Solium Infernum isn’t your average strategy game. This is grand strategy reimagined through a lens of demonic ambition and backstabbing politics, where every move is weighed against arcane consequences. A spiritual successor to its 2009 cult classic namesake, Solium Infernum throws players into the infernal politics of Hell, where the Throne of Pandemonium lies vacant and eight Archfiends vie for dominion. Whether you’re dueling in real-time multiplayer or advancing turn-by-turn in asynchronous games that can last weeks, this game demands foresight, guile, and ruthless decision-making.
In this comprehensive how-to guide, we’ll break down the core mechanics, winning strategies, and character choices that define the experience. If you’re new to Solium Infernum, this guide is your roadmap to ruling Hell.
Understanding the Basics: Modes, Mechanics, and Multiplayer
First things first: Solium Infernum offers a range of play modes that suit different preferences. There’s a helpful tutorial for newcomers that introduces game concepts like orders, movement, diplomacy, and rituals. Then you’ve got traditional single-player matches versus AI, as well as story-based Chronicles that explore the origins and motives of each Archfiend through structured objectives.
Multiplayer comes in two forms: real-time and asynchronous. Real-time functions like a typical session-based match with lobbies and shared codes. Asynchronous multiplayer, however, is a standout feature. It allows players to take their turns at their own pace over days or even weeks. The game progresses when all players have submitted their moves, making it ideal for busy schedules and long-form strategic storytelling.
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Victory Conditions: How to Claim the Throne
Winning in Solium Infernum isn’t just about brute force. There are four distinct victory paths:
- Prestige Victory (Assembly of the Conclave) – Gain the most Prestige through capturing Places of Power, winning vendettas, completing schemes, or leveraging diplomacy. If the game reaches its turn limit, the one with the highest Prestige wins.
- Relic Manipulation – Some relics allow interference with the conclave itself, tilting votes or policies in your favor.
- Elimination – You can completely destroy your enemies through a series of insults, vendettas, and blood feuds, culminating in the conquest of their stronghold.
- Capture Pandemonium – The city of Pandemonium is the symbolic throne of Hell. Seizing it by force grants you an immediate path to victory. It’s heavily fortified but not invincible.
Each of these requires different preparation and timing. You may need to pivot between them depending on enemy actions, available resources, and the state of the board.
Choosing Your Archfiend: Diverse Paths to Power
There are eight Archfiends, each with a unique playstyle rooted in five base stats and distinct passive abilities. These stats influence your ritual power, diplomacy, ability to scheme, and number of orders per turn.
For instance, Beelzebub excels at manipulation, gaining Prestige from other players’ diplomatic interactions. His natural bonus grants an extra order from the beginning, enabling more early-game flexibility. Astaroth, meanwhile, has a power that lets him declare temporary hostilities without the full insult-vendetta process.
Picking an Archfiend isn’t just flavor—it’s strategy. Their specialties set the tone for your campaign, and leaning into them is usually the key to success. If you pick a schemer, invest in rituals and deception. If you choose a warlord, push for combat and strong unit deployment.
Orders, Movement, and Resource Management
Every turn, you get a set number of orders depending on your rank and upgrades. These can be used to move units, seek tribute, cast rituals, purchase from the bazaar, or manipulate diplomacy. You begin with two orders per turn, but you can unlock more by ranking up your powers.
Legions move across the hex-based map, claiming territory and capturing resources. Unclaimed tiles become yours upon entry, but enemy territory is protected unless you’re in an official vendetta or blood feud. You can use this mechanic to block enemy movement and secure key locations.
To fund your ambitions, you’ll need tribute. This is your currency and consists of four different resource types. Tribute is acquired mostly by issuing the ‘Seek Tribute’ order, which lets you select from a spread of resource tokens. Tribute is required to hire Legions and Preators, cast rituals, and level up powers.
Combat and Units: Understanding the Three-Phase System
Combat occurs in three phases: Ranged, Melee, and Infernal. When units clash, each phase is resolved in order, comparing respective stats. Damage is the difference between those stats and is applied to the losing side.
Some Legions or Preators have special traits that alter the order of these phases or cause extra effects, making strategic pairing crucial. For instance, if a unit has high Infernal but poor Ranged, a strong Ranged attacker might defeat them before they can unleash their full power.
Additionally, units and Places of Power can be upgraded with Preators, relics, or manuscripts for added potency. Units are not disposable — they’re investments, so preserve them when possible and plan your engagements carefully.
Political Machinations: Diplomacy, Vendettas, and Blood Feuds
Solium Infernum thrives on politics. Diplomacy actions include sending demands, insults, or even proposals. When a demand or insult is refused, it triggers a vendetta. Vendettas are limited wars with set victory conditions, such as conquering specific locations or destroying enemy units.
Winning vendettas not only grants Prestige, it pushes you closer to triggering a blood feud. This is open warfare and allows you to attack your rival’s stronghold directly. Planning vendettas effectively — both in intent and execution — is one of the core strategic layers.
You can also increase your infernal rank (Baron → Marquis → Duke → Prince) by spending Prestige. Higher ranks grant more diplomatic options and influence over conclave votes, adding yet another axis of power.
Schemes, Rituals, and Deception
Every Archfiend can pursue secret schemes. Declared publicly, they reward more Prestige, but put you at risk of sabotage. Kept private, they’re safer but only score at game’s end. Schemes might involve manipulating board control, assassinating enemy units, or accumulating specific resources.
Rituals are spells and supernatural effects that rely on your power levels. Some inflict direct damage, reveal enemy stats, or siphon tribute. Others are more subtle — forcing players into poor decisions or punishing them with hidden consequences. Some Archfiends specialize in these, and properly timed rituals can win or ruin a game.
The Power of the Regent
Each turn, one player assumes the title of Regent — the de facto first mover and wielder of special one-time abilities. Regents act first in order resolution, which can be crucial in military or economic competition. Regents can also activate unique global effects like storms or forced tribute losses, often for a resource cost.
Knowing when you or others are the Regent, and leveraging that order of operations, is critical in both offense and defense.
Final Thoughts: Your Strategy is the Story
Solium Infernum isn’t about linear domination — it’s about shaping your narrative through shrewd plays, manipulative diplomacy, and timely aggression. Each match plays like a dark political drama, where every order is a risk, every alliance is temporary, and every win must be clawed from the flames of betrayal.
Whether you thrive on slow, methodical scheming or quick, decisive conquests, Solium Infernum gives you the canvas to write your legend in brimstone. Just remember — in Hell, trust is rare, and glory is never freely given.
Now go claim your throne.
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