Council

Frostpunk 2 Laws affect the city in a wide variety of ways, from resource production efficiency and population growth, to reducing problems and increasing trust. Laws often begin as researched Idea Tree concepts, and then laws can be proposed negotiated, and come to a vote. In order for a law to pass, the Steward will have to sway at least 51 delegates to their point of view. Depending on the Factions balance some laws might be harder to push than others.

Mechanics

Building

The council itself is a building. It must be placed in the Central District (somewhere near the generator) for a nominal amount of Heatstamps and cannot be placed anywhere else. The council buildings consumes no resources after it is constructed and cannot be disabled or deconstructed. It also immediately gives the "Emergency Session" district ability to the district.

It is possible to click the factions and council members to see more information about them and their beliefs.

Laws

Laws may be explored at any time. If the council is in recess, text in the bottom left will allow exploration of the laws. Laws are organised into tabs based around aspects of the Zeitgeist such as Survival, Economy, and Society. Each tab is then subdivided into columns or sections around broad topic groups, like resource management or family values. Finally, there are specific issues which laws are designed to directly address. Each issue has laws designed to address it. Some laws must be researched before they will appear and can be voted on in order to apply it to an issue.

Selecting an issue will show the Laws available to address it. Likewise, hovering over an issue will show "alternative policies" for it. Issues generally start with "No common rules". Once approved by voting, one of the laws becomes "in force," and only one can be active at a time, but it is possible to vote on another law for that issue later on. If there is no law in force and at "no common rules" for too long there may be an event prompting the Steward and Council to address the issue.

Laws tend to have a name and individualised art, some flavour text about how it addresses the issue, and a list of effects on certain resources or city statistics. Next to the law, and an indicators about the general support or opposition to the law such as the Community or Faction that currently supports it (if any), a measure of the delegates current intentions before negotiations, and its impact on the Zeitgeist if successfully adopted.

After a law is passed, there may be additional events to amend the law or change its effects.

Voting

To pass a proposal, 51 votes must be achieved. Votes are based on factions. Some of the "hesitant" voters will go to each side. Negotiation and promises can be done with the factions. Alternatively, the Steward can "pressure" the delegates into accepting the law (there is no method to pressure against a law).

Proposals can be done about every 10 weeks between which council will be in recess and unavailable, but laws can be "explored" by a button at the bottom left.

A variety of quotes may be spoken depending on the success or failure of the proposal, and the voice may change if certain factions get a threshold amount of representation in the council (eg, female Nordic/Scandinavian voice for Icebloods):

• The votes are in the measure passes
• The ayes have it
• The delegates have spoken, the law takes effect
• The proposed law... has been approved

Survival laws

The Survival tab contains the topics of Resources, Frostland, and Efficiency. It concerns itself primarily with amassing Resources such as oil, coal, building materials, and food. The two opposing ideologies in this section are Adaptation and Progress.

Issues with laws available for voting at the start of the game include Food Additives and Goods, which impact their respective resources.

Resources

Food Additives

Chemical Additives

• Food production efficiency up significantly
• Disease increased marginally
• Synergy event with Chemical Drum Hothouse

Foraged Additives

• Food output based on population
• Synergy event with Biowaste Drum Hothouse

Goods

Mass Production

• Goods production increased

Durable Goods

• Marginally reduces goods demand per capita.

Waste Heat Conversion

Laws for this issue unlocked by research.

Heat Recycling

• Heat Output in Expanded Extraction District and Expanded Industrial District

Heat Reinjection

• Production Efficiency increased

Frostland

Scout Training

• Standard Scouts
• Pathfinder Scouts
• Mechanised Scouts

Outpost Organisation

• Standard Outposts
• Productive
• Resilient

Efficiency

Worker Shifts

Laws for this issue unlocked by research.

Unregulated Worker Shifts

Default Worker Shifts. Workplaces determine their own working hours depending on their specific needs.

• No effects

Machine-Adjusted Shifts

To put less pressure on workers, workplaces must keep machines powered around the clock and adjust working hours accordingly.

Weather-Adjusted Shifts

To protect worker health, workplaces must adapt working hours to the weather conditions.

New Work Model

Laws for this issue unlocked by research. Controversial law.

• Apex Workers
• Machine replacement

Economy laws

The Economy tab contains the topics of Welfare, Citizenship, and Labour. It concerns itself primarily with addressing economic issues such as housing, Heatstamps, work and labor, and population. The two opposing ideologies in this section are Equality and Merit.

Issues with laws available for voting at the start of the game include Basic Necessities and Outsiders, which impact Heatstamps and Population.

Welfare

Essentials

Issue unlocked at the start of the game.

Free Essentials

• Steward's Trust rises

Paid Essentials

• Generates Heatstamps

Contagion Prevention

Issue unlocked at the start of the game (or very early on).

No common rules

• No effects

Infection Badge

• Disease down
• Tension slightly up

Supported Quarantine

• Disease down significantly
• Shelter availability decreased (uncertain how this works, possibly reduces maximum shelter or simply causes more of it to be used)

Housing Distribution

Housing Queues

• No effect

Mandatory Crowding

• Equality ideology
• Shelter Availability significantly increased

Merit-Based Housing

• Merit ideology
• Heatstamps per capita slightly increased
• Shelter Availability significantly increased

Alcohol

Alcohol Rations

• No effects

City-Run Alcohol Shops

• Heatstamps per capita slightly

Privatized Alcohol Production

"Increased availability"

• Trust will rise slightly

Citizenship

Outsiders

Issue unlocked at the start of the game.

No Common Rules

There are no clear rules about who can settle in the City.

• No effects; after an event, may slightly decrease population growth.

Accept All Outsiders

• Population growth up

Allow Productive Outsiders

"We will establish clear selection criteria to encourage qualified outsiders to come and turn away the unproductive."

• Population growth marginally up
• Heatstamps income per capita marginally up

Admit No Outsiders

• Only unlocked by event (possibly Shelter shortage)
• Population growth greatly down

Community Service

Expedition Support

• exploration time improved

City Development Effort

• Materials output based on population

Service Exemptions

purchase an exemption from the city

• Heatstamps output based on population

Heatpipe Watch

• Heat demand down

Maintenance Duty

No Maintenance Duty

• No effects

All Do Maintenance

• Materials demand down significantly

Unproductive Do Maintenance

• Materials demand down slightly

Labour

Work Compensation

Laws for this issue unlocked by research

Unregulated Compensation

• No effects

Equal Pay

"Labour is labour and thus all will earn equally. This will eliminate discrepancies between the workers and the elite."

• Trust up, Heatstamps down
• Heat demand down

Efficiency Bonuses

• Production efficiency up

Labour Organisation

Laws for this issue unlocked by research.

Unregulated Labour Organisation

"Labour Organisation is determined by individual workplaces. The city is uninvolved."

• No effects

Mandatory Unions

• Mixed effects on Production efficiency, population food/goods Demands up, Trust up slightly

Labour Oversight

• Trust falls slightly
• Production Efficiency significantly up

Society laws

The Society tab contains the topics of Care, Family, and Crime. It concerns itself primarily with the tending to social issues such as crime, sickness, order, and population. The two opposing ideologies in this section are Reason and Tradition.

Issues with laws available for voting at the start of the game include Funerals and Childhood.

Care

Funerals

Harvesting Funerals

• Reduces disease
• Research Speed Up

Ceremonial Funerals

• Trust loss on deaths decreased.

Treatment

Laws for this issue unlocked by research

Unregulated Treatment

"The city does not interfere with medical treatment. Doctors treat patients as they see fit."

• No effects

Conservative Treatment

"Doctors must abide with the traditional oath of 'first, do no harm.' To avoid errors, every procedure must first be approved by senior physicians."

• Disease slightly reduced

Experimental Treatment

"Doctors should always look to develop and put into practice cutting-edge, pioneering treatments."

• Unlocks Medical Trial action, reduces disease marginally, Research Speed increased marginally

Family

Childhood

Issue unlocked at the start of the game.

No Common Rules

• No effects (at start of game?). Cannot swap back to this policy once another law for this topic has been accepted.
• After an event: "No rules define who is responsible for the care and education of children. Some are well cared for while others are neglected. As a result, misbehaviour and violence among the youth are on the rise."
  • Increases Crime.

Mandatory Schools

• Research Speed up, but costs Heatstamps per capita
• Iceblood amendment can change the research bonus to something else (food?)

Family Apprenticeship

• Workforce percentage up
• Amendment event "Unwanted Destiny" can relax the law to allow children to take apprenticeships with other families.

Youth

Dutiful Youth

"Young adults participate in volunteering activities under the superivision of elders who teach them moral values."

• Percentage of Active Workers slightly increased
• Crime is slightly decreased.
• Tradition ideology.

Liberated Youth

• Trust up slightly

Parenthood

• Parental Duties

Crime

Guard Immunity

Note: Radical law. Increases tension and takes longer to research.

Rule laws

This section enables "The Captain's Authority" and is in an ominous grey color compared to the rest of the interface. It contains controversial laws such as Martial Law, Political Police, and Militia.

×