Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption - Gameplay

Gameplay

For further information see Star Wars: Empire at War Gameplay

Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption adds the organized crime syndicate the Zann Consortium as a third faction. Pirates had previously been present as a type of moderately-armed speed bump. The Zann Consortium is an invented side, notionally outside the good-evil dichotomy but willing to go to any lengths for a profit.

The Consortium has a full-fledged campaign that's set in the background of the film trilogy. Its specialty is "corruption:" it can conquer planets traditionally, but also gain bonuses from enemy-controlled worlds by having its infiltrators conduct any of several kinds of missions such as bribery, sabotage or piracy. Several mission types cause a small battle. It also has a mish-mash set of original units: A ring of raiders, renegades and ruffians eventually expands to eclectic exotic equipment as the Consortium appropriates everything it can lay its hands on. Crowd-pleasers include Rancor riders, surviving Droidekas and, if a "slavery" mission is performed on the forest moon of Endor, suicide bomber Ewoks.

The Rebel Alliance and the Empire receive new units and changes to existing ones. Corruption also introduces the ability to position structures and units on a planet's surface, pre-select starting units during space or ground battles, mobile build pads and transport ships for ground battles, the ability to repair space station hardpoints, and orbital bombardment from capital ships.

The Galactic conquest mode includes new sets of planets, with the new feature of non-conquest goals. The skirmish mode includes maps for the new planets alongside the previous maps, with the optional feature of having a third player on the map. Corruption includes 12 new planets: Dathomir, Mandalore, Hypori, Myrkr, Felucia, Honoghr, Kamino, Mustafar, Muunlinst, Saleucami, The Maw, and Utapau. Alderaan is now an asteroid field, and Bespin has a new ground landscape. Some planets now have infantry- and light vehicle-only terrain, and damaging terrain. New vehicles are also available, most drawn from the books and comics taking place after or between the original saga. These include three phases of the Empire's Dark Trooper, Lancet Aerial Artillery, the TIE Defender, and the Super Star Destroyer Executor.