Starting on Vulcanus
Vulcanus is where most players go first. You do not smelt ore here: you pump lava with an offshore pump and melt it in a foundry, with a little calcite, into molten iron and copper, then cast plates, gears, pipes and cable straight from the liquid.
- Power first. Steam from acid neutralisation (sulfuric acid and calcite) is the classic Vulcanus power plant, and coal is plentiful for boilers at the start.
- Foundries. Once the foundry is researched, one foundry making molten iron from lava feeds 3.75 casting foundries. See the casting ratios.
- Big mining drills and tungsten. Tungsten ore leads to tungsten carbide and plates, metallurgic science and the big mining drill.
- Watch the demolishers. The giant worms patrol their territory: build inside the safe areas first.
Vulcanus questions
Why do my lava foundries stop?
Every lava recipe also makes stone. If the stone has nowhere to go, the foundry backs up. Use it, or void it.
Can I ship molten metal?
No, molten metals cannot be barreled. Cast them next to the lava foundries and ship the solids.