After s-ranking the campaign, I have learned a lot about how this game plays. The only time I had to submit to my stupidity was during the final mission, which I attained a b-rank (miserable) and had to consult a guide to s-rank since I was lazy. Then I went off to square with the CPU on more even maps and ended up on Tatter River. Yes, the same old crumpets from ages back which always ended in horrible slaughter. I managed to s-rank the thing (very barely, 312 pts in 59[!] days) on first try by abusing Waylon's COP and parking miscellaneous air units around the HQs and capturing them...with much bloodshed. By golly gee johnson, since I'm not familiar with how the AI or the scores roll, it was really ugly.
Then I read about STL clearing it in 11 days with 450 pts and was like

Then I was like

Either I suck or someone here has spent a lot of work abusing the AI and the RNG. Though I must say, perhaps it's harder to beat the thing sans them tricks and with a mighty (damn you 50 unit limit) flying armada consisting of half the world's remaining steel (the other half being spent on AAs). Arguably, by the time I captured each HQ, I could have routed them but it wouldn't have given me his/her properties. I beat Gage (yellow), Lin (black) and Tasha (blue) in that order. Here lies my
"strategy":
- Capture things just south of red HQ
- While standing off against yellow's factory, send convoy to capture center
- Flood yellow factory with artillery, reinforce center
- Seize the far eastern blue factory (thus saving black, which I will soon regret)
- Amass bombers
- ???
- COP bomber rush + yellow HQ capture
- Lose control of the eastern factory as my forces get crushed between blue and black (worth a shot I suppose...)
- Reinforce center with my fleet, preparing to battle black forces (now dominant)
- 'Creep' a wall of firepower till close enough to HQ (missiles actually proved useful)
- Amass bombers and dusters
- ???
- COP bomber-duster rush + black HQ capture
- Amass fighters and hit 50 unit limit
- ???
- COP bomber-fighter rush + blue rout
Probably a fail tactic in the eyes of vets, in the extremity to the point of breaking one's nose with one's palm. Still, S-RANK GET!
After s-ranking the campaign, I have learned a lot about how this game plays. The only time I had to submit to my stupidity was during the final mission, which I attained a b-rank (miserable) and had to consult a guide to s-rank since I was lazy. Then I went off to square with the CPU on more even maps and ended up on Tatter River. Yes, the same old crumpets from ages back which always ended in horrible slaughter. I managed to s-rank the thing (very barely, 312 pts in 59[!] days) on first try by abusing Waylon's COP and parking miscellaneous air units around the HQs and capturing them...with much bloodshed. By golly gee johnson, since I'm not familiar with how the AI or the scores roll, it was really ugly.
Then I read about STL clearing it in 11 days with 450 pts and was like :ph43r:
Then I was like :(
Either I suck or someone here has spent a lot of work abusing the AI and the RNG. Though I must say, perhaps it's harder to beat the thing sans them tricks and with a mighty (damn you 50 unit limit) flying armada consisting of half the world's remaining steel (the other half being spent on AAs). Arguably, by the time I captured each HQ, I could have routed them but it wouldn't have given me his/her properties. I beat Gage (yellow), Lin (black) and Tasha (blue) in that order. Here lies my [i]"strategy"[/i]:
- Capture things just south of red HQ
- While standing off against yellow's factory, send convoy to capture center
- Flood yellow factory with artillery, reinforce center
- Seize the far eastern blue factory (thus saving black, which I will soon regret)
- Amass bombers
- ???
- COP bomber rush + yellow HQ capture
- Lose control of the eastern factory as my forces get crushed between blue and black (worth a shot I suppose...)
- Reinforce center with my fleet, preparing to battle black forces (now dominant)
- 'Creep' a wall of firepower till close enough to HQ (missiles actually proved useful)
- Amass bombers and dusters
- ???
- COP bomber-duster rush + black HQ capture
- Amass fighters and hit 50 unit limit
- ???
- COP bomber-fighter rush + blue rout
Probably a fail tactic in the eyes of vets, in the extremity to the point of breaking one's nose with one's palm. Still, S-RANK GET!