Outbound Van Builds
Layout templates per chassis. Storage first, power second, comfort third \u2014 the order that survives the most patches.
Universal build principles
- Front: driver controls (locked), Saw Bench / Workshop access panel.
- Side walls: Storage Crates (vertical stacks) + small bench.
- Roof: Solar Panels + 1 Wind Turbine.
- Rear: Comfort modules (Bed, Stove). Door access.
- Underbay (with Lift): Rainwater Turbine + cold storage.
| Chassis | Build Tiles | Roof Slots | Underbay (Lift) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic | 12 | 4 | 0 — not Lift-compatible |
| Pathmaker | 10 | 3 | 2 |
| Big One | 18 | 6 | 4 |
| Schoolie (DLC) | 20 | 8 | 6 |
Build A \u2014 Classic Starter (early game, hours 0\u201310)
Goal: survive the first 10 hours, build the Workshop, get to Canyons.
- Front: Saw Bench (default) + 1 Storage Crate.
- Sides: 4 Storage Crates total.
- Rear: Bed + Stove + Workshop Tier 1.
- Roof: 2 Solar Panels.
- Free tiles: 2 (keep for spontaneous trophies).
Build B \u2014 Pathmaker Explorer (mid-game, hours 10\u201320)
Goal: navigate every biome, no parked base yet.
- Front: Saw Bench + Workshop Tier 2.
- Sides: 3 Storage Crates + Water Filter + Evaporation Rack.
- Rear: Comfort Bed + Stove + Fabricator (once unlocked).
- Roof: 3 Solar Panels (compact).
- Underbay (Lift T2): Rainwater Turbine.
Build C \u2014 Big One Hauler (resource grind)
Goal: maximum cargo per trip to Coast salt-flats or Canyons Electronics farms.
- Front: minimal \u2014 keep Saw Bench, swap Workshop to base.
- Sides: 8\u00d710 Storage Crate XL.
- Rear: Compact Bed only.
- Roof: 4 Solar Panels + 2 Wind Turbines.
- Underbay: 4 Cold Storage compartments (preserve Salt-cured food).
Build D \u2014 Schoolie Super Base (DLC, late game)
Goal: parked Coast base with every workbench and Reactor power.
- Front: Saw Bench + Workshop Tier 3 + Fabricator Tier 3.
- Sides: 6 Storage Crate XL, 1 Evaporation Rack \u00d74, Water Filter, Crafting Bench.
- Rear: Master Comfort Bed + Stove + Cooking Bench.
- Roof: 4 Solar Panels + 2 Wind Turbines + 1 Tidal Capacitor (if Coast).
- Underbay (Lift T2): Reactor Core + 2 Rainwater Turbines + Cold Storage.
Build E \u2014 Pathmaker Mountain Run (endgame T5)
Goal: bring back the 6 Rose Mineral nodes from Mountains alive.
- Front: Saw Bench + Insulated Cabin module.
- Sides: 3 Storage Crate XL + Water Filter.
- Rear: Comfort Bed + Stove + Insulated Cabin extension.
- Roof: 2 Solar + 2 Wind (Wind dominates in Mountains).
- Underbay: Rainwater Turbine + 1 Cold Storage.
Common van-build questions
What is the best van build in Outbound?
For exploration: 4×Solar + 1×Wind + Reactor Core late, on a Pathmaker. For hauling: 8×Storage Crate XL + 2×Solar on a Big One. For maxed parked base: full Workshop + Fabricator + Reactor Core + Insulated Cabin on a Schoolie.
How much build space does each chassis have?
Classic: 12 tiles + roof. Pathmaker: 10 tiles + roof. Big One: 18 tiles + roof + 4 underbay (with Lift). Schoolie: 20 tiles + roof + 6 underbay (with Lift).
Can I copy van builds between saves?
No — saves are isolated. You can screenshot a layout and rebuild it manually, which takes about 10 minutes for a typical mid-game build.