I didn't read the TML during the last few days, Instead I was at home writing
hard on Rebel Guard and a little on a writeup of some robots that have appeared
in my campaign. Someone mentioned once that robots should be useful so I
recomputed them for several TL's to make it easier for the referee.
I saw Mark F Cooks letter about automating starships before I left, and I
remember thinking that it would be nice if I could get that robot paper finished
while the topic was hot. "Hot" proved to be an understatement:)
I agree that I am a member of the pro-robotic faction on the TML, but even I
would tend to think that a ship with only one crewmember and the rest of them
robots are to take chances. Why do scout and belters have so high survival
numbers? Because they are alone in their ships, thats why. And a big, highly
automated ship with just one crewmember could be compared to a simple scout
ship that one person could handle alone *unless mishaps occured*.
Then there is the legal aspect. Refusing to assist a ship that screams out
SOS and GK on all channels is quite certainly a high justice crime just below
treason and importing bruisers. Blaming the incident on the robots, "They
didn't wake me, your Honor. The medibot thought that I needed to sleep." isn't
going to land anyone anywhere else than on Exile/Usani.
As additions to a crew, however, they are quite useful, as long as someone has
at least one level of appropriate skill so that the robot can be supervised now
and then.
Well, here's the shipboard duty bots from the file Robots.txt.utx. If you are
sceptical to robots aboard ships you can always treat the descriptions as pure
marketing hype for unwary players to get suckered by (except in the MasterMek
XT-3 case of course:)
19 Robots for duty aboard ships.
The following robots have all appeared over the years in my campaign. The
only robot that has stayed on for more than two years (gametime) is a Naasirka
(more or less)MasterMek XT3 that goes by the name "Marvin" (Don't blame me!:).
All the robots has been upgraded for MegaTraveller by taking volume for
*all* components into account and recomputing cost and weight for the chassi
according to the armour multiplier. Appendages were treated as having a volume
equal to twice their weight that only can be used for devices and not for
brain, fuel, powerplant or propulsion.
The speed of robots using legs, whennls or tracks was somewhat tricky to
compute. If the formula from megatraveller is used, most of them got speeds in
the range of 500 to 1000kph not counting streamlining. When I looked at the two
robots in 'Vilani & Vargr', however, I found that the engine output was divided
by around 28 before it was used in the formula, so I did the same.
I used the standard thrust/speed table for robots using grav locomotion.
I'm not sure if robots should be covered by the 20% price reduction for mass
produced vehicles, so I've included both figures. I think that it should
because it would give players some impetus to buy a standard item instead of
ordering a custom design job.
Damagepoints for robots have been computed according to the referees screen
(vol in liters/15 for inop and /6 for dest.) Damagepoints for powerplant and
locomotion was computed based on their fraction of the robots weight.
Vilani manufacured robots, ie Naasirka and Makhidkarun, are easy to get in
half-custom configurations with regards to the application programs. When
"Skill-L(S)" is indicated this means that the robot can be delivered with any
skill or skills that can be fit into the constraints imposed by the robots Int
and Edu and available storage space. "L" means max sum of extra skillevels and
"S" means maximum extra storage available.
All application programs are also available in exterior storage
(holocrystals usually) for five times the normal cost of a program of that
level.
CONTENTS:
LSP 213B Medibot TL13 LSP 213C Medibot TL13
LSP 214B Medibot TL14 LSP 214C Medibot TL14
LSP 215B Medibot TL15 LSP 215C Medibot TL15
Makhidkarun RP120 Robotic Pilot TL12 Makhidkarun RP130 Robotic Pilot TL13
Makhidkarun RP140 Robotic Pilot TL14 Makhidkarun RP150 Robotic Pilot TL15
MoMec MarksmanI Robotic Gunner TL10 MoMec MarksmanII Robotic Gunner TL11
MoMec MarksmanIII Robotic Gunner TL12 MoMec MarksmanIV Robotic Gunner TL13
MoMec MarksmanV Robotic Gunner TL14 MoMec MarksmanVI Robotic Gunner TL15
[Various] MasterMek XT-1 Mekbot TL13 [Various] MasterMek XT-2 Mekbot TL14
[Various] MasterMek XT-3 Mekbot TL15
LING STANDARD PRODUCTS 200-SERIES MEDIBOTS
The 200-series medibots from LSP is used by several mercenary organisations
as well as on a multitude of ships. All models have Medic-4 and Rescue-4. The
medic skill is usually tuned to 'Imperial Standard Human' but serves at the
same level for all the three large brances of Humaniti and at one level lower
for most minor human races (Darrians, Answerin, Dynchia, and Geonee but not
Floriani) and for Vargr.
TL15 models also having Xenomed-4 for one of the following races (buyers
choise): Aslan, Droyne, Hiver, K'kree, Ael Yael, Bwaps, Chirpers, Prt', Vegans
or Virushi. Data for other minor races might be available locally.
The 200-series medibots use fuelcells and are thus dependent on exterior
oxygen. Because of this, they are of similar shape and size to humans, to
enable them to use vaccsuits and normal medikits if they have to work in
situations where oxygen isn't available. The lower pair of arms fold in along
the torso to make the robot fit into a normal vaccsuit.
The C models are fitted with enough synaptic memory units to be able to
reach education A after some years of operation.
LSP 213B Medibot TL13
RobotID: LSP 213B Medibot, TL13, Cr343,000/274,000, UPP=XFx75x (X=25)
Hull: 6/17, Size=100 liters, Config=Contour, Armour=6B, Weight=222 kg
Power: 1.5/3, FuelCell=1x60kW, Duration=3.4 days
Loco: 3/6, Legs=2, Road=40kph, OffRoad=16kph
Commo: Voder, Interfaces=Power, Brain, Program
Sensors: BasicSensorPkg (2 visual, 2 audio, 1 olfactory), TouchSensor with
ExtraSensitivity
Off: None
Def: None
Brain: CPU=26 linear, 12 parallel, 3 synaptic, Storage=50 standard,
FundLogic=HighAutonomus, FundCmd=FullCmd, Software=Medic-4, Rescue-4,
VaccSuit-4, EmotionSimulation
Append: LightArmx4, RotatingHead=15%, Devices=Medikit
Other: Fuel=20.5 liters, ObjSize=Small, EMLevel=Faint.
LSP 213C Medibot TL13
RobotID: LSP 213C Medibot, TL13, Cr466,000/373,000, UPP=XFx7Yx (X=25, Y=5(10))
Hull: 6/17, Size=100 liters, Config=Contour, Armour=6B, Weight=221 kg
Power: 1.5/3, FuelCell=1x60kW, Duration=3.8 days
Loco: 3/6, Legs=2, Road=40kph, OffRoad=16kph
Commo: Voder, Interfaces=Power, Brain, Program
Sensors: BasicSensorPkg (2 visual, 2 audio, 1 olfactory), TouchSensor with
ExtraSensitivity
Off: None
Def: None
Brain: CPU=26 linear, 12 parallel, 3 synaptic, Storage=45 standard, 5 synap,
FundLogic=HighAutonomus, FundCmd=FullCmd, Software=Medic-4, Rescue-4,
VaccSuit-4, EmotionSimulation
Append: LightArmx4, RotatingHead=15%, Devices=Medikit
Other: Fuel=22.5 liters, ObjSize=Small, EMLevel=Faint.
LSP 214B Medibot TL14
RobotID: LSP 214B Medibot, TL14, Cr343,000/274,000, UPP=XFx85x (X=25)
Hull: 6/17, Size=100 liters, Config=Contour, Armour=6B, Weight=222 kg
Power: 1.5/3, FuelCell=1x60kW, Duration=3.4 days
Loco: 3/6, Legs=2, Road=45kph, OffRoad=18kph
Commo: Voder, Interfaces=Power, Brain, Program
Sensors: BasicSensorPkg (2 visual, 2 audio, 1 olfactory), TouchSensor with
ExtraSensitivity
Off: None
Def: None
Brain: CPU=26 linear, 12 parallel, 3 synaptic, Storage=50 standard
FundLogic=HighAutonomus, FundCmd=FullCmd, Software=Medic-4, Rescue-4,
VaccSuit-4, EmotionSimulation
Append: LightArmx4, RotatingHead=15%, Devices=Medikit
Other: Fuel=20.5 liters, ObjSize=Small, EMLevel=Faint.
LSP 214C Medibot TL14
RobotID: LSP 214C Medibot, TL14, Cr466,000/373,000, UPP=XFx8Yx (X=25, Y=5(10))
Hull: 6/17, Size=100 liters, Config=Contour, Armour=6B, Weight=222 kg
Power: 1.5/3, FuelCell=1x60kW, Duration=3.8 days
Loco: 3/6, Legs=2, Road=45kph, OffRoad=18kph
Commo: Voder, Interfaces=Power, Brain, Program
Sensors: BasicSensorPkg (2 visual, 2 audio, 1 olfactory), TouchSensor with
ExtraSensitivity
Off: None
Def: None
Brain: CPU=26 linear, 12 parallel, 3 synaptic, Storage=45 standard, 5 synap,
FundLogic=HighAutonomus, FundCmd=FullCmd, Software=Medic-4, Rescue-4,
VaccSuit-4, EmotionSimulation
Append: LightArmx4, RotatingHead=15%, Devices=Medikit
Other: Fuel=22.5 liters, ObjSize=Small, EMLevel=Faint.
LSP 215B Medibot TL15
RobotID: LSP 215B Medibot, TL15, Cr352,000/282,000, UPP=XFx96x (X=25)
Hull: 6/17, Size=100 liters, Config=Contour, Armour=6B, Weight=191 kg
Power: 0.5/1, FuelCell=1x60kW, Duration=5.9 days
Loco: 3/6, Legs=2, Road=55kph, OffRoad=22kph
Commo: Radio=Continental, Voder, Interfaces=Power, Brain, Program
Sensors: BasicSensorPkg (2 visual, 2 audio, 1 olfactory), TouchSensor with
ExtraSensitivity, Spotlightx2
Off: None
Def: None
Brain: CPU=28 linear, 12 parallel, 3 synaptic, Storage=64 standard
FundLogic=HighAutonomus, FundCmd=FullCmd, Software=Medic-4, Rescue-4,
XenoMed-4, VaccSuit-2, Commo-1, EmotionSimulation
Append: LightArmx4, RotatingHead=10%, Devices=Medikit
Other: Fuel=21.1 liters, ObjSize=Small, EMLevel=Faint.
LSP 215C Medibot TL15
RobotID: LSP 215C Medibot, TL15, Cr451,000/361,000, UPP=XFx9Yx (X=25, Y=6(10))
Hull: 6/17, Size=100 liters, Config=Contour, Armour=6B, Weight=190 kg
Power: 0.5/1, FuelCell=1x60kW, Duration=6.3 days
Loco: 3/6, Legs=2, Road=55kph, OffRoad=22kph
Commo: Radio=Continental, Voder, Interfaces=Power, Brain, Program
Sensors: BasicSensorPkg (2 visual, 2 audio, 1 olfactory), TouchSensor with
ExtraSensitivity, Spotlightx2
Off: None
Def: None
Brain: CPU=28 linear, 12 parallel, 3 synaptic, Storage=60 standard, 4 synap,
FundLogic=HighAutonomus, FundCmd=FullCmd, Software=Medic-4, Rescue-4,
XenoMed-4, VaccSuit-2, Commo-1, EmotionSimulation
Append: LightArmx4, RotatingHead=10%, Devices=Medikit
Other: Fuel=22.7 liters, ObjSize=Small, EMLevel=Faint.
MAKHIDKARUN RP-SERIES ROBOTIC PILOTS
Makhidkarun RP-series robotic pilots are a good example of how Makhidkarun
robotics are different from for example the equivalent Naasirka models. It is
built to handle a specific task and thats what it does. The extra capability
that is made available because of the relatively high intelligence needed
(after all, who would want a dumbot to pilot the ships-boat?) is used to
accomodate two or more seconday skills that the buyer can choose according to
his own purposes.
The RP-series are shaped like a rectangular box, fifteen centimeters thick
times thirty wide times one meter high. They are made to be mounted on the
back of the pilots chair and hooked up to the ships computer, power and
sensors (they lack own powerplant and propulsion). On top of the box is a very
light arm that holds the visual and audio sensor. The robot is not dependent
on those for normal operation. The arm can be used for lifting and grasping
but this is limited to very light loads (less than 5kg)
The following secondary programs are generally available, space and price
are per level, maximum level of any skill for robots is 4:
Program Space Price Program Space Price
Communications 2 400 SensorOps 2 500
FleetTactics 8 800 Ship'sBoat 2 400
GravVehicle 2 400 ShipTactics 8 800
Language 5 600 Survey 4 600
Navigator 4 500 [Gunnery] 2 400
Prospecting 4 500 [Weapon]* 2 300
Additional programs can be found in Traveller Book8: Robots. *) Weapon aims
at a specific weapon skill. It is quite common to let the robot have one level
of skill in snub pistol or some similar small zero-gee weapon and employ it as
the last line of defence against boarding and hijackers.
The main disadvantage with this series of robots is that they are fixed in
place. Even if they detect some kind of malfunction they can't do anything
about it. Also, if the power disappears because of battle damage or
malfunction, they are totally disabled.
There is also a similar line of robots serving as gunners or as small craft
pilots. They are usually delivered with one form of gunnery as main skill and
either fleet or ship tactics as secondary. Any extra space or Int+Edu is then
filled by FAGunnery to enable the batteries to be used for surface bombardment.
Makhidkarun RP120 Robotic Pilot TL12
RobotID: Makhidkarun RP120 Robotic Pilot, TL12, Cr199,000/160,000, UPP=25x55x
Hull: 3/8, Size=50 liters, Config=Box, Armour=1B, Weight=18 kg
Power: None
Loco: None
Commo: Voder, Interfaces=Power, Brain, Program
Sensors: VisualSensor, AudioSensor
Off: None
Def: None
Brain: CPU=25 linear, 10 parallel, 1 synaptic, Storage=54 standard
FundLogic=LowAutonomus, FundCmd=FullCmd, Software=Pilot-4, Skill-4(16)
Skill-2(8), EmotionSimulation
Append: VeryLightArm
Other: WasteSpace=6.9 liters, ObjSize=Small, EMLevel=None.
Makhidkarun RP130 Robotic Pilot TL13
RobotID: Makhidkarun RP130 Robotic Pilot, TL13, Cr201,000/161,000, UPP=25x65x
Hull: 3/8, Size=50 liters, Config=Box, Armour=1B, Weight=18 kg
Power: None
Loco: None
Commo: Voder, Interfaces=Power, Brain, Program
Sensors: VisualSensor, AudioSensor
Off: None
Def: None
Brain: CPU=25 linear, 10 parallel, 1 synaptic, Storage=58 standard
FundLogic=LowAutonomus, FundCmd=FullCmd, Software=Pilot-4, Skill-4(16),
Skill-3(12), EmotionSimulation
Append: VeryLightArm
Other: WasteSpace=4.9 liters, ObjSize=Small, EMLevel=None.
Makhidkarun RP140 Robotic Pilot TL14
RobotID: Makhidkarun RP140 Robotic Pilot, TL14, Cr204,000/163,000, UPP=25x76x
Hull: 3/8, Size=50 liters, Config=Box, Armour=1B, Weight=18 kg
Power: None
Loco: None
Commo: Voder, Interfaces=Power, Brain, Program
Sensors: VisualSensor, AudioSensor
Off: None
Def: None
Brain: CPU=25 linear, 10 parallel, 1 synaptic, Storage=66 standard
FundLogic=LowAutonomus, FundCmd=FullCmd, Software=Pilot-4, Skill-4(16)
Skill-4(16), Skill-1(4) EmotionSimulation
Append: VeryLightArm
Other: WasteSpace=0.9 liters, ObjSize=Small, EMLevel=None.
Makhidkarun RP150 Robotic Pilot TL15
RobotID: Makhidkarun RP150 Robotic Pilot, TL15, Cr205,000/164,000, UPP=25x86x
Hull: 3/8, Size=50 liters, Config=Box, Armour=1B, Weight=18 kg
Power: None
Loco: None
Commo: Voder, Interfaces=Power, Brain, Program
Sensors: VisualSensor, AudioSensor
Off: None
Def: None
Brain: CPU=25 linear, 10 parallel, 1 synaptic, Storage=74 standard
FundLogic=LowAutonomus, FundCmd=FullCmd, Software=Pilot-4, Skill-4(16)
Skill-4(16), Skill-4(16), Skill-2(4), EmotionSimulation
Append: VeryLightArm
Other: WasteSpace=0.9 liters, ObjSize=Small, EMLevel=None.
MORA MECATRONICS MARKSMAN-SERIES ROBOTIC GUNNERS
Although designed on Mora, the Mora Mecatronics robots are manufactured and
sold on many worlds with many techlevels along the Spinward Main. The most
popular of their robots are the Marksman series gunners. While they are can't
be described as intelligent even by friendly accounts, the are easy to install.
Just show the robot to the gunnery position and it will take over from there.
They are also much cheaper than many competeting models.
Normally, the robots will get their instructions directly from the ships
computer. A program that lets the pilot indicate the target on whatever HUD or
viewscreen that available on the bridge and pass this on to the robots are
included in the standard package. The robots are programmed to hook themselves
up to ships power and the main computer databus automatically.
Mora Mecatronics robots of the local TL are available on world on 3+. DM -1
per 3 parsecs from Mora. -4 if off the Main.
Mora Mecatronics MarksmanI Robotic Gunner TL10
RobotID: MoMec MarksmanI Robotic Gunner, TL10, Cr33,000/26,000, UPP=F6x01x
Hull: 6/17, Size=100 liters, Config=Contour, Armour=1B, Weight=230 kg
Power: 3/4, FuelCell=1x40kW, Duration=8.8 days
Loco: 2/3, Legs=2, Road=20kph, OffRoad=8kph
Commo: Voder, Interfaces=Power, Brain, Program
Sensors: BasicSensorPkg (2 visual, 2 audio, 1 olfactory), TouchSensor
Off: None
Def: None
Brain: CPU=7 linear, Storage=11 standard,
FundLogic=LowData, FundCmd=LimitedBasic, Software=Gunnery-1
Append: LightArmx2, RotatingHead=10%
Other: Fuel=52 liters, ObjSize=Small, EMLevel=Faint, ECP
Mora Mecatronics MarksmanII Robotic Gunner TL11
RobotID: MoMec MarksmanII Robotic Gunner, TL11, Cr33,000/26,000, UPP=F7x01x
Hull: 6/17, Size=100 liters, Config=Contour, Armour=1B, Weight=230 kg
Power: 3/4, FuelCell=1x40kW, Duration=8.8 days
Loco: 2/3, Legs=2, Road=25kph, OffRoad=10kph
Commo: Voder, Interfaces=Power, Brain, Program
Sensors: BasicSensorPkg (2 visual, 2 audio, 1 olfactory), TouchSensor
Off: None
Def: None
Brain: CPU=7 linear, Storage=11 standard,
FundLogic=LowData, FundCmd=LimitedBasic, Software=Gunnery-1
Append: LightArmx2, RotatingHead=10%
Other: Fuel=52 liters, ObjSize=Small, EMLevel=Faint, ECP.
Mora Mecatronics MarksmanIII Robotic Gunner TL12
RobotID: MoMec MarksmanIII Robotic Gunner, TL12, Cr31,000/25,000, UPP=F8x01x
Hull: 6/17, Size=100 liters, Config=Contour, Armour=1B, Weight=230 kg
Power: 3/4, FuelCell=1x40kW, Duration=8.8 days
Loco: 2/3, Legs=2, Road=30kph, OffRoad=12kph
Commo: Voder, Interfaces=Power, Brain, Program
Sensors: BasicSensorPkg (2 visual, 2 audio, 1 olfactory), TouchSensor
Off: None
Def: None
Brain: CPU=5 linear, Storage=11 standard,
FundLogic=LowData, FundCmd=LimitedBasic, Software=Gunnery-1
Append: LightArmx2, RotatingHead=10%
Other: Fuel=53 liters, ObjSize=Small, EMLevel=Faint, ECP.
Mora Mecatronics MarksmanIV Robotic Gunner TL13
RobotID: MoMec MarksmanIV Robotic Gunner, TL13, Cr33,000/26,000, UPP=F9x11x
Hull: 6/17, Size=100 liters, Config=Contour, Armour=1B, Weight=209 kg
Power: 2/3, FuelCell=1x45kW, Duration=13.6 days
Loco: 3/4, Legs=2, Road=35kph, OffRoad=14kph
Commo: Voder, Interfaces=Power, Brain, Program
Sensors: BasicSensorPkg (2 visual, 2 audio, 1 olfactory), TouchSensor
Off: None
Def: None
Brain: CPU=7 linear, Storage=11 standard,
FundLogic=LowData, FundCmd=LimitedBasic, Software=Gunnery-2
Append: LightArmx2, RotatingHead=10%
Other: Fuel=65 liters, ObjSize=Small, EMLevel=Faint, ECP.
Mora Mecatronics MarksmanV Robotic Gunner TL14
RobotID: MoMec MarksmanV Robotic Gunner, TL14, Cr35,000/27,000, UPP=FAx21x
Hull: 6/17, Size=100 liters, Config=Contour, Armour=1B, Weight=209 kg
Power: 2/3, FuelCell=1x45kW, Duration=13.5 days
Loco: 3/4, Legs=2, Road=40kph, OffRoad=16kph
Commo: Voder, Interfaces=Power, Brain, Program
Sensors: BasicSensorPkg (2 visual, 2 audio, 1 olfactory), TouchSensor
Off: None
Def: None
Brain: CPU=9 linear, Storage=11 standard,
FundLogic=LowData, FundCmd=LimitedBasic, Software=Gunnery-3
Append: LightArmx2, RotatingHead=10%
Other: Fuel=64 liters, ObjSize=Small, EMLevel=Faint, ECP.
Mora Mecatronics MarksmanVI Robotic Gunner TL15
RobotID: MoMec MarksmanVI Robotic Gunner, TL15, Cr37,000/30,000, UPP=FBx31x
Hull: 6/17, Size=100 liters, Config=Contour, Armour=1B, Weight=207 kg
Power: 1.5/2, FuelCell=1x60kW, Duration=22.7 days
Loco: 3/5, Legs=2, Road=55kph, OffRoad=22kph
Commo: Voder, Interfaces=Power, Brain, Program
Sensors: BasicSensorPkg (2 visual, 2 audio, 1 olfactory), TouchSensor
Off: None
Def: None
Brain: CPU=11 linear, Storage=11 standard,
FundLogic=LowData, FundCmd=LimitedBasic, Software=Gunnery-4
Append: LightArmx2, RotatingHead=10%
Other: Fuel=81 liters, ObjSize=Small, EMLevel=Faint, ECP.
MASTERMEK SERIES MEKBOT (NAASIRKA UUKUGINE ADGAR-SERIES MEKBOT)
In the late 1080's, Naasirka analysts noticed that their smaller competitor
Makhidkarun had a big market dominance in the big mekbot niche and the
administration decided, after long deliberation, that the technology in this
field was mature enough for Naasirka to step in.
In 1109 they unveiled the Uukugine Adgar (rough translation "Don't worry")
series robot -- The robot that would take care of all that nasty business that
takes place in the aft end of the ship and not bother the owner at all until
it was time to buy spare parts.
The development had been on shedule all the time, the prototypes had passed
the trial periods with flying colors and the marketing department were
predicting a commercial success. Then something happened.
To get the robot to take proper care of the drives and installations in a
ship, the Naasirka developers had equipped it with a strong, one could almost
call it feelings, for properly working drives and equippment. When the robots
came out in real live they were often put in situations where they got to do
preventive maintainance and general repair of all of the equippment belonging
to a ship.
They had to repair small crafts and vehicles that had minor, and not so
minor accidents, often involving weapons. They had to push the drives to the
limit to evade hostile ships in the frontier war. Sometimes they got the same
crafts and vehicles back again with similar damage after a few days. Sometimes
they was forced to push the drives too hard and that damaged the drives.
Some robots that was harassed in this way cracked after a few years. They
begun to suffer from minor quirks. Some of them begun to neglect their work.
Some of them became obsessed with total cleanliness in all areas of the ship.
Some started to refuse to repair things that had been broken. Very few of them,
but one had been enough, used force to show the crew the proper way of
treating their equippment...
Very soon, the media caught on "Killer Robots with Lasers!" as the Imperial
Enquierer with its usual sense for the appropriate called it in a headline
dated 054-1114. Sales deflated overnight. Nobody wanted a monster in their
engine room.
Naasirka managed to locate the problem and correct it very fast but the
market strategy was in shambles. They took their only rout available to them
which was to rename the series and transfer it to a daugher company. All old
Uukugine Adgars were exchanged for new, corrected, MasterMeks. The new
advertising strategy didn't call it the solution to all the engineering needs,
but rather a very handy addition. This strategy worked but all the glitches in
the robot model was still not ironed out.
The corrections decreased the rate with which the robots broke and decrease
the severity if they did, but it didn't stop it completely. It was still
possible for extremely careless operators to make it crack. One big incident
occured in mid 1116 when an MasterMek hijacked a Al-Morai liner and changed
it's destination from Maitz to Mora. All major media reported on the "Naasirka
Robotic Hijacker" and the local management for the Domain of Deneb took the
decition to order the daughter company to discontinue the MasterMek due to the
bad publicity that landed on Naasirka. All other local officed followed this
decition.
When the big Naasirka withdrawal from the territories far from the Ziru
Sirkaa during late 1118 was finished many daughter companies had simply been
sold off and the production rights had passed on to the new owners. Some of
those begun production anew after renaming the robot once again.
Referee: Whenever a Uukugine Adgar/MasterMek has to repair the same piece
of equippment twice in a week (twice in a day if it is minor equippment) or an
order to push the drives over the limit (as per StarshipOpMan) leads to damage
to the ship. Roll this task:
To keep the robot sane:
Routine, RobotOps, Liaison, (fateful)
Referee: If it is a bloc two model (after the errors was partially
corrected) make this task Simple. Superficial mishaps are minor quirks. Minor
mishap: The robot begins to take a view on how the equippment and ships is
treated. Major mishap: The robot refuses to repair things, refused to perform
actions that could possible damage the ships or equippment or becomes careless.
Destroyed mishap: The robot becomes violent.
Marvin is presently at the Major mishap stage. He's got a number of quirks:
he sings old strange songs while he work, he is very vocal and argumentative
during discussions and he has to be coaxed to push the drives hard or sabotage
enemy ships "Well, if you *don't* do this Marvin, [the current enemy] will
catch us and then you won't have any drives to take care of at all!"
Besides, a borderline robot with a laserwelder in the engineroom can be
useful when someone tries to board. "What?! Disable *my* drives?! Oh no you
don't! <zap!>" :)
Some notes about obscure devises:
The two visual sensors are attached to a cut-down pair of PRIS glasses with
the gyroscope taken out and the magnifying features replaced by short range
magnification for working with small components.
The reason for the extra sensitivity olfactory sensor is simple: Hot plastic
and metal smell and if the robot can detect that it has a great chance of
locating the errors before they appear fully.
The densitometer is mounted on one of the medium arms to be outside of the
range of influence of the gravunits. It is, however, unusable while the ship
uses gravitation technology of any kind.
The ZGCombat-1 enable the robot to work in zero gee conditions, using it's
gravunits at half strength.
The master unit is intended to enable the robot to control up to five ,
MasterMek T robots that are identical, but lacks the brain. Production of the
T model ceased in early 1114 however, and it has not been restarted anywhere
as of 1121. The T models costed about 20% of equivalent XT model and they had
far longer duration.
[Various] MasterMek XT-1 Mekbot TL13
RobotID: MasterMek XT-1 Mekbot, TL13, Cr593,000/475,000, UPP=XFx74x (X=62)
Hull: 13/33, Size=200 liters, Config=Sphere, Armour=18F, Weight=570 kg
Power: 4/5, FuelCell=2x60kW, Duration=2.2 days
Loco: 1/2, HVGrav=800kg, Cruise=360kph, Top=480kph, MaxAccel=0.40G
Commo: Voder, Radio=Distant, Interfaces=Power, Brain, Program, Master Unit
Sensors: VisualSensorx2+PRIS Equivalent, AudioSensorx2+ExtraSensitivity,
Olfactoryx1+ExtraSensitivity, TouchSensor+ExtraSensitivity,
MagneticSenso, RadiationSensor, Densitometer=Surface, NeutrinoSensor,
Spotlightx1
Off: LaserWelder
Def: None
Brain: CPU=28 linear, 12 parallel, 3 synaptic Storage=46 standard,
FundLogic=HighAuto, FundCmd=FullCmd, Software=Engineering-3,
Electronics-2, Mecanical-2, Gravitics-1, ZGCombat-1, GravVehicle-1,
LaserWelder-1, EmotionSimulation.
Append: MediumArmsx2, LightTentaclex4, MecanicalToolPkg, ElectronicToolPkg,
MetalworkToolPkg
Other: Fuel=26 liters, ObjSize=Small, EMLevel=Faint, ECP
[Various] MasterMek XT-2 Mekbot TL14
RobotID: MasterMek XT-2 Mekbot, TL14, Cr597,000/478,000, UPP=XFx84x (X=62)
Hull: 13/33, Size=200 liters, Config=Sphere, Armour=18G, Weight=554 kg
Power: 4/5, FuelCell=2x60kW, Duration=2.1 days
Loco: 1/2, HVGrav=800kg, Cruise=360kph, Top=480kph, MaxAccel=0.44G
Commo: Voder, Radio=Distant, Interfaces=Power, Brain, Program, Master Unit
Sensors: VisualSensorx2+PRIS Equivalent, AudioSensorx2+ExtraSensitivity,
Olfactoryx1+ExtraSensitivity, TouchSensor+ExtraSensitivity,
MagneticSenso, RadiationSensor, Densitometer=Surface, NeutrinoSensor,
Spotlightx1
Off: LaserWelder
Def: None
Brain: CPU=28 linear, 12 parallel, 3 synaptic Storage=46 standard,
FundLogic=HighAuto, FundCmd=FullCmd, Software=Engineering-4,
Electronics-2, Mecanical-2, Gravitics-1, ZGCombat-1, GravVehicle-1,
LaserWelder-1, EmotionSimulation.
Append: MediumArmsx2, LightTentaclex4, MecanicalToolPkg, ElectronicToolPkg,
MetalworkToolPkg
Other: Fuel=25 liters, ObjSize=Small, EMLevel=Faint, ECP
[Various] MasterMek XT-3 Mekbot TL15
RobotID: MasterMek XT-3 Mekbot, TL15, Cr597,000/477,000, UPP=XFx95x (X=62)
Hull: 13/33, Size=200 liters, Config=Sphere, Armour=18G, Weight=441 kg
Power: 1.5/2, FuelCell=1x120kW, Duration=12.2 days
Loco: 1/2, HVGrav=800kg, Cruise=720kph, Top=960kph, MaxAccel=0.8G
Commo: Voder, Radio=Distant, Interfaces=Power, Brain, Program, Master Unit
Sensors: VisualSensorx2+PRIS Equivalent, AudioSensorx2+ExtraSensitivity,
Olfactoryx1+ExtraSensitivity, TouchSensor+ExtraSensitivity,
MagneticSenso, RadiationSensor, Densitometer=Surface, NeutrinoSensor,
Spotlightx1
Off: LaserWelder
Def: None
Brain: CPU=28 linear, 12 parallel, 3 synaptic Storage=50 standard,
FundLogic=HighAuto, FundCmd=FullCmd, Software=Engineering-4,
Electronics-3, Mecanical-3, Gravitics-1, ZGCombat-1, GravVehicle-1,
LaserWelder-1, EmotionSimulation.
Append: MediumArmsx2, LightTentaclex4, MecanicalToolPkg, ElectronicToolPkg,
MetalworkToolPkg
Other: Fuel=73 liters, ObjSize=Small, EMLevel=Faint, ECP
There are some robots left in the files, among others a Vargr translator bot
that the players named "the flying junkpile", the silliest warbot in charted
space and a pseudibio lisaison/linguistics robot with attatched prom-burner for
language-chips.
- - -bertil-
Obligatory Robot Joke of Dubious Quality:
Q: What do you call a pseudobiologocal robot with Legal-4?
A: Grace van Owen.