What is the difference between rations and camping supplies?

Treat them as two separate checks. Rations cover the expedition’s food need; camping supplies support resting or recovery. The live item tooltip and camp interaction decide the exact recipe, consumption, duration, and effect in the current build.

Do not substitute one for the other just because both appear in the departure screen. If the run needs food, fix the food problem. If the run needs a safe recovery point, check whether the current camping item and interaction can actually provide it.

What should I check before leaving?

Set the expedition goal first, then check the party, equipment, food or rations, recovery option, camping supplies, carrying space, and return route. Confirm that the current settlement can produce the items without delaying the upgrade or research that makes the run possible. Pack for the goal and route, not for an arbitrary number.

Before relying on a camp, confirm that the party has the Basic Camping Kit or current equivalent and that the underground interaction is available. Keep Campfire, bed, food, and research requirements separate unless the current screen explicitly connects them.

When should I camp underground?

Camp when three things are true: the interaction is available, the current position is safe enough to use it, and recovery will help the party finish a worthwhile objective. A camp is a tool for completing a run, not a reward for having unused supplies.

After camping, read the party status again. If health, food, energy, mood, or route safety is still getting worse, stop spending supplies and leave. If the party recovered and the target is still worth the risk, continue only to the next planned checkpoint.

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Should I camp or return?

Return if the party already has the needed material, cannot handle the next encounter, or has a route home that is becoming unsafe. Return even when supplies remain; unused supplies do not prove that the next room is worth the risk.

Camp when it gives a healthy enough party a controlled recovery point and the objective is still ahead. Compare the recovery gained with the risk of extra dungeon stay, including food, energy, mood, enemy pressure, room position, and the distance to the exit or return option. The Dungeon Guide covers the wider push-or-retreat decision.

How much should I bring?

There is no useful fixed quantity for every party and route. Bring enough for the goal, the expected return point, and one recovery decision that the current UI supports. If the build does not show a reliable number, do not invent one; use the item tooltip and settlement screen to confirm the recipe and consumption before leaving.

If producing another kit delays food, equipment, or research, decide whether the extra stay is really the bottleneck. Sometimes the better preparation is a shorter expedition or a stronger party, not a larger stack of camping supplies. See Food & Mood for the food side and Settlement Guide for production choices.

What if camping does not solve the run?

Read the status panel after the camp. If the party is still losing food, energy, mood, recovery, or route safety, stop spending supplies and retreat. The camp succeeded only if it improved the next decision; staying underground longer is not the success condition.

After returning, compare what you expected the camp to do with what it actually changed. On the next attempt, change one variable: leave earlier, bring a different recovery option, choose a shorter goal, or fix the settlement production bottleneck. This is more useful than adding supplies without changing the route.