Captain of Industry drops you on an unmapped island with a damaged ship, a handful of settlers and a pile of scrap. MaFi Games put it into Early Access on 31 May 2022 and it pairs terrain deforming open pit mining with factory chains, a settlement that eats food and produces Unity, and a world map you sail yourself. Every machine and vehicle also burns maintenance, so a factory that cannot feed its own upkeep will tear itself apart.
Captain of Industry features distinct areas with increasing difficulty. This guide covers every major location in progression order: what to do, what to get, and when to move on. For the step-by-step path, see our walkthrough.
Area Progression Order
| Order | Location | Difficulty | Key Rewards | Recommended Build |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Home Island | Whole game | Coal, iron ore, copper ore, limestone, later quartz and uranium ore | Copper and electronics line |
| 2 | Oil Rig | Mid game | Crude oil supply, the route to diesel self sufficiency | Copper and electronics line |
| 3 | Groundwater Well | Mid game | Fresh water without the power cost of a Thermal Desalinator | Iron and steel line |
| 4 | Sawmill | Early to mid game | Steady wood income, charcoal without coal mining | Iron and steel line |
| 5 | Damaged Cargo Ship | Mid to late game | Additional trade ships, salvaged materials | Iron and steel line |
Home Island: Starting Area
Where all mining, farming and manufacturing happens. The terrain is fully deformable, so the pits you dig and the overburden you dump reshape your own buildable space permanently.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Whole game |
| Key Rewards | Coal, iron ore, copper ore, limestone, later quartz and uranium ore |
| Recommended Build | Copper and electronics line |
| Key Equipment | Blast Furnace |
What to Do Here
- Learn the basics of Terrain mining and dumping. This is where you practice without heavy punishment.
- Collect starting resources and your first equipment upgrade.
- Clear all main content before moving to Oil Rig.
- If you're struggling, read our beginner's guide.
Oil Rig: Early Game
A world map node claimed with Unity and serviced by your ship. Crude from here feeds the Distillation stages that produce diesel and everything downstream of it.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Mid game |
| Key Rewards | Crude oil supply, the route to diesel self sufficiency |
| Recommended Build | Copper and electronics line |
| Key Equipment | Blast Furnace |
What to Do Here
- Focus on mastering Maintenance upkeep. It's critical from this point on.
- Farm for Blast Furnace if you don't have it yet.
- Complete all objectives for maximum rewards.
- Prepare for the difficulty spike in Groundwater Well.
Groundwater Well: Mid Game
A world map source of fresh water, worth claiming once farms and steam demand outrun what rainwater harvesting and desalination can supply.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Mid game |
| Key Rewards | Fresh water without the power cost of a Thermal Desalinator |
| Recommended Build | Iron and steel line |
| Key Equipment | Blast Furnace |
What to Do Here
- This is the main skill check. Bring an optimized build.
- Mine Control Tower becomes accessible here. Prioritize getting it.
- Master Unity and edicts for the boss encounters.
- Check our boss guide if you get stuck.
Sawmill: Late Game
A world map node supplying wood, which feeds the Coal Maker charcoal route and the construction parts chain without clearing your own island forests.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Early to mid game |
| Key Rewards | Steady wood income, charcoal without coal mining |
| Recommended Build | Iron and steel line |
| Key Equipment | Mine Control Tower |
What to Do Here
- Full build optimization is expected by this point.
- Mine Control Tower should be your primary, fully upgraded.
- World map exploration mastery starts mattering here.
- Farm resources for the push into Damaged Cargo Ship.
Damaged Cargo Ship: Endgame
One of seven wrecks scattered across the world map. Each can be repaired into a working trade ship, which multiplies how much cargo you move per trip rather than how fast you move it.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Mid to late game |
| Key Rewards | Additional trade ships, salvaged materials |
| Recommended Build | Iron and steel line |
| Key Equipment | Mine Control Tower |
What to Do Here
- This is endgame. Best-in-slot gear and a perfected build are mandatory.
- See our boss guide for endgame fight strategies.
- The reward loop: clear content → upgrade → push harder content.
- Experiment with Steam power and cooling for variety once you've mastered the meta.
Exploration Tips
- Clear areas in order: Home Island → Oil Rig → Groundwater Well → Sawmill → Damaged Cargo Ship. Skipping areas means missing resources you'll need later.
- Check every corner: Hidden caches and secrets are often in non-obvious locations.
- Match your equipment: Some areas favor different equipment types.
- Read the walkthrough: Our walkthrough provides exact progression milestones for each area.
- Don't rush: Clearing an area fully gives more resources than speedrunning two areas.
More Captain of Industry Guides
- Captain of Industry Captain of Industry Overview
- Captain of Industry Best Builds
- Captain of Industry Tier List
- Captain of Industry Walkthrough
- Captain of Industry Beginner's Guide
- Captain of Industry Tips & Tricks
- Captain of Industry Weapons Guide
- Captain of Industry Combat Guide
- Captain of Industry Boss Guide
- Captain of Industry Crafting Guide
- Captain of Industry Classes & Characters
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