Tales Within the Sand: Strange Territory

Tales Within the Sand features
Constructs	Tools	Provisions	Misc. items	Raids
Strange Territory	Tides of War	Tech Tree	Expansional Rewards	Formulating

Strange Territory is a "sub-mode" in Tales Within the Sand where the player heads into the eponymous region separate from the main campaign's overworld to complete tasks within a given time limit and earn rewards.

To enter the Strange Territory, check out the Mail Box or Message Casket in the Base Camp which shows available Strange Territory skirmish requests. Accepting a request will cause the player to be taken into the Strange Territory after the current cycle's Calculation Day and remains there until the investigation ends. A skirmish request cannot be canceled once accepted, but the player can still carry out preparations before entering the Strange Territory and the request can be changed, but must wait for a while before they can do so again.

The Strange Territory consists of several zones with the Campervan as the Headquarters substitute, and to complete the investigation, the player must have met the Core Goal; Extra Goals are also available, which gives out additional rewards if met. The Strange Territory also has its own, unique weather, terrain, and enemies, and two particular resources can only be obtained in Strange Territory: Crystalline Shards and Seasoning.

The Strange Territory can be of two types: Inherent and Dynamic.

• Inherent Stranger Territory is made up of five different variations with their own properties that are gradually unlocked as the campaign progresses and can be accessed by checking the Message Casket in the Base Camp.
  • Operators have +3% ATK in an Inherent Strange Territory.
  • Except for #1, Inherent Stranger Territories can be reentered once their Core Goal is met (albeit the rewards will not be given again).
• Dynamic Stranger Territory is unlocked once the Core Goal of all five Inherent Strange Territories are achieved. A new Dynamic Strange Territory is available at the Mail Box every three cycles with the Strange Territory itself being completely randomized, and features the adjustable Environmental Pressures which makes things more difficult but yields better rewards.

The days spent in the Strange Territory is not counted into the campaign days and there are no Calculation Days; the main campaign's process will be paused while the player is in the Strange Territory. The player will be taken out of the Strange Territory when:

• The time limit of a certain amount of days is reached.
• The Campervan in the namesake zone is destroyed.
• The player opts to leave the Strange Territory.

Upon leaving the Strange Territory, the player will receive rewards if the Core Goal is met with a bonus if the Extra Goal is met as well, and earns score which will be added to the campaign score on the current cycle's Calculation Day.

Features

Tactical Tendencies

Tactical Tendencies are buffs that aids the player in the Strange Territory, chosen before entering it. There are three types of Tactical Tendencies and the player may only choose one Tendency out of three for each skirmish.

Tactical Tendencies start at Level 1, but can be improved up to Level 6 by unlocking the "Command Upgrade Tech" nodes in the Tech Tree, which requires the Headquarters to be upgraded to Level 3.

Brutal Fighter

Brutal fighters fear no challenge and especially welcome a head-on clash. They demonstrate a clear advantage in the simplest test of strength.

Level 1	Operators have ATK +10% when blocking
Level 2	Operators have DEF +20% when blocking, Deployment Limit +1
Level 3	Melee Operator Block Count +1, Deployment Limit +1
Level 4	When blocking, Operators take 30% less ranged damage, and Deployment Limit +1
Level 5	When blocking 1 enemy only, Operator attacks ignore 40% of the target's DEF, and Deployment Limit +1
Level 6	Operators have 10% Sanctuary when blocking, Deployment Limit +2

Survival Guru

Survival gurus are masters of the environment and experts at adapting quickly, leveraging factors like weather and terrain on their way to victory.

Level 1	Your units take 50% less damage from [Wild Beasts]
Level 2	Glow Stick duration increased, Deployment Limit +1
Level 3	Get 1 temporary Glow Stick at the start of battle, Deployment Limit +1
Level 4	Unlock 2 random zones when entering Strange Territory, Deployment Limit +1
Level 5	Ranged Operator Redeployment Time -30%, Deployment Limit +1
Level 6	Operators take -80% environmental damage, Deployment Limit +2

Master Architect

Master architects are always prepared, utilizing a variety of items and facilities in battle, making the most out of limited resources.

Level 1	Construct HP +30%
Level 2	Construct SP recovery +0.2/s, Deployment Limit +1
Level 3	Constructs and aiding items have 0 deployment cost, Deployment Limit +1
Level 4	Aiding Item Redeployment Time -60%, Deployment Limit +1
Level 5	Construct DEF +30%, Deployment Limit +1
Level 6	All constructs recover 25% HP after each battle, Deployment Limit +2

Environmental Pressures

Dynamic Strange Territory features Environmental Pressures that makes the skirmish more difficult but yields more rewards. At first Level 0 is available, with higher levels being unlocked by completing a Dynamic Strange Territory skirmish in the preceding level.

The effects stack multiplicatively with other similar effects and the bonus score cannot exceed 2400.

Lv.	Effect	Rewards	Score
0	None	Core Goal: 16 , 1–2 , 1–2 Extra Goal: 4	Core Goal: 960 Extra Goal: 240
1	All enemies have ATK +10%, HP +10%, DEF +15%, RES +10	Core Goal: 20 , 2 , 5 , 2 Extra Goal: 5	Core Goal: 1200 Extra Goal: 300
2	Boss enemies have +30% ATK, HP, and DEF	Core Goal: 24 , 3 , 12 , 3 , 3 Extra Goal: 6	Core Goal: 1440 Extra Goal: 360
3	Ingredient and Provision value reduced when making energy drinks	Core Goal: 28 , 14 , 3 , 3 , 3 Extra Goal: 7	Core Goal: 1680 Extra Goal: 420
4	All enemies have ATK +10%, HP +10%, DEF +15%, RES +10	Core Goal: 32 , 4 , 8 , 3 , 3 Extra Goal: 8	Core Goal: 1920 Extra Goal: 420
5	Operator skill SP cost +30%	Core Goal: 36 , 4 , 9 , 3 , 3 Extra Goal: 9	Core Goal: 2160 Extra Goal: 480
6	Operator Deployment Cost is 1.5x normal	Core Goal: 40 , 5 , 4 , 1 , 4 Extra Goal: 10	Core Goal: 2400 Extra Goal: 480

Weather

Land of Thunderstorms	The Strange Territory always experience Cloudburst weathers.
Land of Dry Dust	The Strange Territory always experience Windblaze weathers.
Land of Scorching Heat	The Strange Territory always experience Heatwave weathers.

Terrain

Smooth Road	The Campervan is connected to at least 3 zones and each zone is connected to more zones than usual.
Treacherous Pass	The Campervan is connected to at most 3 zones and each zone is connected to less zones than usual.
Hills	The Campervan is connected to 3 zones and there are more isolated zones (i.e. only connected to a single zone) than usual.
Secluded Trail	Same as Hills, but the isolated zones are close (2 zones away) to the Campervan.

Enemies

	Native No changes

	Forest Enemies are made up of those fought in forests and jungles, namely those introduced in The Great Chief Returns and A Flurry to the Flame.
Normal
Elite
Addendum
Serrant Fowlbeasts never come with an Oxmane carcass, but Daimoserrant Fowlbeasts do. (Kouaku) Cautelotaurs never come with a Clawbeast shell.

	Mechanic Enemies are mostly made up of various Machinas, namely those introduced in Dorothy's Vision and Lone Trail.
Normal
Elite

	Mercenary Enemies are made up of Sarkaz ones and their associates.
Normal
Elite
Boss

Inherent

#1: Rampaging Shellbeast

Starting point	Narutabatim Alkalies: Rugged Trail
Core Goal	Defeat a Spined Shellbeast.
Time limit	3 days
Weather	Land of Thunderstorms
Terrain	Smooth Road
Enemies	Native
Variables	None
Score reward	1000

#2: Six Day Defense Op

Starting point	Narutabatim Alkalies: Hasty Escape
Core Goal	Defend the Campervan for 6 days.
Time limit	6 days
Weather	Land of Dry Dust
Terrain	Smooth Road
Enemies	Native
Variables	Friendly units have +10% maximum HP, ATK, and DEF for each discovered zone.
Score reward	1500

#3: Retrieval and Return Op

Starting point	Eqlumuy Oasis: Originium Slug Invasion
Core Goal	Defeat a Brigand.
Time limit	5 days
Weather	Land of Thunderstorms
Terrain	Smooth Road
Enemies	Native
Variables	Friendly units only lift the Fog of War on the tile they are on and the frontal tile regardless of their attack range and cannot be manipulated by Tech Tree nodes. Enemies within the Fog of War have their MSPD tripled.
Score reward	2000

#4: Miner Escort Op

Starting point	Eqlumuy Oasis: Shrubbery Galore
Core Goal	Escort the allied Diligent Laborer Raid to their destination.
Time limit	6 days
Weather	Land of Dry Dust
Terrain	Smooth Road
Enemies	Native
Variables	The automatic DP generation rate is halved.
Score reward	2000

#5: Performer Hit Job

Starting point	Forbidden Tsalimashtu: Numbly Homebound
Core Goal	Find and defeat the Wandering Troubadour.
Time limit	8 days
Weather	Land of Scorching Heat
Terrain	Smooth Road
Enemies	Native
Variables	Operators will be tired after being brought into an operation for 2 days instead of 1 day.
Score reward	2500

Dynamic

Core Goals

Conflict

Locate and defeat {target}

There is a price on this target's head. No time to waste. Let's go.

Details	Time limit
Target: Lost Colossus (found on No Man's Land: "Greeting Gallery")	5 days
Target: Timestream Guardian (found on No Man's Land: Alt Taraf of the Spring of Flight)	5 days
Target: Crystalline Titanibeast (found on No Man's Land: Clinking Crystals)	8 days
Target: Zaaro, "Signore dei Lupi" (found on No Man's Land: Crossroads)	5 days
Target: "Forsaken One" (found on No Man's Land: Deep Rift Valley)	5 days
Target: Wandering Troubadour (found on No Man's Land: Tovlama of the Rings of Fire)	8 days
Target: Zümrütrüyası Priestess (found on No Man's Land: Olden Site of the Zümrütrüyası)	8 days
Target: "Gravestone" (found on No Man's Land: "Treasury")	5 days
Target: Crystalline Titanibeast and Crystalline Oberobeast (found on No Man's Land: Predestined End)	8 days

Hunting Hour

Defeat a {target}

There is rare game here. Happy hunting!

Details	Time limit
Target: Sandfall Crystalhoof	4 days
Target: Spined Shellbeast	3 days

Miscellaneous

Details	Time limit
Annihilation #1: Defeat 1 wave of bandits A group of bandits have holed up in this place. Time to get rid of them.	5 days
Annihilation #2: Defeat 2 waves of bandits A group of bandits have holed up in this place. Time to get rid of them.	7 days
Annihilation #3: Defeat 3 waves of bandits A group of bandits have holed up in this place. Time to get rid of them.	8 days
Defense #1: Protect the forward camp and survive 4 nights Don't let the attacks discourage you. Stand your ground.	5 days
Defense #2: Protect the forward camp and survive 5 nights Don't let the attacks discourage you. Stand your ground.	6 days
Defense #3: Protect the forward camp and survive 6 nights Don't let the attacks discourage you. Stand your ground.	7 days
Escort: Escort Diligent Laborer to the destination A group of trapped inhabitants are requesting help. We decided to escort them to a safer place.	6 days
Rescue: Find the missing Treasure Hunter We received a panicked request to find someone's missing friend. But where could they be?	5 days

Extra Goals

• Combat: Defeat 50 enemies.
• Construction: Upgrade zones 2 times.
• Hunting: Catch 2 wild beasts with traps.