Beginner's guide: how to start well in Stargate Civilization

Stargate Civilization is a free galactic strategy game inspired by the Stargate universe, played in your browser. This guide covers what you need during your first week: resources, build order, research, choosing a civilisation, attacking and staying safe.

The first hours

Your base starts with five buildings at level 1: the Stargate, the Naquadah mine, the Metal mine, the power generator and the barracks. The tutorial has you build in this order: barracks, Gate, a first mission with Marines, Naquadah mine, Metal mine, generator, research center, warehouse, then it invites you to join an alliance.

Make the most of the first 48 hours: on a new account, construction runs five times faster. That is the time to stack mine and warehouse levels.

After the tutorial, the "First steps" chain rewards fifteen goals: raise the Naquadah mine and warehouse to level 3, start a first research, succeed at Gate missions, verify your email (which unlocks chat, the market and alliances), recruit a first commander, found a colony and log in on seven days.

The five resources

Early mines get a production boost that fades out by level 13. Watch the storage caps (10,000 Metal and Naquadah at the start): the warehouse raises them.

The buildings that matter

• Research center: −1% research time per level, and a second research queue at level 25.
• Central warehouse: raises how much you can store.
• Stargate: missions and explorations, +3% loot per level.
• Barracks and military quarters: recruiting, then army upkeep capacity.
• Infirmary: saves part of the troops you lose and limits the loot taken from you.
• Defense center: +1% attack and +2% defense per level.
• Space hangar: ships, starting with the F-302.
• Control room: a second build queue at level 30.
• Replicator: shortens build times.

Each civilisation also has a building of its own.

Research

You have one research queue at the start, and a second one when the research center reaches level 25. At level 10 the center also cuts research costs by 10%, then by 30% at level 40.

The first technologies to aim for: Economy (+5% Metal and Naquadah, −2% build time), Weapons (+3% attack), Defense, Energy, Propulsion and Logistics. Espionage needs research center level 3, and Ancient Technology needs Propulsion level 10.

Choosing a civilisation

Seven civilisations are playable. Their differences are percentages: none is locked out of anything, but each pushes towards a play style.

If in doubt, pick Tau'ri: four useful bonuses from day one, and no dead end.

Attacking: Gate or fleet

Through the Stargate

A one-way trip takes ten minutes, whatever the distance. There are four missions: raid (resources), sabotage, recon and decapitation. A successful sabotage makes one of the target's buildings run one level lower for twelve hours. Loot is capped: about 15% of the stock at base, with bonuses up to a limit.

By fleet

Ships travel between systems, so the trip depends on the distance in the galaxy. Base loot is higher, 35% of the stock, capped at 70%.

No bullying the small

You cannot attack a player five times weaker than you in both score and military power. From three times weaker, the attack brings nothing back. These limits are lifted for revenge within 48 hours and during an alliance war.

Staying safe

• Beginner shield: seven days from sign-up. Nobody can attack you, by Gate or fleet, but you cannot attack either. You can drop it early yourself, with no way back.
• Post-attack shield: eight hours of respite after being attacked, except during an alliance war. Attacking someone drops it.
• Vacation mode: blocks attacks but also stops production. After leaving it, you wait 24 hours before using it again.
• Infirmary and defenses: the IRIS stops 40% of troops coming through the Gate, and the infirmary reduces what is taken from you.

Nothing is ever razed: an attacked base loses loot and troops, not its buildings.

Alliances

You need a verified email to join an alliance. An alliance holds 8 members, plus 3 per level of its Council Chamber, so 38 at level 10. It builds shared buildings, runs its own research, declares wars that last several days, negotiates ceasefires and fights together in world raids.

Alliances get organised on the game's Discord.

After the start

• World raid: the whole server fights a common threat together.
• Survival mode: endless enemy waves, one run every 24 hours.
• Empyre: territorial war between alliances, in seven-day seasons, from 50,000 score points. It costs nothing permanent.
• Destiny mode: the Icarus Outpost (72 hours to build) opens the Destiny ship, with its own research and units. It needs Outpost level 20, research center level 35 and Ancient Technology level 10.
• Monument: an endless prestige building, after Ascension 40.

Which world to pick

Three worlds run side by side and are independent: your base and ranking only exist on the one you play.

• Main Universe (opened 15 March): the busiest, with established alliances.
• Second Universe (opened 28 June): fewer players, the gap to the top can still be closed.
• New World (opened 11 September): nobody has a head start, the best choice to begin.

What costs money

The game is free and fully playable without paying. Time crystals only finish a construction, research or training sooner: they give no combat stats. Monthly passes also exist: the Commander Pass triples the daily chest and opens the premium season pass track, and the Veteran Pass cuts construction and fleet travel times by 25%.