Difference between revisions of "Smokepop pack"

Revision as of 06:20, 3 October 2022

The smokepop pack is a reusable defensive device that releases a cloud of smoke on command, reducing ranged accuracy.

Acquisition

Smokepop packs can be crafted at a Machining table once the Smokepop packs research project has been completed. Each requires 20 Steel, 1 Component, 40 Chemfuel and 1,200 ticks (20 secs) of work.

They can also be purchased from traders or found on raiders.

Summary

A smokepop pack creates smoke around its user. Thesmoke reduces hit chance by 70% for any projectile that paths through smoke. It does not affect melee hit or dodge chances. Smoke has an effect even if the shooter and the target are standing in it, as long as there's smoke in between. The smoke also prevents turrets from locking onto and firing at targets. It dissipates after around 30 seconds.

It can be activated 3 times before needing to be reloaded for 10 chemfuel. Reloading smokepop packs always costs 10 chemfuel, even if there are charges left (as compared to the jump pack, which uses 20 chemfuel per charge restored). Because of this, it is obviously more efficient, if less safe, to spend 2 or 3 charges before reloading.

Quality Table

On explosion, the smokepop pack covers an area with smoke. The radius depends on the quality of the pack.

Quality	Awful	Poor	Normal	Good	Excellent	Masterwork	Legendary
Explosion radius (tiles)	4.1	4.5	4.9	5.3	5.7	6.4	7.4
Market Value	83	125	166	205	250	415	830

Note that a larger explosion radius is not necessarily better, as smoke affects both sides of the battle.

Analysis

Smokepop packs are very useful against turrets, such as in a mechanoid cluster, who simply can't fire on targets hidden by smoke. Other pawns can then destroy it, hit it with EMP weapons, or handle other threats.

Against humanoid raiders, smoke is more useful with a largely melee or otherwise low range group. They can allow colonists to approach enemies, which is very effective against tight groups of enemies with few or no brawlers of their own, which may include sieges. A melee alternative is the shield belt, which fully eliminates damage until it runs out. However, smokepop requires less research (so long as you have chemfuel), works after EMP attacks, and applies to all pawns in an area, as opposed to needing one shield belt per colonist. Smoke will also apply to animals, which obviously won't fit in a shield belt. Finally, only one colonist needs to wear a smokepop belt, meaning the rest can stick with a shield.

As covering enemies with smoke also greatly reduces effectiveness of your own gunners, it isn't very effective if you can outrange the enemy, or if you're otherwise in a firefight. But even with a ranged group, you can use the cover of smoke to reposition your group in a safer manner, or to approach turrets.

Version history

0.17.1546 - Added as the smokepop belt.
1.2.2719 - Renamed to the smokepop pack from smokepop belt, now has 3 charges, no longer disappears on use, and can be triggered manually instead of automatically triggering when hit by a projectile.
1.2.2753 - AI will now only deploy an NPC's Smokepop pack if the offending attacker is hostile. This prevents friendly-fire from activating an NPC's Smokepop

Utility

Utility: Firefoam pop pack • Orbital bombardment targeter • Orbital power beam targeter • Psychic shock lance • Psychic insanity lance • Shield belt • Smokepop pack • Tornado generator • Low-shield pack • Jump pack • Orbital mech cluster targeter • Bandwidth pack • Control pack • Tox pack • Biomutation lance • Biomutation pulser • Deadlife pack • Disruptor flare pack • Shard animal pulser • Shard insanity lance • Shard shock lance • Turret pack

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 Against humanoid raiders, smoke is more useful with a largely melee or otherwise low range group. They can allow colonists to approach enemies, which is very effective against tight groups of enemies with few or no brawlers of their own, which may include [[Raider#Siege|sieges]]. A melee alternative is the [[shield belt]], which fully eliminates damage until it runs out. However, smokepop requires less research (so long as you have [[chemfuel]]), works after [[EMP]] attacks, and applies to all pawns in an area, as opposed to needing one shield belt per colonist. Smoke will also apply to animals, which obviously won't fit in a shield belt. Finally, only one colonist needs to wear a smokepop belt, meaning the rest can stick with a shield.
-As covering enemies with smoke also greatly reduces effectiveness of your own gunners, it isn't very effective if you can outrange the enemy, or otherwise in a firefight. But even with a ranged group, you can use the cover of smoke to reposition your group in a safer manner, or to approach turrets.
+As covering enemies with smoke also greatly reduces effectiveness of your own gunners, it isn't very effective if you can outrange the enemy, or if you're otherwise in a firefight. But even with a ranged group, you can use the cover of smoke to reposition your group in a safer manner, or to approach turrets.
 == Version history ==