Hi y'all, I just want to share some things I learned after playing A LOT of this game. Note, I am no pvp God and I try to play longer than a few days. Let's get to the base first, then talk about playstyle. 

The core is a foundation bunker. 

The TC is in a triangle framed window. I use this because a reinforced window is very annoying to blow though just to get a TC. The frame doesn't stop players from looting, but it does add protection from entering into the base from the window. 

Three furnaces do everything I need. I tuck them into the half wall triangle framed honeycomb on the top right. Two notes here. 

Note 1. The frame must be twig to place 3 furnaces, then you can upgrade the frame. 

Note 2. "Splash bug" if you build a half wall and a frame off of it while standing inside the base, that frame will get splash damage from rockets hitting the outside. You must build this frame from the outside in. 

The vending machine area acts as the front door during the early hours of play. I use the vending machine because it secures the honeycomb much more than a shelf, barrels, and a door. You can place an armored door in front of this vending machine and place good loot in it, not accessible at all to anyone. 

Note 1 In order to place the vending machine without gaps, upgrade the floor and door frame to sheet.

Storage and start of my playstyle- There's not a lot of storage here. And that's on purpose. I recycle all the extra loot. I don't keep more than 1 box of gear and 1 box of guns. 1 small box for tools, 1 small box for comps, 1 small box for cards. 1 small box of placeables. This method works extremely well for me being a minimalist. I have a small box that I keep close to the bunker with stuff to quick seal the base. 

Upgrading- i upgrade the core to sheet and hide it with stone honeycomb as soon as I can. Usually at this point, I skip the sheet and go start to hqm. 

When I place my t3 that I worked so hard to achieve, I immediately place an external tc. I use two garage doors and a reinforced window with a sheet external. No one will waste 7 rockets to pick up your workbench. 

Playstyle- i build next to others. I want raiders to have much more better options than my key locked base. 

I build next to train tracks and next to a tier 2 monument, or harbor. I want access to the whole map quickly and I want the recycler to be really close. I want the tier 2 loot constantly. Especially when starting out. 

I don't let anyone know where I live. These guys will respawn close after losing a fight and follow me home. Then they might raid me or doorcamp me.  Living in a small base, this is a high priority, and I've gotten very good at it. 

Big teams last an average of 3-5 days. If they live next to me, I got two options, keep my head low or make them my friends. Being antisocial I just leave them alone. Their base will soon be decaying and I'll be left to reap the rewards of the area without them bothering me.  Trios and duos get raided pretty quickly. If they bother me I just secure my base and leave the game for a while. They'll get into trouble with some big team and lose it all.

I recycle just about every piece of loot I get until I reach workbench level 2. There's just nothing I need on workbench level 1.  Ladder tools and wall. I stay crossbow nail gun until I get my fragments. By that time I got so much hqm, frags, and scrap, I can research all the way to sar and I'm in the game. After this point, is when I'll hit my first sulfur node, and collect gun parts if I didn't stash a couple back

Probably not gonna expect this but I got a rule, and that's that I wear my best gear, no matter what. Its what makes me not have gear fear, ever. Sometimes I lose it all, oh well. 

Idk just wanted to share. For those that read this and got something out of it, hell ya. For those that think I'm an idiot, that's cool too. What y'all think? Curious on how other solos do it. 

My all time go to starter as a 10k solo. With random advice.