The Dead Man's Switch Beginners Guide

This guide is primarily interested in explaining the basic concepts of DMS and its submods, a brief summation of the techtree, and a more detailed breakdown of what you can get from which tech and a more detailed description of each mech/automatroid

It will not be going over each and every weapon or piece of armor and comparing them to each other or vanilla gear, though some select pieces will be compared. Nor will it be looking at anything CE related.

Mods that will be looked at are
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3121742525
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3469398006
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3288321439
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3377130226
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3374615241
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3689879335
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3576816613
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3666117000
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3601912713

At time of this writing there are 59 entries in the DMS 3rd party collection. I need to pick my battles here for my own sanity.

Note, anything Legion related has a good chance of being ridiculously OP compared to other things in their tier, I am still including it because I personally think it is fun.

Automatroids are the mechanoids of DMS, from here on used interchangeably with the word mech. Built at an automatroid constructor, most will not be built with a weapon. Instead you need to select the mech in question and right click on the intended weapon to select the option to equip it, like you would with a colonist.
Some Automatroids come with active abilities that may not be alluded to in their descriptions. The later Mech section will go over these in detail. Automatroid weapons have a few peculiarities compared to normal weapons, the least important of which is that they do not have a quality level. Each one of a given type will be exactly the same as the others.
More importantly most of these will have a minimum size for mechs they can be used by, which can be found in thier info tab. Similarly you can check what weapons an automatroid can equip in their info tab by going to the allowed weapons line. The DMS mods have a tech progression largely uncoupled from vanilla research, which is a double edged sword. On one hand it means you do not need to engage with the vanilla boss progression or mechtech research, on the other hand lacking these reseaches means you cannot get mechanitor armors or get mechanitor implants.
Given that I can only remember a single piece of mechanitor gear amongst the base DMS equipment
I very much advise still getting regular mechtech researches A number of the DMS workbenches are automated, working on a similar system to mechanoid gestation. These workstations are usually quite large and need a lot of power, but also come with a base workspeed of 200%.
The buildings in question are the Sintering Furnace (a smelter with DMS options), the Pressure Chamber (biofuel refinery+) and Machinery Printer (machining table+)
The former two also have non-automated versions that are much smaller, but also have a base speed of 95% More important than they look. Heavier Automatroids will drop these as well as steel when shredded, after which the debris can be dealt with in either two ways. Smelting, which will give tungsteel and ceramics, or disasembling at a machining table, which gives polyester and vanilla components. Note that ancient automatroid debris is always better disasembled as it gives the full smelting products plus more. There are a number of upgrades you can apply to automatroids, such as extra armor or hydraulic frames. To do this you must select a pawn (possibly only the mechanitor), right click on the relevant upgrade to select install, then select the relevant automatroid. DMS has two different craftable mechlinks. Installing either one will cause a fever for several days, reducing conciousness by 5% and blood filtration by 50%.
More importantly it also adds the N.A.C.S. healdef, which scales on bandwidth in use. At low or no bandwidth use it adds 20% conciousness and 25% moving, while at high use it causes pain to the pawn. This healdef also allows connection to a Process array building.
Neither craftable mechlink can be re-used on pawn death.

DMS adds a number of new resources that are largely produced rather than gathered. These resources are used in the majority of the things you actually want out of the mod, so knowing how to make them and what they do is useful.
Note that most of these recipes have an alternate bulk recipe, taking 4 times the input for 4 times the output.
DMS Expedition has recipes that additionally require certain environments to craft, these requirements will be noted.

The most important and basic resource in the Dead Mans switch, Tungsteel is a step between Steel and Plasteel. It actually has a better damage multiplier than plasteel when used for sharp melee weapons, at the cost of higher melee cooldown.
Create batches of 20 at a Sintering or Lab furnace for 20 steel, 10 chemfuel and 20 stone bricks
Can be bulk crafted
As the most generally useful of the resources I will provide a comparison table with steel and plasteel
Used mostly in special automatroids or equipment. This material has impressively high sharp defense (1.1) at the cost of being extremely fragile, only having a fifth the durability of steel, lower than any regular material.
Produced in batches of 20 at a Sintering or Lab Furnace for 20 stone blocks and 10 chemfuel.
Can be bulk crafted A fabric you can produce from chemfuel, it provides protection above most fabrics but lower than most leathers, quite low cold insulation but very effective heat insulation.
Made at a Pressure Chamber or Lab Reactor, you get 50 for 50 chemfuel.
Can be bulk crafted
Note that in almost all recipes that call for Polyester you can instead use Synthread, but given synthread is more valuble and protective it may be a waste to do so. Another textile, it has defensive stats comparable to devilstrand, but insulation is lacking. Used in implants, artifuscle and certain high tier things.
Made at a Pressure Chamber or Lab Reactor using 75 polyester and 5 plasteel for 20 plastifiber.
Can be bulk crafted The main component used in many DMS recipes. In the files as componentstamped
Built at a machinery printer for 10 steel and 5 tungsteel for one stamponent
Can also be turned into 4 regular components at the machinery printer. A high level material, used in biosynthetic prosthetics and synths primarily, but also other high end things.
Can rot, keep frozen
Made at the Artifuscle chamber, requires medical skill rather than crafting. Requires 1 gold, 8 tungsteel, 10 plastifiber and 20 neutroamine, for 25 Artifuscle
Carbohydrates can be used in place of neutroamine
Can be bulk crafted.
If you also have the Cinders of the Embergarden mod you can use amorphous polymer in place of any and every ingredient in this recipe. In addition you can use Carbohydrates from the expedition mod in place of neutro. Both a boss drop and a high level craftable, this item is used in pretty much all high level automatroids, as well as some high level turrets and vehicles.
Can be aquired in loot from crates or by killing a Geochelone boss wave.
Can also be aquired using the wetware gestation gene, which has -15 metabolic effeciency, turning any children using the pawn with the gene as a parent to instead develop as a Wetware Computer.
Finally it can also be crafter at an artifuscle chamber using 10 gold, 3 stamponents, 20 plastifiber and 50 neutroamine. Everything in this recipe can also be swapped with amorphous polymer except the stamponents. Also requires medical skill to craft Expedition Material.
Technichally a food item
Used as a replacement for neutroamine in artifuscle, or as a primary ingredient in C-rations
Deteriorates outdoors and unroofed in 6 hours
Produced in the lab reactor or pressure vessel in a cleanliness 0.1 or higher
Made from 1 nutrition of vegetable matter producing two carbohydrates, or from a graphene bioreactor, turning graphene into carbohydrates over time. Expedition material.
A metal that offers less HP than tungsteel but extremely high defenses (160/120/180), used in high tier expedition items.
Made in a lab furnace or sintering furnace in vacuum of over 50%
Takes 50 Tungsteel and 125 Vacstone Blocks to produce 25 tantasteel
Can be bulk crafted. Expedition Material.
Used in a variety of high level items in Expedition, often in large amounts. Can also be used as a textile, offering high sharp defense and extreme blunt defense
Made at a Precise Fabrication Center in orbit.
Uses 75 wood or 35 chemfuel to produce 5 graphene. Expedition material.
Used in smaller numbers in a variety of top level items like Fire Control systems, T/R components and the like.
Made at a Precise Fabrication Center in vacuum above 50%, indoors and with a cleanliness of 0.1 or above, and a temperature of -30C to -10C
Takes 75 jade to create 1 nitrogallium Extremely rare boss drop that is used in certain extremely high tier recipes.
Can be aquired through crates or killing the Tarbosaurus boss wave
With Expedition can also be crafted at a Precise Fabrication Center in orbit, with cleanliness of 0.1 or above and a brightness of less than 25%
Built from 3 advanced components, 2 T/R components and 1 nitrogallium Extremely valuble, it is used to craft select automatroids or other items across tech levels, including commander type automatroids that provide mech command radius as well as a craftable mechlink.
Can be found in crates or by killing a sergeant boss wave using the encrypted transmitter item, itself only found in loot containers.
With Expedition it can be crafted at a Precise Fabrication Center in orbit with a cleanliness of 0.1 or higher.
Made from 25 graphene, 100 gold and 1 nitrogallium. Outside of Expedition this is used exclusively for building one useful non-combat mech, and only available through loot as the boss that drops it is not in the base mod.
With Expedition you can aquire it as a drop from the Cluster Weaver boss wave, or can be built at a Precise Fabrication Center with cleanliness above 0.1 and light below 25%
Made from 50 tantasteel, 10 stamponents, 2 advanced components and 1 nitrogallium.
In expedition it can additionally be used to build a cluster weaver mech, a solar flare blocking building, or the extremely important Precise Fabrication Center.

Only relevant if you have the mobile Dragoon addon.
Each research involving Dragoons, including the walker frames research required for anything Dragoon related, requires techprints to research. Depending on your luck this means it may take a long time to get into Dragoons.

Using one requires building a gantry (under the misc section) to store the Dragoon, module racks attatched to said gantry to build the thing, and possibly scaffolds and scaffold stairs to be able to repair the Dragoon quickly
To make a Dragoon you need to click on the gantry, then on the customize button, then right click on the relevant squares above to select modules, after which a pawn should come over to work on installing the module(s)
Using a Dragoon requires specific pawn apparel, namely an EFP suit, which costs 75 metal, 2 stamponents, 20 ceramics and 60 polyester. They provie toxic environment resistance +75% but at the steep cost of movespeed -1.2c/s and sleep fall rate of +25%.
You can also not use outer layer armor when using a Dragoon, so mechanitor armor will be dropped on entry. In return you can equip certain electronic modules that will give bandwidth when active.

Dragoon modules have a quality level similar to base game apparel. High quality modules can provide very high combat power.

Pirates will be able to use Dragoons like the player faction, which is a blessing and a curse, since they can be armed with dangerousweapons, but they explode when downed, injuring other pirates. You can then pull the pilot out by opening it, though they will try to keep fighting if insuffeciently wounded. You can also deconstruct the debris, which can give you a random module off the Dragoon at very low durability.
Pirate Dragoons will usually be equiped with only normal quality modules, rarely coming with anything more than the frame and occasionally a helmet, with combat based modules extremely rare, at a less than 10% rate based on my testing. Most will be armed with weapons like the GAU series autocannons, or with Dragoon Tomahawks or Dragoon LMGs, but some will occasionally spawn with regular weapons, such as spears or assault rifles. Pirate Dragoons only spawn with either Arbeiter or Yetta Frames, which are very squishy and modestly tough, respectively.

A note on Dragoon modules vs. Dragoon weapons: Dragoon modules need to be equiped to the frame at the gantry and can have quality levels, while Dragoon weapons have no quality level and can be equiped like normal weapons by a Dragoon with empty hands.

Dragoons globally have a +125% melee damage multiplier and -90% stagger time multiplier.
The melee damage multiplier stacks with strong melee damage to give a total of 338% melee damage.

The Dragoon types you gain, in order, are
PF-3 Arbeiter frame, under Walker Frames, Armor is worse than a flack jacket, Base move speed 4 c/s, has a +15% work speed bonus, 150 capacity and +25% vacuum resistance. Only has slots for a hlemet and arms. A terrible combatant, but can be good for a worker, especially with a work arm or pile bunker module.
At-34 Yetta frame, from Mobile Dragoon research. Has defensive stats comparable with steel platemail of the same quality, base speed 4.2 c/s, has -25% work speed, +35% vacuum resist and 250 capacity. The first real combat Dragoon you'll field. Pirate Dragoons come with this.
Pv-8 Zyklop frame, under Main Battle Dargoon. Armor is equal to Cataphract in terms of sharp armor, and notable better in blunt and heat, base speed 6.2 c/s, -35% work speed, +35% vacuum resistance, 320 capacity. This is the Dragoon you probably want to use for combat, being thr toughest you can craft and able to bolt on the most gear.
F/A-47 Arsenal Angel, with Advanced Dragoon Engineering. Sharp armor of Marine armor with slightly better blunt and much better heat, base speed 7.8c/s, vacuum resistance +60%, 275 capacity, flight range +24. F A S T, meaning its good for engaging priority targets or hit and runs. Flight range means it can launch much further on the world map with the catapult building.

And the secret frame
PV-4 Old Buddy, cannot be built, only found or added on start. The highest armor of all Dragoons by a longshot, move speed of 7.2c/s, -50% work speed, +38% vacuum resistance, 380 capacity and -50% mental break threshhold. This thing justifies its rarity by being better than the Zyklop in every way that matters.

If you have Royalty active you can gain titles and permits from the main DMS faction, the colonial fleet. In general these titles have easier requirements to satisfy, and the permits are on much more generous cooldowns, in return for not granting the powerful abilities of psycasts.

You can gain honor for the colonial fleet in similar ways to how you would for the empire, mostly through quests or the tribute collector equivelent, the recruiting agency. Note that the recruiter will only accept pawns, not gold or any other resources.

As a side note the regular tribute collector will accept certain DMS materials like they will gold, including wetware computers, fire control systems and even stamponents.

The restrictions for a pawn going through the ranks of this faction only start at the seventh rank, lieutenant, which requires a total of 67 honor to reach, at which point you will need a beedroom at least 20 tiles large with constructed floors for the entire thing, plus no biotech or work buildings. After that, at the eighth rank, Captain (83 honor total) you need to feed them something better than nutrient paste, even simple meals will do. In addition reaching captain will lock them out of cleaning. None of these requirements increase past this point, and there are no clothing restrictions.

Selecting permits for the faction is easy, when going to the select permit screen, you will need to hit the white refresh button near the top right of the window, then select the colonial fleet faction, whatever its name is.

The permits available from the faction include most of the royalty permits with vastly lowered cooldowns, such as the shuttle having a cooldown of 2 days rather than 40, or laborer teams having a 20 day cooldown rather than 60. There are also a bevy of new and different options, including many forms of 'call a bunch of fighters temporarily', but more uniquely things like actively summoning a recruiting agency to sell off prisoners, orbital bandwidth support which permenantly increases a mechinator's bandwidth (unless you become enemies with the fleet), or event permenantly adding mechs or pawns to your colony.

About the only downside compared to empire permits is the logistics supply drop give you industrial medicine rather than glitterworld medicine, but it also drops survival meals and components while being possible every 10 days, and leads to the components supply drop permit which drops stamponents and wetware computers for you.

Certain submods will also add more permits, such as DMS legion adding MANY variants of bombing runs.

Ancient Corps is a mod you add if you want to do some combat for loot and even mechs.

To access most of the content of ancient corps you need to use certain items to spawn certain world sites which will have mechs to fight and loot to collect.
Site Intel can be used to spawn lower level sites, generally Military Checkpoints, but occasionally Logistics Terminals.
Facility intel can be used to spawn the higher tier sites, mostly Graveyards, but also Maintainence Bases and Underground Facilities.
A recover transmitter, which can be built after researchinbg The Dead Man's Switch, can be used similarly to a site intel, but will spawn a small boss wave in return.

Attacking AC facilities may cause them to raise their alert level against you, which may cause them to drop pod reinfocements against you when you are raiding their bases. Alert level goes down over time

Derelict Automatroids may be ruined, or they may be hackable with a mechanitor. Right clicking on a derelcit Automatroid with a Mechanitor will give the prompts to hack or deactivate Automatroids that can still be used. Some of these Automatroids are just Arquebusiers or Battle Frames from the base mod, albiet with a different texture, others are exclusive to ancient corps and have unique abilities.
Hacks can fail, causing the automatroid to instantly turn hostile on activation
Generally, hackable Automatroids will be visibly different from junk ones.

There are also three tiers of loot containers
Military crates, which may contain 1-3 random low level loot items, usually things like disposable or stugna launchers, various lower level weapons, mortar shells or Boid Controllers. Sometimes they may contain higher level loot, particularly if you have Cinder of Embergarden installed.
Military Parcels, which may contain multiple instances of more valueble loot, such as drugs, survival meals, dragoon modules, automatroid upgrades, valuble resources and boss drops
Finally are Cargo Containers, which are essentially parcels but with more stuff inside, and often better items including heavy automatroid weapons
There are also, to a lesser degree, fuel barrels, which can be deconstructed for a decent amout of chemfuel and steel.

There are three special lootable items added by the mod as well:
Stugna Missile Launchers are a utility item that deploy as a turret with a single use missile
Mechanichal repair kits can be used by non-mehanitors to repair mechanoids, at the cost of leaving scar-style permenant damage on the mech in question. Permenant damage can only be removed by killing the mechanoid and reviving it at a gestator
Electronic repai kits allow a pawn to revive a mech on the spot with perm damage.

There are five tiers of sites
Logistic Terminals, somehow the rare outcome of site intel
Very little in way of defenders, typically only ~4 mini turrets.
Likely to contain ~4 military crates, and possibly a parcel
May contain 0-2 usable automatroids of small or medium size, such as Molots, Mushkiers and Battle Friends Military Checkpoints, the common outcome of site intel
More heavily defended, 15-17 medium mechs, 5-6 heavy mechs, ~3 mini turrets, and occasionally a mortar or autocannon turret
Will usually contain an appreciable amount of loot 4-6 crates, 2-3 Parcels and either 2 cargo containers or 12
May contain ~2, ~5 or 0 usable automatroids depending on the map, with the most loot heavy map not having any Automatroid Graveyards, the common outcome of facility intel
Quite Heavily defended 17-26 medium mechs and somethimes a heavy, 4-14 mini turrets and sometimes up to 5 mediumturrets, even ieds at times
Contain no loot containers, but may have machining tables, smelters or machinery printers. These can be used to turn the ~50-100 ancient automatroid debris into a considerable amount of resources
Will often contain a significant number of usable mechs 6-12 small, 5-6 medium and 3-4 large derelicts Field Maintenance Bases, possibly the rarest outcome of a facility intel
Very heavily defended, 17-38 medium mechs, 3-10 heavy mechs, 9-11 light turrets, 1-12 medium turrets, sometimes even ieds
Have significant loot depending on the map, 16-53 crates, rarely ~6 parcels, 9-17 containers, automatroid chargers, comms consoles, even machining tables and printers, plus the contents of shelves on certain maps.
Also amazing for collecting mechs, unless you roll the smallest base, 4-22 small mechs, 4-9 medium mechs and 0-4 large Underground Facilities, Uncommon from facility intel
Split into two parts, obviously, the aboveground and underground (which you can access with Odyssey, not Urban ruins needed).
There seems to be only one aboveground map, defended heavily with 23 medium mechs, 16 heavy mechs 1 superheavy boss, 16 miniturrets, 6 medium turrets and 2 Gatekeepers that can shred a group easily with their extremely fast fire and explosive bullets
Lootwise aboveground has a relatively dissapointing amount for the danger 15 crates 12parcels and 9 containers
Mechwise 4 small 10 medium and 1 large
The facility also has 2 facility power generators that provide 7500W of power free forever as long as they aren't destroyed, and three dummy process arrays that may, possibly, drop Wetware computers when wrecked.

Underground is different, having something like 6 variations
They are extremely well guarded, something like 15-27 medium mechs, 19-30 heavys and potentially like 3 superheavy boss mechs, plus potentially a few gatekeepers among other turrets.
Loot is insane, 29-50 crates, 21-27 parcels, 13-19 containers, plus a special set of lootables, the logistics terminal (which can be activated to bring up a container after some time) and the logistics containers, which will hold ~8 different item stacks in it to loot.
Mech loot is good as well 10-23 small, 9-15 medium and 5-9 large derelicts to activate.
Fighting to the end of the area can be quite difficult, but quite rewarding.

Spoiler tips for various layouts.
If there are a few vents in the first room of the facility and one leads directly to a ventilation fan you can break throughthis vent area into a swamp, one which brings you to a bathroom which leads to a mostly straight shot to the core
if there are two ways to go from the start and one leads to a room with 4 logistics terminals go through the room with the terminals, then keep moving towards the center to bypass most of the facility and reach the end easily
If you have a fairly long entrance room that doesn't lead to 4 terminals through one door or a vent fan through a vent Get ready for a slog as there is no easy way through, and you're going to have to brave a killing field with two gatekeepers, followed by a one tile passable bridge covered by two uranium slug turrets
In any case, if you get to the central room you can have a pawn interact with the Central Command Core to start a short process that upon completion instantly kill or breserk all surviving enemy Automatroids on the map. Run afterwards as it will poof and then cause a cave in in the chamber

Some of these maps can be nice to move into, providing up to 5 facility power generators, though usually there are generators hidden innaccessable through indestructable walls.

Annotated

Pioneer Equipment
This research gives access to a variety of military style clothing, with the hats grating -10% to mental breat threshold.
Also grants you a few guns if you have gunsmithing and blowback operations.
notabl unlocks:
survival rifle, a bolt-action with lower range but +50% hunting stealth
elephant rifle, which is comparable to a sniper rifle.

Defense Equipment
Gives access to some basic automatriod guns if you have various gunsmithing reltaed techs

Military Equipment
Unlocks most weapons used by most automatroids (with various gunsmithing techs), as well as most of the static defenses in the mod (with other techs)
Notalbe unlocks:
Disposable launcher, utility slot item that can do 78 damage with 180% armor penetration, made from 1 stamponent, 40 steel and 60 chemfuel.
Operator helmet, requires a valuble T/R component but is the only apparel in the base mod that gives any mechanitor stats (9 bandwidth)
Command drone belt (legion), also requires a T/R component, gives more bandwidth (8), and can deploy drones that grant mech control radius for ~6 hours.

Heavy Weaponry
Unlocks Heavy Weaponry, obviously, most of which are only usable by mechs at the end of the techtree

Foundational Drone Tech
Unlocks deployable drones, in pack and structure form
Unlocks:
Verlingbird and Hound drone belt, which allow deployment of melee drones similar to turret or hunter packs from anomaly and odyssey
Hound Station, uses steel to release weak melee drones.
Trashpan Station, which uses steel to release trashpan drones that can clean for you.
Perimiter Scanner, a proximity scanner with a smaller, square range, but can be built without anomaly research
Scenner Pack, utilityapparel lauches a battery powered scanner to act as a scanner for invisible threats for a few hours

Automatroid Basis
Unlocks the automatroid assembler and recharger, plus basic automatroids
Unlocks:
Automatroid Assembler
Automatroid ReCharger: a mech charger that works for all sizes of mechs, same size and power draw as a basic charger, and costs 100 steel and 2 components
Boid Controller: a temporary mechlink, will burn out after 15-20 days, provides less bandwidth and control groups than a normal mechlink. Requires a valuble T/R component to build, which could instead be used for a permenant mechlink.
Ceramic Plates: Automatroid upgrade that lowers damage taken from bullets or bombs but has a limited amount of health before needing replacement.
Hyrax (mech)
Falcon (mech)
Noctula (mech)

Material Engineering
Unlocks two basic materials and two crafting stations
Unlocks:
Tungsteel
Ceramics
Carbohydrates
Lab Furnace: a 1x2 smelter with addtitional DMS recipes, 95% work speed, 500w power draw. Requires smithing
Lab Reactor: 2x2 biofuel refinery with addtitional DMS recipes, 95% work speed, 300w power draw. Requires Biofuel refining

Artificial Fiber
Gives you textiles
Unlocks:
Polyester
Plastifiber
Hazard suit: clothing that gives 100% toxic environment resistance and -50% move speed.
CBRN Assault Combat Suit (legion): also requires flack armor and military equipment researched. Provides the same stat offsets as the hazard suit, but with armor ratings that are completely insane, 140% sharp and blunt armor and 200% heat armor at normal quality means it beat out even cataphract armor of the same quality. It also covers all body parts, including head parts. Costs 40 Plastifiber 120 Tungsteel 50 Chemfuel 10 Stamponents and 100 Polyester to make.

Mass Production
Gives Larger scale automated crafting stations, also required for the synth construction building with Synthetic
Unlocks:
Pressure Chamber: req biofuel refining. A 3x3 automated biofuel refinery with DMS recipes and a 200% work speed. power draw of 900W
Sintering Furnace: req smithing. A 3x3 automated smelter with DMS recipes, 200% work speed, 2000W draw
Organic Assembler: req Artificial muscle
Rotary Forger (expedition): a 5x2 automated crafting station that exclusively makes reinforced barrels. Takes roughly 12 hours to make 1 barrel from 75 steel, 800W draw, needs and advanced component to build.

Mecha Gear
Grant access to the final automated crafting spot, stamponents and several mechs
Unlocks:
Machinery Printer, a 2x3 automated machining table that allows building most DMS gear. Power draw 1000W, also able to create industiral components, simple helmets and various neolithic and medieval weaponry.
Machine Cabinet, an expensive 1x2 building that connects to automated workbenches, with each cabinet giving a 40% chance of higher quality results for items that have quality levels. Can improve quality level to Legendary. Important for creating high quality Dragoons.
Reinfoced Frame, automatroid upgrade that decreases damage taken, aim time and move speed while increasing trap spring chance
Powered Exoskeletal Unit, outer armor that increases move speed (+0.5 c/s) and mass carrying capacity (+75)
Stamponents
Ape (mech)
Dogge (mech)
Tiny Mammoth (mech)

Legion
Gives access to the most basic humanoid mechs
Unlocks:
Soldat (mech)
Grenadier (mech)
Sergeant (mech)

Neural Prosthesis
Gives, essentially, cheap but less powerful bionics. All of these have 115% part effeciency at the cost of +5% sleep fall rate, and are built at the Machinery Printer
Unlocks
Mechaneural Arm, costs 8 stamponents
Mechaneural Leg, costs 8 stamponents
Mechaneural Kidney, costs 50 plastifiber and 5 stamponents, also gives 5% immunity gain rate and 10% toxic environment resistance
Mechaneural Lung, costs 50 plastifiber and 5 stamponents, also gives 5% toxic resistance
Mechaneural Visual Sensor, costs 5 plastifiber, 3 stamponents and 1 advanced component, also gives -25% aim time
Biomechanichal Nerurochord, costs 10 platifiber, 7 stamponents and 2 advanced components, self installed prosthetic spine (right click to self install) that gives -15% sleep fall rate, and can be installed multiple times, granting up to -60% sleep fall rate.
ECM Lattice (Implant Project), prevents pawns from going unconcious when hit by an EMP attack when various brain implants are active.

Despite being a title drop, primarily just a gateway tech to the highest level researches.
Unlocks
Decoy Antenna, a boss summon structure that summons the Geochelone boss, which drops a Wetware Computer on death
Recover Transmitter (ancientcorps), a boss summon item that summons a weak attack and spawns a low level ancient corps facility in the world, useful to create a location to loot, especially if you have been having difficulty getting site intel
Bandwidth Amplifier (legion), a band node style building that provides 2 bandwidth and has an internal battery for outages. Researching Cluster Transciever will reduce the power use, expand the battery, and let it provide 1 more bandwidth. 150 steel 3 stamponents 60 tungsteel and 3 components to build, compared to a basic band node being 200 steel and 4 components for 1 bandwidth. Grants Artifuscle and certain related techs
Unlocks
Artifuscle
Artifuscle Chamber, a crafing station that makes Artifuscle and most related items and implants
Bionic Suit, a skin layer apparel that gives decent armor stats, 50% toxic resistance, 32% vacuum resistance, +25% sleep fall rate and +1.25 c/s move speed, along with amazing cold insulation. Made from 75 Artifuscle 40 Plastifiber and 20 chemfuel. Aside from the sleep fall rate this is an amazing piece of gear that most pawns will want
C-Ration, made from 4 carbohydrates and 1 neutroamine, it is a drug mainly for those with nutrition ports, granting 200% food and 50% sleep.
Synthetic Tendon, Automatroid upgrade that increases move speed and melee dodge but makes the mech use power faster
Synthetic Constructor (synthetic), the gestator for all synths. Requires a Wetware comp to build
Organic Assembler (expedition), a 3x3 automated crafting station that can make Neutroamine, C-rations and Artifuscle, requires a room cleanliness of 0.1 for make anything but Artifuscle Shooty Mechs
Unlocks
Arquebusier (mech)
Jaeger (mech)
Pioneer (mech)
Sniper (mech)
Commander (mech) (legion)
Comandoes (mech) (legion)
Designated Marksman (mech) (legion)
Engineer (mech) (legion)
Guardian (mech) (legion) Mostly Melee Mechs
Unlocks
Gladiator (mech)
Phalanx (mech)
Protector (mech)
Ronin (mech)
Siegebreaker (mech)
Armored Grenadiers (mech) (legion)
Arsonist (mech) (legion)
Special Police (mech) (legion) Heavy, Customizable Mechs
Unlocks
Additional Armor Plating, automatroid upgrade that gives bullet resistance and resistance to incoming damage but costs move speed, capacity, and melee dodge chance
Extended Cargo Rack, automatroid upgrade that increases capacity at cost of energy effeciency, move speed and melee dodge chance
Battle Friend (mech)
Escort Lifter (mech)
Field Command (mech)
Shaft Worker (mech)
Agricultural Frame (mech) (legion)
Doctor Frame (mech) (legion)
Drilling Barge (mech) (legion)
Support Frame (mech) (legion)
Trench (mech) (legion) Requires study of Artifuscle
Gives Synths, if you have the mod, otherwise just blaster screen shells and a gateway tech.
Unlocks
Blaster Screen shell, Mortar shell that creates smoke that weakens charge weapons
Armiman (synth)
Big Sister (synth)
Lady (synth)
Maiden (synth)
Facedancer (more synths)
Hirsch (more synths) Gives Biosynthetic prosthetics and Neuroglue, also extra implants if implants project is installed)
All Biosynth parts have 125% effeciency, +5% sleep fall rate and are made from 40 Artifuscle
Unlocks
Neuroglue, A penoxycyline style preventative medicine that prevents conditions related to installing, removing or using Biosynthetic and possibly Mechaneural prosthetics. Costs a steep 10 Neutroamine per dose.
Biosynthetic Arm
Biosynthetic Leg
Biosynthetic Ear (implants)
Biosynthetic Eye (implants), also gives -35% aim time and +10% social impact)
Biosynthetic Kidney (implants), also gives 15% immunity gain speed and 20% tox environment resistance
Biosynthetic Liver (implants)
Biosynthetic Lung (implants), also gives 20% tox resistance)
Biosynthetic Nose (implants), also gives 1 beauty
Combat Hud (implants), self installed, +10% sight/moving, trap spring chance x90%, aim time x95%
IFF Transponder (impants), self installed. +10 talking, aim time x80%
Neural Tutor Node (implants), +15% learn rate
Subdermal Plates (implants), gives sharp and blunt armor of YES Implants hith huge tradeoffs
Unlocks
Emotion Filter, implant that multiplies talking by 25% and sets psychic bond chance, social impact and psy sensitivity to 0
Nutrition Port, stomach replacement that gives x25% eating speed, but 50% hunger fall rate and x200% max nutrition,, and prevents them from being food poisoned. Essentially causes users to eat a quarter of the time, and primarily want to use C-rations instead of actually eating meals.
Input Filter (implants), -50% pain, essentially half a painstopper

Requires study of a Wetware Computer
Gives even Heavier customizable Automatroids, boss summoners, and additional stuff with mods
Unlocks
Decoy Radar, boss summon building for the Tarbosaurus, which drops Fire Control Systems
Gecko (mech)
Iguana (mech)
Wetware Computer
Ancient Decoy Antenna (ancientcorps), summons a Keprost boss wave, which drops Facility Intel
Army steed (motorized), troop transport that needs no driver and can be equiped with one of two guns
Tranciever Coprocessor (implants), self installed, +5% conciousness, +6 bandwidth
Universal Translator (implants), +10% negotiation, +30% social impact, +15% trade price improvement, +30% talking
Shaman (mech) (legion)
Terra (mech) (legion)
AFX-12 Offset-config VTOL Fighter (legion), also requires shuttle research. Can give vision of a map tile, intercept legion mod related bombing runs, and do bombing itself. Requires Aerial bombs to do bombing runs.
Aerial Bomb (legion), also requires mortar research, bombs for the same mod's VTOL
Scout (mech) (legion), also requires hybrid engineering research. And Automatroid Basis for some reason despite that being a pre-req for Wetware Hypothesis.
Scout Lance (legion), also requires hybrid engineering research
Integrated Detection Array (legion), also requires Mass Production, Ground Penetrating Scanner and Long Range Mineral Scanner research. Can be used as an automatic ground penetrating or long range scanner, using 2500w, or 8000w if you are in local mode and are aiming for a specific resource. Can also be used to set a decoy bombing spot for enemy bombing runs from the legion mod, including in the middle of the enmy's own forces. Expensive, taking a Wetware, a T/R component and 3 advanced components, plus some stamponents and tungsteel. Requires study of a T/R component
Lets you craft an expensive, permenant mechlink, and a DMS exclusive super band node
Unlocks
CLuster Transciever, the permentant mechlink, grants N.A.C.S. healdef. Made from 1 T/R component, 5 Glitterworld meds, 5 advanced components and 20 plastifiber at an artifuscle chamber
Process Array, a band node that gives 4 bandwidth for 1000w draw, but only for pawns with N.A.C.S. Requires 200 steel, 4 components and a wetware computer.
Netbreaker (implants), x250% hack speed
Tacnet Uplink (implants), bugged as of my current writing, this self installed implant should give some sight and increase mech shooting abilities for controlled mechs. Requires study of a Fire Control System
Gives heavily armored dozers and tanks
Unlocks
Caretta (mech)
Geochelone (mech)
Hermit Crab (mech)
Killdozer (mech)
Heavy Hydraulic Frame, automatroid upgrade for only the largest mechs, gives 200 capacity in exchange for energy use and -0.5 c/s speed
Aligator Snapper (motorized), a big tank that needs no driver but can take 2 passengers, with decent armor where you're likely to take hits and four guns, plus smoke launcher. Can be upgraded to have a bigger main turret and support turret
Chameleon (motorized) A smaller unmanned spider tank that has decent front and leg armor, a fairly nice vulcan and a coaxial machinegun. The machinegun can be upgraded to two seperate options and the vulcan can be upgraded to a much longer ranged, stronger weapon that also gives another machinegun and two smoke launchers.
Gray Knight (legion), untranslated in game. A big tank with similar armor to the alligator snapper with a large selection of weapons, including a small mortar. Can be upgraded to a larger turret that keeps the weapons and allows and upgrade to heavier armor, an artillery piece that can fire over obstacles, or an AA style weapon.
Leopard (mech) (legion)
Panzer (mech) (legion)
Saint George (mech) (legion) Has the heaviest weapons and automatroids
Unlocks
Tarbosaurus (mech)
Dawnblade, requires heavy weaponry. Sn extremely high power, high accuracy autocannon that can only be used by the largest mechs
Dawnblade (turret version), requires heavy weaponry, autocannon turret. The Dawnblade as a stationary gun, less accurate but fires one more shot per burst. Refueled with reinfoced barrels.
RBR-2 Iron Face (mech) (legion)
Right Hand of Freedom (legion), requires heavy weaponry. A smoothbore cannon, can only be used by the largest mechs, theoretically insane damage, but not extremely accurate in practice.

All Dragoon techs require techprints
Dragoon modules are discussed in the Dragoon basics section.

Gives a variety of basic dragoon modules
Unlocks
At-34 Yetta Core
At-34 Yetta Helmet, gives workspeed, tox environment res and vacuum res
Groyne helmet, presumably gives higher defense than the Yetta. lack vacuum resistance, has toxi environment resistance
Armor Pad
Ballistic Shield
Cargo pack, increases capacity
Hydraulic frame pack, increases capacity and move speed
Kord Shoulder mount, automatic turret with higher range and power
LMG shoulder turret, shorter range, weaker, but fater turret
Smoke Launcher
Stugna Launcher (ancient corps), high power missile launcher with two shots, less aim time than the handheld version, but has a miss radius. Reqquires the handheld version to reload
Swarm Rocket Pod
Work Arm, +75% construction speed, +25% sonstruction success chance, +50% plant work speed
Dragoon LMG, requires heavy weaponry. Module. Take an Autocannon turret, give it 45 range and a 9 shot burst. Holds the toughest craftable Dragoon and more useful attatchments
Unlocks
PV-8 Zyklop core
PV-8 Zyklop helmet, provides vacuum resistance
Stalhelm helmet, provides toxic environment resistance but not vacuum resistance
Dragoon Sword, module. Is a big scary sword running off the +125% melee damage of any Dragoon. A good quality one will be able to do over 200 damage at 213% AP with each attack, for reference a Thrumbo has 360 health in its torso, 240 on its limbs and 200 elsewhere. A high quality sword can easily one shot anything in the game.
Gau-19/A shoulder mount, another automatic turret, somewhere between the Kord and LMG versions.
Infared Sensor, takes up a non-weapon arm slot, gives +1.3 shooting accuracy
Missile Pod, holds 4 missiles with fairly good accuracy, reloads on steel Holds the fancy, fast Dragoon and gear
Unlocks
F/A-47 Arsenal Angel core
F/A-47 Arsenal Angel helmet, gives +2 shooting accuracy and +60% vacuum resistance
Catapult, a building that Dragoons can enter, which can then launch them like cargo pods, either on the same map or into the world map.
Active Protection System, a module that protects against rockets and missiles, can has a cooldown
Burst Thruster, jump packs for Dragoons
Missile Pod Plus, the missile pod but with 8 rounds Mostly Mechanitor Dragoon gear
Unlocks
Pulse shield, gives a shield
Relay Pack, gives 8 mech bandwidth
Relay Antenna, Gives a mech command area, does not work with other pawns mechs, not sure why you would use it
Mech DMR, requires Heavy Weaponry. Module. The Uranium Slug Turret turned into a 2 round burst, range 60 gun Provides the first steps into Expedition, and a pocket map
Unlocks
Tantasteel
Oxygen Candle, consumable oxygen maker that needs no power
Vacuum Pump, the inverse of an oxygen pump, does not work on planets
Vacuum Sealed Room, for 750 steel and 400 plastifiber you get a 30x30 pocketmap wherever you build it. This map is in full vacuum, allowing you to make most of the advanced Expedition materials on planet, though not ones that require microgravity, obviously. Warning, roof may collapse on creation Lets you make carbohydrates over time from power and graphene. You could maybe use this to create a loop of carbohydeates>chemfuel>graphene>carbohydrates, but this feels not very useful to me
Unlocks
Graphene bio-reactor, does not work in vacuum Holds the majority of Expedition's manufacturing
Unlocks
Precise Fabrication Center, 3x2 automated crafting spot for most of the advanced Expedition craftables. takes a cluster control chipset to make
Graphene
Nitrogallium
T/R Component
Cluster Control Chipset
Gliterworld Medicine, made at the precise fabrication center in a sterile room (cleanliness over 0.1) in 5-20 C temps, 8 medicine 4 graphene and 1 nitrogallium create 4 glitterworld meds
Advanced Components, requires Microelecttronics and Advanced Fabrication. Can only be made in space, takes 1 Nitrogallium and 5 graphene for 1 advanced component. Can be made in bulk Gives Gravship stuff, weapons for Roleplayers and the boss summon building for the cluster weaver
Unlocks
Chemfuel Silo, a 1750 capacity gravship fuel tank, costs 200 steel 100 plastifiber and 4 stamponents
Decoy Radio, summons a cluster weaver boss wave which drops a cluster control chipset
Heavy Exoskeletal unit, outer armor made at the PFC has low armor and lowers speed by 0.1c/s, but gives 150 capacity and +15% global work speed
IVA suit, mid layer colthing made at a tailor bench or machinery printer. gives global work speed, mech repair speed and low vacuum resistance
Orbital Ranger Helmet, a more protective vacsuit helmet with-10% mental break threshold in return for no toxic resistance and a heftier pricetag (2 advanced components among the price)
Rocket Booster, single use gravship engine that provides 15 ship range, can have up to 4 installed. 1x4 footprint, requires 150 chemfuel 75 steel 5 tantasteel and 1 component each.
Scorer MLS, a missile launcher that can target its own or other nearby map tiles, requires missiles built for each launch
Cruise Missile, ammo for the scorer, made at machinery printer, expensive to make with a required 1 andvanced component each, among other items
Photovoltaic panel, powerful (3000W) 3x3solar panel that works only in space, to a lesser degree even at night.
Graphene battery, 1x3 battery, holds 7x the power (4800W) with 95% effeciency, self discharges slightly faster (5.5 vs 5), will not explode with rain or fire.
Caseless Assault Rifle
Caseless Auto Pistol
Caseless Defense Firearm
Caseless Light Machinegun
Caseless Pistol
Dawnblade "Striker"
GAU-4 "Wing-Back" Allows advanced expedition recipes and expensive high tech buildings
Unlocks
Fire Control System
Shuttle Engine, made at the PFC, reuires vacuum of over 50%, sterile environment and being in space
Cluster Weaver (mech)
Phased Array Radar, 3x3 expensive building that can identify drop pod landing spots, requires 5000W power
Signal Stealth Device, expensive 5x5 (!) building that can be used to cloak your base from radar, which seems to mean prevent raids or similar events. Takes more power for more pawns, requires a day cooldown between uses.
Solar Shielding Device, expensive 5x5 building that prevents solar flares from effecting your map. Requires 5000W power
Fusion Reactor, extremely expensive 3x3 genertaor that only works on gravships, must be touching the Grav Engine to run. Provides 10000W power
Nuclear Thermal Thruster, a 5x3 gravship thruster with 30 range. Must have a Fusion Reactor to run. Can only be used in orbit to orbit launches. allows moving asteroids and orbital bases to new tiles.

These sections will contain important details on the many automatroids you can make, including construction and bandwidth costs, move speed and armor, body size, usable weapons, work abilities and any notable stats or abilities the mechs may have

It will also contain a brief blurb about what the mech is useful for as I understand it.

Hyrax
Light Weight Class
100 Steel 6 components
4.0c/s, armor 30/50/80
Bandwidth cost 1
Armed with a built in SMG, weaker than the vanilla heavy SMG
Can do hauling labor

The most basic Automatroid, the Hyrax is better armored and faster than a Militor. It can also replace your Lifters, doing the same job but moving faster and carrying more cargo. On the downside it costs more than any biotech basic mech by 4 components, and the mounted SMG is arguably worse than the mini-shotgun of the militor.
Still an easily spammed mech that can be used to distract enemies, while contributing outside of raids.

Falcon
Light Weight Class
75 steel 6 components
8.0c/s, armor 20/20/150
Bandwidth cost 1
Can be armed with Knuckleduster Revolver, Survival Rifle, Riot LMG, and most basic grenade and grenade launcher types

A cheap, fast, but squishy skirmisher, can be used to take potshots at enemies with survival rifles or help control the battlefield with smoke or EMPs

Noctula
Light Weight Class
75 steel 6 components 1 T/R component
8.0c/s armor 20/20/150
Bandwidth cost 3
Can be armed with Knuckleduster Revolver
Has a 15 tile radius mech command zone
Has the Camoflauge ability, makes the unit invisible until close to target or it attacks

Your first available command type mech, not a fighter at all, but useful for being a highly mobile command zone that other units can use, all while going invisible for a time.

Soldat
Medium Weight Class
115 steel 5 components
4.2c/s, armor 40/20/150
Bandwidth cost 1
Size 1
Can use weapons of the categories SimpleGun, ShortShots, CE_SMG, DMS_MechWeaponLight, IndustrialGun
Can do basic tasks

Has armor equal to scyhters/Pikemen/Lancers and access to a variety of weapons such as heavy SMGs and Chain Shotguns, Soldats can be used as a slightly customisable line mech that may be able to match your style of combat. It certainly won't be able to match most of the higher level mechs, but it is very cheap and spammable.

Grenadier
Medium Weight Class
100 steel 25 Tungsteel 15 Polyester/Synthread 5 components
4.2c/s armor 40/20/150
Bandwidth cost 2
Size 1
Can use weapons of SimpleGun, DMS_MechWeaponLight, Autopistol, A_MG_GrenadeLauncher, A_SR_GrenadeLauncher, GrenadeDestructive, GrenadeEMP, GrenadeSmoke and GrenadeFlame
Can do basic tasks.
Has the Flashbang grenade ability, which fires a projectile that causes a small + shaped explosion that stuns pawns caught in it. Carries 4 chrages at max and regains charges every 18 hours.

More expensive than the Soldat in both resources and Bandwidth, but has access to pretty much any vanilla or modded grenade type weapon and the flashbang grenade ability that can disrupt formations.

Sergeant
Medium Weight Class
115 steel 5 components 1 T/R component
4.0c/s armor 35/20/150
Bandwidth cost 4
Size 1
Can use weapon categories Autopistol, Revolver, DMS_MechWeaponLight
Can do basic tasks
Provides a 20 tile radius command area

Largely useless in combat, it does provide a large command area

Ape
Heavy Weight Class
175 steel 15 tungsteel 10 components 2 stamponents
3.1c/s armor 70/60/120
Bandwidth cost 3
Size 1.75
120% aiming time
Can use weapon categories DMS_MechWeaponLight, DMS_MechWeaponMedium, A_AR_LongRifle, A_SuppressWeapon, DMS_MechWeaponTransHeavy, DMS_Gun_Recoilless, CE_MachineGun and Minigun

The first mech you can make that can use heavy weapons like the mech HMG or autocannon, the Ape is kind of a poor choice in most other regards, especially that 120% aim time

Dogge
Medium Weight Class
150 steel 25 artifuscle 7 components 2 stamponents
6.0c/s armor 50/40/100
Bandwidth cost 2
Size 1.1
Can use weapon categories DMS_MechWeaponLight, DMS_Flameblaster, Revolver, Autopistol and Flamethrower
Has a turreted SMG

A harrasser that is meant to light enmies on fire. Have fun with that.

Tiny Mammoth
Heavy Weight class
400 steel 10 components 2 stamponents
3.0c/s armor 60/80/110
Bandwidth cost 2
Size 2
Armed with a resonably powerful HMG
Has a Mass Carrying Capacity of 70 and a caravan speed factor of 600%

Possibly useful in combat due to having a HMG, more meant for caravaning on foot, if for some reason you aren't using shuttles or vehicles and are instead foot slogging it.

Arquebusier
Medium Weight Class
80 tungsteel 25 polyester 3 stamponents 3 components
4.5c/s armor 80/60/150
Bandwidth cost 2
Size 1.1
98% shooting accuracy, Aim time of 80%
Can equip SimpleGun, DMS_MechWeaponLight, A_AR_LongRifle, A_SAR_LongRifle, A_BR_LongRifle, A_MG_Light, ElephantGun, SniperRifle and AssaultRifle
Can do basic tasks and hunting, and man stationary weapons
Can use self repair which allows... self repair, at the cost of crippling its other abilities until it finishes

The Benchmark for all other ranged automatroids

An almost direct and significant step up from the Soldat, the Arquebusier is a very good mainline mech. Possessing better armor (but not durability) to vanilla superheavy mechs like Centipedes and War Queens, and being able to equip a large variety of useful weapons ranging from assault and sniper rifles to machine guns, this mech is just generally good for combat.

Jaeger
Medium Weight Class
70 tungsteel 25 plastifiber 3 stamponents 3 components 2 advanced components
5.3c/s armor 80/60/150
Bandwidth cost 3
Size 1.1
98% shooting accuracy, Aim time of 65%
Can equip SimpleGun, IndustrialGunAdvanced, DMS_MechWeaponLight, A_AR_LongRifle, A_BR_LongRifle, Simple_LongRange, A_DMR_LongRifle, ElephantGun and AssaultRifle
Can do basic tasks and hunting, and man stationary weapons
Has an Active Camo ability

A faster moving and shooting stealth version of the Arquebusier. Can't equip machineguns but can use hunting rifles. Can pair well with a Noctula to be used as a stealth raiding party to take down sieges and dangerous threats.

Pioneer
Medium Weight Class
50 steel 35 tungsteel 25 polyester 3 stamponents 3 components
4.5c/s armor 80/60/150
Bandwidth cost 2
Size 1.1
97.5% shooting accuracy, Aim time of 80%
Can equip SimpleGun, DMS_MechWeaponLight, SniperRifle, A_SC_LongRifle, A_SR_LongRifle, A_DMR_LongRifle and A_SR_GrenadeLauncher
Can do basic tasks and hunting, and man stationary weapons
Has the Sprint Burst ability, effective for 15 seconds on a 0.7 hour cooldown it gives +5c/s move, ranged cooldown -10% and melee cooldown -50%

A mech that can mostly use assault rifles LMGs and Shotguns, the Sprint Burst allows them to Haul Ass for a short time, with a slightly less than 50% uptime. It is a viable alternative to the Arquebusier that can reposition easily or close in for shotgun time

Sniper
Medium Weight Class
80 tungsteel 25 polyester 3 stamponents 3 components 1 Fire Control System
4.5c/s armor 80/60/150
Bandwidth cost 4
Size 1.1
99.5% shooting accuracy, 80% aim time
Can equip A_SR_GrenadeLauncher, A_SR_LongRifle an A_SC_LongRifle
Can do basic tasks and hunting, and man stationary weapons
Has abilities Precision Maksmanship and Recon Calibration
Precision Marksmanship gives 20 seconds of +300% sight, -40% to ranged cooldown, +4 shooting accuracy while reducing move speed to 5%, all on a 3 hour cooldown shared with recon calibration
Recon Calibration last 1 hour on a cooldown of 4, reduces the user's shooting accuract by 1 and move speed by 50%, but gives allied mechs within 3 ttiles +0.5 shooting accuracy and -25% ranged cooldown.

Expensive due to bandwidth and the FCS being a boss drop, but has an accuracy of 'yes', and has an aura to help other mechs. Debatable if it is worth the cost

Commander (legion mod)
Medium Weight Class
90 tungsteel 20 polyester 3 stamponents 3 components 1 T/R component 5 advanced components
4.6c/s armor 110/110/150
Bandwidth cost 4
Size 1.1
96% shooting accuracy
Can equip SimpleGun, DMS_MechWeaponLight, A_AR_LongRifle, A_SAR_LongRifle, A_BR_LongRifle, A_MG_Light, ElephantGun, SniperRifle and AssaultRifle
Can do basic tasks, hunting, smithing at skill 8 and man stationary weapons
Works as a Mechanitor in itself with 16 Bandwidth and 3 control groups, and the ability to repair other mechs. Mechs controlled by this mech do not require control radius. Can form Caravans without humans

Expensive as hell, but can build and control other mechs, turning 4 bandwidth into another mechanitor.

Commandos (legion mod)
Medium Weight Class
50 tungsteel 50 steel 3 components 3 stamponents 20 polyester
5.2c/s armor 90/90/120
Bandwidth cost 2
Size 1.1
95% shooting accuracy
Can use any weapon usable by size 1.1 or bellow humanoids
Can do basic tasks and hunting, and man stationary weapons
Has ability Precision Maksmanship

What if Arquebusier but worse at shooting (unless using the skill) and less weapon restrictions?

Designated Marksman (legion mod)
Medium Weight Class
100 tungsteel 3 components 1 advanced component 20 steel 25 polyester 3 stamponents
4.5c/s armor 90/90/150
Bandwidth 2
Size 1.1
99.3% shooting accuracy, 80% aim time
Can equip A_SR_GrenadeLauncher, A_SR_LongRifle an A_SC_LongRifle, SimpleGun, DMS_MechWeaponLight, SniperRifle and A_DMR_LongRifle
Can do basic tasks and hunting, and man stationary weapons
Has Recon Calibration skill

What if cheaper Sniper?

Engineer (legion mod)
Medium Weight Class
85 tungsteel 3 components 1 advanced component 20 polyester
4.2c/s armor 90/90/180
Bandwidth 2
Size 1.1
96% accuracy, 130% aim time
Same weapon use as Arquebusier
Can do basic, constructing, crafting and smithing (other than gestating) at skill 8, workspeed 80%, and use stationary weapons
Has abilities to repair mechs, Emergency repair (+500% repair speed to self for 3 hours, 2 day cooldown) and Mech Reconstruction (revive a dead friendly mech, cooldown 4 days)

Not meant for fighting, provides faster construction but worse results than a constructoid. Mech repair can be useful and a free res for mechs can be huge if something strong goes down.

Guardian (legion mod)
Medium Weight Class
220 tungsteel 20 polyester 5 stamponents
4.2c/s armor 140/140/150
Bandwidth 3
Size 1.7
97.5 accuracy 90% aim time
Can equip SimpleGun, DMS_MechWeaponLight, A_AR_LongRifle, A_SAR_LongRifle, A_BR_LongRifle, A_MG_Light, ElephantGun, SniperRifle, AssaultRifle, DMS_Gun_Recoilless, and melee weapons from medieval, ultratech, and DMS
Can do basic tasks and hunting, and man stationary weapons

No frills, just tanky and slightly more bulky than the Arquebusier at the cost of slightly worse shooting ability.

Gladiator
Meduim Weight Class
105 tungsteel 25 polyester 3 stamponents 3 components
5.0c/s armor 115/90/150
Bandwidth 3
Size 1.2
85% Melee Cooldown 115% Melee damage factor
Can equip melee weapons from medieval to ultra techs
Can do basic tasks
Has the Sprint Burst ability

Slashy Mech that can Haul Ass to cut someone or tie them up. Reasonable armor will help it stay alive in melee as well.

Phalanx
Meduim Weight Class
40 steel 60 tungsteel 15 polyester 3 stamponents 3 components
4.5c/s armor 110/65/120
Bandwidth 2
Size 1.1
Can equip SimpleGun, ShortShots, DMS_MechWeaponShotgun, DMS_MechWeaponLight, A_AR_LongRifle, MedievalMeleeBasic, MedievalMeleeAdvanced, DMS_MeleeWeapon, AssaultRifle, Minigun, V_Gatling556mm, A_AP
Can do basic tasks

Relatively cheap compared to others of the tier, can go melee or shotgun, with assault rifles or miniguns for if you want to use it as a heavier armored Arquebusier

Protector
Meduim Weight Class
140 tungsteel 35 polyester 3 stamponents 3 components
4.0c/s armor 140/80/110
Bandwidth 3
Size 1.3
Can equip A_RC, DMS_MechWeaponLight, DMS_MeleeWeapon, MedievalMeleeBasic, MedievalMeleeAdvanced, ShortShots, Flamethrower
Can do Basic tasks and Wardening
Has self repair and Assault Flash abilities
Assault Flash is a cone shaped AOE stun with a range of 7 and a cooldown of 1 hour

A more heavily armored close range mech, the combination of shotguns and its' stun can help take down enemies fairly quickly at close ranges. Also useful for wardening for cheap-ish

Ronin
Medium Weight Class
100 tungsteel 25 polyester 3 stamponents 3 components
5.0c/s armor 120/70/150
Bandwidth 3
Size 1.2
Can equip SimpleGun, ShortShots, DMS_MechWeaponShotgun, DMS_MechWeaponLight, A_AR_LongRifle, MedievalMeleeBasic, MedievalMeleeAdvanced, DMS_MeleeWeapon, UltratechMelee, A_AP
Can do basic tasks
Has the Infrasound Barrage and Mech Longjump abilities
Infrasound Barrage creates a self-centered zone with a radius of 10 for 1 hour that works similarly to Vertigo Pulse, reducing its own max conciousness to 75% and shooting accuracy by -0.5, while organic pawns in the area suffer -20% conciousness, -40% manipulation and -50% moving and inducing random vomiting
The longump has a 9 tile range and cooldown of 8 seconds

The actual base model of the Peacekeepers, with the race .def file being named after it. Infrasound Barrage is an amazing crowd control ability that can cripple a large number of enemies and a longjump to let it get into range easily. You could give it a shotgun or certain assault rifles I guess, but its a Ronin, give it a sword and let it go to town.

Siegebreaker
Medium Weight Class
115 tungsteel 25 polyester 75 chemfuel 3 stamponents 3 components
4.2c/s armor 125/92/150
Bandwidth 3
Size 1.3
Can equip SimpleGun, DMS_MechWeaponBreach, DMS_MechWeaponLight, MedievalMeleeBasic, MedievalMeleeAdvanced, DMS_MeleeWeapon, Flamethrower
Can do basic tasks
Has the abilities Flame Burst and Jump Launcher
Flame Burst spreads fire in an AOE of 6 on a 1 hour cooldown
Jump Launcher is a range 15 jump with 2 charges on an 8 hour cooldown

Honestly, while the Siegebreaker has a variety of weapons it can use, it is meant to be paired with it's signature Door Buster weapon, which can shoot at a range of up to 10 doing 9 damage, multiplied by 7.5 against buildings, and 15 against buildings that are unpassable, but can also be used in melee with a 22.5 damage demolish attack, which means it does 225 damage to passable buildings or 168.75 to impassable buildings.
Open the building up then set it on fire.

Armored Grenadiers (legion mod)
Medium Weight Class
80 tungsteel 30 polyester 3 components 50 steel 4 stamponents
4.0c/s armor 130/130/180
Bandwidth 2
Size 1.1
Can equip SimpleGun, DMS_MechWeaponLight, A_AR_LongRifle, A_SAR_LongRifle, A_BR_LongRifle, A_MG_Light, ElephantGun, SniperRifle, AssaultRifle, Autopistol, A_MG_GrenadeLauncher, A_SR_GrenadeLauncher, GrenadeDestructive, GrenadeEMP, GrenadeSmoke, GrenadeFlame
Can do basic tasks and hunting and man stationary weapons
Has abilities Flashbang Grenade, Anti-tank Missile (requires Ancient Corps) and Particle Smoke Barrage
Anti-Tank Missile has 2 charges, a minimum range of 9.9, max range 29.9, takes 4 seconds to lock on, and I believe does 80 damage with 200% armor piercing, with a recharge of ~1.1 days per use
Particle Smoke Barrage launches a Blaster Screen shell to create particle smoke, weakening charge weapons firing through it. 4 charges and a ~19-20 hour recharge per ues

Theoretically meant to be just a better, if more expensive Grenadier, in reality it is surprisingly tanky with that armor, has a wide variety of weapons it can use, and has abilities that lend it a large amount of flexibility. Blaster Screen can take the bite out of regular mech raids, while the missile launcher can do a lot of damage to the tankiest of enemies.

Surprisingly useful for an upscalled Grenadier.

Arsonist (legion mod)
Medium Weight class
130 tungsteel 4 components 4 stamponents 25 polyester 35 chemfuel
4.2c/s armor 125/125/200
Bandwidth 3
Size 1.3
Can equip SimpleGun, DMS_MechWeaponLight, A_AR_LongRifle, A_SAR_LongRifle, A_BR_LongRifle, A_MG_Light, ElephantGun, SniperRifle, AssaultRifle, DMS_Gun_Recoilless
Can do basic tasks and hunting and man stationary weapons
Has abilities Flame Burst and Explosive Flamer (requires Ancient Corps)
Explosive Flamer has a min range of 5, max range of 25 with a 1 day cooldown, spreading fire in a small cone in the direction chosen

Hello, do you like burning things? Thematically it wants a fire weapon, but can use assault rifles or snipers instead. Probably great for anomaly runs.

Special Police (legion mod)
Medium Weight Class
80 tungsteel 30 polyester 4 components 50 steel 5 stamponents
4.5c/s armor 120/120/200
Bandwidth 3
Size 1.1
Can use SimpleGun, ShortShots, DMS_MechWeaponShotgun, DMS_MechWeaponLight, A_AR_LongRifle, MedievalMeleeBasic, MedievalMeleeAdvanced, DMS_MeleeWeapon, AssaultRifle, Minigun, V_Gatling556mm, A_AP
Can do basic tasks and hunting and man stationary weapons
Has the Abilities Mecha Longjump and High-Voltage Shock
High-Voltage Shock has a range of 1 and requires 25% of the mech's battery to use, but instantly puts an organic target into a 12 hour coma, on a 10 second cooldown. Cannot be used at under 25% battery

Can use a variety of short to mid-range weapons, but really what it is there for is jumping up to targets and knocking them out with a shock. Doing this often will cause you to build up a lot of wastepacks as you will want to charge after basically every battle.

Battle Frame
Heavy Weight Class
150 steel 20 polyester 2 stamponents 4 components
3.7c/s armor 55/20/100
Bandwidth 3
Size 1.3
96% accuracy 110% aim time
Can equip SimpleGun, HeavyGu, DMS_MechWeaponLongRifle, DMS_MechWeaponLight, A_BR_LongRifle, GrenadeSmoke, A_MG_Heavy,A_SuppressWeapon and ShortShots
Can do basic tasks and operate stationary weapons

Overall a bit cheaper (?) than an Arquebusier, and has access to HMG type weapons, but unless you are desperate for HMGs on a mobile frame the increased aim time and lower armor makes the Arquebusier a better choice.

Escort Lifter
Heavy Weight Class
130 steel 15 polyester 1 stamponent 4 components
4.2c/s armor 30/18/100
Bandwidth 2
Size 1.3
96% accuracy 130% aim time
Can equip DMS_MechWeaponLight, Autopistol and Revolver
Can do basic tasks and hauling

A very cheap automatroid compared to everything else on the tier, and able to do hauling. The armor is awful and it can only equip pistol style weapons, which means that bandwidth for bandwidth it is competing with two Lifters or Hyrax, the lattter of which will be better at hauling and fighting than the Escort Lifter. The Escort Lifter may be slightly better for Caravans, but even there it is up against the more effective Tiny Mammoth.

Can't really see why you would make one of these.

Relay Walker/Field Command
Heavy Weight Class
120 steel 20 polyester 2 stamponents 4 compenets 1 T/R component
3.3c/s armor 55/20/100
Bandwidth 4
Size 1.3
96% accuracy 150% aim time
Can equip DMS_MechWeaponLight, Autopistol and Revolver
Can do Basic Tasks
Provides a 33 tile radius command area

The biggest command type Automatroid with the biggest area, can still only use pistols and equivelents. If you want a command unit this is probably the one, but it absolutely needs backup.

Shaft Worker
Heavy Weight Class
160 steel 50 polyester 4 stamponents 5 components
3.0c/s armor 30/40/100
Bandwidth 4
Size 2.25
96% accuracy 150% aim time
Can equip DMS_MechWeaponLight, Autopistol and Revolver
Can do Basic, Plat Cut, Constructing, Hauling and Mining with skill 12 and 100% global work speed.

With no mod-mods to DMS, this is your first Proper work mech, and it is quite good. Slightly slower moving than a Constructoid but it works over four times as fast at base, much faster moving than a Tunneler while mining at a similar rate, and can even cut (but not plant) plants much faster than an Agrihand, the unfortunately named Shaft Worker can be a significant boon to just about any colony that uses mechanoid labor.
Still don't use it for combat though.

Agricultural Frame (legion mod)
Heavy Weight Class
100 tungsteel 30 polyester 4 stamponents 30 steel 3 components
4.2c/s armor 30/30/60
Bandwidth 3
Size 1.8
98.3% accuracy
Can equip DMS_MechWeaponLight, Autopistol and Revolver
Can do Basic, Plant Work, Plant Cut and Hunting at skill 14 and 160% global work speed. Also drops 2-3 hay whenever it harvests a plant

Look, another Legion mod sidegrade to a regular automatroid. In this case it doesn't actually do the same things as the Shaft worker, it is just a ridiculous food provider, doing plant work at over 4 (!) times the speed of a base Agrihand while also providing more hay for your animals.

Be sure to zone it well or use a mech work tab or it will go out and hunt things with a dinky little pistol, which isn't ideal at all.

Doctor Frame (legion mod)
Heavy Weight Class
100 tungsteel 30 polyester 3 stamponents 30 steel 1 advanced component 3 components
4.2 c/s armor30/30/60
Bandwidth 3
Size 1.8
98.3% accuracy
Can equip DMS_MechWeaponLight, Autopistol and Revolver
Has the abilities Firefoam pack (like the paramedic) and an untranslated ability that clots bleeding wounds, 10 charges, regains a charge every 3 hours
Can do Basic, Hunting, Doctoring, Firefighting and Cooking at skill 14, global work speed 100%.

A fair bit more expensive than the Shaft Worker or Agricultural Frame, it takes the place of a Paramedic, just doing the same jobs at twice the speed, while also having better results. It lacks the Paramedic's jump, but is 0.4c/s fater at base, so it can get around faster in general. Makes for a decent cook when there is no medical work to do as well.

Again, zone it or turn off its hunting or it will do something dumb.

Drilling Barge (legion mod)
Heavy Weight Class
150 tungsteel 30 polyester 4 stamponents 60 steel 3 components
4.2 c/s armor30/30/60
Bandwidth 3
Size 1.8
98.3% accuracy
Can equip DMS_MechWeaponLight, Autopistol and Revolver
Can do Basic Tasks, Hunting and Mining, skill 14 and 160% work speed
Can drill for deep drill resources without a drill

The final of the Legion labor mechs, it moves twice as fast as a Tunneler and working significantly faster due to global work speed and higher skill level, this mech lacks the combat utility of the Tunneler, trading a personal shield and general bulk for a popgun. Consider how much mining and drilling wou will need to do to decide if this unit is right for you.

No idea why these things can hunt.

Support Frame (legion mod)
Heavy Weight Class
120 tungsteel 30 polyester 4 stamponents 60 steel 2 components
4.2c/s armor 80/80/130
Bandwidth 3
Size 1.8
97% accuracy
Can use SimpleGun, DMS_MechWeaponLongRifle, DMS_MechWeaponLigh, A_BR_LongRifle, GrenadeSmoke, A_MG_Heavy, A_SuppressWeapon, ShortShots, DMS_MechWeaponHeavy, H_Gatling20mm, DMS_VehicleWeapon, H_Gatling127mm, DMS_Gun_Recoilless
Can do Basic and Hunting

More expensive and duable than a Battle Frame, but cheaper and squisier than a Gecko or Iguana, the Support Frame's whole "thing" is being able to use the really heavy weapons that Geckos and Iguanas can. So it can hunt with a gattling cannon that is meant to be mounted on a tank.

Trench/ZBZ59D (legion mod) (requires Ancient Corps)
Ultraheavy Weight Class
250 tungsteel 8 components 100 steel 10 stamponents
3.7c/s armor 130/130/200
Bandwidth 4
Size 3.8 Healthscale 5
97.3 accuracy
Armed with a smaller tank cannon (160 damage, 150% AP, 10 stopping power, 48 range, 5sec aim 4 sec cooldown, high accuracy) and a turreted Kord HMG

A big, stompy tank style mech that you can get early compared to the Tarbosaurus. Can't be armed as you like and has less secondary firepower, but doesn't take any special resources to make.

Note, all Synths can wield all industiral or spacer weapons a standard humanoid pawn up to its size can use, and can also use any apparel that fits a standard humanoid pawn. Thus stats can vary wildly based on what a synth is wearing.
All values given assume a 'naked' synth.

Armiman (synths)
Heavy Weigh Class
80 artifuscle 40 tungsteel 4 stamponents 1 wetware computer
4.8c/s armor 60/50/120
Bandwidth 2
Size 2
Accuracy 97%
Can do Basic, Hauling, Firefighting, Wardening and Handling, Skill Level 10, 80% Global Work Speed

On the heavier side of synths, the Armiman is overall a solid unit, with decent inherent armor and a solid speed and accuracy for a very reasonably bandwidth cost. Its' work types aren't that wide, but they are all useful and at a solid level.

Big Sister (synths)
Heavy Weight Class
80 artifuscle 100 tungsteel 8 stamponents 2 advanced components 1 shield core 1 wetware computer
5.5c/s armor 40/60/120
Bandwidth 3
Size 2
Accuracy 97.5
Has a Bionic Longjump (10 tile jump), self repair, a 400 power personal shield (allows projectiles out), a turreted SMG and a turreted CIWS (essentially a chain shotgun)
Can do Basic, Constructing, Crafting and Handling at skill 12, 80% Global Work Speed

The heaviest combat synth, Big Sisters pack solic survivability thanks to their shields, have multiple weapons to attack with, and can use most weapons short of tank weapons. They also move fast and can do a decent job on the civilan side as well as a 12 skill crafter and constructor is a quite servicable worker for most tasks.

Lady (synths)
Light Weight Class
80 artifuscle 4 stamponents 1 wetware computer
5.0c/s armor 20/20/200
Bandwidth 3
Size 1
Accuracy 98%
Can do Basic, Hauling, Hunting, Plant Cutting, Growing, Firefighting and Doctoring, all at Skill 8 and 80% global work speed
Gets the Calibration Healdef when first equiping a weapon.

Only slightly cheaper than an Armiman, why use them? Well, the Calibration buff they get when they equip their first weapon, which starts out at a mere +2.0 accuracy, but grows to eventually include +conciousness, +moving -aim time -stagger time -energy usage and even -bandwidth use. This makes them work much better in combat when given enough time to calibrate, though their lower work skill can cause them to be a liability for some tasks, mostly doctoring.

Maiden (synths)
Light Weight Class
40 artifuscle 40 steel 2 stamponents 1 wetware computer
5.5c/s armor 12/12/200
Bandwidth 1
Size 1
Accuracy 96%
Can do Basic, Cleaning, Firefighting, Cooking, Tailoring, Doctoring and Handling, all at Skill 8, 80% Global Work Speed.

The least Combat capable of the synths, Maidens are cheap in both materials and bandwidth and can do a significant amount of work, though not very well.

Facedancer (moresynths)
Medium Weight Class
75 artifuscle 4 advanced components 1 wetware computer 25 tungsteel 20 polyester
4.8c/s armor 40/50/120
Bandwidth 3
Size 1
Accuracy 97.5
Has abilities Active Camoflauge (psychic invisibility for 1 hour, cooldown 3 hours) and Confuse Mind (Range 21, AOE 3/fat cross area, forces flee or berserk mental state, cooldown 3 hours)
Can do Basic and Crafting, at Skill 12 and 100% Global Work Speed

A Facedancer can take several enemies out of a fight with confuse mind, and is able to contribute with competent but not outstanding crafting when not in combat.

Hirsch (moresynths)
Light Weight Class
80 artifuscle 4 glitterworld medicine 6 stamponents 1 wetware computer 75 chemfuel
5.5c/s armor 20/25/60
Bandwidth 2
Size 1
Accuracy 98.2
Has abilities Bionic Longjump and Emergency Field Aid (poorly treats all wounds on downed pawn/animal, preventing bloodloss but likely causing infection. 3 charges, can recharge from 25 chemfuel in inventory/use)
Can repair other mechanoids when undrafter and damaged mechanoid is drafted
Can seemingly only use lighter weaponry like pistols/SMGs
Can do Basic, Smithing, Doctoring and Firefighting at skill 15 and 150% Global Work Speed

The Hirsch is meant to be a support synth, able to repair other mechs in combat (as long as the Hirsch is undrafted) and save people with emergency aid and tend well to people. A skill 15, movespeed 5.5 and work speed 150% doctor is also likely to be well worth 4 glitterworld medicine to build.

Gecko
Heavy Weight Class
185 tungsteel 110 steel 20 plastifiber 25 chemfuel 6 stamponents 5 components 1 wetware computer
4.3c/s armor 90/110/200
Bandwidth 4
Size 2.5 Healthscale 2.75
Accuracy 96%
Has Turreted Flameblaster and CIWS
Can Self Repair
Can use HeavyGun, A_MG_GrenadeLauncher, A_SR_GrenadeLauncher, DMS_MechWeaponHeavy, H_Gatling127mm, H_Gatling20mm, V_Gatling556mm, and DMS_Gun_Recoilless

Big stompy bot, notably faster and squishier than the Iguana, and armed with turrets that do well at a shorter range. Much better vs. dudes with clubs, where the Iguana fights better in open gunfights. Notably requires use of a larger scale weapon, most smaller weapons will not work on it.

Iguana
Heavy Weight Class
225 tungsteel 115 steel 6 stamponents 4 components 1 wetware computer
3.5c/s armor 140/80/180
Bandwidth 4
Size 2.5 Healthscale 2.75
Accuracy 96%
Has Turreted HMG
Has Self Repair ability and Particle Smoke Barrage
Can use HeavyGun, A_MG_GrenadeLauncher, A_SR_GrenadeLauncher, DMS_MechWeaponHeavy, H_Gatling20mm, V_Gatling556mm, and DMS_Gun_Recoilless

The heavier of the two stompies, additional sharp armor, longer ranged turret and partivle smoke see this one wanting to stand and fight with guns, lower blunt armor means it is more vulnerable to getting beaten to death by Neanderthals.

Shaman (legion mod)
Medium Weight Class
80 tungsteel 3 components 1 psylink neuroformer 25 polyester 3 stamponents 1 wetware computer 1 T/R component
4.7c/s armor 80/80/150
Bandwidth 5
Size 1.1
Accuracy 97%
Has ability Omnimind Silence, an AOE 3 invisibility to friendly mechs lasting 1 hour on a 6 hour cooldown
Has a 21 tile radius command area
Can use SimpleGun, DMS_MechWeaponLight, A_AR_LongRifle, A_SAR_LongRifle, A_BR_LongRifle, A_MG_Light, ElephantGun, SniperRifle, AssaultRifle
Can do Basic and Hunting

This thing is probably too expensive for what you get, unless you are very creative with the group invisibility. A neuroformer, a Wetware and a T/R are a hefty cost for a unit that isn't exceptional otherwise, with other command mechs being much cheaper

Terra (legion mod)
Medium Weight Class
140 tungsteel 4 stamponents 4 components
4.4c/s armor 30/30/30
Bandwidth 2
Size 1
Accuravy 95%
Can use Gun, SimpleGun, DMS_MechWeaponLight, A_AR_LongRifle, A_SAR_LongRifle, A_BR_LongRifle, A_MG_Light, ElephantGun, SniperRifle, AssaultRifle
Can do Basic, Hunting, and man stationary weapons
Can equipe humanoid apparel

A synth for those who want to play with Legion but not Synthetic. Cheaper than a synth while being able to use human apparel, but lacks pretty much any out of combat use.

Scout (legion mod)
Medium Weight Class
120 tungsteel 30 polyester 4 components 50 steel 5 stamponents 100 artifuscle
4.5c/s armor 80/80/130
Bandwidth 2
Size 2
Has ability Sprint Burst, gains speed for up to 25 tiles travelled, upt to +500% speed
Can use a variety of guns that don't matter, and the knights lance
Can do Basic, Hunting and Hauling

Gimmick mech, gimmick mech. The knight's lance does additional damage for move speed, and at max momentum and using sprint boost the scout can hit a speed of 47.5c/s, hitting for up to 240 damage at full tilt. May need a bit of shuffling to get up to speed, but your hit can potentially cripple even a Thrumbo, and if you are lucky you can run back and get another hit before your sprint runs out.

Carretta
Ultraheavy Weight Class
375 tungsteel 100 steel 10 stamponents 8 component 1 wetware computer 1 fire control system
2.5c/s armor 150/130/120
Bandwidth 5
Size 3 Healthscale 5
96% accuracy
Can self Repair
Armed with a 2B9A Vasilek mortar, which can fire 5, 50 damage, rounds at up to range 90, aim time of 5 seconds and cooldown of 25

Requires not only a Wetware but and FCS to even build, it can soften up raids well before they hit your lines, if used properly. If not used properly it will put a bunch of holes in your own lines. Try to be careful, that ranged cooldown is nasty.

Geochelone
Ultraheavy Weight Class
325 tungsteel 120 steel 1 shield core 6 stamponents 10 components 1 wetware computer
2.5c/s armor 150/130/120
Bandwidth 5
Size 3 Healthscale 5
96% accuracy
Can Self Repair and use Particle Smoke Barrage
Has a shield bubble, radius ~5, with 3000 power
Has a turreted SMG

Mobile shield cover and particle smoke launcher. Can't do much to the enemy on its own, but can keep other allies alive.

Killdozer
Ultraheavy Weight Class
325 tungsteel 145 steel 200 ceramics 10 stamponents 10 compoenents 1 wetware computer
2.2c/s armor 200/150/150
Bandwidth 7
Size 3.3 Healthscale 5.3
Can self Repair
Armed with a Kord HMG
Melee attack is a 55 damage demolish attack, doing 550 damage to passable structures and 412.5 to impassable ones

Slow as a snail, it's ranged power is nothing to write home about, but its melee can bust through structures with ease. Also just a solid block of armor and health that makes Centipedes blush. Extremely good if you need something sturdy to break through enemy structures, otherwise it is just a big, badndwidth heavy distraction.

Hermit Crab
Ultraheavy Weight Class
200 tungsteel 8 stamponents 12 components 2 advanced components 1 wetware computer 1 cluster control chipset
2.5c/s armor 100/130/120
Bandwidth 5
Size 3 Healthscale 5
Can self Repair, Can use Repair Field, and AOE 4 repair area that lasts 1 hour and heals mechs around it, at the cost of crippling their systems while active
Has a shield bubble at touch range with 300 power
Can do Crafting, Art, Smithing, Tailoring and Doctoring, Skill level 18 and 200% Global Work Speed

Aside from being a meatshield and healing other mechs while essentially taking them out of combat, this thing does not help in battle. Conversely it is absolutely amazing as a worker, being skill 18 and work speed 200% means it will churn out high quality products, and that speed can hit up to 356% speed with a mech booster, mech labor enhanced precept and 6 control sublinks on its overseer. It makes an amazing surgeon, but less so a doctor, as it will take longer than a pawn to collect medicine and then get back to the injured pawn.

Smart Zoning is a must, but well worth it for what you get

Leopard (legion mod) (requires Ancient Corps)
Ultraheavy Weight Class
550 tungsteel 15 components 4 advanced components 15 stamponents 1 wetware computer 225 ceramics 1 fire control system
4.0c/s armor 180/180/200
Bandwidth 6
Size 3.8 Healthscale 7
Can toggle Static Directive Mode, taking several seconds to activate, granting +12 accuracy, -energy usage, incoming damage multiplier of 25%, and ranged cooldown and aim time x50%
Has Turreted CIWS, 2 Turreted Kords, and a turreted ECM
Can equip HeavyGun, DMS_Tarbosaurus_Gun, DMS_MechWeaponUltraHeavy, DMS_MechWeaponHeavy, H_Gatling20mm, V_Gatling30mm

Competing with the Tarbo for a FCS, this mech has much lower mobility, especially if you want to use it's static directive mode, but doing so makes it a very effective fixed turret. Like stupid effective. Just don't expect to pack it up and move it up very easily

Panzer (legion mod) (requires Anciet Corps)
Ultraheavy Weight Class
350 tungsteel 10 components 100 steel 8 stamponents 1 wetware computer 125 ceramics 1 fire control system
3.0c/s armor 200/200/200
Bandwidth 5
Size 3.8 Healthcscale 8
Equiped with a 57MM, a range 80, damage 60 gun with decent accuracy and 3second warmup and cooldown

Despite the descrition saying it has multiple weapon systems it has nothing except the one weapon. Cannot fire on the move. May be useful in large field battles, but even then I feel like it is competing with much better alternatives. At this point Kinda just a wall of Beef that doesn't want to be in melee

Saint George (legion mod) (requires Anciet Corps)
Ultraheavy Weight Class
450 tungsteel 15 components 5 advanced components 100 steel 15 stamponents 2 wetware computer 3 reinforced barrels 2 fire control systems
4.2c/s armor 150/150/200
Bandwidth 6
Size 4 Healthscale 5
Has a turreted Kord HMG
Can use Rapid reload Ability, giving it a ranged cooldown modifier of 25% for 6 hours on a 2 day cooldown.
Equiped with a M777 Second Ammendment, a range 500 (!) mortar with 100 damage, 5 sec aim and 4 sec cooldown and a miss radius of 0.3

Extremely accurate mortar type mech, if it is on the map it can probably hit it. Bogglingly expensive, but it can probably wipe out raids on its own before they reach your walls.

Tarbosaurus
Ultra Heavy Weight Class
575 tungsteel 175 atrifuscle 50 plastifiber 25 stamponents 3 advanced components 1 wetware computer 1 fire control system.
4.0c/s armor 180/120/200
Bandwidth 8
Size 3.5 Healthscale 5.7
Has turreted HMG and CIWS
Can self repair and do heavy stomp, a range 20 jump that does damage in an AOE of ~3, cooldown 10 seconds, 2 charges
Can equip HeavyGun, DMS_Tarbosaurus_Gun, DMS_MechWeaponUltraHeavy, DMS_MechWeaponHeavy, H_Gatling20mm, V_Gatling30mm

If you don't have something like the legion mod or Assembly Master installed this is the big mech of the mod. It gets exclusive access to the absolute heaviest guns, is very resiliant, and surprisingly mobile. Being able to Goomba Stomp into a crowd is not what you expect from a mech meant to be using weapons with a range of like 50.

IronFace (legion mod) (requires Ancient Corps)
Ultra Heavy Weight Class
450 tungsteel 10 components 3 advanced components 100 steel 15 stamponents 1 wetware computer 200 ceramics 1 fire control system 150 artifuscle 2 shield cores
4.0c/s armor 200/200/200
Bandwidth 6
Size3.8 Healthscale 8
Has turreted CIWS, HMG, flamethrower and ECM
Has a tobbleable shield bubble with radius 7 and 30 seconds of power (recharges time equal to time disabled), and the War stomp ability, a slow range 20 jump that does 50 damage to things in AOE ~3 of landing, CD 3 hours
Can equip HeavyGun, DMS_Tarbosaurus_Gun, DMS_MechWeaponUltraHeavy, DMS_MechWeaponHeavy, H_Gatling20mm, V_Gatling30mm

Competing not only with the Tarbosaurus but also with the Leopard from the same mod, the Iron Face is incredibly tanky between its armor, health and shield. That said it lacks the wild amount of firepower the Leopard can put out when braced or the crazy mobility granted by the Tarbosaurus's heavy stomp. It does work better in a team due to the shield bubble, especially due to it being timed rather than set health.

Cluster Weaver
Ultra Heavy Weight Class
450 steel 100 tantasteel 120 graphene 20 stamponents 4advanced components 1 wetware computer 1 T/R component 1 Cluster Control Chipset
7.0c/s armor 60/60/50
Bandwidth 9
Size 3 Healthscale 5
Has two turreted HMG
Can self repair and release Wildfowl drones, creating 5 drones for 75 steel on a 30 second cooldown. Drones are 8c/s suicide bombers.
Can use DMS_MechWeaponLight, RiotLMG, GrenadeDestructive, GrenadeEMP, GrenadeSmoke, GrenadeFlame, BinocularsRadio

Only able to use weapons similar to something like the Sergeant, but that just means it can have a smoke launcher to cover the approach of the wildfowl drones. Very squishy for the investment, but being able to just spam suicide drones makes up for that.

Ancient Corps mechs cannot be built and have multiple variations both in appearance and abilities. What you find will be random. I will not be listing weapon categories for these, for my sanity.

Gorod
Heavy Weight class
2.5c/s armor 40/60/80
Bandwidth 2
Size 2.25 Healthscale 2
Can have abilities Anti tank missile (Cornelist) or Explosive flamer (Organist)
Accuracy 97 aim time 150%
Basic tasks

Well, its free, and it can have a free ability. But that aim time and the weak armor make it less than attractive to use, even with something like a HMG

Molot
Heavy Weight class
2.55c/s armor 60/50/60
Bandwidth 2
Size 1.6 Healthscale 1.5
Accuracy 97.2 aim time 105%
Basic tasks

Can use up to assault rifles and LMGs. No abilities, slightly better pure HP bulk but worse armor than an arquebusier. But it is free.

Zabor
Heavy Weight class
2.7c/s armor 110/80/130
Bandwidth 3
size 2.1 Healthscale 2.2
Accuracy 97 aim time 90%
Stagger time 125%
Shkatulka can use rocket barrage
Basic tasks

A much better heavy mech to find, bringing both appreciable armor and bulk, and faster aim time to your forces. The only wierd thing about it is that it has a longer stagger time multipilier, because while I haven't commented on it so far, just about every other automatroid has a stagger time multiplier of 50% or lower.

Not picutred, the Pirate exclusive Daddy Red, which is weaker in pretty much every way but can be mixed into pretty much any pirate raid.

Tsvetnik
Heavy Weight class
2.5c/s armor 50/40/30
Bandwidth 3
Size 1.4 Healthscale 1.25
Base accuracy 125% aim time 150%
Basic tasks
Armed with Vasilek mortar, range 100 burst 2 with 5 sec aiim time and 4 sec cooldown, miss radius 8

A weaker morbile mortar, falls short of the Carretta, but is free. Using it to soften up enemy fortifications can be potentially useful.

Pravda
UltraHeavy Weight class
2.5c/s armor 145/150/180
Bandwidth 6
Size 3.5 Healthscale 6
Base accuracy 200%
Basic tasks
Has turreted HMG
Has APS ability, shoots down rocket style projectiles for 40 seconds, cooldown ~8 hours
Armed with Empero cannon, a range 240 mortar with 5 second aim time and 10 second cooldown, miss radius 2

Another mobile mortar, with shorter minimum range and much longer max range, and much more accurate to boot. Unfortunately has a longer cooldown, but more likely to be able to hit raids before they hit your lines.

Krepost
UltraHeavy Weight class
2.7c/s armor 165/100/180
Bandwidth 6
Size 3.25 Healthscale 5.5
Base accuracy 200%
Basic tasks
Has turrteted HMG, Kord HMG, ECM
Has APS ability
Can use the same guns as the Tarbosaurus.

A free Ultraheavy that can shoot down rockets and missiles. Not as mobile as the Tarbosaurus proper, but heavily armed and armoed all the same

Mule
Accessible with Machining tech
Super cheap, only 100 steel, 5 components 120 chemfuel
3 passengers 375 cargo capacity 8c/s
Can be upgraded with Mustang autocannon, reasonably powerful, uses uranium to fire, removes all seats.

Army Steed
Accessible with Dead Mans Switch tech
expensive, requires a Wetware among others
6 passengers 750 cargo 10c/s
Can be upgraded with Okhotnik (uranium ammo) or Vulcan (steel ammo) cannons

Chameleon
Accessible with Heavy Automatroid tech
Even more expensive, requires 2 wetware among others
0 passengers 750 cargo 6c/s
Equiped with a Vulcan and coaxial LMG to start, LMG can be turned into a Kord HMG or Gau-19/A (both use Uranium) and the vulcan replaced with an A.R.E.S.(using 2 advanced components and an FCS). A.R.E.S. uses tungsteel, gets a second coaxial LMG and two smoke grenade launchers that target a fixed tile in front
Has a variety of custom terrain costs for the world map, but due to how caravan formation works cannot actually enter a caravan as it requires a passenger it cannot take

Alligator Snapper
Accessible with Dead Mans Switch tech
Stupid expensive, requires 2 Wetware and an FCS as main resources
2 passengers 400 cargo 10c/s
Has a main gun (uses steel) an Okhotnik (uranium), a coaxial LMG (steel) and a support kord HMG (uranium) plus blindsmoke launcher
Can replace Okhotnik with a Vulcan, or the main gun with a Justice Gavel (steel) with a new coaxial weapon (uranium) while losing the Okhotnik. The latter requires a second FCS to do

Gray Knights (legion)
Almost totally untranslated
Accessible with Heavy Automatroid tech
Similar cost to the Snapper
2 passengers 600 cargo 10c/s
Has a main turret, Gau 4, coax LMG, AA (?) turret, Blindsmoke Launcher and mini-mortar
Can be upgraded to a heavier turret and then heavier armor, a Howlitzer or an AA gun

Orbital Transport Lifter (DMS)
Comse with basic shuttle research
requires 2 shuttle engines
Cargo capacity 2500 (vs 500) and chemfuel capacity 800 (vs 400)
Requires much more chemfuel to fly an equal distance.

This guide was made because I saw someone complaining about the lack of documentation on DMS related mods. Hopefully I've somewhat rectified that.

Working on this guide has been useful to me as well, I never considered Dragoons as possibly useful before really digging into them, for instance.

If you the reader have anything you want to add, let me know and I may add it into the guide. I know well enough that I've probably missed plenty of stuff.