- Anvil Empires blacksmithing turns iron ore fragments into weapon and tool parts at a Workshop.
- Core stations: Forge heats ingots, Anvil shapes them, Quenching Station locks quality.
- Tier 3 secret: Quench at the exact temperature per part type for maximum quality.
- Avoid overheating: Reheating a part to 100% resets it back into an iron ingot.
- Fuel matters: Branches burn 1 minute, planks burn 3 minutes in the Forge.
Anvil Empires Blacksmithing Overview
Blacksmithing in Anvil Empires is the production chain that keeps armies armed. Every sword, hammer, spear, and axe begins as raw iron ore smashed out of wilderness outcrops and ends as a finished weapon part on your quenching station. The craft revolves around three stations working together: the Forge for heating, the Anvil for shaping, and the Quenching Station for locking in quality. Master the temperature mechanics and you will consistently produce Tier 3 parts, the highest quality shown in the current smithing system.
Video Highlights:
- Full chain from flint pickaxe to finished iron hammer
- Exact quench temperatures for Tier 3 tool, sword, weapon, and axe parts
- How hammering sound changes signal that a part has cooled
- Why overheating a partially formed part resets it to an ingot
| Station | Purpose | Key Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Workbench | Craft flint tools and blanks | Basic materials: planks, fiber, flint |
| Furnace | Smelt ore fragments into iron ingots | Fuel for at least 1 minute per ingot |
| Forge | Heat ingots and parts for shaping | Planks give 3 minutes of fuel each |
| Anvil | Hammer heated ingots into part shapes | Part type must be selected first |
| Quenching Station | Lock part quality (Tier 1-3) | Water inside, correct temperature timing |
Place the Forge, Anvil, and Quenching Station close together. Since parts cool while you move, short walking distances between stations directly improve your output quality.
Gathering Ore and Smelting Ingots
Before any Anvil Empires blacksmithing happens, you need iron. Wild iron outcrops spawn around the map and are harvested with a flint pickaxe, crafted at a basic Workbench.
| Tool | Recipe | Crafted At |
|---|---|---|
| Flint Pickaxe | 3 planks, 2 fiber, 2 flint | Workbench |
| Flint Hammer | 2 planks, 2 flint, 1 fiber | Workbench |
| Blank | 1 plank each | Workbench |
| Iron Hammer | 2 blanks, 1 tool blade | Advanced Workbench |
Once you have ore fragments, smelting is straightforward:
- Press E to open the Furnace.
- Right-click the ore fragment stack to move it all at once.
- Add branches as fuel — one branch burns for about 1 minute.
- Three iron ore fragments smelt into one iron ingot.
Three ore fragments require at least one full minute of fuel to become an ingot. If the Furnace runs dry mid-smelt, production stalls until you add more branches or planks.
Step-by-Step: Forging Your First Part
Heat the Ingot
Open the Forge with E, place the iron ingot inside, and add a plank as fuel. Without Bellows boosting, the Forge caps at 50% on the heat bar. Wait for the orange heat bar to fill, then take the heated ingot.
Select the Part Type at the Anvil
Press E on the Anvil and choose a form: tool head (daggers, hammers), sword blade (swords), weapon head (spears and axe heads), or axe heads for pickaxes and axes.
Hammer the Ingot
Left-click the heated ingot onto the Anvil and hold the left mouse button to hammer. Listen closely: when the hammering sound changes, the part has cooled too much to shape further.
Reheat Without Resetting
Return the cooled part to the Forge and warm it back up, but stop before 100%. Reheating a partially formed part to full heat turns it back into a plain iron ingot.
Quench at the Right Temperature
Keep hammering until the model on the Anvil stops changing shape. Move the finished part to the Quenching Station (make sure it has water), watch the temperature gauge, and press Quench at the correct percentage for that part type.
If you leave a partially formed part off the heat too long, it reverts entirely to ingot form and all hammering progress is lost. Keep parts moving between Forge and Anvil.
Tier 3 Quenching Temperatures
Quenching judgment is what separates a Tier 1 part from a Tier 3 part. After the shape stops changing on the Anvil, the temperature gauge on the left side of the part determines quality. These are the proven targets for Tier 3 results:
| Part Type | Used For | Tier 3 Quench Point | Gauge Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tool Blade | Daggers, hammers | 25% | Bottom of the iron ingot symbol |
| Weapon Tip | Spears, axe heads | 10% | Well below the ingot icon |
| Sword Blade | Swords | 40% | Bottom of the upper ingot segment |
| Axe Blade | Axes | 55% | Slightly above the middle of the axe head |
Perfect Quench
- Tier 3 part (3+ quality)
- Temperature judged correctly
- Best weapons and longest tool life
Mistimed Quench
- Tier 1-2 part (1-2 plus quality)
- Quenched too early or too late
- Functional but weaker equipment
Hammer every part until its model visibly stops changing before quenching. Under-hammered parts cap below Tier 3 no matter how precisely you time the quench.
Assembler: Finishing Weapons and Tools
Once you hold a Tier 3 part, finishing the item is a production task. At the Advanced Workbench, combine blanks with your part. For example, an Iron Hammer requires 2 blanks and 1 tool blade and takes about 30 seconds to craft. Blanks are made one per plank at the standard Workbench.
Blacksmithing Milestones:
- Craft a flint pickaxe and harvest iron ore
- Smelt 3 ore fragments into 1 iron ingot
- Build a Workshop with Forge, Anvil, and Quenching Station
- Produce a Tier 3 tool blade (quench at 25%)
- Assemble an iron hammer at the Advanced Workbench
A single smith supplying Tier 3 parts can arm an entire squad. Stockpile planks for blanks and keep the Quenching Station filled with water so production never stalls.
FAQ
Q: What stations do I need for Anvil Empires blacksmithing?
You need a Forge to heat ingots, an Anvil to hammer them into shape, and a Quenching Station with water to lock in quality. A basic Workbench and Furnace handle tool crafting and ore smelting upstream.
Q: How do I get Tier 3 parts consistently?
Hammer until the model on the Anvil stops changing shape, then quench at the exact temperature: 25% for tool blades, 10% for weapon tips, 40% for sword blades, and 55% for axe blades. Mistiming the quench drops the result to Tier 1 or 2.
Q: Why did my partially hammered part turn back into an ingot?
Parts that cool too long off the heat revert to ingot form. Reheating a partially formed part to 100% heat also resets it, so warm parts back up gradually and stop before full heat.
Q: How hot does the Forge get without Bellows?
Without a Bellows boost, the Forge caps at roughly 50% of the heat bar. That is enough to work iron, but adding a Bellows raises the ceiling for faster heating.