Stellar Age: Discovery Announced – Enter the Next Era of Forge of Empires

Humanity’s expansion has officially crossed the threshold of our solar system. Guided by a faint signal across deep space, explorers have arrived at Planet Hendron, a newly discovered world harboring relics of an ancient extraterrestrial civilization and mysterious Synthetic Intelligence Remnants. Unraveling these cosmic secrets will take generations, marking the beginning of a permanent outer-space presence for empire builders.

Welcome to Stellar Age: Discovery, the inaugural chapter in Forge of Empires’ new Stellar Ages cycle!

🌌 What to Expect in the New Era

This update kicks off a fresh multi-age journey designed to expand gameplay beyond traditional outposts:

• Permanent Second City: Unlike earlier Space Ages, you will found a lasting interstellar base that remains with your empire across future Stellar Ages.

• Deep-Space Expeditions: Launch dedicated space missions to bring back rare cosmic resources, uncover alien artifacts, and piece together the history of Planet Hendron.

• Evolving Game Mechanics: InnoGames plans to introduce new Ages on a more frequent schedule throughout the Stellar cycle, introducing deeper systems as your galactic empire grows.

🧪 Beta Testing & Mobile Access Details

The initial testing phase for Stellar Age: Discovery begins on the Beta server on August 10th.

📱 Mobile Testing Requirements: To test this update on mobile devices, app version 1.341 is required. Due to release schedules, the Beta server will be temporarily inaccessible through the general Forge of Empires mobile app until version 1.341 is distributed on August 12th. During this brief window, players can participate via browser or the dedicated Beta mobile app.

Establishing Your Interstellar Base: The Stellar City

Advancing into the Stellar Age unlocks access to the Stellar City, a permanent sprawling metropolis situated right alongside your primary empire. Players can reach this new cosmic settlement via the familiar Spaceport, which has received a complete futuristic visual redesign to match the aesthetics of the Stellar Era.

ransitioning to Stellar Age: Discovery officially retires the Space Age Space Hub settlement. Unlike previous outposts that reset with each era, the Stellar City is built to last. It remains active throughout the entire Stellar Cycle, serving as a persistent secondary base that will grow and evolve alongside your empire in future updates.

Spanning the largest territory map ever created in Forge of Empires, this sprawling grid offers long-term potential for optimization and strategic planning.

Available Expansions

To expand your new territory, the Stellar City includes 34 total expansions:

• 9 Free Base Expansions: Unlocked immediately upon reaching the era.

• 9 Premium Expansions: Purchasable directly via the expansion menu.

• 16 Technology Tree Expansions: Unlocked through research nodes using a combination of Forge Points and dedicated Stellar Age resources.

The Stellar City relies on an independent, self-contained production ecosystem. Advancing through the Technology Tree unlocks three progressive tiers of resource structures: Basic, Enhanced, and Advanced.

Core Stellar Resources

• Stellar Points: Your primary advancement currency. Generated by Stellar Beacons and boosted by Stellar Relays.

• Stellar Capacity: Produced by Capacity Beacons and amplified by Capacity Relays.

• Fusion Cells: Synthesized in Fusion Cell Reactors, serving as the mandatory fuel for deep-space missions.

⚡ Storage Cap Mechanics: Much like the Forge Point bar in your main city, both Stellar Points and Stellar Capacity have hard collection limits. Once your storage reaches maximum capacity, building outputs will pause until you spend your reserves.

External Resource Flow & Crew Allocation

Because deep-space resources are scarce, your Stellar City cannot function in complete isolation. Fulfilling high-level requirements will depend on a combination of support from your Main City and active space operations.

In addition to managing basic population levels, progressing through the tech tree allows you to recruit three specialized worker classes: Engineers, Explorers, and Scientists. Assigning these specialized crews is mandatory for unlocking high-tier structures and optimizing total production efficiency.

Deep-Space Missions: The New Campaign & Progression Engine

The Mission System takes over as the primary campaign mechanic in the Stellar Ages, stepping away from the traditional continent map (which remains available for legacy exploration). Building on the Exploration Sites from previous Space Ages, this revamped system offers significantly more flexibility, custom attributes, and tactical decision-making.

Along with the technology tree, missions serve as the core engine powering your progression by supplying essential resources for research and development. While future Stellar Ages will add layers of complexity, Stellar Age: Discovery introduces a foundation focused on player choices and strategic control.

Accessing the Mission Control Hub

All operations are managed through the Mission Control Hub, which players can easily launch from:

• The main heads-up display (HUD) menu icon.

• An interactive off-grid structure located outside your primary city border.

Mission Capacity & Slot Unlocks

Players can manage up to three active Mission Slots within the Mission Control Hub:

• Slot 1: Unlocked automatically when access to the Mission System is granted.

• Slots 2 & 3: Unlocked progressively through specific Technology Tree research nodes.

Each mission features several distinct attributes—some generated automatically and others that can be customized to suit your strategy.

Mission Attributes: Rarity Tiers

Deep-space operations present unpredictable challenges. The first fundamental attribute assigned to any mission is its Rarity, which is automatically generated when a mission card appears in the Hub.

Missions can land on one of five rarity levels:

• Common

• Uncommon

• Rare

• Epic

• Legendary

Indicated by a distinct icon on each Mission Card, a mission’s rarity directly impacts the potential value, scale, and tier of the rewards you receive upon completion.

Mission Difficulty & Objective Types

In addition to rarity, every mission displays a Difficulty rating represented by stars. This indicator focuses specifically on the final mission objective, giving players a clear preview of the challenge ahead whether the outcome requires tactical military combat or diplomatic negotiation.

Mission Depth & Technology Unlocks

While rarity is randomly generated, players have direct control over how far into deep space their fleets venture. The Depth attribute features five distinct tiers. Deeper expeditions present greater challenges but yield significantly higher-quality rewards.

Once the corresponding technology node is researched, players can easily adjust their target mission depth using the selector arrows on the right side of any Mission Card.

Space Depth Tiers & Requirements

Mission Phases & Tactical Execution

Space operations progress through a structured three-stage lifecycle:

1. Phase 1 (Preparation): Ship outfit and loadout selection.

2. Phase 2 (Transit): Flight path in transit to the target destination.

3. Phase 3 (Objective): Final encounter, requiring either tactical combat or negotiation.

💡 Pro Tip — Adaptive Difficulty: Mission scaling dynamically adjusts to your total account strength, including army attack and defense bonuses. To gain a decisive edge in Phase 3 encounters, utilize Historical Allies equipped with specialized skills alongside one-time combat triggers from Great Buildings such as The Kraken.

Mission Economics, Rewards & Management

A mission’s final duration, resource costs, and reward yields are calculated directly from the combination of its assigned Rarity and chosen Depth.

Resource Requirements

Launching and sustaining expeditions requires three primary currencies:

• Fusion Cells

• Stellar Capacity

• Stellar Points

Higher rarity tiers and greater depth levels demand a significantly larger investment of these resources.

Reward Drops

• Guaranteed Drop: Encoded Tablets are awarded on every completed mission, with quantity scaling based on Mission Rarity.

• Variable Drop Pool: Completing a mission gives a chance to pull Void Shards, Standard Goods, Special Goods, Military Units, Blueprints, or Building Fragments.

While deeper expeditions offer significantly higher probabilities for top-tier loot, shallow orbital runs still retain a chance to yield valuable drops.

Mission Rerolls & Cancellations

• Pre-Launch Rerolls: Unstarted mission cards in your Hub can be rerolled to search for more favorable attribute combinations.

• Mid-Flight Dismissal: Active missions can be abandoned, but only once they reach Phase 2 or Phase 3.

• Tutorial Run: Your initial mission is a fixed tutorial sequence designed to familiarize you with phase progression and resource management.

Branching Tech Tree: Strategic Decision-Making

Stellar Age: Discovery introduces a major evolution to progression: Branching Technology Nodes.

                   ┌─ Path A: Specialized Track 1 (Selected)
── Node Choice ────┤
                   └─ Path B: Specialized Track 2 (Locked)

Irreversible Pathing

At designated forks in the research tree, players must choose a single path forward. Once confirmed via an in-game confirmation window, the alternative branch is permanently locked for that account. While this initial era features straightforward two-way decisions to introduce the mechanic, future Stellar Ages will introduce more intricate branching networks.

Dual Research Currencies

Unlocking technologies in the Stellar Age alternates between requiring Forge Points or Stellar Points. Progression depends directly on balancing your Main City’s FP output with your Stellar City’s specialized resource production.

Resource Economics: Production & Sinks Guide

Navigating Stellar Age: Discovery requires managing an interconnected web of new currencies, specialized labor pools, and unique material goods. Because production is split between your Main City, Stellar City buildings, and Space Missions, understanding where to generate each resource—and where to spend it—is crucial for efficient advancement.

Resource Flow Overview

	Resource	Application	Source
	Crew	Population; Stellar City building	Basic/Enhanced/Advanced Habitat (residential)
	Workers	Stellar City building	Technology research
	Stellar Capacity	Stellar City building; Mission and Research Cost	Basic/Enhanced/Advanced Capacity Beacon (production)
	Stellar Points	Mission and Research Cost	Basic/Enhanced/Advanced Stellar Beacon (production)
	Fusion Cells	Mission and Research Cost	Fusion Cells Reaction
	Boost for Stellar Capacity	Increases Stellar Capacity output produced by buildings	Basic/Enhanced/Advanced Capacity Relay (boost)
	Boost for Stellar Points	Increases Stellar Points output produced by buildings	Basic/Enhanced/Advanced Stellar Relay (boost)
	Synthetic Intelligence Remnant	Choices in the Technology Tree	Technology research reward
	Encoded Tablets	Technology research	Mission System
	Void Shards	Special Goods for Technology research	Main City buildings (GB and Events), Mission System
	Stellar Age: Discovery Goods	Technology research	Main City buildings (GB and Events), Mission System, general rewards

Next-Gen Military: The FGX Unit Series

The arrival of the Stellar Age introduces the FGX military line, a completely redesigned tactical roster featuring six specialized combat units. Each unit comes equipped with unique combat traits, advanced defense shields, and specialized abilities built to shake up battlefield tactics.

FGX-100 Champion
	Heavy Unit	Attack: 2040 Defense: 2430	Range: 8 Movement: 20
Reactive Armor (3) — Cannot take more than 3 damage per attack. Blast (10) — Gains attack bonus for each field closer to the target. Ignores stealth. Morale — All friendly units start the battle with 1 point of armor. Does not stack.
Attack Bonuses: on Plain 8000; vs Ranged Unit 8000 Defense Bonuses: on Plain 8000; vs Ranged Unit 8000

FGX-101 Skyrider
	Fast Unit	Attack: 1600 Defense: 2110	Range: 4 Movement: 30
Flying — Cannot be attacked by artillery. Ignores terrain when moving. Contact! — Always retaliates against attacks. Force Field (2) — Absorbs 2 damage points per hit (minimum 1 damage remains).
Attack Bonuses: vs Artillery Unit 12500 Defense Bonuses: vs Artillery Unit 12500

FGX-102 Anvil
	Heavy Unit	Attack: 1650 Defense: 2290	Range: 8 Movement: 20
Reactive Armor (5) — Cannot take more than 5 damage per attack. Force Field (2) — Absorbs 2 damage points per hit (minimum 1 damage remains). Hides on Hills (Stealth) — Hides against ranged attacks on this terrain.
Attack Bonuses: on Plain 7500; on Hills 7500; vs Ranged Unit 7500 Defense Bonuses: on Plain 7500; on Hills 7500; vs Ranged Unit 7500

FGX-103 Shadow
	Light Unit	Attack: 1780 Defense: 1910	Range: 3 Movement: 30
Hides on Plain, Rocks (Stealth) — Hides against ranged attacks on these terrains. Contact! — Always retaliates against attacks. Frenzy (100) — Deals 100% of its damage to enemy units within 1 tile of itself, on top of the main target.
Attack Bonuses: on Plain 12500; on Rocks 12500; vs Fast Unit 12500 Defense Bonuses: on Plain 12500; on Rocks 12500; vs Fast Unit 12500

FGX-104 Hammer
	Artillery Unit	Attack: 1910 Defense: 1720	Range: 24 Movement: 10
MIRV (2) — Hits the target plus 1–3 additional units in range. Recharge — Fires every other turn only.
Attack Bonuses: vs Heavy Unit 7500 Defense Bonuses: vs Heavy Unit 7500

FGX-105 Assassin
	Ranged Unit	Attack: 1650 Defense: 1910	Range: 10 Movement: 16
Power Shot — Ignores most defensive skills and terrain. Reactive Armor (4) — Cannot take more than 4 damage per attack. Hides on Rocks (Stealth) — Hides against ranged attacks on this terrain.
Attack Bonuses: on Hills 10000; on Rocks 10000; vs Light Unit 10000 Defense Bonuses: on Hills 10000; on Rocks 10000; vs Light Unit 10000

Based strictly on the published stats and skills of the FGX series, the best units for fighting in Guild Battlegrounds (GBG)—especially in auto-battle and at high attrition—are the FGX-100 Champion and the FGX-105 Assassin.

So we’ll likely need to place the building that produces Champions if you have it; if not, keep an eye on the Antiques Dealer just in case…

1. Best Overall Unit: FGX-100 Champion (Heavy)

It is the most well-rounded and durable unit in the set for absorbing high attrition.

• Reactive Armor (3): This is the key in Battlegrounds. By capping incoming damage to a maximum of 3 points per attack, it requires at least 4 hits to be destroyed, no matter how high the attrition or enemy attack bonus is.

• Superior Base Stats: It boasts the highest values of the entire age (2040 Attack and 2430 Defense).

• Blast (10): Ignores enemy Stealth and gains an attack bonus the closer it gets to the target.

• Morale Skill: Grants +1 armor to all friendly units at the start of battle, reducing residual damage taken by other units.

2. Best Offensive & Anti-Skill Unit: FGX-105 Assassin (Ranged)

Designed to bypass enemy defensive mitigation.

• Power Shot: Bypasses most enemy defensive skills and terrain bonuses. This means it can pierce through Force Fields, Stealth, and Reactive Armor on defending units.

• Reactive Armor (4): Provides high survivability by limiting maximum damage taken to 4 points per hit (requires 3 hits to go down).

• Effective Range (10): Allows attacking from a safe distance before short-range enemy units can reach its position.

Recommended Setup Strategy

• Main Combination (Safe Auto-Battle): Armies built around the FGX-100 Champion (or paired with Rogues) to maximize damage mitigation via Reactive Armor (3).

• Offensive Combination: Squads of FGX-105 Assassins against enemy sectors loaded with stealth or defensive-skill units.

New Great Building: Shattered Horizon Siphon

The Shattered Horizon Siphon arrives as the flagship Great Building for your Main City in the Stellar Age. Despite its alien visual design and cosmic origins, constructing it follows the traditional path: gathering Stellar Age Blueprints, Forge Points, and Era Goods.

According to the lore, researchers in the Stellar City remain divided over the enigmatic cosmic anomaly contained within its core—choosing to keep a close watch on its unpredictable energy signatures.

⚙️ Dual-State Mechanics: Beta vs. Live Implementation

Because the Shattered Horizon Siphon is built to integrate with the upcoming Great Buildings Prestige System, InnoGames has prepared two distinct stat configurations depending on where you play:

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                   SHATTERED HORIZON SIPHON STATES                      │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ • BETA SERVER : Designed around the experimental GB Prestige System    │
│ • LIVE SERVERS: Operates with temporary baseline stat & supply boosts  │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

1. Beta Server Configuration (Prestige System Active)

On the Beta test server, players can experiment with expanded Prestige tier rewards:

• Copper Effect: Grants multiplicative Attack and Defense bonuses to both Attacking and Defending armies.

• Silver Effect: Provides a GB Contribution Bonus (similar to The Arc) that applies specifically to Gold Tier Great Buildings.

⚠️ Beta Disclaimer: Stat balancing and Prestige mechanics are undergoing active testing and redesign. Features tested on Beta should not be considered final for Live deployment.

2. Live Server Configuration (Baseline Launch)

Until the Great Building Prestige framework is officially finalized and released across all live servers, the building will offer a temporary standard bonus set:

• Passive Effect: Standard Attack and Defense boosts for both Attacking and Defending armies.

• Daily Yield: Massive daily Supply production.