Getting Started with Angels Fall First
Angels Fall First can feel overwhelming the first time you spawn into a combined-arms match. Infantry are contesting a hillside while a Sturm gunship circles overhead and the scoreboard hints that a space phase is coming. This guide orients you to the essentials after the July 11, 2026 version 1.0 launch: choosing a faction, understanding the three rank tracks, joining your first Territories or Incursion match, and setting controls so you can focus on objectives instead of menus. You do not need to master fighters or capital boarding on day one — learn how spawning, loadouts, and bots work, then expand into vehicles and space combat once the ground loop clicks.
Install and launch
Purchase and install Angels Fall First from Steam. On first launch, run the graphics benchmark if prompted, then open Settings and verify your mouse sensitivity, key bindings, and audio levels before joining a server. Headphones make it far easier to hear approaching vehicles and nearby firefights.
Check the official patch notes for 1.0 if you are returning from Early Access — loadout rank curves and map rotations changed. Set the game to your native display resolution first; you can optimize later using the Performance Fix guide if frame times spike.
Pick ULA or AIA
Two factions divide the war: the United League of Allied worlds (ULA) and the Alliance of Independent Actors (AIA). They are balance mirrors — similar vehicle roles, fighter classes, and infantry weapon categories with distinct visuals and audio. There is no pay-to-win advantage tied to faction.
Choose based on aesthetic preference or friends’ side. You can switch between matches. Learn one faction’s vehicle names (Hare LAV, Partisan tank, Rapier interceptor) and note the AIA equivalents (Silverback, Dhaka, Iret) so callouts make sense in team chat.
Understand ranks and loadouts
There is no fixed class system. Your capabilities come from loadout budgets unlocked by three rank tracks: Combat (weapons and armor), Command (squad tools and some crew options), and Support (medic, engineer, and logistics gear). Early ranks come quickly in 1.0, letting you field reasonable rifles and sidearms after a few matches.
Open the loadout screen before deploying. Every item costs budget points; exceeding your rank cap blocks the kit. Save a simple Combat-focused infantry build first — assault rifle, sidearm, basic armor — before experimenting with expensive anti-armor or fighter configurations.
Join your first match
From the browser, filter for Territories on a ground map such as Errah or Fortress. Territories teaches five-point capture flow without sudden jumps to space. Spawn on your team’s safe deployment, check the map for contested points, and move with at least one other player if possible.
Expect bots in the roster. Low population means AI fills empty slots and will capture objectives. Follow ping markers from Command-rank players when available. If you die, read the spawn timer and choose a spawn point closer to the next contested flag rather than running across the entire map.
First-hour goals
Aim to capture two objectives, try one vehicle spawn you are comfortable with (often the Hare or Silverback LAV), and finish a match without quitting early so you absorb ticket flow. Avoid jumping into fighters until you have basic ground awareness — crashing on takeoff wastes your team’s air slot.
After two or three Territories games, read How to Play for Incursion phases, then How to Build Loadouts for rank efficiency. Return here only if you need a refresher on spawning or faction basics.
Settings worth changing early
Before your first online match, open Settings and confirm key bindings for interact, grenades, and vehicle exit. The default layout works for most players, but boarding requires a reliable F key at capital yellow markers — do not remap it far from your movement keys until you are comfortable.
Audio settings deserve attention: reduce music slightly so vehicle engines and incoming fighter audio cue stand out. Many new deaths on maps like Darsalaam come from unheard LAV flanks or Sturm rocket passes rather than lost aim duels.
Graphics can stay on medium for the first session; if stutter appears with full bot lobbies, read the Performance Fix guide rather than quitting. Stable frame pacing helps you learn recoil patterns on ULA and AIA rifles during the critical first hours when rank progression is fastest.