Swarmer

Swarmer is a compact 2x2 missile turret that fires homing rockets at both air and ground targets. It occupies a niche as a rapid-fire, short-to-mid range anti-horde and status-effect platform: its extremely high firing speed combined with selectable solid-ammo types lets it output very high DPS and apply nearly every solid-ammo status effect. Swarmer consumes booster fluid as a continuous "booster" at a high rate and fires one missile per ammo unit; it is most effective when paired with liquid turrets (Wave, Tsunami) or dedicated booster supply lines to exploit status synergies.

Swarmer’s ammunition options are distinct and each provides different damage profiles and status effects:

• Pyratite: 12 direct damage, 45 area damage with a 2.5-tile radius, 5× ammo multiplier, homing, applies Burning for about 8 seconds. Pyratite is the cheapest to produce and cleaves through groups quickly when combined with Oil- or Slag-based liquid effects, but Pyratite stored in destroyed containers will explode and start fires.
• Blast Compound: 10 direct damage, 45 area damage with a 3.7-tile radius, 5× ammo multiplier, homing, applies Blasted. Blast Compound is strongest against dense swarms because of its wide blast radius and benefits from Cryofluid interactions (Freezing/Blasted combos). Stored Blast Compound is also explosive if containers are destroyed.
• Surge Alloy: 18 direct damage, 35 area damage with a 3.1-tile radius, 4× ammo multiplier, homing, inflicts Shocked (lightning strikes: 2× ~10 damage). Surge Alloy produces the highest sustained DPS when fed rapidly and does not cause explosive fires when stored, making it safer in Vaults/Containers.

Key mechanical notes and history carried into current behavior:

• Swarmer fires homing missiles and changed to consume 1 ammo per missile (instead of per burst) in recent updates, increasing ammo drain proportionally to its high fire rate. Ammo multipliers remain large (4×–5× per item), but the turret still expends ammo very quickly.
• The turret’s booster consumption is 18 units/second and boosters provide large temporary fire-rate multipliers; Water boosters grant about 160% fire rate and Cryofluid about 235% fire rate under current values, making booster supply a major factor in peak DPS.
• Swarmer’s compact build and fast construction time make it well suited for temporary or forward defenses, but it performs poorly against heavily armoured targets because its damage is concentrated in explosive/area forms and many hits are subject to armor reduction.

Practical usage and strategy:

• Use Swarmer in batteries with mixed ammo to capitalize on its ability to apply every solid-ammo status effect; this flexibility allows combos like Burning + Melting/Tarred or Wet + Shocked/Blasted depending on chosen ammo and accompanying liquid turrets.
• Because of the very high fire rate and one-ammo-per-missile behavior, provide large or fast ammo production (dedicated conveyors, magazines, and refill lines). Without steady supply, Swarmers will deplete ammo quickly.
• Store Pyratite and Blast Compound carefully: both can explode if their storage blocks are destroyed. Surge Alloy is safer to stockpile.
• Swarmer is less effective versus high-armor single targets; prioritize it for crowd control and status applications.
• The turret is resistant to straightforward avoidance due to homing missiles and long effective range; to counter Swarmers, destroy ammunition logistics (conveyors/sorters), attack from paths that bypass defended lines, use long-range units that outrange the Swarmer’s area, or employ Zenith-level bombing where available. Units such as Fortress, Minke, and Bryde can outrange or threaten Swarmers in favorable sector layouts.
• A small practical detail: the Swarmer’s projectile sprite is noted to resemble the Malis logo.

Swarmer is an advanced, highly versatile defensive option when supplied and positioned correctly; its main trade-off is heavy resource and booster demand and relative weakness versus heavily armored single targets.