Action Points, usually shortened as AP, are the system used in the Valkyria Chronicles games to determine how far a unit is able to move for a given use of a Command Point (ie, in their Movement Phase). All units have a set number of Action Points determined by their class, which usually undergoes a single increase as they level up.
Units do not have to use all their AP during their current Movement Phase; however, if the Movement Phase is ended with AP remaining, they are lost rather than carried over to any subsequent Movement Phase that character makes in the same turn. AP degrades by distance moved, not by time spent moving, so actions that cause a unit to move more slowly like crawling through long grass will not actually alter the distance a unit is capable of moving.
Degradation with multiple selection[]
A unit can be controlled as many times as there are CP available in the current turn, but their available Action Points decrease each time they are controlled.
- First CP: maximum AP
- Second CP: 2/3 maximum AP
- Third CP: 1/3 maximum AP
- Fourth CP and later: 50 AP
This occurs regardless of whether the unit is actually moved.
Action Points by class[]
Valkyria Chronicles[]
Infantry[]
Infantry units can turn on the spot for free, only using Action Points when they are actually moving. All normal infantry have an Action Point increase when they reach Level 11 (Elite) status.
- Scouts start with 800 AP, increasing to 900.
- Shocktroopers start with 350 AP, increasing to 450.
- Lancers start with 350 AP, increasing to 400.
- Engineers start with 600 AP, increasing to 650.
- Snipers start with 250 AP, increasing to 300.
The Scout Potential "Double Movement" gives a chance of restoring their full AP when they run out (regardless of how many times they have been controlled that turn), potentially allowing a Scout to have 1,800 AP in a single Movement Phase.
Tanks[]
As well as using Action Points to move, a Tank has to use Action Points to turn its body. It's important to be wary of this, since a tank turns relative to the current position of the camera rather than moving in the direction the stick is pushed like an infantry unit; turning left and right use the tank's left and right, not the player's. This makes it easy to waste Action Points with unwanted turns; positioning the camera directly to the tank's rear before attempting any important movement is usually a good idea.
- The Edelweiss starts with 350 AP, increasing to 450 when the upgrade "Reinforced Body" is purchased for 13,800 Ducats.
- The Shamrock has 550 AP, and no upgrade increases this.
Valkyria Chronicles 2[]
- Scouts start with 450 AP, increasing to 550 when promoted to Veteran and then 650 when promoted to Elite. Heavy Scouts still have 450 AP.
- Snipers, Sniper Elites, and AT Snipers have 250 AP.
- Shocktroopers, Trooper Veterans, and Trooper Elites have 350 AP, increasing to 400 AP if promoted to Commando.
- Gunners also have 350 AP, increasing to 400 AP as a Gunner Elite and decreasing to 300 AP as a Heavy Gunner.
- Lancers, Lancer Veterans, and Lancer Elites have 350 AP, increasing to 450 AP if promoted to Mobile Lancer.
- Mortarers also have 350 AP, increasing to 450 AP as a Mobile Mortarer and decreasing to 300 AP as a Heavy Mortarer.
- Engineers start with 450 AP, increasing to 500 AP when promoted to Engineer Veteran and then 550 AP when promoted to Engineer Elite or Medic.
- Anthem Corps and Melodists have 500 AP, increasing to 550 AP if promoted to Anthem Elite.
- Armored Techs have 350 AP.
- Fencers and Maulers have 250 AP, increasing to 300 AP if promoted to Fencer Elite.
Valkyria Chronicles 3[]
- Scouts start with 450 AP, increasing to 550 when promoted to Veteran and then 650 when promoted to Elite.
- Shocktroopers have 300 AP.
- Lancers have 300 AP.
- Engineers have 450 AP.
- Armored Techs have 350 AP.
- Snipers have 250 AP.
- Gunners have 300 AP
- Fencers start with 250 AP, increasing to 300 when promoted to Veteran and then 350 when promoted to Elite.
Valkyria Chronicles 4[]
Infantry[]
Infantry handle the same way as in the first game. Seemingly in an attempt de-emphasize the infamous "Scout rush" tactic, as well as to deal with the much larger maps of VC4, all classes other than Scouts have received substantial increases in their Action Points over their VC1 counterparts.
- Scouts start with 800 AP, increasing to 900.
- Shocktroopers start with 500 AP, increasing to 600.
- Lancers start with 400 AP, increasing to 450.
- Engineers start with 700 AP, increasing to 800.
- Snipers start with 400 AP, increasing to 450.
- Grenadiers start with 400 AP, increasing to 450.
Additional accessories can be equipped to further increase an infantry's AP.
There are now also several Potentials in the game that can raise a unit's AP above the normal level under certain circumstances. The rate of Action Point consumption is doubled for the first move with a unit if that unit has been hit by a weapon with the AP Use Up status effect, and is also increased if the "blizzard" condition is active and in missions where Squad E do not have proper winter clothing in snow.
Tanks[]
Valkyria Chronicles 4 has three player-controllable tanks, the Hafen, Cactus and Glory, with a fourth, the classic Edelweiss, available in DLC.
- The Hafen starts with 450 AP, increasing to 500 when the relevant body upgrade is purchased.
- The Cactus has 700 AP, increasing to 750 when the body is upgraded. In addition, upgrade parts for the drive system can be used to give it further bonus AP.
- Glory has 500 AP, increasing to 550 when the relevant body upgrade is purchased. Like the Cactus, upgrade parts for the drive system can further increase AP.
- Edelweiss has 450 AP.
Additional stickers can further increase a tank's AP. Note that equipping AP-increasing accessories on a tank commander does not have an impact on the tank's AP, though a commander's AP-increasing Potentials do.
The Grenadier class's mortars with the "tank AP0" status effect will completely deplete a tank's current AP if it is struck by their Interception fire.
Direct Command[]
The ability Direct Command, present in Valkyria Chronicles 3 and Valkyria Chronicles 4, allows the commanding unit (who must be an infantry Leader) to have up to two other infantry units at a time follow them for one Movement Phase, using a context prompt to order soldiers to follow or tell them to stay where they are currently standing. The other units do not spend AP or experience AP decay when being led in this way, and can travel just as far as the Leader even if their own class would not normally have enough AP to do so. They will generally try to follow at close enough range to execute a Co-Op Attack with the Leader. By getting units to follow and unfollow, it is possible to move or rearrange the entire squad's infantry units to different positions in a single Movement Phase (subject to the commanding unit's own AP restriction).
Troops being commanded appear to be invulnerable, will not be targeted for interception fire by enemies, and cannot trigger mines.
Direct Command also completely refills the leader's AP and resets their AP decay, even without teaming up with any other units. AP-refilling potentials such as Double Movement can still trigger as normal for the unit being controlled.
Valkyria Chronicles 4 Gameplay
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System | CANVAS | BLiTZ | Book Mode | Briefing | Command Mode | CP | Action Mode | AP | Incapacitation | Last Stands | Camps | Decorations | |
Headquarters | Command Room | Training Field | R&D Facility | Infirmary | Mess Hall | Cenotaph |Private Quarters | |
Classes | Scout | Shocktrooper | Lancer | Sniper | Engineer | Grenadier | |
Weapons | Artillery | Rifles | Machine Guns | Lances | Sniper Rifles | Mortars | Grenades | Flamethrowers |
Combat Vehicles | Hafen | Cactus | Glory | Federation Tank | Light Tank | |
Glossary | Europa | Atlantic Federation | East Europan Imperial Alliance | Principality of Gallia United Kingdom of Edinburgh | Hafen | Fort Krest | Lindbergh Base | Europan Calendar (EC) First Europan War | Second Europan War | War of the Valkyrur | Federate Forces | Imperial Forces Squad E | Squad F | Tank | Paradrop | Balloon Net | Valkyrur | Darcsen | Starchild Festival | Valkyria | Valkyrian Experiments | Valkyria Bomb | Ragnite | Ragnite Industry | Ragnite Implosion | Ragnite Implosion Turbine | Ceasefire Treaty | |
News | History's Greatest Comeback | Best Invention Since Tanks! | "Unbreakable" Krest Broken! Imperial Comms Hub Taken | Closer to the Siegval Line | New Imperial Tanks Afield Iron Wall Abandoned! | Bad Weather Slows Federation | First Snowfall Hits The Imperial Counterattack | Federation Forced to Retreat | Imperial Supply Base Falls Plight of the Islanders | The Wonders of Ragnite | Ghost Ship of the Ice Tales of the Winter Witch | Treasure of the Crystal Sea | Clash at Fort Garsbruck? Interview: Paratroopers | Theft at Port Kosvall | Loweholm Grasps at Freedom Heroes of Northern Cross | Icefield Explosion | Environmental Crisis? Victory on the Horizon? | Ceasefire! Empire Remains | Heroes of Operation Cygnus The Road to Peace |