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Sins of a Solar Empire II

 
Inside the Hive: Building the Vasari Hive AsteroidJun 4, 2025 - Community AnnouncementsIn a galaxy defined by exodus, exploitation, and extinction, the Vasari have always been in motion. As part of this year’s updates to Sins of a Solar Empire II, we asked ourselves: What happens when some Vasari stop running? That question became the foundation for the Vasari Hive Asteroid, a rare planetary gravity well that flips expectations. Not a base built on an asteroid, but one burrowed deep within it. A city inverted. A colony that reflects not hope or conquest, but resignation and adaptation. The Sins design team worked closely with our Art Director Craig Fraser and concept artist Mike Doscher to bring this idea to life in the Sins universe. Concept Origin: Subterranean Sovereignty We began with the idea of a Vasari splinter group choosing to settle—trading mobility for security. These Hive Asteroids would appear in remote gravity wells across former Trade Order space, representing a point of no return for their occupants. Early sketches explored silhouette and surface character: craggy rock forms pierced by irregular geometric patterns. We were drawn to asymmetry and depth. The asteroid itself needed to feel aged and organic, while the architecture embedded within it had to reflect the sharp, gothic elegance of Vasari technology. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44983448/d23b986acf2904e8994e400021b8f20704747727.jpg Refining the Form: Angles and Emissives As the design progressed, we focused on a multi-lobed central structure. The architectural language moved toward long, angular columns that plunge inward, creating a sense of downward growth. The city doesn't sprawl; it descends. A rough sculpt phase helped us define the massing of these sunken structures. The forms felt like claws or hive vents, angled inward toward some unseen center. This shift emphasized the Vasari mindset: efficient, self-contained, and utterly indifferent to human aesthetics. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44983448/21fbc34d43eb506176a0f844fd27261d4bf33c31.jpg With this stage, we introduced directional emissive elements. Not overt lighting or decorative glow, but pulse-like indicators of interior activity: cloning bays, assembly corridors, and compliance chambers pulsing with the dull red of living industry. Final Design: The City That Digs The final concept art presents a Hive Asteroid as it might appear in deep space: an unassuming rock at first glance, but riddled with heat blooms, energy flickers, and structural shadows that suggest a nightmare within. The glowing cavities are the only visible signs of the Vasari presence, shaped like inverted spires and arranged in precise, unnatural patterns. It's not just alien—it’s intelligent darkness. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44983448/0d72745c7d19d379819d61cd82e3e4882b05fc5f.jpg Lore Function: Why the Hive Exists Hive Asteroids are not just visual showpieces. In-universe, they are: Cloning centers: Producing the vast numbers of pilots needed to sustain the Vasari war machine—especially strikecraft like Heavy Fighters. Industrial forges: Linked to Nano As...Update Note for 6/2/25Jun 2, 2025 - Community AnnouncementsFixed several missing characters in Simplified Chinese fonts. Now Out: v1.42 Faith and Fire UpdateMay 29, 2025 - Community Announcementsv1.42 Faith and Fire Update Now Available View the full changelog The latest update for Sins of a Solar Empire II, titled "Faith and Fire," is here, and it’s packed with intriguing new features and gameplay enhancements. This month, players can look forward to the introduction of new population orbital structures across all three factions, designed to boost immigration and population growth on planets. For Advent players, a significant balance overhaul accompanies the update, along with a fresh planetary Focus track to invest in, allowing for deeper strategic planning. Additionally, new planet items themed around the Hive Asteroid and Oceanic planets have been added, expanding the tactical options available to players. One of the standout changes in v1.42 is the complete overhaul of Planetary Shields. No longer offering total invulnerability, these shields now function similarly to unit shields, complete with health pools and shield burst mechanics. This shift adds a layer of complexity to planetary bombardment and superweapon counterplay, enhancing the overall strategic depth of the game. Visual improvements and performance optimizations are also part of this update, ensuring that your space battles are not only more engaging but also run smoother than ever. On the competitive front, a new 1v1 map called "Cutthroat" has been introduced, placing players in a tight, devastated solar system that promises intense skirmishes. Finally, the update enhances the social experience with upgraded Discord Rich Presence features, allowing players to showcase their in-game activities and easily invite friends to join the action. With these exciting additions, the "Faith and Fire" update is set to enrich the Sins of a Solar Empire II experience, making it a great time for both veterans and newcomers to dive back into the game. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44983448/12885cea412872ca75f2b2d2f32a49d8495b13ee.png {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44983448/e481544de9d6cce78adc2091b00fe91f710b75cf.png {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44983448/9506ad508ad1305b4e4acaf1d6a72d28e3448d16.pngVideo Blog: TEC Battle TacticsMay 28, 2025 - Community AnnouncementsMastering the TEC: Tactical Triumphs in Sins of a Solar Empire Get Sins II Now The Trader Emergency Coalition (TEC) has undergone a remarkable transformation, evolving from a trading empire into a formidable military force. This shift has not only redefined their fleet composition but has also shaped their combat doctrine, allowing them to adapt to two very different threats. Whether you’re aligning with the defensive-minded TEC Enclave or the aggressive TEC Primacy, understanding the nuances of their tactics can mean the difference between victory and defeat. In this article, we’ll dive into the war-winning strategies for both TEC factions, equipping you with the knowledge you need to dominate your opponents in Sins of a Solar Empire. Let’s get into the nitty-gritty of offensive plays, defensive tactics, and some clever tricks that can turn the tide of battle. Offensive Plays: Unleash the Fury Derelict Specialists First up, let’s talk about the unsung heroes of early-game combat: Derelict Specialists. By investing in Civilian Research Tier 1, you can significantly speed up the time it takes to capture derelict ships while also boosting the experience gained. This is crucial for leveling up your Capital Ships quickly. Aim to get your first Capital Ship to Level 6 as soon as possible, unlocking its ultimate ability and gaining a serious edge in early skirmishes. Capital Ship Stun Abilities The Marza Dreadnought and Dunov Battlecruiser are equipped with powerful stun abilities that can turn the tide of battle. Use the Marza’s Concussion Charge and the Dunov’s Magnetic Singularity to disable enemy ships, setting them up for a devastating Radiation Bomb or other area-of-effect attacks. This combo is particularly effective against nimble Corvettes, allowing your heavier weapons to finally hit their mark. Marza Missile Guidance & Barrage The Marza Dreadnought’s Missile Barrage can become an absolute nightmare for your enemies when paired with a Missile Guidance Computer. Each missile can target a new enemy ship if its previous target is destroyed, maximizing damage potential. Timing is everything here; unleash this barrage when your opponent is least prepared, and watch their fleet crumble. Hoshiko Recharger Droids Synergizing with Antimatter-activated abilities, the Hoshiko Robotics Cruiser’s Recharger Droids can drastically enhance your fleet’s damage output. Pair them with the Kol Battleship and Dunov Battlecruiser, and you’ll have a relentless barrage of abilities raining down on your foes. This setup allows for rapid-fire special effects that can overwhelm even the most prepared enemies. Rapid Autoloader Heavy Gauss Slugs Stacking the Kol Battleship’s Fusillade Ability with the Rapid Autoloader and Heavy Gauss Slugs creates a firestorm that can tear through any target. These shots are fast and evade Point Defence systems, ensuring that your enemies will struggle to mount an effective counter. It’s a deadly combination that can shift the balance of...Ship Series: The Advent Radiance BattleshipMay 21, 2025 - Community AnnouncementsWelcome to our first look at the Advent in our ongoing Ship Series. We start off with the Radiance-class battleship - the ultimate tank of the Advent’s standard arsenal. The Radiance is bristling with weapons starting with its high pierce heavy beam cannons and plasma cannons, all the way to its more than 10 laser cannons. As if this weren’t enough, the Radiance integrates Psintegrats to power its psionic special ability that force enemies to focus fire on it. Rounding out this powerful ship is an Anima hangar that can support up to two squadrons of drones. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44983448/eee621fe1aaa57ad3f956830eebb5e0434c899c3.png Armament 2 x Heavy Beam Cannons (forward) 1 x Heavy Plasma Cannon Turret (Sync’d) 2 x Medium Plasma Cannon Turrets 14 x Light Laser Cannon Turrets Support for 1-2 Squadrons of Anima Drones Radiance Abilities Detonate Antimatter: Destabilizes the antimatter reserves on the target, causing a portion of it to combust and deal damage over time. The target’s antimatter-fueled abilities are also disabled for this time period. Animosity: Hostility is projected at the targeted enemy units, forcing them to attack the Radiance, while cowering them into dealing less damage to it and receiving more damage from it. Energy Absorptive Armor (Passive): Special armor converts part of attacks against the Radiance into a scaling damage bonus for a short duration. Increases with PSI power. Cleansing Brilliance: Fires a devastating beam of light at the targeted enemy unit, which spreads to other enemies within its radius. All enemies are dealt immense damage over a short duration. Offensive Upgrade Options Plasma Agitator: Rotating magnetic fields are used to agitate plasma into a higher energy state prior to firing. This increases the damage of plasma weapons and the PBC. Vex Amplifier: Adds a PsiTech emitter which is powered by the hatred and rage of the crew, improving weapon rate of fire. Affected by PSI power. Energy Accelerator: Advanced field control technology is used to contain and accelerate the bolts and beams of all energy weapons, enhancing range and damage. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44983448/1c8ecd6d99f5d8345ac17441b3ef98eec5fcec53.png Defensive Upgrade Options PsiKinetic Plating: The Radiance’s PsiTech armor is hardened by telekinetic fields, improving armor strength. Enhanced by PSI power. Synchronous Shield: Secondary shield generators can be brought into alignment to generate positive harmonic frequencies, increasing shield points and shield burst magnitude. Utility Upgrade Options Psintegrat Choir: Deploys a choir of the Unity’s faithful onto the ship to increase PSI power. Guiding Mentor: Grants a bonus to experience to friendly ships that are lower in level within the same gravity well. Harmony Circuit: Adds a special PsiTech circuit to the ship’s systems, increasing PSI power. Can be activated to increase the PSI power of a targeted friendly ship. Psionic Dynamo: Integrates a psionic power booster into the ship. Each time the R...Video Blog: Combat MechanicsMay 14, 2025 - Community AnnouncementsSins of a Solar Empire II: Mastering the Cosmos with Tactical Brilliance Welcome back, fellow space strategists! Today, we’re diving deep into the tactical depths of Sins of a Solar Empire II, a game that brilliantly revitalizes the 4X genre. If you've ever fantasized about founding a galactic empire, exploiting resources, and building an unstoppable fleet, then prepare to have your dreams realized. This sequel to Sins Rebellion takes the combat simulation to exhilarating new heights, enhancing the detail and tactical depth without overwhelming players with needless complexity. The Simplicity of Complexity One of the standout features of Sins II is its accessibility. New players can dive headfirst into the action, focusing on the thrill of commanding their fleets without getting lost in the minutiae. But don’t let that fool you—there’s a wealth of strategic depth for veteran players who want to meticulously compose their forces, exploiting enemy weaknesses to secure victory. In the vast expanse of space, fleet composition, positioning, and maneuverability are paramount. Each ship is equipped with defensive and offensive weapons systems, alongside propulsion methods that dictate their speed and agility in battle. Understanding these mechanics is essential for outsmarting your foes, especially when the odds are stacked against you. A Closer Look at Defensive Systems Let’s break down the defensive systems that keep your ships in the fight. Shields Shields are your first line of defense. When a ship comes under fire, its shields absorb the damage—think of them as a buffer zone. Stronger shields take longer to deplete, while certain classes like Trader Corvettes and Frigates start the game without them, gaining access through the tech tree. The Advent faction boasts the most robust shielding technology, making them formidable foes. However, shields are not indestructible. They don’t regenerate during combat (except for the Vasari and Advent under certain conditions), so knowing when to retreat can be a game-changer. The Advent’s unique Shield Burst technology allows their shields to regenerate after a cooldown, but savvy opponents will focus fire on these ships before they can recover Armor Once shields fail, it’s down to armor to absorb the brunt of incoming fire. Armor is the most effective form of hit points in the game, providing a secondary defense that mitigates damage before it reaches the hull. The TEC faction is renowned for their armored vessels, making them tough adversaries on the battlefield. Hull Points and Crippled Hull When shields and armor are depleted, the hull points come into play. A ship’s hull is its last line of defense, and once these points hit zero, the ship is destroyed. For larger ships like Capital Ships and Titans, there’s an additional level of defense: the Crippled Hull status. In this state, they can barely escape but can’t engage in combat. This status creates tension in battles, as deciding whether to finish off a c...Dev Journal: Shaders - The Virtual Fabric of RealityMay 7, 2025 - Community AnnouncementsThis month, Paul Kiesling (Set), lead 3D artist for Sins II, returned to share his latest shader explorations. His insights aim to inspire fans and modders during his research for future updates. The word shader gets thrown around a lot when talking about video games and for most people it's essentially technobabble, but what is a shader and how does it work? That's a great question and simply put, a shader is a small program that renders graphics data. It renders the visual elements of the game. Using math to replicate certain visual effects whether that be proper PBR (Physically Based Rendering) or something more stylized like Cel shading and anywhere in between. I want to preface before diving into this that I am by no means a subject matter expert and this will not be exhaustive in terms of its overview. I have been experimenting in my off time to better understand them myself and figured it is worth demonstrating how they can be manipulated for specific visual effect for the benefit of our modding community and other interested fans. We will go over some simple examples and the math involved in how the visual changes are realized. This will be a learning experience for both of us. Starting with the basics, Sins 2 uses HLSL which stands for High-Level Shader Language. It's a shader language created by Microsoft for use with DirectX. If you have a basic understanding of how math works and understand how declarations work, HLSL is pretty easy to understand. Tinkering with shaders has a low barrier to entry and a very high skill ceiling, as what can be accomplished is essentially limitless. Shader code as hinted at is the math that makes the smoke and mirrors of video games work in practicality. I currently have been putting together a Cel shader for Sins and here is a stark example of the difference shaders can have on the resulting output of how your assets look in game. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44983448/6a1a80133dd824a48ad47020985f8eb74b0efa52.png {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44983448/46c0f9c19525908efb6b48754419ff79da239f7a.png Both of shots of the Halcyon share the same models, textures and references. There is no functional difference between them except for how the game chooses to render them via the shader pipeline. Here is another example of the same shader applied to the Advent Loyalist Titan (Coronata). {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44983448/09791d69a88e248727bd36e5f2a25e6c31842e01.png {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44983448/0fc51873a51b32ec18a6dfcbc38c0653fd36fda0.png For this Cel Shader we have a function and a call. A function file is separate from the main uber shader, that contains a large portion of the math required to render said function. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44983448/29d86a44ab8eb87ee2a8ab6ade1b7ebd8791e287.png We are going to be focusing on how the shadow effect is accomplished but we will define some terms to avoid confusion when reading the snippet above. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44983448/67446352384e0dbbe21bbf66da78ff5e3a134e75.png Here we are modifying the gamma of ...v1.41.9 Hotfix Release NotesMay 1, 2025 - Community AnnouncementsChangelog Added ‘Last Stand’ multiplayer scenario (Paths to Power DLC) For those who own the Paths to Power DLC, you can now play a special multiplayer version of this scenario with up to 2 friends! Each player starts with bonus resources and a number of colonized planets, plus 2 fleets, defenses, etc. Players can choose whichever faction they’d like to defend as. How long will you and your allies last? Note: Only the host needs to own Paths to Power to play this scenario! Fixed achievement unlock bugs (general issue from 1.41.6). Added Shield Burst restore point text (in tooltips) to be green instead of red. Added description to Vasari Mad Titan tooltip. Adjusted Vasari Mad Titan vfx. Shield Burst Adjustments: Corvette Shield Burst Delay changed from 15s to 20s. Cruiser Shield Burst Delay changed from 45s to 40s. Capital Ship level 1 Shield Burst Delay changed from 65s to 50s. Capital Ship level 1 Shield Burst Percentage changed from 33% to 25%. Capital Ship level 10 Shield Burst Delay changed from 45s to 30s. Capital Ship level 10 Shield Burst Percentage changed from 66% to 50%. Titan level 1 Shield Burst Delay changed from 90s to 70s. Titan level 10 Shield Burst Delay changed from 60s to 50s. Fixed Artifact placement on City, Magnetic and Hive Asteroid planets. Fixed Asteroid Mercantile Mandate not applying to Hive Asteroids. Fixed Development Mandate not applying to City planets. Reduced Harcka Heavy Autocannon damage per shot from 25 to 20. Reduced Kortovas Heavy Wave Cannon damage per shot from 40 to 33. Reduced Exoria Heavy Beam damage per shot from 90 to 80. Reduced Exoria Medium Beam damage per shot from 30 to 25. Video Blog: The Comp-Stomp! Cooperative Play in Sins of a Solar Empire IIApr 30, 2025 - Community AnnouncementsVideo Blog: The Comp-Stomp! Cooperative Play in Sins of a Solar Empire II The Sins of a Solar Empire series has long been a beacon for strategy enthusiasts, drawing in a passionate community that thrives on the thrill of competitive multiplayer. Players engage in intense head-to-head battles and team matchups, all in a quest for galactic supremacy. However, while the competitive scene is undeniably exhilarating, it’s not the only way to enjoy this grand strategy title. For those who prefer a more relaxed gaming experience, Ironclad Games and Stardock have crafted Sins of a Solar Empire II with cooperative play in mind, allowing players to team up against AI foes and unleash a torrent of strategic chaos together. Why Cooperative Play is Fun Gathering your friends for a cooperative session in Sins II isn’t just about camaraderie; it’s about amplifying the strategic experience. When you pair up with friends, the decision-making landscape expands exponentially. With more players, you can devise intricate strategies, coordinate attacks, and cover each other’s weaknesses. Imagine the thrill of being on the brink of defeat, only to have your ally swoop in with a well-timed rescue—there’s nothing quite like it! Moreover, cooperative play allows for a more laid-back experience. You can set the game to a relaxed difficulty, explore the galaxy at your own pace, and enjoy the process of empire-building together. Whether you’re integrating planets into your burgeoning empire or fending off threats, the joy of shared victories makes every moment memorable. For those looking for a challenge, Sins II allows you to stack the odds against yourselves. Teaming up with friends against a horde of AI players set to the highest difficulty can lead to some of the most intense and rewarding gameplay experiences. It’s a true test of strategy, teamwork, and tactical prowess. Cooperative Multiplayer Features in Sins II Sins II makes it easy to jump into cooperative play. You can host or join games through Stardock’s multiplayer servers, or even set up a Local Area Network game to connect with friends. The invite code system simplifies the process, allowing you to quickly bring your friends into your game. Ironclad Games has also anticipated the real-life interruptions that can occur during gaming sessions. If a player needs to take a break or drop out, the AI Takeover option seamlessly hands control of their empire to the AI, ensuring the game continues without a hitch. And if they return, the AI Hotseat feature allows them to reclaim their empire. This flexibility ensures that the fun never has to stop! The game lobbies in Sins II are designed to communicate the expected level of play, from casual to expert. You can even specify that you’re looking for Comp-Stomp co-op matches or set up mentoring sessions for new players, making it easy to find the right group for your gaming style. Crafting the Perfect Comp-Stomp Session One of the most exciting aspects of Sins II is the a...Franchise Sale: Save Up To 75% on Sins of a Solar Empire TitlesApr 24, 2025 - Community AnnouncementsSnag discounts on our Sins of a Solar Empire games, dlc, and expansions during our Franchise Sale Visit our sale page to view all products on sale Sins of a Solar Empire II Deals: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1575940/Sins_of_a_Solar_Empire_II/ https://store.steampowered.com/sub/1108073/ https://store.steampowered.com/sub/1119515/ Additional Titles on Sale: https://store.steampowered.com/app/204880/Sins_of_a_Solar_Empire_Rebellion/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/201290/Sins_of_a_Solar_Empire_Trinity/ View All Sins of a Solar Empire Products on Sale:Visit our sale page to view all products on saleShip Series: The TEC Primacy Ragnarov TitanApr 23, 2025 - Community AnnouncementsThe TEC Primacy’s flagship is the weapon-laden Ragnarov-class titan. In keeping with the Primacy’s philosophy that all enemies should be destroyed, the Ragnarov is embodiment of this ideal, as most of the ship is composed of a massive rail gun. In the time since we first looked at the Ragnarov, she’s only become more deadly with the inclusion of point-defense autocannons as part of her standard arsenal. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44983448/b71c25e81ce2fbec834939b17301813d9a780795.jpg Armament 1 x Rail Gun 10 x Medium Autocannon Turrets (5 per side) 14 x Point Defense Autocannon Turrets 4 x Fixed Dual-Gauss Cannons 12 x Dual-Gauss Turrets (3 per pylon) 1 x Planetary Bombardment Cannon 4 x Heavy Missile Launcher Batteries (Optional) Up to 10 strikecraft squadrons (Optional) As a counterpoint to the TEC Enclave’s Ankylon titan which focuses on defense, the Primacy goes all-in on offense. However, as powerful as the Ragnarov is, without a supporting fleet it is vulnerable to enemy assault. Ragnarov Abilities Piercing Shot: The titan fires an extremely powerful, long-range shell that deals massive damage to a single target. Explosive Shot: The Ragnarov fires an explosive shell at a target enemy which deals area damage. Warpath: For a short duration, each enemy destroyed gives the Ragnarov a stacking weapon damage bonus. Defeating larger enemies grants multiple stacks. Novalith Cannon: Using its embedded railgun, the titan fires a devastating nuclear payload at a nearby hostile planet, inflicting massive surface damage and disabling all defensive structures for a time. Offensive Upgrade Options Missile Launchers: Adds 4 heavy missile batteries to the titan. Railgun Accelerator: Upgrades the railgun’s power system and barrel materials to greatly increase its strength. Rapid Autoloader: Increases the reload rate of all Physical weapons. Can be briefly overcharged to further increase cooldown. Targeting Array: Greatly increases the weapon range of the titan and nearby ships. Missile Guidance Computer: Enables missing retargeting and bonus damage to missiles fired by friendly units within range. High Yield Warheads: Greatly increases planet bombing damage. Can be activated to grant increased damage to all nearby units for a duration. Heavy Gauss Slugs: Advanced alloys give gauss ammunition increased damage and armor penetration. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44983448/5505a6efa4a10ed376ac09c48d8e98457b8f94af.jpg Defensive Upgrade Options Flak Burst: Adds Flak launchers to the titan, which can inflict Physical damage over time to all strike craft and missiles within a short range. Extra Armor Plating (I-II): Each level increases the maximum Hull Points, Armor Points, and overall Armor Strength of the titan. These upgrades also enhance passive generation rates for hull and armor. Combat Repair System: The addition of small robotic repair drones gives the titan a passive bonus to repair rates, which persists in combat. When brought to full power, this rate is boosted for a short ...Developer Interview: Sovereign Echo on v1.4 "Total Subjugation"Apr 16, 2025 - Community AnnouncementsDeveloper Interview: Sovereign Echo on v1.4 "Total Subjugation" In this developer interview, we talk to Games Designer Conor Harris, aka “Sovereign Echo”, on the motivations behind the changes and additions made to Sins of a Solar Empire II in the v1.4 “Total Subjugation” update. Topics discussed include the role that community feedback played in helping the designers address balance issues, the nature of those balance changes and the reasoning behind why they were made, an overview of the new Trader and Vasari units, an in-depth look at the Population and Allegiance mechanics added, and more!v1.41 'New Worlds' Update Now OutApr 16, 2025 - Community AnnouncementsApril showers bring a new Sins II update! This month we’re adding 3 new planet types that act as high population density worlds for each race. Additional balance changes, bug fixes, and art polish are also part of our April update for all users. For those who’ve purchased the Paths to Power DLC, we’ve added the ‘mad’ Vasari titan to the Seek & Destroy scenarios. If the Vasari manage to summon it, you’ll need to defeat it to win! {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44983448/89ca10b7083f1eb7fec6cb75dda3c7268e894248.png {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44983448/efb32f98c0e3d007fb56a09edf3e26666b378656.png v1.41 Changes Additions Added Vasari Hive asteroid gravity well type. Added TEC City planet gravity well type. Added Advent Geomagnetic planet gravity well type. New research subjects added to support colonization for all races. New planet items added. Paths to Power: The Vasari Mad Titan returns in the Seek & Destroy scenarios! Gameplay Paths to Power: Updated Seek and Destroy - Exodus scenario so that the Vasari player will summon the Mad Titan unique unit once they control the required Phase Resonators. To achieve final victory, the player must utilize the Mad Titan and their other forces to destroy all the other players. Rebalanced Advent Credit and Resource cost weightings in line with community feedback. Rebalanced Vasari Warden and Oppressor in line with feedback. Rebalance Insurgency based on community feedback. Fixed Silent Monastery being buildable on planets that it has no effect on. Insurgency arrival frequency changed from 120s to 200s. Primacy Insurgency rush strategies force an outsized degree of effort and coordination to counter. Although this tech should have considerable impact as a difficult to set up T5 faction identity tech, reducing the pace at which it snowballs should grant opposing players more time to respond before it reaches an unmanageable level. Vasari Alliance Nanomedicine tech corrected to properly provide its bonus. Vasari Deconstruction Nanites - metal income rate increased from 1.8 to 3.6. Advent Silent Monastery availability adjusted to ensure it cannot be constructed on worlds where it would have no effect. Advent resource costs for most ships and some structures have been adjusted to better reflect the realities of the resources the Advent can produce. This means a reduction in credit costs on all changed units, with the resultant cost transferred to metal in most cases. This should make the Advent economy flow a bit more naturally, with less severe credit deficits and less surplus metal. Updated planet culture stats so that max. allied population, neutral population conversion and enemy population conversion stats are based on the dominant culture player, not the planet’s owner. Increased Advent PD Laser damage from 3 to 5 on all Advent PD Lasers. Exoria Illuminator: Increased Heavy Beam damage from 60 to 90, and reload time from 6s to 9s. Damage per second is retained, but a slower firing cycle will result in less flexibility against nume...Season 2 RoadmapApr 15, 2025 - Community AnnouncementsWe’re thrilled to unveil our latest high-level roadmap for upcoming content in Sins of a Solar Empire II, highlighting both free and paid updates set to roll out through the end of September this year. We’ll update this roadmap regularly as these are released, so stay tuned for more information as we continue to expand the universe of Sins of a Solar Empire II! {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44983448/c951d09b88d054510fab64cc4c36196510fcd402.png Check out what was done in season 1 here.Dev Journal: Combat Geometry Part One - TurretsApr 9, 2025 - Community AnnouncementsToday we’re going to talk about combat geometry with our resident Sins designer, Conor Harris. The basic combat model of Sins of a Solar Empire II is held up on two primary pillars: The first is an obvious one - mathematical interactions between weapons and defenses. The second is the physics simulation - a more complex topic we will be discussing in detail today. The physics side of balance is most relevant to corvettes, strike craft and missiles, although it does extend upwards to bigger ships too. Today we’ll be focusing more on how weapons hit corvettes engaging in their signature orbit-strafe attack pattern. To begin with, an obvious but important statement: In order for a weapon to hit its target, it must first be able to point at its target. Easy to understand, not always easy to do when the target won't sit still. There are two types of direct fire weapons in Sins II: Fixed Weapons: Sometimes also called ‘spinal’ weapons, they are built into the hull of a ship, usually pointing forward. These weapons must be aimed by maneuvering the entire ship to point at the target. Turreted Weapons: Mounted in an independently tracking turret that can bring the weapon to bear on the target independently of the facing of the ship it is attached to. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44983448/ffc1c628e6e9a1738578ef3aef47c0126c37c4da.png The Cobalt Light Frigate and Kalev Gauss Frigate are good examples of ships with Fixed weapons. Some of the Marza’s weapons are also fixed. Turreted weapons do not just snap to their target in Sins II, instead rotating at a speed defined by their Tracking Rate stat. A higher tracking rate means a turret is more likely to be able to keep firing at a single moving target, with lighter weapons having better tracking rates compared to large, heavy turrets. Fixed weapons, as mentioned earlier, require pointing the entire ship to aim - which means they functionally use the turn rate of the ship they are mounted on as a substitute for tracking rate. Most ships turn far slower than a turret, which means fixed weapons on large ships can be difficult to use against moving targets. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44983448/2e800afdff438ef9348b96612381838b6e765c4e.png Meanwhile, the Harcka Heavy Cruiser and Kol Battleship are excellent demonstrations of turreted weapons. Thanks to some complicated math, it’s not just tracking rate that defines whether a turret can point at a moving target - range to target also matters a great deal. The further away a target is, the less it is moving relative to a turret’s frame of reference, while a very close target moving laterally to the turret might be able to outrun even the most extreme of tracking rates simply by its proximity. Think of how you can look at a jetliner far above you in the sky and barely move your head to follow its path across the sky, but a fly buzzing around you can be hard to keep looking at even though it is moving much slower than a speeding aircraft. This principle is replicated in Sins II, where fas...Video Blog: v1.4 "Total Subjugation" UpdateApr 2, 2025 - Community AnnouncementsTotal Subjugation Update – A New Era of Galactic Warfare The Sins of a Solar Empire II universe just got a major update with Version 1.4, Total Subjugation. This free update for all players introduces exciting new ships, planets, and a refined combat system that enhances tactical gameplay. Here’s a quick rundown of the key features. New Ships: Tactical Precision Stilat Missile Corvette (TEC): This fast, armor-piercing Corvette excels in quick strikes, ideal for eliminating vulnerable targets like retreating Capital Ships. Its mobility and high damage output make it a deadly addition to any TEC fleet. Vasari Junsurak Warden: A defensive Frigate designed to counter Corvettes, this ship is perfect for protecting your missile-armed vessels and ensuring the survival of your fleet against fast, shielded enemies. Vasari Heavy Fighter: Complementing the Vasari Heavy Bombers, this elite Fighter excels in dogfights and clearing enemy Fighters, making space for Bombers to target larger ships. New Planets: Expand Your Empire The update introduces a new Barren Planet for colonisation, and two new moons: the Metal-rich Volcanic Moon and the Ice Moon, each offering valuable resources like metals and crystals. Players can colonize these moons to enhance their empire’s growth. Population & Allegiance: A Cultural Revolution The new Population and Allegiance system means planets now have a persistent Population that exists before colonization, and will grow as the Colony is developed by the ruling player, with the number of Population and Culture playing a key role in the Colony’s economic output. Spreading your culture boosts productivity, while forced conquests leave populations less loyal and less efficient. This adds a strategic layer to resource management and empire building. Combat Rebalance: More Tactical Depth Battles are now slower, with ships gaining around 45% more health on average, allowing for longer, more strategic engagements. Capital Ships and Titans scale up in power as they level, creating a more balanced experience. Missiles and point-defense have also been adjusted for better readability and tactical counterplay. Final Thoughts Total Subjugation significantly enhances Sins of a Solar Empire II, offering new ships, strategic layers, and a deeper combat system. With more room for tactical play and empire-building, the update keeps the game fresh and exciting for both new and veteran players.NOW OUT: Paths to Power DLC and Major v1.4 UpdateMar 27, 2025 - Community AnnouncementsSins of a Solar Empire II - Paths to Power DLC Pack and Major v1.4 Update Now Available New DLC pack for acclaimed strategy title features 10+ scenario maps with objective-based gameplay and Free v1.4 update introduces Population Mechanic Players will have their strategic knowledge and skill tested like never before as Sins of a Solar Empire II has officially released its first paid DLC, “Paths to Power,” today. This DLC debuts 10 new scenario maps that will test players with unique, objective-based challenge missions each with their own victory conditions. Whether you are defending your home planet from relentless invaders as the Pranast United faction, or assimilating the human population of the galaxy as the Advent; Paths to Power will push even the most seasoned of Sins players. “With Paths to Power, we set out to create wholly unique gameplay scenarios where players will create strategies they’ve never used before in Sins II,” said Brian Clair, Executive Producer at Stardock. “In addition to this great new DLC pack, we get to bring a free new update to all players with Update v1.4 featuring the return of Population, as well as new units and planet types!” Examples of Paths to Power Scenarios: Conversion The Unity must grow if it’s to continue the wars against the despised TEC and obnoxious Vasari. The Advent have suffered many losses of late and fresh blood is needed. It’s time to assimilate the populations of the galaxy to the Unity’s cause using new culture and population gameplay mechanics. Seek & Destroy The Vasari Exodus are attempting to summon the feared ‘mad’ Vorastra titan from deep space as a means to destroy their enemies once and for all. Played from the perspective of either the Vasari Exodus or the TEC, you must capture special Phase Resonators and hold them against your foe. Which side will you fight for? Clash of the Titans The Aluxian Resurgence is proving to be a major thorn for the greater powers of the region. You must eliminate their homeworld using only a titan that’s been equipped with the ability to summon reinforcements. Be careful - you don’t have a homeworld to fall back to! https://store.steampowered.com/app/3195270/Sins_of_a_Solar_Empire_II__Paths_to_Power/ {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44983448/ecd77fdb7d9a2228ac7540cabe7fb513d55f52b1.jpg {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44983448/38f6ae100bb6a29082572a415280db6cd7c1115e.jpg {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44983448/ed1264f54e4e031495f1d40164fac896c0d17d51.jpg {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44983448/a4958398bcf51023ff78231d354ad94f0b51bb26.jpg {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44983448/a8bb35afdea874ad2fc0abb94ab55931b718b2de.jpg Massive ‘Total Subjugation’ (v1.4) Update - Free for all Sins 2 players! This update re-introduces the Population mechanic from the original Sins of a Solar Empire. This time in Sins II, the culture of your Empire will determine your population’s allegiance; giving players bonus resources or debuffs based on the loyalty of their citizens! v1.4 Features View the full changelog here Population Mechanics:...Behind the Scenes: The Process Behind "Paths to Power"Mar 26, 2025 - Community AnnouncementsThe Process Behind "Paths to Power" Having been a part of the Sins of a Solar Empire franchise for more than 15 years, I’ve often been asked how we make decisions on new features or DLC. Why did we choose to do Paths of Power versus something else? After all, there’s no shortage of ideas and requests from players, and we have our own things we’d like to implement as well. This is a question that all developers, especially those with smaller teams, grapple with and there’s no single answer. Let’s look into how the Sins team came to our answer. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/44983448/e76b73ce7e7890f827808eb8634a6d4a1b068250.png Long-Term Strategy The first thing we had to determine was where we want Sins II to be in 2.5 years. What features did we want to implement? What features were players asking for? We brainstormed on this quite a bit and came up with an initial wish list of ideas. (I know some of you are saying, “Post it!” right now. I would… but we’ll probably use them in the future, so you’ll have to wait.) So now that we have a list, how practical is it to actually make? Here we introduce the Dark side of the equation - business. There are a couple of major questions that we need to answer next: First, how much time and investment do we estimate each DLC idea will require to make? Do we think an idea will be of enough interest to players that they’ll want to buy it (so we can recover our expenses)? This part is always a bit of a gamble because you can only make your best guess as to what fans will think is worth their money. Success will help keep the team employed and propel work on the next update; failure can have equally dire results. In the case of Sins II, we decided on ideas that we felt players would enjoy (because it’s stuff you’ve all been telling us you want), while at the same time spreading out the risk a bit. This is the DLC lineup we’ve announced: Paths to Power - a collection of mission-based scenarios with custom conditions. Reinforcements - a collection of six new units (1 per faction). Times of War - a story-driven campaign mode. Harbinger - a new, playable faction. Looking at this, the last 3 appear to be slam dunks - they’re all things that players have been telling us they want. They’re also all progressively more expensive to make and thus have increasing levels of business risk! So, why Paths to Power? Nobody was asking us to explicitly make custom scenarios, though many had asked for more victory conditions, random events, etc. The answer is simple: the campaign expansion, the victory conditions, random events, and more all required an underlying system of automations, triggers and scripting that did not yet exist. By front loading the foundation of our future DLC and features, we were able to spread out the engineering time and cost, thus reducing our risk over time. The vast majority of what we’re planning to add for free to Sins II this year will only be possible thanks to the humble, Paths to Power DLC. This also greatly e...Launch Livestream: "Paths to Power" DLC and "Total Subjugation" v1.4 UpdateMar 20, 2025 - Community AnnouncementsJoin us as we dig deep into the new scenarios and mechanics of the first DLC for Sins of a Solar Empire II, Paths to Power! 📅 Thursday, March 27th at 1:00 PM EST 📍Location: Sins of a Solar Empire II Steam Page What to Expect "Paths to Power" DLC We'll be diving into a selection of the 10 brand-new scenario maps, each featuring unique, objective-based challenges and distinct victory conditions. Whether we're defending our home planet from relentless invaders as the Pranast United faction or working to assimilate the human population of the galaxy as the Advent, you can expect plenty of thrilling gameplay and strategic decision-making. While we can't promise to cover every scenario, we invite you to come watch us tackle a few of these intense missions and see how we fare! "Total Subjugation" v1.4 Update Population Mechanics: Population is a new mechanic for Sins II and is heavily lore-based. Culture now affects the populations of the galaxy, creating diverging allegiances. The player who dominant culture on a planet will gain bonuses to resource and research generation; while other cultures present debuff those bonuses. New Units: Three new units have been added in the v1.40 update to help fill gaps in battle rosters: TEC Stilat Missile Corvette Vasari Heavy Fighter strikecraft Vasari Junsurak Warden Frigate New Planet Types: Three new gravity wells have been added in this update: Ice Moon, Volcanic Moon and Barren Planet. Huge Rebalance: This update contains a massive rebalance of the game on everything from research costs, to unit durability and more. Don't miss out on exclusive gameplay, commentary, and insights into the new Paths to Power DLC. Set your reminders and join us for an exciting afternoon!Video Blog: Paths to Power - Defend the HomeworldMar 19, 2025 - Community AnnouncementsSins of a Solar Empire II: First Look at the "Defend the Homeworld" Scenario Paths to Power adds a series of exciting new challenges for Sins II players to get their teeth into called Scenarios. These Scenarios have been hand crafted to highlight new styles of gameplay that aren’t available in the standard game setup options, or to provide an interesting in-game situation for the player to explore. These maps often have some randomization involved and options to vary gameplay between tries, but their core mechanics and general map layout is usually the same. You’re encouraged to replay these maps over and over, to test your abilities as a commander against the various challenges they throw at you, honing your skills and allowing some competition in attaining the best result you can on each Scenario. In Defend the Homeworld, you’ll take command of a beleaguered Pranast United, known to Sins II players as the Minor Faction responsible for the invention and proliferation of the Argonev Starbase across Trader territories. Not everybody is happy to trade for their advanced defensive specialty technology however, and three different factions are now attacking Pranast United controlled territory, aiming for their homeworld and the treasures they hope to raid from the data vaults there. This Scenario is unwinnable: Pranast United are doomed to endure waves upon waves of increasingly dangerous enemy fleets, from three different directions. Although they start with a sturdy fleet led by Capital Ships and many Harka Heavy Cruisers, there is little breathing space between waves to develop their economic might to fund technological advances, bolster planetary defenses or launch new ships to help combat these constant incursions. Defeat is inevitable, and the challenge here is to keep the enemy from eliminating your homeworld from the game for as long as possible. They say that the best defense is a good offense, and you’ll certainly attain better results if you take the fight to your enemy when they’re engaging the Starbases around your perimeter worlds. But you can’t be everywhere at once, and as the Scenario progresses, you’ll need to make tough decisions about which worlds are to be defended, which are to be sacrificed, and where to spend your valuable and limited fleet resources. We encourage you to compete for the best time, and come post your scores on our various socials to show the community how well you’ve done!

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