Kota worth it?

[Fisk]

Is building a Kota worth it? It seems the amount of furs necessary will make it just as hard to make as a proper wooden house. What is the weight of a kota? Is it viable to carry around?

[urman.gamer]

I build the kota gradually, as I accumulate hides. Start with a frame, add one internal tile to keep the rain off. Add a couple side panels to give a little security. Continue as you hunt.

The furs used for each tile don't need to be complete; a fur of anything greater than 7 lbs works. (So 7.00 does not work. 7.01 does work.) I try to make my furs 10 lbs each to match the reindeer hides; that means I can use half of an elk skin for other purposes, and the last 10 lbs goes to the kota.

A complete 5x5 (3x3 internal space) kota requires 24 furs, so 240 pounds with 10 lbs/fur. This can be easily transported by raft or loaded on a couple beast. Or make a couple of trips to carry it on your back. Cut new slender trunks at the new camp.

[onyhow]

Can you smoke/dry things in your kota? I've played a while but I'm not sure about this...

[Bedlam]

Nope, you need an "enclosed space" for smoking. Only a cabin will do for that.

But you can dry things in the kota (or even just next to a simple shelter, a big boulder, a fence, etc.)

[udAL]

You cannot smoke meat in a kota, only in a wooden building.

A kota is SUPER useful, at least for nomad players. It let's you setup a warm shelter in less than a day. Of course it takes time to amass those furs, but once you have them you're free to roam the earth even in winter (not recommended).

If the weather allows, you can fill your raft/punt with the furs (leave the slender trunks) and sail to a new location for new hunting grounds. Otherwise, on winter, or if you want to venture far from sea, you can purchase a bull in the southern villages, and use it to transport your kota + equipment. One bull can carry 200+ lbs, so more than enough for a normal kota (2x1 - 2x2 living space).

As for smoking, I usually have different camps around the map with a smoker house (2x1 w/fireplace) and a pen for the bull and other animals I may have. Then just roam between them with my "kota-in-a-bull" as needed

[Fisk]

What about insulation? If I have deer skin Kota will it help me survive winter?

[udAL]

Absolutely!

Prepare a lot of firewood and branches for the winter and whenever you're cold make a fire on the center of the kota (the tile that's not covered)

[urman.gamer]

You'll have to set a fire every second day. The burnt out fire provides some residual warmth.