Introduction

The Automaton is a slow faction which need time to develop itself before being able to steamroll his neighbours. Because of this, the early game can be hard, and will require a lot of concentration.

The affinity allows to stack industry and to earn an interest each turn. Thanks to that, you’ll be able to accumulate industry and using a conversion building at the same time.

Keeping that in mind, the main idea is to develop a strong industry as soon as possible in order to exploit the two conversion buildings.

Now, if we have a look at their technologies, the easiest to get is Symbiotic Satellites which will provide +1% FIDS per surrounding ships on your systems. Thanks to that, you’ll be able to develop your science and thus to reach a second technology: Infinite Variable Computing (which increases the interest from 5 to 20 percent).

Once you’ve done that, you can try different strategy depending on the context and the victory you want to achieve. Anyway, let’s have a closer look on how to play them concretely.


The Automaton’s Awakening

Expanding and first technologies
When the game starts, the first thing to do is to check the nearest system. If they are no systems accessible within the turn, I’ll advise you to research N-way fusion plants and to move your tax rate in order to reach a fervent approval within the empire (if possible). This will allow you to reduce the research time.

If a system is accessible, scout it and analyze the available planet:

  • There is an Ocean, Terran or Jungle: bingo! Research N-way fusion plants and you can optimize you dust income if you have interesting heroes in your academy
  • There is an Arid and/or a Tundra: research the related technology in order to be able to colonize the planet you want the most. Personally, if I can choose between both, I’ll prefer arid because they provide a better food and industry than the tundra and I’ll be able to use them to provide money once I’ll have colonize the tundra too. However, it also depends on the max population and the resource/anomaly on the planets ^^ (there is never a flat truth unfortunately ^^)
  • If there are none of the previous planets, keep exploring the surroundings and focus on N-way fusion plants.

In the following turns; if you find a system with one of the quoted planet, it’s up to you to change your strategy, especially depending on the needed turn before the completion of your current research.



Once I possess two systems, I prefer to research Isolation Shield or Soil Xenobiology (if I need to boost my growth on a tundra/arid for instance).

In early game, my main focus is to reach Symbiotic Satellites as soon as possible and then produce defensive ships to increase my FIDS. I prefer to have defensive ships even if I could make cheaper ones because they’ll be useful against pirate or aggressive neighbours. Once I did that, my focus will depend on the global context and the victory I’m going to target.

In order to optimize my path, I try to unlock High-Energy Magnetics as soon as possible to strengthen my systems’ industry, and then I focus on Nonbaryonic particles to accelerate the research. Normally, thanks to Interplanetary Transport Network, you’ll be able to one-shot Magnetic Field Generators once the research is done.

Though, keep in mind that the key of victory is your capacity of adaptation. If you have aggressive neighbours, you may have to slow down your development and focus on military technology in order to be able to own them with smaller fleets.



Managing your systems
The hardest part of playing Automaton lies here. Managing their system can be an optimization’s nightmare. So here are some tips and rules which will allow to play smoothly and to take advantage of their affinity.

[LIST=1]
  • If you want to build a specific building/ship, wait until the sum of the industry and the stack is enough to build it in 1 turn. If it’s not possible, once your stack reach is max value put the improvement in the queue.
  • If you do not want to build something in particular, wait for two turns without anything in your queue, and then use one of the conversion buildings: you will thus accumulate industry thanks to the interest and either science or dust depending on your choice. In early game, I advise to focus on science.
  • If you reach your max stackable value and you still do not have any improvement to build, building a ship can always help you to defend your empire. Except if the improvement you want to build will be unlock in a few turn =)
    • [/LIST]

    The home system has a random anomaly. Depending on it, the first turn can be more or less obvious. For instance, if you have Meteor Strikes, it’ll speed up your development thanks to the +1 industry per pop whereas a Swamp World will transform your start into hell.

    Have a close look on the anomaly because it can influence the way to play and the build order. Personally, I start like this for my first systems:

    [LIST=1]
  • Usually, I build the food improvement the first planet.
  • I continue with Heavy Isotope Refineries
  • Here, it depends if I need food or not. Depending on the context, I switch between Public-Private Partnership and Sustainable Farms
  • I build the one I did not build in 3) or I build a factory, especially on my home system. It depends of my growth and the surrounding systems.
    • [/LIST]
    The objective is to build a solid industry as I said earlier. For that I tend to build Geo-industrial plants on the planets except for the first colonized. Thus, I’m able to quickly stack industry and develop my system even with a lower growth.

    The following turns, I’ll continue to develop my systems with incoming improvements. The cool thing is, you have the time to stack the needed industry before the improvement is available.

    Finding Friends
    Beside all of this, it’s really important for the automaton to find at least one trustworthy friend! This will be necessary to develop the economy and science in parallel of the industry. So don’t be shy and send scout in the far away from your empire. But if you can become friend with your neighbor, it’s even better! They’ll act like a shield after that =)

    If you play on a galaxy with more than one constellation, you’ll have to research Applied Casimir Effect. I advise to research it after Nonbaryonic particles. You’ll need time to meet people however you’ll have a strong empire and be able to react against aggressive and to develop your trade capacity quickly.

    Regarding Relativistic Market (the technology needed to sign a peace), either I research it just after High-Energy Magnetics if I fear my neighbour and I want to strengthen my borders or I wait to have Nonbaryonic particles if there are no noticeable threats.



    Victory Road(s)

    The automaton can reach different victories. Their main victory is the diplomatic victory because they are peaceful and they’ll tend to maintain alliances with others but they can also efficiently reach a Wonder Victory or an economic one thanks to their turtle ability.

    Diplomatic Victory
    Once you’ve unlocked Symbiotic Satellites, continue with Inter-Species HR and like for any other faction, keep trading and supporting your relationship. Try to find a weak prey to capture some system with your allies, and everything should be alright.

    Wonder Victory
    If you want to achieve a wonder victory, it’s time to focus on the Applied Science part of the technology tree. Focus on science and industry building first. If you have adequate system, look for Wave Functionnal Control else, focus on Infinite Variable Computing. You’ll also need, at least, Persistent Bodies and of course both technologies to unlock respectively Siderite and Quadrinix.

    Regarding the exploration technology tree, I try to take Deep Space Habitats quickly because it provides a great movement buff and unlock Terran Terraformation! Then, I research Low-Temp Hydration to enhance my new Terran

    Once I have all the previous technology, I rush Endless Empire by the right arm of the tree. Thanks to that, I unlock Dark Energy Effects which will give a final boost to my industry!

    After unlocking Endless Empire, I can either look for Automated Wealth: in case of war, bypassing blockade will allow me to continue building the Wonder what ever happen. Or if the situation is stable, I focus on developing my industry even more thanks to Dust Virtualization and then technology unlocking food improvements.

    Economic Victory
    To reach the economic victory, there are certain combos which are really efficient. In the military part of the technology tree, you can unlock, thanks to Precision Converter, an improvement converting the stacked industry into Defense.

    You will be able to support aggression while using industry to dust to rush the economic victory. However, to be really efficient, it’s important to increase your industry as much as possible. To that, follow a similar strategy than for the Wonder Victory. However, it’s quite expansive regarding the needed science.

    Another option is to develop all your trading technology, and to unlock Automated Wealth. Thus, you’ll gain a lot of dust thanks to trading and combine it with the industry to dust of your system.



    The Last Word

    I hope to read your own strategic guide and advise on the forum in the coming days! Even if they are not related to the Automaton! I know there are really talented players around here, and some new players may be pleased to follow their advice =)

    Thanks for reading! And if you have any feedback or questions; I’ll be pleased to answer. Cheers!

    Meedoc