In War Footing, the Mass Assault doctrine provides an immediate boost of +20% domestic production capacity and accelerated unit training speeds in exchange for a flat -10% penalty to global combat effectiveness. Because the game separates the pre-war procurement timeline from operational defense, this doctrine is primarily utilized as an early-game economic engine. By adopting it during the opening turns, defense ministers can rapidly equip battalions and level up personnel before pivoting to a pure combat doctrine just before hostile forces cross the border.
Mass Assault Doctrine Stats and Requirements
Mass Assault is designed around force volume, prioritizing raw industrial output and training velocity over tactical combat performance. While active, your factories produce equipment significantly faster, allowing you to maximize output from your domestic industrial capacity.
| Doctrine Attribute | Value / Effect | Mechanics |
|---|---|---|
| Production Capacity | +20% | Increases total output available for domestic production and industrial programs |
| Unit Training Speed | Accelerated | Reduces the turns required for recruits and combat units to gain experience |
| Global Combat Effectiveness | -10% | Flat combat penalty applied across all units if engaged in battle |
| Adoption Prerequisite | Training Center Level 2 | Requires a dedicated infrastructure upgrade costing 6 million funds |
| Adoption Time | Multiple turns (roughly 8–9 weeks) | During transition, your military receives zero doctrine bonuses |
To unlock doctrine selection in War Footing, you must first upgrade your military infrastructure. Specifically, your Training Center must reach Level 2. Upgrading the Training Center from Level 0 to Level 1 costs 2 million funds, while the step to Level 2 requires an additional 6 million funds. Once Level 2 is active, you can access the doctrines tab and commit to Mass Assault.
The Early-Game Procurement Strategy
The primary value of Mass Assault lies in compounding early-stage investments. In scenarios such as Force Modernization or Western Proxy, players typically have between 35 and 50 turns before an invasion begins, depending on border tension events and defector intelligence.
Because combat does not take place during this pre-war preparation window, the -10% global combat effectiveness penalty carries zero immediate risk. In exchange, the doctrine provides two major advantages:
- Factory Scaling: Domestic production in War Footing costs 50% of foreign market list prices, but requires industrial capacity points (which cost roughly 1 million per 10 baseline points via budget expansion). Mass Assault's +20% multiplier drastically increases weekly capacity. When combined with long-term industrial programming (such as 10-turn or 15-turn production runs for trucks, towed artillery, or recovery vehicles), your procurement dollars stretch significantly further.
- Rapid Unit Specialization: Units training in the rear echelon accumulate experience toward Level 4 and Level 5. At Level 4, formations gain specializations—such as bonus hard attack for anti-tank and attack helicopter units, soft attack for infantry, or quick-reaction scrambling for fighter wings. The training speed multiplier from Mass Assault allows recruits passing through upgraded boot camps to reach elite thresholds before hostilities commence.
The Doctrine Swap: Mass Assault into Prepared Defenses
Because changing doctrines in War Footing leaves your armed forces without any doctrine benefits for several weeks, swapping must be timed against intelligence reports. Defector leaks, satellite reconnaissance from allies, and intercepted procurement cables narrow down the projected invasion window (frequently projecting dates between weeks 41 and 47).
Switching to Prepared Defenses
For defense ministers relying heavily on entrenched positions, static garrison battalions, and towed artillery batteries (such as licensed Soltam M-71 howitzers), switching to Prepared Defenses is the most common follow-up:
- Adoption Time: 6 turns.
- Combat Bonuses: +15% infantry defense, +15% artillery soft attack.
- Tactical Role: If intelligence projects an attack between weeks 41 and 45, dumping Mass Assault around week 34 or 35 ensures Prepared Defenses finishes integration right as border combat initiates, completely scrubbing the -10% combat malus and granting immediate defensive parity.
Switching to Elite Training
If you are fielding high-complexity systems, armored brigades, or modern fighter squadrons, Elite Training serves as an alternative exit:
- Adoption Time: 12 turns.
- Combat Bonuses: +15% global combat bonus across all units.
- Trade-off: Slows down subsequent training speed, meaning all core formations should already be leveled to Rank 4 or Rank 5 under Mass Assault before making this change.
Community Balance and Strategic Value
In Steam player reviews and community strategy discussions, the transition from Mass Assault into a combat doctrine is widely recognized as one of the most cost-effective buildup routes.
Player testing reveals that defensive engagements in War Footing heavily prioritize raw numbers and entrenchment over ultra-high-end small arms kits. Surplus or standard-issue equipment deployed across mass garrison battalions consistently trades efficiently against attacking mechanized units, provided enemy air superiority is neutralized. Because Mass Assault enables players to field hundreds of towed guns, anti-tank guided missiles, and logistics vehicles within a constrained budget, player feedback on the Steam forums frequently points out that the pre-war doctrine swap effectively circumvents the intended military downside of a mass-mobilization doctrine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recruit units immediately without Mass Assault?
Yes. You can form battalions, brigades, and aviation squadrons on turn 1 using your starting manpower pool and volunteer recruitment. However, without upgrading your Training Center to Level 2, doctrines remain locked, and units gain base experience at standard rates.
What happens if the enemy invades while I am switching doctrines?
If the invasion launches while you are in the transition window between Mass Assault and your next doctrine, your forces receive no doctrinal combat bonuses at all. You will avoid the Mass Assault -10% penalty, but you will not yet possess the defensive or offensive buffs of your incoming doctrine until its turn timer completely elapses.
Does Mass Assault reduce the cost of buying equipment on the foreign market?
No. Mass Assault only boosts your domestic production capacity and unit training speed. Sourcing weapons via direct market purchases or foreign government arms deals relies entirely on diplomatic relations, financing schedules, and available seller stocks. Domestic savings only apply when manufacturing licensed or indigenous equipment in your own factories.
