Part 1: Setting Up a Strong Settlement

To establish a successful colony, focus on these fundamental aspects:

1. Resource Gathering
   • Start with two Woodcutter Camps.
   • Gather primary resources available near your starting area (e.g., fish, roots, stones).
2. Basic Shelter and Upgrades
   • Build shelters for all settlers.
   • Add four Tier 1 decorations to trigger a Hearth upgrade.
   • This upgrade provides a global resolve bonus, ensuring stability through the first storm.
3. Essential Workstations
   • Construct a Crude Workstation and a Makeshift Post for early production.
   • Use them sparingly until you obtain more efficient production buildings through drafting.
4. Early Manufacturing Priorities
   • Aim to draft buildings for planks, bricks, and fabric early.
   • Having at least two out of three is sufficient to progress smoothly.
5. Food Production & Complex Foods
   • Early survival depends on foraging, but sustainable growth requires complex food.
   • Complex food recipes (e.g., jerky, skewers) amplify food efficiency.
   • Benefits:
     • Higher yield per input (e.g., turning 5 raw food into 10 cooked meals).
     • Happiness boost for settlers.
   • Set up farms and food processors to ensure long-term supply.
6. Racial Housing & Services
   • Assign specific racial housing to increase resolve.
   • Service buildings provide massive happiness boosts by consuming service goods.
   • Once these are in place, you’re on track for the happiness victory.

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Part 2: Victory Strategies

There are multiple ways to win in Against the Storm. The key is combining strategies for maximum efficiency.

1. Happiness Victory

• Boost happiness by fulfilling complex food & service needs.
• More happy settlers = more reputation per minute.
• Larger populations produce reputation faster, but gains slow down as the bar fills.
• Key elements:
  • Food production buildings
  • Service goods & buildings
  • Blueprints that enhance resolve
  • Sufficient construction materials

2. Trading Victory

• Direct Method: Certain cornerstones grant reputation for selling goods.
• Indirect Method:
  • Sell excess goods to generate Amber.
  • Use profits to buy perks and resolve-boosting goods.
• Trade Route Optimization:
  • Use Packs of Provisions to create profitable trade routes.
  • Many non-food resources (e.g., herbs) can be converted into valuable trade items.

3. Exploration Victory

• Primary Goal: Open caches and resolve Glade Events for reputation.
• Requires tools & diverse materials (some events demand service goods, fuel, or building materials).
• Cornerstones can provide additional reputation for exploration.
• Avoid small glades unless necessary, as they increase hostility without offering major rewards.

4. Rainpunk Victory

• Uses Rainpunk technology to amplify production.
• Collect rainwater from geysers or rain collectors.
• Rainpunk effects:
  • Boosts worker happiness.
  • Enhances workshop efficiency.
  • Generates Blightrot, which needs to be controlled.
• Requires more workers for water collection and blight control, so plan accordingly.

5. Sacrificial Strategies

• Some cornerstones provide massive resolve boosts or resources when settlers die or leave.
• In extreme cases, sacrificing settlers can lead to a reputation gain strategy.
• While risky, it can be effective with the right cornerstones.

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Fuel & Storm Management

1. Fuel Selection
   • Wood burns fast—upgrade to coal, oil, or seamarrow for efficiency.
   • Mines provide the most sustainable fuel source.
   • Preserve high-value fuels (coal, oil) for emergencies or Glade Events.
2. Storm Season Strategies
   • Lower hostility by unassigning woodcutters.
   • Sacrifice fuel to temporarily reduce hostility (use sparingly).
   • Stockpile complex food & clothing for happiness boosts during storms.
   • Keep woodcutters active if possible, but prioritize keeping hostility in check.
3. Difficulty Adjustment & Learning Curve
   • If losing often, consider reducing difficulty to practice mechanics.
   • Higher difficulty = faster learning but also higher frustration.
   • If frustrated, scale down the challenge and focus on mastering mechanics.

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Final Thoughts

By mixing and matching these strategies, you can tailor a playstyle that fits your strengths. A combination of happiness, trading, and exploration is generally the most effective path to victory.

Key Takeaways: ✔ Balance woodcutting & hostility. ✔ Maximize food efficiency with complex foods. ✔ Use trade to supplement weak production areas. ✔ Explore wisely—open glades strategically. ✔ Upgrade to sustainable fuel sources. ✔ Adapt to storms by shifting resource allocation.

Mastering these mechanics will drastically improve your win rate and make Against the Storm a more enjoyable experience. Happy city-building!