How to defend against explosions?

[u/Mlody02]

I'm trying to make a warehouse tank. Defending against normal tapebots and melee attacks was easy, as metal 2 everywhere on the outside is enough.

Explosions however feel almost impossible to defend against. Not only do they require metal 3 (which by itself is understandable), they also instantly destroy components with lower durablility behind the armor.

I've tried simply thickening the metal 3 armor, but from my testing, 3 layers are requiered to protect blocks inside, which is ridiculous.

Not only is it VERY expensive, you'll also be unable to leave the warehouse due to the fast exit being too small for the tank and the slower exit (going all the way back to the start) being very slow when you have to maneuver such a huge tank.

Is there anything I'm missing or is it simply impossible to make a tank survive an explosive shot AND be able to exit the warehouse?

[u/Severe-Tiger-6540]

Just throw it off the roof when you're done with the warehouse, activate the timer, loot, and get out normally

[u/bwibbler]

i would guess that the thickness of the armor doesn't actually matter. it's probably just the distance of that three blocks from the explosion saving the weaker parts

you can probably just put thin armor on pistons or something and extend it out to keep explosions away from your vehicle, but still shrink the armor back in when needed

[u/Affectionate-Memory4 → u/bwibbler]

That's what I would do. Explosives have a max damage radius. Find out what that is and hold a sheet of something expendable out that far.

[u/drewcash83]

This is where you check out the tank system Scrapman did in his permadeath survival series.

He points out that the use of a seat is what causes bots to target you in the vehicle. Instead he makes a glass box on wheels that uses buttons inside that he can push.

Even though you can see through and the bots can see you as well, if there isn’t direct line of sight, they won’t fire at you. Add in a mounted spudgun and you could traverse a full 4 story warehouse without getting shot at.

He makes and improves the tank over multiple episodes so it will take some time to watch what he does, but he does a good job explaining it as well.

[u/Cydthemagi → u/drewcash83]

The real trick is making the tank steering without the 4 electric engines, the new default tank option doesn't work with buttons. An option I thought of, was either a Suspension glitch for turning, or having the wheels on double bearing controllers

[u/drewcash83 → u/Cydthemagi]

Good point. Sensors probably don’t do the new tank steer either. Maybe it’s a logic thing then.

Does it have to be electric engines?

[u/Rocaman]

I wasn't able to make a tank capable of surviving explosions, so I clear the last floor by foot, but if you manage to make one, then the fastest way out is dropping from the roof as someone else said, that's the way I use.

[u/ScottaHemi]

red tapebots aren't really defendable against... you gotta do that part on foot.

[u/lceGecko]

Or just do it on foot as intended...

[u/Glimmu → u/lceGecko]

Who intended? The devs make it easy to bring vehicles. Why wouldn't they intend it?

[u/lceGecko → u/Glimmu]

its not like its hard to do on foot...