Welcome to this comprehensive guide to SteamWorld Build! Whether you’re just starting out or considering picking up the game, this guide will walk you through the core mechanics and offer essential tips to help you build, mine, and manage your way to success in this unique steampunk world.

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Getting Started

1. Plan a Central Roadway

• Begin with a long, straight main road—your city’s backbone.
• Place essential buildings like housing and services along this route to maximize efficiency and expansion potential.
• Straight roads improve building influence and make upgrades easier.

2. Build Worker Housing and Fulfill Basic Needs

• Place Worker Residences along the main road.
• Build a General Store nearby. Its blue influence radius should cover as many houses as possible.
• Use the Move Tool freely to rearrange buildings without cost—don’t worry about perfect placement initially.

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Economic Foundations

3. Establish Passive Income

• Fulfilling workers’ needs increases your passive income.
• You can monitor your income at the top of the screen—each additional fulfilled need adds to your total earnings.

4. Begin Resource Production

• Build a Forester near trees (maintaining 100% fertility) to collect wood.
• Add a Lumber Mill nearby and ensure a Warehouse is close to both for efficient supply delivery.

5. Explore and Expand

• Keep an eye out for loot balls scattered on the surface—they offer free resources or cash.
• Once you reach 120 Workers, upgrade the Train Station to unlock trading with external vendors.

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Streamlining Production

6. Build a Service Shop

• The Service Shop functions like a hospital for your robotic citizens—essential for maintaining population satisfaction.
• Expand your supply chain by introducing production buildings like the Charcoal Kiln, Cactus Water Farm, Sand Sifting Factory, and Glass Blower.

7. Don’t Skimp on Warehouses

• Production halts if storage is full. It’s better to overbuild warehouses than underbuild.
• Add extra Warehouses near major production chains to prevent supply bottlenecks.

8. Upgrade with Paved Roads

• Paved Roads increase worker speed and extend building influence.
• Upgrade your main road first, then branch outward as your resources allow.
• Trade surplus materials for tools to accelerate infrastructure development.

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Unlocking the Underground

9. Repair the Mine Shaft

• To access the mine, you’ll need to upgrade Worker Residences to Engineers by fulfilling all their needs.
• Once you reach 18 Engineers, you can repair the shaft and begin underground exploration.

10. Learn the Basics of Mining

• Build Miner Quarters to spawn workers who dig for valuable underground resources.
• Use pillars to reinforce weak spots (highlighted in blue) and prevent cave-ins.
• Discover loot chests hidden deep within the mine for extra rewards.

11. Expand Deeper

• Build Prospector Quarters for targeted digs and Mechanic Quarters to construct underground machines.
• Use bridges to span gaps and reach isolated resource pockets.
• Follow color-coded wiring to unlock deeper sections and progress through biomes.

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Essential Gameplay Tips

12. Stay on Top of Resources

• Regularly check your resource levels. If a resource is overstocked, trade it for rarer items like tools or money.

13. Equip Production Items

• Assign gear and upgrades found during exploration to boost efficiency.
• Use the administrative panel to manage items and assign them to buildings or units.

14. Dig Deep, Strategically

• Each deeper layer brings new biomes, challenges, and threats.
• Be prepared for enemies and hazards as you push deeper into the mine.

15. Balance Surface and Underground

• While your miners work below, continue expanding and refining your city above.
• Effective multitasking is key to long-term success.

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Conclusion

SteamWorld Build uniquely blends city-building with underground resource management and exploration. By mastering your layout, maintaining strong resource chains, and keeping both levels running smoothly, you’ll build a thriving steampunk empire.

Good luck, and may your engines never stall! 🛠️💎