Advance Wars: Days of Ruin CO Zone, Boarding and Powers
Position the commander's vehicle to support attacks without losing the command unit.
Edition covered
Original 2008 DS release; titled Advance Wars: Dark Conflict in Europe and Australia. Uses North American character names. Covers offline campaign and local modes; original Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection services ended.
Board a suitable unit
Once the feature is available, a CO can board a unit on an appropriate friendly production property. Boarding costs funds, so plan it alongside that turn's purchases rather than assuming the commander appears free anywhere.
| Stage | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Board | Place the CO in an eligible unit | Creates the command unit |
| Position | Cover useful attackers with its zone | Applies the CO's local benefits |
| Charge | Deal damage from inside the zone | Fills gauge and enlarges zone |
| Activate | Use the available CO Power | Gains its effect and spends the gauge |
Fight inside the zone
The CO's unit creates a zone that boosts nearby units according to that commander's rules. Move the zone to cover useful attacks, but do not expose the CO vehicle simply to include one extra attacker.
| Risk | Safer response | Why |
|---|---|---|
| CO unit near several counters | Pull it behind the line | Avoid losing the command platform |
| Zone misses an important attack | Move the CO unit first if safe | Gain charge and bonuses |
| Power ready but front stable | Compare with keeping the larger zone | Activation has an opportunity cost |
| CO unit destroyed | Reboard on a later turn | Rebuild the support plan |
Build power by dealing damage
Damage inflicted by units in the CO Zone fills the gauge. As the gauge grows, the zone expands. This differs from older Advance Wars games where taking army-wide damage was a normal way to charge powers.
Choose when to spend the gauge
A CO Power provides its effect but empties the gauge and returns the zone to its initial size afterward. Sometimes retaining a large zone is more valuable than immediately triggering the power; assess the current front before spending it.
References
| Reference | Website |
|---|---|
| Nintendo instruction manual | csassets.nintendo.com |
| Days of Ruin mechanics reference | www.warsworldnews.com |