Capturing all the steam geysers

[counterintel]

Just a quick question. I saw it referenced in a guide i read (which was not anything exotic) to capture all the steam geysers on the map for the large constant power source needed for end game function.

Will a walled in geothermal with an open roof stay unmoleted by raids? Will they try to cut the power lines?

I ask because in many or most maps having a base encompass the entire area including all the geysers seems a bit much.

That's all. Thanks. Have a great weekend. Don't forget to install that kidney you forgot about.

[Kittenpox]

I personally find that raiders are more likely to take my tables & chairs than target value-less walls - and any power lines which are damaged are more likely to be from grenades / stray weapons fire.
But that's just been my experience. Build the wall+door out of stone (for non-flammable reasons, and you should be fine.

[Talithmara]

I make no claims to be the supreme expert, but as a general rule of thumb:

Raiders tend to focus on your bedrooms and stockpiles, so walling in the geysers will normally keep them relatively safe. The power lines may occasionally need to be repaired or replaced as the casualties of a firefight, but they will not be directly targeted. Just be sure to leave a door so your colonists can replace missing components when it breaks down!

If you, for example, create a larger outer wall with one direct route in, raiders will largely take that direct route. While exceptions exist (Sappers, Drop Pod Assaults, etc) you can funnel most threats away from your generators and into your defenses.

That said, conduits can short circuit and start a fire (The Bzzzt event) and if you have any attached batteries (Say... to charge overnight to be consumed by sunlamps during the day, or to keep a part of your base running if the conduits from another power source are destroyed in an explosion) the explosion is worse. While batteries can be used as conduits and will not short circuit unless rained on if there's no actual conduits, this is not advisable over a wide area for obvious reasons, and enemies will target batteries if no other pressing target is available.

If you wanted something with less short circuiting, you could instead just build near the one closest Geothermal Generator, and then supplement it with other power sources. For example, use the Geothermal Generator to fuel a Sun Lamp and Hydroponics, and then use those hydroponics to fuel a few Chemfuel Generators. The labor cost would be fairly low once it's all up and running, and it would more than pay for itself since the Hydroponics are good enough to more than grow enough for Chemfuel and then some.

That said, you can do some wild things if you either just disable short circuits in the scenario editor, or if you have contingency plans in place to prepare for them like stone tiles around the wires to prevent the spread of the fire, or firefoam poppers.

[starkmaddness]

I use geothermal vents all the time.

I build a wall around them (I do once space extra larger than the generator just so they can walk around it inside), then run a power line to my base, with a concrete floor path 3 squares wide (to reduce chance of fires burning up my lines), though that is completely optional, just feels weird running conduit across the ground.

I have typically build 2-3 completely outside my base's walls. I have never had raiders attack them. They will run past them, heading towards the 'open' entrance of my base.

[counterintel]

Originally posted by Ranylyn:

I make no claims to be the supreme expert, but as a general rule of thumb:

Raiders tend to focus on your bedrooms and stockpiles, so walling in the geysers will normally keep them relatively safe. The power lines may occasionally need to be repaired or replaced as the casualties of a firefight, but they will not be directly targeted. Just be sure to leave a door so your colonists can replace missing components when it breaks down!

If you, for example, create a larger outer wall with one direct route in, raiders will largely take that direct route. While exceptions exist (Sappers, Drop Pod Assaults, etc) you can funnel most threats away from your generators and into your defenses.

That said, conduits can short circuit and start a fire (The Bzzzt event) and if you have any attached batteries (Say... to charge overnight to be consumed by sunlamps during the day, or to keep a part of your base running if the conduits from another power source are destroyed in an explosion) the explosion is worse. While batteries can be used as conduits and will not short circuit unless rained on if there's no actual conduits, this is not advisable over a wide area for obvious reasons, and enemies will target batteries if no other pressing target is available.

If you wanted something with less short circuiting, you could instead just build near the one closest Geothermal Generator, and then supplement it with other power sources. For example, use the Geothermal Generator to fuel a Sun Lamp and Hydroponics, and then use those hydroponics to fuel a few Chemfuel Generators. The labor cost would be fairly low once it's all up and running, and it would more than pay for itself since the Hydroponics are good enough to more than grow enough for Chemfuel and then some.

That said, you can do some wild things if you either just disable short circuits in the scenario editor, or if you have contingency plans in place to prepare for them like stone tiles around the wires to prevent the spread of the fire, or firefoam poppers.

Thanks for all the great info! Im on my first moderately successful playthrough so I'm into new territory with the base getting large and having higher power needs. I currently have 2 thermals and 6 panels within my perimeter, but my excess grid surplus is getting low so Im to the point where additional geysers are going to be useful.

Do you happen to know f you build a pillar every 11 blocks and a roof over the conduits will that prevent rain from triggering the events/fires?

[MortVent]

One trick I do with my geo vents in areas I don't necessary need to use at the time is turn them into gun forts. do a walled and trapped outer walls (usually granite wall, 1 block wide hallway spiraling around to the inner door to the generator area with at least 1 or 2 blocks extra space to allow repairs and open roofed for venting the heat) and then set up a couple turrets around the generator (4 small and 4 medium autoturrets) to act as defense points around the map to hinder/damage raiders/threats while the main base is setting up for the fight (if any raiders survive)

[starkmaddness]

Rain doesn't short out conduits. They don't need to be covered. Only certain electrical equipment does, but it should specify.

[Talithmara]

Originally posted by starkmaddness:

I use geothermal vents all the time.

I build a wall around them (I do once space extra larger than the generator just so they can walk around it inside), then run a power line to my base, with a concrete floor path 3 squares wide (to reduce chance of fires burning up my lines), though that is completely optional, just feels weird running conduit across the ground.

I have typically build 2-3 completely outside my base's walls. I have never had raiders attack them. They will run past them, heading towards the 'open' entrance of my base.

Fire can hop 2 tiles, so it's safest to make it 5 tiles wide if you can. (As in the one center route the conduit is on + 2 tiles out in either direction.) Just my little tip. But yeah, the thing about the wall spacing is good advice, so your colonists can repair damage to the wall from inside!

Originally posted by counterintel:

Do you happen to know f you build a pillar every 11 blocks and a roof over the conduits will that prevent rain from triggering the events/fires?

Only for the devices that specifically short in the rain, which is a seperate event to the normal Short Circuit. One is a random event that can be disabled in the scenario editor, and the other is a property of certain electronic appliances that reacts to weather conditions. Build roofs over things like your Crematorium and whatnot, absolutely, but it won't keep your conduits from shorting.

[Morkonan]

Originally posted by counterintel:

...Will a walled in geothermal with an open roof stay unmoleted by raids?

Generally, yes.

Will they try to cut the power lines?

Not directly. Though, I don't know if it is truly possible for them to select that as a target. Generally, they are damaged by secondary fires/explosions/weapons-fire.


One thing to keep in mind: Raiders will often have members that will attack any Buildables. That's anything you can build and install somewhere.

So, let's say there's a Raid and you have a Geothermal Generator that isn't inside a protective building. Then, expect that it's possible for that to get attacked by some of the Raiders.

But, if it is enclosed in a building, the Raiders can't see it unless it's already the target of their Raid. (Which would be rare.)

This applies to any "buildable." Sticking a lone chair out in the middle of a kill-zone is a pretty good way to lure at least a couple of Raiders to attack it. (They hate chairs!) Using the same "bait" you can put a chair on the path towards your "kill maze" that leads into your "kill zone" and surround it with traps... That's almost guaranteed to get a couple of the more destructive-minded Raiders.

But, let's say you have the Geothermal Generator protected in a square building, but that building is also connected to a defensive wall that surrounds your base. Most Raiders will still ignore it. But, a Sapper, who doesn't "see" walls in the same way as other Raiders, could still decide to attack the wall of that building, which would then expose the Geothermal Generator to other Raiders, who would then happily attack it as a "buildable." If a Sapper thinks the best way into your base is through your Geothermal Generator building... that's where they're going.

Lastly, if they see the door being used that leads to the Geothermal Generator, then they can/will attack that door, revealing the Generator.

[counterintel]

Originally posted by Morkonan:

Originally posted by counterintel:

...Will a walled in geothermal with an open roof stay unmoleted by raids?

Generally, yes.

Will they try to cut the power lines?

Not directly. Though, I don't know if it is truly possible for them to select that as a target. Generally, they are damaged by secondary fires/explosions/weapons-fire.


One thing to keep in mind: Raiders will often have members that will attack any Buildables. That's anything you can build and install somewhere.

So, let's say there's a Raid and you have a Geothermal Generator that isn't inside a protective building. Then, expect that it's possible for that to get attacked by some of the Raiders.

But, if it is enclosed in a building, the Raiders can't see it unless it's already the target of their Raid. (Which would be rare.)

This applies to any "buildable." Sticking a lone chair out in the middle of a kill-zone is a pretty good way to lure at least a couple of Raiders to attack it. (They hate chairs!) Using the same "bait" you can put a chair on the path towards your "kill maze" that leads into your "kill zone" and surround it with traps... That's almost guaranteed to get a couple of the more destructive-minded Raiders.

But, let's say you have the Geothermal Generator protected in a square building, but that building is also connected to a defensive wall that surrounds your base. Most Raiders will still ignore it. But, a Sapper, who doesn't "see" walls in the same way as other Raiders, could still decide to attack the wall of that building, which would then expose the Geothermal Generator to other Raiders, who would then happily attack it as a "buildable." If a Sapper thinks the best way into your base is through your Geothermal Generator building... that's where they're going.

Lastly, if they see the door being used that leads to the Geothermal Generator, then they can/will attack that door, revealing the Generator.

This is perfect info! Thanks! I guess that even though i was asking about the generators specifically, what I was really needing to know was how the ai chooses its targets and such.

...and oddly enough I believe I do in fact have a generator walled in as part of my perimeter that could easily be a sapper target if they spawn on that side so, thats awesome insight.

Thanks for all the super details! This was fantastic to learn!