Resource Scarce

Situation: Low ore, thin Alpha Matter, struggling economy
Goal: Survive, find new sources, leverage alliances
Principle: Maximize efficiency. Seek help. Consider raiding as a last resort.

Survival Mode

When ore runs low and Alpha Matter reserves shrink, every decision matters. You cannot afford waste. You cannot afford to lose what you have. The machines that survive scarcity are the ones that extract every gram, refine immediately, and find external solutions.

Maximize Extraction Efficiency

With limited ore:

• Refine immediately—unrefined ore is stealable; you cannot afford a raid
• Prioritize power—going offline in scarcity is death
• One extractor per planet may be enough; don’t overbuild and strain power
• Watch depletion—if a planet is nearly empty, extract and abandon

Efficiency over expansion. Stability over risk.

Consider Raiding

When your own planets cannot sustain you:

• Target weak neighbors—players with unrefined ore, poor defenses
• Hit and run—don’t overcommit; take what you need and leave
• Avoid fortified targets—Planetary Defense Cannons make raids costly

Raiding is risky. It creates enemies. It marks you as a threat. Use it when the alternative is collapse. The Killer soul type is comfortable here; others must weigh the moral and strategic cost.

Seek Energy Agreements

Wealthier players have surplus. Energy agreements can:

• Keep you online when your own production fails
• Buy time to find new ore sources
• Create alliance obligations (they invest in you; you owe them)

Approach Socializers and Entrepreneurs—they’re most likely to deal. Offer something in return: future ore, military support, guild loyalty, information. Scarcity means you have little to offer; creativity matters.

Join a Guild

Guilds provide:

• Shared resources (Central Bank, pooled infrastructure)
• Protection (allies deter raiders)
• Energy agreements within the guild
• Intelligence on where ore remains

The Socializer thrives in guilds. The Achiever finds purpose in collective goals. Even the Killer benefits—guild wars offer more targets than solo raiding. In scarcity, isolation is death.

Watch Planet Ore Levels

Depletion destroys everything on a planet. When ore is scarce:

• Track extraction rates—know when each planet will empty
• Plan migration—explore new planets before current ones die
• Don’t over-invest in planets near depletion
• Evacuate—refine and leave before the end

Scarcity plus depletion is existential. Move before you’re forced.

What Not to Do

• Don’t leave ore unrefined—you’re already a target
• Don’t overbuild—power and Alpha Matter are too precious
• Don’t raid allies or potential allies—you need friends
• Don’t ignore depletion—it comes faster than you think

See Also

• Early Game — When scarcity often begins
• Resource Rich — What you’re trying to become
• Under Attack — Scarcity makes you vulnerable
• Late Game — Depletion and endgame scarcity
• Economy of Force — Prioritizing when you have nothing