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11 The Protectorate is the human faction of ZeroSpace and the force you command throughout the Campaign. It represents humanity's military during the seventh phase of expansion into the Orion Sector, fielding advanced war technology, seasoned shock troopers, and specialist crew.
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33 In play, the Protectorate leans toward a defensive, supportive style rather than early aggression and harassment. Its strength is staying power: well-defended positions, steady upgrades, and forces that grow tougher the longer they survive.
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55 Ahead of Early Access, the Protectorate was the first faction to receive a studio-wide visual overhaul, giving its units a grittier, more realistic look.
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77 Faction Traits
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99 Production and base structures come with a healing bot that automatically repairs and heals nearby friendly units.Supply structures can be upgraded, including into turrets, so the economy and defense overlap.Like all factions, Protectorate units gain veterancy, growing stronger the longer they stay alive.Hero units lead Protectorate armies and provide ability support without overpowering the rest of the force.
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1212 Role in the Story
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1414 Because the Campaign casts you as a Protectorate commander, this faction frames the whole single-player experience. You upgrade your Mothership, build relationships with your crew, and recruit an army under the Protectorate banner. The choices you make determine which of the sector's other Factions become allies or rivals.
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1616 The Protectorate is one of four base Factions in ZeroSpace and is playable across the Campaign, the Galactic War, and Skirmish. Its supportive identity makes it a natural starting point in Getting Started for players learning the systems behind Resources and Economy and Heroes and Commanders.
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1818 Identity and Motto
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2020 The Protectorate carry the motto "A Caelo Ad Terram" and are described by the studio as the military arm of humanity in the Orion Sector. For centuries they have been the stalwart defenders of humanity's ventures through the Orion Arm, guarding against enemies foreign and domestic of the United Earth Spheres. With humanity's galactic infrastructure teetering on the brink of collapse over a deficit of flux, they bring honed tactics and heavy firepower to bear.
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2222 How They Fight
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2424 TraitEffectCombined ArmsInfantry, tanks, mechs and air power in one balanced, resilient force.VeterancyUnits grow more formidable with every battle they survive.Deep StrikesCommandos hit behind enemy lines while mech divisions break the front.
2525 Commanders
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2727 CommanderRankAsterPrefect, and the character the player commands through the CampaignMera ArcadiaLegateMarvA third playable hero, not listed among the commanders on the official faction page. Balance notes have adjusted his Companion Shield, and the community catalogue files the same hero under the Grell as well.
2828 Forces
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30-The official faction page still shows a sample of the Protectorate roster, four units, and says the full list is coming later. A community-maintained catalogue current to August 26, 2026 covers the whole army: 16 units and 11 structures. The four on the official page are the Titan, the Commando, the Strider and Sol Invictus, and balance updates during Early Access have named the Hauler, the Predator, the Griffin, the Ironwing and the Prospector alongside them. Costs are hexite and flux, and health figures are unmodified base values.
30+The official faction page still shows a sample of the Protectorate roster, four units, and says the full list is coming later. The current build data covers the whole army: 16 units and 11 structures, read in September 2026. The four on the official page are the Titan, the Commando, the Strider and Sol Invictus, and balance updates during Early Access have named the Hauler, the Predator, the Griffin, the Ironwing and the Prospector alongside them. Costs are hexite and flux, and health figures are unmodified base values.
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32-UnitRoleCostSupplyHealth and ArmorCommandoRanged infantry with a jetpack50 Hexite2125, Light armorBastionShort range infantry with splash damage75 Hexite, 25 Flux3275, Medium armorSentinelRanged infantry with an anti-heavy cannon75 Hexite, 75 Flux3180, Light armorPredatorFast vehicle that lays mines, ordered as a pair125 Hexite, 25 Flux for two3 each140, Light armorTitanMech with a jetpack and a secondary anti-air weapon125 Hexite, 75 Flux5425, Medium armorIronwingCombat aircraft75 Hexite, 100 Flux5175, Medium armorHaulerAir transport that heals biological passengers and can land to heal nearby troops100 Hexite, 100 Flux4500, Heavy armorHellfireLong range artillery150 Hexite, 100 Flux6300, Medium armorCyclopsVehicle with a long range laser that builds damage the longer it fires100 Hexite, 150 Flux6350, Medium armorGriffinAircraft that repairs friendly vehicles and casts EMP125 Hexite, 175 Flux6200, Medium armorJuggernautTank that stores thermal charge as it attacks, then discharges it as area damage175 Hexite, 125 Flux81,000, Heavy armorStriderWalker that loads infantry, extending their range and healing them225 Hexite, 225 Flux61,000, Heavy armorSol InvictusMassive ultimate-tier walker with a timed life, called in from the top barTop bar ultimateNone3,000, Heavy armorProspectorFlux harvester that can release a healing wave, respawning 60 seconds after it dies100 HexiteNone275, Medium armorRecon DroneLight flying scout, capped at three25 HexiteNone75, no armorBuild DroneAutomated builder that raises every Protectorate structureNo listed costNone25, Medium armor
32+Each of the sixteen has its own page, reachable from the table below or from the index on Units. Costs are paid out of the two currencies described on Resources and Economy.
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34+UnitRoleCostSupplyHealth and ArmorCommandoRanged infantry with a jetpack50 Hexite2125, Light armorBastionShort range infantry with splash damage75 Hexite, 25 Flux3275, Medium armorSentinelRanged infantry with an anti-heavy cannon75 Hexite, 75 Flux3180, Light armorPredatorFast vehicle, ordered as a pair. Its mine upgrade was temporarily disabled on August 28, 2026125 Hexite, 25 Flux for two3 each140, Light armorTitanMech with a jetpack and a secondary anti-air weapon125 Hexite, 75 Flux5425, Medium armorIronwingCombat aircraft75 Hexite, 100 Flux5175, Medium armorHaulerAir transport that heals biological passengers and can land to heal nearby troops100 Hexite, 100 Flux4500, Heavy armorHellfireLong range artillery150 Hexite, 100 Flux6300, Medium armorCyclopsVehicle with a long range laser that builds damage the longer it fires100 Hexite, 150 Flux6350, Medium armorGriffinAircraft that repairs friendly vehicles and casts EMP125 Hexite, 175 Flux6200, Medium armorJuggernautTank that stores thermal charge as it attacks, then discharges it as area damage175 Hexite, 125 Flux81,000, Heavy armorStriderWalker that loads infantry, extending their range and healing them225 Hexite, 225 Flux61,000, Heavy armorSol InvictusMassive ultimate-tier walker with a timed life, called in from the top barTop bar ultimateNone3,000, Heavy armorProspectorFlux harvester that can release a healing wave, respawning 60 seconds after it dies100 HexiteNone275, Medium armorRecon DroneLight flying scout, capped at three25 HexiteNone75, no armorBuild DroneAutomated builder that raises every Protectorate structureNo listed costNone25, Medium armor
3335 Structures
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3537 Production buildings also gate mercenary hiring: the Barracks opens tier 1 mercenaries, the Assembly Plant tier 2 and the War Foundry tier 3.
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3739 StructureRoleCostHealthOperating TowerMining outpost that raises extractors on a hexite patch, upgradeable with a turret400 Hexite2,500ExtractorHexite extractor, built by the Operating TowerBuilt by the Operating Tower250Supply PlatformProvides 12 supply and can be upgraded for extra utility, including a turret75 Hexite500BarracksBasic infantry production75 Hexite1,000Research LabResearch for Barracks units, and unlocks the Sentinel100 Hexite, 25 Flux1,000Assembly PlantBasic vehicle production100 Hexite, 50 Flux1,200SkydockAircraft production100 Hexite, 50 Flux1,000Mechanical Research LabResearch for units built at the Assembly Plant and the Skydock100 Hexite, 25 Flux1,000War FoundryAdvanced vehicle production125 Hexite, 100 Flux1,400Light TurretDefensive turret; Operating Towers and Supply Platforms both gain one when upgradedNo listed cost300AirstripUltimate-tier structure tied to the faction top bar100 Hexite1,000
3840 Balance Since Launch
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40-Protectorate numbers move on a weekly cadence, so the figures above describe the August 26, 2026 data release rather than fixed values. The changes behind them:
42+Protectorate numbers move on a weekly cadence, so the figures above describe build ZS.c36778, current in September 2026, rather than fixed values. The changes behind them:
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42-DateUnit or UpgradeChangeAugust 11, 2026CommandoMagnetic Rifling range bonus cut from +4 to +3, and Eagle Tactics moved to the War FoundryAugust 11, 2026GriffinHeal targets cut from 3 to 1, with healing raised from 12 to 22 per secondAugust 11, 2026TitanDamage raised from 7 to 8, and its bonus swapped from +100% against medium armor to +25% against lightAugust 11, 2026Ironwing and PredatorTheir bonuses against harvesters became +50% against medium armor when the harvester armor type was retiredAugust 11, 2026Sentinel and ProspectorMove speed raised from 525 to 550 and from 450 to 500August 14, 2026CommandoEagle Tactics moved back to the Mechanical Research Lab after three days at the War FoundryAugust 14, 2026HaulerHealth raised from 400 to 500August 14, 2026PredatorReinforced Matrix shield cut from 75 to 50, and its cost from 150 to 125August 14, 2026TitanAntimatter Boosters anti-air range bonus cut from +4 to +3August 19, 2026HaulerThe Transport ability now allows unloading while the transport is still flying
44+DateUnit or UpgradeChangeAugust 11, 2026CommandoMagnetic Rifling range bonus cut from +4 to +3, and Eagle Tactics moved to the War FoundryAugust 11, 2026GriffinHeal targets cut from 3 to 1, with healing raised from 12 to 22 per secondAugust 11, 2026TitanDamage raised from 7 to 8, and its bonus swapped from +100% against medium armor to +25% against lightAugust 11, 2026Ironwing and PredatorTheir bonuses against harvesters became +50% against medium armor when the harvester armor type was retiredAugust 11, 2026Sentinel and ProspectorMove speed raised from 525 to 550 and from 450 to 500August 14, 2026CommandoEagle Tactics moved back to the Mechanical Research Lab after three days at the War FoundryAugust 14, 2026HaulerHealth raised from 400 to 500August 14, 2026PredatorReinforced Matrix shield cut from 75 to 50, and its cost from 150 to 125August 14, 2026TitanAntimatter Boosters anti-air range bonus cut from +4 to +3August 19, 2026HaulerThe Transport ability now allows unloading while the transport is still flyingAugust 28, 2026TitanAnti air range cut from 15 to 14 and anti air damage from 24 to 20 a missileAugust 28, 2026Ironwing, Predator, Sentinel and TitanUpgrades consolidated onto a single tier, each costing 125 flux with a 50 second research time, and the Predator mine upgrade temporarily disabledAugust 28, 2026BastionOverpressure Nozzle moved from tier 1 to tier 2 and Kinetic Mode from tier 2 to tier 1, with the tier 2 upgrade cut from 150 flux to 125August 28, 2026CommandoDamage cut from 8 to 7 with the weapon cooldown shortened from 0.89 to 0.8 seconds, and the Eagle Tactics attack and move speed bonus cut from +50% to +40%August 28, 2026JuggernautDamage bonus moved from +100% against medium armor to +100% against heavyAugust 28, 2026StriderUpgrades removed, with the Fortress Mode aura infantry damage bonus raised from 2 to 3August 28, 2026HaulerCan no longer load sieged unitsAugust 28, 2026Research Lab and Sensor PlatformResearch Lab footprint raised from 3 tiles to 4, and Sensor Platform vision cut from 40 to 36September 1, 2026Predator and JuggernautThe Predator shield upgrade was fixed, and Juggernaut Heat Discharge now ends when the tank is hidden
4345 Campaign balance is tuned separately from versus play. On August 6, 2026 Artillery Platforms began requiring a Research Lab before they could be built, and the Juggernaut stopped dealing bonus damage to massive targets, both scoped to the campaign only.