Strategy vs. tactics – example from an Alpha Strike game
Situation:
You are playing a battle with 300 points. Your opponent brings a slow, heavily armed force with many heavy and assault mechs. You, on the other hand, rely on a mobile force with light and medium scout and striker units. The mission type is “Conquest (Capture)”. The mission objectives: Capture or destroy strategically important objects such as buildings (supply depots). I will explain the context and meaning of “strategy vs. tactics” below
Strategy:
The strategy is your overarching plan for how you want to win the game overall.
In this case, your strategy is:
“I want to outmaneuver the enemy units through movement, strike selectively and control mission objectives instead of risking an open exchange of blows.”
This means:
- You want to use your mobility to exert pressure on several fronts.
- You want to force his lumbering units to move in order to limit their firepower.
- You plan to secure specific mission objectives and disappear again quickly.
Tactics:
The tactic is the concrete implementation of your strategy in the game.
An important tactic here is, for example, the “scattered formation” tactic
You don’t place your units in clusters, but in small groups spread over several areas of the pitch – e.g. on three different flanks.
Advantages in the game:
- The opponent cannot target all your troops at the same time.
- He has to decide which flank to pursue, which takes time.
- The cumbersome enemy BattleMechs cannot change their position on the field so quickly. You have a clear advantage here with the fast, smaller mechs.
- You can specifically exploit weak points – e.g. a flank where he has too few units.
Exemplary implementation:
- Group A (light and medium BattleMechs which act as assault points) goes to the left mission objective and retreats to cover after a successful attack.
- Group B (medium-heavy mechs, ideally with jump jets for better maneuverability) remains central in order to react flexibly to enemy movements.
- Group C (fast, well-armed mechs) flanks the right and threatens the enemy’s rear.
This scattered formation means that your opponent has to divide or redirect their firepower – and that’s exactly your strategy, forcing them to act inefficiently while you score specifically.
Context:
The strategy is: Use mobility to force opponents to act inefficiently while you control mission objectives.
Tactics include: Dispersed deployment to accomplish just that – by building threats on multiple flanks and pressuring his slow units.
Conclusion on strategy vs. tactics
In Alpha Strike, strategy is the big goal – e.g. forcing the opponent to move and gaining mission control.
Tactics such as dispersed deployment are ways to achieve this goal on the pitch.
