Trenches/moats with spikes good or bad idea?

[Molda22]

So i am currently trying to build some defenses around my house and i thought that digging up trench with spikes could be good idea. I looked on the internet and i found conflicting stuff about it. Some people say its great defense tactic, some people say it doesnt work and that you shouldn't do that.
I am not sure in what version were those comments made so what is the current situation in alpha 18?
Any tips for that? thanks

[Andi]

I would just lay spikes on the surface. Problem with trenches is that zeds will start digging under your base if they don't die on the spikes.

[Molda22]

and there is no workaround for this? no way tu utilize them? perhaps make the inner part of the trench from some stronger matterial and have a ramp around the roof of the house and shoot from the top to help with the damage the spikes are doing? are the zombies digging quickly once inside the trench?

[Dies Fourth]

The zombies are still programmed to go straight to you the easiest way possible.

IF they have an easily accessible ramp to get out of a trench they will use it IF once out theres an easy route to you.

If its easier to dig to get to you thats what they will do, best thing to do is test this on non hoarde bays/nights on random zeds. Theres a lil engineering involved and a lil cheesing the AI which is why after 3000k hours this game is hard to play : {

Zombies are dumb, bandits should be smart. Not the other way around

[Team_KoD]

you can but put a ramp both sides ... a ramp down and a ramp back up other wise like they said they will just dig under your base and make it fall.

[Molda22]

thnaks for the advice everyone. before i read this a dig up a trench all around my house already :D i will have to improve it with the suggested ramps.
So you guys think i should perhaps do one row with ramps down, one row of spikes and one row of ramps up?

[Lady MacBeth]

Actually a trench will work, but you have to give the zombies exits to get back out. Otherwise digging to you is considered easier by the AI. So as long as you make sure they have a few ways to get back out once they get in it can be a sound tactic.

[Mardoin69]

Just build burms instead. Lay down a couple rows of dirt or ramps so they go up to level of top of spikes laid on ground.... then they can just fall off the edge of spikes back to normal ground level. No digging by the zeds and you don't have to dig a trench..... unless you just want the dirt for using.... then just ramps back up out of trench... or digging trench in ramped style... they have no problem crawling back up gradual slopes.

[Sinbad]

Trenches will work if you have either a way for them to get out, or dont go deeper than 2 blocks (1 counting the spikes) otherwise they will dig straight and only the ones that stack ontop of eachother will get out.

[simon]

Spikes are best placed one block down so they are level with the ground surface. If they are on top of the ground the zeds see them as as obstacle

[liquidsarcasm]

On the outside of my base, I normally dig 2 blocks down, so that I can put in a layer of concrete/eventually steel lining in the shallow trench. That way, the trench has some protection against digging/explosions while the top of the spikes are also in-line with the ground level.

[RobbEJay]

You actually can make a trench zeds can get in but can't get out using wedge tips and narrow wedge frames placed narrow side up. Built at least 3 high its too steep for them, so just on the inner edge is good enough to prevent digging. They won't attack it, so digging isn't an issue.

That of course might be too cheesy for some, but there you have it. Its the only way to make an actual moat and drawbridge that won't get messed up.

[Evil The Cat]

Just use them on walls. Damn.

[mr_bman]

They're only good for early game when you don't have the ability to make better defenses. They're not strong enough to last an entire blood moon horde night. They take up a lot of iron to repair and replace. You use more med kits from repairing them because you will step on some by accident. Zombies will get through a whole sea of spikes on horde night even if you put spikes all the way out to where they spawn in. They make their own path and all of them take that path. If one takes a liking to attacking those, on blood moon nights they make quick work of them.
They'll spawn as fast as you kill them - so sometimes you're better off not having anything which speeds up their deaths if you don't want to be using up all your ammo.

[Kattla]

Spikes are good for non-hordenight defenses and early/low gamestage hordes. Or to put it another way, they are good until you get radiated zombies , which tend to heal up the damage they take from spikes.

As an item, the zombies "see" spikes as a single block. If placed on the ground surrounding your place, they will try to jump atop of them, and if placed in a trench, they will try to path across it. No big difference, it is prettier with the spikes in a trench, but a bit more work.

[GameSuki]

i was worried about zombies digging the trenches as well but i got around it by actually leading the zombies in the trenches towards my bunker.
There's 12 entrances in the trenches which will meet up and eventually become 3 tunnels to the bunker.
There's motion sensors at every entrance so we know when we need to man up the bunker.
This way the trenches are safe + you get insane amount of exp during blood moon

I also have spikes on the walls of the trenches just to warn the zombies not to attack the trench and just head straight for the tunnel