This guide discusses paid hero availability and uses community reference pages for abilities and roles where the official store description is not detailed. The role labels are practical recommendations, not official class names.
Fast answer
The answer before the background
There are nine currently listed heroes: Halford, Ultra, Munsai, Bomett, Kendra, Gauntlet, Red Dragon, Kosmos, and Zhara. The three free heroes are Halford, Ultra, and Munsai. The remaining six are premium mobile purchases. For a safe no-purchase starting team, use Ultra for protection and damage support, Halford for flexible ranged control, or Munsai when you need detection and close-range pressure. The exact story mission that unlocks each free hero is not reliably documented in the available official material, so the dependable method is to progress through the campaign and check the hero screen after each major mission.
Roster
All nine heroes at a glance
The current mobile store listing advertises nine heroes, while older community pages identify only eight. The difference is Zhara, who appears as a separate paid hero in the current iOS purchase list. Treat the nine-hero list below as the current mobile roster and the older eight-hero lists as incomplete rather than as proof that Zhara is unavailable.
The game does not use traditional fixed classes such as tank, healer, and mage. Each hero combines a personal weapon with three active abilities, so the role labels below describe how the kit functions in a mission.
- Halford — flexible ranged damage and deception. Gun Jutsu clears nearby targets, Holocones draw enemy attention, and Suppressive Fumes supplies area damage with optional slow or healing support.
- Ultra — frontline leader and squad protector. Her armor-piercing Super Shell, temporary ally invulnerability, and Bravo Team reinforcements make her the safest general-purpose free pick.
- Munsai — reconnaissance and melee burst. Mind’s Eye reveals enemies through fog and obstacles, while Nitojutsu Master and Jiken add close-range pressure and temporary allied spirits.
- Bomett — area-control explosives. His ground sentry and bouncing bombs are best suited to clustered enemies, chokepoints, and repeated attacks along a lane.
- Kendra — adaptable ranged damage. Her Multi-Core and Flame Core handle groups, while Disintegration Beams provide a strong targeted strike from orbit.
- Gauntlet — armored short-range bruiser. Shockwave, Overcharge, and Stinger Hive let him absorb pressure, stun enemies, and add stationary electrical support.
- Red Dragon — mobile fire support. His focused ray, Techbot companion, and orbital Saturation Bombing cover both sustained damage and area bursts.
- Kosmos — high-health area damage and support. Stellar Breath creates escalating star attacks, Draconic Barrage can affect enemies or allies, and Bioengineers heal or fight.
- Zhara — current paid-roster entry, but her detailed combat kit is not documented in the reliable sources checked for this guide. Confirm her abilities in the in-game hero screen before buying or building a strategy around her.
| Hero | Availability | Best practical role |
|---|---|---|
| Halford | Free listing | Ranged control and decoys |
| Ultra | Free listing | Protection and squad leadership |
| Munsai | Free listing | Detection and melee burst |
| Bomett | Premium | Explosive area control |
| Kendra | Premium | Flexible ranged damage |
| Gauntlet | Premium | Armored bruiser and stun |
| Red Dragon | Premium | Mobile fire support |
| Kosmos | Premium | Area damage and support |
| Zhara | Premium listing | Kit requires in-game verification |
The current iOS page lists nine heroes and a separate Hero Zhara purchase, whereas the commonly cited community roster lists only eight. Because the store listing is newer and directly identifies Zhara as purchasable content, this guide includes her but does not invent unverified abilities.
Unlocks
How hero availability works
On mobile, the dependable distinction is free versus premium content. Halford, Ultra, and Munsai are identified as free heroes by the maintained community reference roster. Bomett, Kendra, Gauntlet, Red Dragon, and Kosmos are listed as premium heroes there, and the current iOS store also lists Zhara and an All Heroes purchase.
The official store description confirms that the game includes nine heroes to train, but it does not publish a mission-by-mission unlock table. Community mission references indicate that heroes join the campaign as the story progresses, yet they do not provide a complete, consistently verifiable order for every free character. Therefore, use the following process rather than a guessed level list.
- Start the campaign and finish the available main mission before checking the hero room again.
- Open the hero selection or purchase screen after major story milestones; newly available free content should appear there if the game has triggered it.
- If a hero is marked as premium on mobile, campaign progress will not replace the purchase requirement.
- On Steam or another platform, inspect the platform’s included-content description before assuming that the mobile purchase structure is identical.
- Do not confuse hero level with hero unlock. A newly available hero may begin under-leveled and still require training before performing well on harder missions.
| Question | Verified answer |
|---|---|
| Can every hero be unlocked through missions? | Not verified. The available mobile listings show premium hero purchases, so paid heroes should not be assumed to unlock through campaign progress. |
| Is there a complete official mission-order list? | Not found in the current official store or game site material checked. |
| Is Zhara part of the current roster? | Yes, the current iOS listing includes Hero Zhara and an All Heroes purchase. |
| Does buying the base mobile game include every hero? | No such claim is made by the current store listing; it separately advertises in-app hero purchases. |
The mobile store pages show in-app purchases. Prices, bundles, and included content can differ between iOS, Android, and PC, so check the purchase screen for the platform you actually use.
Recommendations
Which hero should you use?
For a first campaign run, Ultra is the most reliable recommendation because her kit directly protects nearby units and adds temporary reinforcements. She is particularly useful when a mission forces a squad to hold a position or survive a heavy attack. Halford is a good alternative when you prefer active movement, decoys, and area denial rather than direct protection.
Munsai is the best free specialist when the mission hides enemies behind fog or terrain. Mind’s Eye can reveal threats that normal vision cannot, but his melee-focused damage asks for closer positioning and more attention. Use him to scout or disrupt, not as an unattended frontline tank.
Among premium heroes, choose by problem rather than by a universal strength ranking. Gauntlet fits missions that punish exposed units and reward a durable brawler. Red Dragon is useful when you want a mobile hero with a companion and an orbital burst. Kosmos suits enemy clusters and prolonged engagements. Bomett is strongest when enemies repeatedly pass through predictable areas, while Kendra offers a broader ranged-damage toolkit.
- Need survivability? Start with Ultra.
- Need scouting or fog control? Choose Munsai.
- Need decoys and flexible control? Choose Halford.
- Need a durable close-range anchor? Try Gauntlet.
- Need aerial or orbital-style fire support? Try Red Dragon.
- Need large-area damage and allied support? Try Kosmos.
- Need chokepoint explosives? Try Bomett.
- Need an adaptable ranged attacker? Try Kendra.
| Mission problem | Recommended starting choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Allies are dying during a push | Ultra | Temporary invulnerability and reinforcement support. |
| The map has dangerous fog or hidden threats | Munsai | Mind’s Eye reveals enemies across a wide area. |
| You need to split enemy attention | Halford | Holoclones create distractions while fumes control space. |
| A chokepoint keeps receiving enemy waves | Bomett | Sentries and bouncing explosives punish repeated paths. |
| A tough frontline unit must hold | Gauntlet | Armor, shock effects, and the Stinger Hive add staying power. |
| You need burst damage over a selected area | Red Dragon or Kosmos | Both offer strong area tools, with different positioning demands. |
There is no reliable official ranking proving that one hero is always strongest. Match the kit to the mission, then invest experience in the hero you can position and activate consistently.
Progression
How to get more value from the roster
Heroes level independently, so changing characters immediately before a difficult mission can leave the replacement weaker than the veteran you normally use. Build a small rotation instead: one protection-focused hero, one damage-focused hero, and one specialist for scouting or control.
Use abilities before the crisis rather than after it. Ultra’s protection is more valuable when timed against a known burst of damage. Munsai’s detection should be used while scouting a new area. Halford’s decoys work best when they redirect enemies away from fragile units, not when they are dropped after the line has already collapsed.
Pair each hero with units that cover the kit’s weakness. A melee hero benefits from ranged squads and a safe route into combat. A ranged hero benefits from durable units that keep enemies away. Area-control heroes become more valuable when your squad can stall enemies inside the affected zone.
- Train one free hero first instead of spreading early experience across the entire roster.
- Replay manageable missions with an under-leveled hero if you want to test a new kit safely.
- Keep a ranged unit near melee heroes so they are not forced to chase every target.
- Use mission terrain and enemy approach routes to decide whether area control or mobility matters more.
- Check the in-game encyclopedia and hero screen for final ability wording, especially for Zhara and any future content changes.
| Build goal | Useful pairing principle |
|---|---|
| Frontline hold | Combine Ultra or Gauntlet with ranged damage behind them. |
| Scout and ambush | Use Munsai to reveal threats, then place ranged units before engaging. |
| Area denial | Use Bomett or Kosmos with units that slow, stun, or otherwise keep enemies grouped. |
| Mobile strike force | Use Red Dragon or Halford with units that can redeploy quickly. |
| Safe beginner setup | Use Ultra, two complementary unit groups, and defensive special weapons. |
The hero abilities and availability are drawn from the cited roster and character references. The recommended pairings are tactical advice based on those described kits, not a developer-published guide.
FAQ
Named hero questions
These are the questions most likely to cause confusion when comparing older guides with the current roster.
- Is Zhara a hero in the game? Yes. The current iOS listing includes Hero Zhara as a separate in-app purchase. Older eight-hero lists are outdated or incomplete.
- Are Halford, Ultra, and Munsai free? Community roster data identifies all three as free heroes. The current official store page confirms the game has nine heroes but does not publish the free-versus-premium breakdown for every name.
- Which free hero is best for beginners? Ultra is the safest recommendation because her protection and reinforcement tools forgive positioning mistakes. Halford is more flexible, while Munsai is more specialized.
- Is Kosmos worth using for groups of enemies? His documented Stellar Breath, Draconic Barrage, and Bioengineers kit gives him area damage plus support options, so he is a strong choice when enemies arrive in clusters or fights last long enough for repeated abilities.
- Does Red Dragon replace the need for anti-air units? Do not assume that. His kit provides mobile fire support and orbital missiles, but the game’s enemy composition and mission objectives still determine whether dedicated anti-air units are needed.
- Can you name the exact mission that unlocks every free hero? Not responsibly from the sources checked. The official material does not provide a complete mission table, and community pages do not establish a dependable order for all three free heroes.
FAQ
Common questions
How many heroes are in Iron Marines Invasion?
The current mobile store listing says nine. The roster is Halford, Ultra, Munsai, Bomett, Kendra, Gauntlet, Red Dragon, Kosmos, and Zhara.
Who are the free heroes?
Halford, Ultra, and Munsai are identified as free heroes by the maintained community roster reference. The other six are premium mobile hero content.
Who is the best free hero?
Ultra is the best general recommendation for new players because she protects nearby allies and supplies extra troops. Halford and Munsai can be better for specific control or scouting problems.
Why do some guides list only eight heroes?
Older community pages omit Zhara. The current iOS listing separately lists Hero Zhara and an All Heroes purchase, making the nine-hero roster the safer current reference.
Are exact hero mission unlocks documented?
Not completely in reliable public sources. Progress through the campaign, revisit the hero screen after major missions, and do not assume premium heroes become free through story progress.
Sources
What we checked
Official listings establish current availability and product facts. Community pages are used for mechanics and build history, then labeled separately.
- OfficialIronhide Games official iOS App Store listing
- OfficialIronhide Games official Google Play listing
- OfficialIron Marines Invasion official website
- CommunityIron Marines Wikia hero roster reference
- CommunityIron Marines Wikia character and ability pages
- CommunityIron Marines Wikia character and ability pages
- CommunityIron Marines Wikia character and ability pages
- CommunityIron Marines Wikia character and ability pages