Clear the invasion
Destroy every primary invader to complete a wave. Delay too long and zero-score Interceptor reinforcements intensify the pressure.
FRONTIER DEFENSE COMMAND // BRIEFING 01
FIELD
MANUAL
You are the only planetary defender above a vulnerable frontier world.
Race around a continuous world loop, break enemy formations, intercept abductions, catch falling civilians, and carry them to refuge before the invasion overwhelms the population.
12 civilians
3 refuges
3 ships
1 defender
SURVIVAL PROTOCOL
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
Protect the population
Abductors seize exposed civilians. If one escapes, the civilian is lost and the Abductor becomes a relentless Hunter.
Complete the rescue
Shoot the captor and catch the falling civilian, or stop low over a civilian on the ground to bring them aboard. Every civilian carries one visible parachute for a safe landing, but it is consumed after use. Deliver passengers to one of three refuges. Your ship carries three; each passenger slightly reduces thrust.
Civilians move together
Grounded civilians wander the planet. When they find someone nearby, they walk over and remain together, making small groups easier to collect—and tempting targets for Abductors.
Mind your fire
Beam fire can kill exposed civilians. Passengers aboard your ship are protected, and shockwaves never harm civilians.
Manage the ship reserve
Your active ship has three regenerating shield segments. A hit at zero destroys it in a directional blast that throws the wreckage away from the impact. The run ends when all ships are exhausted.
Recover from collapse
If every civilian is lost, raid the incoming Prison Carrier. Deliver its survivor pods or population collapse becomes permanent for that run.
Secure the frontier
Survive twenty authored waves, with a double-reward Surge every fifth wave, to secure the frontier. The run then continues through increasingly difficult endless formations until your ship reserve is exhausted.
Train without pressure
The optional unscored training mission teaches flight, radar, interception, airborne catches, ground pickup, refuge delivery, phase dash, and shockwave use through eight replayable objectives.
Configure your cockpit
Settings persist locally: adjust music, effects, and co-pilot volume; disable speech; enable reduced motion or high contrast; and remap every keyboard action. Input and presentation settings remain ranked-eligible.
Defend by touch
On phones and touch devices, the left control zone handles altitude, facing, and thrust while the right zone provides fire, phase dash, and shockwave. Independent pointers support movement and firing together.
Earn a local rank
Ranked arcade runs can enter the locally stored top ten. Records are ordered by score, then wave reached, and qualifying pilots enter exactly three initials. Training missions never affect the board.
DEFENDER SYSTEMS
YOUR COMBAT KIT
Forward beam
A rapid, long-range vector lance fired in the ship’s facing direction.
Phase dash
A rechargeable invulnerable burst. You cannot fire or deal contact damage during transit.
Shockwave
A scarce screen-clearing pulse. Deliver three civilians to earn another charge.
Tactical radar
A full-world strip showing the defender, civilians, refuges, and primary invaders.
Co-pilot radio
Your excited co-pilot rapidly voices tactical notices, rescue encouragement, and warnings through radio squelch. Spoken callouts require browser speech support.
HOSTILE IDENTIFICATION
ENEMY DOSSIERS
Sky Defender begins with Abductor, Interceptor, and Mine Layer formations. Brood Carrier enters on wave 6, Artillery on wave 8, and Jammer on wave 9 before the first full-roster Surge on wave 10. Hunter and Prison Carrier special forms emerge from battlefield crises.
MISSION PERFORMANCE
SCORING
Run score rewards the whole defender role: destroying primary invaders, catching civilians, completing refuge deliveries, clearing waves, and preserving the population.
- Primary invader destroyed150
- Pressure reinforcement0
- Civilian caught500
- Refuge delivery750
- Surge completion2× wave reward
INPUT REFERENCE
CONTROLS
AltitudeWSor ↑ / ↓
Face ship←→explicit direction
ThrustSHIFTXhorizontal acceleration
BeamSPACEZhold to fire
Phase dashCCTRLrechargeable
ShockwaveVBlimited charges
PausePfocus loss also pauses
STANDARD GAMEPAD
Left stick sets altitude and facing · A thrusts · X fires · RB phase dashes · LB releases a shockwave.
BRIEFING COMPLETE