Season 3: Protectors, Sandworms & the Spice War
Using Desert Protectors well, dealing with the three kinds of Sandworm, Stronghold and City rules, and how the Spice War is fought.
Curse Resistance
Everything seasonal checks your Curse Resistance. Low resistance means a heavy penalty that raw power can't make up. Digging Strongholds need from about 3,750 (level 1) to 10,750 (level 6). Zombies up to level 3 need none.
Desert Protectors
- About 10% of the troops you lose go into a conversion pool, and allies help convert them with Recon or Scout planes.
- Each hero can carry Protectors equal to a tenth of its troops. Protectors that fight are used up; ones that march without fighting come back.
- Stationing more unlocks skills: 500 Power of Adaptation, 750 Death Shockwave, 1,000 Blue Flame, 1,250 Protector Rally.
Sandworms
Alliance activity fills a bar that summons them.
| Sandworm | What it does |
|---|---|
| Small | Entangles a base so no marches can leave. Allies can attack you to free you |
| Large | Knocks an exposed base across the map |
| Giant | Caught with Trap Landmines, then killed together |
Place Trap Landmines on the worm's path, not on its tile. Staying inside your Alliance Center's range protects you from knockback.
Strongholds and Cities
- Your first territory must be a level 1 Stronghold. Up to 2 Stronghold captures and 2 City declarations a day, with a maximum of 8 of each.
- Captures take up to 4 hours (first to 100% wins), with up to 10 reinforcing squads and 36 hours of protection afterwards.
- Cities produce Spice (100–600 per hour), Strongholds produce Mithril.
- Trade Posts are 1-hour contests. The Governor collects tax on diamond purchases and pays it back as a Golden Egg.
Build an Oasis
Green tiles with Recon Planes, always next to existing green land. A region completes at 80%, and greening can uncover Desert Artifacts.
The Spice War (weeks 4–7)
Two rounds a week, eight in total.
- Monday: Spice recorded. You only fight alliances in your bracket.
- Tuesday: R4+ declare. Up to 3 attackers on one alliance.
- Wednesday: defenders facing 3 can invite 2 partners. War starts at 12:30 server time, lasting 20–40 minutes depending on side sizes.
Plunder: 5% for each support building destroyed, plus 10% for the Alliance Center, up to 30%.
The Warlord Missile hits a 35×35 area after a 3-minute warning. A failed launch means a 72-hour cooldown.
Faction Duel (week 7)
Points earned Monday to Saturday decide invasion rights, and the battle for the Capitol is Sunday at 12:00 server time. Holding the Capitol and its cannons adds millions of Spice to your faction's total.
Sources
Compiled from community guides (last checked October 2026). Season details changed between servers and patches, so trust the in-game Season screen if something differs.