Establishing a reliable supply chain is the backbone of any thriving settlement in Bellwright. The caravan system, a core late-Tier 1 mechanic, transforms your isolated outposts into a connected, efficient empire. This comprehensive guide will walk you through every step, from initial research to complex multi-stop trade routes, ensuring your resources flow smoothly and your people are protected.
Foundations: Building and Manning Your First Caravan
Your journey begins in the technology tree. Directly above the stockpile in Tier 1, you will find the blueprint for the Small Caravan Station. Once constructed, interact with the new Cart Workbench at the station. Here, you can produce carts for one Copper Ingot and seven Wood each. A single station supports a maximum of five carts.
Assigning Personnel and Understanding Roles
The right side of the station interface is where you assign your settlers to caravan duties. Three key roles exist: Caravan Carrier (who drives the cart), Caravaner (a secondary role), and Caravan Guard. It is crucial to set priorities. Assign a value of zero to any villager you absolutely do not want leaving the settlement on a trade run.
A Critical Note on Defense and Presets
A villager assigned as a Caravaner is still considered a worker and will embark wearing their standard work clothes. If their equipped preset is “Unarmed” or “None,” they will have no weapon. While they will attempt to defend themselves if attacked, they will do so with whatever is in their inventory, which could be nothing. Therefore, it is highly recommended to create a custom preset, such as “Villager Armed,” which maintains civilian attire but ensures they carry a basic weapon like an axe for self-defense. Avoid sending villagers with purely non-combat presets like “Nun” on dangerous routes.
Configuring Caravan Routes: From Simple to Complex
Bellwright offers versatile routing options. You can create direct loops between your main settlement and an outpost, link outposts directly, establish trade with neutral or liberated towns, or design intricate multi-stop circuits.
Setting Up a Basic Settlement-to-Outpost Route
Access your Caravan Station menu via the Buildings panel (Type: Other). Click “Add” to create a new route and rename it for clarity (e.g., “Main to Iron Mine”). The configuration screen is where the logistics are defined.
The first section lets you set the number of carts (max 50 slots per cart) and guards for this specific route. It is often best to configure the goods first, then adjust cart count based on total volume. A crucial toggle is “Send automatically when there’s a minimum capacity reached.” You can specify this threshold, allowing the caravan to depart only when enough ordered goods are ready, optimizing trips.
Defining Load and Unload Orders
The route is visualized as a list, always starting and ending at your station’s location. To add a stop, select “Settlement” for your own outposts or “Town” for trading hubs. For each stop, you define two key actions: what to Unload (requests) and what to Load (supplies).
The simplest method is to think from the perspective of the destination. At your mining outpost, under “Unload at [Outpost],” you add items the outpost needs, like food or tools. Use the “Top Up” option to maintain a constant stock (e.g., keep 8 Milk, 2 Sturdy Pickaxes). The system will only deliver enough to reach the specified number.
To bring resources back, you define requests at your home settlement. Double-click your home in the route list. Under “Unload here,” add the resources you want, such as Iron Ore, set to “Top Up” to 100. For items like broken tools you want repatriated for repair, set a very high “Top Up” number (e.g., 101). This ensures every broken tool found will be sent back, as the system constantly tries to meet the unattainable quota.
Once goods and quantities are set, the “Expected Deliveries” panel shows the total volume. Now, decide on carts and guards. More guards reduce the chance of a bandit attack, with one guard offering a -25% chance. Finally, activate the “Minimum Capacity” auto-send feature based on your expected delivery volume.
Creating Multi-Leg Supply Chains
Instead of one long, dangerous route, you can create a chain. For example, a Swamp Outpost (producing Cranberries) sends goods to a Northern Outpost via one caravan route. The Northern Outpost, which also mines Tin, then sends both Cranberries and Tin to a central Copper Outpost via a second route. Finally, a third route brings everything from the Copper Outpost to your main settlement. This method uses shorter, safer hops between secured areas.
Mastering the Multi-Purpose Circular Route
For maximum efficiency, you can create a single route with multiple stops. From your main settlement (HGville), add stops at Outpost A, Outpost B, and Outpost C before returning home. The loading rules at each intermediate stop become critical for controlling the flow.
Advanced Loading Rules Explained
At any stop, you can add qualifiers under “Load at [Location]”:
- Load Once: The item is loaded a single time, then the rule is removed.
- Always Load, but Keep X: The caravan will always take as much as possible, but will leave at least X amount in the outpost’s storage.
- Always Keep X: The outpost will always retain X amount. If the next stop has an “Unload” request for this item, the caravan may take the surplus to fulfill it.
- Never Load: The item will never be taken from this outpost, even if requested later. This is useful to designate specific resource hubs.
For instance, if your home requests Mushrooms and you have two outposts that forage them, you could set Outpost A to “Always Load, but Keep 5” and Outpost B to “Never Load,” ensuring all shipped mushrooms come only from A. Without specific “Unload” orders at intermediate stops, all loaded goods travel to the final destination—your home settlement.
Trading with Towns: Direct and Automated Methods
Trade is essential for acquiring rare goods and generating silver. You can trade manually or set up automated caravan routes.
Manual Town Trading
Open the map, click on a town, and select “Open Trading.” A trading interface appears. Choose which of your Caravan Stations to send from. The “Fulfillable” filter shows only items you have in stock at that location. The buy/sell columns show town prices. Adjust sliders to set quantities; the UI shows total cost/profit and cart capacity (turns red if over 50 slots). You can add guards and manually dispatch the caravan.
Automated Trade Routes
Create a caravan route from your settlement to a town, just as with an outpost. The configuration screen differs, offering “Buy” and “Sell” tabs specific to the town’s current market.
On the Sell tab, you see items the town demands. Clicking an item adds it to your order. After setting a price, a dropdown offers two critical options: Sell All (constantly sells as many as possible, potentially draining your stocks) and Sell From Cargo (only sells items explicitly loaded onto the cart at previous stops). To use “Sell From Cargo,” you must set a loading rule at your home settlement (e.g., “Always Load, but Keep 2” for Rugged Axes).
On the Buy tab, you select items the town sells. After setting a price, choose Buy All (buys all available) or Buy Requested (only buys according to “Unload” rules at your settlement). For “Buy Requested,” you must set an “Unload” rule at your home, like “Top Up Resin to 30.”
Management, Monitoring, and Final Tips
Once a caravan is active, you can monitor it on the map by hovering over the cart icon. Clicking it shows its current phase (Assembling, Traveling). You can modify orders even while it’s en route; changes will apply to the next trip. Use the “Find Caravan” option in the route menu to highlight it in the world. Villagers will embark day or night when a caravan is ready, even waking from sleep.
Remember that cart storage uses the same space system as general inventory—bulky items like ore take two slots. When planning, consider not just the number of items but their size. The prosperity system and the Market building offer deeper economic layers, allowing for indirect trade with wandering merchants, but mastering the caravan system is the fundamental step to unifying your territory and fueling your kingdom’s growth. Start with a simple route, monitor its performance, and gradually expand your network into a complex, automated web of production and distribution.
