Tips and Strategy
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Tips
Here are a few hints to surviving as long as possible in Antivirus.
Generic tip #1: Build stuff during the round instead of before it, see what you need and then throw that down.
Opening Moves
Good level 0 opening moves:
1 Battery + 4 Lasers: (6 power) Strong and reliable, Lasers are awesome opening weapons and let you get the batts rolling. Keep the excess power to dump into more batts and lasers on Level 1 and 2.
2 Battery + 2 Lasers + 1 Quarantine: (8 power) Solid opener, then buy one Laser every turn until the batts charge.
Defense in Depth
__Batteries
We'll start here because hands down this is the most important defense you are going to buy. You want as many of these out as you possibly can, as early as you can. If every active defense on the board didn't fire last round, you have too many defenses and not enough batteries! Place these at the end of a round when you're cleaning up the dregs, that way the 2 power acts as an emergency buffer in case you get a leaker that would otherwise end your game.
Upgrades:
You'll need to upgrade these sooner or later, doing it right before they pop is the best time since you get the extra power produced straight away.
__Laser Scan
This is the ultimate weapon in the early game. Never misses, awesome damage for the power investment. Weak against armor, but with an upgrade it'll do well against Spyware and Phish. You will need to supplant these with heavy weapons later, but keep some upgraded lasers near the CPU to finish off leakers where you need the accuracy and concentration on a single target.
Upgrades:
The Laser Damage, Range and Recharge are all worthwhile but just one extra Damage improves the Laser effectiveness by 3x against Spyware and Phish and ensures it does some damage each hit.
__Quarantine
This Area of Effect weapon is great to thin out the waves of critters, but almost useless against single targets. They have the range to hit Malware and in combination with Barricades or WiFi they can be deadly to clustered groups. 2 damage to 10 critters is 20 points from a single shot! Set for nearest targeting may help them hit better. Phish naturally take 1 less damage from this weapon, don't rely on them too heavily.
Upgrades:
The Damage, Range and Recharge are all worthwhile for this weapon, but the range upgrade is especially effective when facing Malware.
__Disconnect
This heavy hitter deals out 3 damage in a single shot, often catching a critter on the backswing for another 3 damage. When it works. It's also incredibly hard to use, slow, short range and the upgrades aren't as dramatic as the other defenses. (3->4 damage is a 33% boost, where 1->2 is 100% more damage for a Firewall) This is your most effective 'scraper' to keep other defenses clear of DOS.
Upgrades:
This already deals out enough damage naturally, but you MUST upgrade the range to make them function at all against Malware.
__Bit Shield
Long range, damages everything in it's path, fast firing ... what's not to like? Only 1 damage and armor laughs at it, that's what. Set up to fire along a corridor the bit shield can wear down a half dozen critters in a single shot. Use them to soften up a swarm.
Upgrades:
Damage, Range, Recharge it's all good baby!
__Firewall
As one of only two internet connection defenses, the firewall is the only one that does damage. Use these a lot in high traffic areas with upgrades, and just put them everywhere. They never miss, but often only hit the first critter that comes by.
Upgrades:
Damage is a great upgrade if the wall is in a key spot, but range can be a sneaky way to blast larger holes and hit more critters in a oncoming wave. Recharge when combined with Lockdown is tricky but could be a nice 1-2-3 punch.
__Delete
Massive armor crusing damage for only 3 power and range that sweeps the map! This seems like an uber- weapon, but it only hits one critter. This makes them great end-run defenses once the herd has been thinned out. Upgrades for range and especially recharge are worthwhile.
Upgrades:
At seven damage a pop, upgrading Damage is about the last thing you need! Range and Recharge together can multiply your damage output nicely to pick off straglers at extreme ranges.
__Barricade
These do no damage, but in concert with the other defenses are your best way to cluster a dozen critters together for Quarantine or Saw attack! The level one upgrade is a very, very worthwhile investment every 'cade should get. Arrange in pattern with Firewalls for best effect.
Upgrades:
Recharge, Recharge, Recharge! Put at least one point in, and for key Kill Zones upgrade to the max and they're still worth it!
__WiFi
Useless at first, but possibly the only thing that can keep you alive at higher levels. Wi the critters fast, early and hard before they make thier attack run and keep 'em in molasses if they reach the CPU.
Upgrades:
Recharge and Range! Since these don't actually do any damage you want to maximize your real estate by upgrading these instead of putting down more of the them.
__Lockdown
An oddball device, but nailing a critter at long range until 4 firewalls can recycle is sheer joy! Don't put these too near each other or they'll target the same critter all the time. Setting some for Nearest targeting can help this as well.
Upgrades:
Upgrading damage is effective as you get 1 damage on the initial nailing, and 1 plus the normal base 1 damage when the nail is pulled out. More often then not, these go to the bottom of the food chain when it comes to upgrade priorities.