Five Technology Tiers in Sanctuary Shattered Sun

Unlike classic RTS trees with dozens of minor upgrades, Sanctuary structures progression around five distinct tech levels tied to the Dyson Sphere setting. Each tier unlocks new production buildings, orbital weapons, and — at the highest level — crust manipulation that reshapes the battlefield itself.

Understanding tier timing separates players who snowball Flux from those stuck on tier-two skirmishes when opponents deploy superweapons.

Tier Overview

Tier	Theme	Typical unlocks	Macro note
T1	Frontier foothold	Basic infantry, light vehicles, power collectors	Secure reclaim loops early
T2	Industrial expansion	Advanced factories, anti-air, first orbital strikes	Transition before first major push
T3	Sphere integration	Heavy armor, weather interaction, mid-tier artillery	Contest weather nodes
T4	Strategic dominance	Experimental units, enhanced superweapon charging	Protect King-Piece during tech rush
T5	Crust-breaking	Planet-scale weapons, terrain deletion, endgame win tools	Win before opponent completes T5 charge

Exact unit rosters differ per faction — EDA favors efficient tier jumps, Chosen spikes damage at T4, Guard stalls between T2–T3.

How You Advance

Tech levels require:

1. Flux income sustained above upkeep thresholds
2. Specific structures built on valid sphere sectors (some lanes lock until prior tier complete)
3. Research time — rushing without economy leads to attack move pushes with under-tier units

The demo showcases roughly T1–T3 content with teasers for higher tiers in trailers. Full T4–T5 loops arrive in Early Access.

Tier Timing in the Demo

Mission one expects T1→T2 before the mid-map assault. By final demo scenarios you should practice:

• Holding two Flux positive sectors while upgrading
• Denying enemy tier-three factories with harassment
• Saving superweapon charges until T3 counters exist

Our first mission guide walks through safe T2 timing.

Faction Differences

Earth Defense Alliance (EDA)

Linear upgrades, cheapest T3 transition. Best for learning tier gates.

Chosen

Delayed T2 but powerful T4 alpha strike. Tech level is win condition — protect labs.

Guard

Strong T2 walls; T5 arrives late but with attrition bonuses. Pair with wreck reclaim.

See tier list for matchup-specific rush timings.

Superweapons and T5

T5 superweapons can remove crust segments, opening new lanes or deleting enemy production. They require:

• Completed T5 research
• Visible charge time telegraphed to opponents
• Flux drain during firing — do not fire broke

Counter-play includes sniping charge buildings and weather freezes on naval approaches.

Multiplayer Implications

In future multiplayer ranked games, tier races mirror Supreme Commander — scouts must report enemy factory tiers. Team games may assign one player to fast-tier while allies stall.

Modding and Custom Tiers

Community mods might add unofficial tiers; ranked queues will likely lock to official five-tier rules.

Quick Reference Checklist

• Two Flux-positive sectors before T2 commit
• Scout enemy factory tier every 3 minutes
• Weather node control before T3 artillery
• King-Piece under shield before T4 rush
• Counter-intel on T5 charge sound cues

Continue with controls if tier upgrades feel slow — camera speed affects how fast you place structures across the sphere.