Wastepack infestation really feels like a beneficial event. Intended?

[Tamiore]

Since the cocoons are initially inert and don't get any worse over time, there is zero actual pressure simply from them spawning.
Nothing prevents you from quickly building a wall around the cocoons, turning them into practically foolproof "unleash X angry insects on demand" setup.
Cocoons seem to be weighted towards spawning at the actual pollution site — i.e. outside of the colonial defensive perimeter for most colonies.
If anything, allied mechs (that usually are the source of the pollution in the first place) are actually one of the best possible tools for handling insects. (Because mechs are amazing at tanking in narrow passageways and have strong synergy with fire-based weapons.) Moreover, "boss" mechs (mechanitors can summon on demand) are almost uniquely vulnerable to being mangled by a horde of rampaging insects. (Because unlike allied mechs they don't use choke-points.)

All things considered, wastepack infestations really feel like a beneficial event under most circumstances.
Thoughts?

[mcb0ny]

The most suprising thing for me was when i got the wastepack infestation while not having any pollution on the map. I have no mechanitors and have not created a single wastepack.

I do have the tech researched and mech uplink in storage though (edited scenario).

[Tamiore]

Originally posted by mcb0ny:

The most suprising thing for me was when i got the wastepack infestation while not having any pollution on the map. I have no mechanitors and have not created a single wastepack.

I do have the tech researched and mech uplink in storage though (edited scenario).

Are you sure there wasn't some pollution from a defoliator or something?

[mcb0ny]

I looked at my the whole map with toxicity overlay on, and there is nothing there. I had no defoliator ship event either. Randy decided to be extra random, i guess ;] Or there is some kind of pollution pocket on the undiscovered part of the map, maybe... If not that, i have no clue.


But as for the main topic.. Yes, this infestation can be turned into a weapon (or, trap, to be exact), so it can be a benefit sometimes, depending on spawn location and/or your creativity ;] Just like some mech clusters - i had one that came with no timer or proximity sensors, just a bunch of sleeping mechs.

[Tamiore]

Well, mechs clusters do be like that sometimes, but it's rare for them to be just sleeping perpetually. And rarer still to not also have some kind of negative effector.

Whereas wastepack infestations are practically always like that. And they also always have very manageable participants — a tunnelers or two + scorcher + some kind of ranged DPS (centipede, etc) can kill insects by the dozens without breaking a sweat.