While the gameplay is reminiscent of the seminal Command & Conquer series, it does not feature soldier units. The game revolves around establishing a base and fortifying it against attacks from other factions, who are played by the computer, as well as executing invasions of the enemy bases. To build a base and open production of military units, constant mining of ore and production of energy are crucial. There are three kinds of offense unit types as well as defensive units to protect the base. Both are produced in specialized factories and can be deployed in groups. New technologies can be researched and in total, the tech tree contains over 100 structures and units to choose from. Among these are stealth aircraft and submarines for reconnaissance missions, aircraft to bombard enemy bases and helicopters for unit transports. In a game, literally thousands of units can be commanded simultaneously, resulting in epic battles. Specific tactics can be applied: land units can be hidden under trees for ambush attacks and tread marks left by enemy tanks can be scouted to their base. Unique mineral ores permit building of giant "Mega units" for more effective attacks. Each game is concluded by detailed statistics and graphs. The game expands Machines at War by sea units.
Climate types
The climate of the region affects only the visual appearance of the map. It determines number and distribution of trees, water, ground, etc. on the map. There exist four different climatic settings: Grassland, Volcanic, Tundra and Desert.
Landscape types
The game uses a random map system with several types of terrain. The landscape type of the game map determines which bases and units can be built, which strategies may be applied and which kinds of mineral ore resource may be found, in turn determining which Mega units may be built later in the game. Ground-based landscapes do not have the unique resources for naval Mega units, and water based landscapes do not have the resources for land Mega units.
There are eleven different landscape map types: Mainland, Oceanic, Islands, Oasis, Choke Point, Center Point, Outlands, Islets, Swamp, Continental and Fortress. In total, there are six different kinds of resources: Xephal, Crom, Isonium, Betniah, Rhoxia and Nuba.
Victory Conditions
The game can be customized with different conditions of victory:
Normal - Deathmatch until only one player or team remains, or all other players have surrendered.
Assassination - The player loses if his leader dies.
Arms Race - First player to launch a Jericho V ICBM wins.
Team Traitors - When playing teams and after one team wins, team members must defeat each other.
All Your Base - The player loses if the Headquarters are destroyed.
The Mega Project - The first to complete building a mega unit wins.
Scientist's Domain - The first to complete researching Tech 3 wins.
Units, buildings and technologies
This section gives an overview of available unit types and their properties.
Engineering
Most of these structures are destined for energy production, some are fortification structures and others for harvesting and storing ore.
Buildings
The majority of these buildings are specialized military unit production facilities, others upgrade technologies, create protective shields or enhance/jam viewing range.
Offensive units
Land units
The six different land units are produced in the Land Factory production facility. These include two anti-air trucks, a light tank, a multi-role truck, a mobile long range artillery and a flamethrower armed truck.
Amphibious units
The three different amphibious units can be produced in both the Land Factory and the Sea Factory and travel on land and sea. They include two attack hovercrafts as well as a repair hovercraft.
Air units
The eight types of air units are produced in the Air Factory production facility. There are a fast recon fighter, attack and transport helicopters, two attack fighters, two types of bombers and a stealth fighter. As other offensive units, the air units vary in speed, attack strength and their capacity to attack Land, Air and Sea units.
Sea units
There are in total seven different sea units which are produced in the Sea Factory production facility: an anti-air destroyer, two assault boats, as well as four different submarines.
Technologies
New Technologies can be researched in three distinct research facilities:
Looking Glass - 10 different upgrades of Sea units
Orchid - 11 different upgrades of Land units
Tempest - 9 different upgrades of Air units
Defensive units
Defense units serve to defend the base. There are units against Land, Air, Sea and Sub units. There are also two large defense installations and an anti-I.C.B.M. Laser defense. Some of these weapons require advanced levels in the tech tree.
Mega Units
The "Mega units" are gigantic weapons that allow for very effective attacks. However, they cost more than normal units, take more time to build, require development of the tech tree up to level 3 and specific unique mineral ores to be harvested in special mines.
Rapture - Massive submarine which fires a huge Mark V Torpedo.
Dreadnought - Massive destroyer with two long range double barrel cannons.
Goliath - Massive tank featuring quad medium range cannons.
Titanis - Massive gunship that rains down eight air to surface rockets per volley.
Magna Laser - Massive laser gun that damages any unit crossing its ray.
Missile Pad - Build and launch ICBMs to attack units anywhere.
* Jericho V - ICBMs can destroy a huge area anywhere.
* Poseidon - ICBM equipped with a detonator that creates an EMP which disables all surface units for 30 seconds.
Technics
In game graphics are based on raster graphics. The game engine renders fog and water as strips instead of tiles which increases its rendering performance.
