> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://machina-1.gitbook.io/machina-docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://machina-1.gitbook.io/machina-docs/llamas/the-lead-camel.md).

# The lead camel

By default your caravan follows **you**. Appoint a **camel** and it follows the **camel** instead — a moving anchor you can ride or park. Over time that camel becomes a **quartermaster** that tightens your whole supply line.

{% hint style="info" %}
Camels arrived in Minecraft 1.20. On a server without them, this role is simply off — everything else works exactly the same.
{% endhint %}

## Appoint a camel

Hold the **Drover's Stick** and **right-click a camel** — the same gesture you use to recruit a llama. Your caravan now trails the camel:

* **Ride it** for a mobile caravan — the herd flows along behind your mount.
* **Park it** as a base camp — the herd musters and waits at the camel.
* **Right-click it again** to stand it down — the caravan follows you once more.

The camel stays **100% vanilla** — we never drive it. You still ride, lead, and use it normally; only the llamas retarget. A straggler that needs rescuing musters to the camel, not to you.

## The quartermaster

An appointed camel earns **quartermaster tiers** as its owner **plays** — the same quiet, in-the-background clock as llama strength. There's no bar to grind and nothing to manage: the tier simply ticks up with your playtime.

Each tier tightens the supply line: while the camel leads, your **storage runs return faster** — up to **40% quicker** at the top tier. When you appoint the camel its current tier shows on your action bar, and a run that's been trimmed says so when it sets out.

{% hint style="success" %}
It's purely a bonus. A caravan with no lead camel runs on the normal timing — nothing about your storage changes, and nothing you've already earned is taken away. Stand the camel down and timing simply returns to normal.
{% endhint %}

## Tuning

Under `quartermaster` in [Configuration](/machina-docs/llamas/configuration.md):

| Key                    | Default | What it does                                                  |
| ---------------------- | ------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `enabled`              | `true`  | Turn the quartermaster role on or off.                        |
| `minutes-per-tier`     | `90`    | Minutes of playtime to earn one tier. `0` turns leveling off. |
| `max-tier`             | `5`     | The tier ceiling.                                             |
| `run-speedup-per-tier` | `8`     | % faster storage-run return per tier (tier 5 × 8% = 40% off). |

***

*Caravans is built by* [***Machina***](https://wearemachina.com) *— custom Minecraft plugins and more at* [*wearemachina.com*](https://wearemachina.com)*.*


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://machina-1.gitbook.io/machina-docs/llamas/the-lead-camel.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.