Raiding Ruins

[amardj]

When you guys go hunting for ancient science books and the likes in all those really, really horrifying, angry robot and acid filled areas, do you normally go stealth or guns (swords) blazing? I have a really powerful character with good stealth who can easily get around broke skellies and security spiders, but it kind of feels like cheating. Likewise after that first hit from a security spider, the game feels like its cheating. How do you guys prefer to go after ruins?

[Hans]

I personally had a super stealth ninja that looted everything and I avoided fighting at all costs. I learned this the hard way when I triggered pretty much the entire ruin of spider bots and would have lost my entire party if my ox didn't shred them with AoE damage. They're better fought 1v1 to avoid the insane splash damage they cause, so you can definitely try and lure them if your stealth ninja/robbing them blind strategy feels too cheesy.

[Hobo Misanthropus]

Always combat, stealth is for cowards.

Security bots are perfectly manageable with a party of 10 people with 30ish stats, and become child's play at 50ish stats. If you rush one person's strength to 64, you can claim yourself the Meitou Moon Cleaver from the Nature Cultists and potentially (About 1/2 chance) one shot security spiders. At that point, you just need any skeleton to tank hits (Not absolutely necessary, but skeletons have less down time), and one runner to pull and divert any swarms you accidentally grab. Using this method I cleared out the Spider Factory with my highest character's combat skill in the low 30's. Set up a base camp on a small hill to rest your fighters between waves, keep an eye out for patrolling Iron Spider hordes (The real threat) and lure 1-2 security spiders out at a time. Kill them, immediately loot them (I take out the Skeleton Muscle) to permakill, and repeat. Enjoy early AI cores.

Ideal security spider battle group is 4 people. 1 Tank, 1 Damage dealer (ideally with a powerful cleaver like Paladin Cross) and two archers. Keep the two melee opposite eachother so there's no AOE shared damage. You can have your tank set in block mode to mitigate some damage, but these security spiders love to rip limbs off (often a good thing) and they skyrocket your Toughness.

Never let them get near anyone with less than 25 toughness if these people do not have perfect armor coverage (100% coverage rating of the vitals) because one roll of the dice and it's an instant kill. Many Bothans Hivers died to bring you this information.

[The Pollie]

Murder everything, so I can search at my leisure.

[Egro]

Usually I just cheese it with crossbows... :D

[Pyrrhus]

A character with strength 75 and stealth 90+, including stealth gears, and carrying a packbull to fill up loots. You can loot chests and safes straight to packbull after switch from access by your character that does the carrying.

[Hobo Misanthropus]

Kenshi's built on an internal linear progression curve, there's no reason to cheat the system if you don't need to or want to.

Stage 1: Dumpster Tier - Don't even bother with research artifacts. Buy whatever items you need through scavenging battlefields

Stage 2: First Battles - Unless you're going for some strange meta game (Solo, or odd challenge) When everyone has Refitted weapons (or better) and Blue or Better armor (standard, not shoddy) You can take on your first real battles. These enemies will be the local banditry of the starting regions. Black Dragons, Rebel Outlaws, Sand Ninjas, Dust Bandits. Test the waters and train on the roaming patrols, When you are confident at killing the larger roaming groups, you can make a plan to attack a base. In here you'll usually find your "Break Out" loot, including likely your first Edgewalker/Specialist grade stuff, and possibly a Meitou. Sand Ninjas are the hardest of these groups, with Simion's rebels being a close second strangely. (Mostly because of the proximity of roaming patrols)

Stage 3: Expeditionary Force - After you've beaten one of the major bandit clans, you're probably geared and ready to purge Darkfinger of Cannibals. While cannibals are easy, they can eventually swarm you, and unlike most enemies, they take you back to permakill eventually, so Failure isn't really an option as it is with bog standard banditry. Completely purging Darkfinger can yield some excellent mid-grade loot from the various Cannibal villages, frequent high grade equipment without the need to train a smith or buy expensive blueprints. You're likely to find your first Ancient Science books in Darkfinger, as there's a Lost Library with no protection aside from a high level lock, but you'll probably have tools.

Stage 4: Colonialism ho! - Now is the time to consider a base, or put down roots in a city at the very least. I prefer to buy the tower in the Grey Desert Waystation, because it's in the middle of a lot of early-mid game points of interest. From there you can train a smith and craft high quality dustcoats for an eventual excursion into the Deadlands/Iron Valley, and raid one of the two weaker factions of Venge for some good tech and artifacts. Frequent hunts into nearby Gut to claim Beak Thing eggs and train some of your new bodies helps keep the coffers full, and your soldiers blooded and battle ready.

Stage 5: The Worst Archaeologist Ever - Now is the time you're probably Battle hardened and ready to raid ancient ruins. If you're basing yourself in Grey Desert like Me, your two juiciest raids are going to be the Forbidden Isle Sites (Likely your first AI cores are here) and the Deadlands (you can find some edge/masterwork stuff in the armories, and there's a trick to making it much easier). Now is also the time you probably want to establish a permanent "Homestead" group whose focus is only on production. This is also probably the most drawn-out time of the normal game. There are many ruins to plunder, and you may relocate your base of operations once or twice (I often migrate to the swamps in order to access the more westerly sites) At this stage, you might also have a new 10+ Squad of green recruits that you can repeat the first 3 stages with all over, except this time, in the starting region you neglected. (IE if you started in Holy Territory, your new squad will romp and clear UC while your veterans attack ancient ruins)

Stage 6: I'm from Buenos Aires The Hub and I say Kill em All! - After you've recovered much of the ancient technology, established your own stronghold, and trained 20+ veterans, you're ready for War with one or more of the major factions of the game, and an assault one one or more of the local legends of Kenshi, including Mad Cat-Lon, The Bugmaster, and any one of the hordes of high level bandit clans.


And that's the cycle of the game really, tl;dr - Don't need to feel pressured to get Ancient Science books or other research artifacts early. You can cheese the game and grab them if you want, but it's not necessary.

[Pyrrhus]

Players can always reloot ruins after import without keeping researches for redo when their stats are ready for security spiders. Stealth is good for characters with early stats cuz it takes longer time to grind several other stats for heavier combats.

[mk_thot]

Buy a wooden backpack (or two) and fill it/them with iron plates. Go to the ruin you want to plunder and set up a line of crossbow turrets (at least 4). Send one fast runner into the ruins to aggro a spider and have it chase them out into your turret line. The turrets will shred them quickly, and you don't have to waste any bolts. Repeat for each spider. You don't even need very high turret skills as long as you have enough people manning them. Plus you usually make back the plates you used plus extra from looting the corpses. Just make sure to have a couple good melee characters, in case the spiders get too close.

[angrytrex]

Equip your raiding party well and the security spiders are not a big deal. A well equipped party of 5-10 should be able to handle it with skills in the 30's. A well equipped solo character with skills in the 70 range shouldn't have any problem going alone. The equipment quality makes a big difference though. Get at least specialist stuff through armor crafting.

[Endgunner]

I train green in stealth and give him an eagle`s cross just in case.

[Sotanaht]

I did it all with combat, but stealth is probably much easier. The stealth skill itself is easy to train, especially early in the game when you can't survive actual combat anyway, and with 100+ skill (after armor mods) you are basically invisible even in full light/LOS.

[amardj]

Originally posted by Hobo Misanthropus:

Kenshi's built on an internal linear progression curve, there's no reason to cheat the system if you don't need to or want to.

Stage 1: Dumpster Tier - Don't even bother with research artifacts. Buy whatever items you need through scavenging battlefields

Stage 2: First Battles - Unless you're going for some strange meta game (Solo, or odd challenge) When everyone has Refitted weapons (or better) and Blue or Better armor (standard, not shoddy) You can take on your first real battles. These enemies will be the local banditry of the starting regions. Black Dragons, Rebel Outlaws, Sand Ninjas, Dust Bandits. Test the waters and train on the roaming patrols, When you are confident at killing the larger roaming groups, you can make a plan to attack a base. In here you'll usually find your "Break Out" loot, including likely your first Edgewalker/Specialist grade stuff, and possibly a Meitou. Sand Ninjas are the hardest of these groups, with Simion's rebels being a close second strangely. (Mostly because of the proximity of roaming patrols)

Stage 3: Expeditionary Force - After you've beaten one of the major bandit clans, you're probably geared and ready to purge Darkfinger of Cannibals. While cannibals are easy, they can eventually swarm you, and unlike most enemies, they take you back to permakill eventually, so Failure isn't really an option as it is with bog standard banditry. Completely purging Darkfinger can yield some excellent mid-grade loot from the various Cannibal villages, frequent high grade equipment without the need to train a smith or buy expensive blueprints. You're likely to find your first Ancient Science books in Darkfinger, as there's a Lost Library with no protection aside from a high level lock, but you'll probably have tools.

Stage 4: Colonialism ho! - Now is the time to consider a base, or put down roots in a city at the very least. I prefer to buy the tower in the Grey Desert Waystation, because it's in the middle of a lot of early-mid game points of interest. From there you can train a smith and craft high quality dustcoats for an eventual excursion into the Deadlands/Iron Valley, and raid one of the two weaker factions of Venge for some good tech and artifacts. Frequent hunts into nearby Gut to claim Beak Thing eggs and train some of your new bodies helps keep the coffers full, and your soldiers blooded and battle ready.

Stage 5: The Worst Archaeologist Ever - Now is the time you're probably Battle hardened and ready to raid ancient ruins. If you're basing yourself in Grey Desert like Me, your two juiciest raids are going to be the Forbidden Isle Sites (Likely your first AI cores are here) and the Deadlands (you can find some edge/masterwork stuff in the armories, and there's a trick to making it much easier). Now is also the time you probably want to establish a permanent "Homestead" group whose focus is only on production. This is also probably the most drawn-out time of the normal game. There are many ruins to plunder, and you may relocate your base of operations once or twice (I often migrate to the swamps in order to access the more westerly sites) At this stage, you might also have a new 10+ Squad of green recruits that you can repeat the first 3 stages with all over, except this time, in the starting region you neglected. (IE if you started in Holy Territory, your new squad will romp and clear UC while your veterans attack ancient ruins)

Stage 6: I'm from Buenos Aires The Hub and I say Kill em All! - After you've recovered much of the ancient technology, established your own stronghold, and trained 20+ veterans, you're ready for War with one or more of the major factions of the game, and an assault one one or more of the local legends of Kenshi, including Mad Cat-Lon, The Bugmaster, and any one of the hordes of high level bandit clans.


And that's the cycle of the game really, tl;dr - Don't need to feel pressured to get Ancient Science books or other research artifacts early. You can cheese the game and grab them if you want, but it's not necessary.

How big of a group do you normally start with? I have about 5 hella strong characters right now in the Shem, and I still have to watch out for black dragons and White Eyebrows. My people even have a meito and a couple specialist grade gear and those massive 40+ hungry bandits raids are a danger.

[Endgunner]

Originally posted by amardj:

Originally posted by Hobo Misanthropus:

Kenshi's built on an internal linear progression curve, there's no reason to cheat the system if you don't need to or want to.

Stage 1: Dumpster Tier - Don't even bother with research artifacts. Buy whatever items you need through scavenging battlefields

Stage 2: First Battles - Unless you're going for some strange meta game (Solo, or odd challenge) When everyone has Refitted weapons (or better) and Blue or Better armor (standard, not shoddy) You can take on your first real battles. These enemies will be the local banditry of the starting regions. Black Dragons, Rebel Outlaws, Sand Ninjas, Dust Bandits. Test the waters and train on the roaming patrols, When you are confident at killing the larger roaming groups, you can make a plan to attack a base. In here you'll usually find your "Break Out" loot, including likely your first Edgewalker/Specialist grade stuff, and possibly a Meitou. Sand Ninjas are the hardest of these groups, with Simion's rebels being a close second strangely. (Mostly because of the proximity of roaming patrols)

Stage 3: Expeditionary Force - After you've beaten one of the major bandit clans, you're probably geared and ready to purge Darkfinger of Cannibals. While cannibals are easy, they can eventually swarm you, and unlike most enemies, they take you back to permakill eventually, so Failure isn't really an option as it is with bog standard banditry. Completely purging Darkfinger can yield some excellent mid-grade loot from the various Cannibal villages, frequent high grade equipment without the need to train a smith or buy expensive blueprints. You're likely to find your first Ancient Science books in Darkfinger, as there's a Lost Library with no protection aside from a high level lock, but you'll probably have tools.

Stage 4: Colonialism ho! - Now is the time to consider a base, or put down roots in a city at the very least. I prefer to buy the tower in the Grey Desert Waystation, because it's in the middle of a lot of early-mid game points of interest. From there you can train a smith and craft high quality dustcoats for an eventual excursion into the Deadlands/Iron Valley, and raid one of the two weaker factions of Venge for some good tech and artifacts. Frequent hunts into nearby Gut to claim Beak Thing eggs and train some of your new bodies helps keep the coffers full, and your soldiers blooded and battle ready.

Stage 5: The Worst Archaeologist Ever - Now is the time you're probably Battle hardened and ready to raid ancient ruins. If you're basing yourself in Grey Desert like Me, your two juiciest raids are going to be the Forbidden Isle Sites (Likely your first AI cores are here) and the Deadlands (you can find some edge/masterwork stuff in the armories, and there's a trick to making it much easier). Now is also the time you probably want to establish a permanent "Homestead" group whose focus is only on production. This is also probably the most drawn-out time of the normal game. There are many ruins to plunder, and you may relocate your base of operations once or twice (I often migrate to the swamps in order to access the more westerly sites) At this stage, you might also have a new 10+ Squad of green recruits that you can repeat the first 3 stages with all over, except this time, in the starting region you neglected. (IE if you started in Holy Territory, your new squad will romp and clear UC while your veterans attack ancient ruins)

Stage 6: I'm from Buenos Aires The Hub and I say Kill em All! - After you've recovered much of the ancient technology, established your own stronghold, and trained 20+ veterans, you're ready for War with one or more of the major factions of the game, and an assault one one or more of the local legends of Kenshi, including Mad Cat-Lon, The Bugmaster, and any one of the hordes of high level bandit clans.


And that's the cycle of the game really, tl;dr - Don't need to feel pressured to get Ancient Science books or other research artifacts early. You can cheese the game and grab them if you want, but it's not necessary.

How big of a group do you normally start with? I have about 5 hella strong characters right now in the Shem, and I still have to watch out for black dragons and White Eyebrows. My people even have a meito and a couple specialist grade gear and those massive 40+ hungry bandits raids are a danger.

I never start a base without i go to all the UN cities and pick up as meany hive workers and skeletons as i can. Then i try and get at least one crab (my current play through i managed to buy one that was 99 days old and he is an elder now with 218 hp in all slots and doing 100+ dmg) and at least 4 non hive/skeletons and no matter what i never get hive soldier drones as they can`t survive gas to kill late game stuff. And then i set up in the fog islands as soon as i research harpoon guns.

[76561198925033829]

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