Trap

Traps are static defenses that trigger when enemies step upon, since they are invisible to them. At the time of writing, all traps in-game are single-use, have to be rebuilt after use,and cannot be placed directly next to one another.

• IED antigrain warhead trap
• IED EMP trap
• IED firefoam trap
• IED incendiary trap
• IED trap
• Spike trap

Summary

Traps are single use security buildings that may be triggered when a pawn of any kind walks over it.

• The base trigger chance is 100% for enemies, including mechanoids and animals affected by the manhunter mental state. Note that despite the name, animals currently hunting a human pawn for food are not "manhunters" and are not considered enemies.
• Non-manhunting wild animals have a 25% chance to trigger the trap.
• Colonists and tame animals have 0.4% (one in 250) chance to trigger the trap.^{[Friendly Mechanoids?]}
• Friendly visitors and their animals will never trigger a trap.

However, colonists and non-manhunting animals are aware of the location of traps, and will avoid pathing over them if reasonably practical.^{[Path Cost?]} One notable exception is roped animals being dragged by a handler - the rope limits their movement, overriding their usual behavior.

Prisoners are considered to be their original faction for the purposes of traps. Enemy who you have taken prisoner will retain their 100% trap trigger rate and will ignore traps when pathfinding. Colonists that you have taken prisoner retain their 0.4% trap trigger rate, even during a prison break, and will avoid traps whenever possible.

In all instances, the nimble trait multiplies the trigger chance for that pawn by 10%, that is, a 10% chance for enemies and 0.04% chance for friendly pawns.

Notes

Traps belonging to the enemy are still visible to you (the player), but not to the colonists, whose pathfinding will not avoid the traps. Note that as of the time of writing, no known vanilla events will generate enemy traps.

Analysis

A nice trap layout, but apparently not fool-proof.

Main article: Defense structures

Traps should be laid on "easy" access paths, to maximize the chances an enemy will use it. The un-trapped path for colonists may be protected with doors, so that the enemy AI consider them a waste of effort.

Explosive traps should be kept away from colonists. The most powerful ones are more useful in the outskirts, while others can usually be handled with stone walls.

Version history

• 0.11.877 - Added added Deadfall trap (later renamed), IED trap, Incendiary IED Trap (later renamed).
• 0.19.2009 - Deadfall trap redesigned into Spike trap.
• 1.1.0 - IEDs explode when bullets hit them. This allows the player to purposefully shoot them to set them off.
• Biotech DLC Release - Added IED tox trap.

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Architect

Security

Barricade • Sandbags • Spike trap

(research)

Autocannon turret • Foam turret • Mini-turret • Rocketswarm launcher • Uranium slug turret • Mortar

IEDs

IED trap • IED incendiary trap • IED EMP trap • IED firefoam trap • IED smoke trap • IED antigrain warhead trap • IED tox trap

Related

Antigrain warhead • EMP shell • Firefoam shell • High-explosive shell • Incendiary shell • Smoke shell • Tox shell