Lead Zero Company to victory on August 27th

A small guide on the EA website on the future strategy of Star Wars: Zero Company.

Twilight of the Clone Wars™ has arrived...

The once united Galactic Republic has disintegrated, plunging the galaxy into all-out war with the newly formed Separatist Alliance. This ongoing conflict has claimed countless lives, upended entire worlds, and plunged the galaxy into chaos. For many, peace is unattainable.

But did you know that behind this war lies a real war? The shadow conflict that truly determines the fate of the galaxy

Take on the role of Hawks, a former Galactic Republic officer turned leader of Zero Company, an unusual unit of skilled mercenary operatives. Your team is something completely unusual. From a hardened clone trooper to a Mandalorian warrior of the ancient Verminoth clan, a Jedi Padawan, an Umbaran sniper and more, each team member brings their own flavor to the fight.

Together, they must track down and stop Kundry Fathom, the mysterious leader of the Separatist-linked cult known as the Infinite Spiral, before their actions bring the galaxy to the brink of disaster.

This is Star Wars Zero Company™ is a single-player turn-based tactics game developed by Bit Reactor in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games.

The game will be released on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on August 27. Pre-orders are available on all supported platforms.

Your campaign starts now! 

It's time to meet the key members of theZero Company squad.In this in-depth review, you'll learnhow to control your squad on the harsh battlefield and lead them between missions in the Lair.

Meet Zero

Your company can have two types of operators: original and created by you. Custom Operators join Zero Company naturally as the story progresses, while Operators you create are hired directly by you and can be fully customized in appearance, clothing, voice, and name. Read more about Zero Company's original operators below.

Hawks

A former captain in the Grand Army of the Republic, Hawks now leads Zero Company. Smart, cool and determined, Hawks works with fighters of all backgrounds as long as they know how to get the job done.

Trick

Trix, formerly known as CT-3301, is a top-notch soldier with a passion for gambling.He has been serving in Hawks' army since they both served in the Republic military.

Tel-Rea Vokoss / Tel-Ria Vokoss

The boundless discipline and determination of Tognat's Jedi Padawan Tel-Rea has led her to Zero Company, where she strives to honor the memory of her late Jedi Master.

Cly Kullervo / Cly Kullervo

The infamous Clay Kullervo is one of the last surviving members of the ancient Verminoth clan. She joins Zero Company solely to continue her relentless thirst for revenge. 

Luco Bronc / Luko Bronk

Sharp-tongued sniper Luko Bronk defended his home island of Umbara during the Republic invasion. Although he has no sympathy for the Republic that defeated and occupied his planet, Luko is willing to put aside his differences to work with the Zero Company.

Jae Mordant / Jae Mordant

Born into the ruthless noble house of Mordant of Shu-Torun, Je traveled off-planet to build her own mining stronghold on Luunath, ruling it as a mining baroness until Fathom and the Infinite Coil took over the planet for the Separatists. Sophisticated, witty and relentlessly confident, Jae was instrumental in convincing the Republic to hire Company Zero, and she will not rest until Luunata is hers again.

Kabb Uppercut

Cubney "Cubb" Uppercut is a skilled criminal and former boxer now working for the Zero Company. This tough felshi is known for his cybernetic arm, the knockout punch he's named after, and his distinctive rhyming dialect. Kabb is an original species specially created for the companyBeast Wars: Zero.

For more information about these charactersvisit the Operators section.

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Fundamentals of Combat: Commanding Zero Company

Let's start! Your first lesson in the Zero Company program starts now. 

In Tactical Missions mode, you will command your squad in intense turn-based ground combat with an isometric camera. The battle takes place in turns: first your entire squad acts, then the enemy. Each squad member has three action points (AP) that he can spend each turn.Use them for:

• Move your Operator between positions on the battlefield. The cost of movement in action points increases depending on the distance traveled.

• Attack the enemy within reach and line of sight using your weapon. The cost of AP varies depending on the type of weapon, and some weapons consume all available AP. Your chance to hit is displayed next to the target and depends on several factors such as range and cover. More information about the attack can be found in the Shot Analysis panel.

• Use Overwatch, an action that allows your Operator to fire at any enemy during his turn. Overwatch mode is placed on an adjustable cone that is triggered when an enemy passes through or takes an action in the target area. Enemies affected by Overwatch while moving may have their movement interrupted.An operator using Overwatch mode can shoot a certain number of enemies based on the amount of Action Points (AP) invested. The chance to hit depends on the length of the Observation cone you have installed. Using Overwatch immediately ends the Operator's turn, making it an ideal finishing action.

• Use auxiliary items. First aid kits, stun grenades and others can come in handy in a critical situation, destroying groups of enemies or giving your squad an advantage. Using utility items usually costs one action point (AP). 
• Activate the ability. These abilities can boost your Operators' combat stats, detect enemies, deliver powerful melee attacks that knock back enemies, and more.

As you can see, each Operator can do a lot for their three Action Points (AP) per turn, and actions can be taken in any order. One proven strategy is to attack the enemy with a blaster, move to a better position behind cover, and set up overwatch to prevent the enemy from fully advancing to your position on the next turn.

Some actions, such as calling for reinforcements, do not require action points. Each turn, calling for reinforcements allows one random operator to select a teammate to assist in the next attack, usually by providing their own firepower to destroy the target.Use this action to help take down particularly tough enemies. 

Use additional abilities to your advantage.

As Zero Company strikes the enemy, you accumulate advantage. This resource can be spent to activate some of the most powerful abilities in the game during combat. For example, you can grant an ally an extra action point for a turn, call in a devastating missile strike, temporarily increase the hit chance for your entire squad, and provoke nearby enemies into attacking a single operator. You can have a maximum of 10 advantage points at a time.

Using the Advantage ability does not cost AP, so it can be a great way to get your team out of a sticky situation after all your AP has been spent, or alternatively, it can set the stage for a clever turn of events that can deal a devastating blow to your squad.

Duck and Cover

Cover is key to ensuring your operatives don't find themselves under heavy blaster fire on their first tactical mission.Units in partial cover are more difficult to hit, and units in full cover are even more difficult. 

Don't want to hit your enemy? Try to flank him or attack from high ground to increase your chance of hitting. Some covers can be destroyed by incoming attacks, so don't stay in one place for too long or you'll find yourself completely defenseless. 

Three injuries and you're out of the game

When an operative loses all health, he is considered wounded and receives an injury. Wounded operatives cannot take actions, but an ally can cheer them up, returning them to the fight. 

Injuries negatively affect combat performance and require careful monitoring - the accumulation of three injuries leads to permanent death on standard difficulty. Not a single member of Zero Company is safe from destruction.

In conclusion

There is no single, superior approach. Use a combination of actions, advantages, cover and the strengths of your operators to win the firefight.Sometimes you'll have to think outside the box to take down an enemy - one reliable combo is using Tel-Ri's Force Push ability or Cubba's Uppercut ability to knock enemies out of cover and into a squadmate's observation range.

The tactical possibilities are endless, and we can't wait to see what the community comes up with once Star Wars Zero Company launches.

Be flexible in your choice of operator specialization.

Most operatives have one of eight standard specializations that define their role. Each specialization includes three abilities: ultimate, standard and passive. These abilities are unique to each specialization. Here's a quick overview of how each one works:

• Assault: The Assault is a front-line fighter with excellent maneuverability in combat and the ability to engage targets at mid-to-close range hiding behind cover. Operators who have undergone this training are deadly opponents.
• The Marksman: The Marksman specializes in multi-target blaster attacks and quick strikes that allow him to spread the attack across multiple targets.
• Heavyweight: The Heavyweight is a front-line fighter with thick armor and incredible stamina. These operatives specialize in survivability and the ability to withstand enemy attacks in open terrain. 
• Medic: The Medic excels at healing and preventing injuries. Medics can also support their teammates both physically and mentally.
• Scoundrel: The Scoundrel is an unpredictable character who can take advantage of situations without much preparation and make the most of every opportunity in battle.
• Recon: The Recon is a tactical fighter trained in reconnaissance tactics.His planning and ability to act quickly benefits the entire team, creating opportunities where there were none before.
• Sharpshooter: The Marksman is a skilled sniper who excels at long-range marksmanship and specializes in identifying and eliminating selected opponents in combat.
• Soldier: The Soldier is a primary offensive unit, capable of engaging enemies at close to mid-range using melee combat, grenades, powerful blaster fire, and a rocket launcher.

Lair: Your base of operations

Located in a huge hangar on the Ring of Kafrena, the lair is the base of Zero Company. From here you can plan your next invasions, recruit and equip operatives, heal their wounds, and prepare for whatever the Infinity Coil may bring. While in the lair, you switch from an isometric view of the battlefield to a third-person view.

In the Lair, you can also chat with members of Zero Company between battles. Check back regularly to learn more about your Operators and their perspectives on current events.Let's take a tour of the many facilities in the Command Center and see what you can do in each of them.

Manage your company with zero risk from the command center.

Holographic table

When you're ready to engage in tactical missions, launch operations, or test Zero Company's influence, you'll do so at the holographic table. The holographic table displays all available operations and tactical missions of the current cycle.

Operations are short missions that do not require tactical combat, but help your team gather information, obtain loot, or simply replenish the modest supply of credits in the command center. Some operations require decisions that can affect your relationships with other squad members or even the enemy's development. Operations require intelligence and can provide immediate rewards such as credits, weapon modifications, auxiliaries, and more.Intelligence is obtained by completing tactical missions.

Tactical Missions, as previously described, are ground combat missions where you will command your squad through intense turn-based battles, engaging enemy forces and completing objectives on distant planets such as Bespin, Dantooine, Lothal, Ryloth and many more. Before starting the mission, complete all unfinished tasks in the Lair, as after completing them you will move on to the next cycle. Completing tactical missions can earn you credits, weapon modifications, auxiliaries, focus points to upgrade your operators, zone influence, and more.

Some tactical missions are critical to advancing the story. Operations and tactical missions have a limited amount of time to complete before they disappear forever, so choose wisely.

Completing operations and tactical missions will give you influence in the corresponding region of the planet. Collect enough influence to unlock zone rewards such as upgrades, powerful tools, and contacts. The latter can be spent to gain a large amount of influence. 

Recruitment

As you fight the Endless Coil, your need to fill Zero Company with brave recruits will grow. New operatives can be hired at the recruitment office for credits. 

Each cycle you will have access to a selection of new operatives you create.The operatives you create have their own name, talents, primary specialization, weapon type, and backstory, which can be further customized in the Lair after recruitment. Many of these aspects can be changed for the operatives you create. If you don't like your current selection of operatives, you can update your selection as you wish, allowing you to hire those who best suit your company's needs. Alternatively, you can create your own pool of self-created operatives to recruit from this establishment. 

The lair initially has limited space for new recruits, determined by your squad capacity, so keep an eye out for opportunities to increase your allocated space.

Staff

This section provides an overview of the combat characteristics of your Operators, their connections to soldiers, and the focus tree. The Focus Tree allows you to spend Focus Points—mostly earned by increasing your Soldier Bonds—to upgrade your Operator's talents, abilities, and passive skills. You can also change most Operators' specializations to suit your preferred playstyle at any time directly from this menu.

In the last tab, “People Management,” you manage “connections”—how much each Operator likes or doesn’t like the rest of your team members. Each pair of Operators starts with an initial relationship, usually neutral or negative.Completing operations, tactical missions, and calling in reinforcements are some ways to increase Bonds, and when Bond levels increase, both Operators can be cross-trained to receive a permanent combat stat bonus.

Once a couple reaches the maximum bond level, they will be able to unlock a special cross-training that provides incredible benefits through a passive ability. 

At certain points in the story, Hawks will be faced with a dilemma - an important decision. Every operative at Zero Company will have an opinion on how to solve this problem. How you choose to handle this situation may change your relationship with the operative. 

Building strong bonds between your operatives is key to your success in Star WarsZero Company.

Armory

The Armory is your one-stop shop where you can outfit Zero Company with deadly gear to counter any threat on the battlefield. 

Weapon modifications allow you to change its characteristics and apply various effects. Each weapon has a certain number of modification slots, which can be increased throughout the campaign. Each Operator comes with a default weapon, but you can change it in the Armory. There are four weapon types: Long Barrel, Repeater, Rifle, and Pistol - each offering benefits suited to different playstyles. And of course, you can customize the look of your weapon, choosing from a variety of blaster designs and colors throughout the galaxy.

Support items are equippable items that give your Operators new abilities in combat, such as impact bombs and stun grenades. Depending on the Operator's specialization, he may carry one or more support items.Outside of operations and tactical missions, weapon modifications and support items can be purchased on the Black Market in the Armory for credits.

Combine weapon mods and support tools for your operatives to create powerful combos.

Update

The Lair has everything you need to start your campaign, but you'll need to upgrade your structures and troops to have any chance of stopping Fathom.

The Modernization Center allows you to increase the efficiency of Zero Company. Here you can fund improvements to the lair's existing infrastructure, such as adding a droid bay that allows you to recruit astromech operators, or purchasing squad-wide weapon upgrades that increase the combat performance of all your operators. Creating an improvement takes at least one cycle and requires a free construction slot. Over time, you'll unlock additional building slots, allowing you to create multiple upgrades at once.

Medbay

The first aid station allows operatives to recover from injuries sustained during operations and tactical missions. Standard beds require one cycle to recover, while the bacta chamber provides instant recovery. Healing a wounded operative costs credits, so choose when to help your team wisely.

The memorial is dedicated to the operators who gave their lives for the death of loved ones.Visit here to honor their memory and view the statistics and accomplishments that defined their service to Zero Company.

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