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**Harti** · (This post was last modified: 07-11-2012 03:53 AM by Harti.)

Just a random comparison with AW:

In competitive Advance Wars, the Infantry is considered the best unit. When I first heard that I went "lol, yeah, sure ... ... oh you're not kidding right?".
It's a weakling footsoldier with the lowest unit cost in the game (1000) - not durable, doesn't move too far and can't do any harm to vehicle units.

(Okay, Advance Wars is mostly about capturing buildings which only footsoldier units are capable of; the only alternative is the Mech unit which is a little more expensive, having less movement range... but all that is currently not the point, Infantry would be the best units nonetheless!)

They are deemed the best units because they can block paths, are unaffected by slowing down terrain, shield your units so that the opponent can't attack them very well and capture enemy cities - essentially things most other units could do just as well, however at next to no cost.

Spamming infantries couldn't win you games although they were the best units in the game. They just suck at facing tanks or any other unit bigger than them. They are able to cause a lot of headache, especially when properly shielding Artillery units from Tanks, but nothing more. The battle itself always got decided by somewhat heavier units.
Whenever you had some funds and spawn points open by the end of the turn, but not enough funds to get a Tank or something, always produced an Infantry to keep the unit count up as well.

What I mean to say is: Even if you claim that Runners are the best units in the game (and I would rather claim that Medics are), it doesn't mean that they're overpowered, just like Infantries in AW. They have a lot of benefits and have to be used frequently to see what's going on but neither are they durable, nor will they win you the game alone. You will have to bring a couple of other units with you. Runners may be the most common build by far but it's there for getting a cheap deal and has to stay that way. I'd also have wanted to see it at 4 rather but I don't think I'd go for them much, then.