Area-effect weapons

High Explosive types (all of them, not just grenades and HE packs) affect the Under armour always. And, as this part is the most weak, it is more effective early in the game. So, it is the only effective way to battle Lobstermen, if you still haven't Sonic weaponry.

-- cyrus, Dec 18 2003, reposted by --JellyfishGreen 16:05, 21 Apr 2005 (BST)

Explosive damage and area-effect stun explosions are treated as area effect damage. Incendiary damage behaves differently and will be discussed elsewhere.

Area effect weapons only damage under-armour in a 1 tile radius from the centre of the explosion. I.e. a 3x3 area with the impact point being dead centre. All other damage is treated as normal directional damage - so it pays to look towards an explosive (and take it on the front armor) if you think you might still get clipped by the edge of the blast. Vice versa, an alien will only take under-armor damage if the grenade lands between their feet or on the tile next to them.

Also note area-effect weapons will damage a large 4-square Terror Unit about four times as much - once per square.