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Someone mentioned earlier about the Dreadnaught being busted in the water, and it is. I think it's defense is fine, maybe tone down it's attack power a little. I never had a problem against it, but it's mostly because enemies rarely make them on their own and so you just have to plan for it when you see it as a starting unit.

Overall I like the story in the game, nothing has been ridiculous yet. I say yet because I've run into a wall in the Grit vs. Enemy Olaf fight. I get that the point of the fight is to sacrifice artillery's to slow down Olaf surrounding you. But it doesn't work, at most they'll draw 2 attacks, and Olaf has 3 times as many units as you. You're also surrounded and only have your HQ, 4 cities, and some trees for defensive positioning. The north area has the least amount of enemy units so I've tried setting up a defensive position there, but you can't go too far from the center of the map because Olaf can just capture your HQ. Another issue with the map is the 4 helicopters, I have yet to have a situation where the 2 missiles you get survive long enough to destroy all of them without placing them both on cities or HQ. And since you can only win by destroying all enemies that is apparently a requirement. My suggestions are to either move the "base" area up north, so you're surrounded on 3 sides instead of 4, or add a few more units so you can use them as sacrifices, they can even be APC's and as they soak a few hits it'll be manageable, and either 1 more AA missile, or 1 less enemy copter.

Some other maps were hard, some were easy, but that is the one where I've felt stuck.

EDIT: Played it again the next day. Got it first try, tried a brand new first round positioning setup and was able to destroy the helicopters before they even got near the center making the missiles throwaway units early, also helped that Olaf didn't save up for his 6 star Power this time like he was doing before.

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

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

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

The hack in general has a fair few interesting scenarios as maps to play. Most of the maps are fun and aptly challenging, but the description for the hack is accurate: It's clear that the hack could have used more play testing. There are a fair few maps that are completely off the difficulty curve in one direction or the other. Arguably the worst offender is the first map which is a bit more on the rough side since you have to be quick on the upkeep to learn the new units. Most levels for a good while after that one are easier, so it stands out and might give people the wrong impression of the hack.

As for the story... the best description is "fanfic-y". That does not mean the plot is bad, but a lot of liberties are taken with the story, and the events of Dual Strikes is completely ignored (essentially making this an alt universe sequel to AW2). Most of the story makes sense, with the only thing that sticks out as odd and bad being some of the bits in the ending. A few characters also feel a bit off in characterisation, but it's mostly fine.

The lack of polish is where the hack struggles the most, it has many new units but they all lack proper graphics, the AI seem to also use them slightly oddly at times. This looks very buggy when playing and is a pretty big blemish. The AI can also deploy a secret hidden unit way earlier than it's actually introduced, assuming they have the funds. This happened to me in one of the levels prior to it actual introducing it.

Overall I'd say the hack is worth checking out and maybe seeing it to the end.

Very Fun Game, just the last mission is pretty unbalanced or difficult to win, and I consider myself a good turn based CO, do the creators have a tip for the last mission, i don't think its very balanced, but that is part of the fun, with the Reboot 1+2 hype-train this was a fresh breath of air, loved the custom campaign storytelling.