{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/tactics-defense--t082","type":"mechanic","id":"tactics-defense--t082","lang":"en","title":"Auto battlers and roster preparation","summary":"The player assembles and positions a roster before combat, and automated execution tests preparation and role combinations.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/tactics-defense--t082/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/tactics-defense--t082.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/tactics-defense--t082.md","aliases":[],"tags":["Tactics and defense","Mechanics and variants"],"sourceIds":["source-32d0598945d8807a","source-1641c3a9740d6afa"],"sources":[{"id":"source-32d0598945d8807a","title":"OpenRA","url":"https://www.openra.net/","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-1641c3a9740d6afa","title":"Mechabellum","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/669330/","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"The player assembles and positions a roster before combat, and automated execution tests preparation and role combinations."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Mechanic variants\n\n<a id=\"t082-variants\"></a>\n\n- Purchases trade current strength against savings. <a id=\"t082-v1\"></a>\n- Roster synergy changes a shared combat rule. <a id=\"t082-v2\"></a>\n- Deployment determines an automated unit's first target. <a id=\"t082-v3\"></a>\n- Merging duplicates reduces available board pieces. <a id=\"t082-v4\"></a>"},{"id":"example","title":"Design example","body":"A fragile shooter stands behind a tank until a jumping enemy forces a rear-line adjustment.\n\nPrototype check: Test whether a replay explains a loss through roster and placement rather than opaque targeting."},{"id":"context","title":"Context and limits","body":"Tactics and defense turn positioning, action order and preparation into limited resources. Each overview separates player actions, state changes and alternative rules. Examples are hypothetical design scenarios, not claims about a named game. A prototype check states an observable question for the next iteration. Existing detailed references remain separately linked from the direction map."}],"relations":[],"placements":[{"catalogId":"tactics-defense","id":"t082","title":"Tactics and defense","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/tactics-defense/#t082","categoryIds":["mechanics"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"Auto battlers and roster preparation","description":"The player assembles and positions a roster before combat, and automated execution tests preparation and role combinations.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/strategy-mechabellum-02.webp","width":1440,"height":810,"game":"Mechabellum","sourceUrl":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/669330/","originalUrl":"https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/669330/6b34d114c6c2d2b8aaafe6d44f1a7cbbb9cd8f03/ss_6b34d114c6c2d2b8aaafe6d44f1a7cbbb9cd8f03.1920x1080.jpg?t=1792451146","credit":"Game River / Dreamhaven","rights":"© Game River / Dreamhaven. All rights reserved.","caption":"Automatic combat tests the army and its placement","alt":"Automatic combat tests the army and its placement","markers":[{"x":43,"y":49,"label":"Groups of different machines form the army"},{"x":93,"y":55,"label":"Panel of available unit types"}]},"tips":["After combat, show which positions and unit combinations shaped the outcome."],"examples":[{"title":"Mechabellum","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/669330/"}]}},"endsAt":null,"provenance":"Original bilingual editorial overviews authored for gamemechanics.pro on 2026-10-20 and reviewed on 2026-10-21. Scenarios are hypothetical design examples; prototype checks describe work to perform, not completed playtests. Primary sources support the stated techniques and implementation context, not every proposed variant.","license":"CC-BY-4.0","codeLicense":"MIT","attribution":"gamemechanics.pro contributors","catalogKey":"catalog/tactics-defense"}}