Progression Roadmap
The Full Path
Progression in Last War: Survival follows a clear sequence. Every player walks the same road — the difference between strong and weak accounts is how efficiently they walk it. This guide lays out what to focus on at every phase so you do not waste time or resources on things that do not matter yet.
HQ level > main squad gear > main squad hero stars > second squad. At every stage of the game, this order holds. HQ unlocks everything. Gear multiplies your squad's power. Hero stars provide massive stat jumps. A second squad only matters once your first is strong. Violating this order is the most common reason players fall behind.
Phase 1: Getting Started (HQ 1-15)
Duration: Days 1-14 (faster with activity and spending)
Goal: Blast through the early game. Resources are plentiful and timers are short. Everything you do here is about reaching the mid game as fast as possible.
What to Do
- Rush HQ non-stop — use speedups freely. Timers are cheap at this stage
- Follow the tutorial — it gives excellent early rewards including gems, speedups, and resources
- Join an alliance on day one — alliance help reduces build and research timers
- Keep Tech Centre matching your HQ — it is required at almost every HQ level from 8 onward
- Start collecting Tank heroes — Tank is the dominant early meta. Build toward a mono-Tank squad
What NOT to Do
- Do not spend gems on anything except saving for VIP 6 (second builder queue)
- Do not upgrade the Material Workshop
- Do not upgrade resource production buildings beyond HQ prerequisites
- Do not spread hero investment across multiple squad types
Key Unlocks
Phase 2: Building Your Foundation (HQ 15-22)
Duration: Days 14-50 (varies with activity and spending)
Goal: Build your first proper squad. Get into a rhythm of daily progression. Start working toward gold gear.
This is where the game slows down. Upgrades take hours instead of minutes. Planning ahead becomes essential.
What to Do
- Push HQ toward 22 — always work toward the next HQ level
- Build your mono-Tank squad — Murphy, Williams, Kimberly, Stetmann, Marshall is the standard lineup
- Start gold gear crafting — prioritise Kimberly's Gun first, then Murphy's Radar
- Develop the Drone — the Drone Centre provides global bonuses to your entire squad
- Unlock Chip Lab — this system becomes available and provides critical upgrades for your heroes
- Participate in every alliance event — Arms Race, Marshal's Guard, Alliance Duel. Rewards compound over time
What NOT to Do
- Do not start a second squad yet — one strong squad beats two weak ones
- Do not waste gold gear materials on non-priority heroes
- Do not open resource chests early — resources in inventory cannot be stolen
- Do not skip Arms Race days — save speedups for event days
Resource Spending
Phase 3: Squad Completion (HQ 22-25)
Duration: Days 50-90
Goal: Max out your primary squad. Unlock T9-T10 troops. Start thinking about your second squad but do not invest yet.
What to Do
- Push HQ to 25 — costs escalate sharply here. Save resource chests for this phase
- Complete gold gear on your main squad — follow the craft order in the Tank Squad Guide
- Push hero stars — 4 stars unlocks Super Sensory passive, a massive power spike
- Unlock T9 troops — significant power jump. Train and replace lower-tier troops
- Prepare for T10 — Tech Centre level 30 unlocks T10 troops. Plan your building path
- Start collecting Aircraft heroes — DVA is the priority. Collect shards but do not invest resources yet
When to Start a Second Squad
Your second squad (typically Aircraft) becomes relevant when:
- Your Tank squad has full gold gear on at least 3 heroes
- Your main heroes are at 4 stars minimum
- You have T9+ troops trained
- You are consistently participating in alliance events with your Tank squad
Until all four conditions are met, keep investing in your Tank squad.
Phase 4: Endgame Preparation (HQ 25-30)
Duration: Days 90-120+
Goal: Reach HQ 30. Unlock T10 troops. Build gold gear on your second squad. Prepare for competitive seasons.
What to Do
- Push HQ to 30 — this is the finish line for pre-season. Upgrade times hit weeks at this stage
- Unlock T10 troops — Tech Centre 30 is required. This is one of the biggest power spikes in the game
- Start second squad investment — with your Tank squad strong, begin building Aircraft
- Max gold gear on main squad — finish any remaining pieces
- Push hero stars to 5 — long-term goal. Continue using Universal Legendary Shards on your priority heroes
Preparing for Seasons
Each season introduces new systems and progression paths. Before Season 1:
- HQ 30 is the baseline — Season 1 extends HQ to 35 with the Age of Oil system
- T10 troops should be trained — you will unlock T11 in Season 1
- Your Tank squad should be mature — gold gear, high stars, upgraded skills
- Your Aircraft squad should be functional — does not need to match your Tank squad, but it should be usable
- Save resources — season launches often introduce new mechanics that require immediate investment
F2P vs Spender Paths
The progression path is the same regardless of spending. The difference is speed.
Spending cannot fix bad decisions. A heavy spender who spreads investment across three squads will lose to a light spender who focuses on one. The priority order (HQ > gear > stars > second squad) applies regardless of budget.
Season Progression
Each season adds new systems on top of your existing progress:
The key is to have a strong foundation before each season starts. Players who enter a new season with an incomplete primary squad spend the entire season catching up instead of competing.
Common Progression Mistakes
- Spreading investment across multiple squads too early — one maxed squad beats three half-built ones. Focus on your Tank squad until it is strong
- Over-investing in the wrong heroes — do not pour resources into SR heroes or off-meta UR heroes. Follow the recommended squad guides
- Neglecting HQ upgrades — HQ gates everything. Delaying your HQ upgrade to work on side projects slows your entire progression
- Skipping economic research — construction and research speed bonuses compound over hundreds of upgrades. Build the foundation before the combat stats
- Opening resource chests too early — resources in your base can be stolen. Resources in your inventory are safe. Only open when you need to spend immediately
- Spending gems on summons — gems should go to VIP levels. VIP 6 (second builder) is the single most impactful purchase in the game
- Ignoring the drone — the Drone Centre provides global stat bonuses that affect your entire squad. Start it as soon as it unlocks
- Not participating in alliance events — event rewards compound over time. Missing a week of Arms Race or Alliance Duel means falling behind permanently
- Starting your second squad before your first is ready — your Aircraft squad does not matter until your Tank squad can carry its weight
- Not planning ahead for HQ prerequisites — check the requirements for your next two HQ levels and start the slowest prerequisite first
Related Guides
- Getting Started — first steps for brand new players
- HQ Progression Guide — level-by-level HQ requirements and building priorities
- Squad Building Fundamentals — how squads work and the combat triangle
- Tank Squad Guide — the dominant early-game squad with full build order
- Tech Centre Research Guide — research priorities at every phase