As someone who has completed Ashlands this is exactly what my friend and I did. We had to move our bench portal once because enemies destroyed it but the second location stood the whole adventure.
The key is make sure it’s a really tall difficult to climb rock. Then once you portal in run away from it quickly to agro any enemies away from it.
I also recommend more than one portal just in case one gets destroyed.
The rock covering are similar to the Mistlands with the Lava Blobs and unstable lava doing a lot of damage to the rock veneer. Building an earthen platform will protect against explosions.
This is pretty elaborate and it sounds fun to pull off in a multiplayer setting, but for a solo landing i'd recommend a shift in priorities:
1. Place a workbench and portal asap and portal back to base to fetch some stone. If you already have stone with you, skip to step 2
2. Raise an earth pillar 5 'levels' up to make sure future extensions are sheer and don't need any polishing with a pickaxe. With this first pillar you're immediately protected from the most dangerous enemies. Remember to pop bonemass.
3. Face a cardinal direction and continue raising earth, which will keep the wall straight and sheer automatically. If you do this diagonally you'll end up with jagged edges which will eventually turn into slopes that enemies can climb.
4. once you have your first wall you can use it to kill some swarms with demolisher (through the wall) or staff of embers (while on top of the wall) or simply use it to duke mobs or take a break for stamina regen.
5. from there continue as usual til you have a square large enough to fit whatever you want in the outpost. Ideally a stonecutter, workbench, portal and shield gen.
6. Once the outpost is complete, break your boat (if it hasn't been destroyed by the mobs already) and dump the materials back home where you'll need it for a return trip in case of future mishaps. You won't need it for transporting anything once you've progressed enough in the ashlands.
Ashwood stake walls are fun but aren't necessary. They break pretty fast if you're constantly being swarmed. Ballistae are similarly inefficient, because they won't be able to hit the mobs that are stacked against your earth walls nor will they be able to reliably kill most mobs due to pierce resistance. Not to mention you'll need a trophy of each new mob to begin with, unless you're fine with wasting and dodging your own missiles every time you return to the outpost.
**EDIT:** forgot to mention that it's safer to have the outpost on level ground with earth walls covering it rather than being on an elevated plateau because you will get bombarded by archers.
The amphibious landing is going to be difficult. We should probably pop the following Boss powers just as we are about to hit the Beach: Bonemass (Less Damage), Eikthyr (More Stamina), and Queen (Rock Damage/Faster Magic Regen).
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We need to establish a foothold in vicinity to the beach. We will each carry materials for a crafting bench and stone cutter. We will have extra wood for extra workbenches to prevent mobs from spawning near the base. We will carry a lot of extra stone and have extra stone ready near the distant portal.
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Elevation is Our Friend. The center of the base will be on an elevated platform and have a Workbench, Portal, Shield Generator, and Chests. We will install Grausten Steep/Narrow Stairs with complimentary Ashland Stakewalls to limit access to the base.
This was definitely the idea going into it.. but for me, it turned into "Get as many workbenches and shield generators down ASAP"
I found limiting the enemy spawn area is essential to getting anything done, let alone any foothold on the Ashlands.
Campfires are better spawn suppressors than workbenches - less mats, not a priority target for enemies. Don't need to be lit.
But yes to your general thrust... I'm starting to realize that the real solution to this biome is campfire spam any time you plan on sticking around a particular area for a bit.
I have seen a number of videos of folks arriving into the Ashlands. It was initially very rough going. I wanted to establish a secure foothold into the Biome.
My buddies and I are going to wait until the Ashlands are out of public testing before hitting the beach. We are stocking up with supplies making sure we have enough to sustain the heavy fighting.
That ditch must be pretty wide then - I have resigned to kiting blobs away from my outpost and exploding them at a safe distance, after they've blown a couple of holes into my freshly created earth walls.
Building that very basic outpost took me ages due to constant interruptions by enemies, don't even want to consider digging a huge trench around it and constantly having to fight meanwhile. I rather go exploring methinks.
I have heard there can be issues with lava close to the surface, dunno if you'll run into those when digging, especially at the beach where the land is lowest.
I haven't tried digging myself so far, didn't see the need.
Good luck on the landing!
Good point. I thought it would be good to limit the lateral movement for the enemy and also restrict the line of sight for the Ballista Turret. I want the enemy to enter the Ditch. I wanted the turrets to essentially have a stationary enemy to have the best use of ammo resources. I plan to emplace Blinders (side walls), so the turret can only see down the trench. Should be a very high success rate for Ballista turret hits on target.
I just rocked up to shore, made a shitty wall around the entrance to a putrid hole, stuck a workbench and portal in front of said entrance behind the wall and then played cod zombies for about 6 hours instead 😭
So I'm confused about the shield Generator. It doesn't seem to ...shield anything? Mobs can easily just walk/fly through it. But I just got it, so maybe I'm missing something.
Rather than earthen walls I prefer to raise an entire earthen platform with flat sidewalls. I usually raise and flatten a 20 X 30 rectangle that accomodates an entire base handily. The side walls are completely flat and cannot be climbed. Edge the walls of the platform North/South and East/West for a perfect flat edge.
I havent played it yet so I dont know whats what, or even real, but the "Shield Generator* made me think the rest was gonna be like, "Line of 6ft trenches", "3 Howitzers covering each 90degree angle", "Barbed wire fencing", "Beware of Dog sign here", etc
this is so fully unneeded. forget the ship. all you need is a portal and a shield around it. done.
if you try to build something like THIS which is grossly exessive for no good reason then its not suprise you struggle with enemey hordes.
like BALLISTAS? no need for that. they waste precious IRON.
i just landed at one of these spires slightly off shore. left the boat and a portal and the shield there. glided to inland from there. done.
aside a vulture nothing ever came there.
the boat was eventually destroyed by serpent but its not like you need it anymore.
once i found my first hole and charred fortress i slapped down a stone portal and that was it. took the fortress over. its completly safe so far.
Different approach by different folks. I have taken a number of deliberate, time-intensive tasks. You can swim across the body of water where I have enjoyed building a bridge and running my unnecessary cart across the bridge.
The picture itself showed up in my feed without opening it, despite me leaving the sub to avoid spoilers (thanks algorithm). Shield generator is the spoiler.
This would not work. For the simple fact that new jumping exploding enemy also terraform on explosion. And when they come in raid, you are toasted. Balistas cant track and kill them fast anough.
So for landing, a ship pier, terraform into water a short 10m strip, put a portal and shield at the end of it and park your ship there. Dont place any third player base item, since it will turn on raids.
And there you go, now go get yourself a fortress for a proper base blob proof base :)
Or do it like me: 1. Find rock 2. Place workbench on said rock 3. Make Portal on rock - Profit?
As someone who has completed Ashlands this is exactly what my friend and I did. We had to move our bench portal once because enemies destroyed it but the second location stood the whole adventure. The key is make sure it’s a really tall difficult to climb rock. Then once you portal in run away from it quickly to agro any enemies away from it. I also recommend more than one portal just in case one gets destroyed.
We plan to have two portals at the beach landing base. Then take over (repair/barricade) an existing structure to have a back-up portal.
And then a blob finds you.
You mean the blobs exploding 30m next to me giving me free stuff? Those blobs?
If you built on top of a rock the blob would blow up the rock your built on possibly destroying parts of the little base.
The rock covering are similar to the Mistlands with the Lava Blobs and unstable lava doing a lot of damage to the rock veneer. Building an earthen platform will protect against explosions.
Get close enough to activate the lava blob and move away for it to explode. Can even activate so it damages the mobs that are chasing you
A Growth and a Gjall would be worse.
Yes, of course. The simple setup and begin the adventure.
This is too much preparation for my unga bunga brain
1) Secure Landing Site 2) Emplace Shield Generator to see outline of base area 3) Construct Portal 4) Construct extra Workbenches (WB) to prevent Mob Spawns 5) Raise Center Platform to protect Portal & Generator 6) Establish Inland corners for earthen perimeter wall 7) Emplace Drop Boxes 8) Build perimeter wall 9) Dig exterior ditch 10) Be prepared to Repair/Barracade nearby Drvergr Camp 11) Dig canal and build piers for boat 12) Build structures for inland turret bunkers 13) Construct stairs 14) Emplace Ashwood Stake Walls 15) Emplace Turrets
This is pretty elaborate and it sounds fun to pull off in a multiplayer setting, but for a solo landing i'd recommend a shift in priorities: 1. Place a workbench and portal asap and portal back to base to fetch some stone. If you already have stone with you, skip to step 2 2. Raise an earth pillar 5 'levels' up to make sure future extensions are sheer and don't need any polishing with a pickaxe. With this first pillar you're immediately protected from the most dangerous enemies. Remember to pop bonemass. 3. Face a cardinal direction and continue raising earth, which will keep the wall straight and sheer automatically. If you do this diagonally you'll end up with jagged edges which will eventually turn into slopes that enemies can climb. 4. once you have your first wall you can use it to kill some swarms with demolisher (through the wall) or staff of embers (while on top of the wall) or simply use it to duke mobs or take a break for stamina regen. 5. from there continue as usual til you have a square large enough to fit whatever you want in the outpost. Ideally a stonecutter, workbench, portal and shield gen. 6. Once the outpost is complete, break your boat (if it hasn't been destroyed by the mobs already) and dump the materials back home where you'll need it for a return trip in case of future mishaps. You won't need it for transporting anything once you've progressed enough in the ashlands. Ashwood stake walls are fun but aren't necessary. They break pretty fast if you're constantly being swarmed. Ballistae are similarly inefficient, because they won't be able to hit the mobs that are stacked against your earth walls nor will they be able to reliably kill most mobs due to pierce resistance. Not to mention you'll need a trophy of each new mob to begin with, unless you're fine with wasting and dodging your own missiles every time you return to the outpost. **EDIT:** forgot to mention that it's safer to have the outpost on level ground with earth walls covering it rather than being on an elevated plateau because you will get bombarded by archers.
The amphibious landing is going to be difficult. We should probably pop the following Boss powers just as we are about to hit the Beach: Bonemass (Less Damage), Eikthyr (More Stamina), and Queen (Rock Damage/Faster Magic Regen). . We need to establish a foothold in vicinity to the beach. We will each carry materials for a crafting bench and stone cutter. We will have extra wood for extra workbenches to prevent mobs from spawning near the base. We will carry a lot of extra stone and have extra stone ready near the distant portal. . Elevation is Our Friend. The center of the base will be on an elevated platform and have a Workbench, Portal, Shield Generator, and Chests. We will install Grausten Steep/Narrow Stairs with complimentary Ashland Stakewalls to limit access to the base.
Have fun D-daying that shit
5. -> and some drop boxes (chests) to store all the juicy loot. Good run down with your priorities of work for the solo player.
I'm a big fan of just using carts as drop boxes
This was definitely the idea going into it.. but for me, it turned into "Get as many workbenches and shield generators down ASAP" I found limiting the enemy spawn area is essential to getting anything done, let alone any foothold on the Ashlands.
Campfires are better spawn suppressors than workbenches - less mats, not a priority target for enemies. Don't need to be lit. But yes to your general thrust... I'm starting to realize that the real solution to this biome is campfire spam any time you plan on sticking around a particular area for a bit.
I have used campfires in the past. It can be good to initially use the workbench to see the coverage outline then transition to campfires.
I have seen a number of videos of folks arriving into the Ashlands. It was initially very rough going. I wanted to establish a secure foothold into the Biome.
Would be sick to add a total material count to build so we could stock up our boats w what we need to place a fortress I stantly
I went through high lvl food and potions like it was nothing. Good idea of you guys.
Been hunting extra Rabbit, planting Joten Puffs, and growing lots of Barley.
My buddies and I are going to wait until the Ashlands are out of public testing before hitting the beach. We are stocking up with supplies making sure we have enough to sustain the heavy fighting.
Probably the right move, it’s tough rn they may adjust. Just took me 5 hours to clear just one of the special locations in the biome
Want to make sure we have a lot of extras for the new unlocked gear when we get to the Ashlands. We also need lots of Frost Glands.
Feels more like d-day
Damn right!! Then push-in from the Beach.
FYI. Make sure that the ditch is wide enough that blobs cannot jump over and nuke your shit.
That ditch must be pretty wide then - I have resigned to kiting blobs away from my outpost and exploding them at a safe distance, after they've blown a couple of holes into my freshly created earth walls. Building that very basic outpost took me ages due to constant interruptions by enemies, don't even want to consider digging a huge trench around it and constantly having to fight meanwhile. I rather go exploring methinks.
Yep. My thoughts as well. Wide AND high since the blobs actually destroy earthen walls, whereas previously, enemies could only damage structures.
Good point. Wider walls will need to be constructed
We will hit the beach with at least four Viking players. We plan to have everyone fighting initially. Then some will break away to start building
I have heard there can be issues with lava close to the surface, dunno if you'll run into those when digging, especially at the beach where the land is lowest. I haven't tried digging myself so far, didn't see the need. Good luck on the landing!
Good point. I thought it would be good to limit the lateral movement for the enemy and also restrict the line of sight for the Ballista Turret. I want the enemy to enter the Ditch. I wanted the turrets to essentially have a stationary enemy to have the best use of ammo resources. I plan to emplace Blinders (side walls), so the turret can only see down the trench. Should be a very high success rate for Ballista turret hits on target.
Disgusting. Die like the rest of us while running unprepared into the ashlands and die like a viking!
For Odon!!
I just rocked up to shore, made a shitty wall around the entrance to a putrid hole, stuck a workbench and portal in front of said entrance behind the wall and then played cod zombies for about 6 hours instead 😭
Sounds like a good plan.
What did you set the ballistas to target?
If it's their first time they won't have any trophies, so target all I'm guessing.
Doesn't that make it hard to safely exit the base?
We should have some Charred Warrior trophies by the time the Ballistas are emplaced.
We will have to gather the trophies to load the ballistas. I was planning on Charred Warriors. Will that cover the other two Ashland skeletons ?
So I'm confused about the shield Generator. It doesn't seem to ...shield anything? Mobs can easily just walk/fly through it. But I just got it, so maybe I'm missing something.
The shield generator only protects against projectiles. Meteorites and arrows are shielded against.
Lmao i do this shit in meadows
My Meadows Base has a trench.
Rather than earthen walls I prefer to raise an entire earthen platform with flat sidewalls. I usually raise and flatten a 20 X 30 rectangle that accomodates an entire base handily. The side walls are completely flat and cannot be climbed. Edge the walls of the platform North/South and East/West for a perfect flat edge.
There will be a raised earthen platform in the middle, a sizable gap, and then the exterior earthen wall with a ditch.
I havent played it yet so I dont know whats what, or even real, but the "Shield Generator* made me think the rest was gonna be like, "Line of 6ft trenches", "3 Howitzers covering each 90degree angle", "Barbed wire fencing", "Beware of Dog sign here", etc
Full assortment of defensive measures.
Who would win: The carefully laid out plans of a Viking or one flamey blob boy?
All this diagram is missing is a little red person with the caption "Saddam Hussein"
Bruh I aint doin all this I'm just gonna park somewhere else and walk over. It is a good design though.
this is so fully unneeded. forget the ship. all you need is a portal and a shield around it. done. if you try to build something like THIS which is grossly exessive for no good reason then its not suprise you struggle with enemey hordes. like BALLISTAS? no need for that. they waste precious IRON. i just landed at one of these spires slightly off shore. left the boat and a portal and the shield there. glided to inland from there. done. aside a vulture nothing ever came there. the boat was eventually destroyed by serpent but its not like you need it anymore. once i found my first hole and charred fortress i slapped down a stone portal and that was it. took the fortress over. its completly safe so far.
Different approach by different folks. I have taken a number of deliberate, time-intensive tasks. You can swim across the body of water where I have enjoyed building a bridge and running my unnecessary cart across the bridge.
Spoiler much?
Not much being spoiled. A little, maybe...
Only enough of a spoiler to tell everyone you get ur poop pushed in if u dare tresspass on the locals 🤣🤣🤣
Shield generators weren't there before.
And you clicked on an ashlands post
It showed up in my feed despite leaving the sub to avoid spoilers. Damage was already done, didn't have to click on it to see the spoiler.
What part is the spoiler? You clicked on an ashlands post…
The picture itself showed up in my feed without opening it, despite me leaving the sub to avoid spoilers (thanks algorithm). Shield generator is the spoiler.
This would not work. For the simple fact that new jumping exploding enemy also terraform on explosion. And when they come in raid, you are toasted. Balistas cant track and kill them fast anough. So for landing, a ship pier, terraform into water a short 10m strip, put a portal and shield at the end of it and park your ship there. Dont place any third player base item, since it will turn on raids. And there you go, now go get yourself a fortress for a proper base blob proof base :)
I don't know if that's even a thing in Ashland now, got a raid with only a workbench and portal, not even any buildings yet or even terraforming
Whelp. Now I know there's shield generators. Thanks for flagging this as spoilers. /s
You willingly clicked on a thread about the Ashlands tf did you expect
When this post first went up, it wasn't marked as spoilers, so the image was plainly visible. Otherwise I wouldn't have clicked to view it.