Fire Ant

Information
Common name	Red imported fire ant
Scientific name	Solenopsis invicta
Environment	Swamp
Castes	Queen Worker Soldier
Traits	Floating bridge Damage buff Resistance buff Speed buff
Playable colony	Yes

Fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) are playable in story missions, extra missions and custom games.

Abilities

Fire ants attack by biting and stinging.

Fire ants can only sting while they are mounting.

Level 3 soldier brood tiles can hold 2 soldiers at once. You must choose either pervasive or vigorous soldiers before playing.

• Pervasive soldiers can be spawned without requiring food if they have been incubated for 90 seconds. Tiles become affected immediately after they are built.

• Vigorous soldiers can raise their stats after they are spawned.

Bridge building

Fire ant workers and soldiers can build floating bridges using their own bodies. It can only be done at designated locations on the ground near the water's edge. You can place pheromone markers anywhere on the further bank to make a bridge. Fire ants in the respective pheromone groups will automatically build bridges to get there if it is the shortest path.

You only need a smaller number of larger ants to build the same bridge. The required number isn't always consistent due to the positioning of the ants on the bridges.

You can place pheromone markers anywhere on the nearer bank to disassemble a bridge. Fire ants from the respective pheromone groups will move away from the bridge and to the new locations. The respective bridge won't be disassembled if there is still a pheromone marker on the further bank.

Bridges will be disassembled when water level changes. Ants are washed away if they are caught in the water. Ants will find other ways to reach their destinations if they manage to land on the ground. Ants become dead if they can't find any paths back to the queen.

Bridges will be disassembled and most building ants will retreat inside if any building ants become dead from tile deletion. Ants on the further bank remain calm and attempt to build new bridges on their way back.

Appearances

You can play as a fire ants colony in:

• Cold Blood (either)

• A Bridge Too Far (either)

• New Year's Feast (no soldier)

• The Promised Land (vigorous - no level 3)

You can play with fire ant soldiers in:

• Main story (either)

• Tug of War 2 (pervasive)

You can also encounter fire ants in:

• Firebreak

Notable stats

Fire ant queen
Common stats	Health: 500 Score: 600 Healing speed: 1
Damage modifications	Physical resistance: 50% Venom resistance: 50% Maximum taken damage: 25
Immunities	Immune to stun/ confusion/ fleeing Immune to pickup (strong)/ knockback (strong) Immune to execution

Fire ant worker
Common stats	Cost: 20 [2] Health: 15/ 25/ 35 Movement speed: 300/ 340/ 380 Score: 5/ 8/ 12 Harvest amount: 15/ 15/ 15 Healing speed: 0.1/ 0.1/ 0.1 Vision radius: 400/ 400/ 400
Damage modifications	None
Immunities	None
Attack	Trigger: User isn't mounting. Damage (physical): 0.8/ 1/ 1.2 Attack speed: 1.5/ 1.5/ 1.5
Sting (grounded)	Trigger: User isn't mounting. Damage (venom): 2/ 2.5/ 3 Cooldown: 2/ 2/ 2
Sting (mounting)	Trigger: User is mounting. Damage (venom): 10/ 10/ 10 Attack speed: 0.5/ 0.5/ 0.5

Fire ant soldier (pervasive)
Common stats	Cost: 40 [4] Health: 30/ 45/ 50 Movement speed: 320/ 320/ 320 Score: 7/ 10/ 11 Harvest amount: 15/ 15/ 15 Healing speed: 0.1/ 0.1/ 0.1 Vision radius: 400/ 400/ 400
Damage modifications	Venom resistance: 10%/ 10%/ 10%
Immunities	None
Attack	Trigger: User isn't mounting. Damage (physical): 1.5/ 2/ 2.2 Attack speed: 1.5/ 1.5/ 1.5
Sting (grounded)	Trigger: User isn't mounting. Damage (venom): 7/ 10/ 11 Cooldown: 2/ 2/ 2
Sting (mounting)	Trigger: User is mounting. Damage (venom): 10/ 10/ 10 Attack speed: 0.5/ 0.5/ 0.5

Fire ant soldier (vigorous)
Stats are different between story mode and custom game mode.
Common stats	Cost: 40 [4] Health: 30/ 45/ 50 Movement speed: 320/ 320/ 320 Score: 7/ 10/ 11 Harvest amount: 15/ 15/ 15 Healing speed: 0.1/ 0.1/ 0.1 Vision radius: 400/ 400/ 400
Damage modifications	Venom resistance: 10%/ 10%/ 10%
Immunities	None
Attack	Trigger: User isn't mounting. Damage (physical): 1.5/ 2/ 2.2 Attack speed: 1.5/ 1.5/ 1.5
Sting (grounded)	Trigger: User isn't mounting. Damage (venom): 7/ 10/ 11 Cooldown: 2/ 2/ 2
Sting (mounting)	Trigger: User is mounting. Damage (venom): 10/ 10/ 10 Attack speed: 0.5/ 0.5/ 0.5
Boost	Trigger: User is spawned.	Speed buff Movement speed: + 40%/ + 40%/ + 40% Duration: 120/ 120/ 120
		Damage buff Damage: + 50%/ + 50%/ + 50% Duration: 120/ 120/ 120
		Resistance buff Physical resistance: + 25%/ + 25%/ + 25% Physical resistance: + 15%/ + 15%/ + 15% Venom resistance: + 25%/ + 25%/ + 25% Venom resistance: + 15%/ + 15%/ + 15% Duration: 120/ 120/ 120

Trivia

• Fire ant bridges were the rewards for reaching the second kickstarter stretch goal (£15000).

• In real life, fire ants can gaster-flag. The developers only let fire ants flag their gasters when they are idling to focus on their stinging gimmick.

• Units can move across water on the way back without the need of floating bridges if they are carrying any resources.