To build a FOB in WARDOGS, buy a Forward Operating Base from the vendor ($7,500 in Season 1), carry it to where you want your base, place it, and then build inside its radius with a hammer and supplies. The FOB is the anchor: bigger structures such as bunkers, mortars and drills can only go up inside a FOB’s radius, and which ones you can build depends on your hammer tier.
Below we cover what a FOB does, the hammer tiers, how supplies work, what to build, and the spawning question almost every new player asks.
What a FOB Does
A Forward Operating Base is a deployable item, not a structure you unlock by level. It is available from the start, and the official Season 1 changelog raised its price from $2,500 to $7,500 to make it “more of a choice.”
Outlets that transcribed the in-game description, including Dexerto and KeenGamer, quote it as “the logistical core of a friendly base whilst out in the field,” needed to build larger structures, able to hold items and resources, and providing a radius in which players can build. Reports say the FOB shows as a team-colored square on your minimap and does not have to sit inside the Control Zone. If the Control Zone and Hot Zone are new to you, our WARDOGS beginner guide explains them first.
Hammer Tiers
Everything is built with a hammer, and each tier unlocks more buildables. The official prices are from the Season 1 changelog; the tier contents are as reported by outlets including Sportskeeda and Power Up Gaming.
| Hammer | How to get it | What it builds |
|---|---|---|
| Small Hammer | Available from the start | Basic defenses such as sandbags and wire |
| Medium Hammer | Support track unlock ($25,000) | Adds heavier walls, doors and gates |
| Large Hammer | Support level 8 unlock ($75,000), then $2,400 per purchase | Everything, including mortars, anti-air, repair and refuel stations, and drills |
If you want to level Support quickly, building is how; see our progression guide.
Step by Step: Building a FOB
- Buy the FOB and a hammer at the vendor before deploying, plus Build Supplies.
- Get to your spot. Close to the Control Zone is useful, but it does not need to be inside it. A vehicle makes this far easier; our helicopter guide covers air transport.
- Place the FOB. KeenGamer reports it cannot be placed inside buildings, main bases or another FOB.
- Pick a buildable from the build menu, place its ghost, then hold left mouse with your hammer to construct it. PC Gamer and others report that hitting the yellow X markers speeds building up.
- Keep supplies flowing. Structures consume supplies, and teammates and pilots can deliver more.
Shacknews lists default build keys of V to dismantle, right click to rotate and B to toggle snapping.
Supplies
Outlets report four supply types: Build, Ammo, Fuel and Mechanical. Build Supplies go into construction; Ammo Supplies reload built weapons such as mortars; Fuel Supplies power drills and refuel stations. Ammo and Fuel supplies need to be within a FOB’s radius to be used. Exact supply costs per structure have not been published by BULKHEAD, so we are leaving numbers out rather than guessing.
Can You Spawn on a FOB?
No. Multiple outlets and players on the Steam forums agree a FOB is not a spawn point. Each team’s APC acts as the mobile spawn, and PC Gamer reports its driver earns cash every time a teammate spawns on it. Players have asked BULKHEAD for FOB spawning, but it is not in the game today. This is the most common FOB mistake: building a fortress far from the zone expecting the team to spawn there. Build where teammates will actually walk, drive or fly to.
What to Build First
- Sandbags and walls to make the FOB defensible.
- A repair or refuel station if your team runs vehicles.
- A mortar once you have a Large Hammer; see our mortar guide.
- A drill to pull the Hot Zone toward you. Outlets report drills run on Fuel Supplies and need the Large Hammer; our tower guide explains how drills and towers move the Hot Zone.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a FOB cost in WARDOGS? $7,500 at the vendor in Season 1, per the official changelog.
What hammer do you need for a mortar? The Large Hammer, which unlocks at Support level 8.
Is there a FOB limit per team? BULKHEAD has not published one, and we have not seen a reliable source that confirms a limit.
Does a FOB have to be inside the Control Zone? No. Outlets report you can place it anywhere suitable outside main bases and buildings, so a spot just outside the zone works.
Can you build with a controller? Shacknews reports a controller works for combat, driving and flying, but it does not single out building. Our controller guide covers what works on a pad.
Does building pay? Yes. Construction earns Support XP and cash, which makes building one of the steadier earners for new players. Our money guide covers the best earners, and the WARDOGS guides hub has the rest of the cluster.