Question: raid bait; what draws enemies?

[Elegant Caveman]

Relatively new to the game, done a fair bit of reading, though I have limited experience.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned much in what I've read is what do enemies target?

The closest thing I've seen to this being mentioned was how if you make the path to your killbox too long/complicated, enemies might just ignore it and try to go through walls instead (I assume this means regular enemies, since sappers would be targeting walls in the first place anyway).

So what is it that draws enemies? Is it your colonists? Built structures? Item value? Distance? I assume all of these things are a factor to some degree or another?

On an open map (i.e. not a mountain base with easy/natural choke points), how do you direct foes where you want them to go?

When enemies spawn on the edges of the map, how can you make your killbox an attractive destination? Maybe add sculptures? Maybe chairs and/or tables to make it look like a "real" part of your base? Are some targets especially attractive to invaders?

How far away can you draw them from? If my killbox is on one side of my base but the raiders are attacking from the opposite side of the map, will they make the walk around, or just target walls? What about doors in the way? What about double doors?

What about drop pods and sappers?

Multiple layers of walls is an obvious help against sappers, as it gives you more time to reposition your troops, but are there any particularly effective methods of baiting them? Perhaps having a few spots with weaker/thinner walls and defensive positions behind them?

What about drop pod raids? I just had one recently, a few dropped in my research room and more in a couple of bedrooms. Despite there being colonists nearby, most of the raiders seemed more interested in property damage.

I'd love to hear people's thoughts on the subject. Cheers.

[Loothar]

I have been playing this game for years, one thing I have noticed is that riaders go for visible Pawns,

So setup your kill box and man it with your defenders have everyone else hide inside

[Elegant Caveman]

Makes sense that once they have a target in sight, they'll go after them, but what about before that? That's what I'm most interested in.

Distance is certainly a factor, but I don't know by how much. For example, I had a raid with some colonists outside in the open, but far-ish from the base, and the raiders headed towards the base instead, so "visible" must only matter within a certain distance.

And say there are no visible colonists: once a raid group spawns on the edge of the map, what will be their first target?

Do they just go for the nearest player-built/claimed structure? There has to be more to the decision-making than that.

Say my entire base is surrounded by a wall, with some doors in it. I imagine they'll go for the nearest door. Are there certain items (expensive art, production facilities, etc.) that are particularly attractive to raiders, if they don't see your colonists?

I don't have a killbox yet, but I keep telling myself I should build one. I keep putting it off, though, because I don't know how raiders will act, hence my asking this question.

For what it's worth, here's my base right now: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1548017191

The lower left of the base is pretty much the center of the map, more or less. Pretty much started building around there and started building east. My early layout is crap, and everything needs to be changed, which is what I've been working towards to the east.

I've basically got no defenses, though. Just walls all around and sandbags.

My rough plan was to build a killbox near the bottom, but what happens if a regular raid (for the sake of argument/example) comes from the north? Will they go around to the killbox, or just ignore it and attack walls and doors? How many layers of walls and doors will they go through before getting bored and going around to the killbox instead? What can I put in the killbox to make the area a more tempting target?

What about sappers? My map has limestone, slate and granite. If most of my outer walls are limestone, can I tempt sappers to go to a specific spot by building it from a weaker stone instead, or will they not care and just go wherever they want anyway?

[ThatRandomPerson]

Highly Expensive bases can help trigger raids, to draw raiders to an area have the are access the inner part of your base and don't block off the end, this should get you a chance to lure them in. human visibility also lures raiders and raiders won't break walls if theres a clear entry point.

[ThatRandomPerson]

drops pods are difficult to handle though if you really want you can setup "base layers" and heavily arm units, also make everything close but not close enough for fires to spread (i believe in sernario you can disable this)

[Iskander]

Your base is fully surrounded by walls (and doors) so where-ever the raiders show up, they'll try to get into your base through the shortest route.

If you want to funnel them to one specific spot, you need to tear down that wall and they will prefer to enter through that opening. For example: deconstruct the lower-left corner of your base, where you have those metal slags, and normal raiders (not sappers, etc.) will simply "know" that is the path of least resistance into your base. (as they can then walk to your solar power thingies and destroy that)

Some other general tips:
If a raider sees one of your pawns, he will go after them. If a raider does not see one of your pawns, it will target something of your base (piece of furniture, or whatever) If you move a pawn into the raider's line of sight AFTER the raider started targeting that piece of furniture, the raider will continue to destroy that furniture and ignore your pawn. But as soon as your pawn attacks the raider, he'll target your pawn instead.
A raider also loses interest in his target. For example: Raider sees your pawn, goes after him. Your pawn walks through a granite door, which closes behind him. The raider will then target the granite door, in an attempt to break it and kill your pawn. But after a while, usually before the granite doors gets destroyed, the raider will give up and look for a more efficient way to enter your base (your lower-left corner if you opened up a hole in the wall). Take note, though, if the raider has a high damage weapon, or if he has 10 buddies helping him kick down that door, the door will likely break and they will likely continue chasing that pawn they sighted.

[Hoki]

why the necro?

[Iskander]

Origineel geplaatst door Elegant Caveman:

Makes sense that once they have a target in sight, they'll go after them, but what about before that? That's what I'm most interested in.

Assume we talk about normal (non-sapper) raiders that walk in from the edge of the map. If your entire base is surrounded by walls/doors, like your base currently is, they will go in a straight line to the nearest part of your base. They walk in from the north? They will attack he north of your base, etc.

If you open up part of your base: for example: the lower left corner, thereby allowing raiders to walk towards your solar/wind power stations without them having a wall/door block their way, they will prefer to go attack your solar/wind power stations. Even if they walk in from the North. (Note: this doesn't seem to work 100% of the time, so if it doesn't work, wing it. Maybe make another opening in the North, so that you have two openings into your base.

Origineel geplaatst door Elegant Caveman:

Distance is certainly a factor, but I don't know by how much. For example, I had a raid with some colonists outside in the open, but far-ish from the base, and the raiders headed towards the base instead, so "visible" must only matter within a certain distance.

A raider will "set" his target and won't change that target fluently.
So if a raider walks into the map, he will target a piece of your base's wall and walk towards that. If you then move a pawn of yours right in front of him, he'll likely ignore your pawn and keep going towards his initial target. I'm not 100% sure when a raider "resets" his target, but he does so if his path gets obstructed, or if a pawn attacks him. He might also "reset" his target and attack your pawn after X seconds, even if your pawn didn't attack him. (not 100% certain on that part) But this might explain why the raider ignored your pawn out in the open, in your example.

Origineel geplaatst door Elegant Caveman:

And say there are no visible colonists: once a raid group spawns on the edge of the map, what will be their first target?

Do they just go for the nearest player-built/claimed structure? There has to be more to the decision-making than that

Nope, thats it for the decision making. They will go for the nearest part of your base (assuming your base is entirely surrounded by walls/doors.

Origineel geplaatst door Elegant Caveman:

Say my entire base is surrounded by a wall, with some doors in it. I imagine they'll go for the nearest door. Are there certain items (expensive art, production facilities, etc.) that are particularly attractive to raiders, if they don't see your colonists?

Correct: they will go to the nearest door. It does not matter if behind that door is a single, awful wooden chair, but behind a door further removed is a legendary, gold grand statue.
They will go for the nearest/easiest to reach target, regardless of wealth.

Origineel geplaatst door Elegant Caveman:

I don't have a killbox yet, but I keep telling myself I should build one. I keep putting it off, though, because I don't know how raiders will act, hence my asking this question.

For what it's worth, here's my base right now: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1548017191

The lower left of the base is pretty much the center of the map, more or less. Pretty much started building around there and started building east. My early layout is crap, and everything needs to be changed, which is what I've been working towards to the east.

I've basically got no defenses, though. Just walls all around and sandbags.

My rough plan was to build a killbox near the bottom, but what happens if a regular raid (for the sake of argument/example) comes from the north? Will they go around to the killbox, or just ignore it and attack walls and doors? How many layers of walls and doors will they go through before getting bored and going around to the killbox instead? What can I put in the killbox to make the area a more tempting target?

Your base isn't bad at all. Sure, it can be designed more efficiently, but its a decent base.
As for your killbox question: Yes, raiders from the north will go around your base and into your killbox, IF: there is a path of least resistance towards your base. So: deconstruct a part of your wall in the south, and they will prefer the path that isn't blocked by doors/walls in order to destroy stuff.

Origineel geplaatst door Elegant Caveman:

What about sappers? My map has limestone, slate and granite. If most of my outer walls are limestone, can I tempt sappers to go to a specific spot by building it from a weaker stone instead, or will they not care and just go wherever they want anyway?

Sappers are a bit weird and I don't fully, 100% understand them, but I THINK: they enter the map and then will go in a 100% straight line into your base. Going through any mountains or walls they encounter. So if they spawn in the Middle-Left part of the map, behind that small mountain there, they will dig through that mountain, towards your base, instead of simply walking around the mountain, which would be much, much faster.

[Iskander]

Origineel geplaatst door Hoki:

why the necro? :giselledeadpan:

Damnit! Only saw it was a necro after my long-ass post!

[Morkonan]

Origineel geplaatst door Iskander:

Origineel geplaatst door Hoki:

why the necro? :giselledeadpan:

Damnit! Only saw it was a necro after my long-ass post!

"You have been eaten by a grue."

[Robosium]

pretty sure putting a table or a bed or horshoe pin inside your killbox tends to draw raiders there

[ROE]

Origineel geplaatst door Hoki:

why the necro? :giselledeadpan:

It's all the rage right now.