Overview
Mining is the engine of every empire. This fleet maximises ore throughput per cycle while keeping a light escort so a single pirate does not erase an hour of work.
The core is a stack of dedicated miners running upgraded mining lasers and cargo expanders, paired with one cheap escort hull to deter opportunists. It is the safest first investment in the game.
Ships
Heavy-extraction core — the actual yield.
Cheap secondary miners to fill idle laser slots.
Escort — deters solo pirates while you mine.
Modules by Slot
| Slot | Module | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Utility | Mining Laser III | Top-tier extraction rate per cycle. |
| Utility | Cargo Expander III | Fewer trips back to base = more uptime. |
| Defense | Shield Generator I | Enough to survive until the escort responds. |
| Utility | Scanner Array II | Early warning on inbound threats. |
Commander
Okonkwo is a dedicated mining commander whose yield bonus directly multiplies the only stat this fleet cares about. No combat commander comes close to his economic value here.
Required Technologies
- Deep Core Drilling
- Asteroid Belt Harvesting
- Cargo Logistics
How to Play This Build
- 1
Scout the belt
Use the Scanner Array to confirm the belt is uncontested before committing miners.
- 2
Stagger your lasers
Spread miners across nodes so you are not bottlenecked on a single depleting rock.
- 3
Watch the escort
Keep the frigate between your miners and the most likely pirate approach vector.
- 4
Bank early
Send full holds home before they are full — a destroyed full hauler is a total loss.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
- +Best raw resource yield per hour
- +Cheap to field and replace
- +Beginner-friendly and low-risk
Weaknesses
- −Almost no combat power
- −A real war fleet wipes it instantly
- −Yield drops sharply in contested space
Hard Counters
- ⚠Any dedicated PvP fleet
- ⚠Pirate gank squads targeting full holds
Budget Alternative
Drop the Excavators and run six Miner Mk.I with Mining Laser II. Lower yield per hull but the cheapest possible entry into mining — perfect for day one.
FAQ
How do I protect my mining fleet?
Keep one escort frigate on station and mine in secure space until you can afford redundancy. Bank full cargo holds early rather than risking a total loss.
What should I mine first?
Prioritise the resources your next ship or tech tier needs. Scan belts with the Scanner Array II and avoid contested nodes until you have escort coverage.