Quick answer
Use All Hands on Deck as a short recovery lever when a visible resource drain is higher than its supply. It can increase the carrying or production effort, but it also consumes more available labor. Turn it back off after the reserve stabilizes; the game does not give you a universal setting that is best for every building.
Version and source notesUpdated 2026-09-06 · Within source review window
- Updated
- 2026-09-06
- Works with
- Current PC production and fetch routes
- What this guide covers
- Recovery checklist separates official behavior from community observations
- Version notes
- Boost values and warning indicators may change after updates
- Update status
- Within source review window
When it is worth trying
- Select the building that reports the shortage, not a random upstream workplace.
- Record the current stock, drain, and available Drifters.
- Turn on All Hands on Deck for one affected resource.
- Watch one complete delivery or production cycle.
- Turn it off if the shortage is solved, labor becomes the new bottleneck, or upkeep worsens.
The official FAQ describes All Hands on Deck as an option when production is below drain. Recent player discussions also describe it as a way to assign extra fetch capacity. Those are different symptoms, so check whether the missing item is production or transport before enabling it.
Do not leave it on by accident
Community feedback repeatedly mentions forgetting which buildings have the mode enabled. Use the game's warning or information layer to make the state visible, then include it in your end-of-session check. A building that looks healthy after a temporary boost can hide a labor shortage elsewhere.
A safer recovery order
- First check the source stock, output storage, and route color.
- Next shorten a long connection or add a warehouse buffer when several consumers compete for one source.
- Use All Hands on Deck for the smallest affected branch.
- Recheck beds, food, drink, and open jobs after the cycle.
- If the same resource repeatedly drains, open production chains or warehouse logistics instead of stacking more labor.
What success looks like
The intended consumer receives the resource, the source is not emptied instantly, and the settlement keeps enough workers for essential jobs. If only one building improves while another camp loses workers, undo the boost and diagnose the network.
Sources and caveat
The All Hands on Deck behavior is described in the developer FAQ; the warning-layer reminder and transport examples come from community discussions. Exact production values, connection counts, and balance can change by patch and building, so this is a recovery checklist rather than a promised ratio.