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Max FAQ by Flamazot
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Contents
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Sections Use Ctrl+F to get to these sections quickly!
1. Version History (VERS)
2. Copyright Stuff (COPY)
3. What is this guide for? (GUID)
4. Introduction to Max (INTR)
5. Max's Units (UNIT)
6. Max's Abilities In-Depth (ABIL)
7. Factors to Strategy (FACT)
8. General Strategies (GENE)
9. Tag Strategies (TAGS)
10. How to counter Max (COUN)
11. Other COs vs Max (OTHE)
12. My Opinion on Max (MYOP)
13. The Future (THEF)
14. Contact me! (CONT)
15. Credits (CRED)
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Version History (VERS)
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1.00- The initial version.
1.1- I actually typed some stuff in the Version History. (I forgot last
time >_>) Fixed some typos. Added "The Future" section. Added Neoseeker to
the copyright section. Added GreenEarthPFC, Warning_Cmexy and
Haiyashiman's opinions on Max. Added DTaeKim to the credits. Thanks!
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Copyright Stuff (COPY)
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This document is copyright 2007 Flamazot aka Glenn Oliver. This may be not be
reproduced under any circumstances except for personal and private use. It
may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed publicly without
advance written permission. Use of this guide on any other web site or as a
part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a violation of
copyright.
The only sites this guide should be found are GameFAQS and Neoseeker. If you
see it anywhere else, PLEASE email me and tell me what site you found it
at. If you wish to use my FAQ for your own website, you should contact me
via my email and I'll probably let you use it. My email is
glennoliver14@gmail.com.
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What is this guide for? (GUID)
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Before I start, I should tell you right away that this guide isn't intended
for people new to Advance Wars. I'll be using terms that you may not
understand so you should probably read a general FAQ first. This guide will
help you learn more about the Orange Star CO Max. If you'd like to try out
Max, but you are not sure how to use him, this guide should help you out
quite a bit. I hope this guide will be of some use to you!
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Introduction to Max (INTR)
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Who is Max, you say? Max is a CO for the Orange Star army. He's a CO that's
all about power and brute strength. (You just gotta look at those gigantic
arms to see that >_>) Max was first introduced in "Advance Wars" for the GBA.
Here's what Max's CO profile says about him:
A brave and loyal friend, not to mention a strong fighter, Max hates any kind
of treachery, preferring a good, old-fashioned brawl.
Hit: Weight training
Miss: Studying
Non-infantry direct-combat units are tops. Indirect-combat troops are reduced
in range and firepower.
CO Powers:
CO Power Meter: xxxXXX
Max Force
Firepower of non-infantry direct-combat units rises. (His direct combat units
get a +40% Offense and +10% Defence boost. All other units get +10% Offense
and +10% Defense boost.)
Max Blast
Firepower of non-infantry direct-combat units rises greatly. (His direct
combat units get +70% Offense and +10% Defense boost while all other units
get +10% Offense and +10% Defense boost.)
Tag Affinity:
Andy: 110% (Power Wrench)
Grit: 110% (Big Country)
Sami: 105% (Dual Strike)
Nell: 105% (Dual Strike)
Von Bolt: 90% (Dual Strike)
Max is unlocked from the beginning of the game.
Now, just by looking at his powers, you can tell that Max is an extremely
powerful CO. His powers can be really turn things around in a bad situation.
Max's non-infantry direct combat units get a 20% boost D2D.
However, Max's big disadvantage is his indirect units. They have reduced
range and firepower. This gives Max a big disadvantage at chokepoints,
because they play a big part in chokepoints. The reduced range also makes
his Artillery units pretty much useless. But do not fret! Max can still get
some use out of the more expensive indirect units. (Such as Rockets,
Battleships etc.) One great thing about Max is that he is good at all types
of combat. His powerful tanks make up for his weak indirect units so he is
pretty good at land based combat. He can still get some good use from
Battleships and the rest of his naval units get powered up by his D2D so
he's good at sea combat. He is excellent in air based combat because all
of his units are powered up with no disadvantages. I think his versatility
makes up for his indirect units.
Here's a list of pros and cons for Max.
Pros:
+20% firepower D2D
Short power meter
Good CO Powers
Good at all types of combat
Cons:
Bad with indirect units
Not great at chokepoints
Overall, I would say Max's pros outweigh the cons. Try him out sometime!
Don't let his indirect weakness put you off!
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Max's Units (UNIT)
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This list shows the stats of Max's units D2D and during his CO Powers.
Remember, Ooziums are not affected by Max's bonuses.
Normal
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Infantry 100/100
Mech 100/100
Recon 120/100
Tank 120/100
MD Tank 120/100
Neo Tank 120/100
Megatank 120/100
APC 0/100
Artillery 100/100 (-1 Maximum Range)
Rockets 100/100 (-1 Maximum Range)
Anti-Air 120/100
Missiles 100/100 (-1 Maximum Range)
Piperunner 100/100 (-1 Maximum Range)
Oozium NA/100
Fighter 120/100
Bomber 120/100
B-Copter 120/100
T-Copter 0/100
Stealth 120/100
B-Bomb 120/100
Battleship 100/100 (-1 Maximum Range)
Cruiser 120/100
Lander 0/100
Sub 120/100
Black Boat 0/100
Carrier 120/100
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Max Force
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Infantry 110/110
Mech 110/110
Recon 160/110
Tank 160/110
MD Tank 160/110
Neo Tank 160/110
Megatank 160/110
APC 0/110
Artillery 110/110 (-1 Maximum Range)
Rockets 110/110 (-1 Maximum Range)
Anti-Air 160/110
Missiles 110/110 (-1 Maximum Range)
Piperunner 110/110 (-1 Maximum Range)
Oozium NA/100
Fighter 160/110
Bomber 160/110
B-Copter 160/110
T-Copter 0/110
Stealth 160/110
B-Bomb 160/110
B-ship 110/110 (-1 Maximum Range)
Cruiser 160/110
Lander 0/110
Sub 160/110
Black Boat 0/110
Carrier 160/110
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Max Blast
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Infantry 110/110
Mech 110/110
Recon 190/110
Tank 190/110
MD Tank 190/110
Neo Tank 190/110
Megatank 190/110
APC 0/110
Artillery 110/110 (-1 Maximum Range)
Rockets 110/110 (-1 Maximum Range)
Anti-Air 190/110
Missiles 110/110 (-1 Maximum Range)
Piperunner 110/110 (-1 Maximum Range)
Oozium NA/100
Fighter 190/110
Bomber 190/110
B-Copter 190/110
T-Copter 0/110
Stealth 190/110
B-Bomb 190/110
B-ship 110/110 (-1 Maximum Range)
Cruiser 190/110
Lander 0/110
Sub 190/110
Black Boat 0/110
Carrier 190/110
Not bad stats, eh?
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Max's Abilities In-Depth (ABIL)
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This setion will tell you about Max's abilities and ways to use them to your
advantage.
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20% Direct Unit Boost
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Remember, this boost doesn't apply to Infantry or Mechs. Now, this is an
excellent ability. At all times, Max's direct units will have 20% boost in
firepower. Now, what's the best way to utilize this ability? First, terrain.
Make sure you attack from the strongest terrain possible. This minimizes the
damage that you'll take from your attack and you'll be inflicting a good
amount of damage because of the boost*. Next, try and build units that will
benefit most from the boost. The units I would say benefit most are tanks and
B-Copters. Why? Because these are probably the most built non-infantry
direct combat units, and since yours will have 20% firepower boost, you have
a big advantage**. Next, try and get the first hit. Max's boost comes in
handy when you get the first hit. Especially when it's Tank vs Tank or
B-Copter vs B-Copter when things can be pretty even.
*It may sound like I'm stating the obvious with the terrain thing, but I used
to watch a lot of AWBW matches and a lot of people just ignored the types of
terrain they were attacking from.
**Please don't take this advice the wrong way! This doesn't mean you should
just spam B-Copters and tanks the whole match. These are just the units that
get the biggest benefit from Max's boost.
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Max Force
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In case you have forgotten, this is Max's COP. At 3 stars, you can get it
fairly quickly. I mentioned earlier that Max's indirect weakness makes him
bad at chokepoints. This is a pretty decent solution to this problem. 40% can
go a long way. If you manage to get into a chokepoint with Max, you must
prepare to use Max Force. Build some strong units (B-Copters and tanks would
work well) and get them in range of the chokepoint. Once you have the COP,
charge in with your units and destroy as many units as possible. Try and
destroy indirect units first so that you can attack the rest of your
opponents units without fear of your tanks being bombarded by rockets.
Outside of chokepoints, you should really just use the power to destroy
anything in range. (It's not much of a tactical power, I'll admit that)
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Max Blast
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This is Max's SCOP. At 6 stars, it's shorter than most power meters but it
can still take a while to charge. Max Blast gives Max's direct units a 70%
boost in firepower. This power is best used for chokepoints and breaking down
meatwalls, just like Max Force. However, if you're starting to lose the
battle and your opponent is starting to get the upper hand....BAM! Max
Blast can turns things around completely. Max Blast is also a very good
finishing move. If you're opponent only has a few strong units left, you
can use this power to destroy them with ease. However, which of Max's CO
Powers are better? Usually, I would stick to using Max Force. But
whenever I get into a bad situation, I tend to wait until I can use
Max Blast.
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Reduced Indirect Range and Firepower
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Ah. This is the main reason most people don't like using Max. It is a pretty
big disadvantage. However, the reduced range and firepower isn't the end of
the world! Max can still get some good use out of Rockets, Battleships and
Missiles, because they still have decent range despite Max's reduction. In
Fog of War especially, Max can get some good use out of indirects. By hiding
indirect units in woods, you stand a good chance of hitting an enemy, because
they wont be aware of your indirects presence. Alternatively, you could just
stick to Max's strengths and not use indirects at all, but I wouldn't
recommend it.
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Rank Skills
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I usually don't play with these on, but there are some that help Max out
a lot. The firepower boost skills can boost up Max's direct units to 133/100
so you can use these if you want to play to Max's strengths. Alternatively,
you could use the skills that power up indirect units so that they have
regular firepower. The "Star Power" skill isn't a bad choice either because
it lets you get Max Force extremely quickly. These are really the only skills
that benefit Max. However, depending on the map, you could use some of the
other skills. For example, if your playing a map with snow, you could use
the "Icebreaker" skill to give Max a 20% boost in firepower, making you a
formidable opponent for Olaf. But you don't need me to tell you when to use
these skills, it's fairly obvious when to use them.
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Factors to Strategy (FACT)
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There are some factors which affect the strategy you'll have to use when
playing as Max. These are Fog of War, and whether you're playing a human or
the cpu.
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Fog of War on
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I'll admit that I don't play Fog of War often, but I've played it enough to
know that you have to adapt a slightly different strategy if you want to win.
First, you'll need some Recons. You don't want to wander blindly into a trap
set by the enemy now, do you? Try and get a recon near your opponents HQ and
hide it in a wood. This gives you a view of the enemies factories and it
means you can prepare*. For example, if you see your opponent build some
B-Copters, build an anti-air or two and maybe even a Missile unit. (If you
do this, be sure to hide it in a wood) You should build more recons and
plant them in around the level, it'll give you a big advantage. In Fog of
War, Max can actually make good use of indirect units. You should hide
them in woods. You'll be able to catch your opponent off guard this way.
(Especially if you're playing against another human, because they may not
expect Max to use indirect units) Make sure you check woods for enemies as
you proceed, you don't want to be ambushed. You can also try hiding tanks
and MD tanks in woods and waiting for the opponent to drive through.
They'll be right in the middle of your trap and you can easily destroy
them. So basically, Max's power is excellent for setting traps in Fog of
War. If you're using rank skills, you should try the vision increasing
skills. Then again, I don't play with FOW often, so some of this advice
may not be so great...
*I learnt this great tactic from Tronn_Bonne's Sonja FAQ. Thanks!
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Fog of War off
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Outside of Fog of War, Max is pretty good. You should probably try and avoid
chokepoints, as your enemy will have indirect units which can deal heavy
damage and if you do manage to get into a chokepoint battle, try and build
up your COP or SCOP and try and destroy most of your opponents units at once.
Max is great in air battles so if there are any Airports on the map, make
capturing it one of your top priorities, this'll give you a big advantage. I
can't really give much advice on sea battles, because to be honest, I suck at
them. Really bad*. Try and use Max's COP as much as possible, because it'll
keep pressure on your opponent and it'll help you destroy everything much
easier. So which way should you try and win with Max, you say? Rout. I find
it much easier to win by force with Max though I do have a strategy for
winning by HQ capture. You can see it in the Strategy section.
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CPU Opponent
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Really, if you just abuse Max's COP, you should be able to destroy anything
the CPU throws at you because the CPU isn't all that smart. The CPU does use
seem to use a lot of indirect units though. Just make sure you keep out of
range of their indirects until you can get a unit that can get beside it.
(Such as a Tank)
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Human Opponent
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All the humans I fight really underestimate Max. They think just because he
has reduced indirect range, he's a bad CO. This is actually an advantage.
They don't expect much of a fight from Max, so you just gotta overwhelm them
with Max's strong units. In Fog of War, human opponents might be harder to
fool with traps, so watch out. Really though, it depends on the human. It's
hard to give advice against a human since there's so many different types.
Deep.
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General Strategies (GENE)
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Max isn't really the strategic type, he relies on his power mostly, but you
can use this power in different ways. Here's some strategies I've used when I
play as Max.
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Tanks and B-Copters
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This is probably one of Max's best strategies. Basically, the main units
you build will be Tanks and B-Copters. Max's D2D makes them very strong
and when they are spammed, they can be pretty hard to beat. Make sure to
build Infantry as well. You need properties for money, and you need money
for Tanks and B-Copters. Tanks and B-Copters are extremely effective at
chokepoints and at breaking through meatwalls. Really, it can be hard to lose
with this strategy. Just remember to build some extra units to protect your
Tanks and B-Copters. For example, after a while, your opponent will start
building Fighters to kill your B-Copters. So you should build an Anti-Air,
Missiles or a Fighter of your own.
*In case you're wondering why I hate it, it's because it's so boring.
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Fog of War Trapping
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I described this one earlier. In case you didn't know, units can hide in
woods in Fog of War. This means you can make some nifty little traps.
Here's an ASCII diagram: (Sucky I know, but you get the idea)
XXXXXXXXXllXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXllXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXllXXXXXXXXXX
XOXXllXXXO
HQ E
XXXOllXXXO
XXXXXXXXXllXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXllXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXllXXXXXXXXXX
X - Woods O- Units hiding in woods
HQ- My HQ E- Enemy APC with Infantry
Now, Mr. APC would think he has a clear run to the HQ. But little does
he know that he is in the range of a Rocket, and 3 tanks! Really, this
strategy just lulls the enemy into a false sense of security. However,
this tactic will not work very effectively against Sonja. Remember though,
if you're playing a human, you can't fool him/her with the same trap twice
in a row, so you'd better move your units around. It can be hard to trap
with Max's indirects though, so you'd probably be better off hiding direct
units.
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Capturing HQ with Max
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What's that you say? You can't capture an enemy HQ with Max without killing
pretty much everything? Wrong. This strategy takes advantage of Max's D2D.
(Though it works much better if you use Max's COP or SCOP) Ports are required
for this strategy to work. First, you build a couple of Landers. Next, you
save a bit a cash and build some strong land units, such as MD Tanks or
Neotanks. You only need a few. Next, build one or two Infantry (I recommend
two) and load 'em into a Lander or a T-Copter. Basically, you just rush the
enemy with your Landers and unload all the units, but make sure your Infantry
are protected. (If you brought two, you don't really have to worry) On
your opponents turn, they won't be able to destroy the Infantry, so they'll
either try and cover up their HQ, or try and break through your defence. If
you brought strong enough units you should survive, and should be able to
destroy the unit they put on top of their HQ. Next turn, start to capture
and surround your Infantry with other units. You should be able to win next
turn. It works particularly well in Fog of War. I have won many times with
this strategy. The only real badpoint is it costs a lot, and if you
fail, you basically just wasted a lot of money. As long as you plan it well,
it should succeed.
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COP Abusing
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With only 3 stars to charge up Max's COP, you can semi-abuse it. If you wait
until your SCOP is charged, you can use your COP two turns in a row! This
is pretty devastating to your opponent, and can clinch the match for you.
It's probably best used if your stuck in a chokepoint.
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Building up your Power Meter fast
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This strategy helps you build up star power fast so you can unleash Max Blast
on your opponent pretty early. It helps if the level has a lot of factories.
First, build lots of Recons. They're fairly cheap, so you shouldn't be losing
too much cash. Next, send all those Recons to a potential chokepoint. It'll
attract your opponent and he'll destroy the Recons. But the thing is, when
a Recon is destroyed, it adds quite a bit to your COP meter.
BUT THATS NOT ALL!
While the enemy is attacking your Recons, you can send some strong units in
from another angle. (It helps if the map is big) So it diverts the enemies
attention AND adds a lot to your power meter. You can then use Max Blast (Or
Max Force) and take out a bunch of their units! This tends to work better
against humans.
BUT THATS STILL NOT ALL!
Well. Actually it is. Sorry.
I'll add more strategies as I think of them. Max isn't very strategic >_>
Are YOU a strategic genius? Do you have any good Max strategies? If so, email
me your strategy to glennoliver14@gmail.com and I'll post it here! I'll give
you all the credit for the strategy. Thanks!
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Tag Strategies (TAGS)
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Max is a pretty good tag partner. If he goes first, he can weaken (Or
destroy)the enemy to set things up for his partner. If he goes second, he
can easily destroy the units his partner has weakened. Max also has a
pretty short COP Meter, so he can tag often. Here's a list of people that
tag well with Max:(In no particular order)
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Max and Sami - Dual Strike
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They have a 105% tag affinity, so both Max and Sami will be able to do a
little extra damage. Max should ALWAYS go first in this tag. It's best used
when you are in range of the enemy HQ with an APC. First, get an APC and load
an Infantry into it. Once you are in range, activate the tag and clear a path
for the APC. Now move the APC near the HQ and drop the infantry. Tag with
Sami and use her SCOP to capture the HQ. Instant win! Yay. Sami is a good
partner for Max. He makes up for her weak direct vehicles, and her great
capturing skills mean that you can easily capture enemy properties after
muscling your way in with Max.
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Max and Andy - Power Wrench
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Ah..Andy. He's an all rounder and is a solid tag partner for anyone. However,
Max and Andy have a 110% tag affinity so Andy tags better with Max than most
other COs. Usually, I would make Andy go first in the tag, because it means
Max's units will be healed and ready to crush the opponent's units. There's
not much else to say about this tag duo.
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Max and Nell - Dual Strike
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Power. And lots of it. They have a 105% tag affinity. Nell's SCOP turns her
into a powerhouse, just like Max. In a bad situation, this tag WILL turn
things around. Nell's SCOP lets her do up to 100% extra damage. This means
that if you're really lucky, an Infantry unit can kill a Megatank in one hit.
...
Do I really have to say anything else? One of the best tags in the game in my
opinion.
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Max and Grit - Big Country
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Max and Grit have 110% tag affinity. Max and Grit are complete opposites. But
opposites attract. Max makes up for Grit's weak direct units and Grit makes
up for Max's weak indirects. This means that you can actually get some use
out of indirects with Max! When using their tag powers, I recommend using
Grit first. He can weaken the stronger units so Max doesn't have to worry
about his directs losing HP, and then Max can finish things off. Decent tag.
To be honest though, I don't like this tag all that much.
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Max and Grimm - Dual Strike
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If your looking for sheer power, this is the tag for you. Both Max and Grimm
have excellent firepower, though Grimm lacks in the defense area. This tag
can break through pretty much anything. Chokepoints, meatwalls, you name it.
Though I must admit, this isn't a tag I would use. The power is nice, but
I detest Grimm's weak defense. I think some people would like this tag
though.
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Max and Von Bolt - Dual Strike
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What's that you say? Von Bolt sucks? They only have a 90% tag affinity? Von
Bolt isn't as bad as people make him out to be. He has a good D2D and since
Max and Von Bolt are both strong, they go pretty well together. Also, if
you manage you get Von Bolt's ultra long power meter charged, they tag
decently together. Von Bolt stuns and damages a bunch of enemies and Max
finishes up. If Von Bolt's err...bolt hits a chokepoint, your pretty much
guarranteed to break through and probably win. Try them out sometime!
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Max and Colin - Dual Strike
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A pair I only tried out recently. They work pretty well together too. Colin
can buy strong units for a low cost, and Max can get the most out of them. I
never actually used their tag power though, I think its better to abuse
Colin's COP to get rich and use Max's SCOP to get the most out the units.
Good pair.
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Max and Hachi - Dual Strike
----------------------------------
This pair is awesome. One of my favourite in the game. See, Hachi's SCOP lets
him purchase cheap units from cities! This is extremely handy at chokepoints.
It means you can get powerful units to break through the chokepoint soon,
rather than purchase from a factory and have to move it all the way to the
chokepoint. Good pair.
Those are all the tags I use as Max. (I usually play alone though...)
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How to Counter Max (COUN)
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So, how does one counter Max, you say? There's a few different ways. The
first way, is to exploit his weakness and use lots of indirects. It's
probably best to put them in woods. Why? Because most of Max's units will
be Tanks. Tanks have a lot of trouble travelling through woods. Another way
to counter Max is to make chokepoints. If Max has any indirects, you'll be
able target them with your own, because of him range! The next method I'm
going to say is really more of a way to counter me, but I'll say it anyway.
Naval battles. Theres only a few sea units that can attack and one of them
is an indirect unit. Take advantage of this, and bombard his sea units with
your superiorBattleships!
Thats all I can think of for now. Email me if you have good methods to defeat
everyone's favourite blue haired, steroid abusing, Orange Star CO!
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Other COs vs Max (OTHE)
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This section will give you some advice on how to beat each CO with Max. Max
IS capable of defeating any CO. Though some give him a lot of trouble.
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Jake
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Jake gets a 10% offense boost on plains. Most maps have a lot of plains, in
case you hadn't noticed. Basically consider him 110/100 at all times, so you
don't underestimate the guy. His SCOP isn't anything to be messed with
either, so watch out for it. I consider him an all-rounder. It's hard to
stay off plains when you're Max, because he uses lots of Tanks. I recommend
using air units against Jake. It means his plains bonus wont matter as much,
because ground units aren't great against air units (Except Missiles and
Anti-Airs of course) Just remember, you're units are stronger than his,
so you still have the advantage. If you get into a chokepoint with him,
watch out for his SCOP.
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Rachel
----------------------------------
Another all-rounder. Watch out for her though, she gets +1 extra HP in
repairs. This may not sound like much, but it means she can repair damaged
units pretty fast. If one of her units survives an attack of yours, try and
kill it before she can get it to a property she owns. Her SCOP is also
deadly. She gets a small boost to attack and defence and three missiles are
fired at your units. If she almost has her SCOP, I recommend spreading out
your units a little to minimize the damage you take. Since she's an all-
rounder, there's no real way to counter her. Just remember that your D2D
gives you an advantage. Avoid chokepoints with Rachel! when she gets her
SCOP, the missiles are more likely to hit the units there because they're
all clumped up together.
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Nell
----------------------------------
One of the best COs in the game, in my opinion. She has beaten me many times,
and no matter how much I fight her, I can't come up with a good way to beat
her. You just gotta hope she gets unlucky, which doesn't happen much. (She
killed 2 of my Neotanks in one day just using Infantry during her SCOP!)
Just try and out-muscle her by using Max Force as much as possible. Good
luck!(No pun intended)
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Andy
----------------------------------
Another all-rounder. Damn Orange Star and their all-rounders! Just like the
rest of 'em he has no real weakness. One tip I can give you though, is don't
let him have any damaged units, as he can just use his COP or SCOP to heal
them again, meaning you wasted a turn attacking a unit, and you probably
damaged your own in the process. Just stay alert. His SCOP is the only good
thing he has. You should be able to beat him pretty easily.
----------------------------------
Sami
----------------------------------
As long as you can keep Sami away from your bases and more importantly, your
HQ, you'll be able to defeat her with ease. Apart from her battleships and
her soldiers, all her units are 90/120, so in a chokepoint, you have the
advantage. As long as you can keep your bases and HQ safe, her SCOP won't
really affect you much either.
----------------------------------
Max
----------------------------------
Ah...Max. If you're fighting Max, you can change your strategy quite a bit.
For example, you can actually use indirects! Try and get the first strike
as often as possible. If the other Max gets the first strike, it'll hit
your units hard. Just try and utilize some of the strategies I've told you
about and you should be able to beat Max. You may even learn something from
him! (If you do, email me >_>)
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Hachi
----------------------------------
ARGH. This guy is a pain to fight. He's an extremely broken CO. He's not so
bad until he uses his SCOP though. Keep checking his power meter, so you
can prepare for the units he's going to make. If you're in a chokepoint with
him and he almost has his SCOP, build lots of cheap units like Recons and
get them to the chokepoint ASAP. This'll hold off his units for a while and
also build up your power meter when destroyed. Capture as many properties
as possible to reduce the effects of his SCOP. Just keep an eye on his power
meter and keep capturing and you should be fine.
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Olaf
----------------------------------
Olaf is a tough opponent. (Though I have a slightly biased opinion
because I've used Olaf and Max since AW1) He's basically an all-rounder, but
his COP and SCOP can cause a lot of damage. It's his COP that you have to
watch out for though. People will usually abuse it to make it snow
continuosly. Olaf gets a +20% firepower boost in the snow, so he'll have
firepower to match Max's. Keep an eye on your fuel, because the snow can make
it go down pretty darn fast. You should use air units if possible against
Olaf. They aren't affected by snow as much as land units, but keep an eye
on your fuel. Make good use of your CO powers and you should be fine.
----------------------------------
Grit
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Max's worst nightmare. There's not much you can do against Grit. Make
destroying his indirects your top priority, as his direct units are pretty
weak. Avoid chokepoints at all costs! Grit will usually destroy you when it
comes to chokepoints because of his superior indirects. But if you manage
to get into a chokepoint with Grit, wait for your SCOP to build up and throw
everything you've gotten at him. Alternatively, you could try the HQ
capturing strategy in the strategy section. It's effective against Grit
because his direct units are weak, so give it a try if you're having trouble
with Grit and there's a Port available.
----------------------------------
Colin
----------------------------------
Along with Grit and Hachi, Colin is considered broken. And he is. He can pump
out strong units and an alarming rate. He's a nightmare to fight at
chokepoints, because he can make units as fast as you can destroy them. I
say avoid chokepoints. If it can't be helped, just prepare for one big attack
with Max Blast. When I say big, I mean big. Build B-Copters, Bombers,
Neotanks and anything else you can afford. You'll need it. All of Colin's
units are 90/100 so if you can keep away from chokepoints, you should be
able to beat him. If all this fails, go for the HQ capture.
----------------------------------
Sasha
----------------------------------
I consider Sasha an above average all-rounder. She has balanced units but
good CO powers. A human Sasha player can make very good use of these powers
and it makes her a tough opponent. Her COP can prevent Max getting his own
powers, and there's nothing you can do about it. However, I find that Max's
D2D is enough to give you the upper hand and beat Sasha. Just make good use
of Tanks and B-Copters and you Sasha shouldn't give you too much trouble.
Just don't underestimate her!
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Sonja
----------------------------------
I'll be honest. I've never thought much of Sonja. But then I read
Tronn_Bonne's Sonja FAQ and it opened my eyes. Sonja is a formidable
opponent, even outside of Fog of War. The hidden HP ability gives her a big
advantage. She can confuse you by using decoys, so you must watch her moves
carefully. (Something you can't do in Fog of War) Next, always attack from
the best terrain possible, because she reduces all terrain by one star. As
long as you keep your wits about you and use your power well, you should be
able to win. I'll be honest (Again), I have never beaten a human Sonja player
with Max in Fog of War. So I can't give you any tips against in FoW. (I'd
appreciate it if someone could email me some tips, I'll give the credit to
you, of course)
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Kanbei
----------------------------------
Kanbei's D2D is superior to Max's. Kanbei's units are 120/120. They're even
in power, but Kanbei's 20% defence bonus actually makes Max's D2D useless.
But do not fret! Kanbei's expensive units means you can pump out strong units
much faster than him. Take advantage of this and strike hard and fast,
capturing as much as possible. Avoid chokepoints, as his superior units means
you'll most likely lose. As always, if a chokepoint is unavoidable, prepare
your SCOP and give him everything you've got. If Kanbei uses his SCOP, DO NOT
ATTACK HIM. He has +40% extra defence and he counterattacks with double
damage. He's one tough cookie.
----------------------------------
Sensei
----------------------------------
Watch out for Sensei's B-Copters. They're 150/100. But as long as you have
some Anti-Air units, you should be fine. Apart from that, you should be able
to defeat Sensei without too much trouble. Just watch out for his powers, the
units spawned by them can take you by surprise. Also, Sensei has weak sea
units. Take advantage of this.
----------------------------------
Grimm
----------------------------------
It's hard to say if Grimm has a better D2D than Max. Personally, I don't
think he does. The terrible defence doesn't make up for his good attack.
Take advantage of Grimm's defence (Well, lack of it) and try and get the
first strike. Don't underestimate the guy though, his attack is better than
Max's.Personally, I think it's good to get into a chokepoint with Grimm. His
defence makes it easy to break through when you use Max's COP or SCOP.
----------------------------------
Eagle
----------------------------------
Eagle's air units are 120/100. This is his main strength. All of Max's units
are 120/100. In an air battle, as long as you make good use of Max's COP and
SCOP you should be able to take him down. However, Eagles COP and SCOP allow
him to move all his units twice. This can be devastating in choke points, so
make sure you're well prepared, and don't let him near you're bases or HQ
before he uses these powers. Like Sensei, Eagle has a weak sea units. Take
advantage of this.
----------------------------------
Drake
----------------------------------
Drake is dangerous. He has strong sea units but a weak airforce. His COP
is what makes him such an annoying CO to fight. Mass damage and halved fuel
is nothing to be scoffed at. Drake players will spam Tsunami like there's
no tomorrow, so build some APCs to keep units fueled. There isn't much you
can do about the mass damage unless you want to waste a day repairing. Avoid
chokepoints with Drake, because it'll just charge his COP faster and since
the COP weakens your units, he might be able to break through. You'll have
to use Max's power well. You might want to use some extra indirects against
Drake in a chokepoint to get through it faster. You must beat him as fast as
possible!
----------------------------------
Jess
----------------------------------
Jess is a CO to be feared when it comes to land based battles. She has land
units to match Max's so first strike is very important. All of Jess's non-
land units are 90/100 though, so you have the upper hand. Avoid chokepoints,
because she'll probably outmuscle you unless you have your power ready. If
there aren't any Ports or Airports, then build lots of Neotanks. (NEVER
build Megatanks. They're a waste of money in my opinion...)
----------------------------------
Javier
----------------------------------
I'll be honest, I don't know much about Javier. I've sort of ignored him. I
never really seen the point of his COM tower abilities, as many maps don't
have COM towers. Javier also has boosted defence against indirects. HA!
Against Max, Javier seems like a pretty bad choice of CO. It takes two COM
towers for him to match Max's attack. Really, just go all out offensive
against Javier and he should be beaten fairly easily.*
* I really don't know all that much about Javier, so if any Javier players
can tell me how well he does against Max, I'd appreciate it.)
----------------------------------
Flak
----------------------------------
Flak is not a guy to be underestimated. He's like an evil version of Nell.
However, Flak is not as dangerous as Nell because his luck can go down.
Still, don't let your guard down. As I said with Nell, there's not much
you can except hope Flak gets unlucky.
----------------------------------
Adder
----------------------------------
I bet you're thinking, "Hah! A movement based CO! They suck!" WRONG. Adder's
movement powers give him the advantage that is first strike. Against a power-
based CO like Max, you need to get first strike, and it's easy for Adder with
his short power meter. Adder's power can be used in other ways too. He can
retreat, get through tough terrain capture a day sooner and help out his
units in need with reinforcements*. However, power wise, Adder is just a
regular CO. Max's D2D bonus should be enough to defeat Adder, as long as
you keep an eye on his power meter.
*I got these tactics from Tronne_Bonne's Koal FAQ. Good tactics....
----------------------------------
Lash
----------------------------------
I bet you're thinking, "Hah! I've fought this CO dozens of times! Lash
sucks!" WRONG. Really, Lash is a good CO. It's just the computer isn't the
greatest at using her. Each defensive terrain star adds 5% to Lash's units.
This doesn't sound like much, but if she's on a mountain, that's an extra
20%! She has a good powers, which you should watch out for. Just choose the
terrain you attack from carefully, and make good use of Max's D2D and
powers and you should be fine.
----------------------------------
Hawke
----------------------------------
Hawke is a good CO. His units are all 110/100. Not as high as Max's, but
Hawke's boost means that first strike is an important factor when fighting
Hawke. Watch out for his powers. Mass damage for you and mass healing for
him is bad. Luckily, he has a long power meter. When fighting Hawke, use your
COP as much as possible. Try and avoid chokepoints too. When fighting Hawke,
I tend to try for HQ capture rather than winning by rout.
----------------------------------
Koal/Zak
----------------------------------
See Adder first. Koal has something that sets him apart from Adder, and that
is his road boost. I didn't think much of this at first, but Tronn_Bonne's
Koal FAQ showed me that it's a good advantage. Try and stay away from roads
as much as possible when fighting Koal. It can be hard to get first strike
on Koal, so he can inflict quite a bit of damage. Unfortunately for Max,
there tends to be roads near bases and HQs, so it can be hard to use my
HQ capture method. Just remember not to underestimate the guy, just because
he's a movement based CO.
----------------------------------
Jugger
----------------------------------
I bet you're thinking "Hah! I've fought this guy dozens of times! He sucks!"
WRONG. Jugger is a more dangerous version of Flak. There's not much you can
do to counter Jugger except hope he gets unlucky.
----------------------------------
Kindle/Candy
----------------------------------
I bet you're thinking "Hah! I've fought her dozens of times! She sucks!"
WRONG. Kindle is one of the best COs in the game in my opinion. She gets a
huge attack boost on urban terrain.(40%) And her COP deals 3HP of damage to
any of your units on urban terrain! This can be terrible for you if your
capturing. Keep an eye on her power meter and try to keep her away from urban
terrain. If you can do this, you should be fine.
----------------------------------
Von Bolt
----------------------------------
Von Bolt has an excellent D2D and a good SCOP. Too bad for Von Bolt that it's
ages before he can use it. By the time Von Bolt uses his SCOP, you could
probably use Max Force two or three times. The key to beating Von Bolt with
Max is to strike fast and hard with Max Force. First strike is important too.
Once Von Bolt's power meter is almost charged, spread out your units as much
as possible. Von Bolt's SCOP can really turn things around for him. Overall,
he's not too bad to fight as long as you can handle the SCOP.
--------------------------------------------------------
Opinions on Max (OPIN)
--------------------------------------------------------
What's that you say? What do I think of Max? I think Max is an excellent CO
when used correctly, and if you're good enough with him, you can make up for
his one big disadvantage. I think he has great CO powers. They've gotten me
out of many, many, bad situations. I think it's a shame that many people
don't use him. It's because he gets worse each game. If I recall correctly,
Max's units were 150/100 D2D in the first Advance Wars! Ah well. He'll
always be my favourite CO along with Olaf.
GreenEarthPFC says:
Max is one of my least favorite CO's. As much as I like smashing things and
having superior direct combat units, I don't like it when artilleries are
worthless. Due to his abilities in the air, I sort of like him for air
battles. However, aside from that, I really can't stand him. For defending
bases, I find him relatively annoying to deal with. I like using him for
assaults, but I am somewhat slower and less of a berserk rusher person, so
I prefer a more well rounded CO. I kind of like to fight Max since anyone
using his indirects will find them quite inferior, even if his directs are
quite superior to mine. Due to his weakness with indirects, I just can't
like him too much, because indirects are an important part of my strategy.
Warning_Cmexy thinks:
Max is awesome. He's amazing in air battle, topping even Eagle and Grimm.
On top of that, he can still buy units at a normal price. If you can
position your long range units smartly, especially in FOW, you can even use
them effectively. I'm still kinda pissed they nerfed him from AW1 though. I
miss you 150% attack Max.
Haiyashiman's opinion on Max is:
Max is useful when used correctly, he's definetely not to be used at the
very beginning when yyou are building up or when you are being defensive.
I'd say his best use is to switch to him right before a big attack to do
some damge. I guess he can also be used for near beginning game battles
of infantry and recon and tanks. Thats all i got for opinion, i like him
myself, he's cool
I need more opinions! Email me them! glennoliver14@gmail.com!
--------------------------------------------------------
The Future (THEF)
--------------------------------------------------------
What lies ahead for this FAQ you ask? I'm planning on adding more strategies
for the Strategy section, because when people look at this guide, that's
probably the first section they'll look at, so I need to come up with better
strategies. I want to add more advice to the "Other COs vs Max" section. I
really don't think I've given enough advice, to be honest. I also need more
opinions for the above section. I need YOU for that. So if you're actually
reading this, go send me an email about Max, NOW.
--------------------------------------------------------
Contact me! (CONT)
--------------------------------------------------------
I've said it multiple times throughout the guide, but in case you need to
get in contact with me for any reason, my email address is
glennoliver14@gmail.com
Don't hesitate to email me if you want to know anything!
--------------------------------------------------------
Credits (CRED)
--------------------------------------------------------
Huge thanks to Tronn_Bonne! It was his Koal and Sonja guides thats
inspired me to make this guide on Max. Some of the tactics I talked about
were from Tronn_Bonne's guides, so thanks for being so good at Advance Wars!
Also, you may have noticed this guide's layout is very similar to the ones
that Tronn_Bonne has made. This is because I asked him if I could use his
guide's layout because I thought it was awesome. Thanks to him again for
letting me use it!
Big thanks to Xenisis_Xenon and his CO FAQ! It helped me find out about the
stats for some CO's D2Ds and some other things.
Thanks to GreenEarthPFC! He told me his opinion on Max.
Thanks to Warning_Cmexy! He contributed his opinion on Max!
Thanks to Haiyashiman for giving me his opinion on Max!
Thanks to DTaeKim for pointing out I had Max's indirect stats were wrong
helped me fix them up. That was a pretty big mistake I made >_>
And that's about it. Sorry if the FAQ isn't great, it's the first one I've
made.
I hope my FAQ helped you!
