Zero-K Strategy Guide: Countering Every Major
Playstyle
Zero-K is a fast-paced RTS (inspired by Total Annihilation) with all units available from the start – there are
no tech levels to unlock, so victory comes from smart strategy and countering your opponent’s playstyle. In
this guide, we’ll cover how to beat the most common playstyles in Zero-K, providing tips, counters, and
recommended units/builds for each. We’ll address scenarios in 1v1 duels and where relevant how things
differ in team games. The key is to scout the enemy early, identify their strategy, then adapt your factory/
unit choices accordingly (since you can pick or switch factories freely as needed). Keep your economy
strong, expand across the map, and always spend your metal efficiently – outplaying your opponent’s
strategy often comes down to better unit counters and superior economy management 1 . Let’s dive
into each major playstyle and how to overcome them.
Heavy Tank Spam (1v1 Focused)
When an opponent “spams tanks,” they focus on building expensive heavy tanks (from the Tank Foundry)
continuously, often queuing more than their economy can afford (stalling metal income). This strategy
yields a slow but powerful army – examples include masses of Minotaurs (heavy assault tanks) with a few
Ogres (riot tanks) and perhaps artillery like Emissaries or a super-heavy Cyclops. In a 1v1, a tank-spammer
might neglect expansion and other unit types, hoping the sheer brute force of tanks wins any direct
engagement. The good news is heavy tanks have clear weaknesses: they are slow, expensive, and
vulnerable to certain counters 2 3 . A player over-investing in tanks will also have fewer units early on
and likely stalling economy, which you can exploit.
A battle involving heavy units: a large armored mech and tanks clash with lighter forces. Spamming heavy tanks
yields a formidable frontline, but it comes at the cost of map control and economy. Fast, nimble enemies can
surround and exploit the tanks’ slow speed and poor coverage of the map.
Tips to Counter Heavy Tanks in 1v1:
• Expand and Outsmart: Use the tank player’s slow start to your advantage. Expand quickly to grab
more metal extractors while they invest in a few costly units. More income lets you out-produce
them and tech-swap as needed. Also harass their expansions – tanks are slow to respond, so fast
units can destroy undefended mexes and constructors, putting the tank player further behind
economically 4 5 .
• Avoid Head-on Duels (Until Ready): Do not directly engage a blob of heavy tanks with an equal cost
of generalist units – you’ll likely lose due to their sheer toughness. Skirmish at range and hit-andrun instead. Keep your units mobile; make the tanks chase you or reposition constantly, which
delays their push and buys you time.
• Punish Metal Stall: If the opponent is in a metal deficit from queuing tanks, their production is
inefficient. Each time you kill a tank, it’s a huge blow to them (and a lot of wreckage metal you can
1
reclaim). Don’t rush into their stronghold; instead, pick off stragglers or isolate parts of their
army to incrementally whittle them down. Every tank lost is hard for them to replace when stalling.
Effective Counters & Units vs Tanks:
• Skirmishers and Long-Range Fire: Skirmisher units (with high range) can kite heavy tanks safely
6
7 . For example, Lance hovercraft are excellent – a handful of Lances outrange and devastate
heavy tanks with high burst damage 8 . Likewise, Recluse (spider skirmisher bots) or Ronin/Rogue
(bot/skirmish units) can hit tanks from afar and retreat, avoiding the tanks’ shorter-range fire. These
units exploit the fact that assault tanks “have low range and can be picked off at a distance” 2 .
• Massed Raiders (swarming): If the enemy lacks proper riot support (like Ogres), you can try
overwhelming heavy tanks with swarms of cheap raiders. Fast units like Glaives (cloaky bots) or
Scorchers (rovers) in large numbers can surround and punish slow-firing tanks 3 . Heavy tanks like
the Minotaur have high damage but a low rate of fire and struggle against many small targets – a
ball of 20+ light units can rush a lone heavy tank and take it down, especially if you eliminate enemy
riot units first. Tip: Focus any riot tanks (Ogres) first with your own skirmishers or artillery; without
riots, the heavy tanks have no defense against swarms 9 .
• Anti-Heavy Special Units: Most factories have some “heavy counters.” These are units designed to
disable or outright kill big targets cost-effectively. For example, EMP/disabling units work wonders:
the Racketeer (Rover disarm missile truck) can continually disarm heavy tanks from long range,
rendering them unable to shoot 10 . The Widow (Spider cloaked EMP walker) can sneak up and stun
a tank for a long duration, letting you destroy it at leisure 11 12 . Cloaked bombs like the Skuttle (a
walking bomb) or Snitch can one-shot heavy units if they connect – use a cloaking field (Conjurer or
Iris) to get them in range undetected. A well-placed Skuttle can delete a Minotaur or even a Cyclops
instantly (often costing less metal than the unit it kills, making it a cost-effective trade). Finally, the
Ultimatum (cloaked anti-heavy strider) is expensive but designed to gib big units in one hit. All these
units excel because the Tank faction has no cheap screening units or easy counters to them, making heavy
tanks an easy target for such tricks. 13 14
• Air Power: Tank armies typically have minimal anti-air early on (the dedicated AA tank, Flail, is quite
expensive and might not be built until later). This means you can leverage bombers or gunships to
pick off heavy units. For instance, a Thunderbird EMP bomber can disable an entire clump of tanks
in one strike, and follow-up Raven bombers (precision strike) or a Likho heavy gunship can finish off
the stunned units. Just be cautious: if you commit to air, keep building fighters or AA in case they
add Flails or call in friendly fighters. In a 1v1, doing a tech switch to air once you have a strong
economy can catch a tank player off guard (e.g. rushing 5–6 Ravens to snipe their highest value unit
or even their commander) 15 .
• Defense and Terrain: A few well-placed static defenses can help stall a heavy tank push. For
example, a Stinger (heavy laser tower) on high ground can hit tanks from afar, or mines can soften
them up. Use terrain to your advantage: heavy tanks struggle on rough terrain or choke points. You
could terraform walls or ditches to funnel them. Placeholder (gravity trap unit) is another niche
counter – it can pin tanks in place, setting them up for artillery or a Skuttle kill. Always reclaim
wrecks after you win an engagement against tanks – denying the tank player reclaim prevents them
from rebuilding their costly army 16 .
Team Game Consideration: In team games, a “tank spam” strategy is usually one player’s role, not the
entire enemy team’s strategy. If an enemy teammate rushes heavy tanks, coordinate with your allies to
counter. For example, one ally can focus on EMP units or artillery to soften the tanks from afar while
another fields raiders to swarm once the heavies are disabled. Ensure your team shares radar intel on
2
tank movements, and concentrate fire to focus down one tank at a time. Also, in team games the tank
player might not stall as hard (allies could send them resources), but you can punish that by pressuring
their allies – if the enemy team pours metal into one player’s tanks, other fronts might be weaker. So while
one part of your team handles the tanks, others should push elsewhere on the map. Lastly, always have
some anti-air cover in team games; often one enemy ally will go air to support the tanks, so be prepared to
fend off bomber strikes (more on air counters below) 17 18 .
Raider Spam & Swarm Tactics
In contrast to heavy units, some opponents will adopt a swarm playstyle, spamming large numbers of
cheap raider units (light, fast attackers) to overwhelm you. This could mean hordes of Glaives (cloaky bots),
Bandits (shield bots), Daggers (hovercraft), or other quick units incessantly harassing all over the map. The
goal of this playstyle is to outrun and outnumber you: raiders dart in to kill your mexes or isolated units
and retreat before you can catch them. In 1v1, a raider spammer will try to snowball a lead by destroying
your economy early. In team games, one player might dedicate to mass raiders to break through front lines
or raid bases.
Challenges: Raiders are fast and hard to catch; they force you to multitask defense at multiple points.
They often come early while you’re still expanding, so you must be ready to deal with them from the very
start.
General Counters: The classic wisdom is “riot units and defenses counter raiders.” Riot-class units are
those with area-of-effect or rapid-fire weapons ideal for killing swarms 19 . Static defenses like the Lotus
(basic turret) also trade very efficiently against light units due to their high DPS and the raiders’ low HP 20 .
Below are specific tips and units to handle raider spam:
• Secure Your Expansions: Anticipate early raids. Right after building your first few mexes, it’s smart
to build a Lotus turret or two near important mex clusters and at choke points 21 . This provides
a safe zone that raiders can’t approach without heavy losses. In 1v1, one turret at each new
expansion can deter lone raiders. In team games, coordinate turret placement to cover each other’s
flanks.
• Use Riot Units (Anti-Swarm): Almost every factory has a riot unit designed to obliterate groups of
light enemies. For example, the Reaver (cloaky bot with shotgun), Ogre (tank with flamethrowers/
shotguns), Ripper (rover riot tank), Mace (hover riot), or Outlaw (shieldbot that slows and damages
in an area). Just a couple of these can hold off a dozen raiders if used well. Riot units have high area
damage or rapid fire to mow down raiders 22 23 . Tip: Position riot units in narrow passages or use
your buildings as cover so the raiders have limited angles to attack. Be cautious not to overextend
riots alone into open field, because a smart opponent might avoid them or pick them off with
skirmishers (riots are usually slow and short-ranged) 24 .
• Keep a Mobile Reaction Force: Don’t rely on static defense alone. Maintain a small patrol of your
own fast units to chase or intercept enemy raiders. For instance, a few of your own raiders or a fast
response unit like a Pyro (jumpjet bot) can be on cleanup duty to hunt down any penetrations. In
team games, communicate so that a teammate with fast units can assist if one area is flooded with
enemies.
• Economy and Upgrades: If you weather the early raid storm without falling behind, the raiderspammer will be at a disadvantage as the game goes on. Raider units trade poorly vs stronger unit
types in a straight fight, so once you have enough economy, tech into heavier units or artillery to
3
start pushing them. Also continually rebuild any lost mexes immediately 16 25 – don’t let raids
keep your economy down for long, or the opponent gains the edge they want.
• Map Control and Intel: Raiders thrive on flanking and hitting where you aren’t looking. Use cheap
scouts (like the Flea or Dart) to watch likely attack paths and give early warning 26 27 . Maintain
radar coverage; even if you can’t intercept everything, seeing raiders coming allows you to reposition
your riots or pull vulnerable constructors in time. In a team game, share radar and line-of-sight so
nobody gets blindsided by a swarm.
Counter-Units and Builds vs Raider Spam:
• Early Defense Build: A solid anti-raider opening (especially 1v1) is to produce a mix of 1–2 raiders of
your own for scouting, then a constructor, then immediately a riot unit or a defensive turret
depending on what you scout 28 29 . For example, if you scout the enemy spamming Glaives, you
might build a quick Stardust (light riot turret with AoE) or get a Reaver out. This ensures you don’t
get overwhelmed at minute 2. In contrast, if you see the enemy playing passively, you can delay riots
and expand more – but against a known rusher, play it safe early.
• Specific Unit Examples: The Outlaw (Shield bot) is superb in team scenarios – its slowing field and
damage make raiders almost unable to hit-and-run, and it stacks well if multiple Outlaws group up.
Venom (Spider EMP drone) is another great counter: it stuns entire packs of raiders in one shot,
then you can mop them up. If you’re using Hovercraft, the Mace (“Buoy”) riot hover can go wherever
the raiders go (land or water) and tank a lot of their fire while killing them. Kodachi (if playing Tank
factory) is interestingly a raider itself but with a flamethrower/napalm – it can kite enemy raiders and
leave fire patches to zone them out. And don’t forget the basic Commander: in early game, your
commander (especially if armed with a short-range weapon module) is effectively a riot unit with
high HP. Keep your commander near your vulnerable expansions; it can often fend off small raider
groups single-handedly thanks to its toughness and firepower.
• Attrition Warfare: Raider spam means lots of wrecks – if you win a fight on defense, reclaim those
wrecks quickly to turn the enemy’s metal into your metal 16 . Conversely, try to deny the enemy’s
reclaim when their raiders die. This way, the raider player wastes resources. Over time, the raider
strategy will falter as your heavier units come into play and you’ve gotten extra economy from all the
reclaimed skirmishes.
Team Game Note: Raider spam in team games usually means one player constantly harasses multiple
opponents or supports allied armies by flanking. To counter this, teams should assign certain players to
dedicated defense or riot duty. For instance, if your ally is doing an heavy push, you might keep some fast
anti-raider reserves to prevent the enemy raiders from backstabbing your ally’s base. Also, team
communication is vital: call out “raiders heading north!” so the team can respond in time. If multiple allies
build a few riots or each covers one section with defenses, raider swarms will find no easy prey and will be
forced into the teeth of prepared defenses. Once blunted, you can collectively push the raider player, who
likely has weaker static defense and higher attrition losses.
Air Dominance (Planes and Gunships)
Some opponents focus on air power as their main strategy – this might be a plane rush (early bombers to
snipe your commander or key units) or a mid-game transition to mass gunships or bombers to gain map
control. In team games, it’s common for one player to play dedicated air support, building primarily
fighters, bombers, and gunships. An air-focused enemy aims to bypass ground defenses and hit critical
targets directly, using speed and global reach.
4
Challenges: Air units, especially bombers, can strike anywhere quickly, so you need map-wide anti-air (AA)
coverage. Gunships can hover and repeatedly attack ground forces that have no AA. If you neglect anti-air,
even a single bomber (like a Raven napalm bomber or Phoenix napalm bomber) can devastate a clustered
army or wipe out expansions.
How to Counter Air Strategies:
• Early AA and Scouting: Scout the enemy’s factory choice at the start – if you see an Airplane Plant,
you know to expect bombers/fighters early 28 . Immediately build a couple of Defender missile
turrets (basic AA) near your base or likely bomber targets. In 1v1, a common safe move is to add an
AA turret by the time you suspect the enemy could field a bomber (often around the time you have
2–3 mex expansions). Do not overbuild AA too soon (or you fall behind on ground forces), but have
it ready the moment it’s needed 17 . Additionally, use a cheap scout or your radar to detect
incoming air: the Owl reconnaissance plane has huge vision and radar – one patrolling could give
you early warning of enemy air fleets.
• Disperse and Protect Key Units: Against bombers with area damage, avoid clumping your units.
For example, Thunderbird EMP bombers and Napalm bombers punish tight blobs of units. Keep
your forces a bit spread out, or use mobile shields (like the Aspis) to absorb bomb damage. Have an
escort of mobile AA with your main army – e.g., bring along a few Crasher vehicles or Tarantula
(spider AA) so your army isn’t defenseless. High-value units (like your artillery or striders) should stay
under an AA umbrella or shield coverage at all times.
• Build Sufficient AA Units: Each factory has some mobile AA unit – make use of them. Examples:
Gremlin (cloaky AA bot), Vandal (rover AA truck), Flail (heavy AA for tanks), Angler (hover AA), Toad
(jumpbot AA). These units are purpose-built to shoot down aircraft quickly 30 31 . A few dedicated
AA can deter or kill a lot of enemy air, forcing them to either focus your AA first or back off. In many
cases, just the presence of enough AA will nullify the air strategy, because bombers cannot
operate freely. Keep your AA near what you need to protect (e.g., at your army or around your base/
expansions).
• Fighters and Air Superiority: If the enemy is investing in bombers or heavy gunships, one of the
best counters is to get your own fighter planes up. Fighters (like the Swift or Raptor) can intercept
and shoot down bombers cost-effectively. In a 1v1, you might add a second factory (Air) mid-game
specifically to produce a squad of fighters 15 if the enemy’s air becomes problematic. In team
games, typically one player on your side should take to the skies to duel the enemy air player.
Gaining air superiority (i.e., your fighters control the skies) is crucial – once you dominate the air, your
opponent’s expensive bombers or gunships become useless or very risky to use. Remember to
coordinate: focus fire enemy bombers one by one, and use patrol routes for continuous coverage.
• Static AA and Superweapons: For a turtling air opponent (one who sits back and tries to snipe you),
consider investing in longer-range static AA. The Chainsaw is a mid-range rapid-fire AA turret great
for area defense. The Screamer is a long-range homing missile AA that can cover a huge area (best
in team games with high economy). A couple of Screamers can zone out most air units unless the
enemy sends a massive swarm. Also, anti-nuke isn’t needed for air (since it’s not nuke), but if the
game goes very long, watch out for things like the Zenith or other superweapons (those are rare
and specific, though). Focus on ending the game or transitioning to heavy ground push once you’ve
neutralized their air force.
• Pressure the Air Player: An air-focused opponent often sacrifices ground presence and
sometimes economy (air units cost a lot of energy to build and use). This means if you can survive
their strikes, you likely have more ground units – use them to push territory and attack the enemy
5
base. The air player’s base may be lightly defended (aside from maybe some cloaked units or a few
turrets). If their bombers are busy defending, they aren’t attacking you. So force them on the
defensive: threaten their infrastructure. In team matches, coordinate a ground assault on the air
player’s base when their fighters are drawn elsewhere. If they have to choose between saving their
base or helping their allies, you gain an upper hand either way.
Recommended AA Units & Builds:
• Mixed Arms: The best defense against air is often combined: have a mix of static and mobile AA.
For example, in a 1v1, you might build 1–2 Defender turrets at your main base and each expansion,
and include a mobile AA with each attack group you field. This way, whether the enemy targets your
economy or your army, they meet resistance.
• Interceptor Wing: If you have an Airplane Factory, maintain a wing of Swift fighters (or the heavier
Hawk if available). Keep them on patrol or at least ready on a hotkey. The moment radar blips show
incoming bombers, send fighters to intercept. Even a small number of fighters can shoot down
bombers that cost far more metal, yielding favorable trades. Fighters can also chase down and kill
hovering gunships like Banshees or Likhos, especially if the gunships stray far from enemy AA cover.
• Emergency Response: Some units are “flex AA,” meaning they have weapons that can hit air even if
that’s not their primary role (for instance, certain riots or skirmishers might shoot at gunships). Know
these cases: e.g., Phoenix napalm bomber is technically an air unit but not applicable; however, the
Felon (shield bot) cannot hit air, so that’s not one. Instead, consider Archangel (a heavy AA bot, if
strider tech is available) – it’s specifically an anti-gunship mech. In dire situations, even your
commander can be outfitted with an AA weapon module to fend off air units. Utilize these options if
you find yourself without dedicated AA and under air assault.
• Team Strategy: In team games, coordinate roles: have one teammate commit to fighters if the
enemy has a dedicated air player. Meanwhile, others should still build a few AA each (spread around)
to ensure a stray bomber doesn’t wreak havoc. It’s also wise to coordinate placement of long-range
AA (like one Screamer per base rather than three in one base and none elsewhere). If you achieve air
control, press that advantage by using your own bombers to support ground pushes – but don’t get
complacent and sell all AA, as the enemy might return with a desperate air switch later. Always keep
some “insurance” AA around.
Turtling and Heavy Static Defense (Porcupine Playstyle)
Some players adopt a turtling strategy – also known as “porcing” – where they heavily fortify a section of
the map with static defenses (turrets, shields, walls) and focus on economy or superweapons, rather than
mobile armies. You might face an opponent who quickly builds lots of Lotus and Stardust turrets, perhaps
backed by Faraday EMP turrets, Gauss (Cerberus) cannons on hills, and layers of shields. Their plan is to
make direct attacks costly and slowly tech up (maybe to a Big Bertha artillery cannon, Dante strider, or
even a nuke launcher) to break you later. This can happen in 1v1 on smaller maps or in team games where
one player covers a choke point with an impenetrable defense line.
Fighting against a turtle can be tricky – rushing into their turret line is often suicidal, feeding them reclaim.
It becomes “a race against the clock to beat them before they plug all the holes in their defenses and
build superweapons,” as one guide puts it 32 . However, turtles have weaknesses: they are usually
immobile and vulnerable to long-range or indirect attacks, and they often lack map control (since they
6
invest in a static area). They are also limited by their economy and buildtime, meaning if you contain them,
you can out-expand them and win in the long run 33 .
Strategies to Crack a Turtle:
• Out-expand and Out-economy: If the opponent is sitting in a corner with defenses, take the rest
of the map for yourself. Secure all metal spots outside their base, build your economy tall (use
overdrive with energy once mexes are maxed) and grab reclaim on the map. The turtle typically
holds a smaller portion of the map, so if you control the majority of resources, you will eventually
overpower them. Just be mindful to also have adequate defense on your holdings so their
occasional sallies or superweapon can’t easily knock you off your expansions.
• Scout and Identify Weak Points: Use scouts or fast units to probe their defense layout 34 . Find
where their coverage is weakest – maybe there’s an approach with fewer beam lasers or a blind
spot for their artillery. Notably, many turtles skimp on anti-air or anti-nuke until late; if you notice a
lack of AA, a few bombers can surprise them. If they lack anti-nuke and the game goes long enough,
building a nuke silo could be a game-ender (though often turtlers do build anti-nuke as part of
porcing, so scout it). Revealing cloaked units is another weak point: if they rely on cloaker fields to
hide their defenses or units, invest in radar and possibly the Detector units (some scouts or the “Owl”
plane detect cloaked units).
• Artillery and Siege Units: The primary way to bust a turtle is with artillery bombardment. Zero-K
provides many artillery options that outrange static turrets 35 36 . For example:
• From a Cloaky Bot factory, Sling light artillery can outrange LLTs and slowly chip away.
• Shield Bots have the Emissary (if they have one? Actually Shield bot artillery is the Impaler tactical
missile) – correction: Shield bot factory’s artillery is Racketeer (disarm) and Impaler comes from
Rovers. So:
• Rovers: Impaler (long-range plasma missile) is excellent for sniping turrets from afar with high
precision.
• Tanks: Emissary (artillery tank) lobs shells at long range, safe from most return fire.
• Jump Bots: Firewalker (flamethrower artillery) launches napalm that creates fire fields – great for
forcing shielded turrets to drop shields or flushing units out of hiding.
• Hovercraft: Scalpel is more of a skirmisher, but Penetrator (Lance) we already mentioned as hover
sniper – not ideal vs many turrets though. Instead, consider Tremor (if you have a strider hub or the
vehicle heavy artillery): Tremor is a heavy area bombardment unit that blankets an area with
explosions, perfect for dismantling clustered static defenses by attrition 10 .
• If you tech to Strider Hub: Merlin is a super-artillery rocket launcher that can annihilate porc from
afar, and DRP (Disco Rave Party) is the ultimate base-breaker (a huge energy weapon).
Use these units behind your lines to soften up the defenses. Focus on eliminating key structures: pick off
their shield generators (Aspis) so that their other turrets become exposed, or destroy their energy
structures (no energy means their shields and possibly cloakers go offline). Artillery duels may ensue if the
turtle has their own long-range (like Behemoth cannons or Berthas); in that case, you might need to raid
those artillery or use a superweapon of your own. - Cloaked Infiltration and Raids: Static defenses
typically cover front approaches but can be bypassed with clever tactics. One potent method is using
cloaked units to slip through. For example, a Conjurer or Eraser providing a cloaking field can escort a
pack of Roaches/Ticks (burrowing bombs) right into the enemy’s defensive line 37 38 . At point blank,
uncloak and blow up – this can create a breach by instantly removing a few turrets in an area. “You can bring
down entire porc balls with this strategy,” notes one guide about cloaked bomb assaults 38 . Similarly, a
cloaked Skuttle can be used to eliminate a heavy turret or an important unit like a DDM (Desolator) or
7
Dwarf shield generator. If the enemy has a heavy shield ball sitting behind turrets, a cloaked Snitch or Imp
detonated in their cluster can cripple the whole group.
Another infiltration tactic is using transporters (Charon gunship transport) to air-drop units behind the
enemy lines. For instance, you could airlift a Jack (jumpbot melee unit) or Scythe (cloaky assassin bot)
into their energy economy. Taking out a turtle’s fusion reactors or caretakers in the back can slow their
turtle engine significantly. - Multiple Fronts: A turtle’s defense is usually strongest in one direction (where
they expect you). You can often find alternate routes or open new fronts. If there’s water, attack from the
sea with ships or amphibious units that bypass land defenses. If there’s a hill or cliff not well covered, scale
it with spiders or jump jets and attack from there. Force the turtle to spread their defenses thin or react to
unexpected angles. Even just feinting an attack on one side then striking on the other can catch them off
guard. - Superweapons and Ultimates: If the game drags on and both of you amassed huge eco, don’t
hesitate to invest in a game-ending weapon once you have the advantage. For example, the Nuke Silo
(Trinity) can win if they lack anti-nuke – launch a nuke to wipe out the core of their base. The Starlight or
Zenith superweapons (if on an astronomy map or sandbox) can pound bases to dust given time. In team
games, coordinate a shock-and-awe: one ally fires an EMP missile from a silo to disable all defenses in an
area while another ally’s Bertha and assault units roll in during the downtime.
Team Game Note: In team matches, a turtling player can be even tougher because their teammates might
feed them resources to build superweapons, or cover the few weaknesses (like providing air cover or
mobile units to plug gaps). To beat a coordinated turtle, your team must also coordinate. Typically, assign
someone to counter-artillery duty (build more and better artillery than the turtle). Another teammate
should focus on air strikes or disruptive tactics (e.g., EMP bomber the shielded area then another ally’s
ground force rushes in). Often, ignoring the turtle and defeating their teammates first is viable: contain the
turtle (keep them boxed in with occasional artillery pressure) while your team double-teams elsewhere.
Once the other enemies are down, you can all converge on the last turtle with an overwhelming
combination of nukes, artillery, and frontal assaults. Just beware of the “turtle late-game boom” – don’t let a
porcupine sit too long unchallenged, or they might unleash a scarily big strider or superweapon. Keep the
pressure on, even if indirectly, and keep scouting to see what they’re plotting.
Shield Ball Strategy (Shielded Unit Deathball)
Another common playstyle in Zero-K is the Shield Ball – the opponent amasses a large group of shielded
units (typically from the Shieldbots factory) that stick together, layering their shields into one massive
bubble. A typical shield-ball might include multiple Thugs (shielded assault bots) and Convicts (builders
that also recharge shields), with one or two Felons at the core. The Felon is a high-damage unit that uses
shield energy to fire a continuous laser; when backed by the combined shield power of the whole ball, a
Felon (or several) can dish tremendous damage while being protected by hundreds or thousands of shield
hitpoints. They often also add an Outlaw (slow field riot) to punish swarms and a Rogue or two (shielded
skirmishers). This deathball trudges around the map, impervious to small-arms fire, and can be very hard to
stop with conventional units – your shots just get absorbed by the shield until it’s drained, but by then your
army might be fried by Felon lasers.
Challenges: A critical mass of shield bots is extremely durable – they regenerate shields over time and
share them, and the Felon will quickly kill units that come into range. If you throw units piecemeal at a
shieldball, you’re just feeding them. You need specialized tactics to break the shield and then the units.
8
How to Counter Shieldballs:
• EMP & Disruption: One of the best counters to shields is EMP (stun damage), because EMP
weapons ignore shields and directly drain shield power. An EMP hit will both stun the unit and sap a
large chunk of the shield’s charge. For example, the Thunderbird EMP bomber can blanket a
shieldball with an EMP burst – this will often zero out their shields and stun many units, leaving
them vulnerable. Likewise, EMP missiles (from a Racketeer or an Athena strike) at long range can
whittle down shields without putting units in danger 10 . Spider’s Venom is another great option: its
AoE EMP will freeze the shield bots in place if it can get close (perhaps burrowed or dropped in). If
you stun the shieldball, rush in immediately with assault units or bomb it – you have a window while
their shields are down and units disabled to do real damage.
• High Burst Damage: Shields excel at stopping continuous low damage, but they can be
overwhelmed by high burst. Weapons that do huge damage in one shot can punch through if they
exceed the remaining shield HP. For instance, a precision Sniper (Phantom) shot can instantly kill a
key unit (like an Outlaw or even a Felon) if the shields are low or depleted momentarily. Coordinate
volleys: a volley of Lance shots or Rogue volleys timed together might collapse the shield in one go.
Also, units with armor penetration (or ignore shields entirely) are rare, but e.g., Firewalker’s
napalm leaves damage-over-time that constantly pressures shield regen.
• Artillery Focus Fire: As the Zero-K manual notes, “Shields will fall to focus from artillery.” 39 40 If you
concentrate artillery fire on the shieldball, even if the first salvo is absorbed, the continuous barrage
will grind the shield down eventually. A unit like Tremor (heavy artillery) is ideal – it can saturate the
area with explosions, rapidly emptying shields and then doing health damage. Merlin or Impaler
missiles targeted at the clump can likewise force the shield users to either retreat or lose units. Be
mindful if the enemy has an Aegis shield generator (Aspis) with the ball – that one has a very large
shield pool. You might need multiple artillery pieces to overcome the recharge rate.
• Drain the Shield on Decoys: A clever tactic is to force the enemy Felon to waste its shield charge
on non-costly targets. For example, send a wave of expendable units (Dirtbags, or even summoned
Drones if you have a Drone module on commander or a Reef ship) to provoke the Felon. The Felon
will fire and quickly use up shared shield energy to kill these decoys 41 42 . Once their shields are
significantly drained, you can engage with your main force. Even sending a lone tough unit with high
HP (like a heavily armored Halberd hover or Razor amphib tank) can absorb Felon shots while
depleting the shield – Felon might “waste their entire shield store” on such a unit due to its damage
reduction 43 , then your attack comes when they are vulnerable.
• Flanking and Surrounding: Shieldballs are slow and usually focus forward. You can try to attack
from multiple directions. Shields project a bubble – if you can get units inside the shield (behind or
amidst them, e.g., with fast units or dropping units via air transport), those units can hit the shielded
units directly. Raiders are mentioned as a counter in that regard: “Raiders (get inside the shield)” 44 . If
a swarm of Glaives runs straight into the middle of the shieldball, the Felon will start zapping them,
but each Felon can shoot only one target at a time – the rest of your raiders might get in and
surround the Felon, hitting its actual HP. This is risky, but if the shieldball lacks a good riot like
Outlaw at that moment (or you killed the Outlaw first), a sudden close-range flood of units can work.
Similarly, a Jumpjet Sumo (heavy jumping mech) can literally jump into the center of a shield ball
and deal area crush damage, “squishing everyone like bugs” 45 – this is a high-risk/high-reward
move (Sumo might die if there are too many Felons), but it can break up a formation.
• Specific Counters and Units: Some units are almost tailor-made to counter shieldballs:
• Racketeer (Disarm Missiles): The rover disarm missile can hit shielded units from beyond their
range; while shields will absorb the damage, disarm still applies through shields. A few racketeer hits
9
and the Felon and Thugs can be left unable to shoot, forcing the enemy to retreat or just move
without firing 10 .
• Crawling Bombs: If you can get a Skuttle or group of Roaches into the shieldball, you can blow up
the core units. A cloaked Skuttle that pops up in the middle can obliterate a Felon (or several units)
instantly 10 . Even if they have Outlaws (which slow and reveal cloaked), sometimes coming from
two sides with multiple bombs can ensure at least one hits.
• Firewalker Artillery: Firewalker’s continuous napalm patches will rapidly drain shields (as the fire
does constant DPS to shields). It also impedes movement, so the shield ball might be forced to step
out of the flames, breaking formation.
• EMP Units: Mentioned before, but to reiterate, units like Lightning Tank “Blitz” or Venom or the
Moderator (jumpbot that EMPs) can all contribute to keeping the shieldball stunned or low on
charge.
• Felon’s Energy Source: Note that Felon needs the shields to have energy to fire. If you manage to
isolate a Felon (like lure it out or snipe all other shield units around it), its damage output will drop.
Sometimes focusing the Convicts (shield rechargers) first is a good idea – they not only rebuild
shields but also repair units. Pick them off with snipers or bomb runs and the shield network
becomes much weaker.
Team Game Note: Shieldballs are scary in team games if left alone, as they can become the anchor of a
larger combined push. If one enemy is massing a shieldball, your team should respond in kind by
dedicating some resources to the counters above. For example, one ally can switch to spiders to get
multiple Venoms and Widows (EMP spiders) to specifically counter the ball; another ally could focus on
heavy artillery or a nuke. Do not engage a mature shieldball with a normal army head-on – you must
soften it first (team communication is key here: coordinate an EMP strike followed by an all-sided attack).
Additionally, try to cut off the shieldball’s reinforcements: often, shield players rely on linked shields from
fresh Thugs arriving. Hitting their factory or intercepting units before they join the main ball can prevent it
from growing. Lastly, shieldballs typically move slowly, so you can exploit this by speeding up the game
elsewhere – raid their other teammates or rush other objectives while the shield force inches around. Just
never ignore a shieldball entirely; keep tabs on it and be ready to focus it down with the appropriate
counters when the time comes.
Cloak & Dagger: Stealthy Strategies
An opponent using stealth tactics will favor cloaked units and surprise attacks. Examples include using
Infiltrator (formerly called Scythe) cloaked bots to assassinate your constructors or commanders,
planting ticks/roaches (mines and crawling bombs) in your path, or deploying an Iris cloaking field to
move an army unseen. They might also use Sniper bots (Phantoms) that fire from long range and remain
cloaked between shots, or Ultimatum striders lurking to one-shot your heavy units. The hallmark of this
playstyle is deception – appearing where you least expect, and avoiding head-on confrontation.
Challenges: Fighting an invisible enemy can be frustrating. If you lack detection, cloaked units can literally
walk right into your base or sit on the map picking off units without you seeing them. You might suddenly
find key units dying to unseen snipers or your base exploding from a cloaked bomb. Stealth also often
means the opponent is trying to avoid your strengths and hit your weaknesses – e.g., bypassing your
army to kill your economy.
10
Countering Stealth and Cloaked Units:
• Detection is Key: In Zero-K, units become visible if they come within a certain range of any enemy
unit or detector (the decloak radius). Most units will decloak if an enemy unit gets within ~300
elmos (game distance) by default. Some specialized units have larger decloak detection ranges (e.g.,
the Commander, Raiders, and Scouts often have good sight and can flush out cloaks). Also, Radar
can help indirectly – while radar won’t show a cloaked unit (they disappear from radar too), you
might notice something is off (like an empty spot where your units keep dying could hint a cloaked
sniper). Build radar coverage anyway for general intel and consider advanced radar for larger
maps.
• Use Scouts and Patrols: As the wiki suggests, patrolling scouts regularly will prevent most
cloaker infiltrations 46 . Set some cheap units on patrol routes around your base and expansion
perimeters. For example, Fleas are excellent – they’re super cheap, and you can have them roam
around; if a cloaked enemy is nearby, the Flea will bump into it (decloaking it) before it dies.
Alternatively, set units to “fire at will” on ground in suspicious areas. Units like the Wolverine (rover
artillery) can scatter mines across areas – interestingly, Wolverine’s fired mines act as tiny temporary
units, which can bump into and reveal cloaked units and also hurt them 47 . In fact, “Wolverine...
hard counter for cloaked units in general” 47 due to this mechanism.
• Dedicated Detector Units: Certain units have the “radar/sonar stealth detection” ability. For
example, the Owl plane not only has huge vision but can decloak units from a high vantage (until
shot down by AA). The Faraday (EMP turret) doesn’t detect per se, but firing its EMP in an area might
randomly hit a cloaked unit and disable it, revealing it. The Dustbug (not sure if exists in ZK, skip if
not). Also, your Commander has a decent sight range – keep it near likely infiltrations. Some
commanders can equip a sensor radar module to improve detection. In a team game, if one ally
builds a Area Sensor (if exists) or uses commander with radar, share that info.
• Beware of Likely Cloak Tactics: Recognize common stealth strategies:
• Snipers: If your units are getting one-shot from nowhere, it’s likely a Phantom sniper bot at max
range. Counter-sniper by quickly sending fast units along the line of fire (where the shot came from)
– even a lone fast raider can decloak a sniper if it gets close. Snipers have to relocate after firing
because good opponents will chase the muzzle flash. Use impulse artillery or airstrike the area if
you suspect a cluster of them.
• Cloaked Bombs: If the enemy uses Roaches or Skuttles, watch their unit compositions – those
typically come from Cloaky or Jump factories. When engaging, space out your units so one bomb
doesn’t hit all. Use cheap units or summoned constructors as bait – run them in front of your army
to hopefully trigger any bombs early. If you see an area cloaker (Iris) on the field, assume there are
nasty surprises under it; prioritize killing the cloaker device/unit first from range (it usually has low
HP).
• Infiltrator/Assassin units: Units like Scythe can be very cost-effective if you’re careless (they can kill
lone mexes or stray engineers). To counter them, pair your vulnerable constructors with an
armed escort. Even a single Glaive or an attached turret (the commander can build a small turret
next to an expansion) can thwart a cloaked assassin. Also, after a fight, check for survivors –
cloaked units often survive a battle if you didn’t specifically detect them, then start causing havoc.
Sweep the area with scouts or an area attack command.
• Area Attack and AoE: If you suspect cloaked units but can’t see them, use area-of-effect weapons
to flush them out. For instance, ordering your units to attack ground in a suspected hiding spot can
decloak an enemy if you score a hit. Flamethrower units (like Pyro or Napalm bombs) can also
expose cloaked units by setting the ground on fire – cloaked units will still take damage and
11
eventually die or be revealed if the fire gets them. The Outlaw’s slow field might not decloak by
itself (since it doesn’t do damage), but the moment a cloaked unit takes any damage (even minor), it
will decloak. So a combination of a slow field plus a tiny bit of damage (say, from a Lotus turret shot
or a Flea bite) can uncover an entire cloaked squad.
• Economic Counterplay: Stealth armies can be expensive (snipers and cloakers cost a lot of energy/
metal). If you keep up aggression in other ways, a stealth player might not have the raw force to
hold land. So continue expanding and pressuring elsewhere. If they invest in a big cloaked bomb attack
that fails, they’ll be behind. Try to ensure you always trade cost-effectively when you finally reveal
their units. Also, maintain a slight energy surplus – some cloaked units like Scythes and Ultimatums
consume energy while cloaked, which means if you can destroy their energy income, they literally
cannot remain cloaked. If you notice their power plants are low or you manage to EMP their energy
grid, their cloaked units might suddenly flicker visible due to lack of energy.
Team Game Note: Communication helps a lot against stealth. If one ally’s detachment gets hit by a cloaked
ambush, they should alert the team (“Enemy cloaked units around south side!”). Then everyone knows to
tighten detection in that area. Teams can also share detection: e.g., one player keeps an Owl plane
patrolling which benefits everyone, or someone builds a perimeter of cheap radar towers and occasionally
pings suspicious gaps with artillery. A coordinated team can also deliberately bait a cloaked attack – e.g.,
leave a juicy target (like an isolated heavy unit) to lure a Skuttle, but have it covered by several units on holdfire that will insta-gib the Skuttle once it decloaks to attack the bait. Use teamwork to cover each other’s
blind spots. Finally, in late-game, if you suspect the enemy might use a cloaked super-unit (like an
Ultimatum or a cloaked Detriment even), make sure to have wide-area reveal tools: the Ultimatum, for
instance, can be countered by keeping inexpensive units around your heavies (so the Ultimatum decloaks
when it gets too close), or by preemptively carpet-bombing around your big units’ path. Don’t let a sneaky
strategy turn the tide at the last minute – stay vigilant.
Conclusion: Winning in Zero-K is all about identifying what your opponent is doing and fielding the
appropriate counter in time. Remember the general rule of unit counters: raiders -> riots/turrets, assaults/
heavies -> skirmishers or swarms, skirmishers -> raiders or artillery, air -> AA, porcupines -> artillery/stealth,
shields -> EMP/burst, cloak -> detection/attrition. Always keep scouting and adapt – since there are no fixed
tech levels, you can tech-switch or add a new factory to hard-counter a strategy if needed. And above all,
maintain a strong economy and spend wisely. If you continuously expand, reclaim, and out-resource a
one-dimensional enemy strategy, you’ll eventually field a force that can overwhelm it 48 . Use the tips, units,
and tactics listed in this guide as a toolbox to beat any style of opponent. Good luck, Commander – whether
in 1v1 duels or team battles, you now have the knowledge to counter every main playstyle in Zero-K and
secure victory on the battlefield! 2 30
1
15
16
17
18
21
25
28
29
48
How to win Zero-k multiplayer - forum thread - Zero-K
https://zero-k.info/Forum/Thread/28189
2
3
4
5
6
7
19
20
22
23
24
26
27
30
31
35
36
39
40
44
Unit classes - Zero-K
https://zero-k.info/mediawiki/Unit_classes
8
9
Is this a good counter for the classic tank setup? - forum thread - Zero-K
https://zero-k.info/Forum/Thread/36663
12
10
37
38
41
42
43
45
46
47
SpecificUnitGuides - Zero-K
https://zero-k.info/Wiki/SpecificUnitGuides
11
13
Widow - Zero-K
https://zero-k.info/mediawiki/Widow
12
Skuttle - Zero-K
https://zero-k.info/mediawiki/Skuttle
14
Tank Foundry - Zero-K
https://zero-k.info/mediawiki/Tank_Foundry
32
33
34
Steam Community :: Guide :: Anti-Turtle Tactics
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1488630240
13