Welcome to the They Are Billions (TAB) Campaign!

TAB is a pausable (as in, you can issue commands while paused) Real-Time Strategy (RTS) game. It has rogue-like elements, in that if you fail a mission, you have to start over from scratch. You may retry missions as many times as necessary, but it affects your overall score. If you're familiar with survival, you probably only want to look at the tech tree sequence and maybe hero skill sequence. This guide is not spoiler free.

There are other guides focusing on showing where items are in hero missions, so I won't spend too much time on that in this guide. If you're new to TAB, then this guide is for you. I can't say if these tips will be sufficient for 800%, but they should certainly work on lower levels. I only plan to cover Calliope in depth because I hate how slow Caelus is, but you can definitely use him instead.

I may finish the sections that are incomplete some day, but this is enough to get you through the game with a couple different options.

Mission Types

There are three overarching flavors of missions in TAB: RTS missions, Hero Missions, and Swarm Missions.

• RTS missions - In these missions you will start with a town center and a handful of troops, and you will have various mission objectives to fulfill prior to completion. These missions will reward a medium amount of Empire Points and Research Points, which increases as the mission difficulty rises.
  
  
• Hero missions - In these missions you will start with just the hero you chose at the beginning of the game. As you complete the overarching objective, you may find consumable resources unique to the hero missions (grenades and medical kits) as well as some friendly units. Health regeneration also does not work in this mode. More importantly (and controversially), there is a point-and-click mechanic for finding the Empire and Research points that are available while on these missions. This guide will only touch on that aspect occasionally, there are other guides for that purpose and there's still a lot of content to flesh out in this guide. These missions are the best source of Empire Points and research Points
  
  
• Swarm missions - In these missions you will spend the empire points you have earned along the way (you will get them back at the end of the mission) in order to place troops and barricades while you fend off a variety of enemies. Make sure you read what enemies are in the swarm and resource accordingly. These missions award Empire points, and typically block progress down a certain path until you complete them.

This section will cover some of the overarching mechanics of TAB, including those specific to the campaign. Pay particular attention to the sound, infection, and permadeath mechanics. They are the majority of what makes TAB unique, and combined can quickly turn a 1-2 hour mission into a failure you restart from scratch.

Sound
Just like in zombie movies, sound is a critical element. Everything you do generates sound, and sound will accumulate and attract zombies. Certain things (e.g., loud weapons fire) generate more sound, and on higher difficulties this can quickly lead to you being overwhelmed if you're unprepared. Think of sound as a hidden value that ticks up per tile as you continue to perform actions on that tile and that decreases as you do not. This affects both Hero and RTS missions.

Infection
Just like in zombie movies, the undead create more undead. However, this is specific to buildings -your dead troops do not rise again. Buildings that are staffed by workers have a blue health bar and a yellow shield. When that yellow shield is depleted, the workers inside are turned into zombies, often at least runners. The game incentivizes you to cluster your buildings, in particular housing, so you have to be extremely aware of the broader battle in RTS missions or one lone zombie can take down your entire base. If your town center is infected you lose. A green color bar over the building means it is still being built and purple means it is being repaired. Green buildings that are attacked are destroyed if the health is reduced to zero. Infected buildings are unusable until fully repaired.

(Lack of) Saving/Permadeath
In TAB, there is almost no saving. The game will periodically save a state in case your power turns off (or you cheaters alt-F4). There are no checkpoints. You cannot go back within an RTS mission, and if you lose you restart from scratch. As of a recent patch, you can create as many backups as you like from the campaign screen. This allows you to experiment with different missions and branching, as well as prevents some corruption issues people have experienced from wiping the total campaign. Really though, if you're going to commit to playing TAB, I recommend just accepting your losses and learning from them, as the survival community has learned to do for years.

Grid View
Because infection is so terribly decimating to bases, the devs have added what's referred to as "Grid View". When you press F4, you will see open space (uncolored), trees (green), and unpassable (black) terrain much more clearly. Complacency is your enemy, make a habit of checking your walls and base layout for gaps so that you don't lose an hour plus worth of effort. Don't get cocky.



Time
TAB has a time mechanic in RTS missions. The train (see below) arrives every 24 hours. The town center produces gold after a certain number of ticks of time, and the same with all other resource generating buildings. Additionally, most RTS missions have a series of minor waves and large swarms that will attack on a set schedule, as well as an overall objective completion timer.

Train
The train is a mechanic that is unique to the campaign. By default, it brings you a shipment every 24 hours. In the campaign, housing is not populated until the next train arrival after the housing construction was completed, which is very important to manage effectively.

Train tracks cannot be built over, with the exception of gates, and even then only on straight parts of track. If a train hits your troops it will merely push them out of the way, but zombies it will kill. If you are skilled or lucky enough you can use this to take out large groups of zombies as well.

There are some technology tree upgrades that also add additional resources to the dropoff, which are immediately added to your stockpile.

Line-of-Sight (LoS) and Fog of War (FoW)
Line-of-sight is a constraint in TAB, although it's pretty generous (sometimes your troops will fire at enemies you don't see). Be cognizant of that when you construct your base (e.g., if there are walls inside the range of a ballista but its LoS is blocked, it will not defend the walls).

Fog of War functions like most any RTS in which an area is only displayed if covered by a unit, tower, or you have the Silent Beholder wonder.

(Un)Friendly Fire
Grenades in hero missions, Exploding barrels/mines in hero missions (credit: Getting Jiggy With It), and Lucifer fire in RTS, Swarm, and hero missions will all damage or kill your own units. Be wary. Note: Unsure about mines exploding in normal missions, never tried them in the campaign.

Proximity/Accessibility
Buildings have to be reachable by zombies, so you can't make a solid mass of houses with no room to walk around. Some buildings like mills also have a stay-out volume around them, so be mindful of that in planning. Also, the tiles immediately adjacent to train tracks cannot be built on, except as part of a gate.

Another element of this is proximity to enemies. If enemies are too close, you cannot build or destroy buildings. This means you will have to push out to build walls, but it also means once the horde has hit your wall, the nearby defenses are committed. If you see it starting to fall, start building backup walls and such early. As long as it has been placed, it will actually stop the zombies (it just won't be at full health).

Research
The overworld technology tree is used to unlock and improve various technologies for use within the RTS and Swarm missions. However, many of those technologies still require research within each RTS mission in order to utilize them (e.g., ballistas have to be researched every RTS mission, even after tech tree unlock). Everything that is allowed in a swarm mission is unlocked by default at the start of the swarm mission after its tech tree research is complete.

Power
Any buildings with people in them need power to generate. Think Starcraft Pylons. Your town center projects a small power radius, but you have to build tesla towers in order to expand your base. Be very mindful of where these are placed on your outer lines. There's nothing worse than having a great defensive set of towers that get shut off because the tesla tower powering them was vulnerable and went down early.

Veterancy
As Rangers, Soldiers, and Snipers fight, they gain experience. Once they gain enough experience, they become veterans, and gain some significant stat boosts. Ideally you will rotate troops to the hottest combat areas and get as many veterans as possible.

Target Priority
In all 3 mission types, the units may be given a preference to target nearby or target highest priority. In general you want a mix if possible, such as half the troops in a death ball on high priority and half on proximity, or ballistas on nearby and sniper towers on high priority, etc. Each setting has its own pros and cons:

• Nearest
  
  • Pros: You're unlikely to get hit unless you're up against spitters or harpies.
    
  • Cons: Harpies will get occasional hits in when they jump on you and spitters will melt your group's face off. You also have less time to burn down healthier enemies, such as chubbies or executives because you're busy attacking that nearby shambler.
• High Priority
  
  • Pros: Typically kills the most dangerous enemies first, meaning whatever does get to you is likely the least threatening.
    
  • Cons: Prioritizes chubbies over other specials, which means a spitter may still melt your face off because you're too busy shooting that melee guy charging you. Will also potentially let hordes smack you while you shoot further out enemies.

Enemy Spawns
In general, what spawns on the map is what's on the map. The only exceptions are periodic small waves of shamblers/runners, and then hordes. You do not get a warning for the small waves, you do get a timer and a warning for the horde.

Difficulties
This game is different from many others in that essentially what is different as difficulty levels rise is really only a few things: 1) Number of enemies on the starting map; 2) Size of waves and hordes; 3) Sound sensitivity; 4) Shorter timers (overall on mission and/or hordes). Enemies have the same health, your troops have the same damage, etc.

Villages of Doom
Beware. These buildings house huge numbers of zombies. They do not generate any, even though it may see like it has to be. The areas near these tend to be more sensitive to sound and send runners more frequently. Make sure you have a sizeable army before taking them on. They drop large stockpiles of items when finally destroyed which can really boost your economy if timed properly.

There are two heroes in TAB currently, and a permanent selection between them is one of your first decisions. Caelus, the slow, hulking AOE powerhouse, and Calliope, the quick and deadly glass cannon. This guide assumes you chose Calliope, but again, Caelus works just fine too. These heroes are never used in the main campaign missions, only in hero missions.



Hero Skills

There are 24 hero skills available. Over the course of the campaign, there are 10 hero missions. You earn one point each mission you complete. One is the last mission, so you only get 9 points to play with, and a nearby skill has to already be purchased (diagonal is fine).



Because there are so few points and damage is Calliope's weakness, we will be focusing on damage enhancements and range.

I am not a Caelus expert, but when I have played him I have focused on attack speed, damage, and a little larger AOE.

Resources

In the RTS missions, there are 5 true resources (Gold through Oil below) and 3 resource pools tied to buildings production (and rare loot) which establish a pool used by buildings and troops. The only way to win this game is to effectively manage combat and the balance of these resources at the same time. This is the heart of TAB. List of resources below:

• Gold - Generated by the town center (based on housing), and provided every 8 hours by the train (with the right technology upgrades). Can also be generated by quarries placed near gold (gold color) deposits. Occasionally found as a drop. Important Note: Almost all fielded troops and buildings have a maintenance cost that reduces your gold income, so it's crucial to keep on top of continuously expanding your economy.
  
• Wood - Generated by sawmills. Used for buildings and rangers. Occasionally found as a drop. Inns and Power Plants come with a wood upkeep cost, as do certain wonders.
  
• Stone - Generated by quarries placed near stone deposits (light grey color). Occasionally found as a drop. Certain wonders have a stone upkeep cost.
  
• Iron - Generated by quarries placed near iron deposits (dark grey color). Occasionally found as a drop. Certain wonders have a stone upkeep cost.
  
• Oil - Generated by oil pumps placed over oil deposits (black liquid) or the Atlas Transmutator wonder. Occasionally found as a drop. Important Note: All units with an oil cost have an oil upkeep, so you'll be hard constrained as to how many you can get. Certain wonders have a stone upkeep cost.
  
• Workers - Generated by building or upgraded housing. Used for just about everything. If troops die, the worker resource they consumed is freed up for re-use. Buildings are more commonly infected than destroyed outright, but in the case of destroyed or deleted buildings, the workers they consumed are freed up. Pausing production buildings also frees up workers.
  
• Food - Generated by fishing huts, hunting cabins, and farms. Occasionally found as a drop. Used for housing and troops. If troops die, the food resource they consumed is freed up for re-use. Buildings are more commonly infected than destroyed outright, but in the case of destroyed or deleted buildings, the food they consumed is freed up.
  
• Power - Generated by mills, advanced mills, and power plants. Used for non-power generating buildings. Occasionally found as a drop. Buildings are more commonly infected than destroyed outright, but in the case of destroyed or deleted buildings, the power they consumed is freed up. Pausing production buildings also frees up power.

Note that buildings can be paused to free up the resources they are locking up via upkeep if you made mistakes in purchase order and need to free up resources immediately.

In the Swarm missions, there are no resources, they are only about killing.

In the Hero missions, there are only 2 resources, medkits and grenades. Medkits will heal the party to full health (single charge per medkit). Grenades cause an AOE explosion that penetrates units, effectively demolishing a pretty sizeable area and doing flat damage to everything inside. The only unit that tends to survive grenades are Chubbies.

• Town Center - Your home base. If you lose this, it's "Game over, man!" You will start every RTS mission with this and all zombie hordes will take the straightest path possible to it. Protect it at all costs. It does project a fixed power radius and generate 10 workers, 30 power, and 20 food to start, which can be upgraded.
  
• Tent - Your most basic (and cost efficient) housing. Source of colonists, workers, and income. Low upkeep. Takes four tiles, can be placed side by side, but then requires a clearance lane on either side.
  
• Cottage - Your second tier housing. Source of colonists, workers, and income. Medium upkeep. Takes four tiles, can be placed side by side, but then requires a clearance lane on either side. Requires research in the Wood Workshop.
  
• Stone House - Your final tier housing. Source of colonists, workers, and income. Extremely high upkeep. Takes four tiles, can be placed side by side, but then requires a clearance lane on either side. Requires research in the Stone Workshop.
  
• Hunter Cottage - Food source that generates more based on nearby trees and fertile terrain. Low upkeep. Food generation territory cannot overlap with another Hunter's Cottage, and any structures built in its territory will reduce its food generation.
  
• Fisherman Cottage - Food source that generates more based on how many surrounding water tiles there are (these are awesome on jetties). Low upkeep. Food generation territory cannot overlap with another Fisherman's Cottage.
  
• Sawmill - Primary wood source that generates more based on how many surrounding tree tiles there are (these work well in divots in the treeline). Low upkeep. Wood generation territory cannot overlap with another Sawmill.
  
• Quarry - Primary source for mining stones and minerals (including gold). Stone/Iron/Gold source that generates more based on how many surrounding resource tiles there are. Low upkeep. Stone/Iron/Gold generation territory cannot overlap with another Quarry's mining range.
  
• Advanced Quarry - Expensive upgrade that gets even more stone and minerals, but has high upkeep. Still no overlap allowed. Must be researched in the Stone Workshop.
  
• Farm - Primary food source for large colonies. Only provides food from fertile terrain in range. Building over the wheat once it's up will reduce the food provided. Farm territory cannot overlap with another farm's territory. Must be researched in the Wood Workshop.
  
• Advanced Farm - Expensive upgrade that gets even more food out of the earth, but has high upkeep. Still no overlap allowed. Must be researched in the Stone Workshop.
  
• Oil Platform - Primary oil source. Very expensive and high upkeep, but required for end-game tier units. Foundry must be built first.
  
• Tesla Tower - Extends your town's power radius so that you can build new buildings. Low upkeep. Has to be a set number of cells away from other Tesla Towers.
  
• Mill - Primary power source. Low upkeep. Has to be a set number of cells away from other Mills.
  
• Advanced Mill - Expensive upgrade that generates even more power, but has high upkeep. Still no overlap allowed. Must be researched in the Stone Workshop.
  
• Power Plant - Huge power boost with no special proximity requirements. Periodically decreases wood in addition to base upkeep.
  
• Wood Workshop - Initial research building. Large size, medium upkeep.
  
• Stone Workshop - Second tier research building. Large size, medium upkeep. Must be researched in the Wood Workshop.
  
• Foundry - Final Tier research building. Large size, high upkeep. Must be researched in the Stone Workshop.
  
• Inn - Increases the income of homes around it in a certain radius. Allows instant hiring of troops at a premium. Is expensive and has a wood upkeep in addition to normal upkeep.
  
• Market - Economy building that decreases the food consumption of nearby houses, allows autoselling of excess resources, allows manual buying/selling of resources. Has a minimum population requirement, cannot overlap with other markets, and you may only build 3 total. Buy price decreases with an increased number of markets.
  
• Bank - Economy building that increases the gold production of nearby houses. Has a minimum population requirement, cannot overlap with other banks, and you may only build 3 total.
  
• Warehouse - Economy building that increases your max storage of gold, wood, stone, iron, and oil. Also increases the production of resource buildings in its radius and cannot overlap. Large size, medium upkeep.
  
• Soldier's Center - Troop production building that allows you to create Rangers, Soldiers, and Snipers (assuming appropriate tech tree upgrades and research completed). Medium size and upkeep.
  
• Engineering Center - Advanced troop production building that allows you to create Lucifer, Thanatos, Titan and Mutant (assuming appropriate tech tree upgrades and research completed). Medium size and high upkeep.
  
• Wooden Wall - Weak barrier that delays enemies but will eventually be destroyed. Can only have 2 deep on straight lines and 3 deep on diagonals. No upkeep.
  
• Wooden Gate - Weak barrier that allows your troops, but not the enemy, to pass through. Connects to walls. No upkeep.
  
• Wooden Tower - Medium health tower that allows 4 Soldier's Center troops inside, and boosts their attack stats. Connects to walls. No upkeep.
  
• Wooden Stakes - No upkeep, but does take damage as enemies walk over it, and can be repaired
  
• Stone Wall - Medium health barrier that delays enemies but will eventually be destroyed. Can only have 2 deep on straight lines and 3 deep on diagonals. No upkeep.
  
• Stone Gate - Medium health barrier that allows your troops, but not the enemy, to pass through. Connects to walls. No upkeep.
  
• Stone Tower - High health tower that allows 4 Soldier's Center troops inside, and boosts their attack stats. No upkeep.
  
• Wire Trap - An iron-based trap that slows and damages enemies. No upkeep, but does take damage as enemies walk over it, and can be repaired. Requires Stone Workshop to research.
  
• Wasp - A one tile machinegun that automatically attacks enemies in range. Fairly loud and expensive, but will do in a pinch, and great for filling gaps between towers. This is the only offensive structure (unless you count walking traps) that is available in Swarm missions if it is unlocked. Must be researched in the Stone Workshop.
  
• Ballista - A four tile giant arrow launcher that deals some splash damage. Primary defense against early waves. Does not require any iron or stone, so great thing to pop up early on after getting some walls in place so that you can focus elsewhere. Must be researched in the Wood Workshop.
  
• Executor - A four tile splash damage machine gun. Built by upgrading ballistas. Very high upkeep, only upgrade close to final wave to keep from crippling your economy. Must be researched in the Foundry.
  
• Shock Tower - A four tile tower of death. Shock towers instantly kill all mobs lower than executives in a single shot, at the same time, in a fairly wide area (especially after upgrades). They have to recharge between bursts, are vulnerable to spitters, and are tremendous energy hogs. All that said, they're pretty much a must unless you're a masochist. There is a minimum distance requirement between two shock towers. Must be researched in the Stone Workshop.

Below are base stats for all buildings

All resources on the right side of the HUD go up in ticks over time (except for those one-time grab items on the map in the RTS version).


















The left side resources are a pool based on your buildings, and as buildings and/or troops increase or decrease they will fluctuate based on your maximum.










Many resource buildings have a variable return depending on where you choose to place them. Keep in mind that resource generation areas can't overlap, so sometimes it's better optimization to place two that have a lower return than one large gatherer (e.g., this is very apparent in Mines of the Raven at the gold mines: 3 out of the 4 mines you can get more gold income by using two quarries on the edges than 1 in the middle).

There are 6 Wonders in the game. Wonders can be built in RTS missions and can be built once each mission. In general, in the campaign, you're not going to want to waste tech points on most of these. The Academy of Immortals is always epic, but wouldn't go more than one or two others, if that.

• The Silent Beholder - Dispels fog of war across the whole map. Moderately Useful. Resource cost XX. Upkeep XX.
  
• The Academy of Immortals - Makes all existing and future troops veterans. Extremely useful. Resource cost 50 Workers, 50 Energy, 200 Wood, 200 Stone, 100 Iron, 7000 Gold. Upkeep XX.
  
• The Victorious - Increases the gold income of houses in an area. Mildly useful. Resource cost XX. Upkeep XX.
  
• The Crystal Palace - Massive food boost. Very useful. Resource cost XX. Upkeep XX.
  
• The Lightning Spire - Massive energy boost. Very useful. Resource cost XX. Upkeep XX.
  
• The Atlas Transmutator - Creates a positive oil income in exchange for upkeep of other materials. Moderately useful, if you're swimming in resources. Resource cost XX. Upkeep XX.

Below are the various friendly units, all of whom are available in swarm missions.

• Ranger - Available by default from the Soldier's Center, and you will start every RTS mission with at least 4. They are very fast, and very quiet, but don't pack a lot of punch until they become veterans. Requires wood and workers.
  
• Soldier - Earliest available tech tree unit. Built from basic Soldier's Center after tech tree unlock, no research required. Soldiers are excellent units at holding a point, and a ball of them is extremely deadly. They reach veteran status quite quickly (it feels like) and a group of 25 or so will clear the map with relative ease. Occasionally they will get overwhelmed, but are fast enough to put some distance in between them and the enemy and recover. Requires iron, food, and workers.
  
• Sniper - Expensive unit that packs a powerful punch, and impressive range. Slow to move and slow to fire, but they excel in towers or with someone kiting/tanking in front of them, or a big enough deathball. They overkill units below executive, so they're better once specials start appearing, soldiers are probably better prior to that. They are available from the Soldier's Center, but they require a tech tree purchase and they must be researched from the Wood Workshop each mission.
  
• Lucifer - Basic unit of the engineering center. Requires oil to train and upkeep, but can essentially handle hordes without specials by itself with little to no problem. Very tanky and high health regeneration plus long range AoE and Damage Over Time (DoT). Does inflict burning on your own non-Lucifer troops, so be sure to keep them somewhat separated. Is the only ranged unit that cannot fire over walls.
  
• Thanatos - Advanced unit of the engineering center. These weird looking dudes are essentially heavy mortars. While essential in survival mode, they are rarely used in the campaign due to shock tower buffs and limited oil pools. Requires oil to train and upkeep and must be researched in the Foundry.
  
• Titan - Walking, death dealing tank. Does very well against hordes due to splash damage. Very high cost and oil upkeep. I tend to have one at each border and a few extra as a quick reaction force.
  
• Mutant - Extremely fast melee class. Can soak up a fair amount of damage. Melee AOE damage. Very high cost. Not bad to keep a few for emergencies as they can cross the map quickly, but not great either.

There are basically 8 enemies (technically I think there's two flavors of Decrepit and 2 flavors of Runners), listed from easiest to hardest (a little subjectivity between Harpies and Spitters). Note that Swarm missions will tell you exactly what enemies are in the mission so that you can plan accordingly, and the text will usually give you some hints.

• Decrepit - These are shamblers like you would see in most zombie movies. Slow, weak, not really threatening unless there are a lot of them and you have no troops nearby.
  
• Runner - These are Day of the Dead zombies that run super fast and have a large health pool. Rangers can still take them 1:1 with enough of a starting distance between them, but more than one is deadly.
  
• Executives - Runners, but wearing a suit. Apparently, a super suit. They have a larger health pool. These are the first units that takes multiple shots from a shock tower to kill.
  
• Chubby - As the name implies, big fat guys that take a ton of punishment prior to dying. Fairly easy to manage if you're paying attention, but really you prefer to fight these with at least a ball of rangers/soldiers or a couple snipers. One-on-one they are a threat to most any troop, except maybe a Titan.
  
• Harpy - Weird ladies that crawl around creepily like ghosts in Japanese horror movies. But then they get fast. Super fast. Don't try to outrun them. Ever. Yeah, that one guy did it that one time and it worked, but don't do it. Turn and fight. And if you have rangers, they are probably dead. Just accept it and lead them away from the base. Oh yeah, they can jump over walls too.
  
• Spitter - Weird mutant creatures that spit an AoE attack at tremendous range. If you don't have shock tower range extensions from the tech tree, they will annihilate the shock towers from a safe distance. And if you run a troop ball around (which you should) and get attacked by too many of them at once it's possible to lose said troop ball from just a few poison sprays. Note that there is a lag from the poison spray fire to landing, so you can actually dodge it if you're fighting just one or two.
  
• Mutant - There are a small number of these, but they are easily aggroed with sound and very tough to take down. They tend to bring along friends too. Be very conscious of your sound generation at the beginning of later game maps. Easy way to wipe.
  
• Giant - These will never surprise you. You know when they are on your map, because they get their own icon. They're that big and dangerous. Thankfully, they do not get attracted by sound. However, once you aggro them, they will continue until your base dies or they do. Do not fight them unprepared. Kiting them with a few sacrificial lambs while snipers pound away is the best way to take these out.

World Map

The below image is an overview of the main world screen and the associated content.



Tech Tree

The technology tree runs very deep. Everything has a single predecessor (although you start with steam technology), some things have multiple successors. Additionally, some things have prerequisites (e.g., you cannot unlock the Titan damage upgrade without first unlocking Titans). This will be apparent because the choice stays greyed out even though the predecessor is unlocked.

After watching someone on YouTube click the little arrow to move the tech tree, the power of mercy compels me to tell you that you can just click and drag left and right to navigate and it's much faster and easier.

Everything has specific point values (your available points are shown in the bottom right), but some of the items are important to sequence and they will be laid out in detail in later sections.




The other main view is the Hero tab, which is presented in the section above.

Here, I'll give an overview of technologies, and rank them into tiers (at least relative to their use in this guide). Keep in mind there's a specific sequence section elsewhere in this guide because sometimes mediocre technologies are required to access stellar technologies, and the campaign almost demands certain tech sequences early on. Important note: You cannot earn enough research points to earn all technologies, only about 70% or so. You also cannot respec out of technologies once you have beaten a mission with them equipped. This makes this the single most important meta-progression mechanic.


Title: Bearings and Pulleys
Effect: Fisherman Cottage +20% Food Generation
Cost: 100 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Assault Rifle
Effect: New Unit: Soldier
Cost: 120 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Mercenaries I
Effect: Extra Unit at the beginning of mission: Ranger
Cost: 100 Research Points
Comments:

Title: High Rise Defenses I
Effect: New Structure: Wood Tower
Cost: 100 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Logistics
Effect: Command Center: Resource storage + 20; Command Center: Gold Income +40
Cost: 100 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Efficient Turbines
Effect: Mill: Energy Supply +30%
Cost: 120 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Military Training
Effect: Buildings: Defensive Barriers +20%; Extra Unit: Soldier
Cost: 100 Research Points
Comments: Great one, improves shields for before a building falls and gives you a free soldier who can generally hold a flank on his own

Title: Hunting Weapons
Effect: Hunter Cottage: Food Generation 20%
Cost: 100 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Mercenaries II
Effect: Extra Unit at the Beginning of the Mission: Sniper
Cost: 100 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Wood Buttresses
Effect: Improvements: Wood Wall, Wood Gate, Wood Tower, Life +20%
Cost: 120 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Basic Supplies
Effect:
Cost: 100 Research Points
Comments: Essential

Title: Gold Transportation
Effect:
Cost: 120 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Expert Workshops
Effect:
Cost: 240 Research Points
Comments: Essential

Title: Mechanized Storage
Effect:
Cost: 120 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Cereal Farming
Effect:
Cost: 120 Research Points
Comments: Essential

Title: Reinforced Armor
Effect:
Cost: 100 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Reinforced Projectiles
Effect:
Cost: 100 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Optics
Effect:
Cost: 100 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Barricades
Effect:
Cost: 80 Research Points
Comments: Useful for cheesing hordes

Title: Medicine
Effect:
Cost: 140 Research Points
Comments: Essential

Title: Structure Recycling
Effect:
Cost: 140 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Wood Transportation
Effect:
Cost: 140 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Commerce
Effect:
Cost: 120 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Professional Soldier
Effect:
Cost: 80 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Mechanized Weapons
Effect:
Cost: 140 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Advanced Lenses
Effect:
Cost: 120 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Long Range Rifle
Effect:
Cost: 100 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Advanced Laboratory
Effect:
Cost: 120 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Corpse Recycling
Effect:
Cost: 100 Research Points
Comments: Amazing on high difficulties

Title: Lodging
Effect:
Cost: 140 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Prefabricated Parts
Effect:
Cost: 100 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Telescopic Sight
Effect:
Cost: 140 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Global Vision
Effect:
Cost: 200 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Stone Transportation
Effect:
Cost: 160 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Games and Gambling
Effect:
Cost: 120 Research Points
Comments: Meh

Title: Advanced Construction
Effect:
Cost: 260 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Tesla Coils
Effect:
Cost: 100 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Advanced Training
Effect:
Cost: 100 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Concrete
Effect:
Cost: 120 Research Points
Comments: Essential

Title: Chemistry
Effect:
Cost: 120 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Iron Transportation
Effect:
Cost: 200 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Advanced Tesla Transfer
Effect:
Cost: 200 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Explosives
Effect:
Cost: 120 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Military Tactics
Effect:
Cost: 120 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Currency
Effect:
Cost: 140 Research Points
Comments:

Title: High Rise Defenses II
Effect:
Cost: 80 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Insulating Materials
Effect:
Cost: 140 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Autonomous Weapons
Effect:
Cost: 120 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Plasma Spheres
Effect:
Cost: 140 Research Points
Comments: Essential

Title: Military Mastery
Effect:
Cost: 200 Research Points
Comments: Solid

Title: Black Market
Effect:
Cost: 140 Research Points
Comments: Amazing at high difficulty levels

Title: Reinforced Concrete
Effect:
Cost: 140 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Climate Control
Effect:
Cost: 200 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Armored Attack Station
Effect:
Cost: 120 Research Points
Comments:

Title: High Voltage Ionizer
Effect:
Cost: 180 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Advanced Machinery
Effect:
Cost: 280 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Bronze Forging
Effect:
Cost: 200 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Monuments
Effect:
Cost: 120 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Ray Condenser
Effect:
Cost: 200 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Mechanical Engineering
Effect:
Cost: 160 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Steel Turbines
Effect:
Cost: 140 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Biochemistry
Effect:
Cost: 160 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Titanium
Effect:
Cost: 120 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Oil Transportation
Effect:
Cost: 240 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Pneumatic Joints
Effect:
Cost: 120 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Radar
Effect:
Cost: 140 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Advanced Research
Effect:
Cost: 140 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Tungsten Saw
Effect:
Cost: 120 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Tungsten Tools
Effect:
Cost: 160 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Barbed Wire
Effect:
Cost: 120 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Mechanical Exoskeletons
Effect:
Cost: 180 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Articulated Vehicles
Effect:
Cost: 180 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Combat Artillery
Effect:
Cost: 180 Research Points
Comments: Good, just don't upgrade the ballistas until a couple days before the final wave or you're broke

Title: Chemical Transmutation
Effect:
Cost: 200 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Carbon Steel
Effect:
Cost: 140 Research Points
Comments:

Title: High Technology
Effect:
Cost: 300 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Ingot Transport
Effect:
Cost: 300 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Advanced Ammunition
Effect:
Cost: 180 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Nanomaterials
Effect:
Cost: 200 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Superconductors
Effect:
Cost: 180 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Music
Effect:
Cost: 200 Research Points
Comments: Lol

Title: Laser
Effect:
Cost: 200 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Genetic Engineering
Effect:
Cost: 300 Research Points
Comments: Okay; good for crowd clearing but kind of melt too. Super fast map traversal time

Title: Augmented Reality
Effect:
Cost: 220 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Diamond Tools
Effect:
Cost: 240 Research Points
Comments:

Title: High Energy Plasma
Effect:
Cost: 220 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Optimal Tesla Transfer
Effect:
Cost: 240 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Solar Energy
Effect:
Cost: 240 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Deep Drilling
Effect:
Cost: 240 Research Points
Comments:

Title: Artillery Transport
Effect:
Cost: 400 Research Points
Comments:

In this section, I will lay out my recommended mission sequence, how many technology points it generates, and any recommended purchases upon victory. [Edit: Replaying this years later I think alternate strategy is easier, see next section]

[Edit: They patched it so you start with 50 research points and 200 empire points, so all the values are off, updated = (U)]
[Edit2: Cool way to plan out courtesy QWEEDY2 http://melanite.net/tab/ ]

Mission 1: Hidden Valley
Rewards: 140 Empire Points and 120 Research Points
Post-victory Purchase: None, right now saving for what takes us to Lucifer
Remaining Balance: 340 Empire Points and 170 Research Points

Mission 2: The Last Bunker
Rewards: 120 Empire Points and 200 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Expert Workshops and Strength I (hero)
Remaining Balance: 460 Empire Points and 130 Research Points

Mission 3: The Crossroads
Rewards: 140 Empire Points and 120 Research Points
Post-victory Purchase: None, right now saving for what takes us to Lucifer
Remaining Balance: 600 Empire Points and 250 Research Points

Mission 4: The Alpha Communications Center
Rewards: 120 Empire Points and 250 Research Points
Post-victory purchases: Advanced Construction, Tesla Coils, Plasma Spheres and Aim I (Hero)
Remaining Balance: 720 Empire Points and 0 Research Points

Mission 5: The Hunter's Meadow
Rewards: 140 Empire Points and 120 Research Points
Post-victory Purchase: None
Remaining Balance: 860 Empire Points and 120 Research Points

Mission 6: The Weapons Factory
Rewards: 190 Empire Points and 360 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Advanced Machinery, Mechanical Engineering, and Quick Reflexes I (Hero)
Remaining Balance: 1050 Empire Points and 40 Research Points

Mission 7: Infected Swarm (Coast of Bones)
Rewards: 100 Empire Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 1150 Empire Points and 40 Research Points

Mission 8: The Coast of Bones
Rewards: 200 Empire Points and 180 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 1350 Empire Points and 220 Research Points

Mission 9: Infected Swarm (Cape Storm)
Rewards: 180 Empire Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 1530 Empire Points and 220 Research Points

Mission 10: Infected Swarm (Mines of the Raven)
Rewards: 100 Empire Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 1630 Empire Points and 220 Research Points

Mission 11: Infected Swarm (Narrow Pass)
Rewards: 100 Empire Points
Post-victory Purchases: Cereal Farming and Reinforced Projectiles
Remaining Balance: 1730 Empire Points and 220 Research Points

Mission 12: Cape Storm
Rewards: 200 Empire Points and 180 Research Points (U)
Post-victory Purchases: Mechanized Weapons
Remaining Balance: 1930 Empire Points and 40 Research Points

Mission 13: Mines of the Raven
Rewards: 200 Empire Points and 180 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Assault Rifle and Logistics
Remaining Balance: 2130 Empire Points and 0 Research Points

Mission 14: Land of the Giant
Rewards: 200 Empire Points and 180 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Gold Transportation
Remaining Balance: 2330 Empire Points and 60 Research Points

Mission 15: Infected Swarm (The Frozen Lake)
Rewards: 180 Empire Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 2510 Empire Points and 60 Research Points

Mission 16: The Frozen Lake
Rewards: 260 Empire Points and 240 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Wood Transportation and Stone Transportation
Remaining Balance: 2770 Empire Points and 0 Research Points

Mission 17: Hydra Power Plant
Rewards: 260 Empire Points and 460 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Iron Transportation, Reinforced Armor, Chemistry and Aim III (Hero)
Remaining Balance: 2930 Empire Points and 40 Research Points

Mission 18: Narrow Pass
Rewards: 200 Empire Points and 180 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Optics and Long Range Rifle
Remaining Balance: 3130 Empire Points and 20 Research Points

Mission 19: The Nest of the Harpy
Rewards: 260 Empire Points and 240 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 3490 Empire Points and 260 Research Points

Mission 20: Infected Swarm (Gamma Medical Center)
Rewards: 260 Empire Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 3750 Empire Points and 260 Research Points

Mission 21: Gamma Medical Center
Rewards: 260 Empire Points and 560 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: High Technology, Advanced Ammunition, Nanomaterials, Mechanized Storage, and Dexterity I (hero)
Remaining Balance: 4010 Empire Points and 20 Research Points

Mission 22: The Lonely Forest
Rewards: 260 Empire Points and 240 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Insulating Materials
Remaining Balance: 4270 Empire Points and 120 Research Points

Mission 23: The Lowlands
Rewards: 200 Empire Points and 180 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 4470 Empire Points and 300 Research Points

Mission 24: The Foundry
Rewards: 190 Empire Points and 400 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: High Voltage Ionizer, Superconductors, High Energy Plasma, and Improved Vision I (hero)
Remaining Balance: 4660 Empire Points and 120 Research Points

Mission 25: Infected Swarm (The Valley of Death)
Rewards: 180 Empire Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 4840 Empire Points and 120 Research Points

Mission 26: Infected Swarm (The Noxious Swamp)
Rewards: 260 Empire Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 5100 Empire Points and 120 Research Points

Mission 27: The Oasis
Rewards: 260 Empire Points and 240 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Commerce, Solar Energy
Remaining Balance: 5360 Empire Points and 0 Research Points

Mission 28: The Valley of Death
Rewards: 260 Empire Points and 240 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 5620 Empire Points and 240 Research Points

Mission 29: The Prison
Rewards: 260 Empire Points and 520 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Pneumatic Joints, Articulated Vehicles, Laser, Concrete, High Rise Defenses II, and Strength II (Hero)
Remaining Balance: 5880 Empire Points and 60 Research Points

Mission 30: The Villa of Terror
Rewards: 260 Empire Points and 240 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 6140 Empire Points and 300 Research Points

Mission 31: The Steel Fortress
Rewards: 330 Empire Points and 600 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 6470 Empire Points and 900 Research Points

Mission 32: Infected Swarm (The Resistance)
Rewards: 260 Empire Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 6730 Empire Points and 900 Research Points

Mission 33: Infected Swarm (The Wasteland of the Giants)
Rewards: 340 Empire Points
Post-victory Purchases: Basic Supplies, Medicine, Structure Recycling, Corpse Recycling, Currency, Black Market, Reinforced Concrete, and Aim IV (Hero)
Remaining Balance: 6970 Empire Points and 0 Research Points

Mission 34: The Noxious Swamp
Rewards: 320 Empire Points and 300 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Advanced Lenses, Telescopic Sight
Remaining Balance: 7190 Empire Points and 40 Research Points

Mission 35: Infected Swarm (Omicron Laboratory)
Rewards: 340 Empire Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 7390 Empire Points and 40 Research Points

Mission 36: Omicron Laboratory
Rewards: 330 Empire Points and 700 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Augmented Reality, Advanced Training, Military Tactics, Military Mastery, Improved Vision II (Hero)
Remaining Balance: 7860 Empire Points and 100 Research Points

Mission 37: The Wasteland of the Giants
Rewards: 380 Empire Points and 360 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Autonomous Weapons
Remaining Balance: 8240 Empire Points and 460 Research Points

Mission 38: Infected Swarm (Phoenix Project)
Rewards: 460 Empire Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 8700 Empire Points and 360 Research Points

Mission 39: Phoenix Project
Rewards: 400 Empire Points and 800 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Oil Transportation, Ingot Transport, Artillery Transport, Advanced Tesla Transfer
Remaining Balance: 9300 Empire Points and 0 Research Points

Mission 40: Infected Swarm (The Forbidden Forest)
Rewards: 340 Empire Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 9640 Empire Points and 0 Research Points

Mission 41: Infected Swarm (The Highlands)
Rewards: 440 Empire Points [Thanks Steppenwolf]
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 10080 Empire Points and 0 Research Points

Mission 42: The Resistance
Rewards: 320 Empire Points and 300 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Bearings and Pulleys and Efficient Turbines
Remaining Balance: 10400 Empire Points and 80 Research Points

Mission 43: The Broken Land
Rewards: 320 Empire Points and 300 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Optimal Tesla Transfer
Remaining Balance: 10720 Empire Points and 140 Research Points

Mission 44: El Dorado
Rewards: 320 Empire Points and 300 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Deep Drilling, High Rise Defenses I, Hunting Weapons
Remaining Balance: 11040 Empire Points and 00 Research Points

Mission 45: The Forbidden Forest
Rewards: 320 Empire Points and 300 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Thermal Energy, Mechanical Exoskeletons
Remaining Balance: 11360 Empire Points and 0 Research Points

Mission 46: The Highlands
Rewards: 380 Empire Points and 360 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Radar and Combat Artillery
Remaining Balance: 11740 Empire Points and 40 Research Points

Mission 47: Infected Swarm (Goddess of Destiny)
Rewards: 460 Empire Points and 0 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 12200 Empire Points and 40 Research Points

Mission 48: The Goddess of Destiny
Rewards: 1000 Empire Points and 1000 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Whatever you feel like, you can only replay missions for funsies.
Remaining Balance: 13200 Empire Points and 1040 Research Points

Alternate path focused on soldiers only and rushing wasps instead of Lucifer, still in work!

Mission 1: Hidden Valley
Rewards: 140 Empire Points and 120 Research Points
Post-victory Purchase: N/A
Remaining Balance: 340 Empire Points and 170 Research Points

Mission 2: The Last Bunker
Rewards: 120 Empire Points and 200 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Assault Rifle, Expert Workshops, and Strength I (hero)
Remaining Balance: 460 Empire Points and 10 Research Points

Mission 3: The Crossroads
Rewards: 140 Empire Points and 120 Research Points
Post-victory Purchase: N/A
Remaining Balance: 600 Empire Points and 130 Research Points

Mission 4: The Alpha Communications Center
Rewards: 120 Empire Points and 250 Research Points
Post-victory purchases: Advanced Construction, Cereal Farming, and Aim I (Hero)
Remaining Balance: 720 Empire Points and 0 Research Points

Mission 5: The Hunter's Meadow
Rewards: 140 Empire Points and 120 Research Points
Post-victory Purchase: N/A
Remaining Balance: 860 Empire Points and 120 Research Points

Mission 6: The Weapons Factory
Rewards: 190 Empire Points and 360 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Tesla Coils, Plasma Spheres, Chemistry, Autonomous Weapons, and Quick Reflexes I (Hero)
Remaining Balance: 1050 Empire Points and 0 Research Points

Mission 7: Infected Swarm (Coast of Bones)
Rewards: 100 Empire Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 1150 Empire Points and 0 Research Points

Mission 8: The Coast of Bones
Rewards: 200 Empire Points and 180 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 1350 Empire Points and 180 Research Points

Mission 9: Infected Swarm (Cape Storm)
Rewards: 180 Empire Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 1530 Empire Points and 180 Research Points

Mission 10: Infected Swarm (Mines of the Raven)
Rewards: 100 Empire Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 1630 Empire Points and 180 Research Points

Mission 11: Infected Swarm (Narrow Pass)
Rewards: 100 Empire Points
Post-victory Purchases: Logistics
Remaining Balance: 1730 Empire Points and 80 Research Points

Mission 12: Cape Storm
Rewards: 200 Empire Points and 180 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Gold Transportation and Wood Transportation
Remaining Balance: 1930 Empire Points and 40 Research Points

Mission 13: Mines of the Raven
Rewards: 200 Empire Points and 180 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Stone Transportation
Remaining Balance: 2130 Empire Points and 0 Research Points

Mission 14: Land of the Giant
Rewards: 200 Empire Points and 180 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 2330 Empire Points and 180 Research Points

Mission 15: Infected Swarm (The Frozen Lake)
Rewards: 180 Empire Points
Post-victory Purchases: Iron Transportation
Remaining Balance: 2510 Empire Points and 0 Research Points

Mission 16: The Frozen Lake
Rewards: 260 Empire Points and 240 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 2770 Empire Points and 240 Research Points

Mission 17: Hydra Power Plant
Rewards: 260 Empire Points and 460 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Concrete, Optics, Long Range Rifle, Reinforced Projectiles, Mechanized Weapons, Reinforced Armor, and Aim III (Hero)
Remaining Balance: 2930 Empire Points and 0 Research Points

Mission 18: Narrow Pass
Rewards: 200 Empire Points and 180 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Basic Supplies and Mechanized Storage
Remaining Balance: 3130 Empire Points and 0 Research Points

Mission 19: The Nest of the Harpy
Rewards: 260 Empire Points and 240 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 3490 Empire Points and 240 Research Points

Mission 20: Infected Swarm (Gamma Medical Center)
Rewards: 260 Empire Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 3750 Empire Points and 240 Research Points

Mission 21: Gamma Medical Center
Rewards: 260 Empire Points and 560 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Bearings and Pulleys, Efficient Turbines, Commerce, Advanced Machinery, Insulating Materials, and Dexterity I (hero)
Remaining Balance: 4010 Empire Points and 40 Research Points

Mission 22: The Lonely Forest
Rewards: 260 Empire Points and 240 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: High Rise Defenses I, Wood Buttresses
Remaining Balance: 4270 Empire Points and 60 Research Points

Mission 23: The Lowlands
Rewards: 200 Empire Points and 180 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 4470 Empire Points and 240 Research Points

Mission 24: The Foundry
Rewards: 190 Empire Points and 400 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Improved Vision I (hero)
Remaining Balance: 4660 Empire Points and 620 Research Points

Mission 25: Infected Swarm (The Valley of Death)
Rewards: 180 Empire Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 4840 Empire Points and 620 Research Points

Mission 26: Infected Swarm (The Noxious Swamp)
Rewards: 260 Empire Points
Post-victory Purchases: Medicine, High Technology, Advanced Ammunition
Remaining Balance: 5100 Empire Points and 20 Research Points

Mission 27: The Oasis
Rewards: 260 Empire Points and 240 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Structure Recycling, Corpse Recycling
Remaining Balance: 5360 Empire Points and 20 Research Points

Mission 28: The Valley of Death
Rewards: 260 Empire Points and 240 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 5620 Empire Points and 260 Research Points

Mission 29: The Prison
Rewards: 260 Empire Points and 520 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: High Voltage Ionizer, Nanomaterials, Superconductors, High Energy Plasma, and Strength II (Hero)
Remaining Balance: 5880 Empire Points and 0 Research Points

Mission 30: The Villa of Terror
Rewards: 260 Empire Points and 240 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 6140 Empire Points and 240 Research Points

Mission 31: The Steel Fortress
Rewards: 330 Empire Points and 600 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 6470 Empire Points and 840 Research Points

Mission 32: Infected Swarm (The Resistance)
Rewards: 260 Empire Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 6730 Empire Points and 840 Research Points

Mission 33: Infected Swarm (The Wasteland of the Giants)
Rewards: 340 Empire Points
Post-victory Purchases: Military Training, Professional Soldier, Advanced Training, Military Tactics, Military Mastery, High-Rise Defenses II, Reinforced Concrete, and Aim IV (Hero)
Remaining Balance: 6970 Empire Points and 20 Research Points

Mission 34: The Noxious Swamp
Rewards: 320 Empire Points and 300 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Advanced Lenses, Telescopic Sight
Remaining Balance: 7190 Empire Points and 320 Research Points

Mission 35: Infected Swarm (Omicron Laboratory) (U)
Rewards: 340 Empire Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 7390 Empire Points and 320 Research Points

Mission 36: Omicron Laboratory
Rewards: 330 Empire Points and 700 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Mechanical Engineering, Pneumatic Joints, Articulated Vehicles, Laser, Solar Energy, and Improved Vision II (Hero)
Remaining Balance: 7860 Empire Points and 120 Research Points

Mission 37: The Wasteland of the Giants
Rewards: 380 Empire Points and 360 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Autonomous Weapons
Remaining Balance: 8240 Empire Points and 480 Research Points

Mission 38: Infected Swarm (Phoenix Project)
Rewards: 460 Empire Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 8700 Empire Points and 480 Research Points

Mission 39: Phoenix Project
Rewards: 400 Empire Points and 800 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Oil Transportation, Ingot Transport, Artillery Transport, Advanced Tesla Transfer
Remaining Balance: 9300 Empire Points and 140 Research Points

Mission 40: Infected Swarm (The Forbidden Forest)
Rewards: 340 Empire Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 9640 Empire Points and 140 Research Points

Mission 41: Infected Swarm (The Highlands)
Rewards: 440 Empire Points [Thanks Steppenwolf]
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 10080 Empire Points and 140 Research Points

Mission 42: The Resistance
Rewards: 320 Empire Points and 300 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Optimal Tesla Transfer, Thermal Energy
Remaining Balance: 10400 Empire Points and 80 Research Points

Mission 43: The Broken Land
Rewards: 320 Empire Points and 300 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Advanced Lenses, Telescopic Sight
Remaining Balance: 10720 Empire Points and 120 Research Points

Mission 44: El Dorado
Rewards: 320 Empire Points and 300 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Augmented Reality, Biochemistry
Remaining Balance: 11040 Empire Points and 40 Research Points

Mission 45: The Forbidden Forest
Rewards: 320 Empire Points and 300 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Radar, Combat Artillery
Remaining Balance: 11360 Empire Points and 20 Research Points

Mission 46: The Highlands
Rewards: 380 Empire Points and 360 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Currency, Black Market, Barricades
Remaining Balance: 11740 Empire Points and 0 Research Points

Mission 47: Infected Swarm (Goddess of Destiny)
Rewards: 460 Empire Points and 0 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: N/A
Remaining Balance: 12200 Empire Points and 0 Research Points

Mission 48: The Goddess of Destiny
Rewards: 1000 Empire Points and 1000 Research Points
Post-victory Purchases: Whatever you feel like, you can only replay missions for funsies.
Remaining Balance: 13200 Empire Points and 1000 Research Points

Foreword: There are much better guides on how to be optimal out there, this is just a broad brush of things to bounce focus between.

1. Pause the mission at the start. Look around you. Is wood nearby? If not be on the lookout for it with troops and plan to use your starting wood on Tesla towers to get in range to a Lumber Mill. Is water nearby? Plan for Fisherman's Cottages to start.
2. Always start by placing as many Tents as you can (three, unless there's some upgrade combo that gives more). If you build something else first, you'll miss the first train of colonists and suffer degraded income even longer. Also remember to do bulk housing builds shortly after the train leaves. Missing that train cycle while in build is a big waste of resources.
3. Send your troops out in different directions until they encounter resistance. Map as much as you can early, and keep an eye out for free resources and resource nodes.
4. Next gold tick, place one or two food sources. Fisherman's Cottages are generally better because nothing interferes with them, whereas you can build on area a Hunter's Cottage was using and reduce total food inadvertently.
5. Build 1-2 sawmills, even if you have wood from the train (although I'd keep it at 1 for start if you do). This is going to be essential for Rangers, Tesla Towers, Walls, and the Wood Factory (so that you can kick off farms, once you have them)
6. Seek out stone. You need stone for a Soldier's Center.
7. Wall yourself in, ideally with some room to grow. For the first 15 or so days one row thick walls should be fine, then start doubling it up as your economy takes off.
8. Seek out iron, and start clearing map
9. At least a few days before the first swarm (the day they will hit, if applicable, is above the minimap), try to get a Ballista up at each choke, and watch for the direction of the swarm and send some reinforcements to the walls. If your economy is struggling, you can wait until the swarm announcement to place the defensive tower, it should be up before the swarm arrives. Eventually you'll want even more than double walls and some shock towers too
10. After a swarm, push. Push like a mad person and claim ground. That will give you time to seize new territory and build defenses before the next swarm.
11. Ideally, you'll have a mix of Ballistas and shock towers with overlapping fields of fire, backed up with towers with Snipers/Soldiers and traps outside the walls (or at least multiple sets of double walls), and some Titans or Thanatos (Thanati?) for good measure.

Victory Conditions:

• Destroy all the infected
  
• Colony population: 300
  
• Resist all swarms of infected

Defeat Conditions:

• The Command Center cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:

• Decrepit
  
• Runner
  
• Executive

Resources (beyond wood and food):

• Stone

Strategy: This is a rather simple mission to introduce you to mechanics. First, you want to send your rangers south to pick off the straggler decrepits on the other side of the train tracks. We will secure the larger south area as quickly as we can so that we don't have to worry about it anymore. There is no need to build walls or anything aside from the northwest once you've picked off the stragglers, zombies on the stone, and the big group. There is Stone to the south of the town, and an area overflowing with decrepits, which is protecting a valuable food drop. Have 3 rangers clear that huge cluster of zombies while the fourth ranger sweeps the area until you come to the junction of the railroad bridge and a narrow entrance to the north. Post that ranger here on patrol (or micromanage picking off zombies to try to gain veterancy).

After seeking out stone and getting a few tents up, move power towards the location of the patrolling ranger. Both paths can be entirely blocked with a single gate each. Focus on your economy a bit, around the time you have cleared the south you can start thinking about getting power to the north for a gate. Start provoking the enemies into fights while you continue to expand your economy. Reinforce the gates with a second layer and you should have a Soldier's center up as soon as you have the 20 stone. Set the rally point in that nook and start continually creating rangers. There are lots of resources across the bridge to the northeast, but reinforcements and the horde come from the northwest, so I like to push there first and clear everything up to the edge of the map. I push power to the middle of the land bridge and spam walls on the far end of the bridge. Then I build a couple defensive layers of walls in case I need to fall back (this is probably overkill on 500%). I leave 3-4 rangers here and drop a couple more Soldier's Centers to boot. This finishes around day 10.

Then I send the army over the bridge to the northeast. There is no larger timer on this mission, so you won't fail if you survive the invasion. The trick is, even though the invasion comes from the northwest, all living zombies on the northeast island will attack simultaneously.

If you've been multitasking, you should have been able to clear both islands and have well over 300 pop before the horde hits. Survive that, and you're golden. Remember you can always layer defenses even if your pre-planned defenses start to fall.

Before


After

Victory Conditions:
Get the mission object: Mission Artifact
The hero must escape from the fortress alive
(Optional) Get valuable items for the empire (120 points)
(Optional) Get ancient technology (200 points)

Defeat Conditions:
The hero must escape from the fortress alive

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive

Resources:
Medkits x 2
Soldiers x 2

Overview:
This first mission with Calliope is painful, as you have no damage upgrades. Decrepits take 3 shots, Runners take 4, etc. Thankfully it's fairly short and you get some help. In general, you're just going to attack move around as you explore. You are faster than anything but a harpy, and attack animations on enemies are slow, so if there are multiple runners after you, let them get next to you and start to attack, then run, turn, shoot several times, etc. Try to learn to be sparing with grenades because there are some groups that are just too big to kite, and eventually you'll have special enemies (on other maps), so having leftover is nice.

As you clear each room, be sure to watch for the blinking objects and scour it afterwards. It's no fun missing a few points and hunting across the whole map for them.

On to the mission:

The first room is inconsequential. Some enemies, some loot. Head northeast. There tends to be one enemy and some loot there. Go back to the first room and go southeast. Just kidding. Go back and then go southwest. This room will introduce you to barriers, sandbags, and medkits. Continue southwest. This room will give you your first soldiers. You have to touch them to take them over. Open the door (only the hero can do this) and attack move into the next room. Try to keep an eye on where the zombies are and as the cluster moves southwest to engage, shoot the red barrel. Just make sure to keep your distance, or you will die and restart. The next room introduces you to the Devil's bunghole (aka a hole in the ground that will infinitely spawn enemies, at a usually manageable rate), otherwise nothing of mention. The room to the southeast is the final room, just semi-carefully clear it, pick up the items, check to make sure you're at 100%, then attack move to the exit on the minimap. Only the hero needs to exit to win. Congrats.

Victory Conditions:
Colony population: 400
Destroy all villages of doom

Defeat Conditions:
The Command Center cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive

Resources (beyond wood and food):
Stone
Iron
Gold

Overview:
This mission can get a bit hairy at the start, but is generally pretty easy. To the northwest is the path the majority of attacks come from as well as iron (which is useless to use since we didn't grab soldiers). To the north, there's a little passage you want to block with a gate, and you want to push to the northeast as far as the stone resources. Wall up there (double walls) as well as the northwest very edge (you're going to need all the ground you can get for food to raise to the pop cap.

One you're secure and the economy is doing well, send a ball of rangers into the middle of the map across the gate. Clear it out and grab the precious free food (note the third drop by the truck that isn't flagged on the minimap.

At this point I generally clear the rest of the map up to the Village of Doom (VoD) in the north, and start extending power and walls to the middle section, just so I can grab some extra food and keep raising the pop cap while I'm whittling away the enemies. Try to always leave 1-2 guards on each wall section in this difficulty so that the runner waves don't overwhelm you.

Just attack move north when you've got a big enough death ball, and eventually you'll win. Don't forget you have a wood workshop now and can upgrade to cottages. That will save you some terrain for hunter's cottages by increasing the housing in the existing footprint, but at a delta power and food cost too.

A view of the base with walls to make it safe. Keep a few guards on particularly the northwest and southeast and you're good to focus all your energy and resources on claiming the north (building more food and gold, then VoD stomping.


VoD


Alternate path differences: Now we can use iron to make soldiers and have our death ball be soldiers instead of rangers, which speeds things up considerably.

Victory Conditions:
Get the mission object: Mission Artifact
The hero must escape from the fortress alive
(Optional) Get valuable items for the empire (120 points)
(Optional) Get ancient technology (250 points)

Defeat Conditions:
The hero must escape from the fortress alive

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive
Chubby x 1

Resources:
Medkit x 5
Grenade x 7
Sniper x 5

Overview:
To start, go north, clear the zombies, and pick up the grenades. The south side has nothing but I usually clear it anyway. In the first room, you can use a grenade if you like, but I usually manually clear it since there are decrepits. The last big area can get a bit hairy and I prefer to save grenades for that.

In the second room, you are faced with a choice. To the northeast is the chubby, he's hard to take down by yourself and you'll need at least one grenade. The the southwest is a dead end area with a fair number of zombies. Progress is with the northwest. I generally advance until I get snipers, then pick up these areas on my way back, as they're far faster (and safer) with 5 veteran snipers.

As you may have guessed in the next room by the bloodstains, the southwest is progress and the northeast is another dead end with some zombies and loot crammed in. Easier with snipers.

The next room is the first of three slogs required to get to the snipers. Just manually clear this slog out and then proceed to the northwest. Don't worry too much, we'll get a damage boost for Calliope after beating this and it will be 2 shots for decrepits, speeding up the game greatly and making this the worst hero mission in my opinion.

The second slog I again recommend clearing manually. There should be grenades in the southwest. If you don't clear this area well you may become trapped when kiting the runners in the next section.

After the kiting room, as I call it. There is, another, smaller kiting room!

Finally we're at the tunnel that leads to snipers. Go to the northeast. Have a grenade ready as soon as you enter the room. Throw it center mass and it should also set off the barrel and clear the room. Play touch the sniper in the last room, and then bring the snipers back to the four way split. I like to park them there because we're about to encounter real danger for the first time.

First, clear the little room to the southeast. Run back towards the snipers and drag the runners to their doom. Now comes the fun part, and the reason you've horded grenades. The yard in the next area is overflowing with zombies. There are a lot of explosive barrels, but be careful not to expose yourself too much to danger trying to blow them up. I typically will use 2-3 grenades after I open the doors and the enemies start to bulge in. The snipers can't kill them fast enough. Once you've thinned it out with a few grenades, let the enemies continue to come to the sound of death. After that slows to a trickle, run out and aggro some more, maybe try to blow up a barrel or two, always running back to the safety of sniper sights. After a little bit of this, you can finally move the snipers in to the yard. I tend to drag enemies back to them bit by bit until it's fairly sparse, then just attack move the snipers around. Do try to save at least 2 grenades. Note: In the southernmost part of this courtyard, there is a break in the wall. Go out it, and explore all the fog of war, and destroy the barriers when you find them. These points often frustrate the heck out of players. Then clear the middle room, and attack move back through each of the areas with Calliope and the snipers and you're done. The snipers will melt the chubby and everything else quickly.

Victory Conditions:
Colony population: 600

Defeat Conditions:
Time to complete the mission: 48 days
The Command Center cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive

Resources (beyond wood and food):
Fertile Land
Iron

Overview:
This level is a bit of a pain without farms and soldiers, but still manageable. Now we have shock towers so your defenses will be impenetrable. You're going to have to grab huge amounts of territory for this one given our tech choices (or lack thereof), so ideally you'll slowly push outward to the edges of the map or near enough, and (only if struggling) wall off everything with shock towers. The clusters of runners can get pretty severe at the north and south ends of the map, so focus on the middle first. Stone is just to the southwest of you and iron is to the northeast, but iron is still pretty useless to use. There is a supply cache just to the south-southeast which is easy to grab off the bat and give your economy a bit of a boost.

Town pictured below, you need lots of real estate for food so the power hogging shock towers aren't the greatest yet, but use them if you struggle. Otherwise just keep a cluster of 6-10 rangers in the base to respond to walls that get attacked and use the rest to clear the map.


Alternate path: This is *way* easier with farms and soldiers. You still have to use rangers to chaotically manage getting walls up, but farms give a ton of food on fertile territory plus 12 population, so you save a tremendous amount of space.

Victory Conditions:
Get the mission object: Mission Artifact
The hero must escape from the fortress alive
(Optional) Get valuable items for the empire (190 points)
(Optional) Get ancient technology (360 points)

Defeat Conditions:
The hero must escape from the fortress alive

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive
Chubby

Resources:
Medkit x 6
Grenade x 14

Overview:
I find this one terribly slow, primarily because you get no troops to assist. Thankfully we have Calliope's first damage upgrade finally, and that's one less hit for most enemies to kill them. There are some wasps and mines you'll utilize, but a lot of kiting ahead.

For starters, there is a medkit and some grenades to the north. Nothing to the south, but I clear it as usual anyway just to minimize who creeps up behind me. In the first room, clear the enemies out quickly and then head southeast. Shockingly, you'll attack move through the conveyor belt area to clear it. Do keep an eye out and make sure there's not a runner aggroed that's going to get behind you. If you get a train following you that's too big to kite, go back to the first room, and pick the northernmost door. That leads to wasp alley, which will make short work of just about everything.

Clear the little hole-in the wall area off the southeast (note that RNG can make it such that there's no actual loot here), then go back in and clear the room to the northeast, then we're done with the bottom half of the map. Be mindful of the volume of executives.

Now you can go back to the first room, open the other door, shoot the explosive barrel, then just leave and go to the other end of wasp alley. Open up the southwestern door at the end of the hall and kite the runners into the wasps, plus the noise will attract some of the northwest zombies in. When it's thin enough clear the southwest room then the northwest room.

Now go back to wasp alley. I typically open the southern door first, and I do use one grenade. That wasp tends to get overwhelmed and even destroyed just due to the volume of zombies. Everything in that next room is a runner, so I usually just grab the aggro and kite them to the wasps. Once that room is clear, go to the southeast room first. This is the area with the obligatory difficult-to-find loot, hug the wall south all the way to find it.

Then I kite the room to the northeast back to the wasps, just because I don't want to manually deal with that many runners and execs. I finish clearing it, then go back to wasp alley to the northern door. All this running around is part of why I don't like Caelus.

The next room is just more conveyor belt goofiness, with an open area to the north. If you clear starting to the right, you can just go out the north room, as it also leads to the only place left to go. Which is a giant room filled with mines (don't worry, they trigger off of zombies, not you). Conveniently, this room is right next to a room full of chubbies. Open the door, chuck a grenade at the nearest chubbies, then kite them over the mines. Rinse and repeat until the chubbies are all dead. After you're done with your eternal point-and-click adventure, use grenades freely to clear the next rooms and we're finally done.

Victory Conditions:
Destroy all the infected
Resist all swarms of infected

Defeat Conditions:
The Outpost cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Decrepit

Overview:
Welcome to swarms! They're generally not all that fun, but because you were frugal and took a little pain in early missions, you are now a god in these early swarms. Just buy Lucifers, put them around the outpost, and AFK until done. Seriously. I would do all 3 back to back, but completing the missions behind them also gets us more empire points to buy even more Lucifers, and we get nothing but Empire points for swarms anyway, so there's no reason not to delay them. If we had soldiers I'd actually tell you just to create two groups of them and chase, that's how not threatening this first swarm is.


Do yourself a favor and AFK. They got this.

Alternate path: same story with wasps.

Victory Conditions:
Destroy all the infected
Colony population: 800
Resist all swarms of infected

Defeat Conditions:
Time to complete the mission: 48 days
The Command Center cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive

Resources (beyond wood and food):
Rich Fishing
Iron
Gold

Overview:
The description of this map is a little misleading. If you think of the map as 9 grid squares, hordes can come from the far left middle, far left bottom, far right middle, and far right bottom. There are plenty of zombies and a few small VoDs to the north and such as well, but there's tons of space for you to expand to.

This is the first mission where the hordes tend to get rather excessively large and threatening, but, luckily you were frugal and have the shock tower, a.k.a. the horde melter. All we really need to do is block off those four points I mentioned above with double layered walls and shock tower coverage and then it's just the colony population grind to worry about. It's still going to be a wee bit tricky because we don't have farms just yet, but there's lots of space and rich fishing to offset that.

As for resources, there is stone both to the east and west along the railroad tracks, I'd advise going for the west, as it seems to pull far less runners than the east. Get your Soldier's Center up, start putting out rangers, push out a bit and wall off the three sides as you continue to clear north. There is an iron node to the north of your base, fairly heavily guarded, and the gold deposits are to the west of that, also fairly heavily guarded. This is the first mission where we'll need the Stone Workshop (for the Shock Tower), so don't neglect your research building chain. You really want to try to get at least one shock tower up on each side prior to the first wave, and have the four quadrants covered by at least one shock tower prior to the second wave. Then you can roam freely and savage the rest of the map and complete the objectives.

Here's a look as I farmed the 800 population. I could have destroyed the towers too, but food was my real constraint so it didn't matter.


Alternate path: Since shock towers are the important thing this isn't all that different, maybe slightly easier to clear the north with soldiers but the real star is farms for ease in getting to population targets.

Victory Conditions:
Destroy all the infected
Resist all swarms of infected

Defeat Conditions:
The Outpost cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Decrepit

Overview:
Just getting this one out of the way for extra empire points. This is just as easy as the last one you did, but takes 6x as long. Or more. If you didn't afk the last one, definitely do it this time. Just Lucifer away and come back in 20 minutes.

Victory Conditions:
Destroy all the infected
Resist all swarms of infected

Defeat Conditions:
The Outpost cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner

Overview:
Now the swarms get mildly more challenging, but not really since you have Lucifers. You know what to do.

Alternate path:
No additional challenge. One weak point on south corner but just kited one batch once with a ranger.

Victory Conditions:
Destroy all the infected
Resist all swarms of infected

Defeat Conditions:
The Outpost cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner

Overview:
The hardest swarm yet (by numbers, I didn't actually take damage because they funnel in two streams instead of from all sides) but Lucifers still make it simple.

Alternate path:
This was a little tricky, did a lot of kiting in the south with a ranger. North was fine.

Victory Conditions:
Colony population: 1500
Resist all swarms of infected

Defeat Conditions:
Time to complete the mission: 52 days
The Command Center cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive
Chubby

Resources (beyond wood and food):
Iron
Gold
Oil
Rich Fishing

Overview:
This is an interesting level. You start at the end of a bridge between the mainland and an island you're on. The good thing about being on an island is that nothing will spawn south of you, all new enemies come from across the bridge. The bad thing about being on an island is that this one's absolutely full of zombies, including tons of Executives, and a fair number of Chubbies. And we still don't have soldiers, so it's a bit tricky at first.

The first thing you want to do is clear the handful of zombies between you and the wall, but don't aggro the zombies on the other side of the wall. Then split up your four rangers and have each of them push out a bit. Careful pushing to the southwest, as there are Chubbies not too far in. For your economy, you absolutely need to rush a Soldier's Center or you will lose, quickly. The reason being is that around day 2, some Decrepits who are going to actually attack your walls will spawn. When they do, you will have to start defending it with increasing resources until you have shock towers up. Depending on how many aggro from the Decrepit noise you may have to send 3 of the 4 back to deal with them, then post one in the southwest tower. That should hold until you have a Soldier's Center up. Try to keep your housing and mills on the brown ground, you'll want the green for farms toward the end.

You can actually start killing Chubbies with just 2 vet rangers if you have decent kiting skills and don't pull additional enemies. Continue to push, and continually crank out Rangers. Keep a mind focused on getting one shock tower up, near the southwest tower. Ideally, build tesla towers such that you can put a double row of walls at the very edge of the bridge, and then put the tesla between you and your starter wall (pictures of my setup below). That will help that tower last much longer in the final wave. Once you have 8 rangers in the two towers and a shock up, focus on economy expansion and cranking out ever more rangers. Keep an eye on pop cap, the requirement is 1500 and we don't have warehouses yet, so you can't burst all that at the end. Slow and steady wins the race. Fishing was fine for food until near the very end, and probably would have supported had I covered the entire island in teslas. You can see the minimap in my screenshots, I'd advise clearing southeast first (of your base) just to get some more fishing and because there's no chubbies. Then it would probably make sense to go all the way west from the top of the island and start clearing down. Since no more spawn, you really want to clear areas so you can start at least tossing up tesla towers and prepare for rapid expansion.

Once you can build shock towers, you'll also want to continually build shock towers and layers of walls. There's no horde until day 40, but it's probably as big as every other horde you've faced combined, and has chubbies in it, who are pretty much immune to your shock towers, and your rangers don't hit very hard. Again, remember we have no warehouses or markets, so you have to ensure you're continually using that stone as it gets between 30 and 50. Wood production you should have well over 50, you'll be using wood constantly to repair the north wall (even with shocks you will continually lose the same 2-3 segments each mini-wave), upgrade to cottages, build teslas, etc.

You'll have 12 days after the final wave appears to finish the housing, but you should be probably at least 800-900 when it starts, and certainly done clearing the entire island by about day 35. Keep building shocks and layers of walls, and even when your walls start running into your buildings, build shocks by your normal buildings. This wave is no joke.

Make sure you set your Rangers to highest priority, and the towers as well. Pretty much the sole purpose of your Rangers is to kill the chubbies. At one point I even sent a sacrificial ranger running through the enemies to distract a bunch of them and kite just to give the defenses some time to chew on the mouthful they already had. This victory will take everything you've got, but we're starting to come to the point where we have enough technologies for it to start getting almost easier.

First image: before the final wave

Second image: during

Third image: after


Alternate path: Easier to hold out with soldiers

Victory Conditions:
Colony population: 700
Gold production: 2000

Defeat Conditions:
Time to complete the mission: 56 days
The Command Center cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive

Resources (beyond wood and food):
Iron
Gold

Overview:
This one is fairly straightforward. Stone is to your immediate south, and there are four gold deposits around you, and 5 paths leading into the map. We're just going to systematically push to each of the entry points, block them with double walls and shock towers, and then focus on improved houses and squeezing everything out of the mines we can. We still don't have a use for iron, which is unfortunate, but we'll grab soldiers after this, and then we're getting fairly close to all the core technologies to make us a powerhouse that starts to snowball through missions.

To start, there are 5 natural choke points leading into your base and the area to the north. You can pretty quickly secure the southeast, southwest, and northern with walls, and slowly carve your way to the northwest and north. We can pretty readily charge east and close that one off for good. North is probably the next easiest since you already had to push north pretty far to get to the choke. Then I'd go west if you still have space, or northeast if you don't (you will get a ton of territory in the northeast). Finally, there's actually two paths in the south you'll need to block off. Then do your thing, thankfully with farms now (there's a lot of fertile terrain in the north), and remember to pause and look for the best layout on the gold mines. You can, on most of them, get more gold via 2 smaller mines than the one max.

Don't forget you can dismantle your expensive upkeep towers after the last wave to boost income too.

It helps if you can get a ballista up on each point early to deal with the waves, then just build the shock where the horde comes until you push out to the edges where they spawn and build a defense.



Alternate path: Talk about easy, didn't realize I didn't have to beat the final wave. Actually won before it on accident. The train really snowballs your economy and war force.

Victory Conditions:
Destroy all the infected
Colony population: 1000

Defeat Conditions:
Time to complete the mission: 56 days
The Command Center cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive
Giant x1

Resources (beyond wood and food):
Iron
Gold
Oil

Overview:
This seems scarier than it actually is, because it's your first time facing a giant. In reality, we have no hordes, all zombies move slower, and we should have lots of time to build up a big force to easily crush him. Try to keep the green area near your base for farms, but you'll have to use the area on the other side of the railroad to build houses. This can be a bit tricky as the enemies clumps are starting to be very large and sensitive to sound. So attack from directions where if you have to fall back, you don't lead them toward your housing. Might even be worth doing some initial clearing as a group before you separate them into patrols.

Stone is to the northeast, and you'll want to go there first. There are 7 points where waves will spawn in, and we'll want to push along the western edge to the north and block those off, as well as the southern edge to the east. The giant does not get attracted by sound, so you're safe building relatively close to his den.



You're going to want to seek iron (closest is northeast) and spam our new soldiers. Between them and a few ballistas, the giant will easily go down. There is gold mostly due north that helps out a bit. You'll want mostly tents instead of cottages to feed your empire expansion of walls/ballistas/teslas with wood.

I had the map cleared and mostly locked down by day 35, made it easy to just focus on locking down the other entries and continually producing soldiers. Because there are no hordes I do recommend deconstructing interior ballistas. You're under no real threat besides the giant as long as you have two ballistas at each map entry point.

By day 40, I had it 100% locked down and started building the giant trap. And actually I didn't notice any waves after around day 30 either, so you might be able to deconstruct it all.

The trap doesn't have to be overly elaborate. Below was start and how easily it dunked him; didn't even lose a single troop






Alternate path: Slightly trickier because ballistas are cheaper to maintain than shock towers, but ultimately still not much different from the base guide.

Victory Conditions:
Destroy all the infected
Resist all swarms of infected

Defeat Conditions:
The Outpost cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Runner

Overview:
Now that we have Soldiers to compliment the Lucifers, we're pretty unstoppable. Just park the Lucifers outside of each other's range and a few soldiers behind each and you'll melt the horde. It's going to tell you that your units are in danger, but it mostly lies. I had one extra Lucifer and just moved him around to let the others heal if need be. Once the soldiers start hitting vets that shouldn't even be a problem.



Alternate path:
2-3 soldiers deep on chokepoints and wasps dotted along the sides of the chokes worked just fine.

Victory Conditions:
Destroy all the infected
Colony population: 1500
Resist all swarms of infected
Destroy all villages of doom

Defeat Conditions:
Time to complete the mission: 64 days
The Command Center cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive

Resources (beyond wood and food):
Iron
Gold
Oil
Rich Fishing

Overview:
This is a kind of interesting mission. There is a giant lake in the middle, with VoDs along the outside and you almost start in a corner. I usually clear to the south a little, get some fortifications up (you are going to need shock towers this time after the first wave), and then sweep with Rangers and Soldiers. There are 3 defunct Radar Towers that you can either grab and repair for vision, or grab and demolish for resources. If you're going to repair them, wait until your economy is up and running because they're not easy on the upkeep.

Why do this one before some of the lower star ones you ask? Because of the research points. In this mission, you will start to get a glimpse of the power of the train with your newfound gold source. After this mission we can get wood and stone with each train shipment, and you can get a soldier's center up very quickly and start clearing maps much faster. Get iron and you don't even need quarries for it unless you have mass production. Given that the zombies outside the base are starting to get thick, that's incredibly powerful. You can create a soldier ball in safety and then start roflsmashing early on.

Anyway, back to this mission, note there's 20 stone sitting in the quarry to the northeast. That will let you get up an early Soldier's Center. There's also a VoD to the southeast, so expanding north to the edge (and building a defense) and then west as you build power is a good idea. Just make sure you get working on those Shock Towers and this is a piece of cake.

Don't forget about your absurd population requirements. Keep building as you clear so you're not stuck with no zombies and playing SimCity instead. You should have all pop and the map cleared well before day 36 wave.

The gold is far to the south, you'll have so much income by the time you get to it that it's probably not worthwhile. There is iron to the southeast VoD right near you, but I had no problem sweeping left with rangers, using iron from VoD drops to get the first handful of soldiers until I claimed the glorious mine near the western edge.

Alternate path: This is so stupid easy with the train giving you iron that it's not even funny. I just massed a soldier ball using train resources, made one shock where they attacked first, then rotated clockwise around, sealing off exits after clearing with soldier deathball and then just throwing up shocks. Even finished the 1500 pop 8 days before the last wave.

Victory Conditions:
Get the mission object: Mission Artifact
The hero must escape from the fortress alive
(Optional) Get valuable items for the empire (260 points)
(Optional) Get ancient technology (460 points)

Defeat Conditions:
The hero must escape from the fortress alive

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive

Resources:
Medkit x 3
Grenade x 8

Overview:
Okay, this one at least eventually has a new mechanic, eventually. Clear the north exterior first, then the south exterior. The semi-hidden things are at the bottom of the south exterior path. We'll go ahead and go in the back door, because why not? Oh yeah, before we really get started, word to the wise, be sparing with your medkits.

Once you open the back door, either grenade or ride the conga train. Before you aggro all the crap at the bottom of the room, we'll look at the new mechanic. There are little tesla towers in here, and a terminal by the door that you can interact with. These terminals will appear in many rooms, and they charge up these teslas that periodically overflow and zap stuff around them. This includes you (hence the earlier warning about the medkits). Zap away!

When that room's clear, we'll head northeast. I like to aggro a bunch, bring them to the previous room, and kite them into the zap pattern. The next room is to the northwest. We're looking for the terminal ASAP. Good room to use grenades in too, the wasps won't last too long.

Once that's all clear and looted, head back to the first room we came in. We'll go southeast next. Use a combination of the zappers in the first room plus grenades to clear out the initial wave, then turn on the zappers in the next room. It will take a while to clear this room, then go to the southern part and open the door. The northern part has an active zapper on that will get you.

Open the room on the southeast and enjoy all the Executives. really we just need to kite them around the room with the active zappers, and mix some grenades in for good measure.Then I usually clear the southeast room, turn off the zappers, and go out through the door we avoided earlier.

Open the northeast door, go back a bit, and turn on the zappers. Thin the herd by kiting them in here and getting them zapped. When you can get a ways into the next room, turn on the panel and kill tons. This is actually supposed to be the first room you see this mechanic, when it works really well against Decrepits. Didn't work so well with the Executives. Ahem. Clear this room and go northeast. Go northeast again.

Now go northwest. Lastly, go northeast. And boom, we're done, all the hard stuff out of the way upfront and now we're right by the exit. Enjoy the massive Research Points.

Victory Conditions:
Destroy all the infected
Colony population: 1000
Resist all swarms of infected

Defeat Conditions:
Time to complete the mission: 48 days
The Command Center cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive

Resources (beyond wood and food):
Iron
Gold
Oil

Overview:
This mission is interesting, and somewhat challenging. It will be easy to defend with even just 4 shock towers, but you hurt for real estate until you've pushed out very far into all 4 tendrils, at least relative to the space you need for 1000 pop. We also get oil so you can put a Lucifer or two in front of each shock tower for added hilarity (note: this may not be possible anymore).

Stone is to the right, and there is a VoD on the bottom right path very close to the branch head. Be extraordinarily careful, it's very easy to pull a bunch of runners and wipe early. Wall that one first. Gold deposits are to the top left. Note that you'll need a tesla tower to get to the decent wood from your starting position, so don't waste it on something else to start.

I start by rushing ballistas. There is an easily reached gold/food drop on the bottom left path that will help early startup. Around day 7 or so you get a wave of runners, which isn't bad in itself, but if they bang on your walls they grab more and more and more and you eventually get overwhelmed. Getting the ballistas up early will clear most of the nearby runners anyway. In fact, you can and should invite them in to meet your ballistas via your rangers.



Once you get 4 shocks up, you can really defend against all the waves, so just spam soldiers, and push down the legs to gain space. The top left leg has gold so that might be better than what I did.





Alternate path: Beginning is basically the same, but having stone walls on the outer layers makes this a cinch.

Victory Conditions:
Destroy all the infected
Colony population: 1600
Destroy all Villages of Doom

Defeat Conditions:
Time to complete the mission: 56 days
The Command Center cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive
Harpy

Resources (beyond wood and food):
Iron
Gold
Oil

Overview:
At the beginning you'll see a mass of harpies in the top right. We have to deal with hordes as we build our 1600 pop and prepare to defeat the harpies. But the enemies around our base are pretty easy, and we have the train income. Use three of your rangers to focus on clearing to the east. We'll expand that way, have one defend the west. Get a Wood Workshop and Soldier's Center up ASAP. Never stop producing soldiers (unless for some reason your economy can't handle their cost). Ideally we'll have a couple hundred, but it's going to depend on how well you expand.

The path to the harpies is to the west only (which is why we secure east first), and there will be a sign and a bottleneck right before you start encountering them. Once you start producing soldiers you can start clearing with them. Don't forget a wave is coming and you'll want at least some ballistas, if not shock towers. There's good farming near you to the southeast and a big patch to the east and northeast.

By day 17 I had all the southern portion cleared and was breaching to the north. I was still setting up defenses on the three southern points. Once you're safe at those and the choke, you will explode in power. There are only two more paths, one to the north that leads to another horde entry point (and two VoDs) and some gold nodes, and the east, which leads to doom. You should certainly have shock towers researched and be ready to place one at whichever entry point come day 26. I actually had all 3 bottoms shock/ballistad before day 26 and was ready with another if it came from the north (which of course it did...).

Between the day 26 and day 39 waves go crazy on your economy and try to get the gold mines and fortifications on the north path. Then we'll be ready to push and clear the last VoD and set up soldier spam. I actually had the pop cap hit before the final wave. Destroy all your towers after the day 39 wave, build a bunch of Soldier's Centers, and crank out the troops.

Remember you have 56 days, you should use them all. Attack around day 52 with as many soldiers as you can muster. You can even poke at them earlier with 100-150, just don't get too close. I lost my first army of over 100 soldiers because I pulled too many. As long as you don't have a building chain for them to follow, you can take a few stabs at it. You will lose on the first tick of day 56, and there are a lot of harpies to kill. I actually build ~4 soldier's centers near the harpy mass just to avoid walking. Don't forget to build quarries on things if you're like me and skip them during the entire expansion because of the OP train.

Alternate path: Pretty much the same thing. Here are some pictures since I didn't put any the first time.

Victory Conditions:
Destroy all the infected
Resist all swarms of infected

Defeat Conditions:
The Outpost cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Harpy

Overview:
I don't know about you, but I puckered a bit when I saw 3000 Harpies where what I was up against. Fortunately they trickle in, you have Lucifers (who have great health and health regen) to tank, and our Soldiers are much improved over the basic one. Just spam Soldiers with 8 or so Lucifers and you should be good to go.





Alternate path:
Since we have no Lucifers I just spammed soldiers, and it worked like a charm.

Victory Conditions:
Get the mission object: Mission Artifact
The hero must escape from the fortress alive
(Optional) Get valuable items for the empire (260 points)
(Optional) Get ancient technology (560 points)

Defeat Conditions:
The hero must escape from the fortress alive

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive
Chubby
Harpy

Resources:
Medkit x 4
Grenade x 14

Overview:
So... Calliope is basically a Ranger. There are Harpies here. Be quick to pause and chuck grenades (although if you don't try to run and are at full health you can probably 1 v 1 with the upgrades we've gotten). I always save grenades for them though, and don't try the other method until we have more range on her.

The starting bridge is annoying. But hey, at least we 2 shot runners now! We'll go southeast first. Keep an eye out for openings among the trees. There's lots of little areas like this with loot. Clear the western side of the building first, and grab the grenades. This is critical. Clear the intersection to the southeast using your guns and kiting. Save those grenades. Clear the southeast and northeast first, there are lots of Executives to the southwest and we want to be able to kite. For the northeast, careful not to go in too far or you'll have to use a grenade. Use sound to your advantage. Then go southwest and clear the Executives cautiously.

Go into the building, kite and kill the enemies, grab the medkit. Clear the next room, which is a bit tedious. Again, guns only. Once that's all cleared out, go back up to the intersection and head southeast. I do use a grenade on this first room since you aggro it all at once. Would be insane to kite all that. We'll go into the northeast room first.

I do kite this area. Clear the north side of the interior room before opening the door. Then open the door and kite. Once all this is looted, now we go into the southwest room. Once you go in, you'll see a creepy dead baby, and may not notice the two harpies sitting at the end of the room. Grenade them or lose.

Now we go back out and up to the first intersection. We'll head northeast, and again clear by pulling small groups at a time and kiting. Keep going northeast, and kite the Chubby and kill it with your pistols (easier if you let him start a swing animation then dodge and get a few hits in). Keep clearing. I drew such a big group at the next batch I had to grenade. Clear to the exit, then go into the grassy area to the southeast. Kite the chubby and kill it.

Might want to wait on this room though. I used both my grenades on the horde of executives, then kited the stragglers before I realized there's a ton. This took a long time, so you might want to go back to the original intersection and come back here at the end in case you have extra grenades (there are two right by that first northwest path entrance). I'm going to clear the rest of the exterior before going in that building though, I've had problems coming out into huge piles before and I prefer kiting outside.

That clearing netted me 4 grenades, I'll clear the last interior (4 harpies and 3 grenades used in that first room on the left, used a medkit to tank the last). You do end up getting 2 grenades back in there though. I cleared the outside area through the wall and the nearby hallway, then went back and opened the first room. It has a bunch of executives, which I kited (too scared to use my 3 grenades).

Cleared a little more hallway then opened the next room. Kited the runners. Took a while. Then opened the next door. Thankfully only loot. Then the next door. Used a grenade on the mass because I was up to 5. Opened the next door, used a grenade on the chubbies, then kited the rest of the health off. Opened the last door, used one grenade, probably should have used 2. Clear this out, then go deal with the executive horde area back in the southwest, and we're finally done! Unless of course you missed a hidden thing like me. Then spend 10 minutes searching this hellhole and have lots of fun.

Victory Conditions:
Colony population: 1600
Resist all swarms of the infected.

Defeat Conditions:
Time to complete the mission: 48 days
The Command Center cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive

Resources (beyond wood and food):
Iron
Oil

Overview:
This is one of three super-weird missions where you just build and defend against a final horde. That means try not to build units or defense towers until near the end of mission (do build layers of walls though, since they have no upkeep). Note that the wave is day 32, not day 48, you have time to build the housing after the wave. Iron is to the southeast and northeast. Stone is to the east and northwest (note that this will be much more important, and we'll want to build some warehouses to stock up stone for our shock towers as well as increase production from our resource nodes.

Focus on housing, getting farms up, and Tesla Tower expansion to start. Grab all the sawmills you can and build an outer double ring of walls. Just focus on building and building, ring your walls with Ballistas and Shock Towers, have a dozen or so backup soldiers in case an area is weak, and easy peasy victory.

Alternate path: Market was crucial, built oil to sell it but that might not have been worth given the upkeep of 1 foundry for just 1 well. Otherwise the same.

Victory Conditions:
Colony population: 1200

Defeat Conditions:
Time to complete the mission: 56 days
The Command Center cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive

Resources (beyond wood and food):
Iron
Oil

Overview:
Welcome to the Sucklands! This map sucks. Jam packed with hyper aggressive enemies sensitive to sound. Oh yeah, and waves. You can actually win with just pop, you don't have to last out all the waves. But given how long it takes to clear you're going to see several waves.

You have precious little space to work with, which is why I waited until we had upgraded Soldiers and Insulated Materials (making housing less expensive for energy) before we came here. The hordes are as big as ever, so you will still want some tower action, but our uber-Soldiers should be able to get you some breathing room after you have 8 or so.

My group of 14 Soldiers managed to clear the map before the second wave (day 24). Between waves I just pushed to the exterior and threw up a shock tower at every entry point. You have over 10 days at the end of the final wave, so just destroy all your towers, drop a few farms, upgrade your houses, and finally done with the suckfest.



Alternate path: Wooden towers in particular, and stronger wooden walls makes this so much easier. Draw the enemies early safely with soldiers firing from towers. Otherwise the same. Final wave still a bit hairy due to low stone income and so many spots for shock towers, but not horrible.

Victory Conditions:
Get the mission object: Mission Artifact
The hero must escape from the fortress alive
(Optional) Get valuable items for the empire (190 points)
(Optional) Get ancient technology (400 points)

Defeat Conditions:
The hero must escape from the fortress alive

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive
Chubby

Resources:
Medkit x 4
Grenade x 12

Overview:
This one has a slightly different mechanic, in that there are burning pools of steel on the ground that you're intended to kite the zombies through to kill them. Sometimes it works well, sometimes it doesn't. Clear the entrance area so no one creeps up behind you, then open the first door and clear the hallway. Might as well clear the whole thing since the barrels make it easy.

Open the door at the end of the hallway, slowly picking through the enemies. This room is most of the map, just use molten steel or grenades if you must and clear it out. Clear the southwesternmost outer area first. Clear the eastern room, feel free to use grenades any time you see clumps, this is only a 2 star mission. I didn't even use them all.

Once that's all done and you're through pixel hunting, go back to the entrance of the hallway right by the exit. Clear these wimpy rooms out, use a couple grenades on the chubby, and be done.

Victory Conditions:
Destroy all the infected
Resist all swarms of infected

Defeat Conditions:
The Outpost cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Runners

Overview:
Just block every entrance with Lucis and back them up with a few Soldiers. You're not even threatened in the slightest. Go to the bathroom or something while it finishes.



Alternate path:
Soldiers only works just fine. Spam them and then highlight, right click the base to pull them all close, and then go to the bathroom or something.

Victory Conditions:
Destroy all the infected
Resist all swarms of infected

Defeat Conditions:
The Outpost cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Runners

Overview:
You know what to do. This one's even easier than the last. Enjoy your nap.

Victory Conditions:
Colony population: 2600
Resist all swarms of infected

Defeat Conditions:
Time to complete the mission: 60 days
The Command Center cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive

Resources (beyond wood and food):
Iron
Oil

Overview:
This is the second mission where we only have to defeat the final wave. So clear the fog of war with your Soldiers, build your resource pools, and get your new and improved shock towers ringing the outside. Should be easy peasy.

By day 22 I had the entire base walled in with 2 or 3 layers, and a massive income. Which I then turned more massive with cottages (avoid stone houses, there's no need). If you're capping on stone despite the warehouse buffs, drop a shock tower every once in a while. Oh yeah, you cannot have enough sawmills.

By the day 34 train I had the pop cap goal met, the entire wall ringed with walls and shock towers, all research complete and all producing buildings built. I even make Lucifers, because why not? I station one at almost every shock tower just in case they break through the walls. When I ran out of Lucifers I just put 8 soldiers at the Shock Tower instead.



There was a firefight! And I won.

Alternate path:
Even sillier with marketplaces. 3k gold per tick with three marketplaces up I made my entire set of walls double stone before day 29. Had pop cap, full shock, and troop towers ringed around the base by 36. Filled the ring then built ballistas and snoozed. Won handily.

Victory Conditions:
Destroy all the infected
Colony population: 1500
Destroy all villages of doom

Defeat Conditions:
Time to complete the mission: 56 days
The Command Center cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive
Chubby

Resources (beyond wood and food):
Iron
Oil
Gold

Overview:
So, enemies are extra sensitive to sound, and most of the land is desert. Start building your houses outside the green patch, and slowly push out with your rangers. Keep them separated by a few tiles each if possible to minimize sound generation. Get a Soldier's Center up and crank out some more rangers. Until we're strong we'll want to minimize noise. It will be slow to start.



Once you can get the Wood Workshop and some farms up, do so. Then we can start cranking out soldiers with our train iron. Once you've got a ballista perimeter up, now we can focus on building an army.



Once you've got a market up, feel free to build quarries. Your market will automatically sell excess resources, so your iron and stone can become additional income for you. Use the Rangers to draw zombies into the Ballistas while you wait for your Soldier army to build. 10 or so you can start clearing the flanks, then keep growing for VoDs. Maybe 25-30 Soldiers should work.

My 50 or so Soldiers cleared the map easily. I did have to retreat from the northeast VoD once. I just had to throw up 1-2 Ballistas on each point and they were covered. I used a couple Lucifers as moving tanks while I built pop. Finished well before the time limit without even trying hard.



Alternate path: Basically the same except I had towers backing the ballistas in the base and stone walls on the perimeter. Easy peasy.

Victory Conditions:
Get the mission object: Mission Artifact
The hero must escape from the fortress alive
(Optional) Get valuable items for the empire (260 points)
(Optional) Get ancient technology (520 points)

Defeat Conditions:
The hero must escape from the fortress alive

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive
Chubby

Resources:
Medkit x 5
Grenade x 12
Lucifer x 2

Overview:
Start by clearing to the south. Note the hidden medkit at the bottom left. Go into the hole in the wall, and carefully clear the area. Don't get accidentally trapped by the prison walls. Your newfound range upgrade plus our damage upgrades should start making this very easy.

Once you've cleared that massive room, we'll go in the first exit you came across on the southwest. Once that's clear, open the little shower room. Do use a grenade in that room. After you open the next door, loot up by the bunghole and then continue down the hallway to the southwest. I like to clear up the next hallway a bit too. In the room to the southeast there are Lucifers. The problem is, the Lucifers melt you just as easily as they melt zombies (and they will turn and attack one that is on the other side of you) and the sound of burning zombies will draw them like flies. So I clear the immediate hall using the sandbags to slow them down, then free the Lucifers. I then try to keep my distance except when I'm opening doors.

At this point, Calliope's purpose is loot, healing the Lucifers with her medkits, and running back down the way you came in to keep Decrepits or Runners from turning the Lucifers around and melting her. Note that Lucifers can open doors themselves and grab loot.



Clear the two little rooms down there with the Lucifers then proceed up the hallway to the right, Lucifers first. Clear the entire hallway, then go back to the southwest entrance. Open it up, and grenade/fry the zombies inside. There are a lot, so it will take a while. Try to keep them in the doorway as much as possible so they don't keep spinning around.



When that's all done, clear the hall a bit, use a medkit on the Lucifers if you haven't already, and open the door to the northeast. Clear from bottom right counter-clockwise up the way, keeping Calliope back to clear any roamers. The fourth door does have a Chubby behind it, Calliope should help with that if possible.

Go out the broken wall to the northeast. Clear to the left first. Go in the next broken wall, clear the hallway, then go in the room. Go ahead and use a few grenades. I used 4 just to speed it up. While you loot with Calliope, attack move the Lucifers to the right path we haven't gone down yet. Then go to the sandy room in the middle and open that door, attack moving back to the entrance. You're all done. Unless you have to pixel hunt like me.

Victory Conditions:
Destroy all the infected
Colony population: 2600
Resist all swarms of infected
Destroy all Villages of Doom

Defeat Conditions:
Time to complete the mission: 60 days
The Command Center cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive
Chubby
Harpy
Spitter

Resources (beyond wood and food):
Iron
Oil

Overview:
Finally, there starts to be some challenge again. There is an absolutely massive VoD in the middle of the map, and a mountain between you and it. You need to rush defenses (including Shock Towers, ballistas, and your new stone walls). Sound will constantly have enemies streaming toward you, plus the hordes. Once you've stabilized your defenses, spam some Soldiers, grab some oil and make a few titans, and attack. Keep the Titans in front of the Soldiers and they'll meat shield very well. They have tremendous health regen, AOE attacks, and can move quickly if they end up in trouble or reinforcements are needed elsewhere.

Push out with your starting Rangers (not too far), research farms and then Ballistas, and get some a perimeter up on the northwest and southeast. Make sure you clear out the area inside your walls completely. I had a run get ruined by a single guy who walked straight into my housing despite shock towers and Ballistas on the outsides. I like to push to the north first to the stones, wall them up, then sweep right and down. Around the time you get to the iron you'll start to have problems with sound and runners, so don't be afraid to set up some fallback Ballistas. Also, note with all our upgrades that Cabins have the same energy cost as tents, so once you've got farms and a few sawmills going, upgrade away. Having a market is really nice too, both for the quarry/sawmill overflow and food cost reduction. It gives us a lot of space to work with.

You cannot overprepare for that first wave due to everything nearby that gets dragged in.

This:



Turned into this:


Before day 25 horde you want some shock towers and stone walls up, then you'll be safe to start conquering the map.

It really helps if you wall off the bottom right area and the path from the VoD into your town and blockade them with shock/ballista/stone walls.



Beware the final wave will drag a bunch of crap from the leftmost path if you didn't clear it (like I didn't). Luckily I had two Titans and a backup Shock I had placed at the end of my housing, because my defenses fell (Spitters took out the shock tower). I should have put a few troops in a tower and had them on high priority, but it didn't occur to me. You might feel like you're going to get dunked by time, I was on day 43 or so and had only just started antagonizing the massive VoD, but between what the final wave pulls and Titans it was easy to clean up, destroy your towers, upgrade housing, and be done.

Alternate path: Much easier. Not entirely sure way, maybe strategy, maybe tech. First off I held off the first wave just fine by adding some troop towers with our maxed out soldiers



Then, after sneaking across the bottom with tesla towers to wall/ballista/shock the south and east, I ignored the northeast and just went north along the coast so the final wave wouldn't drag all that crap this time. My soldiers were so strong I made it to the top of the path, walled that off, and was actually clearing the VoD during the day 38 horde.



VoD down day 42, pop day 43, and waited until final wave at 48. Note that a single ring of stone houses around a marketplace will get you the 2k+ pop.

Victory Conditions:
Get the mission object: Mission Artifact
The hero must escape from the fortress alive
(Optional) Get valuable items for the empire (330 points)
(Optional) Get ancient technology (600 points)

Defeat Conditions:
The hero must escape from the fortress alive

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive
Chubby

Resources:
Medkit x 3
Grenade x 14

Overview:
Clear the obnoxious opening and then the large yard. Use barrels if you can. I actually used my first 4 grenades well before the room was clear, so I went back to the entrance to check the room on the left for more. And then the room past that with the Soylent Green making machine. Found more grenades. Proceeded to use them on these two rooms. Sigh. Although you should have netted two or so.

Continue clearing the giant room. I cleared the area around the final room before going in, just in case I could pull something behind me. Note there are some Chubbies on the far back wall.

Try to save 4 grenades for the last room if you can. I was getting frisky with them and only had 2. The room is packed full of Executives, which are still 4 shots for us. Oh, and a chubby. Hooray. We won.

Victory Conditions:
Destroy all the infected
Resist all swarms of infected

Defeat Conditions:
The Outpost cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Runner
Executive
Chubby

Overview:
Just do something like this, watch until the Chubbies are dead, and then AFK. I did lose the bottom Lucifer and shift some Soldiers down, but no real danger.



Alternate path: Spam 323 soldiers and right click on tower. AFK.

Victory Conditions:
Destroy all the infected
Resist all swarms of infected

Defeat Conditions:
The Outpost cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Runners
Executive
Chubby

Overview:
Something like this. I struggled with the Southwest. The group in the middle north wasn't engaged at all so I moved them in for backup/replacement.

Victory Conditions:
Destroy all the infected
Colony population: 1800
Resist all swarms of infected
Destroy all villages of doom

Defeat Conditions:
Time to complete the mission: 64 days
The Command Center cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive
Spitter

Resources (beyond wood and food):
Iron
Oil
Gold

Overview:

You'll start without anyone on your island. Expand out and build something like the below. Your Rangers can kill the VoD that's right outside, but that's about the end of their usefulness.



I do put up one or two ballistas for the first wave, but they're limited use, and don't even bother researching Shock Towers. Why? Because all hordes on this map are Spitters only. And they Demolish Shock towers and Ballistas. So what do we do? Build stone towers and cram soldiers in them. The first wave was easily defeated by this force. Ideally we want all the edges of the map covered by stone towers and ballistas and we should be good to go.

Just attack in between waves with masses of Soldiers and clear the map, then put vets in the towers for hordes. You can really start leveraging the bank and market to squeeze income out of the houses (not there’s 40 food to the south of your base and 40 energy to the east), on top of that you get 2 gold per kill, so you should be on a high bankroll most of the time. I had all VoDs destroyed and most of the map cleared a week before the second horde. Had the map fully cleared before horde 3, and essentially just focused on walling/towering/ballistaing the entrances. The biggest threat with spitters is when they’re bunched, so if you keep the streams from crossing they’re much easier to deal with. You can get some Titans for extra insurance, but if you wall off every entry into the map you'll win just fine.



Horde 2


Horde 3


Final Horde

Alternate path: This was significantly harder than I remember. Not sure what I did differently, still cleared the map in the same time, but really struggled to get defenses up and have them hold at every point. Still a first time clear, but I had to micro two of the hordes because I didn't have defenses up properly the entire run (for all 4 points and base, only got 3 and base, and south fell, so I had to micro two branch's worth.

Victory Conditions:
Destroy all the infected
Resist all swarms of infected

Defeat Conditions:
The Outpost cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Spitter

Overview:
Just spam snipers with some beefy troops in front of them. You could get all fancy and stagger them to the entrances, but there's really no need.



Alternate path: First time in a long time I was worried, they definitely get some attacks in, but you still win spamming 100% soldiers and right clicking on tower.

Victory Conditions:
Get the mission object: Mission Artifact
The hero must escape from the fortress alive
(Optional) Get valuable items for the empire (330 points)
(Optional) Get ancient technology (700 points)

Defeat Conditions:
The hero must escape from the fortress alive

Enemies Present:
Runner
Executive
Chubby
Harpy
Spitter

Resources:
Medkit x 4
Grenade x 14

Overview:
Not gonna lie, this one is pretty hard if you're not super careful. Clear the perimeter first, then return to the main entrance. The good news is executives are now 3 shots. Don't waste any grenades, even on the chubbies. You do enough damage now they're not that bad to kite.

Go in the first room and clear it. See that green tank? Consider that the only green tank that's not a threat. Every time you see one now, shoot it at max range and kill what comes out before it gets you.

We'll go from deadliest to least deadly in case you die there's less monotony to work through. I recommend kiting as much as possible even though it's annoying. Your grenades are your "oh crap" button in this level. Never use them if you think you can make it through without needing to.

Go in the southeast room. Some of the containers hold normal runners, some hold Harpies. You can tell because the Harpies have the long claw arms. Carefully clear it. The next room is all Harpies, be ready to pause and chuck grenades. You can take 3 hits before you have to pop a medkit. You have one from the outside and there's one in this room, plus you should have 4 grenades. Don't be afraid to insta-double grenade if you get too hurt before it's fully clear (one for tanks, one slightly closer to you because they're fast -this is extremely dangerous). I can usually kill them before they get to me 1v1, especially if I put minor obstacles in the way. I was able to make it out with full health, 0 medkits, and 2 grenades. Now I like to go all the way back to the beginning and then clear anteroom/go northwest.

A bunch of zombies will swarm you when you open it. I recommend not going inside the room, but kiting from the doorway and drawing as much as you can (for the initial open just back off to keep the runners manageable). Then shooting the tank with the Harpy and dealing with her. You should be able to do exactly enough damage to kill her before her hit animation goes off. Go up the left side of the room to pull enemies and clear, and then deal with the Harpy in tank #2.

Once that's clear, go to the room in the northeast. The males inside the tanks are Spitters. They have enough health that you'll have to dodge an attack most times. As long as you're slow to clear and fight them all one at a time (or grenade in emergency) you'll be fine. We'll go northeast and get the exit thing first.

Be very cognizant of the vent in the front of the room, they will badly hurt or kill anything that walks through them while venting, including you. Just shoot a tank after the vent pops until you've got the first couple rows clear. There are a bunch of executives and a chubby in the room at the back, so use two grenades and some shots on the chub to clear it out. Mind the vent near the entrance there as well.

Go back toward the beginning and northwest to the last area. After a brief hallway, you'll get a room that pulls a bunch of runners and execs. Try to kite from range as you clear the room, and do so slowly as you might not be able to back up due to a gas vent firing. For the one that's always on and has loot behind it, you can walk across the very southwest part without damage. There are no more specials, so feel free to use your leftover grenades (another reason to do hardest to easiest) and congrats on beating the hardest hero level!

Victory Conditions:
Destroy all the infected
Colony population: 2000
Resist all swarms of infected
Destroy all villages of doom

Defeat Conditions:
Time to complete the mission: 72 days
The Command Center cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive
Chubby
Giants

Resources (beyond wood and food):
Iron
Oil
Gold

Overview:
Not entirely sure why this is a 5 star mission. It's really not that bad. Basically keep cranking out Rangers and pushing out until you clear the little peninsula to the right and get some breathing room on the left. After the first wave, you want to lock down the left entirely and get ready to push out and lock some more down.



Build your town all the while, crank out Snipers perpetually after 12-20 Soldiers (soldiers will clear while Snipers will prep for giants). When you've got 3 dozen Snipers and a Titan or two out there, just use the Titans to bait the Giants into the Snipers' fire.


Baiting giants

Had all giants down before day 49 horde. Just secure the map edges after you do that, there's a couple small waves but the final horde is just Giants, so spread your snipers and put some sniper towers up and you should be good to go.



Alternate path: Same strategy, a little slower to kill the giants pre-final wave. Final wave was rough at some choke points, I'd say have 6 towers of troops per to be safe, at least the ones around your base. I had to do a lot of micro to pull off the win. Snipers are just all around better for giants.

Victory Conditions:
Destroy all the infected
Resist all swarms of infected

Defeat Conditions:
The Outpost cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Giant

Overview:
This one was kind of tough to figure out, but an easy solution. Make about 50/50 Soldiers and snipers, don't even bother with HP soaking units. The Soldiers will perform that role. Just keep the Soldiers in front of the Snipers and a few will die each time, but the Snipers will melt the giants.

Alternate path: Went 100% soldiers. Lost a lot of them but still won. Just charged every wave with every unit.

Victory Conditions:
Get the mission object: Mission Artifact
The hero must escape from the fortress alive
(Optional) Get valuable items for the empire (400 points)
(Optional) Get ancient technology (800 points)

Defeat Conditions:
The hero must escape from the fortress alive

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive
Chubby
Harpy
Spitter


Resources:
Medkit x 6
Grenade x 6
Mutant x 1
Soldier x 3

Overview:
This one's easier than the last one, and we're done with hero missions. Hooray for sanity, boo for less magnificent research points.

Clear the first area, nothing special, and open the first door. Still nothing special. Clear it and head to the northwest. Play a little kite-the-Chubby, clear the loot, and proceed north. Partially clear the northeast, then go back and clear the west wall. Head for that icon on the minimap. Be mindful of your back since we didn't clear it, your noise may draw too much. Back off and then work your way back in if that happens. Be advised the runway has Spitters and Harpies. Remember not to run from Harpies, your range and damage upgrades should give you the standoff needed to win. Be careful in the woods behind the Soldier's hiding spot, the area is tight and there are a lot of zombies.

After you get him, clear the rest of the runway, then head into the treeline in the middle northern part of the runway and kill off the enemies. The control panel turns off the fire. Let most of the enemies come in before you do that, then turn it off, grab aggro, get to safety and turn it back on.

Beware the room after the narrow corridor has multiple Harpies. They surprised me and I used my last grenade. After clearing that room, we'll go northwest. Note there's a heavily guarded exterior path to the north, better to go West first. Once that's all clear, go back to the fireplace room, and we'll go Southeast. Clear the next room carefully, and go into the south room. Interact with the terminal and watch the world burn. Open the door to bait some more through. Careful, the Harpies move so fast they survive the flame spouts. Remember everyone can interact with the spouts, so you can bait with Calliope and then run to a safe spot and active the flames with a soldier. Clear the hall.

Open the first southeastern door you come to from the flame controls. Go get daddy warbucks and let him do his thing. For the very last room, recommend pulling them around the corner and grenading regularly and then just pop a medkit for the last bit and you should be good. Unless you have to pixel hunt like me. At least the mutant is uber fast getting to it when you find it. GG.

Victory Conditions:
Destroy all the infected
Resist all swarms of infected

Defeat Conditions:
The Outpost cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Mutants

Overview:
Do this. Win.



Alternate path: Slightly harder without snipers. Don't leave the tower on chase or anything, just keep a tight grouping around it per usual.

Victory Conditions:
Destroy all the infected
Resist all swarms of infected

Defeat Conditions:
The Outpost cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Runner
Spitter

Overview:
Do this.

Victory Conditions:
Colony population: 2000
Resist all swarms of infected

Defeat Conditions:
Time to complete the mission: 64 days
The Command Center cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive
Chubbie (final wave only)

Resources (beyond wood and food):
Iron
Oil
Gold

Overview:
It is very tempting to try to take over all the walls before the first swarm, simply because you can see everything. That doesn't really work well on this difficulty. Don't be afraid to use some interim chokes and expand between waves. Or don't even expand at all. I just stayed within the space I originally grabbed and won. Our train brings Wasps now, and you can use those to guard some wooden walls as you focus on expansion, primarily grabbing wood and gold so that you can spam more Teslas, walls, and Ballistas.

Starting in day 1 Decrepits will spawn and beeline for your base, so split your rangers up and keep it clear as you push Teslas to the edges to drop your Wasps and Ballistas.

End of wave 1



Getting toward final wave. Stopped counting because not threatened. Just upgrade to stone walls between wave 1 and 2 (or at least 2 and 3) and be ready to drop a shock where the horde is. Then shock them all up and round over. There are huge resource piles, don't forget to drop warehouses to improve harvest value and you can even double up warehouses on a few.




Alternate path: No real difference. Managed to have all sides of my base stone walled and shocked up before the second swarm. Pop cap and extra random shop towers set up outside the walls between second and third swarm. Then went and took a nap and let the last 10 days play out. Came back to a victory screen. Easy peasy.

Victory Conditions:
Destroy all the infected
Colony population: 1600
Resist all swarms of infected
Destroy all villages of doom

Defeat Conditions:
Time to complete the mission: 64 days
The Command Center cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive
Chubbie
Harpy
Spitter

Overview:
I quite like this mission, even though it's challenging to start. Essentially there are narrow tendrils of land that lead into the map, which is also just a bunch of narrow tendrils of land. And it's packed full of nasty zombies. But we have our magical train, Shock Towers, the Academy of Immortals, stone walls, Wasps, etc., so we will just claim and slowly push and block off the tendrils that lead into the map as we go. Be very particular with your space. Unfortunately not all islands are green like your starting one, but you have no choice but to build housing there.

There is a VoD off to the right, so I like to just get walls and Ballistas up as I build my Soldier ball and then break out to the northwest.You may have noticed I don't often go for the day 1/day 2 Soldier's Centers... this map breaks that path. Start cranking out the Soldier ball asap. Don't worry about farms as early as usual either, there's tons of fishing (which we just enhanced) on this map. Rush Ballistas and Cottages, with Market following.

I cannot stress the importance of moving very slowly and locking down as you go. You can be a bit aggressive with the adjacent islands (two to the northwest, one to the east, and one to the southeast of the east), but you need Titans to soak damage after that or your army will likely wipe. There are tons of specials on this map and you can quickly have what seems to be an overwhelming force get dunked. Also, the final horde is pretty brutal, because it has tons of Spitters. Your easy peasy defense days are over, you need lots of snipers in towers on highest priority to save your shocks.


First Horde:



Second Horde:




Third Horde:





Final Horde:







Alternate path: I felt like it was easier until the final horde. I had gotten sloppy and not loaded up my towers with troops until the last second, and harpies jumped into my housing area and wreaked havoc. Titans saved the day.

Victory Conditions:
Colony population: 1800
Gold Production: 8000

Defeat Conditions:
Time to complete the mission: 64 days
The Command Center cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive
Chubby
Harpy
Spitter (final Horde only)

Resources (beyond wood and food):
Iron
Oil
Gold

Overview:
This one's odd in a lot of ways. First and foremost, you need to rush Farms and then Ballistas, while producing a dozen or so Soldiers. Do not use Soldiers in the east or south early unless you want to wipe. Push out a bit with Rangers and then get up multiple Ballistas on each, something like the below. Otherwise the runners will hit your walls and make a bunch of noise and draw more than you can handle. You can clear the west/southwest with Soldiers freely before the first wave. Keep one sentry there because Decrepits do trickle in from time to time.




Make sure you also get the Stone Workshop and a Shock Tower up. Might as well drop some wasps on the first horde since you'll be making noise. Pretty sure I pulled the majority of the nearby VoD on mine.



Between Horde 1 and Horde 2 I just cleared some of the northwest, some of the VoD to the northeast, and basically drew a bunch of Harpies out of the gold mine area, as well as beefed up defenses. I started to overflow on resources and had to push northwest for Farms and housing.




By Horde 3 I had cleared all the entrances to the map and fortified most of them. Then after that just finish the last few defenses, build a trap, and draw in the enemies as you prepare for the final wave.






Don't be stupid like me and forget to put Snipers on the walls. Spitters almost got me. Also, remember to destroy all your towers, refund all your units, etc. to maximize income.

Victory Conditions:
Destroy all the infected
Colony population: 2000
Resist all swarms of infected
Destroy all villages of doom

Defeat Conditions:
Time to complete the mission: 64 days
The Command Center cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive
Chubby
Harpy
Spitter
Mutant

Overview:
It's been a while since we've faced a new enemy, but it's here now. Remember the Mutant you pounded through enemies with in the hero mission? Now the bad guys have their own. You can see them on the minimap. Unlike Giants, these guys are attracted by sound (and seem to be hyper sensitive), so be sure to stick to Rangers and Ballistas until you have a solid defense. I lost this map more times than I care to recount, and yet when I won it was pathetically easy. What did I figure out? Don't clear zombies with more than your 4 starting Rangers. It's just not worth it. I tried even using extra Rangers to clear once and still lost.

The problem is, it's very difficult to manage the sound meter for the nearby mutant, and when he comes, he brings everything with him. There were a few times I managed to take him down, but didn't have enough troops to deal with the mass of enemies attacking me. Basically you don't really want to do much more than the below. Sit in that footprint, and rush Farm -> Cottage -> Market -> Ballista/Stone Workshop -> Shock Tower -> Stone Walls. The noise from the first wave will draw in enemies from the side it's not on, so you'll want a shock tower in the west and the north, backed up by a couple Ballistas and a few Wooden Towers with troops. Spam your free Wasps on the north to help take out the Mutant before you have more firepower.

Horde 1:


Try to clear your south area and ideally fortify it before the second horde, but don't freak out if you can't. Your shocks will still deal with the enemy.

Horde 2:



Your economy should really be taking off at this point and you want to start clearing north if you haven't already. Note, there are only three entrances to the map, south, west, and east. You'll want to focus running power there and getting Shocks up for horde 3 and then towers for snipers for horde 4.

Horde 3:



My economy was pretty overwhelming and I started just placing stuff with wanton abandon and then gave up building because I didn't need more defense or income. I just spammed troops out of the existing building and routed them to the three defense points. Even though I did very little before the first and second hordes, I smashed the pop goal and cleared the map days before the final wave and won with ~11 days left on the clock. Don't be afraid to move slowly in the beginning.

Final horde (note this is only Mutants, so you should have lots of Snipers and Wasps and can ditch the Shock Towers):

Victory Conditions:
Destroy all the infected
Colony population: 5000
Resist all swarms of infected

Defeat Conditions:
Time to complete the mission: 76 days
The Command Center cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Runner
Chubby
Harpy
Spitter (Credit: Getting Jiggy With It)

Overview:
Talk about an odd design choice. Our second to last mission, of 5-star difficulty, is one where there's only a final wave...

Don't worry about the pop cap limit. Here's me at day 26 with the entire map covered in teslas and 3200 pop from just this one housing block. The best tip I can give is to focus on building and improving houses (and early market and bank). They will snowball into more houses, and spam all the resource producers you can, while still using excess cash for buying more resources at the market.



Once you're near or at the population needed, feel free to turn your attention to building the great wall of TAB. Create overlapping Shock Towers backed by Ballistas and Sniper Towers. Fill the cracks in between with wasps and we're going to spend our oil on Thanatos this time, not Titans. Titans are great because they're highly mobile and soak up a lot of damage, so they're great for shielding and direct combat. The Thanatos is the king of protected indirect range combat.

Unlike in normal maps, your main source of resources is through the market. Continually pause after gold ticks and convert to stone or whatever else you need so that you can spam defenses without wasting gold ticks. Your income will be massive. Also, buy Stone Walls first and then Stone Towers. Only after that start recruiting and building defenses, starting with Ballistas. Save Shocks towards the end since they have higher upkeep. Don't be afraid to use Power Plants to get the necessary spam of power for all the shocks and wasps. Full disclosure I didn't follow the optimal path myself and just build whatever.

Benchmarks:

• Day 30 started building walls
  
• Day 32 hit population requirement
  
• Day 33 had all triple Stone Walls placed
  
• Day 35 had all Shocks placed
  
• Day 38 had all Stone Towers placed
  
• Day 41 had all Ballistas placed
  
• Day 50 had Snipers in all stone towers
  
• Day 51 had Thanatos deployed to all wall segments [switched production to quick reaction force Titans in case a wall segment fell
  
• Day 56 completed lining walls with Wasps

Sample of defenses



Honestly, I was so overprepared that only one wall segment (as in the thing that you place piece by piece) got damaged. The Snipers did 95%+ of the work because they trickle in. You could honestly probably just do two rows of towers with Snipers and call it a day, it was that overpowered.

Victory Conditions:
Destroy all the infected
Resist all swarms of infected

Defeat Conditions:
The Outpost cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Runner
Executive
Chubby
Harpy
Spitter
Mutant

Overview:
Did this.


Ended up with this. Only used the Titan a bit to distract some Mutants in the north. The north obviously got hit the hardest.

Victory Conditions:
Destroy all the infected
Colony population: 3000
Resist all swarms of infected
Destroy all villages of doom

Defeat Conditions:
Time to complete the mission: 104 days
The Command Center cannot be destroyed or infected

Enemies Present:
Decrepit
Runner
Executive
Chubby
Harpy
Spitter
Mutant
Giant

Overview:
Welcome to the lag! For some reason it lags at the beginning but gets a bit better. This map is interesting for sure. You have a long time, but there are almost constant waves in the second half, so using your time wisely is critical. There are as many specials on this map as there were on the broken land, so you have to build incremental defenses as you aggressively expand.

Space is going to be incredibly tight at first, just make do with what you can.


Be careful of the VoD to the south as you expand, you want a few Ballistas fairly early in case you pull it. Also, note there are Mutants throughout the map, so you probably want to start with Rangers and Ballistas first until you have a solid defense and then spam Soldiers, just like the Forbidden Forest.



Make sure you research your Shocks and get them on as many walls as possible. The sound of the Horde is going to draw lots, so if you can empty the VoDs with shocks in advance it will make your life easier, plus net a lot of gold and allow you to push/progress after Hordes.



Middle of Horde 1

Retire
Most people think they have to sit there and watch their base crumble to restart. However, if you click the check mark on the HUD that shows you the objectives, there is a little button that says retire, which will surrender and take you back to the world map.

Kiting
Zombies are not that smart. They will prioritize living creatures over walls. Unfortunately some of your buildings have living creatures inside, so you can't distract them off of those really. But, before they get to those buildings with living creatures, you can take advantage of their stupid lust for brains. Taking one single unit (ideally a fast unit like a ranger) and running in circles or semi-circles will keep the zombie train following that unit, even while other units are in range and firing on them. This is a huge force multiplier, even more so if you have traps (e.g., stake traps) to kite them over.

Defense in Depth
Time and resources permitting, you should always be expanding, but try not to deconstruct your old defenses unless you absolutely must. I can't tell you how many times my bacon has been saved by a partitioned base, where the outer segment is broken into, but the forgotten defenses from early in a mission held and turned the tide back in my favor.

Towers
Towers can actually be built into wall sections, have more health than default walls, and confer bonuses to troop attack that troops sitting behind the walls do not have. Use them as often as you can afford.

Choke Points
Choke points are where naturally impassable terrain comes together to create a narrow passage. Typically most of your RTS missions are going to focus on expanding from choke point to choke point and building defenses around them. However, be mindful of what the B stands for in TAB. Ideally in the final wave you want the enemies spread out a bit along your walls so that more of them perish to your shock towers at the same time and so that as the walls are less likely to wear down because there's a smaller backlog at any one point.

Aggressive expansion
TAB is generally not kind to turtles that are too small. You need resources to grow your army and build your defenses, and you have to expand in order to that. Given the infection mechanic, this can be incredibly risky at times. Always be glancing at the minimap, checking the clock vs. the horde timer, etc. Abandon an expansion and come back later if you need to.

Scratching Posts
Scatter around single wooden wall segments early on. If a zombie wanders by, they will be attracted to these and attack this first, giving you time to mobilize your forces and defeat them before they get to your precious buildings.

Queuing Troops
Ideally, you want to only have 1 troop in queue at the time. The resources you use to buy them are tied up once you queue them, and TAB is largely about effective resource management. Once you are rich you may max out queues.

Resource overflow
You want to avoid resource overflow if at all possible. If you have a market, the non-gold resources will eventually convert to gold (still faster to do it manually). Gold overflow is one of the worst things that can happen. Build walls. Build tesla towers, mills, farms, warehouses, troops, do anything you can if you see those little bars all filled up.

Chase
There's a nifty little command called Chase. It will make your units seek out nearby zombies and kill them. Unfortunately sometimes one or a few will split off from the larger pack and chase other targets, getting into trouble. Generally only use this when you're in full on clear mode and can pay half a mind to it.

Refunding units
If you bring units to the building that created them, you can hit delete or click the appropriate icon to refund them (gives resources back and frees up upkeep). This is good to do after final waves (along with destroying towers) if you're still working on other goals.

Attack Animations (Credit: Pixicode and TWEEDY2]
Every unit has a loading/preparation, attack and reload animation. The loading/preparation animation cannot be manipulated from the looks of it. However, the attack and reload animation can be cancelled to attack sooner! There are two very reliable ways to do this, one that requires high APM and one that requires precise clicks.

Concept: Although attack speed still plays a part in the unit's attack, there is a part of the animation you can skip by issuing a 'new' type of attack command after the unit's Prep Animation is up. AKA calliope aiming, ranger aiming etc. You need to time your commands to the attack speed of the unit, like a rhythm.

1.) Precision Method: Right click zombie. Wait for projectile launch/hitscan damage. Immediately right click a DIFFERENT zombie. Rinse and repeat. Requires 2+ zombies to use, however it's the most effective at clearing zombies with minimal overkill.

2.) Spam Method: Issue attack-move command. Wait for projectile launch/hitscan damage. Immediately issue patrol (or attack) command. Wait for projectile launch/hitscan. Immediately Issue attack-move command, rinse and repeat. Can be used vs. 1 zombie, good for 1v1. Can also be used for spray-and-pray with a large group of units. Seems to increase total DPS if used with units that benefit from this concept.

11/24/20 - Started populating technologies and working on an alternate tech recommendations path focused on corpse income sooner and not having snipers + soldiers

9/7/2019 - Populated missions 45-47 and updated sequence and tech recommendations

9/5/2019 - Populated mission 44, did general maintenance, fixed screenshots on mission 43, and updated sequence and tech recommendations

9/1/2019 - Populated mission 43 and updated sequence and tech recommendations

8/30/2019 - Populated mission 42 and updated sequence and tech recommendations

8/9/2019 - Populated missions 34-41 and updated sequence and tech recommendations

8/4/2019 - Populated missions 28-33 and updated sequence and tech recommendations

8/3/2019 - Populated missions 19-27 and updated sequence and tech recommendations

8/1-8/2/2019 - Populated missions 14-18 and updated sequence and tech recommendations

7/24-7/27/2019 - Populated missions 9-13 and updated sequence and tech recommendations

7/23/2019 - Populated missions 6-8 and updated sequence and tech recommendations

7/22/2019 - Populated missions 3-5 and updated sequence and tech recommendations

7/21/2019 - Initial release