Originally this was gonna be an ideasguy post, but opted against it as the developers have intentions to rework cade pricing.
So this is a question post instead.
Here’s a draft of the downsides of building plasteel cades.
Plasteel cades are super cool looking, in my opinion. But they are never used, for one big reason being they are 6 plasteel to build a single cade. For comparison, a metal cade takes only 4 metal.
50 plasteel nets you 7 plasteel cades + a plasteel foldable.
In comparison, 50 metal nets you 12 metal cades!
But also, plasteel cades take longer to build. Also keep in mind that xenomorphs always go to the path towards least resistance, much like water.
If there is a line of plasteel cades for example, xenos will just attack the foldable or find an easy flank via a wall or weaker metal cades.
Finally, the last nail in the coffin for plasteel cades is plasteel are always used for foldables (or sometimes reinforced walls), making there be even less incentive to utilize plasteel cades. In other words, plasteel cades face competition due to plasteel also being used for foldables and reinforced walls.
So with all of those problems mentioned, what use is there for plasteel cades really? They have more health then your metal cade, sure. But plasteel cades have a lot of downsides as well.
Whilst I am of the opinion that plasteel in general should be completely axed as it doesn’t really serve much of a purpose anymore (especially since you can now make metal doors and plasteel cades)-
Plasteel still is useful for one thing: Making your most important chokepoints impenetrable. Given they have absurd health, an all-plasteel cadeline is actually cancer to fight as xeno. You will kill bugs simply because they will get so bored sieging it that they’ll end up killing themselves to end their suffering (thwomper FOB rework when :3)
Plasteel cades are generally useful in making one less-manned side of your FOB less able to be ninja’d down, so long as you’re running long enough patrols. Likewise, they can be used to absolutely lock down a tight choke long enough for you to keep the welder going when otherwise it’d be nailgun city into total cade death. Gotta be tight, though. Can’t pussyfoot around with seven cades in a row or it’s NAILGUN CITY BABYYYY
Use it on certain maps like Kutjevo LZ-1 south tcomms spot, because there is realistically only a SINGLE flank to approach from. So you can make a plasteel cade line knowing that the other flanks will not go down, and makes xenos cry.
Did you know you can upgrade plasteel cades even FURTHER with metal? Yeah, there’s a reason why veterans hate Kutjevo LZ-1 south comms spot.
What if we think of it in terms of resource management?
Honestly, 6 metal to make a folding cade is a bit expensive (at least IMO). But 8 plasteel to make a foldable cade? - saves me metal to utilize elsewhere. The time factor comes into play as well, with plasteel taking longer to make in times of distress. Maybe I need a cade right NOW versus if I have time.
Consider that if plasteel cades get too damaged, you need a nailgun and plasteel to get it above the threshold where you can weld it. Metal in this case is a lot easier to come by. Plasteel may be tough, but its not as easily accessible as metal.
Also plasteel walls are fantastic for when you want to close off chokes. I.E - North opening above the generators in Engineering on LV-624 leading to the Tree garden area.
Lastly, there’s also the added benefit of linking two plasteel foldables together to create a wider opening for marines to pass through without shoving each other. I’d rather have marines be able to pass through easily and allow xenos to come in as well, potentially trapping them into our cades. (I’d make that deal. Damn good deal)
Protip: Plasteel rods and metal sheets equals an M56D tripod. I believe it was 5 of each per tripod.
(I just reread everything you said and I realized I was addressing Plasteel in its entirety instead of just cades. Whatever I’m posting this anyways )
Tbf plasteel ends up being okay overall imo because the sheer absurd amount of health each cade has means it’s pathetically easy to keep everything above the critical threshold with a welder. You’re unlikely to spend much plasteel on nailgunning things because outside of a coordinated xeno attack with say, a queen or boiler, you can just weld everything to 100%.
Metal however, is more fragile and once there’s a hole- It’s a lot harder to save that cadeline.
Overall, due to req inflation (+$300 per order), it’s just more economical to order both plasteel and metal anyways though. So well… if you’re gonna get it, may as well use it!
They might have no real use other than being a beefed up cade, but what would be in-CM-lore reason for comtechs not being able to make cades out of it?
Like try to remember that time before plasteel cades became a thing and you could only make folding cades with plasteel and normal cades from regular steel? Like why?
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