# HQ Upgrade & Progression Guide Plan your Headquarters progression from HQ1 through HQ35. Learn which buildings matter, how HQ level affects your heroes, how to prepare for the Steel requirements at HQ31–35, and how to use Sophia, construction bonuses, speed-ups, and event timing to make expensive upgrades more efficient. # Why HQ Level Matters Your **Headquarters (HQ)** is the backbone of your progression in Last Z. Increasing your HQ level opens the path to stronger heroes, buildings, troops, research, and late-game content. ## Hero Level Cap Every HQ level adds **+5 to your hero level cap**.
HQ LevelHero Level Cap
HQ 1 5
HQ 20 100
HQ 30 150
HQ 35 175
This makes HQ progression directly connected to the strength of your heroes. ## Sophia — The Queen of Construction Sophia is especially valuable for players planning long-term HQ progression. Her **3rd skill** provides construction benefits including: - Extra free construction duration - Faster construction speed - **4 Stars:** Resource cost -5% - **5 Stars:** Resource cost -10% ### The Goal **Try to have Sophia at 5 stars before making the expensive HQ30+ push.** Her bonuses apply across your building upgrades. Since HQ progression forces you to upgrade prerequisite buildings along the way, those savings can add up. ## When a Second Builder Helps A second builder allows you to upgrade **two buildings at the same time**. It is most useful when prerequisite buildings are holding up your next HQ upgrade and you have enough resources to keep both construction queues working. A second builder **does not**: - Shorten an individual construction timer - Remove building prerequisites - Reduce the resources required Use the additional queue strategically rather than upgrading unnecessary buildings simply to keep it occupied. ### Secretary of Construction The **Secretary of Construction** Capital position provides: **+15% Construction Speed** **+1 hour Free Construction Duration** When available, this can provide another useful boost before beginning major construction. [![ChatGPT Image Sep 30, 2026, 04_36_49 PM.png](https://775intel.com/uploads/images/gallery/2026-09/scaled-1680-/chatgpt-image-sep-30-2026-04-36-49-pm.png)](https://775intel.com/uploads/images/gallery/2026-09/scaled-1680-/chatgpt-image-sep-30-2026-04-36-49-pm.png) # Fastest HQ Upgrade Path: HQ1–30 The fastest route to a higher HQ isn't upgrading every building equally. Focus on the buildings required for your next HQ level and save your major resources and speed-ups for later progression. ## Phase 1 — HQ1–18: Fast & Easy Early progression moves quickly. - Can be completed in **a few days** - With bonuses, **less than 2 days may be possible** - Resource costs remain relatively low Keep moving through your required upgrades rather than trying to maximize every building. ## Phase 2 — HQ18–24: Reality Check This is where construction times begin becoming much more noticeable. Some upgrades can take **a week or more**. Plan your resources and construction queues instead of upgrading buildings randomly. ## Phase 3 — HQ24–27: Smart Play Required At this stage: - Start saving speed-ups - Upgrade buildings required for the next HQ - Plan resources ahead - Don't upgrade something simply because it has a blue upgrade arrow Every unnecessary upgrade consumes resources and construction time that could have gone toward your next HQ. ## Phase 4 — HQ30: Major Milestone HQ30 is an important late-game progression point. It: - Raises your hero level cap to **150** - Opens the path toward HQ31–35 - Is required for progression toward **T10 troops** - Marks the beginning of preparation for Steel-based HQ upgrades If HQ31–35 isn't available to you yet, use the waiting period to prepare. ### HQ30 Preparation Start stacking: **Resources • Speed-ups • Construction bonuses** You can also begin strengthening important formation buildings and Hall of Honor buildings once your immediate HQ rush is under control. [![ChatGPT Image Sep 30, 2026, 04_40_20 PM.png](https://775intel.com/uploads/images/gallery/2026-09/scaled-1680-/chatgpt-image-sep-30-2026-04-40-20-pm.png)](https://775intel.com/uploads/images/gallery/2026-09/scaled-1680-/chatgpt-image-sep-30-2026-04-40-20-pm.png) # HQ31–35 & Steel Requirements HQ31–35 begins a significantly more expensive stage of Headquarters progression. ## HQ31–35 Requirements at a Glance Steel values below are in **millions**.
HQRequired BuildingSteelPlanning Note
**HQ31** Rider Camp **2.2M** First Steel requirement
**HQ32** City Walls **3.1M** 0.9M more than HQ31
**HQ33** Alliance Center **4.1M** Keep it on your critical upgrade path
**HQ34** Assaulter Camp **5.3M** First Steel requirement above 5M
**HQ35** Shooter Camp **6.4M** Largest Steel requirement
### Total Steel: HQ31–35 **21.1 Million Steel** Don't begin one of these HQ levels just because you've unlocked it. Make sure its **required building is ready** and plan for the Steel requirement before committing your resources and speed-ups. ## Steel — The New Resource Steel appears as part of progression beyond HQ30. Sources listed in the supplied guide include: - **Orange Bounties** - **Steel Mine and Steel nodes** - **Hub Shop** - **Seasonal rewards** - **Furylord**, when active - **HQ31–35 launch event**, when available ### Important Don't automatically count **Tyrant** as a Steel source. Check the live rewards on your server to see whether Steel is actually included. ## Take Advantage of the Launch Event The supplied information describes a special event around the HQ31–35 rollout that can provide significant Steel through daily tasks. If this event is active on your server, **take advantage of it before it disappears.** That Steel can make the push to HQ31 considerably easier. ## Steel Isn't Your Only Problem Having enough Steel doesn't mean you're ready. The other major bottleneck is: ### **Construction Time** HQ31–35 construction timers can become extremely long. According to the supplied guide, the longest unbuffed timers can reach **several months**. That's why construction bonuses become increasingly important after HQ30. [![ChatGPT Image Sep 30, 2026, 04_44_20 PM.png](https://775intel.com/uploads/images/gallery/2026-09/scaled-1680-/chatgpt-image-sep-30-2026-04-44-20-pm.png)](https://775intel.com/uploads/images/gallery/2026-09/scaled-1680-/chatgpt-image-sep-30-2026-04-44-20-pm.png) # Construction Speed & Event Strategy Before beginning a major HQ31–35 upgrade, stack as many useful construction bonuses as possible. ## Construction Speed Setup Prepare: - **Villa** — Construction bonuses - **Refugees for Villa** — Additional construction-speed boosts - **Sophia at 5 Stars** — Construction/resource benefits - **Lab buffs** — Check available construction bonuses - **Alliance City 4** — Useful if held by your alliance - **Alliance Lab** — Prioritize relevant construction research - **Speed-ups** — Save and collect them before major builds The goal is to apply these bonuses **before committing to the longest construction timers.** ## Alliance Duel Day 2 Strategy You can also time a major HQ completion around **Alliance Duel Day 2**. ### The Strategy Start your HQ upgrade ahead of time. When construction finishes and the **green checkmark** appears: **DON'T TAP IT YET.** Hold the completed HQ until Day 2, then finish it when the upgrade can contribute toward your event points. ### Be Careful One accidental tap can complete the upgrade early and cost you the opportunity to use that HQ completion for Day 2 scoring. ## Double-Dip Your Upgrade When possible, also align the completion with **Full Preparedness**. This allows the same major construction completion to contribute toward multiple scoring opportunities when the applicable events overlap. ### HQ Upgrade Checklist Before starting an expensive HQ upgrade: **✓ Required building ready** **✓ Required resources/Steel available** **✓ Sophia prepared** **✓ Construction bonuses active** **✓ Speed-ups available** **✓ Event timing considered** [![ChatGPT Image Sep 30, 2026, 04_56_43 PM.png](https://775intel.com/uploads/images/gallery/2026-09/scaled-1680-/chatgpt-image-sep-30-2026-04-56-43-pm.png)](https://775intel.com/uploads/images/gallery/2026-09/scaled-1680-/chatgpt-image-sep-30-2026-04-56-43-pm.png) # Which Buildings Should You Upgrade? One of the easiest ways to slow your HQ progression is spending resources on buildings that don't help unlock your next HQ. ## HQ8–30 Requirement Pattern From **HQ8 through HQ30**, the supplied guide identifies the **Laboratory as mandatory for every HQ upgrade**. The second required building rotates among: - City Walls - Alliance Center - Assaulter Camp - Shooter Camp - Rider Camp Think of your progression as: **Laboratory + Required Rotating Building → HQ Upgrade** For HQ31–35, requirements should instead be planned **level by level** using the later-game requirements. ## Buildings to Avoid Upgrading Too Early Unless they're required for your next HQ or serve an immediate strategic purpose, avoid pouring resources into: - Resource production buildings - Hall of Honor buildings early in progression - Random buildings simply because they show a blue upgrade arrow A blue arrow means you **can** upgrade something—not necessarily that you **should**. ## Useful Optional Upgrades When resources and construction time allow, the supplied guide identifies these as useful: - Formation buildings - Military Center - Bookstore - Restaurant - Production Center - Rally buildings - Radar ## The HQ Progression Rule For players trying to reach higher HQ levels efficiently: **Upgrade what your next HQ requires first.** Then use spare construction time and resources for secondary buildings that provide meaningful benefits. ### Final HQ35 Planning By the time you're approaching HQ35, your progression should be deliberate rather than reactive. Remember the big numbers: **HQ30 → Hero Cap 150** **HQ35 → Hero Cap 175** **HQ31–35 → 21.1M Total Steel** Plan the required buildings, Steel, speed-ups, construction bonuses, and event timing **before** pressing Upgrade. [![ChatGPT Image Sep 30, 2026, 05_00_12 PM.png](https://775intel.com/uploads/images/gallery/2026-09/scaled-1680-/chatgpt-image-sep-30-2026-05-00-12-pm.png)](https://775intel.com/uploads/images/gallery/2026-09/scaled-1680-/chatgpt-image-sep-30-2026-05-00-12-pm.png)