How To Play

Main Menu UI

START GAME

OPTIONS

• QUALITY
• CONTROLS (Standard Windows, Windows 8.1 Store)
• STATS (iOS, Google Play, Amazon, OSX)
• CREDITS
• RESET GAME
• RESTORE TRANSACTIONS (All platforms except standard Windows)
• CLOUD SAVE (OSX)

DATABASE

TRAINING VIDEOS

EDIT SQUAD

GET LOD

QUIT GAME (All platforms except iOS)

Gameplay Flow

• The game begins with the MAIN MENU screen.
• Clicking START GAME allows you to select a mission from mission browser.
  • only the first mission is unlocked until it has been completed.
• The Mission Briefing screen describes the mission’s objectives, storyline and any special suggested gear.
• You are able to configure the squad by tapping on each squad member and selecting a primary weapon, secondary weapon, and 1-2 equipment items (the 2nd equipment item slot is locked until you unlock it with CEP).
  • This menu is skipped on the first play and squad members are configured with default loadout. This menu is not skipped on first play on Mac/PC builds.
  • This menu is skipped on space missions as there are no characters to configure.
• While the mission is loading, a random game tip/character description is presented.
• Once the mission starts, the squad members will be placed onto (or moved onto) their starting positions.
• You can pan/zoom around the map to view the objective (marked visually) and formulate a plan. Each level will have multiple ways to get to the objective. The most direct path is often the most dangerous but the fastest if speed is necessary.
• When you tap on a unit to select it, you can:
  • continue with a drag gesture to drag out a destination/target indicator
    • When you left click on a unit to select it, you can hold the left mouse button and draw a line to a destination/target to perform the default action for the location.
  • hold the drag at a destination/target position and a context sensitive menu will appear over the targeted spot/unit with appropriate actions (attack, move here, throw explosive, etc)
    • Right click on a unit or destination to open the context sensitive menu to select specific actions.
  • the “attack” action is default if the drag gesture is let go on an enemy unit
  • release the tap (single tap) to view more info about the selected unit or access unit options that do not require a target (such as use a medkit, defend, etc).
• The majority of gameplay will require you to move your units into tactical positions and outflank the enemy. The challenge increases not only with more powerful enemies but more difficult tactical/strategic decisions such as when to use special abilities or support vehicles, whether to risk moving or hunkering down, and which weapons to use against which enemies.
  • For most missions, you should keep your units moving and not stay in one place for too long.
  • There should be a level of pressure that starts to build after the first few “training” missions, but maintain a balance between action and strategy.
  • Missions should feel like the player is in command and his decisions are what are going to win the game, and that he cannot win by just charging into the fray.
  • You will be able to choose between a more stealthy play style by selecting sniper weapons, using cloaking and specializing in melee take-downs or a more aggressive approach by favoring heavy weapons, grenades and overwhelming firepower.
• You will continue to move and use the squad members until you have either reached the objective or lost all units
  • If you reach the objective, the next step will depend on the mission type. Some missions will end at this point, but some will require an action completed with that objective.
  • If all the squad members are defeated, the game is over.
• Once a mission ends, you will be presented with a game over screen that will show mission results including:
  • Mission objectives and their completion status in Campaign Missions
  • If any squad members increased their Ranged Attack and/or Melee Attack stats.
  • Stats of how many and what types of enemies were killed in Skirmish Missions

Character Setup

As you progress through the game, the squad members’ stats will be upgraded. Most attributes are automatically increased based on mission performance of the individual character and what types of actions/attacks they did the most. For instance, a squad member who gets a lot of melee kills will increase his/her melee attack attribute.

Further customization can be done be changing the equipment used by squad members.

• Weapons: You can select 2 weapons for each character, a primary weapon and a secondary weapon. The character cannot carry 2 weapons from the same category.
  • Primary Weapons: These are the main ranged weapon of a character (Rifles and Machine Guns)
  • Secondary Weapon: These are backup weapons that a character carries for special situations (Pistols, Sniper Rifles, Rocket Launchers, Shotguns and Energy Lances)
• Items: You can select 2 items for each character. At first, all characters will only have 1 unlocked item slot. The 2nd slot can be unlocked through spending CEP or through an IAP.
  • Includes grenades, weapon attachments, suit enhancements (jetpack, deployable turret)
  • Grenades usually have 2 uses per mission, but refills can be found during missions.
  • Weapons can have multiple attachments, so both slots could be filled with attachments.

Certain weapons and items require CTCs to use since they are specialized. You can purchase CTCs in the character edit menu which will unlock those items/weapons for that character. Each character has his/her own list of CTCs.

For each weapon/item, you will be able to select any items that have already been unlocked either through purchase or by having been found during a mission (salvage). Once an item is unlocked, it can be used by any character. Additional copies don’t need to be unlocked.

All characters are equipped with a combat knife. This does not use any slots and allows for simple melee combat.

Pressing the ? button next to the item buttons will bring up a description of the character and tips for using them. These tips and descriptions are the same text as the mission loading tips for characters.

Combat Training Certificate (CTC)

CTCs are required by characters to operate vehicles or use special weapons and items. Each squad member starts with several CTCs that match their specialization.

During the course of a campaign, you may purchase additional CTCs for each character to give them new skills.

CTC can be purchased using accumulated or purchased CEP when in the CHARACTER EDIT menu.

Combat Experience Point (CEP)

CEP are the points earned for certain actions in the game such as killing enemy units, destroying enemy vehicles or collecting Salvage that has a CEP value.

• The total current CEP (the amount they have earned during the entire game) and the current mission earned CEP are displayed in game UI, separated by a “+” symbol.
• CEP are only earned from successfully completed missions. Failed missions do not give any CEP.
• Any CEP earned in Skirmish missions is retained at 25% of the earned amount.
• CEP are used to unlock weapons and items for the squad. Any weapons or items unlocked will then be available to any squad member with the correct CTC (if that gear requires a CTC)
• CEP can be used to purchase new CTC for a character.

You can purchase additional CEP via In-App Purchases (IAP) by clicking on the Buy CEP button when in the CHARACTER EDIT menu. Purchase of CEP is not supported on the Standard Windows platform.

You can also purchase additional CEP during a space mission if you do not have enough CEP to buy a Resupply.

Achievements & Leaderboards

NOTE: This feature is not supported on Standard Windows, Windows 8.1 Store or Windows Phone 8

CEP earned in the campaign and skirmish missions are added to your CEP score which is posted to either the Campaign or Skirmish leaderboard. The player is able to check their score on these two leaderboards in the STATS menu.

During the game, you can also earn achievements for completing special actions such as killing a certain number of enemies. As soon as an achievement is earned, an achievement message is shown on the screen with the title of the achievement. You can also view your completed and incomplete achievements from the STATS menu.

Difficulty Settings

There are 2 difficulty settings that can be chosen when starting a campaign.

Normal

• No Friendly Fire on allies in melee with enemies
• At the end of a successful mission, squad members can be revived with CEP as well as leftover BIO-HUMAN Implants

Hardcore

• Friendly Fire is possible if a squad member is in melee combat with enemy and the enemy has been targeted
• At the end of a successful mission, squad members can only be revived with leftover BIO-HUMAN Implants
• Increased CEP earned from killing enemies (+ 50%)
• Decreased chance of finding salvage in crates (- 50%)
• Increased enemy HP (+ 20%)

Combat Mechanics

Since combat is real-time, it is largely driven by the AI system. Squad members will automatically fire if attack conditions are met. When a unit is engaged in ranged combat, he/she will continuously fire his/her selected weapon at the target until either the target has been killed or the weapon needs to be reloaded. When the weapon needs to be reloaded, the character will stop firing until the weapon is reloaded. Ammunition is unlimited except for grenades.

You will mainly guide squad members by selecting targets and selecting an attack mode (ranged, melee, incapacitate), however, squad members will attack automatically in the following conditions:

• If the character is fired upon but has no target selected
• If the character is melee attacked by an enemy (even if the character has his/her own target, the character will switch to melee)
• If the character is set to defend, he/she will fire at the closest enemy in weapon range.

Targets that are chosen by you will override the character’s AI selected targets unless the character is in melee combat.

Ranged Combat

Each shot or automatic weapon burst is considered one “shot” for the purposes of aiming and damage. Aim will be calculated before the shot is made based on the unit’s skill, weapon aim attribute, distance to target and a random factor.

Targeting units that are running makes them harder to hit.

The distance to the target also affects aim. Units that are closer than 6 meters in distance gain a large aim boost, units that are between 6 and 10 meters gain a medium aim boost, and units that are further than 20 meters receive an aim penalty. Sniper rifles do not suffer this penalty.

Melee Combat

Each swipe/slash of a melee weapon is considered one “attack” for the purposes of aiming and damage. Aim will be calculated based on the character’s melee combat attributes and a random factor. Each unit will take turns attacking the opponent. Damage is a random value between half of the weapon’s damage and the weapon’s full damage (non-melee weapons’ max damage is the unit’s melee attack skill).

Player Character Death

When a character’s HP reaches 0, they must be revived using a BIO-HUMAN implant. If you end a mission without all 4 main characters:

• Normal Mode: If any BIO-HUMAN implants are left, they will be used automatically to revive any dead characters. If there are no more implants, you will be presented with a message that you must pay 50 CEP per dead character to revive them. If you do not have either the required CEP or enough implants, the mission will be failed.
• Hardcore Mode: If any BIO-HUMAN implants are left, they will be used automatically to revive any dead characters. If there are no more implants left, the mission will be failed.

BIO-HUMAN implants are scattered throughout the maps as “salvage” and can be recovered by any character. Though BIO-HUMAN implants are items, they are quite small and so they do not use up any inventory slots.

To revive a fallen select, select the character and then select REVIVE from the Command Menu that appears.

BIO-HUMAN implants are a separate item type that are pooled for the entire team. This is shown in a HUD UI icon that shows how many BIO-HUMAN implants the team has available.

BIO-HUMAN implants can also be used to revive extra characters that you are also controlling (such as characters you have to escort/capture), although if one of those characters is killed and there is an objective to keep them alive, then the objective will be lost. BIO-HUMAN implants cannot be used to revive Androids. Androids can only be repaired using the Portable Repair Kit.

Salvage Drops

Various weapons, inventory items and implants can be found throughout gameplay either from a fallen enemy unit or by destroying a red salvage crate.

• When an enemy unit is killed, there is a 100% chance that they drop salvage
• When certain crates are destroyed, there is a 75% chance that they drop salvage
• Some crates will be preset by the level design to contain a specific piece of salvage

A salvage item can be picked up by moving a character onto it.

If the recovered item is a type of item that is pooled by the team (ie: BIO-HUMAN, Airstrikes, support turrets), then it is automatically picked up at that point and added to the team’s pool.

Item refills, such as a medkit refill, give all characters with that item additional uses as specified in the salvage quantity. These are not limited by the item’s original use amount, so if you pick up a 2x medkit refill and the character already has 2 medkit uses, that character will now have 4 medkit uses.

Camera Controls

Touch Controls

You can drag anywhere on the screen to move the camera, pinch the screen with 2 fingers to zoom the camera in, or rotate 2 fingers around a central point to rotate the camera.

Mouse/Keyboard Controls

The camera can be moved with the WASD and directional arrow keys. The Q and E keys or holding down the middle mouse button and moving the mouse will rotate the camera. The Z and X keys or using the mouse scroll wheel will zoom the camera in and out. The main 4 squad members can be selected by pressing the 1-4 keys or by drawing a marquee selection box around the units while holding down the CTRL key.

Context Sensitive Menus

Most interactions have a default action that is performed when the tap/click is released. For example, drag a line from a character to an enemy to have the character automatically attack that enemy with his/her current weapon.

Actions that have other options will require a long tap/click so that the default action is not triggered and the Command Menu is shown instead. Alternately, you can select a character and then tap/click on an enemy or target position to bring up the Command Menu.

Actions that have other options will require a right click so that the Command Menu is shown.

When you tap/click on a character and drag your finger/the mouse, a line is shown (Command Line) that you drag out to a target or point on the map.

If you hold down on that target/point, a context sensitive menu (Command Menu) will appear at that position. You can then release the tap/mouse button and select an option from the menu. (MOBILE ONLY)

If you tap, drag and release quickly, the context menu will not appear and the default action for the selected target/point is activated. The end of the command line will show the default action that will occur when you release the line (Move, Ranged Attack, Move To Cover).

If you left click, drag and release the button the default action for the selected target/point is activated. The end of the command line will show the default action that will occur when you release the line (Move, Ranged Attack, Move To Cover).

When the Command Menu appears or whenever the command line is being drawn, the game is paused. The camera can still be moved, zoomed and rotated while the game is paused. To unpause the game, you can tap on an empty location or select an action from the context menu. The following are a list of options that will appear. Any items marked “Humans Only” are not available for Androids, which otherwise have the same commands as Infantry.

You can also pause the game with the SPACEBAR and issue orders at that point.

Player Infantry Select

• No options will be displayed. The character will be selected and game will be paused

Player Infantry Portrait Select

• DEFAULT ACTION: None
• Stats: This brings up a window that shows the character’s stats, weapons and items. Selecting a weapon in this stats window will make that character switch to the selected weapon.
• Switch weapon: This will toggle between the character’s primary and secondary weapon for default attack (Humans Only)
• Use Items. If there is no valid item for this interaction, these buttons will not be shown. For each valid item the character has equipped, a button will appear for it. (Humans Only)
  • Items that can show up for this interaction are:
    1. Cloaking Unit, which makes the character
    2. Medical Kit (heal self)
• Defend: This causes the character to go into overwatch and automatically fire on any enemies that enter his/her range. The character will not move from that position until the order has been cancelled by giving this unit another explicit order even if the character’s target moves out of range. Squad members equipped with melee weapons will not leave this position either until they receive a new explicit order.
• Engage: If the character is on Defend, this order will be available and will put him/her back into an Idle state where they will return fire on enemies and chase them if they get out of range.
• Goto Cover: The unit will stop their current action and try to find cover (Humans Only)

Player Infantry Drag to Enemy Unit / Player Infantry Selected, Right Click on Enemy Unit

• DEFAULT ACTION: Causes the character to attack with the currently equipped weapon.
• Attack All: All squad members will attack the target with ranged attacks.
• Attack: The character will fire at the target with the currently equipped weapon. If a melee weapon is equipped, then the character will attack with a Melee Attack
• Melee Attack: The squad member will run to target, switch to a melee weapon and attack with it. (Humans Only)
• Incapacitate Attack: The character will approach the target and incapacitate it with a non-lethal attack. This will only work if the enemy target is not attacking the character. (Humans Only)
• Use Item. If there is no valid item for this interaction, these buttons will not be shown. For each valid item that character is equipped with, a button will appear for it. (Humans Only)
  • Items that can show up for this interaction are:
    1. Grenade (specific types of grenades that character has equipped can be selected. All available grenade types can be viewed in the Gear section)
    2. Target Designator (Support Vehicle Order: If the mission has access to support vehicle options and the character has a target designator, the support request will target this spot)

Player Infantry Drag to Player Infantry / Player Infantry Selected, Right Click on Player Infantry (Humans Only)

• DEFAULT ACTION: None
• Medical Kit: If the character has a medkit, he/she can use it to heal fellow squad members. If the healing target moves out of range during the healing process, it will be cancelled and no HP will be restored.

Player Infantry Drag to Terrain / Player Infantry Selected, Right Click on Terrain

• DEFAULT ACTION: Move
• Move: The squad member will run to the target spot.
• Stealth Move: The character will silently crouch-walk to the target spot. (Humans Only)
• Use Item: If there is no valid item for this interaction, these buttons will not be shown. For each valid item that character is equipped with, a button will appear for it. (Humans Only)
  • Items that can show up for this interaction are:
    1. Grenade (specific types of grenades that character has equipped can be selected. All available grenade types can be viewed in the Gear section)
    2. Turret (if character has a deployable turret)
    3. Target Designator (Support Vehicle Order: If the mission has access to support vehicle options and the character has a target designator, the support request will target this spot)
    4. Jump (if the squad member is equipped with a jetpack and this spot is within range, he/she will jump to this location. You must wait 20 seconds to use the jetpack again.)
• Defend: This causes the character to move to the target point and go into overwatch to automatically fire on any enemies that enter his/her range. The character will not move from that position until the order has been cancelled by giving this unit another explicit order even if the character’s target moves out of range. Squad members equipped with melee weapons will not leave this position either until they receive a new explicit order.
• Engage: If the character is on Defend, this order will be available and will put him/her back into an Idle state where they will return fire on enemies and chase them if they get out of range.
• Move All: All squad members will move to the target spot. (Humans Only)

Player Infantry Drag to Vehicle / Player Infantry Selected, Right Click on Vehicle (Humans Only)

• DEFAULT ACTION: None
• Mount: The character will enter the vehicle. The first squad member to enter the vehicle must have the corresponding CTC to operate the target vehicle.
• Repair Kit: If the character has a repair kit, he/she will move to the vehicle and repair it.

Player Vehicle Drag to Enemy Unit / Player Vehicle Selected, Right Click on Enemy Unit

• DEFAULT ACTION: Attack
• Attack: All vehicle weapons within range and firing arc will fire at this target.

Player Vehicle Drag to Terrain / Player Vehicle Selected, Right Click on Terrain

• DEFAULT ACTION: Move
• Move: The vehicle will move to the target spot.
• Dismount: The vehicle will move to the target spot and any squad members inside it will exit at this point.
• Defend: The vehicle moves to the target spot and goes into overwatch. It will automatically fire on any enemies that enter range. It will not move from that position until the order has been cancelled by giving it another explicit order even if the target goes out of range.
• Engage: If the vehicle is on Defend, this order will be available and will put it back into an Idle state where it will return fire on enemies and chase them if they go out of range.

Enemy Unit Select

• DEFAULT ACTION: None
• Stats: show the unit’s stats
• Attack All: All squad members will attack the target with ranged attacks.

Player Spaceship Select

• DEFAULT ACTION: None
• Shields: The ship’s shields will be activated.
• Swap Missiles: This will cycle the current missile type that will be fired by the Fire Missile button.
• Resupply: The ship’s HP will be restored to max, all missiles will be refilled, shield uses will be refilled and shields will be reset to their maximum if they are currently activated.

Enemy Spaceship Select

• DEFAULT ACTION: None
• Focus Fire Turrets: All turrets on the ship will concentrate fire on this target until it is destroyed.

Portrait Unit Selection

The 4 main characters (except in mission 1 where only 2 characters are available) can also be selected through a side menu panel that displays portraits of each character. One or more units can be selected by tapping/clicking on them. The game will pause allowing you to give orders to the selected units. The camera can be panned, zoomed and rotated during this time.

Tapping on the screen will display the same Command Menu as detailed above.

Right clicking on the screen will display the same Command Menu as detailed above.

Selecting an action from the menu or deselecting all units will unpause the game. When multiple characters are selected through the portrait menu, the context menu will function as follows:

Enemy Unit Select

• DEFAULT ACTION: All selected squad members will attack the target enemy with Ranged Attack.
• Attack All: All squad members will attack the target with ranged attacks.

Terrain Select

• DEFAULT ACTION: All selected characters will move to the target spot.
• Move All: All squad members will move to the target spot. (Humans Only)
• Stealth Move: The character will silently crouch-walk to the target spot. (Humans Only)

Cover System

Line of Defense Tactics focuses heavily on a cover system that allows units to move from cover to cover as they progress through a level. NPC AI will focus heavily on moving NPC units into cover if they are attacked or are attacking. The cover system uses a series of cover points that you can access to move units from cover to cover and select appropriate cover for units. Each cover point can only be occupied by one unit at a time and have directional attributes, meaning some cover points will only be effective from certain directions.

Characters will attempt to move into cover when under attack. If no appropriate nearby cover can be found, squad members will crouch instead.

Cover points are visually marked when the game is paused through the context menu being shown or the command line being drawn. When a character is in cover, he/she has a pulsing yellow cover icon above their heads and will receive 50% less damage from ranged attacks and explosions. If their cover has been compromised (ie: if the character is outflanked), the cover icon will turn red. When drawing the command line from a unit to a cover point position, the default action icon at the end of the command line will show a cover icon to indicate that the character will move into cover.

Space Mission Controls

Space missions are different from regular squad based missions in Line of Defense Tactics because you will control 1 ship with multiple weapon systems instead of a squad of characters and vehicles. Spaceship controls are based on the same select/drag gesture control as other units in the game. There is no weapon loadout selection and the only context sensitive menus appear when selecting your ship or an enemy ship.

Space Movement

To move a spaceship, perform a select/drag gesture on the ship, drag out a line to a destination position and release the tap/mouse button. This sets a course for the ship which will proceed to move at maximum speed to that position and direction. Once the ship reaches the destination, it will stop.

Space Combat

Spaceships have separate on-screen buttons for their manually controlled weapons. Automated weapons like turrets will fire on and target enemies whenever they enter range and firing arc. Each weapon system has a firing arc that allows it to fire only in specific directions. This will require you to maneuver the ship into a firing position to take advantage of the best weapon for the target range/type. Most missions will have access to 2 manual weapons: a Dual Cannon and Missile Launcher. Missiles have a limited number of shots, but they track enemy targets and have a high chance of hitting. Typically these should be reserved for the most dangerous targets. The Dual Cannon has unlimited shots, but it has a reload time and only fires in one direction.

You can concentrate fire from the auto turrets onto enemy ships by selecting an enemy ship and selecting Focus Fire Turrets from the Command Menu. You can also swap missile types to select the best missile for the situation.

Ships also have shields that will protect it from enemy fire. Shields have a limited number of uses and a set amount of HP. Missiles cannot be fired while shields are up.

Quick Commands

Controller Support

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1. MAIN MENUS

   The left thumbstick lets you cycle through most menus. A activates the current menu. B will go to the previous menu, or dismiss any dialog items on the screen.

2. CHARACTER SELECTION

   In non-space missions, the D-pad is used to toggle a character’s active state on or off. This lets you select and issue commands to the different characters regardless of whether or not you can currently see them on the screen.
   
   To select a character, tap once on the D-pad. The characters’ positions on the D-pad match the portraits, going in a clockwise direction. Up = character 1. Right = character 2. Down = character 3. Left = character 4. This is similar to using the 1-4 keys on the keyboard.
   
   A double-tap of the character’s D-pad option will select the character, zoom the viewport to them, and open their context menu. This lets you quickly find a character regardless of where they are on the map.
   
   You can select multiple characters by tapping different directions on the D-pad.
   
   To select additional characters when there are more than 4 characters you control, move the target reticle over a character and hit the A key to select them.

3. GAMEPLAY NAVIGATION

   The left thumbstick moves the viewport around.

   The right thumbstick lets you zoom in and out, and spin around the current center of the screen.

   When a context menu is open, use the left thumbstick to select and highlight an item. In context menus where there is a central option, releasing the left thumbstick will select the center option. A will accept the current selection, and B will select the close button if you want to cancel out of a context menu.

   A ghosted, translucent image of the target reticle appears at the center of the screen and slowly spins, while the user is navigating using the left thumbstick. This allows the user to designate where they want units to move, or attack. It quickly fades away when the viewport is not being moved.

4. START/PAUSE BUTTON

   During gameplay, the Start/Pause button opens the game pause menu. You can navigate that menu with the left thumbstick then use A to select an item, and B to pause.

5. SPACE COMBAT CONTROLS

   • A acts as a ‘single click’ button on either enemy ships or the player’s ship, allowing you to access the context menus.
   • B engages the engines, which gradually accelerate the ship.
   • X activates the shield.
   • Y toggles between missiles types.
   • Left trigger launches missiles.
   • Right trigger fires the main guns.
   • Left and right bumpers turn the ship to port and starboard.

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