Angels Fall First Beginner Guide

What is Angels Fall First?

Angels Fall First (AFF) is a sci-fi combined-arms FPS on Steam from Strangely Interactive Ltd. Combined-arms sci-fi warfare — infantry, vehicles, fighters, and capital ships on planetside and in space.

Angels Fall First is a sci-fi FPS combined-arms wargame on Steam. Fight as infantry with budget-based loadouts, drive ground vehicles and starfighters, command capital ships with interior boarding battles, and play solo with full AI bot support up to 64 players.

This Angels Fall First beginner guide is your first-hour roadmap after the 1.0 release on July 11, 2026 (Steam App 367270). There are no fixed classes — your battlefield role comes from a 7-slot loadout limited by Combat, Support, and Command requisition budgets.

AFF supports single-player with AI bots, multiplayer up to 64 players, and full combined-arms warfare on planetside maps and in space with 16 capital ship types. Start with controls, then read loadout and requisition before your first match.

Whether you bought Angels Fall First during the 1.0 launch surge or discovered it through search, the combined-arms loop is the same: configure gear, spawn on objectives, fight as infantry or vehicles, and push staged map goals with your team.

Angels Fall First core loop

The Angels Fall First progression loop is match-based, not account-grind: build a loadout → spawn on objectives → earn requisition XP → unlock heavier gear next life. Your three budgets — Combat (red), Support (blue), Command (yellow) — level independently through kills, healing, and objective play.

Infantry fights alongside ground vehicles, gunships, starfighters, and capital ships on the same map. A single match can shift from planetside trench pushes to orbital dogfights to boarding assaults inside enemy warships.

Commander Mode ties the loop together. One player (or AI when vacant) issues attack and defend orders from the tactical map. Following orders earns Command XP, which funds weapon attachments and armor modules on future spawns.

Heavy loadouts slow movement — trim gear if you need to sprint between capture points. Compare weapon stats in the loadout screen before committing points. The weapons hub expands with comparison tables as community data stabilizes post-1.0.

Every life in Angels Fall First is a budget puzzle: weapons cost Combat points, med kits and AT launchers cost Support, and optics or armor mods cost Command. The requisition guide explains how each budget levels up.

Angels Fall First first match checklist

Launch the game from Steam and open the main menu. Loadouts customizes infantry, vehicle, fighter, and capital ship presets — set a simple rifle build before queuing. Full slot breakdown lives on the loadout guide.

Choose how to join: Quick Play throws you into an available server; Server Browser lets you pick map and player count; Custom Game hosts offline or LAN matches with full AI bot support. For your first session, Custom Game with bots removes pressure while you learn the tac map.

Pre-match lobby: You spawn in a briefing room with a holographic mission overview and optional shooting gallery. Press Ready to speed the countdown. Vote for a human commander or let AI (MILNET) handle orders — either works for learning Angels Fall First basics.

Tac map spawn screen: Top-left shows deploy points (landing zones, hangars, or capitals). Bottom-center holds your infantry loadout selector. Pick a spawn near your team's current objective marker — highlighted orders appear on-screen when the commander assigns tasks.

Learn core inputs first — WASD movement, LMB fire, RMB aim, Q/E lean, Shift sprint. The full PC keybind table is on the controls page. Press Esc anytime for the tactical map overlay.

Do not over-budget your first kit. Default requisition caps sit around 100 Combat and 50 Support / Command — a stripped assault preset deploys cleanly while you learn capture mechanics.

• Do01Learn the 7-slot loadout system — no fixed classes; your role comes from weapons and kit choices.
• Do02Balance Combat (red), Support (blue), and Command (yellow) requisition budgets before each spawn.
• Do03Heavy loadouts slow movement — trim gear if you need to sprint between objectives.
• Do04Practice boarding routes on capital ships — destroying the core ends the match for that vessel.
• Do05Single-player with AI bots supports the full combined-arms loop offline.

Angels Fall First game modes explained

Incursion is the flagship ground mode and the best Angels Fall First beginner guide training ground. Attackers push through multiple stages — typically two objectives per stage — while defenders hold capture points and can destroy landing zones to cut off respawns.

Territories opens every objective simultaneously. Both teams attack and defend at once, which creates chaotic multi-front fights suited to veterans who already know spawn routes and vehicle timings.

Space maps add starfighter hangars and capital ship interiors. You still spawn with infantry loadouts inside friendly vessels, then walk to fighter bays or turret stations. Space combat uses mouse-guided flight — the crosshair steers the ship toward your aim point.

Boarding separates AFF from other combined-arms shooters. Infantry breach enemy capital ships, fight through corridors, sabotage subsystems, and destroy the core to eliminate the vessel. See the boarding guide before attempting your first assault.

Vehicle spawns appear in a reward queue as your team earns points. You can accept or decline offers — declining a light vehicle speeds up the next slot (often a mech or tank). Accepting a vehicle that gets destroyed costs your team score toward the win condition, so treat heavy assets tactically.

Angels Fall First beginner progression timeline

First 30 minutes: Finish one offline Incursion match on a planetside map. Focus on spawning, capturing one objective, and opening the tac map with Esc. Do not worry about optimal loadouts yet — the default preset is enough.

Hour 1–2: Read the requisition guide and build a dedicated Combat-focused rifle preset. Earn Support XP by keeping the multi-wrench sidearm for heals and revives — it is the fastest way to level your blue budget early.

Hour 2–5: Join a low-population public server or raise bot count offline. Try one vehicle spawn and one starfighter launch. Visit the vehicles hub to learn faction-specific tanks and gunships.

Mid-term goals: Unlock enough Command budget for a red-dot sight or suppressor. Experiment with the commander guide — even following AI orders teaches the order system. Compare faction gear on the factions page.

Long-term depth: Boarding routes, capital ship subsystem targets, and loadout meta shift as the post-1.0 community stabilizes. The tier list hub will rank combinations once enough match data exists.

Angels Fall First beginner mistakes to avoid

Deploying over budget: Red warnings block spawn when Combat, Support, or Command costs exceed your current caps. Trim attachments or swap to a lighter weapon before clicking Deploy — the loadout screen shows live budget totals in the upper right.

Ignoring commander orders: Command XP comes from capturing objectives and following squad tasks. Skipping orders slows your yellow budget growth and leaves you fighting alone without spawn pressure on the right flank.

Spawning in the open: Landing zones near the front line get destroyed by defenders. Use the tac map to pick safer rear spawns until your team establishes forward deploy points.

Accepting every vehicle offer: Heavy vehicles cost team score when lost. Decline buggies if you want a mech faster, but do not grab a tank you cannot protect — AI and players prioritize undefended armor.

Skipping offline practice: Angels Fall First has a steep combined-arms learning curve. Jumping straight into 32-player servers without reading controls or loadout basics frustrates both you and your team.

Angels Fall First beginner FAQ