Petroglyph shipped Empire at War on 16 February 2006 and the Forces of Corruption expansion the following October, and the Gold Pack on Steam bundles both. You run a galactic map of planets, income and fleets, then drop into real time battles in space and on the ground across more than 80 locations. Two decades later Steam sits at 97 percent positive over roughly 26,600 reviews, and the mod scene is most of the reason.
Picking the right build determines how your experience plays out. These builds are ranked by overall effectiveness, factoring in damage, survivability, gear requirements, and how well they scale into endgame. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Rankings
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Core Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galactic Empire | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Rebel Alliance | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Zann Consortium | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Pirates | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Hutts | A | Balanced | Best available |
For detailed meta rankings, see our STAR WARS Empire at War - Gold Pack tier list.
A-Tier: Galactic Empire
Galactic Empire is a top-performing option in STAR WARS Empire at War - Gold Pack.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Imperial Star Destroyer | The Empire's line capital ship, carrying heavy turbolasers, a shield generator and hangars that launch TIE Fighters and Bombers continuously. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Galactic map into tactical battles | The galactic layer handles planets, credits, build slots and fleet movement, and any contested move drops you into a real time battle. |
How to Play Galactic Empire
Galactic Empire focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Imperial Star Destroyer does the damage and Galactic map into tactical battles keeps it running, which is why this sits at the top of the list. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Highest overall performance
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Popular pick, resources may be contested
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Rebel Alliance
Rebel Alliance is a strong option in STAR WARS Empire at War - Gold Pack.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Mon Calamari Cruiser | The Rebel heavy attack cruiser, armed with turbolaser and ion cannon batteries. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Capital ship hardpoints | Capital ships carry separate targetable hardpoints for shield generators, engines, turbolasers and hangars. |
How to Play Rebel Alliance
Rebel Alliance focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Pair Mon Calamari Cruiser with Capital ship hardpoints and the build stops depending on a good start, so it holds up across most content. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Most versatile option
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Lower peak damage than S-tier
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Zann Consortium
Zann Consortium is a strong option in STAR WARS Empire at War - Gold Pack.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | AT-AT | The Imperial heavy walker, effectively immune to standard blaster infantry and slow enough that it never surprises anyone. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Land battle reinforcement points | Ground fights are decided by reinforcement points, which is where new units land once you hold the ground. |
How to Play Zann Consortium
Zann Consortium focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Land battle reinforcement points covers the gap AT-AT leaves open, so the build stays usable even when a fight goes badly. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Best survivability
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Slower clear speeds
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Pirates
Pirates is a specialized option in STAR WARS Empire at War - Gold Pack.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Tartan Patrol Cruiser | A light Imperial cruiser with four laser cannons built to shred fighters and bombers. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Zann Consortium corruption | The Consortium corrupts planets it does not own by sending a Defiler, then runs missions including Racketeering, Piracy, Kidnapping, Intimidation, Bribery, Corrupt Militia, Black Market and Slavery. |
How to Play Pirates
Pirates focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: This one leans on Zann Consortium corruption rather than raw numbers, and Tartan Patrol Cruiser is what makes that trade pay off. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Strong in group/team content
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- Weaker solo performance
- Requires deep game knowledge
A-Tier: Hutts
Hutts is a specialized option in STAR WARS Empire at War - Gold Pack.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Broadside Cruiser | The Imperial missile cruiser, which bombards a circular area from beyond the range of most ships. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Planet specific bonuses | Planets carry hard mechanical effects rather than flavour. |
How to Play Hutts
Hutts focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Broadside Cruiser and Planet specific bonuses pull in the same direction here, which separates this from the safer picks above. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Unique, rewarding playstyle
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
- Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with Rebel Alliance: the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to Galactic Empire once you understand core mechanics and have access to Imperial Star Destroyer
- Keep a Zann Consortium setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Hutts for a fresh experience once you've mastered the basics
Follow our walkthrough for the optimal progression path through each area.
Gearing Tips
- Invest in your primary equipment first, since it gives the biggest power spike. See our weapons guide for rankings.
- Shoot hardpoints, not hulls. Every capital ship carries separate shield generators, engines, turbolasers and hangars, and taking out the shield generator first turns a twenty minute slog into a short fight.
- Kill engines when you want a kill rather than a retreat. An enemy commander who is losing will pull ships out of the battle, and a Star Destroyer with dead engines cannot leave the map with its hull intact.
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
More STAR WARS Empire at War - Gold Pack Guides
- STAR WARS Empire at War - Gold Pack STAR WARS Empire at War - Gold Pack Overview
- STAR WARS Empire at War - Gold Pack Tier List
- STAR WARS Empire at War - Gold Pack Walkthrough
- STAR WARS Empire at War - Gold Pack Beginner's Guide
- STAR WARS Empire at War - Gold Pack Tips & Tricks
- STAR WARS Empire at War - Gold Pack Weapons Guide
- STAR WARS Empire at War - Gold Pack Combat Guide
- STAR WARS Empire at War - Gold Pack Boss Guide
- STAR WARS Empire at War - Gold Pack Maps & Locations
- STAR WARS Empire at War - Gold Pack Crafting Guide
- STAR WARS Empire at War - Gold Pack Classes & Characters
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