Advance Wars: Dual Strike Normal Campaign Walkthrough

Mission 1: Jake’s Trial

Important Note:
Enemy movement can change with positioning, damage rolls, capture timing, and production. Reassess the board each turn and prioritize the current objective and strongest threats.

Objective:
Defeat all enemy units

Video Walkthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvMHEzckq-A&list=PLqXaz6SSuLR8dUcCNzA2eXoNMGts9It-e&index=1

Recommended CO Setup:
Jake (fixed)

Why This CO:
This is Jake’s introductory tutorial mission, designed to teach basic movement, combat, and property capture mechanics. CO selection is fixed.

Map Notes:

Introductory tutorial battle
Small battlefield with only a few enemy units
Designed to teach direct combat sequencing
Capturing the city is part of the intended learning flow

General Strategy:
This mission is straightforward: eliminate the enemy tank immediately, then use your surviving tank and mech to clean up the infantry over the next two turns.

Opening Plan

Day 1:

Move your mech east and attack the enemy tank first.
Follow with your tank and finish the tank off immediately.
Move infantry onto the nearby property and begin capture.

Destroying the tank on Day 1 prevents any meaningful enemy counterpressure.

Day 2:

Finish capturing the property.
Use your tank to weaken one infantry.
Use your mech to eliminate the other infantry.

By Day 3, only one enemy infantry should remain.

Enemy Threat Warnings

The only real danger is leaving the enemy tank alive too long.

If you fail to destroy it on Day 1:

it can damage your tank significantly
cleanup becomes slower
perfect score pacing becomes harder

Mission End

On Day 3:

Use your tank to damage the last infantry
Finish it with your mech

S-Rank Note:
A clean completion earns a 300 point S Rank.

Mission 2: The New Black

Important Note:
Enemy movement can change with positioning, damage rolls, capture timing, and production. Reassess the board each turn and prioritize the current objective and strongest threats.

Objective:
Defeat all enemy units

Video Walkthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h4l247lceM&list=PLqXaz6SSuLR8dUcCNzA2eXoNMGts9It-e&index=2

Recommended CO Setup:
Jake (fixed)

Why This CO:
This mission is designed as an artillery tutorial and uses Jake by default. The focus is on learning indirect combat rather than CO-specific mechanics.

Map Notes:

Early tutorial mission introducing artillery combat
Your force consists mainly of artillery and support units
Enemy tanks approach in a narrow lane
Proper artillery positioning is the central lesson

General Strategy:
Let the enemy advance into artillery range, then destroy each tank before it can move adjacent to an artillery unit. Do not rush your artillery forward unnecessarily.

Opening Plan

Day 1:

Use the eastern artillery to fire on the nearest tank.
Move the western artillery west into better firing position.
Hold your APC safely behind the line.

Day 2:

Use both artillery units to target the advancing northern tanks.
Focus fire to reduce the number of enemy attacks each turn.

Day 3:

Continue firing both artillery units into the central advancing tank.
Prioritize damaged tanks first so they cannot survive into another turn.

Midgame Priorities

Keep artillery protected from direct attack
Never allow tanks adjacent access to your artillery line
Use overlapping firing ranges whenever possible

By Day 4, only one enemy tank should remain threatening.

Enemy Threat Warnings

Enemy tanks become dangerous only if:

your artillery is left exposed
firing lines are broken
APC blocks artillery movement poorly

If needed, use the APC as a temporary blocker to protect weakened infantry.

Mission End

Late in the mission:

Reposition the western artillery south and west as needed.
Use APC blocking movement to prevent enemy access.
Finish the last tank with concentrated artillery fire.

This mission ends once the final tank is destroyed.

S-Rank Note:
A clean artillery-focused clear earns a 300 point S Rank.

Mission 3: Max Attacks

Important Note:
Enemy movement can change with positioning, damage rolls, capture timing, and production. Reassess the board each turn and prioritize the current objective and strongest threats.

Objective:
Capture the enemy HQ OR destroy all enemy units

Video Walkthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEUx8rqn_2A&list=PLqXaz6SSuLR8dUcCNzA2eXoNMGts9It-e&index=3

Recommended CO Setup:
Max (fixed)

Why This CO:
This mission introduces Max’s direct combat strengths and emphasizes aggressive frontline pressure. His stronger direct units make him ideal for fast armored breakthroughs.

Map Notes:

First major air mobility mission
Introduces coordinated Battle Copter and Transport Copter usage
Enemy uses strong armored resistance, including medium tanks
Black Bomb threat makes poor unit clustering dangerous

General Strategy:
Spread your air units on Day 1 to reduce Black Bomb splash vulnerability, then use Battle Copters to overwhelm armored targets while your Transport Copter delivers a mech toward the enemy HQ.

Opening Plan

Day 1:

Spread your Battle Copters apart immediately.
Avoid clustering multiple copters in Black Bomb blast range.
Begin shifting your Transport Copter and mech toward the HQ route.
Advance artillery and APC support cautiously behind the air line.

The primary objective is to keep as many copters alive as possible while setting up the HQ run.

Midgame Priorities

Day 2 through Day 4:

Use full health Battle Copters to focus medium tanks first
Keep damaged copters merged or withdrawn when possible
Load eastern mech into Transport Copter quickly
Keep artillery in position to support attacks against surviving armor clusters

Priority target order:

Medium Tanks
Anti Air threats
Remaining tanks
Infantry blocking HQ route

Battle Copters should never waste attacks on low-value infantry if armored targets remain active.

Enemy Threat Warnings

Black Bomb:
The biggest danger in this mission is overstacking aircraft.

Always:

keep copters separated
avoid ending turns in clustered formations
stagger approach angles when attacking

Enemy anti air fire is secondary, but still dangerous if your copters overcommit.

HQ Capture Timing

By Day 4:

Your Transport Copter should reach HQ range
Unload the mech directly onto or adjacent to the HQ
Continue attacking enemy armor with remaining copters to prevent interruption

Even if elimination remains possible, HQ capture is usually faster and safer.

Mission End

Once the mech lands:

Secure surrounding enemy threats with copters.
Continue suppressing armor near HQ.
Finish remaining enemy units or complete HQ capture.

This mission usually ends on Day 5.

S-Rank Note:
A clean fast clear earns a 300 point S Rank.

Mission 4: Reclaiming the Skies

Important Note:
Enemy movement can change with positioning, damage rolls, capture timing, and production. Reassess the board each turn and prioritize the current objective and strongest threats.

Objective:
Defeat all enemy units

Video Walkthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRb4E6PzfwQ&list=PLqXaz6SSuLR8dUcCNzA2eXoNMGts9It-e&index=4

Recommended CO Setup:
Max (fixed)

Why This CO:
This mission continues Max’s combat tutorial arc and highlights anti-air combat. His stronger direct units help finish enemy aircraft quickly once they are weakened by missiles.

Map Notes:

Short anti-air focused battle
Introduces coordinated anti-air and missile support
Enemy force is air-heavy, with bombers, fighters, and copters
One enemy tank provides the only major ground threat

General Strategy:
Eliminate the enemy tank immediately with rockets and your tank, then use anti- air units and missiles to clear the sky before enemy aircraft can trade damage efficiently.

This is a tempo mission:
if you destroy the air force quickly, the battle ends

almost immediately.

Opening Plan

Day 1:

Fire your rocket at the enemy tank.
Move your tank in and finish the weakened tank.
Use anti-air units to strike bombers and fighters.
Use missiles to remove the battle copter.

Removing the tank first protects your anti-air units from ground pressure.

Midgame Priorities

After the opening exchange:

Focus bombers first if they threaten clustered units
Finish damaged fighters before splitting damage
Keep anti-air units separated enough to avoid overlapping retaliation

Target priority:

Bombers
Fighters
Remaining copters

Enemy Threat Warnings

Bombers are the most dangerous enemy unit here.

If left alive too long:

they can heavily damage anti-air units
your cleanup becomes slower
S Rank pacing becomes less reliable

Do not waste anti-air attacks on already neutralized low-threat targets while bombers remain active.

Mission End

Day 2 usually ends the mission:

Finish off surviving bombers and fighters.
Use missiles only if needed to secure final cleanups.

Once the air fleet is gone, the map ends immediately.

S-Rank Note:
A clean two-day victory earns a 300 point S Rank.

Mission 5: Neverending War

Important Note:
Enemy movement can change with positioning, damage rolls, capture timing, and production. Reassess the board each turn and prioritize the current objective and strongest threats.

Objective:
Capture the HQ OR destroy all enemy units

Video Walkthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6NNyjM4al8&list=PLqXaz6SSuLR8dUcCNzA2eXoNMGts9It-e&index=5

Recommended CO Setup:
Rachel (fixed)

Why This CO:
Rachel is required here and fits the map well. Her missiles are excellent on a tight battlefield where enemy units tend to cluster, and her repair bonus helps keep damaged vehicles alive during prolonged exchanges.

Map Notes:

First larger-scale mission with multiple production bases
Black Hole begins with a Medium Tank guarding its HQ
The northern front is the decisive breakthrough lane
Southern front is mainly about securing properties and support captures

General Strategy:
Lure the enemy Medium Tank off the HQ, weaken it with artillery, then destroy it before pushing tanks into Black Hole territory.

Do not enter the HQ lane before the Medium Tank is neutralized.

Opening Plan

Day 1:

Move the northern mech north to begin contesting the upper lane.
Build a tank from the northern base.

Day 2:

Use the northern mech to attack the recon on your city.
Move your new tank northeast toward the northern city.
Build artillery from the northern base.
Build infantry from the southern base.

Day 3:

Move your tank onto the northern city and attack the anti-air.
Advance artillery behind the tank toward the Medium Tank lane.
Keep southern infantry moving toward captures.
Build another northern tank.

The goal is to set up artillery range on the Medium Tank by Day 4.

Midgame Priorities

Once the Medium Tank approaches:

hit it first with artillery
finish it only when safe from counterattack
do not expose tanks directly unless artillery has softened it

After the Medium Tank falls:

Push northern tanks aggressively into Black Hole territory
Remove anti-air and tanks before weaker units
Save artillery cleanup for last once direct threats are gone

Priority target order:

Medium Tank
Tanks
Anti-Air
Mechs
Artillery

Southern Front Role

The southern lane is secondary but still important:

Capture the neutral base steadily
Use mechs to eliminate weakened enemy tanks
Secure nearby neutral cities whenever safe
Avoid overcommitting south if north breakthrough is underway

The southern side exists to strengthen your economy, not to force the win.

Enemy Threat Warnings

Medium Tank:
This is the mission’s defining threat.

If engaged too early:

your tanks lose badly in direct combat
HQ route stalls
northern push collapses

Always soften it first with artillery before committing direct attacks.

CO Power Timing

Rachel’s Super CO Power is very strong here if charged mid-battle.

Best timing:

after the Medium Tank is gone
when multiple Black Hole vehicles are clustered
before your northern breakthrough turn

This can accelerate cleanup dramatically.

Mission End

Once the northern line breaks:

Advance tanks directly toward Black Hole HQ.
Clear blocking armor first.
Either capture HQ safely or eliminate remaining units.

The mission usually ends soon after the Medium Tank and frontline armor are gone.

Mission 6: The Ocean Blue

Important Note:
Enemy movement can change with positioning, damage rolls, capture timing, and production. Reassess the board each turn and prioritize the current objective and strongest threats.

Objective:
Capture the HQ OR destroy all enemy units

Video Walkthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBzASnUlOJ0&list=PLqXaz6SSuLR8dUcCNzA2eXoNMGts9It-e&index=6

Recommended CO Setup:
Colin (fixed)

Why This CO:
Colin is ideal here because his reduced unit costs let you recover quickly from expensive naval trades. This mission emphasizes careful ship exchanges, where cheap replacement value matters greatly.

Map Notes:

First major naval battle mission
Introduces combined sea, air, and transport coordination
Lash controls mixed naval forces with strong indirect support
Early naval tempo determines the entire battle

General Strategy:
Neutralize Lash’s strongest naval units quickly, especially her battleship and submarine, then land your transport force safely and overwhelm her island position before she can recover.

Opening Plan

Day 1:

Fire your rocket into the enemy cruiser immediately.
Use your battleship to heavily damage Lash’s rocket.
Move submarine east and dive.
Load infantry into APC.
Load APC and tank into lander.
Advance lander southeast toward landing route.
Move artillery east.
Use battle copter to chip enemy battleship.

The early goal is to weaken Lash’s naval core before your landing begins.

Naval Priorities

Your first three naval targets should be:

Enemy Battleship
Enemy Submarine
Enemy Cruiser

Why:

Battleship threatens your transport route
Submarine threatens your battleship
Cruiser threatens your submarine

If Lash’s battleship survives too long, your landing becomes much riskier.

Landing Operation

By Day 3:

move lander into unloading position
unload APC and tank onto shore
establish immediate beachhead pressure

Once landed:

APC pushes infantry inland quickly
tank begins frontline clearing
do not leave unloaded infantry exposed unsupported

Landing safely is the mission’s decisive pivot.

Midgame Priorities

After the naval exchange:

eliminate Lash’s remaining rocket quickly
remove shore tanks before they reach your landing force
protect your battleship from low-value attrition
keep APC resupply active for submarine and indirects

Priority target order:

Rocket
Shore tank
Cruiser remnants
Infantry blockers

Enemy Threat Warnings

Lash’s SCOP:
Lash may trigger Super CO Power mid-battle.

When this happens:

enemy terrain defense rises sharply
cleanup attacks become less efficient
weak units may survive unexpectedly

If Lash’s meter is near full, avoid relying on exact damage thresholds.

Submarine Usage

Your submarine is the mission’s most important assassination unit.

Best use pattern:

dive early
eliminate enemy battleship first
reposition to destroy lander later

Do not waste submarine attacks on minor targets unless naval threats are gone.

CO Power Timing

Colin’s Super CO Power is strongest after landing begins.

Best timing:

once multiple frontline land targets remain
after enemy naval superiority is broken
when your beachhead tanks need reinforcement advantage

Using SCOP too early weakens its economic swing value.

Mission End

Once Lash loses:

battleship
submarine
rocket
shore tank line

The mission collapses quickly.

Advance inland:

Finish surviving defenders.
Protect infantry from unnecessary losses.
Complete cleanup near HQ zone.

S-Rank Note:
A clean execution earns a 300 point S Rank. The mission is largely decided by the first three naval turns, so precise opening sequencing matters most here.

Mission 7: Fog Rolls In

Important Note:
Enemy movement can change with positioning, damage rolls, capture timing, and production. Reassess the board each turn and prioritize the current objective and strongest threats.

Objective:
Capture the HQ OR destroy all enemy units

Video Walkthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Z0jpX4Kv00&list=PLqXaz6SSuLR8dUcCNzA2eXoNMGts9It-e&index=7

Recommended CO Setup:
Jake (fixed)

Why This CO:
Jake is well suited here because this mission emphasizes balanced ground combat under fog conditions, where steady tank pressure and efficient direct trades are more important than specialized CO gimmicks.

Map Notes:

First major fog of war mission in Dual Strike
Enemy hidden units must be revealed before they can be safely targeted
Koal uses concealed artillery, transports, and ambush positioning
Vision control matters more than raw damage output

General Strategy:
Reveal Black Hole’s hidden artillery positions before committing expensive units, and eliminate Koal’s direct combat threats first. Once his tank force is broken, use vision units to locate and remove the remaining hidden units.

Opening Plan

Day 1:

Move infantry east to reveal Koal’s hidden artillery.
Use recon and battle copter to destroy that artillery immediately.
Advance indirect units up the road as far as safely possible.
Move tanks and anti-air behind your advancing screen.
Load your mech into the APC.
Send APC northeast to begin central advance.

Day 2:

Use battle copter to attack the Black Hole tank from the east.
Move rocket into forest cover for protected firing range.
Reveal and destroy any surviving hidden artillery.
Advance recon north to expand sightlines.
Keep APC just behind your rocket.

The first two turns are about neutralizing hidden artillery safely.

Fog Vision Control

In fog maps:

recons are your most important scouts
forests hide enemy artillery well
APC positioning helps deploy mechs safely
never move tanks blindly into unrevealed terrain

Always scout first, attack second.

A hidden artillery hit is often more damaging than losing tempo for one turn.

Midgame Priorities

After the opening artillery is cleared:

Destroy Koal’s remaining tank units first
Eliminate APCs and landers after direct threats are gone
Continue clearing hidden infantry from capture routes

Priority target order:

Tanks
Artillery
APCs
Landers
Infantry

Once Koal loses his tank, his offensive pressure collapses sharply.

Enemy Threat Warnings

Hidden artillery:
Koal’s artillery is the mission’s biggest danger.

They are often:

concealed in forests
positioned behind revealed bait units
protected by fog ambiguity

Do not expose anti-air or tanks until recon confirms safe approach lanes.

Transport Ambush Notes

Koal hides transports in reefs and fogged coastlines.

Important:

landers in reefs are easy to miss
hidden APCs can extend enemy infantry reach
destroy transports before they unload if possible

Revealed transports are usually low threat, but hidden ones can swing tempo.

Battle Copter Role

Your battle copter is critical for:

early artillery removal
reaching hidden rear targets
punishing tanks revealed by recon

Avoid sending it too deep alone into fog unless recon has already cleared the area.

Mission End

After Day 4:

Koal’s major armored threats should be gone
only damaged artillery, transports, and infantry remain

From there:

Finish exposed artillery first.
Destroy landers in reefs.
Mop up transports and final infantry.

The final turns are usually safe cleanup if fog scouting remains disciplined.

Mission 8: Tag Battle

Important Note:
Enemy movement can change with positioning, damage rolls, capture timing, and production. Reassess the board each turn and prioritize the current objective and strongest threats.

Objective:
Capture the HQ OR destroy all enemy units

Video Walkthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyAjZLf0zes&list=PLqXaz6SSuLR8dUcCNzA2eXoNMGts9It-e&index=8

Recommended CO Setup:
Max (fixed)

Why This CO:
Max is required here and works well because this mission emphasizes direct tank combat, rapid property expansion, and strong frontline pressure. His boosted direct units help break Black Hole’s defenses once your economy develops.

Map Notes:

First mission centered around Tag mechanics
Introduces Piperunners as enemy special units
Strong expansion economy map with many neutral properties
Early property captures determine long-term tempo
Dual-front production pacing becomes more important here

General Strategy:
Destroy the Piperunner quickly, expand across the map through aggressive base captures, then overwhelm Black Hole by outproducing them on both fronts.

Opening Plan

Day 1:

Build two infantry immediately.

Day 2:

Send western infantry northeast to capture the neutral city.
Move eastern infantry east toward expansion lane.
Build tank from western base.
Build infantry from eastern base.

Day 3:

Begin capturing southeastern neutral base.
Advance tank south toward Piperunner lane.
Keep infantry spreading toward all nearby neutral properties.
Build APC support.

The first objective is rapid property expansion while preparing to remove the Piperunner safely.

Piperunner Priority

The Piperunner must be eliminated early.

Why:

it controls the central pipe corridor
it restricts safe tank movement
delaying its removal slows your expansion badly

By Day 4–5:

move your tank into forest attack range
destroy the Piperunner as soon as possible

Once it falls, the center lane opens dramatically.

Expansion Priorities

Your early capture order should emphasize:

Nearby neutral bases
Airport access
Central pipe-side base
Remaining cities

Important:
Every extra base captured before Day 8 increases the number of units you can produce during the later fight.

Midgame Priorities

After Piperunner removal:

capture the airport immediately
begin tank pressure on western lane
develop battle copters on eastern lane
continue filling unused bases with infantry

Priority target order:

Enemy tanks
Anti-air
Infantry on contested bases
Remaining support units

By midgame, your unit count should exceed Black Hole’s significantly.

Enemy Threat Warnings

Black Hole’s main danger is not early combat strength. It is losing track of their production lanes.

Watch for:

tanks emerging from western base
counterattacks from eastern base once airport is threatened
late Tag activation around Day 10–11

If you block their bases early, their Tag threat becomes much weaker.

Base Blocking Strategy

By around Day 10:

place tanks on or adjacent to Black Hole’s western base
deny western production first
then pressure eastern base next

Base denial is often stronger than direct combat here.

If both enemy bases are blocked, the mission is effectively decided.

Mission End

Once:

airport is secured
Piperunner is gone
both enemy bases are pressured

Black Hole cannot keep up economically.

Finish by:

Advancing tanks through west lane.
Sending battle copters down east side.
Eliminating remaining defenders.

Late-Game Note:
Even if Black Hole activates Tag Power late, their low surviving unit count makes it largely harmless if your expansion phase was executed correctly.

Mission 9: Victory or Death!

Important Note:
Enemy movement can change with positioning, damage rolls, capture timing, and production. Reassess the board each turn and prioritize the current objective and strongest threats.

Objective:
Destroy the Black Crystal

Video Walkthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcqJm1DNmYY&list=PLqXaz6SSuLR8dUcCNzA2eXoNMGts9It-e&index=9

Recommended CO Setup:
Jake / Max

Why These COs:
Jake should lead first because he controls the bottom screen, where early property capture and anti-air timing matter most. Max is the stronger closer, since his boosted direct firepower makes the final crystal strike far more efficient once the battlefield has been stabilized.

Map Notes:

First major dual-screen split battle mission
Air unit transfer between fronts is essential
The Black Crystal is the true objective, not full elimination
Black Ark support and air threats create timing pressure
Bottom front controls the bomber setup needed for final crystal kill

General Strategy:
Stabilize the bottom screen first, transfer most air units upward early, destroy the Black Ark safely, then set up a bomber strike on the Black Crystal using a Jake-to-Max Tag finish.

Opening Plan

Day 1:

Send all air units except the fighter near HQ to the top screen.
Move bottom mech east toward expansion lane.
Begin city captures with infantry immediately.
Advance tank east toward recon engagement.

Day 2:

Finish all nearby captures.
Continue mech capture progression.
Use tank to damage enemy recon.
Move fighter east toward future air defense role.

The early turns are about property setup and establishing air superiority on the upper screen.

Top Screen Priorities

Your transferred air units should:

establish control over enemy air threats quickly
protect vulnerable support units
avoid unnecessary damage before Black Ark engagement

Priority target order:

Battle Copters
Anti-Air threats
Supporting enemy aircraft

Winning the air war early makes the rest of the mission much easier.

Bottom Screen Priorities

On the lower screen:

continue capturing all nearby properties
build anti-air at the bottom base early
eliminate southern enemy battle copter quickly
prepare bomber production timing carefully

The bottom screen determines whether your crystal strike finishes on schedule.

Black Ark Timing

Destroying the Black Ark is the mission pivot point.

Before engaging:

keep fighter cover in position
keep bomber outside anti-air and fighter range
do not expose bomber too early

Once Black Ark falls:

Max should be close to full power meter
prepare immediate Tag sequence setup

Bomber Crystal Strike Setup

The safest finishing sequence is:

Build bomber.
Move bomber within striking distance of Black Crystal.
Avoid entering anti-air, fighter, or Black Ark range prematurely.
Fill Max’s power meter fully.
Swap back to Jake before activating Tag.

Then:

Jake moves bomber into attack position
Max follows with boosted finishing strike

This guarantees reliable crystal destruction.

Enemy Threat Warnings

Major threats:

southern battle copters killing exposed mechs
anti-air zones around crystal approach
enemy fighters intercepting bomber route

Do not rush the bomber before airspace is safe.

Tag Power Timing

This is one of the first missions where Tag sequencing truly matters.

Best timing:

after Black Ark is destroyed
once bomber is in safe striking distance
when Max’s meter is full

Using Tag too early weakens the crystal kill setup.

Mission End

Once the Black Ark is destroyed and bomber is positioned:

Trigger Tag with Jake first.
Move bomber into final attack range.
Switch to Max.
Use Max’s boosted firepower to destroy the Black Crystal.

This ends the mission immediately regardless of remaining enemy units.

S-Rank Note:
A clean crystal-focused route can finish in about 9 days with a perfect 300 point S Rank if the bomber timing is executed correctly.

Mission 10: Black Boats Ahoy!

Important Note:
Enemy movement can change with positioning, damage rolls, capture timing, and production. Reassess the board each turn and prioritize the current objective and strongest threats.

Objective:
Capture the HQ OR destroy all enemy units

Video Walkthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTTPC2TEI1k&list=PLqXaz6SSuLR8dUcCNzA2eXoNMGts9It-e&index=10

Recommended CO Setup:
Max / Jake

Why These COs:
Max should lead first because the opening phase requires strong direct combat against Kindle’s artillery line and island defenders. Jake is an excellent partner once the frontline expands, since his balanced direct combat helps sustain pressure across the island assault.

Map Notes:

Introduces Black Boats for the first time
Island invasion mission with mixed land and naval combat
Kindle controls a fortified island HQ position
Early naval dominance determines invasion safety
Capturing the lab city unlocks Black Boat schematics

General Strategy:
Destroy Kindle’s navy first, establish safe naval control, then land your mech assault force on the HQ island while your main army pushes across the western front. Once the island artillery is removed, Kindle’s position collapses quickly.

Opening Plan

Day 1:

Move recon east and attack Kindle’s artillery.
Load mech into APC.
Load APC onto lander.
Move lander north into invasion route.
Dive submarine east immediately.
Advance both tanks east.
Push anti-air and artillery east behind them.
Move infantry toward early property captures.

The opening objective is to prepare your island landing while beginning naval pressure immediately.

Naval Priorities

Your submarine should follow this kill order:

First Black Boat
Battleship
Second Black Boat

Why:

Black Boats extend Kindle’s naval sustain
Battleship threatens your invasion route
Removing naval support makes the island much safer

If Kindle keeps her battleship too long, your lander route becomes dangerous.

Black Boat Mechanics

Black Boats are hybrid support ships:

carry two infantry-class units
repair adjacent units
resupply nearby units

They are weak in combat but strategically powerful.

Black Boats can repair and resupply nearby units, so destroy them before less dangerous combat ships when that support is keeping Kindle’s navy active.

Island Landing Operation

When your lander reaches the HQ island:

Unload APC first.
Move APC forward.
Drop mech directly beside Kindle’s artillery position.

Important:
Kindle’s artillery cannot attack the mech safely if the APC blocks properly.

This creates a protected artillery kill setup on the next turn.

Midgame Priorities

After landing begins:

eliminate island artillery first
secure the lab city quickly
continue western front advance with tanks
avoid attacking Kindle from city defense tiles when possible

Priority target order:

Island artillery
Battleship remnants
Tanks on defensive cities
Infantry blocking HQ approach

Kindle Threat Warnings

Kindle’s city bonuses are dangerous.

Never attack her units recklessly when they are:

sitting on cities
clustered around urban defense tiles

Her boosted city combat makes bad trades much more punishing than normal.

Also:
If Kindle is near CO Power, move units off cities whenever possible.

Western Front Role

While the island force advances:

your western army should keep steady pressure forward
tanks should clear frontline blockers
artillery should support from behind safe lanes

The western front exists to stretch Kindle’s defenses so the island landing can break through more easily.

Lab Capture Importance

Capturing the first neutral city on the island gives:
Black Boat map data

This is worth prioritizing early because:

it unlocks the unit permanently
it is on your natural invasion route anyway

Always secure this before overextending toward HQ.

Mission End

Once:

Kindle’s navy is destroyed
island artillery is gone
mech and APC secure the HQ island

The mission swings decisively in your favor.

Finish by:

Clearing remaining island defenders.
Advancing tanks inland.
Capturing HQ or eliminating survivors.

Route Note:
The first submarine attack sequence is the most important part of the route.

Mission 11: Omega Land Lab Assault

Important Note:
Enemy movement can change with positioning, damage rolls, capture timing, and production. Reassess the board each turn and prioritize the current objective and strongest threats.

Objective:
Capture the Lab OR destroy all enemy units

Video Walkthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ktLz2_Mgis&list=PLqXaz6SSuLR8dUcCNzA2eXoNMGts9It-e&index=11

Recommended CO Setup:

Orange Star:
Rachel / Max

Blue Moon:
Sasha / Colin

Why These COs:
Rachel is the strongest lead choice for Orange Star because her repair bonus helps keep damaged indirect units alive, which is critical in this fog-of-war map. Max gives stronger direct combat support later once the frontline closes.

For Blue Moon, Colin’s cheap unit production helps reinforce the southwest push, while Sasha provides strong long-term economy and a useful tag partner later.

Map Notes:

Fog of war is active throughout the mission
Orange Star cannot build new units early
Blue Moon can reinforce from its southwest base network
Capturing the lab immediately ends the mission
Black Boats appear for the first time here and can repair nearby units

General Strategy:

This mission is split into two coordinated fronts:

Orange Star must hold the central choke points while advancing a small squad northeast toward the lab.

Blue Moon applies heavy pressure from the southwest, gradually ferrying reinforcements onto the eastern island and mainland.

Orange Star is fragile early because every artillery and rocket unit matters. Do not trade indirect units unnecessarily.

Route and Priorities

Orange Star should hold the central choke while sending its infantry, mech, APC, and recon toward the northeastern base and Lab route. Blue Moon should expand from the southwest toward the southeastern island, capture its airport, and use that island as the main reinforcement route back to the mainland.

Exact Black Hole movement can change in fog. Keep those directional routes and protect the units needed to execute them; choose individual attacks from the current board rather than trying to reproduce an enemy script.

Day 1: Orange Star Opening

Use the left artillery to destroy the Black Boat immediately.

Fire the right rocket at the submerged sub. This prevents it from threatening Blue Moon naval forces.

Move infantry and mech northeast toward the neutral bases.

Use the eastern tank to damage the revealed Black Boat after advancing vision.

Move recon units carefully into fog to reveal hidden enemy positions without overexposing them.

If possible, target Neo Tanks with rockets whenever safe. Neo Tanks are the highest-priority damage targets on this map.

Key Rule:
Keep every Orange Star artillery and rocket alive whenever possible.

Day 1: Blue Moon Opening

Use both battleships to strike the Neo Tank and medium tank.

Move cruiser northwest.

Advance sub and dive immediately.

Begin capturing neutral cities with infantry.

Build two infantry from bases.

Blue Moon’s job is long-term reinforcement, not immediate breakthrough.

Midgame Priorities

Orange Star:

Hold the central choke route
Use APCs as blockers when needed
Keep rockets on protected terrain when possible
Push infantry steadily toward northeast bases

Blue Moon:

Capture the southeast airport as early as possible
Begin producing Battle Copters once airport is secured
Use landers continuously to ferry tanks and infantry forward
Keep battleships targeting expensive enemy units first

Priority target order:

Neo Tanks
Medium Tanks
Cruisers
Black Boats
Artillery

Enemy Tag Power Warning

Black Hole can trigger Tag Power early in this mission.

This gives them:

two consecutive turns
sudden breakthrough pressure
unexpected armor swings

When enemy meter is near full:
Pull fragile units out of exposed positions before ending turn.

Choke Point Control

Orange Star only has one main land route the enemy can push through.

Use this to your advantage:

stack artillery behind tanks
rotate damaged blockers backward
deny direct access to rockets

This choke point is the key defensive advantage of the mission.

Rachel Tag Power Timing

Save your Tag Power until:

enemy armor clusters are weakened
your artillery can reposition for second-turn pressure

Rachel’s Missile Strike is especially strong here because:

it deals 3 HP fixed damage
it cripples weakened Neo Tanks instantly
it softens clustered units before Max attacks

Ideal timing:
Use Rachel Tag Power once Black Hole’s frontline is already damaged but before their remaining Neo Tanks can regroup.

Endgame Cleanup

By Days 7–9:

Orange Star should control the northeast approach
Blue Moon should dominate southeast waters
Battle Copters should be reinforcing rapidly

Continue advancing infantry toward the lab while clearing remaining defenders.

Important:
A final Black Boat may hide in reef terrain southeast of HQ. Reveal reefs before assuming all enemy units are destroyed.

Mission End

The fastest clean finish is usually lab capture rather than full elimination.

Capture the lab once:

northeast defenders are cleared
infantry reaches capture range safely

S-Rank Notes:

A perfect 300-point S rank is achievable here:

100 Speed
100 Power
100 Technique

For a perfect score:

minimize Orange Star unit losses
avoid sacrificing indirect units
keep pressure constant on Neo Tanks early

Mission 12: Lightning Strikes

Important Note:
Enemy movement can change with positioning, damage rolls, capture timing, and production. Reassess the board each turn and prioritize the current objective and strongest threats.

Objective:
Capture the HQ OR destroy all enemy units

Video Walkthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-tcXcubmPk&list=PLqXaz6SSuLR8dUcCNzA2eXoNMGts9It-e&index=12

Recommended CO Setup:

Orange Star:
Rachel / Colin

Why These COs:
Rachel is a strong lead choice here because her missiles provide fixed damage that helps swing clustered engagements on either front. Colin is a strong partner because his cheap unit production makes it easier to keep building infantry and anti air while reinforcing both maps.

A workable alternative is Rachel / Max. This route uses Rachel / Colin because Colin's cheaper units support sustained production on the bottom screen, while Rachel supplies fixed-damage pressure. The best assignment can change with how the two fronts develop.

Map Notes:

This is a dual screen mission
The bottom screen is the main front against Grimm
The top screen is the secondary front against Sensei
Auto CO can be turned off in Intel to allow manual control of both fronts
Ground units built on the bottom screen can be sent to the top screen
Six missile silos are located on the northern island of the bottom screen
Missile silos deal fixed 3 HP damage in a large area
Losing the top front does not fail the mission, but winning it is very helpful

General Strategy:

This mission is split into two connected fronts:

Bottom screen: Secure the northern missile island, keep firing silos into Grimm’s best unit clusters, and build enough infantry to capture key northern properties.

Top screen: Survive Sensei’s early air pressure by repeatedly sending anti air units upward until you gain control of the sky.

Route and Priorities

The bottom-screen progression is northwest toward the missile island, then to the north-middle base, then east toward Grimm. The northwest airport provides a second expansion route across the river. After crossing, tanks and Battle Copters should continue toward the HQ area and block the northeast airport when that route opens.

To reinforce the top screen, move a unit onto the HQ or other valid transfer point and choose SEND instead of Wait. It arrives around the secondary-front HQ. The top front should remain defensive until anti-air control makes a northeast push toward Sensei's HQ practical.

Day 1: Bottom Screen Opening

Turn off Auto CO in Intel immediately.

Send your starting anti air from the HQ to the top screen.

Build infantry from the western base.

Build another anti air from the second base.

Move your mech northwest toward the northern missile island.

Key Rule:
Reaching the northern island and controlling its silos matters more than early direct fighting on the bottom screen.

Day 1: Top Screen Opening

Move the transferred anti air as far northeast as possible.

Advance your other units slightly, but do not overextend into battle copter range.

Use the APC to help move slower units forward.

Accept that this front begins defensively, not offensively.

The top screen is initially about survival and attrition, not breakthrough.

Midgame Priorities

Bottom screen:

Keep building infantry almost every turn
Capture cities and the north middle base as early as possible
Fire missiles into expensive clustered targets
Send additional anti air units to the top screen
Hold the river line and punish units crossing from Grimm’s side

Top screen:

Keep your anti-air units healthy whenever practical
Fight from cities whenever possible for healing and defense
Let lower value units absorb pressure when needed
Reduce Sensei’s battle copters before trying to advance

Missile target rule:
Hit the strongest or most expensive useful cluster available. Tanks, artillery, and recons are often strong targets, but infantry or mechs are valid when they improve the blast value or remove an immediate capture threat.

Missile Silo Control

The missile silos are the most important special mechanic on the bottom screen.

Use them to:

soften expensive enemy units before direct engagements
reduce pressure at the river crossings
support your push toward the northern base network

Important:
Do not waste silo shots on low value targets unless they also hit stronger units in the blast radius.

Top Screen Air War

Sensei’s battle copters are the defining threat on the secondary front.

To handle them:

keep anti air units healthy whenever possible
use cities for healing
avoid letting tanks take unnecessary copter hits
use recons, APCs, or damaged units as safer bait when needed

Once a second and third anti air arrive from the bottom screen, the matchup becomes much more manageable.

Property Control and Production Shift

Once you capture the north middle base on the bottom screen:

start producing tanks there when needed
continue infantry production for captures and score stability
build a battle copter from the northwest airport when practical

CO Power Timing

Rachel’s power is strongest when enemy units are already clustered or partially damaged.

Good uses include:

softening armor before a river crossing
setting up anti air wins on the top screen
weakening Grimm’s surviving frontline before the final push

Secondary Front Win Condition

The top screen usually remains defensive for most of the mission.

Your goal is simply to outlast and reduce Sensei’s force until:

his battle copters are mostly gone
your anti air units can move freely
your remaining ground units can safely finish cleanup

Tag Power Conversion

After winning the secondary front, use Tag Power when its two turns can remove the remaining Anti-Air and armor or open the route for your own Battle Copters and Tanks.

Rachel is especially strong here because:

her missiles soften the remaining mechanized units
they help remove anti air protection
they open the way for your own battle copters and tanks to finish cleanup

Endgame Cleanup

As Grimm weakens:

keep building infantry
move tanks and battle copters north and east aggressively
block the northeast airport if possible
keep firing remaining silos into whatever strong units are left

Once enemy anti air is gone, your battle copters become much harder to stop.

At that point, the mission is usually decided.

Mission End

Either win condition remains available. Full elimination is practical when the secondary-front victory and eastern push have already broken Grimm's army.

You should be in winning position once:

the top screen has been cleared
the missile island is under your control
the north middle base is captured
Grimm’s remaining anti air and armor are broken

From there, continue pushing forward and remove the last surviving units.

Mission 13: Frozen

Important Note:
Enemy movement can change with positioning, damage rolls, capture timing, and production. Reassess the board each turn and prioritize the current objective and strongest threats.

Objective:
Capture the HQ OR destroy all enemy units

Video Walkthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OA680cwPR0&list=PLqXaz6SSuLR8dUcCNzA2eXoNMGts9It-e&index=13

Recommended CO Setup:

Northwest Front:
Colin / Rachel

Southeast Front:
Sensei / Max

Why These COs:
Colin is excellent on the northwest front because his cheap infantry and tanks let you flood the map early, secure properties, and contest bases before Black Hole can consolidate. Rachel is a strong partner because her power works well on clustered ground units and narrow choke points.

On the southeast front, Sensei is stronger once infantry and battle copters are in play. Max is also a solid partner because direct combat matters heavily on this map, but Sensei gains more value once the airport is secured and copter production begins.

Map Notes:

Snow is active and sharply reduces movement off roads
This is a two front war with Black Hole in the center
Orange Star begins on the northwest side
Blue Moon begins on the southeast side
Black Hole starts with strong central property control
Com Towers appear here for the first time
Com Tower bonuses only apply to the army that owns them
There are no naval concerns on this map
The southeast side has an airport and can support battle copter play
Orange Star must eventually cross the river to pressure Black Hole’s side

General Strategy:

Northwest front: Use Colin’s cheap production to build infantry every turn, secure nearby properties, contest bases across the river, and transition into tanks once your economy supports them.

Southeast front: Capture the airport, bring battle copters into play, and use them with tanks and infantry against Black Hole’s stronger units.

Snow slows the approach off roads, so begin the property and airport captures early instead of relying on a fast later advance.

Route and Priorities

Treat Frozen as two directional advances rather than a fixed turn script. The northwest force secures properties and Comm Towers, crosses the river, and pressures the southern production area. The southeast force secures its nearby airport/base network and then pushes west.

Snow changes movement enough that current range, road access, HP, and exposure should decide individual attacks. Preserve the two routes even when the AI chooses different targets.

Day 1: Northwest Front Opening

Build three infantry immediately.

Start spreading toward nearby cities and the contested bases.

Prioritize early capture flow over aggressive combat.

Day 1: Southeast Front Opening

Build two infantry.

Begin capturing nearby cities.

Start positioning one infantry toward the airport area.

The southeast side develops more slowly at first, but it becomes the more important combat front once battle copters enter play.

Early Capture Priorities

Northwest front:

Capture nearby cities first
Contest the base Black Hole wants near the river
Move toward the Com Towers as soon as practical

Southeast front:

Capture the nearby cities
Redirect infantry to secure the airport
Move toward the neutral base above your starting area

The airport matters more than a nearby city once the opening settles, because it unlocks the strongest mobility option on this map.

Production Plan

Northwest front:

Build infantry every turn early
Add tanks once Colin’s economy starts rolling
Keep using cheap infantry to fill space, capture, and improve technique

Southeast front:

Build infantry early
Add a tank once frontline contact begins
Build battle copters after securing the airport

Com Tower Control

Com Towers are one of the defining mechanics of this map.

Use infantry to capture them as soon as practical because:

they increase firepower
they improve your trades across both fronts
Black Hole begins with a tower advantage you want to reduce

Do not overextend fragile infantry just to grab a tower early, but do keep moving toward them consistently.

River Crossing and Choke Control

On the northwest front, the main transition point is the river crossing.

Plan for it this way:

keep infantry capturing behind the line
move tanks forward first when crossing
deny Black Hole’s infantry from capturing contested bases
avoid feeding units into artillery range blindly

Once you gain a foothold across the river, Black Hole’s central position becomes much easier to break down.

Southeast Airport Timing

The southeast airport is critical.

After nearby cities are started, redirect the closer infantry to capture the airport instead of finishing a less important city first.

Once the airport is secured:

build battle copters
force Black Hole to respect anti air production
use copters to pressure tanks and weakened ground units

CO Switching Logic

On the northwest side:
Start with Colin for production efficiency, then switch to Max or Rachel style pressure once tanks are active and direct combat matters more.

Colin supports cheap production, while Rachel is a strong partner when enemy ground units cluster closely enough for her power to convert several attacks at once.

On the southeast side:
Sensei becomes more valuable once infantry and battle copters are active.

That means the best timing is often:

open with standard capture flow
secure the airport
bring battle copters online
switch emphasis back toward Sensei

Midgame Priorities

Northwest front:

keep building infantry every turn
add tanks whenever funds allow
capture Com Towers
cross the river with tanks first
deny enemy base captures

Southeast front:

secure the neutral base above your start
use battle copters against tanks and mechanized units
keep infantry moving on properties
reinforce with tanks from the ground bases

The mission usually stabilizes once you have both Com Tower progress and active battle copter pressure.

Enemy Threat Warnings

Watch for artillery ranges carefully.

A good rule here is:
hover over enemy artillery and check attack range before ending turn.

Because movement is restricted by snow, getting caught by artillery is even more costly than usual.

Also note:

Black Hole can still pressure weak infantry effectively
recons can punish exposed infantry in the midgame
tanks with Com Tower support trade better than expected
Koal’s Urban Blight damages units on properties, so damaged units sitting on bases or cities are not fully safe from power damage

Fuel and Snow Management

Snow increases fuel strain and slows your advance.

This matters most for tanks:

tanks lose tempo faster on snow maps
long marches can reduce mobility before combat even begins
APC support becomes more useful than usual

If a tank is starting to bog down, keep it advancing with purpose rather than wasting turns on low value repositioning.

Unit Preservation and Merging

Merging damaged infantry is useful here.

Reasons:

it protects your Technique score more efficiently
it prevents multiple weak infantry from being picked off
it keeps your army compact while still pressuring enemy properties

Infantry can also still finish weakened recons or tanks in the right situations, so do not assume low HP infantry are useless.

Target Priority

Default target order:

Tanks that still threaten your front
Artillery covering key lanes
Recons harassing infantry
Capturing infantry on important properties

One important adjustment:
If a tank is already heavily weakened but a recon is still healthy and actively threatening your infantry, it can be correct to hit the recon first.

Endgame Cleanup

By the late mission:

Black Hole should be short on strong frontline units
your northwest side should be established across the river
your southeast side should have battle copters and tanks pushing forward
Com Towers should be mostly under your control

At that point, continue building infantry, keep moving tanks forward, and use battle copters to remove the last mobile resistance.

Mission End

This mission usually ends by full elimination after Black Hole’s center collapses.

You should be in winning position once:

the airport is secured
battle copters are active
the river crossing is established
Com Towers are no longer favoring Black Hole
enemy tanks and artillery have been reduced

From there, keep advancing and remove the remaining survivors.

Mission 14: Verdant Hills

Important Note:
Enemy movement can change with positioning, damage rolls, capture timing, and production. Reassess the board each turn and prioritize the current objective and strongest threats.

Objective:
Capture the HQ OR destroy all enemy units within 15 days

Video Walkthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfDWXAW9FVA&list=PLqXaz6SSuLR8dUcCNzA2eXoNMGts9It-e&index=14

Recommended CO Setup:

Orange Star:
Colin / Max

Blue Moon:
Sensei / Rachel

Why These COs:
Colin is the best starting choice for Orange Star because this side needs cheap early production and fast tank deployment. Once enough tanks are on the field, Max becomes the stronger combat closer for direct engagements.

Blue Moon cannot build immediately, so it begins as a support front built around indirect fire, vision control, and terrain use. Sensei is valuable because Blue Moon starts with many mechs and can later threaten the HQ with strong infantry pressure. Rachel is a solid partner because her missiles are strong on a dense ground map if the battle drags on.

Map Notes:

This is a snow map, so off road movement is heavily reduced
Green Earth starts in the middle with Jess and Javier
A prototype Mega Tank appears here for the first time
Mega Tanks hit harder than other tanks but only move 4 spaces
Orange Star begins in the north with limited starting production
Blue Moon surrounds Green Earth from the east and west
Blue Moon starts with a large support force but little immediate production
Mountains and forests are critical for vision and defensive positioning
Com Towers are important because Javier scales well with them
Green Earth begins with strong armor and indirect pressure
You must win within 15 days

General Strategy:
This mission is about surviving the early armored push, using Blue Moon’s indirects to chip down Green Earth’s strongest units, and then turning the map once their center weakens.

Orange Star: Build cheap infantry and tanks early, hold the northern choke, and avoid getting overrun while your economy comes online.

Blue Moon: Use rockets, artillery, mechs, forests, and mountains to inflict repeated chip damage without exposing key units unnecessarily.

The mission swings once Green Earth’s medium tanks, anti air units, and Mega Tank are softened enough for your two fronts to advance together.

Route and Priorities

Orange Star should hold the northern choke, build enough tanks to survive the initial pressure, and counterattack once Green Earth commits. Blue Moon should use the mountain screen, move indirects north through protected lanes, capture production and Comm Towers, and create pressure toward the exposed HQ.

Hold the northern choke and protected Blue Moon lanes, then choose targets by current threat, HP, range, and exposure.

Day 1: Orange Star Opening

Build two infantry immediately.

Move the tank downward toward the main approach.

Move the recon into forest cover for safer vision.

Start your infantry toward nearby cities.

Orange Star is fragile early, so do not overextend just to trade damage.

Day 1: Blue Moon Opening

Use rockets and artillery to hit the strongest targets in range.

Prioritize the medium tank and anti air when possible.

Move mechs into mountains or forests for vision without exposing them.

Move APCs up so your indirects can be resupplied later.

Use recon movement carefully to reveal hidden artillery and armor.

Blue Moon’s first job is not breakthrough. It is controlled chip damage.

Early Threat Assessment

Green Earth starts with a very dangerous ground force, including:

multiple tanks
anti air units
artillery
a medium tank
a prototype Mega Tank

Because of fog and terrain, some enemy units are hidden early.

Do not assume the visible unit count is the full army. Scout carefully before committing tanks or indirects forward.

Target Priority

In the early and midgame, attack the unit that poses the greatest current threat to the route. HP, range, exposure, and capture pressure matter more than a fixed unit hierarchy.

The Mega Tank and Medium Tanks are valuable targets when they are actually in position to break the line, but exposed artillery, Anti-Air, Recons, or capture units may be more urgent on a given turn. Blue Moon's indirects should take the best safe high-value shot available.

Orange Star Economy Plan

Open with Colin to maximize early value:

build infantry for captures
add tanks as soon as funds allow
keep production flowing every turn

Once enough tanks are active, switch toward Max for stronger direct combat.

Blue Moon Positioning Rules

Use:

mountains for mech vision
forests for safer scouting
APCs for resupply and occasional blocking
rockets and artillery from protected ranges

Do not reveal mechs too early if doing so lets Green Earth remove them for free.

Choke Point Defense

The northern approach can be held surprisingly well if you block it correctly.

Key ideas:

use tanks to block the main lane
force Green Earth to bunch up behind choke points
keep indirects positioned behind blockers
retreat damaged indirects before enemy armor can reach them

A single tank placed correctly can buy an entire extra turn.

Com Tower Pressure

Com Towers matter more here than on a normal test battle because Javier scales especially well with them.

If you can spare the tempo, start contesting and capturing Towers with Blue Moon mechs once the front stabilizes.

This helps in two ways:

it weakens Javier’s army
it strengthens your own trades

Capture Blue Moon’s nearby Com Towers early when doing so does not expose key units; Javier benefits immediately from the additional Tower bonuses.

HQ Threat and Mech Utility

Blue Moon mechs are not just vision units here.

They can also:

pressure side properties
contest bases
threaten HQ capture routes
act as buffers in front of tanks and indirects

Sensei is especially useful once mech pressure becomes relevant, since even a single surviving mech near HQ can force awkward enemy responses.

Enemy Tag Power Warning

Green Earth can trigger Tag Power here.

When Green Flash is active:

they get consecutive turns
your exposed blockers can collapse quickly
fragile indirects become much easier to pick off

Before enemy meter fills, make sure:

tanks are not overcommitted
rockets are outside breakthrough range
wounded units are not sitting where a second turn kills them easily

Surviving Green Flash is one of the mission’s key turning points.

Midgame Pivot

Once Green Earth starts to thin out:

Orange Star should:

keep producing tanks and infantry
move tanks into punish positions
trade into weakened armor efficiently

Blue Moon should:

continue indirect fire
move artillery and rockets north as the line shifts
capture available Towers and bases
begin converting from chip damage into forward pressure

Mega Tank Handling

The Mega Tank is powerful, but it has one important weakness:
it is slow.

That means you can:

chip it repeatedly with indirects
bait it into bad lanes
surround its advance with cheaper units
finish it only after it has already been worn down

Do not rush direct trades into a healthy Mega Tank unless forced. It is usually better to bleed it first.

Production Shift and Cleanup

As the anti air threat is reduced:

Blue Moon can safely expand production options
battle copters become much more attractive if airport control is available
artillery can anchor the center while tanks move in for finishing blows

Continue building every turn where possible. Even late production keeps pressure on the enemy and protects your Technique score.

Infantry are also useful as buffers so your tanks can get favorable second hits.

Endgame Cleanup

By the late mission:

the Mega Tank should be gone
Green Earth’s anti air should be reduced
Blue Moon should be advancing from the sides
Orange Star should have enough tanks to strike back directly

At that point:

keep artillery covering remaining armor
use tanks to finish exposed units
keep the HQ under capture pressure
do not waste time hunting irrelevant corners if HQ capture is open

The mission often ends more cleanly through HQ capture than total elimination.

Mission End

You are in winning position once:

Green Flash has been survived
the Mega Tank is destroyed
Javier’s Tower advantage is reduced
Blue Moon’s support line is intact
Orange Star has enough tanks to stop merely defending and start trading back

From there, keep pressing toward HQ while removing any unit that can still break the capture.

Mission 15: Snow Hunters

Important Note:
Enemy movement can change with positioning, damage rolls, capture timing, and production. Reassess the board each turn and prioritize the current objective and strongest threats.

Objective:
Destroy all three mini cannons

Video Walkthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpERar-iMWA&list=PLqXaz6SSuLR8dUcCNzA2eXoNMGts9It-e&index=15

Recommended CO Setup:
Grimm / Sensei

Why These COs:
Grimm increases attack power for all units, allowing faster destruction of pipe seams and mini cannons.

Sensei supports map control through infantry and mech flexibility while allowing continued pressure across multiple areas of the map.

Map Notes:

Movement is restricted by a full pipe system across the map
Pipe seams can be destroyed to open new routes
Pipe runners move only along pipes and attack from range
Three mini cannons are located on the west side (objective targets)
A lab city is located on the southeast island
A separate capture objective lies on the southwest side
Enemy forces are split across west, north, northeast, and southeast
Missile silo is available on the bottom-left
A lander is available for transport to the southeast island

General Strategy:
Commit most of the army west toward the three mini cannons while keeping units outside Pipe Runner and mini cannon range. Send the Lander and a Mech toward the southeast lab city at the same time.

Western Push: Move the majority of units west to destroy the three mini cannons as quickly as possible.

Pipe Control: Destroy pipe seams to open routes while avoiding creating unsafe openings.

Range Discipline: Always position units outside mini cannon and pipe runner range before committing attacks.

Southeast Objective: Use the lander to transport a mech to capture the lab city while the main force advances west.

Route and Priorities

Concentrate the main army west, staging outside Pipe Runner and Mini Cannon ranges before each breakthrough. At the same time, send the Lander and a Mech southeast to the Lab city. A separate capture objective lies on the southwest side.

Keep the western breakout moving while the Lander carries a Mech toward the southeast Lab. If Hawk’s units engage in a different order, remove the threats blocking those two objectives rather than chasing a fixed target sequence.

Day 1: Initial Positioning

Use rockets to begin destroying pipe sections.

Move the lander toward the mech positioned near the southeast route.

Load a mech into the lander for transport.

Move medium tanks, artillery, and other ground units west toward the mini cannons.

Move anti-air units southwest to support the western push.

Load infantry into the APC and move it toward the southwest.

Position all units to begin grouping on the western front.

Day 2: Early Engagement

Use the missile to destroy the incoming bomber.

Use anti-air units to eliminate battle copters and nearby infantry.

Continue moving rockets and artillery west while staying behind pipe cover.

Use medium tanks to destroy pipe seams and open forward positioning.

Move indirect units into positions that remain outside enemy attack range.

Continue advancing the lander toward the southeast island.

Day 3: Positioning for Cannon Range

Move all main units to positions just outside mini cannon range.

Keep units approximately five tiles away from the cannons.

Continue moving artillery, rockets, and medium tanks into attack positions.

Use missile strikes to damage multiple high-value units where possible.

Keep defensive spacing so Pipe Runners cannot catch multiple units exposed.

Day 4: Controlled Advancement

Land the mech on the southeast island.

Begin capturing the lab city.

Move infantry toward the tower for capture.

Begin attacking mini cannons using anti-air, artillery, rockets, and medium tanks when safe.

Continue breaking pipe seams where needed to improve positioning.

Prepare for incoming enemy units and indirect pressure.

Day 5: Cannon Destruction Phase

Focus attacks on the mini cannons using medium tanks and indirect units.

Destroy two of the three mini cannons.

Continue capturing the lab city on the southeast island.

Attack nearby enemy units only when the attacking unit can remain outside Pipe Runner and mini cannon range afterward.

Avoid unnecessary exposure to medium tanks and pipe runners.

Day 6: Position Reset and Safety

Pull units back out of pipe runner and medium tank range.

Avoid taking unnecessary damage before final objective completion.

Keep the lab-capture route protected until the capture finishes.

Day 7: Final Execution

Complete capture of the lab city to unlock the research lab mission.

Capture the tower on the southeast island.

Use artillery to destroy the final mini cannon.

Eliminate nearby enemy units where safe before ending the mission.

Mission End

The mission is complete once all three mini cannons are destroyed.

S-Rank is achieved with:

100 Speed
100 Power
100 Technique

Mission 16: Spiral Garden

Important Note:
Enemy movement can change with positioning, damage rolls, capture timing, and production. Reassess the board each turn and prioritize the current objective and strongest threats.

Objective:
Capture 15 properties

Alternate Win Conditions:

Capture the lab
Destroy all enemy units

Video Walkthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8g_3ysTcNf8&list=PLqXaz6SSuLR8dUcCNzA2eXoNMGts9It-e&index=16

Recommended CO Setup:
Sensei / Javier

Why These COs:
Sensei provides stronger infantry and strong battle copters once the airport is captured.

Javier provides defensive support through his powers and helps protect units during the crowded late map push.

Map Notes:

Kindle is the enemy CO
The battle ends when one army captures 15 properties
You begin with 8 units and 6 bases
Kindle begins with 10 units and 3 bases
Kindle starts with two pipe runners
The lab is located far to the northwest
A swirled pipe system blocks direct movement
Pipe seams must be destroyed to open routes
The airport and missile silos are key middle-map objectives
Kindle has many nearby northern properties, so you must expand quickly

Starting Units:

2 tanks
2 artillery
Infantry
Mech
Recon
APC

Enemy Starting Units:

Medium tank
Tank
Artillery
2 pipe runners
2 infantry
Recon
Anti-air
Battle copter

General Strategy:
This mission is a property race. You must break through pipe seams quickly, secure the southwest and central properties, then push north toward the airport and remaining cities before Kindle reaches 15.

Early Pipe Break: Focus on destroying the two leftmost pipe seams immediately to open expansion.

Infantry Scaling: Build infantry every turn to win the property race.

Pipe Runner Management: Avoid their range early and attack them with tanks or mechs when openings appear.

Airport and Missile Control: Secure the airport and missile silos before Kindle can use them effectively.

Continuous Advance: Keep all units moving forward once the first seam is broken.

Route and Priorities

Advance through the leftmost seams to the forward base and southwest city, then secure the missile/airport corridor, central properties, northern seams, and the final northern and top-right properties.

Track the property count throughout the mission. Exact Pipe Runner encounters, missile targets, and turn numbers can vary; destroy the seam or defender that opens the next capture route rather than reproducing every battle in order.

Day 1: Initial Setup

Load the infantry into the APC.

Move the APC seven tiles left and drop the infantry to the west.

Move both tanks west toward the pipe seams.

Move artillery toward the leftmost pipe seam.

Attack the leftmost pipe seam with artillery.

Begin capturing a nearby city with the mech.

Move all remaining units west as far as possible.

Build two infantry.

Day 2: Pipe Pressure

Continue attacking the two leftmost pipe seams.

Move infantry toward nearby cities and future base capture.

Keep recon outside pipe runner and battle copter range.

Move APC slightly east after drop.

Continue advancing tanks and artillery west.

Build anti-air and infantry.

Day 3: First Breakthrough

Destroy the first pipe seam.

Move infantry through the opening to capture the base beyond.

Keep all units outside pipe runner range.

Move anti-air west toward incoming battle copter.

Position artillery behind tanks or recon for protection.

Use APC to resupply mech if needed.

Continue building infantry.

Day 4: Stabilization

Destroy the second pipe seam.

Capture the base beyond the pipe.

Use artillery to attack nearby enemy tank.

Use anti-air to destroy battle copter.

Use anti-air or tank to destroy exposed enemy tank.

Move infantry west toward additional cities.

Continue building infantry.

Day 5: Pipe Runner Engagement

Attack pipe runners directly using tanks or mechs when in range.

Continue destroying additional pipe seams.

Move infantry toward southwest city.

Advance tanks and anti-air up the opened route.

Replace lost artillery positioning if needed.

Continue building infantry and tanks.

Day 6: Expansion Phase

Capture the southwest city.

Move infantry toward missile silo and airport.

Destroy pipe seams blocking southern advance.

Use artillery to attack anti-air and other units.

Place infantry on missile silo to deny enemy use.

Move APC near frontline units for resupply.

Continue building infantry and artillery.

Day 7–9: Mid Map Control

Continue advancing all units north and west.

Capture additional cities to increase property count.

Attack enemy tanks and anti-air with tanks and artillery.

Eliminate remaining pipe runners.

Use missile silo on clustered enemy units (avoid friendly fire).

Secure the airport area.

Build infantry every turn.

Build tanks and artillery as needed.

Day 10–11: Power Spike

Use Tag Power when available.

Gain additional infantry from Sensei’s ability.

Advance all units aggressively.

Capture cities near the center and north.

Begin producing battle copters after securing airport.

Focus attacks on stronger enemy units first.

Day 12–14: Grind Phase

Continue advancing through remaining pipe paths.

Destroy additional pipe seams for movement and points.

Attack rockets and artillery when possible.

Keep units moving toward uncaptured properties, the airport, or remaining enemy production instead of leaving them idle.

Capture remaining nearby cities.

Continue building infantry, artillery, and occasional tanks.

Day 15–17: Final Push

Capture up to 13 properties.

Move infantry toward final northern cities.

Capture the 14th property.

Surround final contested property.

Use artillery to weaken defenders.

Use CO powers (Tower of Power if available) to stabilize frontline.

Continue producing infantry from available bases while properties remain to be captured.

Day 18: Victory

Capture the 15th property to win the mission.

Eliminate nearby enemy units if safe before final capture.

Mission End

The mission is complete once 15 properties are captured.

S-Rank is achieved with:

100 Speed
100 Power
100 Technique

Mission 17: Omens and Signs

Important Note:
Enemy movement can change with positioning, damage rolls, capture timing, and production. Reassess the board each turn and prioritize the current objective and strongest threats.

Objective:
Destroy all mini cannons on the lower screen fortress

Alternate Win Conditions:

Win the secondary front battle
Destroy all enemy units

Video Walkthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqMFMIpapbw&list=PLqXaz6SSuLR8dUcCNzA2eXoNMGts9It-e&index=17

Recommended CO Setup:
Grimm / Max

Why These COs:
Grimm provides strong combat pressure and helps efficiently remove cruisers, carriers, and fortress defenses.

Max dominates the secondary front through overwhelming fighter strength and direct-combat air superiority.

Map Notes:

Koal and Jugger are the enemy COs
The battle is split across two fronts
The upper screen is the secondary front
Winning the secondary front grants Tag Power access
The lower screen contains the main fortress objective
Carriers can launch, repair, and resupply air units
Stealth fighters can hide from most enemy attacks
Hidden stealth fighters consume large amounts of fuel
Cruisers can attack submarines, battle copters, and stealth fighters
Pipe seams block several carriers early
Mini cannons must be destroyed to win
Destroying pipe seams grants additional score points

Starting Units:

Upper Screen:

4 fighters

Lower Screen:

3 carriers
Battleship
Cruiser
Sub
Bomber
2 battle copters
Rocket
Artillery
2 APCs
Infantry
Mech
Additional naval support units

Enemy Starting Units:

Upper Screen:

4 fighters
2 bombers
Fortress defenses

Lower Screen:

Multiple cruisers
Battleships
Battle copters
Fighter
Rocket
Artillery
Anti-air
Missiles
Black boats
Fortress mini cannons

General Strategy:
Win the upper screen efficiently, but choose fighter assignments from the current air battle rather than forcing a fixed split. On the lower screen, remove the naval or air unit blocking the next lane, break pipe seams to release additional Stealths, and rotate Stealths through Carriers before fuel becomes critical.

Secondary Front Air Superiority: Use Max’s fighters to overwhelm the upper screen quickly.

Cruiser Elimination: Remove enemy cruisers early to protect battle copters and stealth fighters.

Pipe Seam Destruction: Break seams to release additional stealth fighters.

Stealth Fighter Fuel Management: Hidden stealth fighters lose fuel rapidly and must rotate through carriers.

Fortress Collapse: Focus attacks on mini cannons once the surrounding defenses weaken.

Route and Priorities

The progression chain is:
win the upper-screen air battle -> gain the

secondary-front victory and Tag Power -> break the lower carrier seams -> release and rotate Stealth Fighters -> remove the naval/air constraints -> converge on the lower fortress Mini Cannons.

Choose aircraft targets from the units still alive: remove the air or naval threat blocking the next lane, then keep pressure on the fortress route.

Day 1: Opening Deployment

Begin capturing nearby cities and tower on the upper-left island.

Move rocket south toward enemy naval approach.

Move battleship southeast while avoiding rocket range.

Send fighters and bomber toward upper screen support.

Move submarine southeast.

Position cruiser near battle copters for protection.

Build infantry from available base.

End turn with carriers still blocked by pipe seams.

Day 2: Early Naval Positioning

Use fighters on upper screen to attack mini cannons.

Continue capturing upper-left properties.

Use rocket to damage pipe seams.

Move artillery toward southern approach.

Load battle copters into cruiser for safety.

Dive submarine before advancing further.

Use APCs to move infantry southward.

Day 3: First Engagements

Begin damaging enemy cruisers with rockets and artillery.

Use battleship to destroy exposed rocket.

Use cruiser to eliminate nearby fighter.

Launch first stealth fighter.

Continue moving infantry toward southwest properties.

Continue upper screen air assault.

Build infantry again.

Day 4–5: Secondary Front Victory

Use Max’s fighters to finish upper screen defenses.

Hide stealth fighter after deployment.

Use submarine to destroy battleship and black boats.

Continue weakening cruisers with indirect units.

Advance carriers downward toward pipe seams.

Capture additional towers and cities.

Win the secondary front battle.

Unlock Tag Power access.

Day 6: Tag Power Push

Activate Tag Power once available.

Resupply submarine and stealth fighters.

Use stealth fighters against mini cannons and pipe seams.

Drop battle copters near northeast artillery position.

Continue damaging remaining cruisers.

Build additional battleship.

Begin preparing final fortress assault.

Day 7: Fortress Breach

Break additional pipe seams to release more stealth fighters.

Rotate low-fuel stealth fighters back to carriers.

Continue eliminating black boats and weakened naval units.

Advance battleships carefully while checking enemy ranges.

Move battle copters closer once cruiser threat weakens.

Position units for multi-angle mini cannon attacks.

Day 8: Endgame Setup

Destroy remaining pipe seams.

Launch all remaining stealth fighters.

Eliminate final cruisers and anti-air threats.

Advance battle copters toward fortress.

Use battleships and stealth fighters against mini cannons.

Keep units outside remaining artillery and battleship range.

Day 9: Final Assault

Destroy additional mini cannons with battleships and stealth fighters.

Use battle copters to finish weakened defenses.

Continue building infantry for technique points.

Remove remaining transport copters and support units.

Position remaining forces around final defenses.

Day 10: Victory

Destroy the final mini cannon.

Finish off additional units if safe before final attack.

Complete the mission with a 370-point S-Rank.

Mission End

The mission is complete once all lower-screen mini cannons are destroyed.

S-Rank is achieved with:

100 Speed
100 Power
100 Technique
40 Mini Cannon Points
34 Pipe Seam Points

Mission 18: Into the Woods

Important Note:
Enemy movement may vary depending on fog scouting, unit positioning, Tag Power timing, and how aggressively each army advances toward the rivers.

Use the first three days to establish vision, protect indirect units, and form safe lines. After the first Oozium engagement, follow the same priorities rather than trying to reproduce every later movement exactly.

Objective:
Capture the enemy HQ or destroy all enemy units

Video Walkthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVEiSo91q6k&list=PLqXaz6SSuLR8dUcCNzA2eXoNMGts9It-e&index=18

Recommended CO Setup:
Orange Star: Max / Rachel
Blue Moon: Grimm / Jess

Why These COs:
Max gives Orange Star strong direct-combat damage against tanks, medium tanks, and Oozium on the southern route.

Rachel provides flexible support and useful missile pressure.

Grimm strengthens Blue Moon's attacks against hidden armor on the northern front.

Jess improves the mobility and performance of Blue Moon's land units during the slower forest advance.

Map Notes:

Kindle and Lash are the enemy COs
The entire mission takes place in fog of war
Dense forests sharply restrict vision
Orange Star and Blue Moon advance along separate routes
Rivers create narrow mid-map approaches
Two Oozium 238 units appear during the mission
Oozium instantly destroy adjacent units
Oozium are unaffected by CO Powers
Rockets and artillery are essential support units
Recons, infantry, mechs, and APCs provide important vision
APCs can also shield units and restore fuel and ammunition
A hidden recon or other mobile unit may remain after the main battle
HQ capture is available if searching for the final unit becomes inefficient

Starting Units:

Orange Star:

Mega Tank
Neotank
2 medium tanks
2 anti-air units
Artillery
2 tanks
APC
Infantry
Mech

Blue Moon:

2 rockets
2 artillery units
Recon
2 APCs
3 mechs
Anti-air
Tank

Enemy Starting Forces:

Tanks
Medium tanks
Artillery
Rockets
Battle copters
Recons
Hidden fog-of-war units
2 Oozium 238 units

Route and Priorities

Advance both fog-of-war groups generally east, using the river lines as checkpoints. Scout forests before committing expensive units, destroy or safely bypass each Oozium/defensive line, then continue farther east.

Hidden-unit positions and exact attacks can change. Preserve the two parallel advances, vision discipline, and river-crossing conditions rather than a fixed enemy sequence.

Mission Mechanics

Fog of war makes vision control as important as combat strength.

Forests conceal units and limit normal vision. Reveal suspicious terrain with recons, infantry, mechs, or APCs before moving expensive armor or indirect units forward.

Oozium move slowly but instantly destroy adjacent units. They are unaffected by CO Powers, so they must be defeated through coordinated normal attacks.

Do not begin an Oozium attack unless enough units are available to destroy it before the enemy turn.

General Strategy

Advance both armies in compact formations.

Orange Star:

lead with tanks and other direct-combat units
keep the Mega Tank, Neotank, and artillery protected
provide most of the damage against the southern Oozium
use anti-air to control battle copters

Blue Moon:

scout with the recon, mechs, and APCs
protect the rockets and artillery
use indirect fire against revealed armor
advance only when the next forest line has been checked

Across both fronts:

scout before committing valuable units
keep indirect units behind a frontline
keep enough spacing to avoid ending adjacent to an Oozium
use forests defensively only after revealing them
prepare for Kindle and Lash's Tag Power
keep the HQ capture available as an alternative to extended cleanup

Day 1: Opening Deployment

Orange Star:

Load the infantry into the APC.

Move tanks, anti-air units, and other frontline units east.

Keep the Mega Tank and Neotank slightly behind the initial screen.

Advance the artillery cautiously behind the armor.

Avoid sending one expensive unit deep into unrevealed terrain.

Blue Moon:

Move the recon and mechs east to establish vision.

Advance the tank and anti-air behind the scouts.

Keep both rockets and artillery units safely in the rear.

Move the APCs with the formation for vision, shielding, and resupply.

The goal is to establish two compact formations rather than gain maximum distance immediately.

Day 2: First Fog Engagements

Continue moving both armies toward the eastern forests.

Use scouts to reveal each destination before moving tanks, rockets, or artillery.

Orange Star should keep its heavier units close enough to support the frontline without exposing them to hidden attacks.

Blue Moon should place its indirect units where they can cover the revealed approach while remaining screened by mechs, the recon, APCs, and the tank.

Before ending the day:

check forests beside the formations
protect units from battle copter routes
keep support units behind the frontline
avoid ending valuable units beside unrevealed spaces
leave room to retreat if an Oozium appears

Day 3: First Oozium Engagement

Reveal the first Oozium and the nearby Black Hole support units before committing to the attack.

Prioritize enemy artillery, rockets, or battle copters that could interfere with the surround.

Attack the Oozium only if it can be destroyed during the same day.

A useful sequence is:

Open with artillery or another strong attack.

Add medium tanks, mechs, or other direct units.

Finish the Oozium without leaving a valuable unit adjacent.

Keep missiles, rockets, and artillery protected from the remaining enemy force.

If the available damage is insufficient, retreat and keep a safe distance instead of forcing the engagement.

Fog of War Movement

Use a layered formation:

Recon, infantry, mechs, or APCs reveal terrain.

Tanks and anti-air form the frontline.

Heavy armor remains close enough to counterattack.

Rockets and artillery stay behind the direct units.

Lack of visible enemies does not make an area safe.

Do not move an indirect unit into a forest merely because its destination is empty. Reveal the surrounding terrain first.

APCs are particularly valuable because they can:

reveal terrain
carry infantry or mechs
shield indirect units
block movement lanes
restore fuel and ammunition

Protecting Indirect Units

Blue Moon's rockets and artillery are essential for defeating hidden armor.

Orange Star's artillery provides safe damage behind the southern frontline.

Protect them from:

hidden tanks
battle copters
enemy artillery
recons entering through forests
units gaining extra movement during Tag Power

If the frontline moves beyond their support range, pause and bring the indirect units forward before continuing.

River Advance

The rivers create narrow approaches through the middle of the map.

Stabilize both fronts before crossing.

Orange Star should use its heavy armor to secure the southern approach.

Blue Moon should cross behind recon and mech vision while keeping its indirect units within supporting distance.

Forests near the rivers provide useful defensive terrain, but reveal them before occupying them.

Do not push the frontline so far east that rockets, artillery, or APCs become isolated behind it.

Enemy Tag Power

Kindle and Lash may activate a Dual Strike during the central advance.

Before their meter fills:

retreat badly damaged units
keep indirect units screened
protect anti-air from hidden direct attacks
avoid clustering valuable units on properties
finish exposed enemy armor
keep both formations within your vision coverage

Kindle is especially dangerous around properties, while Lash benefits from strong terrain.

After the Dual Strike, eliminate units that have overextended and resume the advance. Do not spend several turns rebuilding a perfect formation.

Second Oozium Engagement

The second Oozium appears farther east.

Use the same rule as before:

Do not commit unless enough damage is available to destroy it before the enemy turn.

Orange Star's Neotank and medium tanks can provide the main damage, with artillery or Blue Moon support where available.

Clear nearby defenders before beginning the surround.

Once the second Oozium is destroyed, shift both armies toward the enemy HQ and the remaining hidden units.

Allied Tag Powers

Save Tag Power for a meaningful late-game breakthrough.

A strong activation should accomplish several of the following:

destroy a major armored unit
remove multiple revealed defenders
advance both formations
improve vision around the HQ
protect or begin an HQ capture
reduce the number of units capable of hiding in the remaining forests

Use Max when direct-combat damage is the main need.

Use Rachel for utility and missile pressure.

Use Grimm for stronger attacks and Jess for land-unit mobility and positioning.

Do not use a Tag Power merely for routine movement or one minor cleanup attack.

Final Search

After the main force is defeated, a recon or other mobile unit may remain hidden.

Sweep methodically with:

recons
infantry
mechs
APCs

Check:

forests near the enemy HQ
river approaches
map edges
areas bypassed during the main advance

Keep rockets, artillery, tanks, and anti-air close enough to attack anything revealed by the scouts.

Do not scatter expensive units across the map solely for vision.

If the final unit cannot be found efficiently, begin capturing the enemy HQ while continuing the search.

Mission End

Capture the enemy HQ or destroy the final Black Hole unit to complete the mission.

A high-scoring result can include:

100 Speed
100 Power
80 Technique
80 Oozium bonus points
360 total points
S-Rank

Mission 19: Muck Amok

Important Note:
Enemy movement may vary depending on unit spacing, Oozium positioning, Comm Tower captures, and HQ pressure.

Use the first three days to establish safe spacing, begin isolating Oozium, and protect the indirect units. After that, follow the same positioning principles rather than trying to reproduce every later move exactly.

Objective:
Capture the enemy HQ

Alternate Win Condition:
Destroy all enemy units

Video Walkthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E--2J4aytk&list=PLqXaz6SSuLR8dUcCNzA2eXoNMGts9It-e&index=19

Recommended CO Setup:
Grimm / Javier

Why These COs:
Grimm provides the attack power needed to destroy Oozium efficiently.

Javier gains additional attack and defense from the map's Com Towers, improving damage thresholds and helping units survive crowded engagements.

Map Notes:

Koal is the enemy CO
Hawke and Lash temporarily assist with a separate allied force
Oozium instantly destroy adjacent units
Oozium move only one space per turn
Desert sandstorms reduce indirect-unit maximum range by one
Com Towers are located in the southeast and northwest
The northeastern HQ route is protected by a missile and pipe seams
A mini cannon covers part of the Tower and HQ approaches
Pipe seams award additional points when destroyed
Capturing the HQ disables the Oozium energy source
Keeping units alive is important for the Technique score

Starting Units:

Orange Star:

Rocket
Neotank
Medium tank
2 mechs
Recon
APC
Artillery
Battle copter
Transport copter
Stealth fighter

Hawke and Lash Allied Force:

Rocket
APC

Enemy Starting Forces:

Large Oozium swarm
Missile
Mini cannon
Pipe seams
HQ defenders

Route and Priorities

Advance the main army generally northeast while maintaining safe Oozium spacing. Peel a Mech southeast for the two Comm Towers, then use that side of the map to open the HQ route after the swarm spreads.

Keep spacing against the Oozium, capture the tower, pivot east and northeast, remove the missile covering the HQ route, and protect the capture unit through the final approach.

Mission Mechanics

Oozium 238 instantly destroys any adjacent unit it attacks.

Because each Oozium moves only one space, careful spacing can prevent these instant eliminations.

Never end a turn adjacent to an Oozium unless victory is already guaranteed.

Desert sandstorms reduce the maximum range of rockets and artillery by one. Recheck indirect range before relying on a firing position.

General Strategy

Muck Amok is a positioning and survival mission rather than a normal frontline battle.

Use five priorities:

Keep a safe distance from every Oozium.

Isolate targets before attacking.

Keep rockets, artillery, aircraft, and capture units alive.

Capture the southeastern Com Towers.

Shift toward the northeastern HQ once the Oozium swarm spreads apart.

Do not attempt to destroy every Oozium before advancing. The HQ is the primary objective.

Day 1: Initial Positioning

Use the rocket to damage the northern Oozium.

Move the Orange Star army generally northeast.

Keep the Neotank and medium tank available for later coordinated attacks.

Position the artillery where it can support the next advance.

Keep the APC near the indirect units and stealth fighter for resupply.

Move the Hawke and Lash rocket and APC toward safer western positions.

End the day with no allied unit adjacent to an Oozium.

Do not crowd the entire army into one narrow area. Leave open spaces for retreats and future surrounds.

Day 2: First Eliminations

Identify an isolated Oozium that can be destroyed during the same day.

Use mechs, the stealth fighter, or another mobile attacker to finish it.

Continue moving the main force northeast without entering adjacency.

Keep the battle copter and heavier vehicles flexible rather than committing them too far forward.

Move the APC and transport copter into useful support positions.

Use Hawke and Lash's rocket only when it can attack without becoming trapped.

A successful early elimination should reduce pressure without breaking the formation.

Day 3: Controlled Pressure

Retreat any artillery or rocket threatened by converging Oozium.

Reveal and isolate another target before beginning the attack.

Combine the Neotank, battle copter, stealth fighter, mechs, or indirect fire as needed.

Check the mini cannon's range near the northwestern and southeastern routes.

Keep vulnerable support units away from clustered Oozium.

Begin positioning a mech toward the southeastern Com Towers.

Do not force an attack merely because an Oozium is damaged. If it cannot be finished, withdraw and restore safe spacing.

Eliminating Oozium

Use concentrated attacks against one Oozium at a time.

Useful attackers include:

rockets
artillery
mechs
Neotank
medium tank
recon
battle copter
stealth fighter

Open with indirect fire or a strong direct attack, then use lighter units to finish the target.

Before committing, confirm that every participating unit can end outside Oozium adjacency.

Avoid spreading damage across several targets. A damaged Oozium remains fully capable of destroying an adjacent unit.

Aircraft and Supply

The stealth fighter and battle copter provide flexible damage against Oozium that cannot be reached safely by ground units.

Keep the APC available to restore:

stealth fighter fuel
rocket ammunition
artillery ammunition
vehicle fuel when the formation becomes spread out

The transport copter can reposition mechs or serve as a temporary blocker, but do not leave it adjacent to an Oozium.

Preserving the aircraft gives the army more ways to complete surrounds later.

Com Tower Expansion

Once the immediate Oozium pressure is controlled, send a mech toward the southeastern Com Towers.

Capture both Towers when the route remains safe.

Under Javier, the Tower bonuses improve:

attack power
defense
Oozium damage thresholds
survival during crowded engagements

Watch the mini cannon's range while approaching.

Do not delay the entire army solely to secure every Tower. The HQ route remains the primary objective.

Midgame Stabilization

Continue removing isolated Oozium while gradually spreading the allied force across the map.

Use mobile units to influence Oozium movement without offering adjacent targets.

As the swarm moves west or south, begin shifting eastern units toward the northeastern HQ route.

Do not pursue Oozium moving away from the objective unless they threaten a capture unit, indirect unit, or retreat path.

Preserving every allied unit supports Technique score and provides more options for the final breakthrough.

Opening the HQ Route

The northeastern approach is protected by a missile and pipe seams.

Once the nearby Oozium have moved away:

Destroy the missile guarding the route.

Move a mech toward the enemy HQ.

Keep stronger units between the mech and any nearby Oozium.

Destroy pipe seams when doing so opens the path or provides safe bonus points.

Prepare Tag Power for the final push.

Avoid entering the mini cannon's range unnecessarily.

Tag Power Offensive

Activate Tag Power when both turns can advance the objective.

Use the Dual Strike to accomplish several tasks:

destroy additional Oozium
clear the path to the HQ
break pipe seams
move the mech into capture position
begin the HQ capture
protect the capturing mech from retaliation

Use Grimm's attack strength for the main eliminations.

Use Javier's Tower bonuses for improved damage and survivability.

Do not spend Tag Power on one distant target that does not affect the HQ route.

Final HQ Capture

Begin capturing the HQ once the mech can remain protected.

Use the remaining army to block, divert, or destroy any Oozium capable of interrupting the capture.

Attack additional Oozium or pipe seams for bonus points only when the capture remains secure.

Once the HQ capture is guaranteed, further cleanup is unnecessary.

Mission End

Complete the HQ capture to win the mission.

A perfect result can include:

100 Speed
100 Power
100 Technique
10 Pipe Seam Points
480 Oozium Points
790 total points
no allied units lost
S-Rank

Mission 20: Healing Touch

Important Note:
Enemy movement may vary depending on which weakened units survive, missile targeting, aircraft positioning, and Tag Power timing.

Use the first three days to exploit Black Hole's low starting HP and establish both crystal routes. Afterward, finish vulnerable threats, protect Blue Moon's air force, and advance directly toward the remaining crystals rather than matching every later action.

Objective:
Destroy all six Black Crystals

Video Playthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHfSH0dBPuA&list=PLqXaz6SSuLR8dUcCNzA2eXoNMGts9It-e&index=20

Recommended CO Setup:
Orange Star: Jess / Rachel
Blue Moon: Sensei / Hawke

Why These COs:
Jess strengthens Orange Star's vehicle-heavy army, including its Mega Tank, Neotank, medium tank, tank, artillery, and rocket.

Rachel provides flexible support and missile pressure against clustered expensive units.

Sensei strengthens Blue Moon's mechs and battle copter while providing useful foot-soldier support.

Hawke improves every unit and can restore HP after Blue Moon takes damage.

Map Notes:

Kindle and Jugger command Black Hole
Orange Star begins on the western front
Blue Moon begins on the eastern front
Six Black Crystals are spread across the battlefield
Most Black Hole units begin at 1 HP
Surviving damaged enemies recover 2 HP after each Black Hole turn
The Black Crystals are the only required targets
Pipe runners cover important central lanes
Six Com Towers are available
Missile silos can weaken expensive enemy clusters
Orange Star has only an HQ and 2 cities for repairs
Blue Moon also has an HQ and 2 cities
Blue Moon's aircraft must avoid anti-air, fighters, missiles, and pipe runners
Destroying all enemy units is unnecessary

Starting Units:

Orange Star:

Medium tank
Mega Tank
Tank
Anti-air
Infantry
Mech
Recon
Neotank
Artillery
Rocket
APC

Blue Moon:

Rocket
Stealth fighter
Bomber
Fighter
Battle copter
2 mechs
Missiles
Anti-air
Transport copter
APC

Major Enemy Forces:

3 infantry
2 mechs
5 recons
3 APCs
2 artillery units
2 transport copters
3 tanks
6 anti-air units
4 battle copters
2 missiles units
2 rockets
2 medium tanks
2 Neotanks
2 fighters
2 bombers
Pipe runners
6 Black Crystals

Route and Priorities

Orange Star pushes from the west with heavy armor while Blue Moon advances from the east with aircraft. Both fronts should keep moving toward the six crystals, using the southern missile areas only when the shots support that route.

Regeneration and Tag Power damage change exact targets quickly. Finish low-HP enemies before they recover, remove the unit blocking the next crystal, and keep advancing instead of clearing the map.

Mission Mechanics and General Strategy

Most Black Hole units begin at 1 HP, but every surviving damaged enemy recovers 2 HP after each Black Hole turn while the crystals remain active.

Finish weakened enemies whenever possible. Spreading damage across several targets allows all of them to recover.

Orange Star should use its heavy vehicles to break through the western route while protecting its artillery and rocket.

Blue Moon should remove nearby anti-air and aircraft threats before sending its air force deeper into the eastern route.

Across both fronts:

finish enemies that can be destroyed immediately
remove threats blocking a crystal route
use missile silos against expensive clusters
capture Com Towers only when they fit naturally along the advance
check pipe runner range before moving aircraft or indirect units
ignore distant survivors once the final crystals are accessible

Day 1: Orange Star Offensive

Use the rocket to destroy the nearby recon.

Move the Neotank forward and destroy the infantry.

Use the Mega Tank to destroy the northern Black Crystal.

Use the anti-air to destroy the fighter.

Use the medium tank to destroy the rocket.

Move the infantry toward the nearby Com Tower.

Use the tank to destroy the artillery.

Load the mech into the APC and move it toward the southern missile silo.

Position the artillery to support the next engagement.

Remove as many 1 HP targets as possible before Black Hole's first healing phase.

Day 1: Blue Moon Offensive

Use the stealth fighter against the nearby APC.

Use the bomber against the nearest Black Crystal.

Move a mech toward the nearby Com Tower.

Use the anti-air against the enemy anti-air.

Use the rocket to finish the damaged crystal.

Use the battle copter against the enemy battle copter.

Destroy the exposed transport copter.

Use the remaining aircraft against another immediate threat.

Advance the APC, missiles, transport copter, and remaining units without entering pipe runner range.

Clear nearby anti-air and aircraft threats before committing deeper into the eastern front.

Day 2: Keep Up the Tempo

Orange Star:

Continue the Com Tower capture.

Use the mech against the tank near the southern route.

Move the APC toward the missile silo.

Finish any rocket, mech, or other vulnerable unit.

Continue attacking the next western crystal.

Bring the artillery and rocket forward behind the heavy vehicles.

Blue Moon:

Use the rocket against an exposed recon.

Use the missiles unit against a fighter.

Use anti-air against an enemy missile or aircraft threat.

Move the second mech toward the southern missile area.

Use aircraft against exposed artillery, anti-air, recons, or crystals.

Keep the aircraft outside pipe runner range whenever possible.

Do not divide attacks among several enemies when one can be removed completely.

Day 3: Missiles and Central Pressure

Orange Star:

Fire a missile at the strongest available cluster.

Prioritize groups containing a Neotank, medium tank, battle copter, APC, or transport copter.

Use the medium tank to finish the damaged Neotank.

Remove another anti-air or aircraft threat.

Continue attacking the next crystal with the Neotank or Mega Tank.

Advance the indirect units and remaining support units toward the center.

Blue Moon:

Fire a missile at an expensive cluster, including a pipe runner when useful.

Use the bomber against a tank.

Use the fighter against a battle copter.

Use the battle copter against a missiles unit or exposed support unit.

Use the stealth fighter to destroy another crystal.

Move the APC forward to support the aircraft and indirect units.

By the end of Day 3, several crystals and much of Black Hole's weakened starting army should be destroyed.

Finish Targets Before They Recover

After the opening, prioritize:

Enemies that can be destroyed immediately
Anti-air threatening Blue Moon's aircraft
Fighters and missiles threatening the air force
Rockets and artillery blocking crystal routes
Heavy vehicles near missile targets
Pipe runners controlling required lanes
Units directly protecting a crystal

Use missile silos against clusters containing several expensive units, but only when nearby allies can finish the damaged targets before they recover.

Com Towers improve damage thresholds and help both armies secure one-turn kills. Capture Towers that lie along the objective routes, but do not delay an accessible crystal merely to claim every bonus.

Check pipe runner range before advancing aircraft, artillery, rockets, or damaged support units. Destroy a pipe runner only when it blocks the safest route to a crystal.

Western and Eastern Breakthroughs

Orange Star should lead with the Mega Tank, Neotank, and medium tank.

Use the heavy vehicles to destroy units blocking the western crystals, absorb attacks that would threaten infantry or indirect units, and remove a pipe runner when necessary.

Keep the artillery and rocket behind the armored line. Use the infantry and mech for Com Towers, missile silos, finishing attacks, and the southern route.

Blue Moon should become more aggressive once the nearby anti-air, fighters, and missiles are controlled.

Use:

the bomber against tanks and crystals
the fighter against battle copters and bombers
the stealth fighter against exposed units or crystals
the battle copter against tanks, artillery, and transports
the mechs for captures and crystal attacks

Keep the APC close enough to resupply the air force and indirect units.

Do not sacrifice valuable aircraft to eliminate enemies that do not block an objective route.

Dual Strike and Final Crystal Push

Before Kindle and Jugger activate their Dual Strike:

retreat damaged units
move aircraft outside anti-air and pipe runner range
protect rockets and artillery
finish exposed high-damage enemies
avoid clustering valuable units on properties
keep routes toward the remaining crystals open

Jugger's variable damage makes exact survival difficult to predict.

After the Dual Strike, destroy enemies that advanced too far and resume the objective push. Do not stop to rebuild a perfect formation or clear the entire map.

Once only two crystals remain, send the closest suitable units directly toward them.

Orange Star should use its surviving heavy vehicles or another strong attacker on the western and central routes.

Blue Moon should use its aircraft, mechs, and remaining direct units to clear the eastern route.

Use an Allied Tag Power when the extra turns can remove several defenders, reach or attack another crystal, or recover enough HP to complete the push.

Destroy the sixth crystal as soon as a safe attack becomes available.

Mission End

Destroy all six Black Crystals to complete the mission.

Mission 21: Crystal Calamity

Important Note:
Enemy movement may vary depending on infantry routing, APC and black boat transport, missile timing, Black Cannon pressure, Oozium movement, and Tag Power activation.

Use the first three days to establish routes toward all nine missile silos and stabilize the three allied fronts. Afterward, prioritize the timer, unused silos, and units threatening the capture routes rather than reproducing every later movement exactly.

Objective:
Destroy the Black Obelisk

Video Playthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6K8WVt5zaxA&list=PLqXaz6SSuLR8dUcCNzA2eXoNMGts9It-e&index=21

Initial Objective:
Fire all nine anti-satellite missiles before the 50-minute real-time limit expires

Recommended CO Setup:
Orange Star: Colin / Sensei
Blue Moon: Rachel / Javier
Green Earth: Jess / Max

Why These COs:
Colin gives Orange Star inexpensive infantry, artillery, transport copters, and battle copters during the opening.

Sensei strengthens the foot soldiers and copters needed to hold the western front and fight Oozium later.

Rachel provides flexible support during Blue Moon's expansion.

Javier becomes stronger after Blue Moon captures the southwestern Com Towers.

Jess supports Green Earth's artillery and vehicles while approaching the Black Cannon.

Max becomes more useful when Green Earth shifts into direct combat on the southeastern front.

Map Notes:

Kindle and Koal command Black Hole
Orange Star begins in the southwest
Blue Moon begins in the northwest
Green Earth begins in the northeast
Black Onyx protects the central Black Obelisk
The initial real-time limit is 50 minutes
Nine missile silos are divided among the three fronts
All nine missiles must strike Black Onyx
A missile interrupts Black Onyx while it charges its laser
Enemy capture and transport units can threaten unused silos
A Black Cannon covers part of the northern approach
Oozium 238 units defend later routes
Oozium instantly destroy adjacent units
The Black Obelisk repairs and resupplies nearby enemies
Forward bases, airports, and Com Towers support the final assault
Destroying Black Onyx does not complete the mission

Starting Units:

Orange Star:

Medium tank
Tank
Artillery

Orange Star Properties:

HQ
2 cities
2 bases
Airport

Blue Moon:

2 infantry
Tank
Artillery
APC

Blue Moon Properties:

HQ
3 cities
Base
Port

Green Earth:

Anti-air
Missiles

Green Earth Properties:

HQ
3 cities
Base
2 airports

Major Enemy Forces:

Black boats
Oozium 238 units
Mega Tank
Neotank
Medium tanks
Tanks
Recons
Artillery
APC
Anti-air units
Battle copters
Transport units
Black Cannon
Central fortress defenders

Route and Priorities

Crystal Calamity has two route states. First, Orange Star, Blue Moon, and Green Earth run separate paths to all nine missile silos under the real-time clock. The ninth launch destroys Black Onyx. Second, those three outer routes turn inward through forward production, the Black Cannon/Oozium defenses, and the central approaches to the Black Obelisk.

The opening days below show one execution. Protect the capture routes and timer logic even when individual defenders move differently.

Mission Mechanics and General Strategy

Crystal Calamity has two stages.

First, route the three allied armies to all nine missile silos and strike Black Onyx before the 50-minute real-time limit expires. Fire another missile whenever Black Onyx begins charging its laser.

After the ninth strike destroys Black Onyx, convert those outer routes inward: capture forward production, clear the approach defenses, and converge on the Black Obelisk.

The timer continues while examining the map and moving units, so prioritize missile routes over optional combat.

Orange Star should secure the western and southern silos while containing the Mega Tank.

Blue Moon should transport infantry toward the island and southwestern silos, then capture the forward base and Com Towers.

Green Earth should protect the eastern routes, remove enemy aircraft, and destroy the Black Cannon with artillery.

Enemy infantry, mechs, APCs, and black boats threatening unused silos are often more urgent than heavy armor.

Day 1: Orange Star Opening

Build a transport copter.

Build two infantry.

Move the medium tank, tank, and artillery north.

Remain outside the western Mega Tank's immediate range.

The transport copter will carry one infantry over the mountains toward the westernmost silo.

Day 1: Blue Moon Opening

Begin capturing the nearby property with one infantry.

Load the second infantry into the APC.

Move the tank and artillery southwest.

Build another infantry.

Move the APC south and deploy its passenger farther along the route.

Begin forming a continuous capture route toward the southwestern silos.

Day 1: Green Earth Opening

Move the anti-air and missiles unit south.

Build an infantry.

Send the infantry toward the nearby neutral base.

Keep the missiles and anti-air close enough to stop the battle copters approaching from the southeast.

Day 2: Orange Star Silo Routes

Load an infantry into the transport copter.

Carry it toward the western missile silo.

Send the remaining infantry toward separate southern silos.

Build an artillery and another infantry.

Keep the tanks and artillery outside Mega Tank range.

Use terrain, infantry, and transports to form a temporary defensive line.

Day 2: Blue Moon Expansion

Continue the nearby captures.

Move the infantry and APC farther south.

Deploy another infantry along the route.

Keep the tank and artillery behind an infantry screen.

Build another infantry.

Prepare for the approaching medium tank without exposing the artillery.

Day 2: Green Earth Defense

Complete the nearby base capture.

Use the missiles unit against the first battle copter.

Keep the anti-air ready to finish or deter damaged aircraft.

Remain outside Black Cannon range.

Build a second anti-air.

Continue moving infantry toward the airport and southern routes.

Day 3: Orange Star Missile Positioning

Carry the transported infantry onto the western missile silo.

Move the other infantry toward separate southern silos.

Keep the tank and medium tank outside Mega Tank range.

Move the artillery into a protected firing position.

Build two more infantry.

Switch toward Sensei once stronger foot soldiers and copters become more useful than Colin's discounted production.

Establish several silo routes at the same time.

Day 3: Blue Moon Island Route

Continue moving infantry south.

Use the black boat to transport one infantry toward the island silo.

Continue capturing cities along the route.

Pull the tank back from the approaching medium tank.

Position the artillery to attack when it advances.

Build an anti-air unit.

Keep the Black Boat alive until it delivers the island infantry.

Day 3: Green Earth Air Defense

Use the missiles unit to destroy the damaged battle copter.

Continue the nearby base capture.

Move the anti-air south while remaining outside Black Cannon range.

Attack the approaching recon from a safe position.

Build a transport copter.

Build another infantry.

Begin routing infantry toward the two southern silos.

Missile Routes and Timer Management

The missiles may be fired in any order.

Fire immediately when:

Black Onyx begins charging
the infantry on a silo is threatened
an enemy transport is approaching
waiting provides no useful advantage

Before ending each allied turn, check whether an enemy infantry or mech can reach an unused silo through an APC, black boat, or Tag Power.

Kindle's Urban Blight may damage infantry standing on properties. Keep replacement capture units moving and avoid relying on one weakened infantry to reach a critical silo.

Continue advancing on several routes at once. Do not pause the timer to fight enemies that do not threaten a silo, production area, or capture unit.

Three-Front Defense

Orange Star should contain the western Mega Tank rather than fighting it head-on during the opening.

Use artillery chip damage, infantry screens, terrain, transport copter blockers, and later battle copter support. Retreat valuable direct units rather than allowing the Mega Tank to strike first.

Blue Moon should weaken the approaching medium tank with artillery and finish it with the tank. Continue using the APC and black boat to deliver infantry toward the island silo, remaining southwestern silos, forward base, and Com Towers.

Green Earth should build at least two artillery units and advance them toward the Black Cannon behind anti-air and infantry screens. Check the Cannon's range before moving artillery, infantry, APCs, or aircraft.

Destroying the Black Cannon makes the later Blue Moon and Green Earth advances much safer.

Completing the Missile Phase

Continue firing missiles from all three fronts until only one silo remains.

Protect the final capture unit and launch the ninth missile as soon as it reaches the silo.

The ninth strike destroys Black Onyx and ends the real-time portion of the mission.

Do not stop to eliminate every outer defender first. Once the missile routes are secure, complete the initial objective and shift attention to the Black Obelisk.

Transition to the Black Obelisk

After Black Onyx falls:

capture forward bases, airports, and Com Towers
destroy the Black Cannon if it remains active
stabilize the three fronts
remove mobile defenders blocking the central routes
move artillery, rockets, tanks, and aircraft toward the fortress
capture or block enemy production where practical

Do not rush every army into the center immediately. Secure each approach and move indirect units forward behind protected screens.

Before Kindle and Koal activate a Dual Strike, retreat damaged units, protect artillery and rockets, move aircraft away from anti-air, and keep retreat routes open.

After the power, rebuild only enough of the formation to resume the objective advance.

Combined Fortress Advance

Orange Star should control the western route with infantry, artillery, tanks, and copters. Sensei's power is useful when additional mechs can screen indirects, block production, or help destroy an Oozium.

Blue Moon should capture the southwestern base and Com Towers, then switch toward Javier. Advance tanks and indirect units through the northern corridor behind infantry screens.

Green Earth should capture the southeastern airport and pressure the nearby bases. Switch toward Max when the army is ready for direct combat. A bomber from the captured airport is useful against central heavy armor.

Oozium instantly destroy adjacent units. Stay at least two spaces away unless you can destroy one during the same turn.

Open with artillery where possible, then finish with infantry, mechs, tanks, or battle copters. Move around an Oozium when another safe route to the center remains open.

Use allied Tag Powers only when both turns can remove major defenders, secure production, reposition indirect units, or open an approach to the objective.

Final Obelisk Assault

The central Neotank is one of the main final defenders.

Draw it toward artillery, rockets, or a bomber rather than attacking with unsupported light units. Finish it before the Black Obelisk can repair it.

Once a safe firing route opens, focus on the Black Obelisk.

Effective attackers include:

Blue Moon rockets
Orange Star or Green Earth artillery
tanks already inside the fortress
a Green Earth bomber
units receiving an extra Tag Power turn

Block nearby production and remove any artillery or heavy unit threatening the objective attackers.

Do not continue chasing distant Black Hole units after the Black Obelisk can be destroyed safely.

Mission End

Destroy the Black Obelisk to complete the mission.

A completed route can include:

all 9 missiles fired
Black Onyx destroyed with time remaining
Black Cannon destroyed
necessary Oozium eliminated or bypassed
forward bases and airports captured or blocked
Black Obelisk destroyed
B-Rank or better depending on speed and losses

Mission 22: Dark Ambition

Important Note:
Enemy movement may vary depending on pipe-seam destruction, missile timing, weather conditions, Tag Power activation, and which allied units survive the initial breakthrough.

Use the first three days to establish both defensive fronts, capture the Comm Towers, and prepare the missile strikes. After the seams open, follow the same chokepoint and target priorities rather than reproducing every later action.

Objective:
Capture the enemy HQ or destroy all enemy units

Secondary Objective:
Capture both weather-control cities to stop the artificial snow

Video Playthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B9cc_Vastw&list=PLqXaz6SSuLR8dUcCNzA2eXoNMGts9It-e&index=22

Recommended CO Setup:
Orange Star: Sensei / Javier
Blue Moon: Eagle / Grit
Green Earth: Jess / Max

Why These COs:
Sensei strengthens Orange Star's limited infantry and mechs, which must capture the Com Towers, use the missile silos, and later reach the weather-control cities.

Javier benefits from the two Com Towers and improves Orange Star's small army once direct combat begins.

Eagle supports Blue Moon's bomber, stealth fighter, and battle copter.

Grit strengthens Blue Moon's rocket and artillery, allowing them to defend the northern opening from safer positions.

Jess supports Green Earth's vehicles and battleship during positioning and resupply.

Max becomes more useful once the southern front shifts into direct combat.

Map Notes:

Kindle and an Olaf Copy CO command Black Hole
Orange Star begins in the center with only foot soldiers and APCs
Blue Moon begins in the northwest with aircraft and indirect units
Green Earth begins in the southwest with heavy armor and naval support
Black Hole begins with a major numerical advantage and controls 8 bases
Black Hole's army begins behind pipe seams
The mission begins in artificial snow
Most allied units move slowly through snow
The Olaf Copy CO has strong snow movement
Capturing both weather-control cities ends the artificial snow
Orange Star is the only army with capture units
Orange Star should capture both Com Towers
3 missile silos can weaken clustered Black Hole units
APC support is important for fuel and ammunition
The Mega Tank has limited cannon ammunition
3 mini cannons cover parts of the battlefield
Mini cannons are optional unless one blocks the victory route
Black Hole's Dual Strike can cause heavy losses on both fronts

Starting Units:

Orange Star:

2 mechs
Infantry
2 APCs

Orange Star Properties:

HQ
City

Blue Moon:

Stealth fighter
Bomber
Carrier
Battle copter
Rocket
2 artillery units
2 APCs

Blue Moon Properties:

HQ

Green Earth:

Tank
Medium tank
Neotank
Mega Tank
Anti-air
Artillery
Battleship
2 APCs

Green Earth Properties:

HQ

Major Enemy Forces:

Mega Tank
Neotank
3 medium tanks
4 anti-air units
2 artillery units
2 mechs
2 APCs
2 recons
Additional units produced from 8 bases
3 mini cannons

Route and Priorities

Orange Star handles the central capture route, including the two Comm Towers and later the north/south weather-control cities. Blue Moon forms the northern chokepoint and eventually counterattacks through that seam; Green Earth does the same through the southern seam.

Once Black Hole opens the pipes, hold the northern and southern breakthrough lanes and keep Orange Star on the weather-city route. Choose targets by immediate threat rather than by a fixed list.

Mission Mechanics and General Strategy

Dark Ambition begins as a defensive battle. Black Hole must destroy the pipe seams before most of its army can reach the allied forces, giving you time to form northern and southern chokepoints.

The artificial snow slows most allied units, while the Olaf Copy CO moves through it more effectively. Capturing both weather-control cities restores normal movement.

Orange Star should capture both Com Towers, use the missile silos, keep its limited foot soldiers alive, and later capture the weather-control cities.

Blue Moon should defend the northern opening with indirect fire and aircraft.

Green Earth should defend the southern opening with heavy armor, artillery, and battleship support.

Do not advance into Black Hole's larger army before the seams open. Let enemy units enter overlapping attack ranges.

Day 1: Orange Star Opening

Load one mech into the left APC.

Move it toward one Com Tower and deploy the mech nearby.

Load the infantry into the second APC.

Move it toward the other Com Tower and deploy the infantry nearby.

Keep the remaining mech near the central area.

Orange Star cannot replace its capture units, so keep them away from the main battle.

Day 1: Blue Moon Opening

Move the rocket and both artillery units east and slightly south.

Move the bomber, stealth fighter, and battle copter toward the same defensive area.

Move the carrier east through the northern sea route.

Keep both APCs near the aircraft and indirect units.

Remain outside the future range of Black Hole's anti-air units.

Form a compact defensive group behind the northern pipe seam.

Day 1: Green Earth Opening

Move the battleship east through the southern sea route.

Move the Mega Tank first because the snow restricts it heavily.

Advance the Neotank, medium tank, tank, anti-air, and artillery behind it.

Keep both APCs beside the armored formation.

Leave room for the artillery and battleship to support the opening.

Keep an APC near the Mega Tank so its limited ammunition can be restored.

Day 2: First Missile and Defensive Setup

Orange Star:

Fire the first missile at the strongest clustered targets.

Prioritize the Mega Tank, Neotank, medium tanks, and nearby support units.

Continue capturing both Com Towers.

Keep the remaining mech and APCs behind the pipes.

Blue Moon:

Move the rocket and artillery into protected firing positions.

Hide the stealth fighter when concealment improves its safety.

Keep the bomber and battle copter outside anti-air range.

Keep the APCs near the aircraft and indirect units.

Green Earth:

Move the battleship toward firing range of the southern approach.

Advance the heavy armor without entering enemy first-strike range.

Keep the artillery behind the tanks.

Keep the APC close enough to support the Mega Tank and Neotank.

Save the other missiles if Black Hole's damaged heavy units retreat to repair.

Day 3: Chokepoint Preparation

Orange Star:

Finish or continue both Com Tower captures.

Keep the foot soldiers protected.

Save the remaining missiles for the main breakthrough.

Blue Moon:

Place an APC or another durable unit near the northern opening.

Position artillery behind the blocker and the rocket farther back.

Keep the aircraft on the flanks and outside anti-air range.

Green Earth:

Position heavy armor near the southern opening.

Keep artillery behind the direct-combat units.

Keep anti-air near the center of the formation.

Move the battleship into supporting range.

Keep APCs beside the Mega Tank and other vehicles.

Allow Black Hole's artillery to help destroy the seams. Be ready to attack the first units that emerge.

Orange Star Capture Route

Capture both Com Towers before sending Orange Star's foot soldiers toward the weather-control cities.

The Towers strengthen Javier and help Orange Star's small army survive the central battle. Switch toward Javier once the captures are secure and direct combat matters more than Sensei's infantry support.

After the pipe battle stabilizes, send one capture unit north and another south toward the weather-control cities. Protect them from recons, mechs, loaded APCs, surviving tanks, and mini cannon fire.

The cities do not need to be captured during the opening. Securing both fronts first is safer.

Capturing both weather-control cities ends the artificial snow, restores normal allied movement, and removes the Olaf Copy CO's mobility advantage.

Chokepoint Battles

Let Black Hole enter the narrow openings before counterattacking.

Typical northern priorities, adjusted for the current board:

Anti-air threatening Blue Moon's aircraft
Loaded APCs
Artillery threatening the blocker
Mega Tank or Neotank
Medium tanks
Recons

Use the bomber against tanks or loaded APCs. Use the stealth fighter against exposed vehicles while preserving enough fuel to remain concealed. Use Grit when the rocket and artillery can make several safe attacks.

On the southern front, let enemies enter overlapping battleship, artillery, and heavy-armor range.

Use the battleship against distant armor or artillery, the Neotank against anti-air or damaged heavy units, and the Mega Tank against the strongest remaining target. Keep APC support nearby and hold the opening until Black Hole's southern force is weak enough for a safe advance.

Missiles, CO Switching, and Dual Strikes

Wait until repaired heavy units return and cluster near the fronts before using the remaining missiles.

Prioritize groups containing:

Mega Tank
Neotank
medium tanks
artillery
anti-air

Missile damage is most useful when Blue Moon and Green Earth can immediately finish the affected units. Avoid firing once allied and enemy units overlap too closely.

For Blue Moon, use Grit while indirect range controls the northern route. Switch to Eagle when the bomber, stealth fighter, and battle copter have several safe targets. Do not use Eagle's extra turn for one minor attack.

For Green Earth, use Max first when direct damage is the priority, then switch to Jess to extend battleship range, attack distant targets, reposition artillery, and resupply or advance surviving vehicles. Reverse the order only when Jess's range is needed before direct combat.

Before Black Hole's Dual Strike:

retreat damaged blockers
move aircraft outside anti-air range
protect rockets and artillery
resupply the Mega Tank
finish damaged heavy units
avoid exposing several expensive units in one lane

After the power, remove enemies that advanced too far, fire any remaining missile at clustered survivors, and continue the counterattack. Do not waste several turns rebuilding a perfect formation.

Final Advance and Victory

Once Black Hole's mobile army is nearly destroyed, advance through both pipe openings.

Blue Moon should use its aircraft and indirect units to remove isolated survivors in the north.

Green Earth should push its surviving armor toward the enemy HQ while keeping the battleship and APC in supporting positions.

Orange Star should complete both weather-city captures and assist in the center if needed.

Ignore the mini cannons unless one blocks the HQ route or can be destroyed safely for bonus points.

Eliminating the remaining mobile army is often faster than capturing the HQ, but keep both routes available.

Mission End

Capture the enemy HQ or destroy the final Black Hole unit to complete the mission.

Mission 23: Pincer Strike

Important Note:
Rain introduces Fog of War early, while Clone Drake's Tsunami repeatedly drains HP and fuel. Enemy positions may vary once units begin hiding in forests and Black Hole starts producing reinforcements.

Use the first three days to break Blue Moon out of the northwest and establish Orange Star's central defense. Afterward, follow the same scouting, supply, and target priorities rather than matching every later move.

Objective:
Destroy all enemy units

Video Playthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKB9mZh3ctM&list=PLqXaz6SSuLR8dUcCNzA2eXoNMGts9It-e&index=23

Recommended CO Setup:
Orange Star: Max / Rachel
Blue Moon: Lash / Grit

Why These COs:
Max strengthens Orange Star's direct-combat units, especially the Mega Tank, tank, and battle copters.

Rachel provides greater indirect range and Covering Fire, which can damage concealed enemy groups during Fog of War.

Lash benefits from the forests surrounding Blue Moon and helps the trapped army survive the opening rocket fire.

Grit strengthens Blue Moon's rocket and artillery, allowing them to attack from safer positions during the breakout.

Map Notes:

Jugger and a Clone Drake command Black Hole
Orange Star begins in the southwest
Blue Moon begins trapped in the northwest
Orange Star begins with 11 units and 6 properties
Blue Moon begins with 14 units and 9 properties
Black Hole begins with 30 units and 5 properties
Blue Moon initially lacks a usable production facility
4 enemy rockets begin near Blue Moon
Black Hole also fields heavy armor, indirect units, and naval forces
Rain introduces Fog of War
Clone Drake's Tsunami reduces allied HP and fuel
Recons are essential for revealing hidden enemies
APCs are needed to keep the advance supplied
The armies eventually converge in the center
Every enemy unit must be destroyed

Starting Units:

Orange Star:

Mega Tank
Tank
Recon
APC
2 battle copters
Battleship
Cruiser
Sub
Lander
Infantry

Orange Star Properties:

HQ
2 bases
City
Port

Blue Moon:

Neotank
2 medium tanks
2 tanks
2 recons
Rocket
Artillery
Anti-air
2 mechs
APC
Infantry loaded inside the APC

Blue Moon Properties:

HQ
No usable starting production facility

Major Enemy Forces:

Mega Tank
Neotank
3 medium tanks
2 tanks
4 anti-air units
4 rockets
3 artillery units
Missile
2 mechs
Infantry
Battleship
Cruiser
Sub
3 black boats
Produced reinforcements

Route and Priorities

Blue Moon must break south out of the northwest pocket, remove the surrounding rockets, capture a production base, and then push southeast. Orange Star holds the central forest, expands east/southeast, and converges with Blue Moon.

Rain, Fog of War, Clone Drake's fuel drain, and hidden indirects make exact attack order variable. Keep scouting and supply tied to the route instead of advancing expensive units without vision.

Mission Mechanics and General Strategy

Blue Moon begins under heavy rocket fire and must move south before it can capture a base and produce reinforcements.

Orange Star has more freedom, but it must stop Black Hole's central armor while also contesting the southern sea.

Once rain begins, reveal forests before advancing expensive units. Keep a recon active on each major front when possible.

Tsunami can strand ships, aircraft, indirect units, and APCs. Keep fuel-dependent units near APCs or friendly properties and replace an immobilized APC rather than allowing the advance to stall.

Orange Star should hold the central forest, capture the southern properties, and use the Mega Tank and battleship against Black Hole's strongest units.

Blue Moon should destroy the rockets, capture a base, spend its accumulated funds on Neotanks, and push southeast to join Orange Star.

Day 1: Orange Star Opening

Move the infantry toward the nearby city and begin capturing it.

Move the battleship east and north toward the central coast.

Move the cruiser and sub east. Keep the sub surfaced for now.

Leave the lander in port to conserve fuel.

Move the Mega Tank north toward the central approach.

Advance the recon without entering enemy anti-air range.

Move both battle copters forward while remaining outside anti-air range.

Advance the tank toward the central front.

Build infantry from both bases.

Prepare to intercept the enemy Neotank and other armor approaching through the central forest.

Day 1: Blue Moon Opening

Begin with Lash active.

Move the medium tanks south first.

Move the Neotank, tanks, recons, mechs, APC, anti-air, artillery, and rocket in the same direction.

Avoid moving northeast into the overlapping battleship and rocket ranges.

Keep the army close enough to attack the surrounding rockets next turn.

Blue Moon will take damage. Escaping south is more important than preserving every starting unit.

Day 2: Orange Star Advance

Finish capturing the first city.

Begin capturing the next available property.

Continue moving the cruiser and sub east.

Move the Mega Tank and tank toward the central enemy armor.

Keep both battle copters outside missile and anti-air range.

Advance the battleship toward firing range of the heavy units.

Build another infantry and a tank.

Switch to Rachel if her additional range will allow the battleship to attack next turn.

Avoid giving the enemy Neotank an easy first strike.

Day 2: Blue Moon Counterattack

Use a mech against the nearby anti-air.

Attack one rocket with a tank.

Attack another rocket with a medium tank.

Continue moving the remaining army south.

Keep the rocket and artillery behind the direct-combat units.

Switch to Grit when his additional range allows the rocket to attack safely.

Destroying the rockets and opening the southern route are the priorities.

Day 3: Rain and Fog of War

Clone Drake may use Tsunami around this point.

Orange Star:

Retreat the cruiser and sub if their fuel becomes dangerously low.

Move fuel-dependent units toward the APC or friendly properties.

Continue advancing the Mega Tank and other ground units.

Begin capturing the nearby base.

Use the APC to resupply ships, battle copters, or the battleship.

Build more infantry.

Return to Max when direct combat becomes the main priority.

Blue Moon:

Use Grit's rocket against the remaining enemy rockets.

Finish damaged rockets with mechs, tanks, or recons.

Attack exposed anti-air and artillery with the Neotank and other armor.

Keep at least one Recon alive for scouting.

Keep the APC near the rocket and fuel-starved units.

Move a mech or the loaded infantry toward the nearest capturable base.

The opening ends once Blue Moon has removed most of the surrounding rockets and Orange Star has established its central position.

Blue Moon Breakout and Production

Continue south after the opening. Adjust the following priorities to current range and HP:

Prioritize:

Rockets
Artillery
Anti-air
Units contesting the base capture
Tanks and medium tanks
Naval units blocking the route

Use Grit when the indirect units have safe targets. Use Lash when terrain defense and direct combat matter more.

Scout ahead of the Neotank and other expensive units. Hidden rockets and artillery may remain in the forests after the visible defenders are gone.

Capture the nearest base as soon as the area can be held. Blue Moon may have more than 50,000 funds by then, so begin producing Neotanks.

Their strength and movement allow them to cross the map and reinforce the central front quickly. Replace lost recons when vision becomes unreliable, and add tanks or artillery when a cheaper unit can fill the needed role.

Use Blue Moon's Dual Strike when both turns can remove several defenders and secure the production area. Good uses include destroying artillery, damaging the battleship, advancing the rocket, protecting the base capture, and moving infantry toward the airport.

Capture the airport once the route is stable. Battle copters can help during the final advance, but remove nearby anti-air before producing them.

Orange Star Defense and Expansion

Hold the central forest while Black Hole's Neotank, Mega Tank, tanks, and support units approach.

Use:

the Mega Tank against the strongest armor
the battleship against heavy land units from range
the tank against weakened vehicles
battle copters against exposed armor
infantry to capture properties and reveal terrain

Keep the battle copters outside missile and anti-air range. Use a durable unit to block the enemy Mega Tank when necessary.

Orange Star's starting navy may not win a direct battle. Retreat low-fuel or badly damaged ships rather than losing them for little gain.

Use the cruiser against the enemy sub and the sub against the cruiser or battleship. Restore fuel through the APC or captured ports. Build a replacement ship later if the naval route still matters.

Use Rachel first during Orange Star's Dual Strike. Covering Fire can damage concealed land or naval groups before they are fully revealed. Use the battleship and any available missile silo during her turn, then switch to Max and finish the damaged units through direct combat.

Once the central armor is defeated, advance east and southeast.

Produce infantry from most available bases and use them to capture cities, bases, ports, and Com Towers; scout forests; occupy mountains; and keep a strong unit count for Technique.

Do not let the infantry mass block Blue Moon's Neotanks from passing through the central lanes.

Combined Advance and Final Search

As the armies converge, keep recons or infantry in front for vision, direct units behind them, and rockets or artillery farther back. APCs should remain near the expensive units.

Blue Moon should provide most of the late direct-combat strength. Orange Star should support it with captures, scouting, supply, and surviving heavy units.

Before Black Hole's Dual Strike:

merge badly damaged expensive units
resupply ships, aircraft, and APCs
protect rockets and artillery
finish weakened enemy armor
move capturing units out of danger

Jugger's damage varies, so do not rely on an exact survival calculation.

Black Hole may continue producing tanks, anti-air units, mechs, and infantry. Keep Neotanks and indirect units near the remaining bases so new units can be destroyed quickly.

It is not necessary to block every base if the produced unit can be surrounded and eliminated immediately.

After the visible army is gone, search the remaining forests, central lake, and southern sea with recons, infantry on mountains, battle copters, cruisers, and subs.

Move only units close enough to scout or attack. Do not spend the final turns advancing the entire army.

Mission End

Destroy the final Black Hole unit to complete the mission.

Mission 24: Ring of Fire

Important Note:
This is a two-front rout mission with an absolute 18-day limit. Both volcanoes erupt throughout the battle, and the volcano on each screen is controlled by the four cities surrounding the volcano on the opposite screen.

The secondary front should not be left under automatic control. Open the menu, select Intel, and turn Auto off so you can direct both armies.

Use the opening to reinforce Sensei's air-defense line, begin the surrounding city captures, and weaken Kindle's heavy armor with indirect fire. After the top front is won, its victory triggers an allied Dual Strike on the surviving bottom front.

Objective:
Destroy all enemy units within 18 days

Video Playthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdqCUUdA6vs&list=PLqXaz6SSuLR8dUcCNzA2eXoNMGts9It-e&index=24

Recommended CO Setup:
Primary Front: Jess
Secondary Front: Sensei

Why These COs:
Jess strengthens the large concentration of land vehicles and indirect units on the primary front. Overdrive also increases their movement, raises their attack, and restores their fuel and ammunition.

Sensei strengthens the secondary front's battle copters and mechs. His units are well suited to destroying Clone Kanbei's large air force and capturing the cities surrounding the volcano.

Map Notes:

Jess commands the primary front on the bottom screen
Sensei commands the secondary front on the top screen
Kindle commands the primary Black Hole army
Clone Kanbei commands the secondary Black Hole army
Both screens contain active volcanoes
The volcano on each screen is controlled from the opposite screen
Capturing all four cities around one volcano stops the other volcano
Volcano rocks strike a fixed pattern around their respective craters
The central bottom-screen formation is surrounded by river
Mechs and infantry can cross the river to reach the central forces
Units can be transferred between fronts through the HQ
Black Hole begins with a large predeployed force on both screens
The secondary front includes approximately 8 enemy battle copters
The primary front contains several Neo Tanks, medium tanks, a Mega Tank, indirect units, Black Boats, and an Oozium
Orange Star begins without immediate access to a productive base
Every enemy unit must be destroyed before the end of Day 18

Starting Units:

Primary Front:

3 rockets
2 artillery units
2 battle copters
3 anti-air units
Missile
6 mechs
2 infantry
2 APCs

Secondary Front:

2 battle copters
2 anti-air units
Missile
3 mechs
APC

Major Enemy Forces:

Primary Front:

Mega Tank
Several Neo Tanks
Several medium tanks
Several tanks
Oozium
Anti-air units
Recon units
Artillery units
Black Boats
APCs
Infantry

Secondary Front:

Approximately 8 battle copters
Neo Tank
Rocket
Recon
APCs
Mechs
Infantry

Route and Priorities

The two screens are causally linked:
the four cities around one volcano control

the volcano on the opposite screen. Reinforce the secondary front, capture the volcano-control cities while holding an anti-air line, win that front, convert its automatic Dual Strike into a primary-front breakthrough, then capture production and race the remaining units down before Day 18.

Late-game attacks depend on the surviving units and their positions. Keep pushing toward the remaining enemy units instead of forcing a predetermined Day 18 attack order.

Mission Mechanics and General Strategy

The two fronts demand different approaches.

Sensei faces an air-heavy army. Reinforce him with anti-air units and missiles from the primary front, then allow the enemy battle copters to enter the anti-air screen before destroying them in a concentrated counterattack.

Jess faces the larger and more durable ground army. Use rockets and artillery to weaken the approaching armor before committing mechs. The central river ring restricts most direct units, so indirect fire and missile silos should soften that formation before infantry and mechs cross the river.

Do not spend too long chasing safe captures or preserving every unit. This is a rout mission with a hard deadline, and the final armored units can take several days to reach.

Day 1: Reinforce the Secondary Front

Primary Front:

Use the available rockets to damage exposed Neo Tanks and medium tanks.

Move both artillery units into positions from which they can attack Black Boats, artillery, or armor on the following turn.

Begin capturing the four neutral cities near the southwestern army.

Send a mech toward one of the cities controlling the volcano.

Move an APC and another mech toward the isolated capturable base.

Transfer three anti-air units, the missile, a rocket, and both battle copters to the secondary front.

Keep the remaining mechs away from direct attacks against full-strength armor.

Secondary Front:

Begin capturing two of the cities around the volcano with mechs.

Place the anti-air units at the front of the formation.

Keep missiles and rockets behind the anti-air screen.

Advance the battle copters, APC, and remaining mechs without entering an unnecessary engagement.

The objective is to build a defensive wall that the enemy battle copters cannot cross safely.

Days 2–3: Capture and Counterattack

Primary Front:

Finish the first city and Com Tower captures.

Continue capturing the four southwestern cities.

Use rockets and artillery against enemy units outside the river ring first. These units can reach the base route and HQ sooner than the central army.

Move an APC toward any rocket beginning to run low on fuel or ammunition.

Hold the mechs back until enemy tanks and artillery have been weakened.

Keep the Infantry or Mech moving toward the base alive.

The enemy may advance around both sides of the river ring. Shift an artillery or rocket toward each approach rather than concentrating every indirect unit in one place.

Secondary Front:

Continue capturing the volcano-control cities.

Allow the enemy battle copters to move into anti-air range.

On Day 3, use the anti-air units to destroy as many battle copters as possible.

Use Sensei's battle copters against weakened aircraft or exposed ground targets.

Keep the missiles and rocket protected behind the direct units.

Do not enter the advancing Neo Tank's range merely to attack it first.

The battle copters cannot effectively break through a full anti-air line. Make them approach on unfavorable terms and remove several during the same turn.

The opening ends once most of the enemy air force has been destroyed and the volcano-control captures are nearly complete.

Secure the Secondary Front

After the air battle, isolate the remaining Neo Tank.

Surround it with units it cannot attack effectively, such as battle copters, and position the rocket behind them. Finish it with combined rocket, battle-copter, and mech attacks.

Continue capturing all four volcano-control cities. Stay outside the volcano's rock pattern while advancing. The beach and outer city tiles provide useful staging positions beyond the ring immediately surrounding the crater.

Eliminate the remaining APCs and infantry before they can bypass the main army through the HQ transfer point. An infantry threatening the allied HQ is a higher-priority target than a stronger unit that cannot cause an immediate defeat.

Once the Neo Tank and air force are gone, advance on the remaining rocket and mechs.

Winning this front:

removes Clone Kanbei
ends the threat from that army
gives the allied side an automatic Dual Strike on the primary front

Do not delay the rout merely to finish unnecessary captures after the secondary army is already vulnerable.

Break the Primary Ground Army

Jess should continue weakening the primary army while Sensei completes the secondary front.

Prioritize:

Infantry threatening the HQ or production properties
Artillery and rockets
Neo Tanks and the Mega Tank
Medium tanks
Anti-air units threatening future bombers
Black Boats and weakened support units

Use APCs to resupply rockets and artillery and to block direct paths when a damaged indirect unit needs protection. Save the missile silos for dense groups.

Use Jess's Overdrive when several indirect units have targets. The additional

movement and attack can allow rockets and artillery to:

destroy exposed Neo Tanks
remove defending artillery
cripple the Mega Tank
reach units that were previously one tile beyond range
replenish depleted ammunition and fuel

Do not send mechs across the river while mutually supporting artillery and full-strength armor remain. First break the indirect network, then use mechs to finish damaged tanks and capture the central properties.

Kindle's powers increase the danger of marginal positions. Forced movement or increased attack range can expose units that appeared safe during the previous turn. Leave additional space when a power is imminent.

Dual Strike and Production Race

The secondary-front victory grants back-to-back allied turns on the primary front.

Use the first turn to:

destroy exposed indirect units
remove infantry or APCs threatening captures
reposition artillery and rockets
weaken the Mega Tank and surviving medium tanks
move a mech toward the base or airport

Switch to Sensei for the second turn when his mech generation and stronger mechs will help stabilize the HQ area. Newly generated mechs can defend the rear while the starting units continue advancing. Capture the base and airport as soon as the approaches are secure.

An earlier capture provides more time to produce the units needed for the rout.

Once production becomes available:

build bombers from the airport
build Neo Tanks from the base
add cheaper units only when they can contribute before Day 18

Bombers are especially useful for reaching scattered medium tanks, Neo Tanks, artillery, and the Oozium. Remove or weaken anti-air units before exposing them.

Some damaged enemy vehicles may begin running low on fuel. This can slow their movement, but do not rely on fuel depletion alone when the deadline is near.

Final Advance

By the final days, stop protecting every damaged unit and focus exclusively on reaching the surviving enemies.

Move bombers, Neo Tanks, rockets, artillery, and mechs toward the remaining targets every turn. A unit that cannot attack before Day 18 should not block a faster unit's route.

Use durable or expendable units to lure medium tanks into rocket, artillery, or bomber range. Keep advancing the indirect units even when they may be attacked if doing so guarantees a finishing shot on the next turn.

On the final turns, identify every surviving Black Hole unit on both screens and route the fastest available attacker to each one. Use a Super CO Power when it creates additional finishing attacks. Rockets are excellent against an Oozium from range; Neo Tanks and Bombers are useful against exposed Anti-Air or other distant survivors. The exact finishing sequence depends on what remains.

Before ending Day 18, confirm that no Black Hole unit remains on either screen.

Mission End

Destroy every Black Hole unit by the end of Day 18 to complete the mission.

Mission 25: Surrounded

Important Note:
This mission is won by capturing all four Black Hole Com Towers within 24 days. Destroying every enemy unit is not required.

The armies begin divided across several fronts, while Black Hole controls a base, city, and Com Tower in each corner. Defend both allied HQ areas first, eliminate the exposed eastern and southern forces, and then converge on the western towers.

Black Hole can use a Dual Strike very early. Avoid leaving valuable indirect units exposed after the opening attack.

Objective:
Capture all four Black Hole Com Towers within 24 days

Video Playthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MB-WveQVlk&list=PLqXaz6SSuLR8dUcCNzA2eXoNMGts9It-e&index=25

Recommended CO Setup:
Orange Star: Jess / Colin
Blue Moon: Sensei / Max

Why These COs:
Jess strengthens Orange Star's entirely land-based force and supports the tanks, Neo Tank, artillery, and rocket used to clear the eastern fronts.

Colin can reduce production costs after Orange Star captures more properties and begins expanding from several bases.

Sensei strengthens Blue Moon's infantry, mechs, and starting battle copters. His foot soldiers are especially useful because the mission ultimately depends on reaching and capturing four distant Com Towers.

Max provides stronger direct combat once Blue Moon's tanks and battle copters begin advancing on the remaining western positions.

Map Notes:

Orange Star begins near the center-right side
Blue Moon begins in two groups on the left and lower portions of the map
Black Hole controls four separated corner positions
Each Black Hole position includes a base, city, and Com Tower
Several neutral cities, bases, and airports can be captured
Black Hole is commanded by Kindle and Clone Andy
Black Hole can use an early Dual Strike
Orange Star begins with a large land army
Blue Moon begins with mixed ground and air units
The southeastern Black Hole position threatens both allied areas
The northeastern base is close to Orange Star's HQ
The western Com Towers require a longer advance
Missile silos can weaken clustered defenders
Capturing all four Com Towers ends the mission
The 24-day deadline is generous once the eastern fronts are secured

Starting Units:

Orange Star:

Neo Tank
Medium tank
Tank
Recon
APC
Rocket
Artillery
2 mechs
2 infantry

Orange Star Properties:

HQ
2 bases
4 cities

Blue Moon:

2 battle copters
2 anti-air units
Tank
Recon
APC
Rocket
Artillery
Mech
Infantry

Blue Moon Properties:

HQ
2 bases
5 cities

Major Enemy Forces:

Medium tanks
Tanks
Recons
Anti-air units
Artillery units
Rockets
Battle copters
Infantry
Produced reinforcements

Route and Priorities

Push east first, then turn west:
secure the dangerous southeastern and eastern fronts, capture the eastern production and Comm Towers, send Blue Moon toward the northwest and Orange Star toward the southwest, then transport capture units to whichever tower remains.

Destroying Black Hole's army only opens the route. The mission continues until all four Comm Towers have actually been captured.

Mission Mechanics and General Strategy

The map appears to surround the allied armies, but Black Hole's forces are split into four smaller groups. Defeat the nearest groups before they can combine.

The southeastern position is the most immediate danger because its rocket, artillery, tank, and anti-air can pressure both allied areas. Orange Star should destroy this formation immediately.

Blue Moon should eliminate the nearby battle copters, capture the southern airport and base, and then turn northwest.

The eastern fronts should fall quickly. Once they are secure, move nearly every available unit west instead of leaving large defensive groups behind.

Capture the eastern Com Towers while the main armies advance. The southwestern and northwestern towers will usually be the last objectives reached.

Day 1: Orange Star Opening

Begin capturing the nearby central city with a mech.

Move the other mech and infantry toward the central neutral properties.

Keep the Neo Tank outside the southeastern rocket's range.

Form a direct-combat line with the Tank, Medium Tank, and Neo Tank facing the southeastern defenders.

Move the rocket east so it can support attacks near the enemy base.

Move the artillery behind the direct units.

Advance the recon toward the northeastern front.

Load an infantry into the APC and move it toward the eastern properties.

Build infantry from both central bases.

The front line should threaten the southeastern formation without allowing its rocket a free attack against the Neo Tank.

Day 1: Blue Moon Opening

Move both anti-air units toward the nearby enemy battle copters while staying outside the range of the enemy tank and anti-air.

Pull the rocket one tile away from the immediate enemy advance.

Keep the battle copters outside the enemy battle-copter range.

Build infantry from the northern base.

Move the recon and northern infantry toward the airport and eastern properties.

Move the mech south toward the neutral airport.

Advance the APC with its infantry toward the upper area.

Blue Moon should hold its line for one turn rather than allowing the nearby battle copters or direct units to strike first.

Day 2: Clear the Southeastern Front

Orange Star can dismantle most of the southeastern formation in one attack.

Continue capturing the central cities.

Use the rocket against the southern tank.

Use the Medium Tank to destroy the exposed artillery.

Use the Neo Tank to destroy the enemy rocket.

Use the Tank against the anti-air.

Use the APC and infantry to block surviving direct units from reaching the rocket or allied HQ.

Begin capturing the nearby city with a mech.

Build another infantry and an artillery.

This removes the most dangerous indirect units and protects both the HQ and the route toward the southeastern Com Tower.

Blue Moon:

Use the anti-air units to destroy the enemy battle copters.

Continue moving the mech toward the southern airport.

Move the infantry toward the airport and nearby properties.

Advance the artillery and rocket toward the northwestern enemy position.

Keep at least one direct unit near the southern approach until the remaining defenders are removed.

The eastern and southern fronts should now be under control.

Days 3–4: Survive the Dual Strike

Black Hole may use a Kindle and Clone Andy Dual Strike around Day 3.

Before ending the previous turn:

avoid exposing both allied rockets
keep artillery behind direct units
do not rely on a damaged tank to hold a critical lane
protect capturing infantry with blockers
leave expensive units outside unnecessary attack range

The Dual Strike may destroy several weakened units or indirects. Continue the mission rather than trying to recreate the exact opening formation.

Orange Star:

Finish clearing the southeastern base area.

Attack units produced from the eastern bases immediately.

Begin capturing the northeastern base when its defenders are gone.

Keep the Neo Tank adjacent to an enemy base when it can punish any newly produced unit.

Move infantry west toward the remaining Com Towers.

Produce inexpensive artillery, tanks, and infantry as needed.

Blue Moon:

Begin capturing the southern airport.

Use both battle copters against the nearby medium tanks.

Finish weakened medium tanks with anti-air units or other direct units.

Capture the southern base.

Move infantry toward the southeastern Com Tower.

Produce another battle copter and infantry once the airport and bases are available.

The stable transition begins once Black Hole's eastern forces are destroyed and the southern production properties are secured.

Capture the Eastern Towers

Capture the northeastern and southeastern Com Towers while the main armies turn west.

Orange Star should secure the northeastern base and use tanks or the Neo Tank to destroy infantry produced there. Do not block every enemy base automatically. Allowing Black Hole to build a weak unit can provide an easy target and prevent production elsewhere.

Blue Moon should capture the southeastern base, city, and Com Tower with an APC-supported mech or infantry.

Com Towers increase Black Hole's combat strength, so capturing them improves the later western battles as well as advancing the objective.

Once the right side is secure:

send Orange Star's tanks, artillery, and infantry southwest
send Blue Moon's anti-air units, battle copters, tank, and infantry northwest
leave only the units needed to finish active captures
continue producing infantry for distant towers

Do not leave powerful units behind to guard empty enemy bases after their local army has been destroyed.

Western Advance

The northwestern group generally contains the strongest remaining resistance, including anti-air units and artillery.

Use Blue Moon to attack this position.

Keep battle copters behind tanks and anti-air units until the enemy anti-air is weakened.

Use one anti-air against another when necessary, then finish the damaged unit with a battle copter or direct unit.

Use battle copters against artillery and exposed ground units after the anti-air threat is gone.

Move infantry onto the northwestern Com Tower as soon as the approach is secure.

Capture the base to stop or control further production.

The southwestern group may be weaker but is farther from the initial allied forces.

Use Orange Star's tanks, artillery, and infantry against this position while Blue Moon sends a transport copter, APC, or spare infantry southward.

Build additional APCs or transport copters when the western captures, rather than combat strength, become the limiting factor.

Missile Silos and Production

Use the available missile silos against the largest concentration of valuable enemy units.

Good targets include clusters containing:

multiple anti-air units
medium tanks
artillery
newly produced defenders near a Com Tower

Avoid using a missile on a single infantry unless that unit is about to prevent a critical capture.

After most enemy combat units are destroyed, inexpensive production is usually more useful than another heavy vehicle.

Build:

infantry from available bases
transport copters from available airports
APCs when a capture unit needs ground transport
tanks only when defenders remain near a western tower

Extra units help protect your Technique score, but do not allow production or optional captures to distract from the four required towers.

Final Captures

After the enemy army is defeated, verify which Com Towers have actually been captured. The mission does not end merely because Black Hole has no units left.

One practical capture order is shown below, but the two sides may finish in a different order:

Northeastern Com Tower
Southeastern Com Tower
Northwestern Com Tower
Southwestern Com Tower

The western order may reverse depending on which transport reaches its target first.

Block the final enemy base if it can still produce units, then begin capturing the remaining tower immediately.

Continue supplying any low-fuel battle copters that remain in use. Losing an aircraft to fuel after the fighting has ended is unnecessary and can reduce Technique.

Optional pipe seams can be destroyed after the map is secure for bonus points, but only when doing so cannot delay a required capture.

Capture the fourth Com Tower to complete the mission.

Mission 26: For the Future

Important Note:
Three Allied Nations fight on separate fronts while Orange Star holds the central land approach, Blue Moon attacks through the western sea, and Green Earth fights through the eastern air corridor.

Black Crystals restore 2 HP each day to nearby Black Hole units. Finish damaged enemies whenever possible rather than allowing them to retreat and recover.

Von Bolt's Ex Machina disables units in its target area for one turn. It does not directly damage them, but a disabled central formation can leave Orange Star unable to move, attack, or protect weakened units.

Objective:
Destroy the Black Obelisk

Video Playthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfnWYcoLJ88&list=PLqXaz6SSuLR8dUcCNzA2eXoNMGts9It-e&index=26

Recommended CO Setup:
Orange Star: Jess / Javier
Blue Moon: Rachel / Sensei
Green Earth: Max / Eagle

Why These COs:
Jess strengthens Orange Star's tanks, artillery, rockets, anti-air units, and other land vehicles during the difficult central defense.

Javier gains substantial defensive and offensive benefits from the three Comm Towers. Once Orange Star captures them, he becomes especially effective during the central advance.

Rachel is the better primary choice for Blue Moon. Her normal naval performance is more useful than Sensei's weakened ships, while Covering Fire can support the western breakthrough.

Sensei still provides stronger infantry and mechs and can generate additional foot soldiers after Blue Moon establishes its northern foothold.

Max strengthens Green Earth's direct-combat aircraft and later-produced tanks.

Eagle provides a second air turn through Lightning Strike, allowing fighters, Bombers, Stealth units, and Battle Copters to break a defended air corridor.

Map Notes:

Orange Star controls the central land front
Blue Moon controls the western naval front
Green Earth controls the eastern air front
The Black Obelisk is located in the northern center
Destroying the Black Obelisk completes the mission
Three Black Hole Comm Towers strengthen Von Bolt's army
Three Black Crystals restore 2 HP to nearby Black Hole units each day
Four Mini Cannons guard the central and side approaches
Pipe Seams block access to the northern production area
Missile silos are located behind the western and eastern Pipe Seams
Orange Star begins with heavy ground units and several indirect units
Blue Moon begins with a mixed naval force and a small ground force
Green Earth begins with fighters, a Bomber, a Stealth unit, and a Battle Copter
Von Bolt commands all Black Hole forces
Ex Machina disables units within its strike area for one turn
Black Hole begins with powerful land, naval, and air formations
Destroyed Black Crystals, Mini Cannons, Pipe Seams, and the Black Obelisk award bonus points
The army that destroys the Black Obelisk determines the Power score

Starting Units:

Orange Star:

Mega Tank
Neo Tank
Medium Tank
Rocket
Artillery
Missile
Anti-air
APC
2 infantry

Orange Star Properties:

HQ
2 bases
7 cities

Blue Moon:

Battleship
Cruiser
Sub
Carrier
Infantry
2 mechs

Blue Moon Properties:

Base
Port
6 cities

Green Earth:

Fighter
Bomber
Stealth unit
Battle Copter
Infantry
2 mechs

Green Earth Properties:

Base
Airport
6 cities

Major Enemy Forces:

Central Front:

Neo Tank
2 medium tanks
2 tanks
2 anti-air units
2 recons
4 artillery units
4 mechs
3 infantry
Produced reinforcements

Western Front:

Battleship
Cruiser
Sub
Black Boat
Produced naval units

Eastern Front:

Fighter
Bomber
Battle Copter
Black Boat
Anti-air
Missile
Recons
Produced aircraft and ground units

Defensive Structures:

Black Obelisk
3 Black Crystals
4 Mini Cannons
3 Comm Towers
Multiple Pipe Seams

Route and Priorities

Orange Star must survive the center and then advance north; Blue Moon must win the western sea lane and create a landing/pipe-seam route; Green Earth must clear the eastern air lane and secure northern access. Side-front victory is not enough unless it becomes a foothold into the northern production and Obelisk area.

Break whichever Pipe Seams actually create access on the current board. Blue Moon may obtain a direct western landing beside the Obelisk area, while the Battleship may also gain a firing lane. The exact first army to reach the Obelisk can vary.

Mission Mechanics and General Strategy

Orange Star must survive the strongest initial assault. Hold near the Comm Tower line, build artillery, and let Black Hole's land army cross the slow checkerboard terrain before destroying it with concentrated fire.

Blue Moon and Green Earth should win their side battles independently, destroy the Mini Cannons and Black Crystals guarding their approaches, then open the western and eastern Pipe Seams.

The three fronts eventually converge around the northern production area. Capture or block the remaining bases, clear a path through the pipes, and let Orange Star strike the Black Obelisk if Orange Star has destroyed the largest number of enemy units.

Avoid attacking everything once. Each front has a different immediate priority:

Orange Star: survive and eliminate the central army
Blue Moon: gain naval superiority and land ground units in the northwest
Green Earth: remove the eastern fighter, missile, anti-air, and Mini Cannons
All armies: capture properties and send units north continuously

Days 1–3: Orange Star Central Defense

Day 1:

Move the two infantry toward the left and right Comm Towers.

Keep the Mega Tank, Neo Tank, and Medium Tank behind the Comm Tower line.

Do not cross between the towers while the central Mini Cannons can fire on the approach.

Move the rocket and artillery toward the center.

Move the missile toward the eastern side, where it can threaten incoming aircraft.

Place the anti-air where it can intercept aircraft entering the central front.

Build an artillery from the left base and an infantry from the right base.

Day 2:

Begin capturing the left and right Comm Towers.

Advance the heavy tanks to the tower line without moving north of it.

Move the indirect units closer while keeping them behind the tanks.

Build additional artillery.

The forests slow Black Hole's army, so use the first two days to create an indirect-fire wall instead of charging into the Mini Cannons.

Day 3:

Finish capturing the first two Comm Towers.

Destroy any Neo Tank or other heavy unit that crosses into the formation.

Use rockets and artillery first.

Finish damaged units with the Mega Tank, Neo Tank, Medium Tank, or anti-air.

Move another infantry toward the central Comm Tower.

Continue producing artillery, tanks, anti-air units, and infantry.

Prioritize complete eliminations. A 1-HP unit left near a Black Crystal can recover and become dangerous again.

Days 1–4: Blue Moon Western Opening

Capture the nearby city with a mech.

Move the infantry, second mech, and an early APC north toward the neutral base and northern properties.

Keep the Sub surfaced at first to conserve fuel.

Move the Battleship north and begin attacking the western Mini Cannon.

Keep the Cruiser between the enemy Sub and the Battleship when possible.

Dive the Sub once the enemy navy approaches.

Keep the Carrier behind the fighting units. It begins without aircraft and should not be exposed unnecessarily.

The enemy Cruiser, Battleship, and Sub will eventually advance together. Do not offer the Battleship as an easy first target.

Use the Battleship to weaken the enemy Cruiser, then finish the Cruiser with your own Cruiser or other naval units. Use the Sub against the enemy Battleship or Sub depending on which target threatens the formation most.

Produce an additional Sub if needed. Rachel should replace Sensei as the active CO before the decisive naval engagement.

Load an artillery and mech into a Lander after capturing the northern base.

Their goals are to:

land near the western Pipe Seam
destroy the Pipe Seam
reach the missile silo
capture northern properties
support the attack against the western Black Crystal and Mini Cannon

Days 1–4: Green Earth Eastern Opening

Capture the nearby city with a mech.

Move the infantry and remaining mech north.

Build an APC early to support the long air supply line.

Keep the Fighter outside the enemy Fighter's first-strike range.

Hide the Stealth unit before moving it toward the Pipe Seam and eastern defenses.

Use the Battle Copter and Bomber against the eastern Mini Cannon.

Do not move the Bomber into the enemy Fighter or missile range.

Destroy the first eastern Mini Cannon as quickly as possible. The Stealth unit can then attack Pipe Seams, the second Mini Cannon, or exposed targets without being seen unless an enemy unit moves adjacent to it.

Produce infantry every turn when practical, followed by:

another Fighter
Battle Copters
a transport copter
an APC
direct ground units after capturing the northern base

The enemy Fighter and missile create overlapping protection. Do not send a single Battle Copter or Bomber into that formation. Build enough aircraft to absorb one missile attack and retaliate decisively on the following turn.

Break the Central Army

Black Hole's first major advance should place several land units within range of Orange Star's indirects and heavy tanks.

Use the current board to set the attack order. Start with artillery and rockets when they have safe shots, then remove whichever aircraft, Anti-Air, heavy armor, or support unit most threatens the center. Finish damaged units near Black Crystals before they can recover.

Use artillery and rockets before moving direct units. Target expensive units and finish them completely whenever possible.

The first Orange Star Tag Power can be used once the central formation has committed. Jess's additional movement allows damaged or poorly positioned vehicles to reach useful targets, while Javier's second turn benefits from the captured Comm Towers.

Use the two turns to:

destroy as many artillery units as possible
remove surviving heavy armor
eliminate aircraft in the center
pull exposed units behind the line
merge badly damaged units
move infantry toward the central Comm Tower
begin changing from defense to advance

Von Bolt may use Ex Machina immediately before or after this attack. Disabled units cannot contribute for one turn, so avoid depending on a single rocket, artillery, or tank to hold the entire center.

Use APCs as blockers and suppliers while disabled units recover. Continue building tanks and infantry even during turns when much of the central army cannot move.

Capture the third Comm Tower as soon as its approach is safe. Javier becomes much stronger once Orange Star controls all three towers.

Win the Western and Eastern Fronts

Blue Moon:

Use Rachel's Tag Power when the enemy navy is committed. Covering Fire weakens Black Hole across the map, while the two naval turns can destroy the enemy Cruiser, Sub, and Battleship.

After gaining naval superiority:

move the Lander north
unload the artillery and mech near the western Pipe Seam
destroy the remaining Mini Cannon
attack the western Black Crystal
capture the northern base and cities
produce Medium Tanks and Neo Tanks
advance the Battleship toward firing range of the Black Obelisk

Keep a supply APC near the advancing ground army and naval units. Long movement distances can leave ships, aircraft, and transports dangerously low on fuel.

Green Earth:

Destroy the eastern Black Crystal and both eastern Mini Cannons, then begin the full air assault.

Use Fighters against enemy Fighters and other aircraft. Use the Stealth unit to finish the Fighter or attack protected structures. Use Battle Copters and ground vehicles against recons, anti-air units, Pipe Seams, and isolated land units.

The enemy missile can strike only one target each turn. Once enough aircraft are present, accept one missile attack and overwhelm the remaining defense.

Use a transport copter to deliver a mech near the northern airport. Capture or block the airport before Black Hole can continue producing Fighters.

After capturing the eastern base and airport, produce Medium Tanks, Neo Tanks, anti-air units, and additional Battle Copters for the northern push.

Northern Convergence

Once the three fronts are secure, the mission becomes a movement and access problem rather than a defensive battle.

Continue moving every useful unit north. The checkerboard forests and Pipe Seams slow the ground advance, so do not wait until the central battle is completely finished before sending reinforcements.

Destroy Pipe Seams to:

open access to the Black Obelisk
reach the two missile silos
allow Orange Star's tanks through
bring Blue Moon and Green Earth units into the northern area
earn bonus points

Destroy the remaining Black Crystals before attacking units stationed near them. Otherwise, damaged defenders can recover 2 HP each day.

Capture or block the northern bases and airport once Allied units reach them. Before Allied forces control the area, allowing Black Hole to produce an accessible unit may be preferable to having it build somewhere harder to reach.

After surrounding the final production properties, block them completely.

Keep indirect units moving. An artillery or Battleship that attacks the Black Obelisk one turn earlier may save an entire day.

Ex Machina and Supply

Von Bolt may activate Ex Machina several times.

The strike disables units within its impact area for one turn. It can stop a large group of Orange Star units or affect units from multiple Allied armies near the center.

Before the power activates:

spread critical indirect units when possible
keep APCs near damaged heavy units
avoid placing every attacker in one compact group
keep alternate routes open around blocked units
merge units that could be destroyed while unable to move

After the strike, use unaffected units to protect the disabled formation. Continue producing and advancing units rather than attempting to force attacks with the few pieces that remain active.

Every naval and air front should have APC support once the advance extends far from friendly properties. Refuel Fighters, Stealth units, Battle Copters, Bombers, Subs, and transports before their fuel becomes critical.

Destroy the Black Obelisk

The Black Obelisk can be attacked by ground units, indirect units, aircraft, and the western Battleship once the Pipe Seams are opened.

Blue Moon may reach firing range first, but the army landing the final blow determines the Power score.

Allow Orange Star to finish the Black Obelisk when Orange Star has destroyed the largest number of enemy units.

To prepare the final attack:

Destroy the Pipe Seam blocking Orange Star's route.

Remove the anti-air, infantry, medium tank, and other defenders near the Black Obelisk.

Move Orange Star tanks, Neo Tanks, artillery, and the Mega Tank north.

Use the Battleship and other Allied units to weaken the Black Obelisk without destroying it.

Resupply the intended finishing unit before its attack.

Confirm that it has enough ammunition and fuel.

Do not assume the Mega Tank can finish the objective merely because it reaches the area. Its limited movement, ammunition, and fuel may leave it unable to attack after the long advance.

Use an Orange Star Neo Tank or another supplied direct unit for the final blow when necessary.

Destroy the Black Obelisk to complete the mission.

Mission 27: Means to an End

Important Note:
The final mission is fought across two screens with different control rules.

You directly control the touch-screen army commanded by Colin. Jess commands the top-screen allied army under AI control.

The three Black Crystals on the top screen generate force fields around the Grand Bolt's weak points. Jess must shatter all three crystals before Colin can finish destroying the Grand Bolt on the touch screen.

Objective:
Shatter all three Black Crystals on the top screen and defeat Von Bolt on the touch screen within 24 days

Video Playthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIvlF2LPflo&list=PLqXaz6SSuLR8dUcCNzA2eXoNMGts9It-e&index=27

Recommended CO Setup:
Touch Screen: Colin
Top Screen Ally: Jess

Recommended Ally Posture:
Begin with Defensive Change to Offensive after the initial Black Hole army is weakened and the route to the Black Crystals is ready

Why These COs:
Colin can produce an enormous number of inexpensive infantry, tanks, Battle Copters, transport copters, artillery units, and Bombers from the touch screen's many production facilities.

Power of Money becomes extremely strong after this inexpensive army grows to several dozen units.

Jess strengthens the top screen's land vehicles and indirect units. Her AI army must withstand a much larger mixed Black Hole force, capture properties, destroy the three Black Crystals, and survive repeated Urban Blight attacks.

Map Notes:

The mission has a 24-day limit
The player directly controls the touch screen
The allied AI controls the top screen
Three Black Crystals protect the Grand Bolt's weak points
Destroying each Black Crystal exposes one weak point
Oozium periodically emerges from openings around the Grand Bolt
Oozium destroys adjacent units but can be surrounded and attacked
Von Bolt uses Ex Machina to disable groups of units for one turn
Kindle commands the top-screen Black Hole army
Kindle repeatedly uses Urban Blight
The touch screen begins with no allied units
Colin begins with access to several bases and airports
Black Hole begins with four Oozium and four infantry on the touch screen
More Oozium can emerge from the Grand Bolt
The top screen contains a massive mixed land, air, and naval army
The top-screen army includes nearly every standard unit type
Two Pipe Runners support the top-screen force
Pipe Seams on the touch screen can be destroyed for bonus points
Capturing Black Hole properties reduces its ability to reinforce
Winning the top screen triggers an allied Dual Strike on the touch screen

Starting Forces:

Touch Screen:

No starting units
Multiple bases
Multiple airports
Nearby neutral cities and Comm Towers

Touch-Screen Enemy Forces:

4 Oozium
4 infantry
Additional Oozium emerging later
Produced infantry, recons, tanks, anti-air units, and support units

Top-Screen Allied Forces:

3 mechs
Tank
Anti-air
Artillery
Rocket
Recon
Battle Copter
Cruiser

Major Top-Screen Enemy Forces:

Pipe Runners
Mega Tank and other heavy armor
Tanks and recons
Infantry and mechs
Anti-air units
Artillery, rockets, and missiles
Fighter
Bomber
Stealth unit
Battle Copter
Transport Copter
Battleship
Cruiser
Sub
Carrier
Black Boat
APC
Produced reinforcements

Route and Priorities

The final mission is controlled by a cross-screen unlock chain. Colin expands and controls Oozium on the touch screen while Jess initially survives on the AI-controlled top screen. Each of the three Black Crystals Jess destroys exposes one Grand Bolt weak point below. Protected sections should not be treated as available targets before their crystal is gone.

Keep Jess Defensive while she absorbs the major assault, then switch to Offensive when the remaining task is advancing on the crystals. Do not tie that change to a fixed day. Destroying the third crystal and winning the top front triggers the allied Dual Strike used to finish the exposed Grand Bolt.

Mission Mechanics and General Strategy

The touch screen is primarily an expansion and unit-production battle.

Colin should capture the nearby Comm Towers, cities, bases, and airports while producing infantry nearly every turn. Battle Copters intercept enemy infantry, tanks remove anti-air units and recons, and massed infantry surround Oozium.

The top screen is initially a survival battle. Leave Jess on Defensive while the enemy army advances. Her AI should build counters, use missiles and indirect fire, and gradually eliminate Kindle's air and ground forces.

Change Jess to Offensive after the largest threats are destroyed. The enemy must advance far enough to shatter all three Black Crystals; merely surviving the top-screen attack does not advance the objective.

Do not rush the Grand Bolt's weak points before their corresponding crystals are destroyed. Attacks against protected sections will do little or no useful damage.

Days 1–4: Expand and Intercept

Day 1:

Build four infantry.

Leave the remaining funds available for the next turn.

The first infantry will begin the capture network and create the foundation for Colin's later Power of Money.

Day 2:

Begin capturing the two nearby Comm Towers.

Begin capturing two additional cities.

Build a Battle Copter from the airport closest to the approaching enemy infantry.

Day 3:

Finish capturing the Comm Towers.

Continue capturing cities.

Move infantry toward nearby bases.

Build a second Battle Copter.

Build four more infantry.

Day 4:

Continue capturing bases, cities, and airports.

Build a third Battle Copter from the opposite side.

Build a transport copter to carry infantry toward the southern properties.

Move most infantry north toward the main battle.

Send a smaller group south to capture the remote cities.

The first Battle Copters should intercept the enemy infantry before they can capture neutral airports or other valuable properties.

Do not send them into enemy anti-air range. Use tanks to remove anti-air units before continuing the aerial attack.

Infantry Swarm and Oozium Control

Oozium cannot attack at range, but any unit left directly adjacent to one is in immediate danger.

The safest method is to prepare the surround before committing.

Move infantry into positions one tile away or diagonally adjacent.

Place several infantry around the Oozium during the same turn.

Attack from as many sides as possible.

Use Battle Copters, tanks, or Bombers to provide additional damage.

Finish the Oozium before ending the turn whenever practical.

Four healthy infantry can destroy an isolated Oozium when they can attack from all sides. Fewer infantry can still work when supported by tanks, Battle Copters, or Bombers.

Avoid feeding units into the Oozium one at a time. A failed partial attack may cost a unit without creating meaningful progress.

Continue producing infantry from almost every available base. Their purposes

include:

surrounding Oozium
capturing properties
blocking movement
attacking weakened support units
preserving Technique through a high deployed-unit count
charging Power of Money
replacing inevitable losses cheaply

Merge damaged infantry when doing so prevents an unnecessary unit loss.

Use tanks against anti-air units, recons, infantry, and other conventional defenders. Battle Copters should focus on infantry and vehicles after anti-air units have been removed.

Transport copters should shuttle infantry between the northern battle and the distant southern captures.

Power of Money and Property Control

Use Power of Money after Colin has built a large army and several valuable targets are available.

The first major use should support a broad counterattack rather than a single Oozium engagement.

During Power of Money:

destroy exposed anti-air units
remove recons and APCs
attack tanks and other direct units
finish vulnerable infantry
eliminate Oozium that can be surrounded
advance toward Black Hole's bases
produce more tanks and Battle Copters at reduced prices

Von Bolt may use Ex Machina immediately before Colin's power turn. Ex Machina disables affected units for one turn.

When the disable strikes:

Identify which attackers remain active.

Protect disabled tanks, Battle Copters, and artillery.

Delay Power of Money when too many important units cannot act.

Use unaffected units to continue captures and local attacks.

Resume the full offensive on the following turn.

A later Power of Money can still be worthwhile after Ex Machina if the remaining active army is large enough to remove several targets.

Capture Black Hole's cities, bases, airports, and Comm Towers whenever the local Oozium and defenders are under control.

Property captures accomplish more than increasing income. They reduce Black Hole's reinforcement options and create closer production points for Bombers, artillery, tanks, APCs, and infantry.

The southeastern properties should fall first. Afterward, redirect the southern capture force back north and begin taking the southwestern area.

Manage the Top-Screen Ally

Keep Jess on Defensive during the opening assault.

The top-screen Black Hole army includes powerful land, air, and naval units. Defensive posture encourages Jess to protect the allied position, build useful counters, and allow the enemy to enter missile, rocket, artillery, fighter, and anti-air range.

Kindle's Urban Blight repeatedly reduces allied HP on properties. The enemy will take losses, but it can replace units and gradually gain control if it avoids an early reckless advance.

The top-screen air force should fall before the naval force. Jess may then build Bombers, fighters, rockets, and other units to eliminate the remaining land and sea defenders.

Switch the ally to Offensive around the point where:

most enemy aircraft are destroyed
the central land formation is weakened
the Pipe Runners are damaged or gone
Jess has captured useful properties
the remaining objective is reaching the Black Crystals

Do not send touch-screen Battle Copters to the top merely because the transfer is available. Kindle may still have missiles, fighters, carriers, or other units that can destroy them immediately.

Transfer support only when the top screen has a clear target and its anti-air threats have already been removed.

Jess should eventually destroy the Black Crystals one at a time. Each destroyed crystal exposes another Grand Bolt weak point on the touch screen.

Open the Grand Bolt

Once a Black Crystal is shattered, the corresponding protected section on the touch screen becomes vulnerable.

Each exposed section has substantial HP and may require attacks over several turns. A section whose Black Crystal is still intact is not yet part of the executable attack route.

Use:

artillery for safe repeated damage
Bombers for high damage and fast repositioning
tanks and Neotanks when a direct route opens
Battle Copters when no anti-air remains nearby

Begin moving artillery and Bombers toward the weak points as soon as the first crystal falls.

Destroy nearby Pipe Seams when they block useful firing positions or movement routes. Pipe Seams also provide bonus points, but opening the route is the main reason to attack them.

Continue destroying Oozium while waiting for the remaining Black Crystals. New Oozium may emerge from openings around the Grand Bolt.

Block those openings with allied units once the surrounding area is secure. This prevents additional Oozium from entering the battlefield.

Do not place a unit directly adjacent to an active Oozium simply to block an opening. Eliminate or trap the Oozium first.

Northwestern Sweep

After the southeastern side is captured, concentrate on the northwestern area.

Use infantry, tanks, Battle Copters, Bombers, and artillery to surround and destroy the remaining Oozium.

Keep conventional enemy units from supporting them:

Bomb anti-air units.

Use tanks against recons, APCs, infantry, and other anti-air units.

Use Battle Copters against infantry and exposed ground units.

Use artillery against Pipe Seams, Oozium, and protected targets.

Capture the nearby base so reinforcements can be produced closer to the final battle.

Build APCs once the air and ground armies begin running low on fuel or ammunition. Battle Copters, Bombers, transport copters, tanks, and artillery may have crossed most of the map by this point.

Once Black Hole is restricted to a few properties, surround or capture them. Block the remaining production facilities when no useful enemy unit can emerge.

The final Oozium should be trapped by a large infantry mass with tanks, Bombers, and Battle Copters positioned behind it.

Final Black Crystal and Dual Strike

Jess should destroy the third Black Crystal after defeating Kindle's final naval units.

Winning the top screen immediately triggers an allied Dual Strike on the touch screen.

Use the Dual Strike to finish the campaign.

First turn:

complete any remaining property captures
destroy the outer Grand Bolt entrances
remove surviving infantry or Oozium
move artillery into range of the central weak point
move Bombers and Battle Copters forward
advance tanks and Neotanks
block Black Hole's remaining production facilities

Second turn:

continue attacking the central weak point
use the additional movement and attack power to reposition indirect units
finish any unit that still protects the Grand Bolt
prepare enough damage to end the mission immediately or on the following day

The Dual Strike can also release units disabled by Ex Machina, allowing them to act during the second allied turn.

Do not spend the final power moving infantry that cannot contribute. Prioritize artillery, Bombers, tanks, Neotanks, and Battle Copters that can reach the Grand Bolt.

Destroy the Grand Bolt

After all three Black Crystals are shattered and the outer weak points are destroyed, attack the central Grand Bolt section.

Use artillery and Bombers first when available. They can finish the objective without exposing additional units.

If more damage is required, follow with tanks, Neotanks, Battle Copters, or other nearby units.

Before ending a turn, verify:

all three Black Crystals are destroyed
the central weak point is exposed
the intended attacker has ammunition
Ex Machina has not disabled the finishing unit
no Oozium blocks the attack tile

Destroy the central Grand Bolt section to complete the Normal Campaign.

========================================= ========================================= =========================================

Table of Contents

Mission 1: Jake’s Trial

Opening Plan

Enemy Threat Warnings

Mission End

Mission 2: The New Black

Opening Plan

Midgame Priorities

Enemy Threat Warnings

Mission End

Mission 3: Max Attacks

Opening Plan

Midgame Priorities

Enemy Threat Warnings

HQ Capture Timing

Mission End

Mission 4: Reclaiming the Skies

Opening Plan

Midgame Priorities

Enemy Threat Warnings

Mission End

Mission 5: Neverending War

Opening Plan

Midgame Priorities

Southern Front Role

Enemy Threat Warnings

CO Power Timing

Mission End

Mission 6: The Ocean Blue

Opening Plan

Naval Priorities

Landing Operation

Midgame Priorities

Enemy Threat Warnings

Submarine Usage

CO Power Timing

Mission End

Mission 7: Fog Rolls In

Opening Plan

Fog Vision Control

Midgame Priorities

Enemy Threat Warnings

Transport Ambush Notes

Battle Copter Role

Mission End

Mission 8: Tag Battle

Opening Plan

Piperunner Priority

Expansion Priorities

Midgame Priorities

Enemy Threat Warnings

Base Blocking Strategy

Mission End

Mission 9: Victory or Death!

Opening Plan

Top Screen Priorities

Bottom Screen Priorities

Black Ark Timing

Bomber Crystal Strike Setup

Enemy Threat Warnings

Tag Power Timing

Mission End

Mission 10: Black Boats Ahoy!

Opening Plan

Naval Priorities

Black Boat Mechanics

Island Landing Operation

Midgame Priorities

Kindle Threat Warnings

Western Front Role

Lab Capture Importance

Mission End

Mission 11: Omega Land Lab Assault

Route and Priorities

Day 1: Orange Star Opening

Day 1: Blue Moon Opening

Midgame Priorities

Enemy Tag Power Warning

Choke Point Control

Rachel Tag Power Timing