Syndicate missions are not typical locations, they are unique for a reason and they do have up sides to participating in them. Like all things you have a choice to participate in them. They scale a lot higher then normal locations due to typically better rewards as well as the bonus currency for developing/training AVP units (Artifacts).

Keep in mind that you are not being forced into participating, build your army how you wish... Don't let this set you back from conquering the vast lands.

This was a pet peeve of mine the first clone I played years ago: The game provides you with level 1 missions, then you get level 2 for beating the level 1, 2 unlocks 3, etc. then you have an easy mission to get some good troops. That's a lot of reward for a level 1, so of course I went for it, thinking this was my payday, only it was a trap built into the game.

Likewise, when I later was avoiding these and sorted by offense or defense, I sometimes hit one by mistake while quickly doing my 4 locations for a mission.

True: when done correctly, they are a great way to convert units. Unfortunately though, they are a trap for new players, and can wipe the entire army of an unsuspecting newb. This is bad game design, and I'm sorry to see this misslabeling has not been fixed all these years later, even 2 years after this player quit over it. (And countless others.)

When you sort by level (easiest to hardest) these locations jump to the top, and demolish the last remnants of a desperate newbs army, just when they are trying to get anything they can to recover with. Typically on their first day of playing, often within the first hour.

This was a pet peeve of mine the first clone I played years ago: The game provides you with level 1 missions, then you get level 2 for beating the level 1, 2 unlocks 3, etc. then you have an easy mission to get some good troops. That's a lot of reward for a level 1, so of course I went for it, thinking this was my payday, only it was a trap built into the game.

Likewise, when I later was avoiding these and sorted by offense or defense, I sometimes hit one by mistake while quickly doing my 4 locations for a mission.

True: when done correctly, they are a great way to convert units. Unfortunately though, they are a trap for new players, and can wipe the entire army of an unsuspecting newb. This is bad game design, and I'm sorry to see this misslabeling has not been fixed all these years later, even 2 years after this player quit over it. (And countless others.)

When you sort by level (easiest to hardest) these locations jump to the top, and demolish the last remnants of a desperate newbs army, just when they are trying to get anything they can to recover with. Typically on their first day of playing, often within the first hour.

Look at the map and tell me what percentage of towns stopped at level 2 or 3? 90%? Nuff said.

In order to choose a combine, you need to be able to build a building which is not available until you reach level 16. 

No building = no combine.

Therefore: no one under level 16 can join a combine, let alone the "right one".

As pointed out in my previous comment: this problem happens early on, and is a game stopper for many.

The vast majority of towns never make it to level 16.

EDIT: To have some real numbers, I checked the next 100 towns that started immediately after me. Of those: exactly 1 made it to or past level 16. This gives you the magnitude of the retention problem. If I look at the 100 that started just before me, or 3 weeks before me, the numbers wont be much different from looking at the map.

My comments are not intended to imply that the game is a bad game. There is a huge amount of work that has gone into the game, and it shows. The game has its bugs, but is also highly polished in many respects. The developers have done a great job.

My comments are meant to give feedback on a serious issue leading to retention problems. So much effort is going into bringing in new players, but the first rule in building a customer base is to control the exit. Companies spend billions to build brand loyalty, so it is obviously a recognized business principle.

Mehnslayer said:

Like all things you have a choice to participate in them. 

Keep in mind that you are not being forced into participating, build your army how you wish..

Wow. This is the *wrong* answer. I really hope you aren't affiliated with Plarium. The entire point of the post is that a level ***1*** mission shouldn't EVER wipe out your entire force. The same force that you regularly fight level 35 missions on.

EVER.

It only takes 1 or 2 to learn this hard lesson but it's a lesson that Plarium has deliberately crafted in a way that it will destroy all the troops of the unwary hence making them have to work AGAIN to rebuild those troops and as we all know, more game time = more potential money for them.

Saying that is our choice to play them or not is like saying it's our choice to step on a land mine in a field that you've been walking regularly for years and then suddenly BOOM. 

"Well, you don't HAVE to walk that way." 

No, but you could hasve warned us.