Base and Vehicles

Base-building rules and the full vehicle ladder from Sandbike to ornithopter, tied to the material tier that unlocks each one.

At a glance


Base rule	Build near a trade post, not at spawn. Do not over-invest early.
Storm defense	Bases need a powered shield to survive sandstorms.
Vehicle spine	Each vehicle is gated by a material tier, Copper to Plastanium.
Tax	Outposts incur a tax to the Emperor.
First ride	Sandbike, from Copper, on the Zantara journey tasks.

Tier	Vehicle	Role
Copper	Sandbike	First vehicle, one-seat, fast, low storage
Iron / Steel	Upgraded Sandbike tiers; Buggy (Steel)	Faster travel; the Buggy carries a group
Aluminum	Scout Ornithopter	Flight and fast travel (aluminum research commonly cited at 250 Intel Points)
Duraluminum	Assault Ornithopter; higher Sandbikes and Buggies	Up to four seats
Plastanium	Sand Crawler; Carrier Ornithopter	Crawler harvests spice; Carrier transports it plus up to six players

The Lost Harvest DLC added the Treadwheel Dicycle.

Location: near a key POI or trade post, not at spawn. Guides suggest northern Hagga Basin South near Griffin’s Reach.
Do not over-invest early. You relocate as you climb the material tiers, so an elaborate first base is wasted effort.
Power a shield. Bases need a powered protective shield to survive sandstorms; unshielded bases take damage.
Expect a tax. Outposts pay a tax to the Emperor.
Stations scale with tier. Higher tech tiers need upgraded stations: Base Fabricator, Smelter, Electronics Bench, Vehicle Terminal, and similar.

Do the Zantara journey tasks to build a first base and craft a Sandbike (Copper).
Site your first real base near a trade post, kept modest.
Climb Iron and Steel; craft upgraded Sandbikes and the Buggy for group travel.
Reach Aluminum at Eastern Shield Wall and research the Scout Ornithopter for flight.
Push Duraluminum for the Assault Ornithopter (up to four seats).
At Plastanium, build the Sand Crawler and Carrier Ornithopter for spice operations.

Sandworms are drawn to vehicle vibration and are invincible. A worm kill deletes the vehicle and everything on it. Stay on rock.
Sandstorms destroy unprotected vehicles in the open. Do not park exposed through a storm.
Do not sink resources into a big early base. Relocation is built into the progression.