How To Play Guide For Into The Breach

This page will serve as a basic **how to play guide for *Into the Breach***.

## Basic gameplay

* You are outnumbered by powerful Vek, but you have one key advantage: the Vek signal their attacks ahead of time. You can eliminate the danger by destroying Vek or by pushing them around on the map so that their attacks are delivered harmlessly.
* Each mech has a set mobility that can be enhanced with pilots or new weapons and subsystems.
* Click on a weapon to use it. The number keys will also work as a shortcut. You may not move after you've shot a weapon.

## Gathering information

* Hover an enemy to highlight its forewarned attack.
* Hover "Attack Order" or hold Alt to see the order of effects, including environmental danger and special map effects (such as tidal waves, fire, and airstrikes).
* Hover anything and hold Ctrl to see additional information about its abilities and status.
* Click an enemy to see its movement range.

## Status effects

* A.C.I.D.: Incoming Weapon Damage will be doubled. All other damage (Push, Fire, Blocking, etc.) is unaffected. Negates Armor.
* Fire: Takes one damage at the beginning of the enemy's turn.
* Frozen: Unit cannot move or attack. It will remain Frozen until it takes damage, moves over lava, or uses the repair ability.
* Shield: It will block damage and any negative effects (Fire, Freezing, A.C.I.D, etc.). Only direct damage will remove the Shield. Non-damaging, negative effects will have no effect.

Negative effects can be removed by using the repair skill.

## Goals and resources

* The game's goal is to complete at least two corporate islands and then tackle the Final Mission, the Last Stand.
* On each corporate island, you will attempt four missions (out of seven potential missions) and then fight a miniboss attacking the corporate headquarters.
* A secondary goal is the protection of the Power Grid that connects every island. Any damage it takes in missions will persist. There are opportunities to restore it in gameplay, such as completing missions with a power plant (identified by a lightning symbol in addition to the normal corporate reputation rewards). If the Grid reaches zero, the game ends.
* A building can resist damage. The chance of a building resisting damage is shown to the right of your Power Meter. If your Power Grid is full when it receives additional power, your Grid Defense will be permanently upgraded (up to +25 defense).

## Tips and tricks

* You can attempt the Islands you've unlocked in any order. Vek difficulty will scale depending on how many Islands you've completed in a game, with more islands meaning a more difficult experience.
* Don't be afraid to block non-lethal damage with a mech. Mech hitpoints are a resource you should not be afraid to expend when necessary.
* Sometimes, sacrificing a point of power grid or two is worth it, particularly if you're about to finish the island. It's better than losing a pilot.
* When outnumbered, consider blocking emerging Vek with mechs, rocks, or pushed enemies. Normally this only delays the enemy's emergence, but in some cases you can prevent their emergence entirely (e.g. on the second-to-last turn, near advancing tidal waves, or on the first turn of the final battle).

## See also

* Release date
* System requirements