- Base building
- Defensible spots
- Kenshi v1.0.68
Kenshi best base locations
A base lives or dies on geography. The 5 best spots — a single chokepoint to defend, ore and fertility on-site — plus a quick tool to pick the right one for your playstyle.
What makes a good base location
- A chokepoint — a plateau or canyon with one way in beats open ground; terrain defends for you.
- On-site resources — iron, copper, stone and water so you aren't hauling everything in.
- Fertility if you want to farm hemp, wheat or greenfruit.
- Distance from strong factions — the Holy Nation and United Cities armies can wipe an early base.
- Remember raids scale with wealth — the richer your base, the bigger the attacks, so plan walls and turrets early.
The 5 best base locations
Tap what matters most to you and the finder highlights the spot to build — then scout it on the map.
What matters most to you?
Build at Waystation plateau — defence + resources.
Greenbeach plateau
Best defenceMid gameA plateau in the mountains above the Greenbeach coast, reached by a single narrow passage. That one natural chokepoint means raids funnel to you and you barely need walls — one of the easiest spots in the game to hold.
Why it's a top pick
- One narrow passage up is the only way in — you wall a single gate instead of a whole perimeter, so even a small squad can hold it.
- Far-east location keeps you clear of the Holy Nation and United Cities armies that flatten new bases.
- Elevated over the coast, so you get long sightlines to spot a raid coming.
Watch out for
- Crab Raiders and Beak Things patrol the coast — you'll have to fight for the approach.
- It's a long haul from the western trade towns and shops.
What's here & nearby
- Crab Villages (Crab Raider outposts) right next door
- Ark — the nearest town for trade
- Reaver camps in the area to watch for
Waystation plateau
Defence + resourcesEarly–mid gameYour pickA plateau rising straight out of a river with only one way up, on the Greenbeach and Stobe's Garden border. It has iron, stone and copper on-site plus unusually high fertility (mixing the two zones' environments) — defensible and self-sufficient, the strongest overall pick.
Why it's a top pick
- A single ramp above a river gives you the same chokepoint defence plus water on tap.
- Iron, copper and stone are all on-site — you mine everything a base needs instead of hauling it in.
- Straddling two zones' environments gives rare high fertility for such an arid map, so you can actually farm crops here.
Watch out for
- It sits on the eastern edge, far from the western factions and shops.
- Weather is harsh, and Reaver patrols pass through the zone.
What's here & nearby
- Waystation Ruins sit on the spot itself — early loot
- Ark is close by for trade and recruits
- Reaver camps in the surrounding area
Crescent Canyons
Best killzonesMid gameThe canyons at the top of the Hidden Forest let you build walls straight into the rock and funnel every raid into a killzone for your mounted turrets. Great if you like turning geography into a death trap — though the Forest itself is hostile.
Why it's a top pick
- You build walls straight into the canyon rock — attackers can only approach down one narrow lane.
- That funnel turns every raid into a killzone for wall-mounted harpoon turrets; a well-placed base barely takes a scratch.
- Its central-south position keeps you close enough for trade and recruiting runs.
Watch out for
- The Hidden Forest is hostile — spiders and wanderers make it rough until your squad is strong.
- Few on-site resources, so you'll import some building materials.
What's here & nearby
- Flotsam Village (Flotsam Ninjas) nearby
- World's End — a Tech Hunter town for trade
- a Suspicious Lab with ancient loot
Fog Islands
Best isolationLate gameHigh ground in the Fog Islands gives strong natural defence and keeps you off the main raid routes. The trade-off is the Fogmen — a good spot once your squad can handle them, and a brutal one before that.
Why it's a top pick
- High ground plus distance from the major factions means almost no organised army ever reaches you.
- Mongrel is right next door for trade, unique recruits and a fallback shelter.
- The permanent fog masks your base from most patrols — you fight on your terms.
Watch out for
- Fogmen swarm the whole region — brutal before your squad can handle them.
- The surrounding Cower Nests keep spawning threats.
What's here & nearby
- Mongrel — the Fog Islands town for trade and unique recruits
- ringed by Cower Nests (constant nest threats)
- high, fog-covered ground that hides your base
The Gut
Best coastalLate gameThe blue-sanded coastal region in the east is naturally defensible and out of the way of the major faction armies. Harsh environment and tough wildlife, but a solid spot for a self-reliant late-game base away from the Holy Nation and United Cities.
Why it's a top pick
- Tucked in the far east, well beyond the reach of the Holy Nation and United Cities armies — total independence.
- No big faction bothers to march all the way out here, so you can build and expand in peace.
- The open blue-sand coast gives clear approaches you can watch and wall off.
Watch out for
- Harsh environment and dangerous wildlife (Beak Things, Blood Spiders).
- Remote — supply and recruiting runs are long.
What's here & nearby
- a Strange Camp sits right on the spot
- a Lost Town and Eyesocket ruins to loot
- a Slave Farm and Farming Village within reach
Check which zones carry the ore, water and fertility you need on the interactive map, and plan the buildings you'll unlock with the research tech-tree. Steer clear of hostile turf using the faction guide.