What's the purpose of raiders attacking animals?

[nuschler22]

Seems like a fairly blatant way just to provide additional difficulty that makes little sense.

Three raiders attacking and heading right to attack five chickens?  The point is to do what for the raiders?

It's an easy fix, simply assign an area that animals go to during an attack that's relatively out of the way.  But it's one of those eye rolling moments where you know it's done just to be a pain to the player for "difficulty."

[Rahjital]

It's done that way because animals are treated as another kind of colonists, raiders see no difference between a squirrel and a power-armoured sniper. It really would be nice if there was some threat-analysis calculation that would make raiders mostly ignore harmless animals like chicken.

[Negocromn]

it's actually the other way around, this makes the game easier not harder because raiders  often disperse instead of just attacking your colonists all together

[nuschler22]

it's actually the other way around, this makes the game easier not harder because raiders  often disperse instead of just attacking your colonists all together

It provides an annoyance.  As does the constant need for components and gold.

[Negocromn]

it's actually the other way around, this makes the game easier not harder because raiders  often disperse instead of just attacking your colonists all together

It provides an annoyance.  As does the constant need for components and gold.

what annoyance? my brave turtles have saved many colonist lives

but yeah I agree its a dumb mechanic

[Boston]

It is a nonsensical mechanic that should be amended.

" So, there is they guy over there shooting at me, but I'm totally gonna run out in the open in order to go stab that cow. Yeah, fuck you, cow!"

Unrealistic, and used to "game" the enemy AI.

[erdrik]

They are sources of food and resources, so I do think them attacking your animals is something they should do.
Just not if there is an armed colonist in sight.

[Fungus]

What if those chickens are bred for war? What if that's a killer bunny? I think these raiders know what they're doing. They aren't taking any chances.

It's kind of like foxes and chickens: if you don't want dead livestock then make sure the coop is secure. But yeah, they could prioritise better.

[sadpickle]

Raiders are dicks.

Besides, it's common in war and such to destroy the resources of your enemy. Animals are a resource.

[Fungus]

And let's face it, they must know they're all going to die. They might as well achieve something.

[Barley]

If your animals are so important to you, just create an animal zone inside your fortress. Switch the animal restrictions to it whenever a raid shows up and all the animals will instantly run into your most protected sanctuary.

[Rahjital]

Besides, it's common in war and such to destroy the resources of your enemy. Animals are a resource.

That's not the problem here, the problem is that raiders go on a genocidal murder spree the moment they see a tamed animal. Why does a rocket-armed pirate waste his single-use weapon on a rabbit? Why does a centipede stop for five minutes to to mow down a couple of chicken with a minigun? They should be opportunistic in the way they kill animals, in the same way crop-burning is.

If your animals are so important to you, just create an animal zone inside your fortress. Switch the animal restrictions to it whenever a raid shows up and all the animals will instantly run into your most protected sanctuary.

It's really really annoying having to change the zoning reservation twice for fifty chicken and another two dozen assorted animals every time a raid comes. Then you forget once and watch helplessly as all your puppies are beaten to a pulp even though your colonists stand ten tiles away shooting the raiders.

[Pickle]

For the same reason they burn the farms, to destroy the resources. But yeah, it can be a bit weird sometime. One day a whole pack of tribals passed right in front of my base's door, ignoring all the colonists ready to fight, just to beat one dog.