Campaign

The Campaign is the main single player gamemode in Amoeba Battle

## Mission 1: Boot Up Camp

The Amoeba Control System is activated and, after prompting the player to load an artificial intelligence, AMI greets the player. She questions if the player even knows how to use the ACS and proceeds to teach basic controls and game mechanics using a Locust. The player and AMI come across wild Locust amoeba to help explain combat, well fed bonuses, and replication. Later an Algae patch introduces ACS Energy and it's use in replication. AMI connects the ACS to the lab's power grid, giving the player a slow, but constant supply of Energy. Attack moves are explained and the player is lead along a corridor of wild Locusts until AMI mentions something approaching, closing out the mission.

* This mission is a breeze even on Brutal. Enemy health and damage changes little between difficulties.

## Mission 2: Natural Selection

You start this mission with three Locusts. AMI demands that you pursue and collect the DNA of the amoeba that caught her attention in the previous mission. The player is introduced to hiding in undergrowth and finds a single wild Wasp in the fen. After defeating it, AMI states that the player must defeat 20 more Wasps before she can synthesize their genome. Herbivore attack and healing buffs on grass along with omnivore immunity to being slowed in undergrowth can be optionally explained before the player is set loose to wreck havoc. All algae patches on the map are lit up and the player is able to see when wild amoeba pass through.

After a few minutes, likely before the player has defeated 20 Wasps, AMI will inform the player that Sharks have entered the area and will explain carnivore invisibility.

Once the player defeats 20 Wasps, AMI will lead the player to a safe spot and teach them how to mutate Locusts into a Wasps. AMI will point the player to a new beacon in the top left of the map that is defended by a group of Sharks. Once the player reaches this beacon and the Sharks are defeated, the mission ends.

* If the player refuses the diet buffs tutorial, AMI will inquire if the player has read the manual. If the player answers no, AMI ponders how you could know, stating that you shouldn't be able to travel back in time to replay moments.

## Mission 3: Mitochondrawhat?

You start this mission with four Locusts and four Wasps. You will immediately encounter three Sharks who will remain invisible until you approach them. After defeating them, AMI will enthusiastically explain how the structure the Sharks were guarding, which she refers to as a Mitochondria, is outputting tons of energy. AMI will explain how to deploy a Gather Probe on the Mitochondria, but states that she needs more data before she can figure out exactly how to use them. An optional tutorial on control groups is presented before the player is set loose.

There are three Mitochondria on the map. Sharks are drawn to them and if a probe is left alone, eventually Sharks will come and destroy it. The player must locate and hold these three Mitochondria for [amount of time]. There are Algae patches close to each Mitochondria that can be used to feed and replicate your control groups.

Once research is complete, AMI figures out how to extract Energy from Mitochondria and also gifts you with the newly developed Cryo Probe. AMI tasks you with defeating eight Sharks, remarking that the Cryo Probe will help keep them from running away. You no longer have to guard the probes, though together they give a significant Energy boost. Sharks are still drawn to the Mitochondria, so Gather Probes can be used as a kind of bait. Once you've defeated enough Sharks, the mission ends with AMI noticing something amiss nearby...

## Mission 4: Biohazard

You start this mission with three Sharks. AMI will mark a spot behind your Sharks and instruct you not to let any more then forty amoeba pass. Enemy amoeba will come in waves, the first taking one and half minutes to arrive. AMI hacks into the power grid of the lab next door and uses the extra energy to keep the entire map visible for most of the mission.

Cryo probes will help stem the tide when amoeba start flooding in, so use the map visibility to efficiently slow and take out the horde. With all the combat, you're sure to lose some units so pay attention to when your Gather Probes are under attack and quickly replace them so you can replicate/mutate freely. If a unit is not currently engaged with an enemy and is well fed, consider replicating it. Careful replicating away from the main scuffle is essential to surviving large encounters like this.

After [x] minutes, the power will blow itself out and leave you blind. Your ACS Energy will continue to replenish despite the blackout. It's best to gather your forces near the bottom choke point as the low visibility makes it much easier for groups of amoeba to pass the beacon without notice. Sharks will be more common in these final waves and will sneak past your beacon if you let them.

* In the original "Amoebattle" there were no algae trees in this mission, meaning that mutating herbivores was largely impractical. The mission now features two algae trees near the bottom of the map, allowing for more player experimentation with army composition.

## Mission 5: Nipped in the Bud

You start this mission with four Sharks. You will come across a Spawning Pool filled with amoeba cysts to eat. Just past you lie more fields of cysts ready to hatch, prompting AMI to teach you about spawning pools. After dispatching the cysts you will pass another spawning pool filled with Sharks. These Sharks won't attack unless your units enter the pool, so choose wisely whether you want to engage them or not. After more cysts, you will discover a new species of amoeba, the Stingray. AMI pushes you forward, insisting that you find more of them. Continue and you will find an amoeba micro-fossil. AMI places a Research Probe on the micro-fossil and shows you that there are four spawning pools filled with cysts lurking north of it.

She tasks you with destroying forty cysts while defending the Research Probe from waves of enemy amoeba that will periodically pour from the spawning pools. To help, AMI gifts you five Stingrays. These amoeba have more health then any of the tier-1 amoeba you've been using thus far, so they can act as hefty tanks while standing on grass. The Wasps that show up during waves have a tendency to stand outside of your range of sight and fire at your front line; draw them closer by moving your army towards the probe. Be mindful of how much of the bottleneck to the probe you can see and always leave an amoeba nearby to alert you if a Shark sneaks past. The Sharks guarding the cyst fields don't respawn, so it's possible to take out enough Sharks to slip past the front line, wipe out the cysts, and then sneak back out without defeating the rest of the guards. The mission ends immediately when you destroy the last cyst.

## Mission 6: Rumble in the Reef

You start this mission with six Vipers. Wild Sharks and wild Stingrays are at war with each other on this map, due to disruptions to their environment. AMI tasks you with wiping out forty Sharks and forty Stingrays. Both of these units are faster then your starting Vipers and there are enough wandering around the map that running into combat can end with you being surrounded and dispatched. Take advantage of the undergrowth lining the main through-ways and your Vipers natural invisibility to influence scuffles already occurring. Algae blooms are plentiful and tucked away so consider mutating a Stingray of your own; their speed will help you escape hopeless engagements. Once you defeat forty of either amoeba type, the remaining amoeba of that type will leave the area.

After a few minutes, AMI will alert you to a new threat. A group of six invincible Rhinos are now roaming the map, killing anything they find and choking hallways. If you can manage to follow them without notice you can pick off any wounded wild amoeba they leave behind, but know that they will move faster then Vipers in undergrowth.

After you've defeated enough wild amoeba, AMI completes research on the Poison Probe. This probe does damage in an area around it, but for the purpose of this mission it will remove the Rhinos' invincibility. Once you've defeated the six Rhinos, the mission will end with AMI suggesting you two head towards the source of the bizarre amoeba.

## Mission 7: Stampede!

You start this mission with three Rhinos. This mission takes place entirely in a long corridor filled with enemy cysts, enemy amoeba, mitochondria, spawning pools, and undergrowth. Enemy amoeba groups become stronger as you go and there is ample opportunity to mutate/replicate along the way no matter what kind of army you're building. Along the way you will encounter a small group of wild Stingray, but they pose no threat.

Once you reach the second patch of undergrowth, the camera will pan to show four dense cyst fields between you and the exit. To make matters worse, the friendly Stingrays mark the point a Chaos Amoeba spawns. You can't fight this thing, it's attack is ranged, it does area-of-effect damage, and it's middle name is "relentless". Rhinos can very efficiently clear out the cysts before they hatch, but don't let them get caught up fighting hatchlings. The mission ends when at least one of your amoeba cross the exit point so get there quick!

## Mission 8: Death from Above

You start this mission with six Stingrays. AMI will begin to muse about the Chaos Amoeba before being interrupted by a meteorite falling on a patrol of Locusts, introducing the player to environmental hazards. The Locusts will drop research tokens, which AMI will demand thirty more of. Research tokens will only drop from enemy amoeba that are defeated by a meteorite; throughout the entire mission, your army will be periodically targeted by single meteor strikes. Quick units can be useful for luring enemies into the strike zone and running out of it before impact while Cryo probes can supplement this strategy to keep your army safe. Wasps are the easiest unit to trap in a meteor strike because they tend not to move from the position they start attacking from unless you run far away. Stingrays on grass can tank Wasps on grass, so grab a bite to eat while running circles around them.

Once you've collected forty research tokens, Alphas will begin spawning in small packs around the map. AMI asks that you defeat six Alphas so she can synthesize their DNA and suggests using the meteorites to take care of them if they prove too strong. Tokens will fall from Alphas regardless of how they're killed, but Alphas will often enter scuffles you're already having and can prove an overwhelming nuisance. If you have a lot of units, you can travel the corridors until you de-cloak a pack. The mission ends once you've collected six research tokens from fallen Alphas.

## Mission 9: Tactical Espionage Alpha

You start this mission with one Alpha. AMI notes a well protected Queen in the distance, but says that rushing in wouldn't go well. Your single Alpha is a scout of sorts, its invisibility and ability to handle combat by itself making it perfect to sneak into her chamber.

Viper patrols will stand in your way, running around cover in consistent cycles. Carnivores will remain invisible until they're within [x] tiles of an enemy, so even if you're within a patrol's line of sight, you can still scurry away before being noticed. Viper venom means that if you're spotted, it won't be long before you're surrounded. Try making a break for any nearby undergrowth, they won't follow you in. Occasionally you will have a single Viper to dispatch on the way. If you're having trouble avoiding detection, consider mutating your Alpha into a Shark for the extra speed and back into an Alpha when combat approaches. Spawning pools are plentiful.

When you reach the Queen, AMI introduces the Purify Probe to your arsenal and chooses your first target to be the Queen. Take out the Wasps around her before deploying your probe or they will prioritize destroying it. Once you've purified the Queen, AMI points you to the exit, which is guarded by a bulky squad of Carnivores. You will encounter smaller groups of carnivores on the way to the exit and it's recommended that instead of defeating them, you use purify probes on them. The more amoeba in your army, the better your chances of making it out. The mission ends after you defeat the guards and have your Queen cross the exit point.

## Mission 10: For Queen and Country

You start this mission with two Alphas and one sickly Queen. AMI will light up fifteen points on the map where you can find Royal Algae in hopes that feeding it to the Queen will revitalize her. Enemy amoeba wander the map, but don't get cocky just because they're mostly Locusts. The more amoeba you defeat, the more amoeba will show up to patrol the area. The threat level starts at Minimal and goes up to [?]. As the threat level rises, higher tiers of amoeba in larger groups become more common. Running into undergrowth will cause enemies to immediately lose interest in you, though if you've engaged them in combat even that wont stop them.

Once you've fed your Queen the fifteen royal algae, she will finally be able to move at full speed and will function normally. To test her out, ten Ursas spawn and begin wandering together. AMI will track them on the map for you, which should be relatively filled in by now, and tasks you with defeating all of them. If your Alphas aren't well fed yet, it would be a good time to take out a few wild amoeba and replicate them. When in battle, keep your Queen away from the front-lines and have her debuff the Ursas most surrounded by Alphas. By focusing on one Ursa at a time and using the Queens debuff, you can overwhelm their huge health pool along with the protection buff they place on each other. The mission ends immediately when you defeat your tenth Ursa.

## Mission 11: Belly of the Beast

You start this mission with eight Ursas. AMI has once again hacked the power grid and your ACS Energy will be replenishing at a dizzying rate, with the caveat that you will be unable to replicate any of your amoeba due to said hack. Your first confrontation will be a group of Sharks. Use the extra energy to purify as many as you can. AMI will introduce the Heal Probe to help your Ursas survive. Take some time to heal any Sharks you caught and consider using the Spawning pools ahead to mutate them into Alphas. Fortify your starting army as much as possible while you have the Energy.

After your 2nd enemy encounter, the power grid will blow itself out. AMI will be able to send 300 Energy your way, but both mutation and replication are unavailable. Energy will not replenish for the next section.

Use the five potential probes you have wisely and prioritize purifying higher tier enemy amoebas while using lower tier amoeba to feed your army. You will have more success by surrounding and isolating amoeba you want to purify, though groups of herbivores can still take out probes at a distance. There's no shame in reloading a save if your probe use doesn't go well; your resources are severely limited for the next three encounters. AMI will give you another 300 Energy gift after the third scuffle which will carry you through another three fights.

The massive spawning pool that comes next is not an invitation. While moving through it you will be ambushed by hordes of Locusts from all sides. Your only option is to fight your way out, but the Locusts will replicate as you try to push through. Alphas are invaluable in this section as decisive aggression is the best way to deal with the swarm. It's possible to lock yourself into an unwinnable scenario here by not having the raw strength to fight through. It's often much easier to re-attempt the level and try to better use your purify probes then force a weakened army through.

We're still not finished! Past the spawning field, you'll find a few Alphas guarding another micro-fossil. AMI tosses a research probe on it, gifts you 600 ACS Energy, and asks that you defend it until the probe is finished. Don't stray to far from the probe, the waves will come straight to you. Hopefully your army has been built up enough to withstand the onslaught! At 50% research completion, AMI will repair the generator and you will have access to everything including replication. The waves will stop at 80%. At 90% AMI will warn of a Chaos Amoeba and ask that you hold it off for just a moment longer. The mission ends the instant the probe research reaches 100%.

## Mission 12: Battle Royale

Here it is! The final battle! This mission is timed, taking twenty five minutes in every play through. You start this mission with one lone Locust. A specialized amoeba cyst sits in the middle of the map between five entry points. There are three Algae patches surrounding the cyst in an upside-down triangle formation and five Mitochondria sitting just in front of the entry tunnels. You will be given three minutes to build up your army before the first wave hits. Mutate a Shark to take a lap around the map to secure mitochondria while your main forces gorge on algae and replicate/mutate.

This is a simple wave-by-wave defend-the-point mission, but you have access to everything. All amoeba species, all probes, and a map full of ample resources to do with whatever you see fit. There's no one way to clear this mission. Your skill with control groups, knowledge of species match-up, and ability to micromanage your army will be put to the test in higher difficulties. Keep those mitochondria claimed, mutate/replicate unoccupied units, and don't forget about Purify Probes!

Go wild and survive with the cyst for twenty five minutes!