Assault Engineer Squad

Veterancy Abilities

All USF units can choose between one of two veterancy abilities specific to them, upon reaching veterancy level 1.

• Light it Up!: Active ability. The unit is ordered to fire multiple sustained bursts with a flamethrower at the target area, resulting in continuous damage to units that stay in the area. It is a 'channelling' ability meaning if the unit is given new orders such as moving or attacking, the duration will prematurely end and the ability will go on cooldown. This ability works even if the squad is not armed with a flamethrower, although it will cost Munitions to perform the ability. In this case, a flamethrower is temporarily granted to a squad member and will disappear after the ability ends for whatever reason. If the squad is already armed with a flamethrower, this ability will not cost Munitions. Overall this is a niche ability that is quite situational and difficult to make use out of. It is most useful on a squad lacking a flamethrower, as it can allow them to suddenly be a threat to garrisoned infantry for example. Otherwise, if they already have a flamethrower this ability is somewhat redundant as said squad can attack ground to reproduce the same effect.

• Superior Fieldcraft: Passive ability. The unit gains increased repair and construction speed. In addition, their mine detection radius is increased when equipped with a Minesweeper. Overall a consistent and popular option for Engineers, improving their performance on their most frequent tasks.

Note: Thompson Submachine Gun Package and M1941 Light Machine Gun Package are campaign exclusive and not available in skirmishes.

• The Hazard Removal Package upgrade equips the squad with one Minesweeper, allows the squad to destroy barbed wire via the Wire Cutters ability, and increases the squad's repair rate. While the Minesweeper is equipped, any nearby enemy mines the squad encounters will automatically be detected, revealing it and preventing it from triggering regularly (can still explode from being damaged). The squad can then defuse the mine completely (either automatically or by right click from the player), removing it from the field completely. Similarly, Minesweepers allow detection of Demolition Charges at longer range, disables them from being manually triggered, and allows for dismantling them. Note that the soldier holding the Minesweeper effectively has no weapon, so in combat situations the squad will actually deal less damage. The Minesweeper can be unequipped or equipped via a toggle ability, allowing the squad member to use his weapon again but forgo detecting mines if the Minesweeper is not equipped. USF Engineers can benefit from the veterancy ability Superior Fieldcraft, which increases the mine detection radius when equipped with a Minesweeper.

• M2 Flamethrower upgrade equips the squad with one flamethrower, which is very effective against structures and infantry, especially those in cover or in garrisons. This greatly boosts the offensive utility of the squad, though care should still be taken as they are still vulnerable due to their low health and squad size. The flamethrower cannot be fired on the move.
  If a squad equipped with a Flamethrower is completely killed, the Flamethrower will be dropped on the ground and may be equipped by any infantry with available weapon slots, including the enemy!

  Note that once the unit is upgraded with one of the above packages, it cannot be reversed/changed.

  This unit can benefit from the following upgrades available at the Infantry Support Center:

  • Munitions Surplus: Reduces the Munitions costs of all infantry abilities, demolition charges, and land mines by 10 Munitions.

  • Demolitions Package: Globally upgrades all Riflemen, Engineer, and Bazooka squads with the ability to construct Demolition Charges and M6 Anti-Tank Mines.

  • Advanced Logistics: Reduces the Manpower reinforcement cost of all infantry by 25%, and squads reinforced from Triage Station casualties gain a small amount of veterancy XP.

  • Survival Training: Increases the maximum health of all infantry entities (individual soldiers) by +10 health.

• Advanced Repairs: Active ability. Orders the unit to repair a damaged vehicle or structure. Assault Engineers have a higher repair rate compared to regular Engineers. Note that units repairing/constructing take extra damage and are easier to hit.

• Satchel Charge: Active ability. Spends a large amount of Munitions to throw a satchel charge at the target location (short cast range). Satchels have a lengthy fuse time of a few seconds before exploding. This delay means players usually will have enough time to react to any thrown satchels, making it less reliable against mobile units and active players. When it explodes, it does so with massive area of effect radius and damage, capable of wiping out infantry and vehicles alike. While generally ineffective against mobile units unless the opponent reacts too slowly, it is particularly very effective against structures and as such is useful for destroying ambient buildings or enemy fortifications.

• Minesweeper Toggle: Active toggle ability only available when squad is upgraded with Hazard Removal Package. Toggles equipping or un-equipping the minesweeper. While the Minesweeper is equipped the squad can detect and defuse mines. Also enables detection of Demolition Charges at longer range, disables them from being manually triggered, and can be defused similarly to mines. Note that while it is equipped, one squad member effectively has no weapon in combat and thus the squad will deal less damage overall.

• Wire Cutters: Active ability only available when the squad is upgraded with Hazard Removal Package. Allows the unit to remove targeted barbed wire.

  Construction Options

  • Sandbags: Creates a line of heavy cover that can be utilized by infantry. Counts as an obstacle that can vaulted over by infantry. Can be crushed by most vehicles.

  • Barbed Wire Fence: Creates barbed wire that cannot be passed through by infantry, but can be crushed by any vehicle.

  • Tank Traps: Creates a series of tank traps that cannot be passed through by most vehicles. They also act as scattered heavy cover for infantry. These are hardy obstacles that are durable to damage and cannot be crushed by anything but the heaviest of vehicles.

  • M1 Mine: Lays down a mine that is triggered when any enemy units pass over it. The explosion is significantly damaging to infantry and will initially suppress them. Also deals significant damage to light vehicles, and guarantees 'Engine Damaged' to any vehicle. Can be destroyed by taking damage or by being dismantled by a Minesweeper.

  • Resource Cache: Constructs a resource cache over a captured resource node at a Manpower cost. Resource Caches increase the resource granted from its node by 50% (Munitions or Fuel). Does not increase Manpower income if built over a Manpower node. The territory itself cannot be captured until the structure is destroyed. Can be upgraded to act as a Forward Retreat point.

  • : Constructs a unique emplacement for a Manpower cost. The emplacement can be garrisoned by a single squad, but otherwise does nothing. It can be converted into either an HMG Fighting Positon or a Mortar Pit at a cost of Munitions and removing its ability to garrison troops. Fighting Positions are fairly hardy against small arms, but as with all structures is vulnerable to anti-tank weapons and flamethrowers.

    • : The emplacement is armed with an HMG that can suppress enemy infantry within its arc of fire. As it is a structure, it is immobile and cannot change its firing position/arc.

    • : The emplacement is armed with an M1 Mortar. The emplacement has slightly longer range than the M1 Mortar Team, but of course as it is a structure it is completely immobile.

  The following additional construction options are available after the Demolition Package upgrade is attained from the Infantry Support Center.

  • Demo Charge: Constructs a demolition charge at target location for a Munitions cost. The demo charge must be manually detonated by the player and will not trigger based on proximity. Extremely damaging with a wide blast radius, capable of wiping out squads and severely damaging vehicles. After construction the demo charge is camouflaged but can be revealed by enemy units within direct 12.5 vision range (sight blockers like smoke and buildings will obstruct this). Will be detected at 25 range by units equipped with Minesweepers. When detected by minesweepers, it will be disabled and cannot be manually triggered. Minesweepers can also remove demo charges safely similarly to land mines. Will explode if enough damage is taken, providing an alternate means of triggering it intentionally or 'dismantling' it from a safe distance.

  • M6 Anti-Tank Mine: Lays down more expensive mines that only triggers upon vehicle contact. Deals far more damage than regular mines, and is quite capable of taking down many light vehicles on its own. Guaranteed to cause 'Engined Damaged' state to any vehicle.

• The Assault Engineer's weapon variant has significantly higher accuracy at close range compared to the regular Engineer's weapon. This means overall Assault Engineers deal greater DPS at close range comparatively.

Change Log

1.7.0 Onyx Shark July 16 2024

Engineer 

• Accuracy increased from 0.6/0.3/0.18 to 0.75/0.375/0.225 

• Assault Engineer near accuracy increased from 0.675 to 0.81 

• Assault Engineer Grease Gun now follows the same stats of the standard Engineer Grease Gun except for Near accuracy as mentioned above. 

Demolition Charges 

Demolitions Charges have undergone a comprehensive system and balance rework. See patch notes for details.

1.6.5 May 1 2024

Engineer

The US Forces tend to struggle more against defenses and garrisons than other factions as they start with the Scout Squad rather than a unit with access to flamethrowers. While we want to keep this asymmetry, we do want standard Engineers to be a viable option. To facilitate this change, we are making Engineers more accessible by reducing their cost and giving them Satchel Charges as part of their kit, granting the US more tools to demolish early garrisons, defenses, and obstacles.   

• Manpower cost reduced from 200 to 180; does not affect Assault Engineer squads. 

• Now have access to Satchel Charges 

• Reinforce time reduced from 6 to 3.75