Base defense setup: Portal Suppression, Shock Traps, and Tesla Coils

Understanding the Core Defense Problem

Portal Storms can open portals inside the defended area, bypassing perimeter traps. The Portal Suppression Field upgrade on a powered Crafting Bench stops those portal spawns. Other Assault Events bring enemies toward the selected bench from map spawn points and still require a defended approach.

The community Wiki separates Portal Storms from other Assault Events. A useful setup handles the storm if the upgrade is available and also watches the routes used by non-portal raiders. The two problems do not have one universal counter.

Prerequisites Before Building

Before expanding a defense network, check these three conditions:

The Base Defense Guide prioritizes Portal Suppression against interior storm spawns. That is a strategy recommendation, not a rule forbidding earlier traps: players can face Portal Storms before unlocking the Tier 2 bench upgrade, and traps remain useful against later non-portal attackers.

Assault observation worksheet

Before spending parts on a full defense layout, watch how enemies actually reach the room. One observed assault is worth more than guessing from the map.

Do this once after choosing a new base and again after major furniture changes. Pathing can change when the room layout changes.

Section 1: Portal Suppression Field Priority

The Portal Suppression Field is a Tier 2 Crafting Bench upgrade requiring Crafting level 5. While the bench is powered, it suppresses Portal Storms near that bench: portals may briefly appear but close without spawning enemies.

Installation workflow:

1. Keep the Crafting Bench powered from a socket or a charged battery.
2. Once Crafting level 5 and the listed materials are available, install the Portal Suppression Field upgrade on that bench.
3. At the next Portal Storm, confirm that any portals close without spawning enemies near the powered bench. Do not infer coverage of every detached room.

The suppression field does not prevent enemies from walking in through doors or windows. It only stops interior spawns from storms. This means perimeter defenses remain necessary for stopping ground-based attackers.

Recovery advice: If Portal Storm enemies still appear near the upgraded bench, check that the upgrade is installed and the bench has power throughout the event. If other raiders walk toward the bench, the suppression field is not failing; that event needs route defenses. Add battery reserve if night power is the actual weak point.

Section 2: Shock Traps for Entry Points

Shock Traps do not need an external power cable. When an enemy steps on one, it deals Electricity damage and stuns the target, then takes 30 seconds to recharge automatically. That makes it reusable at a doorway, but not a continuous barrier against a group arriving inside the recharge window.

Placement guidelines:

• Position Shock Traps just inside doorways so enemies commit to entering before triggering
• Place traps in narrow halls, stair turns, or furniture-funneled paths
• Avoid open rooms where enemies can path around the trap zone
• Add a second trap behind the first if larger enemies survive the initial shock

One player in the linked Reddit discussion describes three spaced Shock Traps with Tesla Coils and turrets. That is a community layout example, not proof that the same spacing prevents simultaneous triggers in every base. Test each trap against the approach actually used in this save.

Recovery advice: After each assault, check that a Shock Trap has completed its 30-second recharge; do not replace it merely because it triggered. If it never activated, consider moving it to the doorway enemies actually used.

Section 3: Tesla Coils with Controlled Power

Tesla Coils deal Electricity damage indiscriminately in a 180-degree arc in front of the device, including to players. They need power, but not a mandatory dedicated branch. A Lever is a documented way to switch them off before players cross that arc; a separate battery branch is an optional reliability choice.

Optional branch setup:

1. Connect a battery bank to a separate power line from the main base grid
2. Attach a Lever switch between the battery bank and the Tesla Coils
3. Run power from the Lever to the Tesla Coils
4. Keep the Lever in the OFF position during normal base operations
5. Flip the Lever ON only when an assault event begins

This layout reserves battery capacity for defenses and makes its on/off state easy to inspect. It does not imply an undocumented electrical "power spike." Size the battery reserve for the expected night load, including refrigerators and the Crafting Bench, and use the Lever to avoid crossing an active coil arc.

Common failure scenario: A shared battery bank runs out during the nightly outage while several powered devices are active. The consequence may be a coil, fridge, or bench losing power. Check actual charge and loads before adding more coils; splitting branches helps isolate a problem but does not create energy.

Recovery advice: If Tesla Coils fail to activate during a raid, check their power source and Lever state first. If the battery is drained, increase its capacity or reduce the connected load. Switch the coil on only when needed, and switch it off before crossing its firing arc.

Section 4: Combined Defense Layout

A practical base defense combines all three systems in a layered approach:

Route judgment: Place the Crafting Bench where approaches can be observed and a fallback route remains. If enemies arrive from several directions, consider moving the bench or covering one route at a time before buying more traps. The bench is the target during Assault Events according to the community Wiki; no fixed room shape is mandatory.

Numbered workflow for first-time setup:

1. Power the Crafting Bench; install Portal Suppression Field when unlocked and verify its behavior against a Portal Storm
2. Observe an approach safely, keeping any existing defense in place
3. Place Shock Traps at the observed doorways and allow for their recharge time
4. If adding Tesla Coils, size night power and use a Lever; a separate branch is optional
5. Add Tesla Coils behind the melee position, not in walking paths
6. Check power and repairs after the assault; Shock Traps recharge on their own

Recovery advice for failed defenses: Identify the event first. For a Portal Storm, check bench power and suppression. For a non-portal raid, check actual enemy approaches, the Shock Trap recharge window, and whether the Tesla Coil was powered and switched on. Fix the failed layer before adding more traps.

Pre-raid repair box

Keep a small repair box near the defended entrance. It should not hold general loot. Its job is to make post-assault cleanup fast enough that the next route can start safely.

If the box becomes a dump crate, empty it. Defense recovery works because the needed parts are obvious when the base is damaged.