Skyfire
How to play Skyfire
Skyfire: Island Command is a free real-time war strategy game in your browser. Here’s how a war works, from your first radar to your first invasion.
The goal
Four nations share an archipelago of hex islands. You win by taking territory: every island in a Conquest, or the most land when the clock runs out in the timed modes.
| Mode | How you win |
|---|---|
| Quick war | 10 minutes on a small map. Whoever holds the most territories at the end wins. |
| Skirmish | 15 minutes. Whoever holds the most territories at the end wins. |
| Conquest | Capture every island. The full war. |
| Key islands | Three gold key islands. Hold all three for 90 seconds to win, or hold the most land after 30 minutes. |
A war starts one of two ways. Expansion: Start small. Neutral land is yours to take. Classic: The whole map is divided from the first minute.
Your first minutes
- Money comes from land. Every territory you hold pays credits each second. Past your first 8 territories each extra one pays 50%.
- Oil runs the war. Jets, drones, invasions and ships all burn fuel. Build an oil rig early and grab the oil slicks at sea.
- Radar first. You can only target what you've seen. A radar reaches 60 and lets your SAM sites fire early.
- Then defend your capital. A SAM site and AA guns stop most early strikes.
Striking
Pick a weapon in the Strike tab, then a target you can see. Drones are cheap scouts that reveal defenses along their path; Tomahawks fly low and weave; ballistic missiles hit hard from a high arc; an ICBM reaches anywhere and wrecks a whole region. Each weapon reloads after it fires, and you can pay to reload now when it matters.
Launch close to the target: nearer strikes give defenses less time and are harder to intercept. Ships and submarines carry missiles right up to an enemy coast. Full numbers are on the units page.
Defending
Layer your defenses. AA guns (reach 7) shred drones, jets and landing craft up close but rarely stop missiles. SAM sites (reach 16) fire at anything hostile they can see. A missile shield (reach 34) hunts only ballistic missiles and ICBMs. A damaged territory repairs over time, and Fortify buys back 25% of its strength at once.
Your navy
Ships launch from a port; your capital starts with one. Destroyers escort, hunt submarines and fire Tomahawks. Submarines are invisible to radar and torpedo ships. Carriers are floating airbases for 8 aircraft. Sail a carrier with two destroyers and a submarine and it becomes a strike group that shrugs off most missiles. Send ships home to port to repair.
Air power
Build an airfield on four flat hexes (it takes 30 seconds), or use a carrier. Then build aircraft in the Air tab and send squadrons on missions: strike, air patrol, escort, recon or rebase. Formations trade speed for protection. Stealth jets are invisible to radar, and an AWACS is the only aircraft that can spot them. See every aircraft on the units page.
Invading
Bomb a territory until its strength drops under 35%, then send an invasion ($220). Troops land by sea, or by air with a transport. A territory you just captured can't be invaded back for 30 seconds, so you have a moment to dig in.
Command
Command, top right, holds your doctrines and upgrades. Every five minutes a decision offers three doctrines; pairs of them unlock combos such as Integrated air defense or Wolfpack. Upgrades make every strike, ship or interceptor better for the rest of the war. The full lists are on the units page.
Ways to play
- Tutorial. A guided match. The enemy waits while you learn each system step by step, with the right buttons highlighted.
- Practice against the AI, on Recruit, Commander or Warlord difficulty, in any mode, with a commander of your choice.
- The Daily. One war a day on the same map for everyone, with a twist such as “Fleet only”, “No nukes”, “Guns and shields”. Your first try counts: share your result and see how your friends did.
- Ranked. Matchmaking against players of your rating in Conquest or Teams 2v2. Climb from Bronze through Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond and Master to Grandmaster.
- Custom lobbies and co-op. Invite friends with a code to a private war, or team up against the AI.
- Clans and friends. Chat, invite, and climb the clan leaderboard together.
Skyfire is free, runs in any modern browser on a computer, tablet or phone, and you can play as a guest with no email.
Tips
- Strike groups (a carrier, two destroyers and a sub) shrug off most missiles.
- Radar first: you can only target what you have scouted.
- Oil runs jets, invasions and new ships. Grab the slicks early.
- A territory under 35% strength can be invaded.
- AA guns stop drones, jets and landing craft up close.
- Launch close to the target: nearer strikes are harder to intercept.