On Small Tribes, where you build matters almost as much as what you build. A good spot gives you natural choke points, resources within reach, and turret angles that make raiding you more expensive than whatever's inside. These are the locations that consistently hold up across the main maps.
The Island has some of the most contested cave spots in the game. The major PVP caves offer enclosed spaces with narrow entrances - perfect for turret stacking. The downside: everyone knows about them, so expect competition. If caves are taken, cliffside builds in the mountains offer decent protection with good metal access.
Ragnarok is a favorite for Small Tribes because of its variety of defensible locations. The map has multiple caves and canyon systems that provide natural chokepoints. The desert region has hidden spots that are less contested than the main caves. Resource distribution is excellent across the map.
Extinction offers unique building opportunities. The city area has structures you can build on and around, and the Sanctuary has natural defenses. The tradeoff is that corrupted dino waves can damage structures in the wasteland areas. Building inside the city boundaries keeps you safe from corruption while giving access to Element Dust farming.
Aberration is one of the strongest maps for Small Tribes defense. The underground layout means no flyers (except in specific zones), which eliminates one of the biggest raid vectors. Cave spots in the bioluminescent and radiation zones are extremely defensible but require preparation to live in (hazard suits, light pets, radiation-immune tames).
Valguero has several strong cave locations and a mix of terrain types. The Aberration zone within Valguero gives access to Aberration resources without dedicating to a full Aberration server. Multiple cave systems offer defensible spots with varying levels of competition.
Use Heavy Auto Turrets - they're the meta for base defense
Stack turrets with overlapping fields of fire
Place turrets to cover every soak angle
Honeycomb your base (double or triple layer walls and ceilings)
Keep crafting stations and valuables in the most protected interior rooms
Once you have the spot, you still have to build on it. Our free starter house templates and PvE base templates place validated layouts with Template Hammer, so the first night's shelter is a few minutes rather than an evening of snapping.
Need help getting started? Our base kits come with everything you need - structures, turrets, ammo, and crafting stations. We also offer a base building service where we build the base for you. Join Discord to discuss your setup.
FAQ
Common questions
Are caves always best?
Caves can be strong, but they are predictable and often contested.
What should I pair with a location?
A base kit, turret layout, and anti-soak plan make the spot matter.
Can Layeh's help with setup?
The store has kits and custom services for getting established.
If the guide tells you the grind is bigger than the reward, the marketplace can turn that checklist into a private Discord ticket with availability confirmed before ordering, delivery timing and a clear quote.
Resource proximity - Being close to metal, crystal, and obsidian saves hours of farming runs
Use Heavy Auto Turrets - they're the meta for base defense