ADVANCE WARS ®: DAYS OF RUIN

PRIMA AUTHORIZED GAME GUIDE

Stephen Stratton
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 Introduction ......................................4
Welcome to Advance Wars! ............................4
How to Use This Guide.......................................5
Waging Advance Wars.....................6
Overview..............................................................6
Flow of Battle .....................................................6
Post-Mission Breakdown ...............................6
Unit Interactions ...............................................8
Funds Management ......................................... 16
Battlefield Conditions .................................... 16
Terrain ............................................................... 18
Structures........................................................22
Units.................................................. 24
Ground Units .................................................... 25
Anti-Air ......................................................................... 25
Anti-Tank....................................................................... 25
Artillery ........................................................................26
Bike ................................................................................26
Flare ...............................................................................26
Infantry.........................................................................27
Mech ..............................................................................27
Medium (“Md”) Tank ...................................................27
Missiles ........................................................................28
Recon .............................................................................28
Rig...................................................................................28
Rockets .........................................................................29
Tank ................................................................................29
War (“W”) Tank ............................................................29
Air Units ............................................................ 30
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Battle (“B”) Copter .....................................................30
Bomber ..........................................................................30
Duster ............................................................................31
Fighter ............................................................................31
Seaplane ........................................................................31
Transport (“T”) Copter .............................................. 32
2 primagames.com
Naval Units ....................................................... 32
Battleship (“B” Ship) .................................................. 32
Carrier .......................................................................... 33
Cruiser .......................................................................... 33
Gunboat (“G” Boat) ..................................................... 33
Lander ...........................................................................34
Submarine ....................................................................34
Commanding Officers ....................35
Will ..................................................................... 35
Brenner ............................................................ 36
Lin....................................................................... 37
Isabella ............................................................. 38
Tasha ................................................................. 39
Gage ................................................................... 40
Forsythe ............................................................ 41
Waylon .............................................................. 42
Greyfield........................................................... 43
Penny................................................................. 44
Tabitha .............................................................. 45
Caulder .............................................................. 46
Campaign Walkthrough ................ 47
Chapter 1: Days of Ruin .................................. 48
Chapter 2: A Single Life ................................. 50
Chapter 3: Freehaven .................................... 52
Chapter 4: Moving On .................................... 54
Chapter 5: New Allies ..................................... 56
Chapter 6: Fear Experiment......................... 58
Chapter 7: A Kind of Home ............................ 60
Chapter 8: A New Threat ............................... 62
Chapter 9: The Beast ..................................... 64
Chapter 10: Almost Home .............................. 66
Chapter 11: A Storm Brews ........................... 68
Chapter 12: History of Hate ......................... 70
Chapter 13: Greyfield Strikes ...................... 72
 Chapter 14: A Hero’s Farewell...................... 74
Chapter 15: Icy Retreat ................................. 76
Chapter 16: Hope Rising ................................ 78
Chapter 17: The Creeper ............................... 80
Chapter 18: Panic in the Ranks .................... 82
Chapter 19: Salvation ..................................... 84
Chapter 20: Waylon Flies Again ................... 86
Chapter 21: Lin’s Gambit ................................ 88
Chapter 22: The Great Owl............................ 90
Chapter 23: Sacrificial Lamb ....................... 92
Chapter 24: Crash Landing ........................... 94
Chapter 25: Lab Rats ..................................... 96
Chapter 26: Sunrise ....................................... 98
Campaign Trials .............................100
Trial 1: Extreme Edge......................................101
Trial 2: Shade Coast.......................................102
Trial 3: Feline Basin .......................................103
Trial 4: Metro Island .....................................104
Trial 5: Eerie Lake ..........................................105
Trial 6: Clear Island .......................................106
Trial 7: Tatter River ......................................107
Trial 8: D-Island ..............................................108
Trial 9: Hourglass ..........................................109
Trial 10: Blade Isles .........................................110
Trial 11: Star Islands ........................................111
Trial 12: Intricate Map ...................................112
Trial 13: V for Victory! ....................................113
Trial 14: Fragment Isles .................................114
Trial 15: Jay Islands ........................................115
Trial 16: Pentagram ........................................116
Trial 17: Coast Assault ...................................117
Trial 18: Cat Island...........................................118
Trial 19: Ground Clash ....................................119
Trial 20: Slime Cove........................................120
Trial 21: Duo Falls .............................................121
Trial 22: Peril Maze ....................................... 122
Trial 23: Metro Map ...................................... 123
3
Trial 24: Wedding Ring ..................................124
Trial 25: Land’s End........................................ 125
Introduction
Trial 26: Bounty River ...................................126
Trial 27: Time Map..........................................127
Trial 28: Plasma Bubble ................................128
Trial 29: Triangle Lake ..................................129
Waging Advance Wars
Trial 30: Destiny Ocean ................................130
Trial 31: Comb Map ..........................................131
Trial 32: Resistance ...................................... 132
Trial 33: Missile.............................................. 133
Trial 34: Web River ........................................134
Trial 35: Center River ...................................135
Trial 36: Mountain Pass ...............................136
Trial 37: Fire & Water ...................................137
Units
Trial 38: Whirl Peaks ....................................138
Appendices.....................................139
Unit Matrix .....................................................139
Commanding Officers
Terrain Matrix ...............................................140
CO Unlocks & Comparison Chart .................141
History Medals ...............................................141
Campaign Walkthrough
Campaign Trials
Appendices
 Waging
Advance Wars
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the vast array of command options and choices presented to you in Advance Wars: Days of
Ruin, then you’ve come to the right place! This chapter is dedicated to teaching the fine art of tactical combat and strategic
generalship. Even the most seasoned generals are sure to find a few gems of wisdom here!
We begin with a global overview of Advance Wars, describing just what it takes to win a battle and giving tips on how to
achieve the highest ratings from single-player missions. Following that, we provide thorough details on the fundamentals of
commanding your forces about the battlefield—things like acquiring funds, attacking, leveling up, and the use of COs. The
chapter concludes with insightful looks at the various forms of terrain and battlefield conditions you’re apt to encounter. In
short, the following pages are packed with all manner of Advance Wars know-how—better start reading!

Overview Seizing the day can also

Advance Wars: Days of Ruin is a turn-based strategy be achieved through the
game. You command one army of combat-ready units, HQ.
capture of your rival’s HQ
which you must use to outmaneuver and crush the This is usually tough to pull
opposition. Battles can be waged between two, three, off, however, as wise generals
or four armies in Advance Wars, with each force fighting will be on the lookout for such
against one another in a tactical struggle for dominance. maneuvers. Still, there’s no
Forces can also team up and work together, coordinating faster way to achieve victory!
their efforts to outwit and annihilate their foes. Their HQ is ours!

Because it’s a turn-based game, razor-sharp reflexes

aren’t a requirement in Advance Wars. This is a thinking
gamer’s game—feel free to take as long as you like to review
the current scenario and plot out your moves. Generals who In single player battles that feature three or four
digest all available information and carefully develop wily armies, an army’s entire force is destroyed the
tactics will have the best chance of seizing the day. moment its HQ is captured. In addition, once an army
has been wiped out, all structures that had previously
Flow of Battle been under its control revert to a neutral state.
Battles are broken down into
days in Advance Wars. Each
army is granted one turn per
day. During your turn, you may To view a battle’s win conditions, press 3 and
move and position your units, choose Mission Info, then terms from the menu.
attack enemy units, capture And for handy tactical breakdowns during
structures, and so on. Campaign missions, choose tactics and make a
It’s your turn. Make the quick trip to the war room. There, your allies (and
most of it! sometimes your enemies) will give hints on how to
best claim victory.
Win Conditions
So how does one achieve Post-Mission Breakdown
victory on the battlefield? By
crushing enemies, of course! Devising top-notch tactics
Oftentimes, the easiest way not only makes each conflict
to defeat your adversaries easier, it also helps you earn
is by simply overwhelming high marks when the smoke
Prima Official Game Guide

their forces with superior finally clears. Claiming victory

tactics. Wipe out all of their
units to claim total battlefield
dominance!
from single-player Campaign
Victory! battles always lands you a
letter grade rating of C, B, A, or
S for that scenario. Pat yourself The coveted S rating is
on the back if you scored a B yours!
or higher: You did very well!

6 primagames.com
 Fog of War Hiding Places action for the remainder of the turn. A unit can be surprised
by an enemy lurking in a hiding place or by moving into any
Unit Type Hiding Places
distant foe that’s simply been concealed by the fog.

Introduction
Ground Ruins, woods, all neutral or captured structures
Naval Mist, reefs, all neutral or captured ports and temp ports Try to position your units in narrow or high-traffic areas,
Air All of the above or any place where you think they’ll have the best chance
at surprising rival invaders. Likewise, avoid ordering your
Your adversaries are certain units to move through hiding places you suspect might be
to use hiding places to their occupied by the enemy. Being surprised not only forfeits a
advantage during Fog of unit’s turn, it also makes it visible, exposing it to potential
War battles, so make sure retaliation!

Waging Advance Wars

you do the same. Whenever
possible, try to keep each of Cutting Through the Fog
your units concealed within a Thankfully, there are many
suitable hiding place. Cities ways of increasing visibility
Leapfrog your units and structures you control are during Fog of War battles.
between hiding places. usually best, as they allow your One of the best and most
forces to receive gas, ammo, and repairs while lying in wait. affordable options is a recon.
If your forces are discovered, simply move them to another This inexpensive, highly mobile
nearby hiding place; the enemy will have to seek them out vehicle sports a fantastic vision
once more. rating. Recons can inflict great
Recons make excellent damage against lightly armored
scouts. vehicles and infantry units

Units
alike, so conceal them in suitable hiding places, using them
Station indirect attackers close to hiding places to monitor and defend structures you intend to capture.
you’ve occupied so that enemies advancing Though traveling through
to scout these locations can be punished hiding places puts your units at
accordingly. high risk of being surprised by
lurking hostiles, moving a unit
Dealing with Scouts past such areas is a great way

You can’t attack what you
can’t see, and units must first
be made visible before they
can be attacked in Fog of War.
Utilizing scouts and destroying
those employed by the enemy
are therefore key strategies
in Fog of War scenarios. It’s
unwise to assault any enemy
Wipe out those scouts!
Commanding Officers
to see if anything’s skulking
within. Wherever a unit travels
during its turn, all surrounding
squares are revealed in Wonder who’s hiding
accordance with its vision around here?
rating. You can therefore reveal a great deal of the battlefield
simply by moving a highly mobile unit with good vision (such
as a recon or fighter) about the map. Plot out paths of travel
that you believe will reveal hidden units, passing near (but

Campaign Walkthrough
unit with a direct attacker (such as a tank) and not destroy not through) hiding places to scan them for activity.
it, however. Even a crippled unit will be able to sight your
Another cost-effective way of
attacker, exposing it to retaliation by other nearby hostiles
cutting through the fog involves
on your rival’s next turn.
stationing infantry and mech
In short, always, always, always look to use the fog to units atop mountains. Doing
your advantage. Keep your units well hidden, and when you so broadens the vision range of
do lash out, coordinate your strikes to ensure your victims these units from two squares
are utterly destroyed. You can never tell what else may to five, helping them identify
be hiding in the fog, and you don’t want an injured hostile threats while remaining in good
sighting your forces on your rival’s next turn!
Campaign Trials
What a view! cover. Mechs are particularly
Surprise Encounters handy during mountainous Fog of War battlefields, as they
can navigate such terrain better than infantry—and also
Fog of War isn’t just useful for
deliver punishing bazooka blasts to enemy scouts they
concealing your units; it’s also
detect.
a great way to ambush enemy
invaders and force them to lose
their turn. Any unit that moves
into direct contact with an
enemy it couldn’t see becomes
surprised and is forced to stop
Appendices

Surprise, guy! short, forfeiting any further

17
 Meteor Mountain
Like fire, Defense: Income: Repairs: Mountains Defense: Income: Repairs:
meteors cannot
be navigated
— — — provide
fantastic
**** — —

by any unit. Move Cost defense for Move Cost

Instead, units must attack Move Type Cost ground and air units. Unfor- Move Type Cost
Infantry — Infantry 2
meteors to destroy these tunately, the only ground
Mech — Mech 1
obstacles. Gunfire has units that can navigate
Tire A — Tire A —
little effect on meteors, mountains are foot soldiers
Tire B — Tire B —
while powerful, explosive (infantry and mechs).
Tank — Tank —
attacks have great impact. Send these units across
Air — Air 1
Plasma is often generated Ship —
mountains to capture Ship —
by meteors, and in these Transport —
nearby cities and the like. Transport —
cases, destroying the Station these units atop
meteor commonly shuts off the plasma. mountains to add a +3 bonus to their vision during Fog
of War scenarios.
Mist
Mist provides Defense: Income: Repairs:
ideal hiding * — — Plain
places for Move Cost Plains are Defense: Income: Repairs:
naval units in
Fog of War battles. It also
Move Type
Infantry
Cost
—
easily traveled
by most units
* — —

offers a bit more protection Mech — but offer little Move Cost
compared to the naked Tire A — in the way of defense. Move Type Cost
sea. Tire B — Rigs can construct temp Infantry 1
Mech 1
Tank — airports on plains.
Air 1 Tire A 2
Ship 1 Tire B 1
Transport 1 Tank 1
Air 1
Ship —
Transport —

Plasma
Plasma Defense: Income: Repairs:
is totally — — —
impassable
and blocks all Move Cost
unit movement. However, it Move Type Cost
Infantry —
can usually be banished if
Mech —
its meteors are destroyed.
Tire A —
Sometimes it’s tactically
Tire B —
sound to leave meteors
Tank —
and plasma be in order to
Air —
slow the enemy advance, Ship —
though. Transport —
Prima Official Game Guide

20 primagames.com
 Introduction
Ground units form an army’s backbone. All ground units are produced at factories. Most ground units are quite versatile
and fairly inexpensive. There are more ground units than air or naval units, and they each fall into one of two basic classes:
vehicles,, which roll about on tires or tank treads, and infantry, which traverse terrain on foot (with the exception of bikes).
Most vehicle-class ground units enjoy a high mobility, making them able to cross a battlefield with impressive speed.
Those with lower mobility, such as anti-tanks and war tanks, often enjoy great firepower and durable armor. Vehicles
commonly see more frontline action than any other class of unit.
Compared to vehicles, infantry-class ground units have a low

Waging Advance Wars

mobility, weak armor, and are generally less effective in combat. They’re
able to navigate terrain that vehicles can’t, however, scaling mountains
and fording rivers to quickly reach remote destinations. The exceptions When stationed atop mountains, infantry-
are bikes, which have a high standard mobility but cannot cross the class units gain a +3 bonus to their vision
aforementioned terrain. Infantry-class units are also the only ones rating. This is a great advantage when
capable of capturing structures, such as cities and factories, to boost Fog of War is a factor in battle.
their army’s income and unit production capabilities.

Anti-Air
Most ground units are easy prey for enemy aircraft, but not the versatile anti-air unit. This agile mini-tank
comes armed with two powerful surface-to-air cannons capable of shredding through airborne hostiles

Units
with ease. When foot soldiers threaten to invade, the anti-air’s twin cannons can be turned against them
for devastating results as well. Vehicles with little armor, like rockets and recons, are also suitable first-
strike targets for anti-air fire. Heavily armored ground forces should
be avoided at all costs, however—the anti-air’s cannons have a tough Combat Breakdown Cost: 7,000
time puncturing their durable plating. Target Class Effectiveness Class: Vehicle
Infantry Strong Against: Aircraft,
With their low production cost and high versatility, anti-airs make helicopters, infantry
Vehicle
for ideal purchases throughout many battles. They’re especially useful

Commanding Officers
Aircraft Weak Against: Most other
when aerial units are a factor, of course, and they make great base vehicles
Helicopter
defenders, readily thwarting enemy transport copters and infantry- Beware: War tanks, medium
Ship —
class units aiming to score a quick win via HQ capture. tanks, first-strike bombers
Sub —

Movement Stats Combat Stats

Movement Class: Mobility: Gas: Vision: Attack Type: Main Weapon: Sub Weapon: Ammo: Range:
Tank 6 60 3 Direct Cannon None 6 1

Anti-Tank

Campaign Walkthrough
Anti-tank vehicles are some of the most fearsome indirect-attack units a general can deploy. While their
range is on par with that of the more-affordable artillery unit, anti-tanks can fire on adjacent enemies as
well as those up to three squares away. They’re also the only indirect-attack units capable of responding
with a counterattack when assaulted by direct-attack fire.
Designed to inflict heavy damage against armored ground units, anti-tanks can also target low-flying helicopter units
such as battle and transport copters. Their armor is so thick that even bombers are unable to obliterate them in one strike,
which helps anti-tanks hold their position when the going gets tough. Unfortunately, anti-tanks tie with war tanks for
having the lowest mobility rating of all vehicle-class ground units. This makes it tough for anti-tanks to maneuver into firing
position, particularly on larger maps that lack forward production factories.
Campaign Trials

When your adversary is throwing armored ground units your way, Combat Breakdown
anti-tanks are a natural choice to help even the odds. Position one Target Class Effectiveness Cost: 11,000
of these powerful indirect attackers just behind your front line and Infantry Class: Vehicle
watch as your rival’s assault force shrinks back. When Fog of War is a Vehicle Strong Against: All ground
units
factor, station anti-tanks in strategic hiding places, such as cities and Aircraft —
Helicopter Weak Against: Helicopters
woods, to surprise your adversary’s ground forces with devastating
Ship — Beware: Bombers
anti-armor bombardments.
Sub —

Movement Stats Combat Stats

Appendices

Movement Class: Mobility: Gas: Vision: Attack Type: Main Weapon: Sub Weapon: Ammo: Range:
Tire B 4 50 2 Indirect Cannon None 6 1–3

25
 Commanding Officers
General, sir, please review these officers’ profiles carefully before choosing which CO to bring with you into the field. Each

Introduction
has his or her own strengths, and some will serve you better in certain scenarios than others. Ten hut, COs!

When a CO Power is used, the CO’s Command Zone benefits are spread to Spoiler Alert! This chapter reveals all hidden
all friendly units across the entire battlefield. See the CO Abilities section in COs, including info on how to unlock them. Stop
the “Waging Advance Wars” chapter for more info on the uses of COs. reading if you don’t want to spoil the surprise!

Waging Advance Wars

Will
“Never Give Up!”
A former Rubinelle military cadet, Will was rescued by Captain
Brenner shortly after surviving the meteor shower that devastated
much of the planet. A young man with a big heart, Will soon grows to
idolize Brenner’s courageous acts and selfless efforts to help those
he finds in need.

Units
Will’s Abilities
Will’s powers revolve around enhancing the effectiveness of
direct-attack ground units, such as tanks, anti-airs, recons,
and infantry-class units. Few COs can match his ability to
advance ground forces toward victory!

Commanding Officers
Command Zone: 2-square radius
Boosts: All direct-attack ground units
Effect: Attack +2
CO Power: Rally Cry
Effect: Boosts the mobility of all direct-
attack ground units by 2

Campaign Walkthrough
How to Unlock: Available from start

Campaign Trials
Appendices

35
 Chapter 2:
A Single Life

Mission Intel
Armies: 2
Your CO: Brenner
Enemy CO: The Beast
Pre-Deploy: Confirmed
Fog of War: No
Weather: Fine

Terms
Victory:: Wipe out all
enemy units.
Defeat:: Lose all of your
units.

Ambushed by Raiders After you move your tank,

Brenner advises you to check
the attack range of enemies
with 2. Highlight each enemy
Will’s combat training session
unit and press @ to cause
is cut short when wasteland
a number of red squares to
raiders start to draw near.
light up around them. These
Looks like you haven’t seen the
squares indicate the units’
last of these guys!
attack ranges; anything stationed on one of the red squares
can be attacked by the unit during its next turn. Notice
that the nearby recon is unable to progress past your tank
Take Brenner’s advice to to assault your artillery. This is because vehicles cannot
heart and begin by moving traverse mountains; only foot soldiers and air units can
your tank to the right to navigate them.
block the road. Will’s training
exercises seem to have Let’s put this fact to practice.
Prima Official Game Guide

drained the tank’s main Since you’ve weakened that

weaponry of ammo, but it enemy infantry unit, why not
can still fire on the advancing finish it off with your own
hostile infantry with its heavy machine guns. Perform the infantry? Move your foot
attack to weaken the foot soldiers and plug up the road with soldiers into the mountains
your tank. and open fire on the enemy
troops. The attack is fatal, so
the enemy can’t counterattack to score any damage on your
infantry.

50 primagames.com
 Positioning Artillery Sure enough, Will
discovers a young woman
Ground
Units
lying in the ruins. She’s

Introduction
Last, move your artillery
unit behind your tank so been badly injured, most
it can bombard anything likely during the tragic
that dares to approach meteor shower. Will tells
from the road. Artillery are the young woman she’ll be
powerful indirect attackers, all right and carefully lifts
but they cannot move her into his arms.
and fire on the same turn.
Assaulting the Raiders

Waging Advance Wars

They’re also incapable of counterattacking when they
fall under direct fire from tanks and the like. You must
therefore keep your artillery units well protected behind
your frontline units. This is why Brenner advised you to
advance your tank and seal the road.
Well done; you’ve
defeated an enemy unit
and positioned your forces
to defend the road. End
your turn to see how the
raiders react. Unfortu-
nately, these guys don’t
Now it’s time to have some
fun. Recon weaponry is
no match for your tank’s
armor, so open fire on the
recon directly ahead of
your tank to inflict decent
damage with its machine
gun. If your tank still had
ammo for its main weaponry, that recon would’ve been
wiped clean out!
Next, bombard the

Units
know when to quit; they other recon to the north
advance their units, sending a recon to fire on your with your artillery unit.
infantry in the mountains. Your foot soldiers take a bit of Remember that artillery
damage, but they’re far from defeated! can’t move and fire, so just
leave it in place and order
Air
the attack. The assault Units

Though vehicles can’t traverse mountains,
they can still fire on infantry units stationed
near the edges of a range. Beware such
maneuvers!
Commanding Officers
is devastating, and the
enemy recon is utterly destroyed.
It’s typically best to fire with your indirect
attackers first, following up with your direct-
attack units afterward to finish the wounded.
This prevents your direct attackers from

Many forms of terrain offer defensive benefits.
Mountains provide exceptional cover, which is
why your infantry didn’t suffer more damage
at the hands of the enemy recon. Refer to
each terrain’s info to see how much defense it
provides, and always look to position your units
where they can receive the greatest cover.
Strange Survivor
At the start of your next
turn, Will notices a body
lying in a pile of ruins in the
center of the mountains.
Move your wounded
infantry unit to the
indicated spot to inves-
tigate.
Author Commentary
Campaign Walkthrough
suffering damage in counterattacks. However,
in this case, we didn’t want the nearby enemy
tank to advance and fire on yours, so we Naval
allowed the recon in front of your tank to live. Units
Now to finish off these
savages. End your turn
to allow the enemy units
to advance. Their tank
positions itself directly
in range of your artillery.
Campaign Trials
How convenient! Cripple
the tank with a long-range
artillery bombardment, then wipe out the enemy recon
with your tank’s machine gun. The rest of this battle
is a breeze: leave your infantry unit sheltered by the
mountains and simply wipe out the remaining raiders
with your superior forces.
Appendices

This was a straightforward mission designed to teach the basics of Advance Wars
combat. I had forgotten how flimsy those indirect-fire units can be! Take this lesson
to heart and always look to protect your indirect attackers.

51
 Chapter 3:
Freehaven

Mission Intel
Armies: 2
Your CO: Brenner
Enemy CO: The Beast
Pre-Deploy: Confirmed
Fog of War: No
Weather: Fine

Terms
Victory:: Wipe out all enemy units.
Defeat:: Lose all of your units.

Aiding the Ungrateful

Though Brenner and company
received less than a warm You can also view an enemy unit’s maximum
welcome at a ruined city potential movement by highlighting the unit and
populated by civilian survivors, pressing !.
they still decide to come to the
people’s aid when The Beast
and his raiders come calling.
This time, the ruffians have Use 2 to view your own units’ attack ranges as
brought a significant force along—one easily capable of well. This helps you position your units more effec-
seizing control of the town. Begin by advancing both of your tively on the field.
tanks to fire on the two hostile infantry units to the north.
Finish these wounded soldiers off with your nearby mechs.
You’ve run out of units to
If you advance your artillery move, so it’s time to end your
unit too far north, you’ll find turn. The Beast advances his
out the hard way that it can’t forces, but none of them can
Prima Official Game Guide

withstand much punishment; move close enough to strike.

the northeast enemy recon can When you regain control,
travel extremely far along the bombard the nearest recon
northern road, and its heavy with your artillery, then advance
machine gun is enough to one of your tanks to the nearby woods and finish the job.
inflict severe damage on your artillery. Highlight the recon Afterward, move the remainder of your forces as far north as
and hold 2 to view its attack range. Then scroll your view possible, being careful not to expose any of them to attack
back over to your forces to determine just how far north you from The Beast during his next turn.
can move your artillery.

52 primagames.com
 Your rival advances
his units once more, still Ground
unable to execute an Units

attack. Time to inflict some
pain on these cretins.
Strike at the nearest vehicle
with a tank, following up
with a bazooka blast from
one of your mechs to send it to the scrapyard. Do the
same to another vehicle. We were able to annihilate The
Beast’s tank and one of the recons in this turn; see if
Introduction
Joining units prevents your forces from
suffering too many casualties in the field,
which helps boost your end-of-battle Tactics
score and overall rating. See the “Waging
Advance Wars” chapter of this guide for a
complete breakdown of the game’s rating
system.

Waging Advance Wars

you can accomplish the same.
Final Push
If you advanced your artillery
last turn, you’ll certainly
Again, opening fire with your tanks ensures be able to use it against
your flimsy mech units won’t suffer damage one of the raider’s vehicles
in counterattacks. Tank armor can take a bit now. Open with an artillery
more of a pounding than a soldier’s clothing, bombardment, then make
particularly when your tanks open fire from a strong eastward push
high-cover terrain, such as woods. against your rival’s line.
If possible, try to reserve
North Road Showdown

Units
one of your tanks for
use against the enemy
If you haven’t used your artillery, rushing forward
artillery yet, make your last to inflict severe damage
move that of advancing to the weakly armored
it as close as possible unit. Mechs can also do Air
to defend your front line. great damage to artillery if Units

Commanding Officers
This is the primary usage you’ve got one in range. Remember that wounded units
of indirect attackers: to have greatly reduced attack power, though.
defend frontline units,
simultaneously using these units as blockers to defend You likely weren’t able to
themselves. We decided to stick our artillery right in the destroy the artillery in your
small nook of the nearby mountain range, where we initial strike, which means
knew it’d be safe from attack. the unit remains in place
blocking the road. Send
your mechs across the
mountains to pummel the

Beware The Beast’s artillery unit! View its
attack range with 2 and try not to leave any of
your units exposed to its fire if you can avoid it.
You won’t be able to wipe
out The Beast’s forces in one
strike, so the villain finally
gets a chance to retaliate
against you. Your units will
suffer some damage here,
particularly your mechs,
along with anything you’ve
left in range of The Beast’s artillery. Brenner’s second in
command, Lin, soon advises you on how to join wounded
units of the same type together to form a stronger single
unit. Consider doing so if one of your units is in dire straits.
Campaign Walkthrough
artillery with their heavy
payloads. You need not fear any sort of counterattack Naval
from these indirect attackers! Units
After removing the
artillery obstacle, your
tanks can advance on any
lingering units. You likely
only have a bike left to deal
with, which is an easy mark
for any tank. Obliterate any
Campaign Trials
stragglers with vehicular
fire, polishing them off with your remaining mech if need
be. Wipe out all raider invaders to secure the battlefield
and emerge victorious.

Author Commentary
Appendices

This short battle is a prime example of how superior tactics can outweigh inferior numbers. In Advance
Wars, you must draw upon whatever resources you’re given at the start of each scenario and develop your
strategy accordingly. There’s a way out of every thorny situation, so never give up!

53
 Trial 12:
Intricate Map
Mission Intel Terms
Armies: 2 Victory: Wipe out all enemy units or capture HQ.
Your CO: Tasha Defeat: Lose all of your units or your HQ.
Enemy CO: Greyfield Battlefield Structures
Pre-Deploy: None
Type Amount Type Amount
Fog of War: No
2 2
Weather: Fine

23 4

Save funds for a rocket unit

to help defend the northern
ground, then build a few tanks.
Push the enemy backward
while advancing your infantry
to capture cities, and work at
holding the central bridge to
prevent hostile vehicles from
storming through.
Sunk by Battleships With your rockets and tanks
holding down the bridge, start
Here’s a challenging trial utilizing both ground and naval building infantry or mechs
units. The army that controls the sea has the greatest at your factory each turn.
chance at victory here! Send these troops over the
Build a gunboat at your mountains to contend for the
southern port and an infantry central cities—particularly
at your factory on Day 1. the two down south. Hold the
Send your infantry north to enemy port as long as you can with your lone infantry unit,
capture the nearby city on Day and generally keep your rival in check while you conserve
2 and advance your gunboat funds for powerful naval units.
to your temp port. Build a
second infantry to load into the
gunboat on Day 3.
Ferry an infantry unit to the tiny western isle via
gunboat and capture the cities there for extra
income.
Don’t bother with bikes here; foot soldiers are
more valuable, as they can better navigate the When building up any naval
rugged terrain. force, it’s always wise to start
with a sub-smashing cruiser.
Prima Official Game Guide

Build additional infantry to Ensure the waters are free of

capture the cities north of your
base, and send your gunboat
sailing toward your rival’s
southern port. Shore up at the
port and deploy your infantry
there, fully poised to capture
the port on the following turn.
enemy subs, then start building
lots of battleships. Support
your ground units with these
mighty vessels, bombarding
enemy vehicles from inlets and sinking their ships with the
aid of your cruiser. Assemble a fearsome fleet and apply
steady pressure until you finally conquer your foe.

112 primagames.com
 ®

PRIMA Official Game Guide

Written by:

Stephen Stratton
Prima Games
A Division of Random House, Inc.
3000 Lava Ridge Court, Suite 100
Roseville, CA 95661
www.primagames.com

The Prima Games logo is a registered trademark of Random House, Inc., registered
in the United States and other countries. Primagames.com is a registered trademark
of Random House, Inc., registered in the United States. Prima Games is a division of
Random House, Inc.
™ & © 2008 by Nintendo of America. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system without written
permission from Nintendo of America.
Product Manager: Mario De Govia
Editors: Shaida Boroumand and John Browning
Manufacturing: Stephanie Sanchez
Design & Layout: Calibre Grafix, LLC
All products and characters mentioned in this book are trademarks of their respective
companies.
Please be advised that the ESRB Ratings icons, “EC,” “E,” “E10+,” “T,” “M,” “AO,” and “RP”
are trademarks owned by the Entertainment Software Association, and may only be used with
their permission and authority. For information regarding whether a product has been rated by
the ESRB, please visit www.esrb.org.. For permission to use the Ratings icons, please contact
the ESA at esrblicenseinfo.com.
Special Thanks:
Steve would like to thank Seth McMahill, Yugo Sato, Damon Baker, Jeffrey Storbo, Michael
Keough, and Tomas Hertzog at Nintendo for once again offering their time, hospitality, and
exceptional support. Thanks also to Prima’s elite production/editorial squad: Mario De Govia,
Shaida Boroumand, and Jody Seltzer. Special thanks to my babykins, Julie Bean, for sticking
beside me through another crazy holiday rush. Merry Christmas Mom, Dad, Sarah, and Bryan!”
Important:
Prima Games has made every effort to determine that the information contained in this book
is accurate. However, the publisher makes no warranty, either expressed or implied, as to the
accuracy, effectiveness, or completeness of the material in this book; nor does the publisher
assume liability for damages, either incidental or consequential, that may result from using
the information in this book. The publisher cannot provide any additional information or
support regarding gameplay, hints and strategies, or problems with hardware or software.
Such questions should be directed to the support numbers provided by the game and/or
device manufacturers as set forth in their documentation. Some game tricks require precise
timing and may require repeated attempts before the desired result is achieved.
ISBN: 978-0-7615-5903-0
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2007942616
Printed in the United States of America
08 09 10 11 LL 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Author Bio
Stephen Stratton has authored over 40 guides in his seven years with Prima. His
personal favorites include Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition, Mass Effect, and pretty
much every game with either Mario or Zelda in its title. Steve is a lifelong gamer
who attended the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY. In addition
to his Prima Games guides, he also held a staff position with Computec Media and
managed the strategy section of their incite.com video game website.
We want to hear from you! E-mail comments and feedback to sstratton@primagames.com.