Wasteland 3: Battle - turns, team, shield system Wasteland 3 guide, walkthrough

Last update: 03 September 2020

On this page of the Wasteland 3 game guide, you will learn more about the combat mechanics - its turn-based format, team management, shield system, and effects on the characters.

In Wasteland 3, exploration takes place in real time. However, the game will switch to turn mode upon starting a combat section. Who is going to attack first depends on the particular situation, namely:

1. if the whole situation is preceded by a dialog then you have to choose the (Attack) option. Otherwise, you will be attacked by the enemy and have to defend yourself (unless you have a well-developed ability which allows you to avoid combat);
2. just after you spot a group of opponents you can attack them first before they even notice you. Then the first round will be yours;
3. if you step into the range of enemy's vision (it is marked with a red circle), then the battle will be initiated after some time. In this case, the initiative plays an important role. The side that has a higher value of this special stat will begin the first attack during the battle. You can increase it by investing in the Speed attribute or the Sneaky Shit perk.

The battlefield is covered with a grid consisting of squares. Within it, you can move your characters. When you decide to move your character to the indicated point, a line will appear showing the path. It can take on two colors indicating whether you will be able to attack an opponent after an action. - White (yes) and orange (no). In addition, there will also be red lines indicating that a particular location could be attacked.

In combat, sides carry out their actions in turns. This means that during a turn you move your entire team at the same time ( the order of actions is not defined or imposed), and when you finish it all the enemy units will move. So you have to schedule actions for multiple characters at the same time. This aspect of combat can be used to perform more complex operations. Of course, you can't do it with no restrictions. Each character has a certain number of action points that determine the scope of their action.

You will also find a number of objects at the site of the clash that you can use as shields. They keep you from being completely exposed.

Your team members have all kinds of weapons, that is, from knives to firearms. Each of them can only be used within a specific range. Therefore, it is important to properly plan the best positions of all your team members. In addition, every team member has a second slot for the weapon he or she can use. Use this option to avoid total loss of ammunition.