Reference
Liquidation Lore: Veá, the Splintering and the Quenrium War
Liquidation lore centers on the dying planet Veá, where a cataclysm called the Splintering has wiped out species and civilizations and left Quenrium — a rare, life-sustaining resource — as the reason any faction is still fighting. The current Quenrium War is fought between the Twilight Crusade and the Scourge Alliance on one side and the Nether-realm Legion on the other. Liquidation lore is set entirely in this single timeline; there is no legacy "Liquidation" universe to inherit from.
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Liquidation lore centers on the dying planet Veá, where a cataclysm called the Splintering has wiped out species and civilizations and left Quenrium — a rare, life-sustaining resource — as the reason any faction is still fighting. The current Quenrium War is fought between the Twilight Crusade and the Scourge Alliance on one side and the Nether-realm Legion on the other. Liquidation lore is set entirely in this single timeline; there is no legacy "Liquidation" universe to inherit from.
- Research date
- 2026-08-06
- Scope
- Verified game reference
- Storefront
- Steam AppID 896250
Quick Answer
Liquidation lore centers on the dying planet Veá, where a cataclysm called the Splintering has wiped out species and civilizations and left Quenrium — a rare, life-sustaining resource — as the reason any faction is still fighting. The current Quenrium War is fought between the Twilight Crusade and the Scourge Alliance on one side and the Nether-realm Legion on the other. Liquidation lore is set entirely in this single timeline; there is no legacy "Liquidation" universe to inherit from.
Veá — the dying world at the center of Liquidation lore
The setting for every Liquidation mission is Veá, the planet where the Quenrium War is being fought. Per the official Steam store copy, Veá is a dying world whose surface conditions are hostile to unshielded life. The reason any faction still fights for territory on Veá is that the planet holds Quenrium, the rare resource at the center of the Quenrium War.
Veá — the dying world at the center of Liquidation lore — Notes
In gameplay terms, Veá is also the reason every base in Liquidation has an HQ-upgrade track that boosts Quenrium income and unit upkeep caps. The macro loop and the lore loop are the same loop: stabilizing your hold on Veá's Quenrium sources is what makes any faction's late-game army viable.
Veá — the dying world at the center of Liquidation lore — Notes
Veá is not a legacy or original setting. Liquidation is a brand-new IP, and Veá is its only world. There is no prior Liquidation game to inherit setting details from.
The Splintering — the cataclysm that reshaped Veá
The Splintering is the cataclysm in Liquidation lore that wiped out species and civilizations on Veá and left the planet in its current dying state. Per the Steam store copy, the Splintering is what cleared the field for the Quenrium War: the older civilizations that once held Veá are gone, and the factions still fighting today are the ones who arrived after the Splintering to claim what Quenrium is left.
The Splintering — the cataclysm that reshaped Veá — Notes
In gameplay terms, the Splintering is also why Veá's surface is hostile to unshielded life and why every base needs to be defended with HQ upgrades and Quenrium income. The same world-killing event that defines the lore also defines the macro loop in the EA campaign and in skirmish.
The Splintering — the cataclysm that reshaped Veá — Notes
The Splintering is the only named cataclysm in Liquidation lore as of 2026-08-06. Any further timeline events remain tied to the 1.0 release.
Quenrium — the resource at the center of the war
Quenrium is the rare, life-sustaining resource in Liquidation lore that every faction on Veá is fighting over. Per the Steam store copy and the MicroProse press release, Quenrium is what keeps any faction's army operational on Veá's hostile surface, and it is what determines whether a base can sustain its HQ upgrades and its unit upkeep caps.
Quenrium — the resource at the center of the war — Notes
Quenrium is also the only macro resource in the Early Access game. The game's economy system is built around it: HQ upgrades boost Quenrium income, and Quenrium spend in turn unlocks HQ upgrades. The Quenrium War is named after this resource because Quenrium is what every faction needs to keep fighting.
Quenrium — the resource at the center of the war — Notes
Liquidation lore does not yet reveal where Quenrium originally came from or whether Veá has other rare resources.
The Quenrium War — the current conflict on Veá
The Quenrium War is the present-day conflict in Liquidation lore that the Early Access campaign and skirmish are set inside. Per the MicroProse press release and the Steam store copy, the Quenrium War is being fought by three asymmetric armies on Veá:
The Quenrium War — the current conflict on Veá — Notes
The Twilight Crusade, the holy-order army defending a section of Veá's Quenrium sources. • The Scourge Alliance, the bio-engineered army that has arrived to contest the same Quenrium sources with a different macro philosophy. • The Legion, the Nether-realm army that has poured into Veá through a tear in reality and answers a godlike entity from the Nether realm.
The Quenrium War — the current conflict on Veá — Notes
The Quenrium War is not the Splintering. The Quenrium War is the conflict that the Splintering made possible. Before the Splintering, other civilizations held Veá; after the Splintering, only the three EA factions are left to fight for Quenrium.
The Quenrium War — the current conflict on Veá — Notes
In gameplay terms, the Quenrium War is the framing for both the EA campaign and the online PvP ladder. The same lore question — who holds Veá's Quenrium sources next — is the question every match answers.
Twilight Crusade and Scourge Alliance — the human-faction origins
The Twilight Crusade and the Scourge Alliance are the two human-faction armies in Liquidation lore. Per the Steam store copy, they share the same pre-Splintering human civilization lineage and arrived on Veá to contest Quenrium sources after the Splintering cleared the older civilizations away.
Twilight Crusade and Scourge Alliance — the human-faction origins — Notes
Their shared origin is also why the EA campaign opens with both Crusade and Scourge perspectives on the same Quenrium War timeline. The two factions are not strangers to each other in lore; they are rival claimants to the same Quenrium sources on Veá. The Early Access campaign structure that runs both perspectives reflects this.
Twilight Crusade and Scourge Alliance — the human-faction origins — Notes
The Twilight Crusade and the Scourge Alliance are the two human factions that ship in Early Access from launch day. Their per-faction playstyle and macro philosophy are covered in more detail on the Liquidation factions (/factions) page.
The Legion — the Nether-realm origin
The Legion is the third, asymmetric faction in Liquidation lore, and the one with the most distinct origin. Per the Steam store copy, the Legion arrives on Veá as a host of demons pouring through a tear in reality, answering the summons of a godlike entity from the Nether realm.
The Legion — the Nether-realm origin — Notes
In lore terms, the Legion is not a post-Splintering human faction. They come from outside Veá entirely, through a tear in reality tied to the Nether realm and its godlike master. This is why the Legion's gameplay in Early Access is the most asymmetric: their unit roster, their tear-state mechanic, and their macro swings reflect an army that is not playing the same Quenrium-economy game as the Crusade or the Scourge Alliance.
The Legion — the Nether-realm origin — Notes
The Legion's Nether-realm origin is the most lore-distinct element of the three EA factions and the element most likely to expand as more of the Quenrium War timeline is revealed in the 1.0 release.
What Liquidation lore does not yet cover
Several lore questions are open as of 2026-08-06:
What Liquidation lore does not yet cover — Notes
The 1.0 campaign scope. The full campaign timeline beyond the first two EA chapters is not announced. • Pre-Splintering civilizations. Who held Veá before the Splintering and what their technology level was is not detailed in the Steam store or MicroProse press copy available as of 2026-08-06. • Quenrium's origin. Where Quenrium comes from, why it is life-sustaining, and whether Veá has any other rare resources are not detailed beyond the Steam store and MicroProse press copy. • The fourth EA faction's lore tie-in. The planned fourth faction for the 1.0 release is not announced as of 2026-08-06, so its lore origin is also unknown.
What Liquidation lore does not yet cover — Notes
These open questions are tracked as dated unknowns and are not filled with speculation.
Sources
Sources checked on 2026-08-06.
FAQ
What is the setting of Liquidation lore?
Liquidation lore is set on Veá, a dying planet whose surface is hostile to unshielded life and whose only valuable resource is Quenrium. The current conflict on Veá is the Quenrium War, fought between the Twilight Crusade, the Scourge Alliance, and the Nether-realm Legion.
What was the Splintering in Liquidation lore?
The Splintering was the cataclysm in Liquidation lore that wiped out species and civilizations on Veá and made the Quenrium War possible. Before the Splintering, other civilizations held Veá; after it, only the three EA factions remain to fight for Quenrium.
What is Quenrium in Liquidation lore?
Quenrium is the rare, life-sustaining resource in Liquidation lore that every faction on Veá needs to keep fighting. It is the only macro resource in Early Access and the namesake of the Quenrium War.
Where does the Legion come from in Liquidation lore?
The Legion comes from the Nether realm. Per the Steam store copy, the Legion pours into Veá through a tear in reality and answers a godlike entity from the Nether realm. They are the only EA faction whose origin is not tied to Veá itself.
Are the Twilight Crusade and the Scourge Alliance related?
Yes. Per the Steam store copy, both share a pre-Splintering human civilization lineage and arrived on Veá to contest Quenrium sources after the Splintering. They are rival claimants, not strangers.
Where can I learn more about Liquidation lore as more is revealed?
The Liquidation factions (/factions) page covers the per-faction playstyle and identity for each EA faction. The Liquidation campaign (/campaign) page covers the Early Access campaign structure and where the Quenrium War timeline starts. The Liquidation beginner guide (/beginner-guide) page covers how to apply the lore context to your first matches.