Multiplayer Strategies

Engaging in multiplayer battles in Advance Wars offers a dynamic and challenging experience that differs significantly from the single-player campaign. Success hinges on adapting to your opponent's strategies, leveraging your chosen Commanding Officer (CO), and mastering unit compositions. This section provides detailed, actionable steps to dominate the battlefield against human adversaries.

I. Pre-Game Preparation: The Foundation of Victory

Your strategy begins before the first unit moves. Careful consideration of the map, CO selection, and initial build order can set you on the path to triumph.

A. Map Analysis

• Identify Key Terrain: Before selecting your CO, thoroughly examine the map. Look for choke points (e.g., Mountain passes, Bridges), defensible positions (e.g., Cities, Forests), and high-value properties (e.g., Factories, Airports, Ports).
• Resource Distribution: Note the placement of Cities and Factories. A map with many easily accessible Cities might favor an economy-focused CO, while a map with limited production facilities could necessitate a more aggressive early game.
• Naval/Air Presence: Determine if the map has significant water or air space. This will heavily influence your unit choices and CO selection. Maps with large bodies of water often require a strong naval presence, while open maps benefit from air superiority.

B. Commanding Officer (CO) Selection

Your CO choice is paramount, as their unique abilities and CO Power/Super CO Power can drastically alter the flow of battle. Consider the following:

• Synergy with Map:
  • Max: Excellent for maps with open terrain where his direct combat bonus for Tanks and Mechs can be fully exploited. His weaker indirect fire units are less of a liability on maps that favor close-quarters engagements.
  • Nell: Her Luck ability provides unpredictable but often decisive damage boosts. She excels on maps where sustained engagements are expected, as her CO Power charges quickly from unit destruction.
  • Sami: Ideal for maps with many properties to capture or choke points to hold. Her enhanced Infantry and Mech movement and capture rate make her a strong choice for early land grabs and defensive plays.
  • Eagle: Dominates maps with significant air units or where rapid deployment is crucial. His Lightning Drive Super CO Power allows for devastating double attacks from air units, making him a terror in the late game.
  • Kanbei: His powerful units make him a formidable defensive CO, especially on maps with limited production. His higher unit cost, however, requires careful resource management.
• Counter-Picking: If you know your opponent's preferred CO, try to select one that counters their strengths. For example, if they favor air units with Eagle, consider a CO with strong anti-air capabilities or a CO that can quickly build Fighters and Anti-Air units.

C. Initial Build Order & Deployment

The first few turns are critical for establishing an economic and tactical advantage.

• Early Capture Focus: Prioritize capturing nearby Cities with Infantry and Mechs. Every captured City increases your daily income, allowing for more powerful unit production. Aim for at least 3-4 Cities in the first two turns.
• Reconnaissance: Deploy a Recon unit early to scout enemy movements and property captures. Knowing your opponent's intentions allows you to react proactively.
• First Combat Units:
  • Light Tank: A versatile early-game unit, good for both offense and defense. It can quickly clear out enemy Infantry and Mechs.
  • Anti-Air: If your opponent is known for early air rushes or the map has open terrain, an early Anti-Air unit can deter or destroy their initial air threats.
  • Artillery: For maps with choke points or defensible positions, an early Artillery can provide crucial indirect fire support and zone out enemy advances.
• Avoid Over-Committing: Don't spend all your funds on a single expensive unit early on. A balanced approach with a mix of capturing units and combat units is generally more effective.

II. Mid-Game Maneuvers: Adapting and Expanding

As the game progresses, you'll need to adapt to your opponent's strategy, expand your territory, and prepare for larger engagements.

A. Economic Dominance

• Property Control: Continue to capture any unowned Cities, Ports, and Airports. The more income you generate, the more units you can field and the faster you can charge your CO Power.
• Factory Expansion: If the map allows, aim to capture additional Factories to increase your unit production capacity. This is especially important for COs who rely on overwhelming numbers.
• Resource Management: Keep a close eye on your funds. Don't overspend on units you don't immediately need. Save up for more powerful units like Medium Tanks, Bombers, or Battleships when the situation calls for them.

B. Unit Composition & Countering

Maintain a balanced army while actively countering your opponent's strengths.

• Combined Arms: Never rely on a single unit type. A force composed of Tanks, Anti-Air, Artillery, and Infantry/Mechs is far more effective than a horde of just one.
• Anti-Tank Measures: If your opponent is building many Tanks, ensure you have strong anti-tank units like Medium Tanks, Rockets, or Bombers.
• Anti-Air Defense: Against air-heavy COs like Eagle, prioritize building Fighters and Anti-Air units. Position them strategically to protect your valuable ground units.
• Indirect Fire: Artillery and Rockets are excellent for breaking defensive lines and softening up enemy units before a direct assault. Use their range to your advantage, keeping them protected behind front-line units.

C. CO Power Usage

Timing your CO Power and Super CO Power activations can turn the tide of battle.

• Offensive Push: Use powers like Max's Max Force or Eagle's Lightning Drive to amplify a planned attack, ensuring maximum damage and unit destruction.
• Defensive Stand: Powers like Sami's Double Time can be used to quickly reinforce a threatened position or capture a crucial property under pressure. Nell's Lucky Star can provide unexpected defensive boosts.
• Economic Boost: Some COs, like Hachi (if unlocked), have powers that directly boost income or unit production, which can be invaluable for recovering from losses or accelerating your build.

III. Late-Game Strategies: Sealing the Victory

In the late game, battles become more about attrition and exploiting weaknesses. Maintaining momentum and making decisive moves are key.

A. Capitalizing on Weaknesses

• Exploit Flanks: Look for opportunities to bypass your opponent's main force and attack their weaker flanks or undefended properties. Fast units like Recon or Bikes (if available) can be excellent for this.
• Target Production: If possible, target and destroy enemy Factories, Airports, or Ports. This cripples their ability to reinforce and rebuild their army.
• CO Snipe: If your opponent has a CO unit on the field, eliminating it can significantly reduce their CO Power charge and overall effectiveness.

B. Advanced Unit Deployment

• Mega Tanks/Neotanks: These powerful units are late-game game-changers. Protect them with Anti-Air and support units, and use them to spearhead your main assault.
• Bombers/Battle Copters: Air superiority becomes even more crucial. Bombers can devastate ground units, while Battle Copters offer versatile attack and scouting capabilities.
• Battleships/Submarines: On naval maps, a well-placed Battleship can provide long-range bombardment, while Submarines can ambush enemy naval units.

C. Victory Conditions

• Headquarters Capture: If you've gained a significant advantage, focus on capturing the enemy Headquarters. Use a strong Infantry or Mech unit, protected by your main army, to initiate the capture.
• Annihilation: If Headquarters capture is too risky, systematically destroy all enemy units. This requires careful planning and efficient unit usage to avoid unnecessary losses.

Remember that practice makes perfect. Experiment with different COs, unit compositions, and strategies against various opponents to refine your multiplayer game.