In Humankind, there are plenty of times that you will need to conquer your enemies if you want to win the game.
In order to do that, firstly, you will need to build up your civilization, which means using things like mines and farms to produce resources.
There will also be times that you will just need to defend your Territories while you try to advance your Science in the game.
However, you’ll also need to attack enemies.
It is crucial that you know not only how to attack enemies in Humankind, but also why you are attacking an enemy unit and how it contributes to your overall strategy.
Attacking is a pretty simple process, but many people make mistakes when attacking an enemy, costing them Territories, Money, and Units.
This is the guide for you if you want to know how to attack in Humankind, when to do it, and the best way to attack another Empire’s Units.
Attacking Other Units in Humankind
Attacking is very simple. First, click on a unit or army to select them. Once that is done, you can right-click another army and wait for them to Clash.
Alternatively, you can also select your Unit or Amy and click on the Attack button. Its icon has two crossed swords. Once you do that, click on the unit that you want your selected army to attack. Once they reach the enemy’s army, they will attack.
Combat won’t happen immediately, though. The other army might have a chance of surrendering and fleeing the area.
If that does not happen, then a battlefield will show up. Combat in Humankind is turn-based, and combat turns are not the same as your usual game turns. They are used to control each individual unit’s move and action during combat between armies.
Once it is your turn during combat, attacking works pretty much the same way as described before. Select your unit and click the right mouse button on the tile where you want the unit to go or the enemy you want the unit to attack.
When you’re about to attack another Empire’s army, you can check a preview of the combat’s results. You will see your chance of victory and how strong the other army is by hovering your mouse cursor over another army.
Although it is possible to win against more powerful armies when being tactical, it will not be easy. Even if you play really well, there’s a good chance your army will lose, so try not to pick fights against stronger armies if you can avoid them.
Instant Resolution or Manual Battle?
Humankind doesn’t always have to turn into a tactical battle. The game can simulate the combat for you and provide the results instantly if you want.
When a battle is about to start, you will be prompted with a few options on the top of the screen. All that you have to do is choose one of them according to what you want or need.
In case your army is strong but not much stronger than the adversary’s army, it might be a good idea to control your units yourself.
That way, you can focus fire, take advantage of terrain, and go for many other tactical choices that the game’s AI might no be so good at doing.
However, with a significantly powerful army, you might just want to go for the Instant Result.
That way, the game will go with who is more likely to win. Note that there is a slight chance of unpleasant surprises if the advantage is not that great, but this is an option only recommended when your side is the one with an undeniable edge on the battle that is about to happen.
Siege and Reinforcements
When you move your troops directly to someone else’s city and attack it, a battle will be started. In that specific case, players are giving the option to siege a city.
During a siege, a city cannot use Trade Routes and will be losing Stability over time. The Empire under attack can try to fight back or endure a Siege.
However, the attacking Empire might construct Siege weapons that will make their invasion much easier. A siege will slowly kill a defending army even without a fight.
It really becomes a battle of which Empire can endure it the most. Note that an unsuccessful siege can cost you the war.
Note that after a battle has started, you can still bring Units from outside the Tactical map. If they are nearby, they will have a tile from where they will be able to join the battle, but in order to use reinforcements, Empires need to research a technology called Organized Warfare.
Final Thoughts
There really isn’t much to how to attack in Humankind.
The game has a turn-based combat system on a tiled map that is much in line with many other tactical strategy games out there.
The most significant difference is — noting that Humankind is a 4x game — your units might benefit from actions taken before the combat even starts.
Knowing what Legacy Traits do and using them to have an advantage in the upcoming battle, for instance, is what makes a good Humankind player.
The correct use of terrain, City fortifications, Unit special abilities, and more will be decisive when attacking other armies. Having an overwhelmingly more powerful force is works too.
In the end, just make sure to fight your own battles unless you’re so strong that tactics are not even needed.
