base building locations and techniques

[gothsloth]

Let's talk base building. I currently have my base on top of the middle rock of the 3 standing rocks near the northernmost small lake. I have a "yard" that I've blocked off with walls. My chicken coop fits into a nook in the rock and is protected from grenades and gunfire. So far I've been pretty happy with this location. But, I'd like to try a different sort of location in a new game.

I've heard of the false BCU's. I know that people build over water, in caves, and (like me) on top of high rocks. I'm curious as to the advantages and disadvantages of various locations. For instance, walling off a cave would seem to be pretty secure. You could be near your wellhead and coop. But, you might be limited as to escape routes and ability to snipe raiders. I've never built in a cave, so I'm just guessing...

Where have you built and what techniques did you use to defend your base? What did you like about where you built and what didn't you like?

[Zuleica]

I think I've tied nearly every area of the map from up high to down low, on rocks in the middle of the water. From a pure survivability perspective I always go back to the bluffs overlooking the plains on the NE side of the map, just north of the twin rocks. I build on the edge of the cliff between two passes with the fence at my back to the east. It limits the approach of hunters and provides multiple escape paths and a great view to west. The only downside is it's far from water but it's an easy run to the lack to the south and you pass through a locked crate spawn area on the way.

For defense I build two walls, one to the south and one to the north all the way back to the fence line.

[Ironcoast]

I built my base on the big southern hill just north of the southern most lake. The one with the big tree up top. I started with just my 2x3 house. After losing my first animal coop to hunter nades I decided I needed a defensive perimeter set up. So I went about surrounding my house, plus the big tree, with foundations to start. Then I went up another two levels. So it’s fair to say the hunter nades are getting nowhere near my house n chickens again :)
The original hunter locations meant I would get attacked from the north wall, east wall and south wall. So I built in windows in these spots to counterattack at these locations. A week back I had a glitch that reset my hunters, now they’re all three located real close to each other just north of me. Which makes defending my base quite easy. With the added glass windows I can shut them and reload as needed for protection, very convenient. Usually just head shot them once they quit meandering about... ;) I love the location but am definitely working on creating my second base on the big lake.

[John Raeder]

My main base is built on the split rocks just below Devil's Peak (near the river). I rage quit after CG introduced the grenade arrows and hunters tore my base up. I then came back later, disabled the hunters and placed a curtain wall far enough out that they don't path to attack mode. With the introduction of glass I replaced my floors with glass ceiling tiles, I also have extended the balcony one more unit and made it into a greenhouse.

[gothsloth]

Originally posted by John Raeder:

I also have extended the balcony one more unit and made it into a greenhouse.

Do the plants grow better or is it just for aesthetics?

[gothsloth]

So, what are the defensive advantages to building on water?

[Professor]

Originally posted by gothsloth:

So, what are the defensive advantages to building on water?

Well, for the base I made in the middle of the big lake, the hunters cannot even reach my base. I built a series of walls, mostly submerged under water, and made of 1/2 wall units. They cannot jump the walls or swim under them. Here are a few pictures...

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1281222573

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1281221738



Also, collecting water is very easy. Just step outside and you're right there:

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1270537488


Finally, wolves and bears cannot attack your base. They just swim out to your base and move frantically around:

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1241413306

[Duck1098]

I have two bases. The first is on top of the huge rock at center lake. I have a perimeter wall that keeps the hunters off me most of the time but some grenades seem to hit really high up...too high if you as me (rediculous range) and I'm just too lazy to move the walls even further out as I am getting my new base ready over by the original cougar spawn point. There is a big bowl with rock outcroppings all around and a huge rock wall behind me. I am putting finishing touches on my 42 storey office tower that will serve as my new base. I have a perimeter wall there that is pushed way out so nothing should get even close to the tower. As well I am going to make a dummy BCU cluster well out in front and trap hunters there. They should attack it most of the time. The advantage of this location is that it is close to a lake, right beside a cougar, and super defensible, not to mention multiple escape routes.
I'll add a screen shot or two once I figure out how to.

[Duck1098]

https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/924800625812989282/464A43D57173DB1E933AB047F5512F07A2759BE2/
Here is a look at the tower. I will add a few more detailed ones soon.

Hmmm...why doesn't my screen shot come out nice like the others?

[gothsloth]

Originally posted by Professor:

Originally posted by gothsloth:

So, what are the defensive advantages to building on water?

Well, for the base I made in the middle of the big lake, the hunters cannot even reach my base. I built a series of walls, mostly submerged under water, and made of 1/2 wall units. They cannot jump the walls or swim under them. Here are a few pictures...

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1281222573

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1281221738



Also, collecting water is very easy. Just step outside and you're right there:

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1270537488


Finally, wolves and bears cannot attack your base. They just swim out to your base and move frantically around:

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1241413306

Cool base. I bet it took a long time. Do the hunters just mill around your base erratically? They seem to have trouble with the base in my current game. I have walls a little away from my base and they just get stuck there.

[gothsloth]

Originally posted by duck1098:

I have two bases. The first is on top of the huge rock at center lake. I have a perimeter wall that keeps the hunters off me most of the time but some grenades seem to hit really high up...too high if you as me (rediculous range) and I'm just too lazy to move the walls even further out as I am getting my new base ready over by the original cougar spawn point. There is a big bowl with rock outcroppings all around and a huge rock wall behind me. I am putting finishing touches on my 42 storey office tower that will serve as my new base. I have a perimeter wall there that is pushed way out so nothing should get even close to the tower. As well I am going to make a dummy BCU cluster well out in front and trap hunters there. They should attack it most of the time. The advantage of this location is that it is close to a lake, right beside a cougar, and super defensible, not to mention multiple escape routes.
I'll add a screen shot or two once I figure out how to.

Whoa! That's a skyscraper right there! I'm not entirely sure what you mean when you say original cougar spawn point. I probably didn't realize where it was at the time. There were 3 or 4 that I knew of, though that might have been later. I don't remember anymore. Do you have a closer photo of the location?

[John Raeder]

Awesome tower! The "greenhouse" is aesthetic, it doesn't seem to add anything to the plant growth.

[Professor]

Originally posted by gothsloth:

Do the hunters just mill around your base erratically? They seem to have trouble with the base in my current game. I have walls a little away from my base and they just get stuck there.

Well... the hunters never make it my base - the low profile walls prevent them from getting close. All they do is attack my wall, and if they see me at my base they will shoot at me from a long ways off.

[Duck1098]

Originally posted by gothsloth:

Originally posted by duck1098:

I have two bases. The first is on top of the huge rock at center lake. I have a perimeter wall that keeps the hunters off me most of the time but some grenades seem to hit really high up...too high if you as me (rediculous range) and I'm just too lazy to move the walls even further out as I am getting my new base ready over by the original cougar spawn point. There is a big bowl with rock outcroppings all around and a huge rock wall behind me. I am putting finishing touches on my 42 storey office tower that will serve as my new base. I have a perimeter wall there that is pushed way out so nothing should get even close to the tower. As well I am going to make a dummy BCU cluster well out in front and trap hunters there. They should attack it most of the time. The advantage of this location is that it is close to a lake, right beside a cougar, and super defensible, not to mention multiple escape routes.
I'll add a screen shot or two once I figure out how to.

Whoa! That's a skyscraper right there! I'm not entirely sure what you mean when you say original cougar spawn point. I probably didn't realize where it was at the time. There were 3 or 4 that I knew of, though that might have been later. I don't remember anymore. Do you have a closer photo of the location?

So here are a couple of shots that will hopefully help locate the base location for you.

The first shot is taken shortly after leaving center lake and heading NW ish. You take a grass highway between two rock faces that are about 150 yds apart.
https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/924800981068521823/74BDC7873F52808BDCC181236C7F44BEE39A1DDC/

Soon you come to a valley on your left that drops down and heads straight to the lake by the boundary fence. This shot is of the archway into my base and the rock ampitheatre I mentioned before.
https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/924800981068552610/95895C66808A6E8D7ED565CD47697010EC65D7D8/

The next image is a shot of a flat area with a grub tree that looks right at the first cougar spawning area and you can see the tower on the left. To get to the grub tree you had to pass the tower on your left.
https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/924800981068524092/616BDA30488536DEDAE211846D450B66A80BC893/

Hope this helps.

[gothsloth]

So, out of all possible location types, which do you think has the most benefits and is the most defendable?

[John Raeder]

At this point I would say the middle of the lake is the most defendable. What I find the best though is to place a fake BCU on the far side of the map from where my real base will be. When you enable the hunters they will build their bases around that BCU and attack it when you attack them (so make it floating if possible). Be sure to take the lockpick after you place it. I then build my base on the other side of the map, with a curtain wall far enough away from my base to stop them from pathing into attack mode. When the hunters come to your real base (after you have placed your second BCU) on a nuisance raid they will have to cross the map with animals aggroing them. They should also come from just one direction so you won't need to make a wall completely around your base, just across their route. The advantage that this has over the water is that you can make a mantrap in the wall and kill them at your leisure, then loot the bodies. I don't think that you can do that with a lake base.