Heart of the Machine Update 6: On Targeting Improvements, Upgraded Bulks, and...

The Machine adapts, and so do its enemies in Update 6. This update brings major shifts to targeting logic, making enemy gunfights a little more their problem and less yours. Units with armor-piercing capabilities will now focus on the optimal threats, bulk androids are getting buffs to make a wider variety of them useful, and Hackamajigs are no longer a joke — they’re a weapon.

Elsewhere, Vorsiber Inquisitors during the civil war have been dialed down from “unstoppable zealots” to something slightly more manageable, and certain item requirements have been adjusted to keep your inventory clean and focused.

On the narrative side, jumping ahead to the brink of WW4 will now bring the final doom timer along for the ride (as it always should have), and sparing the PMC Officer in Chapter One is no longer locked behind an ammo type—just spend a little Determination.

“Sometimes it is the quietest adjustments that change everything.” — William Gibson, Pattern Recognition

[h2]Building the Machine[/h2] [hr][/hr]Thank you all — Heart of the Machine has blasted past 500 reviews! That’s over 500 people who took the time to put thoughts into words, whether to highlight what works, call out what doesn’t, or warn future players about the dangers of letting the wrong machines run loose. We see them all, we appreciate them all, and they help shape what comes next.

[h2]Update 6 Changelog[/h2][expand]

Targeting changes: NPC units and bulk units are now more likely to shoot at each other instead of focusing all their aggression on your units. Stragglers will be easier to pick off, reducing spillover enemy aggression.
Improved armor-targeting: Units with the ability to harm armor-plated targets will now prioritize them appropriately.
Hackamajig overhaul: Now vastly more effective and extremely powerful. It forces enemies to overkill your sacrificial unit by a percentage that increases as you upgrade it. It also fully interrupts normal enemy targeting, making it significantly stronger than before. Given its new power (up from being practically useless), its cost has changed to 2 Creativity instead of 12k Wealth.
Machinist adjustments: The CN-1 Machinist is no longer harder to hack than the BL-1 Machinist.
Solve Homelessness project QoL: Your Sheltered, Abandoned, and Refugee human counts now remain visible at all times.
Item list decluttering: Some items now only appear for units that meet their requirements—the tossing of weaponized insects and arachnids now requires 40 Agility, and Animate Office Equipment only appears for units with 150 Hacking Skill.
Vorsiber Inquisitors rebalance: No longer ridiculously overpowered during the civil war.
Bulk android buffs: Mild to moderate improvements to all of the non-Nickelbot variants to help them compete with bulk nickelbots (which already scale well in the late game). Changes are measured—further tweaks may be needed, but avoiding overcorrection for now.
Improved AI for bulk and captured units: They will now engage alarmed enemies more effectively and not target enemy hackers that retaliate when damaged.
WW4 timeline fix: The contemplation that jumps you forward to the brink of World War 4 now correctly advances the final doom timer.
Enemy playback speed options: You can now slow visual playback of enemy units even further.
PMC Officer requirement fix: Previously, sparing the PMC Officer in Chapter One required Sublimating Shells, which was confusing for many players. Now, you can simply spend 1 Determination instead.
Mouse hitbox fix: Space nation vehicles now have appropriately sized hitboxes.
Other minor fixes: Including Establishing Meaningful Social Change no longer getting stuck at 5% if you completed "Is It Justice?" via the dragons and then did the AGI route afterward.

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[h3]Full Changelog[/h3][hr][/hr]A full, comprehensive breakdown of every change from this patch can be found in the Heart of the Machine Wiki, found here.

[h3]Guides to Tame the Machine[/h3][hr][/hr]Even the most brilliant mind needs guidance when faced with a system as vast as this one. To help you navigate, we’ve pinned two essential resources from the Heart of the Machine wiki:

[h3]New Minds, Start Here[/h3][hr][/hr]For those just stepping into the Machine’s world, take a moment to familiarize yourself with the basics. The Heart of the Machine Beginner's Guide is your gateway to understanding the systems at play and building your foundation. After all, every complex network starts with a single connection.

We've recently released the Heart of the Machine Hacking Guide as well! Knowledge is power. Guard it well.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3422241019

[h3]Connect with the Machine[/h3][hr][/hr]Want to stay in the loop or share your thoughts? Join the conversation across these platforms:

💬 Discord – Best place to share feedback, get direct responses, and to talk about Heart of the Machine.
📜 Reddit – Discuss strategies, share ideas, and exchange tips with the community.

Here is a link to prior recent patches in case you missed them.
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2001070/view/578252481832681479
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2001070/view/509572340673151073