The Giant Death Robot is one of the best assets for civilizations seeking a Domination Victory in Civilization 6. The GDR is an endgame unit that can do almost everything on the battlefield. GDRs have close and ranged attacks, with base stats of 130 and 120 respectively. The massive robots can fit in tunnels and wade through water.
Each GDR can accrue bonuses that improve Strength and Movement. Eventually, GDRs gain the ability to literally hop over mountains, making them very adaptable units. Nuclear damage resistance is another key feature of the GDR. Despite all of the benefits of using it, the units will need support when facing off against competent Civilization 6 players.
Updated November 19, 2021 by Mark Hospodar: There are plenty of ways to achieve victory in Civilization 6. Few, however, come close to attaining the same level of satisfaction as dominating one's enemies with a mechanical leviathan.
There isn't a whole lot of ambiguity when it comes to a unit that's referred to as the "Giant Death Robot." Fans are correct in assuming that the GDR is as cool as it sounds. Nevertheless, acquiring one won't be quick or easy. Luckily, by following these steps, gamers will possess a roadmap that will lead them to their very own GDR in no time.
How To Get A Giant Death Robot
The first step to unlocking the GDR is a heavy emphasis on Science. It will take 2,155 Science to unlock Robotics alone. The precursor to Robotics is Computers, which have a price tag of 1,580 Science. Without delving into too much detail, there are three other things each civ will need, which are listed below:
- 1,500 Production
- 6,000 Gold (15 For Maintenance)
- 3 Uranium
Production is gained through several different activities. Strategies for accruing production are covered in the following section. Players must have 6,000 Gold upfront, which is a massive amount of capital. GDRs are endgame builds, so people should not expect to have the necessary gold until later in the game.
Uranium is located primarily in the frozen tundra and snow tiles, but it has a smaller chance to drop in nearly every other tile. To mine it, factions will need a mine. The resource was introduced in Gathering Storm to power nuclear plants and the nuclear submarine. It can also be wielded as a weapon in the form of nuclear weapons. Relevant GDR stats are included below:
- Melee Strength: 130
- Ranged Strength: 120
- Range: 3
- Movement: 5
Upgrades For The Giant Death Robot
Obtaining the Giant Death Robot is all well and good. Players, however, shouldn't disregard the handful of upgrades available for the GDR. Technologies that can be researched in the Future Era directly impact the GDRs, which include:
- Enhanced Mobility: +3 Movement
- Drone Air Defense: Anti-Air Defense Strength increased to 130
- Particle Beam Siege Cannon: Ranged attacks against Cities and Encampments are 100% effective and gain +30 Ranged Strength
- Reinforced Armor Plating: +10 Combat Strength when defending against land and naval units
The Enhanced Mobility upgrade requires the Cybernetics technology. Not only is the GDR's Movement improved, but the upgrade also allows the robot to jump over mountainous terrain. After researching Advanced A.I., the GDR can make use of the Drone Air Defense upgrade, which bestows further protection against aerial attacks.
With the Advanced Power Cells technology, GDRs become equipped with Particle Beam Siege Cannons, which are doubly useful for reducing cities to ashes. Finally, after researching Smart Materials, GDRs are kitted out with Reinforced Armor Plating, rendering them more durable against enemy navies and ground forces.
GDR Strategy
Civilizations can actually get a free GDR if they are in a Golden Age just before reaching the Information Era. There are a ton of different methods to grow a civilization and maintain a Golden Age.
This section will cover a unique method to cheat the system and get more GDRs fast. Surprisingly, Dido of Phoenicia is the best option when selecting a civ. The reason she is the top option for this task is that players can move their capital city whenever they want, given they have undertaken a Unique Project in that city.
Getting Production Up
When a capital city is moved, all of the effects of the capital city are then transferred to the new city. The general progression with this empire is not that important. Expanding the empire to different areas will be helpful, but the key here is having several functional cities.
By creating several Industrial Zones, gamers will be able to accrue a lot of Production. More factories will result in even more production, which is good because it will cost 1,800 Production to move the capital. GDRs come with a hefty price tag in terms of Production, so more is always better.
Infinite GDRs
Once civilizations have the requisite production and are in a Golden Era right before the Information Age, that free GDR can be claimed. By choosing the Automation Warfare Dedication, every civ will get the massive robot. Initiate the Capitol change and voila, a new GDR will spawn.
This process can be repeated until every city has one. It will take 50 turns for the change to complete, but the wait will be worth it. Even better, military stats will not change, meaning that the AI will get demolished by the robots in battle, at least initially. Staying aggressive and striking while the iron is hot will place unassailable pressure on a reeling opponent.
Using The GDRs To Topple Civilizations
The GDRs are the most dominant military asset a civilization can have. With the Technology tree built out, multiple Death Robots can essentially do it all. Taking down infantry is a breeze, and players can choose how they want to take down installations. Death Robots are mobile and can traverse much of the terrain without being upgraded. With a full tree, they can walk through water and hop over mountains.
Additionally, once civs get their Science high enough, they will be able to create GDRs without having to wait for 50 turns. As far as strategy goes, once a war is declared, civs can identify an enemy's strongest unit and wipe them off of the board instantly with their GDRs. The robots' rocket artillery has an extended range, making long-range warfare a piece of cake.
Once a city or installation has half health, send the GDRs in to take them over. Before long, even strong enemy alliances will succumb to the will of the great Phoenicia.
How To Defeat A Giant Death Robot
Unsurprisingly, Giant Death Robots aren't the easiest enemies to defeat. A player's best chance of destroying a GDR comes before the robot has a chance to incorporate upgrades. A fully-upgraded GDR can still be beaten, but the process of doing so is much more difficult.
One solution is to eliminate a GDR with another GDR, in effect fighting fire with fire. Concentrated aerial bombing runs can also do the trick, especially if the GDR lacks the Drone Air Defense upgrade. By a similar token, ground armies and artillery can take significant chunks of health from a GDR, particularly one without Reinforced Armor Plating.
It's also worth noting that GDRs possess a natural resistance to nuclear weapons. Nukes can still inflict damage, but it's not always the most efficient method of dispatching a GDR. Concentrate as much overwhelming firepower as possible on a single GDR before it becomes too much to handle.
Civilization 6 was released in 2016 and can be played on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS.