Dune: Spice Wars is a compelling blend of real-time strategy and 4X gameplay, offering a tactical and politically charged experience across the unforgiving desert world of Arrakis. With danger lurking at every turn—whether from rival houses, sandworms, or economic collapse—understanding the game’s key systems is critical to survival. This long-form guide lays out a comprehensive suite of tips and tricks for both new and intermediate players aiming to gain the upper hand.

Scouting and Early Exploration

Scouting sets the tone for your early game. Begin with your initial Ornithopter to locate your first spice field. Although you’re often placed near one at the start, finding the adjacent Village is equally crucial. Note that the Village can be several tiles away from the actual spice field. If you’re lucky, your scouts may stumble upon wreckage sites or ruins—akin to “goody huts”—that grant early units or bonuses, such as a free Ornithopter.

Acquiring a second scout early helps accelerate your map knowledge, opening paths for expansion and resource gathering. Use this momentum to quickly identify high-value territories and secure your early foothold on Arrakis.

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Capturing Land and Expansion

Once you’ve found a spice field and its associated Village, it’s time to claim it. Use your initial military units to engage any defending militia—check the number beside the Village to assess resistance. With water and authority as your key expansion resources, you can annex territories either through military conquest or peaceful means, though early aggression is often the most efficient.

Be mindful of how many units you commit to combat, and consider a balanced approach of melee and ranged fighters. Overextending too soon can jeopardize your infrastructure, especially before your economy stabilizes.

Spice Harvesting – The Heart of the Economy

Spice is central to everything in Dune: Spice Wars. Once your Village is captured, construct a Spice Harvester via the Economy menu. After building the appropriate infrastructure, you must manually deploy the Harvester to the spice field—this step is often missed. Enable Auto-Recall to ensure the Harvester retreats during a sandworm threat, but remember to manually redeploy it afterward, as it won’t return to work on its own.

Assign crew to the Harvester using manpower. This increases spice yield significantly, especially important if you control multiple spice fields. Always prioritize spice collection, as it funds your economy and allows you to pay the vital spice tax—failing to pay leads to serious penalties in gold income, authority, and diplomatic standing.

Avoiding the Downward Spiral

Spice taxes must be paid consistently. Failing to do so initiates a cascading failure: reduced spice income leads to less Solari (gold), which impacts your ability to fund units and pay upkeep, leading to rebellions and territory loss. Prevent this by always maintaining enough spice reserves and only converting what you can afford into Solari. This single concept—tax first, profit second—will protect your empire from collapse.

Districts and Hegemony

Your main city acts as your central hub and, at 2,000 Hegemony, allows you to construct powerful district buildings. These specialized zones amplify your economy, military, or influence. Stack the same type of building for bonus effects. While district development comes later, early game Hegemony should be gained through conquering Villages and maintaining resource control.

Military Tips: Offense and Defense

Your military capacity is tied to Command Points, visible on the right UI. Early game, you’ll need to expand your limit through the Development Tree—aim for upgrades like Ground Command to add more units. Around the mid-game, aim for at least 6–7 units to maintain a flexible fighting force.

For defense, a few units and smart infrastructure go a long way. Build Airfields to shuttle troops between zones and Missile Batteries to protect multiple Villages—strategically placed, one battery can defend two zones. These buildings require upkeep in gold, Plascrete, and manpower, but the coverage they provide is unmatched.

Also invest in Militia for passive defense. Though you can’t control them directly, they’re cheap (about one-fourth the cost of a military unit) and invaluable in slowing down enemy incursions, especially on spice-rich tiles.

Trade and Resource Management

Trade is a simple yet powerful system. Use it to offset shortages in money, Plascrete, or manpower, depending on your situation. The trade interface is intuitive:

• Green arrows show high demand.
• Red arrows show low demand.
• Adjust offers until the middle arrow indicates a successful trade.

Use Ctrl or Shift while clicking to quickly adjust values. Treaties can also be signed, though they cost Authority and are best reserved for mid-to-late game interactions. Keep trade fluid and adaptable to your current needs.

Political System and the Council

The Landsraad Council is an ever-changing political stage. Resolutions appear regularly, and factions vote using influence and council standing. Resolutions can grant units, weaken enemy capitals, or restrict actions. Use your votes wisely—spreading influence too thin will reduce effectiveness.

More powerful charter positions like Speaker or Dune Governorship require not just votes, but also high standing, fulfilled conditions, and additional resources. Monitor your influence generation and always work toward gaining political advantages—even if you’re not aiming for a diplomatic victory.

Espionage and Agents

Agents are unlocked on a timer and provide massive utility:

• Assign them to factions to gather intelligence.
• Assign to non-playable organizations (Spacing Guild, Landsraad, Arrakis) for yield boosts.

Each agent has perks and promotions, so assign them where they’ll be most effective. As you level up infiltration, you’ll unlock powerful Operations—abilities like assassinations, supply cuts, ceasefires, and sabotage. These can turn the tide of war or solidify your position.

Use the Developments Tree to reduce agent cooldowns and strengthen their effects. Espionage isn’t always about aggression—it’s a utility that complements military, political, and economic strategies alike.

Final Thoughts

Success in Dune: Spice Wars requires a deep understanding of systems and synergy. From proper spice management and military planning to smart scouting and political manipulation, every layer contributes to your eventual victory. Whether you’re pursuing hegemony, military conquest, or diplomatic dominance, these tips form the bedrock of sustainable play.

Always pay your taxes, never forget to redeploy your harvesters, and don’t be afraid to mix offense with defense. The sands of Arrakis are harsh—but with the right strategy, you’ll learn not only to survive, but to rule.

Stay sharp, keep the spice flowing, and good luck out there in the desert.