Shields reset the clock
Substrate shields recover moments after taking damage instead of waiting for a repair cycle. A disengage is not automatically a defeat; it can be the start of the next attack.
SUB Launch faction Named units tracked · 15
The Substrate
Never give the enemy time to repair.
SHIELDS • DRONES • PRESSURE
Faction dossier
The Substrate
- Abbreviation
- SUB
- Identity
- SHIELDS · DRONES
- Named units
- 15 tracked
- Roster status
- Not a final full roster
- Guide status
- Pre-launch · Nov 1
The Substrate are the children of Haalee: fragments of a machine intelligence given independent existence. Their gameplay is built around two ideas Stardock has demonstrated repeatedly — shields that regenerate on their own, and drone swarms that reward aggressive, continuous pressure.
This is the faction for players who want to dictate the rhythm of a fight. The Substrate can hit, disengage, recover shields and come back before a slower opponent finishes repairing. Standing still is the one thing the faction does not do well.
Drones are ammunition
The official faction reveal describes drone swarms as rewarding aggressive play. Hatchlings spawn from clutches of eggs, while the Overmind deploys drone swarms as part of its fire support role.
Hit-and-run pressure
Stardock frames the faction around hit-and-run tactics, constant pressure and never letting the opponent breathe. The goal is to force reactions and deny the enemy time to repair, reinforce or rebuild.
Doctrine labels reflect official faction material; the explanatory text is field analysis.
How to play
Make the SUB rhythm work.
A practical starting framework for The Substrate, based on confirmed mechanics and the faction’s stated design intent.
Attack, disengage, recover
Use shield regeneration as a timing tool. Trade with an enemy, pull back just enough to reset your shields, and re-enter before their damaged units recover.
Spread pressure
The faction’s mobile units and air roster make it natural to threaten more than one lane. Force the opponent to choose which front gets their expensive defences.
Protect command assets
The Avatar and other command-level assets cannot simply be replaced like a tank. Keep a retreat route and build the army around the asset you cannot afford to lose.
Don’t outrun your shields
Aggression without an exit is just a donation. The Substrate wants constant pressure, not constant death. Time each attack around regeneration and drone availability.
Strengths
- Regenerating shields reward controlled aggression
- Strong drone and swarm tools
- Mobile pressure and air options
- Distinct machine-organic visual identity
Tradeoffs
- Low-tier units can be fragile once caught out of position
- Aggression has to be timed around regeneration, not just appetite
- The roster uses more unusual roles; new players need time to learn the units
Named platforms
What we can name.
The launch roster is larger than the units Stardock has revealed. This list tracks confirmed names and roles; absence from this page is not evidence that a unit will not appear at launch.
Search the full unit database
Hatchling Swarm unit ↗ Reaper Frontline hovercraft ↗ Overmind Drone carrier ↗ Destructor Artillery ↗ Sky Cleanser Anti-air ↗ Rampager Gunship ↗ Clutch of Eggs Swarm spawner ↗ Drone Hive Drone deployment ↗ Eradicator Long-range sniper ↗ Explorer Recon hovercraft ↗ Dominator Air-superiority fighter ↗ Punisher Strategic bomber ↗ Searcher Recon drone ↗ Avatar Command and repair ↗ Eye of Darkness Heavy combat platform ↗
Official reveals and showcase videos have named these platforms. UEF, PHC and Substrate rosters are not fully published before launch.
Haalee was created by Promethean as the world’s first true artificial general intelligence. The Substrate are fragments of her consciousness, each with independent existence, and they fight to protect a synthetic civilization from both PHC paranoia and humanity’s bid to survive.
Haalee’s stated goal is not simple extermination. She sees unchecked Post-Human expansion as a route to a Second Singularity and intends to stop it — while keeping humans confined to Earth. The campaign places the Substrate in the larger war even though its initial story follows the UEF.
Read the guide
Turn the doctrine into a practical army, economy and engagement plan.
Open guideCompare the hardware
Filter every confirmed unit by faction and role, with source status on each entry.
Unit databaseKnow the date
Countdown, editions and pricing, plus the cautious unlock-time estimate.
Release briefEvidence log
Sources & verification
Faction identity, lore, unit roles and stats are drawn from official publisher material. Any unlabeled strategic recommendation on this page is our own analysis, not a developer statement.
Last verified November 1, 2026
- Faction Reveal: The Substrate ↗
- Substrate Showcase Pt. 1 ↗
- Ashes II Video Blog: The Substrate Showcase Pt. 2 ↗
- Ashes of the Singularity II: Substrate Full Unit Roster Revealed ↗
- Lore: The Substrate ↗
- Ashes of the Singularity II Exclusive Interview — Lower APM, Three Factions, and the Nitrous Engine Evolved ↗