View manual text
Réf. 64903102
R
Technologies
www.microids.com
HEALTH WARNING
For your health, rest about 15 minutes for each hour of play. Avoid playing when tired or suffering from lack of
sleep. Always play in a brightly lighted room, and stay as far from the television screen as possible. Some
people experience epileptic seizures when viewing flashing lights or patterns in our daily environment. These
persons may experience seizures while watching TV pictures or playing video games. Even players who have
never had any seizures may nonetheless have an undetected epileptic condition. Consult your doctor before
playing video games if you have an epileptic condition or immediately should you experience any of the
following symptoms during play: dizziness, altered vision, muscle twitching, other involuntary movements, loss
of awareness of your surroundings, mental confusion, and / or convulsions.
Piracy
The unauthorised reproduction of all or any game part of this product and the unauthorised use of registered
trademarks are likely to constitute a criminal offence. PIRACY harms Consumers as well as legitimate
Developers, Publishers and Retailers.
1
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
HEALTH WARNING
P.01
INTRODUCTION
P.04
PREMIERE PARTIE
1) INSTALLATION
P.05
2) THE MAIN MENU
P.06
a) The Tutorial
b) Play a Solo Game
c) Skirmish
d) Play a Multi-player Game
e) Options
f) Go back to the Introduction
g) New Identity
h) Encyclopædia
i) Credits
j) Quit Empire of the ants
k) The Pause Menu
P.06
P.06
P.07
P.07
P.07
P.07
P.08
P.08
P.08
P.08
P.08
3) INTERFACE
P.09
a) Overview
P.09
i) The Menu Selector
ii) The interchangeable bar
iii) The Navigation Panel
P.09
P.09
P.11
b) Navigation by using the mouse
P.11
i) The camera
P.11
ii) Toggling between the Outside
and the Anthill
P.12
iii) Mouse Control
P.12
iv) Keyboard Shortcuts
P.13
c) Menu 1 - Outside
i) On the game screen
P.14
ii) Navigation Panel
P.14
iii) The interchangeable bar
P.16
* Create a patrol area
P.16
* Begin a killing frenzy
P.16
* Merge with diminished groups
P.16
* Create an army
P.17
* Sending civilians back into the anthill P.17
* Make the door-keeper block a corridor P.17
* Use the beetles for transport
P.17
iv) Menu selector:
P.17
d) Menu 2- The Anthill
P.17
i) On the game screen:
ii) navigation panel:
* The Anthill Minimap:
iii) Interchangeable bar:
iv) Menu selector:
P.17
P.18
P.18
P.18
P.20
e) Menu 3 - Statistics
P.21
i) The statistics
ii) Seasons Minimap
P.21
P.22
f) Minimap - Maximap
g) Description of the icons
i) Flying icons
P.22
P.22
P.22
* List of flying icons:
iv) Elements accompanying
the icons
4) PLAY
P.23
P.26
P.27
a) The adventures
P.28
b) Beginning your first game P.28
c) Movement and combat with
your ants
P.28
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P.14
O F
T H E
A N T S
i) Selection
ii) Movement
iii) Behaviour
iv) Combat
v) Bonuses
ii) Floors
P.45
iii) Productivity and maintenance
of rooms
P.45
P.28
P.28
P.29
P.29
P.30
d) Resources
b) Architecture
P.30
5) MULTIPLAYER MODE
i) Description of the rooms and
their specific functions
P.46
ii) Building your anthill
P.47
P.31
a) Introduction
b) Type of connection
c) Join a multiplayer game
d) Create a multiplayer game
e) Configuring the game
P.31
P.32
P.32
P.33
P.33
i) The Players’ Names
ii) Message
iii) Initial units
iv) Options :
v) Help
vi) Alliances
P.33
P.33
P.33
P.33
P.35
P.35
c) Priorities
d) The laying cycle
P.48
P.50
i) The infinite cycle of life
P.50
ii) Interference with the queen P.50
3) RESOURCES
a) The different types
of resources
i) Perishable resources
ii) Non-perishable resources
iii) Special substances
iv) dead insects
PART TWO
1) THE CAST
P.46
b) The qualitative value
of resources
P.36
P.51
P.51
P.51
P.51
P.52
P.52
P.52
a) Your red ants
P.36
i) The Queen
ii) Workers
iii) Warriors
P.36
P.36
P.37
b) Domestic animals
c) The enemies
P.39
P.39
i) Civilised ants
ii) Solitary insects
P.39
P.40
2) MANAGING THE ANTHILL
P.45
CRÉDITS
P.57
a) General principles
P.45
HOT-LINE TECHNICAL SUPPORT
P.59
i) Temperature
P.45
i) Food
ii) Materials
c) Use
4) THE ANNUAL CYCLE
P.52
P.53
P.53
P.54
a) Seasons
P.54
b) The weather
P.55
c) Rise and fall of river levels P.56
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INTRODUCTION
In the few seconds it takes you to read this sentence, forty human beings and seven million ants will have
been born on the Earth.
For thousands of years before man appeared, the Ants have been here, divided into legions, cities, and empires
across the entire surface of the globe.
They created a parallel civilisation, built vast kingdoms, invented the most sophisticated weapons, devised a
whole new art of warfare and city-life that we can never hope to match with an astounding mastery of
technology.
The day of the ants is now drawing nigh…
Like the book by Bernard Werber, Empire of the Ants will take you into the world of sub-terrestrial creatures
and will plunge you into the gripping atmosphere of a world without pity...
… a world that YOU will have to control!
Every Spring, a red ant queen from Bel-o-kan, the Western empire flies off in the midst of one thousand five
hundred others. Now she is one of only four survivors. She manages to land without any trouble and burrows
into the ground. She has now become the queen and can now start laying eggs, to found her own city…
Your city!
Your anthill is a sister-city of Bel-o-kan and is now part of the Federation. Red ants do not only organise
themselves into cities, but also into coalitions of cities. Bel-o-kan is still a young Federation whose original
dynasty was founded five thousand years ago. Five thousand years of history; five thousand years of
conquering new territories; five thousand years of events such as expeditions to the ends of the civilised world;
five thousand years of battles against all those who dared to prevent this expansion; five thousand years of
terrifying legends about giant monsters from the West.
Five thousand years to be relived under your control!
It’s now up to you to see to the development and protection of your underground city so that you can one day
proudly walk through the corridors of its many floors, watch its hundreds of inhabitants as they bustle about in
perfect co-ordination and peacefully gaze upon your extensive lands surrounding the anthill.
However, you are not God and not everyone can create a world in seven days. Will you have the necessary
skills of strategy, anticipation, intuition, patience, ambition, foresight, speed and analysis needed to manage an
anthill?
4
It’s now your turn, the fate of the Empire of the ANTS lies
in your hands…
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PART ONE
1) INSTALLATION
a) Minimum Requirements
Windows 95/98/2000
Pentium II 233MHz (350MHz recommended)
3D accelerator card (AGP recommended)
200 Mb of free space on your hard disk
8 X CD-ROM drive (16 X recommended)
Direct X-compatible sound card
b) Installation
• Insert the CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive.
• Windows will automatically detect the CD and start Set-up.
• Follow all on-screen instructions. These will take you through the installation process.
The set-up program will create a group of programs called " MICROIDS " that it will add to the
Start/Programs menu.
• Click on the Start button on the Windows task bar. Then click on Program and then on " MICROIDS " and
select " EMPIRE OF THE ANTS" to start the game.
Note:
the first time you start the game, InitVideo will run automatically to enable you to configure your computer as
best as possible. You can skip this step by clicking directly on the Play buttons. Otherwise the Video tab will
enable you to choose your graphic card and resolution. The Audio tab will enable you to select your sound card
and the Modem tab will enable you to configure the different corresponding options.
Note:
If Windows does not recognise the CD-ROM and is not able to start the set-up program, then you must run the
Setup.exe file that you will find in the root directory of the CD-ROM.
c) Uninstall
To uninstall "EMPIRE OF THE ANTS", open the Start/Programs menu and then Microids/Empire of the Ants and
then click on Uninstall Empire of the Ants.
If this does not work, click on the Start button and select Parameters and then Control Panel. Click on Add
/Remove Programs and scroll through the list that appears until you reach " EMPIRE OF THE ANTS ". Select
this line and click on Add/Remove to uninstall the game.
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2) THE MAIN MENU
After the introduction, you will have to identify yourself by entering your " pheromone " name: in the text box.
Enter your name or select one from those already created in a previous game from the list below box. Each
‘pheromone’ will correspond to specific adventures.
You will then go to the Main Menu:
a) The Tutorial > (this is strongly recommended!)
Start any one of the two guided games (the Outside tutorial or the Anthill tutorial) to be taken through a tour of
the main game functions.
b) Play a Solo Game
• New Game:
You will start (or resume) EMPIRE OF THE ANTS from the first mission.
• Resume the Previous Game:
Load the last game saved.
• Load a Game:
Selected the adventure that you have already played, select the name of your game and click on the Load
button.
• Skirmish:
By selecting this option you will play against one or more virtual adversaries of your choice. They will all be
controlled by the AI
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c) Skirmish
• Choose a Card
Skirmish mode gives you the chance to cross swords with virtual adversaries, but you choose the terrain. The
terrain is generally the same as that encountered in the original Solo game (except in the first mission where
there is only one anthill - yours). However, anthills are randomly assigned at each new game. You can’t be
sure, therefore, that you will have the same configuration that you had in the Solo game or during a previous
game. This will jumble any previous knowledge of the surrounding terrain and the resource areas.
After you have selected your choice, you must set-up the game.
• Game Settings
Your ‘pheromone’ name appears automatically in the left window under the location <closed> in green or
<closed> in grey. The green spaces depend on the number of anthills belonging to the terrain chosen. This affects
the number of adversaries with whom you can play.
Click on a green space: a window will be displayed on the right with the list of civilised enemies managed by the
AI: bees, wasps, termites, harvester, dwarf, red and weaver ants. Random Choice will select one of these races
at random.
You can now choose the race with which you want your virtual adversary to play, by clicking on it. The name of
the race will appear in the green space. You are not obliged to allocate all the green spaces (leave these
<closed>) if you have chosen at least one adversary.
d) Play a Multi-player Game > (See Chapter 5)
e) Options
• Sound Options:
allows you to set the overall volume, sound effects, events, music and atmosphere. Click on the arrows at each
end of the horizontal bar (the highest value is on the right). A sound sample will enable you to listen to the
volume level)
• Graphic and Interface Options:
allows you to select (or deselect) the Night/Day cycle, comments on actions, reverse camera rotation (the
default direction of the camera is clockwise), as well as the quality of the Mini-map display.
f) Go back to the Introduction
Returns to the introductory animation screens.
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g) New Identity
Allows you to go back and select a new pheromone name.
h) Encyclopædia
With the encyclopaedia, you can read extracts from Bernard Werber’s book, along with comments and clever
advice from the 702nd, a small ant with a very great mind. The text is grouped by theme, and sometimes by
sub-themes.
Do not hesitate to consult these extracts. They provide invaluable information on the world of ants.
Main themes
• Ants and men
• The world as seen by ants
• Physiology of ants
• How an anthill works
• Red ants
• Rooms in the anthill
• Other civilisations and federations
• Glossary
• Keyboard shortcuts for the game (technical supplement)
i) Credits > (See end of manual)
j) Quit Empire of the ants
Quits the game.
k) The Pause Menu
This menu is only accessible during the game, either by clicking on the System button (a small floppy disk icon
on the Pyramid), or by pressing the Esc key. It allows you to:
• Return to the game
Returns you to the game.
• Save this adventure
Calls up a new screen. Enter the name that you would like to give to the current game in the text box.
• Start a new adventure
Returns you to the Main menu/Play a Solo Game screen. The list displayed corresponds to all the adventures
played under the same name.
• Options
Returns you to the Options screen in the Main Menu.
• Encyclopaedia
Returns you to the Encyclopaedia screen in the Main menu.
• Go and look at the objectives again
Allows you to have another look at your objectives, given at the beginning of the current game.
• Start this level again
• Return to the Main Menu
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3) INTERFACE
a) Overview
The player interface is represented by a strip at the bottom of the screen and by flying icons depicting the
various characters in the game. These icons will enable you to select and give orders very quickly. The main
strip is divided into three (from left to right):
A menu selector with three tabs
A interchangeable bar that is dependant on the menu chosen
A navigation block
i) The Menu Selector:
The menu selector has 3 tabs that allow you to go from one menu to the other. The selector is always present
on the screen and can activate a menu independently of the screen context.
ant head icon: calls up the Outside menu
pyramid icon : calls up the Anthill menu
table icon: calls up the Statistics menu
ii) The interchangeable bar:
In order to keep the interface clear and easy to use and still maintain the large number of options, the
interface has an interchangeable bar. This bar changes depending on whether you want to act on your external
units, on the development of your anthill or whether you want to consult the statistical information.
* The functions of this bar vary according to the three menus:
The External menu: with this mode, you can send direct orders to your fighting units.
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The Anthill menu: with this mode, you can act on the inside of your anthill and manage: the
workers, building of rooms, the queen’s egg-laying preferences, etc.
The Statistics menu: with this mode you can check the development of your anthill. You will
find figures on the state of stocks, units (workers and warriors), the deterioration of anthills, etc. This is a
quick way of checking the status of the anthill.
* The text box:
The text box under the button-icons will provide you with information in two lines.
The first line will tell you about the state of your stock:
the little apple will inform you of the quantity of food that has been acquired and stored.
the small brick corresponds to the quantity of building materials in stock.
the small ant head shows the total number of ants of all castes in your city.
On the second line, you will find other less important information. They are masked every so often by alert
messages.
➭
Watch out for these alert messages. Example of a message: "we are short of food", "we are short of
materials", "the queen is not happy because she has not been fed", etc. If the event reported sends you to a
precise place, " a warrior has died of hunger", "a worker has been attacked", you can locate the problem
immediately with the Minimap and/or jump directly to the place by pressing on the space bar.
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➭
These messages are stored in the Log and can be accessed by clicking on the little return-arrow icon or by using the
keyboard shortcut J. The log creates a record of the last fifteen messages received during the game. This will enable you to read
them again or to make sure that you have not overlooked one of the messages.
iii) The Navigation Panel:
iii) bloc navigation :
This comprises of:
1/
2/
3/
4/
5/
6/
7/
8/
9/
10/
the Minimap (varies depending on the current outside/inside interface)
a button that zooms in on the Minimap
a zoom out button on the Minimap
a Maximap button
a zoom in button for the camera (or + key on keyboard)
a zoom out button for the camera (or - key on keyboard)
a button for rotating the camera to the right : the right arrow (or 6 on the keyboard)
a button for rotating the camera to the left: the left arrow (or 4 on the keyboard)
a system button that takes you to the game’s Main Options: the leaf icon
an anthill/outside button will allow you to toggle between the outside world and the anthill: the
pyramid icon
The navigation panel is always present on the screen.
b) Navigation by using the mouse
i) The camera
This will allow you to scroll the screen during the game. You can aim the mouse from the navigation panel (or
by using the associated keyboard keys), by pointing the cursor of your mouse directly at the edge of the screen
that corresponds to the direction you want or by physically moving the mouse.
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ii) Toggling between the Outside and the Anthill
Important : you can access the Anthill menu from the outside or vice versa. Do not mistake the
management of menus with what happens on the screen.
As a general rule, the menu (and its interchangeable bar) depends on what you have on the screen: either the
outside world or inside the anthill. However, you can use the menu selector to change menus, without leaving
your current environment. So when you are outside, a click on the Anthill tab will not bring the anthill to the
screen, but rather its management functions.
> If you want to enter your anthill visually from the outside world, you can do this in several ways
• in the navigation panel, click on the pyramid icon.
• when the Anthill menu is active, right-click on the Minimap (which will then display your anthill).
• when the Anthill menu is active, you will automatically toggle if you click on the Building icon (this will not
happen if you click on the Egg-laying or Priorities icons, which can be managed only from outside).
• click on the icon depicting your anthill directly from the screen.
• use the shortcut key A.
> To go outside when you are in the anthill:
• click on the pyramid icon in the navigation panel.
• when the Outside menu is active, right-click on the Minimap (which will then display the outside world).
• use the shortcut key, A.
iii) Mouse Control
Note: if you are told to click the mouse we mean a click the left mouse button.
All the game functions are controlled by the left and right mouse buttons. You can sometimes also use
keyboard shortcuts as well as a third mouse button or the ball.
* Your mouse cursor will change contextually depending on the actions that you carry out:
Apart from the basic pointer, it can takes on two main forms:
> the selection state: when the pointer is placed on an object that you can select, the cursor will
let you know by changing form.
> after selection:
• A Movement pointer: is displayed when the pointer is above the terrain, when you
have selected units beforehand. This tells you that if you click, you will order your troops
to move.
• Attack pointer: the same as for the movement pointer, but it appears only if the
pointer is on top of a potential enemy and if you have already selected units.
• Ban pointer: appears when it is pointed on an inaccessible place and only if you have
selected units. In this case, it will inform you that your order cannot be carried out.
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* Clicking the Mouse buttons
Clicking with the left button will generally allow you to indicate, select or give an order.
Clicking with the right button will allow you:
• to place the associated object of a flying icon at the centre of the screen (reposition the camera).
• to forbid access to a resource area.
• to cancel the left click and deselect an object when you click outside it.
Double-clicking:
On an icon of a group of warriors will allow you to select the group and any other friendly groups fighting with
them.
iv) Keyboard Shortcuts
Encyclopaedia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1
System menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ESC
Camera zoom in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .+
Camera zoom out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Turn camera to the left . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 (numeric keypad)
Turn camera to the right . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 (numeric keypad)
Advance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Up arrow
Retreat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Down arrow
Go left . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Left arrow
Go right . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Right arrow
Active/inactive display of flying icons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .TAB
Add an icon to the selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ctrl + Left mouse button
Create an army . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ctrl + 1, 2 ... 9
Select an army . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1, 2 ... 9
Select + focus the camera on an army . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Alt + 1, 2 ... 9
Change tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .<>
Focus on the Anthill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H(ome)
Outside/Anthill view . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A(nt hill)
Egg-laying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C (hatch Cycle)
Work priorities l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .W(ork)
Buildings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B(uild)
Guard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G(uard)
Killing Frenzy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .P(anic)
Merge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F
Zoom in on Minimap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page Up
Zoom out on Minimap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page Down
Quit Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F12
Follow a group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Enter
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13
Select everything on the screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E(very body)
Send the workers back into the anthill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D(anger)
Focus on the last alert message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Space
Maximap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .M
Message Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .L(og)
Turn North . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .N
c) Menu 1 - Outside
i) On the game screen:
North icon:
shows the north. You can return to the initial position (north on top) by clicking on the optional 3rd mouse
button or on the N key of your keyboard. This will enable you to be in line with the Minimap.
The anthill icons:
indicate the entry into an anthill. Clicking on it will take you inside the anthill.
Flying icons:
depict the warrior ant groups. There is an icon for each group and its picuure shows you what type of
warriors they are. Each icon is accompanied by two indicator gauges.
(See description of flying icons).
ii) Navigation Panel :
See the above for Navigation Panel main functions.
The Outside Minimap:
This little map will give you an overview of the terrain surrounding your anthill.
Description of symbol and colour codes:
• The green spots: represent your red ant warriors and the light green spots your workers.
• The red spots: represent the enemy warriors and the light red spots the enemy workers.
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• The white crosses: represent predators and prey.
• The red cross: shows the place where the camera is pointing and the blue diamond the area that the camera
covers on the main screen.
• The green triangle: symbolises your anthill and the red triangle(s) show the enemy anthill(s) discovered.
The entire black area symbolises the terrain that has not yet been discovered and the grey part shows the
terrain that has been discovered but where none of your ants are found (in this case, the spots representing
the enemies and the predator-prey cannot be viewed).
Finally, the lit area represents the terrain that has been discovered and on which at least one of your ants can
be found.
The resource areas (food and materials) can be of different colours: a white rectangle shows a discovered
resource area. When the discovered area is exploited, the rectangle becomes green. If an area is controlled by
the enemy, the rectangle turns red. If the area cannot be exploited, the rectangle is displayed in black.
Depending on the events that take place during a game and in relation to alert messages:
• a red circle will surround a worker who has been killed.
• a red square will surround a warrior who has been killed.
• a white square will surround a warrior who has died of hunger.
• a white circle surrounds all the other events.
The Outside Maximap
This option will enable you to view the entire game area. It is displayed on top of your game terrain and is
marked by a white box. You can call it up by clicking on the < tab on the right of the Minimap or with the
shortcut key M.
The small zone in blue is the current field of view that is scanned by your camera. This symbolises your playing
terrain. The Maximap uses exactly the same symbol and colour codes used by the Minimap. You can therefore
locate any resource areas immediately and on a larger scale, that have or have not been discovered, or are
being or not being exploited, enemy areas, the movement of your troops, battles being fought, etc.
Most of all, the Maximap will provide you with the possibility of moving very quickly from one end of the
game area to the other. To move in the Maximap, you should hold down Shift and then:
• right click to indicate a direction for your selected troops to move in
• right click to move your camera and immediately view another point on the playing area. Note that, if this
area has yet to be explored by your ants, it will appear in black!
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iii) The interchangeable bar:
This bar is made up of seven icons/buttons representing seven orders that you can give directly to you warrior
units. It always has a text box.
THE UNIT BUTTONS:
CREATE A PATROL AREA
This orders a warrior unit to move in to an area. They have to intercept anything that can harm the
interests of the red ants (civilised insects and predators) as well as any living thing that can be added to the
food stocks (predators and prey).
It is up to you to define the size of the patrol area. First of all, select the group(s) that you want to send on
patrol. Then click on the button to activate it (On/Off type button). Then, define the circular area in which your
warriors will move, on the screen by pressing down the left mouse button. The command will be issued when
you release the mouse button. The icon remains on until it is switched off again, or until another order comes
to cancel the first one.
Note: guards can follow enemy ants and predators outside the defined area.
BEGIN A KILLING FRENZY
Beware, you should use this option only in a crisis! Using it will lead to the collective suicide of the
selected group(s). But before they breathe their last, these kamikaze ants will gather their last dwindling
forces and carry out a final killing assault! This is not only a fighting tactic but also an economic strategy. This
option can be useful in cases of overpopulation, because it will allow you to get rid of some warriors in order
to reduce a high demand for food.
MERGE WITH DIMINISHED GROUPS
A push button that is used to reconstruct groups back their initial numbers (depending on the caste of
the warriors) to offset any losses. For example, merging a group left with 6 units with another that has 5 units
will create a group of 10 (if this was the maximum size of the unit) and a group of one. This strategy is based
on the fact that when a group is complete, its stress level does not rise as quickly.
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CREATE AN ARMY
A push button that enables the groups selected to be defined as an army. The icons of the groups
concerned disappear to give way to a single icon symbolising this new army. You cannot create more than 10
armies at the same time. However each army can contain the number of groups of your choosing. To disband
an army, just select it and press this button again.
SENDING CIVILIANS BACK INTO THE ANTHILL
A push button that is used to send all your workers back into the anthill in case of danger (careful, they will drop all
the food and material samples that they’re carrying).
MAKE THE DOOR-KEEPER BLOCK A CORRIDOR
This order is the only one that will enable you to manage a fighting unit within your anthill. This is
because of the special role of the door-keepers. You have the inside of the anthill on the screen, but with menu
1 active. Select the door-keeper you want and press the button on and click on the place on your anthill that
you want to block.
USE THE BEETLES FOR TRANSPORT
If you do not have any beetles, then this button remains greyed out. First of all, let a beetle out of
the anthill by showing it the way out. Once it gets outside, click on the beetle and then on the group of
warriors so they climb on the beetle’s back. You can do the opposite: click on the group of warriors to be
moved and then click on the beetle. Careful: a beetle can load only one group at a time. The button becomes
active at this time. To move your group to another place, you must click on the button, which will light up,
select your loaded beetle and click on the desired destination. The beetle will be only too glad to fly off and
take your group there.
iv) Menu selector:
Tabs that enable you to access menus 2 and 3 (see the Overview section)
d) Menu 2- The Anthill
i) On the game screen:
The green rooms are those that have just come under the control of the workers and the red rooms are existing
rooms in very poor condition. Each room is symbolised by a fixed icon with a drawing that tells you about the
type of room (see description of rooms). Each of these icons is associated with a yellow indicator gauge
(except those of the queen’s room and the storeroom that have two).
(see description of elements associated with the icons)
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ii) navigation panel:
For all the main functions, see the overview (above).
* The Anthill Minimap:
This offers an overall vision of the anthill. For better visibility, you can display it full screen, by pressing on the
M key of your keyboard (a kind of internal Maximap).
Description:
The cross represents the camera
The grey area the field of vision
The oval colour spots show the different rooms
The green spots symbolise your units
The red spots symbolise enemy units (if you have any inside your anthill, then you are in trouble)
When you right-click on the Minimap, the camera focuses immediately on the selected location.
iii) Interchangeable bar:
The Anthill menu will allow you to guide the general running of your anthill instead of acting directly on
individual units. You have three icons at your disposal to help you build, lay eggs or choose your priorities.
They reveal drop-down menus.
BUILDING ICON
This will show you options for rooms that can be created, on condition that you have the required
expertise. This is because new rooms will appear only with certain missions. If the icon is dimmed,
then you have the knowledge needed to build the room, but lack resources. The number at the
bottom of the name shows the ‘cost’ of the room, expressed in building material points. Left-click
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to select the desired type. The window will be closed and you’ll now be free to place the room anywhere you
choose on the screen.
If the place you have chosen is green, then you can build on it by left-clicking. If the colour is red, then
building on this spot is prohibited. Lastly, you can choose to cancel a selection by clicking on the right mouse
button.
Warning: once a room has been built, you cannot change its position!
Note that:
• Building a room will lead to the creation of an associated corridor.
• Some types of room can be built in small or large format. Large rooms can hold more items, but require a lot
of maintenance. To access the larger versions of a room, right-click on its icon in the building. To return to the
small format, right-click on it again.
• you can build any other type of room on top of a guard room. The new room is immediately available but
will be in very poor condition. You have to do a lot of maintenance to make it useful to you.
EGG-LAYING ICON
The laying cycle will enable you to reproduce new ants or group of ants. All the settings are made
from the drop-down menu. You can select different castes by dragging and dropping and, by clicking several
times on the icon of a caste, you can increase the number of units that the queen should lay before moving on
to the next caste.
• When you left-click on the type of ant desired, you are creating an extra ant or group of ants.
• When you right-click on the type of ant desired you will cancel the laying.
• You can change the order of laying with the drag and drop function. This will enable you to place your new
order at the top of the list.
Current number informs you about the number of ants of each type that you have.
• The figure on the right of the little apple ishows the number of food points currently being used up by the
associated caste.
• The 2 figures below (* / *) represent the number of eggs laid and the number of eggs requested
respectively.
Warning: when all the types requested have been laid, the queen will repeat this egg-laying cycle if you
have not given any instructions to the contrary.
Important: the icons in the laying menu are the same as the ones symbolising the groups of ants on the
terrain.
Attention: you can keep track of the cycle by studying the luminous circle around the icon of the caste that
is being laid. This information is also given in the text box that displays the icons of the castes ordered one
after the other. In egg-laying mode, there are no longer any alert messages. The text box is
replaced by icons of the groups in the cycle. They are positioned according to the order that comes
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first. Only the 9 groups to be laid can be seen. With the progress indicator you can follow whether each caste
is more or less close to the hatching stage. This gives you an idea of when you can start using it. You can
destroy a group that is being laid by right-clicking on the icon.
PRIORITIES ICON
Each priority represents a task for your workers. The first figure shows the number of workers suited
to the task in question; the second figure represents the number of unsuitable workers assigned to the same
task.
You can order your workers to be assigned to tasks by using the drag and drop function. This will enable you to
set up a hierarchy in your priorities, by placing the most important one on top of the list.
To make a task inactive, right-click on it. However, the ants already assigned to a task will always finish their
work. A red cross will come and cross out the related icon. You can reactivate it by left-clicking on it.
List of priorities: (see detailed description in Part 2)
• Collect food
• Collect building materials
• Build rooms
• Maintain the rooms
• Look after the queen and her eggs
• Look after the mycelium
• Look after the domestic insects
• Produce honeydew
iv) Menu selector:
Tabs enabling you to access menus 1 and 3 (see the Overview above)
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e) Menu 3 - Statistics
This menu is not a game interface. It is only for consulting purposes. It will enable you to get general
information on the current state of your anthill.
ARROW ICON POINTING TO THE LEFT: (summary of the other growth curves)
ARROW ICON RIGHT DIAGONAL: view the growth statistics
% ICON: view the statistics on use (as a percentage)
ROUND ICON: view the scores
ARROW ICON POINTING TO THE RIGHT: go to the next statistic
i) The statistics (or types of information ) are:
The "Growth" and "Percentage" groups corresponds to an annual figure shown as a graph.
The "Scores" group presents the scores accumulated since the beginning of the game.
GROWTH
• General growth (summary of the other growth curves)
• Number of worker ants (curve + current number)
• Number of warrior ants (curve + current number)
• Number of resource areas controlled by your anthill
• Current number of rooms
• Points of food in stock (global)
• Points of honeydew food in stock
• Points of non-honeydew food in stock
• Points of building material in stock
• Average birth speed of a group of ants (in seconds)
• Average speed for building a room (in seconds)
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PERCENTAGES
• Percentage of the good use of workers who are or are not suited to their tasks
• Contentment of the queen
• Percentage of stock replenishment
• Average effectiveness of rooms
• Average quality of the materials in stock
ACCUMULATED SCORES
• How many enemy ants have been killed by your troops?
• How many red ants have been killed ?
• How many groups have hatched?
• How many of your workers have brought back resources and what is the quantity of honeydew
obtained by the gourds (in wealth points)?
• How many rooms have been built since the game begun?
ii) Seasons Minimap
This is a graphic representation of the seasons in a year. The vertical bar allows you to follow the passing of an
annual cycle.
f) Minimap - Maximap
i) Minimap
The Minimap is a little map that displays a global view that is however reduced to only two possible interfaces:
the outside world or the inside of the anthill. In this way, you can quickly locate the position of the different
characters of the game and also act on them directly: to move your view, order your groups to move or change
the screen context (enter or leave the anthill).
(See. the 3 sub-Minimaps: outside, anthill and seasons described in the corresponding menus)
The + button to zoom in (or PAGE UP key) and – to zoom out (or PAGE DOWN key)
When you right-click on the Minimap, the view focuses immediately on the place indicated.
ii) Maximap
The Maximap only functions when you are in the Outside interface. When you are inside the anthill, it
corresponds to the full screen display of the Minimap.
In the outside world, it enables you to have a global view of the entire game area. Its use is particularly
appreciated in multiplayer mode.
(See detailed description in the Outside Menu)
g) Description of the icons
i) Flying icons
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The flying icons will allow you to select units directly from the units screen and give them an order.
You can choose a flying icon as a destination (or as an order to attack if this icon represents an
enemy). If these icons leave the game screen, they will go “into orbit” and turn around the screen
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depending on the place where the object designated by this icon is situated in relation to the camera. The
further it is, the smaller the icon will be.
Some icons have gauges that represent the state of the designated object: state of life and stress of ants. (See
the description of elements accompanying the icons)
When the cursor of your mouse is placed on an icon without selecting it, a tool tip shows you the nature of the
object to which you have pointed. If you right-click on the icon you will place it in the middle of the screen.
LIST OF FLYING ICONS:
red ants
Basic soldier
Hand-to-hand
Gunner
Explorer
Queen’s soldier
Door-keeper
Tank
Red army
Princess
domestic insects
Beetle
Gnat
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civilised insects:
These icons represent a group of civilised insects that you may meet. Each race is characterised by a colour.
Dwarves (grey/blue)
Weavers (orange)
Harvesters (strong or dark orange)
Red ants (red)
Legionaries (yellow)
Termites (beige, whitish)
Wasps (black and yellow)
Bees (yellow and red-dark orange)
The Tab key will allow you to make the flying icons of the groups on the screen disappear. They will then be
placed on the edges of the screen on the side corresponding to their position.
ii) Fixed icons
Outside:
• Resource area:
these are your own resources that you have explored. This icon exists in two versions: a green one for food
resource areas and a brown one for building materials resource areas. If an icon is crossed in red then it is
forbidden to exploit the area. If it is crossed in black, then the area is depleted!
• Red anthill: this icon is the colour of your units. It will guide you and let you know where to repatriate your
troops rapidly if the anthill is attacked or with the approach of winter. It behaves like a flying icon, because if
the anthill is not physically present on the screen, its icon goes into ‘orbit’.
• Enemy anthills: these icons will show you where to find the enemy anthills that you have already
discovered. They have the colour of their respective races.
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Anthill:
• The crowned queen: this icon shows the position of queen in the anthill. It has an orientation and tactical
role in case of attack.
• Others: all the other rooms have the same representation as those in the laying or building options.
(See description of rooms)
iii) Worker icons
Each worker is also accompanied by a small fixed information showing the task that it is carrying out. A nurse
can thus have ‘food’ icon because it is assigned the task of gathering food resources, and then have an ‘egg’
icon to show that she is now in charge of transporting eggs.
A worker who is idle has no icon! (on his tea break!)
LIST OF DIFFERENT ICONS:
Collection of food: red apple
Providing food to the queen or to domestic insects: split red apple.
(Reminder: Providing food to the queen corresponds to the work priority "look after the eggs and the
queen", while providing food to domestic ants is linked to the "rearing" preference)
Collection of materials: materials symbol
Building: white diamond
Maintenance: red diamond
Transporting the eggs: eggs
(Reminder: the transport takes place from the queen’s room to the maturing room, or from the maturing
room to the hatching room)
Mature the eggs: encircled egg
(Reminder: maturing takes place in the maturing room or in the hatching room)
Filling of gourds: drop (honeydew)
Milk the greenflies: greenfly (green)
(Reminder: these two tasks correspond to the "Produce honeydew" work priority)
Cultivate and pick mycelium: mushroom
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iv) Elements accompanying the icons
• COMBAT ALERT (ONLY IN THE MINIMAP AND MAXIMAP):
This is a red circle that appears on the edge of an icon and blinks to show that this unit is currently fighting.
• INDICATORS:
Indicators are coloured strips that are placed at the edges of the icons. Depending on what they represent (life
or stress), these strips can change colour in order to show a new state.
> The icons that symbolise the warrior units of your red ants have two indicators:
The one on the top left of the icon supplies information on the state of health and the number in the group:
Green: all is well, the entire group is present.
Yellow: a few losses but the group is holding out.
Orange: a lot of losses, the group is in trouble.
Red: the group is on the verge of disappearing; only one or two warriors remain and are fighting valiantly
for their survival!
The indicator on the bottom left of the icon supplies information on the group’s stress level:
Blue: fighting spirit, the group is confident.
Violet: the group is frightened. Consequently, it flees from the enemy and becomes uncontrollable.
> The above indicators function in the same way for a single unit:
Green: all is well, the unit is in great form.
Yellow: a few scratches, but the unit is standing firm.
Orange: large injuries, the unit is in trouble.
Red: the unit is in big, big, big trouble !!!
Blue: the unit is not frightened.
Violet: the unit is frightened.
> The queen also has two indicators that will provide you with information about her state of
life and stress in case of an attack on the anthill.
> The icons depicting the different rooms of the anthill have only one indicator, on the top right
side, that supplies information about the state of deterioration of the room:
Green: room correct.
Yellow: room acceptable.
Orange: room in very poor condition.
Red: room unusable.
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Special cases:
• Only for the queen’s room:
The indicator on the bottom left side indicates the queen’s satisfaction rate (blue = happy, violet = unhappy).
It depends on the number of meals that the queen has missed and the state of deterioration of the room.
• Store room and gourd room:
This is not really a gauge, but a sort of small test-tube, to the left of the icon. It gradually indicates the rate at
which a room is filled. When a room is full, your workers will look for another room to place their loads. If
they do not find one, the resources that they are carrying will be lost.
4) PLAY
When you play a solo game, you play against the computer AI. Its main objective is to beat you. To do that, it
will manage and control its ants by using the same methods as you. Each adventure therefore has its own AI
that is capable of recognising you and your particular playing style.
For example: if the AI decides to attack in the course of a game, it will evaluate its forces in comparison
with the ones that you’re going to use to fight. If it thinks that it can beat you, then it will launch an
offensive. If it is defeated, the AI will remember that it lost the game in this configuration. Next time you
play the same game, it will attack with a different tactic or decide not to fight! So, if you have a systematic
game plan (positioning of your armies, the choice of a particular caste of warriors, etc.), the AI will be able
to counter with an increasingly efficient plan of action.
When you enter the world of EMPIRE OF THE ANTS, you join the Federation of Bel-o-kan. You will relive the
major events that have dominated its history. Go back in time through the adventures proposed; each one has
its own objective and is a step forward in your knowledge of the world of ants and their expertise. You will
then reach the final adventure that will reveal to you whether the giants with the "pink weapons" are really
legendary monsters.
Not all of the game participants and the technologies (described in greater detail in part 2) appear when the
game first begins. Some of them appear progressively as the adventures continue.
ADVICE FROM THE 702nd:
At the beginning of the game, the number of units to be produced and the number of rooms to be built may be
limited. However new technologies, both in warfare (e.g. the tank) and in farming (e.g. mycelium room) will
appear as you embark on new adventures. When your adversaries use new weapons such as formic acid, you
can integrate this technology into the next level.
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a) The adventures
Ants invites you to relive the hours of glory of the Federation through 11 scenarios that you will discover one
after the other and with a progressive difficulty level. At each adventure, you start off with an anthill that is
more or less new. However, the different conditions of the outside world will force you to act in new ways.
b) Beginning your first game
We strongly recommend that you play the tutorial game before embarking on your first adventure.
Your first game starts with a view of the outside world. When you start, you already have a small anthill,
which has four basic rooms, a few workers and warriors, a stock of food and building materials.
You have enough resources to begin off a laying cycle and explorations.
You have to think very quickly of increasing your population in order to fill up and extend your anthill. This
means making the care of eggs a priority. You should also think of acquiring new resource areas. You must
therefore first let your warriors go and discover the territory and then authorise the exploitation of the areas
discovered (by left-clicking on the corresponding icon).
> A game is lost when your queen is killed and no princess has been scheduled to take her
place, or when you lose all your workers.
c) Movement and combat with your ants
i) Selection
Only the warrior ants can be sent into combat. To select a warrior, you can either click on it or click on its
associated icon.
To deselect a warrior, click outside the ant or its icon with the right mouse button.
When you press down the left mouse button, a white box is displayed and you can use this to select several
groups and /or units of red ants at the same time.
All the selected ants will change colour to blue.
ii) Movement
You can only move units or groups if they have been previously selected.
Once the selection has been made, left-click directly on the place you want to send them. If the destination
displays a cursor in the form of a red cross, then the place is forbidden.
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The ants move on the ground and may use tunnels if they encounter obstacles such as a river. Winged insects
(wasps, bees) and ants mounted on beetles can move by flying.
iii) Behaviour
Your warrior ants can feel only three things: aggressiveness, fear and hunger. However, sometimes these three
parameters are enough to prevent them from obeying your orders.
If they encounter a danger, their aggressiveness will normally lead to an attack unless their fear (or stress) is
too high. This happens when the danger is judged to be too great or when they are dying of hunger or when
there are too many losses within the group. In this case, they prefer to take flight.
Whatever the case, always make sure that their stress level is lower than their level of aggressiveness.
To do this, know that their fear decreases if a group feels the comforting presence of other friendly groups and
also if their stomachs are full! Likewise, aggressiveness and fear decrease with time when the danger is no
longer present.
iv) Combat
Ants can appear either directly on the screen or as a flying icon.
To send an order to attack, select a group of warriors. Then use the left mouse button to click directly on the
enemy or on its icon.
* ATTACK BOX press down the right button of your mouse. A red box will appear and you can use it to
select several enemies at the same time. They will thus all be seen as targets by your warriors.
* THE GROUP
You can only manage the warrior ants as a group; each of these groups is symbolised by an icon (see
description of flying icons). All the members of a group have the same motivation.
* PROVISION OF FRESH SUPPLIES
Like the workers, the warrior groups take the quantity of food that they need every day from the stock. An
expedition or a war should therefore be prepared in advance; otherwise your warrior ants risk being stressed
and dying for want of food.
* RECONSTRUCTING THE GROUPS
After a skirmish, the warrior groups are depleted and this will push up the stress level of the group. When the
groups sustain too many losses, they become suicidal. Nevertheless, it is possible for you to elect several
groups of the same type and to reconstruct them in order to reduce the stress of at least one group. (See
Menu 1 Merge the groups).
* THE ARMY
It is possible for you to create armies comprising at least two groups (See Menu 1 Form an army). An army is
better equipped to launch an important attack on a common goal. This is because all the groups in the army
move together in the same direction and at the same speed. Nevertheless, you can resume the
control of a group at any time, to make it carry out another task.
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* TYPES OF ATTACK
There are three types of attacks: the bite, the charge and the acid shot. All the units have a specific aptitude
and resistance to each one of these attacks.
The charge happens during the first contact among groups. The higher the level the group begins the charge,
the greater the impact. The acid shots are based on ballistic laws. A high position will enable a gunner ant to
shoot further and avoid charges. An acid shot cannot injure an ant of the same race. Consider geographic
factors in your combat tactics.
ADVICE FROM THE 702nd:
Use the landscape to your advantage. Your gunners will have a longer reach if they are placed on an overhang.
Your units can also use a slope to increase their speed in order to charge more rapidly on the enemy.
v) Bonuses
After combat, soldiers are given bonuses. This can be viewed from an icon added to the top left hand of the
icon of the group.
(hand-to-hand icon) attack bonus for hand-to-hand combat: the group inflicts more damage
during close combat.
(encircled hand-to-hand icon) shield bonus during hand-to-hand combat:the group is more
resistant in close combat.
(encircled drop) long distance shield bonus: the group is more resistant to acid shots.
(eye in the arrow) long distance vision bonus: the group sees further
(circular arrow) regeneration speed bonus: the group’s injured units recover more quickly.
(circled square) good health bonus: the group’s units have more life points; they will resist
all types of attack better.
(drop icon) long-distance attack bonus (for gunners only): the group inflicts more damage
with their acid shots.
(drop in arrow) range of shot bonus (for gunners only): the group fires at the enemy from
a longer distance.
d) Resources
The resource areas are areas that are vital for your anthill to develop and grow. To discover them, you must
explore! All the more so since a resource area can turn out to be more (or less rich) in such and such building
materials or food.
(See value of resources)
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Remember that an area that has been discovered is not automatically exploited by the workers. You can
authorise exploitation by left-clicking on its icon, and you can forbid exploitation again by right-clicking on it
(the icon is crossed by a red cross). You can therefore forbid your workers from accessing a place that you
think is not worthwhile or you wish to exploit later on. When a black cross appears on a resource area icon,
then the area is depleted.
Lastly, don’t forget to place the "Collect food" and "Collect building materials" orders high on your list of
preferences in order to assign your workers to these tasks. Otherwise, the discovered and authorised resource
areas will remain unexplored for lack of manpower.
ADVICE FROM THE 702nd :
Exploration by your warrior ants is one of the keys to the success of your expansion strategy. This is because
your workers cannot exploit undiscovered (and unauthorised) resource areas. Also do not restrict yourself to the
nearest resource area, they are not necessarily the richest. Be bold and go a long way from the anthill. This
will enable you to discover new types of food and materials. This is important because each type has a specific
nutritional value.
5) MULTIPLAYER MODE
a) Introduction
The multiplayer mode will enable you (as its name suggests) to play a game with other players across a
network, by serial cable or on the Internet.
> The objective of this mode is to fight other players on the same terrain until only one player remains. The
game play has therefore been enhanced by options that do not exist in the Solo mode. Your forces are
concentrated only on the Outside and comprise only of warriors. You have no anthill or workers to manage.
You can now choose between several territories. This means that you can play several distinct games under
different game conditions. It is the terrain you have chosen that will decide the number of possible players for
a game. There cannot be more than eight players at a time. The players all have warrior ‘red’ ants but each
one has a specific game colour.
Each game is controlled by the host player .
After you have clicked on "Play a multiplayer game" from the Main Menu, you will be taken to the "Type of
connection" screen.
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b) Type of connection
First of all, you’ll have to identify the type of network connection with which you are going to play.
• DIRECT CONNECTION BY SERIAL CABLE
Sends the message "Join a multiplayer game" on the screen.
• LOCAL IPX NETWORK
Sends the message "Join a multiplayer game" on the screen.
• INTERNET TCP/IP
Intermediate screen: if you are a player, enter the figures corresponding to the IP address of the host of the
game that you want to join. Then send the "Join a multiplayer game" message on the screen.
• MODEM CONNECTION
Intermediate screen: if you are joining a game, enter the telephone number of the host of the game that you
want to join. Then send the "Join a multiplayer game" message on the screen.
c) Join a multiplayer game
• CREATE A MULTIPLAYER GAME
(See description below)
• EXISTING GAMES
The list of games that have been created but are yet to be played is displayed (if any exist) on the left of the
text box. Select a game.
• REFRESH
This button controls the network and will update existing information: new games that have been created but
are yet to be played or a change to the number of players needed for a game.
The number of connected players will appear to the right of the game name. For example, 1/5 means that, for
the moment, only one player out of the 5 possible players is connected to this game.
• JOIN
Confirms your choice.
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d) Create a multiplayer game
This option will make you the host of the game. You will be the only one who can manage the different
parameters of the game. If you disconnect while setting the game, you will also disconnect all the other
players.
• NAME THE GAME
Allows you to name the new game.
Then:
• NAME THE TERRITORY
The list of the possible game territories appears in the window below. They all have their own specific
characteristics. On the left, the figure in front of the name shows the maximum number of players accepted by
the territory and game.
Select (or enter with the keyboard) the name of your choice. This appears in the text box above. Then click on
Create the game.
e) Configuring the game
i) The Players’ Names
The name of the host appears automatically on the top. It is the same as the pheromone name that is entered
when EMPIRE OF THE ANTS was first launched).
The "free" slots are in green or "closed" slots in grey. The "free" locations depend on the territory chosen. If
you have selected a territory with a maximum of 5 players, then this list will display the name of the host + 4
"free" slots.
The pheromone name of the connected player(s) will then be automatically displayed.
* If you are a player (and no longer a host), you will not be able to change these parameters. Your name and
all the other locations will appear directly in the greyed out list.
ii) Message
The upper line will enable you to send messages to the other players. After you have selected the box (cursor
blinking) use the keyboard to type in your message and then press enter to send the message.
The lower window will allow you to read the messages you receive.
iii) Initial units
Before anything else, you must decide how many units you and the other players are going to fight with. The
little lever that is displayed when you right-click will allow you to make a selection from 1 to 10: Stage 1 is
equivalent to one ant (!). Each stage then gradually expands in number of units and in type of different
warrior castes until stage 10. This stage consists of a small army with each caste well-represented.
iv) Options :
You cannot change the game options. But for those who will find the game too easy, here are five
ideas to spice up your game!
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• WAR FOG: this option, which is a default one in the Single Player game, will allow you to mask the global
view of the game area. Only the areas explored by your ants will appear. Those explored by your enemies will
never appear!
• HUNGER AND PREY: by default, your ants are never hungry. That gives you one less thing to worry about.
However, if you tick this option, then you had better make sure that they always have a prey in their jaws or
they will die of hunger (careful, unlike the Single Player game, predators are not edible!)
• GENERATION OF UNITS: this option will enable you to obtain reinforcements during the game. Branches
will appear randomly in the game area. If you place your princess (or one of your princesses) on the end of a
branch, you will generate a group of additional ants of the same caste. However, you cannot choose the
warrior caste. You will know what type of ants they are only when their icon is displayed.
The branch lights up in your colour, meaning that you control it. Then the group of ants will come down the
trunk to join your other units. If you leave your princess on the branch, other groups will be generated
automatically until they run out. Once the branch is definitely dead it is then displayed in black.
Careful: this very practical option will also work for your adversaries! You should therefore be quicker than
them to place your princesses. If one princess enters the control zone of a branch that is already occupied by
another princess, the reinforcements will remain blocked. Your princess can now be attacked and she’s a very
poor fighter!
On the Maximap, the branches are symbolised by white circles that become green if you control them, red if
they are occupied by another adversary, or black if the branch has been depleted.
• PREDATORS: when you tick this option you will bring predators into the game area and generate a few
unexpected battles. And especially if you add a new condition for victory: to eliminate the enemy’s troops, and
equal or exceed the score associated with the Predators. This is because each predator has a value in points
that is dependant on its aggressiveness. When you kill a predator, you therefore notch up a score. The
maximum score to reach is 1,000 points.
Note: you can follow the progress of this score, that is continuously displayed beside the "head" icon of the
praying mantis.
• QUEEN: when you tick this option you bring your queen in to play and now have to defend her. You can add
a new victory condition: either you kill all the enemy troops or kill your enemy’s queen. You can determine its
entry into the game, either at the beginning of the game after a number of minutes, (maximum 60).
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Note: when you tick the Predators and Queen options you can win the game in three different ways:
• by eliminating all the units of the enemy troops
• reaching or exceeding the Predators score fixed at the beginning
• by killing the enemy queen(s).
v) Help
Will briefly describe these options.
vi) Alliances
You can join forces with one or several other players. To do this you must have the same colour. Right-click on
the circle on the left of the players’ names. Use successive clicks to scroll down the different colours and then
select your colour.
In the game area, all the warrior teams will have a circle in the colour chosen by the team around their icon. In
the playing area, all the warrior ants will have a circle with the colour chosen by the team around their icon.
• In Fog of War mode, the areas discovered by your allies will be as visible as if they were yours.
• In Unit Generation mode, a princess belonging to your allies will not cause any interference if she enters a
branch zone that is already controlled by one of your princesses. However, each partner will generate his/her
own new troops.
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PART TWO
1) THE CAST
a) Your red ants
The warrior red ant has an orange brown thorax, a black abdomen and a black head that is orange-brown,
towards the mandibles. The workers are orange brown on their entire body. There are many different types of
red ant.
i) The Queen
You can only have one queen. She will lay each type of ant caste, depending on the priorities that you give
her. The larvae that she lays then follow the "egg-laying cycle".
The queen can be found in the "queen’s chamber". She is very touchy and can stop laying if she is not well fed
and well looked after by her colony.
When a queen is killed and there is no princess to take over her role, then you have lost the game.
If there is a princess, then she is transformed into a queen.
Introduction:
ii) Workers
Workers are not controlled directly. You can only give them general guidelines and the anthill distributes the
work (See priorities).
There are two categories of worker: the specialised workers and basic workers. Specialised workers are more
productive but eat a lot more. The others need less food but are less efficient in carrying out specific duties.
BASIC WORKER
This is the smallest ant. She can carry out any task. Her main interest lies in the fact that
she eats very little.
NURSE
This is a worker specialised in looking after the eggs and the queen.
BUILDER
This specialised worker builds and maintains the rooms.
FARMER
A specialised worker who grows mycelium and produces honeydew.
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GOURD
This is a specialised worker who is capable of transforming the food she has swallowed into
honeydew. She keeps the honeydew in her stomach. The major advantage of the gourds are
that they enable food to be stored without the risk of rotting. They are born directly in the
gourd room. Since they cannot carry out any other tasks, they are fed by the other workers.
** PRINCESS
This is an ant who does not carry out any tasks and eats a lot. She is however indispensable
to replace a dead queen.
ADVICE FROM THE 702nd
The ants from the princess caste are the only ones who can change into queens. To make this transformation
during the game, select your princess and then click on the icon of the queen’s chamber if it is empty. So
always think about having at least one princess available. Keep her isolated and far from the queen. In this
way, if the queen dies you will not be caught out.
ADVICE FROM THE 702nd
In the game, your red ants are made up of many different castes. Each worker can perform any task, but some
are more skilled than others.
These workers include:
• the nurses who are specialised in all tasks related to egg-laying. They are the best ants if you want to
mature an egg, transport it (up to four eggs between their mandibles!) or hatch it.
• the builders who excel at repair and construction work. The transportation of materials holds no secrets for
them. They can load several samples between their mandibles. A sure way of saving time.
• farm workers who will raise your domestic insects better than any other worker and who also grow
mycelium. If you need to create or look after greenflies, beetles or gnats, then these workers are just what you
need.
In the game, all the workers can perform any task (for example, a nurse does not restrict herself to just eggpicking, she can also build rooms like an ordinary basic worker). Don’t forget however that although the
specialists are decidedly more efficient for very specific actions, they use up more food.
Introduction
iii) Warriors
The warrior ants are organised and laid in groups of 3 to 16. They obey your orders and their own motivation.
As with the workers, some warriors have special skills and the more specialised they are, the more they need
to eat every day. All the castes of warriors have specific skills for the different types of attacks, namely biting,
formic acid shooting and charging.
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BASIC SOLDIER
This is an ant that fights only by biting. She is not very powerful, but is very economical.
She does not know how to charge.
HAND-TO-HAND
This ant fights only by biting. She is more powerful than the basic soldier, but is not as
economical. She does not charge very well. Along with the basic soldier, these are the foot
soldiers of your army.
GUNNER
This ant is specialised in shooting formic acid. She can wreak havoc on troops at a distance.
She can also bite, but is very poor at hand-to-hand combat and cannot charge. She is also
very vulnerable.
DOORKEEPER
This ant with a massive head is responsible for blocking the entrances of the anthill corridors
during enemy attacks. Her huge mandibles can break several ants in one swipe. She is
however, very slow and vulnerable and does not fight alone outside the anthill.
TANK
This is an invention of the red ants that enables a door-keeper carried by four basic soldiers
to go out to fight. The door-keeper therefore retains all her strength and increases her speed.
The tank can carry out impressive charges.
EXPLORER
This is the most versatile ant. She is a good gunner, who is fast and also good at hand-tohand combat although she is not as good at charging. She however eats a lot.
QUEEN’S SOLDIER
She is the elite soldier of the red ants. She is fast, remarkably good at hand-to-hand combat
and a good gunner. She can carry out effective charges that create breakthroughs. She is
however not very economical because of all these qualities!
ADVICE FROM THE 702nd
Here are the different warrior castes:
• the soldiers are the basic warriors. They have the weakest characteristics of the game.
• the hand-to-hand fighters are quicker than the soldiers and are generally better at close combat.
• gunners are the specialists of long-distance combat. They burn the exoskeleton of enemy ants by shooting
formic acid.
• door-keepers are defensive units. They are very resistant but also very slow.
They are "living doors" who block a corridor with their weight and don’t hesitate to use their mandibles if an
enemy shows the tip of its antenna!
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• tanks. Since the door-keepers were too slow for outside combat, the ants came up with the idea of fitting
them with "Caterpillar tracks". A tank is actually a door-keeper carried by four workers. It is the ultimate
assault unit. If you combine them with a group of gunners, you’ll have nothing to fear from your enemies (this
unit is never frightened).
• the explorers are the most versatile red ant units. They can shoot formic acid and are very good at hand-tohand combat. Take advantage of their strong points: their speed and mobility.
• the queen’s solders are the most expensive in terms of food, but they are the most efficient and the most
feared by the enemies of red ants. They do not know the meaning of fear and are as strong and as resistant
as the tanks, and as mobile as the explorers!
b) Domestic animals
ADVICE FROM THE 702nd
Many insects, such as certain beetles, can be tamed by your ants. If you give them board and lodging, they
will help you with certain actions such as air transport and recce aviation. When the pet room has been built,
set aside some ants to bring them food.
GREENFLIES
Greenflies are your "honeydew cows". They are born when their room is being built and are
raised there. When a greenfly is hungry, it leaves the anthill and then comes back in when it
is full. It is then milked by a worker.
BEETLES
Domestic beetles are born when their room is being built and they are raised there. They are the airborne
forces of the red ants. They can carry groups of warriors and can drop them into a combat area. Their use
has been automated. A group calls a beetle only if it is profitable to do so in terms of displacement time.
They react very strongly to a shortage of honeydew and can leave the colony if their rations are small.
GNATS
Gnats are born and kept in the gnat room. They are particularly fond of honeydew. They spy
on enemy groups or armies on the field. They come back to their anthill of their own free
will to eat, but will have no qualms about leaving the anthill if there is a shortage of food.
c) The enemies
i) Civilised ants
By civilised ants we mean insects that are organised like the red ants, as compared to stray insects (prey and
predators). These are solitary insects, even if they can be found in groups of 4 or 5. Some civilised races do
not have an anthill or a hive. These are the nomads.
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DWARF ANTS
They are small and black. They reproduce very quickly and have groups of warriors composed
of an impressive number of ants. They live in an anthill.
WEAVER ANTS
These are slim and slender orange insects that live in anthills made from leaf nests. They are
very quick.
HARVESTER ANTS
They are of a good size, orange brown and have big heads. They are very good at hand-tohand combat. They live in anthills.
DARK RED ANTS
They are dark red and are of the same size as the red ants. They live in an anthill and also
have formic acid.
SLAVE-MAKER ANTS
They are very big, black and have a hard shell. They are nomads who only know how to
fight.
ADVICE FROM THE 702nd
The slave-makers and legionnaires are the two races of civilised ants that do not have their own anthills. They
do not have the slightest intention of building a city, but rather destroy everything that they can lay their
mandibles on. They often attack without warning and in vast numbers.
TERMITES
Termites are the ancestors of ants. They are therefore not as physically developed. Termites
have soft bodies with only a hard head and huge mandibles. They live in termite hills. They
shoot glue at their enemies.
BEES
Bees live in a hive, in a very well organised society. But unlike ants, there is only one caste
of bee that carries out all tasks according to their age. Their advantage is that they can fly!
WASPS
Wasps live in society in a hive just like the bees. Although they are not as many as the
bees, they are more dangerous.
ii) Solitary insects
Prey and predators are independent and solitary. They appear in the areas and their actions are guided by their
motivations, the main one of which is hunger. Each of these insects has specific tastes in food. Predators and
prey can become a food resource for the anthill if your warriors manage to overcome them.
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You can tell a prey from a predator depending on its natural level of aggression. A prey does not attack, it only
defends itself and some of them even prefer to run away. A predator will attack either because it is crazed with
hunger or just by sheer cruelty!
PREDATORS:
Classified from the least aggressive to the most
aggressive
THE LADYBIRD
The weakest predator. She may seem aggressive, but is actually a coward. She only
attacks the feeble and puny insects.
THE BIGMOUTH
This is one of the weak predators and that is why it prefers to move in groups and
attack isolated prey.
THE DRAGONFLY
It has a rather low stress level and does not think twice about attacking but, if she
feels that a prey is really too big, she does not follow through.
THE HORNET
Knows no fear and has no stress. It can therefore become a dangerous predator if it is
very hungry!
THE RHINOCEROS BEETLE
It attacks only when it is hungry. It is slow but strong and resistant, so beware of its
counter-attacks.
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THE STAG BEETLE
Like the rhinoceros beetle, it becomes aggressive only when it is hungry. Its blows are slow
but very deadly. It is quite a dangerous predator because of its strength and resistance.
THE SPIDER
It becomes a fearsome predator when it is very hungry or feels very threatened. It is
a very difficult enemy to fight because of its elusive, lightning attacks.
LEGIONARY ANTS
They are very big, yellow and have a hard shell. They are nomads who only know
how to fight
THE PRAYING MANTIS
The predator par excellence and your worst enemy! It is very aggressive and kills everything
it sees. It has unending, lightning attacks. Luckily, it does not have a lot of resistance.
PREY:
THE DUNG BEETLE
Solitary insect. Prefers to defend itself instead of running away when faced with
danger.
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THE WEEVIL
It generally moves in groups of three and prefers to run away when it senses danger.
It can nevertheless fight back if attacked.
THE CATERPILLAR
It runs away at the slightest danger. But unfortunately for it, it is an easy prey to
catch!
THE CRICKET
A heavy eater that is often found in the resource areas. It prefers to flee when faced
with danger, but can defend itself.
THE SNAIL
Dribbles with fright at the sight of the smallest ant and will try to run away as
quiiiiiiiiiiiiickly aaaaasssss iiiiiiiit poooooooosssiiiiibly caaaaaaaan…
THE FIRE BUG
It is often encountered among the twigs. Like the caterpillar, it flees as soon as it
senses that there’s danger.
THE SLUG
Is no braver than its cousin the snail, no faster and even less resistant because it does
not even have a shell!
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THE FLY
Generally found near mushrooms. It is not bothered by the presence of danger as long
as it is not physically attacked. When this happens, it just flies away.
THE BUTTERFLY
Difficult to catch, it flies away at the slightest threat.
THE STICK INSECT
Prefers to run away. However, beware of its counter-attacks when it is forced to fight.
It fights back and is relatively strong
THE GRASSHOPPER
Identical to the cricket, although a bit stronger. It therefore defends itself better.
THE SCARAB BEETLE
Like the weevil, it is often found in a group. It fights back more bravely.
THE FLYING SCARAB
It is not frightened away by danger and it fights back very honourably.
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ADVICE FROM THE 702nd
The prey will flee when they see your warrior ants. They therefore become easy targets. Be careful however!
Some of them can fight back and will lose you warriors. Instead of engaging in a fight that will cost you units,
use the fear that your ants inspire to get rid of any troublesome insect.
2) MANAGING THE ANTHILL
a) General principles
The anthill is the central point of the game. This is where all the ants are born, under your control; and where
all the resources are stored. It is also the fortress that protects the queen, the guarantor of the unity of the
dynasty and mother of all.
The main difficulty lies in the rationalisation and optimisation of the building of your anthill. The management
and development of the anthill depend on the resources that are collected or produced. The many rooms
behave differently depending on where and how they have been built. Since you cannot have direct access to
your workers or control them individually, you have to be more global and more "political" when assigning
tasks. You will give the general guidelines of the work priorities and can forbid certain tasks if there is a
shortage of manpower.
i) Temperature
Each floor of the anthill has an appropriate temperature that should vary as little as possible so as not to affect
the productivity and cleanliness of the rooms.
ADVICE FROM THE 702nd
In the game, temperature has an influence on the aggressiveness of your ants: they are directly linked (a high
temperature makes your ants more ready to fight and inversely, a drop in temperature makes them almost
lethargic!).
ii) Floors
You can create up to ten floors in your anthill. Only three will be at the "surface" (situated under the sand
dome). You can also build up to a total number of 136 rooms (good luck!). These rooms correspond to a
pyramidal structure: one room on the first floor, three on top of it, six more on top of these, and so on.
iii) Productivity and maintenance of rooms
When a room is being built, it is assigned certain parameters: productivity, the need for maintenance and the
speed of deterioration. These parameters are determined according to several criteria: the nature of the room,
the quality of the building material used and its location in the anthill.
This is the set of criteria that is used to assess the rate of deterioration of a room. And the more a room
deteriorates, the more its productivity drops.
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b) Architecture
The anthill’s pyramidal floor structure determines in advance that there will be a constant number of rooms for
each level. There will also be a constant temperature, that will vary with the location (upper/lower level) and
the weather.
i) Description of the rooms and their specific functions
You can have up to 11 types of rooms, all with very different functions. Each room costs a specific number of
building materials. The rooms communicate with corridors.
The rooms described below marked with an (L) also exist in the large version.
QUEEN’S CHAMBER
This is the place where the queen lives and lays her eggs. You can have only one queen. You
can however build a second queen’s chamber, that is lower and not as protected, to house
your princess if the need should arise. The first room, which becomes abandoned, will be
turned into a guardroom.
ADVICE FROM THE 702nd
During the game, remember that if your queen dies, only the princess will be able to become the new egg
layer in the city. Avoid exposing her and keep her safely protected in your anthill.
EGG-MATURING ROOM (L) :
This room receives the eggs laid by the queen and matures them. It has a limited storage
capacity. If this room is well maintained, the eggs will mature more quickly.
HATCHING ROOM (L) :
This room is the last in the laying cycle since this is where the nurses hatch the ripe eggs. It
has a limited storage capacity. As with the maturing room, the state of deterioration of this
room will affect the hatching speed of the eggs in it.
SOLARIUM ROOM:
This room has the same function as the egg-maturing room but is more productive. It
therefore needs a lot of maintenance and cannot be built below a certain floor
(underground).
STORE ROOM (L):
This room will enable the storage of material and food resources collected from outside as
well as the honeydew milked from the greenflies. It has a limited capacity. It has a natural
refrigerating power that prevents the food from rotting too quickly. This characteristic
depends on the depth at which the room has been dug. The resources are also sensitive to
the poor condition of the warehouse and will gradually disappear if this happens.
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GOURD ROOM:
This room is used both for producing and storing honeydew. It houses the gourd ants that
are capable of transforming the food that they are given into honeydew. This transformation
is even faster if the room is well kept. It can contain a limited number of gourds. Gourds
make it possible to store food for an indefinite period as well as keeping your queen,
domestic insects and ants supplied in food in case of a food shortage.
MYCELIUM ROOM:
This room enables mycelium to be grown and therefore creates a production area within the
anthill. The mycelium will grow in a very unstable way if the room is not cleaned regularly.
When mycelium is neglected, it grows in an haphazard manner and destroys
adjoining rooms.
BEETLE ROOM:
This is the room where the beetles dedicated to air transport are born and housed. Beetles
prefer to be fed on honeydew and as a general rule, they leave the anthill if they are under
fed. This room has a limited capacity and its state of cleanliness affects the reproduction
speed of these insects.
GREENFLY ROOM:
This is the room where the greenfly are born and bred. They produce honeydew after they
have been to and fed on a food resource area. After they have been milked, the workers
store the honeydew obtained in a storeroom. This room has a limited storage capacity and
its state of cleanliness affects the reproduction speed of these insects.
GNAT ROOM:
This is the room where the gnats that are used to spy on enemies are born and housed. This
room has a limited storage capacity and its state of cleanliness affects the reproduction
speed of these insects. Like beetles, the gnats will run away from the city if they are not
well fed.
GUARD ROOM (L) :
This is an empty room that is used to put away inactive warrior groups without getting in the
way of the workers as they work. It also creates defence areas within your anthill. Unlike
the other rooms, you can build any other type of room on top of a guardroom.
ii) Building your anthill
At the beginning of the game, your anthill has a queen’s chamber, a storeroom, an egg-maturing room, a
hatching room and an entrance/exit. But your anthill will have to grow. Some rooms exist in two formats:
small version (standard) and large version.
* Interconnection between rooms:
All the rooms have to be connected to a storeroom for easy maintenance. A storeroom should be connected to
the outside to be able to collect resources. The queen’s room should be joined (by corridors or connecting
rooms) to an egg-maturing room. The egg-maturing room should in turn be connected to a hatching
room to make the egg-laying cycle operational. The breeding rooms (greenfly, beetle and gnat)
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should be connected to a storeroom and to the outside in order to ensure the production of honeydew and to
enable the beetles and gnats to leave the anthill. The same goes for the gourd room.
* Creation and placing of rooms:
Using the drop-down Building menu, which will be more or less complete depending on how far you have
advanced in the game, select the type of room to be built and show where it is to be placed in an empty
(green) part of the pyramid structure. (See Construction)
Note: To start building a room, you don’t necessarily have to have the number of building materials points
indicated in brackets under the name of the room. However you cannot complete the building of your room if
you don’t have all the points. Moreover, a room may turn out to be more or less solid and effective depending
on the quality of the materials that have gone into building it. Thus, a room that has just been created with
very poor quality materials can be in a very poor state immediately!
(See value of resources)
* Construction of corridors:
Each time a room is built, the anthill automatically adds a corridor to the location. If there are two possibilities,
it will choose the best one. You can however build corridors in the locations provided if they connect to a room
or to another corridor.
* Maintenance of rooms
Never forget that the more deteriorated a room, the less efficient it becomes. For your anthill to run correctly, it
is therefore essential that you remain vigilant about the regular maintenance of the rooms you have created, if
you don’t want the efforts of your little workers to come to nothing. The disastrous consequences depend on
the type of room, but for example:
- eggs take a longer time to develop in a deteriorating maturing room.
- food rots in a storeroom that is in a poor condition.
ADVICE FROM THE 702nd
When you’re building and positioning the different rooms of your anthill, their height affects their efficiency.
Materials and food stored in a room placed close to the summit will deteriorate faster than those in an
underground room (where it is cooler).
c) Priorities
Introduction
You do not control your workers directly, but through a set of eight preferences. These are managed in a dropdown menu according to an order of hierarchy, with the most important on top. Since it is rare that you have
enough ants to carry out all your tasks (especially in the beginning), you have to choose and show the anthill
the preferences your ants should be concentrating on.
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COLLECT THE FOOD:
This priority aims at collecting food resources and prefers to assign basic workers to this
task.
Result: food stocks increase.
COLLECT BUILDING MATERIAL:
This priority aims at collecting building material resources and prefers to assign basic workers
to this task.
Result: building material stocks increase.
BUILD ROOMS:
This priority assigns a large number of ants to the construction of rooms. It gives preference
to builders.
Result: The rooms are built.
MAINTAIN ROOMS:
This preference manages the replacement of building materials in the rooms that are
deteriorated. Gives preference to builders.
Result: the more the rooms are maintained, the more they become productive and the less they heat up.
LOOK AFTER THE QUEEN AND THE EGGS:
This priority assigns a larger number of ants to the laying cycle and to looking after the
queen. Although preference is given to the nurses when it comes to laying, it is the farmer
ants that are more efficient in transporting the queen’s food.
Result: the better the eggs are looked after, the sooner they mature and hatch; the more attention the queen
receives, the faster she lays and the less likely she is to stop laying.
LOOKING AFTER THE DOMESTIC INSECTS
This priority appears with the gnats and beetles. It assigns more ants to the task of providing
the domestic insects with food. The ants that are best suited to transporting food inside the
anthill are the farmers.
Result: the insects remain in the colony.
LOOKING AFTER THE MYCELIUM:
This priority assigns a large number of ants to growing mycelium, preferably farmers.
Result: the mycelium that is harvested increasing the food stocks.
Careful: If the mycelium is not harvested, it invades the other rooms that will then need more maintenance.
Depending on the period of the year, the speed of mycelium propagation can do a lot of damage to your
anthill very quickly.
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PRODUCE HONEYDEW:
This priority assigns a large number of ants to the maintenance of gourds and greenfly,
preferably farmers.
Result: honeydew stocks increase. To produce honeydew with greenfly, you must first take them out of the
anthill and wait for them to eat and then take them back into their room to milk them. Then you leave the
honeydew on the ground to be picked up by the workers.
d) The laying cycle
i) The infinite cycle of life
The laying cycle always follows the same pattern:
queen’s room ➭ egg-maturing room ➭ hatching room.
The queen lays her eggs in the queen’s chamber. The workers are born singly, unlike all the warrior ants who
are born in groups. The number of ants in a group depends on the caste. The nurses come for the eggs and
carry them to the egg-maturing room where they lay them down in little heaps and look after them. They then
carry them to the hatching room where they help them to hatch. The cycle ends when the groups of ants
hatch.
Work immediately begins for both the workers and warriors. The workers are immediately operational. The
warriors come out by themselves and place themselves near the anthill, ready for action. They do not do this if
the winter is not far off. In this case, the new fighters stand in the entrance/exit room.
Each of these stages (laying by the queen, maturing and hatching) requires a a length of time that depends on
the type of ant.
Intervention of player:
You have complete control of the queen’s laying because of the "egg-laying cycle" that creates your list of units
to be laid. For example, you can propose 10 basic workers, 3 hand-to-hand groups, 4 nurses, and 1 group of
explorers. The queen will look through the list and lay the types one after the other according to the quantity
demanded and as long as she has not received any new orders!
ii) Interference with the queen
At the end of a cycle, the queen does not stop laying. If she has not received any orders to the contrary, she
will repeat the original list. She can however decide to stop a cycle:
• if she is not well looked after, either because she is not given enough food and /or her room is not well
kept (See statistics: dissatisfaction of the queen).
• if the rooms that are part of the laying cycles are all full or are soon going to be full.
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ADVICE FROM THE 702nd
The management of egg-laying is one of the essential parts of your expansion. There are many ways in which
you can interact on the length of the period for the creation of a unit (from the laying of the egg to hatching):
• by placing the maturing and hatching room close to the queen’s chamber,
• by increasing the number of workers (and by creating only nurses who can carry up to four eggs), by
stopping
3) RESOURCES
Introduction
Resources are natural products such as leaves, mushrooms, fruits, twigs, etc. They are used for two tasks:
building and replenishment of food supplies. They are divided into specific areas called resource areas. The
richest of these areas are found under trees, near bushes, or any other shady, cool and humid place. A resource
area that has been strongly exploited will be less abundant the following year.
Note: plants are merely part of the scenery or simply obstacles and are not available as resources.
a) The different types of resources
There are different types of resources:
i) Perishable resources
This type comprises those resources that are used to feed the anthill. They are generally too massive and need
to be extracted in order to be used. Ants should therefore be able to cut up a resource so they can carry off
transportable samples. The resource has its own nutritional value and a raw material content. When the raw
material is depleted, the resource disappears.
There are two types of perishable resources:
• living resources: mushrooms and small pieces of grass
These resources grow. They do not rot, but disappear to return with the weather and the seasons.
• the "dead" resources: seeds, acorns, small fruits and little leaves
They end up rotting.
ii) Non-perishable resources
This type comprises those resources that are used to build and maintain the anthill. These building materials are
more or less solid, and this has a considerable effect on how fast the rooms deteriorate.
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iii) Special substances
• honeydew
This type of resource is exclusively produced by the gourd ants or the greenfly inside the anthill. It is
the favourite delicacy of the queen, tame gnats and beetles. It is very nutritious and unlike the other
types of food, it has the great advantage of not rotting!
• mycelium
This is a type of mushroom that red ants grow inside the anthill. Like honeydew, this is an essential
food resource when the anthill has to be self-sufficient.
Tip: mycelium grows quickly and tends to destroy its room and neighbouring rooms
Take Care: it is also subject to sudden and explosive growth. This is not very frequent, but can seriously
damage the anthill.
iv) dead insects
Predators and prey killed by your troops become food resources with a certain nutritional value that is related
to their size and the degree of danger that they represent.
b) The qualitative value of resources
Whether they are consumable or productive, each resource has its own wealth value and gives a certain
number of points. This is an important parameter that should be borne in mind.
i) Food
• Collectibles:
• GRASS
• LEAF
• HEAP OF LEAVES
• MUSHROOMS: > death cap
> boletus
> others
15
30
70
10
90
40
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• FRUITS :
> berries
> hazelnut
> chestnut
> acorn
15
20
20
20
• Food generated inside the anthill:
• MYCELIUM
• HONEYDEW
13
17
Note: a greenfly directly produces a sample of honeydew with a value (17) that remains fixed whereas the
gourd supplies a sample of honeydew with an added value (a 70% gain) that varies depending on the initial
food before transformation. For example, if the food given to the gourd is worth 10 points, then the
honeydew obtained will be worth 17 points. Or, if it is worth 100, the honeydew will be worth 170, and so
on.
ii) Materials
• SAND
• THORN
• SOIL
• TWIG
• PINE CONE
• COBWEB
20
20
25
30
60
65
c) Use
By default, it is forbidden to exploit all discovered resource areas. It is up to you to move the ban if you want
your workers to exploit them!
To open access to these areas, click on the icon that symbolises the area. To put back the ban, click on it with
the right mouse button.
The anthill takes care to distribute all your workers assigned to harvesting equally between all the open
resource areas that have not yet been depleted.
You may not be able to specifically choose the type of resources that your ants will collect in a zone, but you
can influence their objective by forbidding the exploitation of an area. Since any authorised resource area will
be exploited in the same way, if you block the access to certain areas that are too poor, you can
favour the exploitation of the rich areas. You must however be careful not to overexploit.
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This tactic will also enable you to preserve closed areas or areas that will be important for the future (to
prevent resources from being depleted) as well as avoiding conflicts with enemies who might also have an eye
on the same area.
ADVICE FROM THE 702nd
You will find this variety of rsources in the game. This is of great importance and you will soon learn that a
mushroom such as the boletus (in brown) has a nutritive value twice that of the death cap (in red). So in just
one trip, the food that a worker with just one piece of boletus will bring back to the anthill will be twice as rich
as that brought by a worker with a piece of death cap
shortage
ADVICE FROM THE 702nd
When there is a shortage of food in the field, you have several ways of feeding your ants.
You can build a room such as:
• the gourd room. It is to be used in times of partial shortage. The food that you bring the gourds will
be transformed into honeydew, a high energy food.
• the mycelium room. Be careful about planting mycelium regularly once the room has been built. The
more the room is filled with mycelium, the more the adjoining rooms are attacked by this fungus and
deteriorate. Be careful of mycelium growth that will provoke a sharp increase in the quantity contained in the
room. This will have disastrous effects on the state of surrounding rooms.
• the greenfly room. Greenfly naturally provide your ants with honeydew on condition that you protect
them when they go out to search for food. The death of greenfly represents the loss of a "free honeydew
factory". They are therefore worth keeping an eye on!
You can also mark out a hunting area for your warriors. Any insect that is likely to be edible found inside the
previously marked area will immediately be attacked and killed.
4) THE ANNUAL CYCLE
a) Seasons
The game takes into account the passing of the seasons and the weather. Your anthill is active from Spring to
Autumn. In Winter it hibernates and the life of its inhabitants comes to a standstill. The different seasons
influence the temperature, the regeneration of resource areas, the rise and fall of water levels and the growth
of living resources.
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* WINTER
During Winter, the game is suspended: the ants inside the anthill hibernate and those outside die of cold!
At the end of the Autumn, an alert message "Winter approaches" appears and a temperature counter is shown
on the screen. This begins a countdown to 0° C. At that particular time, the game goes into Winter mode: the
screen becomes dimmed and a statistics table is displayed. When you click on OK, Spring arrives and the game
continues.
Your ants that were still outside when the temperature reached 0° will die. It is therefore essential that you
bring everybody back inside the anthill during the time that you have left after the counter appears. Don’t
forget to use the Muster button that will automatically call all your ants!
Nevertheless, although they are in the shelter of the anthill, some of your ants will not wake up if food stocks
are not sufficient!
There is another strategy, albeit a rather desperate one, to counter the effects of Winter. It consists of sending
warriors who are too far from your anthill to seek shelter in an enemy anthill! However, they will risk a rude
awakening in the Spring.
STATISTICS TABLE
The game assesses different parameters such as the state of the anthill, the stocks that have been stored, the
number of ants and their food requirements and, depending on these criteria, when Spring returns, you will find
your anthill with a number of deaths (the ant castes that eat up a lot of food will die first).
ADVICE FROM THE 702nd
During the Winter, your ants will sleep and your workers will no longer be able to bring food into your anthill.
Only the stores that you have gathered during the rest of the year will enable your ants to feed themselves
when they wake up. Those that are not fed will die. Be careful and try and calculate the quantity of food that
your ants will need in advance of Winter.
b) The weather
There are four climatic conditions that can upset your little world: sunny, cloudy, rainy and stormy.
These weather conditions will cause fluctuations in the temperature of the outside world, and a change in
temperature will have a considerable influence on the the rooms in your anthill as well as on the
aggressiveness of your ants and enemies.
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c) Rise and fall of river levels
During their explorations, your ants may be halted by rivers and streams.
Water levels rise and fall with the seasons and the weather. For example, heavy rains or a storm will suddenly
swell rivers. Ants cannot swim and can therefore only cross rivers when they are dried up. The only solution
therefore is for them to go round this obstacle and use a tunnel.
Flying insects, grasshoppers, crickets or bees can cross rivers at any time. The bigger insects, just like the ants
can only cross when the water level is very low.
ADVICE FROM THE 702nd
Many factors such as the temperature and the moisture level will be decisive for you to win the game:
• the temperature will have an impact on the efficiency of your rooms and on the behaviour of your ants
as well as your enemies (the higher the temperature, the more aggressive they will be).
• the moisture level will determine the arrival of rain, and this will allow or forbid river crossing. It will
also affect the stress level of your ants
As a general rule, keep an eye on the seasons. For example, if you’re in an area with lots of trees, their fruit
will fall in Spring. Increase your worker troops just before and you will harvest a lot of food. In summer look
out for enemy ants. Their attacks are much fiercer then.
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CREDITS
Based on the book by Bernard Werber
Director of development: . . . . . . . . . . . . .Didier Poulain
Project Manager: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Julien Marty
Design: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Julien Marty
Pascal Mory
Xavier-Claude Passery
Bernard Werber
Lead programmer: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Vincent L’hermite
Main programmers: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Fabrice Colard
Thomas Malahel
Didier Poulain
Fabrice Toledano
Programmers: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Medhi Chiaoui
Vincent Duvernet
Florent Fradet
Olivier Martin
Guillaume Mirey
Olivier Morel
Sandra Morlot
Emmanuel Perez
Antoine Rey
Laurent Zalavsky
Additional programmers: . . . . . . . . . . . . .Alexis de Castillon
Samir Gharib
Thierry Robin
Installation procedure: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Henri de Chauvron
Didier Poulain
3D engine: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4X Technologies
Video compression: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rad Game Tools Inc.
Compression library (z.lib): . . . . . . . . . . . Jean-loup Gailly
Mark Adler
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Level Design: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cyril Tourtzevitch
Testers: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christophe Barthelemy
Bruno Bidet
Mohamed Essaghir
Xavier-Claude Passery
Cyril Tourtzevitch
S.Jean, P. Lussier, A. Bacon, P. Hellouin, M. Larivière, J-F Roy, M.Villandré, L. Tremblay
Sound effects, background music: . . . . . . . Vicky Bazombanza
Sound production, soundtrack,
and sound design: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . KBP
Nick Varley
Bruno Guéraçague
Dimitri Bodiansky
Guillaume Lénel
Séverine Dagueville
Encyclopaedia: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bernard Werber
Lionel Barthelemy
Guillaume Mirey
Cyril Tourtzevitch
Lead graphic artists: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Éric Carme
Ludovic Delcroix
Graphic artists: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michael Attia
Alexis Dzimira
Stephen Magnardi
Laurent Makowski
Stéphane Yilmaz
Outside graphics: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Etrange Libellule
Kinematics by Microïds Canada: . . . . . . . . Patrick Ménard
Mélanie Tremblay
Johanne Drolet
with the help of: S. Lafrenière, F. Gaudreau
Microids Canada
production department : . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stéphane Grefford
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Director of Marketing: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michel Bams
Product Manager: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nathalie Baule
Head of communication: . . . . . . . . . . . . .Claude Isabelle Vieillard
Packaging and manual:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . Eric Royou
Monia Addad
Writing of manual:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Catherine Peyrot
Remerciements : Elisabeth Haroche, Les éditions Albin Michel.
©2000 Microïds, All Rights Reserved.
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