Beyond your walls Field notes / 08
Explore HearthHold: monsters, outposts and your first expeditions
Plan useful HearthHold expeditions. Inspect map targets, assess monsters and outposts, understand travel commitments and turn reports into better decisions.
The quick answer
Begin exploration by inspecting nearby map targets and their available actions. Match an expedition to a clear objective, check requirements and travel time, and read the resulting report before repeating it. Monsters and outposts belong to different systems; do not assume every map destination behaves the same way.
Learn the neighbourhood before choosing a target
Open the world map and inspect destinations near your town. Read the target information and the actions the game offers. A monster encounter, an outpost and another player's town are different decisions, even if they appear near each other.
Distance is part of the cost. A journey commits troops and attention while they travel. Choosing a nearby objective you understand can teach more than committing to a distant target simply because it looks impressive.
Do not infer ownership or safety from artwork alone. Use the actual target details and current rules shown by the game.
Give a monster expedition a purpose
Monster hunts provide rewards and materials. In these PvE encounters, attacker troop casualties become wounded rather than killed, though heroes can still be hurt. Ruin exploration is different: it sends a hero alone and carries injury risk. Inspect the encounter before preparing your force. Decide what you want from the expedition and whether the army and hero you can send are suited to it. The available action and report give you more useful information than a general claim that one army beats every monster.
Begin with decisions you can evaluate. After the encounter, compare the result with your expectation: what was committed, what happened and what should change next time? Do not keep repeating an unhelpful outcome without reviewing the report.
Budget for recovery and future development as well as the first departure. A successful expedition should fit into a kingdom that can keep functioning afterward.
Treat outposts as a progression decision
An outpost is founded on eligible nearby plain land, subject to Keep and Influence limits. It produces a chosen resource for its parent town; matching terrain adds a 25% production bonus. Outposts connect the wider map with your kingdom's development. Inspect the current requirements, ownership and available actions before making one part of your plan. Read any related quest objective carefully so that you know what counts as progress.
An oasis is a separate system: clear it, then occupy it with a hero and troops while you have an available Hall slot. Founding an outpost does not annex an oasis. Do not assume that reaching a destination completes every step. An objective may depend on a particular action or state. Check the relevant panel after the action and claim an available quest reward when its conditions are met.
Use your economy to support the next useful step rather than pursuing every visible outpost at once. A sequence you can afford and understand is easier to sustain.
A five-point expedition check
- Identify the target and the exact action you intend to take.
- Read requirements and available information.
- Check troops, hero availability and travel time.
- Consider what remains at home and what the expedition costs.
- Review the result before making the next commitment.
If teammates are involved, share the destination and timing before departing. If information is missing, get it before increasing the force. More troops do not automatically solve a misunderstood objective.
The hero guide helps with roles and availability. For player targets and defensive preparation, continue to the combat guide.
Common questions
Are monsters, outposts and player towns the same kind of target?
No. Inspect each target’s information and available actions. Their requirements and outcomes differ.
What should I do after an expedition?
Read the report, check troop and hero state, review the result against your objective, and inspect any related quest progress before repeating the action.
Written for the current beta and checked against the game's mechanics on 25 October 2026. Balance and availability can change. The live game shows current costs, requirements and effects.
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