Summary
- Set up chaff properly with Light Bots as core distractions to overwhelm opponents.
- Know starting Specialist, aim for a unit offering one, ideally a Rare one for early momentum.
- Avoid buying War Factory too early, prioritize aerial units, and position units based on speed.
Like most RTS games, Mechabellum has several unique and complex mechanics that encourage critical thinking and strategy. However, this complexity can be daunting for new players, especially since the game lacks a proper in-game tutorial. Without clear guidance, you could feel lost as you navigate through the learning curve.
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PostsAt first glance, it may seem that it's about putting a bunch of mechs, or "units," on the board. But as you dive deeper, you start to understand how the game's systems interact. On top of that, knowing a few key pointers beforehand can help you ease into the game, develop your own strategies, and gain a solid footing early on.
9 Set Up Your Chaff Properly
It may not seem like it initially, but your Light Bots, or chaff, are easily the most vital assets on the field, especially your Crawlers. They're cheap, quick, and, most importantly, serve as core distractions. In both early and later rounds, their sheer quantity tends to overwhelm opposing units, and once these swarms enter enemy territory, their towers don't stand a chance.
Swarms control a major portion of the field but need solid support to maintain and continue gaining ground. As such, you need to ensure they don't get blasted by stronger mechs, so diversify your positioning, respond to counter-strategies, and always aim to eliminate opposing chaff.
8 Know Your Starting Specialist
Although Starting Specialists aren't too impactful in the grand scheme of things, they can help you gain some early-game momentum. You can pick a Specialist from a pool of fourat the start of the game, and most of them will give you either a supply or a free unit. As a rule of thumb, it's better to pick a Starting Specialist thatoffers you a unit, especially a Rare one.
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PostsKnowing which unit-providing Specialist is the best depends on the meta. However, Rare units are usually strong and versatile, so they're a safe bet. Having access to more units without recruiting them gives you more options, and if you utilize them well, you can dish out significant Core Damage.
Rare units, including Typhoon, Farseer, Fire Badger, and Sabertooth, are exclusive mechs you can't directly recruit.
7 Never Buy The War Factory Too Early
The War Factory is one of the strongest units in Mechabellum and has the highest stats on paper. However, it comes with a major drawback that beginners seemingly ignore: 200 upkeep. This means that when you buy a War Factory, you'll receive 200 fewer Supply in each subsequent round.
Of course, you can reduce this upkeep from 200 to 50 with the War Factory's Efficient Maintenance upgrade, which costs 200 Supply. Still, you'll be spending too many resources at a point where Supply is limited and valuable. This is why many players recommend buying the War Factory in the late-game phase, where you have enough Supply to justify a War Factory's purchase.
6 Invest In Aerial Units
If you look at a unit's stats, you'll find a "Target" category highlighting where that unit can hit. More often than not, a unit's target will be "Ground Only," showing that they can't attack aerial mechs. This is a common weakness among several powerful bots, including Sledgehammers, Vulcans, Crawlers, and many more.
As such, if you put too many ground-only units in a specific position, a single aerial unit, regardless of power output, can remove them. Thus, you should maintain a solid ratio between your aerial and ground units, making sure you purchase or upgrade at least one aerial unit after Round Two.
5 Position Units Based On Speed
In Mechabellum, the last thing you want is for your units to charge ahead before their reinforcements can catch up. This leaves your forces vulnerable, allowing your opponent to pick them off in smaller groups. Clustering all your mechs too tightly can cause units with different speeds to either lag behind or advance too far ahead.
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PostsIdeally, you should place your quicker units, like Light Bots, behind your slower units, like Medium, Heavy, and Giant Units, during the Deployment Phase. That way, they’ll move in sync and hit the center of the battlefield together.
You can check each unit's speed, which ranges from six to 16 meters per second, in their stats.
4 Your Devices Matter
The game provides three devices—Shield Generators, Sentry Missiles, and Missile Interceptors—and allows you to buy up to eight per round. Shield Generators offer critical defense against ranged attacks, Sentry Missiles can wipe out chaff in one shot, and Missile Interceptors destroy incoming enemy missiles.
Each device plays a specific role and remains active until depleted or destroyed. Though they aren't permanent, using them strategically offers massive value and can win you a round. For instance, placing Shield Generators on towers delays paralysis, while Sentry Missiles can target areas flooded with enemy chaff.
3 Never Skip Permanent Pre-Round Reinforcements
On each pre-round screen after Round One, you can buy reinforcements like items, units, cooldown-focused abilities, and other upgrades for Supply. Out of these options, you'll rarely come across permanent all-purpose upgrades, like a stat increase on each unit or a boost to your post-round Supply gain.
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PostsWhen these upgrades appear, don't overlook them. Unlike items or abilities that might have niche uses, all-purpose upgrades provide lasting benefits that impact your entire strategy. Their versatility and long-term payoff make them one of the most powerful investments in the game, granting a strategic edge lasting healthily in the long run.
2 Always Look For Counter-Picks
Mechabellum revolves around a Rock-Paper-Scissors (RPS) Mechanic, something that's common in most RTS games. The basic idea here is that you have a simple countering system where each choice directly refutes another. This is much more pronounced in this game—a unit can be exceptionally strong against one archetype and weak against another.
Whenever your opponent places a unit on the board, you can immediately respond with the appropriate counter-pick in the follow-up round. In most cases, you must guess your opponent's play and placement for this to work, and if you guessed correctly, you'll win the round by a massive lead just by counter-picks.
Vulcans and Fire Badgers can decimate chaff but are extremely vulnerable to Giant Units and aerial mechs like the Overlord and Wasps.
1 Prioritize Upgrades Over Placing More Mechs
It's important to remember that you have limited board space, so filling it up prematurely with too many units can deprive you of your future strategies. Besides that, buying units in late-game rounds feels extremely underwhelming since you're purchasing weaker Level One mechs to compete against the opponent's Level Four or higher mechs.
Instead, you should focus on buying tech upgrades for your units, which can provide several effective buffs like increased range, damage, and other abilities. Once you buy an upgrade for a unit, it automatically applies to all units of that type on the board. Plus, any future purchases of that unit will come pre-upgraded, making it a better future-proofing investment.
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Strategy Action Simulation Systems Released September 26, 2024 ESRB m Developer(s) Game River Publisher(s) Paradox Arc Engine unity Multiplayer Online Multiplayer Steam Deck Compatibility PlayableWHERE TO PLAY
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