Among the many stats you need to keep track of in Frostpunk 2 is Tension, and it’s arguably the most important. That’s why we’ve constructed this detailed guide on what it does, how to manage it, and so much more.
What is Tension in Frostpunk 2? Explained
In general, Tension in Frostpunk 2 is a general measure of how upset and angry the population is. It’s shown by the circular meter at the bottom center of the screen. The more filled up the meter is, the higher your city’s Tension.
Several different elements can cause Tension to increase. These include a loss of Trust in you due to decisions the city’s Factions didn’t like; a failure to pass new Laws through Council Voting, or unpopular Laws remaining in effect; continued scarcity of Resources; and a high rate of issues like Disease, Hunger, Cold, Squalor, and Crime.
The more Tension there is, the more likely people are to act out violently against each other; and against you.
How to Lower Tension in Frostpunk 2
With this in mind, it’s in your best interest to lower Tension whenever possible. There are a few different ways to do this, and we’ve listed them down below for your convenience.
Make Choices Aimed at Equality
Among the best choices you can make in terms of Tension are those which help your populace in the long run.
These range from measures that improve working conditions to researching technology that reduces the workload on your people. While costly, these all tend to lower the Tension among the population, as they have less to worry about and can enjoy their life within the city.
When in doubt, just look for the Laws and Research topics recommended by the Faithkeepers and Pilgrims. Both of these Factions have Equality as one of their Cornerstones, and always seek to advance Laws and Research topics tied to it.
Raise your Trust With the Faithkeepers
In general, it’s best to have a high Trust rating with every Faction in order to reduce Tension. However, the Faithkeepers should always be at the top of your list.
Their Community action, wherein they Hold Prayers with the general populace, raises Tension by a decent amount every time it’s used. Not only that, but their measures tend to fall under the Equality umbrella, and that means they have a high chance of reducing Tension.
To increase your Trust with the Faithkeepers, you can Fund their projects with Heatstamps, grant them their Agenda in the Council, construct Buildings that tie into their worldviews like Subsidized Housing, and Promote them so that more people join their ranks.
Pass Alcohol Laws
Outside of Laws tied to Equality, some that are specifically tied to reducing Tension are those around Alcohol.
Outside of Banning Alcohol outright, every other measure reduces Tension by virtue of allowing people to drink and forget their problems. This remains active as a constant buff too, which means you have a regular reduction in your population’s stress as you play the game.
This does come with a catch, though. With access to alcohol, your population can suffer from widespread alcoholism, which increases the amount of Disease you have to deal with. Keep this in mind, and carefully weigh how worthwhile the reduced stress is compared to all the sick people you need to help.
Keep Your Resources Up
A populace with extra resources is one with low Tension, so it’s best to have a surplus of everything you can from Materials and Goods to Food and Fuel.
While it is possible to do this with the harvesting points around New London, the most efficient method is to bring in Resources from the Frostlands. Most points of interest have something you need, and you can harvest it all via Frostland expeditions and a small group of Frostlanders dedicated to the site.
To send these expeditions out, build Logistics Districts at any of the three launching points around the city. You can bolster the number of Frostlanders produced with Buildings researched over time, or via Frostlanders rescued during smaller expeditions.
After that, you can make your way out into the Frostlands regularly, and before long, your stockpiles will be overflowing with extra Goods, Food, and Materials.
Keep Your City Warm
Finally, there’s the most important thing you need to do to reduce Tension in Frostpunk 2: Keep your city as warm as possible.
While every other problem can definitely stress people out, Cold is by far the worst issue in terms of Tension triggers. Failure to address it leads to rapid Tension increases, and many a run can end due to cold overtaking the city.
To that end, make sure you prioritize the acquisition of fuel for your Generator so that it can warm New London no matter the season. Install Heating Hubs next to as many Districts as possible, and build appropriate Districts next to each other in order to earn Heating bonuses thanks to their close proximity.
Likewise, prioritize the progression of the main story or progress toward a given Cornerstone. These allow you to access the upgrades for your city’s generator, and these allow you to heat your city more efficiently via one-time resource investments. If you don’t do this, you’re doomed to weather cold season after cold season until all of your resources are drained.
And that’s all there is to know about what Tension is in Frostpunk 2 and how to decrease it. It’s not the easiest stat to manage at times, but you should get a handle on how to keep it under control before long.
For more helpful tips and tricks, we have a variety of guides that range from a detailed list of all Laws in the game to a breakdown of whether you should Scavenge or Settle Winterhome.
Published: Sep 19, 2024 12:34 am