Tips, tricks and general advice

[Protectron]

Guide: tricks, tips and general advice
This is a thread for coming with neat tricks that you do to get stuff for "free" or to solve a mission or problem in a perhaps unintended way. Mainly for new players, but watching some YT gameplay and streams, I realized that people play the game very differently than I do. Perhaps things that I thought were common knowledge or something everyone is doing, is not as widespread after all!?

This is in no particular order; just as I come across these opportunities and use them. I will therefore update and expand this as I continue playing Juggernaut Edition.

[19.10.2023 Be VERY aware that this thread is old, now. I will update it at a later date]

[29.09.2022 For new players, #94 on page 2 is a guide to get a good start.]

#1 -Free Ultralight Backpack || the "signal that was not meant for us" mysterious broadcast (labeled "strange signal" in the mission menu) always nets you an Ultralight Backpack and some other rare items, like an Echo-2 blade. The (Network?) agent who sent the signal is always dead, having been taken out by an infestation that you have to clear out. So this is a mission that I always say "yaay" for when it pops up, and rush there to get my backpack.

#2 - 3 sets of free gear || the hostile enclave that suddenly calls for help is always dead on arrival, also killed by an infestation and/or freaks. If you're lucky their gear was of the good type. Always a worthwhile mission to do.

#3 - 10th Survivor || one of the two best ways to get to the maximum of 10 survivors without Warlord/Builder questline options is the Remaining Soldiers enclave. They ask you to check out their previous home to look for a gun they left behind, and one of them insists to come with you. Once there, the infestation must be cleared and upon seeing their former friends zombified and now headless, he or she freaks out and needs some alone-time. Return the gun and wait for a "missing" quest to pop up from the two remaining soldiers. Go to the location of the mourning NPC and invite him/her to join your crew instead. These survivors are usually very good, too. [note: the maximum is 12 as you can get the Remaining Soldiers, Boozehounds and Car Mechanics enclaves to join as a trio by "canceling their enclave project" at the right moment. The Pathetic Survivors enclave can be recruited as a trio if you give them enough food.]

#4 - 10th Survivor 2 || another way to get to 10 survivors is to respond to the Ambient mission to help out a survivor who is calling out from inside a Plague Heart-infested building. Take out the Plague Heart and you will usually get some kind of rucksack or item as a reward - but sometimes this survivor wants to join you. It's been a while since last time this occured for me, though.

#5 - Switch to big guns for base defense || Before switching to a different character, give your AI-controlled crew the most powerful guns you have in your locker. The louder the better, as this doesn't matter for NPC's. The best options are the guns who are locked to full auto and the .50 calibre anti-materiel rifles. The full list of full-auto-only weapons in order of quality is the following: Raider's AK47; Raider's AR15; FBI Fighting Rifle; Non-Compliant SKS; Barrow-style BAR1918; BAR1918; AA-12; G18 Custom Auto; M3 Grease Gun; MP40 Submachine Gun; Dillinger Pattern 1911; RTX Rampart; RTX Cyclone. The full list of .50 rifles in order of quality is the following: B50FG; Timberwolf; Spyglass Rifle; Otoe Howlitzer and the Model 99-50. These lists do not include weapons from Daybreak.

#6 - Ram them with the trunk! || The back of the car is a 100 times more durable than the front, especially on higher difficulties.

#7 - Free car spawns || The Action Hero personal/community goal keeps spawning cars next to your base every time it starts (at least once per day), as long as you don't get in one of those cars with that character while the mission is active. They're not good cars on their own, but you can fuel them up and go get another car with them, or upgrade them if you want. It is therefore a mission that I never complete. One of the most useful personal goals in the game.

#8 - Water & Power Outposts ftw || Using a whole facility slot to produce water or power is a waste of base space. Instead, manage without water and power until you have saved up 2000+ Influence and go to one of the Power Substations on the map and claim it. Similarly with water; save up a 1000 Influence and go set up an outpost at a Water Tower or Pump Station. This is of course only necessary until you have finished the Builder main questline. Many bases throughout the game has got built-in either Water or Power, so you can save yourself some Influence by using those until your economy is sorted.

#9 - You get Influence and stuff back when you move to a different map || When you pack your bags and move to a new map, you get back half the influence you spent on Outposts and on claiming the base you were on, as well as all the Materials you spent on the facilities there. This means that in order to move straight into the biggest base on that map, and claiming Water and Power Outposts without delay (if you have those), you need 6500 Influence. So, if you had one of those bases when you moved, with a Water and a Power outpost as well as 4 regular 300-influence ones, you'll get 1750 + 2100 = 3850 influence. So you'll need to have saved up ~3000 influence to do this without going broke. I recommend maxing out at 9999 (having ~6000 influence when you move), so that you can capitalize on a rare trader if you get visited by one. Note that you can't exceed 9999, so any excess of 6150 influence is lost when you move to another map. [29.09.2022 this became obsolete after Update 30]

#10 - Don't exceed 25 resources when moving maps || Another thing that is wise to do before moving to another map is to withdraw rucksacks from your Storage and put them in your cars. Anything you take with you above 25 in each resource will quickly trigger "spoilage" events that makes you lose -2 to -4 of that resource. Materials are exempted for while. I usually take with me two of each rucksack in a van. Also, note that you can only take with you four cars to the new map, including the one you're driving to the exit. If your base has got 4 parking spaces, choose three cars and remove the fourth, as which three gets "chosen" is either random or hard to tell. [edited october 24,2020]

#11 - Jump maps until everything's maxed out before finishing a Legacy || I guess that many SoD2-players stay on a map until they have completed a Legacy Questline, and then start a new community with a new crew in a different map to do the same there. However, each character who survives such a storyline completion is "retired" to a pool of survivors you can use later, and it is in my opinion a waste to do so with non-maxed out characters. It is unnecessary to "grind" a map that is emptied of most resources and have few new Enclaves to deal with. By taking a crew with you across all 5 maps, at least, your entire crew should be maxed out and ready to be retired, with excellent gear and everything.

#12 - Rare Weapons Cases are primary targets || There are special/unique weapon cases spread out across each map - 8-12 of them on each - that holds valuable items or rare weapons. They are gun cases with a gold/orange band in the middle. A Google search will give you the locations of these, as they are often found in remote locations... most of which are unmarked on the map. I always empty these before moving to a new map - but if you have just started out, searching for these is certainly a good way to get some awesome weapons early on.

#13 - How to use the Survey Car efficiently || The way to use the Survey Car is to regularly let go of the gas so that it slows down. It will then put sites on your map. Just driving it at full speed isn't going to do much. A regular car will do the same if you slow down enough for long enough, but the Survey Car does it much faster and in a much larger area around the car. This obsoletes the Cell Tower way of surveying. Most sites are visible on the map but greyed out. This is a good sign because then the site contain things (or is a Plague Heart location). Thus, you can navigate the Survey Car by the map and mini map by looking for areas to put on the map. Just make sure you look down the road from time to time so you don't smash zombies with the front of that little hatchback...

#14 - Lure the Juggernauts away || If you lure a Juggernaut (even perhaps a Feral) away with your car long enough from the place it spawned, it usually de-spawns... even mid-charge. [29.09.2022 they can also teleport back to where they were to begin with]

#15 - Be a shepherd's dog || If you run or drive past a Horde or other large gathering of zombies, they gather in a neat line behind you that makes it easier to smash them with the car's rear end or shoot them. Shepherding them like this is a crucial survival skill the way I see it.

#16 - How to take out a hostile enclave safely || The safest way to take out a hostile enclave in Nightmare Zone is to use the horn (or siren!) on the car to draw in zombies to kill them for you. Just keep moving the car around the house, and make sure that you don't get all the zombies to go after you. Eventually, they will leave you alone for the most part. Screamers will call in more, Ferals are helpful and Juggernauts are of course the most effective way to get rid of the pesky rival humans. However, the latter is more difficult to deal with afterwards because if you leave the area, there is a chance that the corpses of the three enemies will disappear. Also, if a Jug tears an enemy in two, you'll often lose his loot. Note that if the enclave is within the safe zone of an Outpost, this doesn't work. Sometimes you just can't draw in enough zombies and hordes to take them out, though - and then the second safest way to deal with them is to bump them with the back of the car until they die. Both of these methods take time, which is the cost of staying safe while doing business. Usually, not all the enemies carries guns, so I take out those who do first and then go out of the car to deal with the melee guys last. I prefer doing this in daylight, as avoiding obstacles and zombies at nighttime is much harder. If your car gets stuck or blows up - you're in deep ♥♥♥♥!

#17 - Teleporting Bloater Gas || If you stay in an area with a sleeper Bloater for too long, it will blow up on its own. If you are in your car at that time, the gas will teleport into your car. This is a bug, but the more you know... When doing #16, make sure there are no Bloaters sleeping nearby. [29.09.2022 Haven't seen this happening in a while, but bugs like this re-emerge after every new update, so stay alert around Bloaters]

#18 - A quick, safe and economical way to take out Plague Hearts || I prefer taking out Plague Hearts with 1 C4, 1 Thermite Grenade and 4 rounds of 7.62 [Note: in Nightmare zone]. This while dodging any zeds attacking me. Run in while dodging, Place the C4, run away until you are out of blast range, fire the shots, blow the charge and throw the grenade. Now just dodge while waiting for the thermite to do the job. The whole process takes less than 20 seconds and if you watch out for the Feral, is completely safe and quite economical. 40-ish rounds of [suppressed] 7.62 does the same job and is even quicker on full-auto, but costs more. Using the 12-round grenade launcher, 4(?) 40mm grenades is also quick and effective, but costs more. I think it is now 6 or 7 rounds of .50 that takes out a Plague Heart, but this is slower as a reload is needed - and also costs more than the first method. If you use Scentblock, you can use whatever method you want in almost complete safety, while taking the time you need. [29.09.2022 I regret not doing these experiments with Advanced Brakes and not Suppressors]

#19 - Spikes on cars actually work || The Impaler and Zedbuster both have spikes. These actually do kill zombies. The Impaler has them on the trunk, which allows you to kill Ferals extremely easily by simply driving forward slowly so that they catch up to the rear and try to leap - they'll impale themselves. The Zedbuster have these on the front of the car, so you need to reverse on them. If they get caught on the back they die, and if you let them catch up to you and try to leap on the front, they'll die.

#20 - How to kill Ferals with cars || Most cars can kill Ferals by driving over them (not recommended with Brogans and vans). Since they are capable of dodging your car, what you need to do is to drive slowly forward so that they catch up and leap (beware of their ability to "teleport" onto your doors - you'll quickly learn how to make them aim for the back of your car and not for the doors; you need to speed away from them far enough that they change direction). Once they are underneath the trunk, suddenly reverse and they'll be squished and damage the car just a little bit. Sedan types and Road Racers will have them leap on top of the trunk sometimes, and in that case, just reverse into something so that they die.

#21 - How to get +2 Outposts || The Network Trader is a very important opportunity when you have started a new game, and a rather rare one at that. They have the Network Signal Booster antenna that increases the number of Ouposts by two. It costs 500 Influence, so having the option to pay that when they pop up is a good idea.

#22 - The happy, blissful life with "Enthusiastic" Morale || Morale is a very important mechanic in SoD2. Once you have reached Enthusiastic morale, your postapocalyptic life becomes much easier. Your crewmembers that are quarrelsome suddenly keep quiet, and the radio silence is just a fantastic feeling. The ability to have such high morale obsoletes the drawbacks the characters have so that you can just focus on their usefulness to the community. Not only do the "kicking a hole in the wall" random events that makes you lose resources disappear, they are being replaced with positive random events; on Enthusiastic you have a chance of getting rare weapons and facility mods put directly into your locker on a daily baseis. In addition, productivity is increased and skill training is much quicker.

#23 - How to get a bunch of Meds || A mission that I always do is the "drug dealer" personal/community goal. They net you several packs of Meds that I think spawns for the mission (so in addition to the Meds already present on that map).

#24 - Have Portable Generators in stock || There are at least two different types of mission that require you to get a Generator for an enclave, and one of them don't even spawn one for you. Having a couple in store allows you to just deliver it to them and finish the mission to make them Allies.

#25 - What the Threat Meter means and how to keep quiet || When the Threat Meter is maxed out, you (rather frequently) get 3-minute sieges with at least one Juggernaut attacking. When it is in the red but not maxed out, you get 2-minute sieges that may or may not come with a Jug. When it says "Serious Attack risk" or "Attack risk", you get 1-minute sieges with just a dozen zombies or something. When it is at Minimal Risk, there are hardly any sieges at all. The only way to get there in Nightmare Zone is to have three Soundproofing experts among your crew, and at least one Watchtower. Even then, there are some facilities that are producing +1 noise and if you have too many of them, it's difficult to keep quiet. Since the Juggernaut Edition came, the AI shooting has become much better and those 3-minute sieges aren't as dangerous now as they used to be. [29.09.2022 This has been obsolete for a while. I will change this entry once the Infestation update is live and tested.]

[Protectron]

引用自 rtwjunkie：

引用自 Protectron：

#113 - Moving to a different map and selecting a bigger base from the start costs extra Influence.

Specifically 500i bases will cost 750 (+250)
1000i bases will cost 1500 (+500)
1500i bases will cost 2250 (+750)
3500i bases will cost 5250 (+1750)

On Trumbull Valley just now, these were the prices that were different:

Fort Marshall: 3000i

Presuming that the Tranquility Factory costs 1000i normally, it now cost 1500i - so that is the normal increase. However, the second time I went to Whitney Field it cost 3500i, so perhaps the game remembers the last time. So there is still some uncertainty for me on how, exactly, this works.

As you described with a community going to a base they have already been to is exactly how UL described the influence cost would operate, costing normal influence, as opposed to higher cost if they have not been there. All stats like this, btw began again with Update 30.

Did they also say that we get less Influence back from the previous base and outposts?

I had 8500-ish when I left for Whitney Field now, so I should have had 3250-ish after moving in there, and then I had 5 Outposts, one of which was the Landmark Outpost in Cascade Hills. The 4 others were 3 lvl 1 food and 1 safe house. Added to the base, that should have been 5800i and divided by 2, that's 2900 (it used to be ~60%). So I should have had 6150-ish when starting on the new map - but only got 4760 or something.

[rtwjunkie]

引用自 Protectron：

引用自 rtwjunkie：

As you described with a community going to a base they have already been to is exactly how UL described the influence cost would operate, costing normal influence, as opposed to higher cost if they have not been there. All stats like this, btw began again with Update 30.

Did they also say that we get less Influence back from the previous base and outposts?

I had 8500-ish when I left for Whitney Field now, so I should have had 3250-ish after moving in there, and then I had 5 Outposts, one of which was the Landmark Outpost in Cascade Hills. The 4 others were 3 lvl 1 food and 1 safe house. Added to the base, that should have been 5800i and divided by 2, that's 2900 (it used to be ~60%). So I should have had 6150-ish when starting on the new map - but only got 4760 or something.

Nope, I never heard anything from them on that.

[Protectron]

I have today updated many of the entries.

[Skeletor]

#127 The most important tip!
If you're creating a new legacy and have a dream of starting with 3 beautiful girls. Don't waste your time. Do not click the heroes window lika a madman. It's pointless. They're all ugly. Just deal with it. Take it out on zombies :)

[Protectron]

#128 These are the assault rifles, SMGs and high-capacity semi-auto rifles in the base game that has got a good scope or sight and can take an attachment or has a built-in Suppressor:

7.62
* Eternal Guard's Infinite Rage (capacity: 150. Found in Rare Weapons Cases and sometimes sold by the Mysterious Wandering Trader)
* Prepper's AK47 (75. RWC, MWT)
* RTX Stormbringer (60. Red Talon Trader, RT Agents)
* Golden Honcho (50. Bounty Broker)
* RTX Hordebreaker (40. RTT, RTA)
* Custom AK47 (40. Ammo Trader)
* Sighted AK47 (30. Ammo Trader, Loot)
* FAL (20. RWC in Trumbull Valley)
* Sighted Scar-H (20. AT, Loot)
* SOCOM II (20. AT, Loot)
* Hunter SKS (maybe...)
* M14 DMR (20. Loot, Enthusiastic morale reward)
* M1-A (20. Loot, PH)

5.56
* M4X1 DMR Heavy (50. Gun Runners)
* AKS74U Valentine (45. BB)
* GSG-W (30. Loot, EMR)
* Sighted M4A1 (30. Loot, EMR)
* ... there is a sniper rifle from the Bounty Broker but forgot the name. Maybe Police Sniper Rifle?

.45
* Spec Ops Vector SMG (50. RTT, RTA, MWT)
* Doomsday Carbine (50. BB)
* MAC-V (30. RWC, Loot, EMR)

9mm
* MP5A2 Spec Ops (30. RTA, GR)
* JL94 Custom (30. Loot, PH)
* RC-9 Police Carbine (30. BB)
* MP5K Spec Ops (15. RTA, GR)
* MP5K custom (15. Loot, PH)

.22
Prepper's 10/22 (50. Prepper Aunt mission, RWC)
Exterminator's 10/22 (20. GR, Enclaves, a specific rare mission)
... isn't there yet another special version of the 10/22?

[Protectron]

#129 The final mission of the Eagle Eye questline can be finished by simply killing the Juggernaut in any way.

The mission instructs you to seek out a Juggernaut to properly test the Timberwolf, but today I wanted to save some ammo, so I went ahead to damage the Jug a bit with the car before getting out and finishing it off with a Timberwolf-round or two. Three good hits with the rear of the car later and the Juggernaut died, completing the mission.

[Protectron]

#130 Choice of Outpost location

I prioritize which Outpost location to choose from these criteria:

1. Cancelling out Base upkeep
2. A locker and safe zone in each town on the map, evenly spread out
3. Ease of access from the road

The most important thing is to not have to loot to stay afloat. I play on Lethal without Boons, starting with randomized survivors (Scrum/Lichenology/Hygiene), and I like to have a surplus of at least 5 Food so that the cost of using Feast, Slow Cooker and the Compost Bin is included in the total. This means that most of my Outpost are going to be Food Outposts, because each survivor eats 2 Food.

All of that is situational, caused by the way I like to play the game. Even cancelling out the upkeep is just preference, so that's important to me to point out. I do this because I feel it minimizes the time I use in the game on other things than progressing the community and the characters.

Taking Providence Ridge as an example, as that is where I play right now, I have 6 Outposts. The three first were the New Hope Church (PH free), the Power Substation on the mountain next to the Military Quarantine Station (also PH free) and the Northwest Pump Station. After that I claimed the New Orchard Barn, the Swine & Bovine between the bridge and crossroads in the middle of the map, and lastly the Armwell Gunshop (also PH free). These choices were heavily influenced by how few Plague Hearts I would have to take out to claim it. Also, I wouldn't have to spend 3000i on getting water & power if I chose the Fire Station instead of the Lumber Mill. I generally tend to claim the Winchester Fruit Stand on the mountain because it usually only requires 1 PH kill. One of the restaurants in the minimall next to Westen Builder Supply also usually requires only one PH kill.

The second most important thing to me is to spread the Outposts out so that I can use them as hubs for looting, refueling, repairing cars if they get damaged (or blows up!), and swapping out characters. There is both water and power in the Lumbermill town, but I chose not to set them up there, as that would leave only 3 Outposts for the rest of the map.

Lastly, something I consider is how easy it is to get to the Outpost by car, how close it is to a town with things to loot and missions to complete, and how often I pass by the location. The mentioned Swine & Bovine is a good example of this. There is another possible Food outpost nearby, in the minimall in the nearby town, but getting close to it is inconvenient, as there are parked cars and trees blocking access. Also, I often drive past the bridge going East-West and North-South (following the river), so it is very convenient setting up shop right there. So it is farther away from the town than the ice cream restaurant, but all in all a better choice anyway.

[Protectron]

#131 - Crouching (sneak mode) before searching a container often makes zombies chasing you or your car forget about you before coming close enough to go aggro.

The zombies follow the last noise "blip", and nothing you do actually makes continuous sound (as noted earlier in this thread), so there is a world of difference, on Lethal at least, between searching containers when standing up and when croached. I drove up to the Rare Weapons Case by the plane tail in Trumbull Valley right now, croached down and started searching, and the Horde chasing the car came running after me. Then they all stopped in their tracks 20-30 meters from me and my car. If I searched without crouching, they wouldn't have stopped. The search animation indicates that you're standing up, but being clearly visible to the zombie when searching isn't alerting the zombie if you're hidden behind a low crate or something; what matters is being hidden when crouched before starting the search and its animation.

Freaks, of course, are much smarter so that won't work.

[X]

Why settle for only 10 when you can have 12 saviors.
Build up to 9 then wait for the soldiers last mission and then cancel it or say no, its the one where they want to go take out more infestations and once you say no and leave then after a while they will call and offer to join your group.
now you have 12 the max you can get in the game.

Special Enclaves: https://state-of-decay-2.fandom.com/wiki/Enclaves#Special_Enclaves
I have only been able to get the "Soldiers" to join the others seem to be broken.

[Protectron]

引用自 X：

Why settle for only 10 when you can have 12 saviors.
Build up to 9 then wait for the soldiers last mission and then cancel it or say no, its the one where they want to go take out more infestations and once you say no and leave then after a while they will call and offer to join your group.
now you have 12 the max you can get in the game.

Special Enclaves: https://state-of-decay-2.fandom.com/wiki/Enclaves#Special_Enclaves
I have only been able to get the "Soldiers" to join the others seem to be broken.

Yeah I did add that to one of the earlier posts. Didn't know about that one when I started this thread.

[Protectron]

#132 - A ranking of all non-starting bases in the game

I'd like to evaluate these home sites based on certain criteria:

Bang for Buck: The bigger, the better. But not at any cost...
Location: The more centrally located, the better
Prefabs vs open slots: Quality Prefabs are good, otherwise open slot is better
Base Defense: Built-in watchtowers, choke points, kill zones, death traps...
Special bonuses and parking slots: quantity and quality please


CASCADE HILLS

1. Container Fort - 3500/5250i, 8 people
* BfB: Excellent. 2 Large slots, 5 small Outdoor slots (8-man Barracks and Workshop 3 built-in)
* Location: Poor - remote town. Constricted roads
* Open Slot base. The prefabs are both great.
* Defense: Very poor. 4 of 6 active survivors will man the corners with no Ammo cost, but they will often leave their posts to fight zombies that get in, and have no line of sight on zombies banging on the doors (or on most of the base to be honest). Juggernauts will be a huge problem because on the streetside they'll destroy all your cars, and survivors will often stand in front of the doors and be sitting ducks. I solve this issue by standing on the other side of the Fort, which often makes the Jugs spawn there instead. When the Jug comes, I run outside and lure it to me, so that the Fort guards kills it. This is the only base where I actively need to aid the survivors to avoid death and destruction.
* Bonuses: 3 Parking slots. Castle Doctrine gives +8 beds and -2 Threat. Storage for Days gives +10 storage for all resources.
* VERDICT: Very versatile Open Slot base. The Landmark Outpost is a Staging Area, so if you claim it this base effectively has 4 large slots and 6 small ones (excluding Storage/Command Center), making it among the biggest bases in the game.

2. Mohr & Mohr Distributing - 1500/2250i, 6 people
* BfB: Very Good. 2 Large Slots, 2 small outdoor slots, 3 small indoor slots (Workshop 3, Huge Fuel Tank and Generator 3 built-in)
* Location: very poor - far away from everything in the middle of nowhere
* Prefab base (Power). 2 of the 3 prefabs are great
* Defense: Good. With or without a Watchtower, there is an open space in front of the main entrance that comes in handy to create a kill zone. It becomes larger if the nearest Large slot is empty or has a low-built facility (Staging Area/Farm 2/Lounge). The entrance in the rear should be blocked. There is no real safe zone to stay during Sieges
Bonuses: 4 parking slots.
* VERDICT: A versatile Open Slot base giving you a lot of space for the money. But be prepared to drive a lot to get around

3. Loch & Keogh Self Storage - 1500/2250i, 6 people
* BfB: Mediocre. 1 Large slot, 2 outdoor small slots, 2 indoor open slots (Still 2, two Indoor Beds which are clearble, and a Watchtower built-in)
* Location: Poor - remote town in the northwest corner
* Mixed slot base. There are 4 prefabs, but since two of them are clearable, it can work as both.
* Defense: Very Good. Typically only one guy in the Watchtower, so 5 of 6 active survivors are in the killzone, which is covering the whole central area of the base. The guard does get to help out as well. The roof of one of the buildings is a nice safe place to watch the mayhem in the killzone.
Bonuses: 3 parking slots. Elaborate Storage gives +20 (iirc) to all resources.
VERDICT: The Still is nice, the Storage useful and the killzone is great. You'll need to drive a lot, but the biggest problem is the size; only 1 Large Slot is a major drawback

4. Church on the Hill - 1000/1500i, 5 people
* BfB: Poor - 1 Large slot, 2 outdoor small slots and 3 indoor small slots (Watchtower 2 built-in)
* Location: Excellent - in the middle of the map with two access roads
* Open Slot base. The only prefab is among the worst in the game
* Defense: Poor. There is no killzone to speak of, and if you make the mistake of repairing the Bell Tower, two of them are standing up there twiddling thumbs while the four others are fighting for their lives. If you don't repair it, you have two more people on the ground actually fighting the zeds.
* Bonuses: Gorgeous Environment gives +3 morale. The belltower can call in sieges for Influence farming.
VERDICT: The location is the best on this map, but the base has just 1 Large slot so you will quickly outgrow this one. Save your money for one of the 3 better ones.

5. Bridge Fort - 500/750i, 4 people
* BfB: Poor - 1 Large slot, 2 small outdoor slots, 1 small indoor slot (2 Built-in Watchtower 2)
* Location: Very Good - almost in the middle of the map and with very easy access
* Open Slot base. The only prefabs are in one way good, in other ways awful
* Defense: Very poor (sort of). The Fort is cramped when fully built, so there is no killzone. But that doesn't matter because all NPC survivors will be manning the guntowers and be completely safe there. They will kill a lot of zombies and the Juggernauts won't come in, but this ends up in you having to go down there and kill all the zombies yourself. The Sieges won't end until you do.
* Bonuses: 4 parking slots
* VERDICT: Good location, but considering that you could simply play for one more hour and then go to a much better base instead, this base is a waste of 500 Influence and your time.

6. Corner Office - 1000/1500i, 5 people
* BfB: Poor - 1 Large slot, 3 small outdoor slots, 1 small indoor slot (Kitchen 2 and Watchtower 2 built-in)
* Location: Excellent - in the middle of the map and in the main town of the map
* Open Slot base. The Kitchen is a nice prefab, but the Watchtowers are locking two survivors where there is no use for them
* Defense: Abysmal. The area around the base consists of Horde-spawn hotspots so they will queue up to swarm the ground floor one after another, alerted by the watchtower guards. This also means that when there's a Siege it will be joined by at least one Horde. When that happens, the Bloaters will sound like a popcorn popping competition, and Feral hordes are racing everywhere like they're on LSD and Speed. This, you have to defend in a space the size of a camper van with 2-3 NPCs tops. This is the worst hellhole in the game.
* Bonuses: 2 cramped parking spots
* VERDICT: Good location, but considering the likelyhood of a total wipeout at a stage of the game where you and your crew are not well-equipped, and that playing another half an hour would get you to #2 and 3 on this list, I would strongly recommend to avoid this base


DRUCKER COUNTY

1. Barricaded Strip Mall - 3500/5250i, 8 people
* BfB - Very good - 3 large slots, 1 small outdoor slot, 2 small indoor slots (Kitchen 2, Infirmary 3, Latrine 2, Indoor beds 2 and Fighting Gym 2 built-in)
* Location - Poor - remote town, but relatively easy access by road
* Prefab base - 5 good prefabs, where the beds are clearable
* Defense - mediocre. The back entrance is a death trap and should be blocked off to limit the number of zombies pathing through it. It is possible to make the north side a killzone by building for instance a Shooting Range, Still or Generator in the small slot and a Staging Area or other low-to-the-ground facility in the north large slot. Most zombies will attack the front if you stand on top of the container by the main entrance, but it is not a safe place to be idle. If you're lucky, the Jug will consentrate on you, so the NPCs have plenty of time killing all the other threats, and they can also shoot at it from inside the base through chain-link fences
* Bonuses: 3 parking spots. Art Gallery bonus gives +3 morale (+10 with Knowledge of the Arts)
* VERDICT: Despite having so many built-in facilities, this is a versatile base since two of them, for me at least, would be built anyhow. The location is a bit far off the centre, but there are shortcuts to get you to both the nearby town and the one on the plateau.

2. Mike's Concrete - 1500/2250i, 6 people
* BfB: Very Good. 2 Large Slots, 2 small outdoor slots, 3 small indoor slots (Workshop 3, Huge Fuel Tank and Generator 3 built-in)
* Location: Good - located pretty centrally on the map and with easy access from the road. But there is no town there
* Prefab base (Power). 2 of the 3 prefabs are great
* Defense: Good. With or without a Watchtower, there is an open space in front of the main entrance that comes in handy to create a kill zone. It becomes larger if the nearest Large slot is empty or has a low-built facility (Staging Area/Farm 2/Lounge). The entrance in the rear should be blocked. There is no real safe zone to stay during Sieges
Bonuses: 4 parking slots
* VERDICT: A versatile Open Slot base giving you a lot of space for the money. (it's the same base as Mohr & Mohr Distributing in Cascade Hills)

3. Wally's bar and Grill - 500/750i, 4 people
* BfB: 1 large slot, 2 outdoor small slots, 2 indoor small slots (Kitchen 2 built-in)
* Location: Excellent - in the middle of the map and in the biggest town
* Open slot base - only 1 Prefab, but that's a good one
* Defense: Poor. If you move here with 4 people, the 3 others will have a hard time covering the entire area. The zombies come in from all sides, so despite there being a nice killzone in front of the main entrance, you're not going to have focus-fire much there, because they're probably going to stay inside the kitchen, which is where all the zeds are running to. The entire roof is a safe zone if you want to idle during Sieges
* Bonuses: 2 Parking spots. The special kitchen has a +3 morale bonus and +2 beds.
* VERDICT: Despite being a small base, it offers a good hub for looting the map. If you care about having enough beds, build a Barracks and upgrade it and that will be enough for you to go to 8 people and move on to the Mall or a new map.

4. Cabin Park Motel - 1000/1500i, 5 people
* BfB: 2 large slots, 1 outdoor small slot, 2 indoor small slots (Kitchen 2, Indoor beds 2 and Well built-in)
* Location: Poor - on the edge of the map near a small town
* Prefab base (Water) - All 3 prefabs are good, and the beds are clearable, so the base is still pretty versatile
* Defense: Poor. The zombies are coming from all angles and can climb the fence nearly everywhere, so even if you make a killzone near the main entrance, it's not going to help much. There is no safe zone to stay idle in, and you will likely have to walk around the perimeter to kill crawlers to end Sieges
Bonuses: 2 cramped Parking spots. Poor access. The special kitchen has a +3 morale bonus
* VERDICT: The location, access roads and the layout are the poorest aspects of this base. Otherwise, for the price it just edges out Knight's Family Drive-in because it has two open large slots. The well is a nice facility in the early game, so the base is a good option to go for Power + Water by building a Generator in the one outdoor slot.

5. Knight's Family Drive-In - 1500/2250i, 6 people
* BfB: 1 large slot, 3 outdoor small slots, 1 indoor small slot (Kitchen 2, Latrine 2, Watchtower 2 and Lounge 3 built-in)
* Location: Poor - on the edge of the map near a small town
* Prefab base (Lounge) - All 3 prefabs are good and the Lounge 3 among the very best
* Defense: Mediocre. The two guards are able to help out if the fighting is not directly under them, but will not succeed at keeping the zombies out. There is a large kill zone in the middle of the yard, but the problem is here that the area around the base proper is enormous, and much of the fighting does not take place in the killzone. You will likely have to run around to mop up any Siege as well
* Bonuses: 4 parking spots.
* VERDICT: For that price, this base falls through. You could say that if you keep your crew small, you would build the Lounge 3 anyway and so this base has got 2 large slots after all - but I tend to avoid using the train community in all skills option until I have all 12 survivors that I'm going for... and then this base becomes too small. Also, for the more advanced users, skipping the whole beds thing is very easy in this base because the morale penalty is absolutely dwarfed by the amount of morale you'll get. So yes you would have the Lounge 3, Trade Depot, Kitchen 2, Latrine 2, Infirmary 3, Generator 3, Still 2 and Workshop 3. In that case, this is an excellent choice for a base. But I don't play that way (many don't for various reasons), so then this base is not worth the price; it's already too small when you move in

6. Wheelhouse Truck Stop - 1000/1500i, 5 people
* BfB: 1 large slot, 3 indoor small slots (Outdoor beds, Kitchen 2, Auto shop, Huge Fuel Tank built-in)
* Location: Poor - on the edge of the map in a small town
* Prefab base (Auto shop) - The Kitchen is good, but the other Prefabs are not very useful. Even if you have an Automechanic already, making upgrade kits is going to be very expensive at this stage of the game
* Defenses: Poor for the same reason as Wally's - fighting will happen indoors and on different sides of the main building for the most part, so there is no killzone and lots of cramped spaces where the Jug can catch a survivor alone
* Bonuses: 4 parking spots
* VERDICT: For twice the price of Wally's you get an Auto Shop that you're probably not going to use much, if at all. Save up 500/750i more, which is perhaps an hour of gameplay, and go to Mike's Concrete instead

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#132 continued


MEAGHER VALLEY

1. Whitney Field - 3500i/5250, 8 people
* BfB: 3 large slots, 2 outdoor small slots, 1 indoor small slot (Indoor beds 2, 2x outdoor beds, 2x Watchtower 2 built-in)
* Location: Poor - on the edge of the map in a small town, with inconvenient access from the roads
* Open Slot base - All 3 bed facilities are clearable
* Defenses: Mediocre - The "bleachers" tie 4 of 6 active survivors to guard duty. Juggernauts will get in and attack them in close quarters unless you draw them to you, so there may be a bit of work for you if there's just the two of them shooting at it. If you get help from the two free-roaming NPCs, however, that's enough fire power to avoid it getting to pin a survivor in a corner. Of course, this presumes that everyone is not armed with .50 cal. When fully constructed, the base does not really have a kill zone
* Bonuses: 4 parking spots and the Announcer Box, which allows you to call in a Siege, which can be useful to train Shooting and farm Influence. It can also reduce Threat at a morale penalty and is a safe place to stay idle
* VERDICT: One of the most versatile bases in the smallest/most site-filled map in the game. So the location isn't a big problem. Access is easiest by driving straight north through the field aiming at the bridge in Old Squelone (iirc)

2. Squelones Brewing Company - 1500/2250i, 6 people
* BfB: 1 large slot, 2 outdoor small slots, 3 indoor small slots (Staging Area, 2x Stills, Kitchen and Water tank built-in)
* Location: Good - pretty centrally located on the map and good access from all sides
* Prefab base (Still)- the Water tank and the Stills are both excellent, while the Tasting Room lacks the Feast ability, making it worse than Kitchen 1
* Defenses: Good - there are numerous entries, but they all run for the centre of the base, which is a large open concrete slab. It is probably not feasible to build only low facilities there, but if you skip using a Watchtower, all 6 NPC survivors will be there shooting at mostly the same enemies, increasing efficiency a lot. If you absolutely want a Wachtower, putting it in one of the small slots should let them fire at four of 5 zombie entries. Juggernauts may be a problem if they come through the roadside gate, as that is the most cramped spot in the base
* Bonuses: 3 parking spots. A Bartender will improve the Stills in this base
* VERDICT: One of the better Large bases in the game. If you set up for Food production here, you'll get rich quickly. If keep a lean crew of 6-9 survivors, it is arguably a better choice than Whitney field (or if you ignore Beds entirely)

3. Camp Kelanqua - 1000/1500i, 5 people
* BfB: 2 large slots, 1 outdoor small slot, 3 indoor small slots (Well, Kitchen 2 and Barracks built-in)
* Location: Poor - on the edge of the map near a small town
* Open Slot base - all 3 prefabs are good
* Defenses: Mediocre - there are entries everywhere, but they all run for the centre of the base, which is a large, open field. Just stay in the cente along with the six others and they should be able to focus-fire just fine. Any Watchtower will be a waste as it won't have much clear line of sight up there. If a Jug or Ferals pin someone down somewhere else, alone, lure them to the kill zone. Sadly, you will likely have to run around mopping up crawlers to end any Siege
* Bonuses: 2 parking spots. The base has 8 beds built-in in total due to 4 bonus beds from the other cabins
* VERDICT: This base has got good value for money especially if you plan to give everyone a bed, and the Well also makes it a natural stop when you don't have the Amenities boon yet. The sheer size of the thing, and the location, are drawbacks

4. Mazzara Farm - 1000/1500i, 5 people
* BfB: 2 large slots, 2 outdoor small slots, 1 indoor small slot (Well, Kitchen 2 built-in)
* Location: Very good - the most centrally located base on the map, that's next to one of the better river crossing spots
* Open Slot base - both prefabs are good
* Defenses: Poor - when fully built, the base is pretty cramped, so even if the backyard is open, zombies will get inside the farmhouse and all around the place. Juggernauts may corner NPCs alone many places
* Bonuses: 2 parking spots. Any food production in the base gets a +30% bonus (on the basic production (1-3). The Storage 2 has a Silo attached (which you can climb on top of to stay safe when idle), and it adds another +50 Food resource storage capacity
* VERDICT: The best thing this base has going for it is the location. In the other aspects there are better options, although if you set up a Still 2 here you could almost rival Squelone's influence farming capacity

5. Rural Police Station - 1000/1500i, 5 people
* BfB: 2 large slots, 2 outdoor small slots, 1 indoor small slot (Watchtower 2, Police Armory and Barracks built-in)
* Location: Poor - on the edge of the map in the middle of nowhere, but easy access from the road
* Open slot base - the Watchtower is of dubious usefulness, but the Police Armory is unique and useful in certain situations
* Defenses: Poor - The guards will manage to shoot many attacking zombies because they are in a good height to do so, but they only have line of sight on one side. The other 4 NPCs then have plenty of space to cover, and much of it is cramped space where a Jug could easily pin down a single survivor. Ferals and large amounts of zombies could do the same indoors. The entire roof is a safe place to stay, but at this stage of the game you'd probably have to help out
* Bonuses: 4 parking spots. The Police Armory is nice if you don't have a Trader yet and can't just call for the Ammo trader to buy ammo presses; it produces handgun ammo, and shotgun ammo, which is probably what you have access to in the early game. The Storage is a Fireproof Storage
* VERDICT: If you have just 5-6 people and are ready to move on from Crossbows to guns, don't have a Trader leader yet (or can't afford building the Depot or buying stuff), but have the Ammo and are ready to move to a slightly bigger base than your free starting base, then you can do worse than move here. In all other situations, there are much better options on this map

6. Country Church - 500/750i, 4 people
* BfB: 1 large slot, 1 outdoor small slot and 2 indoor small slots (Watchtower 2 built-in)
* Location: Poor - on the edge of the map in the middle of nowhere, but easy access from the road
* Open slot base - the Watchtower is useless in every way
* Defenses: Very poor. The mentioned Watchtower locks 2 of 4 people to the middle of the roof where they are of no use. The 3rd is you, and that leaves 1 NPC survivor on the ground defending against all the zombies, unless you run around playing hero. Of course, in such a small base chances are you won't draw in max Sieges unless you build a Lounge 3 and use a morale bonus or two, but all it takes is an Infestation event + a Juggernaut horde joining that 1-2 minute Siege and you're in trouble
* Bonuses: 3 parking spots. Gorgeous Environment gives +3 morale
* VERDICT: This is one of the worst bases in the game. I can't fathom why anybody would move from a starting base to this, when half an hour more of game time would get you to any of the other bases on this map


PROVIDENCE RIDGE

1. Lundegaard Lumber Mill - 3500/5250i, 8 people
* BfB: 5 large slots, 3 indoor small slots (Sawmill built-in)
* Location: Poor - on the edge of the map in a decent-size town, with easy access from the road
* Open slot base - the Sawmill is nice as this base requires quite a bit of Materials to build up and maintain
* Defenses: Very good. Unlike what is commonly believed, this base is among the easiest to defend in the game. The whole main hall is one giant kill zone, so all you have to do is to stand in the middle of it and then all 6 survivors will turn every zombie and Freak entering it into red mist within seconds. The zeds will all run for the centre, so it will look like that classic game Syndicate. That is the ideal situation. The only exception is if a Juggernaut enters from the West, as that is the most cramped area in the base, along with the area behind the North large slot. I usually put a Staging Area in the slot that you need to clear, as the view to the South gate is then not obstructed from the main hall
* Bonuses: 4 parking spots
* VERDICT: This is the base in the game with the most large slots, tied with Farmland Compound if you count its built-in Barracks. It's a blank canvas. The downside is that there are no outdoor small slots for building a Still and a Generator. If you buy it when moving from a different map, it is usually possible to claim the Landmark Outpost right away

2. Prescott Fire Station - 3500/5250i, 8 people
* BfB: 2 large slots, 2 outdoor small slots (Sheltered beds, Workshop 3, Kitchen 2, Barracks, Fighting Gym, Latrine 2, Watchtower "4" and Utility Room (both water and power) built-in)
* Location: very poor. In a medium-sized town on the edge of the map, heavily obstructed roads
* Prefab base (water and power): All built-in facilities except the watchtower are great. The Utility Room is unique and among the very best facilities in the game, if you don't have Amenities or don't use it
* Defenses: mediocre - highly recommended to not repair the watchtower. That locks 4 survivors to the roof, leaving you and 2 NPC survivors to actually defend the base... although the guards standing in the actual tower will manage to shoot some zombies. Even if you get all 6 on the ground, your crew may be split up between indoors and outdoors, reducing efficiency. The roof is a safe place to stay idle
* Bonuses: 4 parking spots
* VERDICT: This is an excellent base if you don't have Amenities activated, or if you don't have enough Materials to really get to use the Lumber Mill properly. It has the most built-in facilities of all bases in the game. The downside is the location

3. Westen Builder Supply - 1000/1500i, 4 people
* BfB: 2 large slots (CLEO drop being clearable), 3 outdoor small slots, 1 indoor small slot (2x sheltered beds built-in)
* Location: mediocre - a bit off the beaten path, but it's not far from the map's best Materials area and its biggest town. Easy access from the road
* Open slot base: The beds are clearable, so this is a very versatile base
* Defenses: mediocre. The zombies all run for the Locker, which is in the middle of the base, so if all survivors stand there, you'll get a decent amount of focus-fire. The base is a bit too cramped to call that a proper kill zone, though - other than that spot has clear line of sight to all 4 base entries. The tall storage shelf in the back is a safe place to stay idle, but I usually just stand on the crate by the front entrance, shooting Screamers and Bloaters. Ferals that get up on there are easy to stunlock in melee
* Bonuses: 3 parking spots. The Storage has a +20 bonus to all resources
* VERDICT: This is the best 1000i base in the game in terms of size and versatility

4. Rusty Rosie's (Fortified Truck Stop) - 1000/1500i, 4 people
* BfB: (CLEO drop being clearable), 1 outdoor small slot, 3 indoor small slots (Auto shop that is clearable, Kitchen 2, Watchtower 2 built-in)
* Location: good - the most centrally located base on this map. However, you still need to drive a lot to get to places to loot
* Prefab base: the Auto Shop is not generally worth keeping this early in the game - it's far more important to get the Trade Depot up and running at that stage. The Kitchen is good and has got a special luxury goods ability as well
* Defenses: poor - when you start out here, the Watchtower locks 2 survivors to it, leaving you and one other survivor to defend the entries to the base and the main building. Even as you get more survivors here, chances are that they will be spread out thin so even though there is a possible kill zone by the Auto Shop, it's probably not going to end up being one
* Bonuses: 4 parking spots. You can produce booze in the Kitchen, and the Watchtower can double as a Huge Fuel Storage for a little investment
* VERDICT: Even though this ends up last on this map, it is not a bad base at all. In fact, it is the second best 1000i base in the game, and has got a good location and a unique kitchen going for it. It loses out to Westen because of the lack of outdoor small facilities, basically ruling out getting a Still and a Generator set up here - which forces you to invest in expensive Outposts if you don't have Amenities, and the Watchtower being in a largely useless position

(to be continued)

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#132 continued

TRUMBULL VALLEY

1. Farmland Compound - 3500/5250i, 6 people
* BfB: 4 large slots, 2 outdoor small slots, 1 indoor small slot (Kitchen 1*. Infirmary 3, Barracks 6/8 built-in)
* Location: very good - in the middle of the map with easy access over flat fields
* Open Slot base: The Kitchen is poor as it does not have Feast, the Barracks and Infirmary are both very good, though. The only base with more large slots is the Lumbermill, so this is among the largest bases in the game.
* Defenses: Very good. There are 5 entrances for zombies, and four of them are in the central area by the barn. If you put a flat facility in the slot in front of the barn, like a Staging Area or Farm 2, the entire area between the parking spots is a giant kill zone. I just stand in the Command Center watching the mayhem in total safety, maybe popping some Screamers and Bloaters if necessary. The zombies rarely enter in the gap in the walls in the East when I do.
Bonuses: 4 parking spots
VERDICT: One of the best bases in the game, if not THE best. It has no weaknesses, offers ample space, easily defendable and 2 of 3 built-in facilities are very good. Also, takes only 6 people, so you can move here at an earlier point than other large bases

2. Fort Marshall - 2000/3000i, 8 people
* BfB: 2 large slots, 1 small outdoor slot, 1 small indoor slot (Kitchen 2, Infirmary 3, Latrine 1, Watchtower 4, Shooting Range 2 built-in)
* Location: poor - it's located in the largest town on the map, which is okay. But this area is extremely difficult to navigate, riddled with car wrecks and so full of stuff that fps drops when you're there (at least for me)
* Prefab Base: apart from the Latrine, the built-in facilities are very good. And apart from the Watchtower (defensive towers), of course. It's the worst in the game
* Defenses: Very good (and very poor). If you don't repair the defensive towers, the base has a nice kill zone in the middle, which makes it among the best defensible bases in the game. If you do repair them, the base's a death trap as there will be 2 NPC survivors + you on the ground doing all the work, while the guards will be swarmed one by one with the 3 others standing idle most of the time. Last time I was there, the guards tended to freeze and bug out as well, but this is hopefully fixed by now
Bonuses: 4 parking spots
VERDICT: It's the cheapest large base in the game, but it is also one of the smallest ones in terms of what you can build in it. With only 1 outdoor slot you can't build both power and water, for instance. When you don't repair the watchtowers, it's a good base overall

3. Tranquility Factory - 1000/1500i, 5 people
* BfB: 2 large slots, 2 small outdoor slots, 2 small indoor slots (Factory incinerator, Meditation Garden built-in)
* Location: good- pretty centrally located, near Marshall, but getting to the town requires driving around cramped roads or cutting across the river in certain locations. There are shortcuts North nearby
* Mixed base: the two prefabs are unique and pretty good. The incinerator is pretty quick to activate but costs 1 of each resource for +25 morale for 45 minutes. The meds-producing Garden is very good if you have a Lichenologist, as that can give you another +25 morale for 45 minutes, although activating it takes a long time. Without a Lichenologist, this facility is mediocre at best
* Defenses: Good - the zombies can only enter through the three gates, so if you block off the one in the West with a car, you can make a nice killzone around the Locker by making sure that the North large slot is used for a low or see-through facility
* VERDICT: This is a good base overall, as it offers unique facilities as well as pretty good open space to build in, a good location and good defenses

4. Pterodactyl Ptark - 500/750i, 4 people
* BfB: 1 large slot, 3 outdoor small slots (Latrine 2, Barracks* built-in)
* Location: good - pretty centrally located in Spencer's Mill, easily accessible from the road. There's not much to loot in this town, though
* Open slot base: both built-in facilities are good, but it lacks indoor facilities
* Defenses: poor. Pretty cramped and lacks a real killzone, as the trailers hinder field of view
* Bonuses: 4 parking spots
* VERDICT: Actually one of the better 500i bases in the game, with a good location and enough space for a while. You can get an Infirmary, Kitchen and Workshop built here (for instance). Thanks to Checkpoint Delta being the worst starter base in the game, this is a natural stop-gap before moving on to greater things.

5. Red Talon Daybreak FOB - 1500i/2250i, 5 people
* BfB: 1 large slot, 1 outdoor small slot (Red Talon Workshop, Red Talon Officer Quarters, Red Talon Bunkroom, Red Talon Watchtower, CLEO relay built-in)
* Location: mediocre - it's in the Northwestern town on the map (forgot the name), which is pretty big, but also pretty remote
* Prefab base: tried the CLEO relay a few times and can't say I was impressed with the spoils for all that cost. The prefabs are otherwise all good, though. The lack of open slots make this base pretty nice if you plan to stay on 5-7 survivors, but even then you'd probably want more large slots
* Defenses: good. The base is very small and has a killzone in the middle. The watchtower guards can and do find targets to shoot at in that zone, so it's no big deal repairing it or not
* Bonuses: 4 parking spots
* VERDICT: Not worth the price. as it's too small to build a Trade Depot, for instance, and still have enough space to build other "necessities" in this stage of the game. You'd want to recruit survivors, produce Energy Drinks for the first time, and so on. The only thing I use this base for is if I started in Drucker County and then move on to Trumbull with 5-6 survivors after having exhausted the Materials. Then I do so to recruit the RT Demolitionist that this base uniquely offers. Once that is done, I loot the Rare Weapons Cases and move on to Providence Ridge straight away

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#133 - If you take the Prepper Aunt's plan sheet of paper before you have cleared the rest of the house, the other searchable containers designated to the mission will be empty.

There are a total of 3 containers that have loot related to the mission, and one of them contains a Light Crossbow, which is really great in the early game. This makes it so that if you find the quest item first, leave it be and loot the rest of the house before returning to pick up the sheet of paper.

I think this is also the case in some other missions, but I can't remember which right now.

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I bump this one. Long time no see.