Terra Invicta Earth Politics Guide
Earth is your foundation. Before you can build fleets, mine asteroids, or fight aliens, you must master the political game. Councilor management, nation control, public opinion manipulation, and diplomatic maneuvering determine whether humanity unites against the alien threat or fractures into squabbling factions. This guide covers every aspect of Earth-side strategy, from picking your first nation to unifying the planet.
Last updated: July 2, 2026
The Council System — Your Agents of Influence
Your council is a team of up to 5 agents who execute missions on Earth. Each councilor has six stats: Persuasion (controls nations and sways opinion), Investigation (discovers information), Espionage (covert operations), Command (military and security), Science (research contribution), and Administration (control point capacity). Councilors also have traits that modify their effectiveness, such as Quick Learner (faster XP gain) or Government Background (bonus to Control Nation).
Recruiting councilors costs influence and money. Your starting councilor is free and has balanced stats. Recruit 2 additional councilors in the first three months. Your initial council should include one Persuasion specialist (for nation control), one Investigation specialist (for intelligence), and one flex pick based on your faction: Command for military factions, Science for research-focused factions, Espionage for covert operations.
Councilor loyalty is a hidden mechanic. Councilors with low loyalty may be turned by rival factions, leaking information or even switching sides entirely. The Inspire mission (requires Espionage) can increase loyalty. Councilors with the Government or Military background traits are less susceptible to being turned. Never give sensitive missions to councilors with unknown loyalty levels.
Key Nations — Who to Control
Not all nations are equal. These eight nations provide the best return on investment for your control points and councilor actions.
| Nation | Starting Power | Best Councilor Type | Unification Path |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Very High | Persuasion specialist with high Administration. The US requires 5-6 control points to fully dominate. | CANUSMEX unification through diplomatic annexation. Full unification creates a North American super-state with unmatched military and economic power. |
| China | Very High | High Persuasion councilor with Government or Corporate background. China's closed society makes control point missions harder. | Pan-Asian Combine including Taiwan, Korea, and Southeast Asian nations. The unified Pan-Asian state has the highest population and industrial output in the game. |
| European Union | High (requires multiple member states) | Science-focused councilor with Diplomat background. EU unification requires controlling multiple member states simultaneously. | Full EU federation including UK, Norway, Switzerland, and Balkan states. The unified EU has the second-highest research output and excellent space program infrastructure. |
| Russia | High | Military or Security councilor. Russia's military and nuclear arsenal make it a valuable military power base. | Eurasian Union including Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Central Asian states. Restored Soviet sphere provides massive resource access and military power. |
| India | Medium-High | Persuasion councilor with high Science for rapid development. India's large population and growing economy make it a long-term investment. | South Asian Federation including Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Unification creates the game's largest population base with enormous economic potential. |
| Japan | Medium | Science councilor with Administration focus. Japan's research output per control point is the highest in the game. | Asian economic integration through alliances rather than direct annexation. Japan's value lies in its research output and space program, not territorial expansion. |
| Brazil | Medium | Persuasion councilor with Economic background. Brazil's large territory and resources make it a South American anchor. | South American Union including Argentina, Chile, and Andean nations. A unified South America controls vast resources and provides strategic depth. |
| United Kingdom | Medium | Investigation councilor with Diplomat background. UK's intelligence services provide excellent councilor operation bonuses. | Rejoin EU or lead Commonwealth alliance. The Commonwealth path provides global influence through soft power rather than territorial control. |
Councilor Actions — Every Mission Explained
These are the most important councilor missions for Earth-side political dominance. Master them all.
| Action | Effect | Best Target | Cooldown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Control Nation | Spends influence to seize a control point in the target nation. More points needed for larger nations. Failure causes unrest. | Nations with high base stats and stable governments. Avoid nations in civil war or with hostile councilors defending them. | 14 days base, modified by councilor traits and target nation stability. |
| Public Campaign | Increases your faction's public support in the target nation by 5-15 percent based on councilor Persuasion. Higher support makes Control Nation easier. | Nations you plan to control in the next few turns. Stack multiple Public Campaigns before attempting Control Nation on difficult targets. | 21 days base. Can be reduced through faction projects. |
| Advise | Assigns a councilor to boost the target nation's stats: +X to Economy, Welfare, Knowledge, Military, or Unity based on councilor stats. | Your core controlled nations. A permanent Advise councilor in your capital nation pays dividends over years of game time. | No cooldown. The councilor is permanently assigned until recalled. Cannot perform other missions while advising. |
| Investigate Councilor | Reveals a rival councilor's stats, traits, and current mission. Higher Investigation stat reveals more information. | Unknown councilors operating in your controlled nations. Identify threats before they sabotage your operations. | 7 days base. Quick enough to investigate whole enemy councils efficiently. |
| Detain Councilor | Arrests a rival councilor, removing them from play for 60-180 days. Requires a friendly nation with the target councilor present. | High-value enemy councilors operating in nations you control. Detaining their best Persuasion councilor cripples their expansion. | 30 days. Use sparingly as failed attempts increase enemy hostility. |
| Sabotage Facility | Destroys or damages a target facility in a hostile nation, such as alien structures, space defenses, or nuclear silos. | Alien facilities on Earth. Destroying alien infrastructure slows their infiltration and reduces their councilor recruitment rate. | 21 days. High-risk operation with severe penalties on failure. |
| Crackdown | Purges an enemy control point from a nation, making it available for anyone to claim. High Persuasion and resources required. | Nations with mixed faction control. Use Crackdown to remove a rival faction's foothold before they consolidate power. | 14 days. Always follow a Crackdown with an immediate Control Nation to claim the freed point. |
| Assassinate | Attempts to permanently kill a rival councilor. The highest-risk councilor action in the game with severe diplomatic consequences on failure. | Enemy councilors who have been detained first. Assassination is most reliable against defenseless targets. | 30 days. Failure causes all factions to lose trust in you. Only use when absolutely necessary. |
Earth Domination Strategy by Faction
The Resistance — Coalition Builder
Control mid-tier democracies and build a coalition through the United Nations reform tree. Focus on NATO nations for military alliance and EU nations for research. Unify Europe into the EU federation, then use the EU's diplomatic weight to pull more nations into your coalition without spending control points. The Resistance excels at soft power: Public Campaign and diplomatic missions are cheaper and more effective.
Humanity First — Iron Fist
Control a nuclear power directly. Russia or China are best because they have fewer control points than the US. Use Coups instead of Control Nation when possible: Humanity First gets bonuses to coup success rate. Purge alien sympathizers from every nation you can reach. You do not need to control every nation, just ensure no pro-alien faction does. Focus on Military investment in controlled nations to build a global army.
The Initiative — Economic Warfare
Do not waste control points on big nations. Control resource-rich small nations like Saudi Arabia, Norway, and Australia. Use economic councilor missions to destabilize rival-controlled economies. Fund every faction equally to create perpetual conflict, keeping arms sales and resource prices high. The Initiative's win condition does not require military dominance or planetary unification, just economic control of at least "30 percent" of global GDP.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best nation to start with?
Canada is the best starter nation for new players. It has 4 control points, high stability, decent research output, and its northern position gives access to Arctic resources. It is also politically isolated, meaning rival factions rarely contest it. After securing Canada, expand into the United States, which gives you the most powerful single nation in the game when fully controlled.
How do I unify nations?
Nation unification requires both nations to be in the same federation, have high relations, and you must control both nations' executive control points. Research the appropriate unification tech (e.g., Greater North America, European Federation). Then use the Set National Policy mission to initiate unification. The process takes months and costs significant influence. Unification creates a single larger nation with combined stats, which is almost always better than controlling two separate small nations.
How do I deal with alien councilors on Earth?
Alien councilors arrive around 2025 and can control nations just like human factions. You need the Alien Threat Detection global tech to see them. Once visible, use Investigation to identify them, then Detain or Assassinate. Every alien councilor killed increases the alien threat meter. Consider whether removal is worth provoking escalation. The servants will aggressively protect alien councilors, so be prepared for retaliation.