Gravhounds Extraction Guide: When to Stay and When to Run

Extraction is the heart of GRAVHOUNDS. Every shift is a risk-reward balancing act: seek out treacherous planets for the best materials, stay longer and push harder to increase your rewards — but every extra second escalates the swarm, turning each shift into a high-stakes bet on what your pack can handle.

The Escalation Clock

The swarm grows deadlier by the second. Learning to read the escalation is the single most important extraction skill:

• Early shift: calm field. Scout, place generators, start pipelines.
• Mid shift: pressure builds. Hold the perimeter while you load value.
• Late shift: the swarm spikes. This is your window to leave — or to lose everything.

Extraction Routing

Your escape route is part of your base:

1. Route pipelines back to your extraction point first — not to the far side of the map.
2. Use pipeline boosts for last-second dashes to materials or downed teammates.
3. Keep the path to extraction clear of terrain traps — boost mobility only helps if there is a runnable line.

The Greed Checklist

Before pushing deeper for high-value materials, ask:

• Is our perimeter holding without active repair?
• Do we have a clear, boosted route to extraction?
• Is the pack at full strength — or is someone down?
• If the swarm doubles right now, do we make it out?

If any answer is no, extract. A smaller haul you keep beats a big haul the swarm eats.

High-Risk Planets

Seek out treacherous planets for the best materials. They pay more — and they escalate faster. Treat them as endgame targets: bring a full pack, defense-heavy Mod Decks, and pre-agreed extraction calls.

Solo Extraction

Solo players are a mobile one-hound operation. Extract earlier than you think you should, keep bases compact, and never let your pipeline lag behind your harvesting.

More Guides

• Core loop fundamentals in the Beginner Guide.
• Build your loadout in Best Builds & Mod Decks.