it's never been realistic
oranges suggested a while back a more effective way of repairing hull breaches, which is something I've always wanted.
It's too easy to trigger a shuttle call with a bomb.
The problem is not so much replacing the hull and atmosphere, but returning the area to a functional department. Piping, wiring, rooms, machines, vendors, computers and furniture are all still missing. It's not easy to remember how they were laid out and the damaged piping and wiring affect other parts of the station.
The auxiliary mining base has a construction droid. It could be added to to create a repair droid for engineers to rebuild destroyed departments.
Rounds would last longer, departments would complete their work more often and there'd be less lag due to fewer unresolved atmos differences between tiles. Engineers wouldn't be off rebuilding departments due to the tedium involved.
Bombs could be buffed if this weakened them too much.
