When I first started playing Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp, I thought it was just a simple war game. I’d spam whatever unit sounded cool, built a bunch of random units at the start, and wondered why my entire army was getting rolled by enemy tanks. I had no clue that some units are way better than others, or that you need to build the right units for the right job. I spent two days stuck on that first bridge mission, because I was building all the wrong units.
If you’re new to the game, don’t waste your time like I did. This simple guide breaks down the best units to build, the ones that carried me through my first playthrough. They’re easy to use, no weird late-game builds required, and they’ll make your early game so smooth you won’t even know what a difficulty wall is.
1. Infantry – The Most Underrated Early Game Unit
Wait, infantry are weak, right? Wrong. They’re the most important unit early on. Because they’re the only ones that can capture cities. And they’re super cheap, only 1000 gold.
I ignored them at first, I thought they were too weak to matter. But once I started building them first? I could capture all the neutral cities in the first few turns, and suddenly I had way more income than the enemy. More money means more units, it’s that simple. And they’re great for screening your bigger units too, they can block enemies from charging your artillery. Don’t skip building infantry first.
2. Mech – Your Early Game Anti-Armor Carry
Mech units are absolutely broken early on. They only cost 3000 gold, and they do tons of damage to tanks. Like, way more than regular tanks do. And they can cross mountains and forests no problem, which most other units can’t.
Early on, I was getting wrecked by enemy medium tanks, until I started building mechs. They would delete those tanks in one hit, and they were way cheaper than building my own medium tank. I used them to hold chokepoints too, they could just sit there and kill anything that tried to walk through. If you’re struggling early on, build a mech, you won’t regret it.
3. Medium Tank – Your All-Around Frontline Carry
Once you get a bit more money, medium tanks are your main frontline unit. They’re fast, they do tons of damage, they can take hits, they can do everything.
They cost 8000 gold, which is a bit pricey, but they’re worth every penny. They can take out enemy tanks, mechs, infantry, anything. I used them as my main attack force the entire game. Once you have a few medium tanks, you can just roll across the map and take everything. They’re reliable, they work on every single map.
4. Artillery – The Long-Range Delete Button
Artillery units are insane. They can hit enemies from two tiles away, so they don’t have to get close to the enemy at all. They do tons of damage to groups of enemies, and they can take out enemy tanks from far away before they can even get to you.
I ignored them at first, I thought they were too slow. But once I started using them? They would delete enemy units before they could even get close to my team. I would put them behind my infantry and tanks, and they would just blow up anything that tried to attack. They’re perfect for breaking through enemy lines, especially if they’re holding a chokepoint.
5. Anti-Air Tank – Your Anti-Infantry & Air Defense
Anti-Air tanks are super useful. They do tons of damage to infantry and air units, and they can move fast. If the enemy has a bunch of infantry or bombers, this is the unit you need.
I had a mission once where the enemy kept spamming bombers to blow up my tanks. I built an anti-air tank, and it shot them down before they could even drop their bombs. And they’re great for cleaning up groups of infantry too, they can delete a whole squad in one hit. They’re way better than using tanks to fight infantry, trust me.
6. Bomber – The Late Game Boss Killer
Once you get to the airfield, bombers are absolutely broken. They can hit any ground unit from the air, and they do massive damage. They can delete even the heaviest tanks in one hit.
They cost 15000 gold, which is expensive, but they’re worth it. I used them to take out enemy bases and bosses late game. They would just fly over the enemy lines, blow up their strongest units, and fly back. Nothing could stop them. If you’re stuck on a tough late game mission, build a bomber, it will change everything.
7. Cruiser – Your Navy Carry
If you’re playing a map with water, cruisers are your best naval unit. They can take out enemy ships and submarines, and they can shoot down enemy air units too.
I used to build battleships at first, but they’re too slow and too expensive. Cruisers are fast, they’re cheaper, and they can do everything. They can clear out the water map in no time, and they can protect your other ships from air attacks. I never build anything else for water maps anymore.
Units You Should NOT Waste Gold On Early Game
Now for the mistakes I made, so you don’t repeat them. Don’t waste your early gold on these units, they’re not worth it until late game:
- Battleships: They’re super expensive, 18000 gold, and they’re only good for late game water maps. Early on, you don’t need them.
- Neotanks: They’re even more expensive, 22000 gold, you don’t need them until the very end of the game. Early game medium tanks are just as good, way cheaper.
- Submarines: They’re only good for ambushing ships, early on you don’t need them. Cruisers are way more reliable for water maps.
Final Thoughts
The biggest mistake I made early on was building whatever unit looked cool, without thinking about what I actually needed. Advance Wars is all about building the right unit for the right job, and once you do that, the game gets so much easier.
These units are all simple, you can use them from the very first mission, no weird late-game stuff required. I wish someone had told me these when I first started, it would have saved me so much time and frustration.
Once you start using them, you’ll see what I mean. You’ll go from getting rolled by the enemy every other mission to rolling across the map and taking everything without breaking a sweat.