Quick winning principles
- Keep popularity above 11 before placing any star—combat costs drop to 1 coin.
- Win combat only to stop an opponent's star action, not for territory.
- Upgrade productivity before expanding to a fourth territory.
- Take the Produce action with all four workers before building mechs.
Ideal strategy
- 1
Faction asymmetry: Polania rush recruits for star four; Saxony build and deploy for star two.
- 2
Popularity track: every combat below 11 popularity costs 2 coins—avoid fights until boosted.
- 3
Combat timing: attack the turn an opponent would place a star with their mech.
- 4
Structure stars: mine, upgrade, recruit, deploy, build—sequence for cheapest star path.
- 5
Encounter cards: bottom-row choices that give popularity plus resources beat top-row combat.
- 6
Endgame: six stars with popularity 14 beats seven stars at popularity 8 due to coin penalties.