Mechanism: Combat & Defense
Introduced in the March 9, 2026 “Monster Siege” update, combat is the active process of thinning out monster hordes to prevent them from overrunning the town.
⚔️ Player Combat: The Armory
Players can engage monsters by moving onto a hex containing a horde and selecting the Attack Monsters action.
The Combat Formula
- Damage to Kills: 1 point of Weapon Damage = 1 Monster Kill.
- Extra Kills: Skills like Sweeping Strikes and Critical Hits provide chances to kill additional monsters beyond the base weapon damage.
- Weapon Durability: Every attack triggers a roll against the weapon’s Break Chance. If the roll fails, the weapon is destroyed.
Weapon Comparison
| Weapon | Damage | Break % | Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
 Plasma Lance | 6 | 8% | None |
 Shock Maul | 4 | 14% | None |
 Alloy Plate | 3 | 12% | Field Engineering Lvl 1 |
 Rebar Blade | 3 | 20% | None |
 Burnt-Out Motor | 2 | 22% | None |
 Scrap Spear | 2 | 28% | None |
 Makeshift Shiv | 1 | 40% | None |
 Rusty Tool | 1 | 35% | None |
🛡️ Town Defense: The Siege
When a horde reaches the Base tile at Midnight, it triggers a Town Siege.
Defense Strength
Town Defense is the sum of all defensive base upgrades. If Attack Strength (Horde Count) > Town Defense, the town is overrun.
| Upgrade | Defense Bonus | Special Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Barbed Wire | +1 | Slows enemy movement by 1 hex |
| Reinforced Bulkhead | +3 | Blocks breaches for 2 turns |
| Automated Sentry | +5 | Fires 10 ammo per night |
🏋️ Combat Specializations
To become an effective defender, survivors should focus on the combat skill branch:
- Weapon Maintenance: Reduces the base break chance of your armory.
- Sweeping Strikes: Grants a chance to kill 1 extra monster per swing.
- Critical Hits: Grants a small chance to kill 3 monsters in a single hit.
💡 Tactical Advice
- Patrol Approach Paths: Don’t wait for hordes to reach the base. Intercept them while they are in the Marching phase to reduce the total Attack Strength before Midnight.
- Clear Corrupted Zones: The most effective defense is preventing spawns. Use high-AP scouts to locate and clear Corrupted Tiles near the base.