Commander Abilities

Overview

The Commander calls in abilities from the tactical map — non-battlefield assets that can shift the momentum of a match when used at the right moment. In Hell Let Loose: Vietnam, abilities are divided across three resource tracks: Munitions, Manpower, and Fuel. Each faction has some shared abilities and some exclusive ones reflecting their real-world doctrine.

See the Commander class guide for how to play the role. This page focuses on the abilities themselves.

Munitions Abilities

Munitions fund offensive strike assets and intelligence. These are the abilities that directly affect the frontline — strikes, runs, and reconnaissance.

Napalm Strike 🔥 US Only

Confirmed from: NapalmStrike, NapalmF4FlyBy, F4_Overhead audio events

The US Commander’s most powerful offensive ability — a US Air Force F-4 Phantom delivers an incendiary napalm strike on a marked position. Unlike a conventional bombing run, napalm creates a persistent burning zone that deals continuing damage rather than a single explosive impact.

When to use:

• Clearing infantry from a strongpoint before a coordinated push
• Denying an approach route to a large enemy formation
• Breaking up a concentrated NVA defence that smaller strikes can’t displace

Considerations:

• Burning zone persists — don’t call it immediately adjacent to your own push
• F-4 approach is visible and audible to the enemy; experienced players will scatter
• Potentially the most feared US Commander ability in Vietnam terrain

Bombing Run

Confirmed from: BombingRun/BombingRun_ audio event

A wide-area bombing strike across a zone. Less precise than the Precision Strike but covers more ground — effective against spread-out infantry concentrations, supply lines, and defensive perimeters.

When to use:

• Large enemy formations approaching an objective
• Known supply drop or Garrison locations the enemy is rebuilding
• Final objective assault — coordinate with your squad’s push

Precision Strike

Confirmed from: PrecisionStrike/PrecisionStrike_ audio event

A targeted high-accuracy strike on a single position — a confirmed target rather than an area. More surgical than a Bombing Run; most effective against a specific high-value target like a known Garrison, AA emplacement, or command position.

When to use:

• Destroying a confirmed enemy Garrison that is spawning the enemy squad defending your objective
• Eliminating a static AA position that is threatening US helicopter operations
• Targeted removal of a crew-served weapon emplacement

Strafing Run

Confirmed from: StrafingRun_ audio event

A low-level strafing pass across a defined line. Effective against infantry in the open along a route — patrol columns, advancing infantry, or troops crossing open ground.

When to use:

• Enemy infantry advancing across open terrain
• Suppressing an enemy flank while your squad pushes a different angle
• Clearing a treeline or open field approach before your own advance

Artillery Strike

Confirmed from: ArtilleryStrike_ audio event

Indirect artillery fire on a marked position. Available to both factions. Arc-fire that can reach targets behind cover that direct-fire strikes cannot.

When to use:

• Targets behind terrain or in defilade that line-of-sight strikes cannot reach
• Sustained indirect fire on a position while your infantry approaches from a different angle

Supply Drop

Confirmed from: SupplyDrop/SupplyDrop_, VEH_SupplyDrop audio events

Delivers a supply crate to a forward position. Enables Officers to build Garrisons and Engineers to construct defensive emplacements. The cheapest Munitions ability and the most frequently used.

When to use:

• Keep it cycling — a regular supply drop forward of the frontline sustains Officer building throughout the match
• Targeted delivery to an Officer who has identified a critical Garrison location
• Supporting an Engineer building defensive infrastructure ahead of an expected push

Recon Plane

Reveals enemy positions across a map sector — the Commander’s intelligence tool. Knowing where the enemy is and where they aren’t is often worth more than a strike ability.

When to use:

• Early match — establish the enemy’s deployment and approach routes
• Before calling a strike — confirm the target is still there
• When the frontline has gone quiet — find out where the enemy has repositioned

Manpower Abilities

Manpower funds reinforcement, spawn management, and deep insertion capabilities.

Encourage

A morale and effectiveness boost for nearby friendly forces. Exact mechanics TBA at launch.

Reinforce

Adds reinforcements to a contested sector — extends the team’s ability to hold or push a position that is under pressure.

When to use:

• A sector where your team is holding by a narrow margin and needs sustained pressure
• Supporting a push that has stalled — more bodies keep the momentum alive

Dismantle Garrison

Destroys a friendly Garrison to deny enemy use — also usable to remove enemy Garrisons within range. A tactical reset tool.

When to use:

• An enemy Garrison has been identified behind your lines and is spawning flanking forces
• A friendly Garrison has been compromised — destroy it before the enemy spawns from it
• Forcing an enemy unit to walk from a more distant spawn at a critical moment

Establish Airhead (US)

Deploys a deep insertion spawn point via helicopter — the most powerful and expensive Manpower ability. Puts a functional spawn point deep in enemy territory without requiring an Officer to infiltrate there on foot.

When to use:

• Final objective push — drop a spawn point behind the enemy’s last defensive line
• Breaking a stalemate where the enemy has locked down all surface approach routes
• After a successful push has created enough space for the drop to land safely

Fuel Abilities

Fuel funds vehicle reinforcement — calling in tanks, trucks, and armoured assets for your team.

Support Vehicles

Calls in logistics trucks for supply runs. A force-multiplier for the Support role.

Light Vehicles

Calls in light vehicles for fast movement across the map.

Light Armor / Medium Armor

Escalating armoured vehicle calls — from light armoured assets up to medium tanks.

Heavy Armor

US: Calls in the M48 Patton — the most capable US armoured asset. NVA: Calls in the T-54 — the most capable NVA armoured asset.

Most expensive single Fuel ability. Reserve it for matches where enemy armour is dominating or your team needs a decisive armoured push.

Faction Comparison

Ability Timing Principles

Strike abilities win by coordination, not by solo use. A Napalm Strike called without warning to your squad is as likely to scatter friendly troops as to hurt the enemy. Every significant ability should be preceded by a callout on the command channel: “Napalm in 20 seconds, north of the bridge.”

Intelligence before strikes. Use the Recon Plane before calling expensive strikes — confirming the target is still at the marked position prevents wasting 300 Munitions on an empty grid square.

Supply drops are your base rate. A Commander who only calls Supply Drops throughout the match is performing better than one who spends everything on early strikes and leaves the team without resources in the final push.

Combine abilities for effect. Bombing Run followed by a squad assault followed by a Garrison dismantle on the defender’s spawn creates a compounding effect no single ability achieves alone.

Related

• Commander class — full role guide
• UH-1 Huey — the helicopter used for Airhead insertion
• Mortar Gunner — ground-based indirect fire that pairs with Commander strikes
• Officer — builds spawn infrastructure funded by supply drops