Welcome, shape enthusiasts! In this episode of the Blueprint Design Series, we’re diving into one of the most foundational—and often underestimated—mechanics in Shapez 2: cutting and destroying shapes. Whether you’re trimming halves or quarters or slicing to duplicate both pieces, this guide will walk you through compact, high-throughput modular builds for half destroyers, quarter destroyers, and full cutters. Let’s get slicing.

---

🧱 Half Destroyer Platform

The Half Destroyer does exactly what it sounds like: it destroys the left half of any shape it receives (when facing north). The right half passes through. Here’s how to set it up:

Build Specs:

• Throughput: 3 half destroyers per full belt.
• Belts Required: 4 full belts = 12 destroyers total.
• Layout: Two mirrored halves of 6 destroyers each.
• Output: Straight into bins or onward belts.

Tips:

• If the desired shape is on the left side, rotate it 180° before using the destroyer.
• Use a rotation module from your blueprint library for easy integration.
• Save the blueprint as-is, modular and clean.

Shop now on Amazon!
Save up to 50% on top Gaming Gear:

Gaming Headset
Gaming Mice
Mechanical Keyboards
Game Controllers
Gaming Chair

---

🔪 Quarter Destroyer Extension

Sometimes you don’t need half a shape—you just need a quarter. The quarter destroyer extends the half destroyer platform by cutting a shape twice:

How It Works:

1. Half Destroyer removes the left side.
2. Remaining half is rotated 90° (any direction).
3. Another Half Destroyer trims it again, leaving only one quarter.

Build Specs:

• Uses same 3:1 machine-to-belt ratio.
• Doesn’t require extra math tuning—just duplicate the layout and rotate.
• For simplicity, run every output through the rotator even if not strictly needed.

Usage Tip:

• The quarter destroyer targets the top-right of a shape.
• If your desired part isn’t in that quadrant, rotate your shape counterclockwise before sending it through.

---

✂️ Full Cutter Platform

Unlike destroyers, Cutters preserve both halves, giving you two usable outputs. But that also means twice the output volume.

Challenges:

• One cutter turns 1 full belt into 2 full belts of output.
• Four cutters per belt = 16 Cutters for 4 belts.
• You must rotate one output 180° so both sides match.

Compact Build Strategy:

• Design compact cutter blocks: four Cutters, one rotation on one side.
• Duplicate block for four belts.
• Route outputs using hoppers to manage belt sharing.

Hopper Trick:

• Use hoppers to merge two belts into one without losing throughput.
• Avoid routing three belts into one—beyond the system’s limits.

Final Output:

• Four belts of inputs become eight output streams.
• Merge into four outbound lanes using belt tricks and mirroring.

Testing:

• Always test your build before finalizing.
• Check for gaps and misaligned belts—small connection errors can cause major throughput loss.

---

Quick Blueprint Tips:

• Naming Matters: Label blueprints clearly—”Half Destroyer”, “Quarter Destroyer”, “Cutter 1-to-2”.
• Icons Help: Use clear icons (e.g., scissor for Cutter) for visual distinction.
• Toolbar Favorites: Add half and quarter destroyers to your toolbar for easy access—skip cutters unless frequently used.

---

Final Reminders:

• Rotation matters: destroyers are position-sensitive.
• All modules are standalone: no manual editing needed when reused.
• Modular integration is the goal: think LEGO, not spaghetti.

With that, you’ve now got a complete cutting suite—clean, modular, and ready for any challenge the vortex throws at you. Stay tuned for more blueprint redesign episodes coming soon!