The Last War HQ requirements follow a consistent progression: every Headquarters upgrade needs specific prerequisite buildings plus resources. Iron and Food are required throughout progression, Coin joins the cost from HQ9, and HQ31–35 introduce Oil through the Age of Oil system.
As of August 2026, the current HQ progression data that can be reliably verified ends at Headquarters level 35. There is no trustworthy published requirement table for HQ36–40 yet, so this guide does not use speculative costs or prerequisites for those levels.
★Quick Take
HQ23 requires Tech Center 22 and Wall 22, plus 140M Iron, 140M Food, and 44M Coin. HQ34 requires Tech Center 33, a Tank/Air/Missile Center 33, Barracks 33, Wall 33, and Alliance Center 33, plus 2B Iron, 2B Food, 650M Coin, and 7,050,240 Oil. The highest currently verified HQ level is 35.
Why Headquarters Level Matters in Last War
Your Headquarters is the main progression gate for the rest of your base. Raising it increases the maximum level available to normal buildings, raises the hero level cap, adds hero stats, increases power, and unlocks additional buildings or progression systems at certain milestones.
This makes HQ progression important, but upgrading the Headquarters alone is not enough. Each level has prerequisite buildings, and those prerequisites become increasingly expensive at higher levels. Planning one or two HQ levels ahead can prevent a situation where you have enough resources for the Headquarters itself but still need to spend days upgrading a Wall, Tech Center, Hospital, or other required building.
Last War HQ Requirements: Levels 1–30
The tables below list the current reference requirements for Headquarters levels 1 through 30. Resource figures are base/reference values; your effective cost can differ when applicable account bonuses and resource-reduction effects are active.
HQ Levels 1–20
| HQ Level | Required Buildings | Iron | Food | Coin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | N/A | 30 | 30 | — |
| 2 | Drill Ground 1, Squad 1 | 34 | 34 | — |
| 3 | Wall 2, Recon Plane 1 | 1,000 | 1,000 | — |
| 4 | Barracks 3, Drill Ground 3 | 2,500 | 2,500 | — |
| 5 | Barracks 4, Wall 4 | 20,000 | 20,000 | — |
| 6 | Wall 5, Drill Ground 5 | 91,000 | 91,000 | — |
| 7 | Wall 6, Tank/Air/Missile Center 6 | 240,000 | 240,000 | — |
| 8 | Tech Center 7, Alliance Center 7 | 390,000 | 390,000 | — |
| 9 | Tech Center 8, Tank/Air/Missile Center 8 | 620,000 | 620,000 | 200,000 |
| 10 | Tech Center 9, Hospital 9 | 750,000 | 750,000 | 240,000 |
| 11 | Tech Center 10, Wall 10 | 1,900,000 | 1,900,000 | 600,000 |
| 12 | Tech Center 11, Barracks 11 | 3,200,000 | 3,200,000 | 1,000,000 |
| 13 | Tech Center 12, Tank/Air/Missile Center 12 | 3,500,000 | 3,500,000 | 1,100,000 |
| 14 | Tech Center 13, Drill Ground 13 | 4,900,000 | 4,900,000 | 1,600,000 |
| 15 | Tech Center 14, Wall 14 | 6,800,000 | 6,800,000 | 2,200,000 |
| 16 | Tech Center 15, Alliance Center 15 | 12,000,000 | 12,000,000 | 3,900,000 |
| 17 | Tech Center 16, Tank/Air/Missile Center 16 | 16,000,000 | 16,000,000 | 5,100,000 |
| 18 | Tech Center 17, Hospital 17 | 28,000,000 | 28,000,000 | 8,900,000 |
| 19 | Tech Center 18, Wall 18 | 33,000,000 | 33,000,000 | 11,000,000 |
| 20 | Tech Center 19, Barracks 19 | 60,000,000 | 60,000,000 | 19,000,000 |
HQ Levels 21–30
| HQ Level | Required Buildings | Iron | Food | Coin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Tech Center 20, Tank/Air/Missile Center 20 | 84,000,000 | 84,000,000 | 27,000,000 |
| 22 | Tech Center 21, Drill Ground 21 | 110,000,000 | 110,000,000 | 35,000,000 |
| 23 | Tech Center 22, Wall 22 | 140,000,000 | 140,000,000 | 44,000,000 |
| 24 | Tech Center 23, Alliance Center 23 | 170,000,000 | 170,000,000 | 54,000,000 |
| 25 | Tech Center 24, Tank/Air/Missile Center 24 | 290,000,000 | 290,000,000 | 93,000,000 |
| 26 | Tech Center 25, Hospital 25 | 400,000,000 | 400,000,000 | 130,000,000 |
| 27 | Tech Center 26, Wall 26 | 530,000,000 | 530,000,000 | 170,000,000 |
| 28 | Tech Center 27, Barracks 27 | 740,000,000 | 740,000,000 | 240,000,000 |
| 29 | Tech Center 28, Tank/Air/Missile Center 28 | 1,000,000,000 | 1,000,000,000 | 330,000,000 |
| 30 | Tech Center 29, Drill Ground 29 | 1,400,000,000 | 1,400,000,000 | 460,000,000 |
From HQ8 onward, the Last War Tech Center becomes the most consistent prerequisite, so allowing it to fall several levels behind your Headquarters can quickly block future progression.
HQ 31–35 Requirements and the Age of Oil
HQ30 is the end of the normal Headquarters progression path. Moving to HQ31–35 requires access to the Age of Oil technology tree and completion of the research that raises the Headquarters level cap.
!Important
The current Age of Oil access requirement is a level 30 Tech Center and at least 40% completion of Special Forces research. Older guides may still state 80%; that requirement was changed. You must then progress through the Age of Oil tree and complete HQ Expansion Lv1 before upgrading to HQ31.
Oil becomes part of both research and high-level construction, creating a new progression bottleneck. HQ31–35 also require more prerequisite buildings than the earlier Headquarters levels.
| HQ | Required Buildings / Research | Iron | Food | Coin | Oil | Hero Level Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | Tech Center 30, Tank/Air/Missile Center 30, Barracks 30, HQ Expansion Lv1 | 1,600,000,000 | 1,600,000,000 | 510,000,000 | 1,440,000 | 155 |
| 32 | Tech Center 31, Tank/Air/Missile Center 31, Barracks 31, Wall 31 | 1,700,000,000 | 1,700,000,000 | 560,000,000 | 2,304,000 | 160 |
| 33 | Tech Center 32, Tank/Air/Missile Center 32, Barracks 32, Hospital 32, Drill Ground 32 | 1,900,000,000 | 1,900,000,000 | 620,000,000 | 3,916,800 | 165 |
| 34 | Tech Center 33, Tank/Air/Missile Center 33, Barracks 33, Wall 33, Alliance Center 33 | 2,000,000,000 | 2,000,000,000 | 650,000,000 | 7,050,240 | 170 |
| 35 | Tech Center 34, Tank/Air/Missile Center 34, Barracks 34, Hospital 34, Drill Ground 34 | 2,100,000,000 | 2,100,000,000 | 680,000,000 | 14,100,480 | 175 |
The Oil requirement rises particularly quickly near the end of the HQ31–35 path. For F2P players, this means resource planning changes substantially after HQ30: having billions of Iron and Food does not help if Oil is preventing the next prerequisite upgrade.
✓Recommendation
Once you enter the HQ31–35 grind, prioritize buildings that directly block your next Headquarters upgrade before spending large amounts of Oil on optional side projects. This matters most for F2P players, because Oil is much harder to replace quickly than ordinary Food or Iron.
Are There HQ 36–40 Requirements in Last War?
No verified HQ36–40 requirement table is currently available from the reliable Last War sources checked for this update. Current building references continue to list Headquarters progression through HQ35, with the Age of Oil research raising the cap from 30 to 35.
You may encounter pages or social posts claiming to show HQ36, HQ37, HQ38, HQ39, or HQ40 costs. Until those levels are available in the live game or confirmed through reliable developer-supported information, treating estimated requirements as factual can lead to poor resource planning.
If Last War raises the Headquarters cap in a future update, the safest approach is to verify the new research gate, prerequisite buildings, and actual in-game resource costs before committing Oil or other limited resources.
Which Buildings Should You Keep Ready for Future HQ Upgrades?
The best way to avoid Headquarters bottlenecks is to know which support buildings repeatedly return as prerequisites.
- Tech Center: This becomes the recurring requirement from HQ8 onward and is also central to unlocking the Age of Oil progression. See the Last War Tech Center guide.
- Wall: Required at many HQ milestones, including HQ23, HQ27, HQ32, and HQ34. Check the Last War Wall guide before leaving it too far behind.
- Tank, Air, or Missile Center: Several Headquarters upgrades accept one of the three troop-type centers rather than requiring the Tank Center specifically. Tank-focused players can use the Tank Center upgrade guide as a reference.
- Barracks: Appears repeatedly in the normal progression and becomes a standard requirement at every HQ level from 31 through 35. See the Last War Barracks guide.
- Drill Ground: Required at levels such as HQ22 and HQ30, then returns at HQ33 and HQ35. The Drill Ground strategy guide covers its broader role.
- Hospital: Required at HQ10, 18, 26, 33, and 35. See the Last War Hospital guide.
- Alliance Center: Also known as the Alliance Support Hub in some game terminology, this building returns at several HQ milestones and contributes to construction assistance. See the Alliance Support Hub guide.
How to Upgrade Your Headquarters Efficiently
Check Two HQ Levels Ahead
Do not wait until your current Headquarters finishes upgrading before checking the next prerequisite. If HQ23 is currently building, for example, you can already see that HQ24 will need Tech Center 23 and Alliance Center 23. Preparing the next blocker early keeps your construction queue productive.
Do Not Neglect the Tech Center
The Tech Center becomes a requirement for nearly every higher Headquarters level. It also contains research that affects construction, combat, resources, and the eventual Age of Oil transition. Allowing it to lag far behind usually creates more work later.
Keep Your Main Troop Center Competitive
Where the requirement allows a Tank, Air, or Missile Center, prioritize the troop type that matches your main squad instead of automatically upgrading the Tank Center. This lets one prerequisite upgrade also strengthen a building that matters to your preferred lineup.
Save Construction Speedups for Real Bottlenecks
HQ timers and prerequisite construction become increasingly long at higher levels. Short early upgrades rarely justify draining your entire supply of universal or construction speedups. Long Headquarters, Tech Center, and late-game prerequisite upgrades usually provide more value from saved acceleration.
Use Alliance Help Before Speedups
Whenever possible, request alliance assistance immediately after beginning a long construction. Improving the Alliance Support Hub and staying in an active alliance helps you get more value from the assistance system before spending speedups.
Coordinate Large Upgrades With Events
If a current event rewards construction activity, power gains, or speedup use, aligning an HQ or prerequisite upgrade with that event can provide additional value from resources you were already planning to spend. Check the Last War Event Hub guide when planning major construction.
Check Your Available Bonuses First
Construction bonuses can change how long an upgrade actually takes. Review active buffs and relevant VIP benefits before starting a major build rather than relying only on a generic timer from a guide. The Last War VIP levels guide covers progression benefits in more detail.
Should You Rush Your HQ Level?
Raising HQ quickly is useful because it increases building caps and hero level limits, but the right pace depends on your account. An HQ number by itself does not make a strong base.
In the early and mid game, pushing Headquarters progression while maintaining the required buildings can unlock new development options faster. However, research, troops, heroes, gear, and your main troop center still need enough investment to remain useful in combat.
For F2P players approaching HQ31–35, the decision becomes more important because Oil is limited and several buildings must advance together. Spending Oil on buildings that do not help your next HQ target can significantly lengthen the path to HQ35. Spenders can accelerate resource acquisition, but they still have to satisfy the same building and research gates.
If you prefer starting from an already-developed base rather than rebuilding the early and mid-game prerequisites yourself, Heaven Guardian also lists Last War accounts for sale as an optional progression path. For most players building their own account, careful prerequisite planning remains the more important skill.
Common Headquarters Upgrade Mistakes
- Assuming Tank Center is always mandatory: Several HQ levels allow a Tank, Air, or Missile Center, so check the actual requirement before investing resources.
- Ignoring the next Tech Center level: From HQ8 onward, Tech Center progression becomes a recurring blocker.
- Saving only for the HQ itself: The prerequisite buildings can consume substantial resources before you can even start the Headquarters upgrade.
- Overspending Oil after HQ30: Optional Oil-consuming upgrades can delay the buildings required for HQ31–35.
- Following outdated Age of Oil guides: The Special Forces requirement for accessing the Age of Oil tree is currently 40%, not the older 80% figure.
- Using speculative HQ36–40 tables: Current reliable published progression ends at HQ35, so unverified higher-level costs should not be treated as confirmed.
FAQs
What are the HQ23 requirements in Last War?
To upgrade to HQ23, you need Tech Center level 22 and Wall level 22. The reference resource cost is 140,000,000 Iron, 140,000,000 Food, and 44,000,000 Coin.
What are the HQ34 requirements in Last War?
HQ34 requires Tech Center 33, a Tank/Air/Missile Center 33, Barracks 33, Wall 33, and Alliance Center 33. The reference cost is 2 billion Iron, 2 billion Food, 650 million Coin, and 7,050,240 Oil.
What are the Last War HQ36–40 requirements?
There are no reliable, verified HQ36–40 requirements available in the current published progression data checked for this August 2026 update. The confirmed Headquarters progression currently ends at HQ35, so avoid planning around speculative HQ36–40 tables.
How do I unlock HQ31 in Last War?
You first need access to the Age of Oil technology tree. The current access requirements include Tech Center level 30 and at least 40% Special Forces research. Progress through that tree and complete HQ Expansion Lv1, then meet the HQ31 building and resource requirements.
What is the hero level cap at HQ35?
HQ35 raises the hero level cap to 175. HQ31 starts the post-150 progression at level 155, with each Headquarters level through 35 adding another five hero levels.
Do HQ resource costs change with bonuses?
The tables show reference or base costs. Relevant in-game research and resource-reduction effects can change the effective amount shown on your own account, so check the upgrade screen before opening resource chests or committing large reserves.
Conclusion
Efficient Last War HQ progression is mostly about preparing prerequisite buildings before they become blockers. Keep the Tech Center close to your Headquarters level, upgrade the appropriate Tank, Air, or Missile Center when allowed, and start planning for Oil well before the HQ31–35 grind. Current verified progression ends at HQ35, so treat any HQ36–40 requirement lists as unconfirmed until the game provides reliable data.
For more base progression, hero, event, and strategy updates, browse our Last War Survival guides.
