This hack has a point of interest in introducing a couple of new naval units and generally improving navy balance, or at least attempting to. So okay, it starts with a map showcasing naval combat, and while it is a bit frontloaded, and while there is some definite surplus demand of AI exploitation especially for a 2 Star mission, at least setting up a micromanagement turn is able to happen to allow for working on chipping down the 2 MD Tanks whose only resistance on land is a single Artillery piece and some units that they already come close enough to 1HKOing. I manage to get results on this turn leading to isolating the Dreadnaught, effectively an MD Tank to the Destroyer’s Light Tank, and also chipping it, for only 2 Damage but I can take what I can get since I would have stopped the 1HKO since the 2 Damage would outweigh Drake’s 10% ATK boost to sea units in the hack. Solid. I end my turn and watch the Dreadnaught simply attack the Destroyer, but no problem, especially when I had also invoked Sonja’s CO Power for a counterattack boost for the land comb- …wait. Did the 8 HP Dreadnaught…seriously 1HKO….my Destroyer? …………..WHAT?!?!?

Unit 1HKOing is already something to handle with care. Game Boy Wars 3 has plenty of unit 1HKOs but it still adhered to as much in general with the bulk of the 1HKOs within minor or no attack boosts being against units that should have to worry about as much. A direct-fire combat boat is in a field where unit headcount is already going to be limited enough, and the Destroyer gave no indication that it should be fragile like the Gunboat from Days of Ruin. I fully agree that navy needs improvements, but navy VS navy combat would simply need better variety, not blatant power creep. The problem had been lying in navy VS land and to a lesser extent navy VS air.

I would recommend PlatinumSkink, the author of the hack, contact me for advice. I cannot in good faith recommend this patch in its current state, Version 1t.2, between the needlessly hard first level and the glaring imbalance of the Dreadnaught. First impressions are important, and players seeing a level deemed to be 2 Stars be difficulty for its own sake are going to get frustrated quickly, let alone when any attempt they could make at No Casualties Run would get so easily shafted because the involved balancing said so. My credentials include having the first single-segment Perfect S-Rank on Rivals AC in the first Advance Wars up on YouTube, so I can be sure that my points would be worth enough consideration.