This is kind of a frustrating game since it does a poor job of explaining how certain critical game mechanics work. But I think it has some really good parts if you can get past the flaws. Since I couldn't find any existing guides in English, I wrote up my own to help anyone still interested in trying out this game.

*General Tips*

Frames:
Nothing in your network will operate if it doesn't have a connection back to the Frame. Likewise the Frame itself cannot do anything other than order MMPs if it doesn't have enough energy. The Frame is able to produce energy, but only when attached to the surface. The Frame also repairs itself automatically if it's supplied with energy. Frames can move above the ground slowly, as long as there is an Energy Core that it can connect to on the path. There is some required amount of energy to actually move, but I don't think that it's shown anywhere -- the Frame just refuses to move when its energy is too low.

The Frame can either be 'attached' or 'detached' with respect to the terrain surface. When attached, the Frame will generate a decent amount of energy and also charge its 'spiral' which is necessary for using portals. A Frame can only be attached if the surface below it is completely cleared and level (the square under it will be highlighted green). Frames must be detached in order to move, or to enter a Portal. Frames will detach automatically if the terrain under them takes damage and they have an Energy Core to connect to. Attaching/detaching is done with the green or red arrow that shows up on the left when you select the Frame.

Terraforming/Construction:
The MMPs (Brigadiers and Buildmasters) function slightly differently. A Brigadier (which handles terraforming) cannot be directly ordered to work on a particular spot of terrain, but it will prioritize any marked terrain closest to itself. The Brigadier's work is accomplished by tiny construction drones. The Buildmasters, on the other hand, send energy packets (I think called 'Build' in the game) that fly across the map to their destination. All Buildmasters will contribute to the construction of a building equally. This means that while more Buildmasters will increase the speed of construction, the building will not finish until the build packets from all the Buildmasters reach them. So it's best to keep the Buildmasters grouped together and centrally located, while Brigadiers can go wherever they're needed most.

Buildmasters will also send out repair packets to any damaged structure. While they can be ordered to focus on a specific building for repair, they cannot be ordered to stop the automatic repair. This can be one of the biggest annoyances, since it means that if your energy is already low, your economy can be completely stalled if one of the more expensive buildings takes any damage. Selling off damaged buildings can mitigate this effect (you also regain the energy in them), but that isn't always feasible. The selling off action is also the way to cancel a building that's only partially built.

Terraforming requires no energy at all. However, the time it takes is affected by the terrain that is being modified. For one, the work is affected by how high or low the terrain initially is. It's also affected by where the material is coming from or going to. While the drones can create material out of nothing, it's a lot faster if they can take it from somewhere nearby. They'll only do that if it's part of the terraforming plan, so try to include both high and low places. When there isn't an even amount of terrain to match with, it's somewhat faster to clear high places (the drones dump the dirt into little hillocks nearby) than fill in low places out of thin air. Building on the void is possible, but usually very time-consuming unless there is a lot of 'fill dirt' available. Be sure not to park a Brigadier on the void, as it'll take damage when just sitting there.

Squads:
You only get five squads maximum. That may seem limiting, but in practice you're actually unlikely to use more than three. For one thing, you actually have to build a 'Command Structure' for each new squad (and that's not even available at the start of the campaign). The other reason is that the unit cap is actually really low. While it seems that 250 isn't so bad, that's only 250 in Basic unit equivalency. Since most units require at least 3 (and more like 10) Basic units to make, your realistic unit cap is closer to 10-30. The game isn't so much about sending out big armies to do battle with each other; it's more about creating a solid base structure and expanding it with the aid of those mobile forces, or eventually building some very powerful units to finish off your opponent.

Squads consist of either Basic units (there are three types) or nanomorphed units of a single type. A squad can be nanomorphed into any type of unit as long as the requirements are met and the squad has enough 'morph energy' (the bar above the squad is full and colored green). However, since the nanomorphed units all require different quantities of base units, you are usually going to be going for a specific type, and maybe shifting in a pinch to another form.

Any units that can't evenly be created in a nanomorphed unit are hidden 'inside' the unit until it either dies or is morphed again. This also goes for units added to the squad; they will travel to the where the squad is and disappear into the unit. If a unit has taken damage, it apparently loses some number of the Basic units that composed it, but if repaired by a Technician, those are restored. Note that it's bad idea to try and rebuild squads while they're in combat, since the Basic units die pretty quickly on their way (and will also happily run straight into the 'void' to their own death).

When units are in Basic form, single units of a given type can be removed from the squad by right clicking on the type. This is only if there are none queued up; if there is a queue, one right click holds the queue, and further right clicks reduce the total being ordered.

Here's a nanomorphing example: Suppose a base squad has 42 Soldiers, 36 Officers, and 42 Technicians. That can morph into a squad of 6 Extirpators (a 7/6/7 unit). If it wants to then morph into the flying Ceptor unit (6/4/0) it can: 7 will be created, and there will be 12 officers and 42 Technicians that can't be used, so they stay locked up in the unit. The squad could also morph into a single Piercer (3/21/39), leaving 39 Soldiers, 15 Officers and 3 Technicians doing nothing. Since those 'unused' 57 units will continue to count against the unit cap, you can see why it's best to prepare what you are building ahead of time.

*Unit Descriptions*

Basic Units: You're rarely going to be using units in their basic forms. They're simply too weak. But they do each have their own abilities. Additional plants will increase the speed at which units are created.

Soldier
Has a simple gun. The bullets are slow-moving and weak, and the Soldier dies when hit by just about anything.

Officer
Fires a suppression beam that can prevent enemy units from attacking. Apparently it only works if the number of Officers attacking outnumbers those in the enemy unit (including nanomorphed strength).

Technician
Heals friendly units nearby. This is the one Basic unit that can be kind of useful on its own.

Nanomorphed units: These are the ones that you're more often going to be trying to make. They require a lab building of a certain level in order to be produced. The requirements for each unit are given in parentheses, showing the number of Soldiers/Officers/Technicians needed per unit, as well as the labs required.

Sniper (0/3/0, Laser 1)
Snipers are a big step up from basic soldiers, and a way to put officers to use on offense. They aren't actually that powerful, but are usually the first nanomorphed unit that can be built from an empty starting base, and they have decent range and movement speed.

Rocker (3/0/0, Rocket 1)
These are okay for rocket tech. Rockers seem to withstand damage a little better than Snipers do. All rocket units do more damage to air units, so switch to these if you're being hit by air raids. They have kind of a short range, so they may need a little extra babysitting when engaging enemy units.

Mortar (0/0/4, Bomb 1)
These can be okay if you really want to knock out a stationary building, but they deal damage so slowly that they are unlikely to actually succeed at being more than an annoyance.

Digger (0/2/2, Subterra 1)
No offensive powers. Very nearly a useless unit, since they don't disrupt the surface terrain enough to make a difference. The only thing these are good for is as a transport - they can sneak across some part of the map that is covered by enemy units. They can then morph into something else once in the enemy territory. This trick can also be used to 'hide' a unit when you don't want to retreat it to rebuild.

Scummer (0/7/3, Laser 2, Subterra 1)
This is the underground unit that can actually cause some pain. They attack by running back and forth under an enemy base until the buildings above them get destroyed due to terrain damage (it's usually better to send them on a long route or even a patrol than to individually go after one target). They are very effective if the enemy has no Subterra defenses. Note that subterranean units require energy in order to move.

R-Projector (6/0/3, Laser 2, Rocket 2)
Packs a much better rocket-based offensive punch than the Rocker, and moves decently fast too. That said, I tend to prefer the airborne Ceptor to these, since these are stuck on the ground and slower. They are good in a semi-mobile defensive role, or as a counter to air units.

Wargon (2/0/8, Rocket 2, Bomb 2)
Can be a devastating anti-building unit in big enough numbers. If you can get these in range before the shield comes up, whatever they hit is likely gone. They can also take a fair bit of damage, but since they aren't really good at hitting mobile units, their armor is best used to allow them to flee to safety once they've fired off at their target.

Strafer (4/4/0, Antigrav 1)
It's an air unit, so it can get around the map quick, but it's not really effective against anything save weak enemies or stationary targets. It's primary advantage is that it's easy to tech to and build cheaply, which allows you to send air assaults on the enemy base sooner.

Gyroid (0/4/0, Laser 2, Antigrav 1)
A much-improved Sniper. They have a little more strength than the land-based one, and since these are proper air units, they can move around a whole lot faster. They are still cheap enough that they can be deployed in large numbers. Probably the most versatile unit for fighting enemy squads that are medium-strength or weaker.

Ceptor (6/4/0, Rocket 2, Antigrav 1)
Although these are intended to be air-to-air units, they are very effective against ground targets as well, especially those that don't shoot back. Their rockets move rather slowly, but do seek to their target, and do a goodly amount of damage. Their biggest drawback is a somewhat short range; they are often taking damage for a while before their own attacks land. Keeping them in motion around the target will help them last a little longer.

Bombie (2/6/12, Bomb 2, Antigrav 2)
These can dish out a ton of damage, but they don't seem to hold up well against enemy defenses, making them sort of expensive. Against a weaker enemy with insufficient defenses, they're probably the best base-ruining unit that's not a faction special.

Leamo (1/12/7, Laser 3)
Basically a laser turret on a tank, and very strong offensively. The Leamo can handle any other land unit in a head-to-head fight and come out on top. They also deal fairly well with base defenses. Their main flaws are that they move somewhat slowly, and can't engage air at all. These are a good component of a combined-arms force.

Extirpator (7/6/7, Laser 2, Rocket 3, Subterra 2)
Shoots off an underground 'depth charge' of sorts that can do serious damage to buildings as well as take out subterranean units. It's a pretty powerful effect, but it's weaker compared to some of the faction-specific options. These can be used defensively against Scummers/Diggers, but since they put holes in the terrain and wreck structures, you have to catch them before they get near your base.

*Static Defenses*

Laser Turret (L1 Laser)
The easiest tech to get, and the most reliable defense. These can hit ground and air targets equally well, do decent damage, and don't blow up all that quickly. Generally the staple of base defenses. They also have the ability to shoot down build packets.

Rocket Turret (L2 Rocket)
Rockets deal more damage per shot than the lasers, and a lot more to air units. They're the best anti-air defense, but are not just useful for that. Since they don't need direct line of sight and the rockets will seek to their target, they have a slightly better effective range than lasers on some terrain.

Howitzer Turret (L3 Bomb)
Howitzers are not for fighting units but for damaging the enemy structures. They are a pain to deal with when you're the one being hit, but you normally have access to better offensive units at lower tech levels than this. They work okay to deter the enemy from building in a certain spot, but require a lot of energy to fire and it's typically not worth it.

Subterra Chaser (L1 Subterra)
A dedicated defense for subterranean units. Either you have them or you don't, and if you don't you risk having your base destroyed with no means of stopping the enemy. It's not often worth it to build enough of these to block every unit that might attack, but having a few scattered around will ensure the safety for your base, if only as a deterrent. In the campaign you don't have to worry about the enemy using underground units except on certain maps.

Each faction also has its own specific structure that is grouped with these buildings, but they are actually powerful super-weapons. They'll be covered in the faction-specific section.

*Faction-Specific Units*

Empire Units: The Empire units only have one that causes actual damage; what they do is generally more tailored to making it harder for other factions to hurt them.

Leech (0/0/12, L1 Empire)
Steals energy from the enemy cores. Can be useful in those scenarios where you are up against a somewhat stronger enemy and really need to gain an edge, but otherwise the resources are often better used for other purposes. If you're in a situation where you can keep a Leech within range, you're likely already winning the battle.

Unseen (9/0/18, L2 Laser, L2 Empire)
This is less of a cloak and more of a shield. The Unseen itself is visible, so your opponent knows that you have units coming. What this does is make it impossible to see or target your combat squads, so they can fire on the enemy while the Unseen takes all the damage.

Disintegrator (0/12/15, L2 Antigrav, L2 Empire)
Forces units to 'demorph' into Basic units. Seems like a cool concept, but it's so situational that it's rare that you would want to have a squad of these around. Still, it's possible to use it fairly effectively if you want to.

Piercer (3/21/39, L2 Subterra, L3 Empire)
An insanely powerful torpedo that dives underground and sets off a massive string of underground explosions. The terrain keeps exploding for quite a while, so even if the target building doesn't die right away, it will soon enough. The unit actually hovers above-ground on the way its target, but it has so much health it's nearly impossible to kill before it goes off. Its biggest downside is just how resource-intensive it is to build, since it's a one-shot weapon and all units in it are lost in the attack.

Ballistic Missile Launcher (Structure; L2 Antigrav, L3 Rocket, L3 Empire)
It's your basic nuclear warhead that you get in plenty of other RTS games; this one will destroy all buildings in a pretty wide radius. It should be enough to ruin anyone's whole day. This detonates as soon as it hits Perimeter shielding, which I think means that you probably shouldn't try to fire it when your own shield is on. This is the strongest of the faction-specific buildings, although it is the only one with a hard counter since it can't go through shields.

Exodus Units: The Exodus special units all involve terrain manipulation in some way.

Scum Splitter (0/0/12, L1 Exodus)
Sets off an ongoing sequence of 'earthquakes' by creating fault lines in the terrain. The cracks continue to cause damage if not repaired, so one hit will eventually kill anything that can't repair, it's just that it'll take a really long time for that to happen. If there are enough of these in a squad, the effects can be fairly nasty.

Scum Twister (6/0/21 L1 Bomb, L2 Exodus)
Sends out cyclones that tear up the terrain, and will heavily damage buildings (and units) that happen to get hit. One nice thing about these is that the 'twisters' can pass through perimeter shields. However, it isn't possible to really control where they go, and they often veer far off from the selected target. These are one of the best ways to cause havoc in a dense cluster of buildings.

Scum Heater (0/21/12 L3 Laser, L2 Antigrav, L2 Exodus)
It's a death-ray helicopter. These cause massive damage to anything directly beneath them, but can't actually target a specific unit - instead the beam just blasts out of them as they move around once ordered to attack. That makes them kind of tricky to use effectively. This is the best one for dealing with a dense group of enemy units, which truth be told doesn't occur often enough to be worth the expense of these.

Scum Thrower (3/18/39 L2 Bomb, L3 Exodus)
A mobile, quick-firing catapult that throws chunks of terrain at the enemy. A few of these can rapidly chew through a base, and their long range means they don't really have to worry about static defenses.

Scum Disruptor (Structure; L3 Laser, L3 Exodus)
Creates a volcano-like terrain disruption anywhere you place it. Discharges faster the farther the target is from the structure. This one will do quite a bit of damage in the area around it, and leaves the biggest scar on the landscape, so it's good against a particularly tough enemy base.

Harkback Units: The Harkback special units all work the same way, by spawning Scourge. To 'attack', they move to a certain range and then the units spawn somewhere near their target. The spawned scourge will then act on its own, and if not killed, will expire some time later. The heavier units can live for a short time even after passing through perimeter shields. They all have the same advantages and disadvantages in that you don't have to stick around while they're attacking, but you also can't fully control where they actually spawn or what they attack. The spawners themselves have no weapons on them, but are all decently armored.

Spider (0/0/12, L1 Harkback)
The little spiders are more of an annoyance and distraction than anything else. They aren't very effective against enemy squads, but can take down buildings if they're aren't dealt with quickly.

Shark (0/9/15, L1 Antigrav, L2 Harkback)
Sharks have the nice ability to dive underground (and they rise up from the ground), so they can bypass a shield. A nice one-two punch is Sharks to knock out the power, and then Spiders to crawl in and ruin everything while the enemy can't react.

Daemon (0/12/15, l2 Antigrav, L2 Harkback)
These are flying units and do a whole lot of damage quickly, but don't stick around for very long. They seem to be the most reliable at attacking what you want to hit, but like all the spawned Scourge, are never completely predictable.

Dragon (3/21/39, L3 Laser, L2 Antigrav, L3 Harkback)
Absolutely the best Scourge unit to have on your side. They can chew up buildings, breathe fire on squad units, and take a lot of damage before dying. Dragons are so hard to kill that the spawner can often fire a second wave before the first one has been destroyed.

Scourge Navigator (Structure, L2 Antigrav, L2 Subterra, L3 Harkbackhood)
This will initiate a series of increasingly better waves of scourge units. Like the Scum Disruptor, the amount of time it lasts for depends on distance to the target. As with all uses of the Scourge, it's fairly random as to how strong this will be. At least with this one the spawn point is precise.

*Campaign Tips*

TUTORIAL - This mission will guide you through the basics of the game; you'll be told what to do at each step.

1. EASTER
It's not as handholding as the tutorial, but still very basic. Build a string of Energy Cores in order to connect to the Portal. You can only build within range of another core or the Frame itself. Terraform more land to build cores on if you need to, but it's possible to complete this without any terraforming.

2. ELDRUID
You have to hold off the Scourge without any offensive ability. Build your energy field out as wide as possible, since the more targets you have, the more spread out the Scourge attacks will be. Turn the shield on only when the flying 'midge' Scourge shows up, since the other 'ants' aren't much of a threat. If you leave the shield on all the time, you'll run out of energy very quickly.

3. PYRAMIDA
For now you only get one squad for your units, so position the squad where it's needed the most. Use local perimeter shields elsewhere. You don't have to worry about attacks near your starting area, so advance the network as far as possible using only Transmitters. Don't forget to bring your MMPs (building units) closer to where you are actually constructing or terraforming. While it's possible to save every unconnected Collector, you are only required to save two of them.

4. ISOLAND
You get air units (and a second squad) this time. The Strafer here basically functions just as a transport. You only need a few Officers to carry all the Soldier units along, and you can then morph into Rockers upon landing. It's probably better to just avoid the Dragons than to try and fight them.

5. CROMANYON
This can be a tricky one, since you only have turrets to defend yourself. You should have enough energy to keep one of the shields on constantly, or nearly so. There isn't much terraforming land available, but there are a few spots you can spread out into. This can distract the Scourge from your main base, and also charge the spiral faster.

6. VULCAN
The Scourge will be continually spawning on this map, so as you expand you'll want to install a lot of defensive turrets in the places you know they're coming from. It's probably a good idea to turn the shield on for each core that is on one of the critical spots. Be sure to terraform the central 'crater' that's a little above your starting spot. It can be used to cross over to one of the required core locations, and it is also where you will need to build the Alpha Portal at the end.

7. ABDULA
There are two ways to do this one. You can race toward the bomb lab in the center and focus on protecting the guns you own from both Scourge and the enemy attacks. Be sure to have shields covering each gun; you don't need them to be active so it's okay to cover them up. The other way to win is to race toward the enemy Frame itself and cut off or steal its network; this will allow you to only have to deal with the Scourge and then get to the bomb lab, and that's fairly easily done.

8. BIODAMAGE
This is the introduction to terrain disruption units and underground attacks. You need to start working on Scummers to disrupt the enemy Frame (and then take out the rest of its base). The enemy will also be coming at you underground, so scatter Subterra Chaser guns all around your base. You probably won't be able to prevent your own Frame from getting detached, but that's fine as long as you ensure that you're wrecking the other base more. Annoyingly, you will likely have to terraform out some islands to move your Frame to the portal, since the portal circles very slowly.

9. KRUGH
You will need to learn how structures can be taken over in this one. You do this by building an Energy Core next to them, and then activating the shield. Any of the enemy Energy Cores now under your shield will be cut off, and then become your own. Even if you don't do this yourself, you will have to deal with the enemy attempts to do the same, for which your best defense is timing the shield precisely (or putting a local shield up to halt the construction). You'll still need a lot of energy for your spiral, so terraform as much of the land behind you as possible.

19. SPINE
This isn't a battle over the portal; it's a simple race. You start farther away than the enemy does but have your path mostly cleared. The enemy has to make its own route and you should be able to beat them. Get a small squad up moderately quickly in order to defend your own towers if necessary. It's also a good idea to start moving your Frame as soon as it's charged.

20. MOUNTIME
This is a really tough start, since the enemy truly does have a 'vast' base and is going to be coming at you constantly with tough units. You start with almost nothing, and your initial energy will run out quickly. Get laser turrets up as fast as you can; the enemy will come with Extirpators and Bombies most of the time. Air units will help against the Extirpators but the AI will often morph them to R-Projectors if you do that. At some point you'll be able to cut off the Transmitters and take control of everything on 'your' side of the mountains. Until then, don't try to expand in that direction or you'll get hit by the Howitzers. One tactic against the Extirpators is to send Scummers or Diggers past them and trick them into firing into their own base.

21. SPUNGE
For once, you start on an almost even footing in a fight with the enemy Frame. What you'll find, though, is that the AI just isn't very good at base planning. It will try to rush a Harbackhood lab, and probably not have enough energy to do it and keep attacking you at the same time. Take the opportunity in this mission to use the Ballistic Missle defense (it's Empire-only) just to see how devastating it is, even if it takes a while to build and charge. Aim it at the center of the enemy's base and nearly all its buildings will be toast. The Omega Portal is, to nobody's surprise, hidden in the center of the map.

22. PILLOID
A slog against the Scourge where you have to deal with constantly-spawning Spiders and Dragons, as well as the 'Ants' that fill in terrain upon dying. The smaller units can be dealt with using base defense, perimeter shields, and ditches (yellow terraforming lines). Dragons will be your primary concern; there are three spawn points on the map: one at the bottom, which dies before it can reach you; one on the second island as you head toward the portal; and one on the island with the Omega Portal itself. Build aerial units and park them near those two spawn points to take them out quickly. When you connect to the Omega Portal, detach your Frame but do not move it, and don't build the bomb until the Alpha Portal has passed over the Omega and is somewhere near the lower end of its path.

23. ZEROS
The mission objectives don't make it very clear, but the way it works is this: Once you start attacking the enemy base, a ten-minute timer will start, and you must destroy the bomb before the timer runs out (you don't have to end the mission within the time limit, just ensure the bomb is dead). So you want to turtle for a bit until you are strong enough to hit back hard. Turn on shields selectively to guard against the Howitzer attacks, and be prepared for Wargon strikes at the corners of your base. Since the Scourge Navigator is a huge energy drain, and isn't required to win, it's easier to go with other Scourge units like Sharks or Dragons. Once you do destroy the bomb, you'll then need to take over at least half the enemy base, and kill the Frame so that you capture the Omega Portal.

24. NORD
Whether through script bugs or lack of time to complete the mission (or both), there doesn't seem to be any way for the enemy Frame to actually use the Portal and cause you to fail. So it's just a straightforward base assault, similar to the last mission except here you just want to detach the enemy Frame, not kill it. Don't rush to build an Empire lab, as that seems to invite more attacks. Ensure that you have strong squads ready to fight off any unit, and then start demolishing their base however you like.

25. RELIC
The AI is likely to rush for an Exodus lab. Be prepared to handle Scum Splitters constantly trying to ruin your base. You actually have the advantage in terrain you can terraform, so you should be able to get an edge by expanding your own base quickly. Also take advantage of the enemy's failure to build very many combat units, and sometimes no subterranean defenses. Just make sure that you units don't accidentally kill the enemy Frame.

26. GOT
Apparently the Russian name of this planet is 'Script', which may explain why it looks the way it does. It also could serve to explain the AI's behavior, since it never quite seems to finish completing the Portal even though it could win if it wanted. You'll have to contend with not only attacks from enemy squads in the center, but Scourge 'worms' that spawn right under the locations where you need the Energy Towers. The site for the Alpha Portal is on one of the rectangular stone areas to the right of your starting location. You do have access to the Scum Disruptor in this mission, but you would have to build it all the way in the middle of the map to be effective (it has limited range).

27. STONEHOOD
Don't worry too much about the 'protection' objective, although see below for more on that. You will be coming under attack almost as soon as the mission starts, and it's going to be constant waves of enemies until you start fighting back. Get your base going and get used to micromanaging the shields on your energy generators. For a quicker victory, skip the Empire lab and invest that energy into building high-end non-faction units.

As for the 'vortex' in the center: It does need to stay alive, but the enemy will not attack it directly. What will happen is that if the AI manages to get the Ballistic Missile Launcher or the Piercer, it will send them to the spot in your base that's closest to the vortex itself. That might end up getting it destroyed if you build too close. So avoid building out too far in that direction, and especially avoid putting important labs in that spot. If the enemy does get nukes, it is possible to deal with them by careful observation of the launch time and the shadow of the approaching missile. You can turn on the Perimeter shield to block it, and you'll lose almost nothing as a result. That said, if the enemy is that strong it's going to make the mission much longer. You might get a chance to test out the Scum Disruptor if you want.

Nicely done! Thank you.

Adding an update for Emperor's Testament, which is a decent expansion pack but not quite as expansive as one might think.

* New Units *

All the new units come in with the Electro Lab; nothing else appears to be changed.

Impaler (0/8/4, Electro 2)

These function kind of like a lighter version of the Leamo (good against ground, no anti-air ability). They deal a lot of damage for their size, and are not too expensive to obtain. In many RTS games this would be a better option than the bigger, slower units. However, they blow up a bit too quickly, and you need a lot of them for the unit to work well. Given the way the game handles squad positioning, smaller squads of stronger units are actually preferable, so these are merely decent.

Eflair (0/8/0, Antigrav 1, Electro 1)

In large part this unit is a usefully upgraded Gyroid, but it's questionable if it's really worth it at twice the price. They do well at harassing the enemy or suppressing some part of a base if they assault in larger numbers. They can also add an additional boost when they attack alongside a stronger unit, since they make for a good distraction.

Conductor (8/16/4, Electro 3, Antigrav 2, Laser 3)

The Scum Heater combined with the Bombie, and fixing the problems of both. These have the ability to seriously mess up anything below them very quickly. They do have some unpredictability, and will not last forever against stiff defenses. They are still easily the best of the new units, and decently matched in cost to usefulness. Perhaps the only negative is how much lab support they require, though that just means they take a while (and some initial investment of resources) to become available.

Electro Gun (Electro 1, Cost: 300)

An all-round defense gun that deals decent damage to both ground and air units, which also prevents encroachment of an enemy base by attacking Energy Cores (but only Energy Cores, not other buildings). Their biggest advantage is their stupidly high health; typically to eliminate one you cut the power to it first, because otherwise it can probably wear down a whole squad before being taken out. While this is clearly a very nice structure to have, they potentially upset the balance of the game, since a base stuffed with these needs to be either ground away very slowly, or taken out using subterranean methods.


* Campaign Tips *

1. WHARF-18 (Empire acceptance)
While this is no tutorial, it's fairly easy and you can afford to be a bit slow. Spider scourge will show up from the start, so be prepared to switch the shield on and off to deal with them quickly (and get a laser or two going if you want). The enemy will likely send a few Impaler squads at you. If you're lucky, they'll end up dying to the Scourge on the way to your base. You can also build air units to handle them (Gyroids are easiest). Meanwhile, just build cores toward the portal and teleport out.

2. PLATO (New Order)
This one's almost easier than the first mission, although there is a bit of time pressure here. If you take too long, Scourge Dragons will show up. Get a few cores up right away so the shield can be used as needed, and then plop down a bunch of lasers. Don't do much more than that, or you risk delaying the end of the mission.

3. SHUSHI (Contact with the infected)
The enemy has a sizable and well-defended base, but luckily you don't have to take all of it. They will also be constantly distracted by the Scourge. If you act quickly enough, it may be possible to capture the central island (and the island with the Empire Lab after that) by exploiting the AI's lack of response to your building an Energy Core next to theirs. However, it doesn't take long before they build Howitzers or Electro Guns, which negate that strategy and really hamper your own ability to expand.

Once the enemy's Electro Lab is up, they'll also start sending flying Eflair units at you, and you'll probably want to get rocket defenses up. Then start severing the energy connections to each island (use Wargons or large airborne squads). Scumers aren't a great option here unless you terraform enough so that they don't take damage crossing the Abyss. Energy is likely to become a fairly serious issue if this takes too long, so try to expand your base in directions that are safe from enemy artillery fire.

4. FORTOP (Fiat Spiritus Mechanicus)
An extremely easy mission, and not the last one of this sort. Build a handful of cores, use the shield if really necessary, and it's over before you know it.

5. ITURUP (Jump through the fire)
What's not clear about this one is that there's an extremely generous range on the teleportation portal. Effectively, all you need to do is get your Frame inside the central rocky 'ring', and you'll win. That doesn't make it a cakewalk, though.

Since you likely won't be able to build an Energy Core inside the ring before the enemy base expands its defenses, you have to be prepared to hold them off for a bit. This time it'll be Bombies an addition to the Eflairs, so prepare your air defenses (Rockets on the ground, and probably Ceptors in the air). Then get Scumers, or go all the way up to an Empire Lab to produce Piercers. Note that if you actually try to send Piercers into the center of the enemy base, they likely will get destroyed before they reach it. But if you set your target just inside the ring, the Piercer will dive undergound without being exposed to fire for very long, if at all. (Another option is Unseen + Piercer, but it's fairly expensive since the units will be lost). With a little space cleared, you should be able to get a bridgehead inside the enemy area, and that will suffice for teleporting your Frame out.

6. OXID (Messiah's Coming)
This is a lot tougher on Hard, as it seems to not be really balanced for it. Although the enemy energy network looks quite fragile, they have a well-developed base while you have hardly any space to get started. The first thing to do is to get your Frame onto level ground. Then start to work on airborne units, as you'll need to defend against enemy ground attacks. It may be possible, if your squad is strong enough, for you to take down an enemy Energy Core early and capture one branch of the network (along with one of the required Collectors). Even without that, Ceptors should be able to park at the front edge of your base and deal enough damage to keep the Howitzers from getting in range. You will most likely eventually need Scumers to cut the connections for the two Energy Collectors closest to the enemy Frame. Most of the terrain can't be modified, but there is some space available near the edges of the map in the starting corner.

7. STYGMA (Eyes of the Storm)
Be sure to get some Energy Cores up to form a barrier of shields, but otherwise build whatever squad you like. Either bombardment or rocket units will work (rockets will track down into the nest if the unit is close enough). Note that subterranean units will not work, as for some reason the nests cannot be moved through.

8. GLYPH (Before the meeting with master)
If you don't race to get your network built out past the enemy Frame fast enough, you'll be in a lot of trouble here. Move your Buildmasters close to whatever you're trying to build, and all should be okay. Don't bother building any squads or defenses, just focus on getting in range of the portal and getting the bomb built (you do not need to capture the portal).

9. WATEROCK (First Trophy)
This feels a bit like Shushi, but this time you need to get to the enemy's Frame. You'll need defenses to deal with both Scourge and possible enemy units, although the bigger threat from the enemy is that they'll get Howitzers. Don't try to claim all the land you can with Energy Cores, just clear it to fill Abyss near your own base. This mission is annoying because once you've weakened the enemy enough, it's very easy for the Scourge to end up destroying their Frame prematurely. You may have to put up your own defenses in their base to protect them.

10. HILLKAN (The pain awakes)
This is another Scourge mission, with the complication of constant waves of Spiders. One way to slow them down is by digging trenches around your starting area. Energy management is the key here. Don't overbuild on defenses, and only use the shield for the flying units if necessary. Monitor the Spiral's charge relative to your power loss, so that you finish charging before running out of energy.

11. KWILL (Fight with the Shadow)
For the first time, you actually get to have a no-holds-barred fight where you can destroy the enemy Frame, and you have complete freedom for terraforming. The enemy will mostly send Impalers, so be prepared with air units or solid defenses. This is also the first time you'll see how ridiculously strong the Electro Gun defense structure is. The best option is to use Piercers (or Scumers, if you can get them in quickly enough) to knock out big sections of the enemy base.

12. KENOTAF (Messiah's Calling)
It's another Scourge defense mission, with the enemy units all airborne this time. While in theory you can try to get rocket turrets going, they don't really deal with the large waves of flying units as well as selective use of the shields does. You can sell the labs for more energy if you start to run low, since you don't really need them. It is possible, though not strictly necessary, to block the smaller units that fly from cracks surrounding your starting location by building on those spots once the terrain is leveled.

13. INFORB-1 (Battle for the ruins)
Since the lab is located close to the enemy Frame, you'll have to do some work to steal it away. Fortunately, it's not too hard to grab more than half of the already-built base at the start. Then get Scumers, so you can detach the enemy Frame and knock out the Energy Core next to the lab, and you win.

14. VENECIDE (Retreat towards)
This is a tough one. There's nearly no space to build a base, and within just a few minutes you are likely to be hit by a Bombie attack (on easier difficulties it should only be Eflairs). If you try to build anti-air defenses the enemy will eventually get Howitzers in range, and you can't build on the Abyss fast enough to keep up energy production. About your only option is to immediately start building a 'bridge' toward the center, squeeze a Subterra and Laser Lab into your base, and then send Scumers to cripple the enemy base. Even once you do that, it's still a bit of a fight, as you have to withstand the Bombie attack(s), and be careful not to destroy or capture the enemy Frame. But if you do get the first part done in time, the tough part of the battle is over, and all you have to do is make sure you have enough energy and a protected route to the portal.

15. TECTONAL (Summoned but unwelcome)
You can win this with just a single Energy Core and the shield on the whole time, though you may as well build a few more initially to ensure your energy will last, and then just sell them/let them get destroyed. You do not have to move all the way to the portal to teleport. If you want to do something more, you can likely do well with Electro Guns of your own, since they can prevent the enemy from building its base too close to you. Almost anything you build near your starting point will likely still be in Howitzer range. Be sure to only expand out behind your own base, and watch out for Impaler Squads sneaking behind you (use the shield if they get close).

16. SHAMBALA (The false Messiah under the Lash)
For once, you finally have access to a large amount of area. The enemy base, for its part, is finally using Subterra guns, so Scumers alone won't cut it. Yet the easily-accessible Empire Lab presents the obvious solution -- Piercers. The mission can likely be won other ways, since the enemy doesn't press you too hard, but Piercers are the clearest and probably the easiest option.

The only connection to the labs passes in front of the enemy base, and they'll get Howitzers out there in short order, so you'll need to leave those shields on constantly. It's also a good idea to dig a trench here, not because they'll try to advance their base forward, but to force the occasional squad of enemy ground units to head over the hills.

17. ALGID (The Fate of the Lost)
If you don't grab the bomb lab right away you'll be sunk. Once you get it, you then just need to cut the enemy's energy at some point away from the Frame so that you can seize control before it recovers. Several of your own Howitzers grouped together can probably do it if you order them to focus on a single target. Just be sure not to let the enemy get any Electro Guns too close to your base. It's likely you'll also need rockets (or airborne units) to defend against aerial attacks. Since you have a Bomb Lab, Wargons are also a good choice to finish off the enemy.

18. INFORB-2 (Bunch capture)
Move quickly, grab the Subterra Lab and build Scumers, extend the island, and Bob's your uncle. (or maybe Bunch is?). This one is kind of like an easier Venecide, especially since the enemy is weaker and can only send Eflairs at your base, which are quite easily repelled.

19. KARST
Charge your Spiral and go. That's it. Maybe build a few extra cores so the enemy has something to target. These almost seem to be getting easier.

20. GREEF
This one feels like a much better version of Iturup. You can grow your base quickly, and the enemy base is not ridiculously defended. Unlike that one, though, the range on the portal is tiny; you need to be right next to the central platform, which requires an Energy Core to be built not quite halfway into the ring. There are many approaches that work here. This level is a good chance to finally play with the Electro Lab units if you want.

21. MAWN
It's a good old race to the portal. The range on the portal seems to be the whole map, so you don't have to actually move towards it once your Spiral is charged (don't forget to detach, though). Send your Brigadiers and Buildmasters out to where the work is happening and it should be no trouble. One thing that can help is to carve islands on the slope that include both higher and lower ground, as that makes the drones more efficient. Curiously, the enemy does not build on the spaces provided for it and instead wastes time terraforming new platforms.

22.INFORB-3
Finally, a one-on-one battle with equal starting resources. You'll notice that the map is split up in such a way that you won't really have to worry about Howitzers -- by the time you have buildings in range of the enemy, you will be on your way to winning. It's pretty easy to outpace the AI's energy production, and with that you can get the upper hand quickly. It seems the AI here is focused more on creating a thickly-defended base, which is kind of annoying, but it makes for an okay challenge, and for once its attacks are relatively mild.

23. ALPAIN
Another race. This time there isn't as much to terraform, as some of the platforms are already there; you just need to get the right distance and build a few new ones on the relatively flat rock near your base. I don't think the enemy will harass you with any squads, at least not if you end the mission quickly. Be sure to move the Buildmasters out as you extend your network, and it'll be an easy victory.

24. CRITT
This is the slightly harder version of Venecide. You have less space to work with, and have to cut Transmitters in addition to removing Energy Cores. It's kind of annoying as well, as your strategic options are still limited. Rushing to get Scumers to the enemy is once again the likely best approach. You do have the option to use the Exodus special units, which can easily wreck a base, but it takes a fair amount of resources to get those going and I'm not sure if that's really possible, at least not on Hard difficulty.

25. PROTRACTOR
In this one, you are surrounded by the enemy base, and it's a really tough fight to survive. Almost anything you build will start out in range of Howitzers. There are only a few safe initial spots (one trick is to not land the Frame and build underneath it, but it's risky energy-wise). You must get a core up quickly to turn on the shield. Even though the base is circular (as in Algid), there are plenty of Transmitters that can rapidly re-connect to the rest of the loop, so simply severing a single energy connection is not enough to capture a large chunk. However, the enemy does not appear to ever rebuild the Transmitters, so those are the weak points.

The fastest way to victory is do the same Scumer trick as usual, building your bridge toward the enemy 'home island'. The 'pipes' that connect the islands to each other give a slightly better base to build bridges on than pure Abyss. Getting there and cutting the power is a little tight to do while maintaining your energy reserves; don't be afraid to sell your labs if you really need the energy, since the reward is control of almost the whole map.

A slightly safer approach is to cut the connections to one of the smaller islands first and take it. Then you'll have a safe place to build up energy and units. It is possible to use a relatively small squad to target the Transmitters, as they don't have a lot of health, and it's typically possible to take one of them out before the shield goes up. Either way, you'll gain control of most of the remaining islands in relatively short order, and then you can blast the final base.