@@NightmareKage He just played several matches against twitch viewers, multiple of which he was using neotanks to great effect, such as with Adder and Kanbei
I re-uploaded this quickly because I opened the video calling the Neotanks “square-shaped” when I meant to say “ball-shaped”. The reason being is that I actually worked kinda hard on this video, and I didn’t want 90% of the comments to just be “huehue mbaaangs u said wrong thing xDDDD”. Anyway, enjoy a theory-crafting video about a 20 year old game.
short answer: not really slightly longer answer: why invest 22k in a single unit when you can invest that on 2-3 and some change and get generally more map pressure and utility out of it? kanbei answer: light tanks. *EVERYWHERE*
I remember one time I was stone walled by a Kanbei Tank on a city of all things even with a Medium tank, created a nightmare of a choke point. 60% defense my ass.
Because maybe you don't have 3 bases? I sure as hell don't remember most of the maps, but i doubt there are enought bases to Zerg Rush on every single map.
You have to consider what you're buying the units for. The best units in the game by far for their price are Mechs and Artillery. Good players will spam those units repeatedly along with infantry to help capture and use as meat shields. Consider an artillery behind a single infantry. A medium tank not being able to one shot that infantry and expose that juicy artillery center is a major problem. You are paying that extra cost for the additional mobility and ability to oneshot units you otherwise cannot. That being said, the best way to play Advance Wars is spamming the cost effective units by COs that abuse the fuck out of them. I can get 2 artillery and a mech/4 infantry for the cost of even a Medium Tank. The only time you should really be building expensive units are for when you have the income with few enough bases to support such production or it's a stalemate and you need a way to one shot and break through. Neotanks have this ability moreso than Medium Tanks so, while both are overrated and shouldn't be bought usually, Neotanks fulfill their function better than Medium Tanks and are cost effective when they fit that niche you need them to. Edit: I will say that Medium Tanks can excel in Days of Ruin, but that's due to the fantastic CO zone mechanic in that game and that game being the best balanced and most competitive game in the entire series.
The ability to clear a space in a single attack along with its extra movement space to get me to the space I wanted to clear was always my main reason for using Neotanks. The extra movement space allowed for pushing back artillery units like Rockets more effectively because the Neo could more easily move right up the the edge of their range while being able to reach the Rocket on their next turn if the rocket didn’t retreat and the blockers could be cleared. On that same note, the Neo was often the best option for clearing said blockers in a single shot. Grit mains, like I was for awhile, would much rather fight an army of a few extra Mediums than an army of Neos. I personally would often play defensively early game with a lot of artillery and blockers so Neos also complemented my own strategy better than Mediums. They allowed me a better, cleaner push in the late game, where funding them was easier. Basically, if you’re trading blow for blow in close range fights, Mediums are often the way to go. If you’re trying to advance on a tightly defended position or zone out the enemy with superior range and clearing ability, get Neos.
_"The only time you should really be building expensive units are for when you have the income with few enough bases to support such production or it's a stalemate and you need a way to one shot and break through."_ I'll even add that on maps where Naval Warfare is included, depending on how big the land occupy the space and how much beaches gives you access to it, deploying strong units with good mobility is very important, regardless of cost. Because you don't have control of any factories on the land you invade to deploy more economical means and need a decisive strike ASAP to secure the location (such as _"Kita Straight"._ ) Also, in "Dual Strike", you have to take into account the presence of "Skills" for solo playmode, which DO significantly impact gameplay (notably in either unit cost or terrain mobility) and make them far more attractive to use (like in the map _"Healing Touch"_ where forests are preventing your red units from reaching the first crystal in the first turn, save you using the *_"Pathfinders"_* skill.)
The problem with spamming the infantry types is that AA units will just absolutely destroy you after the first 4 rounds. Given their mobility, damage bonuses vs all infantry, there is no recovery once they start really pumping them out. Even Artillery can be destroy in 2 hits by AA. AA Very underrated unit, it isn't just good for taking out the air. The only thing AA even needs to worry about is the Mechs and they don't have enough mobility to really deal with them in an significant way, so... Ya..
@@Exile_Sky AA are not a counter to mech and artillery spam. I can build two mechs and have money left over compared to you buying an AA. You will get first strike off on only one of the mechs. The second one will destroy you. Even IF that weren't the case, I could easily build a single tank to counter your AA completely. AA exist mainly to stop Battle Copters from destroying the meta. That's pretty much it. They are not a cost effective counter to mech/artillery spam.
@@Prodigial You're assuming all I would have is AA, or that the map favors your spam. Mech/Artillery spam isn't unbeatable nor optimal given things like open terrain. It depends on the situation. Also assuming that a tank or mechs wouldn't be supporting the AA is dumb my dude. I said by turn 4 it would be a problem that is being pumped out that just spamming Mechs and Artillery doesn't answer. What do you think would be on the board prior to them and going out with them? Use your head a bit guy, you can't Capture with vehicles, come on, what would naturally be on the board already?
I think something that would have been nice to mention is how Neotanks are better on maps where bases are far away from the action, as their extra movement can make them reach combat one turn earlier which is obviously pretty good.
Another counter argument. On large maps like these, you will likely have more income. You you're constantly reinforcing with 1 unit a turn, the 1 turn delay is less significant.
@Jake Stavinsky When the Neotank get's there it guarantees the job because overkill is always worth it. Why take a chance with a medium when you have the initiative for absolute kill power?
I'd like to add that neotanks are VERY worth when not playing against a human opponent. The AW2 AI reacts to them roughly the same way the average player reacts to monsters in Amnesia, namely "OH GOD RUN RUN RUN". It will pull everything away from full-health neotanks in a full retreat unless you basically spoon-feed it a free kill, letting you gain a lot more ground than you should. Deploy neotanks instead of mediums whenever possible against AI; it will basically give you its lunch money for free.
They aren't built for front lines. They're built to breach. As the range line up for tanks and jeeps forming a wall, these cannons run to the flank or straight through the middle to make an opening. These are the running shotgun unit in tank form.
Personally, I find that the extra movement point, especially on larger maps, makes a lot of difference. It also means that there is a much greater ability to get that first strike, which is ever so important in the Advance Wars games.
This was often my thought also. Medium tanks are great when they do get to the front line, but their mediocre movement often made them slow to arrive on large maps with lots of terrain to slow things down, and could sometimes hinder them getting into position to surround an enemy. On larger maps I would often just keep spamming light tanks till I could get out a neo tank simply because the medium tank interrupt the flow of troops to the front line.
It also leaves rockets and artillery more open to them when you try to break through your opponents. They will straight up 1 shot them unlike regular tanks.
On forests it gets even worse. Both medium tank and neotank need 2 points to traverse one tile, while medium only has 5 points leading to moving 2 tiles and having on sparepoint that's not doing them any good, neotanks can move 3 tiles which is 50% more. Also that argument with "20%" more damage and "5%" less damage taken is bullshit, he even states himself that he refers to the added / subtracted values but that's not how much stronger they are. In relation they are actually ~36,4 stronger in firepower. Taking 50% instead of 55% damage means you actually ~9% less damage.
@@bilib1891 Forests were the big issue I was thinking of also. I recall several maps where you are stuck having to travel through long forested chokes, and the medum tank completely stalls your progress with it's short movement range.
The 1 extra move speed over Medium tanks makes all the difference in how Neotanks are used. You don't send Neotanks after Medium tanks or other Neotanks, in an ideal situation. You don't use them 'defensively' like medium tanks, either--Medium tanks are economy defense--they're there expressly for when you lack the money and need a literal 'tank' to stall behind vs light vehicles and infantry, while growing out your economy by using lots of discount forces like recons, artilleries, apcs, and mechs. Medium tanks want to prowl around your deployment facilities and hang in the backline, making an HQ-capture via rushing with early drop copters impractical, in combination with some AA guns for punishing air units. Their lower movement and fuel makes them ideal to idle around on your own cities and factories, playing 'econo-goalee', while the light tanks and later Neotanks make up the core of your frontline/scouting unit. Neotanks are instead, the quick one-two offensive punch of your forces, intended primarily for one-shotting light vehicles with little to no repercussion. You use them to roll out and rush-one-shot key artillery, aa, missiles, rockets, apcs, and recons you discover, and to bully infantry and mech infantry with impunity as a defensive option, when you have the leisure to give chase without the enemy being able to make an opening. They're more or less a swiss-army knife interceptor unit that lets you both stall by juggling and joining units, and catch up with and punish ships, light vehicles, and infantry as is necessary, while your AA units make up the bulk of your force cleaning up infantry and air, and your own network of artillery and rockets make the long-term defensive difference in a clash between yours and other tanks. You want a few Neotanks when you need to breach an opponent's defenses quickly and by surprise, when you lack intel--at a time in the game when bombers would be impractically high-value in contrast due to lack of knowledge of AA, fighter presence, and missile placement. The combination of their speed and punishing offense makes them best to move immediately after scouting with apcs, infantry, and recons, wherein the speed of the neotank moved over multiple turns, combined with its firepower against land vehicles and ships, combined with periodic repairs, makes up for their immediate cost. The idea is that you use much cheaper units as your sacrificial lambs to deal with stealthed defenses, rockets, and artillery, and then 'crush the scouted enemy units' with the Neotanks, creating an opening to dominate the battlefield with a combination of both superior mobility 'and' soft defense to allow you to retreat the tanks when they take a few scrapes. Basically, the smaller the map is, and the less ground there is to cover via roads and plains, the less desirable Neotanks become, to the point where, eventually, Medium Tanks, Bombers, and Stealth Fighters compete for their niche due to some combination of getting more bang for your buck, being harder to punish, and/or being more mobile. Neotanks are best deployed gradually, and preserved until you have 3 or 4 of them, then juggled against the majority of the opposing ground force, while you advance your squishies like AA guns and rockets behind them. They are not economy-friendly, they are the 'fruit' of you making economically advantageous decisions before-hand with light and medium tanks, to be able to have a regiment of a few superior mobility scout tanks on hand for outpacing your enemy, hitting hard and frequently, to keep the opponent on the defensive and bleeding money. They pair especially well with the ability to buff your defenses (Javier, Lash), the ability to take multiple moves in a turn (Eagle), to further increase your unit movement range (Koal, Adder, Jess, Jake), and the ability to 'mass repair' (Andy, Hawke), since they are simultaneously hard to one-shot, and have a reliable tendency of one-shotting, enabling you to have shorter rest periods between attacks with the repairs. The primary goal when utilizing Neotanks, is to remember to hit hard, always favor engagements that remove a unit so that it can't immediately get repairs and counterattack, and then immediately be able to retreat to make the Neotank last as long as possible without getting it gang-stomped from multiple defending units. Using recons, apcs, and infantry to scout before advancing your Neotanks in to attack, all make the cost proposition significantly less steep, since you can probe for openings to avoid the loss of the unit by sacrificing less expensive ones first. Ultimately, you win by sheer attrition with Neotanks, by keeping them alive encounter after encounter, repairing, juggling, and joining units, zoning away the enemy's attacking forces until you have more Neotanks than the opponent can reasonably deal with, due simply to how much area they can punish in a turn. Now you just have to deal with Bombers, which eat them for breakfast.
@@azzazin404 My pleasure. As a player of 1, 2, Dual Strike, and Days of Ruin, it was fun to reminisce on all the games I would play with and against my high-school friends, and the ways we would run each others' economies into the dirt.
@@GoldieTamamo Days of Ruin was great fun. Except I was supposed to get Dual Strike, but the store didn’t check the game in the case. (It was pre-owned since I was a poor kid.)
@@azzazin404 A useful trick I've discovered recently with Neotanks is what I like to call the "Join juggle," which I've been using as a means to mitigate the expense of Neotanks somewhat. Basically how the trick works, is that you gradually over the course of a game during turns where you have a little breathing room, deploy and keep a standing force of 3 neotanks in a defensive position slightly spread out but all in reach of one another, and then gradually close in on enemy front lines as a pack--and after at least one of the tanks gets slightly dinged up (like, ideally 7-9 hp left after a counterattack, an enemy CO power, or a missile silo landed by you or your opponent), you, instead of repairing the whole squad fully, keep at least one or two of the neotanks at 9 hp. What this trick accomplishes is to let you store your funds as a standing ground force, and then, when it's no longer practical to have those tanks around because of counter-play from enemy unit deployment (say you scout lots of well dug-in ranged units, or an incoming fleet of bombers, or a potential incoming back-cap), you then sacrifice your deployment facility uses for a turn to join two of the tanks and 'teleport' one of the three back to your base in fund form for re-deployment or conversion into other units. Then you just keep this chain of juggled slightly-damaged neotanks spawning in and out of your wallet as necessary turn after turn, effectively having ~19800-38600 extra funds that you can redeem back from your front line immediately at any time you need to either create a new threat or change into better units. Properly cared for, you effectively have the means to alternate between a standing ground force of neotanks, a fleet of bombers, a battleship and a loaded black boat, or the financial equivalent, at will, so long as deployment facilities and travel time to reach the front lines permit.
Flak and Jugger at least don't have the bullshit RNG that Nell gets if she uses her SCOP. Barbaric Blow/System Crash are NOWHERE near as effective as Lady Luck - while the former two only get good rolls around 50% of the time, the latter will almost always activate without a doubt.
I always thought NeoTanks would have the advantage of crawling up and around mountains and rough terrain with what I THOUGHT were spider legs, but apparently its just...wheels...on poles...yeah wow, that could have been the big gimmick of Neotanks, and they didn't even do that! Wtf...
I've found that the one situation where I do end up going for a Neotank over an MD is when I need a fast, heavy linebreaker and there's either no airports or the enemy has too much anti-air/missile/fighter coverage to make a bomber worthwhile. In all other situations a bomber is FAR more worth the 22000G than a Neotank
It's actually Medium Tank I tend not to use much. Regular tanks are already quite good for the price (some of the best units in the game, with Battle Copters, for their price and diversity.) For the price of a Medium Tank, you can get powerful long range weapon, that are generally more useful (unless using Max obviously.) Medium Tank are just to slow to be worth anything.
Medium Tanks were feared in AW1, but in AW2 and Dual Strike, I felt like I regretted it each time I built one. They're like the awkward little brother in the family, who's good, but still inferior to his elder brother (Neo-Tank).
There is still a good reason to have one: bait. If playing vs a actual human and in fog-o-war, you can either put the med-tanks in the forests as a counter to a enemy taking another unit, or you can use it to bring a enemy in range of your rockets and mortars. And if they dont take the bait it functions more like a battering ram, forcing the enemy to focus it or have their troops take heavy casualties. Meanwhile the neotank is exclusively for breaching a enemy's defences and stop ranged units before they become a problem.
10:00 "They might be good in very specific scenarios, where you have to break through a heavily defended choke-point to get to the squishy units at the back." Warfare in a nutshell.
It would be interesting to see Mangs actually helping mekkah for once. Mangs is definitely better as AW than he is at fire emblem!.. probably because each map doesn't have long term consequences.
The main selling point for Neotanks has always been the +1 movement for me personally. Being able to get the first strike from a larger distance is always good, especially in fog of war situations, and I'd rather spend money on a Neotank to deal with Rockets in particular, because by the time there are Medium Tanks and Neotanks on the field, the smaller tanks - Which are really good at dealing with indirects due to their movement range - are often just fodder waiting to get blown up. I don't think Neotanks are "low value for money", they're just a more situational Unit than the more "spammable", and universally decent Medium Tank.
Neotanks have 1 extra movement. Considering COs like Adder, Andy and Max get +1 movement for their powers, that means you effectively have a Medium Tank that is constantly in power boost. It allows you to reroute and first strike unexpectedly easier. The 99 fuel over 50 fuel compared to Medium Tank is better for larger maps too
You know, a mobile game might actually work well with this series. They can add online asynchronous multiplayer. It'd be a game I'd play for years. But I hope they do release it on the Switch. Heck, even the 3DS.
@@Zinic_ Honestly, I agree that a Wars game would work well on mobile...if they actually focused on making it a good Wars game and not a pure gatcha machine. Switch Wars would be my first choice, but if they made a Mobile Wars I wouldn't complain, and if mobile wars allowed you to play full Wars matches in a Words-With-Friends style "take-your turn whenever you want to and we'll notify you when your opponent does" way that could fit well into my busy life I would frankly be HYPED. Even with the gatcha and less interesting strategic options I liked FE:Heroes, but Wars isn't nearly as well suited to that sort of thing and obv the main series FE games are better.
Advance Wars is one of the greatest strategy video games ever made. Nearly endless replay ability especially if you can find a friend to play with (you can play 2-4 players by passing the GBA back and forth so you don’t even need a link cable).
Mangs: CO’s like Kanbai do not want to build Neo Tanks. Andy’s Adventure Kanbai: Silence! Kanbai builds Neo Tanks so they may destroy Kanbai’s pipelines more efficiently!
@Mangs So I see that the main argument you're making here against the neo-tank is that it's not cost-effective. That, for a smaller price, medium tanks have a better firepower, and that the excess of firepower of neotank doesn't help because they don't need that boost to massacre everything. I think that's right but also that's not all there is to it. Strategy games tend to have various types of units, and one of the axis to classify the units is : are they "win-more" type units or are they "lose-less" "Lose-less" units are units that are cost-effective and allow you to take on bigger units but tend not to allow you to win better or faster, just push the balance towards you winning when you're not so you can get the space to field better units. Think mech spam and artillery in AW2. They are very strong, the most efficient combination of AW, but slow, grindy, and vulnerable if exposed. "Win-more" units are units that may not be cost-effective but have concentrated firepower that allow you to punch through defenses and prevent the slow grind. These are most of your expansive units: neotanks, bombers, battleships, these are made to break stalemates and force a resolution to the conflict. With that in mind, the cost-effectiveness of neotanks or their lack theirof doesn't mean they're not worth it, it just prevents the "always mass neotanks" strategy to win. It forces you to support these units and to use them with a goal in mind. Now the scale of most battles in AW both in time and in map size reduce the usefulness of neotanks because most of the time the battle is decided before they can be of use. And that I think is why they're usually not worth it: by the time you can get one, the battle is already decided, and human opponents just give up. Also, they're less mobile or threaten less tiles than bombers or battlecruisers, which makes them worse as an option than these other "win-more" units. TL:DR: Neotanks aren't supposed to be cost-effective but they're still not worth it because of small-ish maps and better options
I think Neotanks are more viable in longer games or games where there are few bases, but a lot of cities, meaning you can commit more money per base, shifting the balance towards expensive units. Increase funding per city also does that. However, it isn't what most maps favor, so Neotanks for the most part suck.
Levi Alvaro maps with enough funds to do a mass neotank push are basically meme matches anyway. It's why Mangs situation showing how they aren't cost effective is silly. It's also not like the enemy co is some kind of secret information, no human player is ever going to walk into an aoe co power after blowing all their hypothetical cash on expensive units.
Huh. I never realized just how little Neo Tanks improved over Mediums in terms of defense. Pity, I quite like them conceptually. I'll still probably use them a bunch because I really enjoy them. Unlike Megatanks, which are just too expensive for something too slow to ever even reach the front lines and borderline require an *additional* 5k investment in an APC to keep them supplied...
I’m so happy I found this channel because I remember back in the day when I was like six or seven going to my dads work on the summer and playing this on the advanced Game Boy the good old days Great channel
Me having never watched your vids and never having heard of advanced wars until the remaster announcement and now getting recommended: Wow, this looks fucking cool.
I rarely find Neotanks to be worth it. They're just MD Tanks with one extra space of movement. The extra firepower is too small to make a difference. Fuel never matters for ground units since every map has cities everywhere, and ammo is only ever a problem if you have 4 or less, I find.
I disagree - Kanbei can make very effective use of Neotanks because of his 30% defense bonus: allowing him to break lines with less fear of retaliation - even if they get surrounded they will probably still survive to fight another day.
Neo Tanks are the best offensive land unit and I always find them worth the investment. Megatanks are far inferior for prolonged and mobile offensives due to lack of mobility, and low ammunition and fuel counts (they are very dependent on APC support). Megatanks are defensive powerhouses, but not much more.
In a straight-up comparison between a Megatank and a Neotank, I agree that the Neotank is the better choice in most cases. But comparing it to all other units, you have to consider the unit costs as well. For the same cost as a Neotank, you can purchase: 22x Infantry, usable for meatwalling and capturing cities which can increase your income 8x Mechs, which can devastate armored units extremely cost-effectively 5x Recons, invaluable in fog of war and great for interrupting captures 3x Artillery, which are invaluable for holding a defensive position 3x Tanks, allowing far more tactical flexibility 2x Anti-air, which provide enough cover to keep any air units at bay 2x B-copters, which provide quick, mobile fire support A Bomber, which does the job of a Neotank far better in most situations, as it's an air unit that can't be targeted by most ground units.
@@VestedUTuber The Infantry comparison might not be apt if the number of bases on the map is low relative to the players' incomes. In those sort of cases, I imagine you're best off making as much use of your money on a per-turn basis as possible.
I spent countless hours in all the Advance Wars games, I’m glad to see this video, very well analyzed and done, good job. This summer I spent 165 hours on Wargroove, and although very good, some refinement is missing from Advance Wars, like in Menu, interface, etc. But to whoever likes AW, play Wargroove, is amazing
Well that and wargroove sadly having too much focus on turn efficiency rather than gold efficiency. Its really such a travesty that giants actually take 2 damage from swordsmen when they are 12 times as expensive
I think it depends on the map and the conditions. The Movement of the Neotank is not to underrestimate. On bigger maps for example, with fewer bases between frontlines, you need to get your tanks to the front in the right time. And thats where the neotank shines. It is more mobile and faster then the medium tank, which needs often one more round to get there, where it is needed and then it´s too late. On the other hand, thats why i have learned to love Jess and her Medium Tanks. If you use her Power, the gap between an unpowered Neotank and her powered Medium Tank is closed because of the +1 Movement, ammuniton, fuel, Firepower etc, so she can rely more on her old big babys and saves cash for other units. Same should be true for Max, except for the fuel and ammunition, and Adder (without anything else but Movement bonus), but i like Jess more ^^"
The ability to clear a space in a single attack along with its extra movement space to get me to the space I wanted to clear was always my main reason for using Neotanks. The extra movement space allowed for pushing back artillery units like Rockets more effectively because the Neo could more easily move right up the the edge of their range while being able to reach the Rocket on their next turn if the rocket didn’t retreat and the blockers could be cleared. On that same note, the Neo was often the best option for clearing said blockers in a single shot. Grit mains, like I was for awhile, would much rather fight an army of a few extra Mediums than an army of Neos. I personally would often play defensively early game with a lot of artillery and blockers so Neos also complemented my own strategy better than Mediums. They allowed me a better, cleaner push in the late game, where funding them was easier. Basically, if you’re trading blow for blow in close range fights, Mediums are often the way to go. If you’re trying to advance on a tightly defended position or zone out the enemy with superior range and clearing ability, get Neos.
Pretty much agree. The extra move and firepower isn't worth the cost. If airports are available, they're completely outclassed, even if you're using Jess. In Dual Strike, black bombs can hurt a bunch of enemies without building up enemy power, which is their big advantage. Depending on situation, one can decide the game.
I've always used Neo tanks as a finisher, if your at the point where funds are heavily in your favor and its looking like all you need to do is finish the push. You can easily afford the extra cost and the firepower helps make that push all the more decisive like as you said they can one shot most ground units
3:00 I think the word you're looking for there is "percentage points". If you're going from 50% to 75% that's an increase by 50%, but 25 percentage points.
I think it depends on enemy comp, and I think the most important factor is actually their +1 movement, along with their higher damage holding up as the tank deteriorates, rather than their juicy starting damage. The most happy I am whenever I use them is when a Neotank draws artillary or md tank fire, survives with a few points of HP, then can reach artillery and take a decisive bite out of them. They're also nice because even a 4 HP Neotank can be a top priority to deal with if it's in an uncomfortable position. I also think they're a good investment if the other guy has built way too many md tanks, but that's more reliant on your opponent. However, both of those are very reactionary uses, and the first is a bit of a gamble. I think there are safer options, but a single Neotank can actually be a pretty good price to pay for breaking a deadlock if it works. Like you said, I think they serve much better in Andy's care specifically, along with Colin when he attains "enough" money. I think this still holds up in Dual Strike. Megatanks I find work much better for for holding key positions, since they just will not die as well as serving as a giant distraction and magnet for artillery and aircraft that could be directed at more contextually relevant units. So even if they both hold the honor of "better md tanks", they capitalize on two opposite roles of the md tank, so can coexist nicely. All that said, I don't play that much anymore.
@@Mangs1337 eh, when you put it like that, it definitely seems a lot less glamorous. I should mention I have a bad habit of referring to artillery, missiles, and rockets all as artillery, but, even with rockets that's not exactly a good trade. I like to look at it as the 6000 you pay for it over the md tank giving it that second life beyond the Neotank just filling in for an md tank until that point, not the full 22000 for that one job, but that COULD just be me justifying sunk cost. It just feels like the Neotank is doing something only it can do in those circumstances, where a md Tank wouldn't have reached, and a normal tank might have just died under fire, and/or either of them would have pinged the artillery or rockets for just a point or two of damage that would have made a less meaningful difference in its damage output. Whether that niche is actually worth buying the unit to begin with under most circumstances is another question altogether.
@@Mangs1337 Yes if it breaks an chokepoint. If a neo tank can one shot a meatwall tank/infantry unit and expose a juicy rocket or artillery in the back to be attacked by another much cheaper tank it was worth it. Not everything is about cost effectiveness. Breaking through a troublesome choke point can be invaluable. Bomber does the same thing. But a bomber is much more fragile than a neo tank. AA Missiles can one-shot bombers, Anti-air Tanks deal so much damage the bomber is almost not combat effective. At least neo tanks can still be somewhat combat effective even if hit by a round of rockets or missiles. A neo tank (hit by rockets) at 50% is still about as effective as a small tank. A bomber hit by missiles dies immediately and loses all value.
That’s actually not a bad feedback. Pretty well detailed, going over different COs and scenarios, pretty spot on :) I can see why the neotank isn’t that good of an investment. One thing to note is with 6 terrain movement, on a larger scale, means forest kind of cripples them, too. If you start on the road and you go to two forests, the medium tank has the exact same movement. Why? Well each movement has a number. If it reaches 0, that unit can no longer move through that specific terrain. Road starts with 1, but then forest goes to two. If the neotank and the medium tank were to go through a forest, the neotank can beat it because it can traverse to three while the medium tank on two only (5-2-2=1 If you were to try and move one more forest, it’ll be -1, or in this case, an invalid movement, meaning you can’t go further than that. It’s why rockets have a terrible time going through it).
I actually really love you made an advance wars video I’ve been playing dual strike and have been addicted to it If you have more videos on it like comparing cos or ranking units/cos I’d love to hear more about it
whenever I used to play advance wars 2 at school me and my friends only deploy NeoTanks to send a message of superiority over the other and we only do it when the match was a bout to end, so yeah we barely used them and instead use that money to buy bombers or mid-tanks.
This Vids views are going to rocket with the upcoming Switch release. I’m excited, but as nice as the new graphics look, the look of the original 2 games is still pretty boss!
Started playing this game again for the first time in so long. I then found this channel, which has been thoroughly entertaining. These two games were always in my GBA and DS.
bringing up the black bomb is funny to me because you are trying to counter a unit that costs 22,000 using a unit that costs 25,000 and can't do more than 11,000 worth of damage. you need to stack at least 3 neotanks within range of a single black bomb (or 2 and some cheaper fodder) to make that a value trade. it means you have to be more careful about where you put your neotanks and how many you build but it's not exactly a cost effective hard counter like this video implies.
The 6 movement vs 5 for medium tanks is HUGE. That alone makes them worth it, on top of being able to virtually one shot mediums if they get first attack IMO
Upon replaying through emulators. I wished the Neotanks had a slight visual changes based on the faction using them in AW3. The base Neotank design is fantastic. Scary rolling balls with stubby noses which can obliterate if not careful. I still use them if I have the resources. But I was bummed after a while that the charm of unique and specific art design and visuals were removed from the Neotanks.
Personally I mostly use Neotanks as breach opening units when having to break through a front that has limited maneuverability and air/naval options are lacking. This can often be choke points and places like Bridges where you will just need to muscle right through, especially since the 1 extra movement can mean getting a extra unit through from the end of the column because the mid column may be mostly made up of artillery/Rockets.
holy shit, I haven't even thought of Advance wars since I had a GBA and GBA emulator on my computer back in the early 2000s. Thank you for bringing up fond memories.
Don't think of Neotank as a Medium Tank+. They are closer to Light Tank+. Think of it that way - what is the purpose of the Light Tank when you think about it? Basically, they are the bread and butter unit, but they more specifically counter recon. Without them, recon would serve the same exact role of being a mobile element of your army and exploitation element. Once you break through, you use your light tanks to hunt down enemy arty, rockets, straggler infantry etc. Medium tanks? They are the frontline unit - the thing that is there to stand and fight against enemy strongpoints. Neotanks are exactly the same thing as light tanks in that regard - improved mobility lets them do the same things as light tanks, except better, because they are not as vulnerable. They are a breakthrough and exploitation weapon. A neotank can run rampant just like a light tank, but can shred any backline unit usually in a single turn, not two. This makes them deceptively faster than light tanks or recon. The question is... Can you afford it? And the answer is usually... no. They are ideally used as an exploitation weapon, but on the other hand, that is a lot of money running with minimal support, potentially vulnerable. It is a unit with identity crisis. It wants to be a light tank, but is way too expensive for that role, but is also not strong enough to be a centrepiece of a formation.
I use Medium Tanks to stablish a defense and only make Neotanks when my fundings are up enough to finally deliver devastating breaches into the defenses. So, Medium to hold the line, Neo for special breakings into the enemy.
@@Mechagodzilla128 ah yes i was playing with i dont remember CO in a custom match with the ai and max funds with colin as the co Needless to say im also shock what his super power did to me same as seeing nell do the the same but worst on a normal map
I saw this in my recommended and started watching it not realizing until you mentioned it, this is a 2020 AW theory crafting video. Mangs you're kinda wild but I love it - keeping the dream alive. This is the AW content I fell in love with this channel for.
Mangs, have you ever thought about making an Advance Wars tutorial video? (If you haven't already) I really struggle past the in game tutorial. Of course, another option for me is to just play the game more.
They need to rename the tank units. The standard tank unit should be called IFV/AFV (infantry/armored fighting vehicle). Most of the wars games depict the tank as those types of vehicles anyways, like Bradley's, BM-21's, etc etc. The purpose of those vehicles in real life are to scout and engage soft targets such as infantry and light vehicles like trucks and other IFV's. This fits well with how those vehicles function in the game already because the tank unit has decent mobility and range, which is basically what they're used for anyways. The medium tank should just be called the tank, as they is what they resemble already anyways, such as an M1 Abrams or the T-55. The purpose of those vehicles is to engage all vehicle types and to deny infantry access to a position. This also fits well with how medium tanks function because that's pretty much what they're used for in the game anyways. I think that would help clear up what the purpose of those vehicles are. Having two units called "tank" doesn't really do it justice for what each one does.
Neotanks... They have the mobility to reach many targets and destroy them or render them useless, so long as they are ground unit or transport copters. Methinks they were meant to break stalemates by creating an opening in the enemy lines so that your other units can go through... You’re still well off without them, but they are an option if it comes to that.
Yes Mangs, TH-cam is in dire need of Advance Wars content and this was a really well put together video. Kudos. We could also do with some more AW Days of Ruin content, if you're down for that it would be awsome
The extra movement, fule and ammo is very powerful on bigger maps so I would say it depends on the map and CO. If its a shorter map with low funds I would say probably not. Bigger maps with more funds, yes definitely. Also, survivability is more than the damage it takes. Its the fact they dont die in one shots as often, meaning they can actually be repaired or at minimum used to mop up infantry or light armor even at low strength.
Update: Yes
Did you just get wrecked by someone using Neotanks?
@@NightmareKage He just played several matches against twitch viewers, multiple of which he was using neotanks to great effect, such as with Adder and Kanbei
Mangs: *making 11 minutes of solid logical arguments*
Also Mangs: "yes"
I watched the first battle of the stream and had to hop off so watching this video again and seeing this comment I can guess what happened.
Kanbei Agrees
It’s got “Neo” in the name. That’s good enough for me.
What's good if they don't even know Tank Kung Fu?
Does Neo know how to drive a Neo Tank?
Lol what about the NEO-NAZIS
@@lpants0 Neo-marxist
eeeeeeyyyy
Seeing AW recognition in 2020 is so satisfying.
Deserves a remake or a new game. If they're so lazy, then they should add the characters in FE Heroes.
@@RandalfElVikingo I'd love to have AW 2 remade as a pc port with online MP. that would be like my dream.
The closest thing we have its Wargroove
beat me to it
@@ignap Tiny Metal Full Metal Rumble is a bit closer, not as good but also not bad
Neotanks: exists
Battle copters: "I'm bout to end this square-shaped ball's whole career"
Seisei said : moooore... BUTTLECUPTERS !!!
@@metalshred1569 Sensei will deploy a stormcloud of battle copters
Sensei: Our battle copters will blot out the sun!
Megatanks: hold my beer
Bomber: (Unzips... *THUD*)
Ohmygod, advance wars video in 2020 yes pls
Bruh , Chill
Oh, hello Rong Rong.
Ohmygod, advance wars videos in 2021 yes pls
And an Advance Wars remake in 2021
Verdified
I re-uploaded this quickly because I opened the video calling the Neotanks “square-shaped” when I meant to say “ball-shaped”.
The reason being is that I actually worked kinda hard on this video, and I didn’t want 90% of the comments to just be “huehue mbaaangs u said wrong thing xDDDD”.
Anyway, enjoy a theory-crafting video about a 20 year old game.
Neat
Too late, I already heard it lol
Thanks mangs, hope you do more advance wars content in the future
Really do appreciate the AW content, it's a nice change of pace and got me to replay the games alllll over again. Thanks, Mangs.
Oh
short answer: not really
slightly longer answer: why invest 22k in a single unit when you can invest that on 2-3 and some change and get generally more map pressure and utility out of it?
kanbei answer: light tanks. *EVERYWHERE*
You could say he deploys a mountain of troops
Sensei Answer : Battle Copters everywhere, and Foot Troop on every town.
Jess prefer Neotank against MediumTank
I remember one time I was stone walled by a Kanbei Tank on a city of all things even with a Medium tank, created a nightmare of a choke point.
60% defense my ass.
Because maybe you don't have 3 bases? I sure as hell don't remember most of the maps, but i doubt there are enought bases to Zerg Rush on every single map.
You have to consider what you're buying the units for. The best units in the game by far for their price are Mechs and Artillery. Good players will spam those units repeatedly along with infantry to help capture and use as meat shields. Consider an artillery behind a single infantry. A medium tank not being able to one shot that infantry and expose that juicy artillery center is a major problem. You are paying that extra cost for the additional mobility and ability to oneshot units you otherwise cannot.
That being said, the best way to play Advance Wars is spamming the cost effective units by COs that abuse the fuck out of them. I can get 2 artillery and a mech/4 infantry for the cost of even a Medium Tank. The only time you should really be building expensive units are for when you have the income with few enough bases to support such production or it's a stalemate and you need a way to one shot and break through. Neotanks have this ability moreso than Medium Tanks so, while both are overrated and shouldn't be bought usually, Neotanks fulfill their function better than Medium Tanks and are cost effective when they fit that niche you need them to.
Edit: I will say that Medium Tanks can excel in Days of Ruin, but that's due to the fantastic CO zone mechanic in that game and that game being the best balanced and most competitive game in the entire series.
The ability to clear a space in a single attack along with its extra movement space to get me to the space I wanted to clear was always my main reason for using Neotanks.
The extra movement space allowed for pushing back artillery units like Rockets more effectively because the Neo could more easily move right up the the edge of their range while being able to reach the Rocket on their next turn if the rocket didn’t retreat and the blockers could be cleared. On that same note, the Neo was often the best option for clearing said blockers in a single shot.
Grit mains, like I was for awhile, would much rather fight an army of a few extra Mediums than an army of Neos. I personally would often play defensively early game with a lot of artillery and blockers so Neos also complemented my own strategy better than Mediums. They allowed me a better, cleaner push in the late game, where funding them was easier.
Basically, if you’re trading blow for blow in close range fights, Mediums are often the way to go. If you’re trying to advance on a tightly defended position or zone out the enemy with superior range and clearing ability, get Neos.
_"The only time you should really be building expensive units are for when you have the income with few enough bases to support such production or it's a stalemate and you need a way to one shot and break through."_
I'll even add that on maps where Naval Warfare is included, depending on how big the land occupy the space and how much beaches gives you access to it, deploying strong units with good mobility is very important, regardless of cost. Because you don't have control of any factories on the land you invade to deploy more economical means and need a decisive strike ASAP to secure the location (such as _"Kita Straight"._ )
Also, in "Dual Strike", you have to take into account the presence of "Skills" for solo playmode, which DO significantly impact gameplay (notably in either unit cost or terrain mobility) and make them far more attractive to use (like in the map _"Healing Touch"_ where forests are preventing your red units from reaching the first crystal in the first turn, save you using the *_"Pathfinders"_* skill.)
The problem with spamming the infantry types is that AA units will just absolutely destroy you after the first 4 rounds. Given their mobility, damage bonuses vs all infantry, there is no recovery once they start really pumping them out. Even Artillery can be destroy in 2 hits by AA. AA Very underrated unit, it isn't just good for taking out the air. The only thing AA even needs to worry about is the Mechs and they don't have enough mobility to really deal with them in an significant way, so... Ya..
@@Exile_Sky AA are not a counter to mech and artillery spam. I can build two mechs and have money left over compared to you buying an AA. You will get first strike off on only one of the mechs. The second one will destroy you.
Even IF that weren't the case, I could easily build a single tank to counter your AA completely. AA exist mainly to stop Battle Copters from destroying the meta. That's pretty much it. They are not a cost effective counter to mech/artillery spam.
@@Prodigial You're assuming all I would have is AA, or that the map favors your spam. Mech/Artillery spam isn't unbeatable nor optimal given things like open terrain. It depends on the situation.
Also assuming that a tank or mechs wouldn't be supporting the AA is dumb my dude. I said by turn 4 it would be a problem that is being pumped out that just spamming Mechs and Artillery doesn't answer. What do you think would be on the board prior to them and going out with them? Use your head a bit guy, you can't Capture with vehicles, come on, what would naturally be on the board already?
I think something that would have been nice to mention is how Neotanks are better on maps where bases are far away from the action, as their extra movement can make them reach combat one turn earlier which is obviously pretty good.
Counter point: you can typically get medium tanks out the map faster, probably a turn before you could get out a neotank.
Another counter argument. On large maps like these, you will likely have more income. You you're constantly reinforcing with 1 unit a turn, the 1 turn delay is less significant.
Neotanks are for flexing on nubes. Change my mind.
@Jake Stavinsky
When the Neotank get's there it guarantees the job because overkill is always worth it. Why take a chance with a medium when you have the initiative for absolute kill power?
I was about to say this, glad you've mentioned it. All that is showcased from the video are maps that's so small, mdT can catch up.
I'd like to add that neotanks are VERY worth when not playing against a human opponent. The AW2 AI reacts to them roughly the same way the average player reacts to monsters in Amnesia, namely "OH GOD RUN RUN RUN". It will pull everything away from full-health neotanks in a full retreat unless you basically spoon-feed it a free kill, letting you gain a lot more ground than you should. Deploy neotanks instead of mediums whenever possible against AI; it will basically give you its lunch money for free.
They aren't built for front lines. They're built to breach. As the range line up for tanks and jeeps forming a wall, these cannons run to the flank or straight through the middle to make an opening. These are the running shotgun unit in tank form.
so neotank is scout
Yes but he can defend himseld well
@@raul-aurelianserban8295 neotanks are the new recons
Personally, I find that the extra movement point, especially on larger maps, makes a lot of difference. It also means that there is a much greater ability to get that first strike, which is ever so important in the Advance Wars games.
This was often my thought also. Medium tanks are great when they do get to the front line, but their mediocre movement often made them slow to arrive on large maps with lots of terrain to slow things down, and could sometimes hinder them getting into position to surround an enemy. On larger maps I would often just keep spamming light tanks till I could get out a neo tank simply because the medium tank interrupt the flow of troops to the front line.
Not gonna lie that's the main selling point for me when building them. The faster pressure and preemptive option is nice.
It also leaves rockets and artillery more open to them when you try to break through your opponents. They will straight up 1 shot them unlike regular tanks.
On forests it gets even worse. Both medium tank and neotank need 2 points to traverse one tile, while medium only has 5 points leading to moving 2 tiles and having on sparepoint that's not doing them any good, neotanks can move 3 tiles which is 50% more. Also that argument with "20%" more damage and "5%" less damage taken is bullshit, he even states himself that he refers to the added / subtracted values but that's not how much stronger they are. In relation they are actually ~36,4 stronger in firepower. Taking 50% instead of 55% damage means you actually ~9% less damage.
@@bilib1891 Forests were the big issue I was thinking of also. I recall several maps where you are stuck having to travel through long forested chokes, and the medum tank completely stalls your progress with it's short movement range.
The 1 extra move speed over Medium tanks makes all the difference in how Neotanks are used.
You don't send Neotanks after Medium tanks or other Neotanks, in an ideal situation. You don't use them 'defensively' like medium tanks, either--Medium tanks are economy defense--they're there expressly for when you lack the money and need a literal 'tank' to stall behind vs light vehicles and infantry, while growing out your economy by using lots of discount forces like recons, artilleries, apcs, and mechs. Medium tanks want to prowl around your deployment facilities and hang in the backline, making an HQ-capture via rushing with early drop copters impractical, in combination with some AA guns for punishing air units. Their lower movement and fuel makes them ideal to idle around on your own cities and factories, playing 'econo-goalee', while the light tanks and later Neotanks make up the core of your frontline/scouting unit.
Neotanks are instead, the quick one-two offensive punch of your forces, intended primarily for one-shotting light vehicles with little to no repercussion. You use them to roll out and rush-one-shot key artillery, aa, missiles, rockets, apcs, and recons you discover, and to bully infantry and mech infantry with impunity as a defensive option, when you have the leisure to give chase without the enemy being able to make an opening. They're more or less a swiss-army knife interceptor unit that lets you both stall by juggling and joining units, and catch up with and punish ships, light vehicles, and infantry as is necessary, while your AA units make up the bulk of your force cleaning up infantry and air, and your own network of artillery and rockets make the long-term defensive difference in a clash between yours and other tanks. You want a few Neotanks when you need to breach an opponent's defenses quickly and by surprise, when you lack intel--at a time in the game when bombers would be impractically high-value in contrast due to lack of knowledge of AA, fighter presence, and missile placement. The combination of their speed and punishing offense makes them best to move immediately after scouting with apcs, infantry, and recons, wherein the speed of the neotank moved over multiple turns, combined with its firepower against land vehicles and ships, combined with periodic repairs, makes up for their immediate cost. The idea is that you use much cheaper units as your sacrificial lambs to deal with stealthed defenses, rockets, and artillery, and then 'crush the scouted enemy units' with the Neotanks, creating an opening to dominate the battlefield with a combination of both superior mobility 'and' soft defense to allow you to retreat the tanks when they take a few scrapes.
Basically, the smaller the map is, and the less ground there is to cover via roads and plains, the less desirable Neotanks become, to the point where, eventually, Medium Tanks, Bombers, and Stealth Fighters compete for their niche due to some combination of getting more bang for your buck, being harder to punish, and/or being more mobile.
Neotanks are best deployed gradually, and preserved until you have 3 or 4 of them, then juggled against the majority of the opposing ground force, while you advance your squishies like AA guns and rockets behind them. They are not economy-friendly, they are the 'fruit' of you making economically advantageous decisions before-hand with light and medium tanks, to be able to have a regiment of a few superior mobility scout tanks on hand for outpacing your enemy, hitting hard and frequently, to keep the opponent on the defensive and bleeding money. They pair especially well with the ability to buff your defenses (Javier, Lash), the ability to take multiple moves in a turn (Eagle), to further increase your unit movement range (Koal, Adder, Jess, Jake), and the ability to 'mass repair' (Andy, Hawke), since they are simultaneously hard to one-shot, and have a reliable tendency of one-shotting, enabling you to have shorter rest periods between attacks with the repairs.
The primary goal when utilizing Neotanks, is to remember to hit hard, always favor engagements that remove a unit so that it can't immediately get repairs and counterattack, and then immediately be able to retreat to make the Neotank last as long as possible without getting it gang-stomped from multiple defending units. Using recons, apcs, and infantry to scout before advancing your Neotanks in to attack, all make the cost proposition significantly less steep, since you can probe for openings to avoid the loss of the unit by sacrificing less expensive ones first. Ultimately, you win by sheer attrition with Neotanks, by keeping them alive encounter after encounter, repairing, juggling, and joining units, zoning away the enemy's attacking forces until you have more Neotanks than the opponent can reasonably deal with, due simply to how much area they can punish in a turn.
Now you just have to deal with Bombers, which eat them for breakfast.
Tons of effort was put into this comment. Props for being informative, well structured and detailed without overusing jargon!
@@azzazin404 My pleasure. As a player of 1, 2, Dual Strike, and Days of Ruin, it was fun to reminisce on all the games I would play with and against my high-school friends, and the ways we would run each others' economies into the dirt.
@@GoldieTamamo Days of Ruin was great fun. Except I was supposed to get Dual Strike, but the store didn’t check the game in the case. (It was pre-owned since I was a poor kid.)
Mucho texto
@@azzazin404 A useful trick I've discovered recently with Neotanks is what I like to call the "Join juggle," which I've been using as a means to mitigate the expense of Neotanks somewhat.
Basically how the trick works, is that you gradually over the course of a game during turns where you have a little breathing room, deploy and keep a standing force of 3 neotanks in a defensive position slightly spread out but all in reach of one another, and then gradually close in on enemy front lines as a pack--and after at least one of the tanks gets slightly dinged up (like, ideally 7-9 hp left after a counterattack, an enemy CO power, or a missile silo landed by you or your opponent), you, instead of repairing the whole squad fully, keep at least one or two of the neotanks at 9 hp.
What this trick accomplishes is to let you store your funds as a standing ground force, and then, when it's no longer practical to have those tanks around because of counter-play from enemy unit deployment (say you scout lots of well dug-in ranged units, or an incoming fleet of bombers, or a potential incoming back-cap), you then sacrifice your deployment facility uses for a turn to join two of the tanks and 'teleport' one of the three back to your base in fund form for re-deployment or conversion into other units. Then you just keep this chain of juggled slightly-damaged neotanks spawning in and out of your wallet as necessary turn after turn, effectively having ~19800-38600 extra funds that you can redeem back from your front line immediately at any time you need to either create a new threat or change into better units. Properly cared for, you effectively have the means to alternate between a standing ground force of neotanks, a fleet of bombers, a battleship and a loaded black boat, or the financial equivalent, at will, so long as deployment facilities and travel time to reach the front lines permit.
"Yes, Neotanks are awesome, make sure you'll buy them when you're fighting against us"
- signed, *Nell, Flak & Jugger*
Flak and Jugger at least don't have the bullshit RNG that Nell gets if she uses her SCOP. Barbaric Blow/System Crash are NOWHERE near as effective as Lady Luck - while the former two only get good rolls around 50% of the time, the latter will almost always activate without a doubt.
Ничего себе, русскоязычный комментатор, знающий Адванс Ворс.
I always thought NeoTanks would have the advantage of crawling up and around mountains and rough terrain with what I THOUGHT were spider legs, but apparently its just...wheels...on poles...yeah wow, that could have been the big gimmick of Neotanks, and they didn't even do that! Wtf...
that would be way too op. But neo tanks can skate around a decent bit better than medium tanks, and a bit more fuel and ammo.
little did Mangs knew that almost an entire year later, his opinions on Neotanks would be valued more than ever before...
I've found that the one situation where I do end up going for a Neotank over an MD is when I need a fast, heavy linebreaker and there's either no airports or the enemy has too much anti-air/missile/fighter coverage to make a bomber worthwhile. In all other situations a bomber is FAR more worth the 22000G than a Neotank
Cross-ruffing: using the Neotanks to kill the AA and the bombers for the rockets.
You have friends to play Advanced Wars with? What a flex.
you can play multiplayer with only one cartridge or even with only one console/pc with emulator if you pass it to the other player every other turn.
But thanks to advance wars by web, we all can play, even without friends!
You guys have friends at all?
@@freshrockpapa-e7799 we don't make enemies for nothing at the very least
It's actually Medium Tank I tend not to use much.
Regular tanks are already quite good for the price (some of the best units in the game, with Battle Copters, for their price and diversity.)
For the price of a Medium Tank, you can get powerful long range weapon, that are generally more useful (unless using Max obviously.) Medium Tank are just to slow to be worth anything.
Medium Tanks were feared in AW1, but in AW2 and Dual Strike, I felt like I regretted it each time I built one. They're like the awkward little brother in the family, who's good, but still inferior to his elder brother (Neo-Tank).
The problem with Mid Tanks is the movement range. Once woods get in their way, that's when they show their ugly side.
There is still a good reason to have one: bait. If playing vs a actual human and in fog-o-war, you can either put the med-tanks in the forests as a counter to a enemy taking another unit, or you can use it to bring a enemy in range of your rockets and mortars. And if they dont take the bait it functions more like a battering ram, forcing the enemy to focus it or have their troops take heavy casualties. Meanwhile the neotank is exclusively for breaching a enemy's defences and stop ranged units before they become a problem.
10:00
"They might be good in very specific scenarios, where you have to break through a heavily defended choke-point to get to the squishy units at the back."
Warfare in a nutshell.
Mekkah, you coward, LP Advance Wars
It would be interesting to see Mangs actually helping mekkah for once. Mangs is definitely better as AW than he is at fire emblem!.. probably because each map doesn't have long term consequences.
@@ianleather5699 Mangs should do an AW pitfalls 😂
@@lagrelex He did something like that for Wargroove. But yes, he should make an Advance Wars one, too!
"yeah I know, an advance wars theory crafting video in 2020"
Boy did 2021 have a nice surprise for you then ^^
Lmao right? I've been checking out old videos like these to brush up for the new remakes
The main selling point for Neotanks has always been the +1 movement for me personally. Being able to get the first strike from a larger distance is always good, especially in fog of war situations, and I'd rather spend money on a Neotank to deal with Rockets in particular, because by the time there are Medium Tanks and Neotanks on the field, the smaller tanks - Which are really good at dealing with indirects due to their movement range - are often just fodder waiting to get blown up.
I don't think Neotanks are "low value for money", they're just a more situational Unit than the more "spammable", and universally decent Medium Tank.
Neotanks have 1 extra movement. Considering COs like Adder, Andy and Max get +1 movement for their powers, that means you effectively have a Medium Tank that is constantly in power boost. It allows you to reroute and first strike unexpectedly easier. The 99 fuel over 50 fuel compared to Medium Tank is better for larger maps too
Come on Nintendo! Give us SWITCH WARS!!!
Nintendo:A new game's coming to the switch! We call it the neverending wars :D
Nintendo: did you say "a new waifu simator"?
I see it now; New game from Intelligent Systems and DeNA: Mobile Wars Heroes! Make sure to save some orbs for next season’s beach costume Kanbei!
You know, a mobile game might actually work well with this series. They can add online asynchronous multiplayer. It'd be a game I'd play for years. But I hope they do release it on the Switch. Heck, even the 3DS.
@@Zinic_ Honestly, I agree that a Wars game would work well on mobile...if they actually focused on making it a good Wars game and not a pure gatcha machine. Switch Wars would be my first choice, but if they made a Mobile Wars I wouldn't complain, and if mobile wars allowed you to play full Wars matches in a Words-With-Friends style "take-your turn whenever you want to and we'll notify you when your opponent does" way that could fit well into my busy life I would frankly be HYPED. Even with the gatcha and less interesting strategic options I liked FE:Heroes, but Wars isn't nearly as well suited to that sort of thing and obv the main series FE games are better.
You could never get me to dislike or not field a good pig-shaped Star Wars Ball designed by Lash. They're just too _cool._
Thank god I’m not the only one who sees them as pig shaped
You know, watching this really points out that I need to play Advance Wars
You wont regret it, and there's a fangame called Advance Wars by Web to play with other players
I never stopped really. It honestly shocked me to find this video.
Advance Wars is one of the greatest strategy video games ever made. Nearly endless replay ability especially if you can find a friend to play with (you can play 2-4 players by passing the GBA back and forth so you don’t even need a link cable).
Mangs: CO’s like Kanbai do not want to build Neo Tanks.
Andy’s Adventure Kanbai: Silence! Kanbai builds Neo Tanks so they may destroy Kanbai’s pipelines more efficiently!
Andy's adventure?
Who the heck is Kanbai?
@@RanEncounter it's how Mangs pronounce Kanbei
@@FlameMasterInfernape888 Well he is wrong...
@@RanEncounter true
@Mangs So I see that the main argument you're making here against the neo-tank is that it's not cost-effective. That, for a smaller price, medium tanks have a better firepower, and that the excess of firepower of neotank doesn't help because they don't need that boost to massacre everything.
I think that's right but also that's not all there is to it.
Strategy games tend to have various types of units, and one of the axis to classify the units is : are they "win-more" type units or are they "lose-less"
"Lose-less" units are units that are cost-effective and allow you to take on bigger units but tend not to allow you to win better or faster, just push the balance towards you winning when you're not so you can get the space to field better units. Think mech spam and artillery in AW2. They are very strong, the most efficient combination of AW, but slow, grindy, and vulnerable if exposed.
"Win-more" units are units that may not be cost-effective but have concentrated firepower that allow you to punch through defenses and prevent the slow grind. These are most of your expansive units: neotanks, bombers, battleships, these are made to break stalemates and force a resolution to the conflict.
With that in mind, the cost-effectiveness of neotanks or their lack theirof doesn't mean they're not worth it, it just prevents the "always mass neotanks" strategy to win. It forces you to support these units and to use them with a goal in mind.
Now the scale of most battles in AW both in time and in map size reduce the usefulness of neotanks because most of the time the battle is decided before they can be of use. And that I think is why they're usually not worth it: by the time you can get one, the battle is already decided, and human opponents just give up. Also, they're less mobile or threaten less tiles than bombers or battlecruisers, which makes them worse as an option than these other "win-more" units.
TL:DR: Neotanks aren't supposed to be cost-effective but they're still not worth it because of small-ish maps and better options
I think Neotanks are more viable in longer games or games where there are few bases, but a lot of cities, meaning you can commit more money per base, shifting the balance towards expensive units. Increase funding per city also does that. However, it isn't what most maps favor, so Neotanks for the most part suck.
Levi Alvaro maps with enough funds to do a mass neotank push are basically meme matches anyway. It's why Mangs situation showing how they aren't cost effective is silly. It's also not like the enemy co is some kind of secret information, no human player is ever going to walk into an aoe co power after blowing all their hypothetical cash on expensive units.
When I was young, I called those tank "cement mixer" or "bétonnière" (in french) because of the shape of the tank :')
Mdr maintenant je peux plus m'enlever l'image de la bétonnière quand je vois un Neotank
Huh. I never realized just how little Neo Tanks improved over Mediums in terms of defense. Pity, I quite like them conceptually. I'll still probably use them a bunch because I really enjoy them. Unlike Megatanks, which are just too expensive for something too slow to ever even reach the front lines and borderline require an *additional* 5k investment in an APC to keep them supplied...
Can we get an “F” in chat for the Advanced Wars series?
Dieu DeMort F
F
F
F
F
I don't even know what game it is.
But now I know that neotanks are overpriced and only situational.
Thank you
The More You Know.
Same
It showed up on my frontpage... Im gonna buy this game now.
@@dontgivemetwitch lol
@@dontgivemetwitch just get a rom for free
I Was Late to AW Myself, an its amazing to see Videos of it coming out this year due to the old videos not having amazing quality, thanks so much!
New, one could say Neo, square shaped tanks. Thanks, Mangs.
I’m so happy I found this channel because I remember back in the day when I was like six or seven going to my dads work on the summer and playing this on the advanced Game Boy the good old days
Great channel
3:47 Lysithea fans in shambles
Lilina fans in shambles
Imagine Warp Staff in Advance Wars 🤔
Kevin Simanca pre-gba specifically
Lute fans still superior after all
Me having never watched your vids and never having heard of advanced wars until the remaster announcement and now getting recommended: Wow, this looks fucking cool.
I rarely find Neotanks to be worth it. They're just MD Tanks with one extra space of movement. The extra firepower is too small to make a difference. Fuel never matters for ground units since every map has cities everywhere, and ammo is only ever a problem if you have 4 or less, I find.
Summary:
Use Neotanks with Collin.
It's overkill for Kanbei.
Case closed
I disagree - Kanbei can make very effective use of Neotanks because of his 30% defense bonus: allowing him to break lines with less fear of retaliation - even if they get surrounded they will probably still survive to fight another day.
@@wilberwhateley7569 thats why he said its overkill when kanbei uses it
Neo Tanks are the best offensive land unit and I always find them worth the investment. Megatanks are far inferior for prolonged and mobile offensives due to lack of mobility, and low ammunition and fuel counts (they are very dependent on APC support). Megatanks are defensive powerhouses, but not much more.
In a straight-up comparison between a Megatank and a Neotank, I agree that the Neotank is the better choice in most cases. But comparing it to all other units, you have to consider the unit costs as well. For the same cost as a Neotank, you can purchase:
22x Infantry, usable for meatwalling and capturing cities which can increase your income
8x Mechs, which can devastate armored units extremely cost-effectively
5x Recons, invaluable in fog of war and great for interrupting captures
3x Artillery, which are invaluable for holding a defensive position
3x Tanks, allowing far more tactical flexibility
2x Anti-air, which provide enough cover to keep any air units at bay
2x B-copters, which provide quick, mobile fire support
A Bomber, which does the job of a Neotank far better in most situations, as it's an air unit that can't be targeted by most ground units.
@@VestedUTuber The Infantry comparison might not be apt if the number of bases on the map is low relative to the players' incomes. In those sort of cases, I imagine you're best off making as much use of your money on a per-turn basis as possible.
@@DarthMohawk1 yeah i agree and 22 infantry who moves by 3 and can only catch up if in woods is incredibly a good way to reach your limit fast
advance wars content in 2020? yes please!
whether its more theory crafting or just gameplay, i'd love to see you make more advance wars videos
I spent countless hours in all the Advance Wars games, I’m glad to see this video, very well analyzed and done, good job.
This summer I spent 165 hours on Wargroove, and although very good, some refinement is missing from Advance Wars, like in Menu, interface, etc. But to whoever likes AW, play Wargroove, is amazing
Well that and wargroove sadly having too much focus on turn efficiency rather than gold efficiency. Its really such a travesty that giants actually take 2 damage from swordsmen when they are 12 times as expensive
I think it depends on the map and the conditions. The Movement of the Neotank is not to underrestimate. On bigger maps for example, with fewer bases between frontlines, you need to get your tanks to the front in the right time. And thats where the neotank shines. It is more mobile and faster then the medium tank, which needs often one more round to get there, where it is needed and then it´s too late.
On the other hand, thats why i have learned to love Jess and her Medium Tanks. If you use her Power, the gap between an unpowered Neotank and her powered Medium Tank is closed because of the +1 Movement, ammuniton, fuel, Firepower etc, so she can rely more on her old big babys and saves cash for other units. Same should be true for Max, except for the fuel and ammunition, and Adder (without anything else but Movement bonus), but i like Jess more ^^"
The ability to clear a space in a single attack along with its extra movement space to get me to the space I wanted to clear was always my main reason for using Neotanks.
The extra movement space allowed for pushing back artillery units like Rockets more effectively because the Neo could more easily move right up the the edge of their range while being able to reach the Rocket on their next turn if the rocket didn’t retreat and the blockers could be cleared. On that same note, the Neo was often the best option for clearing said blockers in a single shot.
Grit mains, like I was for awhile, would much rather fight an army of a few extra Mediums than an army of Neos. I personally would often play defensively early game with a lot of artillery and blockers so Neos also complemented my own strategy better than Mediums. They allowed me a better, cleaner push in the late game, where funding them was easier.
Basically, if you’re trading blow for blow in close range fights, Mediums are often the way to go. If you’re trying to advance on a tightly defended position or zone out the enemy with superior range and clearing ability, get Neos.
Kinda glad I found someone who covers advanced wars content in 2020.
Pretty much agree. The extra move and firepower isn't worth the cost. If airports are available, they're completely outclassed, even if you're using Jess.
In Dual Strike, black bombs can hurt a bunch of enemies without building up enemy power, which is their big advantage. Depending on situation, one can decide the game.
Sturm: MY TANKS ARE OP!
Megatanks in dual strike: Ima bout to end this man's whole career
Yeah mostly agree, not very cost effective but I think they can be if they break a choke point and expose a lot of indirects for your other units
I love the sound of neotank firepower blowing up black hole scum in advance wars rebootcamp!
I've always used Neo tanks as a finisher, if your at the point where funds are heavily in your favor and its looking like all you need to do is finish the push. You can easily afford the extra cost and the firepower helps make that push all the more decisive like as you said they can one shot most ground units
3:00 I think the word you're looking for there is "percentage points". If you're going from 50% to 75% that's an increase by 50%, but 25 percentage points.
They will forever be inferior at tanking than Doga
I think it depends on enemy comp, and I think the most important factor is actually their +1 movement, along with their higher damage holding up as the tank deteriorates, rather than their juicy starting damage.
The most happy I am whenever I use them is when a Neotank draws artillary or md tank fire, survives with a few points of HP, then can reach artillery and take a decisive bite out of them. They're also nice because even a 4 HP Neotank can be a top priority to deal with if it's in an uncomfortable position.
I also think they're a good investment if the other guy has built way too many md tanks, but that's more reliant on your opponent.
However, both of those are very reactionary uses, and the first is a bit of a gamble. I think there are safer options, but a single Neotank can actually be a pretty good price to pay for breaking a deadlock if it works.
Like you said, I think they serve much better in Andy's care specifically, along with Colin when he attains "enough" money.
I think this still holds up in Dual Strike. Megatanks I find work much better for for holding key positions, since they just will not die as well as serving as a giant distraction and magnet for artillery and aircraft that could be directed at more contextually relevant units. So even if they both hold the honor of "better md tanks", they capitalize on two opposite roles of the md tank, so can coexist nicely.
All that said, I don't play that much anymore.
You think it is satisfying to use a unit worth 22 000 funds to "take a devisive bite" out of a unit worth 6000? :P
@@Mangs1337 eh, when you put it like that, it definitely seems a lot less glamorous. I should mention I have a bad habit of referring to artillery, missiles, and rockets all as artillery, but, even with rockets that's not exactly a good trade. I like to look at it as the 6000 you pay for it over the md tank giving it that second life beyond the Neotank just filling in for an md tank until that point, not the full 22000 for that one job, but that COULD just be me justifying sunk cost. It just feels like the Neotank is doing something only it can do in those circumstances, where a md Tank wouldn't have reached, and a normal tank might have just died under fire, and/or either of them would have pinged the artillery or rockets for just a point or two of damage that would have made a less meaningful difference in its damage output.
Whether that niche is actually worth buying the unit to begin with under most circumstances is another question altogether.
@@Mangs1337 Yes if it breaks an chokepoint. If a neo tank can one shot a meatwall tank/infantry unit and expose a juicy rocket or artillery in the back to be attacked by another much cheaper tank it was worth it. Not everything is about cost effectiveness. Breaking through a troublesome choke point can be invaluable.
Bomber does the same thing. But a bomber is much more fragile than a neo tank. AA Missiles can one-shot bombers, Anti-air Tanks deal so much damage the bomber is almost not combat effective. At least neo tanks can still be somewhat combat effective even if hit by a round of rockets or missiles. A neo tank (hit by rockets) at 50% is still about as effective as a small tank. A bomber hit by missiles dies immediately and loses all value.
Little did you know. 2021 would bring a revival nobody expected
I found this incredibly interesting! Thanks for the video!
Im so happy that advance wars is still a topic one of my faves.
That’s actually not a bad feedback. Pretty well detailed, going over different COs and scenarios, pretty spot on :)
I can see why the neotank isn’t that good of an investment. One thing to note is with 6 terrain movement, on a larger scale, means forest kind of cripples them, too. If you start on the road and you go to two forests, the medium tank has the exact same movement. Why? Well each movement has a number. If it reaches 0, that unit can no longer move through that specific terrain. Road starts with 1, but then forest goes to two. If the neotank and the medium tank were to go through a forest, the neotank can beat it because it can traverse to three while the medium tank on two only (5-2-2=1 If you were to try and move one more forest, it’ll be -1, or in this case, an invalid movement, meaning you can’t go further than that. It’s why rockets have a terrible time going through it).
0:38 Oh, past Mangs is so innocent
I love how clearly you put a ton of effort into doing the analysis and editing the video. But it's about Black Hole Rising. Such passion.
Rip the only well-known active AW content creator
I actually really love you made an advance wars video
I’ve been playing dual strike and have been addicted to it
If you have more videos on it like comparing cos or ranking units/cos I’d love to hear more about it
whenever I used to play advance wars 2 at school me and my friends only deploy NeoTanks to send a message of superiority over the other and we only do it when the match was a bout to end, so yeah we barely used them and instead use that money to buy bombers or mid-tanks.
I swear I had a fever dream about neotanks being able to climb mountains
This Vids views are going to rocket with the upcoming Switch release.
I’m excited, but as nice as the new graphics look, the look of the original 2 games is still pretty boss!
Started playing this game again for the first time in so long. I then found this channel, which has been thoroughly entertaining. These two games were always in my GBA and DS.
They seem like a win more unit. Still love em' though. They look super cool 😛
It's the middle of the night, I've never played Advance Wars, and yet I find this captivating.
We'll be able to ponder this question again soon.
Assuming they make balance changes of course.
Advance Wars II. When I took a long ass greyhound trip to Gencon, this game saved my sanity on the 17 hour trips.
bringing up the black bomb is funny to me because you are trying to counter a unit that costs 22,000 using a unit that costs 25,000 and can't do more than 11,000 worth of damage. you need to stack at least 3 neotanks within range of a single black bomb (or 2 and some cheaper fodder) to make that a value trade. it means you have to be more careful about where you put your neotanks and how many you build but it's not exactly a cost effective hard counter like this video implies.
The 6 movement vs 5 for medium tanks is HUGE. That alone makes them worth it, on top of being able to virtually one shot mediums if they get first attack IMO
Man, it’s gonna be weird without him. This community will never be the same.
I'm glad you decided to make this video, I'd love to see more AW theory crafting in the future
Ah yes, We Analyze Interesting Advance Wars Units, also known as W.A.I.A.U by Advance Wars Mekkkah.
This video was very informative. I really love the Advance Wars content from you. Really wish there would be a revival of this series.
Upon replaying through emulators.
I wished the Neotanks had a slight visual changes based on the faction using them in AW3. The base Neotank design is fantastic. Scary rolling balls with stubby noses which can obliterate if not careful.
I still use them if I have the resources. But I was bummed after a while that the charm of unique and specific art design and visuals were removed from the Neotanks.
It make sense that the design of the neotank is the same everywhere because the plans where stolen to the same country, not developed independantly.
Despite not playing Advanced Wars. This was very entertaining
Well! Seems like you felt something we all didn't! Advance wars is coming back!
Neotanks in Dual Strike: If bread is pain I own a bakery
Personally I mostly use Neotanks as breach opening units when having to break through a front that has limited maneuverability and air/naval options are lacking. This can often be choke points and places like Bridges where you will just need to muscle right through, especially since the 1 extra movement can mean getting a extra unit through from the end of the column because the mid column may be mostly made up of artillery/Rockets.
holy shit, I haven't even thought of Advance wars since I had a GBA and GBA emulator on my computer back in the early 2000s. Thank you for bringing up fond memories.
Don't think of Neotank as a Medium Tank+.
They are closer to Light Tank+.
Think of it that way - what is the purpose of the Light Tank when you think about it? Basically, they are the bread and butter unit, but they more specifically counter recon. Without them, recon would serve the same exact role of being a mobile element of your army and exploitation element. Once you break through, you use your light tanks to hunt down enemy arty, rockets, straggler infantry etc.
Medium tanks? They are the frontline unit - the thing that is there to stand and fight against enemy strongpoints.
Neotanks are exactly the same thing as light tanks in that regard - improved mobility lets them do the same things as light tanks, except better, because they are not as vulnerable.
They are a breakthrough and exploitation weapon.
A neotank can run rampant just like a light tank, but can shred any backline unit usually in a single turn, not two. This makes them deceptively faster than light tanks or recon.
The question is... Can you afford it? And the answer is usually... no. They are ideally used as an exploitation weapon, but on the other hand, that is a lot of money running with minimal support, potentially vulnerable.
It is a unit with identity crisis. It wants to be a light tank, but is way too expensive for that role, but is also not strong enough to be a centrepiece of a formation.
I'm glad you're still doing these and covering the wars games. I like FE but this is what I'm really here for. :D
The channel is dead
All I'm wondering is, how the hell are these things "tracked" vehicles when they only have those legs with wheels on the end?
So, it's a situational glass cannon of sorts. Never thought of them that way. Cool video
Better movement and better firepower, good for breakthroughs they are the tip of the spear.
I use Medium Tanks to stablish a defense and only make Neotanks when my fundings are up enough to finally deliver devastating breaches into the defenses.
So, Medium to hold the line, Neo for special breakings into the enemy.
6:05 this is why Nell was my favorite those years ago. That crap was absolutely disgusting.
I remember being in absolute disbelief when the AI did that to me the first time.
@@Mechagodzilla128 ah yes i was playing with i dont remember CO in a custom match with the ai and max funds with colin as the co
Needless to say im also shock what his super power did to me same as seeing nell do the the same but worst on a normal map
I saw this in my recommended and started watching it not realizing until you mentioned it, this is a 2020 AW theory crafting video. Mangs you're kinda wild but I love it - keeping the dream alive. This is the AW content I fell in love with this channel for.
I REMEMBER THIS GAME! HOLY SHIT THIS WAS MY CHILD HOOD!
Man I’m glad that there is still a small piece of this game still active :)
Mangs, have you ever thought about making an Advance Wars tutorial video? (If you haven't already) I really struggle past the in game tutorial. Of course, another option for me is to just play the game more.
I second this.
His campaign series are basically guides. Are you having trouble with multiplayer or playing against AI?
Ive played a lot of Advance wars and the key advantage of Neotanks is the extra movement tile
You sir just got a like for making an Advance Wars video in 2020.
They need to rename the tank units. The standard tank unit should be called IFV/AFV (infantry/armored fighting vehicle). Most of the wars games depict the tank as those types of vehicles anyways, like Bradley's, BM-21's, etc etc. The purpose of those vehicles in real life are to scout and engage soft targets such as infantry and light vehicles like trucks and other IFV's. This fits well with how those vehicles function in the game already because the tank unit has decent mobility and range, which is basically what they're used for anyways.
The medium tank should just be called the tank, as they is what they resemble already anyways, such as an M1 Abrams or the T-55. The purpose of those vehicles is to engage all vehicle types and to deny infantry access to a position. This also fits well with how medium tanks function because that's pretty much what they're used for in the game anyways.
I think that would help clear up what the purpose of those vehicles are. Having two units called "tank" doesn't really do it justice for what each one does.
Neotanks... They have the mobility to reach many targets and destroy them or render them useless, so long as they are ground unit or transport copters. Methinks they were meant to break stalemates by creating an opening in the enemy lines so that your other units can go through... You’re still well off without them, but they are an option if it comes to that.
Yes Mangs, TH-cam is in dire need of Advance Wars content and this was a really well put together video. Kudos.
We could also do with some more AW Days of Ruin content, if you're down for that it would be awsome
I appreciate your investment in advanced wars, it’s just as important to me as fire emblem :)
The extra movement, fule and ammo is very powerful on bigger maps so I would say it depends on the map and CO. If its a shorter map with low funds I would say probably not. Bigger maps with more funds, yes definitely. Also, survivability is more than the damage it takes. Its the fact they dont die in one shots as often, meaning they can actually be repaired or at minimum used to mop up infantry or light armor even at low strength.