- GroundInFlames infantry tutorial: Covers recruitment, the full unit roster, building, and drone networks
- Right-click controls: Spawning, moving, and building all run through the right mouse button
- Recruitment rates: The HQ produces 1 regular or 2 conscripts per minute
- Drone setup: Bring 300 building supplies and place a relay mast inside the supply circle
- Sniper value: Fully charged shots one-shot targets but cost 10 ammo each
GroundInFlames Infantry Tutorial: Match Setup & Core Controls
This GroundInFlames infantry tutorial starts where every match starts: the setup screen and the control scheme. Before a single soldier spawns, you choose your nation, pick the opposing AI faction, and tune game modes that decide how much money the AI receives, whether it scouts the flanks, and how many men it commits to attacks.
Video Highlights:
- Full match configuration: nations, game modes, funds, income, and weather
- Conscripts vs regulars recruitment rates straight from the HQ screen
- Every infantry unit demonstrated, from 5-man sections to snipers
- Drone operator relay mast placement and the supply circle rule
- Combat engineers digging trenches and dragging mine lines
| Setting | What It Controls | Recommendation | | Nation pick | Your faction and the opposing AI faction | Any pairing works; modes shape AI behavior | | Game modes | AI budget, flank scouting, attack force size | Higher settings give the AI more money and men | | Starting funds | Match budget, from 50k up to 500k | Multiplayer lets you set this manually, e.g. 250k | | Income | Your passive money flow during the match | Does not influence the AI at all | | Day length | Duration of the in-game day | Adjust to match your session length | | Weather | Clear, rain, and other conditions | Set Weather to Fixed to lock clear skies |
Once loaded in, the camera is simple: the mouse wheel zooms in and out, and WASD pans across the map. Learn these two inputs first, because unit orders build directly on top of them.
Nearly every action in GroundInFlames uses the right mouse button: spawning troops into the field, issuing move orders, and dragging building placements. If an order refuses to register, check that you are right-clicking the target location rather than left-clicking.
Conscripts vs Regulars: The Recruitment Economy
Press Tab to open the headquarters, then navigate to the recruiting page. This is where your manpower economy lives, and the game deliberately trades quality for quantity.
| Trait | Conscripts | Regulars | | Combat skill | 10% worse at shooting, aiming, and other tasks | Baseline proficiency across all tasks | | Recruitment rate | 2 per minute | 1 per minute | | Fielding speed | Very fast | Slower | | Best use | Early mass defense and holding flanks | Core assault forces and main defensive lines |
The practical takeaway: conscripts flood the field when you need bodies immediately, while regulars anchor the fights that actually decide the match. Most strong builds mix both, using conscript waves to absorb pressure while regular squads take objectives.
Captured territory feeds this economy back to you. Taking a point such as the West Outskirts yields 0.9 recruits per minute, 2 victory points per minute, and $900 per minute.
| Objective Type | Rewards Per Minute | | Outer captured sector (e.g. West Outskirts) | 0.9 recruits, 2 victory points, $900 | | Points closer to the map center | Higher money and more victory points |
Because central objectives pay out more money and more victory points, prioritize pushes toward the middle of the map early. Each capture compounds your recruitment and income for the rest of the match.
Infantry Unit Roster Breakdown
Spawning troops is a right-click affair: select the unit from the infantry panel on the left, then right-click the map where you want it deployed. The roster splits into two lines. Conscript-side units cover the basics, while regulars unlock the specialized toolset. Here are four units every player should understand first:
Sections
- Standard 5-man squad
- Flexible frontline filler
- Cheap to field and replace
Heavy Troops
- 2 RPG carriers, 6 rounds total
- Includes 1 medic
- Your anti-armor infantry
MANPAD Crew
- Shoots down helicopters and drones
- Every soldier carries a MANPAD
- 3 total uses per squad
Drone Operators
- Recon and strike capability
- Needs a relay mast to function
- Roughly 7.5 km effective range
The full roster extends well beyond those four, and the regular line carries the most specialized kits:
| Unit | Role | Key Details | | Section | Standard rifle squad | Normal 5-man squad for frontline duty | | Heavy Troops | Anti-armor and sustain | 2 RPG carriers with 6 RPG rounds total, plus 1 medic | | MANPAD Crew | Air defense | Each soldier carries a MANPAD, 3 total uses per squad | | Combat Engineers | Fortification | Trenches, anti-tank mines, AP mines, mine clearing | | Drone Operators | Recon and strike | Requires a relay mast inside the supply circle | | Crew | Vehicle recovery | Refills lost tank crew so vehicles fight at full strength | | Special Ops | Elite assault | All members heal and revive, carry RPGs, high accuracy | | Sniper | Long-range pick | One-shots on a fully charged shot, 10 ammo per accurate shot |
Each MANPAD squad only carries three launches in total. Save those charges for helicopters and drones instead of wasting them on ground targets that your rifles and RPGs can already handle.
Combat Engineers: Trenches & Mines
Combat engineers are your force multiplier on defense. Every soldier carries a building menu, but engineers get the full fortification kit, and dragging placements with the right mouse button is how everything gets built.
Move the Squad
Select your engineers and right-click the position you want to fortify.
Open the Building Menu
Pick the trench option, then drag with the right mouse button to draw the trench line. The squad builds along the path you draw.
Assign the Garrison
Manually assign the soldiers to the finished trench. They will hop in and defend it from there.
Layer the Mines
Select anti-tank mines and right-click drag across vehicle routes, then repeat with anti-personnel mines on infantry approaches.
| Engineer Action | Input | Notes | | Build a trench | Building menu, right-click drag | Assign the squad afterward to garrison it | | Lay anti-tank mines | Select type, right-click drag | Ideal across roads and vehicle lanes | | Lay AP mines | Same drag method | Area denial against infantry pushes | | Clear enemy mines | Ctrl+I, then select or click | Troops usually target nearby mines first |
Trenches are not self-manning. After the build finishes, you must manually assign the soldiers to the trench; otherwise the position sits empty while your infantry fights in the open.
Layer anti-tank mines on the lanes armor must use, then place AP mines just behind them. Incoming vehicles hit the AT belt, and the dismounted infantry that follows walks into the AP line.
Drone Operators: Relay Mast & Recon Network
Drone operators give you eyes and precision strikes, but they only work inside a proper supply network. Run this sequence every time you deploy them:
Load Out the Squad
Give the drone operators 300 building supplies and max out their ammunition for a full attack and recon drone setup.
Position the Operators
Right-click to move them near the front, out of direct fire lanes.
Unload Supplies
Press N to unload the building supplies at the chosen spot.
Place the Relay Mast
Select the operator, press L, and right-click to build the relay mast. It must sit inside the supply circle or the placement fails.
Assign Scouting or Strike
Press Ctrl+G to auto-assign a scouting region, or manually select a drone type such as fragmentation and pick a target zone. Launched drones attack enemies they find on their own.
| Drone Network Parameter | Value / Rule | | Building supplies required | 300 per setup | | Relay mast range | Roughly 7.5 km | | Placement rule | Must be inside the supply circle | | Auto scouting | Ctrl+G assigns a region to watch | | Manual strike | Choose drone type, then the target zone |
Do not drive a vehicle next to a soldier who is constructing. The soldier will try to evade the vehicle, canceling the build in progress. Route your cars around active construction sites.
Drone Network Checklist:
- Bring 300 building supplies and max ammunition
- Unload supplies with N before building
- Place the relay mast inside the supply circle using L + right-click
- Assign a scouting region with Ctrl+G
- Keep vehicles away from building operators
Elite Units: Crew, Special Ops & Snipers
The regular line's elite units decide fights that standard infantry cannot. Crew members solve one of the most frustrating problems in the game: when a tank loses a crew member, load a crew soldier into the vehicle and it operates normally again. Special Ops operators work as full medics, healing and reviving fallen members while shooting far more accurately, and every one of them carries an RPG for emergency anti-armor work.
| Elite Unit | Strength | Trade-off | | Crew | Restores tanks that lost crew members | Occupies a recruitment slot | | Special Ops | Medic coverage, RPG each, high accuracy | Premium cost for elite performance | | Sniper | One-shot kills at very long range | 10 ammo per accurate shot, must stand still to charge |
The sniper deserves special attention. Move him into range, keep him stationary, and watch the aim meter charge. A fully charged shot kills instantly, which makes the sniper one of the most ammo-efficient tools in the game for removing high-value targets from a distance.
A sniper's charged shot costs 10 ammo but removes a target outright. Reposition him between shots and let the charge complete rather than spamming fire, and he will pay for himself many times over.
Q: What is the difference between conscripts and regulars in GroundInFlames infantry?
Conscripts are 10% worse at shooting, aiming, and other tasks, but the headquarters produces 2 of them per minute. Regulars fight at full baseline proficiency, but only 1 spawns per minute. Use conscripts for fast mass defense and regulars for your main offensive and defensive lines.
Q: Why won't my soldiers man the trench I just built?
Trenches require manual assignment. After dragging the trench with the right mouse button and letting the engineers build it, select the squad and assign them to the trench. Only then will they hop in and defend the position.
Q: How do I set up a drone operator relay mast correctly?
Give the operator 300 building supplies, max out ammunition, press N to unload, then press L and right-click to place the relay mast. The mast must sit inside the supply circle or it will not function. Each mast covers roughly 7.5 km.
Q: How does the sniper one-shot mechanic work?
Keep the sniper stationary and in range, and the aim meter begins charging. Once the shot is fully charged, it kills the target instantly. Each accurate shot consumes 10 ammo, so patience between shots keeps the sniper efficient.