Scorcher

A scorcher is a mechanoid added by the Biotech DLC.

Acquisition

Scorchers can be gestated by a mechanitor at a Large mech gestator once the Standard mechtech research project has been completed. They require 80 Steel, 32 Plasteel, 3 Components, 1 Standard subcore and 2 gestation cycles taking 1,800 ticks (30 secs) each to initiate. They take up bandwidth from their linked mechanitor.

Dead, friendly scorchers can also be resurrected at the large mech gestator using the "Resurrect medium mechanoid" bill. This requires the corpse of the friendly Scorcher, 50 steel, and 1 gestation cycle taking 1,800 ticks (30 secs) to initiate.

Summary

As mechanoids, every scorcher is immune to fire, Flame and Heat damage, and temperature extremes, despite having Comfortable Temperatures defined. They have 100% Toxic Resistance and Toxic Environment Resistance, making them immune to toxic buildup, rot stink and other toxic effects. They do not need to eat, rest, and have no mood. They will be stunned by EMP attacks for a time proportional to the EMP damage inflicted and will "adapt" and rendered immune to further EMP strikes for 2,200 ticks (36.67 secs).

As an enemy

Scorchers will charge at the player, then try to stay at maximum range. Due to the short-ranged nature of their weapon, this behavior is somewhat counterproductive - see #Combat for more detail.

Mechanoids can raid the player's base through events, and are found in most poison ships, psychic ships, and mech clusters. Scorchers are a fairly low level threat, but can be dangerous with other mechs.

As an ally

Mechs under player control require power: scorchers use 10% of their power per day while active. If set to dormant self-charging, they instead recharge for 1% power / day, without pollution. They recharge in a large mech recharger (400W), for 50% power/day, creating 5 wastepacks whenever the recharger's waste is filled up.

Combat

Scorchers are equipped with a mini-flameblaster. With a range of just 4.9 tiles, it is the shortest ranged weapon in the entire game. However, it has the unique property of being able to fire during melee combat. Enemies are able to do so but do not actively take advantage of this fact.

As its name suggests, the mini-flame blaster lights pawns on fire, which will cause them to run around widly if there is no firefoam or water around. All mechanoids are completely immune to fire.

Analysis

As an enemy

Enemy scorchers are not much of a threat on their own. A scorcher in range of firing is also just a few tiles from melee range, and can be shot down as it tries to approach. But if it gets to shoot, fire is a very dangerous condition. It will send your pawns careening into the attacks of other mechanoids. A firefoam pop pack is useful.

As an ally

Scorchers have a very limited range, so are dedicated to melee combat, or to help other pawns out in melee combat. Scorchers can be very effective in hallways, either in melee or just behind a melee blocker. Fire will cause vulnerable enemies to stop attacking, which allows pawns in the front lines to survive for longer, giving more time to kill in general. Effective against infestations.

Earlier on, scorchers are also decent out in the open - but a few scorchers won't be enough to suppress a large tribal raid.

Scythers are accessible at the same time, have higher melee damage, melee penetration and almost twice the health scaling, but lack crowd-controlling flamethrower. Also, low bandwidth cost means you can have two scorchers for every Scyther.

Health

Specify body type when known.

Body part	Health
Head	18
Skull	18
Brain	7
Nose	7
Neck	18
Jaw	14
Eye ^[1] (left, right)	7
Ear (left, right)	7
Body	28
Kidney^[2] (left, right)	11
Lung^[2] (left, right)	11
Liver^[2]	14
Heart^[2]	11
Spine^[2]	18
Stomach^[2]	14
Limbs (left, right, fore, hind)	21
Appendage (left, right, fore, hind)	14