Getting Started

TinyGenerals is easy to enter and slower to master. This page is here to get you from account creation to a finished first match without dragging you through every system in the game.

If You Just Want To Play

If you want the shortest useful route:

1. Register for an account.
2. Start a room or join one from the lobby.
3. Add a bot if you want an immediate opponent.
4. Start the match.
5. Learn five actions first: select, move, attack, capture, and end turn.

You Can Skip A Lot At First

You do not need to memorize faction bonuses, economy tables, terrain edge cases, or replay features before starting a game. Get one match going first, then fill in the rest.

1. Account And Lobby Basics

• Browse Freely: You can browse available games and spectate matches without an account.
• Register to Play: You need an account to create rooms, join matches properly, track persistent stats, and save custom maps across devices.

Once you sign in, the lobby becomes your command center:

• Available Games: Public rooms waiting for players.
• Your Games: Active and completed matches tied to your account.
• Start New Game: Create your own room.
• Join Room: Enter a private room code.
• Map Editor: Build custom battlefields.
• My Maps: Manage saved maps.

2. Get Into A Match

Solo Practice

If you want to learn the interface without waiting for another person, click Add Bot in the room lobby and start immediately against the AI.

Start A New Game

1. Click Start New Game from the home page or the games list.
2. In the Room Lobby, choose a map and give the room a name.
3. Add a bot if you want a quick first match.
4. Click Start Game when the room is ready.

Join An Existing Game

• Public Room: Look for a room with Waiting status and click Join.
• Private Room: Click Join Room, enter the code, and confirm.

3. The First Five Things To Learn

Once the game starts, you’ll see the hex grid battlefield.

Select

Click one of your units to see where it can move. Reachable hexes highlight automatically.

Move

Click a highlighted hex to move there. Terrain affects how far a unit can travel in one turn.

Attack

Click an enemy in range to attack.

• Infantry and Tanks can usually move and then attack in the same turn.
• Artillery must choose one: move or attack.
• A unit that does nothing heals +1 HP at the end of the turn.

Combat Warning

Defenders often counter-attack. Suppression can weaken or even prevent retaliation, so check both visible HP and suppression before committing to a fight.

Capture

Move Infantry onto enemy or neutral buildings to capture them. Capturing takes 2 turns, so protecting your infantry matters.

Produce

Click a production building to recruit units. Production-capable buildings include HQs, Factories, Bases, Airfields, and Seaports.

End Turn

When you’re done, click End Turn in the bottom toolbar.

4. What Matters In Your First Match

For a first game, focus on these basics:

• Expand with infantry and capture income-producing buildings.
• Keep tanks on open ground and roads where possible.
• Use artillery to soften targets before moving in.
• End turns cleanly instead of forcing bad attacks.
• Do not worry yet about perfect optimization.

Good Enough Is Enough

Your first match is mainly about learning pace and flow: room setup, turn structure, movement, combat, and production. You are not expected to understand the whole system immediately.

5. Economy, In One Minute

• You start with 100 gold.
• Buildings you own generate income each turn.
• More buildings means more production and more pressure on the map.

Building Income Overview

Building	Income	Produces Units?
HQ	200g / turn	Yes
Factory	150g / turn	Yes
Depot	125g / turn	No
Base	100g / turn	Yes
Airfield	100g / turn	Yes
Seaport	100g / turn	Yes
Outpost	75g / turn	No
City	50g / turn	No

What To Remember

You do not need to memorize every number here. The useful rule is simple: capture more buildings, protect your production, and spend gold regularly.

6. Factions And Unit Roles

Before a match you choose a faction. Factions change your unit roster, prices, and bonuses.

• Alliance: Defensive and reliable. Standard starting gold, sturdy units, better vision.
• Federation: Aggressive and mobile. Extra starting gold, discounted unit costs, and access to a fast elite infantry unit.

Every faction still revolves around the same core battlefield roles:

• Infantry: Captures buildings and crosses terrain other units cannot.
• Tanks: High-HP front-line units that thrive on open terrain and roads.
• Artillery: Long-range support that cannot move and fire in the same turn.

See the Unit Guide when you want the exact stats and faction-specific differences.

7. Controls

• Left Click: Select a unit, move to a highlighted hex, or attack an enemy in range.
• Left Click on selected unit: Deselect it.
• ESC: Deselect the current unit.
• Q / Tab: Cycle through your units.
• Mouse Wheel: Zoom in and out.
• Middle Click: Pan the camera.
• Space + Drag: Pan the camera if you are on a touchpad.

Full control reference

• Left Click: Select unit, Move (click highlighted hex), Attack (click enemy).
• Left Click (on unit): Deselect unit.
• ESC: Deselect unit.
• Q / Tab: Cycle through your units.
• Mouse Wheel: Zoom map in/out.
• Middle Click: Pan the camera.
• Space + Drag: Pan the camera (useful for touchpads).

Next Steps

Pick the next page based on what you want to learn:

• AI Opponent: If you want a low-pressure way to practice.
• Game Setup: If you want room settings and match configuration.
• Unit Guide: If you want exact unit roles, stats, and faction differences.
• Suppression Mechanics: If you want to understand artillery, pinned units, and split damage.
• Terrain Guide: If you want to understand how the map changes movement, vision, and combat.
• Map Editor: If you want to start building your own maps.