Ranged Weapon Types and who to give them to Questions.

[MythN7]

Ok, so im having hard time knowing for which pawn I should be giving which weapon type.

Like revolver, hunting riffle, bow, smg, sniper riffle ect..

So far im giving my high rate of fire weapons to my lowest shooting skill guys, and my slow rate of fire weapons like sniper to my high skill guys or careful shooter guys.

is this the good way to do it?

are some silent weapons better for hunting than longer range ones like sniper?

Also, what about blows over guns for raiding bandits?

[Monoxide]

Originally posted by MythN7:

So far im giving my high rate of fire weapons to my lowest shooting skill guys, and my slow rate of fire weapons like sniper to my high skill guys or careful shooter guys.

This is pretty solid. There are caveats based around additional skills like careful shooter and such. Though if you are going for all around good advice, you already have it. Fast weapons train the skill faster, and strong shooters can make use of the "better" weapons (which typically are charge rifles, assault rifles, and sniper rifles).

AFAIK - "sound" has no affect on hunting. Its range, weapon damage, and animal handling (possibly more that I cant think of).

Did you mean "bows" over guns? It is possible that a high quality bow is better than a low quality gun. However, if you are manufacturing your own weapons, a gun usually will be the better option. If you mean "blows" as in melee weapons? Those can be very good with the right set up. I usually have at least 2 pawns using plasteel longswords and heavy armor.

[MythN7]

Originally posted by Monoxide:

Originally posted by MythN7:

So far im giving my high rate of fire weapons to my lowest shooting skill guys, and my slow rate of fire weapons like sniper to my high skill guys or careful shooter guys.

This is pretty solid. There are caveats based around additional skills like careful shooter and such. Though if you are going for all around good advice, you already have it. Fast weapons train the skill faster, and strong shooters can make use of the "better" weapons (which typically are charge rifles, assault rifles, and sniper rifles).

AFAIK - "sound" has no affect on hunting. Its range, weapon damage, and animal handling (possibly more that I cant think of).

Did you mean "bows" over guns? It is possible that a high quality bow is better than a low quality gun. However, if you are manufacturing your own weapons, a gun usually will be the better option. If you mean "blows" as in melee weapons? Those can be very good with the right set up. I usually have at least 2 pawns using plasteel longswords and heavy armor.

i meant bows over guns on that stealth aspect.

[AlP]

Originally posted by MythN7:

is this the good way to do it?

Not really.

First off, you don't want to have colonists lugging around a sniper rifle for no reason. Give them a versatile weapon that is generally useful. That's an assault rifle or previous weapons in its progression line.

That progression line is machine pistol -> heavy smg -> assault rifle -> charge rifle. These are the weapons you want to use 99% of the time.

If you are hunting animals that can go manhunter on you, you're better off bringing all your colonists with assault rifles at the same time and shoot the entire herd, instead of sending one pawn with a sniper rifle and hope that he won't aggro the herd.

Skill doesn't matter when you have several pawns with assault rifles.

[MythN7]

Originally posted by AlP:

Originally posted by MythN7:

is this the good way to do it?

Not really.

First off, you don't want to have colonists lugging around a sniper rifle for no reason. Give them a versatile weapon that is generally useful. That's an assault rifle or previous weapons in its progression line.

That progression line is machine pistol -> heavy smg -> assault rifle -> charge rifle. These are the weapons you want to use 99% of the time.

If you are hunting animals that can go manhunter on you, you're better off bringing all your colonists with assault rifles at the same time and shoot the entire herd, instead of sending one pawn with a sniper rifle and hope that he won't aggro the herd.

Skill doesn't matter when you have several pawns with assault rifles.

makes sense, but im not making weapons yet, only getting a select option when item stash or traders have them.

[Kittenpox]

I haven't really looked into it before (and I'm on my phone so now is not the best time for me to do research), but there seems to be a bunch of info on https://rimworldwiki.com/wiki/Greatbow that may be worth looking at. :-)

I was just looking to see if it had any kind of stealth bonus*, but the page has *graphs*. :-D

* I assume any stealth bonuses would be a mix of range, and the Animals skill. More research is required. ^_^

[Morkonan]

Originally posted by MythN7:

...So far im giving my high rate of fire weapons to my lowest shooting skill guys, and my slow rate of fire weapons like sniper to my high skill guys or careful shooter guys.
is this the good way to do it?

In general, yes, but there are some specifics to be aware of and to prepare for.

are some silent weapons better for hunting than longer range ones like sniper?

Weapon sound doesn't enter into it. Their Animals skill is used for "Stealth" purposes in the Hunting Job.

Also, what about blows over guns for raiding bandits?

They're good if that's what you have, but not "preferred" over firearms.


Just for general suggestions:

(Wrote a bunch of stuff, twice.... But, here's the condensed list of... stuffs.)

First - Use what you have. Firearms > Bows for ranged weapon selection. (Quality excluded.)

By type:

Handguns of any type - No. Situational use only or by necessity.

Light Machine Guns - All low-skilled Shooters get these.

Assault Rifles - All Shooters aspire to these. Mid to High skill shooters get them.

Sniper Rifles - Best Shooter gets them. I never have more than two armed with them. (15 pawn pop limit, usually.)

Shotguns - Situational, but can be very effective. Best for catching the enemy coming around the corner with or for "Door Kicker" teams and paired with Shield Belt melee specialist conducting a building assault through a door. They don't suck, but aren't great all-around weapons.

Miniguns - Useless for anyone but the lowest-skilled user. Only worth using if one can cover an entrance with it and expects a lot of enemies to pour through. MIGHT be useful for hitting large targets in that situation, like Cents. "Might." Too unpredictable to rely on these days. (Used to be extremely overpowered if used correctly.)

Charge Rifles - Everyone moves to these at mid to high skill levels. I generally "mix" Charge and Assault Rifles among defenders.

Bolt-Action Rifle - Never goes out of style. Best all-around firearm in the game. Great range, accuracy and stopping power. Decent fire rate for mid skill users. I would not balk at including a Bolt Action Rifle user in any team. (Due to it's Range, Damage and Accuracy.) But, it doesn't put as much lead downrange as quickly as some other weapons, even if it's more likely to hit something by itself. :)

Read this: https://rimworldwiki.com/wiki/Weapons

Quality matters. It matters a bunch. Quality can make a piece of crap turn into a gold-plated piece of crap, or a decent weapon into an awesome weapon. It matters.

Skill Matters, too. Better skilled pawns get more damaging, more difficult to use, weapons. The best get a Sniper Rifle with access to an Assault Rifle for backup.

For Hunting - Bolt Action Rifle. Hard-hitting, good range. An Assault Rifle is possible, too. I never send a Hunter out with a Sniper Rifle. Just not worth it and they get more shots off with other weapons. If my Sniper is Hunting, and not low/mid skill shooters, he's keeping his Skill level up.

Armor - Armor determines how comfortable you are with someone shooting at you... That's no joke. :) The difference between having good armor and not may bear directly on what weapons you choose and why. All Charge Rifles? You don't mind that they don't have the accuracy and range of some other weapons, allowing some enemies to get closer or a few more shots at you with Bolt-Action Rifles... But, when they do get "closer" the Charge Rifle's multiple shots and good damage may make short work of them. But, then again, Charge Rifle users are likely in the best armor I have access to so they can weather a bit of incidental fire. Never forget "Armor."

Other stuff - Smoke-Pop belts are great, just don't rely on them for "protection." Armor is good. Armor is Life. Get Armor. (Flak Pants, some kind of Helmet, some kind of Chest Protection, Devilstrand Dusters.) Melee Specialists get Shield Belts and Uranium Maces. I always have a couple of Melee Specialists, but do not force non-melee enthusiasts into that role. Pacifists ALL get Shield Belts and serve as mobile shields or Rescuers if needed. They're also who runs to "F.lick" on the Turret switches, if I have any, as the rest of my defenders rush to an appropriate defensive position. Defensive positions get Firepoppers along with walls, sandbags, a Turret or fifty... and every single defensive position has a line of retreat to a secondary defensive position unless it is where I have chosen to die... I also make sure to have a wall that blocks line of site to my path of retreat. I don't use Animals in combat unless it is an existential crisis.

[brian_va]

Originally posted by MythN7:

makes sense, but im not making weapons yet, only getting a select option when item stash or traders have them.

easy, trade drugs for weapons.

plant a huge field of psychoid and make flake. money problems are over.

[MythN7]

Originally posted by Morkonan:

Originally posted by MythN7:

...So far im giving my high rate of fire weapons to my lowest shooting skill guys, and my slow rate of fire weapons like sniper to my high skill guys or careful shooter guys.
is this the good way to do it?

Shotguns - Situational, but can be very effective. Best for catching the enemy coming around the corner with or for "Door Kicker" teams and paired with Shield Belt melee specialist conducting a building assault through a door. They don't suck, but aren't great all-around weapons.

Miniguns - Useless for anyone but the lowest-skilled user. Only worth using if one can cover an entrance with it and expects a lot of enemies to pour through. MIGHT be useful for hitting large targets in that situation, like Cents. "Might." Too unpredictable to rely on these days. (Used to be extremely overpowered if used correctly.)

about these, i tend to give my guys with heat flames on mele them, and the armor, instead of mele weapons, so they can use these close range face rippers before doing mele attacks.

i wish you could equip a ranged and mele weapon, would make sense.

[Morkonan]

An additional note:

In Rimworld, weapon research gives you a range of weapons fairly quickly up until you get to researching end-game weapons. That basically means that small differences in firearm capabilities are really not as noticeable or meaningful. Why use weaponX when betterweaponZ is available? It's also most likely that any early/mid-game weapon "upgrades" are going to come from dead Raiders. It's very rare you get the chance to buy a good weapon from a trader and even less likely you can afford it at that point.

IMO, being able to make your own weapons is the most important part of... weapons. If you can't, you're hosed. If you can, you can play with whatever you want, however you want. Assault Rifles, Charge Rifles, a Sniper Rifle or two, a Bolt-Action or two, some pitiful noob trying to earn some points with an LMG... That's pretty much it in terms of an effective all-around loadout that isn't too dependent on situational use.

[Morkonan]

Originally posted by MythN7:

...

about these, i tend to give my guys with heat flames on mele them, and the armor, instead of mele weapons, so they can use these close range face rippers before doing mele attacks.

i wish you could equip a ranged and mele weapon, would make sense.

Look at the "Touch" range dps, here: https://rimworldwiki.com/wiki/Weapons

That's the dps they're doing when bashing the enemy with their weapon. I guess it's not terribly shabby. But, if they're a melee specialist and using a ranged weapon, they can't take advantage of the one thing that makes Melee combat decently feasible in Rimworld - Shield Belts. I'm also not sure, but I don't think there is any way to increase the "Touch" DPS for a Ranged Weapon. For Melee Weapons, the materials used can make a big DPS difference. (Ranged Weapons all use the same base materials in their recipe. No Uranium Shotguns with Jade Stocks, I'm afraid. More's the pity... :( )

If you have Personal Shield Belts, change your Melee Specialist over to them if you want them to Melee. (If you want them to fight Ranged, that's fine - It's up to you. But, IMO, you can always use a few Melee Specialists if you have access to Shield Belts. Arm them with something decently crafted, of good or better Quality. I prefer Uranium Maces as they do good damage and, because it's blunt, they're not going to be causing a lot of bleeding, making the future Prisoner's survival a lot more likely. :) Good armor matters, too.

PS - There is a mod that allows pawns to use a weapon and carry another. Sidearms/something-or-other. Combat Extended may also have its own method or use a port of it. The mechanic is a bit finicky, IIRC, but it's "doable." And, storing some weapon choices on a shelf near defensive positions is a good thing to do as long as you're not running the risk of escaping Prisoners grabbing them on their way out.

[Kittenpox]

Originally posted by MythN7:

i wish you could equip a ranged and mele weapon, would make sense.

If you prefer to keep things Vanilla, there's https://rimworldwiki.com/wiki/Power_claw
Alternately, there is also this:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=927155256