I'd really like to see something that can be placed before a match starts underground that kills anything that comes within a small radius of it.
It would prevent the AI from subverting your elaborate tunnel system by simply digging to your brain.

There's probably something like this already, it's not like this is an uncommon problem...

I'd prefer mines. I might make one tonight, but don't hold me to it (as you'll likely be dissapointed, I've got a lot to do). It'd be nice as a bunkermodule to blow up at least the first wave of bastards digging into your tunnel.. i might make them also come in buyable TDE.

The thing with mines is they would be a one time use.
And dummies don't exactly have a gold limit.
Maybe a stationary mine that sends out a shockwave that doesn't effect terrain but shreds enemies.

so you have to re-plant some when they get blown up.

Buried kill node only serve as 'suicide encouragers' to the AI.

But do check out mp3 map pack. It has a kill zone module that guarantees the death of anything entering it.

If you surround your base with these things it should theoretically stop digging AIs.

I don't understand. Do you not like this game or something? What's the point of playing this way?

Make a closed tomb (or a 4x4 open area) and put a sentry drone inside. The drones are surprisingly good at shredding diggers.

Kill nodes? What? How about mines.
Just make them dirt colored.

Well when you spend 20-30 minutes making a totally awesome bunker and the AI just digs through to your brain instead of trying to go through the maze you built...
Think of it as being the creator of a cool hedge maze but everyone just goes through the bushes or cuts through with a chainsaw
It takes the fun out of it.

Thing is, the AI doesn't do that, it always tries to navigate the base before it digs.
This would only be useful for multiplayer, where the other player would be smart enough to avoid the kill nodes.

The AI does prefer going through tunnels, but sometimes they start digging for stupid reasons, like getting stuck by a 3 feet tall rock.

^this.

Digging is Cortex Command's most distinguishing feature. I just don't get the point of playing the game if you don't want it to happen. Defend your base better, geeze.

I had a dummy from the ai digging because it got blocked by a blade of grass, it tripped and pulled out it's turbo digger started for the brain....
Of course like everyone knows, the hole caused every ai comign for that way to fall in and start digging cause it couldnt get out..

How do you defend a base from tunnel-boring besides indestructible tunnels.

And then if you use sad tunnels, you take away from the "distinguished" feature.

I don't think there is any way to balance this besides making the default diggers really weak. Make digging a time investment. Right now its very easy to create a digger that can bore through to the bottom of a map in seconds, but even the vanilla content is very strong. Dumb down the faction equipment, and you solve this issue.

I've actually found a much simpler fix for this
Just make the turbo digger have 10 rounds per reload
Then it still works as a melee but can't dig