Difference between revisions of "Steel slag chunk"

Revision as of 17:05, 9 March 2023

Steel slag chunks are a type of chunk created by the destruction of several different structures and objects. They provide cover and can be smelted at an Electric smelter for 15 steel.

Acquisition

Steel slag chunks are created from destroying certain buildings and raider's drop pods and cargo pod events, but never the pods of orbital trader's or quest reward delivery.

Summary

Their primary use is to be smelted at an Electric smelter for 15 steel. This requires 400 ticks (6.67 secs) of work.

They also act as 50% cover.

Analysis

While smelters are available early, or even immediately if playing the Crashlanded scenario, you have many other sources of steel.

Smelting a steel slag chunk would take 26.7 ticks (0.45 secs) per 1 steel. Below 16 Mining skill, this is actually better than mining steel. It is also better than deep drilling. However, this does not consider hauling time. Since drop pods usually land far away, it takes a long time to haul them back.

The benefit is that steel slag chunks are renewable, as raiders and thus drop pod raiders are renewable. Even when steel ore is available, smelting allows non-miners to generate a supplemental source of steel. Later in the game, deep drills can provide vast amounts of steel, but smelting is often faster (especially for non-miners)

It takes 170 Steel, 2 Components to make an electric smelter, which is quite costly (12 chunks to break-even). This can discourage an electric smelter in the early game, before you have enough things to smelt. Since these chunks won't be going anywhere, you can wait an extended period of time before you actually build the smelter. Once you have smelted enough objects, the smelter will provide a continuous profit of steel through chunks, weapons, and apparel.

Cover

As a chunk, it provides 50% cover, so should be cleared to a stockpile away from areas where enemies could use them. Conversely, they should be exploited when fighting field battles to provide cover to your own pawns. With its modestly high HP and non-flammability, it makes for more durable and rapidly deployable early cover than wooden barricades at the cost of providing 5% less cover.

Gallery

Variant A
Variant B
Variant C

Version history

1.3.3200 - Changed slag steel chunk mass from 5 to 8 so it doesn't weight less than the steel you get by smelting it.

@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 == Acquisition ==
-{{Stub|reason=What structures and exactly which pods create them, in what proportions. How does their smelting relate in work efficiency to other steel sources etc.}}
+{{Stub|reason=What structures and exactly which pods create them, in what proportions.}}
 Steel slag chunks are created from destroying certain buildings and [[raider]]'s drop pods and [[Events#Cargo pods|cargo pod events]], but never the pods of orbital trader's or [[quest]] reward delivery.
 == Summary ==
 Their primary use is to be smelted at an [[Electric smelter]] for {{icon Small|steel||15}} [[steel]]. This requires {{ticks|400}} of work.
+They also act as 50% [[cover]].
 == Analysis ==
-{{Stub|reason=Smelting anaylsis is lacking. E.g. How does their smelting relate in work efficiency to other steel sources? etc.}}
+While smelters are available early, or even immediately if playing the Crashlanded scenario, you have many other sources of steel.
-While smelters are available early, or even immediately if playing the Crashlanded scenario, the ubiquity of steel sources in the early game mean that it is often not an efficient use of pawn-time, resources, and [[power]]. However, they should be stockpiled for smelting down in the mid- and late-game, once easier sources of steel start running dry and the colony is stable enough to easily support the smelter and a pawn to run it.
+Smelting a steel slag chunk would take {{ticks|400/15 round 1}} per 1 steel. Below 16 Mining skill, this is actually better than mining steel. It is also better than [[deep drill]]ing. However, this does not consider hauling time. Since drop pods usually land far away, it takes a long time to haul them back.
+The benefit is that steel slag chunks are renewable, as raiders and thus [[drop pod]] raiders are renewable. Even when steel ore is available, smelting allows non-miners to generate a supplemental source of steel. Later in the game, [[deep drill]]s can provide vast amounts of steel, but smelting is often faster (especially for non-miners)
+It takes {{Required Resources|Electric smelter}} to make an electric smelter, which is quite costly (12 chunks to break-even). This can discourage an electric smelter in the early game, before you have enough things to smelt. Since these chunks won't be going anywhere, you can wait an extended period of time before you actually build the smelter. Once you have smelted enough objects, the smelter will provide a continuous profit of steel through chunks, weapons, and apparel.
+===Cover===
 As a [[chunk]], it provides 50% [[cover]], so should be cleared to a stockpile away from areas where enemies could use them. Conversely, they should be exploited when fighting field battles to provide cover to your own pawns. With its modestly high {{HP}} and non-flammability, it makes for more durable and rapidly deployable early cover than [[wood]]en [[barricades]] at the cost of providing 5% less cover.