Machine Events are a new mechanic added in Update 26. Every mission has a chance to spawn one of three specific machine events. They can only be started by a dwarf with at least ONE promotion, so a team of greenbeards will have no choice but to ignore the machines.

This is the first step to starting a Machine Event. Only a promoted dwarf has the required key.

Every Machine Event is a difficult challenge that you have three minutes to complete. The team will need to work together in order to not only complete the objective, but survive too! Waves of enemies will spawn during the event, meaning that you will be under intense pressure for the duration of the event.

Like any other objective, you gain a good amount of XP and credits from completing a machine event. However, the main benefit is the acquisition of new overclocks. However, in order to receieve benefit from completing a machine event, you will need a Blank Matrix Core. These can be obtained from the weekly core hunt or stage 1 of either Deep Dive. If you successfully complete the event, you can insert a blank matrix core into the core infuser (near the main machine event objective). From there, you can select one of three rewards to claim, which you will then need to craft in the Forge.

An (admittedly poor) screenshot of the available rewards. Note that, to the left and right of the clearly visible reward, are outlines of other chooseable rewards. Rewards are claimed by holding E. You must do this or else the game will select a reward at random for you upon mission completion./i]

You should ensure you meet the following criteria before starting a machine event:

• Every dwarf wants to participate. These events are nigh impossible without the full team's attention, and for some dwarves, XP and Credits alone may not be enough incentive.
  
• All dwarves have enough health and ammo to survive the event. Shield Gens, pheromones, lures, anything that will help give your team enough breathing room to complete the event.
  
• There is enough Nitra in the mission to ensure you can complete your MAIN objective after doing the machine (Nothing worse than beating the machine then losing the mission...)
  
• Every dwarf understands the machine event and how to beat it. This is especially important in events like Rock Infusion, where poor understanding can easily lead to a team wipe.
  
• You have recently fought off a wave of enemies. Just because you're gonna be fighting a ton of enemies, doesn't mean you wanna fuel the fire with a natural swarm on top.

Kursite Infection is one of the simplest to understand. Upon starting the machine, you will have three minutes to collect samples of kursite (This can scale with the amount of players in the game). A sample of kursite is a yellow crystal that will be growing in special enemies that are spawned during this event. One of three types of enemy will be "infected" during this event, meaning you will have to kill Kursite Mactera Spawn, Kursite Acid Spitters or Kursite Praetorians. Once you have killed one of these enemies, their crystal will drop to the floor. Carry it like you would an Aquarq/Jadiz/Pearl, and deposit it into the mineral grinder.

The Grinder. This is what you put your Kursite into.

On the left, the grinder, unactivated. On the right, the matrix core infuser.

What to watch out for:

• Speed is the name of the game for this one. Clear the waves and deposit crystals as fast as possible. It is VERY possible to end this event having only seen 12 or so special enemies, so kill, kill and kill as quick as possible!
  
• Cave overhangs, cliffs, holes and other terrain features can cause the kursite to become lost. If possible, a little terraforming from an Engi and Driller to make the terrain flatter before starting the event could be well worth your time here.
  
• There can only be a handful of special enemies at once. Since you need more to spawn, they are your TOP priority and should be killed upon sight.
  
• Kursite decays over time, so once an enemy has been killed, make grinding that rock your top priority!

During a Rock Mutation, a "power-up sprinkler" will shoot out small yellow canisters in a small radius around itself. These canisters, once moved over, will give you an INCREDIBLY strong melee buff and quickly recharge your power attack for the duration. Why is this important? Your objective is to kill many Ebonite Glyphids (This can be more than 30!). Ebonite Glyphids are large, rocky versions of normal Grunts/Praetorians that CANNOT be harmed be gunfire or explosions. Only your pickaxe will slay these abominations.

What to watch out for:

• Don't try to engage the enemy without your pickaxe powerup. While it is possible to slay them without it, your damage is so low that it is basically not worth trying.
  
• Non-Ebonite enemies will also spawn during the event. Don't get tunnel vision pickaxing the special enemies, remember to shoot normal targets that could pose a threat to you and your team! Try looking around for dangerous enemies whilst searching for a new pickaxe powerup.
  
• Spam that power attack! It recharges incredibly quickly and will really help you dispatch those praetorians.

The Tritilyte Crystal is a large, red spire coated in a rocky exterior.

An excavated Tritilyte Crystal. Look, they can fly!

In this event, a bomb dispenser will spawn some way away from the crystal. This can be very close or far away, buried in some cave system, depending on your luck.

The Bomb Dispenser, with bombs ready to take.

Your first priority should be listening out for the bomb dispenser and locating it. Making sure there is an easy path back to the crystal is ESSENTIAL, so use every mobility tool at your disposal to make the journey as quick and easy as possible. The objective of this Machine Event is to throw the bombs at the crystal. You will need to hit the crystal with around 10 bombs in order to be successful.

Damaging the Crystal

What to watch out for:

• The bombs are incredibly volatile and will explode upon contact with enemies or terrain, so you will need to protect your bomb carriers as they move.
  
• Depending on the available terrain, it may be feasible to throw the bombs from very far away if your aim is good. Bombs spawn fairly regularly, so don't be too shy about taking a risky throw.
  
• It may be a good idea to keep one or two dwarves on "wave clearing" duty, making it easier for the bomb carriers to move unhindered.

I would love to add some more screenshots to this guide. If you have pictures of anything relevant to Machine Events, please let me know and I will add them to this guide and give you credit!

Credits:
Bracko - Writing and Maintaining this Guide
Fryskar - Inspiration for certain strategies
Bleydoka - Requesting a Machine Events Guide
7h4n0s - Additional Information about Machine Events
qubol - Additional Information about Kursite Infection
Dr. Zeph - Additional Information about Rock Mutation