Metal Base

[TouchedChimp]

So anyone know about how safe a metal base would be? We are living deep in a forest down south away from the metal spawns to avoid any traffic. We have gone almost three days without being raided while gone. I think this is because its a chill server and because we are very hidden away. Currently we are made of stone with a few spike walls outside the stone ones. Never have anything to valuable other than our dinos so being raided wouldn't be the end of the world. But I want to feel safer so have thought of upgrading asp I just need to know if its worth the effort of gathering the metal for it.

[D4u2s0t]

Our base is far from volcano, on the west coast.  We built a raft that we use as a mobile collection unit.  Has an inside room with 2 beds, forge, chests.  Ladder upstairs leads to a  4x4 surface with railings, where we put appropriate animals.  Argy are good for metal runs since they have high stamina, and good weight.  We also have about 10 or so chests on the top level, overhanging the water and out of the way.  

So, what we do is put our supplies in the raft, head north so it's a shorter stream.  Park as close as volcano as you can based on location/server/who has what blocked etc, fly up go collect you goods.  When you get weighed down, now instead of going back to base, you fly to your raft, dump and repeat.  Me and a buddy got about 1000 metal in half hour last night, and we're pretty far away.  I have a level 40 or so argy that we just got, and it comfortably holds about 350 metal plus me, plus a few necessities like berries, meat, etc. Things like extra picks, weapons, clothes, etc. we keep back at the raft.  And with the beds in the raft, in a worst case scenario where we die, we are not spawning way across the map.   For the return trip, metal goes in the forge and processes during the drive.  

I know that doesn't answer if metal is safer, lol, but if collection is more efficient, you may not mind the long trip as much.

[XcrazeddoctorX]

If you're going for a metal base, also get a frog, cementing paste sucks to gather, frog does it to the mosquito's in the swamp. 

[Perrin Aybara]

Yes. Metal is worth it. The only thing that can damage metal is explosives. (and the dodorex)

[Jerryn]

Metal is worth it.

Another good place to get metal is Whitesky(aka Blue Obelisk).

A trick you can do, if you have the forces, is to farm/make cementing paste, and make foundations, forges, sparkpowder, and a smithy before you go.  Get to the mountain, put down the foundations, put up the forges and smithy, mine all the metal you can, and start smelting it right there.  As the metal comes off the furnance, put it on the table and start crafting the building pieces.

This means you can carry back a lot more at one time, and a lot less trips.

Just make sure to put the final products on your best bird and always have someone nearby to fly it way if you get attacked.

However, if you are making less trips up and down the mountain, you are less likely to be noticed.

You may also want to set up a few mortars with you, so that you can craft spark powder from the stone and flint. When you are don't, break down everything, recraft what you can(if you breakdown 2 forges, make a new with the recovered mats).

And if you ever get a Q, you can turn it into a mobile foundry and do the work right there, plus carry an anky with you for a lot more metal(plus berries, so bring spoiled meat to make some narcotics with).

You can also get metal off of Grand Peak, though that is more of convoy and collect location, not worth setting up an entire operations.

[Jerryn]

Oh, and make sure everyone throws down a sleeping bag, just incase you fall off the mountain or get ambushed; put them a bit out of the way, so that if you respawn, it is not right in the middle of the battle.

[Grimlock98]

4 minutes ago, Jerryn said:

Metal is worth it.

Another good place to get metal is Whitesky(aka Blue Obelisk).

A trick you can do, if you have the forces, is to farm/make cementing paste, and make foundations, forges, sparkpowder, and a smithy before you go.  Get to the mountain, put down the foundations, put up the forges and smithy, mine all the metal you can, and start smelting it right there.  As the metal comes off the furnance, put it on the table and start crafting the building pieces.

This means you can carry back a lot more at one time, and a lot less trips.

Just make sure to put the final products on your best bird and always have someone nearby to fly it way if you get attacked.

However, if you are making less trips up and down the mountain, you are less likely to be noticed.

You may also want to set up a few mortars with you, so that you can craft spark powder from the stone and flint. When you are don't, break down everything, recraft what you can(if you breakdown 2 forges, make a new with the recovered mats).

And if you ever get a Q, you can turn it into a mobile foundry and do the work right there, plus carry an anky with you for a lot more metal(plus berries, so bring spoiled meat to make some narcotics with).

You can also get metal off of Grand Peak, though that is more of convoy and collect location, not worth setting up an entire operations.

although on singeplayer, i did the same thing, i put a refining forge, morter and pestal and heck even a smithy.  but hauling ingots is much more profitable than hauling straight metal.