Layers
Casualties Unknown enemies and traps
Short answer: most Casualties Unknown enemies chase, bite and retreat, so keep a wall between you and them and punch when they come in. Traps cause more deaths: most can be broken safely by digging under them or throwing a junk item at them, and turrets, landmines and sound cannons need the most respect. confirmed
Everything below was observed on Demo 7.0.1, the last public build before release. The developer says traps are “more clearly telegraphed” and combat is “less finicky” in the full game. confirmed
What enemies are in Casualties Unknown?
| Enemy | Layer | Danger | How to handle it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shade crawler | 1 onward | Low | Mills about; punch until it dies. Bleeding and venom are minor |
| Cave ticks | 2 | Swarm | Stay still until you pass. If triggered, run and put a wall between you |
| Sand stalker | 3 | Low | Chases and retreats after each bite; a wall stops it reaching you |
| Wall biter | 3 onward | High early | Avoid in a one-on-one until you have a weapon |
| Overgrown tick | 5 | Low | Same pattern as other enemies |
| Young thornback | 5 | Moderate to high | Common in layer 5 |
| Elder thornback | 5 | Boss | You get a warning moodle. Prepare or leave |
The enemy guide notes that nearly all enemies behave the same way, so one approach works for most: wait for them to come to you, and hit them as they arrive. confirmed Cave tick venom was cut by 75% in 7.0. confirmed
What is the sense of impending doom?
A moodle that warns you an elder thornback is on its way. Players nickname this boss “the salad”. confirmed Its side effects are a real problem on their own: forum players say the moodle spikes adrenaline, driving up blood pressure, and if it lasts too long it can lead to a stroke. reported Treat the warning as a signal to act immediately.
What traps should you watch for on each layer?
| Trap | Layer | Danger | Safe way to remove it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jump pad | 1 | Low to moderate | Punch it or break the ground under it |
| Spike trap | 1 | Very high if it hits you | Throw a junk item above it; the item is destroyed |
| Geyser | 1 | Low | Move away; moving liquid pushes you around |
| Glass shards | 1 | Low | Break them instead of walking on them |
| Bear trap | 2 | Low to moderate | Destroy it the same way; it holds you in place |
| Barbed fence | 2 | Moderate | Break with claws, or remove the blocks below |
| Landmine | 3 | High | Throw an item from far away |
| Turret | 3 | High | Bait a shot, then punch it and run |
| Coil | 3 | Moderate to high | Needs a tool, and hitting it by accident is easy |
| Stalactite | 3 | Low alone | Break it by hand |
| Toxirock, spent fuel | 4 | Low | Keep distance; barrels are nearly indestructible |
| Sound cannon | 4 | Moderate | Get behind solid cover within 5 seconds |
| Skullcrusher | 5 | Higher than stalactites | Same approach, bigger hit |
| Grabber plant | 5 | High | Avoid the tip |
All of these are from a full walkthrough of every hazard. confirmed
How do you survive a sound cannon?
A sound cannon wakes when you get within a screen of it. If it has a direct line of sight, it locks on and charges for about five seconds. Put a solid wall between you and it during that time. confirmed A hit causes pain, hearing loss, internal bleeding and brain damage, and being submerged with it makes the damage far worse. confirmed
They fire once, after which you can break them safely. confirmed The 6.0 patch made them less loud and added a mute effect on the game’s volume instead, so a sudden silence is a sign of a hit. confirmed
Which traps ragdoll you without touching them?
Bounce pads, barbed wire and coils can knock you down when you go very close, without actually hitting you, as one video test shows. confirmed The visible trap looks smaller than the area that affects you. Landmines, sound cannons and turrets must actually hit you. confirmed This matters on ledges, where a ragdoll sends you into something worse.
How do you turn traps into materials?
Destroyed traps are a good source of metal and circuit boards. confirmed Digging out the block beneath a trap usually disables it at once, while hitting it directly takes longer and risks setting it off. Turrets drop plenty of scrap and a circuit board, but explode shortly after you damage them enough, so leave quickly. confirmed Those materials feed into crafting and trade well.
What do Casualties Unknown beginners get wrong?
- Walking under stalactites while climbing. They drop whenever you pass beneath.
- Standing in front of a turret’s line. It only shoots horizontally, so stay off that line.
- Pulling shrapnel straight away. Pain makes your hands shake. Bandage first, then pull it out.
- Trusting a bush in the desert. Mines hide inside them.
Enemies may also appear in new forms below layer 5 in the full game, and we will add confirmed ones after recordings appear.
Sources
Last checked 9 November 2026. Marks: confirmed = official notes, in-game text or a recording of the game; reported = two or more players; unverified = one source.
- In-Depth Guide: Traps and Hazards by Cameron Kane · each trap, danger, disarm
- The Truth Behind That Random Ragdoll · ragdoll traps
- Tricks I Wish I Knew Sooner by BluePawClaw
- 30 Things Everyone Should Know by BluePawClaw · breaking turrets
- v6.0 Patch Notes, Steam
- 7.0 Demo Update notes, Steam
- September Progress Update, Steam