[AW Advance Campaign] Mission 22: Rivals! (S-Rank + Credits)

Days Taken: 18
Days To Beat(S): 20? 25?

If at least 2 of the first 3 copters don't move into range, reset. If the bomber doesn't move into range of the missile, reset(you need him to waste funds and block his own airport in the middle). If he doesn't move his fighters to block your bottom flank and you can't block it off some other way, reset. If he doesn't move his 4/5 copters, which he keeps back for some reason, by turn 9, reset(not sure what triggers them, getting 5, or getting close to the center?). Congrats, now you can play the real level!


You won't have the funds for the fighters and T-Copters if you hold back and defend, and he'll quickly gain several properties making it nearly impossible to assault his HQ, so don't take long to move out! You'll want to use your land units at your HQ for COP when necessary, or to force him to COP on turns where he has less air units(again, you'll have to guess in the FoW, so use those ears on his turn!). If you can't damage his infantry enough to prevent your own HQ from getting captured, try to make him block it with his own units.


Eagle won't move his original 4 fighters in until you build an air unit. His movements are incredibly random on this level, which is why I saved at those intervals once I got the right RNG, and even then, you can't predict where his units will move in the FoW. His copters are especially troublesome as he seems to keep them near the top and bottom away from the center missile, making a wall to block any T-Copters(which the AI prioritizes along with APCs and landers, mind you) from getting anywhere close. The AI also cheats, and can see in FoW as if there weren't any except for forests/reefs(ground/naval units only), of which there are NONE on this level, so the AI can see everything at all times, and target you from outside your vision range, too.


You're looking to move out 2 fighters and at least 3 T-Copters AFTER THE INITIAL 4/5 COPTERS ARE DEAD/RETREATING(1-2 hp if there's an airfield open, which there aren't sometimes, so a 2 hp copter might keep attacking you, and you won't know in the FoW until it happens!), though I'd recommend 4 or 5 T-copters so you can use some of them as bait. Generally, the AI tends to target the furthest T-Copter away from their range, but not always, and they like to damage your max HP T-Copters when possible. Copters and Fighters are top priority to target with your fighters, but don't overcommit on a 3 hp copter/fighter so you can use your fighters to damage another one to lower hp.


After several tries, I figured out that Eagle tends not to build more than 2 fighters overall once the initial 4 are taken care of, so that's only 1 fighter to deal with on the map if you trap one on the left. It also took several tries to figure out he tends to make bombers first before fighters/copters when he can afford it(not that you know his funds anyways), so save that COP for 1-shotting bombers with your fighter as they can only do 90% otherwise. After that, it's down to luck on whether your T-Copters will make it, whether he has an AA unit held back near the top and bottom bases which can shoot them down, and whether he builds a Copter/Fighter from the top or bottom airport to also target them down. If you get extremely unlucky, everything will work out, but he'll make an AA at his HQ, and I'm not liking the 1 or 2 infantry you MIGHT get theres' chances against it.

Note that with perfect RNG (early copter move out as a start) you can actually win this in 15 turns according to AWRevival, but it never happened once in all 29 of my attempts.


Tries to S every level for recording/upload(doesn't include tries for the pre-playthrough on my phone emulator for any rank to figure AW1 out):


1. It's War: 5
2. Gunfighter: 13
3. Air Ace: 14
4a. Max Strikes: 9
4m. Max Strikes: 5
5a. Max's Folly: 2
5m. Sniper: ?
6a. Olaf's Navy: 8(4, rout)
6m. Blizzard Battle: 10
7a. Olaf's Sea Strike: 7
7m. History Lesson: 10
8. Sami's Debut: 24
9. Kanbei Arrives: 26
10. Mighty Kanbei: 1
11. Kanbei's Error: 15
12. Divide and Conquer: 2
13. Sami Marches On: 7
14. Sonja's Goal: 3
15a. Captain Drake: 3 (figured out during pre-playthrough)
15m. Captain Drake: 1
15s. Captain Drake: 15
16a. Naval Clash: 1
16m. Naval Clash: 3 (figured out during pre-playthrough)
16s. Naval Clash: 8
17a. Wings of Victory: 3
17m. Wings of Victory: 18
17s. Wings of Victory: 10
18a. Battle Mystery: 3
18m. Battle Mystery: 10(lucky recon RNG)
18s. Battle Mystery: 1
19. Andy Times Two: 15
20. Enigma: 5
21. The Final Battle: 14(long level, went through the entire backlog before Rivals)
22. Rivals: 29(the struggle was real)


I think I need a break from Advance Wars...





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