AWDS Unit Guide

The following is a unit-by-unit analysis of the AWDS unit line-up. This guide assumes that funds are set at 1k per property, unless stated otherwise.

## The Units

### Infantry

The main backbone of your army. In a typical game you want to make sure that, after all other purchases, you are able to fill your remaining bases with these units. Infantry have three main purposes: capturing, clogging, and shredding.

* Capturing is self-explanatory: when a clear path presents itself, send your guys to capture neutral or enemy property. This creates a distraction to your opponent and nets you extra funds when you succeed; always prioritize enemy properties to deprive them of funding.
* Clogging is also fairly straightforward: you will always have more Infantry than you really need, so send them in to gum up the lanes of attack. Time spent by your opponent hacking away at your Infantry is time \_not\_ spent attacking more important units.
* Shredding requires some forethought, but is also fairly simple. You send you Infantry forward and attack, and you put them in positions where they'll be attacked. If you're playing the upper tiers and want to be extremely liberal with your CO Power use, just shred or suicide Infantry against Tanks, AAs, and what have you. This charges your CO bar very quickly, allowing for repeated hammering of mass damage powers and the like. You need to be careful not to shred your entire protective screen, though; if it takes more than 2 or 3 Infantry to shred a power, it's not worth it.

### Mechs

You won't build these as a mainline unit unless you're Sami. Mechs are a defensive unit that you build when a base is threatened. The reasoning is this:

* It has Tank firepower for less than half the cost.

* If the base is under fire, you don't want more valuable units on the firing line.

Once the base is no longer threatened, just treat any remaining Mechs like very slow Infantry.

### Recons

On smaller maps these will be your first vehicles. Recons are good for darting ahead and stopping captures, or stopping other Recons from doing the same. Beyond that, you will mostly ditch these in favor of Tanks when the funds become available.

### APCs

Basically useless except on a select variety of maps. This is because APCs take up the same production slot as the units they transport, inhibiting the overall combat ability of your army. Use the other transports instead.

### Artillery

Also useless in most circumstances. They're short-ranged, they can't move in to secure ground, and most CO Powers don't benefit them to any great degree. Only build Artillery if the combat zone is too clogged to squeeze in any more Directs.

### Tanks

Your main source of firepower on the land front, and first part of the Tank-Copter-AA triangle. This triangle is special not just for the obvious rock-paper scissors relationship, but also because these units are the ones that benefit the most from most of the game's CO Powers. Tanks should focus on killing all vehicles, attacking Infantry if necessary. However, don't attack other Tanks if a better unit can possibly do it, as any advantage in unit count is worth keeping if you can hold onto it.

### Antiairs

Second part of the aforementioned triangle. You generally want to keep one or two of these around to deal with Copters as they crop up. When AAs aren't dealing with Copters, they should either break the Infantry barrier or assist with vehicle kills.

### Missiles

Completely useless. While they can massacre any air unit, they lack the range to actually be effective at it. They are also too expensive to be cost-effective against Copters, which are the main air units that get used. Use AAs instead.

### Rockets

Also useless. They are marginally better than Artillery for over twice the cost. If you use Indirects at all, use Artillery.

### Md Tanks

A late-game unit for most COs. Md Tanks are pretty much your 68-ton linebackers once you get to building them. You won't have more than one or two at a time, but they don't go down quickly unless your opponent has their own Md Tank or manages to sneak in an Artillery. Use them like Tanks for the most part, and let them soak up damage so your smaller units can swarm in.

### Piperunners

Useless. They have all the same pitfalls as Missiles and Rockets, cost even more, and only move on one very uncommon piece of terrain. You have better things to spend your money on.

### Neotanks

Awesome, but impractical. Neotanks have better movement and much better firepower than Md Tanks, but only slightly better armor. They also cost the same as the upper-class air units, which are arguably more useful. Unless you're on an all-land map and really need that extra movement to go with the firepower, don't use them.

### Megatanks

There is only one CO who even uses these in a normal game. Megatanks are usually impractical to build due to high cost, low movement, and even lower ammo. If you're in the right circumstances to build them in a normal game, though, they are quite a sight to behold. Megatanks can pretty much murder anything they see, soak up a crap-ton of damage, and charge up your bar like no one's business while they do. They're pretty much a mobile catch-22 for your opponent: left alone it will murder the map, but attacking it invites the Tank swarm to come in and murder their units. They are a great investment if and when you can make it without breaking the bank.

### T-Copters

These are (or should be) your normal Infantry transports. T-Copters are great for securing outlying bases early in the capture phase, and ferrying around Infantry for as long as they stay alive after that. You usually won't build them past the capture phase, but they do make said phase go much faster.

### B-Copters

The final component of the Tank-Copter-AA triangle. Usually shortened to "Copter," these units are your best answer to enemy Tanks in the 10k range. Have them engage Tanks when possible, other vehicles, Infantry, or Copters when necessary. Like the other two members of the triangle, Copters tend to gain the most benefit from the largest number of CO Powers, so you will never have trouble justifying their use.

### Fighters

Mostly useless. Their role is already filled by AAs, and by the time you can afford them you may as well go for a Bomber. Only build a Fighter if you're having trouble maintaining air superiority or need to focus more land slots on producing land counters.

### Bombers

An uncommon unit to build, but usually worth it if you can afford the expense. Bombers have around the same firepower as a Neotank, but are much more mobile and difficult to counter. Use it as your bunker-buster and for eliminating high-tech land units. If no other unit can do it, Bombers have pretty good luck killing AAs as long as you get the first strike. All in all, you'll get your money's worth long before it gets shot down.

### Stealths

Worthless. Their damage values are awful for their price, and all hiding does is make you crash sooner. They don't get many shots in before needing to refuel, and at 24k you may as well bank on the extra 1k for a Black Bomb.

### Black Bombs

These are extremely useful if you can afford them. Mass damage is ranked highly for a reason, and Black Bombs let COs pay their way into that category. They are fast, and they explode on use. You cannot counter that: you can only endure it. Because Black Bombs deal a lot of damage exactly where you want it, using one usually spells the death of your opponent's front line.

### Black Boat

If you can possibly use T-Copters, you won't use these. If you do use these, use them sparingly. Black Boats are fast, they do give repairs and supplies, but navy is such a worthless part of the game in general that it doesn't matter too much.

### Landers

If you can possibly use any other transport or secure a base on land, you will almost never use these. About the only good use of a Lander is beach flanking, and even then there are usually better options.

### Cruisers

The first part of the naval triangle. Unlike the land triangle, this one is notable only for rock-paper-scissors mechanic. In this case, it means Cruisers will only do good damage against Subs and air units. They are never useful against any of the other units they can attack.

### Subs

Second part of the naval triangle. Subs are more able to break away from rock-paper-scissors, but are so expensive it's rarely worth it. Subs will always do their best damage to Battleships, Carriers, and transports; nothing else is worth your time.

### B-Ships

Last part of the naval triangle. Battleships are useful against Cruisers and Carriers, and can give fire support on the land front. Everything else is a waste of time for how expensive they are.

### Carriers

Useless. Same target list as Missiles, more expensive than a Battleship. They can carry and supply air units, but for all the use it is you may as well use Black Boats; even a small fleet of Black Boats still costs less than a Carrier and can heal the air units to boot.

And there you have it. Every unit in the game, and their uses within it.

**Game Theory Essays**