The core empire loop
Develop cities through districts that improve Food, Industry, Dust, Science, and Influence. A district levels up when it is adjacent to four other districts.
Send armies to reveal the map, collect Curiosities, meet factions, and discover Narrative Quests. You can also negotiate with Minor Factions, complete quests, and challenge Fortresses hidden beneath the waves for rare loot.
Progress by researching enough earlier-era technologies to advance through the six Eras, then follow the displayed goals for wealth, pacification, or influence. Tidefalls reveal land, resources, routes, threats, anomalies, and Narrative Quest sites that reshape your next expansion.
Preserve military momentum because major losses can make recovery difficult, especially early. Battle victories and successful city sieges generate War Score, while long conflicts raise War Fatigue, reduce City Approval, and can trigger rebellions. Doomwraith corruption applies city penalties and destroys Minor Faction villages until you deal with it.
A practical progression route
- Build districts around your cities to improve Food, Industry, Dust, Science, and Influence, placing districts beside four others when pursuing a district level increase.
- Move armies across unrevealed territory to collect Curiosities, meet factions, find Narrative Quests, negotiate with Minor Factions, and pursue rare loot from underwater Fortresses.
- Research enough technologies from an earlier Era to enter a later Era, while using the displayed victory goals to choose a path based on wealth, pacification, or influence.
- When a Tidefall occurs, scout the exposed land and Narrative Quest sites, claim useful resources and anomalies, and reinforce borders where new approaches and landbridges appear.
- Build War Score through battle victories and successful city sieges, while protecting the momentum that supports continued victories and conquests.
- Track City Approval as War Fatigue grows, and consider ending a long conflict before fatigue drives Approval toward rebellion.
- Choose when to confront Doomwraiths as they settle in territories, then clear their corruption to protect city performance and Minor Faction villages.