Factorio Forums

Simple: Instead of the character being always the target for the combat robots, an new item (a special capsule, a sender or so), which - when hold into the hand - is the target for the combat robots. The principle is known from many other games, Half-Life II for example.

The item has of course also a limited range, but by moving it back and forth it would enable us to send the combat robots far away (because of the swing effect).

It would enable new fighting strategies and especially makes fight easier for situations with overwhelming much enemies. Maybe I can place it and the combat drones keep then at this place (until the item dissolves), which would enable us to fire the drones from far away, it works then about like an artillery or I can place it on the other side of a biter nest and go around and when it dissolves all bots come back and go over the nest.

Does it have to be consumable? A remote control would work just fine.

It's too bad that suit modules can't help out.

i think a good way to control where combat bots are centered would be a remote control that you hold with your mouse and move where you want them to be centered. Return the item to your hotbar for them to be centered around you, as they are now.
This item could also double as a way to tell robots what to attack. Simply click what you want you want them to attack, and they will target it.