THE WAR ISN’T OVER
Star Heir: Dark Crusade is a living space simulation set in the universe of the Star Heir, Star Heirs , and Star Heir Golden Age stories.
The game takes place between Crusader King and The Star Throne — during a pivotal period in humanity’s struggle against the Nephilim.
The Alliance has survived.
The Nephilim have not been defeated.
Across the galaxy, civilizations fight for survival, territory, resources, and influence while new powers become entangled in a war that has already reshaped human civilization.
You are not the hero from the books.
You are a captain.
Your story is your own.
YOUR SHIP, YOUR WAY
Modify or build your ship from scratch in the shipyard voxel editor
Hire the crew you want and assign them to your ship
Install boarding pods or landers then Assign and equip boarding crews
With a fighter bay or hangar on your ship, you can purchase or capture fighters to deploy including LTEC (Large Transforming Exo-suit Complex) mechs which you can also fly
Build and capture addition ships and stations to create an empire.
A GALAXY THAT DOESN’T WAIT FOR YOU
Explore a living galaxy spanning 56 star systems and more than 20 factions.
Factions pursue their own goals whether you are watching or not. They mine resources, manufacture ships, establish trade routes, fight wars, form alliances, lose territory, and rebuild.
The galaxy continues moving while you play.
A fleet you ignore today may become tomorrow’s enemy.
A war you join may change the balance of power.
A supply line you destroy may prevent an enemy from replacing its losses.
You are one captain in a much larger universe.
EVERY SHIP HAS A COST
This is a finite-resource universe.
Ships aren’t simply spawned into existence.
Resources must be mined. Materials must be refined. Components must be manufactured. Shipyards must build the vessels that eventually enter the fleets of the galaxy.
Build and modify your own ships using voxel-based construction.
Choose from 27 ship classes, from small interceptors and couriers to massive capital ships.
Mine.
Trade.
Salvage.
Manufacture.
Build.
Then decide what your ships are worth to you.
FIGHT ORGANIZED FLEETS
Combat isn’t just an endless stream of disposable enemies.
NPC fleets operate as organized forces.
Commanders assign roles, establish formations, request reinforcements, and decide when the cost of battle has become too high.
Flagships, escorts, screens, strikers, artillery, bombers, scouts, capture ships, and reserves can work together as a fleet.
When you encounter an enemy force, you aren’t necessarily fighting a collection of ships.
You’re fighting a command structure.
TRADE, DIPLOMACY AND SURVIVAL
The economy connects the galaxy.
Faction relationships affect trade. Your reputation can change how people deal with you. Authority, intimidation, diplomacy, and personal relationships can all influence negotiations.
Become a trader.
A salvager.
A mercenary.
A fleet commander.
An explorer.
A diplomat.
Or something considerably less respectable.
There isn’t one correct way to survive.
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE WAR
Meet signature characters with their own personalities, histories, secrets, relationships, and evolving stories.
Talk to crew members.
Hail other captains.
Negotiate with station commanders.
Demand surrender.
Make promises.
Keep them — or break them.
Your relationships can develop through trust, respect, fear, attraction, intimacy, and faith.
Characters also have relationships with one another. They remember events, form alliances, argue, betray each other, and develop connections that can exist independently of you.
Your social history can become just as important as your military record.
A STORY WITHIN A LARGER STORY
Dark Crusade occupies a specific place in the Star Heir timeline.
It follows the events of Crusader King and leads into The Star Throne, during the uncertain period between them.
The Nephilim war is still being fought.
The Alliance is still struggling to hold together.
The future leadership of humanity has not yet been established.
The uneasy peace that will eventually lead to the Golden Age has not yet arrived.
For readers, Dark Crusade offers another way to experience this pivotal period of the saga.
For newcomers, the game is designed to stand on its own.
You don’t need to have read the books to play.
But if you have, you’ll recognize the universe you’re stepping into.
THE NEPHILIM ARE STILL AT WAR
The Nephilim remain an active and dangerous force.
Humanity has fought them across multiple invasions, and the conflict has transformed civilizations throughout the galaxy.
Now the war continues beyond the Solar System.
New alliances are forming.
Old loyalties are being tested.
Civilizations that once stood apart are being drawn into the conflict.
And nobody knows exactly what the next victory — or defeat — will cost.
EXPLORE THE GALAXY
Discover 56 star systems through fog-of-war exploration.
Take on missions ranging from bounties and combat operations to story-driven objectives.
Recruit captains.
Build fleets.
Trade between worlds.
Explore planets and open space.
Fight, negotiate, cooperate, or simply try to survive.
PLAY ALONE OR TOGETHER
Star Heir: Dark Crusade supports single-player and multiplayer.
Host a persistent dedicated server for up to 16 players.
Cooperate against the galaxy or enable PvP and make other players part of the threat.
Ships, stations, cargo, and credits persist across sessions.
The same living galaxy can become the setting for completely different stories.
YOUR STORY BECOMES PART OF THE GALAXY
You aren’t following a predetermined path through the universe.
You’re creating your own history within one.
Build your ship.
Build your fleet.
Make your alliances.
Choose your enemies.
Keep your promises.
Break them.
Fight for a cause.
Fight for yourself.
Or simply try to survive the coming storm.
The war is still being fought.
The future has not yet been decided.
What will you do while history is being written?
STAR HEIR: DARK CRUSADE
Build. Trade. Fight. Negotiate. The galaxy remembers.