How to Beat the First Mission in Sanctuary Shattered Sun

The opening scenario in the Sanctuary: Shattered Sun demo is many players’ first contact with Dyson Sphere-scale RTS combat. It looks deceptively simple — build tanks, attack enemy base — but pre-alpha balance and unfamiliar flux economy rules cause more restarts than any later mission. This walkthrough breaks the first mission into phases so you can finish it reliably, learn systems that matter for the full game, and move on to advanced topics like weather control and superweapons.

If you have not installed the demo yet, start with how to play the demo. Confirm your PC passes our system requirements or use the system checker to avoid performance issues mid-fight.

Mission Overview

The first demo scenario introduces base building, unit production, and destroying enemy forces while protecting your King-Piece commander. Failure conditions typically include losing your commander or missing time-sensitive objectives. Victory requires balancing expansion, army production, and map control — not simply rushing the enemy.

Pick the EDA faction for your first clear if you want the smoothest learning curve, as explained in how to choose a faction. Guard and Chosen are viable once you understand reclaim and Attack Move fundamentals.

Phase 1 — Economy Opening (Minutes 0–5)

Your only job early is positive Flux:

1. Deploy your first extractor on the nearest high-yield node.
2. Connect power immediately — unpowered extractors produce nothing.
3. Build one factory when net Flux stays green for thirty seconds.
4. Queue a scout or light unit before doubling military production.

Do not place a second factory until the first extractor line is stable. This is the same principle as our full flux economy guide compressed into a five-minute window.

If production stalls, pause all queues and check the economy panel for deficits before assuming the mission is bugged. The demo is pre-alpha; UI clarity is improving patch to patch — watch demo updates for changes.

Phase 2 — First Skirmish (Minutes 5–10)

Enemy patrols probe your perimeter. Respond with a small mixed group, not your entire army:

• Use Attack Move toward patrol routes.
• Reclaim wrecks immediately after the fight — see how to reclaim wrecks.
• Keep your King-Piece inside your base radius with at least one escort.

This phase teaches that winning fights cheaply matters more than winning fights quickly. Salvaged wreck mass often funds the mid-game push.

Phase 3 — Mid-Game Push (Minutes 10–20)

Expand toward secondary resource nodes only if you can defend them. Add anti-air if the mission introduces air harassment — check the controls page for unit selection filters.

Queue an Attack Move push in waves:

1. First wave clears outer defenses and radar.
2. Second wave hits production buildings.
3. Reserve a flanking group to protect your base if the AI counter-attacks.

Avoid sending your commander forward to “finish” the mission. One snipe ends the run, as detailed on King-Piece mechanics.

Phase 4 — Closing Objectives

Late objectives vary by patch, but usually require destroying a critical structure or eliminating the enemy commander unit. Before the final commit:

• Confirm positive Flux for replacements.
• Scout for turret lines you bypassed earlier.
• Reclaim the final battlefield for income before the mission ends.

If you stall here, lower difficulty is not always available — instead replay with better economy discipline or consult faction-specific tips on EDA, Guard, or Chosen.

After Your First Clear

Replay the mission with a different faction using our faction picker. Read the full walkthrough hub for later scenarios. Track Early Access, Kickstarter fulfillment, and the release timeline for multiplayer and campaign content beyond the demo.

The first mission is Sanctuary’s tutorial gate. Pass it with stable economy, disciplined Attack Move, and reclaim habit — those three skills carry through every future battle on the Dyson Sphere.