diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Warheads/CreateEffectWarhead.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Warheads/CreateEffectWarhead.cs
index 55007f65d8..d33e4b3997 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Warheads/CreateEffectWarhead.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Warheads/CreateEffectWarhead.cs
@@ -10,13 +10,14 @@
 #endregion
 
 using System.Collections.Generic;
+using OpenRA.GameRules;
 using OpenRA.Mods.Common.Effects;
 using OpenRA.Mods.Common.Traits;
 using OpenRA.Traits;
 
 namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Warheads
 {
-	public class CreateEffectWarhead : Warhead
+	public class CreateEffectWarhead : Warhead, IRulesetLoaded<WeaponInfo>
 	{
 		[Desc("List of explosion sequences that can be used.")]
 		[SequenceReference("Image")] public readonly string[] Explosions = new string[0];
@@ -30,9 +31,6 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Warheads
 		[Desc("Remap explosion effect to player color, if art supports it.")]
 		public readonly bool UsePlayerPalette = false;
 
-		[Desc("Search radius around impact for 'direct hit' check.")]
-		public readonly WDist TargetSearchRadius = new WDist(2048);
-
 		[Desc("List of sounds that can be played on impact.")]
 		public readonly string[] ImpactSounds = new string[0];
 
@@ -42,6 +40,16 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Warheads
 		[Desc("What impact types should this effect NOT apply to.", "Overrides ValidImpactTypes.")]
 		public readonly ImpactType InvalidImpactTypes = ImpactType.None;
 
+		[Desc("Scan radius for victims around impact. If set to zero (default), it will automatically scale to the largest health shape.",
+			"Custom overrides should not be necessary under normal circumstances.")]
+		public WDist VictimScanRadius = WDist.Zero;
+
+		public void RulesetLoaded(Ruleset rules, WeaponInfo wi)
+		{
+			if (VictimScanRadius == WDist.Zero)
+				VictimScanRadius = Util.MinimumRequiredVictimScanRadius(rules);
+		}
+
 		public ImpactType GetImpactType(World world, CPos cell, WPos pos, Actor firedBy)
 		{
 			// Missiles need a margin because they sometimes explode a little above ground
@@ -75,7 +83,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Warheads
 
 		public bool GetDirectHit(World world, CPos cell, WPos pos, Actor firedBy, bool checkTargetType = false)
 		{
-			foreach (var victim in world.FindActorsInCircle(pos, TargetSearchRadius))
+			foreach (var victim in world.FindActorsInCircle(pos, VictimScanRadius))
 			{
 				if (checkTargetType && !IsValidAgainst(victim, firedBy))
 					continue;
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Warheads/SpreadDamageWarhead.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Warheads/SpreadDamageWarhead.cs
index 5c8f14b944..f4c4c0e6d0 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Warheads/SpreadDamageWarhead.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Warheads/SpreadDamageWarhead.cs
@@ -21,17 +21,21 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Warheads
 		[Desc("Range between falloff steps.")]
 		public readonly WDist Spread = new WDist(43);
 
-		[Desc("Extra search radius beyond maximum spread. Required to ensure damage to actors with large health radius.")]
-		public readonly WDist TargetExtraSearchRadius = new WDist(1536);
-
 		[Desc("Damage percentage at each range step")]
 		public readonly int[] Falloff = { 100, 37, 14, 5, 0 };
 
 		[Desc("Ranges at which each Falloff step is defined. Overrides Spread.")]
 		public WDist[] Range = null;
 
+		[Desc("Extra search radius beyond maximum spread. If set to zero (default), it will automatically scale to the largest health shape.",
+			"Custom overrides should not be necessary under normal circumstances.")]
+		public WDist VictimScanRadius = WDist.Zero;
+
 		public void RulesetLoaded(Ruleset rules, WeaponInfo info)
 		{
+			if (VictimScanRadius == WDist.Zero)
+				VictimScanRadius = Util.MinimumRequiredVictimScanRadius(rules);
+
 			if (Range != null)
 			{
 				if (Range.Length != 1 && Range.Length != Falloff.Length)
@@ -58,7 +62,7 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Warheads
 
 			// This only finds actors where the center is within the search radius,
 			// so we need to search beyond the maximum spread to account for actors with large health radius
-			var hitActors = world.FindActorsInCircle(pos, Range[Range.Length - 1] + TargetExtraSearchRadius);
+			var hitActors = world.FindActorsInCircle(pos, Range[Range.Length - 1] + VictimScanRadius);
 
 			foreach (var victim in hitActors)
 			{