The Robots
Tin cans with an attitude

This is a race of fully mechanized Robots. This race has no real intellect, rather, they have a very complex programming matrix. The Robots did not evolve, but were created and mass-constructed by a race that is believed to have been smaller and much more intelligent predecessors of the Lizard race. This brilliant race of lizard-like creatures were very advanced in their development of Robotic technology. This technology allowed them to create a race of Robotic "people" that they could have do all of the work that they were incapable of doing themselves, and eventually start to explore space for them.

The lizard-like people (known to the Robots as "The Creators") kept refining their technology until the Robots were formed much like humanoids, having legs and feet and being able to walk and pilot spacecraft. Content with their design, the creators set up large factories that became the birthplace of the entire Robotic Imperium. Millions of Robots were constructed and programmed to seek out new planets and annihilate all other space-faring life in space, in order for the Creators to follow up behind them and become the sole rulers of the galaxy.

But disaster struck, and the Creator's home planet was hit by a meteor shower. Several large cities were destroyed by the meteors, and nearly all of the Creator population on the planet was killed in the radioactive fallout caused by the meteors. The last remaining Creators figured they would not be able to operate further development and construction of the Robotic race and would need more time te rebuild their society first. Trying to have it both ways and not wanting to delay their plans for space-exploration, they implemented a limited form of artificiall intelligence in two dozen Robots.

These Robots were programmed to have superiour knowledge of all things mechanic, so they could further improve and enhance the Robotic race and produce new and better Robots. This would give the remaining Creators the time and peace to rebuild their society and grow a large population again while the Robots would run themselves and start exploring the unknown depths of the galaxy. However, the new sentient Robots had other plans. Pretty soon they had perfected the Robotic race and decided the remaining Creators were a stain on their perfect homeworld. These inefficient and weak organic lifeforms did not deserve to use resources that could better be used by the Robotic race. In a quick and brutal campaign that took only a week, the entire planet was rid of the lizard-like creatures and with that the Creators had ceased to exist.

Working as a self-governing and selfsustaining race the Robots quickly advanced to a state of space-faring exploration, destroying everything in their path and setting up now Robotic plants on many planets they encountered, killing off the other spacefaring races they met along the way. And now the Robots have reached the Echo Cluster. Surely they will not rest before all others in the cluster are destroyed.

Race advantages
The Robots, with their superb knowledge of mechanical processes, can yield four times as many minefield units out their torpedoes. This gives them the ability to lay huge minefields at low cost, providing them with an impressing defensive as well as a dangerous offensive mechanism.

Race disadvantages
The Robotic shiplist consists mainly of carriers, and large ones at that. The Robotic shipdesigns use large amounts of duranium minerals, and once the ships have to move around they use a lot of fuel. There is only one ship capable of laying mines in the Robot shiplist, and that is a relatively weak ship.

Special mission
To fill their many fightercarrying ships, the Robots can build fighters onboard their spaceships using only some minerals and supply-units.

Main battleships
The Robots base most their ship designs around the basestar fighter carrier design, and have composed quite an effective shiplist with that approach. Their most useful ships are the medium-sized tech 6 Instrumentality Class Baseship, and their absolute flagship the Golem Class Baseship. This is the largest basestar and can carry 300 fighters.

Special ships
The Pawn Class Baseship is the smallest Baseship design in the Robotic shiplist, and not really fit for fighting. This ship is however outfitted with a Bioscanner that will detect and report native populations and temperatures on all planets within bioscan range.

Gameplay in short
The Robots are perhaps one of the most straightforward races to play. With their medium but deadly Instrumentality, filled with fighters that are built onboard their ships, the Robots are a force to be reckoned with in the early stages of the game. A large minefield dropped over an enemy empire can virtually immobilize them, and some defensive minefields can adequately protect the Robots from early attacks. In further stages of the game the Robots have the large carriers to do the damage and the cheap fighters to fill them with, still backed up by huge minefields. Playing the Robots does require some attention however, as most of their ships are very heavy and require a lot of fuel. You'll need to plan ahead and make sure you can refuel your carriers often enough, if you want to take the Basestars over to play in your neighbours' empires.