Mods that make "kill boxes" obsolete.

[thirty-two]

I don't like the idea of funneling raiders into a giant death box, as it seems cheesy and unrealistic. What are some mods I could try, to make other strategies viable?

[Panzerechse]

All mods for example, that give you energy shields.

[Security Cam #7]

This mod (you can edit the coverage of embrasures in mod settings if you feel like it's too much):
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2290689449

Paired with this to not make it insanely OP and the game boring by making it easy:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2569778304

This mod works well too, it adds trenches, energy shields, stationary machine guns, indoor sentries and whatnot:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1845154007

[2EYEDCYCLOPS]

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2938891185&searchtext=cai

[Triple G]

It´s the difficulty setting. The higher the thread setting, the more enemies, the more You need a killbox, because else You can´t handle 1:100 situations. But on like 60 - eventually 100% (with not too much wealth) You don´t need a killbox. I mean these are obsolete in half of the cases anyway - if You have a cluster, or defoliator ship, or some engine some tiles away, or drop pods, or sappers. You need to go out anyway and can´t sit everything out. Killbox is to handle 100 elephants, 50 centipedes, or 200 tribals, because in the open field they just overun Your 20 people - no matter the mod or tactics. (While i don´t know all mods...)

And low shield packs are in vanilla, too - which is an one way energy shield.

[CloudSeeker]

Originally posted by Triple G:

And low shield packs are in vanilla, too - which is an one way energy shield.

Yeah. Those low shield packs really does like to ruin killboxes.

[Raymond]

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2890901044
this mod allows downed raiders to act as makeshift cover for their comrades, and they will try to seek cover and shoot back, or leave the killbox if your firepower is too concentrated. Mindlessly funneling centipede into a killbox in CE can be a death sentence for your colony.

[Raymond]

Originally posted by CloudSeeker:

Yeah. Those low shield packs really does like to ruin killboxes.

You can use EMP grenade to shut down low shield in vanilla. All mid-late game vanilla colony should have at least 2 emp pawns.

[Security Cam #7]

Many people seem to have missed OP's point.

OP is asking for mods to make strategies OTHER THAN killboxes more viable (like playing without a killbox, with regular defensive lines, trenches, sandbags and stuff), not to make enemies more powerful so that killboxes become less useful and other strategies even less viable due to the power spike.

[MerlinCross]

Any melee focus or overhaul mod I would think.

[Raymond]

Originally posted by ᲼⁧⁧Smelly Fish:

Many people seem to have missed OP's point.

OP is asking for mods to make strategies OTHER THAN killboxes more viable (like playing without a killbox, with regular defensive lines, trenches, sandbags and stuff), not to make enemies more powerful so that killboxes become less useful and other strategies even less viable due to the power spike.

that's literally what CE does.

[sooshon]

I've personally never really exactly made killboxes as I imagine other people do, with elaborate ways to slow down raiders, mechs etc. I still set up defensive choke points when possible because that is common sense to any defense situation and not unrealistic at all, but I find it viable to play even on hardest difficulties without resorting to elaborate setups of abusing the game mechanics. I think a lot of it is just in how you choose to play.

[XelNigma]

You can just NOT use them. The game is 100% playable with out a kill box.

[atm]

I think the main objection I have to killboxes (and I do use them, out of necessity) is that it is so unreasonable to think that a swarm of raiders would basically run single file into a blender. With castle sieges, everyone didn't just run single file under the murder holes - they tried to starve the inhabitants out, or break the walls.

[Robo]

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2938891185

[Bambusbjörn]

I feel exactly the same, especially in the late game, when there are raids with like 120 pirates or Mechclusters that cover 1/4 of a tile, the leaves you no choice but to use mods if you don't feel like building a huge, ugly and unrealistic maze filled with fences, columns and traps....

The mods i use to make combat more realistic and enjoyable are:

-Simple sidearms: does what i says on the box. Snipers e.g. can carry a SMG, everyone can carry a pistol or knife etc.

- Hand-to-hand, gives pawns "castable" special melee moves (at certain skilllevels) like roundhouse kicks and leg sweeps. Great vor fighting jailbreaks without kiling or the moment when you feel like your melee 18 gigachad should best those 3 naked tribals with melee 4 in a fight.

- Run-and-gun, gives your pawns and enemies the ability to shoot while moving, degree of accuracy is customisable, sounds pretty cheesy but it makes for great and hectic CQC fighting

- not a mod, but i always try to get like 3 people to at least Knight-Rank with the empire. Raids don't look so scarry when you cann call in 15 Imperials at once^^