Strategy games can be tough to get into, especially if you’re new to the 4X genre. Endless Legends 2 is one of the best in the field, but even veteran players may find it overwhelming at first. This guide will give you some beginner-friendly tips to help you get started and improve quickly.
Merge and Split Your Armies Strategically
As your army grows, you’ll end up managing a lot of units. By default, they’re split up due to turn costs—unless you spend Dust to speed up recruitment.
Splitting units can help you cover more ground, but when you run into multiple enemies, you risk losing units before reinforcements arrive. Merging armies ensures they enter battles together, reducing losses. However, doing so limits your coverage and mobility.
The best approach is balance: split your army into three or four groups and position them strategically. That way, when combat begins, you can respond effectively without leaving gaps in your defenses.
Focus on Two or Three Aspects to Specialize In
When managing a new city, it’s smart to concentrate on one or two main aspects. The core areas are Food, Industry, Dust, Science, and Influence.
- Food boosts population growth, but you’ll still need a minimum amount to avoid starvation.
- Industry speeds up building construction and unit production. Excess Industry disappears each turn, so efficiency is key.
- Dust acts as currency. With it, you can buy resources, maintain large armies, finish buildings instantly, and train units on the spot.
- Science accelerates research, letting you unlock advanced technologies sooner.
- Influence expands your territory and fuels diplomatic actions.
You can’t specialize in everything, so focus on two or three areas. For example, Influence + Dust allows rapid expansion supported by quick construction. Build structures that enhance your chosen strengths, and use population assignments (like Scribes for Science) to maximize efficiency.
Expand Your Empire With Multiple Cities Instead of One Big City
Each city can only produce one thing at a time. A bigger city produces faster, but it’s still limited to a single queue. By establishing multiple cities, you multiply production opportunities.
It’s best to stay near your maximum city cap, but avoid overextending—if your military can’t keep up, you’ll become vulnerable to enemy attacks.
Converting Industry to Other Resources
If you generate more Industry than you need, you can convert it into other resources. The downside is that it consumes production slots, delaying other projects.
Ideally, you don’t want excess Industry at all, but if it happens, conversion is a good fallback. Always aim to keep production balanced so nothing goes to waste.
Customize Your Heroes Consistently
Unlike some other strategy games, Endless Legends 2 introduces heroes as both powerful units and city leaders. They come with skill trees and equippable gear, much like RPG characters.
Heroes can make a huge difference on the battlefield, especially when paired with strong armies. Regularly upgrade their equipment and invest in their skills or passives to get the most out of them.
Use Defend When You Can’t Reach the Enemy on Your Turn
In battle, sometimes your units can’t attack because the enemy is out of range. Moving forward puts you at risk of being hit first on the opponent’s turn.
Instead, consider pulling back slightly so the enemy moves toward you, reducing their chance of striking first. If the armies are evenly matched, it’s often smarter to play defensively. Use the Defend command to bait enemies and protect your forces until you’re ready to strike.
