States of Power Unit Counters

Understanding the Counter System

States of Power uses a soft counter system where unit matchups modify damage dealt and received rather than creating hard wins and losses. A tank division attacking infantry will deal bonus damage but also take bonus damage from anti-tank units. Understanding these modifiers lets you compose armies that are greater than the sum of their parts.

Infantry

Infantry is the backbone of any army. It is cheap to produce, requires minimal supply infrastructure, and performs reliably across all terrain types. Infantry excels at defending against attacks and can hold territory indefinitely when properly supplied.

Infantry’s primary weakness is its poor performance against armoured units. Tanks attack infantry at a significant damage bonus, making unsupported infantry divisions vulnerable to armoured breakthroughs. Infantry also struggles against entrenched positions when attacking, making it a poor choice for offensive operations without artillery support.

Tanks

Tanks are your primary offensive weapon. They deal devastating damage to infantry and are fast enough to exploit breakthroughs and encircle enemy positions. A tank division that breaks through the enemy line and cuts their supply route is worth more than ten divisions fighting a frontal assault.

Tanks are vulnerable to anti-tank units, artillery at range, and terrain that restricts movement. A tank division caught in mountains or across a river is severely disadvantaged. The key to using tanks effectively is timing: commit them only when and where the enemy line is weak.

Artillery

Artillery provides the damage multiplier that makes infantry assaults viable. An infantry division supported by artillery attacks at roughly double the effectiveness of unsupported infantry. Artillery is particularly effective against entrenched defenders and can neutralise fortified positions that would otherwise be prohibitively costly to assault directly.

Artillery’s weakness is its extreme vulnerability to cavalry and air units. An artillery-heavy division that is attacked from the flank or from above will be destroyed rapidly. Always protect artillery with infantry screens.

Aircraft

Fighter aircraft provide air superiority, which reduces enemy unit effectiveness across the entire battlefield in their operating radius. Playing without fighter cover against an opponent who controls the sky is a severe disadvantage.

Bombers devastate ground units, particularly infantry and artillery, but require fighter protection to operate effectively. Unescorted bombers will be intercepted and destroyed by competent opponents.

Naval Units

Naval units control sea lanes and enable overseas supply. A navy that loses control of adjacent sea zones cuts off overseas garrisons from resupply, often forcing their surrender without a shot being fired. Naval battles are won primarily by submarine and destroyer screen forces, with capital ships providing the decisive firepower.

The Rock-Paper-Scissors Framework

Use this as a quick reference: Infantry counters Artillery, Artillery counters Infantry in defence, Tanks counter Infantry, Anti-tank counters Tanks, Aircraft counters everything on the ground when uncontested, Submarines counter Capital Ships, Capital Ships counter Destroyers.