The turn-based tactical combat plays out on a hex-based map, with each unit having three action points to spend on moving, using abilities and attacking. It’s there that you have to adapt your tactics to take the Vanguard’s preference for ranged combat into account compared to the melee of the Kir’ko and the Amazon’s riding genetically modified dinosaurs into battle, and you’ll either encounter despair or delight in utilising the Assembly’s ability to reassemble fallen units.

There are some differences, such as the Dvar being able to prospect sectors in a grab for quick resources, but you’ll feel them more when researching military technologies and leading your armies into battle the armies you can build and take into a manual battle. You can also expect to run into rival empires, deciding to try and befriend them or simply crush them beneath your heels and with maps going from small to enormous and up to twelve factions vying for victory there’s plenty to sink your teeth into.

Some of your first few steps will see you encounter the locals which range from angry wildlife camping out on abandoned Star Union facilities to bands of marauders and the local pockets of civilisation, who will happily give you little quests to complete to gain their favour. Each sector has two biomes with associated resources, which can be further exploited to boost a colony and empire’s production, food, research, and energy.

You expand your foothold on the randomly generated planet through a mixture of founding new colonies and annexing sectors, but can also spend your influence to set up forward bases that can later be converted. On the world map, the fundamentals remain the same, as you make planetfall – Hey! That’s the name of the game! – starting off with a single colony, a couple of hero units and their armies and then having to branch out from there.

Tv tropes age of wonders planetfall