The Problem

I built my first base in a random hallway and it got raided into rubble on night three. Where should I actually set up?

The Solution

Not all walls are equal. Some locations have one entrance you can fortify into a kill zone. Others have built-in traders, fishing spots, or respawning enemies to farm for scrap. Here is every base location worth building at, organized by when you unlock them.

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What Makes a Good Base Location

Before listing spots, here is the criteria:

1. Defensibility — Fewer entrances = easier to fortify. One entrance is ideal. Two is manageable. Three or more is a problem.
2. Power access — Wall outlets determine how many devices you can run. A spot with no outlets needs a generator + fuel chain, which is expensive early.
3. Water source — A bathroom, fountain, or pool means infinite water without boiling trips. Massive time saver.
4. Trader proximity — Being next to a trader means you sell loot and buy supplies without a ten-minute walk.
5. Centrality — A base in the middle of the map saves hours of walking across a full playthrough.

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Early Game (Office Sector, Levels 1-2)

Security Office (Level 2) — #1 Early Game Pick

How to set up: Claim the room with the coffee machine. Place your Crafting Bench against the back wall. Storage Crates along the side. The metal shutter faces the corridor — put a Shock Trap on the corridor side and wire it to a lever inside.

Cafeteria (Level 1)

Verdict: Good starter base while you unlock Level 2. Move to Security Office once you get the keycard.

Plaza (Level 1)

Central hub. Connected to everything. Warren Bunnings (first trader) is nearby. Fishing fountain adjacent. The downside: it is literally a crossroads — enemies pass through frequently. Build here only if you want to farm patrol encounters.

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Mid-Game (Manufacturing West)

Top of the F.O.R.G.E. — Best Mid-Game Pick

Place a Chopinator at the top of the ramp with a lever inside. Nothing walks up that ramp alive.

Garage Portal Security Room

Built next to a portal shortcut that connects to Labs. Has a charging station and a bathroom inside. Good if you are running Labs frequently. Less defensible than F.O.R.G.E. — two entrances, one is a garage door you cannot close.

Gym (Level 2 Office Sector)

If you want a fortress that never gets breached, the Gym is it. The tradeoff is distance — you will walk a lot in the mid-to-late game.

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Late Game / Endgame

Wildlife Pens / Aquarium Labs — #1 Overall

This is the consensus best base in the game. Here is why:

• Massive space — you can build separate rooms for crafting, storage, farming, and defense
• Aquarium — infinite water source AND fishing spot inside your base
• Bathrooms — hygiene and water in one
• Respawning Containment Bot — patrols nearby. Kill it regularly for free scrap, CPUs, and sodas. Infinite resource loop.
• Easy access to late-game sectors: Containment, Cascade Labs, and Security Sector are all nearby

The only downside: you need to clear the area first, and the Containment Bot can catch you off-guard while building. Set up your X-Ray Tower first thing.

Hydroplant Apartments

Multiple rooms, abundant water, tons of cooking stations. Feels like a real home base. The downside is that it is far from everything except the Hydroplant itself. Build here as a secondary outpost, not your main base.

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Mini-Outposts: Don't Build One Base, Build Five

Full bases take hours. Mini-outposts take three minutes. Every time you unlock a new sector, drop:

• 1 Crafting Bench (creates a safe zone — enemies won't respawn inside its radius)
• 1 Bed (sets your respawn point)
• 1 Storage Crate (dump loot without running home)

Cost: under 20 materials. Benefit: when you die, you respawn next to your corpse instead of walking through three loading screens.

Priority outpost locations:

1. Outside the Containment Block entrance
2. Near the Cascade Labs tram stop
3. Flathill portal entrance
4. Security Sector outer door

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Location Tier List (Quick Reference)

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See Also

• Power grid and star topology wiring guide
• Defense: Chopinator, Tesla, and Tripmines
• Storage and organization guide
• Farming and agriculture setup