Read the failure signal before spending a resource
A species portrait shows current and projected Resolve. The publisher-hosted Wiki explains that a species at zero or below can lose villagers after its red departure timer completes; losing workers can then disable food, fuel or event work. This is an emergency for the affected species, not automatically for every species in town.
Hover the Hostility display and inspect the Storm's active mysteries. Hostility changes in levels; the beginner reference describes a level change at each 100 points. A source's static number is less reliable than the meter in your current settlement because difficulty, events and perks change inputs.
- Pause at the start of the Storm or when a species' projected Resolve approaches zero.
- Read that species' current and projected Resolve, departure timer, and the active Storm mystery or event effect.
- Hover Hostility to find the changeable contributors; check whether removing one or more woodcutters would lower a level.
- Confirm that the Hearth is lit, has fuel and a Firekeeper; correct a failed fuel chain before using a temporary boost.
- Reassign woodcutters for the Storm, then recheck projected Resolve. Restart woodcutting after the danger passes if fuel and construction still need it.
References: Against the Storm Official Wiki: Beginner's Guide · Against the Storm Official Wiki: Woodcutters' Camp · Against the Storm Official Wiki: Hearths
Choose a response from the cause, not the symptom
Woodcutters raise Hostility while assigned, with an amount that varies by difficulty. Removing them is a reversible way to lower the displayed meter; it is not a universal command to stop all wood production for a whole season. The Firekeeper's job is a separate dependency: if the Hearth goes out, all species receive a severe penalty.
Some Glade Events impose working effects that may raise Hostility or reduce Resolve. If an event is already active, inspect its timer and working effect before assuming woodcutters explain the whole change. Do not blindly sacrifice scarce Hearth fuel if the settlement can stay safe by reassigning a worker.
| What the UI shows | First check | Low-regret response |
|---|---|---|
| Hearth unlit or out of fuel | Fuel stock, Firekeeper, delivery route | Restore the fuel chain; then recheck species projections |
| Hostility just above next level | Hover the meter and woodcutter contribution | Temporarily unassign enough woodcutters to cross back below that level |
| Only one species at or below zero | That species' needs and departure timer | Target its unmet need or reversible favoring; watch other species too |
| Resolve drops during event work | Event working effect and remaining timer | Plan for the effect's remaining duration; do not confuse it with permanent baseline Hostility |
References: Against the Storm Official Wiki: Beginner's Guide · Against the Storm Official Wiki: Woodcutters' Camp · Against the Storm Official Wiki: Hearths · Against the Storm Official Wiki: Glades
Worked example: one worker can cross a level
Illustrative arithmetic, not a measured settlement: your Hostility is 96, and the hovered display says an assigned woodcutter contributes 12 points at your difficulty. If removing that worker takes the current total below 100, it may drop a Hostility level and turn off a level-triggered Storm penalty. Read the meter again after the change; other contributors may move while time passes.
This example does not claim that every woodcutter gives 12 points or that one level always saves the species. If the projected Resolve remains negative, inspect the specific need and active effects. Favoring one species can reduce others' Resolve, so check every portrait before relying on it.
References: Against the Storm Official Wiki: Beginner's Guide · Against the Storm Official Wiki: Woodcutters' Camp
Record the first effective change
For a reproducible question, note the difficulty and biome, the Hostility value and level before and after staffing changes, affected species' projected Resolve, active mystery, Hearth status and any event effect. That distinguishes a failed intervention from a correct intervention that was too small.
This route aims to prevent a cascading departure during one Storm. It does not replace a longer food, housing or service-production plan.
Difficulty / biome / game build:
Hostility before -> after; woodcutters assigned:
Hearth fuel and Firekeeper status:
Species current -> projected Resolve / departure timer:
Active mystery or event effect:
One change made and observed UI result:Before you play
- Read projected Resolve and the actual Hostility breakdown.
- Check Hearth fuel and Firekeeper before emergency boosts.
- Temporarily reassign woodcutters only when the meter shows it helps.
- Recheck every species and its departure timer after each change.
Frequently asked questions
Should I remove every woodcutter every Storm?
No. Remove enough to change a harmful Hostility level if the displayed meter supports it, while keeping the settlement's fuel needs in view.
Why are villagers leaving after I lowered Hostility?
Another need, Hearth outage, mystery or event effect may still keep projected Resolve at or below zero. Read the affected species' portrait and timer.
Sources & revision notes
Editorial revision: September 24, 2026. Source notes give the scope of each reference; the revision date is not a gameplay test date. Official documentation describes the publisher's system; community sources can contain errors. Use your installed game's own descriptions when they disagree.
- Against the Storm Official Wiki: Beginner's Guide (Community)
Publisher-hosted, community-edited beginner reference checked September 24, 2026. Its suggested year-two opening is strategy, not a rule for every biome or difficulty.
- Against the Storm Official Wiki: Woodcutters' Camp (Community)
Publisher-hosted community reference checked September 24, 2026 for woodcutter staffing and difficulty-dependent Hostility. Perks and world modifiers can change the displayed total.
- Against the Storm Official Wiki: Hearths (Community)
Publisher-hosted community reference checked September 24, 2026 for Firekeeper and fuel dependencies; verify the active Hearth status in your settlement.
- Against the Storm Official Wiki: Glades (Community)
Publisher-hosted community reference checked September 24, 2026 for event requirements, consequences, worker slots, choices and working effects. Event variants are not interchangeable.
Published an original first-Storm diagnostic with a reversible worker check, cause-to-action table and explicitly illustrative threshold arithmetic.
How we research and correct guides