The COs are still stupidly unbalanced in AW1. Max is way too powerful, Grit is...well, Grit, Eagle is just annoying, and Sturm is the TBS equivalent of M. Bison from Street Fighter II. (OF COURSE!)
Campaign mode is the TBS equivalent of I Wanna Be The Guy.
War Room is not that hard once you know how to abuse the AI, which sucked in AW1. Heck, some of the maps are poorly designed in every way. Like Rivers Four. And Terra Maw. Bounty River, too.
Still, it has the best plot out of every AW game that isn't subtitled "Days of Ruin" or "Dark Conflict".