Mud and Blood: Basic Guide

The Mud and Blood flash games have always been relatively challenging games, and this release of Mud and Blood is no different.

There is, however, a way to get around the frustration of instantly becoming a pile of noodly organs every time you play, and that is by understanding what on Earth you’re doing.

This guide is here to introduce some basic mechanics of Mud and Blood to get you on the right path.

Campaign mode is essentially Mud and Blood 3

Explanation

Starting on an open map with 6 identical units, you progress toward the right side of the map.

There are German soldiers in your way as well as entrenchments and buildings that provide cover, alongside rocks and trees for concealment.

Each new mission randomly provides three “Battle Conditions” which impact certain aspects of that mission

In Short

Evade/fight enemies and reach the other side of the map

Classic mode is essentially Mud and Blood 2

Explanation

Your objective is to survive an unending series of waves of German infantry, vehicles, aerial and artillery hellfire.

Starting with a group of 4 units with random stats on a completely randomised map, you obtain TP (tactical points) each round to perform certain actions: recruiting units, building fortifications, calling in aerial and artillery bombardments, purchasing buffs, equipment and weapons for units, and giving special commands.

In short

Survive as long as you can

The map is horizontally oriented, where you start at the very left, and your goal is reaching the far right.

The map can be navigated by using the A and D keys, moving left to right

• It is not possible as of writing to speed up the scroll speed of the map, however double-clicking on a unit’s portrait will make the map jump to their position

Esc & Spacebar: Pauses the game
F9: Reveals cover percentages and area of effect, and concealment radius

Selecting Units

In campaign mode, your units are given portraits at the bottom left of the screen

Hovering your mouse over a unit’s portrait highlights them via a grey ring that emanates around them

You can select units in various ways:

• Clicking on a unit’s portrait
• Clicking on the unit themselves
• Pressing their associated number on your keyboard 1-6
• Selecting all units at once by pressing 7 on your keyboard
• Select an area of units by clicking and dragging the mouse over who you want to select

You can select units in two ways:

• Clicking on the unit themselves
• Select an area of units by clicking and dragging the mouse over who you want to select

Moving units is done by selecting a unit (see above) and clicking where you want them to go on the field

Units will automatically begin to move to wherever you clicked, and a small circle will appear indicating the position that you have designated them to go to

Units can walk through any obstacle in the game (buildings, sandbags, trees, rocks, etc.)

Units will stop moving if they are pinned down, bleeding out, stunned, or dead

Note

Units in both game-modes can be selected and directed while the game is paused

This is extremely useful.

There are different maps for each bunch of missions, all of which contain different obstacles. Progression to a new map is marked by the completion of all missions within a given area
(i.e. hedgerows must be completed 20 times before the next map)

Minor Spoilers

• D-Day Map: The only map with a non-random start; starts with your troops on a landing craft riding toward the shore, upon reaching the shore, the beach leads to a bunker containing German soldiers – afterwards, the map is sporadically laden with trees, rocks, sandbags and other small fortifications.
• Hedgerows: Consists heavily of thicket woods, typically scattered or in a line to obscure vision. Random placement of rocks. Increased presence of fortifications and buildings (sandbags, bunkers, houses, etc.)
• ST:LO: Significantly reduced number of trees and thicket woods. Rocks still randomly distributed. Significant increased number of fortifications and buildings – presence of very long bunker-like buildings

The maps in classic mode are completely randomised, but still as open and long as a typical campaign map

Fortifications that appear on these random maps are reflective of Hedgerows’s maps, generally sporadic fortifications, fewer buildings, extensive trees and rocks

Cover

Unit-Built Sandbags: Low Cover
Hay Stacks: Low Cover
Sandbags: Medium Cover
Player-Built Cover: Medium Cover (Classic Only)
Barbed-Wall: Medium Cover
Trucks: Medium Cover; cover radius cannot be destroyed (possible bug)
Player-Built Trench: High Cover (Classic Only)
Trench: High Cover

Concealment

Trees: Full Concealment
Rocks: Full Concealment

Buildings

Houses: Medium & Explosive Cover; comes in various shapes
Bunkers: High & Explosive Cover
Long House: Cover & Explosive Cover (cannot be destroyed)
Player-Built Camnet: Hide Units From 6-Man Cap (Classic Only)

Hazards

Barbed Wire: Low Damage On Contact
Landmines: Explosive/High Damage On Contact; comes in various shapes
Player-Built Landmines: Explosive/High Damage On Contact; comes in one size (Classic Only)

Six-Man Squad

Starting each run with a six-man squad, every unit initially starts with identical stats (morale, combat skill, hp)

Each kill and hit on target grants your individual units with EXP with each interval of 10 granting them a rank up

Selecting the unit with a symbol above their portrait brings up the rank-up menu

Ranking Up – Units

Upon a rifleman ranking up, a specialization must be chosen (see below)

Each subsequent rank-up leads into a specialized unit’s upgrade path, where three options are presented. This will occur on each rank-up after their specialization has been chosen.

• Combat Skill: An increase to combat skill
• Weapon: An upgraded weapon
• Ability/Skill: A skill on a cool down

Specializations – Units

A unit ranking up allows you to choose a speciality for them, often changing their loadout, stats, and general role

Once a specialization is chosen, you cannot revert them back into a rifleman, nor can their specialization be changed

• Sniper: Slow Firing, Long Range, Head shots/Critical Hits; Springfield
• Medic: -15 Combat Skill, Proximity Heals Other Units; M1 Garand
• Commando: +20 Max Health, Immune To Panic, Increased Melee; Sten Gun
• Gunner: Suppressive Fire; BAR
• Signaller: Radio commands, slow speed; M1 Garand
• Heavy Rifleman: Increased Range; M1 Garand
• Light Rifleman: Faster Movement; M1 Garand
• Scout: Fast Movement, Increased Spotting Range; Shotgun
• Officer: Increases Troop Morale Periodically; M1 Garand
• Sapper: Builds Fortifications, Spots Mines Faster, Explosive Capabilities; Shotgun
• Engineer: Builds Fortifications, Spots Mines Faster, Explosive Capabilities; Shotgun

Four-Man Squad

Starting each run with a four-man squad, every unit initially starts with randomized stats (morale, combat skill, hp)

Each kill and hit on target grants your individual units with EXP with each interval of 25 granting them a rank up

Ranking up in this mode is automatic, and unit stats increase randomly

• Units do not obtain new abilities, weapons, or equipment on their own

Unit Types

There are many different unit types, all of which play significant roles in your group’s effectiveness to survive

These units cost different amounts of TP (tactical points) to recruit

• Sniper: Slow Firing, Long Range, Head shots/Critical Hits; Springfield
• Medic: -15 Combat Skill, Proximity Heals Other Units; M1 Garand
• Commando: +20 Max Health, Immune To Panic, Increased Melee; Sten Gun
• Signaller: Radio commands, slow speed; M1 Garand
• Rifleman: Default unit; M1 Garand
• Gunner: Suppressive Fire; BAR
• Scout: Fast Movement, Increased Spotting Range; Shotgun
• Officer: Increases Troop Morale Periodically; M1 Garand
• Engineer: Builds Fortifications, Spots Mines Faster, Explosive Capabilities; Shotgun
• Crew Man: -15 Combat Skill, Replaces Empty Vehicle Slots; Grease Gun
• AT Soldier: Anti-Tank Capabilities; M1 Garand

Your commander can obtain experience through the campaign mode, which is used to rank your commander up

You commander cannot die or be negatively influenced by your performance in the campaign.

• All progression toward your commander is relegated to the campaign mode, classic mode does not contribute toward commander EXP

Gaining EXP

Completing missions successfully is the only way to obtain EXP, however there are some factors that influence your EXP gained at the end of a mission

EXP Gain is influenced by:

• Completion Time
• Units Alive
• Kills

Ranking Up

Your commander ranks up when a certain EXP threshold is met

Upon ranking up, an ability slot will open and provide a selection of 3 skills that can be used during the campaign mode

These skills are reusable, but locked behind a 30 minute timer between each use unless indicated otherwise

Ribbons are rewarded through performing special actions in the campaign mode, and by reaching certain thresholds

Minor Spoilers
Completing the D-Day mission under 20 minutes without causalities = a ribbon

Ribbons are permanent and affect your units in the campaign mode

• A unit’s death and subsequent replacement does not negate the effects of the ribbon. Ribbons effect each unit

Ribbons can also be obtained by your units at the end of a mission

Ribbons are rewarded through a unit’s performance during a mission
i.e. surviving a mission alone grants them the “Lone Wolf” ribbon

These ribbons are tied to that specific unit, active until that unit dies

• Ribbons provide units with benefits such as increased weapon damage or max hp

There is no progression system for this mode yet

Coming in an update sometime soon!

The Basics

Upon opening the campaign menu, there is a brief story description to give context for the mission

Alongside this are three “Battle Conditions” which are random and specific to a single mission, usually having a significant impact certain aspects of that mission

The Basics

Each round begins with 4 riflemen with randomized stats

TP (Tactical Points) are obtained each round, they are your currency and allow you to purchase more units, vehicles, artillery, equipment and weapons for units, and give out special commands

Each new unit also has randomized stats, alongside their typical base-line stats

• i.e. A medic’s base -15 Combat skill; meaning random stats – 15

Objective

• Do not let all your units die
• Do not let enemies cross your line
• Survive

Enemy Behaivour

Enemies in this mode move from the right side of the map, to the left

The amount of enemies is ranomized but typically increases with each round
The type of enemy is randomized but stronger variants typically appear more often in higher rounds

• Vehicles have a random chance of spawning, with that chance increasing on higher rounds

6-Man Rule

Having over 6 units increases the frequency of unfair events (enemy artillery, reinforcements, air support, etc.)

• This can be countered by building camnets and placing units under them

By Maxi