Scorch

Scorch is a 1×1 ground turret built for point-blank defense. It has the shortest range of any turret on both planets, but within that tiny radius it deals very high damage for its size and has unusually high health, enough to outlast Copper Walls in raw durability. Because of that, it is most effective directly on the front line, placed beside enemy paths or in a forward pillbox to weaken waves before they hit the main defense line.

Its biggest strength is that it can shred anything that comes close, but that same short range is also its main weakness: almost every unit can outrange it, so it is always under pressure to kill targets before being destroyed. Scorch also cannot target air units, making it especially vulnerable to flying assaults unless it is covered by other anti-air defenses.

Scorch uses Coal or Pyratite as ammo, and both rounds pierce enemies while applying burning for about 4 seconds. Coal is the cheaper and more practical option, but Pyratite is far stronger if you can supply it. At current values, Coal deals 17 damage with a 3× ammo multiplier, while Pyratite deals 30 damage with a 10× ammo multiplier. Pyratite also feeds the turret much faster in terms of output per item, but it is slower and more expensive to produce, so it is usually reserved for more serious defenses.

A single Scorch burns through ammo very quickly. Even a basic conveyor line can barely keep one continuously supplied with Coal, and Pyratite is demanding to transport as well. Since the ammo is flammable, destroyed transport blocks can ignite and spread fire through your supply line, which can be dangerous but also useful if the turret is placed forward as a sacrificial barricade. Safer logistics typically rely on short supply lines, isolated conveyor routes, or blocks that hold little item volume so that any fire started by destruction stays limited.

Practical notes:

• Scorch performs best when placed directly beside enemy pathing, not behind walls.
• It is cheap enough to replace, so forward placement is often worthwhile.
• Use Water or Cryofluid support to improve its firing rate, but remember that these boosters have been adjusted over time and are no longer as potent as they once were.
• If you are feeding it with conveyors, clear the line when enemies are near, or isolate the supply route from the rest of your base.
• Bridge and Phase Conveyor links can help separate Scorch logistics from the main defense grid.
• It is a strong companion to other defenses that cover air units or longer ranges, since Scorch handles only the immediate kill zone.

Historically, Scorch has received several balance changes: its fire rate was reduced and later raised again, Coal and Pyratite damage were adjusted multiple times, booster efficiency was lowered, and its liquid capacity was reduced from 60 to 20. The turret’s current sprite also replaced an older version in a later update.