Technology research in Last War: Survival is the backbone of your strength. Every percentage boost — whether in attack, defense, or HP — can swing battles that look even on paper. But here’s the catch: not all tech branches are worth prioritizing early on. Many players get distracted by shiny, high-cost trees like Tactical, only to realize later they skipped the fundamentals that actually win PvP fights.
This guide breaks down what tech branches you should focus on first, why Tactical is a whale trap for most players, and how to analyze tech advantages in your battle reports.
Tactical Tech: Why It’s a Whale Branch
What it is: The Tactical branch unlocks after your drone reaches level 250. It’s designed for players who’ve already maxed most other trees.
Why it exists: Developers created it as a valor sink for spenders (“whalicle,” as QB18 calls it).
Why you shouldn’t rush it:
If your drone isn’t maxed at 250, Tactical doesn’t solve any problem you currently face.
Tactical consumes enormous amounts of valor, which could be spent more effectively elsewhere.
Free-to-play and low spenders will fall behind if they jump into Tactical too early.
Bottom line: Yes, Tactical is powerful, but it’s an endgame luxury, not a stepping stone.
Core Tech Priorities Before Tactical
1. Defense Fortifications
- Boosts defense and HP while you’re defending.
- Critical in almost every battle scenario — city defense, PvP, arenas, champion duels.
- Example boosts: +5%, +10%, +15% defense/HP.
- Avoid wasting valor on coin protection or general march speed unless you’re forced to unlock something.
When you’re attacked, these boosts keep your troops alive longer, which often decides battles more than raw attack power.
2. Siege to Seize
Boosts attack, defense, and HP for your troops when you’re the attacker in PvP.
Applies in world map battles, inner city trades, arenas, and other commander-vs-commander events.
Skip non-essential upgrades like march speed or drill grounds expansion unless you absolutely need them.
Almost every PvP fight has you as either attacker or defender. Neglecting this tree leaves huge holes in your stats.
3. Mastery (Focus on 1st and 2nd Teams)
1st Team Mastery: Push it as far as possible. Your first march is your backbone, so maxing its bonuses is priority #1.
2nd Team Mastery: Invest once your first is strong. This gives you flexibility in multi-squad fights.
3rd Team Mastery: Usually not worth it. Few players even use their third squad effectively.
Concentrating on your strongest marches is better than spreading upgrades thin across all squads.
Battle Report Analysis
One of the most useful tools is breaking down combat details in battle reports. Click into the percentages and you’ll see exactly where bonuses come from.
- Example from QB18’s fights:
Opponent had Tactical completed, but skipped Defense and Siege.
QB18 had Defense + Siege done, but 0% Tactical.
Result? QB18 won by 30% margin despite having lower raw attack/defense/HP stats.
Why? Because his tech boosts for missile heroes gave him a +22% advantage across four heroes, while the opponent’s Tactical bonuses applied to the wrong unit types.
Lesson learned: Tactical looks strong on paper, but real fights reward focused Defense + Siege research.
Valor Management
Since Valor is always tight, here’s a smart way to spend it:
Alternate between low-valor and high-valor techs.
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- Example: Upgrade a cheap Siege/Defense skill (+5–10%) → then work on a higher-cost Mastery node.
Avoid “OCD completion.” Don’t feel like you need to finish every node in a branch. Just grab the valuable boosts (attack/defense/HP) and leave fluff behind.
Patience pays. Tactical will always be there. Focus on what gives you the most battle-ready stats now.
Recommended Order of Tech Priorities
- Maximize First March Mastery → strongest team advantage.
- Defense Fortifications → keeps your squads alive in defense.
- Siege to Seize → PvP attack boosts.
- Second March Mastery → expand your flexibility.
- Tactical (only after everything above is solid).
If you’re free-to-play or a modest spender, don’t fall for the Tactical trap. It’s there to drain whales of valor. Instead:
- Build a strong first squad through Mastery.
- Layer in Defense and Siege techs for universal PvP boosts.
- Then grow into a solid second squad before even thinking about Tactical.
When in doubt, remember QB18’s mantra: Patience. Crawl before you walk
