Mech low-shield

Mech low-shields are Mechanoid cluster buildings added by the Royalty DLC. It blocks incoming projectiles in a 20-tile radius around them. Upon being hit by an EMP, it is disabled for 1,080 ticks (18 secs). Every 10 days, it goes down to charge for 1 day. When deconstructed, they are a valuable source of shield cores needed to create low-shield packs.

Acquisition[edit]

Mech low-shields can arrive as a component of mechanoid clusters. Mech low-shields cannot be acquired for player use, and shutdown when the cluster is defeated.

Summary[edit]

Mech low-shields can arrive as parts of a mechanoid cluster. Upon landing, they will begin projecting a shield, with a radius of 20 cells, that tops all incoming ground-level fire from passing into the bubble, but does not prevent pawns or turrets inside from firing out. Note that this only applies to ground-level fire, i.e. fire from ranged weapons carried by all types of pawn and turrets, including grenades that cross the boundary of the shield. Fire from mortars, orbital bombardment, or aerodrone strikes or salvos will not be blocked by the shield, nor will explosions crossing the boundary. The mech low-shield will not intercept fire from mechanoids or mechanoid turrets, even if they are on the outside of the shield radius.

Low-shields will continuously project their shield without material or power requirements from the cluster. Every 10 days, the shield projector will be disabled for a 24 hour charge cycle. The projector will automatically re-enable itself after the charge cycle is complete. Once the cluster is defeated, they will be permanently disabled.

Mech low-shields have a 10 day charge cycle. Every 10 days, the shield will be disabled for 24 hours to recharge. Low-shields can also be disabled with EMP. EMPing a mech Low-shield will not wake up a dormant mech cluster. However, disabling a low-shield with an EMP shell requires hitting the low-shield emitter with the explosion of the mortar shell. Since EMP shells have a large area of effect, it is very likely that other buildings or mechanoids would be affected by the EMP, which would awaken the cluster.

Low shields will be temporarily disabled for 1,080 ticks (18 secs) when either the shield stops an EMP projectile, or when EMP damage from any source is dealt to the emitter itself. Projectiles that the shield type does not stop will not have any effect when crossing the shield - the projectile must be intercepted by the shield to disable it. Low shields will be disabled when intercepting an EMP grenade or EMP launcher projectile that crosses the shield boundary. The projectile will be destroyed in the process and will not be have any AoE effects even if it normally would. Hitting the shield emitter with an EMP from any source will also disable the shield.

Note that an EMP's area of effect overlapping with the projected shield will not disable it - a projectile must hit the shield or the EMP damage must be dealt to the structure itself.

Analysis[edit]

Countering[edit]

Low shields can be countered fairly easily by throwing EMP grenades or firing an EMP launcher at the shield border. Each time the shield intercepts an EMP grenade or projectile, it will be disabled for 1,080 ticks (18 secs). Disabling the shield will allow pawns to engage targets inside the shield's radius without the shield intercepting their projectiles.

Low shields can also be countered by ordering pawns to enter the radius of the shield. Projectiles fired from inside the shield boundary will not be intercepted. Once inside the shield boundary, the emitter itself is also vulnerable to EMP explosions. EMP grenades thrown inside the shield boundary will explode normally, and if the explosion hits the emitter, the shield will be disabled.

Exploiting[edit]

Doesn't work against mechanoids, it doesn't matter if they are from another mech cluster:

Trivia[edit]

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.

Version history[edit]

1.1.2575 - Implement mech shield generator charge cycle. Shields now go down for a random day every 10 days. Now shuts down when the cluster is defeated.
1.2.2753 - Renamed from bullet shield to mech low-shield.

See also[edit]

Skipshield - A 6th level psycast with that stops all incoming and outgoing ground-level ranged attacks in a smaller radius and short duration
Low-shield pack - a utility item that stops all incoming ground-level ranged attacks in a smaller radius and short duration
Mech high-shield - a mechanoid cluster building that produces a similar effect in size and duration, but tuned to mortar rounds, orbital bombardments, and aerodrone strikes only.

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: Mech gestator • Large mech gestator • Mechband antenna • Mechband dish