Mechanitor Balance Tweaks

This mod adjusts various mechanoid and mechanitor things to make more sense and be more of an investment. While also increasing the amount of work needed to obtain mechanoid stuff.

Highlights:

• All standard tier subcore and above mechanoids now require appropriate "skill packages" to gestate. These packages can be created by any pawn with the appropriate skill level at a new work station.
  
  Work related skill packages require 10 of the matching skill. (The skill level of labor mechanoids.)
  
  Combat packages only require 8. (The skill level described as "Employable professional".)
  
  Creating skill packages counts as "crafting" work, and grants intellectual skill experience.
  
  Skill packages can also occasionally be bought from various traders. Faction bases and orbital ships tend to have better stock.
  
  Needing to source skills adds a whole new layer to getting mechanoids.
  
  Spoiler

  Works well with slavery & likely prisoner labor mods too.
• All mechanoids now require "gestation mechanite canisters" to gestate.
  
  Lightweight mechanoids require 1 canister to gestate, and no canisters to resurrect.
  
  Medium mechanoids require 2 canisters to gestate, and 1 canister to resurrect.
  
  Heavy/Ultraheavy mechanoids require 3 canisters to gestate, and 2 canister to resurrect.
  
  Canisters can always be acquired by rejuvenating mechanite detritus at a new workstation, detritus is sourced mainly from destroyed mechanoids at a machining table.
  
  Some mech cluster buildings, ship parts, and the ancient exostrider pieces also leave behind mechanite detritus on destruction. Mechanoid slag chunks can also be shredded with a new bill at a machining table to get detritus.
  
  Once High mechtech is researched canisters can be synthesized from scratch without the need for mechanite detritus.
  
  Canisters can also occasionally be bought from exotic goods traders.
• Standard and High subcores now additionally require Basic subcores to be loaded into scanners. (Good idea to simply keep one in stock via bill.)
• Basic subcores are 30 steel cheaper. (This is mainly to help offset the pricing of the other cores.)
• All "mechtech" technologies have increased research costs.
• Standard mechtech now also requires microelectronics research.
• Most mechanoids now require associated technologies to gestate, below are three examples:
  
  Militors require "Gunsmithing" research.
  Lancers require "Pulse Charged Munitions" research.
  Gunner Centipedes require "Multibarrel Weapons" research.
• Agrihand and Constructoid are moved to Standard mechtech.
• Agrihand and Constructoid Bandwith usages are now 2 instead of 1.
• Slightly buffed movement and work speed of Agrihands and Constructoids.
• Fabricors now require 3 Bandwith instead of 1. (They cover alot of roles, including cooking.)
• Airwire Headset and Control Pack now both require microelectronics.
  (They are portable computers after all, and the Mechanitor scenario starts with the research for them already.)
• Control Pack slightly buffed to provide +3 bandwidth.
• Softscanners require an additional 2 Advanced Components to construct.
• Ripscanners require an additional 3 Advanced Components to construct.
  (They are high power brain scanners!)
• Mechanitor Start now begins with "Gunsmithing" research, a selection of skill packages, 24 gestation mechanite canisters, and 4 Advanced components to account for the above changes.
• Pikeman mechanoids now have a weak personnel shield. (With a pitiful recharge rate.)
• Shield size for the tunneler mechanoid is increased to actually fit them.
• Gunner Centipedes are given a new custom minigun that lacks a movement speed penalty, while also sporting a more mechanoid-like appearance.
• Adds in a new structure, the "mechband broadcaster". This building acts similarly to a band node but requires more exotic materials to construct and is much more space / power efficient. Each broadcaster provides 6 bandwidth. However, a mechanitor can only benefit from three broadcasters at a time. Regardless of how many are simultaneously tuned to them.
• Tweaked starting mechanoid pool upon mechlink instillation: Constructoid removed, added clean sweeper and militor to fit "basic mechtech" roster. (Mechanitor starting scenario is not affected by this)
• Militor and Paramedic movement speeds buffed to 4.5 c/s
• Adds a new mechanitor implant, the Cortex Bandwidth Sublink. This pricier implant provides +9 bandwidth, same as a standard Bandwidth Pack, without occupying the utility slot. However it cannot be used in conjunction with a regular Bandwidth Pack at the same time as it will become inert if one is equipped.

Should be fine to add to existing saves. But as always, making a backup just to be safe is advised.

Supported Mods:

Supported Mods Collection
Note: If a mod is not supported there should be no compatibility problems, however new mechs will not need skill packages or have their research requirements tweaked.

Why Make This Mod?

"Mechanoids - Autonomous intelligent robots built for domestic, industrial or military purposes. Only available to advanced cultures because such complex AI is needed to control them." This description is side stepped entirely with how blatantly easy it is to get your own so quickly.

Mechanoids are not the advanced technology they allegedly are supposed to be when you can research the first stage quicker than beer brewing only after installing a fancy remote control into your head. I believe the tweaks made by this mod make mechanoid gameplay more engaging and interesting to pursue, with slightly more involved stepping stones that lead to more interesting scenarios. Alongside generally being more immersive.

Mechanoids also give access to technologies ahead of when they are available to normal pawns. It seems odd to be defending a base with minigun slinging centipedes, while you may not even be able equip normal pawns with them.

This mod is naturally tailored to my tastes, but I hope others who feel some of the same ways about biotech mechs enjoy using it.

There's More?!:

• If you're looking for a mechanoid themed race? Perhaps take a peek at another mod of mine, Persona Mechanoid Pawns!
• If you're looking for a new mechanoid try out my other mod Logistics Mechanoid!
• For the retextured subcores seen in the screenshots you can checkout my other mod Slightly Stylish Subcores.

Pairs well with the Stepping Stones research

Check settelments for skill packages easily with What's for sale?

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