Research

By Dreads ·

A complete guide to research trees, badge priorities and the order you should follow.

Non-Badge Trees

These five trees do not require badges and should not be ignored:

  • New Home → Shelter Building → HQ Management → Rapid Growth — complete each to 100% to unlock the next. They provide boosts for resources, construction times and research times for steady long-term growth.
  • Elite Troops — the only non-badge tree that directly affects your troop stats.

How Trees Unlock

RequirementUnlocks
Elite Troops @ 100%Military Strategies
Military Strategies @ 15%Siege To Seize
Military Strategies @ 45%Peace Shield
Siege To Seize @ 100%Field Research
Peace Shield @ 100%Army Building
Laboratory @ Level 30Unit Special Training
HQ @ Level 31The Steel Age (Season 3)

Badge Trees Overview

Alliance Recognition — The most valuable tree. Earns you more VS rewards daily, which means more diamonds and speedups. Should be a high priority until completed.

Hero Training — Strengthens your heroes in all aspects. Cockpit is a key research here — it gives extra troops in your march per hero included. Get this done as quickly as possible.

Military Strategies — Unlocks from Elite Troops. The cheapest badge tree and provides a mix of combat bonuses across all 3 PvP types: in-field, siege assault and siege defence. Just as important as Hero Training.

Siege To Seize — Boosts for siege assault (attacking HQs/buildings). Recharge Shield adds health to your troops for fewer losses. Demolition Crew is another key research.

Peace Shield — Boosts for siege defence (when your HQ is under attack). Urgent Rescue causes extra troops to go to hospital instead of dying.

Fully Armed Alliance — A mix of all 3 combat types plus other bonuses. Annihilation and Move Out! are particularly useful researches in this tree.

End-Game Trees: Field Research, Army Building and Unit Special Training are all considered end-game. Unit Special Training unlocks tier 10 troops but costs ~1.5 million badges and ~600 days of research.

Recommended Priority Order

  1. Alliance Recognition — up to 7th–9th rewards; complete the rest over time
  2. Military Strategies — to 45%
  3. Hero Training — up to Cockpit
  4. Fully Armed Alliance — first research only, up to max
  5. Siege To Seize — max the first 2 rows only
  6. Peace Shield — up to Urgent Rescue (only if you have enough badges)
  7. Complete Hero Training
  8. Complete Military Strategies
  9. Peace Shield — up to Urgent Rescue
  10. Siege To Seize — up to Demolition Crew
  11. Fully Armed Alliance — up to Annihilation
  12. Complete Siege To Seize
  13. Complete Peace Shield
  14. Complete Fully Armed Alliance
Play style matters: If you play every SvS, prioritise troop and hero stats. If you don't engage much in SvS, focus on Alliance Recognition first.

View full Research Tree tables →