Malevelon Creek

To execute the will of Super Earth—or perhaps just to understand the inner workings of the "clankers"—here is the breakdown of the Automaton hierarchy, their tactical "personalities" when responding to flares, and how their logistics operate on the ground. ​1. The Automaton Order of Battle (Hierarchy) ​When a flare goes up, the Automatons deploy in a specific escalation pattern. They don't just throw everything at once; they build momentum. •Infantry Troopers, Raiders, MG Raiders Front-line fodder; first to arrive via Dropship to pin targets. •Specialists Commissars, Berserkers The "Officers" and shock troops. Berserkers break lines; Commissars call more flares. •Elites Devastators (Standard, Rocket, Heavy) The backbone. They provide suppressive fire and heavy plating. •Heavy Support Scout Striders, Hulks Mobile armor meant to crush cover and flush out Helldivers. •Super-Heavies Tanks (Annihilator, Shredder), Factory Striders The "Endgame." Area denial and mobile production. 2. Flare Response "Personalities" ​The Automatons operate on a cold, calculated logic. Their behavior after a flare is triggered follows three distinct programming phases: ​The Arrival Phase (Shock) ​Behavior: Aggressive drops. Dropships will prioritize flanking positions rather than landing directly on top of you. ​Personality: Relentless. Units like Berserkers are programmed with "zero-self-preservation" logic, charging immediately to force you out of cover while Troopers set up firing lines. ​The Suppression Phase (Awe) ​Behavior: Once the ground force is established, Rocket Devastators and Heavy Devastators prioritize "Stagger Locks." ​Personality: Methodical. They don't just fire; they coordinate salvos. If one Devastator is reloading, another is firing. They aim to keep you prone and unable to return fire. ​The Siege Phase (Cleanup) ​Behavior: If the flare isn't cleared, Hulks and Tanks move in. ​Personality: Inevitability. They move slowly but constantly forward. The "personality" here is a slow-crawl toward the player's last known coordinate, using thermal sensors to track you through smoke. ​3. Convoy Plans (Logistics) ​Automaton convoys are rarely seen "in transit" but are simulated through patrolling mechanics. Their movement plans follow a Hub-and-Spoke model: ​Pathing: Convoys move between Fabricator Outposts and Strategic Objectives (like Research Stations or Jammer Towers). ​Formation: Typically led by a Scout Strider or a Heavy Devastator, followed by two files of Troopers, with a Hulk or Tank bringing up the rear. ​Engagement Rule: They are programmed to ignore distant threats unless a "Detection Pulse" (the red eye) catches a Helldiver. Once alerted, the convoy shifts from "Transit Mode" to "Search and Destroy." ​4. Factory Settings & Production ​The Automaton Fabricators aren't just buildings; they are high-efficiency reproduction centers. ​Operational Logic ​Standard Output: Small outposts produce Troopers and Scout Striders at fixed intervals to replenish local patrols. ​Heavy Output: Large Outposts and Factory Striders use "Rapid Prototyping." A Factory Strider, for example, is set to "On-Demand Fabricate," meaning it detects a threat and chooses to manufacture Devastators specifically to counter that threat's proximity. ​Thermal Regulation: All factories have a critical flaw in their "Exhaust Settings." To maintain the high heat required for rapid armor forging, they must vent gases. These vents are the primary structural weakness (ideal for a well-placed grenade). ​Tactical Note: If you see a Factory Strider "squatting," it is adjusting its internal settings to birth a new squad of Devastators. Interrupt this process immediately with heavy ordinance. ​Which specific Automaton class gives your squad the most trouble during extraction?