Shadow Empire – Third Turn Guide

Take your first steps into the Shadow Empire universe with these guides to your first turns.

First Turns Checklist – Turn 3

All credit goes to RobertaM!

Check for Enemy Movements

At this time you should receive reports of enemy movements.

A default game starts drops you in the game with only a few Militia forces under your command.

You can see above a typical game start state.

1. The Units initially at your exposure are 4 Militia battalions and 1 Militia regiment (note it has more troops) as well as your Strategic HQ (SHQ).
2. When selecting a Unit you can see if it contains Regular Troops (REG) or Militia Troops (MIL).
3. As long as your Militia Units stay within your HQ Power Range they’ll be able to receive positive effects from Operational HQ Skill Rolls. (note that SHQ Skill Rolls always apply irrespective of range between Unit and HQ)
4. Note that non-aligned Unit close to our City.

Having enemy Units (like non-aligned Units) close to your City will give your initial Zone so-called Danger Points. Claiming about 2 Hexes around your City should remove any such effect.

Learn Combat Basics

Your Militia forces are relatively weak and are best used for defence. So, when you use them in an offensive role always try to mass them. Also, for optimal success chances try to attack with Units that have full Action Points available.

Each Combat Round costs 10 Action Points, and the more Combat Rounds the fight can continue the more chance you’ll win the fight and take the Hex. Furthermore, in the initial 2 Combat Rounds the defender has an extra advantage (as your Troops are closing the distance), so that is another reason to avoid short indecisive battles.

During the AI turns the non-aligned forces launched their own attack against one of the Militia Battalions. As you can see our recon was faulty, their Unit did not contain 700 troops, but 2400 troops instead! Always keep this FOW effect in mind (unless you have really a lot of Recon Points on the Hex).

After you order an attack the Combat Selection Popup will appear, giving you a wealth of information on the modifiers as well as an estimate of the combat odds. These odds are an estimate, not a prediction, and you should always take them with a grain of salt. However, if the color turns bright green you’ll be sure you’ll win and if turns bright red you’ll be sure you’ll lose.

1. Note that all our Militia forces are ordered to join the attack, we are trying to mass as many troops as possible. The Motorized Militia Unit (truck symbol on counter) sadly does not have the Action Points to enter a sand Hex (trucks don’t drive well in loose sand) and so cannot join the combat.
2. Whenever possible, try to attack from as many angles as you can. By attacking from three sides in this example the Militia has secured a +40% bonus. That might just make the key difference.
3. At 2: 1 odds this is going to be a very “iffy” battle. It could still work for us however.
4. Also note that due to our lousy Recon we are probably overestimating the size of the enemy unit (which in the history report was at 2400 troops).

The battle was almost won…

1. The defender held. The Hex has not been taken.
2. Note that it was a close call though. The defender would probably have retreated if its operational troops would have dropped below 50%.
3. Our troops got some good modifiers from the SHQ Commander, Concentric Attack and Experience.

Manage Your Factions’ Demand

Factions would start asking you demands. See what fits your regime the most

Recruit More Staff Officers or New Organization or Buildings, depending on the kind of environment your colony is facing (priorities could be very different if you live in a desertic planet, you have to face constant acid rains or mutants armies are rampant all around you)

Check the Tech Tree to see on what you should focuse for the development of your Regime.

General Checklist

Keep in mind this general checklist for all the upcoming turns. We hope you enjoy your time playing Shadow Empire!

General Checklist

• Expand outwards… With a special eye on Hex Perks and Free Folk villages.
• Raise Regular Units, ideally eventually a whole multi-unit formation with its own OHQ.
• Build some Assets.
• Keep an eye on your logistics.
• Make decisions in the DEC tab (important decisions and in round 2 you can promise (or not) to accomplish a task… in round 5-6 another big decision where you’ll make a promise.
• Create a new Organisation, give it a Director (the next turn) and orders (if necessary).
• Send as Spy to a neighbour Zone.
• Recruit some extra Leader.
• Inspect your empire (treasury report, factions overview).