Base defense upgrade path: from first bench to powered defense network

The core principle: the bench is the target

During Assault Events, enemies are targeting your Crafting Bench. Your defense infrastructure exists to intercept enemies before they reach it. Every placement decision should be evaluated against this question: does this device intercept enemies on their approach path to the bench?

Defense placed to cover the room generally is less effective than defense placed to cover the 1-2 chokepoints between the room entrance and the bench.

Tier 1: remove the threat you actually have

Portal Suppression Field is a Tier 2 Crafting Bench upgrade unlocked at Crafting level 5. It suppresses Portal Storms near the powered bench: portals may briefly appear, but close without spawning enemies. It also destroys nearby Power Leeches during Rolling Blackouts while the bench is powered.

It does not prevent Order Assaults, Exor Patrols, Zombie Hordes, or other non-portal raids. Install it when Portal Storms are the current repeated problem; do not delay physical route defenses because the upgrade sounds universal.

Before spending materials, record the event name and whether the failure came from a portal beside the bench or enemies walking in from an approach. The first problem points to suppression. The second points to a choke, fallback position, and a device that matches the enemy path.

Tier 2: Chopinator network (midgame)

The Chopinator is a spinning-blade defense device. When powered, its blades damage anything within reach, including players. At zero durability, it stops working until repaired.

Placement rules:

• Place at chokepoints, not in open areas: a Chopinator in the middle of a room covers less than one in a doorway
• Cover all approach vectors to the bench: identify every path an enemy can take from the room entrance to your bench, place one Chopinator per path
• Ensure Chopinators are powered: they require electricity to function

How many you need: There is no source-backed universal count. Start with one unit on the observed approach, test whether enemies enter its reach, and add a second layer only when the first test exposes an uncovered lane or insufficient stopping time.

Tier 3: Tesla Coil and Laser Tripmine supplement

Once the base has stable power and known approach lanes, add a second defense layer. Use Tesla Coils where the base layout can keep players out of the danger zone. Use Laser Tripmines where a single high-damage trigger is acceptable and where an accidental detonation will not destroy the normal movement route.

Placement:

• Keep Tesla Coils away from normal player traffic because their threat zone is part of the cost.
• Put Laser Tripmines on deliberate thresholds, not beside a shared crafting aisle.
• Keep one low-tech fallback path so a power or trap failure does not trap the player near the bench.

Do not add late defense devices until repair materials, replacement parts, and power capacity are stable. A bigger defense network that cannot be maintained is less reliable than a smaller one with a clean repair routine.

Defense upgrade sequence summary

Device selection matrix

This matrix prevents a common base-defense mistake: adding more of the same device when the failure mode has changed. If enemies are spawning near the bench, more doorway traps may not fix the problem. If enemies are walking through an open door, a safer choke may matter more than a stronger device.

Current device facts that affect placement

Chopinator blades pass above some short enemies, although Pests may jump into them while attacking. A placement that works on a human-sized raider therefore does not prove the same lane is covered against every entity. Test with the current threat and preserve a manual response.

Post-event recovery checklist

After surviving an Assault Event, run through this before your next session:

1. Check all Chopinator durability: a device at zero durability stops working until repaired
2. Replace any spent Laser Tripmines
3. Verify bench is still powered and Portal Suppression Field is active
4. Repair any damaged approach corridors or structural changes from the event
5. Restock healing items used during the event before the next run

Defense infrastructure maintenance planning

Upgrade only after observing the path

Before adding a new defense tier, watch one event or one enemy approach and mark the route enemies actually take. Do not defend the room you imagined. Defend the path that exists.

Use three observations:

1. Where the enemy first becomes visible.
2. Where the enemy must turn or slow down.
3. Where the enemy would reach the bench if no device stopped it.

The best defense position is usually the second point, not the first. Placing too far forward can waste power or trigger range. Placing too far back lets the enemy damage the work area before the device matters.

Do not place defense devices you cannot maintain. A Chopinator with no repair materials available is a liability because it stops working at zero durability until you repair it.

What to do between events

Use the time between events to:

• Verify all defense devices are powered and functional
• Check that Item Transporter has repair materials in accessible crates
• Identify any new approach vectors created by base expansion
• Confirm Portal Suppression Field upgrade is still active after any bench changes

Assault Events are random, but the afternoon warning and later bench-selection message create a preparation window. Use that window to confirm the likely bench, power, repair reserve, and fallback route instead of assuming the last raid's entry point is the only one that can be used.

See also

• Assault Event Defense Guide
• Chopinator, Tesla Coil, and Laser Tripmine Placement
• Power Grid Basics