Narcos: Cartel Wars & Strategy: How to Prepare for War

To prepare for Cartel Wars in Narcos: Cartel Wars & Strategy, you must lock in your defensive base layout, assign defensive Sicarios to critical structures, pre-train offensive squads, and stockpile resources before the preparation timer reaches zero.

Because the game freezes your base setup the moment the attack phase begins, any defensive adjustments or troop preparations left unfinished cannot be modified once combat starts.

Lock In Base Defenses Before the Snapshot

When the preparation countdown expires, the game takes a permanent snapshot of your base layout and active defenses for the duration of the war. Any structures undergoing active upgrades remain in that incomplete state during enemy attacks.

Take these structural actions before the timer expires:

• Cancel or finish critical upgrades: Ensure key defense emplacements—such as Mortars, RPG Towers, and Heavy Machine Guns—are fully operational and not frozen mid-upgrade.
• Overlap defensive firing arcs: Cluster high-damage emplacements around your Finca so their ranges overlap, eliminating blind spots where enemy infantry can fire without taking damage.
• Space out defensive structures: Avoid placing towers directly adjacent to one another. Clustered buildings allow an attacker to destroy multiple defenses with a single artillery strike or airstrike.
• Pull structures away from the map edge: Keep your outer perimeter set back from the deployment boundary, forcing enemy troops to absorb defensive fire before reaching priority buildings.

Assign Defensive Sicarios to Guard Posts

Station Sicarios with high durability, area-of-effect (AoE) damage, or crowd-control abilities at defensive structures to disrupt enemy attack paths. Unassigned guard posts leave defensive gaps that give attackers an easy path to three stars.

Position your Sicarios based on defensive role:

• Finca Defense: Place high-health, tanky Sicarios directly adjacent to the Finca to stall surviving assault troops if the outer defense ring fails.
• Flank Chokepoints: Station Sicarios with AoE abilities near overlapping Mortars and Machine Guns to eliminate swarms of enemy Guerrillas.
• Outer Guard Posts: Use long-range support Sicarios on the perimeter to draw enemy fire and slow the advance while defensive towers wear down enemy frontline units.

Pre-Train Offensive Squads

Because every cartel member receives a limited allotment of war attacks, entering the attack phase with fully trained squads prevents attack delays and maximizes star efficiency.

Build your offensive roster to fill three distinct combat roles:

Always match your troop composition to your active offensive Sicario. If your Sicario boosts infantry speed or squad health, build an army that directly benefits from those modifiers rather than using an uncoordinated mix.

Coordinate Target Calls Using a Bottom-Up Hierarchy

Scout targets thoroughly before launching an attack. Inspect the opponent's defensive Sicario placements, mortar ranges, and wall layout to map your deployment route.

To maximize cartel victory points, coordinate targets in cartel chat using a bottom-up order:

1. Lower-Rank Attacks: Lower-level members should attack first, claiming bottom-tier enemy compounds to secure dependable three-star clearances.
2. Mid-Tier Sweeps: Mid-level players target equivalent enemy compounds or clean up failed attacks on lower bases that missed full destruction.
3. High-Tier Strikes: Top-ranking members reserve their attacks for heavily fortified enemy leaders, preventing elite players from wasting offensive power on targets that weaker teammates can defeat.

Stockpile Resources for Rapid Troop Retraining

High-stakes cartel raids frequently result in heavy troop casualties. Depleted vaults create long retraining delays between attacks, stalling your cartel's offensive pace.

• Save Cash and Iron: Keep surplus Cash and Iron in your vaults to immediately recruit replacement squads after your first assault.
• Delay Costly Base Upgrades: Do not start expensive structural upgrades immediately before war matchmaking, as emptying your resource reserves prevents emergency unit retraining.
• Contribute to the Cartel Bank: Ensure your cartel bank contributions are up to date so leadership can activate operational war perks and squad boosts throughout the match.