Combat and defense

Prepare before the attack

Equip weapons, keep medicine available and build defensible approaches. Barricades provide cover. Spike traps and powered Auto-turrets become available through research. A turret needs a working electric network.

Raid strength grows with factors including colony wealth, population and time. Peaceful removes raids; Hard makes them stronger and more frequent. Pausing on threats in Settings gives you time to react.

Prepare cover before a threat arrives. Here the defenders stand behind barricades with gaps left for movement; the selected barricade's inspector explains its protection. View full screenshot

Direct your defenders

1. Select the colonists who should fight.
2. Press R or use Draft. They stop normal work and take combat orders.
3. Right-click a position to move there, or an enemy to attack. On touchscreens, hold a finger on the target.
4. Use cover and keep ranged fighters at a useful distance. Range, skill, cover, weather and line of sight affect shooting.
5. Undraft survivors when the threat is over so they can eat, rest, rescue and work again.

People occupy cells and cannot simply walk through one another. Leave space to move and avoid trapping your defenders behind a single narrow approach.

Select the defenders together and use Draft / Undraft to give combat orders. Drafted, waiting confirms they are ready; undraft them after the threat so they can return to normal jobs and needs. View full screenshot

Walls are not a complete defense

Raiders can break doors and walls. When the colony is sealed behind rock, sappers can dig toward it. Inspect their approach instead of assuming they will always follow your preferred path.

Manhunter packs attack people. Give them time and space to leave when possible, or defend the colony. Predatory wolves can attack livestock and break fences; use walled barns to protect the herd.

After combat

Pause and check wounds and bleeding. Rescue downed colonists and friendly visitors, tend them and clean treatment rooms. Haul useful equipment into shelter and replace damaged defenses.

A surviving downed raider can be Captured if you have a free prison bed and a warden. A friendly visitor should be Rescued, not captured. Some enemies die when downed, so not every fight can produce a prisoner.