[DEVBLOG#330] Vanilla Factions Expanded - Ultratech: Smart weapons (Patreon)

Hey everyone, and welcome back to another devblog for Vanilla Factions Expanded - Ultratech!

Before we begin, you can see the previous devblogs here!

1. Introduction

2. Research

3. Netcasting

4. UltraWatt network

Today, I want to talk about some of the weapons you’ll be getting your hands on as your colony advances into the ultratech era.

We’ve already discussed the infrastructure behind your glitterworld technology. Now we can look at what happens when some of that technology is pointed at an approaching raid.

Smart weapons introduce guided projectiles, target locks, and equipment that helps your entire firing line acquire targets faster. Alongside the handheld weapons, we’re adding two turrets that bring the same technology into your colony’s defenses.

The numbers below reflect the current design and may change during development.

Acquiring a target

Before a smart weapon can fire, it needs to acquire a target lock.

You’ll see brackets gradually close around the targeted pawn, with a red targeting line connecting them to the shooter. This makes the acquisition process visible, giving you a clear indication of who is about to receive some very unwelcome attention. Enemy targeting effects use a darker shade of red to help distinguish them from your own.

Different weapons take different amounts of time to establish that lock. The pistol acquires targets relatively quickly, while the lance needs considerably longer.

Once acquired, the lock remains for that particular weapon until the shooter changes targets or the target moves out of range. You therefore benefit from maintaining fire on the same opponent, while switching targets introduces delay.

Lock-on time is separate from the weapon’s normal warm-up and cooldown. Once locked in, following shots only use the standard weapon warmup.

Projectiles that follow their target

Once fired, a smart projectile continually adjusts its course towards its locked target.

You’ll be able to see the rounds curve through the air as they steer. They continue tracking if line of sight breaks, and ordinary cover objects won’t stop them. Solid, impassable geometry can still block their path.

Their guidance also has limits. Each projectile has a maximum turning rate and a finite travel distance and lifetime. A target that changes direction sharply enough can cause a projectile to overshoot, and rounds won’t suddenly change targets halfway through their flight.

Smart pistol

“A relatively simple sidearm with a smart weapon system. Excellent performance against armor but only decent stopping power, it typically serves as a backup weapon for military personnel.\n\nAll smart weapons sacrifice power improvements in exchange for unparalleled accuracy. While it takes a while to properly acquire a target, the projectiles can circumnavigate even the most elaborate cover and it will never miss.”

The smart pistol is a relatively simple military sidearm, combining guided ammunition with modest stopping power. It also has the shortest acquisition delay of the damaging handheld smart weapons, making it easier to bring into action when you need to engage a new target.

Current stats: 9 damage per shot, 15% armor penetration, and 25.9 tiles of range. Initial lock takes 1.5 seconds, followed by a 0.4-second warm-up. Cooldown is 1.3 seconds.

Smart rifle

“An assault rifle with a smart weapon system. Improved tracking systems automatically target armor weak points but increase the necessary aiming period. Often used in lobbying military regimes that align themselves with corporate interests.\n\nAll smart weapons sacrifice power improvements in exchange for unparalleled accuracy. While it takes a while to properly acquire a target, the projectiles can circumnavigate even the most elaborate cover and it will never miss.”

The smart rifle brings the system to an assault rifle, firing three-round bursts. Acquiring a target takes longer than with the pistol, but maintaining that lock lets the rifle keep delivering bursts at the same opponent.

Current stats: Three shots per burst, each dealing 10 damage with 20% armor penetration. Range is 29.9 tiles, initial lock takes 2.7 seconds, warm-up is 1 second, and cooldown is 1.9 seconds.

Smart lance

“A charged-shot sniper rifle with a smart weapon system. The addition of pulse-charge technology gives it incredible armor penetration; however, it interferes with the tracking system. As well as longer aiming periods, it is designed to be reloaded manually after every shot to maximize reliability.\n\nAll smart weapons sacrifice power improvements in exchange for unparalleled accuracy. While it takes a while to properly acquire a target, the projectiles can circumnavigate even the most elaborate cover and it will never miss.”

The smart lance is a charged-shot sniper rifle that combines smart guidance with pulse-charge technology.

That combination comes with interference in the tracking system, resulting in a longer acquisition period. This is the long-range option in the family, rewarding the time spent establishing a lock with a heavier individual hit.

Current stats: 18 damage per shot, 20% armor penetration, and 44.9 tiles of range. Initial lock takes 4 seconds, warm-up is 2 seconds, and cooldown is 3 seconds.

Smart launcher

“A heavy launcher with a smart weapon system. Its guided explosive rounds curve towards a locked target, delivering an armor-piercing blast that can catch several enemies at once. Long acquisition and firing cycles make careful target selection essential.\n\nSmart projectiles steer around ordinary cover and continue tracking targets after line of sight is lost. Their limited turning rate can allow sharply moving targets to evade them, and solid obstacles can still block their path.”

The smart launcher gives the same guided-projectile system an explosive payload. Its rounds track a selected target and detonate with an area blast, giving your smart weapon squads a way to threaten groups of enemies.

Current stats: 26 explosive damage, a 2.9-tile blast radius, and 40% armor penetration. Range is 37.9 tiles, initial lock takes 3.5 seconds, warm-up is 3 seconds, and cooldown is 3.5 seconds.

Target painter

“A simplistic hand-held laser-pointer gun designed to work with a smart weapons system. Fires a pellet with short-lived isotopes that are highly visible across multiple spectrums. Effectively removes the need for smart weapons to gain the initial target lock, but the effect only lasts for 30 seconds.”

The target painter is a handheld support weapon that fires a pellet containing short-lived isotopes, creating a tracking signal visible across multiple spectrums. It deals no direct damage. Instead, it marks an enemy for 30 seconds, allowing smart weapons to acquire that target instantly without their usual initial lock-on delay. Their normal firing warm-ups and cooldowns still apply.

The painter takes time to aim, but one successful mark can help several smart weapons engage the same opponent. When the marking expires, the usual acquisition requirement returns.

Current stats: 44.9 tiles of range, a 4-second warm-up, and a 1.1-second cooldown. Targets remain painted for 30 seconds.

Smart turret

“A portable automatic turret with an integrated smart weapon tracking system. Provides absolute accuracy and target locking while automatically engaging targets. Requires polymers to refurbish its barrel after heavy use. May explode when damaged. Its AI brain can't be directly controlled.”

The smart turret places an integrated tracking system inside a portable automatic defense turret. It engages enemies autonomously, firing guided three-round bursts. Its AI selects its own targets, so you won’t be able to directly control its fire.

Keeping it operational requires ordinary electricity and polymers to refurbish the barrel after heavy use. Like conventional turrets, it can explode when damaged.

Current stats: A 1 × 1 footprint and 200 HP. Fires three shots per burst for 10 damage each, with 20% armor penetration and 29.9 tiles of range. Initial lock takes 3.5 seconds, cooldown is 2.2 seconds, and power consumption is 175 W.

Target scanner

“An automated defense turret equipped with a long-range laser painter. It automatically scans and marks targets for smart weapons, allowing them to acquire a lock instantly without delay. Requires an UltraWatt power grid connection to function, and may explode when damaged.”

The target scanner automates the target painter’s support role.

This larger defensive structure scans for enemies and marks them for smart weapons, prioritizing opponents who haven’t already been painted. That allows it to spread tracking signals across an approaching force rather than repeatedly marking the same pawn.

It deals no damage itself, but helps your turrets and armed colonists begin engaging marked enemies without spending time acquiring their initial locks.

You’ll need an UltraWatt connection to operate it, and it can explode when damaged.

Current stats: A 2 × 2 footprint, 400 HP, and 44.9 tiles of range. Painting has a 0.6-second warm-up and a 1.1-second cooldown. It consumes 1 UW per day and can store 1 UW internally.

Bringing it all together

All seven additions become available through Smart Weaponry research, with the handheld equipment crafted using a replicator fitted with a microprocessing nozzle.

Together, they give you several ways to organize an ultratech firing line. A colonist with a target painter can prepare a priority enemy for your rifles and lances. A target scanner can support automated defenses while your colonists concentrate on fighting. Launchers add explosive firepower once you’ve identified where it will do the most damage.

This is the sort of capability I want Ultratech to bring to your colony: advanced equipment that becomes even more effective when you build your defenses around how it works. After all, we can all agree that base building becomes a ‘second thought’ in late game when the base is already built. I want to give us a new reason to look at it again.

This is not all of the smart weapons you will see. I plan to see if it’s worth adding some mod-integrations for the system. Perhaps a smart warcasket weapon? We will see!

Thank you, as always, for supporting the development of Vanilla Expanded! Be sure to vote in the survey for what you’d like us to cover in the next devblog.