First, they can sling fireballs at you from a distance. Second, their arms are quite elastic, and can lash out across considerable distance to smash into our heroine, doing great damage and knocking her back. Best to take them out from a great distance. Clockwork Automatons are the work of the Mad Hatter, who is obsessed with time and wishes to make all of Wonderland's creatures more clock-like and precise. Automatons will attack Alice immediately and fight to the death.
Automatons can attack in a number of different ways.
First, they can fire missiles that track their target's movements, even around corners. Second, they can let loose with great jets of scalding steam at a medium distance, burning their prey terribly. Finally, Automatons possess a dangerous melee attack that can rend and grind their opponents up in their mechanical arms. Automatons are best avoided if possible. If you must fight, use the Jacks or try throwing the Jackbomb strategically so that you can run for cover instead of facing their difficult to dodge ranged attacks.