Heroes of Newerth is a very fun, but challenging game. On paper the concept seems incredibly easy: it's a real time strategy game in which you only have to control one unit, and you don't have to worry about building bases or harvesting resources. In practice, however, Heroes of Newerth is a lot deeper and more challenging than that. Below is an explanation of what a typical game of Heroes of Newerth involves.
Objective
Blow. Stuff. Up.
The objective of a typical game is to break through the enemy's defenses to get to the goal structure deep in their base, and destroy it. For Legion this is the World Tree, and for Hellbourne it is the Sacrificial Shrine.
However, before you can do that you'll have to destroy a minimum of 5 defensive towers - 3 in one lane and 2 guarding the goal structure in the heart of the base. Each tower gets progressively stronger, meaning you'll have to spend time leveling up your hero to make it strong enough to attack the strongest towers.
Of course in addition to battling the towers, you'll have to contend with enemy heroes and enemy creeps.
Work as a team, don't be Leroy Jenkins!
Making reckless decisions about when to attack and trying to attack on your own is great way to get yourself killed and leave your lane partner stranded. Always coordinate attacks and defense with your lane partner or other teammates, and work as a team.
Your Hero
Your hero isn't Chuck Norris, so be careful with it.
Heroes of Newerth gameplay revolves around your hero, the only unit in the game you have to control. As the game goes on, you have to make your hero stronger in order to compete against other players' heroes, their teams' creeps, and their defense towers. To accomplish this, you need to worry about just two things:
1. Earning XP to learn new skills 2. Earning gold to buy items & recipes
Everything you do in the game is a means of earning gold and XP, since they both translate to a stronger hero - something you'll need if you ultimately want to win the game. Knowing which skills to choose and which items to buy is a subject for another guide. For now, all you need to know is that when you play Heroes of Newerth, your focus needs to be on earning XP and gold so you can make your hero stronger!
Lane Combat
Defending a lane is like being a goalie. If you let stuff get by, you lose.
Lane Combat is where the bulk of action in Heroes of Newerth resides. There are three lanes leading into the opposing team's base, and you must push into their base through one of these lanes. As such, you'll have to contend with those pesky defense towers, team creeps, and of course, enemy heroes who are trying to stop you from destroying their towers.
While fighting in a lane is not the only place for combat in HoN, it's the most common, and as such, where you'll farm the bulk of your gold and XP. You gain gold and XP by killing the enemy's creeps, and on rare occasions, their heroes. For the most part, you and your lane partner will NOT always try and go for the jugular and gank your opponent's heroes. Instead you'll be trying to last-hit creeps to earn maximum gold and XP, and you'll merely harass your opponent's heroes to whittle away at their health, forcing them to retreat.
If you manage to force even one of the other team's heroes to retreat back to their base, then his lane partner will have no choice but to play more conservatively, giving you greater opportunity to deny him gold and XP, as well as earn more for yourself.
Always try and build an XP/level advantage
Every time you force the opposing team's hero(es) to retreat, you are putting them behind in their ability to earn XP and gold to level their hero. The more time you spend in a lane compared to your opponent(s), the more XP you can get over them, and thus the more you're able to gain a level advantage against them.
Summary
The too long; didn't read version.
The objective of a HoN match is to break through at least one lane to get to the enemy's base where you need to destroy their goal structure. To do this, you'll need to make your hero stronger as the game progresses. To make your hero stronger, you need to constantly be killing team creeps to farm them for gold and XP. Use gold to buy better items, and use XP to level your hero and equip it with new skills.
Remember that you should always take advantage of opportunities to harass your opponent's hero when they're busy attacking creeps. If you can force them to retreat, you can build an XP/level advantage for yourself.
