How to Play Earth Rivals

Turn-based strategy. Expand your territory, survive global events, and outmaneuver the AI to claim the planet.

Getting Started

Welcome to Earth Rivals! If this is your first time, here's what you should know before your first game.

Start by spreading out. In the early game, grab as much territory as possible. The more hexes you own, the more options you have each turn. Don't worry too about where you expand - just expand.

Watch the AI. The AI expands quickly in the beginning. If you see it clustering in one area, try to surround it from another direction. Cutting off its expansion is just as good as expanding yourself.

Don't ignore mountains. They're more expensive to capture (2 points), but a line of mountains can slow the AI's advance when used defensively.

Game Basics

Goal

Claim 60% of claimable land before the AI. If the map fills up, whoever has the most territory wins.

Each Turn

3 action points per turn. Spend them to claim hexes next to your territory. Put up to 2 on one hex to capture tough terrain.

Terrain

Plains & Forests = 1 point. Mountains = 2 points (harder to capture). Oceans = uncapturable. Deserts = 1 point (but +1 penalty if you capture 2+ in one turn).

Deserts

Capture 2+ deserts in one turn = all deserts cost +1 next turn.

Stuck?

Can't expand? Click SKIP TURN. Final territory counts decide the winner.

Game Modes
Regular Mode

Regular Mode

Classic territory control. You can see where the AI has expanded (dimmed), so you can plan your moves. Perfect for learning the game.

Stress Mode

Stress Mode

Push too hard and you'll get overloaded.

  • Capture 3 hexes = +2 stress
  • Capture 2 hexes = no change
  • Capture 1 hex or less = -1 stress (recovers if stress is above 0)
  • Max stress is 5

At stress 5 (OVERLOADED): you can only capture 2 hexes per turn instead of 3.

Seismic Mode

Seismic Mode

Every 5 turns, a disaster hits. Plan around the cycle!

  • Cracked Mountains: Mountains cost 1 instead of 2
  • Forest Fire: Forests cost 2 instead of 1
  • Dust Storm: No desert expansion allowed
  • Fault Slip: A column shifts - ownership may change!
Wildcard Mode

Wildcard Mode

Your AI opponent has a random personality. It reveals itself at game start - learn its weaknesses and exploit them.

  • The Scorcher: Prefers plains, forest, desert
  • The Wall: Loves mountains
  • The Expansionist: Targets map center
  • The Opportunist: Attacks weak borders