How to farm

I'm writing this guide on the demand of a couple players. This guide will not only explain how to farm, but also some specific concepts related to the tools you will use to farm properly.

### Lasers:

Simple enough, they pew pew at whatever is in range.

If there are creep in range, they pew at creep.

If there are creep and on-board fighters (OBF) in range, they pew at OBF. Little detail, if there are interceptors farming, they will pew at creep first.

If there are OBF and Capital Ships (CS), they pew at CS.

If there are creep and CS and Siege Minions (SM), they pew at SM.

If there are many top targets of a kind, they pew at the target the closest to the direction your ship is facing (the one in front rather than the ones on side). In some cases I cannot precise, some lasers (like tentacles) seem to have a different attacking pattern.

### On-board Fighters (OBF):

They have the same attacking pattern as lasers, except they will not attack CS or towers without a direct order. For information, they will also attack anything over carrier's scouts, since the latter do not have anti-light weaponry.

Creep will attack OBF over creep, even if these are interceptors. Creep ignore 85% of OBF (and other minions) armor.

Importantly, OBF have an aggro range of about 4, meaning they will seek and destroy targets that come within that range.

### Creep:

If there are creep/heavy creep and player-controlled units, they attack player controlled units. They acquire the new target anytime a nearby AI unit is attacked by a player unit.

Example: creeps are fighting, your ship comes around and attacks creep, all nearby creep will instantly aggro you.

If there are player-controlled units and siege minions (even AI's), they attack siege minions. They acquire the new target in its aggro range after attacking their previous target.

Example: You're running with creep trying to attack you, and come by ally tempests. Creep will only attack tempests after attacking you. If they are too far, they will follow you despite tempests passing by.

If creep lose sight of their target, they will hunt it to its last known location before losing aggro. Scourges behave similarly.

They have an aggro range of about 3, and will seek and destroy targets that come within that range.

####  Heavy Creep (AI only):

They behave like creep.

Major difference. They also have an aggro range of about 3, but they have an aggro range of about 15 against CS.

#### Siege Minions (AI only):

They behave like creep,

They have an aggro range of about 15.

Yea that's alot of homework...

Now that we've established the basics, you may already see some farming moves.

### Moving to your lane:

This part is important and way overlooked by many of us. Game begins, you move to your lane. You launch your fighters (or should) and let them crash into enemies with disregard. No, give them a purpose. If you're in middle, at least spot enemy energy users. If you're sidelane, you need to be extra careful with them.

If you're a tank or your minions are very strong (5-6 interceptors, or 3 cloaked wraiths), you can send your OBF on the outside of your lane, to allow your ship to grab some extra farm more in the center. If you do that, don't send them ahead your creep, as you won't be able to recall them without casualties.

If you're a weaker ship without OBF perks (everything, including levi), send OBF in front of you, so that you can figure what ship is coming at you, then retreat them to your own creep to have them fight alongside them. If enemy does the same, pull them back and have enemy OBF in your laser range while yours outside their laser range.

Don't be afraid to recall them completely, and relaunch them. Doing so will very likely make creep aggro on your ship, so when you relaunch right after, your creep+OBF+lasers will clear enemy OBF real quick, and then you can farm, and you can use OBF and creep for other purposes (like denying regeneration for instance). Easy way to have 7 OBF remaining while enemy is left with 1 or 2. You build 1 OBF every 5s, so it takes roughly 50s to replenish them fully.

When moving with creep/OBF on you, recalling/relaunching repeatedly makes it so you're constantly making enemies shift aggro on different OBF. Also note, first-in-first-out.

Example: your OBF are about get in a bad fight, recall them, the closest OBF to you are likely the most healthy, they dock first. You relaunch them while your further/more damaged OBFs are still recalling with enemy aggro, these healthy OBF get a free shot while others recall. When they dock, enemy aggro shifts onto those healthy OBFs, and when you release the damaged ones, they also get free shot as healthy ones tank for them. Call it one cycle. You can repeat this cycle many times, and while you do so, the battle is occuring within your laser range, and you are still rebuilding lost OBF. The downside is that you lose alot of speed doing that, so you need to input some move orders inbetween.

Note: You can recall and relaunch at the same time. Only the OBFs currently not docked will take the recall orders. For the ones you launch after that recall order, you need to reiterate the order in order for them to dock again.

And now you have a big lead in OBF. You can decide to send those OBFs alone into enemy creep/CS, if you have 1shot OBF, you'll get some fine farm, if you don't, they will at least tank for your creep while these creep deny enemy regen. You can also go and face that ship with lasers, while your OBF are attacking him or clearing ground beneath him. You can also fight him normally, while sending your OBF to farm another area.

If your OBF are strong enough, you can sweep areas with them. The idea is to have them a little spread. Order them to move towards some creep (on topside for example), and when SOME of your OBF enter aggro range, order them to move to middle. This way the aggroed OBF will attack top creep, the others will head towards middle. Eventually, top OBF will have no target and will head middle aswell. That's when you order them to move top again. Eventually middle OBF will have no target and will head top. Hopefully your top OBFs found new targets, and you can order to move to middle, keeping your OBFs split in 2 locations.

Another way to keep your OBF alive against big patches of creep is aggro them with your ship from afar, then launching your OBF, since creep will not change targets without attacking your ship first, your OBF will attack without retaliation for as long as your ship stays outside of creep range.

You may also aggro creep from different places by turning your ship around (guardian, supports, vr with beam).

If there are bigger targets for your lasers, you may use Aclick to target fire a patch of creep, so that it chases you while you deal with those pesky corruptors for instance.

You may use minions that couldn't farm on their own (scouts, broodlords, phantoms, spotter) to pull creep towards you.

### Macro:

#### **Early Back:**

Warping out early also allows you to get out of base super early and move (or at least launch your OBFs) to a lane where there's no CS. This way you have one ship with an upgrade advantage, and since you're pushing a lane, enemy may not reach the max creep limit (1. Game basics).

Warning, you and your allies need to understand that they are on their own and assess that they are not in danger. Moreover, it is generally only effective if you can help your team re-push after that.

#### **Leaving a lane empty:**

Heavy Creep (HC) move to the "lane" that is the least pushed. Siege Creep move to the "lane" that is the most pushed. Swarm command units move to the lane overlord was when they spawned. All those units will make the lane push. You want to let these enemies fly by and kill your creep before collecting them.

Example: you're a Frigate facing a Guardian on toplane. You've pushed more than your team, and now you're going to help middle. Since guardian is the most in retreat, Heavy Creep (HC) will spawn on toplane. Now guardian (that has no OBF) also has to move middle to help their team. As tempting as it is to go back to lane or launch OBF, don't. Wait until Heavy Creep are at your level or past your level to move to back to toplane. This way, all your lane creep have been cleared, you get a nice swarm of creep to munch on, and if you find the correct timing, enemy creep limit wasn't reached so there is no loss. Meanwhile that guardian couldn't launch OBF along with HC to catch some of the farm, because it has none. Guardian or any ship, if they are too far, result will be the same.

This guide may or may not be over, I'll continue writing it as ideas flow by.