First off this is not a comprehensive guide to Ordnance Technician, please go to the wiki or the many other guides on OT here on the forums.
M20 CLAYMORE STATS.
Max container volume: 120u
Explosive-
Max Explosive power: 100
Base Falloff: 80
Shards: 40
Combustive-
Intensity: 3-20
Radius: 2-4
Duration: 3-18
Printing Cost-
4687 metal (1.25 sheets)
These stats were double checked both in code and wiki.(if the wiki stats change then this guide is likely out of date then.)
M20 Types.
There is two kinds of M20 claymores, first is the tripwire and the other is the proximity kind.
To make the tripwire you double up igniters, these kind of mines work the same way as the kind from Req.
To make the proximity trigger you hook up a proximity sensor to igniter, you can set the range at which the proximity sensor goes off from 1 to 5 you can do this before you hook up the sensor to the igniter or after as well.
I do not recommend the proximity trigger it both cost more and much more finickily and have a miniscule delay before they go off.
Understanding the M20.
Before you start to make your cook book you must understand the limits of the M20 claymore. Simple fact is you at best can kill runners and lurkers at full health with the M20 any other xeno as long as they are full health and smart about rolling will likely come out alive.
This means that the M20 claymore should not be made with the though of killing any other xeno caste that is not backliners. Fact is if a defender has walk into your mine they likely have fellow xenos around that can pat them.
Now that’s not to say the M20 can’t kill front line xenos castes but circumstances are going to need align in such way that is rather unlikely and as such shouldn’t be treated as common matter.
Another thing to keep in mind is that, while yes lurks can be killed by the M20 its only with appropriately made claymores that have a good deal of Explosive power to them that can do this reliably.
Last think to keep in mind is that although Runners can be killed with quite cheap claymore that only if the runner runs into the claymores front face. other wise if the runner just runs into the claymore from the side then the runner has good chance of surviving.
Now that you understand the M20 what now?
First off there is three rough paths that you choose as to how the M20 claymores are going to be used and depending what path you wish to follow will dictate how will want to make the M20s.
- Area denial
- Front line supplement
- Back line denial
Area denial.
First off Area denial what is it? in simple terms its just mean you are trying dissuaded enemies from going in a given area so as to better control the enemies movements. How would you go about this? First note the where and why of potential enemies movements, lets say you are playing on LV-624 and the FOB is at LZ 2.
There is roughly 5 xeno attack paths that being: north east(Robotic dome) East ( the window line) south east( Corporate dome) South ( doors to south jungle) West ( doors to west jungle and lake)
Let say you want dissuaded the xenos from attacking West you can plan a field of claymores along the lake going north. why would this work? well many xenos can’t be out right killed by the M20 but they CAN hurt rather bad and CAN make rather big wall of flames.
If the xenos want to attack the west doors they ether have to clear the field by coming from the north and then attack. Issue with that is it will take time and be rather loud, meaning the main USCM mass will have time to shift to repel the assault.
Or they could go around by the south jungle and bypass the mine field. Issue with that is now they have a Mine field to there north, little in the way of weedable ground and cover. This means that if the USCM mass pushes out south and assaults through the south west jungle.
The xeno will find themselves pinned between a rock and a hard place, if the xenos are unable to crush the southern assault they will be forced to flee through the mine field certainly costing the xenos at least a few lives.
This all means a smart hive will try to avoid attacking from that vector and will also be less likely to want to attack from the south as well as one of the paths they can flee to is not safe.
Now how effective is this way of using the M20 claymores? its hard to say, can it work? Yes but issue is many time the Mine field will need routinely refilling as to maintain effective saturation. too few mines then the xenos just will not care and push through anyways.
Too cheap of mines then the xenos will not feel threatened and will likely just clear the mine field with little issue.
The kind of mines you will want to make are mix of high lethality Claymores and cheaper fire filler mines. you will want the placement of the mines in such a way as make it hard to tell if the mine are ether or kind. This is also one use that can make good use out of prox claymores as you can set up hard to by pass fire walls with them.
Fact is it would be best for all the mines to be high lethality but this way of use calls for large number of claymores as such you will likely just have to settle for a mix.
Front line supplement
This is rather simple matter really, you make M20 claymores for the Comtechs to use on frontline defenses. The Comtechs will likely use the M20 claymores the same as the Req kind and just slap them at the front of barricade line.
This can work out rather great at killing lurks, defenders and the like. Such mines should be made to be only HE and Frag as other wise the flames will likely prevent the follow up to kill the xeno or will flame the Line causing it to be damaged.
Back line denial
This is like the Area denial but instead of trying to control the movements of the main xeno mass you are trying to make runners and lurks day a living hell. You will want to predict the paths backliners will want to go along and fill these paths with Claymores.
you are not trying to dissuade the backliners but instead kill them, as such more care is needed in placement as so to catch off guard the backliners. It helps if you have good deal of time in the backliners caste.
The mines you will want are high lethality kind, this means HE Frag flame mines the real killer stuff.
Jeds cook book of death.
Here i will give you a few of my Claymore recipes.
Fireslapper
30u Welding fuel
30u Ethanol
40u Iron
20u phosphours (you can also do 10u and just add in 10u more ethanol if phosphorus is in short supply.)
This sucker will melt runners anyway you cut it, front on hit? Instantaneous death! side hit it will bring the runner into inch of criting and if runner is unlucky (or dumb) will fall into crit. Lurks will get pushed down to around 160 HP from front on hit, side hit more so around 230 HP so if the lurk is not at full HP they are going to have bad day.
A all around cheap and readily mass made Claymore, with reliably damage.
45E
30u Cyclonite
30u Ethanol
40u Iron
20u phosphours
This claymore is around the cheapest while being the most readily mass made lurk killer. Front on hit will stun the lurk in the fire causing the lurk even if they get free of the fire and roll will get pushed into crit. side hit? will still push the lurk rather low.
Now this is rather good one, BUT even on front on hit if the lurk is lucky the can get off with having just 1 HP left. But they will need to be rather lucky and be on there A game when it comes to rolling.
Runners? ya they are dead, if they are lucky they MAY live on side hit but can get pushed into crit if they are not smart.
90E
60u Cyclonite
40u Iron
20u phosphours
This will just GIB runners on front on hit, and will near Instantaneous push lurks into crit…hell some time it even Gibs lurks if all the Sharp lands.
Use this one if REALLY want to kill lurks other wise go for the cheaper 45E.
Ordnance Technicians and legal gray area
Want to deploy down to fob to plant your freshly made mines? well you CAN but of course you need to get the clear to head down. BUT this is some of what of a gray area, as while you can head down non-combatants rolls are not supposed to leave the fob… See the issue?
From my experience i never gotten a note from heading down to plant a mine field even in cases were i have died doing so but like i said its a gray area. Rule of thumb is that have a buddy, don’t go when its unsafe, get permission to do so from command, and have at lest fulfilled your other obligations ( I.E making rockets.)
Last of all flee from danger and only try to fulfill the given task. but know that this is area of some grayness so as such only do at your own risk and clearly do go running off to the front line and cry when you get bwoinked for planting mine field a few feet behind the front line. Stick to the immediate area of secure zones!
Why even go yourself?
Because, the ungaloids don’t like reading! you can write up a manual for the use of your mines and have them clearly marked… and the Apes can and will still slap max range fire mine the wrong way around right on top of a barricade line not only causing the flame to cook the line but also sending sharp into faces of defenders.
Or they will chain up the mines in such a way they will cook off the whole line of mines only wasting a large number of mines but also likely causing FF if they are rushing after the xenos.
i seen this all happen one too many times to trust the grunts to know how to handle the mines.
Few tips and tricks
with cardboard you can make box that fit 7 claymores.
you can use most kinds of hard liquor instead of Ethanol so useing the booze fountain in the officer mess can get you unending amounts of cheap fire. ( just make sure to ask command if you can take it… and if the MPs catch you red handed as long as your are clear about WHY you want it many of time they will let you off with slap on the wrist.