Exploring the post-apocalyptic game world and looting every house is a metric ton of fun in Project Zomboid. Eventually, however, you’ll want to settle down. For that, you need to build up your first base in Project Zomboid, and that’s not always a simple task.
Thankfully, you knew to come here! We’ve got you covered when it comes to bases in Project Zomboid, including ideal locations, how to prioritize, and how to defend yourself from the undead masses of Kentucky!
Where to Set Up a Base in Project Zomboid
First and foremost, before you bog down your character with endless base-building supplies, you need to choose a location.
A fan-favorite, especially for early game survival, is the fire station in Rosewood. With a little luck, you won’t deal with a horde outside in the parking lot.
On one of my most recent characters, I smashed the heads of three or four zombies in total before claiming the fire station as my own. The police station across the street, however, was another story altogether.
A few alternatives to consider include:
- Police Stations – While likely loaded with zombies, a police station provides adequate defensive capabilities, a stocked armory, and more than a few chokepoints should droves of the undead make it past your initial barricades.
- Warehouses – The wide open space and easily-defensable nature of Kentucky warehouses make them an ideal base both in the early- and late-game. The thing is, they’re mostly devoid of consumables and other basic loot, besides building materials, so you’ll need to cart your entire supply of loot inside.
- Doctor’s Office – The doctor’s or vet’s office in Muldraugh proves reliable as an early game base. It is easy to barricade and, therefore, easy to defend. Furthermore, it offers a ton of storage and easy access to nearby commercial and residential districts for more loot.
If you’re feeling particularly spicy on this playthrough, consider clearing out and barricading the local prison for the ultimate ‘The Walking Dead‘ experience. Otherwise, choose any location in Louisville!
Defending Your Base in Project Zomboid
When it comes to long-term survival in Project Zomboid, learning how to defend your base is paramount!
First off, know this: Zombies will attack anything you build. Whether it be walls, doors, or window barricades; they attract zombie aggression.
- The best defense against the undead is an efficient escape route. If you like the idea of staying a step ahead, consider building on the second floor of any home or business, then demolishing the staircase. With a sheet rope or two as you egress from the top floor, you’ll escape a horde and live to tell the tale.
- If you genuinely do not want to leave your base, then construct fences around the perimeter or block off pathways using large objects, like televisions.
- Funnel the undead into a chokepoint to easily lop off heads one at a time instead of tackling an entire horde by your lonesome.
- Only use firearms when absolutely necessary. A single gunshot will attract the whole town; stick to melee for the time-being.
- Go on the offensive! That’s right, put yourself in harm’s way by thinning the horde around your base long before a wave can form and overrun you.
How to Barricade Windows in Project Zomboid
One of the easiest defensive tactics you can utilize is to barricade the windows.
If you don’t, zombies can smash the glass and crawl straight through when you least expect them. And unlike you, zombies don’t care about shards of glass or cuts and scrapes.
Thankfully, barricading is simple. You’ll need a good supply of wooden planks for early-game barricades and metal sheets for late-game barricades. We’ll focus on wood for now, though.
- Use an axe to chop down a nearby tree, then saw the logs into wooden planks.
- You can also disassemble furniture, like couches and bookshelves, using a hammer and saw for additional planks.
- Planks are often found in crates at construction sites and in warehouses.
With an adequate supply of carpentry materials and the right tools for the job, walk around to each window in your base and right click the window itself. You’ll see an option to barricade the window using planks, should you have the supplies in your inventory. That means both wooden planks and nails.
In total, it takes precisely eight nails and four planks to cover the entire window. And of course, to nail in each plank, you’ll want a hammer.
As I briefly mentioned metal sheets for window barricades, I’ll touch on the topic, too. If you intend to install metal barricades, then you’ll need a welder mask and propane torch on top of your other supplies.
With your first base well on its way to greatness, it’s time to start stockpiling supplies. A working vehicle with adequate storage space will be an absolute boon to you here. From there, bring in more construction supplies, food, water, generators, weapons, and ammunition to survive the apocalypse for good!
Good luck, survivor!