The Machinist is one of the remade Colonial Marine classes coming to Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2. Cold Iron Studios positioned it as the sequel's tech-support role, replacing the first game's Technician with plasma weapons, a modifiable Sentry Turret, and a flying Bodyguard Drone. Official materials sell the class as the marine who holds space for the rest of the fireteam: plant hardware, melt denser packs, and keep flanks covered while other classes chase priority targets. The full showcase landed on the game's YouTube channel and Steam news feed in late July 2026, ahead of the August 25, 2026 launch.
Machinist Showcase Video
Cold Iron's official Machinist video is the clearest look at the class so far. It walks through energy weapon fire, turret placement, Bodyguard Drone kits, and the support loop that makes the Machinist feel closer to a battlefield engineer than a pure DPS marine. Steam's companion post framed the same kit in one line: energy weaponry, a modifiable Sentry Turret, and a Bodyguard Drone meant to support the squad in every scenario.
Class Role
In squad terms, Machinist sits between raw damage classes and the Medic. It is not just a gadget backpack for quiet corners. The remake pushes deployables into the main combat loop, so the class can deny lanes, shred rushers, and still contribute while the rest of the fireteam reloads or revives. That matters more in Fireteam Elite 2 because encounters are being sold as smarter and more punishing, with new Fireteam 2 Xenomorph types like the Exploder, Siren, and Warden. Machinist also feeds the sequel's endgame class: leveling it unlocks hardware and kits that can later be mixed into Specialist builds.
Plasma Weapons
The showcase highlights two signature energy weapons: the SMB-94 Zephyr Plasma Emitter and the EDS-93 Plasma Discharger Mk.2. The Zephyr is shown as a signature plasma cannon with strong handling stats in the kit UI, including accuracy and stability in the mid-to-high 70s and 80s range. Both weapons lean into the Machinist's experimental kit rather than the classic Pulse Rifle / shotgun loadout that defines most Colonial Marine weapons. Plasma output fits the class role of melting denser Xenomorph packs and synthetic armor while the turret and drone handle flanks.
Sentry Turret
The Sentry Turret is the Machinist's primary deployable. Steam's class post listed two modifiers: Gas Turret and Rumble Turret, each providing different firepower or crowd-control tools to kill or slow threats. Gas leans toward area denial, while Rumble reads as the more aggressive turret kit. In a four-player squad, that choice matters at chokepoints: one setup buys time against rushers, the other helps delete packs that try to flood a doorway.
Bodyguard Drone
The Bodyguard ability is a flying machine-gun drone that travels with the Machinist. Official options include Shredder Bodyguard for close-quarters shredding and Artillery Bodyguard for longer-range firepower. That gives the class a mobile second gunner when a fixed turret is the wrong answer, or when the squad is pushing instead of camping a corridor. Combined with plasma weapons, the drone is what keeps Machinist useful while relocating between defensive pockets.
Perks
Two unlockable perks from the showcase reward playing around your machines:
- Cross-Platform Synergy - Allies standing near your turret gain 10% damage resistance. When you stand near your turret, it regenerates 5 health every second.
- Scalable Machine Learning - When your machines and item-based turrets kill an enemy, gain 10% reload speed and stability. This effect can stack up to 5 times.
Cross-Platform Synergy makes the turret a shared safe zone for the Medic and Duelist to fight around. Scalable Machine Learning turns successful drone and turret kills into personal gun handling bonuses, so the class gets stronger the longer the hardware stays online and scoring.
Conclusion
The Machinist looks like Fireteam Elite 2's answer to players who want to control space instead of chasing every kill feed. Plasma weapons handle the melting, the Sentry Turret and Bodyguard Drone hold lanes, and the support perks make the class valuable even when someone else is landing the final shots. The remade roster also includes Marauder, Duelist, Hunter, Medic, and Specialist.
External Sources
- AvP Galaxy: Machinist Class Showcase
- Steam News: MACHINIST - Class Showcase
- Official Machinist Showcase Video
Tag Categories: Colonial Marine Lore | Alien Lore | News
