The following is an excerpt from the Wasteland Survival Guide;
Chapter 6: Making Pre-War Technology Work For You

Robots.

Among the accomplishments of the pre-war industrial revolution, there is perhaps none that exemplifies the rapid technological progress better than the robot. First pioneered by the Equestrian Robotics company several years before the war, robots are fully automated, animatronic machines that fulfil a variety of purposes. Everything from providing security to washing walls. Although I don’t know exactly when the first robot was made, or what it looked like, I can say for sure that they became very prominent.

As mentioned previously in this chapter, the founding of the Ministry of Wartime Technology (MWT) spurred the industrial revolution to new heights, and Equestrian Robots was another of the big companies, like Stable-Tec, that become a household name. Due to the wide variety of capabilities possessed by various robots, they were in demand in almost every sector of Equestria. Particularly in dangerous places, including battlefields, where they could help reduce loss of pony life. This means of course that lots and lots of robots were built, and like much Earth Pony engineering, they were sturdy enough to persist to the current day. A few common examples will follow.

The key to making Robots work for you is knowing how to approach them. Some of these robots have been operating for a long time with no rest, or are broken. The quickest way to make friends with a robot is to give it a fresh spark battery. Of course, some robots were designed to fight, so turning them on might just make them mad. The next best thing to do to make a robot work for you is to reprogram it. I’m honestly not sure how reprogramming works, so I suggest asking someone who knows a little more about spell matrixes. Like a Pipbuck technician, or toaster repair pony. Just don’t try turning a toaster into a robot, it never seems to work out.

Some robots are really mean, and you should always be careful when dealing with them. Typically any robot mainly designed for military use tends to shoot first and ask questions never. One suggestion for dealing with this is of course to avoid them in the first place. However, if you can’t avoid them, or are feeling gutsy enough to try reasoning with them, tie a white piece of cloth to a stick and wave it like a flag. This is a common sign of surrender, and some of these robots are designed to accept them. From there, you can negotiate terms of alliance with the military robots. Of course, if they just shoot your white flag, start running. Or shoot back, since you might get some spare parts or ammunition from the robot if you can beat it.

Robots can make very loyal allies as well as useful tools, depending on how you treat them. They may not be proper equines, but they still think and have a limited range of feelings. Friendship is, like with many things, the best approach, and like any pre-war technology, they can be made to work for you!

Common Robot Varieties:

Ponitrons: These equine shaped robots were employed mainly for security, although sometimes other companies used them for promotions. The typically have a magical energy weapon in their head-casing, but some of them have a chest weapon instead. They are a bit clunky and slow, but sturdy. They also usually have storage compartments, making them great as pack ponies.

Robo-Owls: These mechanical feathery little friends are small, light, quick, and make excellent companions. They usually have a magical energy weapon in their beak, and can fly. However, due to their size, they are easily damaged if they take a hit, and can’t do any heavy lifting.

Sprite-Bots: These pre-war music machines were employed by the Ministry of Morale as bringers of joy to Equestria by spreading music. They don’t really do much else.
(Author’s Note: I still don’t know why everyone complains about their music, it’s so cheery!)

Helper-Bots: These robots may look kinda creepy, resembling hovering metal spiders, but have some of the best utility thanks to their multiple appendages. They also have storage compartments and three eye-like cameras that let them see in all directions at once. Common appendages featured include: grasping claws, cauterization flamethrowers, medical tools, plasma casters, buzzsaws, and pizza cutters.

Brain-Bots: These tracked robots, rather than using a spell matrix, use actual brain tissue for processing, housed in a special fluid in their head casing that keeps the brain healthy. They typically come armed with a lightning gun, useful for paralyzing things, and tend to have cheerful, foalish voice synthesizers.