How to make a crossbow assembly line

[Bored Peon]

I recently read a topic about someone having difficulty with assembling crossbows. This is because making the crossbow requires a lot parts and having to go back to make the parts loses progress on the crossbow.

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1328659638

First thing you need to do is build:
1. Bolt machine - set it to infinite hinges.
2. Crossbow Part machine - set it to infinite spring steel.
3. Crossbow Part machine - set it to infinite crossbow parts.
4. Crossbow Part machine - set it to build the actual crossbow.

Take a worker and set it to do ALL the jobs. Make sure that the machine making the crossbow itself is at the top of the list. The job directly below that should be crossbow parts, the other two machines do not matter for priority as long as they are below the other two.

The same worker will do all the jobs as needed. Meaning if a hinge needs to be made the worker will go make a hinge.

If you mess up the priority, hinge first for example the worker will make nothing but hinges.

You can also do the same thing with 5 robotics machines for robot repair kits.

[Starfoth The Burgundy Silk Rug]

But wont that worker make infinite hinges if it is above springs and not make springs?

[Bored Peon]

Originally posted by Starfoth The Burgundy Silk Rug:

But wont that worker make infinite hinges if it is above springs and not make springs?

Nope, because it will need that piece for the higher prioity so it will go and build that piece specifically.

I am on my 5th crossbow using this method since posting it.

I had done this like 6-8 months ago with robot repair kits, I just applied it to crossbows. I figured with everyone out to make their own crossbows since they are new it would be some helpful advice.

In all honestly though, starting out a new game, jsut go buy the damn crossbows, its not wortht he hassle making blue ones or lower you are wasting more value in mats than the value of making one.

This is for aiming for the high grade weapons.

[Starfoth The Burgundy Silk Rug]

Thank-you for the reply

This method is very helpful

[=яενєηąŋŧ=]

Yeah, I didn't bother making my own until my guy had 80 skill from crafting arrows forever.

[Bored Peon]

There is a flaw in the assembly line if you run out of steel bars.

If you run out of steel bars it will start making a lot of the other parts. Felt liek a dumbass tryign to figure out why all of a sudden it stopped working right. Turns out some of my other multi tasked people slowed down steel bar production.

The worker also stop one a crossbow is finished because it wont get stored like weaposn form a weaponsmith.

[Erei]

I did that, but I found out that it's not working well. Beside the fact that I need a lot of room to set up what is essentially a single item crafting, I noticed several issues. First, when a crossbow is completed, it's not "moved" to a weapon storage, as it is with a sword. You have to manually move it, so the crafter can work on the next item in line. Even though my crafter have enough room for it.
Then, if you have enough spring, but lack of hinges, if you use your order (which I use to), then they'll work on spring until the storage is full of it. Then, they either start on hinges, or bug completely and do nothing (this isssue is shared with all the craft, sadly).
Overall, it make impossible to have a crossbow crafting without the player involvement. Unless you are lucky, maybe ?^^

[Bored Peon]

Originally posted by Erei:

Overall, it make impossible to have a crossbow crafting without the player involvement. Unless you are lucky, maybe ?^^

The only issues I had was not storing the finished weapon.

Running out of steel bars caused making mass springs or hinges.

Made my first specialist crossbow at 74 skill :)

[Bored Peon]

Another tip for this:

If you still want to be able to make ammo now and then build a 2nd arrow machine and put it top priority, then power the machine on and off as you need ammo.

[Bored Peon]

Hmm, now all of a sudden it wants to do spring steel and not make hinges. However if I power the srping steel mahcine off it goes to the hinges.

Need to figure out why it works sometimes and sometimes it dont.

I think it has to do with the storage box. If it determines the storage box is full it wont make that part anymore. However it does not work at all without a storage box.

EDIT: Dammit, im a dumbass, the reaosn it worked before was I was always short ore (ie none in the storage box) and I solved that shortage of ore so I broke my assembly line, lol.

[=яενєηąŋŧ=]

Lol!

Yeah, this definitely needs some work. Can't even make three normal bolts, one long bolt, repeat at the bolt bench without it jamming.

[Bored Peon]

Ya, basically if you only want to devote one worker to the whole thing you need to do SOME micromanagement and create multiple porduction machines.

Job order
1. Bolt machine jsut to make bolts (power it on and off and change ammo type as needed.)
2. Crossbow weapon machine
3. Crossbow part machine
4. Springsteel machine (power it on and off)
5. Bolt machine set to hinges.

Like I said I ran into issues caused by resource production (ore, iron plates, and steel bars) over production of ore resources would cause the bowsmith to stay at the springsteel machine, under production of steel bars caused a jam as well.

As someoen said earlier, yeah this will take up more space, but honestly space should never be an issue, the game is huge to build in.

The big thing is the abiltiy to manage manpower and have a decent job automation. Now technically you could have 5 people one for each machine, but that snowballs into needing a hell of a lot more people for the raw resource production as well. Which also means more mouths to feed, more people to equip, etc.

[johntarmac]

I was using this method of several machines and just couldn't get it to work. I tried changing the order of production, moved the machines in case pathing was an issue, basically spent hours messing with it.

In the end I got fed up and took a single archer out to have some fun with a Band of Bones for a couple of hours and when I came back my bow maker was happily doing his thing.
I just need to remove the finished bows now and everyone is happy.

Maybe he just didn't like me looking over his shoulder while he was trying to work :D

[Bored Peon]

Yah, as I discovered a lot of it had to do with the availability or iron plates, ore, and steel bars. Having shortages would make the worker move to another part or stay on a part.

[Dazmaster93]

Im having a rather annoying issue with mine. not sure if can help. I have the order in correct and the machines all nice and close so it not hard to get to them but the worker will just stop and not pick up the Steel Spring or Hinges from the machines and take them to the crossbow parts bench. If still around and able to help would be great

[harberst]

Do you have storage for the parts? It's been awhile since I've messed with crossbow crafting specifically, but I've noticed with other crafting (specifically leather armor) characters don't seem to like running parts directly from one bench to another - but put in a storage for the materials and suddenly everything's good.

And of course do you have the required materials? Does the character have space in their inventory?