The HUB is your home base, upgrade station, and first factory anchor. Building it well gives you a clean starting point instead of a tangle of belts.
Why this matters
Every HUB upgrade unlocks new buildings and tiers. A tidy HUB area also gives you a simple, readable first factory layout that grows instead of getting rebuilt.
Plan with real footprints
The machines you place near the HUB have fixed sizes from the building data. Leave bays of these dimensions within walking distance:
| Building | Footprint |
|---|---|
| Constructor | 8 × 10 |
| Smelter | 5 × 10 |
| Assembler | 9 × 16 |
| Storage Container | 5 × 11 |
| Biomass Burner | 8 × 8 |
A Constructor needs a 8×10 pad; an Assembler needs 9×16. Packing them against the HUB without measuring leads to a rebuild once you add a second row.
Step-by-step
- Finish the HUB upgrade chain as parts allow — each step unlocks the next tier.
- Keep the HUB footprint clear; do not build machines on its upgrade space.
- Anchor your first belts and power just outside the HUB, running straight lines outward.
- Drop a Storage Container (5 × 11) within walking distance for hand-delivered upgrade parts.
- Plan power lines before placing heavy machines.
- Expand outward from the HUB in straight lines so the layout can become a main bus later.
Tips
- Leave room around the HUB for later upgrades — its footprint is fixed and upgrades need the space.
- Keep power lines tidy and outside walkways.
- Store common parts close by so tier upgrades do not mean a long hike.
- Build belts in straight lines from the start; curved spaghetti is expensive to undo.
Common mistakes
- Boxing the HUB in with machines.
- Running power through walkways.
- No storage near the HUB.
- Building over later upgrade space.