In the original Grounded released in 2022, the notion of riding a Red Soldier Ant was just a fanciful thought. However, the sequel brings a significant change, introducing rideable bug mounts into the gameplay. If you’re interested in constructing your own Red Soldier Ant Buggy in Grounded 2, we have you covered.

While the concept of bug riding is thrilling, crafting a saddle involves a somewhat tedious process. Currently, Grounded 2 features only two bug mounts, with the Red Soldier Ant Buggy being the more straightforward option to obtain.

Steps to Obtain Your First Red Soldier Ant Buggy in Grounded 2

Initially, you cannot simply «catch» a Red Soldier Ant for riding. Instead, you need to advance through the central storyline to unlock the Hatchery recipe. We’ve broken down the steps for your ease.

Locate the Hatchery Recipe

Upon starting a new game in Grounded 2, acquire your Omni Tool and head to the Comms Array area within the Ranger Output, which is located in a cave. Answer the phone call from Ms. Sloan, and then upgrade your Omni Hammer and Shovel as directed.

Continue progressing through the narrative: Follow the coordinates provided by Ms. Sloan to discover a corpse and various Red Ant Eggs–note that these are not Red Soldier Eggs.

Examine the items from the deceased body, where you will also hear an audio tape explaining the hidden Hatchery recipe. Then, excavate the Buried Treasure adjacent to the body, which contains a drive. Return it to the Comms Array and upload the data at the Ranger Station. Afterward, you will receive another call from Ms. Sloan, unlocking the Hatchery recipe.

Construct the Hatchery

To build the Hatchery in Grounded 2, you will need the following materials:

1. Six Weed Stems (obtained from Dandelions)
2. Five Mite Fuzz (gained by defeating light red/pink jumping Mites)
3. Five Acorn Shells (break Acorns using your hammer)
4. One Acorn Top (located near Oak Trees)

All these items can be found lying around but may take some time to gather. Once you have everything, construct the Hatchery, and you’ll be ready for the next, more involved step.

Collect a Red Soldier Ant Egg from the Anthill

Follow your quest log to the nearby Anthill (Hatchery Anthill: Southern Entrance) and enter the cave. Before doing so, ensure you are equipped with strong weapons and ample healing supplies. Here’s what I took:

1. Crimson Saber (effective against Ants)
2. Weevil Shield
3. Larvalance (effective against Spiders)
4. Numerous Fiber Bandages
5. Food supplies
6. Torches

A bow and arrows can facilitate ranged attacks, allowing you to maintain distance from enemies. Make sure to assign weapons, healing items, and food to shortcut slots for quick access during battles.

You’ll encounter several Red Soldier Ants within the cave and even face a challenging scenario with the O.R.C. Orb Weaver Spider. In my experience, while it was possible to bypass some Ants, the spider was harder to evade. It’s best to avoid unnecessary confrontations, as Red Worker Ants are not aggressive and can be left alone.

Choosing Creative difficulty means you won’t have to deal with these enemies, making it easier to grab the egg.

For a smoother journey to the egg, follow this detailed route: Start at the South entrance of the cave and continue straight until you reach the first station.

Follow the dark pipeline to the left until you arrive at the second station.

Keep traversing along the black pipe until you reach the third station.

Here, the pipeline will stop. Move left and keep advancing until you enter another lab with red lights.

Once inside, you will see a Red Soldier Ant egg enclosed in a clear tube, but you cannot collect it yet. Proceed straight through the lab door on the opposite side, where you’ll find multiple Red Soldier Ant eggs. Grab one and make a swift exit!

Since you can’t add these eggs to your inventory, you’ll have to carry one in your hand. Be aware that if you get hit while holding the egg, you will drop it, so maintain your pace until you return safely to your base and the Hatchery.

Although this can be a vigorous undertaking when playing solo, having a partner makes the quest in Grounded 2 significantly simpler. I faced this challenge alone without any friendly Soldier Ant to assist me, but once you secure the buggy, returning to the cave becomes much less daunting.

Hatch the Red Soldier Ant Egg

Upon reaching the Hatchery, place the egg along with the necessary ingredients for the saddle:

1. Two Grub Hide
2. Three Sprigs
3. One Acorn Shell

The egg hatching process takes 12 in-game hours, which you can mostly sleep through.

Once accomplished, you’ll have your very own Red Soldier Ant Buggy to help you explore the extensive maps of Grounded 2. After acquiring your first buggy, it’s advisable to take it along for any subsequent visits to the Ant cave.

You will also be able to unlock a different entrance to the Anthill (North), which is reportedly easier to navigate.

Utilizing and Sustaining Your Red Soldier Ant Buggy in Grounded 2

To utilize your Soldier Ant Buggy in Grounded 2, approach it and follow the prompts to mount, pet, and command it to stay or follow. You can gather resources while mounted and instruct it to enter gather mode, allowing it to accumulate items it finds into its 30-slot inventory. Additionally, you can manually deposit items into its inventory and use it to chop down Grass and harvest other materials.

If your plan includes hatching multiple Red Soldier Ant Buggies or different kinds, you can store them in an Ant Nest and assign them unique names. Each nest possesses six slots, and you may have several nests. You can summon stored buggies via the summon wheel, ensuring you have an alternate vehicle when the one you’re riding sustains significant damage.