S-Rank Campaign FAQ - Guide for Advance Wars

Advance Wars S-Rank Campaign FAQ
Revision 1

By Matthew Emirzian
[email protected]

Please do not email asking for advice or help.  This guide is not for
beginners, and I assume you've mastered basic tactical battle skills.  I
usually reccomend Max as a CO, since most of the levels will require you to
be fast, offensive, and powerful.

My interpretation of the rankings -

S = Good
A = Okay, flawed
B = Poor
C = Bad
D/E/F = Abysmal

The end of level scores:

Speed - Number of rounds taken to complete the map
Power - ?
Technique - damage taken

Level 2-

Day 1

Move your small tank between the two mountains, and move your artillery
cannon behind it.  Create a tank and an infantry unit.  Place an infantry
into the transport, and drop it off into the river, at the spot where newly
hired infantry can move to it in one turn.

Day 2

When the enemy small tank attacks you, use your artillery to destroy it.
Move your second small tank behind the artillery, but don't move forward
yet.  Move the infantry in the river to the northeast forest.  Move the
newly hired infantry into the transport, then have the transport drop it off
into the river.  Create another tank and infantry unit.

Day 3

Move your two tanks forward and destroy the enemy artillery to the right.
Move your artillery into a safe corner ahead.  Move infantry forward, as
repeated.

Day 4-etc.

Conquering the small city area-

Continue on with the infantry until you have 4-5 units, and while playing
the rest of the map, eliminate the enemies and capture the cities.  Since
the enemy has no factories, you don't have to worry about his cash flow.

Finishing the map -

Keep up a steady supply of tanks, a Mid Tank would be helpful, but is not
necessary.  When the CO releases his obnoxious distance attack, you will no
doubt lose 2-3 tanks and probably your artillery too.  After this happens,
you should regroup until you have appx. 3 tanks and then move forward to
conquer the area.  Be careful of the distance attacks always.

Level 3-

	What you need to do is blitz as fast as you possibly can to capture the
enemy base.  Your main goal will be to protect the helicoptor and the
transport.  You can stop the fighter jet attacks by surrounding your
transport and jet with other units, so the jets cannot reach you.  You can
easily destroy the helicoptors with the ample anti-air firepower given.

The second major obstacle is the bomber jet, which will only attack if a
unit is in range.  Since you need to divert and destroy it ASAP, you should
create a recon unit on the first turn, move your ground units along with it,
and sacrifice the recon unit so that the bomber comes down in range of your
anti-air guns.

	Make sure to keep moving your helicoptor and transport as far as safely
possible.  You can sacrifice one turn to protect your air units, but no
more.  Don't worry if some of your ground troops get punched out, it doesn't
matter.  Also, don't worry if your air units get a little scratched - enemy
fighters at 4 HP really won't do much before you can finish them off the
next turn.

	When you've defeated the bomber, move the heli towards the tank infront of
the base, and drop the infantry off onto the enemy base.  In the last two
turns, destroy the tank with the heli, and pick off the infantry infront of
your ground troops.  You must complete the map on the 6'th day at most.

Level 4a -

	You won't even need to make any sea units on this map.  Force your ground
units forward and block the enemy off at the mountain path.  Load an
infantry onto the transport, and keep it safe out of range while your sub
and battleship destroy the enemy battleships.  Olaf will stupidly move his
ground units away from his base, making it ripe for conquest.  When the
coast is clear, drop your infantry off and nab that base.  For safety, move
your battleship close to the east coast so that any tanks there will attack
the battleship instead of your infantry.

Level 4b -

	On land, be thrifty with your units, and don't get in the way of the
artillery & launcher.  It's not too difficult if you keep up the initiative
and avoid long range attacks.  On sea, use dive when necessary, just basic
tactics here.  By the time you can safely land an infantry on the enemy
shoreline, you'll have crushed the last of the enemy resistance.

Level 5 -

	You'll have to do a bit of memorization and play the map a few times over
before getting an s-rank.  The goal is to capture the base within 6 days.
When your army reaches the middle part of the level, be careful.  Try to
lure the anti-air unit out of reach of your air units, sneaking them by to
reach the base.  You can safely land your infantry on the base next to the
artillery, since it can't attack directly infront of it.  Be very careful of
the enemy's CO power, take all precautions not to get beat up too badly.  If
you take too much damage, you'll lose technique points and will probably
only get an A rank.

Level 6 -

	Here you'll have to conquer 12 towns before Olaf does, within 6 turns.  It
should be snowing when you finish the map.  The key here is to move your
initial forces forward, and create infantry who can safely conquer the towns
nearest you, while also creating transports to immediately rush new infantry
to capture more towns.

	The most important towns are the one across the lower bridge, and the one
next to the upper bridge.  These two will make or break the game.  To get
the lower bridge base, move a standard infantry into the transport and carry
it as close as possible.  While that infantry works on the town, use the Mid
Tank to back him up.

	There will be ground units coming from the upper bridge.  Wait for them to
approach you, then slam them.  Make sure to retreat your mid tank and use it
up north once you've finished with the town across the bridge.  The enemy
mid tank on the north bridge will only attack if your units are in it's
range, so send a sacrificial infantry and slam it with your mid-tank, mechs,
or small tank when it's in range.

	You should be able to take over the north bridge town before the enemy can
even get close to it.  For safety, block off the north bridge with any unit
you've got.  Once you have all the towns and the factory on your side, plus
those two towns, you'll win with an S.

Level 7 -

	The goal of this level is to take over the base in 7 turns or less.  Your
main objective is to destroy all distance attack units around the upper part
of the waters, to ensure a safe passage for your transports to conquer the
base.  You'll definately be losing a few sea units.  What you should do is
put one mid tank and one mech infantry into one transport, and one infantry
and the recon unit into the other transport.  Use the remaining ground
troops to eliminate the enemies to the north, especially the artillery.  Use
the reefs strategically to knock out the enemies sea units, making sure not
to lose too many units from Grit's distance attacks.
	The key to winning the level is destroying the battleship that's hidden in
the northeast part of the water.  Send some submerged subs up there and
destroy it, or else you'll never be able to take the base.  Don't even
bother with the island in the middle or the long strip of enemy territory.
	When landing, drop the infantry and mid tank unit first.  You may lose 
your
first infantry unit, but that's ok, just drop the second one you took.  Use
the mid tank unit to keep away the small tanks that will try to rush you,
while your infantry takes the base.  If you can win the level, you'll
probably have a good chance at an S-rank, as long as you didn't lose too
many units.

Level 8 -

	This level is a pain.  Your best bet is to eliminate the enemies, instead
of try to take over the base.  You can do it in 10 rounds or less.  The key
to winning the level is to have as many units remaining as possible, or your
technique will be poor.  There are two bombers, one to the northeast and
east of your initial position.  You'll want to take out the northeast one
first, so that your ground troops can proceed.  The east one should move
west and probably attack your anti-air cannon that just took out a heli in
your first move.  The anti-air cannon will have 1 hp left, so just use it as
a sacrifical pawn to lure enemy aircraft.  Keep progressing your ground
troops, working through the level.  It's a pain, but as long as you keep
your losses low, you'll pull through.
	Try to trick the AI at every opportunity, use the forest for your ground *
air troops, and don't put your transports out on the front lines.  When the
enemy uses his CO power, prepare beforehand by getting far out of his range.

Level 9 -

	You'll be playing defensively here, but I still reccomend Max.  First, 
move
out your mid tanks and destroy the rockets, then position your distance
weapons securely behind the mountains, and move your small tanks in the two
mountain forest paths.  The next turn, enemy tanks will come after you, but
won't attack.  Use this opportunity to retreat your mid tanks behind the
small ones, and allow the small tanks to be destroyed.  Continue firing your
distance weapons while pummeling the enemies mid tanks, and they'll go down
rather quickly.  Don't be afraid to whack a mid tank with your mech infantry
units, if it's got 4 or less HP.  Make sure you don't let any enemies start
to retreat, or the time it takes you to chase it will cost you a speed
penalty.  You must complete the level within 6 rounds, so dispose of the
infantry asap.

Level 10 -

	You'll be playing defensively here, and I reccomend Andy.  Start off by
attacking the enemy rockets with yours, then move the infantry to bring it
down to 1 hp.  Hire an infantry in the upper right hand factory.  Move the
mech infantry north to the town.  Use the rockets liberally, and be careful
of enemy artillery, however, don't be too scared of them, or you'll run out
of time.
	With those two infantry, take the two neutral towns.The rest of the map is
basically continuing to create tanks to replace the damaged front line
units, and create artillery/rockets to take care of any artillery the enemy
moves too close to you.  You must complete the level within 8 rounds.

Level 11 -

	You won't be doing too much fighting here, just taking over a bunch of
bases.  The air combat here is pretty standard, but forget about trying to
get on to the enemies main land mass or his factory, as it's swarming with
anti air units.  Just concentrate on the isolated islands, including the
northeast one.  After grabbing enough towns, you should win, it's not too
difficult.  Just stay out of Kanbei's anti-air unit range.

Level 12 -

	This is another annoying fog of war map.  There are hidden rockets and
artillery behind just about every mountain curve.  Use the transport to
drive up to a mountain range and drop an infantry unit on the mountain, so
you'll see the enemy immediately and can move in for the kill.  Use the
forest coverage, and try to remember where the enemies are when you play the
map the second or third time.  You can spend plenty of time on this map, up
to 13 rounds.

Level 13 -

	This map is slightly difficult, and takes preparation and playing the map 
a
few times.  If you manage to take the north and south islands, you'll win.
However, there are some impediments in your way.  Any enemy cargo ships will
be empty, so don't prioritize killing them, and the enemy will rarely create
units from her base.
	The north island is difficult to gain access to, since there's a 
battleship
in the northeast corner of the water, that won't do anything but fire if
you're in range.  Plus there's an artillery hidden in the northeast forest
of the island.  You won't be able to gain much ground until you destroy the
battleship.
	On the south island, you'll be subject to a stream of enemies crossing the
bridge.  It's difficult to block the bridge, because there are positioned
distance units ready to shoot you down.  However, you shouldn't worry too
much about staying strong in the island, as long as you aren't wiped out
you'll be ok.
	The sea passage is difficult to traverse.  There'll be a sub and a criuser
to your right.  I reccomend staying your ground until you can safely kill
the cruiser and sub without losing your sub.  To defeat the battleship and
gain access to the rest of the island, you can try to sneak your sub up and
destroy the battleship.  This takes two turns and is risky.  You can also
take two rocket launchers and bring them to the north island.  Move them in
range of the battleship - it will damage one, but the combined rocket attack
will be enough to kill it for good.  The downside to the rocket attack is
that you'll be short on funds to combat the enemies on the south island, so
you'll have to make do with what you've got down there for atleast one turn
before being able to create small tanks and send them down.
	So the overall strategy is to hold your ground to the south and capture 
the
bases there.  To the north, destroy the artillery cannon hidden in the NE
woods, and destroy the battleship before capturing the eastern side of the
island.  On the sea way, hold your position and kill anything that comes
within range, and try to sneak a sub up to the battleship for the kill.  Use
your own battleship wisely, it's an excellent unit.

Level 14 -

	Just barrel your way through to the east with your ground troops.  On sea,
be careful, there's plenty of enemies floating around and air units will try
to ambush you, especially with the CO power.  Use the reefs to hide your
ships, but when the CO power is about to strike, move out of range of the
enemy.  After level 13, this one should seem easier to manage.
	Starting out, move your sea units north to destroy the enemy sub and
rockets.  Move them back and far away next turn, because the CO power will
be used on Day 3, afterwards, traverse the reefs and destroy the remaining
sea units.  There will be a bomber, two helis, and other air units coming
after your party, so keep your missiles and anti-air units ready at all
times.  You can spend quite a bit of time on this map, around 13 days.

Level 15a -

Level 15b -

Level 15c -

-- End