How Witch Doctor Knowledge and Skills are Shaping Robotic Soldiers

Robotic soldiers are becoming more prevalent in modern warfare, with the potential to revolutionize the way battles are fought. These machines are capable of performing a wide range of tasks, from reconnaissance to combat, and can be controlled remotely by human operators. However, there is a growing concern about the ethical implications of using these robots in warfare. One particularly controversial aspect of robotic soldiers is the idea of a "witch doctor," which refers to a robot programmed to make life or death decisions on the battlefield. This concept raises a multitude of ethical questions, as it essentially involves giving a machine the power to decide who lives and who dies. Proponents argue that witch doctors could potentially reduce civilian casualties by making more rational decisions than human soldiers.

Proponents argue that witch doctors could potentially reduce civilian casualties by making more rational decisions than human soldiers. These robots would be programmed with strict rules of engagement, and would not be subject to the same emotional and psychological pressures that can cloud human judgment in moments of extreme stress. The idea is that by taking the human element out of the decision-making process, more rational choices can be made on the battlefield.

Unconventional Robot Builds

To avoid sounding like a broken record (or to be more meta, avoid sounding like Pixonic's claims than new weapons aren't op) I'm not gonna bother plugging my story again. It's there. Almost done. Over 50,000 words. Link in bio. You get it.

TheDecepticonIdeal had a suggestion for my book in one of my previous threads, one that I really find interesting. (Hopefully the link works because full credit to this idea goes to them)

They (he? she?) asked if I could use more unconventional robot builds in my book, ones that aren't as common as a Thunder Carnage or an Orkan Kumiho. By "unconventional" they mean out-of-the-box ideas for robot weapons (the example Decepticon gave was a dual Trebuchet Carnage).

Here's the thing: aside from an ECU-Ancillot that I already have planned to include during the final battle (which is coming soon, I can't believe I'm almost done) I can't think of any crazy robot/weapon combos.

Does anyone have any suggestions for odd combinations of robots and weapons?

They don't have to be necessarily useful or tactical in the real game, just cool ideas. I would appreciate the help, and thanks to TheDecepticonIdeal for the concept!

I'm making an unofficial War Robots story! 50+ chapters, 95,000+ words!

Post by foxypotato on Sept 22, 2018 17:11:21 GMT -5

Thermite Carnage. Hit the reds the blues have pushed into cover. Use the rush to get into 350m range, fire and retreat. Lend your engery shield to blues. Drop energy shields on reds.

Redeemer Rajin. Go into bastion mode for the physical shield and 30% damage boost. Use it to hold a position to buy time for blues to spawn in on BR or park it on or near a red beacon and give blues some cover to approach.

Ember, Shredder, Gust Leo. Glue the reds in place with the shredder and melt with Ember and Gust.

Noricum Patton. Torment Specters.

Noricum Hydra Griffin. Hit Specters with Hydra until they hide up against a wall nice and still then rain down Noricum pain.

Zeus Aphid Natasha. Zap and lob fire and forget. Haven't ran this one in ages but it was brutal to pop tarting DB and RDB Griffins. Zap ya with Zeus and lob two Aphids that follow and hit in your hiding spot.

Thermite Ancile Aphid Natasha. Similar to the Thermite Carnage but with more HP and less mobility.

Posts: 947
Karma: 1,104
Pilot name: GᎾᎠSᏢᎬᎬᎠ
Platform: Android
Clan: Railgunners
League: Gold
Server Region: North America
Favorite robot: Ankle Biter (Gust Stalker)

Post by iFail on Sept 22, 2018 17:16:12 GMT -5

Thermite Carnage. Hit the reds the blues have pushed into cover. Use the rush to get into 350m range, fire and retreat. Lend your engery shield to blues. Drop energy shields on reds.

Redeemer Rajin. Go into bastion mode for the physical shield and 30% damage boost. Use it to hold a position to buy time for blues to spawn in on BR or park it on or near a red beacon and give blues some cover to approach.

Ember, Shredder, Gust Leo. Glue the reds in place with the shredder and melt with Ember and Gust.

Noricum Patton. Torment Specters.

Noricum Hydra Griffin. Hit Specters with Hydra until they hide up against a wall nice and still then rain down Noricum pain.

Zeus Aphid Natasha. Zap and lob fire and forget. Haven't ran this one in ages but it was brutal to pop tarting DB and RDB Griffins. Zap ya with Zeus and lob two Aphids that follow and hit in your hiding spot.

Thermite Ancile Aphid Natasha. Similar to the Thermite Carnage but with more HP and less mobility.

Those are some great ideas :-) thanks!

I'm making an unofficial War Robots story! 50+ chapters, 95,000+ words!

Posts: 1,851
Karma: 1,386
Platform: Android
Clan: [wtn]
League: Diamond
Server Region: North America
Favorite robot: Schutze. Fight me.

Post by AcuityAxiom on Sept 22, 2018 17:33:27 GMT -5

Dual Ancile Weyland (Mobile Ambulance)
2 Anciles, protect and repair, then have stronger brawlers defend their magic witch doctor. Or it could be nanobots. NANOMACHINES SON.

Exodus Schutze (Death Ostrich)
Ever had an angry bird run at you with rapid firing missiles? You have now. Maybe add a lore bit how it was mysteriously discontinued, spooky.

Quad Aphid Jesse (4th of July)
The ol' one two punch. Murica.

Spiral/Hydra/Chimera Golem (ALL THE MISSILES)

Triple Ember Fury (Meet the Pyro)
Using ritual chanting and about 3 oversized flamethrowers, i have successfully burned this place and all the horrible memories within it to the ground.

Ecu Rhino (The Trump Card)
Put whatever in the medium slot really, but this thing's gonna be an impenetrable shell with the shield up.

Tempest/Avenger Butch
Hah, you're far away, have some bullets- Oh! you want to greet me face to face? HAVE MORE BULLETS.

Post by lewis on Sept 23, 2018 0:03:59 GMT -5

Hover scourge/ion/gust. It ran well.

Hover scourge/Pinata/storm. It ran well too.

My Hellburner ember/ shredder says hi.

Posts: 7,860
Karma: 11,983
Pilot name: Milt72
Platform: Android
Clan: One Man Wolfpack
League: Expert

Post by milty72 on Sept 23, 2018 1:18:18 GMT -5

Dual Ancile Weyland (Mobile Ambulance)
2 Anciles, protect and repair, then have stronger brawlers defend their magic witch doctor. Or it could be nanobots. NANOMACHINES SON.

Exodus Schutze (Death Ostrich)
Ever had an angry bird run at you with rapid firing missiles? You have now. Maybe add a lore bit how it was mysteriously discontinued, spooky.

Quad Aphid Jesse (4th of July)
The ol' one two punch. Murica.

Spiral/Hydra/Chimera Golem (ALL THE MISSILES)

Triple Ember Fury (Meet the Pyro)
Using ritual chanting and about 3 oversized flamethrowers, i have successfully burned this place and all the horrible memories within it to the ground.

Ecu Rhino (The Trump Card)
Put whatever in the medium slot really, but this thing's gonna be an impenetrable shell with the shield up.

Tempest/Avenger Butch
Hah, you're far away, have some bullets- Oh! you want to greet me face to face? HAVE MORE BULLETS.

Posts: 7,860
Karma: 11,983
Pilot name: Milt72
Platform: Android
Clan: One Man Wolfpack
League: Expert

Post by milty72 on Sept 23, 2018 1:22:39 GMT -5

Skittles Golem. Treb/Ballista/Arbalest. All the colours of the rainbow.

Post by Deleted on Sept 23, 2018 1:26:29 GMT -5

hydra chimera lancelot. Can withstand some heavy fire, and still packs a punch.
Did kill several kumiho's while running backwards and lighting them up with rockets. Especially those with scourges.

Posts: 292
Karma: 269
Pilot name: Perfect Dark
Platform: iOS
Clan: Venom
League: Champion
Server Region: North America
Favorite robot: ion spectre

Unconventional Robot Builds Sept 23, 2018 1:35:34 GMT -5 via mobile CravenSouls , AcuityAxiom , and 9 more like this

Post by -PD- on Sept 23, 2018 1:35:34 GMT -5

Posts: 1,408
Karma: 1,510
Pilot name: Psycho Psyd
Platform: Android
Clan: Twisted Carnage
League: Master
Server Region: North America
Favorite robot: Mercury/Strider

Unconventional Robot Builds Sept 23, 2018 1:52:12 GMT -5 via mobile >bobby_digital < , iFail , and 1 more like this

Post by psychopsyd on Sept 23, 2018 1:52:12 GMT -5

Truly annoying to teammates.
Just tag along with a passing INQUISITOR and bomb campers. use stealth jump to escape attackers (or jump on them if near death)

Tobey-Maguire Wannabe

Post by linearblade on Sept 23, 2018 3:08:29 GMT -5

TL;DR - Looking for robot/weapon combos that would sound cool in my book. They don't have to be "meta" or even useful, just cool concepts (example - Trebuchet Carnage)

To avoid sounding like a broken record (or to be more meta, avoid sounding like Pixonic's claims than new weapons aren't op) I'm not gonna bother plugging my story again. It's there. Almost done. Over 50,000 words. Link in bio. You get it.

TheDecepticonIdeal had a suggestion for my book in one of my previous threads, one that I really find interesting. (Hopefully the link works because full credit to this idea goes to them)

They (he? she?) asked if I could use more unconventional robot builds in my book, ones that aren't as common as a Thunder Carnage or an Orkan Kumiho. By "unconventional" they mean out-of-the-box ideas for robot weapons (the example Decepticon gave was a dual Trebuchet Carnage).

Here's the thing: aside from an ECU-Ancillot that I already have planned to include during the final battle (which is coming soon, I can't believe I'm almost done) I can't think of any crazy robot/weapon combos.

Does anyone have any suggestions for odd combinations of robots and weapons?

They don't have to be necessarily useful or tactical in the real game, just cool ideas. I would appreciate the help, and thanks to TheDecepticonIdeal for the concept!

Golem universal soldier

Tulu avenger noricum.

Tried and tested , took it to champion league 7000

Got flamed about it because I “hung back” and let others do the heavy lifting (in tdm) because golems are ultra Tanky in high champion where everyone rolls champion bots

Tobey-Maguire Wannabe

Unconventional Robot Builds Sept 23, 2018 3:13:17 GMT -5 via mobile milty72 , iFail , and 1 more like this

Post by linearblade on Sept 23, 2018 3:13:17 GMT -5

Jesse - baby troll
Noricum / (gekko / pins / gusts)

Works reasonably well as beacon capper and abuser

Pursuer gekko. I use in koth. Wins games

Posts: 2,906
Karma: 1,918
Platform: Android
Clan: none i'am a Nomad
League: Expert
Server Region: North America

Post by cheap on Sept 23, 2018 3:57:12 GMT -5

you have my permission to use these

my Gremlin 'Skeeter' (what i call the Mosquito build) treb/(2) arbalest

'Klutz' the Leo for some reason it get hung up on things every now and then during the most Inopportune times (hence the bandages) Avenger/(2) Gust/ Shredder

Ol'Faithful here 'Huggy Bear' 2 Tarans/Ember for you know "too make them feel all Warm inside"

Posts: 193
Karma: 94
Pilot name: Heartbreak One
Platform: iOS
Clan: Armored Core (AC)
League: Expert
Server Region: North America
Favorite robot: Inquisitor, Haechi, Galahad.

Post by Heartbreak One on Sept 23, 2018 5:03:14 GMT -5

Dual Ancile Weyland (Mobile Ambulance)
2 Anciles, protect and repair, then have stronger brawlers defend their magic witch doctor. Or it could be nanobots. NANOMACHINES SON.

Exodus Schutze (Death Ostrich)
Ever had an angry bird run at you with rapid firing missiles? You have now. Maybe add a lore bit how it was mysteriously discontinued, spooky.

Quad Aphid Jesse (4th of July)
The ol' one two punch. Murica.

Spiral/Hydra/Chimera Golem (ALL THE MISSILES)

Triple Ember Fury (Meet the Pyro)
Using ritual chanting and about 3 oversized flamethrowers, i have successfully burned this place and all the horrible memories within it to the ground.

Ecu Rhino (The Trump Card)
Put whatever in the medium slot really, but this thing's gonna be an impenetrable shell with the shield up.

Tempest/Avenger Butch
Hah, you're far away, have some bullets- Oh! you want to greet me face to face? HAVE MORE BULLETS.

Posts: 947
Karma: 1,104
Pilot name: GᎾᎠSᏢᎬᎬᎠ
Platform: Android
Clan: Railgunners
League: Gold
Server Region: North America
Favorite robot: Ankle Biter (Gust Stalker)

Unconventional Robot Builds Sept 23, 2018 5:31:42 GMT -5 via mobile AcuityAxiom and darksun like this

Post by iFail on Sept 23, 2018 5:31:42 GMT -5

Dual Ancile Weyland (Mobile Ambulance)
2 Anciles, protect and repair, then have stronger brawlers defend their magic witch doctor. Or it could be nanobots. NANOMACHINES SON.

Exodus Schutze (Death Ostrich)
Ever had an angry bird run at you with rapid firing missiles? You have now. Maybe add a lore bit how it was mysteriously discontinued, spooky.

Quad Aphid Jesse (4th of July)
The ol' one two punch. Murica.

Spiral/Hydra/Chimera Golem (ALL THE MISSILES)

Triple Ember Fury (Meet the Pyro)
Using ritual chanting and about 3 oversized flamethrowers, i have successfully burned this place and all the horrible memories within it to the ground.

Ecu Rhino (The Trump Card)
Put whatever in the medium slot really, but this thing's gonna be an impenetrable shell with the shield up.

Tempest/Avenger Butch
Hah, you're far away, have some bullets- Oh! you want to greet me face to face? HAVE MORE BULLETS.

Ok your explanations made it all the more worth it :-)

I'm making an unofficial War Robots story! 50+ chapters, 95,000+ words!

Post by TheDecepticonIdeal on Oct 4, 2018 5:38:40 GMT -5

How did no one suggest Ancile Carnage. This bad boy can withstand a rocket rainstorm and really help out a team.
Tempest Carnage can be surprisingly strong in close range. And the 800m range really gives it a lot of versatility in combat.

I've had surprisingly great results with Thermite Carnage as well, especially in slow-paced games like TDM, where the combat in a lot more conservative. I was once able to help out an Orkan Haechi clear out an entire lane in Shezen by knocking down enemy shields so that he didn't have to waste rockets mowing through energy shields.

Posts: 969
Karma: 1,038
Pilot name: The Doctor Is In
Platform: Android
Clan: [APOC]
League: Champion
Server Region: North America
Favorite robot: Weyland, Mender, Nightingale, Tyr, Bulwark

Post by The Doctor Is Out on Oct 4, 2018 11:23:18 GMT -5

Tempest Weyland makes for a good bullet house and doesn't do too badly up close.
Scourge Fujin is an excellent defensive robot.
I personally want to give an ECU/Scourge or Storm Rhino a go. Built-in+ECU offers a massive defense angle.

Post by bravex on Oct 4, 2018 11:29:41 GMT -5

Chimera/Pinata Leo. Reds see the missiles and run in for an easy kill. Give 'em a face full of rockets.

No idea if this still works post 4.2.

Post by babypoppy on Oct 4, 2018 12:35:59 GMT -5

Chimera/Pinata Leo. Reds see the missiles and run in for an easy kill. Give 'em a face full of rockets.

No idea if this still works post 4.2.

On that note I'm building a Glory / 2 x Chimera Falcon as a troll / support bot. Annoys reds from any distance and only jumps backwards.

Best Life Blossom on the Internet

Posts: 1,835
Karma: 2,114
Pilot name: >bobby_digital< and >pandawalla < (iOS)
Platform: iOS
Clan: RobotBlastersCo [RoBo]
League: Champion
Server Region: North America
Favorite robot: cossack. gotta be cossack

Post by >bobby_digital< on Oct 4, 2018 16:11:00 GMT -5

Truly annoying to teammates.
Just tag along with a passing INQUISITOR and bomb campers. use stealth jump to escape attackers (or jump on them if near death)

I’ve used both of these builds. zenit/nori Marc and zenit/hydra quiz.

Used jump,to get out on wing of carrier and commence bombing. this was before they ‘installed’ the cutouts in the top deck walls. Also would jump on bridge or near radar dish in Yama, on top of the curved roof in shenzen, etc, and deal ordinance from the elevated position.

This message brought to you courtesy of the number 1, the letter K and the RobotBlastersCo [RoBo]

"Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face" - Mike Tyson

Posts: 2,215
Karma: 2,220
Pilot name: WDFRLU
Platform: Android
Clan: Midnight
League: Gold
Favorite robot: Rogatka baby!!

Post by ezekielcrow on Oct 4, 2018 16:30:34 GMT -5

A Scourge Hydra Doc named "Long Arm". Because he can reach out to you from anywhere within 600m.

A Vortex Aphid Gareth named "David". Old Testament reference.

Posts: 290
Karma: 143
Pilot name: MagicJellybean
Platform: Android
League: Master
Server Region: North America
Favorite robot: Raven & Kumiho

Unconventional Robot Builds Oct 4, 2018 16:47:39 GMT -5 via mobile iFail and Schquirrelschak like this

Post by magicjellybean on Oct 4, 2018 16:47:39 GMT -5

Ballista spectre - truly an annoyance from 1100 meters. It's like half the power of a zues fury every 5 seconds from 500 meters further in safety with a stealth jump if needed

Ballista/Arbalest Hover or Raven. I've played with both. Hover is way more fun, especially on dreadnought.

Chimera/Dragoon Falcon
Been playing with 6/10/10 dragoons. This bot is ubkillable if you don't push too hard. Only weak to shotgunners rushing you so stay near teammates if you're not in an open area. Falcon with 600 meter weapons can harass the red spawn on Rome withought having to worry about being bum rushed or spammed with hydras, unlike the fir.
Most of the time, the reds don't even try to rush me unless my teammates aren't around. My favoritr builds of 2018 for sure.

Vortex Hover/Spectre & Thermite Falcon
One is super annoying with stealth, the other is a 50kph tank. Hover is most fun because no one behind a wall is safe, spectre is fun in it's own way due to I insane damage plus the jump on higher than the falcon.

Flux Gekko Natty. Poor man's fury but it gets the job done. Leo is a fun alternative but I like more raw damage at range rather than more ability to tank. Hence why I didn't recommend drag bulwark.

Fury Dragoon is still fun but falcon takes it to a new dimension. Jumping on building, general mobility and speed.

Weyland either anciles as someone else said is cool. I prefer one anciles with a weapon though.

Raijin Avenger: beast mode activate
Raijin chimera, the ultimate camper

Raijin is generally good because you have one less weapon to worry about upgrading with nearly 3 weapons worth of firepower. So if you ever want to see if youll have fun with a fury falcon build, try it on the raijin first. IE dragoon's, chimera ember etc.

Haechi storm - was fun before all these range energy weapons were introduced.

Kumi Vortex - catch me if you can

There are so many options, just gotta try them all. Test server helps you decide this, but it's hard to know if you'll like it on the live server due to people abusing the test server (like the double ancile falcon trolls everywhere. I knew the side anciles would never make it to the live server)

Opponents, however, argue that allowing a robot to make life or death decisions is a violation of human dignity and the principles of morality. They argue that decisions about who lives and who dies should always be made by a human being, who can take into account moral considerations and exercise compassion and empathy. There are also concerns about the potential for a witch doctor to malfunction or be hacked, resulting in catastrophic consequences. If a robot soldier is making decisions about who to target based on faulty or manipulated data, innocent lives could be at risk. In conclusion, the concept of a witch doctor robotic soldier raises complex ethical questions about the role of machines in warfare. While proponents argue that these robots could potentially reduce civilian casualties, opponents argue that giving a machine the power to decide who lives and who dies is a violation of human dignity and moral principles. As the technology behind robotic soldiers continues to advance, it will be crucial to carefully consider the ethical implications and establish clear guidelines for their use in warfare..

Reviews for "From Witch Doctors to War Machines: The Evolution of Robotic Soldiers"

1. John - 1 star - The concept of "Robotic soldiers witch doctor" sounded intriguing, but the execution was severely lacking. The writing was disjointed and confusing, making it difficult to follow the storyline. Additionally, the characters were one-dimensional and lacked depth, making it hard to connect or care about their fates. Overall, this book was a disappointment and I would not recommend it.

2. Sarah - 2 stars - I was really excited to read "Robotic soldiers witch doctor" based on the unique title, but unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations. The plot was overly complex and convoluted, making it hard to follow. The writing style was also lacking, with awkward phrasing and inconsistent pacing. Although there were some interesting ideas presented, they were not fleshed out enough to truly engage the reader. Overall, I found this book to be underwhelming and would not read other works by this author.

3. Michael - 2 stars - "Robotic soldiers witch doctor" had an intriguing premise, but it fell flat in its execution. The writing style was choppy and hard to follow, with inconsistent dialogue and abrupt scene changes. Additionally, the characterization was lackluster, with cardboard-cutout characters that lacked depth. The book had potential, but it needed more polish and development to truly shine. Unfortunately, I was left feeling disappointed and unsatisfied after reading this novel.

Harnessing the Power of Witch Doctor Rituals for Robotic Soldiers