Pick a general, place units on a turn-based battlefield, earn coins, upgrades, relics and resources through branching fights, and rely on smart placement and a bit of luck to survive each run.
First, you pick your general. There isn’t much of a choice in your first game because only one is available; the other five need to be unlocked by completing requirements that don’t take much effort and can be done after a few rounds. Each general has two unique relics and a couple of exclusive units, and each newly unlocked general can generally be considered stronger. For example, while the first one starts with infantry units, the third general adds a useful tank.
After choosing your general, you’re placed on a battlefield where you deploy your units. Placement is limited to the left side, while the right side is already occupied by the enemy. You’re also restricted to a handful of placement slots: basic units cost one slot, while stronger units cost two. This isn’t an issue at the start, as you only have a few basic units.
Once your units are placed, you simply click the Start Battle button and watch them advance and attack. Combat is turn-based rather than an all-out brawl, meaning units move or shoot one at a time. Fortunately, there’s a fast-forward button to speed things up.
Units only move forward and don’t chase enemies across the battlefield; they will shoot when something comes within range. Everything depends on the unit type. A mortar unit, for instance, has a range of 10 squares, while a shotgun unit only has a range of two. In addition to range, each unit has health and damage values, and some also have shields that block part of the incoming damage.
A battle is won either by destroying all enemy units or by reaching the opposite side of the battlefield. The latter is why placement matters: a fast unit can slip along the edges and win a battle on its own, even if you destroy the majority of enemy units in the center of the battlefield.
In either case, you earn one coin for each surviving unit. On the other hand, if the enemy wipes out your units or reaches your side, you lose one heart for each enemy unit still on the battlefield. Your units are never permanently lost, and you can continue progressing even after a defeat. However, if you lose all your hearts, the run ends.
After each battle, you choose your next destination. There isn’t much variety, as you usually pick between two battles with different rewards. One might grant a new unit, while the other upgrades an existing one. Rewards are random, and you select one option from a pool of three.
Another type of reward involves resources. These encounters also include a battle, but instead of units, you choose between 10 coins, restoring three hearts, or gaining one additional unit slot. There are also events that grant free resources, as well as shops where you can buy units and relics. After a few normal battles, you’ll encounter an elite battle. Completing it rewards you with a relic, chosen from a selection of three.
One important thing to note about relics is that they only affect specific units, which are clearly indicated next to each relic. For example, one relic spawns a basic soldier when a vehicle is destroyed, which doesn’t apply to non-vehicle units such as flamethrowers or snipers. Another relic damages three random enemies, but only if you have a helicopter unit on the battlefield.
As is often the case, success depends heavily on luck with rewards. Getting a tank is nice, but a helicopter might be even better, as it can fly over obstacles and fire twice per turn. You might also find a relic that adds area damage or gives unit an additional bullet. The best, however, are relics that damage enemy before the start of a battle. Again, helicopters win in this one because they have two relics that fire a few shots at a random enemy. If you’re lucky, you might kill a unit before the start of a battle.
There are no rewards after a failed run, so all you can do is start over. However, in addition to unlocking new generals, there are also achievements that unlock new units and relics for future runs. The requirements are clearly shown, and you’ll often unlock them naturally after a few attempts.
After beating the game for the first time, which doesn’t take long, you unlock the next difficulty level, which adds a gameplay modifier. The first two, for example, increases shop prices and lower the number of hearts, and later you'll have to deal with less unit space and increased enemy health.
They significantly raise the game’s difficulty, and the once-perfect combination of units and perks that carried you before is no longer sufficient. At this stage, it also becomes clear that some generals are not well balanced for higher difficulty settings, and you'll probably have to get very lucky to beat them.
