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Astromechs are Zero Company's droid units and one of the game's exotic classes. Unlike the other exotic classes, which are locked to a single authored character, the Astromech class is open: you build your own droids and can field several at once.
Building a Droid
The astromech builder lets you shape your own droid down to its paint job, in the same spirit as the rest of Squad Customization. Recruiting astromechs requires funding the Droid Bay at the Den, which is one of the upgrade options available there.
Unlock Timing
Astromechs unlock fairly early in the campaign. Once you can recruit them you can build a full team straight away, subject only to Hawks being required on story missions. The developers have been open about wanting to see all-astromech squads, so the build is intended rather than tolerated.
What Astromechs Do In A Fight
The class leans on support work and utilities rather than raw gunfire. Confirmed uses include:
Loading a droid with firebombs, thermal detonators, and droid poppers and turning it into a weapon.
Scanning the map to reveal a cloaked target.
Jettisoning a healing bacta stim to a wounded squadmate.
Astromechs are subject to the same rules as everyone else on the roster, including permadeath when it is switched on.
Droids You Cannot Recruit
Separatist battle droids stay enemies. There is no capture, hack, or salvage path that converts one into an Operator, and the design team has said plainly that it is not in the game. See Factions and Enemies for how droid armies actually behave in combat.
Astromech Cosmetics
Pre-orders of either edition include the Crystalline Astromech Cosmetic Pack: an R3 droid, translucent crystalline astromech heads for the R4 and R5 variants, and the BR-1 droid, which debuts in this game. All of it is appearance only.