Casualties Unknown Crafting and Route Planning
Crafting is not a recipe list problem. It is a route problem: what you can make depends on what you chose to carry and where you chose to stop.
Quick answer
- Plan the route before you plan the recipe: inputs you did not bring cannot be crafted.
- Start with water, storage and bleeding control; those routes keep runs alive.
- Read the version note on every recipe; old recipes are the most common source of wasted materials.
- Test a new recipe on a short run before you rely on it in a long one.
Route-first crafting
A recipe has three costs: the inputs, the time and the opportunity. The opportunity cost is the loot you did not pick up because you were carrying crafting materials. Route-first crafting means deciding which recipe is worth those costs before you leave.
Ask:
- What problem does this output solve on this route?
- Which inputs can I find here, and which must I bring?
- If the recipe fails or the inputs are wrong, what do I lose?
Early routes worth learning
| Route | Inputs | Output | Version note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water | Container plus a safe water source | Drinkable supply | Verify container behaviour in the current build |
| Storage | Container plus binding material | More carry capacity | Weight rules can change |
| Bleeding response | Bandage or equivalent | Stopped or slowed bleeding | Confirm the item treats your injury type |
| Light maintenance | Lamp plus power source | Working light | Check battery behaviour |
| Mod loader setup | Loader plus compatible mod | Working mod list | Not an in-game recipe; see the setup guide |
These are route concepts, not a promise that every build uses identical inputs. The point is to learn the dependency chain.
How to read a recipe entry
- Inputs: exactly what is consumed, and whether the container survives.
- Output: what you actually get, including quantity.
- Station: where the craft happens, if a station is required.
- Version note: the build the entry was checked against.
- Failure mode: what happens when an input is wrong or missing.
If a recipe page omits the version, treat it as a hypothesis. Test it on a short run.
Version drift is normal
Survival games tune recipes constantly. An input that worked last month may be replaced, and a recipe may move behind a station. That is not a reason to distrust every guide; it is a reason to prefer guides that show a check date and to verify the expensive steps yourself.
When a recipe fails, do not assume the game is broken. Compare the inputs, the station and the build version first.
Test recipes without wasting a run
- Test on a short route with a clear exit.
- Bring one spare of the expensive input.
- Record the output quantity, not just success or failure.
- Stop testing when the run's survival supplies are lower than the value of the experiment.
The best crafting knowledge is the kind you can reproduce under pressure.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I find crafting recipes?
Use the in-game crafting interface for the authoritative list, and this page for route planning and how to read inputs and outputs. Recipes change between builds.
Why did a recipe stop working?
The build likely changed an input, a station requirement or a quantity. Compare the recipe against the current build instead of assuming a bug.
What should I craft first?
Water, storage, bleeding control and light maintenance. Those four keep a run alive long enough to use anything else.
Are the recipes on this site exact?
No. They describe route concepts and reading method. Treat exact quantities as build-specific and verify them in-game.
Can crafting be used in co-op?
Yes, but agree on who carries which inputs. Duplicate materials waste the shared carry budget.
Search the item database first
Most crafting questions start with an item question. Look up the input, then plan the route.