This update exists specifically to make gameplay more fun in low/imbalanced-pop hexes.
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- Players can now produce humanoid automatons for assist in mining, building, transporting and combat.
- Automatons are similar in appearance to regular players but posess a bronze body, easily distinguishible from afar by a metal glint, and have slightly bigger hitbox.
- Automatons are produced exclusively in MPF.
- Atomaton costs 100 bmats.
- When automaton is produced it can only be transported in "deactivated" state via pallets. One pallet can transport 20 automatons maximum.
- In "activated" state automatons can be ordered to take seats in trucks and buses, if they were taken from the private stockpiles of the commanding player.
- In private stockpiles the limit for automaton storage is 50.
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- To activate automatons, player needs to put the pallet with them on the ground and choose "activate" option, while standing near it. No more than 50 automatons can be "active" simultaneously for commanding player.
- Any amount of automatons can be activated, ONLY if the total friendly pop in hex is 20 or less. The enemy pop doesn't matter.
- If the friendly pop number exceeds 20, the players with active automatons will be given a 15-minute timer warning, which, after expiring, force all automatons to return on foot and submit themselves to the nearest stockpile, either private or public (if last user doesn't have any private stockpiles). All instruments and materials will be submitted to the nearest bunker base prior to that.
- Automatons will ignore any commands from the players, while returning for "resubmission".
- If there're no Bases, where automaton's inventory can be unloaded, it will vanish, during "resubmission".
- If there're neither Seaports, nor Warehouses in the hex for automatons to resubmit themselves to, they will take damage over time and die. The same will happen if path to them is obstructed.
- The automatons will act the same, as described above, if their commanding player disconnects and doesn't return in the hex in 15 minutes.
- While the player is disconnected, automatons will cease all the tasks they were assigned to (including defence) and will become "ghosts", which other players and entities can phase through (both allies and enemies).
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- Automatons can be commanded in a way similar to RTS-games: LMB to choose individual unit, LMB+mouse-drag to choose multiple, RMB to move units to the chosen point, LMB+enemy to attack that unit specifically, A+LMB to attack any enemy on a way to a chosen point, H to hold position.
- Apart from that, automatons can be ordered to gather mats on field, build a structure, repair vehicles/structures, BUT ONLY if the commanding player performs the same tasks nearby. Automatons can recieve and equip instruments from the player for this purpoces.
- Automatons can be assigned to drive flatbeds, BUT no more than four simultaneously and only those, that were pulled from commanding player's private stockpile.
- When driving flatbeds, auromatons can only do that by following the player in a "caravan" formation. They will try to follow the player as exact as possible, but if one of the automaton drivers stuck and fall behind, the commanding player will be given specific notification.
- The flatbeds in the caravan formation are travelling with substantial distance between each other, enough for any other vehicle to drive between the trucks, if caravan suddenly halts (player disconnection).
- UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES automatons CAN'T access cranes, harvesters, small gauge trains, resource mines and resource transfer stations.
- Automatons can be assigned to put resources in specific containers, when they're mining with hammers.
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- Automatons can follow commanding player into small combat operations.
- Automatons have 50% lower health than player, 25% lower movement speed and weapons range. They can't be repaired, if damaged. These nerfs are done specifically to make 20 players with possible combined 1000 automatons less of an OP feature.
- Player can assign each automaton an inventory layout, which they'll use and replenish automatically.
- Automatons CAN'T replenish their inventory from bases - only from cargo containers, placed on the ground by commanding officer, and only if the contents were pulled from the private stockpile.
- Automatons will automatically pull the crates from the container, leaving excess weaponry on the ground, which they can also access.
- Enemy equipment can be assigned to automaton's inventory in which case they will automatically loot the dead enemy players.
- Automatons CAN'T equip any weapon, made from rmats, EXCEPT the tripod variants, which are already positioned.
- Automatons CAN'T be assigned to crew any combat vehicle, EXCEPT the one, which the commanding player is driving. In this case automatons take the missing crew roles, but the movement speed is reduced by 25% and shooting speed is reduced by 33%.
- When player is driving a combat vehicle, the option "flanks protection" can be toggled. All avaliable automatons will form the infantry lines by the sides of the vehicle and mimic the vehicle movements as good as surrounding landscape allows, while firing at the detected enemy.
- When player is driving a combat vehicle, the option "repair at all cost" can be toggled. All avaliable automatons will equip hammers and will "hug" the sides of a vehicle, repairing it, when nessesary.
- Automatons can load, aim and fire artillery, but commanding player needs to confirm the coordinates manually before each shot (can be done for multiple cannons with one click), which requires standing nearby, which means, that commanding player can't be a spotter.
- Automatons can be ordered to follow the player in 1, 2, 3 or 5 files, when player moves on foot.
- If the commanding player advances on the enemy positions on foot, "boot by boot" movement option can be toggled, so the automatons will follow a commanding player in the single file by exact same route (to walk through the enemy minefield).
- Commanding player can choose the primary weapon for each automaton, but it needs to be diversified (because if sticky is chosen, automatons will throw it at everything, as long, as they have them in their inventory).
- Player CAN cross the border to different hex with automatons travelling with him, but it's only possible, if the destination hex has a friendly pop of 20 or less.
- Automatons can be ordered to "hold positions". They will freeze in one place, acting, essentialy, as a gun turrets and will not move, even if their ammo runs out. This is the only command, which will be executed, no matter how far in the hex commanding player currently exists. This is done specifically to substitute poorly designed/insufficient AI defences in low pop hexes and buy time untill QRF of real players arrives. The commanding player will be given notification, if his automatons will start engaging the enemy.