Surviving the abyssal depths of Europa in Barotrauma requires more than just a well-armed submarine. It’s about conserving resources, streamlining maintenance, and making smart combat choices. This guide compiles a powerful mix of advanced gameplay strategies to help you optimize efficiency, reduce resource waste, and increase survivability.

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1. Save Lead by Using Pulse Lasers

Lead is vital for ranged weapon ammo but runs out quickly. To conserve it:

• Replace coilguns/chainguns with pulse lasers
• Pulse laser ammo uses lithium and alien blood (alien blood can be looted from monsters regularly)
• This makes pulse lasers a sustainable ammo source, freeing up lead for handheld weapons

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2. Store Explosive Materials Safely

Potassium, sodium, and lithium explode in water. Never carry them exposed.

• Use chemical, medical, explosive, or clown crates for storage
• Place crates in the fabricator or deconstructor to keep them protected
• Avoid carrying volatile materials during underwater operations

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3. Create an Instant Hull-Sealing System

For emergencies like flooding:

• You’ll need: Detonator, 1 wire, switch/lever, fixed foam grenade
• Fixed foam grenades are crafted by Mechanics with Hull Fixer (1 steel, 1 sodium, 1 phosphorus)
• Place the grenade in a detonator, wire it to a switch or water sensor
• Auto-trigger grenades when water pressure is detected → instant breach sealing

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4. Never Run Out of Fuel Again

Set up a low-fuel warning system:

• Use a regex component and alarm/siren
• Regex expression detects fuel at or below 5%
• Connect reactor’s fuel out to regex → regex to alarm set state
• Add light or text display to visualize alerts

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5. Host Better Multiplayer Sessions

For smoother multiplayer:

• Use low-cost external hosting like Shockbyte
• Reduces CPU stress and lag
• Ideal for global sessions and persistent worlds

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6. Best Cutting Tool: Ancient Weapon

• Masterwork Plasma Cutter is powerful, but…
• The Ancient Weapon (found in alien ruins) is faster and stronger
• Requires alien power source
• Doubles as a jetpack for impressively mobile spelunking

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7. Navigate Wrecks and Ruins with Handheld Devices

No more getting lost:

• Mechanic with Hull Fixer → Handheld Status Monitor
• Assistant with Logistics Systems → Item Finder
• Engineer with Grid Maintainer → Electrical Monitor
• These devices map interiors of wrecks/ruins for quick navigation

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8. Use Light as Monster Bait

Flares and glow sticks are more than light sources:

• Attract monsters from a safe distance
• Can redirect aggro away from players
• Alien flares (from alien ruins) burn twice as long

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9. Clear Wrecks Faster

Forget slow plasma cutting:

• Use crowbars instead
• Engineer with Unstoppable Curiosity opens doors 50% faster
• Hardened Crowbars = 40% more speed
• Security cards allow instant access to locked areas

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10. Repair Faster and Smarter

• Increase your Electrical or Mechanical skill to speed up repairs
• Use hardened tools (40% bonus speed)
• Mini-game bonus: hit the repair button when the white bar is in the right zone
• Repair Pack (Mechanic with Modular Repairs) = 150% faster repair speed

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11. Buff Gun Fire Rate with the Bandolier

Often overlooked, this item is OP:

• Craft via Don’t Push It talent or buy with 50+ Separatist reputation
• Provides:
  • +15 weapon skill
  • 4 inventory slots
  • +25% ranged and turret fire rate
• Combine with:
  • Tandem Fire → +20% turret damage for gunner and nearby ally

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Summary Table of Key Bonuses

Tip	Source	Effect
Pulse Laser Ammo	Lithium + Alien Blood	Saves Lead for handheld weapons
Foam Sealing	Water Sensor + Fixed Foam Grenade	Auto-repairs hull breaches
Fuel Alert	Regex + Alarm	Detects low fuel, warns crew
Ancient Weapon	Alien Ruins	Best cutting tool + jetpack
Navigation Devices	Talents	Maps out wrecks and ruins
Monster Distraction	Flares / Glowsticks	Draws aggro from players
Wreck Clearance	Crowbars / Security Cards	Faster than cutters
Fast Repairs	Hardened Tools / Repair Pack	Up to +150% repair speed
Gun Buff (Bandolier)	Separatist Rep / Craft	+25% fire rate

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With these tricks, you’ll transform from a struggling crewmate into a finely tuned deep-sea survivor. From emergency automations to combat enhancements, everything in this guide is geared toward pushing the limits of what’s possible aboard your submarine.

Until next time—seal those breaches, pack your foam grenades, and keep your crowbar close.