Ant Legion: For The Swarm Guide: Master Queen & Swarm Evolution!

Table of Contents

• 1. Game Overview and Key Features
• 2. Ant Legion F2P Roadmap: App-Tech Mission Goals and Preparation
• 3. Efficient Base Growth: Queen Ant's Nest Upgrades and Essential Buildings
• 4. In-Depth Resource Management: Acquisition and Utilization Strategies
• 5. Special Ant and Soldier Ant Management Strategies
• 6. In-Depth Combat and Raiding Guide: Importance of Alliance Activities
• 7. Game Review and Other Tips

1. Game Overview and Key Features

Many players are drawn to the game by impressive YouTube advertisements showing ants forming armies and battling other insects. This in-depth guide will focus on Ant Legion: For The Swarm (Ant Legion), a game released approximately three years ago. While it differs somewhat from the insect battles depicted in its advertisements, it is a Strategy Simulation (SLG) game where players upgrade Queen Ants and Worker Ants, build their ant nests, and compete with other users. It contains elements that will surely appeal to fans of insect-themed combat games.

The game begins with the Queen Ant migrating to find a new habitat, forming a new family, and building a new nest. Players must construct their own ant kingdom to survive and thrive in the underground world. The game strives to recreate a realistic ant world with top-tier artwork, having secured official licenses from renowned global natural science photography websites to include thousands of high-resolution ant photographs from around the world. The unique charm of this game is the ability to learn about natural science while playing. The process of digging intricate tunnels and expanding your ant nest, inviting famous ant architects of the insect world to design an orderly ant colony and a magnificent underground palace, is one of the core joys of this game.

Ant Legion's combat goes beyond simply deploying troops; it involves deploying soldier ants and special ants to defend your base, engage in battles with other insects, and raid the bases of other players. In particular, the in-game behavior of ants carrying away the carcasses of other insects, reminiscent of childhood memories of observing ant nests, offers an indirect experience of insect ecology. The process of continuously developing and training soldiers by using defeated enemies as nourishment enhances the game's immersion.

Within the game, there are special units called Special Ants. These unique ants from various parts of the world can be recruited from the Hatchery, and their combat power can be significantly enhanced through leveling up and promotion. Each Special Ant possesses unique characteristics and abilities, allowing for strategic deployment based on content and situation. Leading countless soldier ants into large-scale battles to create a formidable swarm is one of Ant Legion's major attractions.

Having been released for about three years, the game offers a diverse range of content. Early on, acceleration items and construction materials are highly crucial, but as the game progresses into the mid-to-late stages, the value of these items typically decreases, characteristic of SLG games. Therefore, to achieve rapid initial growth, aggressively using acceleration items to gain a significant advantage in progression can be a core strategy. However, the outdated interface and somewhat inconvenient controls might be drawbacks for some players.

Game Basic Information:

Category	Details
Official Name	Ant Legion: For The Swarm
Developer	37GAMES
Release Date	2022 (Approx.)
Platform	Mobile (Android, iOS)
Price Model	Free-to-Play (In-app purchases)
Genre	Strategy (SLG), Base-Building, RTS

2. Ant Legion F2P Roadmap: App-Tech Mission Goals and Preparation

Ant Legion: For The Swarm is sometimes used by players for "app-tech" (earning rewards through app usage) missions. To achieve specific goals and collect all rewards, a systematic roadmap and efficient preparation are essential. This game is an ad-free SLG, which is a significant advantage as it doesn't require constant manipulation. The key is to rapidly achieve the main base level and focus on obtaining all rewards.

App-Tech Mission Goal Setting:

The primary app-tech mission goal is to achieve Level 22 in the shortest possible time. To this end, a one-time purchase of a 5,900 KRW additional construction slot is practically essential. This purchase provides a second construction slot, significantly increasing construction speed. Based on my experience, reaching Queen Ant's Nest Level 18 took 5 days, and reaching Level 22 is expected to take an additional 4-6 days due to the exponentially increasing resource consumption. Some reviews suggest that Level 22 can be achieved around day 16, so aiming for this timeframe is advisable.

Early Preparation and Sub-Account Utilization:

Successful app-tech mission completion requires strategic preparation from the start.

• 1. Essential Sub-Account (using a spare phone):

  It is essential to create a Level 12 auxiliary account. This sub-account is primarily used for resource acquisition. By simply participating in events, a sub-account can accumulate enormous amounts of resources by around day 12, including over 40 million food and leaves, over 4 million water, and approximately 20,000 diamonds (for resource exchange). Since resource transfer to the main account is possible from Level 20, the rapid growth of the sub-account greatly assists the main account's progression.

• 2. Expanding Fungus Research Lab March Slots:

  Rapidly upgrade the Fungus Research Lab to Level 12 to unlock two march slots. This allows for the operation of a total of three troops, maximizing resource gathering efficiency. Before logging off, always send your troops out for resource collection. Prioritize research in the lab to increase troop capacity and utilize items that reduce gathering speed.

• 3. Joining a High-Tier Alliance:

  Joining the right alliance in the early stages of the game is crucial for obtaining all rewards. It's important to quickly increase your combat power to around 5 million to be accepted into a high-tier guild (alliance). Look for alliances that are active, have many members, and offer high-level gifts. High-tier alliances typically have many allies, which significantly reduces the risk of conflict with other alliances and ensures stable growth. Furthermore, you can receive bonuses from items purchased by alliance members, accelerate your growth through alliance support (construction, development, healing, etc.), and benefit from quickly established alliance mines for easier resource acquisition.

Through these preparatory steps, you can successfully achieve your app-tech mission goals in Ant Legion and acquire all available rewards. It is advisable to conserve diamonds as much as possible, treating them as if they don't exist, and using them only for urgent resource acquisition when the deadline is near. In my own experience, I managed to acquire all final rewards by using diamonds to supplement resources with about two days remaining.

3. Efficient Base Growth: Queen Ant's Nest Upgrades and Essential Buildings

The most crucial aspect in Ant Legion: For The Swarm is upgrading the Queen Ant's Nest (main base). This is because various game content unlocks and overall combat power increases with the Queen Ant's Nest level. Upgrading the main base requires specific subordinate building levels and vast amounts of resources, necessitating a planned approach.

Queen Ant's Nest Level-Up Requirements:

Reaching main base levels 1 to 7 is generally achievable within about 4 hours. Beyond that, the following resource and building level requirements apply. Subordinate buildings typically consume significantly more leaves, so it is crucial to prioritize gathering leaves when collecting resources.

• Level 8:
  • Required Buildings: Nest Entrance Lv7, Fungus Research Lab Lv7
  • Required Resources: 80k Food, 80k Leaves
• Level 9:
  • Required Buildings: Nest Entrance Lv8, Evolution Cave Lv8, Hatchery Lv8
  • Required Resources: 160k Food, 160k Leaves
• Level 10:
  • Required Buildings: Nest Entrance Lv9, Storage Lv9
  • Required Resources: 320k Food, 320k Leaves
• Level 12:
  • Required Buildings: Transporter Ant Habitat Lv11, Nest Entrance Lv11, Ranger Ant Habitat Lv11
  • Required Resources: 1.13M Food, 1.13M Leaves, 25k Water
• Level 13:
  • Required Buildings: Sentinel Ant Lv12, Nest Entrance Lv12, Soldier Ant Hospital Lv12
  • Required Resources: 1.91M Food, 1.91M Leaves, 67k Water
• Level 14:
  • Required Buildings: Ranger Ant Habitat Lv13, Nest Entrance Lv13, Alliance Headquarters Lv13
  • Required Resources: 3M Food, 3M Leaves, 150k Water
• Level 15:
  • Required Buildings: Guardian Ant Habitat Lv14, Nest Entrance Lv14, Market Lv14
  • Required Resources: 4.37M Food, 4.39M Leaves, 290k Water
• Level 16:
  • Required Buildings: Fungus Farm Lv15, Nest Entrance Lv15
  • Required Resources: 6.03M Food, 5.85M Leaves, 500k Water
• Level 17:
  • Required Buildings: Tree Root Lv16, Nest Entrance Lv16
  • Required Resources: 7.8M Food, 6.75M Leaves, 790k Water, 28k Mushroom
• Level 18:
  • Required Buildings: Guardian Ant Habitat Lv17, Nest Entrance Lv17
  • Required Resources: 10M Food, 7.61M Leaves, 1.21M Water, 75k Mushroom
• Level 19:
  • Required Buildings: Alliance Headquarters Lv18, Nest Entrance Lv18
  • Required Resources: 12.9M Food, 8.2M Leaves, 1.85M Water, 150k Mushroom
• Level 20:
  • Required Buildings: Assault Ant Habitat Lv19, Nest Entrance Lv19
  • Required Resources: 16.6M Food, 8.3M Leaves, 2.7M Water, 270k Mushroom
• Level 21:
  • Required Buildings: Leaf Habitat Lv20, Nest Entrance Lv20
  • Required Resources: Approx. 21M Food, 7M Leaves, 3M Water, 400k Mushroom
• Level 22:
  • Required Buildings: March Ant Rally Point Lv21, Nest Entrance Lv21
  • Required Resources: 27.2M Food, 5M Leaves, 6M Water, 750k Mushroom

The Nest Entrance upgrade is particularly crucial for Queen Ant's Nest upgrades. It is often overlooked but serves as a prerequisite for all main base upgrades, so pay close attention to it. Based on my experience, a shortage of water and mushrooms for Nest Entrance upgrades led to an unexpected delay of about 2 days.

Additionally, focus on upgrading the Fungus Research Lab to Level 12 only to unlock two march slots, and construct other buildings only to their minimum required levels for efficiency.

4. In-Depth Resource Management: Acquisition and Utilization Strategies

Resource management is a critical factor determining success in Ant Legion: For The Swarm. Particularly from main base Level 16-17 onwards, resource gathering alone becomes insufficient for upgrading the Queen Ant's Nest, making raiding for resources essential. You must develop strategies for efficiently acquiring and utilizing various resources such as food, leaves, water, and mushrooms.

Main Resource Acquisition Methods and Usage:

• 1. Mantis Lair:

  The Mantis Lair, which opens at Level 16, is a key content for gathering vast amounts of resources. It can be constructed upon reaching a certain troop size; therefore, you must continuously increase your troop size through Special Ant and Research Lab skill enhancements. It is crucial to reach Level 16 and open the Mantis Lair as quickly as possible using acceleration items. Once inside the Mantis Lair, your troops will remain for approximately 6 hours and 30 minutes. To avoid being raided if you stay for the full duration, it's advisable to summon your troops back and collect resources every 3 hours. You can acquire approximately 5 million leaves per 24 hours. Resource exchange is infinitely possible, allowing you to convert to specific resources only when needed. This is particularly useful for scarce resources like water or mushrooms.

• 2. Field Gathering:

  You should join a guild in an area with Level 5, 6, or 7 resources and engage in field gathering. You can increase gathering speed by using gathering acceleration items acquired through guild activity coins. High-level guilds often have their own resource gathering spots, allowing for more efficient collection. It is recommended to train many Level 1 Transporter Ants, which have high resource carrying capacity, for gathering purposes.

• 3. Arena Gathering:

  Utilize Arena content, which is useful for acquiring acceleration items and resources. Actively engage in the Special Ant Duel within the daily quests of the Arena. Rewards reset daily at 9 AM, allowing for significant resource acquisition. Tickets generate once every 2 hours. Other Arena quests should primarily be used for exchanging acceleration items.

• 4. Event Participation:

  Participate in all in-game events to the fullest extent possible, tailored to your level. The amount of acceleration items and resources obtainable from these events is substantial, making it essential to always clear events that offer resources as rewards.

Resource Priority and Storage Strategy:

In the early game, food and leaves are primarily needed. However, as you progress to the later stages, leaves, mushrooms, and water become absolutely critical. Leaves, in particular, are heavily consumed for subordinate building upgrades, so prioritize gathering leaves, water, and mushrooms.

The most important resource management tip is to always store resources in crates and only open them for the exact amount needed. If you expose all your resources by opening crates prematurely, you risk significant setbacks from raids, so always be cautious. Resources are a target for raids, requiring constant vigilance. Using a 24-hour shield to protect against raids is also a good strategy.

Additionally, intermittently utilize the Grasshopper or Ladybug Merchants to exchange for needed resources. There are various exchange coins available; if direct resource exchange isn't an option, exchanging for necessary resources based on ongoing events to obtain event reward items can also be a viable strategy. Quest rewards, which directly add resources instead of providing them in crates, should be utilized immediately when building upgrades require them.

5. Special Ant and Soldier Ant Management Strategies

The combat power in Ant Legion: For The Swarm stems from powerful Special Ants and efficiently managed Soldier Ant legions. The outcome of battles hinges on how these two core forces are nurtured and deployed.

Special Ant Development and Utilization:

Special Ants are akin to hero units in Ant Legion. They can be recruited from the Hatchery, and recruited Special Ants can significantly enhance their combat power through leveling up and promotion. Since each Special Ant possesses unique characteristics and skills, it is important to utilize the appropriate Special Ant strategically based on the content or situation.

• Focused Growth: Instead of leveling up all low-tier Special Ants obtained early on, it is more efficient to reset the levels of existing ants and focus all resources on high-tier Special Ants once they are acquired. In the late game, it becomes possible to level up all ants.
• Dew Utilization: When resources allow, it is advisable to acquire Dew and periodically level up Special Ants.
• Event Utilization: It is efficient to save Special Ant eggs and open them during Ant Acquisition Events. Similarly, Special Ant fragments should also be saved and used in conjunction with these events.

Soldier Ant Production and Deployment:

Soldier Ants are the fundamental combat force of your ant legion and crucial for resource gathering. Understanding the characteristics and production strategies for each type of soldier ant is essential.

• Soldier Ant Types: Ant Legion features three main types of soldier ants: Guardian Ants, Assault Ants, and Ranger Ants. These types have a counter-relationship (e.g., Guardian < Assault < Ranger). Each soldier ant type can be produced in its respective habitat at a certain level.
• Raiding Troops:

  Since Assault Ants are a requirement for reaching Main Base Level 20, training Assault Ants for raiding purposes is efficient. However, if your goal is only the Level 18 reward, Guardian Ants may suffice.

• Gathering Troops:

  It is recommended to produce only Level 1 Guardian Ants and Ranger Ants for gathering. These consume only food and are useful for increasing gathering efficiency through sheer numbers.

• Importance of Troop Capacity:

  Ant Legion is a game where troop capacity is extremely important. Prioritize upgrading your Snail's level and focusing on Military Skills related to troop capacity. A larger troop capacity increases raiding efficiency and provides a significant advantage in combat.

• Expanding March Slots:

  Upgrade the Fungus Research Lab to Level 12 to unlock two additional march slots. This allows for the operation of a total of three troops, maximizing efficiency for both gathering and raiding simultaneously.

Through planned Special Ant development, Soldier Ant production, and troop capacity expansion, you will be able to form a powerful legion in Ant Legion.

6. In-Depth Combat and Raiding Guide: Importance of Alliance Activities

In Ant Legion: For The Swarm, achieving high-level goals like Queen Ant's Nest Level 22 necessitates resource acquisition through raiding. This is particularly true from main base Levels 16-17 onwards, when gathering alone becomes insufficient for Queen Ant's Nest upgrades. Raiding is not just about attacking enemies; it is an advanced content that requires alliance activities and strategic judgment.

Importance of Alliance Membership and Activity:

For successful raiding and stable growth, it is crucial to join and actively participate in a suitable guild (alliance). Even if your sole purpose is resource gathering, alliances offer various benefits.

• Alliance Benefits:
  • Alliance Member Purchase Bonuses: You can receive a certain percentage of bonuses from in-game items purchased by alliance members.
  • Alliance Support: Receive support from alliance members for various activities like construction, development, and healing, significantly reducing completion times.
  • Prevention of Conflicts in the World: Especially for alliances ranked in the top 10 or higher, NAP (Non-Aggression Pact) agreements with other alliances are common, significantly reducing the risk of being attacked. These agreements typically state that alliances up to a certain combat power rank (e.g., top 10 or 20) will not be attacked. It is imperative to verify this before raiding. Disregarding these agreements may result in having to return resources or even being expelled from the alliance.
  • Alliance Mines: Alliance mines are constructed quickly, allowing you to constantly gather various resources like food, leaves, water, and mushrooms. By filling them with troops and applying the +50% gathering speed buff, you can maximize resource acquisition.
  • Dealing with Raider Nests: Collaborate with alliance members to always clear max-level raider nests for additional rewards.

In-Depth Raiding Strategy:

Before proceeding with raiding, you must clearly define "What will you raid?" and "Who will you raid?"

• 1. Resource Selection for Raiding: It is most efficient to primarily raid only for food and leaves. Water and mushrooms are difficult to acquire, and players possessing them typically have powerful troops, necessitating significant troop losses during raids. Therefore, acquiring water and mushrooms is recommended only through resource exchange. Before Level 16, if food and leaves are scarce, you can intermittently gather or exchange for them.
• 2. Target Selection for Raiding: It is recommended to primarily raid players with Queen Ant's Nests between Level 9 and Level 13. These targets typically have sufficient resources while allowing for minimal troop losses during raids.
• 3. Maximizing Raiding Efficiency:
  • Maintain Full Combat Mode: When raiding, apply all troop attack, troop defense, and troop capacity buffs to maintain full combat mode.
  • Utilize Random/Targeted Teleports: Use random teleports to move to a new location, then scout nearby Level 9-13 players for raiding. If a target has over 3 million resources, use a targeted teleport to move directly next to them for a quick and efficient raid.
  • Set Minimum Raid Amount: Only raid targets with at least 1 million resources. Avoid raiding targets with low resources, as it will only result in troop losses without significant gains.
  • Caution During Raids: Occasionally, powerful alliance members might counter-attack during your raid. In such cases, immediately use a targeted teleport to escape the attack. Never leave your device unattended while raiding, as other players might attempt to raid you.

Through these raiding strategies and alliance activities, you can stably acquire necessary resources in Ant Legion and successfully achieve high-level goals such as reaching Level 22.

7. Game Review and Other Tips

This concludes the in-depth strategy guide for Ant Legion: For The Swarm. This game, set in an intriguing insect world and belonging to the SLG genre, offers significant value for those who enjoy strategy simulation elements, despite some differences between its advertisements and actual gameplay.

Game Review:

Ant Legion offers enjoyment through the process of developing your Queen Ant and ant nest, as well as competing with other players. Notably, the automatic combat of soldier ants and the ability to train Special Ants to lead powerful armies are appealing features of the game. As a game released approximately three years ago, it boasts a rich variety of content and activities. Like many SLG games, the value of acceleration items is high in the early stages but diminishes as you progress to the mid-to-late game. However, some players might find the outdated interface and somewhat inconvenient controls to be drawbacks. Overall, the absence of advertisements is a significant advantage.

Other Tips for Successful Play:

• 1. Daily Missions and Event Participation:

  You must participate in all daily missions, Arena, Caves, Mantis Lair, and other content every day. The acceleration items and resources obtainable from these activities are substantial and essential for F2P growth. If there's a resource acquisition event, storing resources in the alliance resource depot the day before the event can help you easily achieve the required points.

• 2. Diamond Usage Strategy:

  It is advisable to refrain from using diamonds as much as possible, treating them as if they don't exist. Utilize diamonds only for minimal emergency use, such as completing upgrades when resources are scarce and the deadline is pressing. During diamond usage events, they can be used to increase VIP level or purchase necessary items.

• 3. Shop Item Purchase Strategy:

  You need to understand which items to prioritize buying from the various in-game shops.

  • Queen Ant Legion Finals: Construction Acceleration, Acceleration (1st priority), Training Acceleration (2nd priority)
  • Special Ant Duel: Water, Mushroom (1st priority) (Must obtain all daily challenge rewards)
  • Queen Ant Legion Hegemony: Troop Capacity (for raiding), Troop Gene (purchase during acquisition events)
  • Expedition Exchange Shop: Various Fruits (for ant upgrades), Equipment Enhancement Materials, Gene Enhancement Materials (purchase during acquisition events)
  • Mantis Exchange Shop: Water, Mushroom (1st priority)
  • Dark Cave Challenge Shop: All first-clear items, General items including Acceleration (1st priority), Gene-related items (purchase during acquisition events)
  • Ladybug Merchant: Resource exchange (Exchange for needed resources to align with events and obtain event reward items)
• 4. Point and Ranking Rewards:

  Strive to obtain all resource and ant rewards from events. However, it is advisable to focus on achieving point rewards and disregard personal ranking rewards if they are out of reach. As an F2P player, personal ranking rewards may be difficult to obtain depending on the channel, so it's best not to be overly ambitious.

• 5. Troop Production Adjustment:

  Produce only Level 1 Guardian Ants and Ranger Ants for gathering purposes, as they only consume food and provide convenience through troop numbers for collection.

If your goal in Ant Legion is to level up your Queen Ant's Nest, other elements can be enjoyed as you play. I hope this guide helps you wisely manage resources, strategically raid, and grow efficiently to successfully dominate the underground world of Ant Legion. Enjoy the game!

Ant Legion Lvl 22 in 16 Days F2P?