Action Points (AP)
Every operative gets 3 AP per turn. Movement, shots and abilities all spend from the same pool, so a turn is a budgeting exercise: move, shoot, or do something expensive — rarely all three.
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Beginner's Guide
New to turn-based tactics, or to Zero Company? These Star Wars Zero Company tips cover the core loop, action points, cover, Overwatch, the Advantage economy and permadeath — the systems that decide whether your first squad survives to see the finale. Every build, bond and reception figure here is verified against live Steam, Metacritic and CCU data and refreshed after launch — no pre-release guesswork.
ByZero Company Guide Team
Last updated:
The Core Loop — How a Campaign Runs
The Clone Wars have just ended. As former Republic officer Hawks, you command Zero Company — an elite freelance squad operating in the galaxy's underworld, taking jobs that no one else will. Every Cycle moves through 3 phases, and time only advances when a tactical mission finishes.
1
The Den (base)
Heal, respec, recruit and train — then choose where to deploy next.
2
Holo-map (Operations)
Non-combat text Operations that consume Intel and return rewards.
3
One tactical mission
One turn-based deployment per Cycle. This is what advances time.
Combat Fundamentals
Six concepts cover almost every tactical decision you will make.
Cover
Standing behind cover is the single biggest survivability multiplier in the game. The opening mission on Serolonis is explicitly built to teach movement, cover and Overwatch — treat it as a mandatory lesson.
Overwatch
Leave AP unspent and an operative watches a lane, firing automatically when an enemy moves through it. This is how you hold a flank with one unit while the rest of the squad works.
Advantage
A combat resource generated by flanking, kills and specific abilities, then spent on high-impact plays. Assault's Sweeping Salvo alone generates 4 Advantage, which is why frontline pressure builds momentum.
Flanking
Attacking around cover strips the defender's protection and raises hit and crit rates — Assault's Strike the Flanks adds +20% critical chance on flanking shots. Flanking is the offensive counterpart to cover.
Permadeath
Operators can die permanently. An injured companion is not the same as a dead one: wounds heal in the Medbay, death is final and also severs that operator's bonds for good.
Meet Your Starting Squad — and the Enemy
Zero Company opens with a small, named crew you grow across the campaign. The confirmed starting operatives are Hawks (your commander), Trick, Tel-Rea Vokoss, Cly Kullervo, Luco Bronc, Jae Mordant and Kabb Uppercut — each with their own Specialization and a web of bonds. Your standing threat is the Infinite Coil, aided by remnants of the Separatist Alliance and opportunistic Outlaws.
Weapon Families — What They Cost You
Your weapon choice sets engagement range and how much of the 3 AP budget a single shot consumes. Pick per role, not per damage number.
Blaster Pistol
1 APEffective Range0 - 8 Tiles (Close-Quarters)
Armor PenetrationLight (Armor Pierce on Crit)
Tactical Role: Cheapest AP cost; triggers Quick Draw kill refunds and Assist Shoot reactions.
Blaster Rifle
1 AP (Single) / 2 AP (Burst)Effective Range6 - 16 Tiles (Mid-Range)
Armor PenetrationModerate (Standard Coverage)
Tactical Role: Zero point-blank penalty; versatile all-around combat reliability.
Heavy Repeater
2 AP (Sweeping)Effective Range4 - 14 Tiles (Area Cone)
Armor PenetrationHeavy (Destroys Low Cover)
Tactical Role: Overloads energy shields and shreds destructible environment cover.
Longarm Blaster (Sniper)
2 AP (Aimed)Effective Range12 - 24+ Tiles (Extreme Range)
Armor PenetrationExtreme (High-Caliber Penetration)
Tactical Role: Highest critical damage multiplier; suffers accuracy penalty within 4 tiles.
Which Difficulty Should You Pick?
For a first campaign, these two are the realistic choices.
Story
Narrative FocusDesigned for players who want to experience the Clone Wars story without grueling tactical penalties.
Enemy HPLow (-25%)
AccuracyLenient
InjuriesMinor (heals in 1 cycle)
Normal
Standard ExperienceThe intended tactical balance. Errors can be punished, but smart positioning and Medbay usage will carry the squad.
Enemy HPStandard (100%)
AccuracyBalanced
InjuriesStandard (1-2 cycles)
First Campaign Checklist
Follow this order and the early Cycles stay manageable.
- 1Before you deployPick Story or Normal for a first run. Story cuts enemy HP by 25% and keeps the Bacta Tank available, so early mistakes stay recoverable.
- 2Cycle 1Upgrade the Medbay immediately. Untreated wounds compound into an accuracy spiral, and that is the most common way a first campaign collapses.
- 3Cycle 1-2Keep the same pairs deployed together. Bonds take Focus Points to raise, and 'Very High' is required for all 10 bond achievements.
- 4Every missionEnd turns in cover and leave one operative on Overwatch. Never finish a turn with everyone exposed in the open.
- 5Cycle 2-4Recruit 2-3 reserves at the Recruitment Terminal. A Medbay stay should never force you into a mission under-strength.
- 6Cycle 3The Armory Respec Terminal unlocks. This is your free rebuild window — re-evaluate every Specialization before the difficulty curve steepens.
Mistakes That End First Campaigns
- ✕Treating the campaign like a checklist. Missions carry Cycle timers and expire permanently — it is impossible to complete every mission in a single run, so choose deliberately.
- ✕Letting Hawks fall. Hawks is required on story missions, and on Beskar Mode the campaign ends if the commander dies.
- ✕Ignoring injuries on Hard and Expert. Both disable the Bacta Tank, so wounded operators must sit out complete Cycles.
- ✕Spreading Focus Points across the whole roster. Concentrate them on the pairs you actually deploy to reach 'Very High' bond tiers.
- ✕Skipping Holo-map Operations. They cost Intel but return Intel, rewards and Zone Influence — the economy stalls without them.