Mercenaries in ZeroSpace

ZeroSpace is not a traditional pick-one-faction RTS. Every match uses a modular loadout: one main faction (Protectorate, Grell, Xol, or Legion), one mercenary group, and one hero. Mercenaries are the second slot —seven independent military contractors that supplement your main roster without replacing it. You still build Protectorate infantry if you are Protectorate; Marran tanks add a defensive layer, not a faction swap.

This system separates ZeroSpace from StarCraft-style mirror matchups. Two Protectorate players can play entirely differently if one runs Valkaru aggression and the other runs Endari stealth flanks. Tier lists on this wiki rank loadouts, not factions in isolation —always read Best Loadouts, PvP Meta, and Galactic War Picks as triple combinations.

Mercenaries unlock through Campaign progress, Galactic War seasonal participation, and Skirmish milestones during Early Access. All seven are available in the launch window, but narrative context for each group expands across the thirteen Campaign missions. Mass Effect-style choices occasionally affect mercenary dialogue and side objectives without removing roster access.

• Marran —Defensive tanks and superior shields; best for tower holds
• Valkaru —Aggressive shock troops and flame units; early pressure
• Dread Raiders —Scavenger raiders and area denial; harassment
• Koru Kingdom —Biotech enhancement and sustain; long fights
• Endari —Void manipulation and stealth; flanking specialists
• Aztec Cultists —Ritual power and summons; unconventional all-ins
• Void Mages —Area spells and crowd control; team fights

Marran mercenaries excel when your main faction needs a frontline. Protectorate and Legion players pick Marran to cover early weakness and stabilize control tower contests. Hel, the Marran hero tank, stacks naturally with Marran shields for Galactic War objective defense. Weakness: limited mobility on wide-open maps where flanks bypass tanks.

Valkaru shock troops punish greedy expansions. Grell and Protectorate loadouts use Valkaru to convert early leads into tower captures before opponents tech. Weakness: fragile without support —do not send Valkaru alone into fortified Legion lines. Dread Raiders add economic disruption that no main faction provides natively; pair with Grell map control or Protectorate macro to split opponent attention.

Koru Kingdom biotech sustain extends fights for Xol fusion lines and Legion armor marathons. Endari void manipulation rewards scouting and punishes overextended armies —strong with Mirror hero vision in Galactic War. Aztec Cultists ritual summons enable surprise timings vulnerable during setup; high skill, high variance. Void Mages dominate crowded tower fights with area control, weaker against single high-HP targets like Legion super-heavies.

Use the Loadout Builder to see automated synergy notes for any main faction + mercenary + hero combination. Cross-reference unit stats on Mercenary Units and hero bonuses on Heroes.

In Skirmish and PvP, scout the enemy mercenary during the first thirty seconds. If they run Dread Raiders, defend workers and towers. If they run Void Mages, spread units to reduce area spell value. Mercenary counter-play matters as much as main faction matchup —consult PvP Meta loadouts for Season Zero trends.

Galactic War alliances assign mercenary roles: Marran/Hel for objective anchors, Valkaru for blitz towers, Endari for recon flanks, Void Mages for contested three-way fights. The Galactic War beginner guide and Frozen Watch mission guide demonstrate mercenary role assignment under objective pressure.

Campaign players can experiment freely —How to Play recommends testing one mercenary per mission arc to learn mechanics before ranked play. Co-op pairs should avoid duplicate mercenary roles unless coordinating split strategies; see Co-op mode for duo loadout examples.

Remember: mercenaries modify your strategy but do not change your main faction's win condition. Grell still needs map control; Legion still needs to survive early. The best mercenary fills your faction gap for the map, mode, and alliance plan —not the mercenary with the highest isolated tier rank.