Automaton Fabricator

Automaton Fabricator
Faction	Automatons
Difficulty	Trivial (1) +
Size	Small

The Fabricator is an Automaton structure that periodically spawns Troopers of any kind until destroyed. Much like the Terminid bug hole, the Fabricator must be taken out with explosive weapons, Orbital/Air strikes, landing Hellpods, grenades thrown into either of the 2 vents open above the door the Troopers exit from, or the door itself when it opens to release more Troopers.

Appearance

Fabricators can typically be located from a distance by their pair of smoke/steam exhausts. Its open door will also be visible from a good distance. Be mindful that there may be adjoining structures that prevent a ranged shot from connecting.

Tactics

• Since Patch 1.001.100, some support weapons are useful for taking out Automaton Fabricators from a distance:
  • The AC-8 Autocannon GL-21 Grenade Launcher, GP-31 Grenade Pistol, CB-9 Exploding Crossbow, and R-36 Eruptor, can be aimed at the fin above a vent, causing the projectile to ricochet downward into the open vent and destroy the Fabricator. This must be done while facing toward the front of the vents, as trying this from an angle to the side will cause the ricochet to go elsewhere.
  • The EAT-17 Expendable Anti-Tank, LAS-99 Quasar Cannon, GR-8 Recoilless Rifle, and FAF-14 Spear requires a single shot on any side of the fabricator to destroy it.
  • The MLS-4X Commando can destroy a fabricator in 2 direct hits from any direction. However, guiding a missile into a vent can destroy it in one shot.
  • The RS-422 Railgun can destroy a fabricator in 11 safe-mode shots and 5 charged unsafe-mode shots.
  • The StA-X3 W.A.S.P. Launcher can destroy a single fabricator with 8 direct hits. It is possible to kill a fabricator in one shot if a rocket shoots into the vent, however the random flight path of the WASP makes this method incredibly reliant on luck.
• Besides the stun and smoke grenade, all other grenades can destroy a fabricator, either by throwing it into one of the two vents, or through the door as it is rolling out automaton infantry.
  • It can be difficult to take out Fabricators with impact grenades, as you must precisely aim it into the vent without hitting the trapdoor. Aim the impact grenade at the lower lip of the vent. It will actually go slightly higher, and enter the fabricator.
  • Timed grenades do not have this issue, and will typically guide themselves into the vent with a proper throw.
  • A Thermite Grenade will stick to any part of the fabricator. It does not need to be thrown into the fabricator itself, and will destroy it so long as the grenade sticks to the structure itself. Note that it must attach to the fabricator, as any nearby obstruction such as fencing can block the grenade's destructive effect.
• The Orbital Laser Strike is useful for taking out Fabricators in Heavy outposts as the laser will target them first before moving to ground units.
• If in a dire situation, Hellpods like reinforcements, advanced weapons or resupplies can be used to take out Fabricators by throwing the beacon right at the base of the Fabricator. Landing Hellpods from reinforcements may be steered on top of Fabricators.
  • Certain Hellpod stratagems may be immediately destroyed by the explosion of a fabricator it just destroyed, such as sentries and resupplies.
• Eagle payloads such as the standard Airstrike and the 500kg Bomb are great ways to take out multiple Fabricators in close proximity to one another with a single strike.
  • The Eagle Strafing Run is also capable of destroying fabricators if the attack run zips up the structure.
  • The additional bomb provided by the XXL Weapons Bay is a 100kg Bomb similar to that used by the Eagle Airstrike. This allows a properly placed Eagle Smoke Strike or Eagle Cluster Bomb to destroy a fabricator from many angles.
• Due to the peculiar destructive properties of artillery shells and bombs, a direct hit from a shell by itself is enough to destroy a fabricator, even if the round itself is non-lethal. This means that Eagle and Orbital smoke shells can destroy a fabricator, if it lands directly on top of one. Smoke shells from an SEAF Artillery strike can also destroy a fabricator.
  • Due to the unique payload delivery system, EMS and napalm shells cannot destroy fabricators.
• Fabricators may occasionally appear in pairs at higher difficulties. The destruction of one fab will impart enough demolition force to destroy its pair.
• Infrequently, the fuel packs carried by certain Troopers may be destroyed by Helldivers before the Trooper exits the fabricator, which in turn will destroy the fabricator. It may thus appear as if weaponry not normally able to destroy a fabricator (such as the LAS-98 Laser Cannon) can actually do so.

Trivia

• Prior to Patch 1.001.100, some Helldivers observed that certain shots which ricocheted off part of the Fabricator and immediately hit the same Fabricator could destroy it. With a suitable weapon and precise aim, it was possible to destroy Fabricators from angles other than facing its front. This suggests that the vent shots typically needed to attack a Fabricator were dealt with in a similar manner, ricocheting off the vent and into the Fabricator.