This guide shows where to put infantry so a bottleneck actually holds: in cover, on a spot the enemy has to push through to gain territory or reach a capture point, with line of sight short enough that the squad cannot be shot from farther away. It also covers which squads belong on a narrow approach - machine guns to hold ground, sniper rifles against enemy infantry, Apilas against vehicles - and what turns a strong position back into an ordinary one.
Quick answer
| What | Answer |
|---|---|
| Best terrain | Buildings, or forests behind ridges |
| Line of sight | Short enough that the enemy cannot shoot from farther away |
| Where to stand | In cover on the approach the enemy must push through |
| To hold a spot | Infantry with lots of machine guns |
| Against infantry | Pulki, or units with sniper rifles |
| Against vehicles | Apilas or other hard-hitting AT infantry |
| Avoid | Open positions where fire support can concentrate |
What Makes a Strong WARNO Infantry Choke Point
Why Infantry Holds Contact Better Than Vehicles
| Who holds the tight spot | What happens |
|---|---|
| Infantry in the tight spot | WARNO infantry strength in a bottleneck comes from surviving contact long enough to react. Infantry usually cannot be killed in one shot as easily as vehicles, so the enemy has to get more fire on target before the squad is killed off. That time lets you react and gives the infantry a chance to shoot back. |
| Vehicle in the same tight spot | The enemy may survive the vehicle's first shot, then shoot back and kill it immediately with one shot. In a tight position where the enemy appears at close range, that makes the first exchange more dangerous for the vehicle than for infantry. |
Best Terrain: Buildings, Forests Behind Ridges, and Short Sight Lines
Choose the infantry position
- Choose buildings when you need infantry weapons and AT launchers to open fire as soon as the enemy enters the position.
- Choose forests behind ridges when you want the enemy to crest or enter before your infantry fires.
- Use WARNO urban infantry tactics when the buildings create short sight lines and stop the enemy from shooting from farther away.
- Use WARNO forest infantry use when the forest and ridge limit enemy line of sight and make enemy fire support harder to concentrate.
- Avoid positions where the enemy can shoot from farther away or bring all fire support onto the squad.
Flank Security: MGs, Snipers, and Hard AT on Narrow Approaches
Common Infantry Weaknesses in Choke-Point Fights
Do not give up the tight spot advantage
WARNO infantry weaknesses show up when the position is no longer tight. Infantry performs best here when enemy fire support and vehicle return fire are constrained by cover, limited line of sight, buildings, forests behind ridges, or similar terrain. If the enemy can shoot from farther away and concentrate fire support, the placement no longer uses the conditions that make infantry strong in the choke point.
Hold bottlenecks with infantry in cover, limited line of sight, and immediate firing positions. Use MG-heavy infantry for holding, Pulki or sniper-rifle units against infantry, and Apilas or low-AD infantry against vehicles. Avoid open or long-sight-line placements where enemy fire support can concentrate on the squad.
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.
In this series
- WARNO Battle Goals, Morale, Squad Cohesion, and EW Plane Uses
- 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 Deck Archetypes: Division Styles and Play Patterns
- WARNO Army General Basics: Campaign, Formations, and Action Points
Sources
- WARNO Unit Guide: How to Use Infantry, SD League
Frequently asked
Where should I place infantry to hold a choke point in WARNO?
Put the squad in cover on the tight approach the enemy has to push through to gain territory, take a good spot, or reach a capture point. The position needs limited line of sight so the enemy cannot shoot it from farther away, and the squad has to be able to fire immediately once the enemy enters.
Why hold a bottleneck with infantry instead of a vehicle?
Infantry usually cannot be killed in one shot as easily as a vehicle, so the enemy has to put more fire on target before the squad dies, and that time lets you react and shoot back. A vehicle in the same tight spot can fire first, survive nothing, and be killed immediately by the return shot at close range.
Which infantry should I put on a narrow approach?
Use infantry with lots of machine guns for a spot you want to hold. Use Pulki or good units with sniper rifles when the threat is mainly enemy infantry, and Apilas or other hard-hitting AT infantry against vehicles, since those weapons can one-shot medium tanks and light vehicles.
What makes an infantry choke point stop working?
The advantage disappears as soon as the position is no longer tight. If the enemy can shoot from farther away and concentrate fire support on the squad, the placement is no longer using the cover, limited line of sight and terrain that made infantry strong there.
Read next
WARNO Infantry Forest Tactics for Ambushes and Defense
How to build and fight a WARNO infantry group in forests, where vehicles are common, engagement ranges run longer, and anti-tank cover decides the fight. It is for players who already handle infantry in towns and want the forest version: what to bring, what leaves you exposed, and how to flank for side and rear shots.
WARNO Artillery Micro Tips: Fire Timing, Corrected Shot, and Transports
Three WARNO artillery micro habits: timing howitzer salvos with Return Fire, keeping shots inside the corrected shot circle, and reloading transports. It is for players who already give artillery orders and want the same guns to hit harder, plus a load-and-move queue for towed artillery.
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.