I suppose there's no reason we can't get working on our CO picks now, since I think the AWBW guys are likely to go along with our preferred settings.
So, we'll be taking the top three nations (at least, I assume that's the map breakdown, rather than some weird L v. R setup).
My leader ideas for each, in no particular order:
Blue Moon
* Sami
Pros: The GS HQ is somewhat exposed and can only be 1-turn reinforced by a single factory, potentially opening it to a Victory March capture. No air units means the loss of firepower matters less. Easier time contesting captures with GS and AB, potentially leading to a funding advantage. Having four factories abets Infantry spam. Narrow fronts favor ranged units.
Cons: MD Tanks will suffer a strength penalty. Forced to rely on inferior AA to counter air units from GS and/or AB.
* Jake
Pros: Map is plains-heavy, including at key chokepoints. Bonus range to Artillery & Rockets via COP/SCOP could be very powerful. Style points for using a bottom-tier leader.
Cons: Just use Lash. Periodically turning into Grit for a single turn probably doesn't outweigh having a better SCOP and D2D.
* Sturm
Pros: Amazing SCOP which forces the enemy to avoid concentrating valuable units once the meter nears full charge. Defense boost makes him potentially excellent at camping chokes with GS and AB. Lack of air units not a major concern, given firepower loss. Movement bonus gives him fast Rockets and makes one of his four factories much more useful. MD Tanks are like bricks, while AA cannot be cost-effectively killed by Bombers under most circumstances.
Cons: Lack of firepower means he can get stalled out, especially against someone like Sami. SCOP takes ages to charge, and COP is underwhelming compared with someone like Rachel. Limited flanking opportunities to exploit having no terrain costs.
* Jess
Pros: No air units and little need to build navy means her main weaknesses are irrelevant. COP and SCOP are both decent and can be spammed with relative frequency. Benefits a lot from having access to MD Tanks.
Cons: Infantry units are fragile and can't be counted on to capture contested properties without a lot of support. 10% attack bonus on vehicles doesn't matter so much when someone like Lash will functionally get that or better anyway in the regions where combat is most likely to occur.
Purple Lightning
* Max
Pros: Wide front + Rockets being banned means his typical weaknesses don't matter as much. Enormously powerful B-Copters, Bombers, AA & Tanks. Very dangerous with COP or SCOP active. Absurd attack power with the Com Tower.
Cons: Artillery are still a core unit, and having gimped versions sucks. No MD Tanks means he's stuck using B-Copters and Tanks until he can afford a Neo or Bomber (although he's quite proficient with both). Infantry + Arty walls can potentially cost-effectively kill his tanks, since even with +30% strength they shouldn't be able to 1-shot most footsoldiers.
* Eagle
Pros: Excellent air units, decent vehicles, best SCOP available hands-down. Essentially no weaknesses.
Cons: SCOP takes a long time to charge. Bulk of forces won't benefit from any bonuses, outside of the SCOP.
* Javier
Pros: Guaranteed Comtower means his units will have a 10% defense boost in addition to the strength benefit. Units become very hardy with SCOP active, and hit hard. Tough to wall with ranged units.
Cons: He's basically Von Bolt with a SCOP that turns him into Kanbei for a turn. That's good, but is it good enough?
Black Hole
* Sami
Pros: The GE HQ is also exposed and is difficult to reinforce quickly by any factory. Lack of MD Tanks doesn't matter. Otherwise, see benefits noted above.
Cons: See problems noted above.
* Eagle
Pros: See above. Also, SCOP allows for very deadly moving Arty walls on tight fronts.
Cons: See above.
Good on any front
* Von Bolt
Pros: Universal 10/10 boost. Decent SCOP.
Cons: SCOP takes forever to charge, overcosted. May lose out to specialists.
* Lash
Pros: Will have at least a 10% attack boost on most contested terrain, numerous strategically-placed forests, mountains and cities to exploit. Road combat should ideally be avoided anyway. Outstanding SCOP.
Cons: Air units don't receive any boosts. 10% attack boost isn't super impressive when several other COs can do as good or better, and the overwhelming majority of terrain is either plains or roads.
* Andy
Pros: Outstanding SCOP.
Cons: No other benefits.
* Rachel
Pros: Outstanding SCOP.
Cons: Weak D2D. No other benefits.
* Kindle
Pros: COP can potentially mess up a lot of enemy units, waste their funds, or otherwise force them to camp on suboptimal terrain. Very tough when occupying properties, of which there are many in contested land.
Cons: No actual combat boosts unless deploying SCOP, which is generally not advisable.
Other COs probably aren't worth considering.
So, we'll be taking the top three nations (at least, I assume that's the map breakdown, rather than some weird L v. R setup).
My leader ideas for each, in no particular order:
Blue Moon
* Sami
Pros: The GS HQ is somewhat exposed and can only be 1-turn reinforced by a single factory, potentially opening it to a Victory March capture. No air units means the loss of firepower matters less. Easier time contesting captures with GS and AB, potentially leading to a funding advantage. Having four factories abets Infantry spam. Narrow fronts favor ranged units.
Cons: MD Tanks will suffer a strength penalty. Forced to rely on inferior AA to counter air units from GS and/or AB.
* Jake
Pros: Map is plains-heavy, including at key chokepoints. Bonus range to Artillery & Rockets via COP/SCOP could be very powerful. Style points for using a bottom-tier leader.
Cons: Just use Lash. Periodically turning into Grit for a single turn probably doesn't outweigh having a better SCOP and D2D.
* Sturm
Pros: Amazing SCOP which forces the enemy to avoid concentrating valuable units once the meter nears full charge. Defense boost makes him potentially excellent at camping chokes with GS and AB. Lack of air units not a major concern, given firepower loss. Movement bonus gives him fast Rockets and makes one of his four factories much more useful. MD Tanks are like bricks, while AA cannot be cost-effectively killed by Bombers under most circumstances.
Cons: Lack of firepower means he can get stalled out, especially against someone like Sami. SCOP takes ages to charge, and COP is underwhelming compared with someone like Rachel. Limited flanking opportunities to exploit having no terrain costs.
* Jess
Pros: No air units and little need to build navy means her main weaknesses are irrelevant. COP and SCOP are both decent and can be spammed with relative frequency. Benefits a lot from having access to MD Tanks.
Cons: Infantry units are fragile and can't be counted on to capture contested properties without a lot of support. 10% attack bonus on vehicles doesn't matter so much when someone like Lash will functionally get that or better anyway in the regions where combat is most likely to occur.
Purple Lightning
* Max
Pros: Wide front + Rockets being banned means his typical weaknesses don't matter as much. Enormously powerful B-Copters, Bombers, AA & Tanks. Very dangerous with COP or SCOP active. Absurd attack power with the Com Tower.
Cons: Artillery are still a core unit, and having gimped versions sucks. No MD Tanks means he's stuck using B-Copters and Tanks until he can afford a Neo or Bomber (although he's quite proficient with both). Infantry + Arty walls can potentially cost-effectively kill his tanks, since even with +30% strength they shouldn't be able to 1-shot most footsoldiers.
* Eagle
Pros: Excellent air units, decent vehicles, best SCOP available hands-down. Essentially no weaknesses.
Cons: SCOP takes a long time to charge. Bulk of forces won't benefit from any bonuses, outside of the SCOP.
* Javier
Pros: Guaranteed Comtower means his units will have a 10% defense boost in addition to the strength benefit. Units become very hardy with SCOP active, and hit hard. Tough to wall with ranged units.
Cons: He's basically Von Bolt with a SCOP that turns him into Kanbei for a turn. That's good, but is it good enough?
Black Hole
* Sami
Pros: The GE HQ is also exposed and is difficult to reinforce quickly by any factory. Lack of MD Tanks doesn't matter. Otherwise, see benefits noted above.
Cons: See problems noted above.
* Eagle
Pros: See above. Also, SCOP allows for very deadly moving Arty walls on tight fronts.
Cons: See above.
Good on any front
* Von Bolt
Pros: Universal 10/10 boost. Decent SCOP.
Cons: SCOP takes forever to charge, overcosted. May lose out to specialists.
* Lash
Pros: Will have at least a 10% attack boost on most contested terrain, numerous strategically-placed forests, mountains and cities to exploit. Road combat should ideally be avoided anyway. Outstanding SCOP.
Cons: Air units don't receive any boosts. 10% attack boost isn't super impressive when several other COs can do as good or better, and the overwhelming majority of terrain is either plains or roads.
* Andy
Pros: Outstanding SCOP.
Cons: No other benefits.
* Rachel
Pros: Outstanding SCOP.
Cons: Weak D2D. No other benefits.
* Kindle
Pros: COP can potentially mess up a lot of enemy units, waste their funds, or otherwise force them to camp on suboptimal terrain. Very tough when occupying properties, of which there are many in contested land.
Cons: No actual combat boosts unless deploying SCOP, which is generally not advisable.
Other COs probably aren't worth considering.
