Darkflow Software rebuilt Enlisted for its Steam launch, folding six separate campaigns into one army per nation and sorting every squad, weapon and vehicle into Battle Ratings I through V. It arrived on Steam as Enlisted: Reinforced on 16 July 2024, free to play, published by Gaijin Network. You command an AI squad rather than a lone soldier, so being shot drops you into the next man in the squad instead of ending the life.
Combat in Enlisted: Reinforced rewards knowledge over reflexes. Understanding how each mechanic works (and how they interact) is what turns a struggling player into a dominant one. New here? Start with our beginner's guide for the basics.
Core Combat Mechanics
1. Squad command with AI soldiers
You control one soldier while the rest of the squad follows your orders, and a death hands you the next man in line rather than sending you to the deploy screen. Only a fully wiped squad forces you to pick a fresh one from your lineup.
Why it matters: This is the foundation of all combat. Everything else builds on this.
2. Battle Rating I to V matchmaking
Every weapon, vehicle and squad carries a Battle Rating from I to V, and your highest rated item sets the bracket you queue into. Matchmaking runs BR 1 to 3 and BR 3 to 5, so one late war rifle can pull an otherwise low tier lineup into fights against Tiger IIs and Me 262s.
Why it matters: The most underrated mechanic. Players who master this early have a massive advantage.
3. Engineer rally points and fortifications
Engineers spend a build point pool with a hammer on rally points, ammo crates, sandbags, Czech hedgehogs and barbed wire. A rally point placed out of line of sight near the objective lets the whole team spawn forward, which decides more matches than any kill streak.
Why it matters: Unlocks a new layer of gameplay depth once understood.
4. Combined arms tanks and aircraft
Tanker and pilot squads occupy the same lineup slots as infantry, and each team is capped on how many armour and air squads can be active at once. Tanks let you switch between crew positions, aircraft carry bombs and rockets, and both die fast to AT gunners working the flanks.
Why it matters: The tactical edge that separates average players from advanced ones.
5. Army lineup and squad slots
You bring a fixed set of squads into battle and the game caps how many of one type you can stack, for example no more than two assaulter squads. A working lineup covers capture pressure, anti tank duty and engineering instead of filling every slot with submachine guns.
Why it matters: The endgame optimization mechanic. Small improvements here compound into massive gains.
How These Mechanics Combine
Understanding how mechanics interact is where real optimization happens:
Squad command with AI soldiers + Battle Rating I to V matchmaking
You control one soldier while the rest of the squad follows your orders, and a death hands you the next man in line rather than sending you to the deploy screen. When combined with Battle Rating I to V matchmaking, every weapon, vehicle and squad carries a battle rating from i to v, and your highest rated item sets the bracket you queue into. This combination is the core of every effective build.
Engineer rally points and fortifications + Combined arms tanks and aircraft
Engineers spend a build point pool with a hammer on rally points, ammo crates, sandbags, Czech hedgehogs and barbed wire. Paired with Combined arms tanks and aircraft, tanker and pilot squads occupy the same lineup slots as infantry, and each team is capped on how many armour and air squads can be active at once. This is why the tier list favors builds that leverage both.
Army lineup and squad slots as a Multiplier
You bring a fixed set of squads into battle and the game caps how many of one type you can stack, for example no more than two assaulter squads. A working lineup covers capture pressure, anti tank duty and engineering instead of filling every slot with submachine guns. This system amplifies everything else. The better your Army lineup and squad slots optimization, the more your other mechanics pay off.
Combat by Role
Each role approaches combat differently:
Rifleman (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key weapons: M1 Garand Primary mechanic: Squad command with AI soldiers
Rifleman offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Assaulter (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key weapons: PPSh-41 Primary mechanic: Battle Rating I to V matchmaking
Assaulter offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Engineer (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key weapons: StG 44 Primary mechanic: Engineer rally points and fortifications
Engineer offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Sniper (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key weapons: MG 42 Primary mechanic: Combined arms tanks and aircraft
Sniper offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Tanker (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key weapons: Panzerfaust 100 Primary mechanic: Army lineup and squad slots
Tanker offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Advanced Combat Techniques
Damage Optimization
- Match your weapons to your role's stat priorities
- Exploit Squad command with AI soldiers for maximum damage windows
- Chain Battle Rating I to V matchmaking and Engineer rally points and fortifications for combo damage
- Use Combined arms tanks and aircraft to create openings
Survivability
- Learn enemy patterns before committing to attacks
- Your lineup Battle Rating is set by the single highest rated item you bring, so one BR V rifle sitting on a BR II soldier throws the whole squad into Tiger II and jet matches. Audit each squad before queuing and strip out late war gear you did not mean to bring.
- Position using Squad command with AI soldiers to control spacing
- Save defensive options for guaranteed survival, not comfort
Boss Combat
Bosses test your understanding of every mechanic. See our boss guide for fight-specific strategies.
- Phase awareness: Most bosses change behavior at health thresholds
- Patience over aggression: One extra hit per opening beats dying to greed
- Build preparation: Swap gear and weapons for specific fights when needed
Common Combat Mistakes
- Button mashing: Committed attacks have recovery frames. Mashing locks you into animations.
- Ignoring Battle Rating I to V matchmaking: This mechanic exists for a reason. Players who use it take significantly less damage.
- Wrong weapons for the situation: Check our weapons guide for situational picks.
- Not learning from deaths: Every death teaches something. If you don't know why you died, you'll die the same way again.
- Overcommitting: Trading hits works in Normandy but will get you killed in Pacific.
More Enlisted: Reinforced Guides
- Enlisted: Reinforced Enlisted: Reinforced Overview
- Enlisted: Reinforced Best Builds
- Enlisted: Reinforced Tier List
- Enlisted: Reinforced Walkthrough
- Enlisted: Reinforced Beginner's Guide
- Enlisted: Reinforced Tips & Tricks
- Enlisted: Reinforced Weapons Guide
- Enlisted: Reinforced Boss Guide
- Enlisted: Reinforced Maps & Locations
- Enlisted: Reinforced Crafting Guide
- Enlisted: Reinforced Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Enlisted: Reinforced, check out these related guides:
- Counter-Strike 2 Combat Guide: fps game with similar mechanics
- Apex Legends Combat Guide: fps game with similar mechanics
- Rainbow Six Siege Combat Guide: fps game with similar mechanics
