Special stars, black holes and cosmic storms
A map in Star Cluster Conquest is more than a field of identical stars. Special stars reward whoever holds them, and terrain can punish a careless route. Here is what each one does and how to plan around it.
Updated 2026-10-28
Special stars
Special stars give an advantage to the player who controls them. If an enemy takes the star, the advantage becomes theirs. Each type has a mark on the star's edge. There are four:
| Type | What it gives you | Mark on the edge |
|---|---|---|
| Accelerated production | The star produces 1.8 times faster | plus sign |
| Reinforced attack | Fleets that leave it deal 1.5 times more damage | upward chevron |
| Reinforced defense | Attackers deal 35% less damage to it | shield |
| Cannon | Shoots down 1 enemy ship every 0.6 s within a radius of 110 around it | circle with a dot; the radius shows when an enemy is inside |
How to value them
A special star is worth more than an ordinary star of the same size, and an enemy holding one is a bigger problem than one more ordinary star. Early in a match it is often right to go for the special stars before the plain ones. A cannon star, for example, can cover an approach for you, but it can do the same to you.
Black holes
Black holes destroy fleets that pass through them. A black hole sitting between two stars is a barrier on the straight line between them. Before you send a large fleet, check the preview. The same hazard protects you: an enemy star behind a black hole is harder to reach for whoever has to cross it. The fleet is as wide as the star it leaves, and what counts is the fraction of it that crosses the hole. The drag line shows the route and highlights it when it crosses a hazard.
Cosmic storms
Storms do not destroy a fleet outright. They wear ships down along the way, so a long route through a storm arrives smaller than it left. If a target is deep inside a storm, the fleet you need to capture it is bigger than the number on the star suggests. While the fleet crosses, the storm removes 4 ships per second, in proportion to the part of the fleet inside it.
The route preview
While you drag, the game shows the path your fleet will take. Use it every time you are sending a fleet you care about. It is the quickest way to see a hazard you had not noticed, and in a long match it is the habit that saves the most ships.
Terrain in skirmish
In game modes you choose the terrain for your match, along with the map size, the number of stars and your opponents. If you want to practice reading hazards, start with a map with terrain and a single easy opponent.
See also the strategy guide.
