Overview
The most important aspects for building better settlements.
Population Requirements
There are several essential things your population needs to be happy and productive in Banished. In order of importance, these are; food, firewood, tools and clothing.
There are 4 types of food type in the game- protein/fruits/vegetables/grains (eggs and nuts are classed as protein). All citizens require access to each food type for a balanced diet and to maintain health. If diet is not varied, the well being of the population will suffer.
(Herbs acquired via the herbalist can be used to supplement a poor diet and increase well being)
Without firewood, your population will slowly freeze to death in the winter
Tools are required by all your workers in their individual roles. If the tool supply runs out, the productivity of the worker will decrease significantly.
Enables your citizens to maintain daily activities during the winter. Without adequate clothing, productivity is significantly decreased and freezing to death becomes a possibility for those outside.
Hubs- Gatherer/Hunter/Forester
An excellent way to fulfil most of the needs of your population is via the use of Hubs consisting of Gatherer’s Huts, Hunter’s Lodge and Forester’s Cabin. The best locations for these Hubs are flat areas away from hills, rivers and all things urban eg buildings/roads.
are effective in densely forested areas, for the gathering of berries and vegetables. It directly benefits from the extra trees planted by the Forester’s Lodge.
provide a location for the hunting of deer which produces venison(protein) and leather. They are effective in either a forest or plain area.
specialise in the production of logs, which are used to make firewood and tools.
(The Herbalist must always be constructed away from the Forester’s Lodge as mature trees are required for herb gathering.)
Agriculture
Hubs are an effective means for providing a diverse food supply for your citizens, and the utilisation of space for wood production, however grains are lacking from the diet of your population. Without grains the nutrition of your inhabitants is not fully varied and their well being will suffer.
Agriculture is required to grow grains in the form of either corn or wheat. Crops are also a more productive method of food production than what can be achieved from the Gatherer/Hunter Hub.
Flat areas in between Hubs are ideal for agriculture. On average, the bigger the field the more efficient each worker is, however certain grid sizes are more cost effective per worker. Any field that averages 56 squares per farmer (area divided by number of workers) is most optimal. 15×15 is the most efficient size with each worker farming 56.25 squares.
It is worth noting the optimal grid sizes for orchards are different from those of agricultural fields. Trees take longer to initially grow and harvest, but ultimately produce a higher yield per worker.
Storage Barns
The most important building in Banished is the Storage Barn. Food supplies can vary depending on the season and weather, and the ratio of your workers to population (adults/students/children) will change over time. There may be a surplus in some years and a deficit in others. Counter this by storing away enough supplies so your settlement can weather bad harvests, and any shortages that may occur during settlement expansion.
The best location for storage barns is on the outskirts of food production areas- workers have less distance to travel to deposit items. Remember not to put them within the radius of the Gather/Hunter/Forester Hubs. It is also advantageous to place storage barns closer to the market if possible.
Markets
Markets are an efficient way to distribute goods amongst your population.
As your settlement grows, production areas may be spread over quite some distance. A market provides a centralised area where inhabitants can go to collect all their supplies. Vendors employed at the market visit storage barns/stock piles and bulk transport supplies back to the market in wheel barrows. Citizens that live within the market radius, greatly benefit from a diverse diet, and can also get new tools/clothing faster.
Citizens that do not live within the market’s radius will prefer to visit individual storage barns for the supplies they need. As a result, those inhabitants have a diet that is restricted to what is locally produced/stored. For “out of range” citizens, they may opt to visit a market, only if it is closer than a storage barn(s), or if they are passing one. On average, their inventories will be inferior to those who are regularly serviced by a market.
It is best to spread out your markets across your settlement and try to include as many houses within their radius’s as possible. It is also worth noting production buildings (eg Blacksmith, Tailor etc) can pick up their supplies at the market too (the radius doesn’t matter for them- the worker finds the nearest source wherever it is).
When collecting firewood, citizens always travel to the closet collection point either stockpile or market- the market radius has no bearing.
Position of Woodcutter/Blacksmith/Tailor
The Woodcutter, Blacksmith and Tailor are your 3 most important resource production buildings. It is best to position them close to where their raw material inputs are held.
produces firewood from logs. It is best positioned near a stock pile, preferably close to some Forester Lodges.
requires logs and iron to produce tools. It is best situated near a stock pile.
requires leather and/or wool to produce clothes. It is best placed beside a storage barn nearby to where these raw materials are produced.
A market close to a production building can be a good way to provide the required materials in the absence of adequate stock piles or barns.
Houses
Houses should be positioned as close to areas of work as possible. The less walking, the more time is spent working and productivity is higher. Markets are key for distributing supplies around your settlement; build houses around them where ever possible.
Generally, it’s a trade off between either building closer to the workplace and save on walking, or constructing houses around a market, with superior supply collection but a greater walking distance. The bulk of your houses within your settlement should lie within the market radius.
For houses that cannot be built within range of a market, ensure there are storage barns close by with a diverse local food production. Access to a full diet may be an issue for those households- well being will lower over time.
Happiness
Aside from the essential things of food/warmth, workers need to be happy in order to be fully effective. The lower the happiness level, the more idle and less productive a worker will be. All workers regardless of profession, who are not busy, will help transit finished goods around your settlement.
To maintain a high happiness level, Taverns, Cemeteries and Chapels are required within the settlement. These buildings service the extra needs of the population.
Wells, Trading Posts and Markets also have a positive effect on happiness.
Mines and Quarries lower the happiness of the population (trade for iron/coal/stone instead).
Education
A workforce that is educated, is far more productive than one which is not. In order to fully maximise the productivity of your workers you need to educate them. Over the long run, the benefits of education vastly outweigh the associated costs. Build schools early to ensure your entire population is properly educated.
Trading Post
The Trading Post gives you the ability to “trade” for hard to get or un-obtainable items. The most common items that are traded for are the raw commodities of Iron, Stone and Coal (these resources eventually run out on the map). Farm animals and new seeds can also be acquired at the Trading Post.
Firewood is an unlimited resource in the game, it is also valued highly; use it to trade for the items you need at the Trading Post.
It is also a good idea to have a large Stock Pile at your Trading Post to speed up the offloading and loading of materials.
In times of a disaster, where you are short of food, the Trading Post can be used to purchase supplies and feed your inhabitants. A large inventory of firewood at the Trading Post can be seen as an insurance policy against a potential famine.
Stone- When to upgrade?
Stone is a valuable resource in the game that should be used sparingly, until access to the Trading Post is obtained. Houses that are made from stone require less firewood to keep warm. Roads that are upgraded to stone allow your inhabitants to travel faster on them.
Mines/Quarries should be avoided as they adversely alter the map and increase unhappiness.
Town Hall Tools
Construction of the Town Hall provides valuable information on inventories, production/consumption rates and other data regarding the functioning of your settlement. It is helpful in identifying issues within your population for example lack of a food type, or potential problems that may soon arise.
The standard information windows of Overview, Professions and Event Log are essential in optimising your settlement. The pathway function is also useful in analysing the routes your population/workers take, for example areas that need more houses to reduce travel time.
Expanding too Fast
The most important thing in Banished is not to expand your settlement too fast. If a large amount of houses are built without the proper supplies stored and infrastructure, there will be a disaster in a couple of years when the food runs out.
Grow your settlement slowly, making sure there are ample storage barns and additional food sources to accompany new houses.
