====== Combat Robots ======

      * Warbots and Combat Androids
      * Robot Weapons


Combat robots may not be as flexible or versatile as
human soldiers, and sophisticated machines may be individually more expensive. But they obey orders, they can
survive where people can’t, and they have no mothers to
weep for them.

====Warbots and Combat Androids====
A warbot is a fighting machine designed to replace soldiers and supplement combat vehicles.
A combat android is a humanoid machine that can use
the same equipment and facilities as ordinary soldiers.
Some are also disguised as living beings.

===Combat Android (TL9-12): 371 points===
This is a humanoid combat machine, strong and heavily
armored. Depending on the choice of traits, it could be
designed as an assassin, bodyguard, police officer, or soldier.

Attributes: ST+10 [100]; DX+3 [60]; HT+2 [20].

Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: None.

Advantages: Absolute Direction [5]; Detect (Radio, Lasers,
and Radar; Signal Detection, +0%) [20]; Discriminatory
Hearing [15]; Doesn’t Breathe [20]; Hyperspectral
Vision [25]; Machine [25]; Sealed [15]; Silence 1 [5];
Temperature Tolerance 20 (-85°F to 210°F) [20];
Ultrahearing [5]; Vacuum Support [5]. 60 points
chosen from among Ambidexterity [5],
Appearance [var.], Combat Reflexes [15],
Enhanced Time Sense [45], High Pain
Threshold [10].

Perk: Accessory (Microframe computer) [1].

Disadvantages: Electrical [-20]; Restricted
Diet (Very Common, power cells) [-10].

==Lenses==
Select one of these TL lenses. Then choose
a machine intelligence lens (p. 27) and biomorphic lens (p. 28), and consider the optional lenses
detailed below.

TL9 Model (+145 points): Add DR 30 [150]; Maintenance
(one person, weekly) [-5]. $300,000, 150-300 lbs., 2D/8
hr. LC2.

TL10 Model (+231 points): Add DR 45 [225], Maintenance
(one person, bi-weekly) [-3], Reduced Consumption 2
[4], and Telescopic Vision 1 [5]. $200,000, 100-300 lbs.,
2D/24 hr. LC2.

TL11 Model (+329 points): Add DR 60 [300], Maintenance
(one person, monthly) [-2], Reduced Consumption 3 [6],
and Telescopic Vision 5 [25]. $150,000, 70-300 lbs., 4D/1
week. LC2.

TL12 Model (+483 points): Add DR 90 [450], Reduced
Consumption 4 [8], and Telescopic Vision 5 [25].
$50,000, 50-300 lbs., 4D/1 month. LC2.

==Optional Lenses==
Combat Exoskeleton (-20 points): The robot resembles a
metallic skeleton. Add Numb [-20].

Infiltrator (+40 points): The robot is covered with living
flesh and appears human. It is optimized for black ops,
undercover, or bodyguard missions. Add DR 30 (outer
layer) (Ablative, -80%) [30] and Mimicry [10]. Add +20%
to model price.

Chameleon (+21 points): Add Chameleon 3 (Extended,
Infravision, and Ultravision, +40%) [21].

Nuclear-Powered (+20 points): Add Doesn’t Eat or Drink
[10]; remove Restricted Diet (Very common, power cells)
[-10].

Weapon Mount (+2 points): Add Extra Arm 1 (Weapon
Mount, -80%) [2].

===Warbot (TL9-12): 290 points===

The warbot is a nonhumanoid fighting machine the size
of a subcompact car. It weighs half a ton (without weapons)
and is available in submarine, walking tank, and aircraft
versions. All models have a pair of manipulator arms.
Attribute Modifiers: ST+15 (Size, -30%) [105]; DX+2 [40].
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: SM+3; HP+15 (Size,
-30%) [21]; Per+5 [25].

Advantages: Extra Arms 3 (Weapon Mount, -80%) [6];
Hyperspectral Vision [25]; Lifting ST +15 (Size,
-30%) [32] Machine [25]; Payload 5 [5];
Protected Senses (Hearing, Vision) [10];
Radiation Tolerance 5 [10]; Sealed
[15].

Perk: Accessory (Microframe
computer) [1].

Disadvantages: Electrical [-20];
Restricted Diet (Very Common,
E cell) [-10].

Availability: $200,000, 1,000 lbs.
plus the cost of its brain. LC2.
==Lenses==
Select one of these TL lenses, plus
a configuration lens. Then choose a
machine intelligence lens (pp. 27-28) and
consider the optional lenses detailed below.

TL9 Model (+115 points): Add DR 50 (Cannot wear armor,
-40%) [150], Maintenance (3 persons, weekly) [-15], and
Numb [-20].

TL10 Model (+229 points): Add DR 75 (Cannot wear armor,
-40%) [225], Maintenance (one person, weekly) [-5],
Reduced Consumption 2 [4], and Telescopic Vision 1
[5].

TL11 Model (+329 points): Add DR 100 (Cannot wear
armor, -40%) [300], Maintenance (one person, monthly)
[-2], Reduced Consumption 3 [6], and Telescopic Vision
5 [25].

TL12 Model (+483 points): Add DR 150 (Cannot wear
armor, -40%) [450] and Reduced Consumption 4 [8].

==Configuration Lenses==
Select one of these lenses.

Submarine (+62 points): Basic Move becomes Water Move;
ground Move is 0. Add Absolute Direction [5], Aquatic
[0], Enhanced Move (Water) 1 [20], Pressure Support 1
[5], and Sonar (Increased Range 10x, +30%; LPI, +10%;
Targeting, +20%) [32].

Walking Tank (+87 points): An insectoid ground combat
machine. Add Absolute Direction [5], Enhanced Move 1
(Ground) [20], Extra Legs (4 legs) [5], Radar (Increased
Range 10x, +30%; LPI, +10%; Multi-Mode, +50%;
Targeting, +20%) [42], Super Jump 1 [10], and Vacuum
Support [5].

Vertol (+142 points): This robot can fly and hover using ducted fans. Basic Move becomes Air Move; ground Move is
0. Add 3D Spatial Sense [10], Aerial [0], Enhanced Move
(Air) 3 [60], Flight (Small wings, -10%) [36], Noisy 3 [-6],
and Radar (Increased Range 10¥, +30%; LPI, +10%;
Multi-Mode, +50%; Targeting, +20%) [42].

Vertol (Contragrav) (+140 points): The machine
uses contragravity generators for lift and
thrust; this is TL10^. Its Basic Move
becomes Air Move; ground Move is 0. Add
Aerial 0], [Enhanced Move (Air) 3 [60],
Flight (Planetary, -5%) [38], and Radar
(Increased Range 10¥, +30%; LPI, +10%;
Multi-Mode, +50%; Targeting, +20%) [42].

====Robot Weapons====
Robotic missiles are designed to destroy the
target in a suicidal attacks. Robot mines are
simple automated weapons that wait for
targets to appear – sometimes for years or
millennia – before making their attack.

===Genius Missiles (TL9-11)===
The most advanced ultra-tech homing missiles are
small, autonomous combat robots. They seek out and
destroy their targets using programmed tactics such as loitering and stealthy low-altitude approaches. As far as the
game rules are concerned, they’re trained animals.
Although not very bright by AI standards, they’re sometimes classed as “genius missiles” (to distinguish them from
TL8 smart and brilliant missiles). Another, more accurate
term is “sentient missiles.”

Instructing a genius missile requires an Artillery
(Guided Missile) skill roll. Use the guidelines on p. B458 for
what the missile can do. Missiles are very good at recognizing sensory profiles of particular targets, and can receive
new target information and other updates through their
communications links.

Genius missiles are also useful as reconnaissance
machines – firing one over a hill and seeing what it sees! If
the user is worried about hacking, they can be told to “go
dark” and receive no other commands.

===Hunter Missile (TL9)===
An arm-sized missile powered by a turbojet engine. It
can fly at up to 1,000 mph, but can’t slow down below 1/4
its speed. A hunter missile’s Payload may be any 64mm
warhead. It can be fired from a 64mm missile launcher,
such as the IML or MLAWS (p. 145). It flies for one minute
and then will crash and self-destruct.

A hunter missile uses a low-probability intercept multimode radar (2,000-yard range) as its main sense. It can also
detect laser, radar and radio emissions and use that to find
targets. It can receive command updates via radio, and use
inertial guidance to fly to map coordinates.

The hunter missile’s maximum straight-line range is 16
miles.

ST 3; DX 14; IQ 5; HT 12.

HP 6; Will 5; Per 12; Speed 6; Dodge 9; Move 0 (Ground).

SM -4; 5 lbs.

Traits: Absolute Direction; Aerial; AI; Automaton;
Blindness; Deafness; Detect (Lasers, Radio, and Radar,
Signal Detection); Electrical; Enhanced Move 2 (Air
speed 480); Flight (Cannot Hover; Limited Use, Fast
Reload, 1 minute; Air Move 120); Injury Tolerance (No
Head, No Neck); Mute; No Manipulators; No Sense
of Taste/Smell; Noisy 4; Numb; Payload 3; Radar
(LPI, Multi-Mode); Radio (Burst, Secure).
Cost: $2,500 ($500 at TL10). LC2.

===Striker Missile (TL9-10)===
A larger, smarter, and faster version of the
hunter missile. It has a maximum speed of 2,000
mph and a maximum range of 32 miles. Its
radar has a 4,000-yard range, but it can turn that
off and use Hyperspectral Vision instead. A
striker missile’s Payload may be any 100mm
warhead. It can be fired from any 100mm missile launcher such as the Tactical Missile
Launcher (p. 145).

The TL10 version uses much cheaper nanoelectronics, but is otherwise similar.

ST 6; DX 14; IQ 6; HT 12.

HP 12; Will 5; Per 12; Speed 6; Dodge 9; Move 0
(Ground).

SM -2; 17 lbs.

Traits: Same as Hunter Missile except delete Blindness,
add Hyperspectral Vision, upgrade to Enhanced Move 3
(Air speed 480), and give Radar (Increased Range ¥2).

Skills: Aerobatics-10, Observation-11.

Cost: $17,000 ($3,400 at TL10). LC1.

===Floater Missile (TL10^)===
Similar to the Striker Missile, but its reactionless
thrusters and contragravity technology enhance maneuverability and range (320 miles).

ST 3; DX 14; IQ 6; HT 12.

HP 6; Will 6; Per 13; Speed 8; Dodge 11; Move 0
(Ground).

SM -4; 5 lbs.

Traits: Absolute Direction; Aerial; AI; Automaton;
Blindness; Deafness; Detect (Lasers, Radio, and Radar,
Signal Detection); Electrical; Enhanced Move 2 (Air
speed 480); Flight (Limited Use, Fast Reload, 10 minutes; Air Move 120); Injury Tolerance (No Head, No
Neck); Mute; No Manipulators; No Sense of
Taste/Smell; Noisy 4; Numb; Payload 3; Radar (LPI,
Multi-Mode); Radio (Burst, Secure).

Skills: Aerobatics-12, Observation-11.

Cost: $5,000 ($1,000 at TL11). LC1.

===Smart Shuriken (TL11^)===

A razor-sharp missile that uses contragrav to reach speeds
of 200 mph. It may be shaped like a knife, wedge, card, or disk.
At low speed it is dangerous and highly maneuverable, and can
hide and sneak up on foes, but its most lethal attack is to accelerate up to its full speed and ram. This uses the rules for sharp
collisions (see p. B430): it inflicts half-normal collision damage
but that damage is cutting.

A smart shuriken can be fired from a 25mm missile
launcher or simply thrown – often, after hitting or missing
all programmed targets, it returns to the thrower’s hand. It
can fly for 10 minutes; then it’s immobile until its C cell is
replaced.

ST 1; DX 14; IQ 5; HT 12.

HP 1; Will 5; Per 10; Speed 6; Dodge 9; Move 0 (Ground).

SM -10; 0.1 lb.

Traits: Aerial; AI; Automaton; Blindness; Electrical;
Enhanced Move 3 (Air speed 96); Flight (Limited Use,
Fast Reload, 10 minutes; Air Move 12); Injury Tolerance
(No Head, No Neck); Machine; Mute; No Manipulators;
No Sense of Taste/Smell; Noisy 4; Numb; Radar (LPI,
Imaging).

Skills: Brawling-12; Stealth-10.

Cost: $500. LC2.

===Devourer Swarm (TL10)===
These swarmbots have small diamond jaws; a swarm can
chew through almost any barrier or armor, given time. They
inflict 1d(2) corrosion damage per second to anyone caught
within the swarm. This is considered an area-effect attack,
and only sealed DR will protect against it. High-density
swarms are most effective! $8,000 per square yard. LC1.
===Gremlin Swarm (TL10)===
The swarm is equipped with tiny drills and cutters. It is
programmed to crawl inside electronic or mechanical
devices, then jam up the works by slicing through wires,
eating circuits, and so on. Only sealed machinery or electronics, or devices lacking small moving parts, will be safe.
The sabotage is not immediately obvious.

Each square yard of swarm does one point of damage
per turn to unsealed machinery, ignoring armor DR. The
machinery acquires a malfunction number (p. B407) of 17,
with an extra -1 each time it loses 10% of its HP. Check
nonweapon devices for malfunction when they are turned
on and each minute they are in use
Damage caused by gremlins doesn’t physically destroy
an object, but is treated like other damage for repair purposes. $2,000 per square yard. LC2.

===Sentry (TL10)===
These microbots are equipped with weapons optimized
for combating other microbots. Each hex inflicts 2d damage per turn on other microbot swarms. $5,000 per square
yard. LC3.

===Stinger Swarm (TL10)===
These tiny robots have stinging needles with soporific
venom. The swarm does one point of Fatigue damage per
turn to living beings (only) in contact with it unless they
have Sealed protection. $1,500 per square yard. LC2.

===Terminator Swarm (TL10)===
These microbots have tiny jaws or poison needles. The
swarm does one point of toxic damage per turn to living
beings (only) in contact with it, unless they have Sealed
protection. $1,500/square yard. LC1.

===Disassembler Swarm (TL11)===
This cloud of nanomachines is programmed to break
down matter; the nanobots stick to anything in the area of
effect and begin to eat, reducing the target to powder or
goo. A disassembler swarm inflicts 1d-2(10) corrosion damage per second to anyone caught within the swarm. This is
considered an area-effect attack, and only sealed DR will
protect against it.
Used as a digging tool, disassemblers can turn packed
earth or stone into fine powder, digging two inches within
the radius of the cloud every second.

Specialized disassembler nano can be manufactured not
to eat certain chemical compounds, or to only eat certain
compounds, or to last for shorter or longer times than the
standard 30 seconds. It’s possible to design disassemblers
that won’t touch organic materials, that will only eat organics (“kill the people but leave the buildings standing”), or that
will eat anything except a certain complex polymer or alloy
being used to line the container in which they are stored.

Disassembler costs $10,000 per square yard for standard
types, possibly more for custom models. It is not available
as a microbot swarm. LC1 (for most types).

===Cannibal Swarm (TL12)===
This swarm is programmed to cannibalize other objects
to build a single, specific gadget. It must first find an object
that contains raw materials suitable for the task. Creating
mechanical devices such as guns and engines requires
objects made of metal. Plastics can be broken down to
make gas and propellants. Creating electronic devices
requires cannibalizing other electronic systems; any such
device in the area takes damage as per a disassembler
swarm (above). Whatever is cannibalized is destroyed – or,
more accurately, transformed.

Each cannibal swarm is specific to one gadget or weapon.
However, a swarm may build several closely related gadgets
that are put together into one object. For example, a swarm
may build a gun with a laser sight, a helmet with built-in
infrared goggles, or a robot. The maximum weight of the
gadget is 10 pounds per square yard of the swarm.

Assembly takes one minute per pound of gadget weight,
divided by the size of the swarm in square yards. The
process produces residual heat, so it is best to employ it on
a nonflammable surface (such as a concrete floor) and turn
off the smoke detectors. A cannibal swarm’s cost is 15 times
that of the intended gadget or $15,000 per square yard,
whichever is greater. Cannibal swarms are LC1 or the LC of
whatever they build, whichever is lower.