Map 24: Megalopolis



Index:
-Fast Strategy
-Alternate Strategy for Cost Reduction COs
-Kanbei's Strategy
-Old General Strategy

Fast Strategy
Score achieved: 300 pts, 7 days
100-pt. time limit: 25 days
Player CO: Anyone. Kanbei and Grimm are discouraged, but possible
Enemy CO(s): Kanbei
Skills: none
Mode: 2.5x EXP

Overview: While Kanbei has a huge funding advantage over you, the AI isn't that smart. Through careful manipulation, you can clear a path to the HQ without attacking a single enemy unit in the way. The rest of the map involves protecting your capturing Infantry and acquiring the Power and Technique scores.
Grimm can follow this guide, but he needs a lot of luck to ensure that his APC survives until Day 6. Kanbei cannot follow this guide because of increased costs. He has an alternative guide, which is about as difficult to follow as Grimm's due to his APC having to take almost minimum damage from every attack.
For full Power, you need to destroy 2 units in 1 day. Do this on the last day. You have the opportunity to destroy 4 enemy units on that day.
For full Technique, you can lose only 1 unit, your APC.

Day 1:
Build an APC in the southeast base.
Build an Infantry in the northeast base.

Day 2:
Move the Infantry 3E and start capturing the city.
Move the APC 3E.
Build a Recon in the northeast base.
Build an Infantry in the southeast base.
Save.

Day 3:
Finish capturing the city.
Move the Recon 5E.
Move the APC 1N 3E.
Build a Tank in the northeast base.

Kanbei Day 3:
His Megatank must move southwest.
His Infantry in the middle lane must move south.
(Grimm: Your APC must have 9HP.)

Day 4:
(Grimm: Save.)
Move the Recon 3E and attack the Infantry.
Move the Tank 5E.
Move the APC 1N 1E.
Build a Tank in the southeast base.

Kanbei Day 4:
His Megatank must move west. (Grimm: Restart the map if this does not happen.)

Day 5:
Save.
Move the APC 1N 3E and drop E.
Move the Recon 1S 1W.
Move the northeast Tank 3S 1E.
Move the southeast Tank 1S 3E.
Move the Infantry 2E and attack the Infantry.
Build a Tank in the southeast base. (Grimm: Build a Recon in the northeast base and build a Mech in the southeast base.)

Kanbei Day 5:
His Neotank must move southwest. If it doesn't, restart the map.
His Rockets must move 4S.

Day 6:
Start capturing Kanbei's HQ.
Move the APC 1N 4E.
Move the Infantry 1N.
Move the Recon 1N 2W. (Grimm: Join the Recon on the base to it.)
Move the Tank in the middle 1N 2E and attack the Recon.
Attack the city-capturing Infantry with both Tanks. (Grimm: Use the Mech and Tank.)

Day 7:
Destroy 2 units. You can destroy the Recon in the north and the city-capturing Infantry in the south.
Build until you have 10 units built.
Finish capturing Kanbei's HQ.

Colin, Hachi, Sasha Strategy
Score achieved: 300 pts, 7 days
100-pt. time limit: 25 days
Player CO: Colin, Hachi, Sasha
Enemy CO(s): Kanbei
Skills: none
Mode: 2.5x EXP

Only COs who get a cost reduction can follow this strategy, because they will have sufficient funding for an extra Infantry on Day 3. This Infantry is vital in manipulating the AI.
For full Power, you need to destroy 2 units in 1 day. Do this on the last day. You have the opportunity to destroy 4 enemy units on that day.
For full Technique, you can lose only 2 units. Only losing 1 is compulsory, the APC.

Day 1:
Build an APC in the northeast base.
Build an Infantry in the southeast base.

Day 2:
Move the APC 3E.
Move the Infantry 3N and start capturing the tower.
Build an Infantry in the northeast base.
Build a Recon in the southeast base.
Save.

Day 3:
Finish capturing the tower.
Move the northeast Infantry 3E and load it. Move the APC 4E.
Move the Recon 4E.
Build an Infantry in the southeast base.

Kanbei Day 3:
His Megatank must move west.
His Recon must move southwest through the bottom lane.

Day 4:
Move the APC 3S.
Move the Infantry on the tower 1W and start capturing the tower.
Move the remaining Infantry 2N and start capturing the tower.
Move the Recon 1N 2E.
Build Tanks in the southeast and southwest bases.

Kanbei Day 4:
His Rockets must move southwest.
His Recon must move southwest through the bottom lane.

Day 5:
Save.
Move the APC 1N 3E. Drop the Infantry E.
Finish capturing both towers.
Move the southeast Tank 1S 3E.
Move the southwest Tank 2S 4E.
Move the Recon 2N 1W and attack the APC.
Build a Mech in the northeast base and Infantries in all other bases.

Kanbei Day 5:
His Rockets must move 4S.
His Infantry may attack your APC. This is not compulsory, but it makes getting Power easier. The rest of the guide will assume that this happened, if not, adjust your moves.

Day 6:
Save.
Start capturing Kanbei's HQ.
Move the APC 2N 4E.
Move the Mech 2E and attack the Infantry.
Move the southeast tower Infantry 1S 2E.
Move the northwest tower Infantry 1S and start capturing the tower.
Move the Recon 3E and attack the Infantry.
Move the southeast base Infantry 3E and attack the Infantry.
Attack the Recon with the southeast Tank.
Move the other Tank 6E.
Move the remaining Infantries 1E.
Build Infantries in all bases.

Day 7:
Finish capturing the tower.
Move the Mech 1S 1E and attack the Infantry.
Move the northeast base Infantry 2E and destroy the Infantry.
Destroy the middle lane Infantry with the Recon.
Destroy 1/2 unit(s) in the southeast with your remaining units. You have 2 Tanks, so this shouldn't be a problem.
Build 4 units if you have lost 2.
Finish capturing Kanbei's HQ.

Kanbei Strategy
Score achieved: 300 pts, 7 days
100-pt. time limit: 25 days
Player CO: Kanbei
Enemy CO(s): Kanbei
Skills: none
Mode: 2.5x EXP

Overview: Kanbei has increased costs, but increased defense as well. The increased defense is vital, for his APC will be able to survive three attacks. The APC acts as a shield for your Infantry. Two Tanks serve as bait for a Neotank and Rockets.
For full Power, you need to destroy 2 units in 1 day. These units are an Infantry and a Recon.
For full Technique, you can lose 1 unit, but you don't have to.

Day 1:
Build an APC in the northeast base.

Day 2:
Move the APC 3E.
Build an Infantry in the northeast base.
Save.

Day 3:
Move the APC 4E.
Build a Tank in the southeast base.

Kanbei Day 3:
His Megatank must move west.
His Recon must move southwest, through the bottom lane.

Day 4:
Move the APC 3S.
Move the Tank 4E.
Build a Tank in the east base.
Save.

Kanbei Day 4:
His Infantry will attack your APC. You should not take any visible damage.

Day 5:
Save.
Move the eastmost Tank 3E and attack the Recon.
Move the other Tank 1S 4E.
Move the APC 1N 3E. Drop the Infantry east.
Build an Infantry in the northeast base.
Build a Recon in the southeast base.

Kanbei Day 5:
His Neotank must move 1S. (Restart the map if this does not happen. Otherwise, do not overwrite your Day 5 save until you win.)

Day 6:
Move the Infantry near the HQ 3E and start capturing Kanbei's HQ.
Move the APC 3E.
Move the eastmost Tank 1N 2E.
Move the other Tank 3E.
Move the other Infantry 3E and attack the Infantry.
Move the Recon 3E and attack the Infantry.
Build a Recon in the northeast base.

Kanbei Day 6:
Your APC must survive.
Both your Tanks should survive, if one is destroyed, build units until you have 10 on the next day.

Day 7:
Move the Infantry near the northeast base 1S 1E and attack the Infantry.
Destroy the Infantry with the Recon on the northeast base.
Destroy the Recon with your other Recon.
Finish capturing Kanbei's HQ.


Guide by DxDyDzD General Strategy (Old)
Score achieved: 300 pts, 25 days
100-pt. time limit: 25 days
Player CO: Any but Max (due to range) and Kanbei (due to cost)
Enemy CO(s): Kanbei
Skills: none
Mode: 2.5x EXP

(Note: It *is* possible to 300-point the map with both Max and Kanbei, but the strategy will be different. However, much of the advice here will still help them.
Obviously, Javier will have no trouble here; using this strategy with him is just overkill.
Aside from that, movement-boosting and range-boosting COs (Jake, Grit, Andy, Jess, Adder, etc.) will probably have the easiest time here, as they can get through the forested section more easily.)

Overview: Build an artillery right away and send it along the south side. Kanbei often sends his first rocket down that side, so you can use the artillery to scare it away and blast it once you can bring some bait to keep it still. The artillery will also be useful for hitting units on Kanbei's bases towards the end. Hold off Kanbei's units by luring his infantry into attacking artillery at the chokepoints; I recommend artillery because they'll let you chip away at any units Kanbei brings nearby. Later in the map, replace the north artillery with a rocket to deter enemy rockets from coming near. Build up a force of regular tanks and Neotanks; movement is very important in the forested part of the map, so Mids and Megas will be of limited use. Try to drop a Neotank to 1 or 2 HP and then leave other Neos alone; this will drain most of his funds near the end of the map, making your life a lot easier... Other than that, it's hard to give specific advice for once you break out of Kanbei's assault.

(Note: Some moves can be made slightly differently. I'm just going with a specific way to keep it simple.)

Day 1:

- Build an artillery from the south base on the west edge.

Day 2:

- Move the artillery all the way south. Build infantry from all bases.

Day 3:

- Capture cities east of east bases.
- Move southwest infantry east.
- Move northwest infantry north. (Not east!)
- Build APC from northwest base, infantry from other three.
- From now on, move artillery all the way east along south edge until the rocket comes near; at that point, you'll move it just outside the rocket's range, then into the blind spot, and then continue moving into the blind spot as the rocket retreats. (This is what I call the "artillery dance", and it's a big help.) I won't mention the artillery again, just keep doing this.
- Should Kanbei fail to send his rocket to the south side when you get to that point, start over.

Day 4:

- Finish capturing the cities.
- Capture cities and towers with other infantry in range.
- Load infantry on southwest base into APC.
- Move APC all the way along north road and unload infantry east.
- Load final infantry into APC.
- Build four infantry.

Day 5:

- Kanbei's infantry will be approaching now.
- Finish capturing everything.
- Begin capturing the other two towers.
- Move the northwest infantry all the way east.
- Move the other west infantry north.
- Build an APC from the north base and infantry in the other three.
- Move the infantry on the southeast city north one onto the mountain.
- Move the APC all the way east and unload east.
- Move the trailing infantry east. It will be able to move to the APC next turn, essentially allowing you to get two infantry to Kanbei's cities much more easily. You'll be doing this with both APCs, and shouldn't need to send any more for this.I won't mention it again, just keep moving them forward.

Day 6:

- Finish captures.
- Move infantry on southeast base one west of southeast city.
- Move infantry on southeast city north onto mountain.
- Join infantry to damaged infantry on northeast city.
- Begin capturing final city in HQ area.
- Move any remaining infantry towards chokepoint for future joining purposes.

This is where things get much less clean. Your goals from here are:

1) Build artillery before Kanbei's infantry die from counterattacks. You want one on the northeast city and another one space west of the southeast city. This way, Kanbei will block off his stronger units for you. Keep a healthy infantry on the mountain north of the southeast city so the infantry can't walk over and hit the artillery from the north.

2) Build two infantry from the west bases and have them walk to the last two towers. You'll want every edge you can get here, but these towers can wait for a little while.

3) Get your infantry to the eastern cities. Pretty straightforward, but watch out for indirects.

4) Once your APCs are done with their jobs, send the first one south. You want it to refuel the artillery and get into rocket range. The rocket will destroy the APC and then you'll be free to hit it. Make sure you have all six towers, the rocket's on a road, and Kanbei won't use either power; this will allow any CO other than Colin to destroy it in one hit. (Guaranteed unless they have bad luck.) Colin can manage by using a CO power. Leaving the rocket alive will just create problems for your capturing infantry as it recovers, so just take it out in one hit.

5) After the artillery destroys the rocket, move it towards the eastern cities and use it to hit some of Kanbei's newly-built units.
6) The other APC will go back and pick up the infantry that captured the north tower to speed things up a bit.

7) Don't build too much. You'll want an artillery from the south base almost every turn until you're ready to break through, and *possibly* a few more infantry to help refresh the one on the mountain. Build a rocket when you have the funds, and then replace the artillery on the north city with it in case Kanbei gets any funny ideas about sending more rockets your way. Beyond that, save up for Neotanks until you've broken through; then you can spend some money on regular tanks as well.

8) Try to get a Neotank down to 1 HP, then leave other Neotanks alone. Hopefully, the Neotank will move to the HQ and stay there. The artillery on the outer edge can keep hitting it, as long as it won't finish it off, and once you've taken all the eastern cities, Kanbei will have barely any funds after repairs. A Mid Tank won't quite take enough, and a Megatank will often take too much, unless you leave Kanbei with one city so his income is 6k instead of 5k. The repairs *do* cost him a bit more than that, but he'll have some other funds to drain when you start getting to that point.

9) Be persistent. Some COs are going to need a lot of luck to finish Kanbei off in 25 days, so keep a save towards the end and try various things from there. As a last resort, you can try to move Neotanks into positions where his infantry (not mechs!) can attack them, and destroy everything else - there's a good chance he'll suicide-attack the Neotanks, so you'll win in time if he does this with every infantry.

Strategy by Dragon Fogel.