The current economy rewards deliberate investment. Extractors now cost resources and no longer have a fixed active limit: build as many as you can afford, but only where the mission gives them time to pay back. Resource Mission main rewards are automatic on victory, while replacement training and repairs compete for the same survival budget.
Forget the old “two Extractors max” advice
Official August 2026 notes explicitly replaced the earlier system. Extractors now cost resources, and there is no fixed active limit. If you can afford another one, you can build it. That makes mission safety and payback time the important constraints.
Spend for tempo, not theoretical maximum income
A greedy Extractor that forces you to lose a squadron can be negative economy. Ship losses and repairs compete for the same replacement budget. Preserve a buffer when the next mission or boss tech threatens a counter spike.
Current resource flow
The key is to compare the return of an extra economy purchase with the cost of entering the next fight under-strength.
| Source / sink | Current behavior | Decision rule |
|---|---|---|
| Extractors | Resource-funded; no fixed active cap | Build when the node is safe enough to repay the cost. |
| Resource Mission victory | Primary reward granted automatically | Route by the visible Starmap payout. |
| Crates | Primarily in-mission squadron buffs | Explore when safe; do not treat crates as the main mission paycheck. |
| Mid-combat training | Consumes resources to replace ships | Keep a reserve if the mission is attrition-heavy. |
| Repair Mothership ability | Purchasable from Starbase | Buy when survivability is limiting progression more than damage. |
Current costs and the resource-dead-end escape
Version 0.2.808 sets Extractors to 30 Prisma and Cobalt Warp Conduits to 75 credits. Several Tier 1 and Tier 2 colony technologies and most Discoveries cost less, but the notes do not give a complete new price table. Use the current cost for the actual purchase.
Extractors and Outposts no longer take damage from negative fields. Acid Bubbles also deal less damage to Stations; this does not remove every positioning or incoming-attack risk.
In 0.2.811, Build X and Collect X can be won by conquest during the first stage. If a required resource runs out, examine that option before abandoning the mission. Build requirements are capped at three of any one item, and Bombard or Rocket Stations count for Build Turret objectives.
Sources & version note
EA v0.2.811 · Updated 2026-11-04. Use the released version named beside the task; announced later updates have separate conditions.