Felling and cutting trees with the harvester in Timber Haul
To fell a tree in Timber Haul, park the harvester close to the yellow tree, choose Reach selected tree, grip the trunk and hold Hold to fell until it falls. Then choose Next cut again and again: the harvester head feeds the trunk and cuts it into logs of the best length. Each log is sorted as a sawlog, pulpwood or energy wood.
This page explains every harvester step and the rules the head uses to sort logs. The buttons for keyboard, controller and touch are on the controls page.
Step by step: from standing tree to logs
- Choose a tree. The selected tree is yellow. Next tree (T) picks another standing tree. You can also pick one by number on the Map & machines panel, where each tree shows its kind and thickness, like "4 · pine · 34 cm". Or click or tap near a tree in crane mode.
- Drive within reach. Follow the strip road. The Next stop box shows the distance. You need to park within about 8 metres of the trunk.
- Park. Press Drive / crane. The crane is now yours.
- Reach. Choose Reach selected tree. The head moves to the bottom of the trunk. If it says "Park within reach of the selected tree.", drive a little closer.
- Grip. Choose Grip / release stem. The message says "Hold Fell to cut the stump. Keep holding until the tree is down."
- Fell. Hold Hold to fell. The saw cuts for a second or two, then the tree falls. Keep holding the whole time. If you let go, the saw pauses, and it carries on where it stopped when you hold again.
- Make logs. Choose Next cut. The head feeds the trunk forward to the best length and cuts. "A fresh log! Feed and cut the next section." Repeat until the trunk is finished.
When the trunk is done, the head is free and the next standing tree is selected for you.
Next cut or Cut here?
| Button | What happens | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Next cut (E, B on a controller) | The head picks the most valuable log length, feeds the trunk and cuts by itself. | Almost always. It is quick and it pays well. |
| Cut here (R, Y on a controller) | The head cuts at the length you fed with Feed and Feed back. | When you want to choose a length yourself. |
For Cut here, hold Feed (W) to push the trunk through the head, and Feed back (S) to pull it back. The feed moves 2 metres per second. You must feed at least 1 metre first, or the game says "Feed at least one metre before cutting here."
While the head holds a trunk, the guide line at the bottom shows the Cutting choices: the three best lengths, each with the money that log would be worth. It also shows how far you have fed.
The eight log lengths
Next cut picks from these lengths: 3.0 m, 3.7 m, 4.0 m, 4.3 m, 4.6 m, 4.9 m, 5.2 m and 5.5 m. It chooses the one that earns the most money for each metre of trunk. When less than 3 metres of trunk are left, the tree is finished. A top piece of 1 metre or more becomes one last small log of energy wood.
How logs are sorted: sawlogs, pulpwood and energy wood
The head sorts every log by tree kind, length, thickness and faults. These are the rules the game uses:
| Kind of timber | Which trees | Length | Thickness at the thin end | Other rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pine sawlog | Pine | 3.7 to 5.5 m, in steps of 0.3 m | At least 14 cm | No crook |
| Spruce sawlog | Spruce | 3.7 to 5.5 m, in steps of 0.3 m | At least 14 cm | No crook |
| Conifer pulpwood | Pine or spruce | 3 to 5.5 m | At least 6 cm | A crooked log can be pulpwood |
| Birch pulpwood | Birch | 3 to 5.5 m | At least 6 cm | Birch is never a sawlog |
| Energy wood | Any tree | Any length | Any | Everything else, like thin tops |
A crook is a bent part of the trunk. About one tree in five has one. A log with a crook in it can never be a sawlog, so it becomes pulpwood or energy wood. A trunk gets thinner towards the top, so the first logs from the bottom are usually the most valuable.
When you use Cut here, the same rules apply. A length that is not one of the sawlog lengths can only become pulpwood or energy wood.
What each kind is worth
Sawlogs are worth the most, then pulpwood, then energy wood. The prices for each cubic metre, and which mill takes each kind, are on mills, weighing and pay.
Where the logs go
The cut logs fall into small forest piles next to the tree, with sawlogs, pulpwood and energy wood in separate piles. The forwarder picks them up from there. See loading logs with the crane.
Each cut also leaves branches on the strip road beside the tree. These branches help carry heavy machines on soft ground after the thaw. Read more in winter, thaw and money.
The trees in each forest
| Forest | Trees in the forest | Mix of trees | Trees to cut for the goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pine Heath | 30 | Mostly pine, a little spruce and birch | 8 |
| Spruce Slope | 36 | Mostly spruce, a little pine and birch | 10 |
| Mire Edge | 40 | Pine, spruce and birch, all mixed | 14 |
Trees are about 14 to 22 metres tall and about 26 to 46 cm thick at the bottom. Each forest always grows the same way, so the same trees are there every time you start.
Harvester problems and fixes
| Message or problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| "Park within reach of the selected tree." | Drive closer to the yellow tree, then park again. |
| The tree does not fall | Keep holding Hold to fell until it is all the way down. |
| "Feed at least one metre before cutting here." | Hold Feed before you choose Cut here, or use Next cut. |
| "Finish or release this stem before changing forests." | Finish cutting the trunk before you move to another forest. |
| "Your machine needs fuel or repairs at the workshop." | Drive to the workshop and use Fill fuel tank or Repair machine. |
See also
- The three machines: what the forwarder and truck do with your logs.
- Mills, weighing and pay: how much each log earns.
- Advanced tips: cut for the mill you plan to use.
- Play Timber Haul and fell your first tree.
