A Balance Act: How FITS RTS Factions Work

Creating a balanced RTS has its challenges, but I think for the most part I’ve got it.

Essentially, Forever In The Stars is the story of Good vs Evil, with one caveat.

Humans.

In my story, humans evolve AI and can modify their physical reality.

They begin to notice the forces of good and evil are literally physical, and can be interacted with, declaring themselves the Union between forces and demanding a seat at the table.

Here’s a look at how I plan to balance the game:

SERAPHIM (Divine / Energy / Purity)

Core Identity
Elite, expensive, powerful, resilient through regeneration, not numbers.

Primary Stats

• Health – Moderate
• Divine Protection (Shields) – High
• Armor – Low to Moderate
• Energy – High (abilities, blessings, teleports)

Faction Mechanics

• Divine Protection
  • Absorbs damage before health
  • Regenerates when out of combat
  • Upgradable regeneration rate and capacity
• Purity Scaling
  • Stronger in smaller numbers
  • Buffs stack better on fewer units
• Holy Resistance
  • Reduced damage from corruption, lifesteal, fear effects

Strengths

• Excellent in skirmishes
• Hard to chip down
• Strong late game scaling

Weaknesses

• Expensive
• Poor attrition
• Vulnerable when shields are fully drained

UNION / STARSOLDIERS (Technology / Discipline / Industry)

Core Identity
Balanced, adaptable, tactical. Wins through positioning, upgrades, and logistics.

Primary Stats

• Health – Moderate
• Armor – High (scales well with upgrades)
• Shields – None
• Energy – Moderate (tech-based abilities)

Faction Mechanics

• Repair
  • Units and structures can be repaired by support units
  • Faster repair with tech upgrades
• Tech Scaling
  • Weapons, armor, sensors, targeting upgrades
  • Units scale linearly but reliably
• Combined Arms
  • Bonuses for mixed unit compositions
  • Infantry + mech + support synergy

Strengths

• Consistent performance
• Strong defensive play
• Best macro and sustain over time

Weaknesses

• Requires infrastructure
• Less explosive power
• Can be overwhelmed early or late if tech is denied

DELUGE (Corruption / Hunger / Swarm)

Core Identity
Overwhelming, terrifying, self-sustaining through death and decay.

Primary Stats

• Health – High
• Armor – Low
• Shields – None
• Energy – Low or conditional

Faction Mechanics

• Regeneration
  • Passive health regen
  • Increased near corruption zones or structures
• Lifesteal
  • Melee units heal when dealing damage
  • Scales with upgrades or enemy density
• Swarm Scaling
  • Bonuses when units are near each other
  • Faster production, cheaper units
• Corruption
  • Terrain or enemy debuffs over time
  • Weakens armor, slows healing, spreads fear

Strengths

• Incredible attrition
• Thrives in chaos
• Overwhelms static defenses

Weaknesses

• Low armor
• Vulnerable to burst damage
• Requires momentum to stay strong

At-a-Glance Comparison