Advance Wars Campaign and CO Powers
Choose a commander around the map and use a power when it changes the turn.
Edition covered
Original GBA Advance Wars. CO balance, campaign paths and available units are from this game; Black Hole Rising, Dual Strike and Re-Boot Camp additions are excluded.
Field Training explains exceptions
Nell's missions introduce terrain, production, transports and Fog of War. Complete the relevant lesson if a command is unavailable on a particular tile.
| CO | Strength | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Andy | Balanced force and repair power | Expecting a specialist damage bonus |
| Max | Strong direct vehicles | Building around weak, short-reach indirect fire |
| Sami | Infantry and capture pressure | Relying only on non-infantry direct units |
| Grit | Indirect range and firepower | Leaving artillery without a screen |
| Olaf | Snow-focused disruption | Assuming weather affects every CO equally |
Choose around the army
Max favors direct combat while Grit favors indirect reach. A CO's weakness can make an otherwise sensible purchase inefficient.
| Situation | Decision | Effect on plan |
|---|---|---|
| Andy has damaged key units | Use Hyper Repair before attacks | Recover HP and improve damaged-unit output |
| Max can reach several targets | Use Max Force for the push | Take advantage of direct-combat strength |
| Sami can threaten properties | Use Double Time for infantry tempo | Convert movement pressure into captures |
| Grit has spotted targets | Use Snipe Attack with units already placed | Indirect units still need legal firing positions |
Powers need a useful window
Wait until the effect changes important engagements, but do not hoard a ready power while losing essential units. Repair powers are valuable before fighting with damaged attackers.
Check the map's win condition
Capturing HQ and destroying all enemies are common goals, but campaign missions can set specific conditions. Read the briefing before applying a standard build order.
References
| Reference | Website |
|---|---|
| Nintendo instruction manual | www.nintendo.com |