tl;dr map above. // Much thanks to the admin of https://gf.underseaworld.net for the maps. You're awesome!
Welcome to AW 2-4 !
This is the real challenge with night AW stages and the most RNG heavy one.
You are fighting your way through minions in the dark until you hunt down the boss.
Boss roam range is significantly smaller than how it was in Operation Cube, however, and finding the boss isn't as bad of a deal.
A total of 4 squads will be used for this guide including two dummies.
This can be reduced to 3 if you bring a 3rd combat squad instead.
Squad 1 (Night AR) is highly recommended to be of 90+ level for your own sanity.
Squad 1 - 90 level+ night AR team.
Do not bring glass cannons, otherwise you will have a bad time here.
I've tried out various dolls that are considered to be super commonly available yet effective in clearing the stage.
FNC, OTs-12, Thompson, Skorpion, Grizzly are all commonly crafted dolls and have been doing well for my tests.
Squad 2 is the usual 70+ level night RF team.
It would help if you can bring 90+ dolls but it isn't a strict requirement.
Squad 3 is a dummy.
If you can somehow bring along a third combat squad (preferably night AR), then you don't need squad 4 as dummy.
Squad 4 is also dummy. See above on squad 3, this can be optional.
Begin turn 0 by summoning squad 1 and sending it down one node on turn 1.
Summon squad 2 on helipad.
On turn 2, send squad 1 one tile East.
Have squad 2 follow one tile and then summon squad 3 on helipad.
When squad 1 reaches the radar site, you'll either meet an empty node or a single Jupiter with very weak yellow CE rating.
The yellow CE rating Jupiter nodes have just one cannon.
In the case where you won the lottery (it appears that the devs have tweaked the chances so that either this never happens or it really rarely does), you'll have to circle all the way around till that other un-captured radar site at two tiles East of this node.
On turn 3, send squad 1 two tiles East.
Don't worry, this is not a suicidal mission.
If you read the cutscene from the radar site, you'll know that this is the right thing to do.
Full power Jupiter cannons fire railgun rounds that deal explosive cross shaped AoE damage.
Once the battle begins immediately move your middle doll forward so that nobody else gets splashed.
You can also change the formation mid-mission by double clicking your squad and then going into formation setup screen through the small button on bottom left.
In the above image's case, you can move it away so that it's:
OTs-12 / Skorpion /
Grizzly / -------/
FNC / -------/ Thompson
Yellow CE Jupiter nodes are much weaker than they look.
Your squad should kill them easily after face tanking just a single hit before it fires off its 2nd volley.
Bring up squad 2 up to right behind squad 1 so that you're soon ready to use that helipad.
Remember that you can kite unarmored enemies too!
Kiting will save you from a lot of potential incoming damage.
On turn 4, resupply both squads 1 and 2 by swapping positions.
You'll note that squad 3 (dummy) is about to have enemy run into them.
It's okay, it's an acceptable loss.
This is where bringing in a 3rd combat squad could be useful, but it's not a necessity.
Send squad 2 ahead to Southeast first as there are armored enemies.
Have squad 1 closely follow behind, but make sure you deploy squad 4 on the helipad before you leave.
This is how things would be before you end your turn.
On turn 5, continue moving forward to capture that radar site down Southeast.
On turn 6, now it's the time to make a choice thanks to the radar site.
If you see a red CE Jupiter on the upper possible empty node, then just move down to the bottom node.
If it's either empty or with yellow CE, go through there.
On turn 7, Depending on your luck you will have to wait until the now newly acquired helipad opens up.
While you are waiting, clear out any armored minions still nearby.
On turn 8, resupply and repair both of your squads.
This is your last chance of fully repairing your squads before the boss fight.
Afterwards send squad 1 first West then summon in the previously lost squad 3 dummy.
On turn 9, continue moving forward while squad 1 takes point.
There is a small possibility of two ambush nodes ahead giving you armored minions.
Chance of it happening is low, but it can still happen, so feel free to send squad 2 ahead if you'd like.
On turn 10, keep moving forward and watch out for a single roaming armored minion.
There is one armored mob roaming around with the boss and you'll need your RF squad to kill them easily.
On turn 11, same deal with the previous turn, search for the boss.
Turn 11. Ahh, there you are. How kind of you to approach me first.
The boss (Architect) has 8 shields, 8 RFs as her escort.
Send squad 1 to kill her!
In the boss battle you can either send your dolls out in a X shaped formation or like in the image above, two columns.
Architect's normal non-skill attack may randomly hit a backrow DPS instead of front tanks, so don't be surprised.
Keep your eyes open on your own tiles so that you know when to dodge.
You'll often see Architect use a total of three skillshots.
1st and 2nd nukes will be a cross shaped hit with 1 tiles each from the epicenter.
A successful skillshot dodge, with nobody hurt from her nuke.
I've never seen such a lighthearted Sangvis Ferri enemy like her.
She'll make that V sign after she finishes shooting her nuke.
While you are fighting the boss you may begin to notice that your DPSs are only shooting at the boss, not her escorts.
Do not let this continue!
Quickly tap dance your ARs by dragging them forward and then immediately back so that they reset back to their default targeting mechanism of whichever is at the front.
These escorts hurt a lot more than you'd think and killing them will be very helpful for your success.
Just 2nd nuke now, with nothing different than the 1st one. However her 3rd one...
If you were using a X shaped formation and with her 3rd nuke she targets your center doll (and the RNG gods will often laugh at you by doing exactly that), you are toast.
Her 3rd nuke has a full 3x3, 9 tile AoE radius to hit you.
Make sure your DPS dolls are unharmed from this otherwise you're in for a very saddening fight. Tanks should hold fine.
And there you have it, AW 2-4 !
Personally this was the most difficult and stressful fight for me over the entirety of AW stages.
Don't give up but instead keep it up!
Next: AW 3-1 Walkthrough
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