Difference between revisions of "Unstable power cell"

Latest revision as of 12:10, 30 January 2025

An unstable power cell is a power generation unit that is of Mechanoid origin. The cell has a constant output of 400W and can be placed anywhere, but if damaged can cause a massive explosion. The cell bears some similarities to the Vanometric power cell in that it will create free energy infinitely and can be placed in fortified positions.

Acquisition[edit]

The UPC can be claimed and stolen from mechanoid clusters, once the cluster is defeated.

Beware of mechanoid turret explosions damaging the UPC, resulting in a chain explosion that can easily kill nearby colonists. Their presence presents a strategic choice; detonate the power cells from a distance to make the cluster easier to defeat, or carefully deal with the mechanoids to claim the cells for use in your base.

Summary[edit]

Unstable power cells output a continuous 400W of power without fuel, weather, or any other dependence. Only an event or condition that stops all electric devices, like a solar flare, can interrupt this item. They glow with a radius of 4.

Unstable power cells have a 50% chance to explode when damaged below 20% health. The cell will begin to spark and emit a hissing sound for 240 ticks (4 secs) before exploding. They also explode immediately upon destruction, regardless of method, but not upon deconstruction. An exploding cell dealing 50 Bomb damage in a 9.9 tile radius. Bomb damage is multiplied ×8 against walls, ×4 against other impassable structures and plants, and ×2 against passable buildings.^{[Raider avoidance?]} It's possible to uninstall them during "sizzle", but they still will explode on reinstallation.^[Verify]

Like all mech cluster buildings, they not only have a Flammability of 0%, but also take no damage from attacks with the Flame damage type. This is in contrast to, for example, a stone wall which will not be ignited by molotov cocktails but will take the 10 flame damage from the initial attack.

Explosive Radius
Light Radius. Yellow: 50%, Orange 34%.

Analysis[edit]

Example of the honeycomb rendering UPCs essentially safe. Note: Sandstone walls or stronger are recommended.

With its large blast radius and high damage against structures, an exploding unstable power cell is very effective against the mech clusters in which they generate. Successfully retrieving a power cell can sometimes be difficult, and should be weighed against using it as an explosive, but retrieval is usually worth it.

While cells only give a modest 400 W, they are quite useful for power. They are mobile, maintenance free, and perfectly consistent. For example, a single cell can power 2 isolated deep drills, without the need to run a long power conduit line. They are also helpful as "free" power, as a supplement to your main grid. Over the life of a colony, many cells can be accrued, contributing a significant amount of power. Deconstructing one is almost never worth it, due to the pitiful yield.

Some players are wary of their explosive natures, however the risk can be almost entirely mitigated by enclosing the cell with walls as shown in the image to the left:

A single explosion cannot damage tiles beyond walls, even if the wall is destroyed. This means all other items, structures, or pawns are safe if the cell is surrounded by walls at the time of detonation, regardless of their HP at the time of detonation.
The explosion from the cell or from an a shell from an incoming enemy mortar or auto-mortar will deal 400 damage to walls. This is sufficient to destroy any wall weaker than sandstone.
Therefore, if you use walls made of sandstone or stronger, then the walls will prevent any damage from an initial explosion, such as a mortar strike, and the resulting cell explosion and nothing beyond the wall will be harmed.
As mechanoid buildings, they are completely immune to fires and short circuits.
Most raiders will not try to break walls if any other target is available. For sappers and breachers, place the walled cells in an internal position, so they have to break your outside walls first.

Thus, when used for static power production, they can be kept safe by surrounding them in stone walls even if such cells are placed directly next to each other in a checkerboard pattern - see the image to the left. This makes even a direct mortar strike, already a rare occurrence, result only in the loss of the cells themselves and, even then, only if they are not placed under overhead mountain.

Acquisition strategies[edit]

The primary risks to cells are accidentally triggering them with stray fire during combat and the explosions that can result from destroying turrets. Several methods can be used to safely acquire power cells from mechanoid clusters:

The simplest strategy might be simply clearing the cluster. If the unstable power cells are far enough away from turrets, you may be able to recover the cell by luring mechanoids away from the cluster, and then avoiding explosive weapons and not causing more damage than needed while you destroy buildings.
Smoke launchers can be used to give colonists cover while you construct a wall around a power cell to protect it.
The Wallraise psycast can be used to surround turrets or cells to contain explosions or protect cells from stray bullets.
High-quality breach axes and pawns with improved melee damage can destroy turrets in one hit, preventing the low-health explosion. Keep in mind that this is not perfectly reliable when dealing with predamaged turrets as they may hit the target with the weaker, handle attacks instead of the devastatingly effective head attack, and this may drop them below the threshold for low-health explosions. Always check the turret's HP before and while attempting this strategy, including if the first several swings do not successfully destroy a previously full health turret.
Frag grenades destroy turrets in one hit, preventing the low-health explosion. Frag grenades have a forced miss radius of 1.9 tiles, which means directly targeting a turret may lead to a grenade landing anywhere in a radius around the target, potentially hitting nearby UPCs. If this is possible, aim the frag grenade throws slightly away from both the turret and the cell so that you destroy the turret with a grenade that flies off-target. Destroying turrets this way takes many attempted throws. Smoke launchers can again be used to give your colonists cover from the turrets while you work.

Architect

Special: Glow pod • Infinite chemreactor • Psychic emanator • Vanometric power cell • Mech node • Monument marker • Unstable power cell

Architect

Power: Power conduit (Hidden, Waterproof) • Power switch • Wood-fired generator • Chemfuel powered generator • Wind turbine
(research): Battery • Geothermal generator • Solar generator • Watermill generator • Toxifier generator • Bioferrite generator
(uncraftable): Vanometric power cell • Unstable power cell
Related: Ship reactor • Electroharvester

Mechanoids

Mechanoids | Core: Centipede (Blaster, Burner, Gunner) • Lancer • Pikeman • Scyther • Termite
Combat: Centurion • Legionary • Militor • Scorcher • Tesseron
Command: Apocriton • Diabolus • War queen (War urchin )
Labor: Agrihand • Cleansweeper • Constructoid • Fabricor • Lifter • Paramedic • Tunneler
Cluster | Buildings: Condition causer • Count-down activator • Mech assembler • Mech capsule • Mech drop beacon • Mech high-shield • Mech low-shield • Mech node • Proximity activator • Unstable power cell
Turrets: Auto charge turret • Auto inferno turret • Auto mortar • Mini-slugger turret
Creation | Pawn: Mechanitor
Buildings: Band node • Mech booster • Mechband antenna • Mechband dish • Mech gestator • Large mech gestator • Mech recharger • Large mech recharger

@@ Line 33: / Line 33: @@
 Beware of mechanoid turret explosions damaging the UPC, resulting in a chain explosion that can easily kill nearby colonists. Their presence presents a strategic choice; detonate the power cells from a distance to make the cluster easier to defeat, or carefully deal with the mechanoids to claim the cells for use in your base.
 == Summary ==
-Unstable power cells output a continuous 400W of power without fuel or any other dependence. Only an [[event]] that stops all electric devices, like a [[solar flare]], can interrupt this item. They glow with a radius of 4.
+Unstable power cells output a continuous 400W of power without fuel, [[weather]], or any other dependence. Only an [[event]] or condition that stops all electric devices, like a [[solar flare]], can interrupt this item. They glow with a radius of 4.
-When damaged below 50% of their HP, they have a chance to begin to "sizzle", after {{Ticks|240}} they will explode. It's possible to uninstall them during "sizzle", but they still will explode on reinstallation. They also always explode on destruction, but not deconstruction. The explosion has a radius of 9.9 tiles and does 50 [[Damage types#Bomb|Bomb]] damage. Bomb damage is multiplied 8x against [[wall]]s, 4x against other impassable structures and plants, and 2x against passable buildings.
+Unstable power cells have a 50% chance to explode when damaged below 20% health. The cell will begin to spark and emit a hissing sound for {{Ticks|240}} before exploding. They also explode immediately upon destruction, regardless of method, but not upon deconstruction. An exploding cell dealing 50 [[Damage Types#Bomb|Bomb damage]] in a 9.9 tile radius. Bomb damage is multiplied {{Up|x8}} against [[wall]]s, {{Up|x4}} against other impassable structures and plants, and {{Up|x2}} against passable buildings.{{Check Tag|Raider avoidance?|Raiders will try to flee exploiding turrets, wb cells? if so add "All nearby raiders will attempt to move out of the blast radius before detonation."}}  It's possible to uninstall them during "sizzle", but they still will explode on reinstallation.{{Check Tag|Verify}}
 Like all mech cluster buildings, they not only have a [[Flammability]] of 0%, but also take no damage from attacks with the [[Damage Types|Flame]] damage type. This is in contrast to, for example, a [[stone]] [[wall]] which will not be ignited by [[molotov cocktails]] but will take the 10 flame damage from the initial attack.
+<gallery>
+File:Unstable_power_cell_boom.png|Explosive Radius
+File:Unstable power cell light.png|Light Radius. Yellow: 50%, Orange 34%.
+</gallery>
 == Analysis ==
-As bomb damage is very effective against structures, an exploding unstable power cell is very effective against the mech clusters they generate with. Actually retrieving a power cell (without it triggering from [[turret]]s and the like) is difficult, and should be weighed against its explosion, but is often worth it.
+[[File:Unstable power cell safety honeycomb.jpg|thumb|left|Example of the honeycomb rendering UPCs essentially safe. Note: Sandstone walls or stronger are recommended.]]
+With its large blast radius and high damage against structures, an exploding unstable power cell is very effective against the mech clusters in which they generate. Successfully retrieving a power cell can sometimes be difficult, and should be weighed against using it as an explosive, but retrieval is usually worth it.
+While cells only give a modest {{P|Power Consumption}} W, they ''are'' quite useful for power. They are mobile, maintenance free, and perfectly consistent. For example, a single cell can power 2 isolated [[deep drill]]s, without the need to run a long power conduit line. They are also helpful as "free" power, as a supplement to your main grid. Over the life of a colony, many cells can be accrued, contributing a significant amount of power. Deconstructing one is almost never worth it, due to the pitiful yield.
-While cells only give a modest 400 W, they ''are'' fairly useful for power. They are mobile, maintenance free, and perfectly consistent. For example, a single cell can power 2 isolated [[deep drill]]s, without the need to run a long power conduit line. They are also helpful as "free" power, as a supplement to your main grid. Deconstructing one is almost never worth it, due to the pitiful yield.
+Some players are wary of their explosive natures, however the risk can be almost entirely mitigated by enclosing the cell with [[walls]] as shown in the image to the left:
+# A single explosion cannot damage tiles beyond walls, even if the wall is destroyed. This means all other items, structures, or pawns are safe if the cell is surrounded by walls at the time of detonation, regardless of their {{HP}} at the time of detonation.
+# The explosion from the cell '''or''' from an a shell from an incoming enemy [[mortar]] or [[auto-mortar]] will deal 400 damage to walls. This is sufficient to destroy any wall weaker than [[sandstone blocks|sandstone]].
+# Therefore, if you use walls made of sandstone or stronger, then the walls will prevent any damage from an initial explosion, such as a mortar strike, ''and'' the resulting cell explosion and nothing beyond the wall will be harmed.
+# As mechanoid buildings, they are completely immune to [[fire]]s and [[Events#Zzztt...|short circuits]].
+# Most raiders will not try to break walls if any other target is available.  For sappers and breachers, place the walled cells in an internal position, so they have to break your outside walls first.
-While their explosive nature can be concerning, it is manageable. If you fully surround the cell with [[wall]]s, then it will be practically safe:
+Thus, when used for static power production, they can be kept safe by surrounding them in stone walls even if such cells are placed directly next to each other in a checkerboard pattern - see the image to the left. This makes even a direct mortar strike, already a rare occurrence, result only in the loss of the cells themselves and, even then, only if they are not placed under overhead mountain.
-*A single explosion cannot damage tiles beyond walls, even if the wall is destroyed. This means your other objects are safe if the cell is walled in.
-*As mechanoid buildings, they are completely immune to fires and [[Events#Zzztt...|short circuits]].
-*Most raiders will not try to break walls if any other target is available.
-**For sappers and breachers, place cells (remember the walls!) in an internal position, so they have to break your outside walls first.
-Therefore, the only real risk comes from an unlucky [[mortar]] strike, which is able to destroy most things, anyway. For bases with overhead mountain, even this problem is resolved.
 === Acquisition strategies ===
-Several methods can be used to safely acquire power cells from mechanoid clusters:
+The primary risks to cells are accidentally triggering them with stray fire during combat and the explosions that can result from destroying turrets. Several methods can be used to safely acquire power cells from mechanoid clusters:
 * The simplest strategy might be simply clearing the cluster. If the unstable power cells are far enough away from turrets, you may be able to recover the cell by luring mechanoids away from the cluster, and then avoiding explosive weapons and not causing more damage than needed while you destroy buildings.
 * [[Smoke launcher]]s can be used to give colonists cover while you construct a wall around a power cell to protect it.
-* The [[Psycasts#Wallraise|Wallraise]] psycast can be used to surround turrets or cells to contain explosions or protect cells from stray bullets.
+* The [[Wallraise]] psycast can be used to surround turrets or cells to contain explosions or protect cells from stray bullets.
-* High-quality [[breach axe]]s and pawns with improved melee damage can destroy turrets in one hit, preventing the low-health explosion.
+* High-quality [[breach axe]]s and pawns with improved melee damage can destroy turrets in one hit, preventing the low-health explosion. Keep in mind that this is not perfectly reliable when dealing with predamaged turrets as they may hit the target with the weaker, handle attacks instead of the devastatingly effective head attack, and this may drop them below the threshold for low-health explosions. Always check the turret's {{HP}} before and while attempting this strategy, including if the first several swings do not successfully destroy a previously full health turret.
-* [[Frag grenades]] destroy turrets in one hit, preventing the low-health explosion. You may need to aim the frag grenade throws slightly ''away''  from both the turret and the cell so that you destroy the turret with a grenade that flies off-target. Destroying turrets this way takes many attempted throws. [[Smoke launcher]]s can again be used to give your colonists cover from the turrets while you work.
+* [[Frag grenades]] destroy turrets in one hit, preventing the low-health explosion. Frag grenades have a forced miss radius of {{Q|Frag grenades|Miss Radius}} tiles, which means directly targeting a turret may lead to a grenade landing anywhere in a radius around the target, potentially hitting nearby UPCs. If this is possible, aim the frag grenade throws slightly ''away''  from both the turret and the cell so that you destroy the turret with a grenade that flies off-target. Destroying turrets this way takes many attempted throws. [[Smoke launcher]]s can again be used to give your colonists cover from the turrets while you work.
 {{Nav|special|wide}}
 {{Nav|power|wide}}
 {{Nav|mechanoid|wide}}
 [[Category:Special]]
 [[Category:Power]]

Difference between revisions of "Unstable power cell"

Latest revision as of 12:10, 30 January 2025

Contents

Acquisition[edit]

Summary[edit]

Analysis[edit]

Acquisition strategies[edit]

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