Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 |
Summary
- The Weapon Lab is unlocked upon reaching Headquarters level 15.
- It is used to build Prototype Defenses which act as powerful defensive buildings in their own manners, but will vanish after a set time period.
- Upgrading the Weapon Lab allows you to construct advanced models and place more prototype defenses.
- Building the Weapon Lab will unlock the Hammerman Strikes Back event and allow you to collect prototyope modules from most other sources, rather than just from Colonel Gearheart's War Factory.
- The Weapon Lab cannot be upgraded while a Prototype Defense is being made, nor can it construct any if upgrading.
About Prototype Defenses
- Prototype Defenses are defenses that can be placed on your home base.
- Some Prototype Defenses are much more powerful versions of existing defenses, such as the Doom Cannon being a more powerful Boom Cannon, while others have more unique properties that normal defenses do not exhibit, such as the Shield Generator providing health for the Headquarters or the Damage Amplifier increasing damage output of nearby defenses.
- Prototype Defenses are temporary. After one's lifetime has expired, it will self-destruct.
- Mark I's last for five days, Mark II's last for seven days, and Mark III's last for nine days.
- If one self-destructs while you are offline, you will get a notification that says, "Prototype expired!".
- If they have less than one day left, they start to vibrate and emit black smoke.
- Each week, there are six Prototype Defenses available to build in the Weapon Lab, out of a total of twelve different Prototype Defenses. This selection of Prototype Defenses changes from week to week, and can be different among different players.
- For the duration when Tribes provide boosts to a specific Prototype Defense, that Prototype will appear in all players' selection for these two weeks.
- If a Prototype Defense is switched out, those already on players' bases, stashed in the lab or being assembled in the Weapon Lab won't be affected.
- Prototype Defenses can be destroyed while on your base similar to Statues but you will not gain anything in return.
- There is a 3 second countdown to prevent accidental destruction similar to Statues.
- If you already have the maximum amount of Prototype Defenses placed, save your Prototype Modules instead of building a new Prototype Defense unless you absolutely need one. It is typically better to wait for your placed Prototype Defense(s) to self-destruct instead of wasting one.
Upgrade Differences
- Initially, the Weapon Lab is a large concrete semicircular structure on a larger circular base. The top is covered by heavy blue plating. A female villager in a lab coat and protective goggles stands next to the lab.
- At level 2, the Weapon Lab gains a small blue overhang on the far back. The concrete base is outlined with blue plating.
- At level 3, the rest of the concrete base is filled in with another semicircular structure. In the middle is a round metal balcony with a circular warning tape design in the middle. A ladder is added.
- At level 4, the blue overhang gains a great deal of bulk, and now has a fan on the top.
- At level 5, the blue overhang grows taller and has a drill-like structure on one side. There is a large amount of wire coiled around the place where the semicircular structures do not meet. A warning-tape design is marked on the front of the Lab.
Trivia
- The Weapon Lab is the only building whose build/upgrade costs unlocked at a certain Headquarters level exceed the cost to upgrade the Headquarters to the next level (by approximately 20%).
- Although the level 5 Weapon Lab is unlocked at HQ level 19, its cost is set to as if it were unlocked at HQ level 20 (it would cost 4,400,000 wood, 4,300,000 stone and 3,400,000 iron if it is approximately 20% more than the cost of upgrading the HQ from 19 to 20.)
- When a Prototype Defense's construction is complete, it will be covered by a brown tarp, so players visiting your base will not be able to see which Prototype Defense you have ready. However, they can know that they have a new one ready to go once the original one breaks down.
- Despite the fact that Prototype Defenses are temporary after being placed, an assembled Prototype Defense can remain in the Weapon Lab indefinitely.
- It is likely that upon activation, Prototype Defenses become unstable and cannot be deactivated.
- There's an achievement which is called Tinkerer that gives a total of 60 diamonds upon using a total of 960 Prototype Modules in the Weapon Lab.
Statistics
HQ Level | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number Available | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Building Size |
---|
4x4 |
Maximum Defense Marks Buildable | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lab Level |
Shock Blaster |
Lazor Beam |
Doom Cannon |
Damage Amplifier |
Shield Generator |
Hot Pot |
1 | I | I | I | I | I | 0 |
2 | II | II | I | I | I | I |
3 | II | II | II | II | II | II |
4 | III | III | II | II | II | III |
5 | III | III | III | III | III | III |
Lab Level |
Grappler |
S.I.M.O. |
Sky Shield |
Microwav'r |
Boom Surprise |
Flotsam Cannon |
1 | I | 0 | I | 0 | I | 0 |
2 | I | I | I | I | I | I |
3 | II | II | I | II | II | I |
4 | III | III | II | III | II | II |
5 | III | III | III | III | III | III |