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Learning how to manage resource scarcity is one of the hallmarks ofFrostpunk 2. One of the ways you can overcome or at least mitigate the impact of resource shortages is byunderstanding which buildings andresearch ideas to prioritize first.
While heat, food, and shelter take precedence over everything inFrostpunk 2, exploration and industrialization also become increasingly important as the game progresses. Whether you’re playing the campaign or chasing after an ambitious goal in theUtopia Builder mode, knowing the best early-game build order will set your city on the right course to meet emerging challenges head on. Here is the best early-game build order to ensure growth and survival inFrostpunk 2.
Extraction Districts
Build One Each For Coal, Prefabs, & Materials
Whether you’re playing the campaign or Utopia Builder mode, always prioritize constructing a few Extraction Districts to gather essential resources. Extraction Districts enable you tomine coal for fuel, Prefabs for constructing additional buildings, and Materials needed for other buildings to operate.
However, avoid building too many Extraction Districts when first establishing your city, as you don’t want to deplete yourHeatstampsandPrefabsbefore production begins. Later, you canresearch Sawmillsunder the Resources section of the Idea Tree and install them in Extraction Districts to boost Material production.
Housing Districts
Each Housing District Provides Shelter For 20 Residents
Once the Extraction Districts are set up, you can shift focus to providing shelter for your people to prevent them from freezing. Each Housing District accommodates 20 individuals, and you can see how many people require shelter in the top-right section of your HUD.
Consider expanding a Housing District to include aResearch Institute. Building a Research Instituteunlocks the ability to research new ideas, such as advanced coal mining, hothouses, and hospitals, to name a few.
Food Districts
Secure Food For Your Residents
After ensuring heat and shelter for your residents, it’s time to secure food for them. You can build one or two Food Districts to produce sustenance. It’s not necessary to aim for food surplus at the start of the game; just ensure that you’re producing enough to prevent food shortages turning into a major concern. You might also consider passing theForaged Additives or Chemical Additives lawsto boost your city’s total food output.
Keep in mind thatFood Districts can be upgraded with Hothouses, which are researched under the Resources section of the Idea Tree.
Logistics Bays
Explore The Frostlands For Resources & People
Logistics Bays unlock your ability to launch expeditions and explore the Frostlands for resources, people, and potential settlements to colonize.The sooner you begin exploring the Frostlands, the easier it will be to address resource shortages.It’s worth noting that expeditions are also the only way to acquire the extremely rare resources known asCores, which are essential for building some of the most advanced structures inFrostpunk 2.
Once you’re done properly setting up your city, you may return to the Logistics Bay with the Scouts' Headquarters or Logistics Bay upgrades toincrease the number of Frostlands Teams, reduce exploration time, and lower territory threat levels.
Industrial Districts
Ensure You Never Run Of Prefabs
The resources you acquire through Extraction Districts are finite, and are bound to run out sooner than you’d expect.One of the important resources inFrostpunk 2are Prefabs, as they allow you to construct various structures in your city. Running out of Prefabs leads to stagnation or a potential game over. At no point in the game should you run out of these valuable resources for weeks on end.
Although Prefabs can be found and extracted in limited quantities, their source isn’t infinite, and they are prone to depletion. This is why you must establish an industry that produces Prefabs. Building an Industrial District automatically provides you with 15 Prefabs per week. The more Industrial Districts you have in your city, the higher the total Prefab production will be. Initially, however, consider building just one Industrial District andoutfitting it with one of the Prefabs Factory upgrades to boost Prefabs production. Additionally, you could also consider passing theCity Development Effortlaw to acquire some Prefabs passively.
You can choose whether Industrial Districts should produce Prefabs or Goods by clicking on one of these districts and selecting your prefered resource output.
Watchtowers
Manage Crime & Reduce Tension
Meeting goods demand can be challenging when you’re just starting out inFrostpunk 2. Since goods are produced in Industrial Districts, you may need to build several of these districts and ensure you have enough workforce to staff them.
Failing to meet goods demand leads toincreased crime rates, which, in turn,raises societal tension. You can mitigate rising crime by researching Watchtowers andconstructing them in expanded Housing Districts. Keep in mind, however, that like all structures in the game, Watchtowers require a workforce to function. So, once your city’s goods demands are met, consider deactivating the Watchtowers to free up unnecessary workforce staffing.
Filtration Towers
Manage Squalor & Keep Residents Healthy
As you begin expanding industrialization in your city by building additional Industrial Districts and equipping them with powerful upgrades, you must also prepare to manageSqualor that arises as a byproduct. Think of Squalor as pollution. InFrostpunk 2, it not only harms residents by making them ill, but also damages other structures, rendering them inactive. Damaged districts require Prefabs for repairs.
In the early game, Filtration Towers are your primary means of addressing rising Squalor. Later, you can research theWaste Repurposing Facilityto help manage Squalor effectively. Similar to crime, increasing Squalor also leads to increases in societal tension.
Stockpile Hubs
Stockpile Surplus Resources For Rainy Days
Frostpunk 2offers a variety of stockpile hub options, allowing you to store fuel, food, and other resources. By default, your stockpiling capacity is limited. This can get problematic once you’ve crossed 500 weeks of survival, especially as your city’s population grows significantly and Whiteouts become a recurring concern.
It’s important to note that while extraction and production districts cease to provide resources once stockpiles are full, going weeks without producing a resource can result in lost opportunities to stockpile for the colder season. Therefore, take stock of the resources you’re producing in surplus and build a relevant Stockpile Hub to accommodate that resource. Later, you’re able to construct additional stockpiles for individual resources.
