Sapper

Sappers are hostile Order soldiers encountered throughout Abiotic Factor. They are specialized demolition troops that live up to their role by fighting with explosives, closing distance when needed and then backing off to bombard targets from range. Unlike Lab Rats, they do not retreat from combat; instead they press the attack with aggressive movement, loud taunting, and frequent weapon swaps.

They usually appear patrolling or standing guard, often alone but sometimes alongside other Order soldiers. Their suit model is the same as a Lab Rat’s, but with white coloring, red lenses, and additional explosive equipment carried on the body. Their primary weapon is a rocket launcher, which replaces the Rat Scanner used by Lab Rats.

In combat, Sappers can use several attacks:

• Rocket: fires a missile in a straight line.
• Frag Grenades: throws one or more grenades in succession.
• Double Punch: rushes in and attacks with blunt melee punches.
• Self-Destruct: when badly pressed or left alive long enough, the Sapper grabs beeping explosives and charges recklessly toward a target, killing both itself and the player if it connects.

Their behavior makes them especially dangerous in tight spaces, where dodging explosives is difficult and escape routes are limited. If a player gets too close, they will often try to punch desperately before creating distance again so they can resume ranged attacks. They are resistant to explosive and laser weapons, but they can still be defeated reliably with other damage types or by using grenades against them. Fighting one while other Order troops are nearby is also risky, since the Sapper should be dealt with first before the situation becomes crowded.

Sappers are a military demolition unit in the Order hierarchy, and their compendium entry indicates that many of them are punished former Inquisitors forced into the role. This fits the broader pattern of the Order using penal ranks for undesirable assignments. Their rocket launcher is also noted to be based on the Saab Bofors Dynamics AT4.

When killed, Sappers can drop PETN, Lodestone Fragments, and a chance at an Ornate Key. If killed by blunt damage while stunned with the stun baton, they use a different drop table that always includes PETN and a Rat Pack, with a higher chance for a Lodestone Fragment. They can also drop a Sapper Suit as harvestable loot, along with Human Skull and Human Arm (Military).

As progression advances in the Reactors, Sappers begin appearing in additional sectors such as the Office Sector, Manufacturing West, Cascade Laboratories, and Hydroplant. Encountering the first Sapper in the Reactors also expands their spawns within that area. They can be found in places such as the Mist Reactor area, and they may also be obtained from certain crates, presents, and other sector-specific sources.