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There is no single correct path in Chapter 5 of Frostpunk 2. The right choice depends on which outcome you want for New London and on what you have already built before the civil war breaks out. If you can remove the responsible faction and relocate it, banishment fits. If you can keep workable relations with both sides and meet their demands, reconciliation fits. If you have already prepared the Rule laws and can field the required Guard Squads, Enforce Order fits. Failing the objectives of the route you choose can end the game, so the decision should follow your preparation, not the option that sounds most appealing.
What Chapter 5 asks you to decide
Chapter 5 opens with an assassination that pushes the city into civil war. From that point the story offers three routes: banish the faction responsible, seek reconciliation, or enforce order. Which faction is involved depends on decisions you made earlier in the story. The walkthrough used as the main reference for this guide gives Faithkeepers as its example, so if your save played out differently, expect the same three routes with a different faction at the center.
The three routes compared
The table below sets out what each route requires and where it tends to break. Requirements are taken from a third-party walkthrough published 9 September 2024 and last updated 24 September 2024. Its numbers describe that game build and have not been independently checked against later patches.
| Route | Core objective | What you need | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banish the faction | Remove the faction from New London and direct it to a colony | A colony to receive the faction; the walkthrough names Windward Moor, south of New London, and describes improving it before transfer | Failing this route can end the game |
| Seek reconciliation | Control faction violence, negotiate peace with both sides, and meet their chosen demands | Good relations with both factions, several successful votes, and passage of the Peace Accords law | Delay or failure can lead to a game over |
| Enforce Order | Pass Captain’s Authority and use Secure Rule | Captain’s Authority unlocks after the other Rule laws; the guide reports a 67-vote threshold for these laws; Secure Rule requires 45 Guard Squads | The guide calls this the hardest route; Secure Rule is followed by a four-week wait and a containment choice |
Route by route
Banishment: remove and relocate
Banishment is the cleanest outcome on paper. The faction leaves New London entirely, which removes it from the city’s politics. The cost is that the colony must be ready to receive it. Windward Moor is the location the walkthrough names, and it needs to be improved before the transfer. If you start this route with an underdeveloped colony, you are betting that you can build it quickly enough. Because the guide warns that failure can end the run, check the colony’s state before committing rather than after the civil war has already begun.
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- POST-APOCALYPTIC SURVIVAL GAME: In Frostpunk, players will take on the role of leaders of a small colony of survivors in a post-apocalyptic world that was hit by a severe ice age. Their duty is to effectively manage both its infrastructure and citizens.
- STRATEGY BOARD GAME: Make the Laws, send out expeditions to uncover the fate of humanity in the frozen wastes, face the consequences of your actions in front of those you swore to protect.
- MULTIPLE PATHS TO VICTORY: The players will decide the fate of their people. Will you treat them like another resource? Are you going to be an inspiring builder, a fearless explorer, or a bright scientist? Is your rule going to be a sting of tyranny or an era of law and equality?
- HIGHLY VARIABLE: The core gameplay is brutal, challenging, and complex, but easy to learn. The citizens won’t just be speechless pieces on the board. Society members will issue demands and react accordingly to the current mood, so every decision and action bears consequences.
- NUMBER OF PLAYERS AND AVERAGE PLAYTIME: This board game is designed for 1 to 4 players and is suitable for ages 16 and older. Average playtime is approximately 120-150 minutes.
Reconciliation: keep both sides in play
Reconciliation asks more of your relationships than of your buildings. You have to suppress violence from both factions, negotiate with each, and deliver the demands each one sets. The route also depends on passing the Peace Accords law, which takes multiple votes. It works best if your current standing with both factions is reasonably balanced. If one side already distrusts you, a single broken promise can close this route off.
Enforce Order: the hardest route
Enforce Order is a sequence, and the order matters. Captain’s Authority only becomes available once the other Rule laws have passed, so you need those laws in place first. The guide recommends Guided Voting as preparation to help secure the votes. Once you use Secure Rule, you need 45 Guard Squads, and the route then imposes a four-week wait followed by a containment choice. Choose this route only if your Rule laws and security forces are already in place. The walkthrough’s author rates it as the most demanding of the three; that is the author’s assessment, not a measured result.
Rank #2
- THIS IS AN EXPANSION TO FROST PUNK THE BOARD GAME. This is not a standalone game. You will need the Frost Punk Base Game in order to play with this expansion.
- POST-APOCALYPTIC SURVIVAL GAME: In Frostpunk, players will take on the role of leaders of a small colony of survivors in a post-apocalyptic world that was hit by a severe ice age. Their duty is to effectively manage both its infrastructure and citizens.
- STRATEGY BOARD GAME: Make the Laws, send out expeditions to uncover the fate of humanity in the frozen wastes, face the consequences of your actions in front of those you swore to protect.
- MINIATURES EXPANSION: Upgrade the components in Frostpunk with this miniature expansion, which includes 120 plastic miniatures in 41 different sculpts, bringing the ultimate look of Frostpunk's last city of Earth to the tabletop. This expansion is purely of aesthetic nature and does not in any way influence the mechanics of the game.
- NUMBER OF PLAYERS AND AVERAGE PLAYTIME: This board game is designed for 1 to 4 players and is suitable for ages 16 and older. Average playtime is approximately 120-150 minutes.
How to decide
Work through these checks against your current save before picking a route:
- Outcome: Do you want the faction gone, both factions kept in the city, or order imposed by the state?
- Relations: Where do both factions stand with you right now? Reconciliation needs both to be workable.
- Colony: Can you improve a colony to receive the faction in time? If not, banishment is the wrong choice.
- Votes and laws: Have you passed the Rule laws needed for Enforce Order, or the Peace Accords needed for reconciliation?
- Guard Squads: Can you field 45 Guard Squads for Secure Rule?
If your save is already strained on relations, votes, or security, lean toward the route where you have concrete preparation, not the one that sounds easiest on paper. A route you can finish is more useful than an ideal outcome you cannot reach.
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Rank #3
- THIS IS AN EXPANSION TO FROST PUNK THE BOARD GAME. This is not a standalone game. You will need the Frost Punk Base Game in order to play with this expansion.
- POST-APOCALYPTIC SURVIVAL GAME: In Frostpunk, players will take on the role of leaders of a small colony of survivors in a post-apocalyptic world that was hit by a severe ice age. Their duty is to effectively manage both its infrastructure and citizens.
- STRATEGY BOARD GAME: Make the Laws, send out expeditions to uncover the fate of humanity in the frozen wastes, face the consequences of your actions in front of those you swore to protect.
- DREADNOUGHT EXPANSION: A deluxe upgrade to one of Frostpunk's most challenging scenarios, this expansion contains 1 plastic Giant Dreadnaught miniature that can be used to immerse yourself deeper into the game. This expansion is purely of aesthetic nature and does not in any way influence the mechanics of the game.
- NUMBER OF PLAYERS AND AVERAGE PLAYTIME: This board game is designed for 1 to 4 players and is suitable for ages 16 and older. Average playtime is approximately 120-150 minutes.
Context from the franchise’s design
The clearest statement of the design tension behind these choices comes from Aleksander Kauch, lead gameplay programmer at 11 bit studios, in an official developer update about the Order path in the original Frostpunk. He wrote: “You can try to be the noble one and listen to the people, no matter if they’re right or wrong, or you can believe that your cold-blooded calculations will prove valid over the course of survival.” That update concerns the first game, not Chapter 5 of Frostpunk 2, but it describes the same trade-off between listening to the population and optimising for survival.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What this guide does and does not establish
The route requirements above come from one walkthrough, written for a specific build. They are reliable as a starting point, but they may not match every later patch or every save. Check the in-game objectives on screen before committing, especially the vote counts and Guard Squad numbers, which are the figures most likely to change.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Cryptid-Themed Strategy Card Game: Experience a light strategy game for 2-4 players featuring cryptid characters, action cards, and skill-based play that adapts to your group's pace and style.
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Rank #4
- CATCH THE CHAMELEON: A bluffing board game where players must race to catch the chameleon before It's too late
- ONE SECRET WORD: In this board game for adults and family everyone knows the secret word - except for the player with the chameleon card
- DON'T GET CAUGHT: Use hidden codes, carefully chosen words, and a bit of finger-pointing to track down the guilty player... Before the imposter blends in and escapes!
- EASY TO LEARN, QUICK TO PLAY: Like all good family board games, it takes 2 minutes to learn and only 15 minutes to play. Recommended for 3-8 players and ages 12+
- MULTI-AWARD WINNING: "Best Party Game" At UK games expo. "Seal of excellence" From dice tower games. A perfect board game for adults and teenagers
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