This guide discusses campaign failure, permanent commander deaths, and strategic choices that may cost optional rewards.
Fast answer
The answer before the background
Your best opening is to pause immediately, identify every landing tile, and place one unit where it can protect the most houses without being surrounded. Keep pikes facing the first melee landing, use infantry to cover a second approach or retake buildings, and move archers only when they have a safe line of fire. After each wave, rotate damaged units, collect gold, and avoid unnecessary losses. On the campaign map, favor islands that secure a checkpoint, offer a useful upgrade, or reduce the risk of being trapped by the Viking frontier. Upgrade a small core of commanders instead of spreading gold across everyone.
START HERE
A reliable opening plan
Begin each island by pausing and reading the battlefield. Count the landing points, note which houses are exposed, and identify narrow paths, cliffs, corners, and open ground. Your first placement should cover the most valuable approach, not simply the nearest ship. A unit that can defend two houses or pivot between two landing tiles is usually more useful than a unit placed beside one isolated building.
Use pikes as your default answer to straightforward melee pressure. They are strongest when enemies must approach through a narrow lane or climb directly into their formation. Keep infantry nearby for flexibility: they can shift between buildings, finish weakened attackers, and capture ground after a landing has been stopped. Archers are valuable when protected by terrain or a frontline unit, but they should not be left alone against a direct assault.
During the first wave, watch the timing rather than staring at one fight. A second ship can make a winning position collapse if your only reserve is already committed. Pause before each landing, move the least threatened unit toward the next danger, and let a safe squad recover when possible. Your objective is not to kill every enemy quickly. It is to finish with viable commanders and enough houses standing to justify the risk.
- Pause before deployment and after every new ship appears.
- Place units to cover multiple approaches whenever the island allows it.
- Keep one squad mobile until you know where the next threat will land.
- Retreat before a unit is surrounded, especially if another wave is approaching.
| Situation | Preferred response | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Melee troops approaching one narrow lane | Pikes facing the lane | They can deny the approach without giving up open ground. |
| Attackers reaching a house or weak flank | Infantry shifted to intercept | They are the flexible emergency unit. |
| Unshielded enemies exposed behind the frontline | Archers firing from safety | Ranged damage is strongest when the target cannot immediately reach them. |
| Several ships landing at once | Pause, preserve a reserve, and split responsibilities | Overcommitting one squad is a common cause of chain failures. |
These roles describe a safe beginner pattern rather than a mandatory army composition. Island geometry, enemy types, commander traits, and available items can make a different arrangement better.
BATTLE HABITS
How to win more fights with fewer losses
Terrain is your main advantage. Narrow approaches reduce the number of enemies that can attack at once, while cliffs and buildings can buy time or limit movement. Do not automatically defend the shoreline. A better position may be one tile inland if it forces enemies into a lane and keeps your squad away from multiple landing points.
Use the pause function as part of normal play, not as an emergency button. The game is built around real-time decisions, but pausing lets you inspect ships, queue a safer relocation, and coordinate several squads before the next clash. When a unit has completed its immediate task, move it toward the next likely landing instead of waiting beside an already safe house.
Protect commanders from avoidable risks. A squad that loses a few soldiers may remain useful; a commander who dies is a permanent campaign loss. Do not send a damaged unit onto a ship landing just to save one house if another squad can arrive safely. Likewise, do not chase retreating enemies across open ground when the island is already secure. A clean withdrawal is often the correct tactical result.
Enemy information on the campaign map is important. The Jotunn Edition campaign shows enemy types before an island, allowing you to choose a more suitable route and avoid blind commitments. Read that information before selecting a destination, then plan for the worst landing rather than the easiest one.
- Defend chokepoints instead of spreading units evenly across the shoreline.
- Move squads after a wave ends so they are ready for the next landing.
- Value commander survival above a single house or optional reward.
- Use enemy previews to prepare a counter rather than improvising every battle.
CAMPAIGN PATH
What to upgrade and when
Your early campaign priority is consistency. Spend shared gold on upgrades that improve your ability to answer several situations, rather than building a single spectacular specialist. A dependable frontline, a protected ranged option, and at least one mobile response give you more room to recover from an awkward island layout.
A practical progression is to improve one commander into a dependable frontline specialist, then strengthen a second commander who covers the first unit's weakness. If your first investment is pikes, a flexible infantry commander or safe archer support usually adds more value than immediately creating a second identical specialist. After that core is stable, add an ability or item that solves a recurring problem in your runs.
Jotunn Edition adds commander traits, extra items, a Codex, starting upgrades, shared commander gold, and checkpoint islands. These systems reward repeated campaigns: even a failed run can teach you which traits, items, and enemy combinations are worth preparing for later. Unlock starting options over time, but do not assume a newly discovered item is automatically better than a familiar setup.
On the map, compare the reward with the danger and the route behind it. An item island can be worth taking when its threat is manageable, while a high-gold island may be a trap if it demands a commander you cannot afford to lose. Checkpoint islands are especially useful for learning because they provide a safer return point than restarting the entire campaign.
- Build a balanced core before specializing heavily.
- Use the Codex to review discovered units, traits, and items between runs.
- Choose routes that preserve future options, not merely the largest immediate gold reward.
- Treat checkpoints as learning milestones and safe recovery points.
The official Jotunn Edition notes state that gold is held in a shared bank, enemy types are shown before levels, and checkpoint islands and starting upgrades were added. This means you can plan around the whole campaign rather than treating every commander's purse or island as an isolated system.
AVOIDABLE ERRORS
Common mistakes that end campaigns
The most damaging mistake is placing every unit at the first landing. Early success can hide the fact that a second ship is approaching from the opposite side. Keep a reserve until the wave pattern is clear, then commit it when the next threat is known.
Another common error is defending houses one by one. A squad that moves between two buildings can be more valuable than a squad permanently stationed at one. Let an enemy threaten a less important structure if repositioning saves the commander and protects the rest of the island.
Do not upgrade purely because you have enough gold. Ask what the upgrade changes in your next three likely battles. If it does not help against the enemies shown on your route, save the resource for a more urgent weakness. The same principle applies to items and traits: synergy matters more than rarity or novelty.
Finally, avoid fighting on bad terms. If a unit is surrounded, unsupported, or forced into open ground against a dangerous landing, pause and search for a retreat route. Some islands become unwinnable because the player tries to rescue an already lost position instead of preserving the rest of the army.
- Do not commit every squad to the first ship.
- Do not sacrifice a commander for one house when the island can still be salvaged.
- Do not spread upgrades so widely that no unit becomes dependable.
- Do not chase enemies into open ground after the main threat has passed.
FAQ
Common questions
Is this primarily a real-time tactics game or a tower-defense game?
It uses tower-defense-style island defense, but your squads move, retreat, capture ground, and respond to changing landings in real time. Think of each island as a compact tactical puzzle rather than a fixed defensive setup.
Should I always save every house?
No. Saving houses improves the result, but preserving commanders is usually more important. Accepting limited structural damage can be the correct choice when rescuing a house would expose a commander or collapse another defensive position.
Which unit should beginners upgrade first?
Start with the unit that solves your most common failure. For many players, a reliable frontline unit is the safest first investment, followed by a flexible unit or protected ranged support. The island layout and enemy preview should determine the final choice.
How should I use checkpoint islands?
Treat them as campaign safety nets and practice milestones. They are useful when learning routes or testing new starting upgrades because a failed attempt does not necessarily force you back to the beginning of the campaign.
Does the Jotunn Edition change the achievement or trophy approach?
It adds campaign systems and content that can affect how you plan runs, but achievement and trophy availability can depend on platform. Check the achievement list for your platform rather than assuming that a Steam achievement list exactly matches a console trophy list.
Sources
What we checked
Official listings establish current availability and product facts. Community pages are used for mechanics and build history, then labeled separately.