Red Dead Redemption 2 guide to the gang’s camp

Your gang’s camp in Red Dead Redemption 2 is your base of operations. You’ll keep coming back here between missions to sleep, resupply or even just to shave. While there’s a whole world of things to do in the game, your camp is a microcosm of those options and, well, it’s home. It’s also confusing.

Your camp is never really explained in the game — you’re just kind of dropped there at the start of Chapter 2 and left to figure it out yourself. We’re here to lay out what’s in your camp, what you can do there and how to improve it.

People, icons and supplies

Most of the icons around the camp are places for you to restock on supplies like tonics, provisions and ammunition. The availability of these items depends on how well-supplied your camp is — and that depends on what you donate. (Technically, it depends on what the gang collectively donates, but let’s face it, you’re going to do most of the donating.)

Rockstar Games via Polygon

Anytime your camp is low on supplies, these icons will be grayed out, and you won’t be able to pick up anything there.

1. Health supplies. You can visit Strauss’ wagon to pick up things like health tonics.
2. Butcher. The camp butcher and cook, Pearson, acts like a butcher in any town, except that the items you turn in — like pelts and meat — raise money for the camp, go toward crafting upgrades (more on upgrades below) or get turned into provisions.
3. Provisions. Pearson will turn the hunting items you donate (see: meat) into provisions that you can pack into your satchel. Like other wagons, supplies here depend on how well your camp is stocked.
4. Grub. You can visit the stew pot to grab a quick, free meal and some coffee. There’s always coffee to refill your dead eye core, but you’ll have to wait a while between helpings of stew — the icon will disappear until there is more stew ready for you. It shows up after 12 p.m.
5. Games. Depending on who’s around, you might be able to play various minigames, like five-finger fillet, dominoes and Texas Hold ’em, at tables in camp.
6. Donate to camp. As part of the gang, you’re expected to tithe (donate) some of your loot and cash for group use. You can do either thing here. Later, after you finish the debt collecting mission in Chapter 2, you’ll also find the ledger here, where you can upgrade various parts of your camp.
7. Arthur’s tent. This is where you go to change your clothes and manage your outfits, as well as shave and sleep. (This icon will actually be named based on where your camp is, such as Horseshoe Overlook.)
8. Ammunition. You can head here to pick up ammo. If you, however, followed our “loot everything” advice in our Red Dead Redemption 2 beginner’s guide, this shouldn’t be a big concern.

Upgrading your camp

After you complete Strauss’ “Money Lending and Other Sins” side mission(s) during Chapter 2, there will be a ledger next to the camp’s donation box. Here, you can spend the camp’s money (and your own) to upgrade various things around the camp.

Rockstar Games via Polygon

Here’s how the ledger works:

• The first few pages of upgrades will improve the resupply selection at the medical and provisions wagons for $30 each, and the ammunition wagon for $60. You can continue upgrading each wagon further (for a little more money).
• You can also upgrade Dutch’s tent for $220, which will improve morale and increase the donations from your fellow gang members. After that one is completed, you can upgrade Arthur’s tent for $325 to add a fast travel option to your wagon and some new grooming supplies for your horse. After those upgrades, you can improve everyone else’s tents.
• The last page has options to add a horse station, so you can swap out stabled horses from camp; a chicken coop, to add a dead eye buff to the camp stew; and leather working tools so Pearson can craft improved satchels for you. (You’ll get even more options later.)

Keeping your camp well-stocked

Rockstar Games via Polygon

Every time you enter camp (or when you tap down on the D-pad), you’ll notice three icons in the top right corner. They indicate how well-stocked your camp’s medical supplies, ammunition and provisions are. Red icons mean your camp is low, white means you’re OK, and yellow means you’re well-stocked.

Rockstar Games via Polygon

How well-stocked your camp’s wagons are is really up to you. In the ledger, you’ll have the option to restock the three supply wagons (for a price). Since Arthur is in charge of the camp’s finances, he decides when the money gets spent to restock the shelves.