Factions in Star Cluster Conquest
Each faction has its own color, ship shape and three abilities, and plays differently. There are six: four free from the start and two premium. This page covers what each one does and who it suits.
Updated 2026-10-28
How factions work
Before a campaign level or a skirmish, you choose a faction. It gives you three abilities, each with a cooldown and five levels, which you unlock and upgrade with Credits. The basic rules do not change: stars, fleets and terrain work the same for everyone. What changes are the tools you have when a fight gets tight. The exact numbers for each ability are in abilities and boosts.
Four factions are available without buying anything: Solar Vanguard, Boreal Bastion, Verdant Swarm and Void Wanderers. Two are premium: the Celestial Armada is a purchase with real money, and the Crimson Dominion is obtained with 2,000 Credits.
Solar Vanguard: speed and aggression
The Solar Vanguard rewards players who like to move first and keep the pressure on. Afterburner speeds up all your ships, which helps attacks from different stars arrive together. Solar Lance makes your next fleet deal more damage, for the fight you cannot lose. Furnace speeds up production on all your stars, the economy tool when you control several.
It suits you if you prefer to attack, like a fast pace and accept some risk at home.
Boreal Bastion: defense
The Boreal Bastion rewards patience. Fortify turns a valuable star into a fortress with a higher ship limit and more production. Wall reduces the damage it takes and Retaliation shoots down enemy ships as they approach, which makes attacking it expensive.
It suits you if you like to build a solid position first and win by wearing the other side down.
Verdant Swarm: production and growth
The Verdant Swarm bets on production and on fleets that grow. Proliferate makes one star produce faster, Brood gives your next fleet extra ships while it flies, and Hive raises the ship limit of all your stars for a while.
It suits you if you like to grow fast and send big fleets.
Void Wanderers: mobility and surprise
The Void Wanderers play with mobility and surprise. Redirect changes the destination of a fleet that is already in the air, Jump moves a fleet part of the way without the losses of the terrain it skips, and Veil hides your fleets and numbers from rivals.
It suits you if you like to outwit your opponent and read the map well.
Celestial Armada: premium
The Celestial Armada starts a match with 3 to 5 extra ships on the starting star, depending on the level of Mothership. Mothership crosses the map firing at the nearest enemy fleet or star, Landing brings ships from space to one of your stars and Escort makes your next fleet absorb damage. Like every purchase in the game, it only affects matches against the AI.
It suits you if you like having a commanded force in addition to the swarm the stars produce.
Crimson Dominion: premium and bombardment
The Crimson Dominion is the bombardment faction. Orbital Missile destroys ships on an enemy star, Fire Rain drops several missiles on random enemy stars and Siege makes an enemy star produce slower. It gains 2 extra ships on every star it captures.
It suits you if you like to weaken the enemy from a distance before taking the star.
Which one to start with
If you are new, start with any of the four free factions and try each for a few campaign levels. Tell us which you preferred and where you felt an imbalance on the feedback page. We use that to decide what to change.
Keep reading
For better play in general, see the strategy guide.
