How to play guide for Sigma Theory: Global Cold War

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This page contains a basic **how to play guide for *Sigma Theory: Global Cold War***. While the guide is quite brief at the moment, we urge you to check back often as new information is being added all the time! Feel free to edit this guide with any tips, tricks, and suggestions.

## The Goal

The main goal of the game is to be the first to complete your Sigma research. In order to do this there are two steps you must complete:

* Step 1: Complete enough regular research (of any type) in order to unlock Sigma research.
* Step 2: Complete each of the 5 areas of Sigma research.

There are three ways to make progress with your research:

* Employ scientists in your own country to carry out your research - progresses research in the area they are assigned to, at a speed depending on their specialism and traits.
* Recruit enemy scientists as double agents - transfers a portion of their research to your own research progress.
* Exfiltrate recruited scientists to improve research speed (and to make sure they're not Abducted by a 3rd party)
* Acquire Sigma research data through diplomacy or hacking missions.
* Trade with other nations to get their scientists (you'll likely need to have good relations with this country and have something substantial to offer)

Once you have completed your Sigma research the game will end, and you will be shown one of several different endings depending on what has happened in the game.

## Game Setup

There are three steps you must go through to start a new game:

* Step 1: Enter some basic details about your character and choose a nation to play as
* Step 2: Choose a spouse from the roster of agents
* Step 3: Choose four agents that you will be able to use to carry out missions in the game

Barring certain special events, you will not be able to change your choice of agents after the game has begun. This means it is important to select agents that will suit the types of missions you intend to carry out through the game. Each agent has two abilities, Intelligence and Strength, and a range of traits that combine to determine their effectiveness at different mission types.

## Basic gameplay

Sigma Theory is a turn-based game, with each turn representing one day. In each turn there are several actions you can take:

**Agents**

* Move to a different country, or
* Conduct a mission in the country they are currently in

**Drones**

* Move to a different country, or
* Remain where they are

**Diplomacy**

* Contact as many diplomats from other nations as you like, to request meetings in the future

**Scientists**

* Re-assign scientists to conduct research in different areas

## Tips and tricks

* Choose your agents carefully and plan your strategy before the game starts.
* Mission success rates tend to be relatively low (like 30%+ failure rate) unless the agent is super-adapted to that mission type.
* Diplomatic meetings are very useful to gain an advantage.
* All-out conflicts with other nations cause the doomsday clock to count down very quickly, and can often take a long time to bring to an end. Best avoided if at all possible.
* There are some research milestones that cause the doomsday clock to lose a lot of time instantly, particularly in late-game. Be very wary of choosing a research outcome that indicates it will have a negative effect on the timer, and if possible ensure you always have plenty of days remaining in case a rival nation reaches that research milestone first.

## Scoring

At the end of the game, you'll be scored by:

* Diplomatic performance: 1..100
* Appreciation of your superiors: 1..100
* Doomsday clock: 0 .. 150
* Scientists team: 0 .. 200
* Sigma Discoveries: 0 .. 200
* Departing agents: 0 .. 100
* Marital harmony: 0 .. 100
* No kidnapping: 0 .. 150
* No scientist deaths: 0 .. 100
* Ultimate technology discovered: 0 .. 500
* Victory: 0 .. 500
* The Last One (if you are eliminated by lagging behind other nations in Sigma research): -300
* Fired (if your relations with leadership & your country reaches 0%): -100

The maximum score is 2200, titled "Savior of the world".

## Exfiltrating Scientists

Here is a video guide on how to exfiltrate scientists:

## See also

* Release date
* System requirements