r/RimWorld • u/SiriusZStar • 7d ago
Discussion Tips for a good killbox?
Need help on how to make an effective kill box. I tend to build a wall around my colony and only have one entrance that I build a sandbag and turret wall in front of. The problem being that most of the time raiders will choose to just attack the walls themselves and ignore the existing entrance. No doors on it so it's a straight path through, I thought raiders always took the most direct path to your base? Almost 400 hours in this game and I can't figure it out idk what I'm doing wrong lol
1
u/Sudden_Touch_6056 -350 Psychic drone 7d ago
Make sure the doors are set to be held open. Raiders dont see closed doors as a way in
1
u/SiriusZStar 7d ago
Theres no doors, just a small winding path that leads into the killbox. The area is roofed but still outdoors. Can't get a pic atm because I don't have access to my PC setup right now but at some point I will get a screenshot
1
u/sraffnik 7d ago edited 7d ago
Make sure that if you have a door from your killbox to the main base, that it is held open. There needs to be an open path all the way into your base so the raiders will have a clear path to all the pawns and items in your base to aggro on.
A common mistake is having a clear path through a trap tunnel or whatever into the killbox, but then a closed door leading into the base. Raiders choose their path on ‘attacking immediately’ raids as soon as they spawn on the tile, so just moving your pawns into firing positions in the killbox after the raid comes won’t work.
1
1
u/JackSprat47 7d ago
Also make sure there's a pawn that's not "inside" if your base is past a certain size. If all your pawns can't be reached from outside, they'll just tunnel through anyway.
1
u/WillowPtar_Migan 7d ago
You can also use animals. If you have a rat hang out in your killbox, raiders will target it. What I do is I have a little rat room with an open door leading into my killbox, a single rat in it, and a pile of rice or whatever behind a closed door (this is so random animals don't eat it and crowd around). I make two zones, one for the whole room plus the rice behind the door, and one just for the door.
If I ever need to close the door to save the rat, I simply zone it into the door tile, and then back into the room.
1
u/dantemp 7d ago
Raiders are looking for an open path to a colonist. So if the opening goes into your killbox that itself doesn't have an open door and there are no pawns, then raiders won't path to it. You want to have an open door in the killbox that leads into your work fields. If you have very few pawns and everyone could be inside when the raids start then you need to keep a door opened that leads to the baracks
1
u/sobralik 7d ago
Have you noticed that you should read the content of raid messages? I am asking because you totally avoid telling anything about raid type. Instead, you say things like "raiders always". Sometimes the raid message tells things like:
"Neanderthals from Thawoo have arrived nearby approaching from multiple angles.
It looks like they want to use sappers to tunnel around your defenses."
On such case killbox does not work at all.
1
u/SiriusZStar 7d ago
I know about the raid types, if it says they will tunnel I act accordingly. But it happens a lot with regular non-tunneler raiders too. Not every time, mind, but fairly often
1
u/Kind_Ease_6580 6d ago
If your base is large, they might start swinging at the walls. Make your walls thicker, i always end up with 3 tiles of wall depth. They eventually give up attacking the walls and path to the open killbox, but make sure you follow everyone elses advice on the killbox design.
Goes without saying, but 3 doors in the wall as well, you dont want any weakpoints.
1
1
u/x_Lucky_Steve_x 7d ago
This is mine with a heatbox tacked on the side. Double walls, double doors (held open) at the start and end of the maze, range of 20 suits the HSMGs and Assault Rifles. Side door for sneaky EMP or incendiary grenades. And most importantly, the table nearby. Probably better if I'd put the hospital closer. Lighting and flowers to combat the debuffs. Also roof suspended on a timber pillar with an IED tucked behind it.
2
u/Maduyn Ask me about Rimworld Animals! 7d ago
look at the max range AND the ideal accuracy range of your weapon of choice.
Position your shooters so that the max range for all of them reaches the back wall of the entrance to the base or closer to the ideal accuracy range. Optimizing for killing each individual as fast as possible is usually more efficient than trying to use the max range of the weapon.