Metal Slug Attack Reloaded

As you're starting out, there's a Build Up menu that will take your MSP so that you can do things more efficiently in a fight under the Customize Bases menu. In order, it's Buildup Speed (for AP), MSP Gain, Deployment Speed, Hangar (for initial AP value), Destruction Bonus (get AP for downing units), and Base (for HP). Your main priority is to up MSP Gain as much as you can and then you can work on the rest. The level you can hit max at is 10 and then you have to level up yourself to go beyond that, but it's good to get lots of MSP early so you don't have to stress about it later. As you level up beyond 10, you'll start getting all of them raised at the same time, so it's just this initial hump to get over.

The other tab in Customize Bases is for the Support System, which are Reload Charge (everyone on your side who is deployed gets to instantly use their Special Attack, even if they are already doing it so they can do it again immediately), Recovery Charge (heals everyone and lets you immediately deploy anyone who is on downtime from being deployed the first time), and the MSA attack power and charge time (big boom goes faster and bigger). You'll be leveling these along with the rest, but it's important to use the appropriate support for a given stage since it could make or break your attempt.

In order to get units, you have to use the gacha system. There are different pools for the units to be drawn from and they are all finite, so you will not roll more than what is necessary in order to bring a unit to platinum tier. You get medals from doing the many missions as well as progressing through the story.

There is an online PvP feature once you get far enough and the game will assume that you have a decent enough team since you got that far in the first place. The good news is that the rank is not a big deal and there are unranked matches if you don't care at all. Even if you (most likely) get your team wiped, you can still earn some medals. If you are not a fan, I would not stress about this mode at all.

As you go through the main stages, the game will sometimes block you and direct you to the Another Story section, where you read up about a given faction's situation. You can only use units from that faction, so it is strongly recommended that you try to beef up some of the tougher units so you can have a full deck of 10 per faction.

For some units, they really, really want their equipment on them so they can access their skills because it can turn them from a chump to a champ. As an example, some units will gain the chance to cause knock back on attacking, some will evade, some will have their Special Attack have added projectiles, and some will actually heal up to full and stay in the fight if they get downed.

Having said that, the way to get equipment is to rescue POWs. There are always 4 hidden POWs on a stage that can be rescued by attacking wherever they are. If you win too fast before saving all 4, that will unfortunately be on you, so you have to pay it some mind.

There is a fusion system where you can get higher-tier items by fusing the lower-tier ones. I do not recommend doing this unless you are absolutely flush with them or if you are fully aware of what you are looking for because they can ask for a lot. Nothing is stopping you from going for it, but it is a lot of work that could be avoided by just trying to progress so you can access the stage the target item is on in the first place.

Have some variety on your deck so that you don't get caught out by the enemy. Ideally, you want a unit that can attack at range before the enemy can do it in return, a unit who can soak up the nastier attacks, and a unit who can either buff the others passively by being in the same faction or can just throw out healing.

Sometimes, the correct answer is to constantly build AP, wait for the enemy send some fodder your way, and then unleash a monster with a strong Special Attack while you have the Reload Charge support so you can get the ball rolling. Other times, you want to start harassing the enemy with some quick, not too weak units to buy yourself time for the better ones. You'll know what to do as you run into these situations and have a better understanding of your team.