $4 worth of units. He decides to place 4 Smallfoots in Ittaleria.
Combat Phase Artanis has two Bio-T-filled UPSes midway through Ptahhotep's disclosed SA, Gornaya. He moves them near Ptahhotep's two LAVs, his only remaining forces in the country, and destroys them, thus securing Gornaya's indemnity for later. Moving Scorchers and Smallfoots across the border from Korshun, Artanis attacks Ptahhotep's forces in Ittaleria from the side, destroying a Mortar and an LAV, and Artanis's new Guerillas add their firepower, giving him enough to destory an extra LAV. Artanis orders his remaining forces in Crownland to flee towards the far border. Finally, Artanis loads two rearward Smallfoots into a UPS and sends them towards the front lines, then slowly inches three more in the same direction.
Revenue Phase Artanis has three countries fully under his control: Willard, Gornaya, and Korshun. Willard adds $3 to its treasury which, when combined with the $1 saved from a previous trun, lets Artanis place an Annihilator within its borders. Korshun has no money saved up, so Artanis uses its $2 in revenue to buy Smallfoots along its border with Ittaleria. Gornaya becomes a virtual gold mine, with $1 saved up, $2 in revenue, and $8 in indemnity giving Artanis enough money to buy three Pteroplanes while saving $2 for the next turn.
Disclose Phase Artanis has two Secret Allies remaining, Keystone and Ittaleria. Deciding that he wants to counterattack Ptahhotep, Artanis discloses Ittaleria, surrounding the enemy forces with Bio-Ts. He knows that several will be destroyed during Ptahhotep's turn, but feels that the losses are worth it.
End of Turn Artanis presses "End Phase", and the server dialog pops up. During the next minute or so, Artanis finds out that Tiger, Mrakobes, redfox, and Three Seven have all taken their turns against him, so he has four turns awaiting him. While waiting for Ptahhotep's reply, Artanis selects to play the turn sent by Tiger and grimly awaits what he will see when the Great Predator's latest onslaught appears on the screen.
I hope this helped
_________________ Q: How many ADHD people does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: Oooh look, a kitty!!!
|