This hub pulls together the four systems that decide a WARNO fight: how a campaign battle is actually won, what a destroyed unit is worth in morale, why squad size changes damage output, and what EW planes and air optics really do. By the end you can name both win routes, work out whether two 500-cohesion squads beat one large squad for the same points, and fly an EW plane ahead of a bomber so enemy radar AA loses 20% weapon accuracy.
Quick answer
| What | Answer |
|---|---|
| Victory point target | 2,500 victory points from capture points |
| Morale values shown | 228 and 240 |
| Cohesion per squad | 500 cohesion mana, whether 4 men or 40 men |
| Accuracy at low cohesion | Reduced by three quarters |
| Exceptional air optics | Su-27 and the SEAD plane |
| Normal air optics | Su-24M |
| EW plane circle | -20% radar AA weapon accuracy |
| EW plane veterancy | Two veterancy except the Prowler, for +8% evasive maneuvers |
Overview: how WARNO battle goals connect across systems
In the shown tactical battle, you can click tactical battle to enter the map, and the AI deploys its units. The material then covers capture-point victory points, morale loss from destroyed units, infantry cohesion, aircraft air optics, and EW support.
Battle goals and campaign win conditions
WARNO campaign scoring in the shown tactical battle has two win routes: reach 2,500 victory points with capture points, or bring the enemy team morale down. WARNO battle values explained starts with unit destruction, because a unit’s cost is also its morale value when destroyed. When you kill an enemy unit, the game shows how many points it was worth above it.
Morale scoring and destroyed-unit value
WARNO morale system values depend on maximum morale, how many formations each side has, and what state those formations are in. In the shown battle, the two sides have morale values of 228 and 240, and that makes killing 240 points worth of units another way to win. Destroying infantry removes one morale point from the enemy, while the example tank formation is worth four points.
Action points, formations, and battlefield setup
Squad cohesion and infantry damage output
WARNO squad cohesion is fixed at 500 cohesion mana for every squad and vehicle, whether the squad has four men or 40 men. Low cohesion makes units do much less damage, with lowest cohesion described as about 10% damage, and low cohesion also described as about 15% of original damage. Accuracy is reduced by three quarters at low cohesion, which means reload time and aim time also become worse. In the WARNO squad damage comparison test, target switching happens automatically when a squad reaches lowest cohesion, and a squad that has lost half its cohesion is not shooting effectively.
Large squads versus split squads
| Squad option | What it gives you |
|---|---|
| One large squad | There are situations where the bigger squad will be more useful, such as when it runs into one smaller squad first, kills it, and then fights the next one. One example costs 90 points for 16 men, and larger squads are generally priced linearly, about twice the price of two smaller squads. |
| Multiple smaller squads | WARNO small squads vs large squads favors the split option when you can use two separate cohesion pools, because 500 cohesion mana on one massive squad is less useful than 1,000 cohesion mana across two smaller squads. The smaller squads can also stand in two different places, and an IFV or tank usually only hits one of them. |
| Transport cost check | Transports can change the comparison, because one squad comes in a 20-point transport. A truck-borne USMC AT4 comparison can be 100 points for 13 men including the truck, while Motostrelki can be 120 points for 14 men including the trucks. |
Infantry squad size and cost effectiveness
Choose infantry by total output, not body count alone
Choose smaller squads when the WARNO infantry squad size comparison gives you more total bodies, more anti-tank weapons, or more separate cohesion pools for the same points. Two Motor Strelki BMP squads cost 80 points for 14 men, two machine guns, and 12 rockets, while USMC rifleman AT4 costs 80 points for 13 men, three good machine guns, six rockets of 17 penetration, and Resolute.
Choose a squad for WARNO squad cost effectiveness only after checking transport cost, AT quality, and how many separate squads you must manage. Arm rifles cost 40 points for two machine guns per squad, but their AT is worse because they get the M72 LAW, while Belgian mech fusiliers get three machine guns per squad and worse AT.
When split squads are worth the micro
Split only when you can manage the extra units
Choose WARNO split squad benefits when your micro can handle managing twice as many units. If that condition is met, the approach is to prefer smaller squads, because each squad has its own 500 cohesion mana and can occupy a different position.
Avoid relying only on WARNO squad cost efficiency if you cannot control the extra squads under pressure. Later in the game, cost efficiency matters a little less because the battlefield is full of units, and if an opponent does not flank and kill your small number of expensive units, you can grind the game.
Air optics and enemy aircraft spotting
WARNO air optics spotting is the aircraft-detection layer for seeing what planes the enemy has spawned or is using. The Su-24M has normal air optics, while the Su-27 and the SEAD plane have exceptional air optics. Exceptional air optics let planes spot enemy aircraft from far away. For spotting enemy aircraft WARNO divisions without long-range AA, decide which plane provides long-range air detection before you rely on ground AA.
Choosing aircraft optics for air superiority
Pick optics for detection, not complete defense
Normal air optics are described as very bad for long-range air detection. The Su-24M is the named example with normal air optics.
Use exceptional air optics when WARNO air optics guide planning depends on seeing enemy aircraft from far away. The Su-27 and the SEAD plane are named examples with exceptional air optics.
For WARNO air superiority tips, treat very good or exceptional optics as the safer detection choice if your division lacks long-range AA. Air optics help reveal planes, but the material does not make them a complete air-defense solution.
EW plane basics and radar-AA suppression
For warnos ew plane uses, treat the aircraft as a SEAD plane without the missile: it spots enemy radar AA but does not shoot back at it. Its large circle reduces radar AA weapon accuracy by 20% if that radar AA is inside the circle, which makes it a warnos radar aa counter for bomber support and radar-AA scouting. EW planes are generally cheaper than other options, most come at two veterancy except the Prowler, and two veterancy gives an additional 8% evasive maneuvers. One stated way to think about that protection is approximately 70% effective ECM instead of 60%.
Using EW planes to escort bombers
EW recon, artillery spotting, and late-game pressure
Guides in this series
- WARNO keybinds and controls
- WARNO Interface Settings and HUD Customization
- WARNO Gameplay Settings to Adjust First
- WARNO Micro Control Tips for Faster Unit Management
- WARNO Favorable Map Side: How Side Choice Can Matter
- WARNO Deck Copying Tips and Adjustment Guide
- WARNO Infantry Basics: Strengths, Weaknesses, and Terrain Use
- WARNO Infantry Tactics for Towns and Urban Fighting
- WARNO Infantry Forest Tactics for Ambushes and Defense
- WARNO Infantry Choke Points: Holding and Breaking Bottlenecks
- WARNO Deck Archetypes: Division Styles and Play Patterns
- WARNO Army General Basics: Campaign, Formations, and Action Points
Sources
- TOP 10 WARNO Tips, ★10MIN Skiffik
- Army General Campaigns Tutorial 2025: Understanding the Strategic Campaign Map, SD League
- Warno Guide: Why Big Squads SUCK In Warno, Dr. Hippie (PhD)
- Warno Guide: How to Use EW Planes, Dr. Hippie (PhD)
Accurate as of 9 July 2026, the upload date of the most recent WARNO video this guide draws on. Balance patches move unit costs, ranges and menu options, so check anything decisive in your own game.
Frequently asked
How do you win a WARNO campaign battle?
There are two routes: reach 2,500 victory points by holding capture points, or bring the enemy team morale down. A unit's cost is also its morale value when destroyed, and the game shows how many points a kill was worth above the unit.
Are big squads or small squads better in WARNO?
Every squad and vehicle gets the same 500 cohesion mana, so two smaller squads give you 1,000 cohesion across two pools and can stand in two different places, where an IFV or tank usually only hits one of them. One large squad still wins when it meets smaller squads one at a time, and larger squads are priced roughly linearly - one example is 90 points for 16 men, about twice the price of two smaller squads.
What does low cohesion do to a squad?
Damage falls to roughly 10-15% of the original, accuracy is cut by three quarters, and reload and aim time get worse with it. At lowest cohesion target switching happens automatically, and a squad that has lost half its cohesion is not shooting effectively.
What is an EW plane used for in WARNO?
Treat it as a SEAD plane without the missile: it spots enemy radar AA but never shoots back. Its large circle cuts the weapon accuracy of any radar AA inside it by 20%, so it works as a screen flown just ahead of a bomber, and it can recon radar AA for your artillery without forcing the AA to fire and give itself away.
Read next
WARNO Infantry Basics: Strengths, Weaknesses, and Terrain Use
A practical look at WARNO infantry: what its low cost, building access and short range mean in play, and which ground makes it useful. It is written for players who want infantry working as a screen and spotter for their tanks and recon rather than as their main source of damage.
WARNO EW Plane Uses: Radar Spotting, SEAD Support, and Bomber Cover
How to use WARNO EW planes: the 20% radar AA accuracy penalty, covering a bomber, and spotting AA for artillery. It is for players already flying attack aircraft who want a cheaper way through radar AA than a SEAD plane.
WARNO Radar AA Mechanics: Radar, SEAD, and Air Defense Tips
How WARNO's radar AA works: the radar icon, toggling radar off against SEAD, and deployed AA circles on the campaign map. It is for players who already handle basic anti-air and now want to manage radar-guided pieces such as the Kub and Shilka against SEAD and EW aircraft.
WARNO Air Optics Guide: Detection Tips and Recon Helicopter Starts
How to pick aircraft by air optics level and open with at least two recon helicopters in WARNO, so you see enemy planes and the enemy opener. It is for players who already read unit cards and want their first-tick spending to answer what the opponent is actually doing.