Frostpunk Tips To Get You Started

In Frostpunk, one of the first things you'll want to focus on is to invest in technologies that allow you to sustainably gather coal, wood, and steel. Also, don't underestimate the power of workshops. The more you have, the faster you can research essential technologies. It is recommended to have at least two or three workshops early on to speed up your research.

Build a beacon as soon as possible and start sending out scouting parties. They can bring in additional workforce in the form of survivors and much-needed resources. Laws aren't just there for show; they can significantly impact your city's hope and discontent levels. Choose wisely, and don't forget to keep your citizens warm. Cold homes and workplaces can lead to sickness, which will put additional strain on your healthcare system.

Below is a list of Frostpunk Tips to get you prepared.

Tip	Key Points	Action Items
Prioritize Workshops	Faster research, efficient placement	Build multiple workshops, place near homes
Start Scouting Early	Early beacon, active scouting	Build beacon, keep scouts active
Efficient City Planning	Building grouping, optimal placement	Group buildings, place 24/7 ops near Generator
Laws for Hope & Discontent	Strategic law enactment, long-term planning	Choose laws wisely, plan ahead
Keep Your Citizens Warm	Steam hubs, generator upgrades	Use steam hubs, upgrade generator
Medical Treatment	Medical posts, staff efficiency	Build medical posts, staff with engineers
Automatons The Best Worker	24/7 labor, coal reserves	Use automatons, stockpile coal
Resource Output Balance	Sustainable gathering, stockpiling	Invest in mining, build resource depots
Food Production and Rationing	Build food production, use Cookhouses	Hunter's Huts, Cookhouses
Adapt to Weather Changes	Weather monitoring, resource stockpiling	Watch forecasts, prepare for temperature drops
Storm Preparation	Food and coal stockpiling, halt external activities	Stockpile resources, recall scouts
Emergency Measures	Emergency Shifts, Triage	Use sparingly, weigh risks

Prioritize Workshops

Build Workshops as soon as the game starts, even before tents.
Build multiple workshops for faster research.
Place near homes for efficiency.

Workshops are the backbone of your city's technological progress. Without them, you'll find yourself falling behind in the race against time and the ever-encroaching cold. The more workshops you have, the faster you can research essential technologies. It's not enough to build just one; aim for multiple workshops to speed up your research significantly. This will allow you to adapt to new challenges more efficiently. Consider placing them near houses so that engineers don't have to travel far, saving valuable time. Also, remember that workshops work more efficiently during the day, so align your labor policies accordingly.

Start Scouting As Soon As You Can

Build a beacon early.
Keep scouts active for resources and survivors.

Scouting is not just an optional activity; it's a lifeline for your city. Scouts can find new resources, survivors, and even steam cores, which are essential for advanced buildings. The sooner you start scouting, the better your chances of building a thriving city. Scouts can also discover locations that can be turned into outposts for a steady supply of resources. Always keep your scouts active; idle scouts are a missed opportunity for gathering valuable resources and information.

Efficient City Planning

Group similar buildings together.
Place 24/7 operations near the Generator.

The layout of your city can significantly impact its efficiency. Place buildings that operate around the clock, like Medical Posts and Hunter's Huts, closer to the Generator for constant heat. Group similar buildings together to take advantage of area-of-effect bonuses from structures like the Steam Hub. Efficient city planning minimizes the distance citizens have to travel, thereby increasing productivity.

Laws for Hope & Discontent

Be strategic with law enactment.
Consider long-term implications of each law.

The Book of Laws allows you to enact policies that can either boost hope or reduce discontent. Be strategic about which laws you pass and when. Some laws have branching paths that unlock more advanced policies, so plan ahead. For example, the child labor law can lead to safer jobs for children, while the emergency shift law can boost productivity at the cost of citizen health and happiness. Always weigh the pros and cons and consider the long-term implications of each law.

Related: Faith vs Order Law

Keep Your Citizens Warm

Use steam hubs and heaters.
Upgrade your generator for better heating.

Cold citizens are unhappy and unproductive. More importantly, they can get sick, putting additional strain on your healthcare system. Use steam hubs and heaters to keep key areas of your city warm. Upgrade your generator to improve its heating range and efficiency. Insulation upgrades for homes and workplaces are also crucial, especially as the temperature continues to drop. Remember, the colder your city, the more likely your citizens are to fall ill, which can create a vicious cycle of increasing healthcare demands and decreasing productivity.

Medical Treatment For The Sick

Build medical posts and infirmaries.
Staff them with engineers for efficiency.

Your citizens will inevitably get sick, and without proper healthcare, a small health issue can turn into a crisis. Build medical posts early on and upgrade to infirmaries as soon as you can. This will keep your workforce strong and your citizens happy. Medical posts are more efficient when heated and staffed by engineers. As you progress, you may also unlock laws and technologies that allow you to treat the gravely ill more effectively, or even perform amputations to get them back to work faster.

Automatons The Best Worker

Use automatons for 24/7 labor.
Keep a coal reserve for their refueling.

Automatons are highly efficient but come with their own set of challenges. They can work around the clock but need to refuel at the generator. If they are operating a critical facility like a coal mine, make sure you have enough coal stockpiled to prevent a shutdown. Automatons can also be upgraded to improve their efficiency, and some technologies even allow them to perform complex tasks like research. However, they are expensive to build and maintain, requiring valuable steam cores, so use them wisely.

Resource Output Must Be Balanced

Invest in sustainable mining technologies.
Use resource depots for stockpiling.

Resource management is the key to survival in Frostpunk. Initially, you'll find resources like coal, wood, and steel readily available in your immediate surroundings, but these will deplete quickly. You must invest in technologies that allow you to mine or produce these resources sustainably. Keep a balanced stockpile and always plan for the long term. Resource depots are excellent for stockpiling excess resources, and you should build them in anticipation of storms or other events that might disrupt your supply lines.

Food Production and Rationing

Build Hunter's Huts or Hothouses.
Use Cookhouses for efficient food rationing.

Managing your food supply is crucial for survival. Build Hunter's Huts or Hothouses to start food production early. As your population grows, you'll need to expand your food production capabilities. Research upgrades to improve food yield and consider building Cookhouses to turn raw food into more efficient food rations. In dire situations, you can enact laws that allow for alternative food sources, like sawdust meals, but be cautious as these can have negative health impacts.

Adapt to Weather Changes

Keep an eye on weather forecasts.
Stockpile resources in anticipation of temperature drops.

Frostpunk's weather is dynamic and can change rapidly. Always keep an eye on the weather forecast and prepare for temperature drops. This might mean stockpiling extra coal, ensuring all homes are well-insulated, or even temporarily shutting down less critical operations to conserve resources. Being proactive about upcoming weather changes can make the difference between survival and catastrophe.

Storm Preparation

Stockpile food and coal.
Recall scouts and halt hunting activities.

The Great Storm is the ultimate test of your city's resilience. You'll need a significant stockpile of food, coal, and other resources to survive. Start preparing well in advance to ensure you can weather the storm. This means maximizing food production, ensuring you have enough healthcare facilities to treat frostbite and other cold-related illnesses, and stockpiling as much coal as possible. The storm will halt all scouting and hunting activities, so make sure to recall all your scouts and stock up on enough food to last you through the ordeal.

Emergency Measures

Use Emergency Shifts and Triage sparingly.
Weigh the risks and benefits.

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, things go south. In such cases, don't hesitate to use emergency measures. This could mean using the Emergency Shift law to get that last bit of research completed or enacting Triage in your medical facilities to quickly heal a large number of citizens at the expense of a few. These measures come with their own risks and should be used sparingly, but they can be a lifesaver in desperate situations.

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