How To Play Guide For Victory Belles

Note: At the time of this writing, the game is not yet released. This is currently just a rough overview based on mere descriptions of gameplay as opposed to actual in-game experience.

Naval operations
An operation begins with a fixed point of entry, an overall goal, and a time limit.

On beginning at the starting node, captains may:
 * Travel immediately to known nodes
 * Scout known nodes with aircraft, which takes several hours
 * Scout unknown nodes, which may reveal another path, optional objectives, enemies, or resources.

It is possible to establish naval bases at friendly nodes. While resource intensive, it can be used again and again as long as it's protected.

Aircraft carriers can launch air attacks against Morganas discovered at nearby nodes, but this can leave an aircraft carrier underdefended. Weather and time of day are also important.

Overture
When engaging Morganas, normal daylight combat always begin with an Overture, allowing the flagship to give Naval Flags Commands to the fleet. Belles learn more of these as they level up, but at the beginning, captains may only be able to issue a "General Attack" order which launches an uncoordinated attack. Commands can break a fleet up into two or three divisions which can conduct their own part in an attack plan.

Ranges and phases
Combat is divided into five ranges, meaning distances of the fleets from each other, and three phases:


 * Aerial Operations, where various aircraft take their actions,
 * Tactics and Tricks, where belles can take various actions,
 * Gunnery, where belles fire their guns at the enemy fleet.

Typically, a fleet spends only one round at each range before steaming to a closer range, though commands may either cause a fleet to hold back or even advance more quickly.

If the battle is still ongoing after Short Range, it will proceed to the last range: Brawl. Here, commands no longer matter, air strikes aren't possible, and belles attack at their own discretion. Belles can only stay in a brawl for a number of rounds equal to their endurance.

Note that night combats start out at reduced ranges, possibly even immediately in brawls. Carriers aren't able to contribute much to night battles.