# 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.

- **Game:** WARNO
- **Category:** Getting Started
- **Author:** LongBeam (https://guides-factory.com/about)
- **Difficulty:** Beginner
- **Reading time:** 7 min
- **Published:** 2026-09-08
- **Updated:** 2026-09-08
- **Tags:** ATGMs, Recon, Smoke grenades, Stealth, Terrain, WARNO, buildings, infantry
- **Adapted from:** [WARNO Unit Guide: How to Use Infantry](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqvQdNSA9-M)
- **Canonical URL:** https://guides-factory.com/guides/warno-infantry-basics

---

This guide sets out what WARNO infantry is actually good at — a reservist squad for 35 points, the only unit type that can enter buildings, decent stealth and optics, and the staying power that comes from rarely being killed in one shot — and what it cannot do at 24 km/h with 1,250 m of reach even when it carries ATGMs. From that you get a repeatable way to use it: send it ahead as a screen, keep tanks, infantry vehicles and recon behind it to act on what it finds, and choose deliberately between buildings, cover, flank positions and quiet side areas. Read the table below first if you only want the numbers.

## Quick answer

| What | Answer |
| --- | --- |
| Reservist infantry cost | 35 points |
| Infantry speed | 24 km/h |
| Longest infantry range | 1,250 m, and only with ATGMs |
| Shots to kill a squad | Usually a couple; no side armor to rotate |
| Only infantry can | Enter buildings |
| Primary role | Forward screen and spotter for tanks, infantry vehicles, recon and fire support |
| Flank duty unit | Infantry with the security trait and an AT weapon |
| Thin side areas | One or two infantry units where nothing else fits |

## What infantry is for in WARNO

Infantry is the most common unit type on the battlefield and the biggest shared category between divisions. Use these WARNO infantry basics around three limits: infantry is cheap and numerous, it can take positions other units cannot enter, and it needs the right ground before it can affect the fight.

Infantry usually serves a supporting role. It spots, holds, screens, and buys time so that tanks, vehicles, recon, and other fire support can do the killing. Its value comes from being harder to remove than many exposed vehicles, not from having high killing power in every situation.

## Infantry strengths: cost, buildings, stealth, and staying power

![A lineup of infantry soldiers with a detailed stats menu for selected units in a strategy game.](https://api.guides-factory.com/media/uploads/2026/09/01-lineup-infantry-soldiers.jpg "Screenshot: SD League")

| Infantry trait | What it means in play |
| --- | --- |
| **Cheap and numerous** | WARNO infantry strengths start with availability and price. Infantry is more numerous and cheaper than most other categories, and a reservist infantry unit costs 35 points. That makes infantry a practical unit to send forward before more valuable or more vulnerable pieces. |
| **Buildings, stealth, and optics** | Infantry can enter buildings, unlike other unit types. It also has decent stealth and optics compared with other units, so it can use concealment to get closer and can usually see things that are shooting at it. |
| **Staying power under fire** | Infantry cannot be one-shot as easily because it has no side armor and most attacks do not instantly kill it. It usually takes a couple of shots to destroy an infantry unit, which gives you time to react. You also do not need to rotate infantry to protect side armor. |

## Infantry weaknesses you have to plan around

<div class="tipbox alt"><span class="tag">Watch out</span>

**Position infantry before the fight starts**

WARNO infantry weaknesses come from low speed, short range, and no armor. Infantry moves at 24 km/h, and even infantry with ATGMs only reaches 1,250 m, so many enemy units can shoot from farther away or kite it.

Infantry has to use stealth to reach engagement range. It usually fights other infantry unless the fight happens in terrain where enemy vehicles cannot safely keep distance. Nearly everything can shoot infantry, stun it, and kill it, so the combination of low speed and low range means infantry must already be in the right spot to have impact.

</div>

## Core infantry tactics: scout first, then support with firepower

<ol class="checklist">
  <li>
    <label><input type="checkbox"><span class="name">Treat infantry as a forward screen, not as the main damage dealer. WARNO infantry tactics work best when infantry supports more valuable units instead of replacing them.</span></label>
  </li>
  <li>
    <label><input type="checkbox"><span class="name">Move infantry ahead of valuable and vulnerable units to spot where the enemy is.</span></label>
  </li>
  <li>
    <label><input type="checkbox"><span class="name">Keep the infantry close to cover whenever possible so it can disengage when needed.</span></label>
  </li>
  <li>
    <label><input type="checkbox"><span class="name">Put tanks, infantry vehicles, recon, or other fire support behind the infantry so they can act on what the infantry reveals.</span></label>
  </li>
  <li>
    <label><input type="checkbox"><span class="name">Send infantry first because it is replaceable and less likely to be one-shot than many vehicles.</span></label>
  </li>
  <li>
    <label><input type="checkbox"><span class="name">Use infantry spotting with recon. When enemy units fire, they lose stealth, and combining infantry spotting with recon can reveal enemy positions.</span></label>
  </li>
</ol>

### How to cross open ground with infantry

<ol class="checklist">
  <li>
    <label><input type="checkbox"><span class="name">Start the move from cover when possible. The WARNO infantry roles guide approach is to avoid asking slow, short-ranged squads to cross exposed ground without support.</span></label>
  </li>
  <li>
    <label><input type="checkbox"><span class="name">Use smoke grenades if the infantry has them, because smoke helps this forward spotting role.</span></label>
  </li>
  <li>
    <label><input type="checkbox"><span class="name">Move the infantry first across the open field.</span></label>
  </li>
  <li>
    <label><input type="checkbox"><span class="name">Keep enough fire support and infantry vehicles behind the infantry before committing to the crossing.</span></label>
  </li>
  <li>
    <label><input type="checkbox"><span class="name">Let the infantry reveal threats, then use the supporting units behind it to respond.</span></label>
  </li>
  <li>
    <label><input type="checkbox"><span class="name">Pull the infantry back toward cover if it needs to disengage.</span></label>
  </li>
</ol>

## Terrain use: buildings, cover, choke points, and flank security

<div class="tipbox alt"><span class="tag">How to choose</span>

**Where to place infantry**

**Choose buildings when you need a position only infantry can occupy.** Infantry can enter buildings, and that gives it uses other unit types cannot fill.

**Choose cover when infantry is scouting ahead.** Infantry is best used close to cover so it can disengage when needed, especially while spotting for more valuable units.

**Choose flank positions when you need time and warning.** WARNO infantry terrain use includes flank protection, especially with infantry that has the security trait and an AT weapon. Normal infantry can also fill this role.

**Choose thin side areas when nothing else fits well.** Place one or two infantry units in areas where you cannot effectively put other units. Infantry on rest position can stay still, spot enemies, and only engage when you want it to.

**Choose hold fire when the squad should stay hidden until needed.** Infantry can be held on hold fire, buying time because it survives a bit longer when shot at. A sideline infantry unit can force the enemy to come around and deal with it, helping stop side shots and deal with recon cost efficiently while the rest of your force focuses elsewhere.

</div>

<p class="note">Accurate as of 19 April 2025, 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.</p>

## In this series

- [WARNO Battle Goals, Morale, Squad Cohesion, and EW Plane Uses](/guides/warno-battle-goals-morale-and-squad-cohesion)
- [WARNO keybinds and controls](/guides/warno-keybinds-and-controls)
- [WARNO Interface Settings and HUD Customization](/guides/warno-interface-and-hud-settings)
- [WARNO Gameplay Settings to Adjust First](/guides/warno-gameplay-settings)
- [WARNO Micro Control Tips for Faster Unit Management](/guides/warno-micro-control-tips)
- [WARNO Favorable Map Side: How Side Choice Can Matter](/guides/warno-favorable-map-side)
- [WARNO Deck Copying Tips and Adjustment Guide](/guides/warno-deck-copying-and-adjustment)
- [WARNO Infantry Tactics for Towns and Urban Fighting](/guides/warno-infantry-town-tactics)
- [WARNO Infantry Forest Tactics for Ambushes and Defense](/guides/warno-infantry-forest-tactics)
- [WARNO Infantry Choke Points: Holding and Breaking Bottlenecks](/guides/warno-infantry-choke-points)
- [WARNO Deck Archetypes: Division Styles and Play Patterns](/guides/warno-deck-archetypes)
- [WARNO Army General Basics: Campaign, Formations, and Action Points](/guides/warno-army-general-basics)

## Sources

- [WARNO Unit Guide: How to Use Infantry](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqvQdNSA9-M), SD League

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## FAQ

### Is infantry meant to do the killing in WARNO?

No. Infantry usually serves a supporting role: it spots, holds, screens and buys time so tanks, vehicles, recon and other fire support can do the killing. Its value is being harder to remove than an exposed vehicle, not high killing power.

### How much does infantry cost in WARNO?

Infantry is more numerous and cheaper than most other categories, and a reservist infantry unit costs 35 points. That price is why it is a practical unit to send forward ahead of more valuable or more vulnerable pieces.

### Why does my infantry die before it can shoot anything?

Infantry moves at 24 km/h and even infantry with ATGMs only reaches 1,250 m, so many enemy units can shoot from farther away or kite it. Because of that low speed and short range, infantry has to already be in the right spot and use stealth to reach engagement range.

### How do I move infantry across open ground?

Start the move from cover where you can, and use smoke grenades if the squad has them. Move the infantry across first with fire support and infantry vehicles held behind it, let it reveal the threats, then answer with the supporting units and pull the infantry back toward cover if it has to disengage.