The Outpost is the headline feature of the Frozen Trail update: a surface base you can decorate, and the place where the new Research Workbench lives. You can’t just walk up to it, though. Unlocking it means finishing a three-part questline called the Sheltered Retreat Project. Here is everything you need, step by step.
Quick Reference
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Unlock requirement | Complete the Sheltered Retreat Project (3 steps) |
| Update | Frozen Trail (released October 8, 2026) |
| Step 1 location | Ruined Homestead, Blue Gate (south side) |
| Step 2 materials | 3 Planks, 5 Sheet Metal, 10 ARC Alloy, 3 Advanced Electrical Components |
| Step 3 targets | 800 damage to flying ARC, 300 damage to Bully |
| Bully location | Pendola Pass only |
| What it unlocks | Furniture, crafting stations, Research Workbench, weapon amplification |
Step 1: Photograph A House At Ruined Homestead
The first task is a photo job, so you need a camera before you queue in.
Where to get a camera
- Buy one from a vendor. Dot Esports lists Shani as the seller, with the Basic Camera at 1,900 Coins and the Advanced Camera at 3,000 Coins. Beebom, however, names Celeste as the source, so check both vendors if one doesn’t stock it.
- Alternatively, you can pick one up by completing the Sizing Things Up quest.
What to do
- Load into the Blue Gate map with the camera in your inventory.
- Head to Ruined Homestead, a point of interest on the southern side of the map, near Ancient Fort.
- Take a photo of any farmland house in the area.
- Extract, open the Outposts tab in the main menu, and press Complete to register the step.
Watch out for: A Bombardier is always patrolling this area, so keep an eye out for Spotters while you line up your shot.
Step 2: Gather The Building Materials
You’ll submit a fixed set of materials. Some may already be sitting in your stash if you’ve played for a while, while two are new items added by the Frozen Trail update.
| Material | Amount | Rarity / Notes | Where To Find It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Planks | 3 | New in Frozen Trail | Any container, more common at Industrial POIs; also purchasable from Celeste using seeds |
| Sheet Metal | 5 | New in Frozen Trail | Same as Planks |
| ARC Alloy | 10 | Uncommon | Dropped by ARC enemies such as Wasps and Hornets, on any map |
| Advanced Electrical Components | 3 | Rare | Electrical POIs |
Best farming spots for Planks and Sheet Metal
- Stacking Yard (Riven Tides)
- Customs House (Riven Tides)
- Any Industrial POI, especially areas with cargo containers and green crates
Tip for ARC Alloy: You’ll collect this naturally just by fighting low-level ARC while you work on the damage requirement in Step 3, so it makes sense to tackle both at the same time.
Step 3: Safeguard The Building Site
The final step is a damage check against two enemy types.
| Target | Damage Required | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Flying ARC | 800 | Almost any map; Pendola Pass or Spaceport are good choices |
| Bully | 300 | Pendola Pass only |
Flying ARC: These are easy to find. Roughly 7 to 8 kills will usually cover the 800 damage requirement.
Bully: This is the tricky one. It’s an aggressive enemy introduced in the Frozen Trail update and it only spawns on Pendola Pass. Recommended tools for damaging it:
- A Hullcracker
- A couple of Wolfpacks
- Trigger Nades
Positioning advice from guides: Stay indoors or hold a rooftop during the fight rather than trying to trade blows in the open. A skill tree build focused on survivability also makes this noticeably easier.
After Unlocking: What Changes
Once all three steps are done, the main lobby background changes and the Outpost becomes available.
What you gain access to
- Furniture and decoration: Craft furniture from in-game materials. More designs can be found around the Rust Belt, and crafting them takes more Planks and Sheet Metal, among other items.
- Crafting stations: Including the new Research Workbench.
- Research Workbench: Lets you research and unlock blueprints. You add it through the Workshop tab, which gains an extra slot after the Outpost is unlocked.
- Weapon amplification: The Research Workbench is required to access this system.
Outpost Room Upgrades
According to Beebom, you can expand your Outpost further by adding rooms, each costing the same set of materials:
| Room | Cost |
|---|---|
| Panoramic Room | 3 Steel Cables, 20 Sheet Metal, 3 Cable Strippers |
| Timeless Room | 3 Steel Cables, 20 Sheet Metal, 3 Cable Strippers |
| Chalet Room | 3 Steel Cables, 20 Sheet Metal, 3 Cable Strippers |
Upgrading also improves the Research Station, so it isn’t purely cosmetic.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I walk around my Outpost? No. You can switch between different areas of the Outpost and decorate them, but there’s no walking mode.
Can I invite friends over? No. The Outpost is a single-player feature, similar to the regular hideout in Speranza.
Is the Outpost only for decoration? No. It houses the Research Workbench, which is required for weapon amplification.
Is the Outpost underground like Speranza? No. It sits on the surface of the Rust Belt, between the Rust Belt and the mountains.
Do I need the Frozen Trail update? Yes. The Outpost, the new materials, the Bully, and Pendola Pass all arrived with that update.
Checklist
- [ ] Get a camera (Shani, Celeste, or Sizing Things Up quest)
- [ ] Photograph a farmland house at Ruined Homestead, Blue Gate
- [ ] Hand in 3 Planks, 5 Sheet Metal, 10 ARC Alloy, 3 Advanced Electrical Components
- [ ] Deal 800 damage to flying ARC
- [ ] Deal 300 damage to Bully on Pendola Pass
- [ ] Open the Outposts tab and claim the unlock
- [ ] Add the Research Workbench in the Workshop tab
Sources: Dot Esports and Beebom guides, cross-checked against each other.