So I posted this in the Reddit and I thought it would be interesting (and enlightening!) to hear your opinions as well. This is my guide, but I would like to make it more objective and maybe include more details that I missed out. So let’s get to it! <inserts giant wall of text>
Motorized Infantry: the backbone unit of almost every conquest. Cheap and quick to make. More defensive and suitable for defending cities.
Mechanized Infantry: a stronger backbone unit that is more powerful and expensive than Motorized Infantry. Especially effective in European Doctrine. More defensive and exceptional at defending cities.
Naval Infantry: a powerful offensive and niche unit that is perfect for taking remote islands or landing in places where the enemy doesn't expect you to. In the latter occasions, best used in tandem with Amphibious Combat Vehicles.
Airborne Infantry: a powerful offensive and niche unit, usually used in airborne landing assaults, taking remote islands or land-grabbing on a vast scale. Their Air Assault ability makes it incredibly potent. It's low ground movement speed however necessitates numerous Air Bases.
Special Forces: a powerful offensive and niche unit. While unable to take territory, its incredible range of traits makes it suitable for an equally wide range of purposes, such as recon deep in enemy territory, as well as the infamous Special Forces ambush tactic. It's advanced and difficult usage makes it a rare sight.
National Guard: a very weak but extremely cheap backbone unit. Used as an alternative to Motorized Infantry by some (including experienced) players. Extremely spammable meat shields, useful for last-ditch defenses.
Combat Recon Vehicle: very useful early-game but useless otherwise. Also good for last-ditch defenses.
Armoured Fighting Vehicle: a strong and potent armor that is the mainstay of most player's forces besides the Main Battle Tank. Strong and good in a wide number of terrains.
Amphibious Combat Vehicle: a more potent form of the Armoured Fighting Vehicle, the Amphibious Combat Vehicle nevertheless sees limited usage due to its expensive research requirements.
Main Battle Tank: very potent in ground melee combat, Main Battle Tanks are buffed forms of the Armoured Fighting Vehicle, and extremely dangerous to face in melee combat. However, they suffer from more terrain penalties than their weaker cousin, causing it to be generally regarded by the competitive playerbase as less good.
Tank Destroyer: a niche armor unit, Tank Destroyers are rarely seen outside of Z gamemodes, especially non European Doctrine variants. They excel at destroying armor but poor facing infantry, and late-stage ones have the Air Assault feature, lending itself well to Airborne Landing Assaults.
Towed Artillery: the weakest artillery form, Towed Artillery are nevertheless also the cheapest. Ok yeah they're useless.
Mobile Artillery: the medium-grade artillery piece, Mobile Artillery are best used in European Doctrine, where the buff they receive is substantial.
Multiple Rocket Launcher: the strongest artillery piece, and generally regarded by the competitive playerbase as one of the best units in the game.
Mobile Anti-Air Vehicle: a decent unspecialized AA unit, Mobile Anti-Air Vehicles are the only form of AA that can hit helicopters, making them relatively common among more skilled players, especially European Doctrine ones.
SAM Launcher: the SAM Launcher deals an extremely large amount of damage to planes, and are especially common in the Eastern Doctrine. Also a common AA unit.
Theatre Defense System: the Theatre Defense System is a late-game unit that excels at destroying missiles, and it is not rare to see scores of them late-game, especially if the player is an experienced one.
Mobile Radar: the best radar unit according to most experienced players, Mobile Radar is a ground-based radar system that is cheaper but has less range than its airborne counterpart, the AWACS.
Helicopter Gunship: a specialized helicopter, these helos excel at destroying infantry units. Best used in Eastern Doctrine.
Attack Helicopter: a specialized helicopter, these helos excel at destroying armor units. Best used in Western Doctrine.
ASW Helicopter: a rare sight, ASW Helicopters are meant to hunt down naval units, especially submarines. However, experienced players frequently use them to destroy Frigates.
Air Superiority Fighter: strong anti-air units, these units dominate the skies, and can be used as ground attack units in a pinch.
Naval Air Superiority Fighter: a buffed version of Air Superiority Fighters, Naval Air Superiority Fighters are almost always only used if the player has an aircraft carrier.
Strike Fighter: a versatile aerial support unit, Strike Fighters are almost always a common sight, being good at almost anything you throw at it. Highly recommended by almost all players.
Naval Strike Fighter: a buffed version of Strike Fighters that can target ships well. Occasionally used over Strike Fighters for this reason.
UAVs: while not good on its own, UAVs provide intel on enemy locations, and have limited ground attack capabilities at higher tiers, so are used occasionally.
Naval Patrol Craft: good at attacking naval units, they are however more expensive than ASW Helicopters, and are also more vulnerable to the AA of Frigates, hence are a rarer sight.
AWACS: a radar unit with immense coverage, AWACS are expensive but very useful, providing valuable intel for attacks.
Naval AWACS: useless. Like, who needs an AWACS that can land on carriers when AWACS has such a long range already?
Heavy Bombers: a niche unit, the Heavy Bomber was designed to be the ultimate building destroyer, wrecking havoc among the enemy's war industry. The only other thing it is useful for however is attacking infantry. It is also more expensive than the cheaper Helicopter Gunship, but takes less damage when attacking infantry directly.
Stealth Bombers: a more fancy version of Heavy Bombers. Do you want such an expensive investment for minimal gain?
Corvettes: good patrol craft early game, cheap and quick to make. Use them early on if necessary, or use them as last-ditch defensive units to throw out a quick wall of hp.
Frigates: most experienced players consider them the best naval unit around. Well-rounded in every aspect, and having a solid AA that will shred an aircraft that enter your territory. Most effective in large numbers for everything, but in such numbers they'll be able to handle almost anything very well.
Destroyers: powerful ship-to-ship and anti-submarine vessels, boasting a high attack that will destroy most ships and submarines.
Cruisers: powerful anti-ship weapons, boasting the highest naval attack in the game and a short but decent anti-air. These are highly niche and expensive vehicles, and best used in tandem with more mainstream naval units to punish and destroy other ships and land targets.
Aircraft Carriers: strictly support units, and require adequate support in the form of other naval units to be safe. Even then, they're role is agreed upon by most as a very niche role, mainly of providing air cover during missions far away from friendly air bases (e.g. long distance invasions)
Attack Submarines: less common. They serve largely the same role as Destroyers, that is as anti-ship and anti-submarine vessels, but they can't hit land targets, which lowers their adaptability. This also makes them less vulnerable to other units however, so make of that what you will.
Ballistic Missile Submarines: notable for being the only conventional unit that can carry Ballistic Missiles. This makes them ideal for launching the powerful Ballistic Missiles, but they do require secure seas as their attack is not terribly strong.
Motorized Infantry: the backbone unit of almost every conquest. Cheap and quick to make. More defensive and suitable for defending cities.
Mechanized Infantry: a stronger backbone unit that is more powerful and expensive than Motorized Infantry. Especially effective in European Doctrine. More defensive and exceptional at defending cities.
Naval Infantry: a powerful offensive and niche unit that is perfect for taking remote islands or landing in places where the enemy doesn't expect you to. In the latter occasions, best used in tandem with Amphibious Combat Vehicles.
Airborne Infantry: a powerful offensive and niche unit, usually used in airborne landing assaults, taking remote islands or land-grabbing on a vast scale. Their Air Assault ability makes it incredibly potent. It's low ground movement speed however necessitates numerous Air Bases.
Special Forces: a powerful offensive and niche unit. While unable to take territory, its incredible range of traits makes it suitable for an equally wide range of purposes, such as recon deep in enemy territory, as well as the infamous Special Forces ambush tactic. It's advanced and difficult usage makes it a rare sight.
National Guard: a very weak but extremely cheap backbone unit. Used as an alternative to Motorized Infantry by some (including experienced) players. Extremely spammable meat shields, useful for last-ditch defenses.
Combat Recon Vehicle: very useful early-game but useless otherwise. Also good for last-ditch defenses.
Armoured Fighting Vehicle: a strong and potent armor that is the mainstay of most player's forces besides the Main Battle Tank. Strong and good in a wide number of terrains.
Amphibious Combat Vehicle: a more potent form of the Armoured Fighting Vehicle, the Amphibious Combat Vehicle nevertheless sees limited usage due to its expensive research requirements.
Main Battle Tank: very potent in ground melee combat, Main Battle Tanks are buffed forms of the Armoured Fighting Vehicle, and extremely dangerous to face in melee combat. However, they suffer from more terrain penalties than their weaker cousin, causing it to be generally regarded by the competitive playerbase as less good.
Tank Destroyer: a niche armor unit, Tank Destroyers are rarely seen outside of Z gamemodes, especially non European Doctrine variants. They excel at destroying armor but poor facing infantry, and late-stage ones have the Air Assault feature, lending itself well to Airborne Landing Assaults.
Towed Artillery: the weakest artillery form, Towed Artillery are nevertheless also the cheapest. Ok yeah they're useless.
Mobile Artillery: the medium-grade artillery piece, Mobile Artillery are best used in European Doctrine, where the buff they receive is substantial.
Multiple Rocket Launcher: the strongest artillery piece, and generally regarded by the competitive playerbase as one of the best units in the game.
Mobile Anti-Air Vehicle: a decent unspecialized AA unit, Mobile Anti-Air Vehicles are the only form of AA that can hit helicopters, making them relatively common among more skilled players, especially European Doctrine ones.
SAM Launcher: the SAM Launcher deals an extremely large amount of damage to planes, and are especially common in the Eastern Doctrine. Also a common AA unit.
Theatre Defense System: the Theatre Defense System is a late-game unit that excels at destroying missiles, and it is not rare to see scores of them late-game, especially if the player is an experienced one.
Mobile Radar: the best radar unit according to most experienced players, Mobile Radar is a ground-based radar system that is cheaper but has less range than its airborne counterpart, the AWACS.
Helicopter Gunship: a specialized helicopter, these helos excel at destroying infantry units. Best used in Eastern Doctrine.
Attack Helicopter: a specialized helicopter, these helos excel at destroying armor units. Best used in Western Doctrine.
ASW Helicopter: a rare sight, ASW Helicopters are meant to hunt down naval units, especially submarines. However, experienced players frequently use them to destroy Frigates.
Air Superiority Fighter: strong anti-air units, these units dominate the skies, and can be used as ground attack units in a pinch.
Naval Air Superiority Fighter: a buffed version of Air Superiority Fighters, Naval Air Superiority Fighters are almost always only used if the player has an aircraft carrier.
Strike Fighter: a versatile aerial support unit, Strike Fighters are almost always a common sight, being good at almost anything you throw at it. Highly recommended by almost all players.
Naval Strike Fighter: a buffed version of Strike Fighters that can target ships well. Occasionally used over Strike Fighters for this reason.
UAVs: while not good on its own, UAVs provide intel on enemy locations, and have limited ground attack capabilities at higher tiers, so are used occasionally.
Naval Patrol Craft: good at attacking naval units, they are however more expensive than ASW Helicopters, and are also more vulnerable to the AA of Frigates, hence are a rarer sight.
AWACS: a radar unit with immense coverage, AWACS are expensive but very useful, providing valuable intel for attacks.
Naval AWACS: useless. Like, who needs an AWACS that can land on carriers when AWACS has such a long range already?
Heavy Bombers: a niche unit, the Heavy Bomber was designed to be the ultimate building destroyer, wrecking havoc among the enemy's war industry. The only other thing it is useful for however is attacking infantry. It is also more expensive than the cheaper Helicopter Gunship, but takes less damage when attacking infantry directly.
Stealth Bombers: a more fancy version of Heavy Bombers. Do you want such an expensive investment for minimal gain?
Corvettes: good patrol craft early game, cheap and quick to make. Use them early on if necessary, or use them as last-ditch defensive units to throw out a quick wall of hp.
Frigates: most experienced players consider them the best naval unit around. Well-rounded in every aspect, and having a solid AA that will shred an aircraft that enter your territory. Most effective in large numbers for everything, but in such numbers they'll be able to handle almost anything very well.
Destroyers: powerful ship-to-ship and anti-submarine vessels, boasting a high attack that will destroy most ships and submarines.
Cruisers: powerful anti-ship weapons, boasting the highest naval attack in the game and a short but decent anti-air. These are highly niche and expensive vehicles, and best used in tandem with more mainstream naval units to punish and destroy other ships and land targets.
Aircraft Carriers: strictly support units, and require adequate support in the form of other naval units to be safe. Even then, they're role is agreed upon by most as a very niche role, mainly of providing air cover during missions far away from friendly air bases (e.g. long distance invasions)
Attack Submarines: less common. They serve largely the same role as Destroyers, that is as anti-ship and anti-submarine vessels, but they can't hit land targets, which lowers their adaptability. This also makes them less vulnerable to other units however, so make of that what you will.
Ballistic Missile Submarines: notable for being the only conventional unit that can carry Ballistic Missiles. This makes them ideal for launching the powerful Ballistic Missiles, but they do require secure seas as their attack is not terribly strong.
Currently on (potentially permanent) hiatus
Instead of choosing wings to fly, we chose hands to hold with each other.
Yet the sky still fascinates us, is it such a crime to keep on dreaming?
Instead of choosing wings to fly, we chose hands to hold with each other.
Yet the sky still fascinates us, is it such a crime to keep on dreaming?