Astromechs are the odd unit out in Star Wars Zero Company. You can’t pick one from the roster at the start, and they don’t slot into the recruitment terminal like other operators until you clear one specific requirement first. Once that’s done, these little R2-D2-style droids become a roving support option that buffs your squad and hands out extra Action Points.
Quick answer: Interact with the broken-down astromech in the Den, then spend Credits at the upgrades terminal to build the Droid Repair Bay. After you finish the next mission, the bay comes online and you receive your first astromech, BR-1. From that point, more astromechs appear in the recruitment terminal.
What astromechs do in Star Wars Zero Company
Astromechs are pure support units adapted for the game’s XCOM-style, turn-based combat. Unlike every other operator, they have no primary fire. They can only deal damage by dropping mines and throwing grenades, so their real job is keeping the rest of the squad in a strong position.
They also move more than a standard operator and can fly straight up to rooftops that other units can only reach with a ladder. That mobility, combined with their buffs, makes them battlefield controllers rather than attackers.
| Trait | Detail |
|---|---|
| Primary fire | None |
| Damage tools | Mines and grenades |
| Main role | Support and buffs, sharing Action Points |
| Movement | Higher than most operators; can fly to rooftops |
| Healing | Self-heal only; medics cannot heal them |
How to unlock your first astromech (BR-1)
You know it worked when BR-1 is added to your operators and the bay reads as active. After that, other astromechs begin showing up in the recruitment terminal for you to hire.
Recruiting more astromechs and building your own
Once the Droid Repair Bay is running, you have two ways to grow your droid roster. Fresh astromechs rotate into the recruitment terminal alongside other operators, so you can spend Credits to bring them on directly.
You can also create a custom droid yourself. Use the character database screen in the main menu to build one, then recruit it into the company. Astromechs are made from a chosen chassis, with options that include the R2, R3, and R4 series, plus BR-1, a droid design created specifically for Zero Company. Each chassis carries its own look, and even the paint job can be customized.
Using astromechs in combat
A combat-leaning astromech like BR-1 carries far more explosives than any other operator, so it can put out heavy area-of-effect damage and clear swarms of weaker enemies. Droids like this can also lay down smoke to block an enemy’s line of sight, which is useful when a squadmate is caught in a bad spot.
If you lean into that offensive style, get the astromech onto high ground. Depending on the enemy type, nothing on the map may be able to reach it up there, letting it drop grenades without exposure. Even when something can reach it, it has more than enough movement to break away to cover.
The standout ability is Action Point restoration. Astromechs have the single-target AP restore that other operators use, but they also have a version that restores AP to the entire team at once, no matter where each teammate is standing. It costs ten Advantage, which makes it a strong closing move.
Tip: Act with your astromech last. Take everyone else’s turns first, then use the team-wide AP restore if you have the Advantage banked, and spend any leftover skills to finish weak enemies with a grenade or blind a tougher one with smoke.
Limitations to plan around
Astromechs are not a fit for every mission. They shine when you want to push in and end fights quickly, but in a longer war of attrition they contribute less. Like any operator, they eventually run out of grenades, and once that happens they can no longer deal damage.
They also can’t be healed through normal means. An astromech can self-heal, but your medic won’t be able to patch it up. And despite being a support unit, an astromech does not replace a medic. Its focus is controlling the battlefield and helping the team support itself, not restoring health, so keep a dedicated healer in the squad when survivability matters.
