Quick answer
The core of IRON NEST is one deliberate loop: read the order, measure the map, calculate the solution, load exactly what the card says, lay the guns, fire, and read the impact. Nothing is automated — every station is operated by hand. This guide walks the loop community tests have documented; specifics that are not yet confirmed are marked 待确认.
The firing loop, step by step
- Check your mission — read the teletype order and copy the target, bearing, and requested effect exactly.
- Measure on the tactical map — mark the reported position and convert the map distance into a range the calculator can use.
- Calculate the solution — enter distance, pick the shell, choose powder charges, and confirm the suggested elevation.
- Write the firing card — record bearing, distance, charges, elevation, and shell. This card is the source of truth for the shot.
- Dispense the ammunition — take out exactly what the card says.
- Load the gun — ram the shell, insert the charges. Ammunition is one-way: dispensed charges cannot be returned, and a rammed shell cannot be pulled out.
- Set bearing on the armed gun to the card value.
- Set elevation to the card value.
- Arm and fire.
- Read the impact on the map.
- Correct once — adjust bearing or elevation by the observed miss and fire again.
This sequence is documented from community-tested play sessions (an 11-step routine reported by players) and is labelled as such.
What you manage, what you don't
There is no health bar to manage. The resources you track are:
- Ammunition — the rotary magazine holds a limited number of rounds (reported as six per magazine), and shells plus charges are irreversible once committed.
- Time — enemy counter-battery fire starts after your first round impacts, so the opening shot puts you on the clock.
- The firing card — a wrong digit on the gun becomes a wrong shell on the target.
Ballistics: charges and elevation
Players report that more powder charges mean lower elevation and faster flight time, which matters for time-sensitive targets. The exact relationship between distance, charges, and elevation is contested in community sources — two different formulas circulate, so the precise manual-aiming math is 待确认 (unconfirmed) until verified in the current build.
Campaign vs Challenge
The full game has a handcrafted campaign in alternate-history 1920s Spain plus challenge modes with leaderboards (per the Steam page). Community reports describe the campaign as teaching the loop mission by mission, which is why most beginners start there. The challenge-mode structure beyond that is 待确认 (unconfirmed).
Where to go next
- Read the Beginner Guide for the complete first firing solution.
- Check the ballistics section for map and calculator details.
- Check latest version and patches before starting, since controls and timings have changed across builds.
Sources and update note
- Official Steam page — feature list, campaign, modes.
- Official Steam news — patch records.
Loop steps are community-tested; store features come from official pages. Last checked August 12, 2026.