Struggling with hard campaign levels

[Blue]

I'm not great, but I'm also not terrible. I know the general setups, unit types, and even some of the units imbalances that you can abuse like pyro soloing until 4 for +5 workers, but I cannot seem to figure out how to beat the hard campaign levels.

It feels like they have some sort of coding flaw that gives them income despite saving 300 for round 9, where they should be massively behind in economy at that point. I got the first and second solo, failed the 3rd a bunch solo before trying coop and breezing through it because the AI never double sent so we could always hold even if one leaked, but the others feel nearly impossible from an above average skill level when playing normally, like I need a very specific preset routine to have a chance.

Any tips/recommendations on what to do? I'm probably nearing my 30th attempt on Captain Jack now, but just can't seem to even really get close because he holds everything with his bonus damage, and he keeps up in income despite saving for 4-5 rounds in a row somehow.

[Leto]

The 3 star challenges are basically built to be unfair, so you'll have to really press their weak points even though the odds are stacked against you. Some general tips, that won't apply to all of them, but might still be useful:
- Most, if not all of them have a very flawed build in terms of defense, which means they'll eventually start leaking on the same waves almost every time. Look at their defenses and determine which waves they're most vulnerable on and which mercenaries will work best to support those waves
- Don't be afraid to overbuild a bit at the start as they're generally at a clear advantage from the start and will send mercenaries very often. Units like Dwarf Miner are really great in most scenarios since they'll allow you to overbuild without falling behind too far in terms of income.
- Upgrading your king early on if you can generally works pretty well because it will allow you to increase your income without granting them extra funds from killing your mercs on waves where they're not going to leak anyway.

So far I've been able to clear them all in solo up to 3 star Crashton (plus Reek-a-deek, but I want to clear Crashton first before doing the rest) in the second campaign, which really has me at a loss despite having a defense consisting almost exclusively of impact damage units and being supposedly vulnerable at the start.
My most effective strategy against him so far was a super greedy Looter strategy, but even that wasn't punishing enough to defeat him or stop him from completely overwhelming you a few waves later. So if you manage to clear that one be sure to let me know lol

[Terotrous]

With the 3 star opponents, you generally have to send them specific stuff on specific waves in order to win. Since their defensive build is generally the same each time, the same send will leak them the same way every time (for the most part), so the whole game is basically about finding out what you need to send and when and then surviving long enough to make it happen.

Search for Captain Jack, I've posted a working send setup for him in another topic.

[Blue]

Originally posted by Leto:

The 3 star challenges are basically built to be unfair, so you'll have to really press their weak points even though the odds are stacked against you. Some general tips, that won't apply to all of them, but might still be useful:
- Most, if not all of them have a very flawed build in terms of defense, which means they'll eventually start leaking on the same waves almost every time. Look at their defenses and determine which waves they're most vulnerable on and which mercenaries will work best to support those waves
- Don't be afraid to overbuild a bit at the start as they're generally at a clear advantage from the start and will send mercenaries very often. Units like Dwarf Miner are really great in most scenarios since they'll allow you to overbuild without falling behind too far in terms of income.
- Upgrading your king early on if you can generally works pretty well because it will allow you to increase your income without granting them extra funds from killing your mercs on waves where they're not going to leak anyway.

So far I've been able to clear them all in solo up to 3 star Crashton (plus Reek-a-deek, but I want to clear Crashton first before doing the rest) in the second campaign, which really has me at a loss despite having a defense consisting almost exclusively of impact damage units and being supposedly vulnerable at the start.
My most effective strategy against him so far was a super greedy Looter strategy, but even that wasn't punishing enough to defeat him or stop him from completely overwhelming you a few waves later. So if you manage to clear that one be sure to let me know lol :ibpeek:

If you want to try to duo them I'd be down. I played 2 of them with my friend and it was so much easier because the bots never duo sent and we could hold the leaks.

[Leto]

Originally posted by Slightly Tilted:

Originally posted by Leto:

(...)

If you want to try to duo them I'd be down. I played 2 of them with my friend and it was so much easier because the bots never duo sent and we could hold the leaks.

Sure thing, I'll add you

[Unrealtairo]

Originally posted by Slightly Tilted:

It feels like they have some sort of coding flaw that gives them income despite saving 300 for round 9, where they should be massively behind in economy at that point.

That's exactly what happens, even in just normal vs AI games non campaign. Devs let the AI still gain their gold income, without spending, even on platinum and call that "not cheating". We typically play vs expert and win just fine, but every now and then it bugs even further and they're keeping mythium even though they sent/spent it and the next round you're 2000 down when they just sent the round before, sending another 1400+. I usually stop playing a full week when they start that bs and it's fixed again for another few weeks.

[Jules]

Originally posted by Unrealtairo:

That's exactly what happens, even in just normal vs AI games non campaign. Devs let the AI still gain their gold income, without spending, even on platinum and call that "not cheating". We typically play vs expert and win just fine, but every now and then it bugs even further and they're keeping mythium even though they sent/spent it and the next round you're 2000 down when they just sent the round before, sending another 1400+. I usually stop playing a full week when they start that bs and it's fixed again for another few weeks.

Play vs. AI Unranked, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum do not cheat at all.

Play vs. AI Diamond, Expert, Master, Senior Master, and Grandmaster cheat with bonus starting income.

Next time, feel free to screenshot when something strange happens in your Platinum Play vs. AI game, and I'm happy to take a look :)