Into the Breach, developed by Subset Games, is a critically acclaimed turn-based strategy game that challenges players with complex tactical scenarios. The game puts you in control of powerful mechs to defend cities against relentless alien enemies known as the Vek. With its roguelike elements and deep strategic mechanics, mastering Into the Breach requires thoughtful planning, efficient use of resources, and adaptability. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to master the game from early tactics to advanced strategies, ensuring you’re well-equipped to handle any threat.
Understanding the Basics: How to Get Started
Before diving into advanced tactics, it’s essential to understand the basic mechanics of Into the Breach. The game revolves around turn-based combat, where each move can determine the fate of civilian buildings, your mechs, and your victory.
Movement and Action Economy
Each mech can move and perform one action per turn. Learning how to optimize your actions—whether it’s attacking, repairing, or repositioning—is crucial. Don’t just rush into attacking; sometimes moving to block Vek spawns or positioning for the next round is more valuable.
Combat Grid and Map Awareness
Into the Breach features an 8×8 grid map where each unit moves. Each map presents different obstacles and opportunities, like water tiles or mountains, which can be used to your advantage. Understanding the map layout and how your mechs can interact with it will set the foundation for long-term success.
How to Choose the Right Squad
The game offers different squads of mechs, each with its strengths and weaknesses. Choosing the right squad can significantly affect how you approach combat scenarios.
Squad Types: Offensive, Defensive, and Utility
Each squad specializes in certain aspects of combat. Offensive squads focus on dealing damage, defensive squads emphasize positioning and damage mitigation, and utility squads are all about status effects and movement control. Beginners should focus on more balanced squads like the Rift Walkers, while advanced players can explore squads with specialized mechanics.
Custom Squads for Unique Playstyles
As you progress, you can unlock and create custom squads by mixing mechs from different sets. Custom squads allow for more personalized strategies, combining your favorite mech abilities for maximum efficiency.
How to Prioritize Targets
One of the most critical decisions you’ll face in Into the Breach is target prioritization. Each Vek poses a different threat level depending on its type and the situation on the map.
Understanding Vek Types
Each Vek species has unique abilities. Some can fire projectiles, others immobilize your mechs, and some target multiple buildings at once. Learning to recognize and prioritize the most dangerous Vek early in the game will prevent overwhelming situations later.
How to Handle Multiple Vek
When faced with multiple Vek attacks, focus on mitigating the most immediate threat, especially those targeting civilian buildings. If possible, use your abilities to push Vek into each other or into hazards to maximize your damage output.
How to Optimize Your Mech Placement
Proper positioning is key to survival in Into the Breach. Placing your mechs strategically can turn the tide of battle, especially when dealing with larger Vek forces.
Defensive Positioning for Building Protection
Your primary objective is to protect civilian buildings. Place your mechs between the Vek and these structures to prevent them from attacking. Blocking Vek spawns by positioning your mechs over emerging Vek is another important tactic to reduce the number of enemies in future turns.
Using Terrain to Your Advantage
Each map has environmental features like water, mountains, and lava. Pushing Vek into these hazards will destroy them instantly, saving you valuable time and actions. Practice using terrain manipulation to eliminate threats efficiently.
How to Use Environmental Hazards
The environment in Into the Breach can be as powerful as your mechs. Learning how to leverage these hazards will save you from making unnecessary sacrifices.
Water and Chasms for Instant Kills
Pushing Vek into water or chasms instantly removes them from the battlefield, regardless of their health. This can be a game-changer when you’re outnumbered. Utilize your mechs’ push or pull abilities to exploit these hazards as often as possible.
Fire, Acid, and Lightning Storms
Other environmental hazards, like fire or acid, can weaken or disable Vek over time. Fire causes Vek to take damage every turn, while acid lowers their resistance. Position your mechs or Vek in these hazardous areas to gain an edge in combat.
How to Efficiently Manage Resources
Resource management is crucial for long-term success in Into the Breach. Power grid levels, mech upgrades, and reactor cores all play a role in how well you can handle future encounters.
Protecting the Power Grid
The power grid is your most valuable resource. Each civilian building destroyed by Vek lowers the grid’s strength. If the power grid is depleted, you lose the game. Therefore, prioritizing grid protection over mech repairs or upgrades is often a smart long-term investment.
Reactor Cores and Upgrades
Reactor cores are used to upgrade your mechs, giving them more movement, stronger attacks, or additional abilities. Carefully consider which upgrades will offer the most immediate impact in battle versus those that might be useful later.
How to Adapt Your Strategy to Different Islands
Each island in Into the Breach presents unique challenges. Learning how to adapt your strategy based on the specific threats and terrain of each island is key to success.
Island-Specific Tactics
Different Vek types and terrain challenges await you on each island. For example, the Detritus Disposal island has environments prone to acid rain, while the R.S.T. Corporation island is filled with sandstorms that can obscure vision. Tailor your tactics to handle these environmental obstacles effectively.
Choosing Islands in the Right Order
You can tackle islands in any order, but some may be more suited to your current squad or playstyle. Beginners should start with easier islands like Archive Inc., while advanced players can challenge themselves by selecting islands with harsher conditions first.
How to Maximize Pilot Abilities
Pilots in Into the Breach have unique abilities that can greatly influence the game. Choosing the right pilot and maximizing their potential is essential for optimal performance.
Understanding Pilot Skills
Each pilot comes with specific skills, such as bonus movement, extra health, or the ability to take an additional action per turn. Assign pilots to mechs based on their strengths to enhance your overall squad efficiency.
Keeping Your Pilots Alive
Pilots gain experience as they survive battles, making them more valuable as the game progresses. Protect your pilots from harm, as losing an experienced pilot late in the game can dramatically reduce your squad’s effectiveness.
How to Utilize Time Pods
Throughout your campaign, you’ll encounter time pods containing advanced technology or reactor cores. Time pods offer significant rewards, but retrieving them can be risky.
Deciding When to Collect Pods
Time pods often land in vulnerable locations, requiring you to divert attention from protecting buildings or attacking Vek. Evaluate whether collecting the pod is worth the risk in each situation.
Using Rewards Strategically
The rewards from time pods can range from new weapons to reactor cores. These upgrades can shift the balance in your favor, but be mindful of how they fit into your current strategy. Sometimes it’s better to hold off on upgrading until you’re sure of what you’ll need in future battles.
How to Balance Risk and Reward
In Into the Breach, balancing risk and reward is critical. Every decision you make can have lasting consequences on the game’s outcome.
Taking Calculated Risks
Sometimes taking risks—like placing a mech in harm’s way to block Vek spawns or sacrificing a less important building to protect the power grid—can pay off. Assess the long-term benefits of each risky move before committing to it.
Knowing When to Retreat
There are times when retreating or playing defensively is the best course of action. Pulling back to avoid overwhelming numbers or repositioning mechs to reduce casualties can prevent more significant losses in future turns.
Conclusion: Becoming a Master of Into the Breach
Mastering Into the Breach requires an understanding of its deep tactical systems, efficient mech placement, and the ability to adapt to ever-changing threats. By prioritizing objectives, utilizing environmental hazards, and managing your resources wisely, you can turn the tide against the Vek and secure victory. With time and practice, you’ll learn to think several turns ahead and anticipate the Vek’s moves, allowing you to make the most of every opportunity.
