Cavalry
Arguably, the most effective shock troops of the Great War were cavalry. This is certainly true in Trenches 2. Properly employed Cavalry has the single greatest opportunity to change the tide of war ... or close out a battle quickly. Cavalry possess a unique Special Ability called Charge. Calling Charge sends the Cavalry out into the battlefield to break enemy lines and confuse your enemy's communication. Careful, though, Cavalry are relatively weak against the mechanized warfare in Trenches 2.

Mortar Team
Unit based artillery is the dream of all battlefield commanders. The Mortar Team is right there in the action and can drop ordinance on your enemy at long range with a surprising rate of fire. Artillery or Mortar round … it's all the same if you're on the receiving end of a direct hit.

Spy
Since there's been politics, there's been espionage. Spies in Trenches 2 have the ability to cloak and sneak behind enemy lines. This allows you to remove the Fog of War forward of your main force … a key advantage. With the Pilfer Perk, you can siphon off your enemy's coins. Spies, though, can been uncovered and are then very vulnerable to the enemy.

Rail Gun
The biggest guns of the Great War were so massive that they travelled around the theater of operations by railroad. These monsters could send a massive single round miles away into the operations area. Their destructive power is second to none on the Trenches battlefield.

Fog of War
There is an area, outside of the range of our vision, that is, obviously, completely veiled. Within this area, you can array your troops and prepare your attacks without the prying eyes of the enemy watching your every move. Unfortunately, the Fog of War affords your enemy the same shroud.

Cluster Bombs
Artillery fired aerial bombs is not a new concept, although the term for it is. Cluster Bombs are effective tools to clear obstacles and potential hazards ahead of your troops' advance.

Engineers
Engineers are the workhorses of the battlefield. Engineers build things you need and destroy things you don't. Engineers can perform a variety of different tasks: lay or cut wire, lay or uncover mines, improve or destroy trenches, and place or remove hedgehog tank traps. Properly used Engineers will slow your enemy down and give you the upper hand in their eventual approach.

Strafing Run
Soft target in cover behind hard targets? Strafing Run and Bombing Run both ignore the cover of these objects since they're attacking from the sky. Send a clear message to your enemy: "I see you there!"

Commanders
Through valor or luck, one side or both could be blessed with the appearance of a Commander. These Commanders have the ability to inspire their troops toward greatness. A Commander has an area of effect. Troops within that range are imbued with courage and advanced combat effectiveness. Commanders serve your troops best near the front ... where they are vulnerable.

Artillery
The employ of artillery is critical to a successful march across Europe. Troops congregate in trenches to escape small arms fire. It's these crowds of troops that you should target. Sometimes the mere threat of artillery barrage is enough to tip your opponent off balance. Drag artillery onto the battlefield, then while the spotting round is still burning, tap the artillery button again to cancel the strike.

Tank
The tactical use of tanks is yet to be determined. These machines are so new to the battlefield that identifying successful tactics has not yet been discovered. One thing for sure: Tanks never get destroyed, they just turn into cover.

Special Abilities
Some units have Special Abilities. Cavalry, Engineers and Spies have task-based Special Abilities. Tap one of these units and you can select the task you'd like them to perform. Other units, like Commanders and Medics, have an area of effect Special Ability that works without you telling them to get busy.

National Advantages
Through technology and culture, no two nations or peoples are exactly the same. Trenches 2 reflects this with the different advantages that the nations possess. These advantages, however slight, can make a huge difference on the battlefield, especially when they are coupled with symbiotic Perks. Study the National Advantages and Perk Tree carefully to determine the nation and perk path that suits your strategic style best.

Recon Balloon
The battlefield can be a confusing place ... troops yelling, the staccato of machinegun fire and the ever-nearing impact of artillery shells. This chaos makes determining what plan your enemy is trying to snare you in very difficult. To get a long view of the battlefield, away from all that noise and stew is key to determining how to counter their strategy.

Destructible Environment
The battlefield is strewn with remnants of life before war. Wagons, sheds and statues litter the front. While these can provide some cover from small arms fire, they can also be destroyed leaving your troops open to attack. Use them as cover, but be wary of their destructibility.

Mines
Another trick in the Engineers' pack is Mines. Plant those little nasties where you think your enemy is most likely to advance and watch as they are rendered body from soul. But you must ask: Are they laying them too?

Medics
Down but not out is the motto of the Trenches 2 battlefield Medic. Medics bring a wounded, rag-tag group of stragglers back into an orderly functioning portion of your ranks. Medics have an area of effect, so keeping them close to injured troops is the way to go.

Cover Items
Aside from trenches themselves, Trenches 2 has a myriad of cover for your troops to hide behind. Cover is very important in Trenches 2. Troops caught in the open by machine gunners or flamethrowers will not last long. Cover is identified by a cover overlay on the battlefield. Once your troops get close to a structure that affords cover, you'll see the cover box appear. Troops in cover will be identified by the cover icon over their head.

Snipers
Sharpshooters have the ability to rain down fear and pain on distant enemy troops. Snipers are a particularly nasty thing to come against. Their long range and near-certain "one shot, one kill" capability, make them a formidable foe, in some cases requiring more than an entire Riflemen unit to take one out.

Trenches
Trenches are possibly the most recognizable element of World War I and can be the difference between winning and losing. Trenches can be upgrades to Fortifications and then again to a Bunker. Each improvement will be identified with a slightly more fortified appearance to the structure. Once a trench can been upgraded all the way to a Bunker, it becomes a forward spawn point for your troops and an invaluable battlefield advantage. Keep a watchful eye on enemy artillery strikes, you may have to rebuild your forward bunker. Careful not to place too many troops in a trench.

Promotions
As troops learn, they become better warfighters. Troops are awarded field Promotions when they've achieved a level of competence on the battlefield. Troops with Promotions move faster, shoot farther and engage with more confidence than troops without. Experienced troops are the single greatest leverage a General can use. In spite of the flurry of battle, work to give your troops the most time to learn ... by keeping them alive.

Gestures
Directing your troops en masse is an important leadership maneuver. Two finger swipes allows you to direct all the troops within your immediate view. Two finger swipe toward the enemy base commands your forces to move up and attack. Two finger swipe down instructions them to hold their ground. Then two finger swipe back orders a hasty retreat.

Anti-Tank
The Great War saw the invention of the Landship, that would quickly be nicknamed the Tank. The rush was on to stop these lumbering beasts of the mechanized battlefield. While Artillery can take them out, it's important to slow them down or stop them, if possible. Engineers to the rescue. Engineers have a Special Ability that allows you to build hedgehog tank traps. These traps allow individual soldiers to slip by, but the iron behemoths can't get over or through.

Perks
Military forces learn, adapt and grow in tactics and tactical understanding of the battlefield. As do their commanders. Perks allow you to determine the specific advantages in which you'd like to mold your forces. Do you choose to load up on all the easy ones -or- do you follow a deliberate path toward the pinnacle? In either case, choose careful as these will stay with you for all future battles.