1. Open the game and choose a mode
Launch Space Armada from your Steam library. From the game menu, open Academy for guided faction training, or Single player for a skirmish. The Academy adapts its guidance to keyboard and mouse or controller input.
In a skirmish, choose a map, your faction, the opponents and their difficulty. A smaller map with one easy AI opponent is a manageable first match. You can experiment with the more demanding difficulties after you understand your economy.
2. Build an alloy economy
Alloy pays for ships, structures and research. Use a Construction Ship to build a Mining Platform near resources. Mining Platforms spawn a Mining Ship that harvests nearby resources and returns its cargo to a drop-off structure.
Asteroids eventually deplete, so scout for your next mining location before your first one runs dry. Advanced Mining research opens gas giants as a continuing source of resources. Protect mining routes: losing your income can stop fleet production even while your main station survives.
3. Expand production and crew capacity
Construction Ships build your structures; shipyards produce combat ships. Establish a Shipyard, queue the ships you can afford and set a rally point to organize reinforcements. Watch both alloy and crew in the top bar.
Crew limits the fleet you can support. Crew grows over time, and starbases increase maximum capacity. Spending everything on one expensive ship can leave you without the economy or defenses needed to support it.
4. Research with a purpose
Open the in-game Technology tree to see which structures and technologies unlock a ship or ability. Research Labs and Science Stations provide research; advanced shipyards unlock later fleet options.
Choose an upgrade that fits what your scouts have found. A prerequisite shown on a locked production tile tells you what to build or research next. Read the current in-game values when comparing units, since balance changes can alter costs and capabilities.
5. Scout, position and fight
Fog of war conceals enemy activity. Send a scout ahead of your main fleet and watch your minimap. Different ship classes have different ranges and roles; support ships and reconnaissance can matter as much as raw damage.
Keep an eye on shields and hull. Ion nebulae disable shields, while radiation nebulae damage hulls. Avoid sending an entire fleet through a hazard without a reason. Your opponent can also attack an undefended mining route while your combat ships are elsewhere.
Basic controls
| Action | Control |
|---|---|
| Select a ship or structure | Left click |
| Select a group | Drag a selection box |
| Issue a contextual order | Right click a destination or target |
| Inspect research requirements | Open Technology tree |
| See the full control reference | Open Help in the game |
Finish the match, then try a different approach
Defeat opponents by eliminating their operational stations and their ability to rebuild. The After Action Report shows what you built, lost and destroyed. Use it to decide whether your next match needs a stronger economy, more scouting or a different fleet composition.
When you are comfortable, host a match with friends, try another faction, or begin Aderra: The Broken Peace.