States of Power Getting Started

Choosing Your Nation

States of Power throws you into a World War II-era world where every nation tells a different story. Major powers like Germany, the Soviet Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom start with large industrial bases and sprawling armies. Smaller nations such as Romania, Bulgaria, or Finland demand more careful play but offer unique strategic dilemmas and the satisfaction of punching above your weight.

When selecting a nation, consider whether you want an industrial powerhouse that can sustain attritional warfare, or a smaller state that must rely on diplomacy, geographic advantages, and opportunistic expansion. There is no wrong choice — only different paths to dominance.

States of Power Steam trailer

The Interface

The map is the centre of everything in States of Power. Provinces are colour-coded by ownership and controlling ideology. Hover over any province to see its population, infrastructure level, factory count, and current production output. The toolbar on the left gives you access to division recruitment, construction orders, technology research, and diplomatic actions simultaneously.

The economy panel at the top tracks your current funds, daily income, and projected monthly budget. This is where you monitor whether your factories are running at a profit or draining your treasury. The military ledger shows the strength and supply status of every active division.

Issuing Orders

Unlike many grand strategy games that rely on a front-line system, States of Power lets you command every division directly. Right-click any owned province and select Move to send divisions across the map. Right-click an enemy province to issue an attack order. Divisions will automatically path-find along valid routes, but you can waypoint their movement by shift-right-clicking intermediate positions.

The most common beginner mistake is overextending — pushing divisions deep into enemy territory without securing supply lines. Always verify that your divisions have a logistics path back to your industrial centres before committing to an offensive.

Your First Session Goals

In your opening hundred in-game days, prioritise three objectives: establishing a small but functional industrial base, recruiting at least three infantry divisions, and securing non-aggression pacts with your immediate neighbours. These three steps give you the economic foundation and military strength to respond to whatever the global situation throws at you.

Diplomacy Basics

The diplomacy panel lets you propose alliances, guarantee independence to smaller nations, send volunteers abroad, or sign non-aggression pacts. Early diplomatic moves shape the entire rest of your campaign. A non-aggression pact with a stronger neighbour buys you time to develop; a poorly timed guarantee can drag you into wars you cannot win.

The multiplayer diplomacy system is particularly ruthless. Other players can and will betray alliances the moment it becomes strategically advantageous. Trust is a currency — spend it wisely. The full Diplomacy Guide covers guarantees, volunteers, and chat as a second front.

Real-Time Speed, Not Turns

States of Power is not a board-game turn clock. Time runs continuously and you can raise or lower speed. Use high speed while factories build; drop it before a declaration or a historical event such as Anschluss. Pausing (or crawling) is how you read the economy bar without missing a war.

Morale, Casualties, and the Victory Star

On a fighting unit the green bar is morale, not hit points. When it empties the division retreats into a friendly province — it is still alive. The red bar filling is actual destruction. Combat tiles also show a star with a win percentage. Push when that number is high; reinforce when it collapses even if you still “have troops.”

You must declare war before attack orders work. Right-clicking a peaceful neighbour does not invent a war for you. That rule surprises almost every demo player; it is documented again on Demo and France.

Demo Versus Full Roster

The free Steam demo locks you to France. That is not an unlock grind in the paid game — the 26 August 2026 release lets you pick any playable nation. If Steam discussions say “I can only be France,” they are on the demo SKU. After you buy, use the Best Nations Tier List instead of repeating Maginot forever.