Numantian Games left Early Access on 18 June 2019 with The New Empire, a 48 mission campaign carrying more than 60 hours on top of the existing Survival mode. The custom engine pushes up to 20,000 infected on screen at once, and a single one reaching an unwalled house can end a four hour colony in about 90 seconds. Everything hinges on wall placement, noise discipline and the score factor you set before the map generates.
Resource management and crafting determine how quickly your power scales. This guide covers what to prioritize, where to farm, and how to avoid wasting resources on the wrong upgrades.
Crafting Priority List
The order you should invest resources:
| Priority | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Primary equipment | Biggest damage increase per resource spent |
| 2 | Core build gear | Enables your build's key combinations |
| 3 | Defensive upgrades | Survivability for boss fights |
| 4 | Secondary equipment | Situational options for specific content |
| 5 | Consumables | Temporary boosts for hard content |
Resource Farming by Area
The Deep Forest
Key resources: Safe learning ground, forest chokes, unlocks Dark Moorland at 20 percent Farming efficiency: Low value per run, but safe and consistent
Focus on gathering materials for Stone Wall upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
The Dark Moorland
Key resources: Cheap terrain chokes, first special infected experience, unlocks Peaceful Lowlands at 40 percent Farming efficiency: Good early-game farming spot
Focus on gathering materials for Stone Wall upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
The Peaceful Lowlands
Key resources: High resource ceiling, multi-front defence practice, unlocks Frozen Highlands at 60 percent Farming efficiency: Best mid-game farming, worth revisiting
Focus on gathering materials for Stone Wall upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
The Frozen Highlands
Key resources: Energy management practice, slower waves, unlocks Desolated Wasteland at 80 percent Farming efficiency: High-value materials for late-game upgrades
This is where you farm materials for Wooden Wall max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Caustic Lands
Key resources: Highest score multipliers, dense special infected, the top of the Survival ladder Farming efficiency: Best resources in the game, requires strong build
This is where you farm materials for Wooden Wall max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Upgrade Path
Early Game (The Deep Forest to The Dark Moorland)
- Upgrade your starting equipment to functional level
- Craft basic defensive gear
- Save specialty materials, since you'll need them later
- Focus on Stone Wall once accessible
Mid Game (The Peaceful Lowlands)
- Push Stone Wall to mid-level upgrades
- Start collecting materials for Wooden Wall
- Craft situational consumables for boss fights
- Upgrade build-specific gear pieces
Late Game (The Frozen Highlands to Caustic Lands)
- Max out Wooden Wall. This is your top priority
- Complete your build's core gear set
- Craft endgame consumables
- Optional: upgrade secondary equipment for variety
Crafting Mistakes to Avoid
- Spreading upgrades across multiple equipment: Focus one weapon to max before diversifying.
- Hoarding materials: Use them. The game provides enough if you farm efficiently.
- Upgrading the wrong gear: Check our builds guide before investing.
- Ignoring The Peaceful Lowlands farming: This area has the best resource-to-time ratio in mid-game.
- Crafting consumables too early: Save specialty materials for late-game recipes.
Resource Efficiency Tips
- Use the pause key as a core mechanic, not an emergency button. The game is built around pausing to issue orders, and no amount of mechanical speed will replace stopping the clock during a wave to retarget six units individually.
- Farm The Peaceful Lowlands during mid-game for the best return on time
- Check the walkthrough to know when each resource becomes available
- Match your farming route to your build. Some classes farm faster in certain areas
More They Are Billions Guides
- They Are Billions They Are Billions Overview
- They Are Billions Best Builds
- They Are Billions Tier List
- They Are Billions Walkthrough
- They Are Billions Beginner's Guide
- They Are Billions Tips & Tricks
- They Are Billions Weapons Guide
- They Are Billions Combat Guide
- They Are Billions Boss Guide
- They Are Billions Maps & Locations
- They Are Billions Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy They Are Billions, check out these related guides:
- Sid Meier's Civilization V Crafting Guide: strategy game with similar mechanics
- Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Crafting Guide: strategy game with similar mechanics
- RimWorld Crafting Guide: strategy game with similar mechanics
