At A Glance
- Upgrade the right buildings before focusing on your HQ.
- Learn how to speed up HQ progression without wasting resources.
- Discover the most common mistakes that slow players down.
Your Headquarters (HQ) is the heart of your base in Last War: Survival Game. Nearly every important feature—from unlocking new buildings and stronger troops to increasing your overall power—is tied to your HQ level. However, simply rushing every HQ upgrade isn’t always the best strategy.
Many players find themselves stuck waiting for resources or prerequisite buildings because they upgraded inefficiently. This guide explains how HQ upgrades work, which buildings to prioritize, and how to reach higher HQ levels as quickly as possible while avoiding costly mistakes.
The advice below is based on strategies shared by experienced players across Reddit, YouTube, and dedicated Last War communities, along with current gameplay trends.
Why Your HQ Level Matters
Every HQ upgrade unlocks new opportunities that make your account stronger.
Higher HQ levels provide benefits such as:
- Stronger troop tiers
- Higher building levels
- Increased research opportunities
- More powerful heroes through improved facilities
- Better event rewards
- Faster overall account progression
Because so many systems depend on HQ level, it should remain one of your highest priorities throughout the game.
Understand HQ Requirements
One of the biggest surprises for new players is that you can’t simply upgrade your Headquarters whenever you have enough resources.
Each HQ level usually requires:
- Specific prerequisite building levels
- Sufficient food, steel, and other resources
- Completion of previous upgrades
- Construction time
Before starting an upgrade, always check which buildings are required. Planning ahead allows you to upgrade those buildings while you’re gathering resources, reducing downtime.
Best Building Upgrade Priority
Although every building has value, some contribute far more to progression than others.
A recommended priority is:
- Headquarters
- Command Center (or required prerequisite buildings)
- Research Center
- Training facilities
- Resource production buildings
- Hospital
- Alliance-related buildings
- Decorative or low-impact buildings
Keeping prerequisite buildings close to your HQ level prevents unnecessary delays later.
Focus on Research Early
Many players underestimate the importance of research.
Technology upgrades can provide:
- Faster construction
- Increased resource production
- Improved gathering speed
- Better troop stats
- Shorter training times
Construction Speed and Development research should be among your earliest priorities because they’ll save countless hours throughout your account’s lifetime.
Every percentage increase becomes more valuable as building timers grow longer.
Never Stop Gathering Resources
HQ upgrades become increasingly expensive as you progress.
Always keep your gathering marches active whenever you’re offline.
Prioritize:
- Food
- Steel
- Gold
- Other seasonal resources
Higher-level resource tiles generally provide better returns, but gathering duration should also match how long you’ll be away from the game.
Many experienced players send long gathering marches before going to sleep or work.
Join an Active Alliance
Being part of an active alliance dramatically speeds up HQ progression.
Alliance members can help by:
- Reducing construction timers
- Providing alliance gifts
- Unlocking better rewards
- Participating in events that grant valuable resources
The difference between playing alone and playing in a top alliance can be several days’ worth of progress over the course of a month.
If your current alliance has very few active members, consider joining a more active group.
Save Speed-Ups for Major HQ Levels
It can be tempting to use speed-ups whenever you receive them.
Instead, save them for:
- Long HQ upgrades
- Time-limited events
- Alliance Duel objectives
- Construction events with bonus rewards
Using speed-ups strategically often earns additional rewards while helping you progress faster overall.
Complete Daily Activities
Daily missions are one of the most consistent sources of valuable resources.
Complete them whenever possible to earn:
- Resource packs
- Speed-ups
- Hero EXP
- Recruitment items
- Upgrade materials
Even players who only have a few minutes each day should prioritize completing daily objectives.
Don’t Ignore Events
Many events reward players simply for upgrading buildings.
Construction-focused events frequently offer:
- Extra resources
- Speed-ups
- Hero shards
- Exclusive items
Whenever possible, schedule major HQ upgrades during these events to maximize your rewards.
Patience often pays off.
Common HQ Upgrade Mistakes
Avoid these mistakes if you want to progress efficiently.
Upgrading Every Building Equally
Not every structure needs to match your HQ level.
Only level buildings that unlock new progression or are required for future HQ upgrades.
Wasting Speed-Ups
Using speed-ups on short upgrades provides very little value.
Reserve them for upgrades that take many hours—or even days—to complete.
Running Out of Resources
Starting an expensive upgrade can leave your base unable to train troops or perform research.
Maintain a healthy reserve of resources whenever possible.
Ignoring Research
Many players focus entirely on construction.
Research bonuses continue providing value for the lifetime of your account, making them one of the best long-term investments.
Tips to Reach Higher HQ Levels Faster
If your goal is to climb HQ levels quickly, follow these strategies:
- Always have a building upgrading.
- Always have research running.
- Gather resources whenever you’re offline.
- Complete daily missions every day.
- Participate in every construction-related event.
- Join an active alliance.
- Upgrade prerequisite buildings before you need them.
- Save speed-ups for important milestones.
Following these habits consistently will help you progress much faster than players who upgrade without a plan.
Is It Worth Rushing Your HQ?
In most cases, yes—but only if you’re keeping your research, heroes, and troop strength reasonably up to date.
A higher HQ unlocks better opportunities, but neglecting your army can leave you struggling in PvP and certain PvE activities.
Aim for balanced progression rather than upgrading your HQ at the expense of everything else.
Final Thoughts
Upgrading your Headquarters efficiently is one of the most important aspects of Last War: Survival Game. While higher HQ levels unlock stronger troops, new features, and better rewards, reaching them quickly requires careful planning.
Focus on prerequisite buildings, invest in construction research, gather resources constantly, and make full use of alliance assistance and in-game events. By following a structured upgrade path instead of upgrading randomly, you’ll reach higher HQ levels faster and build a stronger account that’s ready for both current and future content.