Dirtmoles

Dirtmoles are a xenotype, genetically engineered to live underground.
== Lore ==
After the first tunnel colonies failed due to the stress of confinement, colonization agencies began genetically altering colonists to live without open space or sunlight. This xenotype is known colloquially as the dirtmoles. Today, dirtmoles have expanded out of their original tunnel homes and rule many confined spaces in the anthrosphere. They can be found in deep mines, cramped low-tech spacecraft, and teeming by the billions in the dark underlayers of countless urbworlds.
With gray skin adapted to artificial light, they thrive in cramped and dark spaces where combat and travel happen over short distances. They are extremely capable at digging, mining tasks, and navigating complex tunnel structures. In the open, however, they suffer from a sensitivity to light, slow speed and poor eyesight at distance.Dirtmole xenotype description and short description
== Occurrence ==
The table below describes the chance for a given pawn from each faction being a dirtmole. Note that this value does not account for chances in xenotype chance from ideoligion or from pawn kind, it only shows the base value before those factors.
== Genes ==
Dirtmoles have a gene complexity of 9 complexity. With a metabolic efficiency, they have a hunger rate of .
All dirtmoles have these germline genes:
Assorted:
 	 	 	 	 	
Fast wound healing	Slow runner	Intense UV sensitivity	Strong melee damage	Nearsighted	Dark vision
Cosmetic:
 	
Gray eyes	Light gray skin
Skills:
Great mining
== Analysis ==
Dirtmoles are a simple xenotype, with well-defined strengths and weaknesses suited for mountain life. A combination of great mining, dark vision, and intense UV sensitivity all support this fact. A compact mountain base can mitigate the impact of nearsighted and slow runner. Strong melee is useful when fighting against infestations. 
However, dirtmoles are not limited to the mountains. They can do any indoors task reasonably well, in any type of colony. Beyond slow runner and UV sensitivity, dirtmoles have no real work-related weaknesses. ​In combat, they can serve a melee role quite well. Their sight based penalty only impacts long range weapons as well, meaning they can wield shotguns without penalty. If so desired, you can place some roof outdoors to keep the sun out.
Dirtmoles synergize well with the tunneler meme, for rather obvious reasons. Tunneler allows dirtmoles to ignore cramped spaces and grow nutrifungus in a cave, while dirtmoles are great at mining and melee combat.
Note that, as dirtmoles have no faction dedicated to them, opportunities to recruit dirtmoles are somewhat uncommon.
=== Gene extraction ===
Some of the more valuable genes dirtmoles have to extract are:
* Strong melee damage - A must for any melee pawns, offering a significant boost in combat effectiveness.
* Dark vision - Makes your pawns much more flexible in kiting and working.
* Great mining - Obviously very useful for miners.
* Nearsighted - Can be installed on brawlers, melee fighters, noncombatants, and anyone using a ranged weapon with a range under 26 tiles without penalty, giving a boost to metabolic efficiency. For a full list of unaffected ranged weapons, see .
== Version history ==
* 1.4.3682 - Fix: Awkward wording in dirtmole description. This xenotype are known colloquially as dirtmoles -> This xenotype is known colloquially as the dirtmoles 
Category:Xenotypes