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[kmonster]

Some starting advice for the final map RIVER:

In the NW corner (near the enemy HQ) move your convoy south so that you can unload the mechs onto the mountain south and the two air defenses to the east. Place the copter above the the transport and the mosquito NW of it.
The next turn the enemy will attack your mechs and mosquitos twice with his bombers and and mosquitos, but both units should survive.
Now move the southern air defense SE, the mechs NW where it stood, and the other air defense where the mechs were. Move your mosquitos south so they can attack both bombers and surround them further with your copter and convoy. With the penalties for being surrounded and attack support bonusses from your mosquitos your ground air defenses can wipe out the bombers, have your air units attack afterwards in case you're unlucky.

Unload the two tanks from the western convoy and move it south, so you can conquer the southern depot with your mechs at turn 3. Attacking the enemy tank attacking your tanks from opposite directions should wipe it out at turn 2.

I'd move the southern convoy NE to the shore and unload the units. In turn 2 I'd move it further north so it can absorb the attacks of the western artillery. You can keep the mechs and the transport inside for getting a surprise attack at the artillery later, but unloading them before moving might be better, both tactics worked.

In the east you can place a blocker as bait for the northern artillery so that it doesn't move forward. I've never done it, but it's probably a good idea to fill the southern invader with scorpions and have it move west, so that they can overrun the enemy units from the southwest of your HQ.
I'm not sure if it's better to unload the battle tanks at the north below the enemy depot or have them transported near the HQ, both tactics worked.

For fighting the bombers with boats or battle tanks try to surround them and make sure they can't escape and get repaired. Try to build defense lines to make sure they can't fly everywhere they want. Even units incapable of shooting into the air like convoys can block them.
A way for encircling enemy units when the way behind is blocked is moving a transport next to them and unloading the content to the side you couldn't reach otherwise.
Sometimes it can be wise to sacrifice unimportant units like convoys to keep some enemy units busy so you can overpower the others.

The map is tough, but it isn't too tough. You can afford little mistakes, it's winable with several different strategies. Unlike at the other maps just building a defensive wall and repairing units doesn't work.
It's important to consider when and at which part of the map you have to speed up or slow down combat.

[kmonster]

Both the factory and the depot will be captured first by the computer. But it will only move a few of its units out of the factory, transports staying outside will keep the other units from leaving. So you can sneak upward and capture them inside the factory.
It's quite difficult to survive at your HQ until the reinforcements arrive from the factory, but it's doable. Play defensively and use the one repair you have wisely.

Originally Posted by kmonster

Some starting advice for the final map RIVER:

In the NW corner (near the enemy HQ) move your convoy south so that you can unload the mechs onto the mountain south and the two air defenses to the east. Place the copter above the the transport and the mosquito NW of it.
The next turn the enemy will attack your mechs and mosquitos twice with his bombers and and mosquitos, but both units should survive.
Now move the southern air defense SE, the mechs NW where it stood, and the other air defense where the mechs were. Move your mosquitos south so they can attack both bombers and surround them further with your copter and convoy. With the penalties for being surrounded and attack support bonusses from your mosquitos your ground air defenses can wipe out the bombers, have your air units attack afterwards in case you're unlucky.

Unload the two tanks from the western convoy and move it south, so you can conquer the southern depot with your mechs at turn 3. Attacking the enemy tank attacking your tanks from opposite directions should wipe it out at turn 2.

I'd move the southern convoy NE to the shore and unload the units. In turn 2 I'd move it further north so it can absorb the attacks of the western artillery. You can keep the mechs and the transport inside for getting a surprise attack at the artillery later, but unloading them before moving might be better, both tactics worked.

In the east you can place a blocker as bait for the northern artillery so that it doesn't move forward. I've never done it, but it's probably a good idea to fill the southern invader with scorpions and have it move west, so that they can overrun the enemy units from the southwest of your HQ.
I'm not sure if it's better to unload the battle tanks at the north below the enemy depot or have them transported near the HQ, both tactics worked.

For fighting the bombers with boats or battle tanks try to surround them and make sure they can't escape and get repaired. Try to build defense lines to make sure they can't fly everywhere they want. Even units incapable of shooting into the air like convoys can block them.
A way for encircling enemy units when the way behind is blocked is moving a transport next to them and unloading the content to the side you couldn't reach otherwise.
Sometimes it can be wise to sacrifice unimportant units like convoys to keep some enemy units busy so you can overpower the others.

The map is tough, but it isn't too tough. You can afford little mistakes, it's winable with several different strategies. Unlike at the other maps just building a defensive wall and repairing units doesn't work.
It's important to consider when and at which part of the map you have to speed up or slow down combat.

Very good map. I at first had difficulty with this one. Then I found there are many options to you with thinking outside of the box.

The best strategy I found to overcome there air superiority and have air superiority yourself was to move your NE convey to the enemy depot south of it and deploy outside the doors you will end up taking the depot with some fighters still inside as well as surrounding and destroying anything that does launch. I would bring up a boat from SE convey to assist + land some Big tanks south of the depot. The depot north of it never came into play didn't need it, but you will need to intercept some enemy troops.

I also wrote off the NW convey but flew my fighter out to assist with taking enemy depot in NE. Leave the helicopter to bate the fighters in. By the time there bombers have taken out the NE convey you will have already gained land and air superiority.

last tip, SE convey doesn't need to defend the HQ on the first turn. remove your units, (put them in HQ) and you will have a few turns up your sleeve to better position your landing. If you have landed some battle tanks south of the NE depot I find their armada leaves your HQ alone and moves north.

Great game.

Originally Posted by Unregistered :))

I also wrote off the NW convey but flew my fighter out to assist with taking enemy depot in NE. Leave the helicopter to bate the fighters in. By the time there bombers have taken out the NE convey you will have already gained land and air superiority.

oops should read;
I also wrote off the NW convey but flew my fighter out to assist with taking enemy depot in NE. Leave the helicopter to bate the fighters in. By the time there bombers have taken out the convey you will have already gained land and air superiority.

Anyone beaten the level POINT on the add on disk? I think the trick is to kill off all of their air power before they over run the central island, fighting just enough to kill their mechs with your ground units before running back to base. And then use the hovercraft (which i leave in the south), to sneak your mechs back to their base and take it, probably using the troops in the south base as a decoy to draw their tanks away.

I've come close a few times with this tactic, but it just does not seem to work out for me. Anyone have any suggestions?

[kmonster]

There's no special surprise tactic needed. Capture the factory as soon as possible and build some useful units, make a defensive formation, let the computer come to you and destroy its units, try to attack units so they can't attack back.

Originally Posted by kmonster

There's no special surprise tactic needed. Capture the factory as soon as possible and build some useful units, make a defensive formation, let the computer come to you and destroy its units, try to attack units so they can't attack back.

I think you must be confusing it with a different level, there is no factory. The strategy I outlined worked in the end. Now Im stuck on lines, the map with a load of little factories, and you start with 2 transporters and 1 mech. Im sure theres a trick to this one, but the computer can grab factories far faster than I can and overrun me in no time. Im sure inspiration will come soon.

[kmonster]

In the level POINT there's a factory south of your headquarters, 100 percent sure, I just checked it again. If you managed it without capturing the factory you're really skilled.

In LINES use your transporters wisely. Good luck !

[kmonster]

If you're still stuck on LINES:

Use your transporters so you can capture the second factory from the south at turn 3. Build as many infantries as possible there, have all units leave the factory at turn 4 and conquer both the factory SW and the factory north of it at turn 5. This requires using your transporters wisely to avoid the way to the northern factory getting blocked by an enemy whale.
Then you can build busters and use their ranged attacks to reduce the enemy numbers.

Another successful tactic is going to the northwestern factory instead and recapturing it immediately after it is captured to get a free mech unit and screw the AI plans.

Either way it's useful to know that you can move over a location faster if you place a transporter on it.


EDIT: The best tactic however is capturing the factory in the NW in turn 3 and moving a transporter NE of the entrance so the enemy mechs can't recapture it immediately.
For keeping the tank busy you can place the other transporter place directly below the entrance of the southernmost factory.