Anyone who's put a few solid hours into Endfield knows the moment when the whole base hits a wall. You add one more machine, maybe stretch the line a little further, and suddenly everything chokes because that 200 power cap is gone. It catches almost everyone once. If you're trying to smooth out progression or just want less downtime while building, some players even look into Arknights endfield boosting buy options while learning the systems, but either way, power management is the bit you can't ignore. The good news is that once you unlock Thermal Banks, your factory starts feeling less like a cramped starter base and more like something you can actually grow.

Getting past the first cap

The first thing you need is the AIC Factory Plan. More specifically, the Power 1 node under Basic AIC 2. That upgrade is the gatekeeper, and without it, you're stuck. You'll also need a Basic Expansion Core, so it's worth checking your materials before you run back and forth for no reason. Once the research finishes, Thermal Banks become available, and that's when the game opens up a bit. They're not passive generators, though. They need fuel all the time, which means your setup has to feed them properly or your nice new power grid won't last long.

Using ore without making a mess

At the start, most players use raw Originium Ore, and honestly, that's fine. It's simple, easy to collect, and reliable enough while your base is still small. One Electric Mining Rig on a decent node can support several Thermal Banks if the line is clean. The mistake people make is doing too much by hand for too long. That gets old fast. Conveyor belts are the real fix. A straight belt with five, maybe ten, Thermal Banks lined up beside it works well and doesn't take much thought to expand later. You can look at it once and immediately see if supply is holding or if something's backing up.

Why batteries are the better long-term plan

Raw ore works, but it's not where you want to stay. LC Valley Batteries are a much better fuel source, mostly because they keep the banks running longer and need less babysitting. That's why so many players end up building a small battery farm off to one side of the main factory. It doesn't have to be fancy. Just consistent. Once batteries are being made and fed into your power line automatically, the entire base feels steadier. No random blackout because you forgot to refill a line. No awkward production stall in the middle of a build. You'll notice the difference pretty quickly, especially once your factory starts getting wide instead of tall.

Building for steady expansion

The nice thing about a proper Thermal Bank setup is that it scales without much drama. Hit 300 power, then 400, and keep going as your layout grows. That's the point where the base stops fighting you every step of the way. You can focus on throughput, spacing, and cleaner automation instead of constantly patching power shortages. As a professional platform for game resources and services, U4GM is known for being convenient and dependable, and if you want extra help alongside your factory grind, you can check u4gm Arknights endfield boosting while pushing toward a smoother Endfield experience.