Trench

**Versioning**

This article *could* contain outdated information that is inaccurate for the current version (1.52) of the game. It was last updated for 1.50.

## View Structure Health

The **Trench** is a playermade oblong hole in the ground dug with a Shovel that give soldiers a good firing position and cover. It is larger than a Dug Foxhole.

## Description

Trenches are a defensive position for soldiers. There are three tier of trenches; Tier 1 is built with a Shovel, it can then be upgraded to Tier 2 via a Hammer and Basic Materials, and Tier 3 costs Concrete Materials and a significant amount of time to cure.

They can be connected to Bunkers and other trenches, and they can be upgraded with a variety of add-ons.

You can move, fight and build from inside the trench, although it blocks your ability to move to another trench when it is a blueprint. Trenches are neutral structures by default, if an enemy takes your trench they can use it against you. However a trench becomes faction-owned when connected to a Bunker Base.

Standard trenches cannot be built on roads, unlike trench connectors.

Tanks can cross trenches (except Tankettes and Scout Tanks). Every other vehicle will require the trench to have the "Bridge" add-on installed to be able to cross otherwise they hit an invisible wall.

They are pretty sturdy structures and are very resistant to Artillery shelling.

Being in a trench protects from the cold, even a destroyed one.

## Construction

Equip a shovel and open the build menu (default: `B`). You can rotate the trench with `RMB`. It can snap to other nearby trenches or bunkers to create longer pathways (hold `Shift` if you don't want your trench to snap). Trenches can either join up on their ends or in the middle. However, it should be noted that there are some restrictions on how they can be joined together. They cannot be built on steep slopes.

Once the blueprint is placed, simple hold `LMB` to start digging. It will take a total of 75 shovel hits to finish.

## Upgrading Trenches

Trench upgrades can be installed using a hammer. Press `F` to switch the hammer to Upgrade Mode. When next to a trench, aim at it and press `E` to open the trench upgrades menu. For options that have a multiple possible positions put your cursor on the particular option and use the `Mouse Wheel` to choose the desired position. Press `LMB` to select the option.

### Tier Upgrades

Trenches can be upgraded to a higher tier. Tier 2 requires 30 Basic Materials and tier 3 requires 20 Concrete Materials. The trench must be at full health to be upgraded. When you select the option a blueprint appears, you must hit it with your hammer while having the required materials in your inventory. If the blueprint is shot enough before it is completed, it will turn back into the original building.

### Add-ons

Trenches can be upgraded with several add-ons simultaneously. After selecting an add-on option your character will do a short animation (if you have the required materials) and the add-on will appear, no hammering required. Add-ons can be removed by right clicking on the upgrade option, it costs half the add-on price.

## Reservation

Like for Bunkers, the original builder of a trench can reserve it for its active squad  or a particular squad  in the upgrade menu so that only the original builder and the players in that squad can modify the trench or attach other structures to it. The reservation lasts 50 hours but it can be refreshed at any moment by the original builder or their squad mates.

Only the original builder can remove the reservation.

Note that a neutral trench (not connected to a Bunker Base) can be modified by the enemy even if you've reserved it. Inversely, the enemy can't modify your trench if it's connected to a bunker base even if you didn't reserve it.

## Demolishing

Trenches that are less then 3 hours old can be demolished by the original builder or members of their squad through a button in the hammer or shovel's upgrade menu. There must be no enemies nearby and it doesn't work for concrete trench. The demolition is instantaneous unlike the "Fill In" option.

Demolishing option is also available for trench blueprints (unfinished construction).

## Trench Variants

### Trench Connector

The Trench Connector is similar to the trench in function, but has an irregular shape. They can be used to connect two trenches, two bunkers or a trench and a bunker to each other where a normal trench cannot fit.

Trench connectors can be built on roads, to link trenches on the sides of the road, but it doesn't allow soldiers in the trench to pass under the road.

*See: Trench Connector*
### Trench Emplacement

The Trench Emplacement trench variant with an octagonal shape, can serve as an emplacement for mannable defenses such as 68mm Anti-Tank Cannon , 12.7 Anti Infantry Flak Gun, or an emplaced artillery piece. When placed inside this structure, the mannable defenses/artillery pieces get quadruple the health and get double the turning speed.

*See: Trench Emplacement*
## Trench Husk

When a trench is destroyed, it leaves behind a husk.

Trench husks are not fully collapsed, soldiers can still hide inside them by crouching but it offers worse cover than a normal trench. Unlike normal trenches, all vehicles can drive over trench husks.

The trench can be rebuilt from the husk by using the hammer in upgrade mode and pressing `E`. This will replace the husk with a trench blueprint at the tier it used to have, for the cost of that tier (e.g. shoveling for Tier 1, Hammer and 30 bmats for Tier 2). All previously installed add-ons are kept and don't need to be reinstalled after trench reconstruction.

Husks can also be filled in with a shovel via the option in the upgrade menu.

Husks can also be destroyed with explosives, to make space for different structures for example. The trench husk has the same max health as the trench it comes from. Or you can wait for decay to destroy it. Husk decay cannot be prevented and is usually the same speed as the decay near region borders.

Being in a trench husk does not protect from Snow Storms.

## Gallery

* Tier 2 Bunkers and Trenches used in combination.
* Trench Blueprint, Shovel required to build.
* Various upgrades: (in order) Tier 1 Garrison, Tier 2 Machinegun, Tier 3 AT, Engine room; Firing Ports, Doorway, Treches with Barbed Wire, a Trench Bridge, and Pipes.
* Two trench connectors joined together by destroying one of the original parent trenches.
* The "blue print" of the Tier 1 trench connector
* Trench Stairs
* Tier 1 Trench and Bunker husks
* Trench upgrade and add-on menu