For sci-fi 4X games, it’s perfectly normal to want to play as an ordinary human. And for all the archaic pseudo-fantasy trappings, Endless Legend 2 is very much in the sci-fi tradition. Its human faction, the Kin of Sheredyn, wouldn’t be out of place in Dune or even The Chronicles of Riddick. For those wanting that old familiar “space” race, read on.
Fort Up
The Kin rely on their Fortifications to give them strength. This is measured by the “Strength of Zeal” gauge in the upper left corner. As the game progresses, you can build military districts and other improvements which bump this gauge up, and unlock special abilities you can use. At the immediate start, however, don’t worry about it. That said, building Keeps whenever possible is always a good idea.
The Chosen Few
In addition to the regular units which the Kin can build, there is also a special unit called a Chosen. They’re big, they’re burly, and they hit really hard. However, they are not something you can just whistle up. They represent such an investment in resources that you’re capped in terms of building them. As you progress through the faction’s main quest, you’ll get at least one Chosen as a quest reward. Research will allow you to build them, and the cap will go up, but it’s always going to be small. The sooner you can unlock the Chosen and get them deployed, the harder your armies will hit.
Plant Your Flag
When it comes to claiming territory, the Kin don’t need an intermediate step like the Necrophage’s Burrows or the Aspect’s Coral. They can just put down a Camp in unoccupied territory without a second thought. You still have to pay Influence costs, so increasing Influence rates should probably be a priority research topic, second only to military research.
Nice Fortress, Mine Now
Want to claim territory fast without having to worry about those pesky Influence costs? You may wish to consider taking a risk on trying to seize a nearby Fortress. These structures generally appear after the first Tidefall event has occurred. They’re a tougher battle than most wandering mobs, and there’s no “Instant Resolution” button, so make sure your Heroes have a few levels on them first, some upgraded gear slotted, and some experienced troops under their command. If you fight smart and survive, you’ll not only get loot to equip your Heroes with, you’ll also automatically get a new Camp in the territory if you picked the “Seize” option. Note that you cannot use “Seize” if an existing Camp is present in the territory.
The Dust Must Flow
The Kin may be kind of militaristic (if not nearly as aggressive as the Necrophage), but a smart Kin player remembers the ancient maxim that “real soldiers talk logistics.” In this case, the upkeep for your troops in the early game can quickly drain your treasury if you’re not careful. If the starting territory doesn’t have a lot of tiles with Dust on them, try to plant your first camp in an adjacent territory which is rich in Dust. Shoot for Currency (Tier 1) and Markets (Tier 2) in the tech tree to unlock the Market District and Trading Post (respectively) to make sure you’re bringing the Dust needed to pay for your military expenditures.
It’s going to be a long march to conquer Saiadha, but with careful planning and a bit of luck, the Kin of Sheredyn can very easily pull it off.
