Advance Wars: Dual Strike Normal Campaign Walkthrough

Mission 1: Jake’s Trial

Objective:
Defeat all enemy units

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.

The key lesson here is focus fire: multiple units attacking one target in sequence is far stronger than splitting damage across several enemies.

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.

Midgame Priorities

There is almost no true midgame here, but the mission teaches two essential principles:

Remove the strongest enemy threat first
Use heavier units to soften targets before finishing with weaker units

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

This ends the mission cleanly with no complications.

Playthrough Note:
A clean completion earns a 300 point S Rank and establishes the basic combat patterns used throughout the rest of Dual Strike.

Mission 2: The New Black

Objective:
Defeat all enemy units

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:
This mission teaches how indirect units control space. Let the enemy advance into artillery range, then destroy each tank before it can close distance.

Do not rush your artillery forward unnecessarily. Let the enemy come to you.

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

This mission is about preserving artillery spacing:

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.

Playthrough Note:
A clean artillery-focused clear earns a 300 point S Rank and teaches one of the most important early Dual Strike fundamentals: indirect units win by control, not speed.

Mission 3: Max Attacks

Objective:
Capture the enemy HQ OR destroy all enemy units

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.

This mission rewards fast aerial tempo more than slow attrition.

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 preserve copter mass 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
Maintain artillery support 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 with aggressive air superiority intact.

Playthrough Note:
A clean fast clear earns a 300 point S Rank and demonstrates the importance of air spacing, target priority, and coordinated transport timing.

Mission 4: Reclaiming the Skies

Objective:
Defeat all enemy units

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

Because enemy aircraft are expensive, every clean knockout creates immediate tempo advantage.

Enemy Threat Warnings

Bombers:
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.

Playthrough Note:
A clean two-day victory earns a 300 point S Rank and reinforces one of Dual Strike’s most important combat lessons: remove expensive air threats first.

Mission 5: Neverending War

Objective:
Capture the HQ OR destroy all enemy units

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 preserve damaged vehicles 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 safely with artillery, then destroy it before pushing tanks into Black Hole territory. Once the Medium Tank falls, the map becomes much easier and turns into a standard advance-and-cleanup battle.

This mission teaches patience: do not rush into 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.

Playthrough Note:
This mission becomes highly variable after Day 5, so exact move scripting is less important than following the correct northern breakthrough sequence.

Mission 6: The Ocean Blue

Objective:
Capture the HQ OR destroy all enemy units

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.

This mission rewards precise sequencing more than brute force.

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.

Playthrough 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

Objective:
Capture the HQ OR destroy all enemy units

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:
Advance carefully, 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, the rest of the mission becomes controlled fog cleanup.

This mission is about scouting discipline, not speed rushing.

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 maintain safe mech deployment
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.

Playthrough Note:
This mission becomes much easier once Koal’s last tank is removed. Fog maps are won by information advantage, and this mission teaches that lesson directly.

Mission 8: Tag Battle

Objective:
Capture the HQ OR destroy all enemy units

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.

This mission is won economically before it is won militarily.

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 creates long-term production advantage.

This mission heavily rewards aggressive economic tempo.

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.

Tag Mechanics Lesson

This mission introduces the practical value of Tag pressure:

stronger economy enables better Tag turns later
having more active units makes CO swaps more decisive
property control multiplies Tag momentum

Even before using Tag Power directly, this mission teaches how Tag systems reward production superiority.

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.

Playthrough 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!

Objective:
Destroy the Black Crystal

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.

This mission is about sequencing, not brute-force elimination.

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:

ensure fighter cover is active
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.

Playthrough 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!

Objective:
Capture the HQ OR destroy all enemy units

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.

This mission is won by naval sequencing before land combat begins.

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.

This mission teaches: Black Boats are high-value naval support targets and should often be destroyed before less dangerous combat ships.

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.

Playthrough Note:
This mission becomes straightforward once Kindle loses naval control. The first submarine attack sequence is the most important part of the entire map.

Mission 11: Omega Land Lab Assault

Objective:
Capture the Lab OR destroy all enemy units

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 preserve damaged indirect units, which are 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.

Day 1: Orange Star Opening

Use the left artillery to destroy the Black Boat immediately.
Fire the right rocket at the submerged sub.
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.
If possible, target Neo Tanks with rockets whenever safe.

Key Rule:
Preserve every Orange Star artillery and rocket 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

To preserve perfect score:

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

Mission 12: Lightning Strikes

Objective:
Capture the HQ OR destroy all enemy units

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, but Colin is generally more useful here because the bottom screen benefits heavily from sustained production.

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.

The mission becomes much easier once the top screen is stabilized, because that lets you finish the secondary front and convert that advantage into a strong cleanup on the main map.

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:

Preserve anti-air units at all costs
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

Priority target order for missile strikes:

Tanks
Artillery
Recons
Infantry or mechs only if they complete a strong cluster hit

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

After this point, your production becomes much more flexible and Grimm’s side becomes easier to pressure from multiple angles.

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

Do not rush power use just because the meter is full. Use it when it converts into immediate tempo or multiple favorable trades.

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

Once this front is won, the mission swings heavily in your favor.

Tag Power Conversion

After winning the secondary front, you can use Tag Power pressure to collapse the main front more quickly.

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

This is the point where the mission usually shifts from controlled attrition into a decisive final advance.

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

This mission often ends by full elimination rather than HQ capture.

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

Objective:
Capture the HQ OR destroy all enemy units

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:
This mission is won by steady property control, disciplined infantry spam, and a gradual two front squeeze.

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

The key is not rushing recklessly through the snow. Movement is slower here, so the mission rewards early captures, efficient production, and controlled advancement.

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.

Because Colin is leading, early infantry spam is especially efficient here.

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

This mission strongly rewards constant production, especially from Colin’s side.

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

This is one of the biggest turning points in the mission.

CO Switching Logic

On the northwest side:
Start with Colin for production efficiency, then switch toward stronger combat pressure once tanks are active and direct engagements matter more.

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
shift 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 preserves technique more efficiently
it prevents multiple weak infantry from being picked off
it keeps your army compact while still maintaining capture pressure

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

Target Priority

In general, focus on the most dangerous and cost-efficient enemy units first.

Usual 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.

Once Black Hole is reduced to scattered infantry and a few damaged units, the map is essentially won.

Mission 14: Verdant Hills

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

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
Comm Towers are important because Javier scales well with them
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.

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, focus on the strongest and most expensive units first.

Priority order:

Mega Tank
Medium Tanks
Anti-Air
Artillery
Recons
Mechs and infantry when they threaten captures or choke points

Blue Moon’s indirects should almost always be trading into expensive units.

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.

Orange Star does not need flashy plays here. It needs to survive, build, and create enough tank mass to punish overextension.

Blue Moon Positioning Rules

Blue Moon wins its early phase through terrain discipline.

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.

The support line matters more than one extra low-value attack.

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.

Comm Tower Pressure

Comm 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

One missed opportunity in this run was delaying early Tower capture on Blue Moon’s side. Taking them earlier would make the mission cleaner.

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

This is the phase where the mission stops being a pure hold and becomes a push.

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 helps maintain pressure and protects technique.

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

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 AI may react differently depending on positioning, damage rolls, pipe-break timing, and unit targeting. If enemy movement varies slightly, follow the same strategic principles rather than trying to reproduce every move exactly.

Objective:
Destroy all three mini cannons

Video Walkthrough:
Watch the Mission 15 video walkthrough

Recommended CO Setup:
Grimm / Sensei

Why These COs:
Grimm increases the attack power of every unit, allowing your army to destroy pipe seams and mini cannons more quickly. His reduced defense is manageable here as long as you respect enemy ranges and avoid unnecessary exposure.

Sensei supports map control through stronger infantry and mechs while giving the army additional flexibility across separated parts of the map. His infantry-focused abilities are especially useful for securing the southeast lab city and Comm Tower while the main force advances west.

Map Notes:

A large pipe system restricts movement across most of the map
Pipe seams can be destroyed to open new routes
Pipe runners can move only along pipes and attack targets from long range
Three mini cannons on the western side are the mission objectives
A hidden lab city is located on the southeast island
A Comm Tower is also located on the southeast island
Enemy forces are divided among the west, north, northeast, and southeast areas
A missile silo is available in the southwest
A lander is available to transport units to the southeast island
Mini cannon and pipe runner ranges must be checked before every major advance
Capturing the lab city before destroying the final mini cannon unlocks the research-lab mission

General Strategy:
Snow Hunters is a divided-objective mission. Your main army must push west and destroy all three mini cannons, while a smaller transport operation secures the lab city and Comm Tower on the southeast island.

The western force should advance quickly but methodically. Pipe seams control your available routes, while pipe runners and mini cannons punish units that move forward without checking enemy ranges.

Commit West Early: Send most of your combat units west immediately so they can reach and destroy the mini cannons before enemy pressure becomes difficult to manage.
Open the Pipe Network: Use rockets, artillery, and medium tanks to destroy the pipe seams blocking your advance.
Respect Enemy Ranges: Keep valuable units outside mini cannon and pipe runner range until you are ready to attack decisively.
Secure the Southeast Island: Transport a mech by lander so it can capture the lab city before the final mini cannon is destroyed.

The mission becomes straightforward once your western force reaches safe firing positions around the cannons and the southeast mech begins its capture.

Day 1: Initial Positioning

Use the rockets to begin damaging the pipe sections blocking the western route.
Move the lander toward the mech near the southeast transport route.
Load the mech into the lander.
Move the medium tanks, artillery, and other ground units west toward the mini cannons.
Move the anti-air units southwest to support the western push.
Load the infantry into the APC and move it toward the southwest.
Group the remaining combat units around the western approach without entering unnecessary enemy ranges.

Your Day 1 goal is deployment rather than combat. Establish the western attack group, begin opening the pipes, and get the southeast transport operation underway.

Western Force Composition

The western force should contain most of your heavy combat strength:

medium tanks for direct damage against pipe seams and mini cannons
rockets and artillery for protected indirect fire
anti-air units for enemy aircraft and additional cannon damage
an APC and infantry for support, blocking, and missile-silo access

Keep the indirect units behind the medium tanks and other frontline units. The rockets are especially valuable and should not be exposed to enemy armor or pipe runners.

Southeast Transport Plan

The southeast island contains both the lab city and a Comm Tower. Neither property is required to destroy the mini cannons, but the lab city must be captured before the mission ends if you want to unlock the optional research-lab mission.

Use the lander to transport a mech rather than diverting a large combat force. One mech can handle the captures while the rest of the army concentrates on the western objective.

Day 2: Early Engagement

Use the missile silo to destroy or heavily damage the incoming bomber.
Use anti-air units to eliminate battle copters and nearby infantry where possible.
Continue moving the rockets and artillery west while keeping them behind pipe cover.
Use medium tanks to damage or destroy pipe seams and open better forward positions.
Keep indirect units outside enemy attack range as they advance.
Continue moving the lander toward the southeast island.

The bomber is the most immediate threat because it can inflict severe damage on your ground formation. Using the missile silo against it preserves your anti-air units for battle copters and other nearby targets.

Pipe-Seam Management

Destroying pipe seams creates the routes needed to reach the western cannons, but every opening also changes how enemy units can approach your army.

Before breaking a seam:

check whether an enemy tank or medium tank can move through the opening
keep artillery and rockets behind a frontline screen
confirm that nearby pipe runners cannot punish the unit making the attack
avoid opening several lanes at once unless your army can defend them

The best seam to destroy is not always the closest one. Open routes that improve your firing positions without giving the enemy an easy attack lane.

Day 3: Positioning for Cannon Range

Move the main force into positions immediately outside the mini cannons’ attack range.
Keep vulnerable units approximately five tiles away unless terrain or the cannon’s exact position changes its effective coverage.
Continue advancing artillery, rockets, and medium tanks into future attack positions.
Use missile-silo damage against clustered high-value enemy units when an effective target remains available.
Maintain enough spacing that pipe runners cannot damage several important units or disrupt the entire formation.

Do not rush into cannon range merely because your units have reached the western side. Day 3 should establish a coordinated attack line so several units can strike together once the assault begins.

Range Discipline

Mini cannons and pipe runners punish isolated movement. Check both attack ranges before committing any unit forward.

Use the following formation:

medium tanks and durable direct units in front
anti-air units near the front but outside unnecessary armored threats
artillery behind the direct-combat line
rockets in the safest available rear firing positions
APCs and infantry away from exposed cannon lanes

A coordinated attack from several unit types is safer than feeding units into cannon range one at a time.

Day 4: Controlled Advancement

Land the mech on the southeast island.
Begin capturing the lab city immediately.
Move the infantry toward the Comm Tower for a later capture.
Begin attacking the mini cannons with anti-air units, artillery, rockets, and medium tanks when safe.
Destroy additional pipe seams where needed to improve firing positions and movement.
Prepare the western formation to absorb incoming enemy pressure without exposing indirect units.

Day 4 begins the main assault. The goal is not to destroy every cannon immediately, but to establish safe attacks while preserving the units needed to finish the mission cleanly.

Mini Cannon Assault Rules

Mini cannons cannot move, so use their fixed ranges against them.

When beginning the assault:

move several attackers into range during the same turn
lead with units that can survive nearby counterattacks
keep rockets and artillery behind direct-combat units
focus one cannon at a time rather than spreading damage unnecessarily
check pipe runner and enemy armor ranges before every attack

Grimm’s increased attack makes nearly every unit useful against the objective, including anti-air units that are no longer needed against aircraft.

Target Priority

Although the mini cannons are the objective, nearby enemy units can disrupt the assault if ignored.

Use this general priority order:

air units threatening your ground formation
enemy medium tanks and tanks that can reach your indirects
pipe runners covering the western approach
mini cannons that can be destroyed safely
infantry and other support units interfering with positioning

Do not delay the objective merely to eliminate harmless units, but remove anything capable of breaking your formation.

Day 5: Cannon Destruction Phase

Concentrate medium tank and indirect fire on the western mini cannons.
Destroy two of the three mini cannons if your attack positions are ready.
Continue capturing the lab city with the southeast mech.
Engage nearby enemy units that threaten your attackers or capture operation.
Keep vulnerable units outside medium tank and pipe runner range whenever possible.

Two cannons can usually be removed during this phase if the earlier positioning was efficient. Leave the final cannon alive until the lab city capture is secure.

Why the Final Cannon Should Wait

The mission ends immediately when the third mini cannon is destroyed. If the lab city has not been captured by then, the optional research-lab mission will remain locked.

Before destroying the final cannon, confirm that:

the mech is actively capturing the lab city
the mech cannot be interrupted by a nearby enemy unit
the remaining cannon can be destroyed on command
your western army can safely hold its position for another turn if necessary

The objective can wait. The lab unlock cannot be recovered after the mission ends.

Day 6: Position Reset and Safety

Pull exposed units back outside pipe runner and medium tank range.
Avoid taking unnecessary damage while waiting for the lab capture to finish.
Keep artillery or another reliable attacker positioned to destroy the final mini cannon.
Protect the southeast mech from any enemy unit that can interrupt its capture.
Maintain control of the western battlefield without launching unnecessary attacks.

Day 6 is a preservation turn. Once two cannons are gone, there is no reason to risk technique by forcing additional combat before the southeast objective is complete.

Preserving Technique

Avoiding unit losses is more important than dealing extra damage during the final turns.

To protect technique:

retreat damaged direct-combat units behind the main line
do not leave infantry or APCs exposed to easy attacks
keep indirect units outside breakthrough range
avoid attacking pipe runners unless the exchange is safe
use intact units to screen weakened ones

The mission is already under control once the western cannons are reduced to one and the lab capture is nearly complete.

Day 7: Final Execution

Complete the capture of the lab city to unlock the research-lab mission.
Capture the Comm Tower on the southeast island if the infantry is in position.
Use artillery or another safely positioned unit to destroy the final mini cannon.
Eliminate nearby enemy units first only when doing so is safe and beneficial to the final score.

Once the lab city is secured, finish the mission immediately unless another attack can be made without creating risk.

Optional Southeast Comm Tower

The Comm Tower is not required for victory or for unlocking the research-lab mission, but capturing it strengthens Grimm’s already powerful offense and completes the southeast operation.

Do not delay the mission excessively for the Tower if the infantry cannot reach it safely. The lab city is the essential optional objective.

Mission End

The mission ends as soon as all three mini cannons are destroyed.

Before delivering the final attack, verify that:

the lab city has been fully captured
the research-lab mission has been unlocked
no unit needs to be moved out of immediate danger
the final cannon can be destroyed without sacrificing a unit

An S-Rank is achievable with:

100 Speed
100 Power
100 Technique

No units need to be lost during this mission.

Key Success Factors:

committing the main army west immediately
destroying pipe seams without opening unsafe enemy routes
remaining outside mini cannon and pipe runner range until the attack is ready
using medium tanks and indirect units efficiently against the objective
transporting a mech to the southeast island early
capturing the lab city before destroying the final mini cannon
preserving every unit during the final waiting turns

Mission 16: Spiral Garden

Important Note:
Enemy AI may react differently depending on positioning, pipe-seam timing, pipe runner targeting, and infantry movement. If enemy movement varies slightly, follow the same strategic principles rather than trying to reproduce every move exactly.

Objective:
Capture 15 properties

Alternate Win Conditions:

Capture the lab
Destroy all enemy units

Video Walkthrough:
Watch the Mission 16 video walkthrough

Recommended CO Setup:
Sensei / Javier

Why These COs:
Sensei is the best starting choice because this mission is fundamentally a property race. His stronger infantry and mechs improve early captures, while his powers can add infantry across your controlled cities and bases once the map begins to open.

Javier provides defensive support during the crowded middle and late phases. His powers help protect exposed capture units and frontline forces, especially once both armies begin contesting the airport, missile silos, and northern properties.

Map Notes:

Kindle is the enemy CO
The battle ends when either army captures 15 properties
You begin with eight units and six bases
Kindle begins with ten units and three bases
Kindle starts with two pipe runners
The lab is located far to the northwest
A spiral-shaped pipe system blocks direct movement through the map
Pipe seams must be destroyed to create expansion routes
The airport and missile silos are major central objectives
Kindle has access to many nearby northern properties
You must expand immediately to prevent Kindle from winning the property race
Infantry production should continue almost every turn
Pipe runner ranges must be checked before moving capture units through openings

Starting Units:

2 tanks
2 artillery
1 infantry
1 mech
1 recon
1 APC

Enemy Starting Units:

1 medium tank
1 tank
1 artillery
2 pipe runners
2 infantry
1 recon
1 anti-air
1 battle copter

General Strategy:
Spiral Garden is a property race disguised as a pipe-control battle. You must destroy the western pipe seams quickly, flood the map with infantry, and keep expanding before Kindle reaches 15 properties.

Your early turns should prioritize mobility and capture tempo rather than destroying every enemy unit. Once the first two seams are broken, the map opens into a wider contest over the southwest city, central missile silos, airport, and northern properties.

Break West Immediately: Concentrate your starting tanks and artillery on the two western pipe seams so capture units can reach the far side.
Build Infantry Constantly: Produce infantry almost every turn because the victory condition depends on property count.
Manage Pipe Runner Range: Keep fragile units outside their firing zones until tanks or mechs can attack them safely.
Secure Central Infrastructure: Contest the airport and missile silos before Kindle can use them against your advancing army.
Maintain Forward Momentum: Once a route opens, continue moving units through it rather than allowing the army to become congested near the starting bases.

The most important resource in this mission is tempo. Every delayed pipe break or idle infantry unit gives Kindle another opportunity to move closer to 15 properties.

Property-Race Priorities

Not every property has equal strategic value.

Prioritize:

bases that expand your production area
cities that create a continuous capture route
the airport near the center
properties near missile silos
northern cities that Kindle can otherwise capture easily

Do not divert several units toward a distant property if doing so leaves closer bases or cities unclaimed.

Day 1: Initial Setup

Load the infantry into the APC.
Move the APC seven spaces west and deploy the infantry on the western side.
Move both tanks west toward the two leftmost pipe seams.
Move the artillery toward the leftmost seam.
Attack the leftmost pipe seam with artillery.
Begin capturing the nearby city with the mech.
Move the recon and remaining units west as far as safely possible.
Build two infantry from the available bases.

The APC deployment gives your infantry an immediate head start toward the western properties. Meanwhile, the tanks and artillery should begin concentrating damage on the seams rather than spreading attacks across multiple targets.

Opening Production Plan

Early production should support the property race first and combat second.

Build:

infantry from as many bases as your funds allow
an anti-air unit early enough to intercept Kindle’s battle copter
additional tanks once the western route begins opening
artillery when you need protected fire against units guarding pipe exits

Avoid spending too much on expensive units during the opening. A powerful army cannot win the property race if there are not enough infantry available to capture.

Day 2: Pipe Pressure

Continue attacking the two leftmost pipe seams.
Move infantry toward nearby cities and the future western base capture.
Keep the recon outside pipe runner and battle copter range.
Move the APC slightly east after completing the infantry drop so it can support the central formation.
Continue advancing tanks and artillery toward the seams.
Build an anti-air unit and another infantry.

Do not allow the battle copter to dictate your movement. The early anti-air gives your western force freedom to advance without exposing infantry or artillery to repeated air attacks.

Pipe Runner Safety

Pipe runners have excellent range but limited movement because they must remain on the pipe network.

Use that limitation against them:

check their firing range before moving infantry through a seam
place tanks at the edge of their range to prepare a direct attack
use mechs when terrain or pipe layout creates a safe approach
avoid leaving artillery or recon units exposed after a seam breaks

Destroying a seam can suddenly expose units that were previously protected by pipes, so recalculate enemy ranges after every break.

Day 3: First Breakthrough

Destroy the first pipe seam.
Move infantry through the opening and begin positioning it to capture the base beyond the pipe.
Keep all advancing units outside pipe runner range.
Move the anti-air west toward the incoming battle copter.
Position artillery behind tanks or the recon so direct units screen it from attack.
Use the APC to resupply the mech if its ammunition or fuel becomes low.
Continue producing infantry.

The first seam is the mission’s opening pivot. Once it falls, immediately move capture units through the gap so the breakthrough creates property value rather than merely improving combat positioning.

Capturing the Western Base

The base beyond the pipe is one of the most important early objectives because it extends your production deeper into the map.

Once captured, use it to produce:

infantry closer to uncaptured properties
tanks for the central advance
artillery if Kindle establishes a defensive line nearby

Protect the capturing infantry with tanks and artillery. Losing the capture midway costs both time and momentum.

Day 4: Stabilization

Destroy the second western pipe seam.
Complete or begin capturing the base beyond the pipe network.
Use artillery to attack the nearby enemy tank.
Use anti-air to destroy the battle copter.
Use the anti-air or a tank to finish an exposed enemy ground unit when the trade is safe.
Move infantry west toward additional cities.
Continue building infantry from available bases.

By the end of Day 4, both western seams should be open and your army should be expanding through the gaps. The battle copter should also be removed so your infantry and artillery can move without constant air pressure.

Early Target Priority

During the opening, focus on units that directly interfere with expansion.

Priority order:

the battle copter threatening infantry and artillery
pipe runners covering the western routes
enemy tanks blocking bases or cities
the anti-air if you are preparing to use battle copters later
infantry actively contesting important properties

Kindle’s medium tank is dangerous, but you do not need to engage it immediately if terrain, pipes, or distance prevent it from affecting the property race.

Day 5: Pipe Runner Engagement

Attack exposed pipe runners with tanks or mechs when a safe approach becomes available.
Continue damaging pipe seams that block the southern and central routes.
Move infantry toward the southwest city.
Advance tanks and anti-air units through the opened western path.
Reposition artillery behind the new frontline if earlier movement has left it too far back.
Continue producing infantry and add tanks when funds allow.

Once the western seams are gone, the pipe runners become easier to approach. Their movement is restricted to the pipe network, so use tanks and mechs to attack from directions they cannot easily escape.

Do not sacrifice a unit merely to damage a pipe runner. Remove them when your direct units can attack without exposing themselves to Kindle’s medium tank or artillery.

Pipe Runner Engagement Rules

Pipe runners are most dangerous while your army is compressed near narrow openings.

To deal with them safely:

use tanks as the primary direct attackers
use mechs when they can approach through terrain or behind cover
keep infantry out of their range unless a capture is worth the risk
avoid clustering artillery, anti-air, and infantry in one firing lane
finish damaged pipe runners before they can retreat along the pipe network

Every pipe runner removed makes the property race safer because your capture units can cross newly opened routes without long-range pressure.

Day 6: Expansion Phase

Capture the southwest city.
Move infantry toward the missile silos and central airport.
Destroy the pipe seams blocking further southern movement.
Use artillery to damage anti-air units and other defenders from protected positions.
Place an infantry unit on a missile silo to prevent Kindle from using it.
Move the APC near frontline units for fuel and ammunition support.
Continue building infantry and artillery.

Day 6 begins the true expansion phase. Your army should no longer be concentrated around the starting area. Infantry should be spreading toward separate objectives while combat units protect the most important routes.

Missile Silo Control

Missile silos can alter the entire central battle by damaging several units at once.

Use them carefully:

occupy unused silos so Kindle cannot fire them
target clusters containing expensive or strategically important units
prioritize medium tanks, artillery, anti-air, and pipe runners
avoid hitting your own advancing units
do not delay an important capture solely to chase a weak missile target

A missile does not need to destroy a unit to be useful. Reducing several defenders can create favorable tank and artillery attacks on the following turn.

Southwest and Central Expansion

Once the southwest city is captured, begin separating your infantry into distinct capture routes.

Send units toward:

the central cities
the airport
unused missile silos
northern properties beyond the spiral

Do not send every infantry unit along the same path. The fastest way to reach 15 properties is to threaten several captures at once.

Days 7–9: Mid-Map Control

Continue advancing all available units north and west through the opened pipe routes.
Capture additional cities to increase your property count steadily.
Use tanks and artillery to attack enemy tanks and anti-air units.
Eliminate any remaining pipe runners that still cover your expansion lanes.
Fire a missile silo at a valuable enemy cluster when friendly units are clear of the blast.
Secure the airport area.
Build infantry every turn where funds and production space allow.
Add tanks and artillery as needed to maintain frontline pressure.

This phase determines whether the property race remains under control. Kindle’s northern position gives her easy access to several cities, so your army must keep expanding rather than pausing after the first western breakthrough.

Airport Control

The airport is one of the strongest strategic properties on the map.

Capturing it provides:

another property toward the 15-property objective
access to battle copters
a way to bypass some of the restrictive pipe layout
additional pressure against artillery, infantry, and tanks

Protect the capturing infantry with tanks, anti-air, and artillery. Kindle’s anti-air should be weakened or removed before you invest heavily in battle copters.

Midgame Target Priority

As the map opens, enemy units should be removed according to how much they interfere with your captures.

Priority order:

units capable of interrupting an active capture
remaining pipe runners
anti-air threatening future battle copters
artillery covering central properties
tanks and the medium tank blocking major routes
infantry approaching uncaptured cities

Do not chase weakened units away from the property lanes unless they can return and disrupt a capture.

Maintaining Production Flow

Newly captured bases should begin contributing immediately.

A balanced midgame production pattern is:

infantry from most available bases
tanks from forward bases when direct pressure is needed
artillery when Kindle forms a defensive line
battle copters once the airport is secure and enemy anti-air is controlled

Keep base entrances clear whenever possible. Congestion can cost an entire production turn and slow the property race.

Days 10–11: CO Power Spike

Activate Tag Power when it can support several captures and attacks during the same turn.
Use Sensei’s power to generate additional infantry from controlled properties.
Advance the entire army aggressively during the extra-turn sequence.
Capture cities near the center and northern routes.
Begin producing battle copters after the airport is secure.
Concentrate attacks on Kindle’s strongest remaining units.

Sensei’s power is especially valuable because it creates the exact unit type required by the victory condition. Even low-health infantry can capture uncontested properties, occupy missile silos, block movement, or force Kindle to divert combat units.

Using Tag Power Effectively

Do not activate Tag Power merely because the meter is full. Use it when the extra turns can create a decisive expansion swing.

The best timing allows you to:

finish several captures
move newly created infantry toward open properties
remove defenders before they interrupt capture attempts
advance battle copters and tanks into stronger positions
protect exposed units with Javier’s defensive support

A strong Tag Power turn can increase your property count, expand your unit advantage, and collapse Kindle’s central defense at the same time.

Sensei and Javier Roles

Sensei should handle:

infantry generation
capture pressure
battle copter production and attacks
rapid expansion across several fronts

Javier should handle:

defensive stabilization
protecting exposed capture units
supporting crowded frontline engagements
holding contested central properties

Sensei creates the expansion advantage, while Javier helps prevent Kindle from reversing it through concentrated counterattacks.

Days 12–14: Northern Grind

Continue moving infantry through the remaining pipe routes toward uncaptured northern properties.
Destroy additional pipe seams when doing so shortens capture routes or improves your final score.
Attack enemy rockets and artillery whenever they can threaten active captures.
Maintain pressure across the center, airport route, and northern approach simultaneously.
Capture every safe nearby city rather than concentrating all infantry around one objective.
Continue producing infantry, artillery, and occasional tanks.

The middle of the mission can become a slow grind because the pipe network restricts movement and Kindle may still have indirect units guarding the northern routes.

Do not allow the slower pace to stop production or expansion. Keep advancing infantry behind the frontline so another capture unit is always available if the leading one is damaged.

Breaking the Northern Defense

Kindle’s remaining rockets and artillery can interrupt captures from behind the pipe network.

To break the defense:

use tanks to absorb or threaten direct approaches
move artillery forward behind tanks and infantry screens
use battle copters to bypass pipes and strike exposed indirect units
destroy seams that prevent your direct units from reaching the defenders
protect damaged capture units with inexpensive infantry blockers

Removing one well-positioned indirect unit can open several northern properties at once.

City Terrain Warning

Kindle’s units receive increased combat strength on cities and other properties. This makes even ordinary defenders more dangerous when they are positioned directly on contested capture points.

When attacking a unit on a property:

soften it with artillery before committing tanks
use missile damage when several property defenders are grouped together
avoid weak direct attacks that leave the defender alive
move your capturing infantry onto the property only after the defender is removed

Do not underestimate a damaged Kindle unit merely because it appears close to destruction. Property terrain and Urban Blight can make counterattacks much stronger than expected.

Urban Blight Warning

Kindle’s CO Power can damage your units stationed on properties. Because the victory condition requires frequent capturing, several infantry may be exposed when her meter fills.

Before Urban Blight becomes available:

finish captures whenever possible rather than leaving several units midway
move wounded combat units off properties if they do not need the healing
avoid stacking your most valuable units around the same capture zone
keep replacement infantry moving forward

Urban Blight may slow the advance, but it should not stop it if you maintain a large infantry reserve.

Property Count Management

Check both armies’ property totals at the beginning of every turn.

Your tactical decisions should change depending on the count:

if Kindle is close to 15, prioritize interrupting her captures immediately
if you hold a comfortable lead, protect your capture units and avoid risky trades
if both armies are close, use CO Powers and blockers to control the final contested properties
if an alternate win condition becomes easier, consider capturing the lab or eliminating the remaining army

The property count is more important than the number of enemy units destroyed.

Days 15–17: Final Push

Complete enough captures to reach approximately 13 properties.
Move multiple infantry toward the final northern cities.
Capture the 14th property while preparing a second capture nearby.
Surround the final contested property so Kindle cannot reinforce it easily.
Use artillery to weaken or remove units defending the capture route.
Activate Javier’s Tower of Power or another available CO Power to stabilize the frontline.
Maintain your unit-count advantage through continued production and careful blocking.

The final turns are easier when two or three infantry threaten different properties. Kindle may be able to interrupt one capture, but she should not be able to stop all of them.

Setting Up the 14th Property

Once you reach 13 properties, do not treat the next capture as an isolated objective.

While taking the 14th property:

move another infantry toward the intended 15th property
position tanks or artillery to remove its defender
block routes Kindle could use to reach the capture unit
keep a replacement infantry close enough to continue the attempt

This overlap prevents the army from losing several turns between the 14th and 15th captures.

Final Property Defense

The unit capturing the 15th property is the most important unit on the map.

Protect it by:

placing tanks and infantry in adjacent movement lanes
using artillery to cover likely enemy approaches
removing any indirect unit capable of interrupting the capture
using Javier’s defensive power before Kindle’s counterattack
occupying nearby properties and choke points with spare infantry

You do not need to preserve an elegant formation after the final capture begins. Use every available unit to prevent Kindle from reaching it.

Using Tower of Power

Javier’s Tower of Power is most valuable when your army is exposed across several contested properties.

Use it to:

help infantry survive capture interruptions
strengthen tanks holding narrow approaches
protect battle copters from weakened anti-air units
stabilize the frontline while the final captures finish

The power does not need to produce a large attack sequence. Preventing one critical capture unit from being destroyed can be enough to win the mission.

Day 18: Victory

Complete the capture of the 15th property.
Eliminate nearby enemy units first only when the attacks are safe and improve your Power score.
Confirm that no unnecessary attack risks delaying or interrupting the winning capture.

The mission ends immediately when your 15th property is secured. Do not accidentally prioritize cleanup over the victory condition.

Alternate Win Conditions

Capturing 15 properties is the intended and usually fastest route, but two alternate victories remain available.

Capture the lab:

the lab is located far to the northwest
reaching it requires a long advance through the pipe network
it may become practical if your northern army already controls the area

Destroy all enemy units:

this may occur naturally if Kindle loses her production properties
it is usually slower than completing the property objective
do not chase total elimination while an easy 15th capture is available

Mission End

The mission is complete once you capture 15 properties, capture the lab, or destroy all enemy units.

An S-Rank is achievable with:

100 Speed
100 Power
100 Technique

Key Success Factors:

destroying the two western pipe seams immediately
producing infantry throughout the mission
capturing forward bases to expand production
keeping capture units outside pipe runner range
removing the early battle copter with anti-air
controlling the missile silos and central airport
using Sensei’s infantry generation to accelerate expansion
using Javier’s defense to protect the final captures
tracking Kindle’s property count every turn
maintaining simultaneous capture threats during the endgame

Mission 17: Omens and Signs

Important Note:
Enemy AI may react differently depending on carrier positioning, stealth deployment timing, cruiser movement, and performance on the secondary front. If enemy movement varies slightly, follow the same strategic principles rather than trying to reproduce every move exactly.

Objective:
Destroy all mini cannons on the lower-screen fortress

Alternate Win Conditions:

Win the secondary-front battle
Destroy all enemy units

Video Walkthrough:
Watch the Mission 17 video walkthrough

Recommended CO Setup:
Grimm / Max

Why These COs:
Grimm provides the raw attack power needed to remove cruisers, carriers, pipe seams, and fortress defenses efficiently on the lower screen. His offensive boost helps shorten the naval battle before enemy indirects and fortress weapons can wear down your fleet.

Max is the ideal partner for the upper-screen secondary front because his fighters gain overwhelming direct-combat strength. He can defeat the enemy air force quickly, secure the secondary battle, and unlock Tag Power access for the main fortress assault.

Map Notes:

Koal and Jugger are the enemy COs
The battle is divided between an upper and lower screen
The upper screen contains the secondary-front air battle
Winning the secondary front unlocks Tag Power access
The lower screen contains the main fortress and mission objectives
Carriers can launch, repair, refuel, and resupply air units
Stealth fighters can hide from most enemy attacks
Hidden stealth fighters consume fuel rapidly
Cruisers can attack submarines, battle copters, and visible stealth fighters
Several carriers begin trapped behind pipe seams
Destroying pipe seams releases additional stealth fighters
All lower-screen mini cannons must be destroyed to complete the main objective
Pipe-seam destruction also awards bonus points
Enemy battleships, rockets, artillery, missiles, and anti-air units cover the fortress approaches
Naval and air ranges must be checked carefully before every advance

Starting Units — Upper Screen:

4 fighters

Starting Units — Lower Screen:

3 carriers
1 battleship
1 cruiser
1 submarine
1 bomber
2 battle copters
1 rocket
1 artillery
2 APCs
1 infantry
1 mech
additional naval support units

Enemy Starting Units — Upper Screen:

4 fighters
2 bombers
fortress defenses

Enemy Starting Units — Lower Screen:

multiple cruisers
multiple battleships
battle copters
1 fighter
1 rocket
1 artillery
1 anti-air
1 missiles unit
black boats
fortress mini cannons

General Strategy:
Omens and Signs is a two-front operation. Max should win the upper-screen air battle as quickly as possible, while Grimm’s lower-screen force controls the sea, destroys the pipe seams, and gradually opens the fortress to stealth fighter and battleship attacks.

The lower front should not rush directly toward the mini cannons. Enemy cruisers can punish battle copters and stealth fighters, while battleships, rockets, artillery, missiles, and anti-air units cover the fortress approaches. Remove the units that threaten your air force, preserve carrier access, and then collapse the fortress from several angles.

Win the Secondary Front Quickly: Use Max’s fighters to overwhelm the upper-screen air force and unlock Tag Power.
Remove Cruisers Early: Cruisers are the main obstacle to safe battle copter and stealth fighter deployment.
Break the Pipe Seams: Destroy the seams trapping carriers and release additional stealth fighters.
Manage Stealth Fuel: Hidden stealth fighters consume fuel rapidly and must rotate through carriers for resupply.
Collapse the Fortress Gradually: Use battleships, stealth fighters, battle copters, and indirect units together once the surrounding defenses weaken.

The mission swings in your favor once the upper battle is won, the first cruisers are removed, and the carrier lanes begin opening.

Two-Front Priorities

The upper and lower battles serve different purposes.

Upper screen:

attack aggressively with Max’s fighters
remove enemy bombers and fighters before they can trade efficiently
finish the secondary front quickly enough to unlock Tag Power for the main battle

Lower screen:

protect the carriers and indirect units
damage cruisers before exposing air units
use the submarine against vulnerable naval targets
destroy pipe seams to release stealth fighters
advance toward the mini cannons only after the approach is under control

Day 1: Opening Deployment

Begin capturing the nearby cities and Comm Tower on the upper-left island.
Move the rocket south toward the enemy naval approach.
Move the battleship southeast while remaining outside enemy rocket range.
Send the upper-screen fighters forward to begin supporting the secondary-front assault.
Move the bomber toward a useful lower-screen attack route without exposing it to the enemy fighter or missiles.
Move the submarine southeast.
Position the cruiser near the battle copters so it can protect and transport them.
Build infantry from the available base.
Leave the blocked carriers protected while preparing to destroy the pipe seams.

Day 1 establishes both fronts. Max’s fighters should begin closing on the upper defenses immediately, while the lower force spreads into safe firing and support positions.

Carrier and Air Unit Roles

The carriers are the center of the lower-screen air strategy.

Use them to:

launch stealth fighters as pipe routes open
repair damaged air units
restore fuel and ammunition
provide safe staging points near the fortress

Do not move every carrier forward at once. Keep enough separation that one enemy breakthrough cannot threaten the entire air-support network.

Day 2: Early Naval Positioning

Use the upper-screen fighters to attack the enemy air force and fortress targets.
Continue capturing the upper-left properties.
Use the rocket to damage the pipe seams blocking the carriers.
Move the artillery toward the southern approach.
Load the battle copters into the cruiser for protection.
Dive the submarine before advancing it farther into enemy naval range.
Use the APCs to move infantry and mechs southward toward useful capture and support positions.

Loading the battle copters keeps them safe from enemy cruisers and fighters during the opening. They become much more valuable later, once the anti-air and cruiser threats have been reduced.

Submarine Use

The submarine can remove expensive naval units while avoiding many direct attacks when submerged.

Use it to:

threaten enemy battleships
destroy black boats and isolated support vessels
force cruisers to remain near valuable ships
approach from angles not covered by fortress indirects

Watch its fuel closely. A submerged submarine consumes fuel quickly and may need APC, black boat, or carrier support before the mission ends.

Day 3: First Engagements

Begin damaging enemy cruisers with rockets and artillery.
Use the battleship to destroy an exposed enemy rocket.
Use the cruiser to eliminate the nearby fighter when a safe attack is available.
Launch the first stealth fighter from an opened or available carrier.
Continue moving infantry toward the southwest properties.
Continue the upper-screen air assault with Max’s fighters.
Build another infantry unit.

Day 3 should begin removing the units that restrict your air force. The enemy fighter and cruisers are higher priorities than the mini cannons because they can destroy or heavily damage your most useful attackers.

Early Target Priority

Use this general priority order on the lower screen:

enemy fighter threatening bombers or stealth fighters
cruisers threatening battle copters, submarines, and visible stealth fighters
rockets and artillery covering the carrier lanes
battleships threatening your naval formation
anti-air and missiles near the fortress
pipe seams blocking additional carriers
mini cannons once the approach is safe

The objective remains the mini cannons, but attacking them too early can cost the air and naval units needed to finish the mission efficiently.

Stealth Fighter Deployment

Launch the first stealth fighter only when you have a clear role for it.

Good early uses include:

attacking a pipe seam from an otherwise inaccessible angle
damaging a mini cannon while remaining hidden
removing an exposed support unit
forcing enemy cruisers to reposition

Hide the stealth fighter after deployment when doing so protects it from enemy attacks, but remember that hidden status sharply increases fuel consumption.

Days 4–5: Secondary-Front Victory

Use Max’s fighters to finish the remaining upper-screen air units and fortress defenses.
Hide the deployed stealth fighter when doing so keeps it safe from enemy attacks.
Use the submarine to attack vulnerable battleships and black boats.
Continue weakening enemy cruisers with rockets, artillery, and other protected attacks.
Advance the carriers toward the newly opened pipe routes.
Continue capturing available cities and Comm Towers.
Win the upper-screen secondary battle.
Unlock access to Tag Power for the lower-screen fortress assault.

The upper battle should be resolved as quickly as possible. Max’s fighters are strong enough to overpower the enemy air force directly, and every turn saved there brings Tag Power online sooner for the main front.

Winning the Secondary Front

The upper-screen victory does more than remove a side objective. It changes the lower battle by unlocking your Dual Strike.

To finish the upper front efficiently:

focus damaged enemy fighters before spreading attacks
remove bombers before they can trade into your fighters
use Max’s direct-combat advantage rather than waiting for perfect damage
avoid leaving a weakened enemy air unit alive when another fighter can finish it

Once the upper screen is secure, shift your attention fully to the fortress.

Cruiser Elimination

Enemy cruisers remain the most important lower-screen targets during this phase.

They threaten:

submarines
battle copters
visible stealth fighters
your ability to approach the fortress safely

Use rockets and artillery to soften them before committing naval or air units. A damaged cruiser is still dangerous, so finish it whenever you can do so without exposing a more valuable unit.

Stealth Fighter Fuel Management

Hidden stealth fighters are powerful but consume fuel rapidly.

Use a rotation plan:

launch a fully supplied stealth fighter from a carrier
hide it only when concealment materially improves survival
attack a high-value target or pipe seam
return toward a carrier before fuel becomes critical
launch another stealth fighter while the first one repairs and resupplies

Do not leave a hidden stealth fighter deep near the fortress without a return route. Losing one to fuel exhaustion wastes one of your strongest objective attackers.

Day 6: Tag Power Push

Activate Tag Power once it can support a meaningful lower-screen assault.
Use carrier access and support units to resupply the submarine and stealth fighters.
Attack mini cannons and pipe seams with stealth fighters.
Deploy battle copters near the northeast artillery position after cruiser coverage weakens.
Continue damaging or eliminating the remaining cruisers.
Build an additional battleship if funds and production access allow.
Begin preparing a coordinated assault on the fortress defenses.

The Dual Strike should create a positional breakthrough, not merely add scattered damage. Use the first turn to remove threats and the second to advance air and naval units into stronger attacking positions.

Tag Power Priorities

During the extra-turn sequence, prioritize actions that would otherwise be unsafe.

Good uses include:

damaging a cruiser and finishing it before it can counterattack
breaking a pipe seam and immediately moving a carrier or stealth fighter through the opening
resupplying an air unit and sending it back into combat
dropping battle copters into a safe staging area after nearby threats are removed
damaging a mini cannon twice before the fortress can respond

The strongest Tag Power turn changes access, positioning, and target availability all at once.

Battle Copter Deployment

Battle copters should remain protected until the cruiser and anti-air threats are reduced.

Once the route is safer, use them to:

attack artillery and rockets near the fortress
finish weakened mini cannons
remove black boats and other light support units
approach from angles unavailable to naval units

Do not send battle copters forward merely because they are available. Their value appears late, when the enemy’s anti-air coverage begins collapsing.

Day 7: Fortress Breach

Destroy additional pipe seams to release more stealth fighters and open carrier routes.
Rotate low-fuel stealth fighters back toward carriers.
Continue eliminating black boats and weakened naval units.
Advance battleships carefully while checking enemy battleship, rocket, and mini cannon ranges.
Move battle copters closer to the fortress once cruiser pressure is reduced.
Position the fleet and air force for attacks from several directions.

Day 7 is the transition from naval control to fortress assault. Your forces should begin surrounding the objective rather than approaching through a single predictable lane.

Pipe-Seam Destruction

Destroying the remaining seams serves three purposes:

it releases additional stealth fighters
it opens movement lanes for carriers and support units
it awards bonus score points

Use rockets, artillery, stealth fighters, and battleships against seams when no more urgent threat is available. Avoid wasting a powerful attack on a seam if a cruiser or anti-air unit can destroy one of your key units on the next turn.

Multi-Angle Fortress Pressure

The fortress is easier to dismantle when several unit types attack from different ranges.

Use:

battleships for long-range cannon damage
stealth fighters for concealed attacks and seam destruction
battle copters for finishing blows and support-unit removal
rockets and artillery for pressure from protected land positions
the submarine to keep enemy naval support occupied

Do not allow every attacker to depend on the same lane. A spread formation reduces congestion and prevents one enemy unit from blocking the entire assault.

Day 8: Endgame Setup

Destroy the remaining pipe seams.
Launch every remaining stealth fighter that can contribute safely.
Eliminate the final cruisers and nearby anti-air threats.
Advance the battle copters toward the fortress.
Use battleships and stealth fighters to damage the mini cannons.
Keep vulnerable units outside remaining artillery, battleship, missile, and mini cannon ranges.

By Day 8, the map should be shifting fully into objective cleanup. Most of the enemy units capable of threatening your air force should be damaged or gone, while the destroyed pipe seams should give your carriers and stealth fighters much greater freedom.

Final Cruiser and Anti-Air Cleanup

Do not begin the last fortress push while a healthy cruiser or anti-air unit still controls an important approach.

Remove them using:

battleship fire from outside retaliation range
rockets or artillery from protected land positions
the submarine against exposed naval targets
stealth fighters when the target can be destroyed without creating a fuel emergency

Once these threats are gone, your battle copters and stealth fighters can attack much more freely.

Launching the Remaining Stealth Fighters

Each newly released stealth fighter should have a clear assignment before launch.

Possible roles include:

damaging a mini cannon
finishing a weakened cruiser or anti-air unit
destroying a final pipe seam
removing a fortress support unit
drawing enemy attention away from a damaged attacker

Do not hide every stealth fighter automatically. If enemy threats have already been removed, remaining visible may conserve enough fuel for another attack.

Fortress Range Checks

The fortress remains dangerous even after most mobile defenders are gone.

Before moving an attacker forward, check:

mini cannon coverage
enemy battleship range
rocket and artillery range
missiles coverage against air units
whether another unit blocks the intended retreat path

One careless movement can expose several units if the area around the fortress becomes congested.

Day 9: Final Assault

Destroy additional mini cannons with battleships and stealth fighters.
Use battle copters to finish weakened cannons or nearby defenders.
Continue building infantry where possible to support Technique and maintain unit count.
Remove remaining transport copters, black boats, and other support units when the attacks are safe.
Position the remaining fleet and air units around the final fortress defenses.

Focus damage rather than spreading it across every remaining objective. A destroyed mini cannon stops contributing immediately, while several damaged cannons still remain fully functional.

Mini Cannon Targeting

Choose the next cannon according to which one most restricts your movement.

Prioritize:

a cannon covering your carrier or battleship route
a cannon threatening several air units
a damaged cannon that can be removed immediately
a cannon blocking battle copter access to the inner fortress

Coordinate attacks so that battleships provide the initial damage and more mobile air units deliver finishing blows.

Battle Copter Cleanup

Battle copters become especially useful during the last two days because most cruisers and anti-air units should already be gone.

Use them to:

finish weakened mini cannons
destroy artillery and rockets
remove transport copters and black boats
occupy attack lanes that stealth fighters do not need

Keep them away from any surviving cruiser, fighter, missiles unit, or anti-air unit.

Maintaining Technique

The mission’s late phase can tempt you to sacrifice damaged units for one more attack. Avoid doing so unless that attack ends the mission immediately.

Protect Technique by:

returning damaged aircraft to carriers
keeping wounded naval units outside enemy range
building inexpensive infantry to maintain unit count
using full-health units for the final exposed attacks
avoiding unnecessary trades against harmless support units

Day 10: Victory

Destroy the final mini cannon.
Finish additional enemy units first only when the attacks are safe and improve the final score.
Complete the mission with the fortress destroyed and the surviving force intact.

The final attack should come from whichever unit can destroy the cannon without risking a loss beforehand. A battleship or stealth fighter will usually provide the safest finishing blow.

Mission End

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

An S-Rank is achievable with:

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

The recorded run finishes with a 370-point S-Rank.

Key Success Factors:

winning the upper-screen secondary battle quickly with Max
unlocking Tag Power before the main fortress assault
eliminating enemy cruisers before deploying battle copters aggressively
destroying pipe seams to release additional stealth fighters
rotating low-fuel stealth fighters through carriers
using battleships and indirect units to remove fortress support defenses
attacking mini cannons from several directions
preserving damaged air and naval units during the final turns
destroying every available pipe seam for bonus points

Mission 18: Into the Woods

Important Note:
Enemy AI movement may vary depending on fog-of-war scouting, unit positioning, Tag Power timing, and how aggressively you advance toward the rivers. If enemy units move differently, follow the same positioning and preservation principles rather than trying to reproduce every move exactly.

Objective:
Capture the enemy HQ or destroy all enemy units

Video Walkthrough:
Video link pending

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

Why These COs:
Max gives Orange Star the direct-combat power needed to remove tanks, medium tanks, and Oozium units along the lower route. His stronger direct units are especially valuable when enemy armor appears suddenly from the fog.

Rachel provides flexible support through her CO Powers and helps Orange Star control clustered enemy formations. Her missile strikes become more useful once hidden units are revealed and several targets begin gathering near the central and eastern approaches.

Grimm strengthens Blue Moon’s upper-front attacks and helps its smaller direct-combat force remove enemy armor efficiently. His additional firepower is valuable when mechs, tanks, and anti-air units must combine attacks against Oozium or concealed defenders.

Jess supports Blue Moon’s slower land advance through stronger vehicles, improved mobility, and reliable resupply. Her abilities help keep rockets, artillery, APCs, and frontline vehicles moving through the dense terrain without losing momentum.

Map Notes:

Kindle and Lash are the enemy COs
The entire mission takes place under fog of war
Dense forests sharply restrict vision
Orange Star and Blue Moon advance eastward on separate fronts
Oozium 238 units appear during the mission
Oozium instantly destroy adjacent units if allowed to attack
Oozium are immune to CO Powers
Missiles, rockets, and artillery are essential support units
Rivers create major central choke points
Recon placement is critical for revealing hidden units
Infantry and mechs can provide vision from mountains and forests
APCs are useful for shielding, refueling, resupplying, and extending vision
Both fronts should advance in compact formations
Expensive units should never move into unrevealed forest areas without support

Starting Units — Orange Star Front:

1 Mega Tank
1 Neotank
2 medium tanks
2 anti-air units
1 artillery
2 tanks
1 APC
1 infantry
1 mech

Starting Units — Blue Moon Front:

2 rockets
2 artillery
1 recon
2 APCs
3 mechs
1 anti-air
1 tank

Enemy Starting Forces:

multiple tanks
multiple medium tanks
artillery
rockets
battle copters
recon units
additional hidden fog-of-war units
multiple Oozium 238 units

General Strategy:
Into the Woods is a fog-of-war preservation battle. Both allied fronts should move east in tight formation, reveal threats before committing expensive units, and destroy each Oozium in a single coordinated turn whenever possible.

The mission becomes dangerous when one front advances too quickly and leaves its indirect units exposed. Rockets, missiles, and artillery provide much of your safest damage, so protect them with tanks, mechs, APCs, and terrain while recon units reveal hidden targets.

Protect the Indirect Line: Keep rockets, artillery, and missiles behind durable frontline units at all times.
Scout Before Advancing: Use recons, infantry, mechs, forests, and mountains to reveal hidden units before moving expensive armor.
Destroy Oozium in One Turn: Do not begin an Oozium attack unless enough units are available to finish it before the enemy phase.
Use Terrain Defensively: Forests conceal and protect units, while rivers create useful barriers and staging lines.
Coordinate Both Fronts: Orange Star and Blue Moon should advance at similar rates so neither side becomes isolated.
Save Tag Power for a Breakthrough: Use Dual Strikes when they can remove several threats and push both armies into the eastern half of the map.

The safest approach is slower than a normal land battle, but preserving the support line gives you enough firepower to dismantle every hidden formation.

Fog-of-War Formation

Each army should move as a compact group rather than as a string of isolated units.

Use the following formation:

recons, infantry, or mechs slightly ahead for vision
tanks, medium tanks, anti-air, and APCs on the frontline
Mega Tank and Neotank close enough to respond without leading blindly
artillery and rockets two or more spaces behind the frontline
damaged or low-value units positioned as emergency screens

Do not move the entire formation based only on the first visible enemy. Hidden artillery, rockets, battle copters, or Oozium may still be positioned beyond the current vision radius.

Vision Priorities

Use different scouts for different terrain.

Recons: Reveal long road and open-ground lanes efficiently.
Infantry: Check forests and support nearby captures or blocking positions.
Mechs: Use mountains and forests for vision while retaining useful anti-armor damage.
APCs: Extend the formation safely and absorb space without risking expensive attackers.

A scout does not need to attack to be valuable. Revealing a hidden rocket or Oozium before your tanks move can prevent a major loss.

Oozium Engagement Rules

Oozium 238 instantly destroy an adjacent unit during their attack. Treat every square next to an Oozium as lethal unless the unit will be destroyed before the enemy turn.

Before attacking an Oozium:

reveal every adjacent forest and likely support position
calculate whether your available attacks can destroy it in one turn
attack first with indirect units when possible
use mechs, medium tanks, Neotanks, or the Mega Tank for finishing damage
leave no expensive unit adjacent if the Oozium survives

CO Powers do not damage Oozium, so do not rely on Rachel’s missiles or another power to finish one.

Day 1: Opening Deployment

Load the Orange Star infantry into the APC.
Move weaker frontline units forward first to reveal safe movement lanes.
Keep the Mega Tank and Neotank slightly behind the initial screen.
Advance the artillery and anti-air units cautiously.
Move Blue Moon’s mechs and recon eastward to begin expanding vision.
Keep Blue Moon’s rockets, artillery, and anti-air protected behind the frontline.
Advance both armies without moving deep into unrevealed forest areas.

Day 1 is about establishing safe formations. There is no reason to expose the strongest units simply to gain one extra space of movement.

Orange Star Opening Roles

Orange Star has the stronger direct-combat army and should form a durable lower-front column.

Use tanks and anti-air units to probe the route.
Keep the medium tanks ready to respond to enemy armor.
Hold the Mega Tank and Neotank behind the first vision line.
Protect the artillery with the APC and cheaper frontline units.
Use the mech for forest vision and later Oozium damage.

Max’s army should hit hard only after the enemy formation is revealed.

Blue Moon Opening Roles

Blue Moon begins with greater indirect strength but fewer durable direct units.

Use the recon as the primary mobile scout.
Move mechs through forests and mountains to extend vision.
Place the tank, anti-air, and APCs in front of the rockets and artillery.
Keep both rockets separated so one breakthrough cannot threaten them together.
Use APCs to resupply units and fill dangerous approach spaces.

Blue Moon should avoid direct exchanges until its indirect units have softened the enemy.

Day 2: First Fog Engagements

Continue advancing cautiously toward the eastern forest lines.
Keep support units at least two spaces behind the frontline whenever the terrain allows.
Use forests to reduce exposure to hidden direct attacks.
Build a defensive formation around likely Oozium approach lanes.
Avoid placing the Mega Tank, Neotank, rockets, or artillery adjacent to unrevealed spaces.
Use recon and infantry movement to reveal targets before selecting attacks.

The first visible enemy unit may be bait for a hidden indirect or Oozium. Reveal the surrounding terrain before moving several attackers into the same area.

Protecting Against Battle Copters

Enemy battle copters are especially dangerous to Blue Moon’s mechs, artillery, and rockets.

To control them:

keep anti-air units near the center of each formation
avoid leaving mechs isolated at the edge of vision
use missiles if available to cover likely air approaches
reveal forests before moving anti-air into an exposed attack position

Do not chase a damaged battle copter into the fog unless the route has already been scouted.

Day 3: First Oozium Battle

Reveal the first Oozium 238 unit using a scout or controlled frontline movement.
Check the surrounding fog for enemy artillery, rockets, armor, and battle copters.
Use artillery, rockets, or other indirect attacks to begin weakening the Oozium.
Follow with medium tanks, mechs, or other direct units.
Destroy the Oozium during the same turn whenever possible.
Keep missiles and rockets protected from enemy battle copters.
Eliminate nearby artillery and rocket threats that could punish the formation afterward.

The first Oozium encounter establishes the pattern for the rest of the mission: reveal, surround, soften, finish, and then rebuild the formation before advancing.

First Oozium Attack Sequence

A safe attack sequence is:

Reveal the Oozium and all nearby support units.
Attack with rockets or artillery from maximum safe range.
Use mechs or medium tanks for additional damage.
Deliver the final attack with a durable direct-combat unit.
Move any unnecessary adjacent units away before ending the turn.

Do not use the Mega Tank or Neotank as the first blind attacker. Preserve them for reliable finishing damage after the area is fully scouted.

Early Target Priority

During the opening, remove threats according to their ability to expose or destroy your support line.

Oozium that can reach an expensive unit
battle copters threatening indirects and mechs
rockets and artillery covering your advance
medium tanks and tanks blocking narrow routes
recons revealing your hidden units

Preserving your indirect fire is more important than chasing low-value units through the fog.

Day 4: Surviving Black Hole Pressure

Prepare both fronts for the enemy Tag Power.
Pull damaged or exposed units behind stronger frontline screens.
Keep anti-air, rockets, artillery, and other support units protected by terrain and durable units.
Use forests to reduce the damage taken by units that must remain near the frontline.
Continue advancing beyond the rivers only where the route has been scouted.
Use captured cities to repair damaged units when doing so does not expose them to an Oozium or indirect attack.

Kindle and Lash can create a dangerous two-turn sequence. The combination of Kindle’s property-based combat strength and Lash’s terrain bonuses can punish units that are spread too thin or resting in predictable positions.

Enemy Tag Power Warning

Before the enemy power meter fills, assume every exposed unit may need to survive two consecutive enemy turns.

Prepare by:

keeping damaged units away from the front edge
placing tanks, anti-air units, APCs, or mechs in front of indirect units
avoiding isolated units in forests that the enemy can reveal and surround
keeping expensive armor away from unrevealed spaces
maintaining multiple retreat routes through the formation

Do not rely on fog alone to protect a unit. Enemy recons and infantry may reveal it before the second Tag Power turn.

Property and Terrain Risk

Kindle becomes more dangerous when fighting from cities and other properties, while Lash gains additional value from favorable terrain.

As a result:

avoid weak attacks against enemy units positioned on cities
use indirect fire to reduce property defenders before direct combat
do not assume a forested unit is safe merely because it has high defense
finish damaged enemies when leaving them alive would create a strong counterattack

The terrain protects both armies, so use concentrated attacks rather than several low-damage exchanges.

River Choke Points

The rivers divide the central battlefield and restrict how armor can move east.

Use them to create a stable staging line:

place durable units near crossings
keep rockets and artillery behind the river approach
use mechs and infantry where vehicles cannot cross directly
reveal the far side before sending tanks across
avoid crowding several expensive units around one crossing

A controlled river crossing is safer than pushing one tank ahead and forcing the rest of the army to rescue it.

Day 5: Second Advance

Push both fronts eastward once the central enemy pressure has been stabilized.
Continue using APCs as shields, fuel support, and ammunition support.
Move rockets and artillery closer while preserving at least one protective layer in front of them.
Eliminate remaining enemy resistance on the western side of the rivers.
Scout the likely approach to the second Oozium.
Rebuild the formation before committing the strongest units forward.

Day 5 is a transition turn. The first Oozium should be gone, the enemy Tag Power should be survived, and both fronts should begin moving from central defense into the eastern half of the map.

APC Utility

APCs are especially valuable in this mission even when they are not transporting infantry.

Use them to:

resupply rockets, artillery, anti-air units, and heavy armor
restore fuel to scouts operating deep in the fog
occupy dangerous movement spaces in front of support units
block enemy tanks from reaching indirects
extend the formation without risking a more expensive attacker

An APC can be placed in a dangerous position when necessary, but never leave it adjacent to a surviving Oozium.

Advancing the Indirect Line

Indirect units must continue moving forward as the frontline shifts east.

Move them in stages:

Scout the next section of terrain.
Advance the direct-combat screen.
Move artillery and rockets into newly protected positions.
Reposition APCs for resupply and blocking.
Confirm that battle copters cannot reach the support line.

Leaving rockets too far behind reduces their usefulness, but moving them before the frontline is secure can cost the mission’s most important units.

Day 6: Second Oozium Engagement

Reveal the second Oozium and any nearby supporting units.
Position several attackers around it without ending the turn adjacent prematurely.
Use rockets and artillery for the opening damage when available.
Use Neotanks and medium tanks for the primary direct attacks.
Finish the Oozium before ending the turn.
Move wounded or unnecessary adjacent units away once the target is destroyed.
Continue preserving the Mega Tank, Neotank, and indirect units for the final eastern push.

The second Oozium should be handled with the same discipline as the first, but your army will usually have more units in range and better CO meter support by this point.

Second Oozium Attack Sequence

A reliable sequence is:

Reveal the Oozium with recon, infantry, or controlled frontline movement.
Check for hidden artillery, rockets, tanks, and battle copters.
Attack with indirect units first.
Follow with a medium tank or Neotank.
Use the strongest remaining direct unit for the finishing blow.
Re-form the defensive line before ending the turn.

Do not spread attacks between the Oozium and several nearby enemies if doing so leaves the Oozium alive.

Preserving Heavy Armor

The Mega Tank and Neotank provide your most dependable finishing damage, but they are also difficult to replace.

Protect them by:

keeping them behind scouts until the target area is revealed
avoiding unnecessary attacks into forests
using indirect fire before committing them
retreating them when ammunition or health becomes low
using APC support to maintain ammunition and fuel

The strongest unit does not always need to lead. In fog of war, it is often more valuable as a safe closer.

Day 7: Tag Power Push

Activate your Tag Powers once the second Oozium is gone or the remaining enemy formation is fully revealed.
Use Rachel’s support and missile pressure before switching to Max for stronger direct attacks.
Use Blue Moon’s power sequence to strengthen and resupply the upper-front advance.
Push both allied armies aggressively toward the eastern HQ area.
Use recon movement to reveal hidden tanks, artillery, rockets, and other remaining units.
Eliminate the strongest revealed armor before it can counterattack.
Move infantry and mechs forward to support the final scouting and cleanup phase.

Tag Power should convert the careful central advance into a decisive eastern breakthrough. Use the extra turns to reveal targets, remove them, and then move the support line forward before the enemy can respond.

Rachel and Max Tag Sequence

Rachel should provide utility before Max takes over the direct-combat phase.

Use Rachel’s turn to:

damage clustered revealed units
weaken defensive formations near the eastern approach
move support units and scouts into useful positions
prepare targets for Max’s direct attackers

Use Max’s turn to:

destroy tanks and medium tanks
finish any remaining Oozium if direct damage is still required
break through units blocking the HQ route
move heavy armor into safe forward positions

Grimm and Jess Tag Sequence

Blue Moon should use its power sequence to keep the upper formation supplied and moving.

Grimm provides:

stronger attacks against exposed armor
better mech and anti-air finishing damage
faster removal of units blocking the indirect line

Jess provides:

stronger vehicle performance
improved movement through the final advance
resupply support for rockets, artillery, APCs, and direct units

Use whichever order best matches the immediate battlefield, but make sure the extra turns improve both combat and positioning.

Late Target Priority

During the Tag Power push, prioritize:

any surviving Oozium
rockets and artillery covering the eastern route
medium tanks and other heavy armor
battle copters threatening support units
recons that can continue hiding in forests

Once the heavy threats are gone, the mission becomes a search for the final hidden units or a safe route to the HQ.

Day 8: Final Recon Hunt

Continue scouting the remaining eastern forests carefully.
Use infantry, mechs, and recons to expand vision without exposing expensive units.
Search for surviving recon units and other hidden enemies.
Move rockets, artillery, anti-air units, and tanks toward newly revealed targets.
Begin capturing the enemy HQ if the remaining units cannot be located quickly.
Keep both fronts coordinated so hidden units cannot slip behind the advancing formations.

After the major enemy units and Oozium are destroyed, the mission can continue because one recon or another small unit remains hidden in the forests.

Do not scatter the entire army blindly. Use cheap vision units to search while the main combat force remains close enough to respond.

Systematic Forest Search

Search the eastern half of the map in sections rather than moving units randomly.

Use this process:

Move an infantry, mech, or recon to reveal one forest cluster.
Check whether the newly revealed unit can attack the scout.
Bring direct or indirect support into range.
Eliminate the target before opening the next search area.
Keep another scout covering the route behind the formation.

A structured sweep reduces the chance that a hidden recon survives by moving between forests.

Using Infantry and Mechs for Vision

Infantry and mechs are ideal late-game scouts because losing their movement efficiency is less costly than exposing heavy armor.

Use them to:

enter forests directly
stand on mountains for expanded vision
block likely escape routes
support an HQ capture
reveal targets for rockets and artillery

Mechs also retain enough firepower to finish a weakened tank, recon, or Oozium if one remains.

Final Recon Handling

Recons can prolong the mission because their high movement allows them to retreat through roads and forest corridors.

Once one is revealed:

block the nearest escape routes with infantry or APCs
move tanks or anti-air units into direct attack range
use rockets or artillery if terrain prevents an immediate approach
avoid pushing it into another unrevealed forest if possible

Do not allow the recon to draw a valuable unit away from the HQ route unless destroying all enemy units remains the easier victory condition.

HQ Capture Option

If the final enemy unit remains hidden, capturing the HQ may be faster than completing the search.

To begin the capture safely:

reveal the forests surrounding the HQ
place a healthy infantry or mech on the HQ
position tanks, anti-air units, or APCs around the capturing unit
keep indirect units covering the most likely enemy approach
maintain enough vision that a hidden unit cannot interrupt the capture unexpectedly

The mission ends through either HQ capture or total elimination, so use whichever route requires fewer uncertain turns.

Day 9: Victory

Reveal and destroy the final recon or other surviving enemy unit.
Complete the HQ capture instead if the elimination route remains uncertain.
Make any safe final attacks needed to secure the Power score.
Finish the mission while preserving the remaining expensive units.

The recorded route ends through elimination after the final recon is located and destroyed.

Final Cleanup Rules

Once only one or two enemies remain:

continue using scouts rather than heavy armor for blind movement
keep indirect units protected even if the map appears nearly clear
do not leave units adjacent to a surviving Oozium
heal damaged units on cities when doing so does not delay victory
avoid unnecessary sacrifices for one additional attack

The final hidden unit is rarely dangerous enough to justify abandoning the formation discipline used throughout the mission.

Technique Management

The recorded S-Rank allows some Technique loss, but preserving expensive units still makes the mission much safer.

Protect Technique by:

keeping rockets, artillery, and missiles behind screens
destroying Oozium before ending turns adjacent to them
retreating heavily damaged armor
using APCs as blockers only when necessary
avoiding blind movement into forests during cleanup

A perfect Technique score is not required for the recorded result, but unnecessary losses can still threaten the S-Rank.

Mission End

The mission ends once the enemy HQ is captured or all enemy units are destroyed.

An S-Rank is achievable with:

100 Speed
100 Power
80 Technique
80 Oozium Bonus Points

The recorded run finishes with a 360-point S-Rank.

Key Success Factors:

advancing both allied fronts in compact formations
scouting forests before moving expensive units
protecting rockets, artillery, missiles, and other indirect units
keeping anti-air units close enough to stop battle copters
destroying each Oozium in a single coordinated turn
remembering that CO Powers do not damage Oozium
using forests and rivers as defensive staging terrain
surviving the enemy Tag Power without exposing the support line
using APCs for blocking, resupply, and formation support
saving allied Tag Powers for the eastern breakthrough
searching systematically for the final hidden recon
switching to HQ capture if the elimination route becomes inefficient

Mission 19: Muck Amok

Important Note:
Enemy AI movement may vary depending on unit spacing, Oozium positioning, Comm Tower capture timing, and HQ pressure. If enemy movement differs slightly, follow the same survival and positioning principles rather than trying to reproduce every move exactly.

Objective:
Capture the enemy HQ

Alternate Win Condition:
Destroy all enemy units

Video Walkthrough:
Watch the Mission 19 video walkthrough

Recommended CO Setup:
Grimm / Javier

Why These COs:
Grimm provides the offensive power needed to destroy Oozium efficiently. Because each Oozium has high durability and can instantly destroy an adjacent unit, stronger attacks reduce the number of units that must enter dangerous positions.

Javier gains substantial offensive and defensive value from the map’s Comm Towers. As more Towers are captured, his bonuses help units reach better damage thresholds against Oozium while surviving the remaining enemy defenses.

Map Notes:

Koal is the enemy CO
Hawke and Lash temporarily assist as allied units
Oozium instantly destroy adjacent units when they attack
Oozium move only one space per turn
Desert sandstorms reduce the maximum range of indirect units by one
Several Comm Towers are located on the southeast and northwest sides
The enemy HQ is located in the northeast
A missiles unit and pipe seams guard the main HQ route
A mini cannon covers part of the northwest area
The map rewards careful spacing more than aggressive movement
Destroying pipe seams awards bonus points
Capturing the HQ disables the Oozium energy source and ends the mission
Every unit should end its turn at least one space away from a surviving Oozium

Starting Units — Orange Star:

1 rocket
1 Neotank
1 medium tank
2 mechs
1 recon
1 APC
1 artillery
1 battle copter
1 transport copter
1 stealth fighter

Temporary Allied Units:

1 rocket
1 APC

Enemy Starting Forces:

a large Oozium swarm
1 missiles unit
1 mini cannon
multiple pipe seams
HQ-area defenses

General Strategy:
Muck Amok is primarily a survival and positioning puzzle. The Oozium swarm is far more dangerous than its low movement suggests because any adjacent unit can be destroyed instantly on the enemy turn.

Your early goal is not to charge the HQ. Spread the Oozium apart, eliminate isolated targets, preserve every unit, and begin moving capture units toward the southeast Comm Towers. Once the eastern side opens, shift from survival into a controlled northeast push toward the HQ.

Never End Adjacent to Oozium: Any unit next to a surviving Oozium is at immediate risk of destruction.
Attack Isolated Targets: Focus on Oozium that can be surrounded and destroyed without exposing several units.
Preserve Unit Count: Every starting unit has a useful role, and replacements are unavailable.
Capture Comm Towers: Tower bonuses help Grimm and Javier reach stronger damage thresholds.
Use Mobility to Split the Swarm: Repositioning can pull Oozium away from one another and create safer attacks.
Transition Toward the HQ: Once the eastern route clears, stop fighting every Oozium and begin applying capture pressure.

The mission becomes manageable once the Oozium stop moving as one dense group. Their one-space movement allows you to manipulate their formation if you remain patient.

Oozium Safety Rules

Before ending every turn, inspect each surviving Oozium individually.

Confirm that:

no allied unit is adjacent to it
no expensive unit can be trapped by its next movement
your retreat lanes remain open
indirect units are outside its immediate approach
any planned attack for the next turn has enough available damage

Diagonal positioning is safe from an immediate Oozium attack, but always consider where it can move on the next turn.

Damage Planning

Oozium require concentrated attacks. Do not begin an engagement based on hope or uncertain damage rolls.

Use combinations of:

rockets and artillery for opening damage
the Neotank and medium tank for reliable direct damage
the stealth fighter and battle copter for flexible attack angles
mechs and recons for finishing weakened targets
Comm Tower bonuses to improve marginal damage thresholds

If the Oozium will survive, move every adjacent attacker away before ending the turn.

Sandstorm Warning

Desert sandstorms reduce the maximum range of indirect units by one space.

This affects:

your starting rocket
your artillery
Hawke and Lash’s allied rocket
the enemy missiles unit

Recheck ranges whenever the weather changes. A rocket positioned correctly under clear conditions may be one space short during a sandstorm.

Day 1: Initial Positioning

Use the northern rocket to attack the nearest Oozium.
Move the main force generally northeast while maintaining safe spacing.
Keep every unit at least one space away from all surviving Oozium.
Position the artillery where it can support a future attack without becoming trapped.
Keep the Neotank, medium tank, stealth fighter, and battle copter flexible rather than committing them too far forward.
Move Hawke and Lash’s rocket toward a safer western position.
Move support units so they do not block future retreat routes.
End the turn only after confirming that no unit is adjacent to an Oozium.

Day 1 is about creating space. The initial formation is crowded, and the greatest danger is trapping your own units between the Oozium and one another.

Opening Formation

Use mobile units around the outer edges and keep indirects closer to the rear.

Use the recon to test movement lanes and finish weakened targets.
Keep mechs near routes toward the southeast Comm Towers.
Position the APC where it can resupply the stealth fighter and ground units.
Keep the transport copter available for repositioning capture units.
Do not allow the rocket or artillery to become boxed in by slower units.

The Oozium move slowly, but your own congestion can make them much more dangerous.

Using Hawke and Lash’s Units

The temporary allied rocket and APC can contribute useful chip damage and support, but they should not anchor the entire formation.

Use them to:

damage isolated western Oozium
draw part of the swarm away from Orange Star
occupy safe western spaces
support retreats without blocking your main northeast route

Keep the allied rocket moving away from any Oozium that begins closing on its position.

Day 2: First Eliminations

Use mechs and the stealth fighter to help eliminate isolated Oozium.
Finish every committed target before ending the turn.
Move the APC and transport copter toward useful support positions.
Keep the battle copter and heavier ground units available for multiple attack angles.
Use Hawke and Lash’s rocket to chip an isolated Oozium when safe.
Continue spreading the main force northeast without compressing the formation.
Recheck all adjacency before ending the turn.

The first kills should come against Oozium that have separated from the main group. Do not attack the center of the swarm while several others can close around your units.

Stealth Fighter Use

The stealth fighter is one of your best mobile attackers, but it also depends on careful fuel and ammunition management.

Use it to:

attack Oozium from angles ground units cannot reach
finish weakened targets without blocking ground movement
shift rapidly between the western and eastern sides
support the HQ push once the route opens

Keep the APC close enough to restore fuel and ammunition. Do not leave the stealth fighter committed over the northeast side without support.

Transport Copter and Mech Roles

The transport copter can accelerate the Comm Tower plan and help rescue units from crowded positions.

Possible uses include:

moving a mech toward the southeast Towers
repositioning a capture unit around the Oozium swarm
carrying a mech toward the eventual HQ route
blocking movement temporarily from a safe non-adjacent space

Do not land a transported unit next to an Oozium unless the Oozium will be destroyed that turn.

Day 3: Controlled Pressure

Retreat the artillery or either rocket if Oozium movement threatens to trap them.
Identify another isolated Oozium that several units can attack safely.
Use the Neotank, battle copter, stealth fighter, and indirect support together when needed.
Check the mini cannon’s range before moving toward the northwest Comm Towers.
Keep vulnerable support units away from the densest Oozium groups.
Continue repositioning the APC, transport copter, mechs, and recon without blocking retreat lanes.
End the turn with every surviving Oozium separated from adjacent allied units.

Day 3 often requires more retreating than advancing. That is not lost tempo. Pulling an indirect unit out of danger preserves firepower needed for the later HQ breakthrough.

Mini Cannon Range

The northwest mini cannon creates an additional hazard near the Tower route.

Before approaching that area:

display the cannon’s range
avoid leaving capture units inside its coverage unnecessarily
keep damaged units away from the edge of its range
do not retreat from an Oozium directly into cannon fire

Oozium adjacency remains the greater danger, but the mini cannon can punish otherwise safe retreat positions.

Early Target Priority

During the first three days, prioritize:

isolated Oozium that can be destroyed immediately
Oozium threatening rockets, artillery, or the APC
Oozium blocking the southeast Comm Tower route
Oozium preventing the main force from moving northeast
pipe seams and HQ defenses only after the route begins opening

Do not attack the nearest Oozium automatically. Attack the one whose removal creates the most space and safety.

Day 4: Stabilization

Use the APC to resupply and refuel the stealth fighter if needed.
Continue targeting only isolated Oozium that can be destroyed safely.
Begin moving a mech toward the southeast Comm Towers.
Retreat crowded units westward or southward if the Oozium formation threatens to trap them.
Keep the rocket and artillery protected behind mobile units.
Continue building CO meter through safe attacks without forcing risky engagements.

Day 4 is about stabilizing the formation after the first eliminations. Your army may still be crowded, and several Oozium may be moving toward the same area.

Do not confuse movement toward the Towers with a full offensive. The southeast mech should advance only while the surrounding spaces remain safe.

APC Resupply

The APC should remain near the units that consume the most fuel and ammunition.

Prioritize resupplying:

the stealth fighter
the rocket
the artillery
the Neotank and medium tank
the battle copter

Move the APC after attacks whenever possible so it can restore several adjacent units at once without ending next to an Oozium.

Creating Space

When the formation becomes crowded, move backward before trying to move sideways through the swarm.

Useful retreat principles include:

keep at least two escape lanes open around indirect units
move air units first so ground units can use the cleared spaces
avoid placing the APC between a rocket and its only retreat route
use the recon and transport copter on the edges of the formation
do not allow one isolated Oozium to push several units into a second cluster

Retreating one or two spaces can create a much safer attack on the following turn.

Day 5: Tower Expansion

Begin or complete capture of the first southeast Comm Tower.
Continue spacing units carefully around the remaining Oozium groups.
Reposition the medium tank and stealth fighter westward if the central formation becomes unsafe.
Use the APC to restore ammunition and fuel.
Preserve every unit rather than forcing marginal attacks.
Retreat Hawke and Lash’s allied rocket farther west if Oozium movement threatens it.

The first Comm Tower creates an important damage increase. Attacks that previously left an Oozium barely alive may now reach a clean destruction threshold.

Why the Comm Towers Matter

Each captured Tower improves the offensive strength of your entire army. Javier also gains additional defensive value from them.

Tower bonuses help:

rockets and artillery deal more meaningful opening damage
mechs and recons finish weakened Oozium
air units reach better damage thresholds
direct units survive counterattacks from the remaining defenses
the final HQ push require fewer exposed attackers

The Towers are not merely score objectives. They materially reduce the risk of every later engagement.

Preservation Over Cleanup

Do not attack an Oozium simply because it is within range.

Skip the attack when:

the target will survive
the attacker cannot retreat afterward
another Oozium can move adjacent on the enemy turn
the attack blocks the Tower-capture route
the unit is needed to protect an indirect or capture unit

A full-health Oozium in a harmless position is less urgent than a safe Tower capture.

Day 6: Midgame Control

Continue eliminating isolated Oozium through coordinated attacks.
Move a capture unit toward the next available Comm Tower.
Use recons and mechs to finish weakened targets after heavier units attack.
Keep units two or more spaces away from Oozium whenever the map allows.
Begin shifting mobile forces toward the northeast.
Maintain zero unit losses.

By Day 6, the Oozium swarm should be thinner and more spread out. The eastern side should begin opening, allowing part of the army to stop retreating and start moving toward the HQ route.

Using Low-Cost Finishers

Recons and mechs can preserve stronger units by delivering the final attack against weakened Oozium.

Use this sequence when possible:

Open with rocket or artillery fire.
Attack with the Neotank, medium tank, stealth fighter, or battle copter.
Finish with a mech or recon.
Move all remaining units out of adjacency before ending the turn.

Saving the strongest units for new targets improves both mobility and damage efficiency.

When to Shift Northeast

You do not need to destroy the entire Oozium swarm before moving toward the HQ.

Begin the shift when:

the eastern Oozium have moved away from the HQ route
a mech can advance without ending adjacent to a target
the missiles unit can be approached safely
the southeast Towers are secured or nearly secured
enough mobile units remain to protect the capture attempt

The western units can continue distracting or eliminating Oozium while the eastern group transitions toward the objective.

Day 7: HQ Route Opens

Complete capture of the second southeast Comm Tower.
Observe whether the nearby Oozium have moved away from the northeast route.
Advance the eastern mech and supporting units toward the HQ approach.
Remain outside the missiles unit and mini cannon ranges.
Use unit positioning to pull Oozium away from one another.
Continue chipping or destroying isolated targets where the attacks remain safe.

Day 7 marks the strategic pivot. The mission is no longer only about survival. Once the eastern route opens, begin building a protected path toward the HQ.

Splitting the Oozium Formation

Oozium move toward nearby targets one space at a time. Use that behavior to separate the swarm.

You can split them by:

placing mobile air units on opposite sides of the formation
moving western units away from the HQ path
keeping the eastern capture group just outside adjacency
using APCs and recons as distant movement lures
avoiding a single dense cluster of allied units

The goal is not to bait an Oozium into an attack. It is to make different Oozium move in different directions.

HQ Approach Threats

The northeast route is guarded by more than the Oozium.

Before advancing, account for:

the missiles unit covering air approaches
the nearby mini cannon
pipe seams blocking the direct path
sandstorms reducing your indirect range
Oozium that may return toward the HQ after being drawn away

Keep the mech protected until the missiles unit is removed and the capture route is secure.

Midgame Success Check

You are in a strong position by the end of Day 7 when:

multiple Oozium have been destroyed
no allied units have been lost
the southeast Comm Towers are captured
the stealth fighter and indirect units remain supplied
the eastern Oozium have moved away from the HQ path
a mech is positioned to begin the final approach

Day 8: Breakthrough Phase

Destroy the missiles unit guarding the HQ approach.
Move the eastern mech toward the enemy HQ.
Begin attacking the nearby pipe seams for access and bonus points.
Use Tower-boosted units to eliminate any Oozium still blocking the route.
Position the main force for a Tag Power activation.
Continue moving western units safely so they keep the remaining Oozium divided.

Removing the missiles unit is the key Day 8 objective. Once it is gone, the stealth fighter, battle copter, and transport copter can support the northeastern advance much more safely.

Destroying the Missiles Unit

Approach the missiles unit with ground units whenever possible so your aircraft do not enter its range unnecessarily.

Use:

the Neotank or medium tank for direct damage
the rocket or artillery when sandstorm range permits
the recon or mech to finish a weakened target
the stealth fighter only after confirming that the attack and retreat are safe

Destroy the missiles unit before committing the transport copter or other aircraft deep into the HQ area.

Pipe-Seam Objectives

The two northeast pipe seams both restrict movement and provide bonus points when destroyed.

Attack them with:

the Neotank or medium tank
rockets or artillery from safe range
the stealth fighter or battle copter when no higher-priority target remains
weaker units when only a small amount of damage is needed

Do not delay the HQ capture solely to destroy a pipe seam unless the extra opening is needed or the bonus can be secured without risk.

Preparing the Capture Unit

The mech approaching the HQ must remain healthy enough to complete the capture.

Protect it by:

keeping the transport copter available for rapid repositioning
clearing Oozium from adjacent movement lanes
using the Neotank, medium tank, APC, or recon as blockers
checking mini cannon range before every move
avoiding unnecessary attacks that reduce the mech’s health

The mech’s capture value is more important than its combat value once the HQ route opens.

Day 9: Tag Power Offensive

Activate Tag Power once the HQ route and several nearby targets are available.
Use the Dual Strike turns to attack aggressively before the remaining Oozium can respond.
Destroy additional Oozium with recons, rockets, air units, and heavy armor.
Destroy both pipe seams for bonus points if safe.
Move the mech onto the enemy HQ and begin capturing it.
Use the remaining units to split enemy movement and protect the capture route.

Tag Power provides the safest opportunity to convert battlefield control into the winning capture. Use the first turn to clear threats and the second to begin the HQ capture behind a protective screen.

Grimm and Javier Tag Power Roles

Use Grimm’s turn to:

maximize damage against Oozium
destroy the missiles unit or pipe seams
remove anything blocking the HQ route
create safe finishing attacks for weaker units

Use Javier’s turn to:

benefit from the captured Comm Towers
stabilize the capture formation
strengthen blockers around the HQ
help exposed units survive if any enemy response remains possible

The exact order can vary, but the Dual Strike should end with the HQ capture underway and the capture unit protected.

Using the Extra Turn Safely

Tag Power does not remove the need for adjacency checks.

Before ending the second turn:

confirm that no surviving Oozium is adjacent to an allied unit
place blockers between the Oozium and the capturing mech
move damaged attackers away from the swarm
resupply aircraft and indirect units when possible
make sure the capture cannot be interrupted on the next enemy turn

The extra turn is most valuable when it creates a permanent positional advantage rather than one round of scattered attacks.

Destroying the Final Pipe Seams

Each destroyed seam contributes to the bonus score.

Secure the seam points when:

the HQ capture is already protected
the attack does not leave a unit adjacent to Oozium
the seam blocks movement needed by your capture screen
the attacking unit has no more important target

Both seams can be destroyed during the Tag Power sequence in the recorded route.

HQ Capture Formation

Once the mech begins capturing, build the rest of the formation around it.

Use:

heavy armor to block direct northern and western approaches
the APC and recon to occupy secondary movement lanes
the battle copter and stealth fighter to threaten approaching Oozium
rockets and artillery to cover spaces beyond the blockers
the transport copter as an emergency movement or blocking unit

You do not need to destroy every remaining Oozium. You only need to prevent them from reaching the capturing mech before the second capture turn.

Day 10: Victory

Complete the capture of the enemy HQ.
Attack additional Oozium first only when the attacks are completely safe and improve the final score.
Ignore normal adjacency concerns after the capture is guaranteed to finish immediately.
End the mission with every unit preserved.

Once the second capture action begins, the mission ends immediately. No surviving Oozium will receive another turn.

Optional Final Attacks

Before completing the capture, you may attack additional Oozium for bonus points.

Only do so when:

the capture cannot be interrupted
the attack will not accidentally block the mech
the target can be destroyed safely
the extra action will not reduce Technique through a unit loss

The HQ remains the priority. Do not jeopardize a certain victory for one unnecessary attack.

Why HQ Capture Ends the Oozium Threat

The enemy HQ controls the energy source sustaining the Oozium. Capturing it disables that source and ends the battle immediately.

This is why the mission does not require total elimination. Once the northeast route opens, the safest strategy is often to bypass distant Oozium and complete the capture.

Mission End

The mission ends once the enemy HQ is captured. Destroying all enemy units also provides an alternate victory.

An S-Rank is achievable with:

100 Speed
100 Power
100 Technique
10 Pipe Seam Points
480 Oozium Points

The recorded run finishes with a 790-point S-Rank and zero unit losses.

Key Success Factors:

never ending a turn adjacent to a surviving Oozium
attacking isolated Oozium instead of dense groups
preserving every starting and allied unit
keeping indirect units mobile during sandstorms
using the APC to maintain stealth fighter and heavy-unit supplies
capturing the southeast Comm Towers for stronger damage thresholds
using movement to split the Oozium swarm
transitioning toward the HQ before every Oozium is destroyed
removing the missiles unit before committing aircraft to the northeast
using Tag Power to clear the route and begin the capture safely
destroying both pipe seams for bonus points
protecting the capturing mech until the second capture turn

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 Walkthrough:
Watch the Mission 20 video walkthrough

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 Comm 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:

1 medium tank
1 Mega Tank
1 tank
1 anti-air
1 infantry
1 mech
1 recon
1 Neotank
1 artillery
1 rocket
1 APC

Starting Units — Blue Moon:

1 rocket
1 stealth fighter
1 bomber
1 fighter
1 battle copter
2 mechs
1 missiles unit
1 anti-air
1 transport copter
1 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

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 Comm 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 Comm 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 Comm 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: Maintain the Tempo

Orange Star:

Continue the Comm 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.

Comm 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 Comm 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
preserve routes toward the remaining crystals

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.

Key Success Factors:

exploit Black Hole’s 1 HP starting condition
finish damaged enemies before they recover
preserve Orange Star’s armor and indirect units
protect Blue Moon’s aircraft from anti-air and Pipe Runners
use missile silos against clusters that can be finished immediately
prepare for the enemy Dual Strike
ignore unnecessary cleanup once the final crystals are reachable

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

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

Video Walkthrough:
Watch the Mission 21 video walkthrough

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 Comm 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 Comm Towers support the final assault
Destroying Black Onyx does not complete the mission

Starting Units — Orange Star:

1 medium tank
1 tank
1 artillery

Orange Star Properties:

HQ
2 cities
2 bases
1 airport

Starting Units — Blue Moon:

2 infantry
1 tank
1 artillery
1 APC

Blue Moon Properties:

HQ
3 cities
1 base
1 port

Starting Units — Green Earth:

1 anti-air
1 missiles unit

Green Earth Properties:

HQ
3 cities
1 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

General Strategy:
Crystal Calamity has two stages.

First, fire all nine missile silos at 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, advance toward the center and destroy 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 Comm 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.

Preserve the Black Boat until the island infantry has been delivered.

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 Comm 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 Comm 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 preserve open retreat routes.

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 Comm 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.

Key Success Factors:

establish all three missile routes during the opening
protect and fire all nine silos before time expires
interrupt Black Onyx whenever it charges
prioritize enemy capture and transport units
contain the western Mega Tank
destroy the Black Cannon
remain outside Oozium adjacency
move indirect units into safe Black Obelisk range

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 Walkthrough:
Watch the Mission 22 video walkthrough

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 Comm Towers, use the missile silos, and later reach the weather-control cities.

Javier benefits from the two Comm 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 retains 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 Comm 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
1 infantry
2 APCs

Orange Star Properties:

HQ
1 city

Starting Units — Blue Moon:

1 stealth fighter
1 bomber
1 carrier
1 battle copter
1 rocket
2 artillery units
2 APCs

Blue Moon Properties:

HQ

Starting Units — Green Earth:

1 tank
1 medium tank
1 Neotank
1 Mega Tank
1 anti-air
1 artillery
1 battleship
2 APCs

Green Earth Properties:

HQ

Major Enemy Forces:

1 Mega Tank
1 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

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 Comm Towers, use the missile silos, preserve its limited foot soldiers, 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 Comm Tower and deploy the mech nearby.
Load the infantry into the second APC.
Move it toward the other Comm 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 Comm 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.
Maintain APC support around 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 Comm 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 Comm 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 Seam 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.

Northern priorities:

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 Seam 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 maintaining battleship and APC support.

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.

Key Success Factors:

establish both chokepoints during the opening
preserve Orange Star’s capture units
capture both Comm Towers
time missiles against clustered heavy units
protect Blue Moon’s aircraft and indirect units
keep Green Earth’s Mega Tank supplied
prepare for Black Hole’s Dual Strike
capture both weather-control cities

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 Walkthrough:
Watch the Mission 23 video walkthrough

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:

1 Mega Tank
1 tank
1 recon
1 APC
2 battle copters
1 battleship
1 cruiser
1 sub
1 lander
1 infantry

Orange Star Properties:

HQ
2 bases
1 city
1 port

Starting Units — Blue Moon:

1 Neotank
2 medium tanks
2 tanks
2 recons
1 rocket
1 artillery
1 anti-air
2 mechs
1 APC
1 infantry loaded inside the APC

Blue Moon Properties:

HQ
no usable starting production facility

Major Enemy Forces:

1 Mega Tank
1 Neotank
3 medium tanks
2 tanks
4 anti-air units
4 rockets
3 artillery units
1 missiles unit
2 mechs
1 infantry
1 battleship
1 cruiser
1 sub
3 Black Boats
produced reinforcements

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 missiles 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.
Preserve at least one recon 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.

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 missiles 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 Comm Towers
scout forests
occupy mountains
maintain 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.

Key Success Factors:

move Blue Moon south immediately
destroy the surrounding rockets
preserve recon vision and APC supply
capture Blue Moon’s first base
spend its accumulated funds on Neotanks
keep the shared central lanes open
prepare for Black Hole’s Dual Strike
search carefully for the final hidden units

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 Walkthrough:
Watch the Mission 24 video walkthrough

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 Neotanks, 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
1 missiles unit
6 mechs
2 infantry
2 APCs

Starting Units — Secondary Front:

2 battle copters
2 anti-air units
1 missiles unit
3 mechs
1 APC

Major Enemy Forces — Primary Front:

1 Mega Tank
several Neotanks
several medium tanks
several tanks
1 Oozium
anti-air units
recon units
artillery units
Black Boats
APCs
infantry

Major Enemy Forces — Secondary Front:

approximately 8 battle copters
1 Neotank
1 rocket
1 recon
APCs
mechs
infantry

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 Neotanks 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 missiles unit, 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 Comm 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.
Preserve the infantry or mech moving toward the base.

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 Neotank’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 Neotank.

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 Neotank 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
Neotanks 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 Neotanks
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 Neotanks from the base
add cheaper units only when they can contribute before Day 18

Bombers are especially useful for reaching scattered medium tanks, Neotanks, 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, Neotanks, 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 Day 18:

Use the available Super CO Power.
Attack the Oozium from range with a rocket.
Use a Neotank against the remaining anti-air.
Finish the anti-air or Oozium with bombers.
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.

Key Success Factors:

turn off automatic secondary-front control
reinforce Sensei with anti-air units
let the enemy battle copters enter the anti-air screen
capture the cities controlling the opposite volcano
protect the HQ from transported infantry
weaken the primary armor with indirect fire
use missile silos against dense formations
capture the base and airport as early as practical
produce bombers for the final rout
begin the final pursuit before the last few days

Mission 25: Surrounded

Important Note:
This mission is won by capturing all four Black Hole Comm 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 Comm 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 Comm Towers within 24 days

Video Walkthrough:
Watch the Mission 25 video walkthrough

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, Neotank, 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 Comm 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 Comm 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 Comm Towers require a longer advance
Missile silos can weaken clustered defenders
Capturing all four Comm Towers ends the mission
The 24-day deadline is generous once the eastern fronts are secured

Starting Units — Orange Star:

1 Neotank
1 medium tank
1 tank
1 recon
1 APC
1 rocket
1 artillery
2 mechs
2 infantry

Orange Star Properties:

HQ
2 bases
4 cities

Starting Units — Blue Moon:

2 battle copters
2 anti-air units
1 tank
1 recon
1 APC
1 rocket
1 artillery
1 mech
1 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

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 Comm 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 Neotank outside the southeastern rocket’s range.
Form a direct-combat line with the tank, medium tank, and Neotank 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 Neotank.

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 Neotank 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 Comm 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 attempting to preserve 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 Neotank adjacent to an enemy base when it can punish any newly produced unit.
Move infantry west toward the remaining Comm 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 Comm 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 Comm Towers while the main armies turn west.

Orange Star should secure the northeastern base and use tanks or the Neotank 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 Comm Tower with an APC-supported mech or infantry.

Comm 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 Comm 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 Comm 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 preserve Technique, 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 Comm Towers have actually been captured. The mission does not end merely because Black Hole has no units left.

A practical capture order is:

northeastern Comm Tower
southeastern Comm Tower
northwestern Comm Tower
southwestern Comm 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 Comm 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 Walkthrough:
Watch the Mission 26 video walkthrough

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:

1 Mega Tank
1 Neotank
1 medium tank
1 rocket
1 artillery
1 missiles unit
1 anti-air
1 APC
2 infantry

Orange Star Properties:

HQ
2 bases
7 cities

Starting Units — Blue Moon:

1 battleship
1 cruiser
1 sub
1 carrier
1 infantry
2 mechs

Blue Moon Properties:

1 base
1 port
6 cities

Starting Units — Green Earth:

1 fighter
1 bomber
1 stealth unit
1 battle copter
1 infantry
2 mechs

Green Earth Properties:

1 base
1 airport
6 cities

Major Enemy Forces — Central Front:

1 Neotank
2 medium tanks
2 tanks
2 anti-air units
2 recons
4 artillery units
4 mechs
3 infantry
produced reinforcements

Major Enemy Forces — Western Front:

1 battleship
1 cruiser
1 sub
1 Black Boat
produced naval units

Major Enemy Forces — Eastern Front:

1 fighter
1 bomber
1 battle copter
1 Black Boat
1 anti-air
1 missiles unit
recons
produced aircraft and ground units

Defensive Structures:

1 Black Obelisk
3 Black Crystals
4 Mini Cannons
3 Comm Towers
multiple Pipe Seams

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, and 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 at 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, missiles, 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, Neotank, 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 missiles unit 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 Neotank or other heavy unit that crosses into the formation.
Use rockets and artillery first.
Finish damaged units with the Mega Tank, Neotank, 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 missiles 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 missiles create overlapping protection. Do not send a single battle copter or bomber into that formation. Build enough aircraft to absorb one missiles 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.

Attack in this order:

artillery and rockets
aircraft threatening the center
anti-air units
Neotanks and medium tanks
tanks, recons, mechs, and infantry

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 Neotanks
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 missiles unit can strike only one target each turn. Once enough aircraft are present, accept one missiles 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, Neotanks, 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
preserve alternate routes 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, Neotanks, 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 Neotank 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 Walkthrough:
Watch the Mission 27 video walkthrough

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

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
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
1 tank
1 anti-air
1 artillery
1 rocket
1 recon
1 battle copter
1 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

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 AI 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 cities.
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 missiles, rocket, artillery, fighter, and anti-air range.

Kindle’s Urban Blight repeatedly reduces allied HP on properties. The AI 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.

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

Midgame Priorities

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

Tag Mechanics Lesson

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

Day 1: Orange Star Opening

Day 1: Blue Moon Opening

Midgame Priorities

Enemy Tag Power Warning

Choke Point Control