Survival hinges on effective resource management in the unforgiving world of Frostpunk 2. Keeping your citizens warm is paramount, and this guide provides comprehensive strategies for maximizing fuel and heat production. From district planning to technological advancements, we’ll cover everything you need to thrive in this frozen wasteland.
A generator produces heat in Frostpunk 2.
Unlike its predecessor, Frostpunk 2 introduces district management, requiring strategic placement on hexagonal tiles to optimize heat generation and minimize resource consumption. Careful planning is crucial to ensure your city’s survival.
Understanding Heat Demands and Bonuses
The image shows adjacency bonuses that grant extra heat.
Every district has a heat demand, representing its upkeep cost. Failing to meet these demands can lead to illness, death, rising tension, and dwindling trust among your citizens. Understanding heat mechanics is therefore essential:
- Adjacency Bonuses: Placing districts strategically grants +20 heat. Three small pips indicate potential bonuses. When all three pips turn blue, the district receives the bonus heat.
- Environmental Bonuses: Utilize the environment to your advantage. Tiles adjacent to the generator or city center, those nestled in sturdy crevasses, and those neighboring compatible districts offer significant heat benefits.
- District Compatibility: Community districts (Housing and Food) and industry districts (Extraction, Industrial, and Logistics) can be placed adjacent to each other within their respective groups. However, placing Housing next to industrial facilities increases squalor, while placing Food next to them increases disease.
- Environmental Hazards: Exposed, elevated tiles with red outlines require more heat due to wind and cold exposure. Avoid these locations unless absolutely necessary.
Impact of Heat Bonuses
The image shows a comparison between Housing Districts that have heat bonuses compared to those that do not.
The image above illustrates the impact of heat bonuses using Housing Districts, which have a base heat requirement of 40:
- Maximized Bonuses: A district placed next to the generator and a crevasse eliminates its heat requirement entirely.
- Partial Bonuses: A district adjacent to other housing districts still requires 20 heat.
- No Bonuses: Districts placed on tiles without activated adjacency bonuses require the full 40 heat.
Fuel Sources and Generator Upgrades
The image shows distant oil reserves.
Frostpunk 2 offers three fuel types: oil, coal, and steam. These resources are located outside the city center, requiring Frostbreaking to access and establish Extraction Districts.
The generator’s overdrive feature should be used sparingly, reserved for emergencies like whiteouts, to prevent permanent damage. Technological upgrades are vital for maximizing generator efficiency:
- Generator Upgrade I: Optimizes the primary fuel source (e.g., switching from coal to oil).
- Generator Upgrade II: Unlocks features like Surplus Injectors, which burn excess fuel to boost district output.
- Generator Upgrade III: Enhances overdrive safety and effectiveness, increasing heat output from sources like oil.
Heating Technologies
The Heating tab in the tech tree offers crucial research options. Prioritize generator upgrades and advancements that boost coal, oil, and steam output. Technologies like Housing Insulation and Food Energy Efficiency reduce heat demands for their respective districts.
The image shows the Heating tech tree with available options.
Additional Heat and Fuel Sources
Beyond districts and technologies, consider these additional resources:
- Heating Hub: Provides +40 heat. Place it centrally to maximize its area-of-effect.
- Laws:
- Heat Recycling: Decreases Housing District heat demand.
- Weather-Adjusted Shifts: Decreases non-Housing District heat demand at the cost of slightly reduced production efficiency and a minor disease reduction.
- Heatpipe Watch: Decreases overall heat demand with a marginal increase in tension.
- Frostlands Exploration: Establish settlements and colonies in the Frostlands to secure valuable fuel sources and bolster your city’s reserves.
This comprehensive guide equips you with the knowledge to effectively manage fuel and heat in Frostpunk 2. For further insights into optimizing your city, explore our guides on the best laws and technologies.
