lanepushing

Lanepushing refers to the deliberate manipulation of minion waves in a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game to apply pressure on the opponent's lane, typically by advancing a wave toward the enemy turret. The primary aim is to force the opposing team to respond, creating space on the map for other objectives, while weakening enemy defenses and potentially dealing turret damage.

Push methods depend on wave composition and game state. A fast push uses a large wave or stacked waves to overwhelm the opponent quickly, whereas a slow or “control” push maintains a larger allied wave over time without overextending. Siege waves, which include cannon minions, are especially effective at damaging towers. Wave management involves timing last-hits, managing wave density, and deciding whether to freeze, slowly push, or hard push based on vision, enemy movements, and objective timing.

Benefits include pressure on the enemy, draw on defense, and opportunities to secure neutral objectives when the enemy pivots to defend. Risks include overextending beyond the safety of your own turret, inviting jungler counterplays, and losing control of other lanes or vision if it fails.

While most common in League of Legends and Dota 2, lane pushing is a general tactic across MOBAs and broader real-time strategy games with lane-based towers. Successful lanepushing relies on map awareness, timing, and coordination with teammates to capitalize on the pressure it creates.