Purchase the Robots Faction on Forgefire! (link coming soon)
Captains of industry built the robots, and then the robots took over and made the process even more efficient! Now they can churn out more little, highly specialized bots than their enemies can handle. Oh, and a few massive ones as well....
Robots are from the Core (Base game) set and do not have a Titan card.
Complexity Level: LOW
Mechanics
- Swarming
- Utility Minions Instead Of Actions
Robots overwhelm bases with swarms of tiny minions and big minions. They exemplify certain aspects of an AI run wild: automated construction, synchronized coordination, super-weapons, purpose-built units, and working for the good of the whole. They have nanobots, they have mid-sized soldiers, they have lumbering behemoths.
Strategy
Ironically, Robots' most powerful minion, rather than the one with highest printed power, Nukebot, is one of the ones with the lowest: Microbot Alpha. Robots are good at churning out multiple minions turn after turn, and abilities like that of Microbot Alpha leverage that high output into real strategic strength. It is difficult to calculate the maximum and average potency of Alpha, but just a little preparation busts out 10 or more power when you play it. That's an outstanding Big Drop, but you can alternatively keep it around to prolong the benefits of the Microbot brotherhood.
Robots have a few ways to protect their minions. Warbots are simply indestructible. Microbot Archive and Nukebot reward you and punish your opponents when your minions are destroyed. Be mindful playing Microbot Guard. Technically, if it has any valid targets, it must destroy one of them, including allies or itself.
Microbot Reclaimers shuffle select cards into your deck. They are most efficient when your deck is nearly empty. The two of them can recycle each other along with your other Microbots, packing your deck with exactly the Microbots you want theoretically forever.
Synergy
As the epitome of factions that play extra minions, Robots match best with others that play similarly.
- Zombies: - Extremely potent, the moment you break a base you can bring the swarm right back onto the field.
- Innsmouth: - While normally a rather weak faction, Innsmouth augments Robots' ability to field large numbers of minions and multiply their power. Zapbots simultaneously add power on the field and help you play The Locals. Additionally, Robots offer more minions of the same name than usual, but note that to a Microbot, all Microbots are equal, but to Innsmouth, all Microbots are not equal.
- Ghosts: - Playing extra cards helps you empty out your hand and trigger the Ghosts' conditions.
- Hydra: - This deck goes really fast, being one of the fastest decks in the game. Hour of Destiny tutors out Robots' best minions such as Microbot Alpha and Microbot Fixer, while Reactivate Agents and Secret Reserves just get them back. Zapbot is a free minion because everything you really want to play has power <=2, and Nukebot wipes out every other player's minion if you sacrifice it to Red Skull or another Talent, an excessively brutal effect that is similar to Terraforming in heads-up and possibly better than it with any more players, since they don't get points at all. The deck's only weakness is that it cannot remove base modifiers and Red Skull dies to Assassinate and similar cards. However, with Microbot Archive in play, Red Skull's Talent can draw three cards. However, unlike Zombies, they cannot reshuffle actions or minions with power 3 or greater. This deck also plays well with Hoverbot. The main problem of not being able to reshuffle is moot if Red Skull survives, though. Many Hydra actions, talents, and abilities are abusable with Robots, such as sacrificing a Hydra Agent before playing a minion, and then using that to play a Microbot Fixer or Microbot Reclaimer.
Cards - Minions
1x Nukebot
Power 5 - Ongoing: After this minion is destroyed, destroy each other player’s minions on this base.
Errata? Yes/No
Clarifications:
2x Warbot
Power 4 - Ongoing: This minion cannot be destroyed.
Errata? Yes/No
Clarifications:
3x Hoverbot
Power 3 - Reveal the top card of your deck. If it is a minion, you may play it as an extra minion. Otherwise, return it to the top of your deck.
Errata? Yes/No
Clarifications:
- You must play or return the minion immediately.
4x Zapbot
Power 2 - You may play an extra minion of power 2 or less.
Errata? Yes/No
Clarifications:
1x Microbot Alpha
Power 1 - Ongoing: Gains +1 power for each of your other Microbots. All of your minions are considered Microbots.
Errata? Yes/No
Clarifications:
- All of your non-Microbot minions are also considered Microbots, while still being considered their original selves. This only applies to minions in play, not those in the hand or discard pile. But since this ability is ongoing, the amount of power gain changes as other Microbots come and go.
1x Microbot Archive
Power 1 - After one of your Microbots (including this one) is destroyed, draw a card.
Errata? Yes/No
Clarifications:
2x Microbot Fixer
Power 1 - If this is the first minion you played this turn, you may play an extra minion. Ongoing: Each of your Microbots gains +1 power.
Errata? Yes/No
Clarifications:
If both Fixers are in play, each Microbot had +2 power, including both Fixers.
2x Microbot Guard
Power 1 - Destroy a minion on this base with power less than the number of minions you have here.
Errata? Yes/No
Clarifications:
2x Microbot Reclaimer
Power 1 - If this is the first minion you played this turn, you may play an extra minion. Shuffle any number of Microbots from your discard pile into your deck.
Errata? Yes/No
Clarifications:
Cards - Actions
2x Tech Center
Choose a base. Draw one card for each of your minions there.
Errata? Yes/No
Clarifications:
Cards - Bases
1x Factory 436-1337
Breakpoint 25 - VPs: 2 2 1 - When this base scores, the winner gains 1 VP for every 5 power that player has here.
Errata? Yes/No
Clarifications:
- 436-1337 is leetspeak for "AEG-LEET".
1x The Central Brain
Breakpoint 19 - VPs: 4 2 1 - Each minion here has +1 power.
Errata? Yes/No
Clarifications:
