Max

An Orange Star commanding officer who offers players a unique set of tactical bonuses.

Max is a commanding officer (CO) for the Orange Star nation within the fictional continent of Advance Wars. He serves as one of the three primary leaders available to the player, alongside Andy and Sami, during the campaign mode. As a CO, Max provides his units with specific innate advantages and disadvantages, such as altering firepower or movement capabilities. His role is central to the Orange Star Army's efforts to defend against invasions from Blue Moon and navigate the complex alliances of Yellow Comet and Green Earth.

Quick Facts

Affiliation: Orange Star
Role: Commanding Officer (CO)
First appearance: Advance Wars (Game Boy Advance)

Lore & Background

Max appears as one of the selectable commanders in the Orange Star campaign, becoming available after the initial choice of Andy. The narrative structure allows players to choose between Max and Sami at specific points in the story, leading to different mission paths where maps and dialogue vary depending on the selected CO. These diverging paths eventually converge back into the main storyline. Max's strategic value is defined by his ability to modify unit performance through his Commanding Officer Power (CO Power), which requires filling a meter by defeating enemy units or surviving brutal attacks. When activated, this power provides temporary positive effects to friendly forces, distinguishing him from other commanders like Nell or Olaf who have unique abilities such as critical strikes or weather manipulation.

Reader's Guide

Max functions as a Commanding Officer (CO) in the turn-based battles of Advance Wars, where he leads an army on grid-based maps alongside infantry, vehicles, ships, and air units. To utilize Max effectively, players must manage his Power Meter, which fills by defeating enemy units or taking heavy damage. Once full, activating his CO Power grants temporary buffs to friendly units. His gameplay revolves around the core mechanics of capturing headquarters, routing enemies, or completing specific objectives like city capture counts. Players can select Max in campaign missions where story paths split based on commander choice. In combat, players must consider terrain effects, unit types, and fuel supplies while leveraging Max's specific unit bonuses. Whether using direct attack units like infantry with machine guns or indirect units like artillery, Max's leadership alters the efficiency of these operations compared to other COs.