Train electronics & defense

[joery]

Hi,

I've noticed lately that the trains in my Factorio game are constantly being attacked by enemies. Wiping out all their nests would be time consuming so I thought of the following idea:

- Adding new wagons to the train
- Having an additional electric locomotive
- Optionally adding a station to specifically recharge the electric locomotive

Adding new wagons to the train:
I was thinking about defensive wagons, a cheaper, time saving way to get to remote locations without having to deal with hundreds of enemy nests.
There could be a wagon with 1-3 gun turrets, laser turrets and flamethrower turrets. As for the gun and flamethrower turrets, these could be loaded with ammo from the regular cargo wagons.
As for the laser turrets wagon, I'm thinking about a wagon with an (weaker) accumulator on it to provide the accumulator wagon with electricity.

Having an additional electric locomotive
The accumulator wagon could also provide the locomotive with energy, eliminating the need for coal to power the train. Maybe the existing diesel locomotive can be upgraded (like the belts) so it can also handle being powered by electricity and can fall back on coal in case the accumulator wagon(s) run out of electricity.

Optionally adding a station to specifically recharge the electric locomotive
As for my last point. Charging the accumulator can be done via two ways, nearby electricity poles or a special station. I think when the accumulator wagon can be charged via electricity poles that the laser turrent will become too powerful. You can simply place poles next to the track and you have a moving death machine. I think its more balanced to have a special station where you can recharge your accumulator wagon.


TLDR; Add turret wagons, a accumulator wagon, a electric locomotive and optionally add a special station to charge said accumulator/locomotive to make trains more useful and safer.


What do you guys/gals think of these ideas? I personally think that it would make trains more useful to pass through enemy territory without having to place turrets along the tracks.

[ssilk]

Trains are normally not a target of the natives. If so it is either bad luck (natives on the way to your base) or you are just too near.

The devs plan to add some kind of artillery, eventually mounted on trains.

[Gertibrumm]

How about a train wagon which lays out train tracks for you? press A and D as usual to preview the upcoming curve.
Similar train wagons exist in real life, such track renewal machines dont actually layout a new track but it is a good example.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgYZcx3brpQ

[ssilk]

Like this? https://mods.factorio.com/mods/Choumiko/FARL

[Gertibrumm]

Yeah pretty much, just packaged in a nice new train wagon which should go a little slower than 87 kph

[aober93]

Trains are normally not a target of the natives. If so it is either bad luck (natives on the way to your base) or you are just too near.

Thats not true. They attack your train on sight "normally" as in always. Worms will hit even the fastest train ,so they also hit "normally". And big biters will stop a train occasionally but not "normally".

What would help here is to kill biter nests too close to your railway, OR fending of the entire area. Alternatively ,but i havent tried it, multiple locomotives may rush thru biters, and keep them repaired at the station. But that wouldnt be reliable when 5 big worms hit a train i think this will kill it, not sure.

[ssilk]

Yeah pretty much, just packaged in a nice new train wagon which should go a little slower than 87 kph

You know you can built tracks if you are standing in the first locomotive?

And yes, I mixed up attack of train with attack of rails.

[Gertibrumm]

Yeah pretty much, just packaged in a nice new train wagon which should go a little slower than 87 kph

You know you can built tracks if you are standing in the first locomotive?

And yes, I mixed up attack of train with attack of rails.

Uh didn't know that!
I guess I am just not playing right.. havn't even ever bothered about launching a rocket in the first place