So I decided to play without turrets this go-round, and I'm trying to figure out how to lay out my defenses for my base.
I have found that this sort of layout works well when I'm being attacked from the North/South/East/West:
# wall = sandbag @ pawn
@ @ @ @
#=##=##=##=#
But when attackers come at me at a diagonal the walls get in the way and my pawns can't shoot them. What sort of arrangement would allow my pawns the benefit of simultaneous hard & soft cover when shooting at 45' ?
@ @
#==##==##
#TT##TT##
T being traps or turrets as preferred (also, optional).
This doesn't quite give you a full 45 degrees with hard cover, because that's not possible (at least, not without moving pawn), but the firing range is quite a bit wider.
How about:
# # # #
=======
You get less defense forwards, since you can't lean out from behind a wall and still be directly behind a sandbag. But if anybody comes from the side, all your pawns can lean out for side shots while also getting sandbag coverage. Haven't thoroughly tested this yet.
Taken to its logical conclusion it suggests a bunker like this:
===
=# #=
= =
=# #=
===
Every pawn should have a 180 degree field of fire, and give a minimum of 2 firing positions for every direction.
Maybe you could even try a line:
===========
# # # # # #
===========
With the defensive directions being to the left and right, where everybody can lean out and shoot.
...
Of course all this will fail horribly if "lean-out" pawns in a row like this all shoot each other in the back of the head.
The middle one is an interesting option. if I have a lot of space I could make something like that work.
What I came up with is somewhat similar, but I don't know how well it will work:
#
@ =
@#=
=
#=
The pawn picks the side of the pillar opposite the direction the enemy is coming from, with hard and soft cover. I think.
One trouble with this is that I *know* it won't work against inferno cannons. But centipedes attacking a base are so slow it's easy to set up a harder position before they get there. And centipedes in a ship part can be lined up perpendicularly before striking.
Rather than tweaking your defence positions, you could instead funnel the enemy into a position that suits you.
What I've done was to establish a combat area in which it looks something like this.
#
##### # #
@= #
@= #
@= #
##### # #
#
In between the wall and the defence positions, I clear out the entire area and floor it up to make it open so that enemies will have no cover. You can line the front of the defence line with deadfall traps if you wish and stick melee pawns along the flanks to guard against those who try to flank.
Change your initial design to:
# wall = sandbag @ pawn
#@##@##@##@#
=============
enemy
This will enable pawns to lean out of their position to attack targets coming diagonally. This layout (and you can check using tooltips) gives you superior side protection as well: 65% from the front, but as the angle increases, you get additional protection.
If you want unobstructed view, the following layout works ok, but the lack of protection against rockets has to be compensated with a bait of some sort (usually a shielded pawn running outside).
# wall = sandbag @ pawn
=@==@==@==@=
=============
enemy
Contrary to common belief, leaning pawns are not easier or harder to hit, and they do not get additional protection from +2 adjacent cells. It's a visual representation of the fact that pawn is in cover.
Here's how I solved that problem in A15: I changed diagonal for frontal. Layout below. I simply boxed in my base in a square. Defending the corners would've been impossible without leaving the "morse code wall" so I extended it a bit. My colonists took defensive positions wherever a threat emerged, ignoring the extensions when raided from NSEW and using them when attacked from the map corners. Reaction time is crucial, (was playing on smallest map), there was no time for meals, battle gear or guns changing. Worked well.
I built an example in devmode to show you my variant of walls. Diagonal shooting wasn't necessary, as I would simply move my pawns left or right to meet the threat straight out. 3 pawns could fit 1 shooting spot, with the middle pawn getting the widest angle for shooting at the cost of being the most exposed one. My wall sections are 3 tiles broad to give me the ability to hide my colonists, useful when ambushing mechanoids (charge rifle range vs centi range and such). I also roofed and floored the area in my side of the wall (obvious reasons) and actually used stone chunks.
[attachment deleted by admin due to age]
You really shouldn't have your firing positions so close. Scattered shots are more accurate then hits.
IE: I shoot at at pawn with a 50% chance to hit.
It scatters into the tile next to him, which also has a pawn.
100% chance to hit that pawn.
I know that. Depending on the situation I could afford that sometimes. When lots of raiders charged my wall, it was better to concentrate my firepower to break them. In less dynamic stand-offs, spreading out (mostly the survival/sniper rifles) was better to maximise the benefit from wall coverage.
In an enclosed space:
WDW
CCC
W is wall, D is door, C is colonist. Middle colonist has a personal shield. His job is to walk into and out of the door so you get free shots on raiders.
If raiders are beating on a corner, pop out of a door further away and take a free pot shot, then duck back in. They'll probably move. If they don't move, them eating the bullets tends to work out also.