Population

Settlement population is composed of **Children**, **Young Adults**, **Adults**, **Old Adults** and **Very Old Adults**.

### Children

Children are unable to perform tasks or operate in Professions, although it is not possible to assign them tasks they will automatically help with minor duties, such as carrying supplies. If a School or Advanced School is available Children will attend classes where they will focus their studies on either Productivity (greater profiency in Professions), Handling Tools (increased tool lifetime), Handling Clothing (increased clothing lifetime) or Badges (receive profession badges faster).

Children that have finished their studies become Young Adults. They become new workers that can now be distributed into Professions or assigned tasks. If provided with a suitable place to start a family they will seek to find a partner and help grow the population of the settlement.

### Adults

Fertile Adults help keep the population of the settlement growing. They can be rewarded with a Badge for the profession in which they were active the longest.

### Old Adults

Old Adults have lost their fertility and can no longer help to grow the population of the settlement. They are likely to be rewarded with a Badge for a specific Profession.

### Very Old Adults

Very Old Adultsare no longer fertile and will die any time soon. if there are free Settlers available in case of their death they can be replaced in their current Profession.

## Housing

There are two types of Housing structures in Endzone : Cabins and Shelters.

Cabins provides a suitable environment for Settlers to start a family and will result in the birth of new Children, a maximum of 3 per Cabin.

* Cabins can be upgraded to Sturdy Houses, and further to Comfortable Houses.
* Upgraded Cabins allow for larger families and more children.

Shelters are large shared living spaces that accomodate 25 Settlers, but do not provide sufficient living space for Settlers to start families, Children are not produced by Settlers living in Shelters.

* Shelters can be upgraded to Upgraded Shelters, and further to Comfortable Shelters.
* Upgraded Shelters also cannot produce offspring but do allow for larger populations and boost Settler confidence when connected to a power grid.

With each successive upgrade Cabins and Shelters become more resilient to Sandstorms.

## Population growth

Population growth depends on the rate of new births and Settler deaths. Having too many births will lead to thirst, starvation then death and not enough will lead to a lack of manpower and issues with resource production.

To avoid losing control of population growth it is advisable to build a Shelter reasonably early in the game after building your initial group of Cabins. Settlers will always choose to live in Cabins or Sturdy Houses as a priority when space is available to do so. When the population needs to grow faster, building new Cabins will allow the population to make more Children.

When constructed, the Forum allows settlement Decrees to be issued, the Birth Control Decree for example prohibits the birth of new children, reducing population growth for a limited duration of 3 seasons, children already born however continue to grow and become adults.