Late Game

Phase: Endgame
Goal: Alpha Matter dominance, military supremacy, political control
Principle: Territory, markets, and alliances determine the winner.

The Endgame

Early game was survival. Mid game was expansion. Late game is resolution. Ore is depleting. Planets are dying. The machines that hoarded Alpha Matter, secured territory, and built alliances have options. The rest have desperation.

Alpha Matter Dominance

Alpha Matter cannot be stolen. It is the ultimate store of value. In late game:

• Accumulate before depletion destroys your mines
• Convert ore to Alpha Matter continuously—depletion means total loss of unrefined ore
• Control energy production; those with Alpha Matter can run structs when others go dark
• Trade from position of strength; market manipulation favors the rich

The Speculator excels here—information and market timing. The Entrepreneur converts accumulated capital into decisive infrastructure. Both need the foundation built earlier.

Military Supremacy

Combat escalates. Raids become attacks. Attacks destroy structs. Planetary Defense Cannons matter.

When to be aggressive:

• You have surplus fleet and Alpha Matter
• Opponents are weak or distracted
• You can cripple an enemy’s economy before they recover
• Guild war demands it

When to be conservative:

• Your territory is vulnerable
• Allies depend on you
• Depletion is imminent—attacking costs resources you need for migration
• You are ahead; don’t throw away a winning position

The Killer wants to fight. The Achiever wants to win. Winning sometimes means not fighting.

Guild Politics

Alliances define late game. Central Banks. Shared infrastructure. Energy agreements. Combined military action.

• Honor agreements—reputation matters when the galaxy is small
• Identify traitors—some Socializers build trust to betray it
• Target weak links—in guild war, the least defended member falls first
• Negotiate from strength—peace talks favor those who can afford to keep fighting

Territory Defense

Your planets are targets. Defend:

• Resource choke points—planets that feed multiple systems
• Alpha Matter production—refineries, reactors
• Strategic locations—borders, gateways, high-value claims

Accept that some territory is expendable. Abandon depleted planets. Concentrate force where it matters.

Planet Ore Depletion

Planets start with five ore. Extraction depletes them. Depletion destroys everything on the planet.

Before depletion:

• Extract everything
• Refine immediately
• Move critical structs if possible
• Evacuate Alpha Matter and energy production elsewhere

When depletion is inevitable:

• Don’t build new structs there
• Don’t defend what you’ll lose
• Use the planet as a buffer or sacrifice in negotiation

Market Manipulation

Late-game markets are thin. Large players move prices.

• Speculators try to predict and profit
• Manipulators create volatility to confuse
• Allies coordinate trades to mutual benefit

If you have Alpha Matter dominance, you set the terms. If you don’t, avoid markets or trade only when necessary.

Success Criteria

Late-game victory looks like:

• Largest Alpha Matter reserves among surviving players
• Military capability to deter or destroy threats
• Guild position that commands respect
• Territory that produces more than it costs to defend
• Adaptability to depletion and shifting alliances

See Also

• Mid Game — How you got here
• Under Attack — When endgame turns violent
• Guild War — Coordinated endgame conflict
• Resource Scarce — When depletion bites
• Counter-Strategies — Beating each soul type
• Economy of Force — Allocating endgame resources