So obviously the goal of the game depends on which mode you're in, there are two major modes at this point in time: Perfection/Glory, where you try to get as high of a SCORE as you can via temples and the like, Glory is a variation where you race to 10k points, and Domination/Might where you try to take over the map, Might is a variation where you only have to take the capitals not every city.

Now, as for how to go about winning.

For score there are a variety of things that give points, including building units, taking cities/territory, upgrading cities, exploring the land, unlocking technology, and special buildings like temples and parks. Losing these things, in the case of units and buildings, loses the points.

Your score is then multiplied by a difficulty factor at the end of the game, with 'Easy' being 100% and Crazy being 180% + 10% per additional opponent. At least at this time, based on https://polytopia.fandom.com/wiki/Score (There's a reason I'm not writing some in-depth guide... I don't know all the technical details and don't need them to enjoy the game)

Now, as for winning the game, you're going to have to defend yourself and most probably attack others, it's the nature of the game. In general try to counter weak units with either strong or fast units and strong units with ranged attacks, another strong unit, or overwhelming numbers.

There are a few things to be aware of to aid in these endeavors.

1. You need stars, your resources, in order to build anything
Now this may seem an obvious point, but a lot can stem out from that single point. It means you shouldn't waste stars. If you want to upgrade a city, try to avoid doing it half-way, because then you're locking stars away that are meaningless for a turn or more, especially for already upgraded cities. Similarly try not to leave resources that could upgrade your city laying around if you have the spare stars, because they'll help you gain more stars over time. Obviously there's a balance here, don't spend so many stars on resources that you lose the game, but don't ignore so many that you don't have the stars to win either. I find level 4 is generally an easy level to reach and gives you the option of walls for defense.

2. Extra Defense
There are a few units which provide extra defense when in a city, even more so when behind walls that you can get when upgrading from level 3 to level 4. Warriors, Defenders, and Swordsmen are the main ones I know of for certain off the top of my head... maybe there's others, particularly for the other tribes I don't play much of. Defenders are much better than warriors, but Swordsmen have an even better counter attack, and are more useful if you choose to stop defending and send them out to attack. Giants do not gain extra defense, though they do still have a lot of health and are of course strong. https://polytopia.fandom.com/wiki/Unit_Skills currently lists Warrior, Rider, Archer, Defender, Swordsman, Knight, Amphibian, Tridention, Polytaur, and Ice Archer as having the Fortify skill.

There are also a couple technologies that provide defense bonus to units in mountains, forests, and the water.

3. Exploration
Ruins - Besides finding villages to assimilate and enemy cities to capture you may also run across Ruins while exploring the map. These are a bit of a gacha/lootbox game where what you get is randomized, it can be a super unit (like giants, dragons, and battleships), a free technology, 3 population in your capital, 10 free stars, or simply an explorer. Try to avoid letting enemies get these if possible, though it's not always the worst thing, particularly if you're prepared to deal with the chance of a super unit.

Whales- After unlocking the technology you may spot some whales near the shore of some cities, if they're within your territory you can use them at any time to obtain 10 stars. ∑∫ỹriȱŋ instead gets the ability to change them into Navalons.

4. Knights - Persist Skill
These are units that can tear through an entire army as long as they're able to overwhelm their opponents in a single attack and they're within attack range of each other. Use them to decimate weak units like warriors, riders, and mind benders. You can even take fortified cities from weak units. Stop them with strong units that can survive their charge, spreading out your units so that they're not in a chain, or getting the first hit since their defense is weak, however that last strategy is unreliable due to their movement capabilities, especially around roads.

The ∑∫ỹriȱŋ Navalon is a water based version of the knight with much higher defense but only move one square if they can't trigger an attack chain making them much easier to bombard from relative safety.

5. Ranged
There are a few units that have ranged attacks, Archers are the most basic of these. While fairly weak on their own, given time or multiple archers they can easy demolish even a giant due to their ability to move out of range and then attack. I mostly avoid these but if you can get them early in number then they can be a devastating force. Be careful of Knights, especially in groups, and Riders who can cover larger distances to reach you.

Catapults are an upgrade, just as weak in defense, but with a massive increase in power if at full health. A couple of these make giants almost a non-threat and defenders can be weakened and then taken with most other units afterwards, veteran and fortified defenders may require two, or more, strikes.

Boats , Ships and Battleships, are very similar to archers and catapults except that they move through water, which places them out of range for a great many land based units. Excellent for pounding a shore line with impunity. Since they are created by moving other units onto a port, units with high base health are idea for these, such as defenders, swordsmen and giants, giving them the chance to survive damage and retreat to heal or bombard the enemy from a safer position. Of course, these are also how you cross water to reach another landmass with land based units, simply move them back onto land to destroy the naval vessel and land with the original unit.

Ice Fortresses and Dragons are special giant-esque catapults, in that they have both a high defense and offense, Fire Dragons attacks will spread to nearby enemies in a 3x3 square but must grow from a vulnerable egg and baby states first, try to catch them early and avoid grouping around the adults. Unlike giants, both of these are purchasable units after the requisite technology is unlocked.

6. Special units:
There are a few other units with special abilities.

One is the Mind Bender which allows you to brainwash and convert enemies units to your army, great for slow units like giants and fortresses, or taking a fortified city, if you can get close enough without having them killed. They also have the capability to heal nearby units, useful to get injured giants and such back into a fight quickly.

The Mooni and Gaami of the Polaris tribes can freeze land/water allowing some of their units to move faster like roads, cross water, and they can also freeze surrounding units making them unable to defend or attack. Ice Archers freeze the units that they attack.


That's it, hope it helps.