11 Dec 8 Tips to Win Your First Battles in Empire of the Ants
Empire of the Ants, the real-time strategy game inspired by Bernard Werber’s novel, is now available. Matthias Varlet, Senior Game Designer at Tower Five, shares his tips for triumphing in this new article!
Early Game: Building Your Economy
- Kickstart Your Economy: Begin by launching your economy. You have two buildings at your disposal, the mushroom farm and the silviculture, which produce food and wood. With these resources, you can upgrade your army, acquire powers… “The economy is the backbone of war,” says Matthias.
- Send Your Ants to a Second Nest: Uninhabited nests can be found by exploring around your headquarters. Occupying them early in the game allows you to build additional production buildings, giving your empire a more efficient economy.
- Strengthen Your Army with a Second Legion: Go on to conquer neutral nests and supply points. In solo mode, you typically start with a legion of warriors; it’s good to create a legion of gunners (shooting acid jets) or workers (gathering resources) for diversity.
Mid-Game: Growth and Information
- Evolve Your Empire: It’s possible to advance to tier 2 and then tier 3 through the laboratory and the chemical library. This allows you to increase the number and power of your agents, unlock more power charges… and especially access super-predators like the Dor beetles.
- Build Defenses in Your Frontline Nests: “Your opponent will start advancing and wanting to claim your territory; good defenses will make their effort more difficult,” explains Matthias. There are wooden barriers and nest gunners targeting any approaching enemy.
- Become the Master of Information: The “Cartographers” upgrade reveals what’s happening around you, while “Traitors” even allow you to spy on the enemy headquarters. Another more affordable option is the “Gnat Spies” power, allowing you to scan the entire map for a few moments.
Late Game: Taking the Enemy Headquarters
- Head Towards the Enemy Base: When your economy and army are developed enough, two popular methods are conquering the opponent’s nests one by one to weaken them, or directly striking their headquarters when they least expect it, using speed pheromones. “Be careful not to fall victim to this devastating strategy yourself,” warns Matthias.
- Gain the Upper Hand and Win the Game: To come out on top, think about the possible combinations between units and powers. For example, your hornets can only be fought at a distance by gunners. Why not inflict fear pheromones on enemy gunners, making your wasps unstoppable? Many combos are to be discovered in Empire of the Ants!
Matthias, Any General Tips to Conclude?
With these tips, you have the keys to victory in the campaign and multiplayer modes of Empire of the Ants. Finally, Matthias Varlet from Tower Five has two more general best practices to share: “First, always keep in mind the predation circle that governs our game. Warriors beat workers, workers beat gunners, gunners beat warriors.”
“Also, don’t hesitate to use the custom game mode in multiplayer as a training tool,” continues the Senior Game Designer. “Against AI or friends, it allows you to test different scenarios and strategies at your own pace.”
Ready to put your skills to the test? Empire of the Ants has been available since November 7 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series. You can now train in our brand-new Skirmish offline mode, facing off against 1 or 2 AI opponents before diving into multiplayer mode to compete against other players. Seeking a greater challenge? The new Master AI will truly test your limits.
