Show Stopper

Conquer the challenging 'Show Stopper' mission in Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising with Sonja! Learn enemy unit placements, effective unit production, and strategic capture points.

Alright, let's tackle the 'Show Stopper' mission. This one can be a real pain if you're not prepared, especially with Adder throwing everything he's got at you. You'll be playing as Sonja, and fog of war is on, which always makes things trickier. The goal here is to capture the Black Hole's lab, which is hidden away, and you'll need the intel from it to build those super-powerful Neotanks later on. Getting an S-Rank means finishing fast (99 points for speed!) and strong, so let's get you set up.

Mission Intel:

• CO: Sonja
• Vs: Adder
• Fog of War: Yes
• Rank Goal: S-Rank (99/100 points for Speed, 100/100 for Power, 84/100 for Technique)
• Speed Bonus: 24 days max

Map Overview:

Capturing the Lab: To get to the Black Hole's lab and unlock the Sea of Hope mission, you need to capture the westernmost natural city. It's located south-west of the big black cannon. This is your key objective for the intel needed for Neotanks.

Early Game Strategy (Days 1-2):

As soon as the mission starts, your priority is to build APCs and Infantry. Use these units to capture the two bases closest to your starting position and any other nearby cities. Securing more income is crucial for building up your army.

Mid Game Strategy (Days 3-5):

Adder's main assault usually hits around Day 3 or 4. He'll start sending a lot of air units your way. To counter this, you absolutely need to build Anti-Air units. Make sure you have at least two Anti-Air units with around 9-10 HP each. Adder has bombers and several battle copters that can be devastating if you're not prepared. He'll also surprise you with three copters coming out of nowhere, so keep those Anti-Airs ready!

Enemy Threats:

• Air Units: Adder has two bombers and three or four battle copters. These are a major threat, especially with fog of war.
• Rockets: Be on the lookout for three dangerous rocket units. Their locations are:
  • One east of the two cities south-east of the big cannon.
  • One in the east city of the two north-east of the cannon.
  • One in a forest west of the cannon.

Unit Production Focus:

Your main production should focus on Tanks. They're great for taking out Adder's long-range units and recons. Once you've dealt with the initial wave of units and his cannons, switch your production to Medium Tanks (MD Tanks). These are essential for pushing through his defenses and dealing heavy damage.