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Support Powers are the planned off-map abilities in D.O.R.F. Real-Time Strategic Conflict, mainly air support such as airstrikes. The developers explained the design in July 2024, noting that an earlier trailer showing air support was outdated and that the final mechanic would work differently. The game had not been released as of September 2026, so this page describes the design as the developers have stated it.

Buying and Losing Aircraft

• Each airstrike or air support power is bought with a special resource, and it is bought per plane.

• Several copies of the same power can be owned at once, for example more than one of the same bombing run, as long as the player can pay for them.

• After a power is used, it goes on a cooldown timer.

• Any plane shot down during its sortie has to be bought again before that power is available, whether or not it had already dropped its load.

The developers' reasoning is that tanks and infantry lost in battle must be replaced with resources, so aircraft should follow the same rule. A free airstrike on a cooldown would let players throw planes at the enemy with no thought for losses, which they said runs against how the rest of the game works.

Authority

In 2023 the developers described Authority as a separate resource that is earned rather than harvested: it comes from destroying enemies and completing objectives, and possibly from capturing certain structures. They said it is spent on off-map call-in abilities such as airstrikes, and on unlocking special units and research. The 2024 explanation of Support Powers refers only to a special resource without naming it, so it is likely but not confirmed that this resource is Authority. See Resources and Logistics for the full resource list.

Communications Building

Support Powers depend on a communications building being operational. If that building is disabled or destroyed, the faction's air support is cut off until the building is working again or rebuilt.

How Airstrikes Behave

• For a bombing run, the player can choose the direction the aircraft strafe in.

• Some aircraft will try to dogfight enemy aircraft they meet, and larger ones will use side or tail guns.

• Aircraft always enter from the part of the map closest to the base of the player who called them, so they cannot be sent in from behind an enemy base to avoid its defenses.

Sorties and Controllable Aircraft

The developers draw a clear line between two kinds of aircraft. Planes of any type work as sorties: the player picks a target location but cannot control the plane directly. Helicopters and other VTOL aircraft are ordinary units that can be commanded like tanks or infantry. The wider roster is on the Units page.

Types of Support

How each faction's Support Powers differ has not been detailed. The developers said in April 2026 that the Warband Tribes will not have a meaningful air force like the other two factions and will rely on guerrilla tactics instead, though they did not say how that affects Warband support options. Air defense and aircraft losses also connect to the systems on the Combat and Unit Control page.