Welcome to the ultimate beginner’s guide for Homeworld 3! Whether you’re a veteran RTS player or a newcomer to the franchise, this guide provides essential tips drawn from the early campaign missions to help you start strong and stay ahead. Let’s dive in.

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1. Getting Started

The campaign begins with a helpful tutorial that teaches key mechanics:

• Fleet Commands: Learn to move units, harvest resources, and target enemies efficiently.
• Mothership Usage: Your mothership isn’t just a passive base—it can move, defend itself, and even deliver powerful broadsides.
• Skipping Cutscenes: You can skip cutscenes using keys like Spacebar, Escape, or others depending on your control settings.

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2. Resources Are Everything

Resource management is the backbone of victory:

• Collectors: Keep your resource collectors active at all times. Assign them to a hotkey group and press H to auto-harvest nearby materials.
• Continuous Production: Build ships consistently to maintain strength and prepare for incoming enemy waves.

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3. Early Combat Basics

In the first mission, you’ll engage hostile C-Raiders:

• Use Your Mothership: Don’t hesitate to send it into battle—it’s durable enough to handle early threats.
• Formations: Try the Claw Formation for small, fast units. It enhances firepower without sacrificing speed.
• Tactical Pause: Use this powerful tool to slow time and issue commands during chaotic battles.

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4. Mission-by-Mission Highlights

Mission 1: Raider Skirmish

• Keep collectors working at all times.
• Build extra support ships to survive enemy waves.
• Test out different formations to learn their benefits.

Mission 2: Pirate Pursuit

• Balance your fleet with a mix of light and heavy units.
• Harass enemies with fast units, and focus big ships on capital targets.
• Be cautious—ambushes are frequent.

Mission 3: Tactical Depth

• Use the environment—wreckage and tunnels—for cover and strategic positioning.
• Combine strike craft with heavy frigates for flexible power.
• Overbuild your fleet to queue reinforcements ahead of time.

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5. Fleet Management Essentials

• Diverse Composition: Include both fast and heavy units to handle various scenarios.
• Repair Options: Send damaged ships back to the mothership for healing.
• Scouting Tools: Use probes to scout nebulas and choke points to avoid surprises.

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6. Intermediate Combat Tactics

• Ambush Avoidance: The enemy will set traps. Use terrain to turn the tables.
• Formation Tips:
  • Use Circle/X for large ships.
  • Try Delta or Wall for balanced attacks.
• Split and Conquer: Pull capital ships away from support units to eliminate them more easily.

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7. Winning Habits for Beginners

1. Don’t Rush: Use the tactical pause to assess threats and react wisely.
2. Defend Collectors: Losing resource collectors early can doom your economy.
3. Use the Mothership: It’s tougher than you think—leverage its weapons and mobility.
4. Change Formations: Adapt to the situation and enemy types dynamically.

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8. What’s Next?

As you progress:

• Expect tougher enemy formations and environmental challenges.
• Unlock support ships that can repair the mothership or large frigates.
• Scout regularly to stay one step ahead of the enemy.

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Conclusion

With these foundational tips, you’re ready to tackle the early missions of Homeworld 3. Build smart, fight strategically, and always protect your economy. Stay tuned for the next guide: 8 Things I Wish I Knew When Starting Homeworld 3.

Thanks again to Gearbox for sponsoring this guide! Ready to command your fleet? Click the link in the description and jump into the galaxy. Good luck, Commander.