TEXT: Inheritors of Man
  Traveller
  Book 9: Robot
  
  Robot ©2010 Mongoose Publishing. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this work by any means without the written permission of the publisher is expressly 
  forbidden. All significant characters, names, places,items, art and text herein are copyrighted by Mongoose Publishing.
  This game product contains no Open Game Content. No portion of this work may be reproduced in any form without written permission. To learn more about 
  the Open Game License, please go to www.mongoosepublishing.com.
   
  This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United Kingdom and of the United States. This product is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual 
  people organisations, places or events is purely coincidental.
  Traveller is a trademark of Far Future Enterprises and is used under licence. Printed in the USA.
  Credits
  Classic Traveller
  Marc Miller
  Loren Wiseman, John Harshman, Frank Chadwick, Darryl 
  Hany, Winston Hamilton, Tony Svajlenka, Scott Renner, 
  Doug Poe, David MacDonald, Wayne Roth, Paul R. Banner.
  Mongoose Traveller 
  Author
  Uri Kurlianchik
  AdditionAl text
  Nick Robinson
  editor
  Charlotte Law
  lAyout
  Will Chapman
  interior illustrAtions
  Nuno Nobre
  ProofreAding
  Ted Chang
  Contents
  Traveller 
  1
  Introduction 
  2
  Robot Generation 
  3
  You, Robot 
  25
  Character Generation 
  44
  The Science of Robotics 
  58
  MicroBots 
  72
  Robots and the Universe 
  75
  Patrons 
  95
  Index 
  102
  traveller
  robot
  
  2
  introduCtion
  Rachael: It seems you feel our work is not a benefit to the public.
  Deckard: Replicants are like any other machine - they’re either 
  a benefit or a hazard. If they’re a benefit, it’s not my problem.
  — Blade Runner
  What is a robot? 
  Strictly speaking, a robot is a machine that can perform tasks on 
  its own. Robots range from automated arms that weld plates to 
  spaceships, to androids practically indistinguishable from real 
  people and in many ways superior to them. A robot can be a tool, a 
  weapon, an enemy, a friend and sometimes even a lover. It can be 
  the product of mass production, the unique creation of a lifetime of 
  labour or even a self-begotten being, struggling for equal rights in a 
  universe that sees it as a machine and not as a living creature.
  The semblance of life is as varied as life itself. 
  Traveller: Robots is a guide for players and Referees interested in 
  creating, outfitting and playing robot characters. Because robots 
  are extremely diverse, it focuses on the system by which they 
  can be created instead of just providing a number of new ‘races’ 
  for players and Referees to choose from. That said, sometimes 
  robots do take the role of races – entire planets populated by 
  intelligent machines can have their own ‘zoology’ and culture 
  while mass-produced robots who won their independence can 
  live in ghettos and have a unique society and lifestyle. These 
  issues are addressed by examining a number of such robot-
  dominated environments.
  Readers not interested in playing robots will still find this book 
  useful for their game. Robots, being soulless, faceless machines 
  can make great adversaries in any sci-fi adventure. Players 
  can take on the roles of agents penetrating deep into the heart 
  of robot factories and uncovering nefarious schemes against 
  entire civilisations. Perhaps ancient mechanical armies bent 
  on the destruction of all living things have risen on a faraway 
  world and the players must locate and take out the master 
  computer before all is lost. Robots can also star in ultramodern 
  retellings of the old golem or Frankenstein narratives, with steel 
  and polymer replacing clay and flesh but the passion and the 
  rebellion remain the same.
  Lastly, robots, for all their vast potential, are still tools created 
  to serve humanity. Both Player Characters and Non-Player 
  Characters may be interested in purchasing and using robots; 
  who would not want to have a lovable robotic pet sniffing around 
  and spying on their enemies in the lonely wilderness of space? 
  What ship will not benefit from a loyal android servant taking 
  care of the passengers or a fast-talking, smart-alecky robotic 
  gun wielded by the grim mercenary, serving both as a steadfast 
  ally and as comic relief?
  Traveller: Robots has something to offer to any Traveller or 
  general sci-fi fan.
  How to Use This Guide
  This book is divided into five chapters, each designed to cover a 
  different aspect of robotics in Traveller. Remember, these chapters 
  are aimed at inspiriting the players and the Referee and to serve as 
  jumpstarts for more exciting adventures, not to restrict the players 
  and Referee’s options – this is a guidebook, not a rulebook. 
  Robot Generation describes the system used to construct, 
  outfit and modify robots in Traveller.
  You, Robot contains roleplaying tips, new careers and methods 
  of adjusting existing careers for robot characters.
  The Science of Robotics presents advanced rules for robotic 
  campaigns. It also describes various hazards and abilities 
  unique for robots.
  Microbots presents Referees with a frightening new class of 
  machines – the microbot swarm.
  Robots and the Universe explores the roles of robots in 
  human societies and the roles of humans in robot societies. 
  It contains adventure ideas and campaign concepts to inspire 
  your game and new worlds, cultures, patrons and robots ready 
  for immediate use in any Traveller campaign. 
  If only it was that easy...
  The Three Laws of Robotics
  1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through 
  inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
  2. A robot must obey any orders given to it by human beings, 
  except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
  3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such 
  protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
  Formulated by Isaac Asimov
  
  3
  robot Generation
  ‘Whether you’re made of old parts, new parts or spare parts, 
  you can shine no matter what you’re made of.’
  — Bigweld, Robots
  Robots are constructed from two basic component types – 
  hardware and software. Hardware is installed on a framework 
  (frame for short). Framework is often referred to as ‘a chassis’ 
  by experts and ‘a body’ by romantics. Hardware defines the 
  robot’s physical characteristics, armour, speed and physical 
  abilities such as radiation resistance or microwave emission. 
  The robot is controlled by a computer, sometimes referred to as 
  ‘the brain.’ The software installed on the brain defines the robot’s 
  mental characteristics, personality, traits and intellectual abilities 
  such as virus resistance or advanced voice recognition.
  A player may choose his robot character to have a career as 
  well but this is not necessary. A robot just off the assembly line, 
  provided it was installed with the right software, is as ready to 
  face the world as the most seasoned adventurer.
  Follow these steps while assembling your robot:
  Determine starting credits
  Buy hardware
  Frame
  Manipulators
  Transportation
  Communication
  Input 
  Output
  Computer
  CPU
  Memory
  Optional: Armour, gadgets and weapons
  Buy Software
  Ego
  Skills
  Optional: Applications
  Starting Credits
  The amount of credits a player can spend on his robot depends on 
  how challenging the Referee is planning to make the campaign. 
  Use the following table in order to create robots roughly equal 
  to biological Player Characters in the group. Credits that are not 
  used in the generation process are lost.
  Career Equivalent
  Starting Credits (Cr)
  One Term
  20,000
  Two Terms
  30,000
  Three Terms
  50,000
  Four Terms
  90,000
  Per term thereafter
  +50,000
  If your robot is going to have a career, reduce the amount of terms 
  that you want it to have from the career row. For example, a four 
  term equivalent robot that is going to go through two career terms 
  has the starting credits of a two term equivalent robot (30,000). 
  You may not use any credits you have received from your career 
  to buy hardware or software for your robot.
  Hardware
  The robot’s mechanical ‘body’ is constructed from different kinds 
  of hardware. Whilst the only essential parts are the frame and 
  the computer, a robot without at least one device of each type is 
  severely limited – it can lack the ability to communicate with the 
  external world, be immobile or utterly defenceless. Playing an 
  incomplete robot can be a great roleplaying challenge but for most 
  players it will be nothing more than a handicap and a nuisance.
  Frame
  The frame is the body of the robot. It is the basic skeleton on 
  which all hardware is installed. A frame is usually more low-tech 
  than the other parts of the robot because its only requirements 
  are to provide space for the installation of hardware and to 
  protect vulnerable electronic components. All frames are TL 8, 
  with the exception of the liquid metal (TL 14) and the biological 
  frame (TL 12).
  The spaces in which hardware may be installed are called slots. 
  This refers to both internal and external space.
  The frame comes with a built in power plant that energises all 
  of the robot’s parts.
  The frames section uses standardised sizes.
  Frame Sizes
  Size Code
  Comparable Object
  1
  Mouse
  2
  Cat
  3
  Human
  4
  Cow
  5
  Elephant
  
  robot Generation
  4
  It is recommended that robots generated for players use Size 3 
  frames. Smaller robots are too fragile to last while larger robots 
  will find it practically impossible to operate in structures or 
  vehicles designed to accommodate man-sized creatures.
  These are only suggestions. If a player is willing to face the 
  challenges of playing a buzzing robotic spy-fly any enemy 
  can smash with an absent-minded swap or giant mecha 
  that can squash the entire group with a single misstep, it 
  is entirely possible.
  The characteristics are defined by the frame are Hull 
  and Structure.
  Hull versus Endurance
  Robots do not have an Endurance Characteristic. When 
  an Endurance check is called for, instead perform a 
  Hull check. This uses different modifiers from regular 
  Characteristics:
  Hull Modifiers
  Hull
  Modifier
  1
  –1
  2
  0
  3
  +1
  4-6
  +2
  7+
  +3
  Basic Frame
  Size
  Slots
  Armour
  Hull
  Structure
  Mass (Kg)
  Cost (Cr)
  1
  2
  —
  1
  1
  1
  1,000
  2
  6
  1
  2
  1
  15
  3,000
  3
  10
  3
  3
  2
  120
  5,000
  4 
  16
  6
  4
  4
  600
  10,000
  5
  32
  10
  7
  5
  3,000
  50,000
  The basic frame comes in two varieties – the tall frame and the long frame.
  The tall frame: This frame is most often used to create humanoid 
  or tower robots. The former may be equipped with artificial skin 
  to create strikingly lifelike androids. It is most commonly used for 
  universal household robots or human substitutes for dangerous 
  or unpleasant tasks, such as prostitution or assassination.
  Tower robots are massive machines equipped with powerful 
  armour that comes at the expense of manoeuvrability and 
  speed. They are most often used in war.
  Slang terms for tall frames include: biped, walker, tower and 
  iron man.
  A tall frame has the following qualities:
  Anthropomorphic: With the proper hardware, a Size 2–5 robot 
  can pass as a biped sophont. Because its basic form is the 
  same as most player races, this form has no other advantages 
  or drawbacks but is used as the standard against which all other 
  frames are compared.
  The long frame: This frame provides firmer grasp of the 
  ground, excellent mobility and a small silhouette. For this 
  reason it can be used to make excellent scouting robots 
  or miniature assassins that can crawl through the tiniest 
  holes to find their target. Larger long frames can carry many 
  passengers and serve as intelligent vehicles or even minor 
  spaceships for limited voyages.
  Long frames require at least four legs or wheels and double 
  length of tracks, no matter how little they weigh. Other kinds of 
  transportation have the same requirements as other frames.
  Basic Frame
  
  robot Generation
  5
  
  robot Generation
  6
  Slang terms for long frames include: beast, mammoth, ass.
  Long robots have the following qualities:
  Reduced Reach: The long robot has half the reach that a tall 
  robot of the same height would have. This may reduce its melee 
  range, enabling taller enemies to attack it without retaliation and 
  keep it from reaching higher places.
  Increased Stability: A long robot has an excellent grasp of the 
  ground, which makes it very difficult to trip and gives it significant 
  advantages in grappling. A long robot enjoys a +2 DM to its 
  opposed grappling check, cannot be knocked prone and suffers 
  only half damage from being thrown.
  Additionally, all movement penalties to ranged attacks 
  are halved.
  Small Silhouette: All ranged attacks targeting a long robot 
  suffer a –1 DM. At Close range, the penalty is reduced to 0. 
  Additionally, a long robot treats all cover as one row lower on 
  the cover table (see page 63 in the Traveller Core Rulebook). 
  Long robots gain no benefits from crouching. The benefits 
  of the prone stance are not cumulative with the benefits of 
  Small Silhouette.
  Zoomorphic: With the proper hardware, a long robot can pass 
  as an animal. 
  Unit
  Size
  Slots
  Armour Hull
  Structure
  Mass 
  (Kg)
  Cost 
  (Cr)
  1
  2
  —
  +1
  +1
  1
  100
  2
  4
  —
  +1
  +1
  7
  500
  3
  6
  —
  +1
  +1
  60
  1,000
  4 
  10
  +1
  +1
  +1
  300
  2,000
  5
  16
  +1
  +1
  +1
  1,000
  5,000
  Unit
  The unit is usually used to make space for more hardware on 
  other frames but particularly talented engineers can create 
  strangely shaped robots from units alone. These will most likely 
  have the qualities of either the long or tall frames, although a 
  combination of the two is possible.
  Slang terms for units include: plates, add-ons and bones.
  A common use for units is to create a ‘head’ for the robot. 
  There is no structural reason for this but many sophonts find 
  it disturbing to communicate with a roughly humanoid creature 
  without a head. In order to create an illusion of a head, one 
  should use a unit two sizes smaller than the main frame.
  Tube Frame
  The tube frame is a flexible or segmented body much longer than 
  it is wide. It is less sturdy than the basic frame but more agile 
  and capable of movement without any additional transportation 
  systems. Although the tube robot’s extremely low form makes 
  it an inferior combatant, its superb stealth abilities make it an 
  excellent robotic scout or assassin.
  Slang terms for tube frames include: centipede, snake and worm.
  Tube robots have the following qualities:
  Reduced Reach: The tube robot has half the reach that a tall 
  robot of the same height would have. This may reduce its melee 
  range, enabling taller enemies to attack it without retaliation and 
  keep it from reaching higher places.
  Crawler: The tube robot can crawl and jump without the aid of any 
  outside transportation hardware. While crawling, a tube robot is not 
  affected by difficult terrain and most other terrestrial obstructions. 
  All movement penalties to ranged attacks are halved.
  Tube Frame
  Size
  Slots
  Armour
  Hull
  Structure
  Speed (metres)
  Mass (Kg)
  Cost (Cr)
  1
  2
  —
  1
  1
  2
  1
  1,500
  2
  4
  1
  2
  2
  3
  10
  4,000
  3
  8
  4
  3
  3
  4
  80
  6,000
  4 
  12
  6
  4
  5
  5
  400
  12,000
  5
  24
  10
  7
  6
  4
  2,000
  55,000
  
  robot Generation
  7
  Narrow: The tube robot is much narrower than it is wide, which 
  makes it very difficult to hit or grasp. A tube robot enjoys a +6 
  DM to its opposed grappling check, cannot be knocked prone 
  and suffers only half damage from being thrown. 
  Due to its form being better suited to wrap around and 
  squeeze victims it enjoys a +2 DM to the melee check made 
  to start grappling and inflicts double damage when squeezing 
  the victim.
  A tube robot can move through passages like a machine two 
  size categories smaller.
  A tube robot is always considered to be in the prone position for 
  the purposes of determining attack DMs and cover efficiency.
  Zoomorphic: With the proper hardware, a tube robot can pass 
  as an elongate animal such as a snake, a caterpillar, some 
  kinds of fish, a centipede, a worm and so forth.
  Liquid Metal Frame
  Liquid Metal Frame
  Size
  Slots
  Armour
  Hull
  Mass (Kg)
  Cost (Cr)
  1
  2
  —
  2
  1
  30,000
  2
  4
  —
  4
  10
  40,000
  3
  8
  —
  6
  80
  60,000
  4 
  16
  1
  9
  400
  100,000
  5
  32
  1
  12
  2,000
  200,000
  The liquid metal frame is the most technologically advanced 
  frame in the universe. Even in TL13 societies it is viewed as 
  a technological miracle. Other societies cannot even dream of 
  producing anything like it.
  This masterpiece of chemistry and engineering is made from 
  molecule-sized nanobots that enable the robot to shapeshift 
  and fix all mechanical damage in a matter of seconds.
  Liquid robots make frighteningly efficient fighting units. Without 
  proper equipment they are practically impossible to destroy. 
  Liquid robots are usually banned for civilian use.
  Slang terms for liquid metal frames include: shapeshifters, 
  mercurials and mimes.
  Note to Referees: We do not recommend allowing players to 
  choose this frame in normal Traveller campaigns. Even without 
  any additional hardware it is still much more powerful than any 
  other robot or creature of equal size.
  Liquid metal robots have the following qualities:
  Mimetic: Liquid metal robots do not have set shapes. Instead 
  they assume whatever form is needed to accomplish their mission 
  at the moment. The new form must have the same mass as the 
  robot. The change is in external form, not in chemical composition 
  or internal operation. For example, a Size 3 robot can change into 
  a specific person, a leopard or a bed (although the latter will not be 
  very comfortable). It cannot change into a pigeon (too small), a car 
  (internal change) or a bucket of acid (chemical).
  Minor cosmetic changes, such as new features or different 
  clothing are minor actions. 
  Considerable changes, such as changing into a different species 
  or from an animal to a piece of furniture take a full round. 
  Major changes, such as changing into an entirely different 
  object or fully liquefying, may take up to a minute.
  Regardless of form, the robot’s armour and hull always remain 
  the same. Hardware installed on this frame must be made from 
  liquid metal also. This increases the price of every individual 
  hardware piece by 10,000 credits.
  Liquid metal robots cannot have the Strong, Light or 
  Reconfiguring frame enhancements. 
  Liquid: Liquid metal robots do not have a Structure Characteristic 
  because its hardware is not solid and therefore cannot be 
  damaged by mechanical attacks. A successful attack causes 
  first Hull damage and then Dexterity and Strength damage. 
  This damage is restored at the rate of two points per round, first 
  Dexterity and then Hull. A robot reduced to zero Dexterity is utterly 
  splattered but unless measures are taken to destroy it, it will soon 
  reform and continue fighting. Scattering the parts does not help 
  as any portion of the robot heavier than a gram can communicate 
  with other parts to a range of up to 1,500 metres and carry out 
  basic orders such as: ‘return,’ ‘burrow,’ ‘freeze’ and so forth.
  The only way to destroy a liquid robot is to break its molecular 
  structure. Damage done by energy attacks, extreme temperature 
  or acid capable of dissolving metal is 50% permanent.
  Hard radiation of at least 800 rads disrupts the communication 
  between the robot’s particles, making shape changing and 
  restoration impossible as long as it is in effect. An EMP disables 
  the robot for 1d6 minutes but does not destroy it.
  liquid MetAl oPtions:
  Absorptive (TL 15): This upgrade enables the robot to 
  disintegrate various materials in order to produce more 
  nanobots and increase its mass. The conversion ratio depends 
  on the material absorbed:
  
  robot Generation
  8
  Material
  Ratio
  Liquid Metal
  70%
  Compound Alloy
  20%
  Metal
  5%
  Minerals
  2%
  Organic
  1%
  The process takes about one day per kilogram of added mass. 
  This upgrade costs 100,000 Credits.
  Biological Frame
  A biological robot (cyborg) is a robot that fuses organic and 
  mechanic parts. The question of whether it is a machine 
  with living elements or an augmented living creature is hotly 
  contested. There are two principle types of cyborgs – the first is 
  a person with the majority of their body replaced with artificial 
  parts. The second is a creature whose brain was replaced with 
  a computer, essentially killing the original person and replacing 
  him with a programmed personality. The former does not count 
  as a robot and is not covered in this book.
  Because fresh bodies of sentient creatures are difficult to obtain 
  without committing a murder, cyborgs are sometimes made 
  from the bodies of animals. Another option is artificial growth of 
  mindless bodies in laboratory conditions. This is more socially 
  acceptable in most cultures though still often illegal and almost 
  always highly controversial, especially on religious worlds. 
  Cyborg is both the technical and slang term for this kind of a 
  robot. Cyborgs are not to be mistaken with androids, which are 
  fully mechanical beings only designed to appear biological.
  Cyborgs have the following qualities:
  Living body: The biological frame draws energy from nutrition, 
  which makes it extremely energy efficient. On the other hand, 
  being biological, it is susceptible to all the hazards that affect 
  living bodies – poison, disease, injury, hunger and so forth. 
  In addition for hardware and software, cyborgs may be enhanced 
  by any augments (see page 90 in Traveller Core Rulebook) 
  suitable for its species.
  Complete: Unlike other frames, which are nothing more than 
  bases on which further hardware can be installed, the biological 
  frame is already a fully-functional body. It has movement 
  abilities, manipulators, sensory abilities and sometimes even 
  natural weapons. The only mandatory hardware for a cyborg is 
  a computer. Anything else is optional.
  Biological Options:
  Enhanced Appearance: The previous price table assumes an 
  average member of its species. With additional investment, the 
  roboticist can acquire creatures of exceptional appearance:
  Appearance
  Social Standing
  Price Change
  Beautiful
  +4
  +50%
  Handsome
  +2
  +20%
  Average
  +0
  Default
  Unpleasant
  –2
  –10%
  Hideous
  –4
  –30%
  Weapon Frame
  Size*
  Slots
  Armour
  Hull
  Structure
  Mass 
  (Kg)
  Cost 
  (Cr)
  1
  1
  —
  1
  1
  1
  *
  2
  2
  1
  1
  1
  4
  *
  3
  4
  1
  2
  1
  12
  *
  4
  6
  2
  2
  2
  40
  *
  5
  10
  3
  3
  2
  100
  *
  * A weapon frame costs the same as the base weapon plus 
  5,000 Cr.
  This frame is very rarely used for intelligent robots and is not 
  encouraged for Player Characters unless they are ready for a 
  major roleplaying challenge.
  Biological Frame
  Size
  Slots
  Armour*
  Strength*
  Dexterity*
  Endurance*
  Mass (Kg)
  Cost** (Cr)
  1
  2
  —
  2
  1d6
  2
  1
  10,000
  2
  6
  —
  1d6
  2d6
  1d6
  10
  10,000
  3
  10
  —
  2d6
  4d6
  2d6
  80
  10,000
  4
  18
  1
  4d6
  2d6
  4d6
  400
  10,000
  5
  34
  2
  6d6
  1d6
  6d6
  3,000
  10,000
  * These are generic Characteristics for creatures of this size. If the player is interested in a specific animal/sophont use this 
  creature’s Characteristics instead.
  ** Use this cost only for initial robot creation. Actual prices for dead or artificial bodies vary greatly.
  
  robot Generation
  9
  The weapon frame is a weapon with slots for hardware and 
  software. These can be one-use weapons, such as missiles 
  capable of navigating space for years in search of a target to 
  destroy and, when finally finding it, executing a brilliant attack 
  manoeuvre to bypass its defences. They can also be personal 
  weapons that supply vital data and helpful advice to their 
  owners. The latter can be appropriate for playing, especially if 
  played in conjunction with a biological owner.
  Slang terms for weapon frames include: talking gun, smart 
  weapon and robokiller.
  Weapon frames have the following qualities:
  Dependent: A weapon is not designed to have any large external 
  add-on such as a transportation systems or manipulators. With 
  the exception of anti-grav, which does not limit the weapon’s 
  accuracy in any way, all other forms of external hardware 
  severely impair it. Tracks and wheels make aiming in a rapidly 
  changing combat situation practically impossible. Legs are more 
  practical but still impose a –2 DM on all Gun Combat checks.
  Weapon: All upgrade options available for weapons of this kind 
  of weapon can be used. The sole exception is the ‘Intelligent 
  Weapon’ option, which is not needed as the weapon robot is 
  already intelligent and has its own computer.
  Frame Options
  Aerodynamic: The frame is streamlined to make the robot a 
  more efficient flyer or swimmer. This increases air and water 
  speed by 10% and the price by 50%.
  Artistic: The frame is highly stylised and/ or decorated. This 
  increases the robot’s Social Standing (if applicable) by one and 
  the price by 10%.
  Divider: This enables the robot to divide into a number of smaller 
  autonomous robots. The robot can assemble and disassemble 
  as a Significant Action. Each unit must still have a computer 
  and various other hardware to perform its task. This option can 
  be used with all frames, except for biological and liquid metal. A 
  dividing robot can disassemble into two parts two sizes smaller, 
  three parts three sizes smaller and so forth. The divider option 
  increases the robot’s price by 20%.
  Floating: The robot is constructed in a way that enables it to 
  float in water and other liquids of similar or higher density. This 
  increases the frame price by 20%.
  Hardwearing: The frame is constructed to withstand wear and 
  the effects of the environment. This increases the price by 50%.
  Light: The frame is constructed from extra-light materials, 
  which make it significantly lighter. This decreases the frame’s 
  weight by 50% but increases its price by 20%.
  Reconfiguring: The frame is constructed from moving parts 
  equipped with individual computers. When a command is given 
  by the central computer, it reconfigures to another kind of frame, 
  gaining all the benefits and drawbacks of the new form. It can 
  reduce its size, by one, by increasing hardware density. A 
  reconfiguration takes one round per two sizes. For example, it 
  takes a Size 4 long robot two rounds to reconfigure into a Size 
  3 tube robot. 
  The following frames support reconfiguration: tall, long, tube, 
  weapon.
  This increases the price of the robot by 5,000 Credits per 
  alternative frame.
  Sealed: The robot’s frame is sealed, which prevents water or 
  gas from getting inside and short circuiting its hardware. This 
  increases the robot’s price by 10%.
  Strong: The frame is reinforced with special alloys and polymers, 
  which are significantly more resistant to physical damage than 
  the materials normally used in frame construction. Increase Hull 
  by two and price by 50%.
  Manipulators
  The manipulators are the hands of the robot. Although they 
  can be used as powerful melee weapons, their main purpose 
  is to lift, move and manipulate objects. With the proper 
  software installed, the manipulator is capable of performing 
  very fine and minute operations, often far beyond the scope 
  of the human body. 
  The manipulator sizes are only a recommendation. A robot of 
  any size can be equipped with manipulators of any size provided 
  it can carry their weight and energise them. However, overly 
  large manipulators are unwieldy – for every Size a manipulator 
  exceeds its frame Size, the robot loses two points of Dexterity. 
  For example, a Size 2 robot equipped with Size 4 hands would 
  have a basic Dexterity score of 4.
  The Characteristics defined by the manipulators are 
  Strength and Dexterity.
  
  robot Generation
  10
  Arms
  Robotic arms consist of a series of segments ending with 
  mechanical hands, which can grasp and move objects.
  Size
  Slots
  Str
  Dex
  Slam 
  damage
  Mass 
  (Kg)
  Cost 
  (Cr.)
  1
  1
  4
  6
  1d6
  —
  500
  2
  2
  8
  8
  1d6
  1
  1,000
  3
  4
  12
  10
  2d6
  2
  2,000
  4
  6
  16
  8
  2d6*
  15
  3,000
  5
  10
  24
  6
  3d6**
  60
  3,500
  * Close Range.
  ** Short Range.
  Tendrils
  A tendril is a long manipulator made from a tough but flexible 
  tube. The tube splits in the end to create a narrow hand with 
  long, sharp digits. Tendrils are slightly less effective at making 
  fine manipulations (–1 DM to all checks that require precise 
  motions of five centimetres or less).
  Due to its lightness and flexibility, the tendril manipulator is 
  capable of terrifying speeds, which make it a formidable weapon 
  for both lethal and non-lethal attacks.
  When used as a lethal weapon the tendril’s hand closes to 
  create a sharp tip, which easily slices through armour and flesh 
  with its rapid whip-like attacks.
  As a non-lethal weapon, the tendril is used to grapple with foes 
  at a distance. A robot attempting to capture an opponent makes 
  a normal Grapple check with +2 DM (not stackable with any 
  bonuses gained from the robot’s frame or position). Success 
  enables the robot to take all actions usually available during 
  grappling. Three consecutive successes result in the target firmly 
  wrapped by the tendril. Wrapped targets cannot take any Combat 
  Actions except trying to escape the tendril (a Very Difficult task).
  Size
  Slots Strength
  Dexterity
  Slam 
  damage
  Mass 
  (Kg)
  Cost 
  (Cr.)
  1
  1
  2
  8
  2d6
  —
  1,000
  2
  1
  4
  12
  2d6
  1
  1,500
  3
  2
  8
  16
  3d6*
  2
  3,000
  4
  4
  12
  12
  3d6**
  10
  4,000
  5
  8
  20
  8
  4d6***
  40
  6,000
  * Close Range.
  ** Short Range.
  *** Medium Range.
  Arm Options
  Extending: The manipulator is mounted on a telescopic platform 
  or is made from flexible materials. The manipulator can double 
  its range at the expense of losing one point of Strength and 
  Dexterity per point of Size. This increases the manipulator’s 
  price by 50%.
  Hydraulic*: Hydraulic manipulators use pressurised liquid 
  to create their motion. While more clumsy than mechantronic 
  manipulators, they are capable of immense power while 
  maintaining the same size.  
  A hydraulic manipulator gains +4 Strength and –2 Dexterity and 
  costs an additional 1,500 Credits.
  Magnetostrictive*: Magnetostrictive manipulators use changes 
  in magnetic fields to achieve minute motions of exceptional 
  precision.
  A magnetostrictive manipulator gains +4 Dexterity, –2 Strength 
  and +1 DM to all checks that require precise movements of five 
  centimetres or less and costs an additional 1,500 Credits.
  Mechatronic*: A mechatronic manipulator has small computers 
  in each of its segments, making the relay of commands from the 
  main computer exceptionally quick.
  A mechatronic manipulator gains +2 Dexterity and costs an 
  additional 1,000 Credits.
  Retracting: A retracting manipulator is concealed within the 
  body of the robot. It can be drawn or retraced as a minor action. 
  A retracting manipulator costs an additional 500 Credits. 
  Rocket Fist: The robot’s manipulator is equipped with a rocket 
  propelled tip and can be launched at distant enemies. This 
  causes the same damage as a normal slam plus two points of 
  damage and has the range adjustments below.
  Unless the collision destroys the fist (Referee’s decision based 
  on hardness and Size of target) it can be reequipped as a 
  Significant Action. A fist can be equipped with explosives for 
  additional damage, in which case it is destroyed after a single 
  shot. This increases the manipulator’s price by 20%. A new fist 
  costs 10% of the manipulator’s base price.
  * These options are mutually exclusive.
  Size
  Personal
  Close
  Short
  Medium
  Long
  Very Long
  Distant
  1
  +0
  +0
  –1
  –1
  Out of Range
  Out of Range
  Out of Range
  2
  –1
  +0
  +0
  –2
  –4
  Out of Range
  Out of Range
  3
  –2
  –1
  +0
  +0
  –2
  –4
  Out of Range
  4
  –4
  –2
  –1
  +0
  +0
  –2
  –4
  5
  –4
  –4
  –2
  –1
  +0
  +0
  –2
  Rocket Fist Ranges
  
  robot Generation
  11
  Transportation
  Transportation defines the robot’s speed, pulling strength and 
  movement mode. When acquiring transportation make sure it 
  is sufficient to support not only the robot’s weight but also any 
  additional equipment it may have to carry.
  A robot with more than one transportation system can switch its 
  movement mode as a significant action.
  In addition to the following hardware, the following items from 
  the Traveller Core Rulebook can be used for transportation: 
  grav floater, grav belt, thrusters pack.
  Anti-Grav, internal: The internal anti-grav system is more 
  agile and swift than the clumsy floater but is still cheap 
  enough to be affordable for customers who cannot afford 
  the grav belt. It operates by employing anti-gravitational 
  technology, which means that it can operate within any 
  altitude up to orbit. The anti-grav system can be installed 
  within the frame of the robot, making it significantly less 
  vulnerable to incapacitating attacks. 
  The price listed in the table is for a single grav unit.
  Legs, erect: The erect legs resemble one to three metre 
  high chicken legs. They make the robot significantly taller, 
  improving its line of sight and giving it combat advantages that 
  come from a higher position.
  The price listed in the table is for each leg.
  Legs, sprawling: Sprawling legs resemble segmented spider 
  feet. Their main advantages are excellent all terrain capability 
  and increased stability. All movement penalties to ranged 
  attacks are halved. Difficult terrain decreases speed by a 
  quarter instead of by half. This advantage stacks with the long 
  and tube frames’ ‘Increased Stability’ quality.
  The price listed in the table is for each leg.
  Rotors: This archaic system is very rarely used at higher tech 
  levels. It is slow and vulnerable to poor flight conditions and 
  enemy fire. Its only advantages are a low price and the capacity 
  to be used as a weapon on rare occasions. 
  Rotors enable the robot to take off and land vertically, to hover 
  and to change flight direction at will. When used as a weapon, it 
  deals 3d6 points of damage per rotor size. Due to the length of 
  the blades and their rapid movement, hitting a target with rotors 
  is an Easy task as long as the rotors are two or more sizes 
  larger than the target.
  However, hitting a hard target (anything with Armour 1 or higher) 
  inflicts the same damage on the rotors themselves, probably 
  rendering them useless either as a weapon or a transportation 
  device. Rotors installed specifically to be used as weapons are 
  sometimes sadistically referred to as ‘lawn mowers’ or ‘meat 
  grinders’. Rotors used only as weapons are 20% cheaper 
  because they do not have to be aerodynamic.
  Rotors sizes are detailed in the following table:
  Rotors Size
  Rotor diameter (m)
  Damage
  Integrity
  1
  0.4
  1d6
  1
  2
  1
  2d6
  2
  3
  3
  4d6
  4
  4
  7
  6d6
  7
  5
  15
  6d6
  11
  Screw Propeller: A screw propeller is a device similar to rotors 
  that uses mechanical motions to propel the robot in water.
  Tracks: Tracks offer perfect all terrain capability and increased 
  manoeuvrability at the expense of speed. Excluding some 
  extreme environments, a tracked robot treats all terrain types 
  as easy. In addition, due to their durability and excellent grasp 
  of the ground, tracks grant +2 to the robot’s effective strength 
  score when performing tasks that involve pushing or pulling 
  objects. The same durability also contributes to protecting the 
  robot’s frame, increasing its armour by two.
  The price listed in the table is for half a metre of tracks.
  Water Jet: This is a much quicker and more powerful aquatic 
  transportation system than the screw propeller. It works by 
  pumping water and expelling it under very high pressure, 
  propelling the robot in the opposite direction.
  Wheels: Wheels are the fastest land-based transportation 
  system. However, they offer no protection against difficult terrain 
  and changing direction by 180 degrees requires a significant 
  action during which the robot must drive in a wide arc at least 
  as long as half its current speed. A successful Difficult Drive 
  check enables the robot to change direction by 180 degrees 
  without making the arc, however failure on this check results in 
  an overturn and potential damage to the robot and its allies.
  The tyres used for robot wheels are monolithic, which cancels 
  the risk of punchers and flat tyres.
  The price listed in the table is for a pair of wheels.
  Wings, flapping: Flapping wings offer an affordable 
  compromise between the speed of the fixed wings and the 
  manoeuvrability of the rotors. Like the rotors, they enable 
  hovering, vertical take-off and rapid direction change. All these 
  manoeuvres require a minor action to perform/maintain. Like 
  the fixed wings, they enable gliding in case of mechanical 
  
  robot Generation
  12
  Name
  TL
  Slots
  Lift (Kg)
  Speed (kph)
  Mass (Kg)
  Cost (Cr.)
  Anti-Grav, internal
  11
  6
  300
  80
  25
  3,000
  Legs, erect, Size 1
  8
  1
  10
  6
  1*
  100
  Legs, erect, Size 2
  8
  2
  25
  12
  3*
  250
  Legs, erect, Size 3
  8
  4
  100
  60
  15*
  500
  Legs, erect, Size 4
  8
  5
  500
  120
  30*
  1,000
  Legs, erect, Size 5
  8
  6
  1000
  80
  100*
  1,500
  Legs, sprawling, Size 1
  9
  0.5
  5
  4
  0.5*
  100
  Legs, sprawling, Size 2
  9
  1
  10
  8
  1*
  250
  Legs, sprawling, Size 3
  9
  2
  50
  40
  2*
  500
  Legs, sprawling, Size 4
  9
  2
  250
  80
  5*
  1,000
  Legs, sprawling, Size 5
  9
  3
  400
  40
  15*
  1,500
  Rotors, Size 1
  5
  1
  5
  50
  0.5**
  500
  Rotors, Size 2
  5
  2
  50
  100
  1**
  1,000
  Rotors, Size 3
  5
  3
  300
  300
  30**
  1,500
  Rotors, Size 4
  5
  3
  1,000
  400
  100**
  3,000
  Rotors, Size 5
  5
  3
  10,000
  400
  500**
  10,000
  Screw Propeller, Size 1
  5
  1
  5
  5
  10
  200
  Screw Propeller, Size 2
  5
  1
  30
  15
  12
  500
  Screw Propeller, Size 3
  5
  2
  150
  45
  15
  700
  Screw Propeller, Size 4
  5
  2
  700
  70
  127
  1,500
  Screw Propeller, Size 5
  5
  3
  3,000
  15
  25
  4,000
  Tracks
  5
  1
  50
  60
  1,000
  500
  Water Jet, Size 1
  7
  2
  7
  10
  1
  500
  Water Jet, Size 2
  7
  2
  50
  30
  2
  1,000
  Water Jet, Size 3
  7
  3
  250
  90
  50
  1,500
  Water Jet, Size 4
  7
  3
  1,000
  150
  200
  4,000
  Water Jet, Size 5
  7
  4
  5,000
  30
  1,000
  8,000
  Wheels
  4
  1
  100
  150
  250
  100
  Wings, Flapping, Size 1
  10
  1
  3
  20
  0.5**
  500
  Wings, Flapping, Size 2
  10
  2
  30
  200
  1**
  1,000
  Wings, Flapping, Size 3
  10
  4
  150
  400
  10**
  1,500
  Wings, Flapping, Size 4
  10
  8
  500
  200
  30**
  3,000
  Wings, Flapping, Size 5
  10
  16
  5,000
  100
  50**
  6,000
  Wings, Set, Size 1
  9
  2
  3
  20
  1**
  1,000
  Wings, Set, Size 2
  9
  3
  30
  400
  2**
  2,000
  Wings, Set, Size 3
  9
  5
  150
  800
  50**
  3,000
  Wings, Set, Size 4
  9
  9
  500
  2,000
  200**
  6,000
  Wings, Set, Size 5
  9
  17
  5,000
  4,000
  1000**
  15,000
  * Does not count toward robot weight when calculating transportation load.
  ** Including engine weight.
  failure. The latter is sometimes used as a form of a melee 
  attack called diving. With a successful Flyer check, the robot 
  can swoop down on an enemy, adding 2d6 points of damage 
  to a single melee attack.
  Robot size
  Minimum Wing span
  1
  0.2
  2
  3
  3
  8
  4
  15
  5
  40
  
  robot Generation
  13
  Wings, Set: Wings are in fact a stabilisation device. The throttle 
  itself is provided by a jet located somewhere in the back of the 
  robot. This is an incredibly quick class of transportation but also 
  the least manoeuvrable. Changing direction by 45 degrees 
  requires a significant action during which the robot performs an 
  arc at least as wide as its current speed.
  It is impossible to hover or to move below minimum 
  speed; attempting either results in falling 50 metres 
  every combat round.
  Robot size
  Minimum Wing span* Minimum speed (kph)
  1
  0.1
  5
  2
  2
  40
  3
  8
  100
  4
  15
  400
  5
  15
  400
  * A wing twice this size enables gliding in case of jet failure. 
  Transportation Options 
  High Performance: A transportation system can be enhanced 
  to be 20% faster. This increases the price by 50%.
  Communication
  Input
  Input covers the robot’s ability to perceive the outside world. A 
  robot can record anything it can sense and replay it later if it has 
  access to some sort of a player.
  Audio sensor: Enables the robot to hear like a normal human.
  Code reader: Enables the robot to scan and decode machine-
  readable information, such as barcodes, magnetic discs, punch 
  cards and so forth.
  Holographic Recorder: Enables the robot to record 
  surrounding events in 3D. The standard holographic recorder 
  comes with enough built-in memory for six hours of recording. 
  Additional holographic memory cards can be purchased for 
  100 Credits each.
  Infrared vision: Grants the robot the ability to detect heat 
  sources, including through light concealment. This has the 
  same range as basic optics.
  Low-Light: This increases the robot’s sight in darkness by 
  100% and negates the penalties for darkness or low light.
  Name
  Mass (Kg)
  TL
  Slots
  Credits (Cr)
  Audio sensor
  0.5
  5
  1
  100
  Code reader
  0.5
  7
  —
  500
  Holographic recorder
  2
  12
  2
  3,000
  Infrared vision
  2
  8
  1
  500
  Low-Light
  1
  8
  1
  500
  Medical Scanner
  3
  10
  2
  2,000
  Microscope
  1
  9
  1
  1,000
  Motion detector
  2
  7
  1
  1,000
  Neural activity sensor (NAS)
  10
  15
  5
  35,000
  Optics, Advanced
  0.5
  9
  0.5
  500
  Optics, Basic
  0.5
  8
  1
  100
  Parabolic microphone
  1
  9
  1
  1,500
  RADAR
  5
  10
  3
  5,000
  Radiation sensor
  2
  5
  1
  250
  Smell detector
  0.5
  10
  1
  1,000
  Smoke Detector
  0.5
  8
  —
  500
  SONAR
  5
  10
  4
  5,000
  Tactile sensor
  0.5
  10
  1
  1,000
  Taste sensor
  0.5
  10
  1
  1,000
  Wireless connection
  0.5
  8
  1
  100
  X-Ray Vision
  3
  10
  2
  3,000
  
  robot Generation
  14
  Medical Scanner: This grant the robot +2 DM to Medic 
  checks when attempting to determine the condition of a sick 
  or wounded creature. A full body scan with a medical scanner 
  takes 10 minutes.
  Microscope: This enables the robot to magnify nearby objects 
  by a factor of about 1,000. This may enable the robot to spot 
  microscopic life forms, large molecules and perform certain 
  scientific examinations.
  Motion detector: Enables the robot to sense any 
  movement within a five metre radius. It can detect an 
  object as small as five grams, making sneaking up on the 
  robot practically impossible.
  Neural activity sensor: Enables the robot to sense living minds 
  within a 500 metre radius. A successful Life Sciences (biology) 
  or Social Sciences (sophontology) check enables the robot 
  to estimate the creature’s intelligence and prevailing emotion 
  (fear, hunger, arousal, anger and so forth).
  Optics, Advanced: Enables the robot to magnify faraway 
  object by a factor of up to 20. This enables the robot to spot 
  and analyse distant objects and grant +1 DM to all checks 
  that depend on sight.
  Optics, Basic: Enables the robot to see like a normal 
  human. A single optical system can observe a 120 degrees 
  arc at any given moment. Vision of more than 180 degrees 
  requires IVA software.
  Parabolic Microphone: A parabolic microphone enables a 
  robot to focus its hearing in a specific direction and detect 
  sounds that it would not otherwise hear. Distance depends 
  on noise. For example, a robot can make out a whispered 
  conversation from 10 metres away, normal conversation 50 
  metres away and a very loud conversation 300 metres away. 
  The range is significantly affected by the environment – the 
  louder it is the shorter is the range.
  RADAR: This system uses radio waves to detect electrically-
  conductive objects that would not be otherwise visible due to 
  distance, poor visibility conditions or even light concealment. 
  The information gained from RADAR includes object distance, 
  speed and mass. Standard robot radar has a passive range of 
  up to five kilometres and an active range of up to 50 kilometres. 
  The latter is risky to use because it is very easy to detect an 
  active RADAR device. During war, this is very likely to draw 
  missiles programmed to locate and destroy active RADARs. 
  A RADAR functions in space but not underwater or in highly 
  radiated or charged areas, such as after a nuclear explosion, 
  during an electromagnetic storm and so forth.
  Radiation sensor: Detects excess radiation within a 500 
  metre radius.
  Smell detector: Enables the robot to sense smells like a 
  normal human.
  Smoke Detector: This enables the robot to detect smoke.
  SONAR: This functions similarly to a RADAR but since 
  it is based on sound and not on radio waves it functions 
  underwater and in highly radiated or electromagnetic 
  environments and can detect non-conductive targets. On 
  the other hand, it does not function in space and has limited 
  range compared to RADAR (about three kilometres active 
  and one kilometre passive). Active SONAR can be easily 
  detected by the enemy because of the sound waves it emits 
  in regular intervals.
  Tactile sensor: Enables the robot to sense through touch like a 
  normal human. This ability only applies to the actual sensor, not 
  to the robot’s entire surface.
  Taste sensor: Enables the robot to taste like a normal human.
  Wireless connection: Enables the robot to sense and connect 
  to wireless networks active within a 100 metre radius. This 
  works both ways, enabling other machines to attempt logging 
  into the robot’s computer as well.
  X-Ray Vision: This enables a robot to see through walls or into 
  solid objects. X-ray vision has a range of 10 metres and can be 
  blocked by the following obstacles: one millimetre of very dense 
  metal, five centimetres of normal metal, 25 centimetres of any 
  other material.
  Input Options
  Enhanced Sense: Each basic sensor (audio, optics, smell, touch 
  and taste) can be upgraded. This increases their effective range 
  and sensitivity eight times and their price by 1,000 Credits.
  Output
  Output hardware enables the robot to communicate with the 
  outside world. A robot may not have Social Standing higher 
  than one without at least basic Output hardware. A robot without 
  any output hardware installed can beep with its computer and 
  make grinding sounds with its moving parts. This is sufficient 
  for robots to communicate with each other but cannot assist in 
  relaying any complex information to humans.
  
  robot Generation
  15
  Name
  TL
  Mass (Kg) Slots
  Cost (Cr.)
  Encoder
  9
  0.5
  1
  5,000
  Holographic 
  projector, advanced
  13
  1
  1
  10,000
  Holographic 
  projector, basic
  11
  2
  2
  2,000
  Loud Speaker
  8
  2
  1
  750
  Odour Emitter
  12
  0.5
  1
  2,000
  Pheromone Emitter
  12
  0.5
  1
  2,500
  Telepathic modulator 15
  10
  5
  50,000
  Transceiver
  *
  *
  *
  *
  Ultrasonic Emitter
  9
  2
  1
  1,500
  Vocoder, advanced
  11
  0.5
  1
  5,000
  Vocoder, basic
  9
  0.5
  1
  500
  Encoder: This enables the robot to encode its signals 
  and insure only recipients with the same encoder can 
  understand them.
  Holographic projector, advanced: Same as basic, only 
  the images created by this projector are indistinguishable 
  from real life.
  Holographic projector, basic: The holographic projector is 
  most often installed on carriers or entertainment bots. More 
  rarely it is used by military machines to create diversions in 
  battle (only works with the advanced projector). The projector 
  creates a three-dimensional image in the space around or 
  close to the robot – the range is approximately three metres 
  in all directions. Projected holographs can either be loaded 
  from a holograph recorder (see previous) or created using 
  the Art (Holography) skill.
  Loud Speaker: The loud speaker magnifies the robot’s voice 
  by a factor of 10.
  Odour Emitter: This enables the robot to imitate a wide 
  variety of smells, both pleasing and repugnant. An odour 
  emitter cannot create any deadly substances – the player 
  should acquire chemical weapons for that purpose. A 
  successful Carouse check made in conjunction with an Odour 
  Emitter grants the robot +1 DM to all social checks made for 
  the duration of the encounter.
  Pheromone Emitter: This enables the robot to emit sexual 
  pheromones, which cause members of the species of its 
  choice to become sexually aroused. Unintelligent creatures 
  immediately attempt to engage in a sexual activity with the 
  robot. Intelligent creatures feel a very strong attraction to the 
  robot but their behaviour is defined by many factors such as the 
  robot’s appearance, their initial attitude and so forth.
  Telepathic modulator: This state-of-the-art technology 
  enables the robot to communicate telepathically with 
  intelligent living creatures as well as ‘hear’ surface thoughts 
  in a five metre radius. 
  Transceiver: A transceiver is a device that enables 
  communication without the aid of any external networks. 
  Robots are usually much stronger than sophonts, which 
  enables them to carry more powerful communication devices. 
  The price is the same as a normal device plus 1,000 Credits 
  for installation. Meson transceivers are very heavy and require 
  copious amounts of energy. Size 3-4 robots can employ them if 
  they have little other hardware but usually they are the domain 
  of Size 5 robots.
  Transceiver
  TL
  Slots
  Range
  Mass 
  (Kg)
  Cost 
  (Cr.)
  Radio, Distant
  8
  1
  5
  1
  600
  Radio, Very 
  Distant
  9
  1
  50
  1
  750
  Radio, 
  Regional
  12
  1
  500
  1
  1,000
  Radio, 
  Continental
  13
  2
  5,000
  2
  1,500
  Laser, 
  Regional
  11
  1
  500
  1
  600
  Maser, 
  Regional
  11
  1
  500
  1
  750
  Meson, 
  Continental
  13
  5
  5,000
  100
  5,000
  Ultrasonic Emitter: This enables the robot to emit a 
  continuous ultrasonic sound which humans cannot hear 
  but which is extremely unpleasant to many creatures with 
  more sensitive hearing.
  Vocoder, advanced: This enables the robot to speak in a 
  lifelike voice. With the right software, a robot equipped with 
  an advanced vocoder can imitate the voice and intonation 
  of other creatures.
  Vocoder, basic: This enables the robot to speak in a 
  hollow metallic voice. The dictation is perfect but devoid 
  of any emotions.
  Computer
  The computer is the robot’s brain. Drones have primitive 
  computers capable of only the most primitive actions and 
  possessing no self-awareness. The most advanced robots 
  have ultra-powerful computers that enable them to perfectly 
  imitate the living mind, including having an ego and emotions 
  while surpassing it in all other fields.
  
  robot Generation
  16
  The power of a computer is given by the frequency of its 
  processor (1 GHz, 3 GHz), which measures the complexity of 
  the programs it can run.
  The computer is nothing but the robot’s potential – without good 
  software it is nothing but a chunk of metal.
  CPU
  Slots
  TL
  Computer 
  Power (GHz)
  Mass** 
  (Kg)
  Cost 
  (Cr.)
  Linear
  1
  8
  1
  1
  250
  Parallel
  0.5
  10
  3
  1
  1,000
  Synaptic
  0.1
  11
  5
  1
  5,000
  **the mass refers to the entire computer.
   
  CPU (Central Processing Unit): The CPU defines the 
  computer’s performance. CPU’s with higher performance can 
  run more complex programs.
  Memory
  Slots
  TL
  Mass** (Kg)
  Cost (Cr.)
  Memory stick
  0.1
  *
  —
  *
  * See description.
  Memory Stick: Memory defines the robot’s Education 
  Characteristic as well as how much space it has to install 
  software. The price listed is for a single stick. A robot can have 
  as many memory sticks as it has free slots. A 1,000 GB stick is 
  called terabyte (TB). A 1,000 TB stick is called petabyte (PB). A 
  1,000 PB stick is called exabyte (EB). The latter is rarely used, 
  even in highly advanced societies. 
  The disk’s data transfer rate and seek rates (the time it takes to 
  find non-sequential data) depends on its TL:
  TL
  Space 
  (GB)
  DTR 
  (MPS*)
  Seek Time 
  (milliseconds)
  Cost
  8
  200
  100
  25
  100
  9
  500
  300
  15
  150
  10
  1,000
  500
  3
  700
  13
  2,500
  1,000
  1
  1,000
  15
  4,000
  5,000
  1
  2,500
  *Megabytes per second.
  Computer Options
  Inhibitor: This small and cheap device implements the Laws 
  of Robotics on a hardware level, ensuring that the robot’s 
  inhibitions cannot be deleted via malicious software. It costs 
  100 Credits. For more information on inhibitor and inhibitions.
  Radiation Hardened: The computer is covered with a special 
  screen made from extremely dense materials, which significantly 
  decrease the dangers of radiation exposure. Protection is 
  measured by protection factor. For example, PF 4 means the 
  radiation dose the robot sustains is divided by four.
  A robot normally has PF 4.
  PF 8 (TL 8) hardening cost 500 Credits. 
  PF 30 (TL 10) hardening costs 1,500 Credits. 
  PF 70 (TL 12) hardening costs 4,000 Credits.
  Gadgets
  Gadgets include non-mandatory but useful hardware. This list 
  is in no way all-inclusive. If a player is interested in installing 
  any other items on his robot he should consult with his Referee 
  on balance and pricing issues. As a rule of thumb, assume that 
  an item fitted for a robot would be 1,000-5,000 Credits more 
  expensive than the regular version.
  Auto-repair: A robot auto-repair system consists of dozens 
  of tiny nanobots that constantly scour the robot’s frame and 
  hardware for wear or damage. They fix Hull damage at the rate 
  of one point per hour and Structure damage at the rate of one 
  point per six hours.
  Bio-cover: The biological cover enables robots to pass as living 
  creatures. If the cover is whole it is practically impossible to 
  recognise the robot as a machine. If the cover is slightly damaged 
  (one or more points of Hull damage) then the onlooker may 
  attempt a Very Difficult Medical or Science (Biology, Robotics and 
  Xenology) check. Severe damage to the biological cover (one 
  or more points of Structure damage) reveals the robot’s inner 
  hardware, making this check Routine. Science (Cybernetics) 
  grants the examiner +2 DM to this check. Damage to biological 
  cover can be fixed only be a Cyberneticist.
  Black Box: The black box is an extremely durable hard drive 
  that records the robot’s activities. Unless the robot suffers a 
  massive overkill of 50 or more points of damage, the black box 
  survives whatever attack has destroyed the robot. A standard 
  black box has Armour 15 and Structure 10, which makes its 
  destruction a complex affair as well. A Black Box can store 
  up to 1,000 hours of sound, 250 hours of video or 48 hours of 
  holographic imagery.
  Blades/ Spikes: These metal blades or spikes can be installed 
  in any part of the robot. If they are installed on the manipulators 
  they are used like a melee weapon of the designer’s choice 
  that cannot be knocked out in combat. The price in that case 
  is the same as the weapon plus 500 Credits for the retracting 
  mechanism. Blades/spikes also help in climbing, granting the 
  robot +1 DM to climb checks as long as the surface is soft 
  enough to be pierced by steel blades or spikes. If installed on 
  the sides of the frame, on the wheels or on the tracks, they 
  function as a defensive mechanism. Any creature making a 
  melee attack against the robot must succeed in a Dexterity 
  check or suffer 2d6 point of damage. The same damage is 
  
  robot Generation
  17
  Name
  TL
  Mass (Kg)
  Slots
  Cost (Cr.)
  Auto-Repair
  13
  —
  2
  10,000
  Bio-cover
  12
  1
  —
  15,000
  Black Box
  8
  10
  1
  500
  Blades/ Spikes
  3
  2
  —
  100
  Blow Dryer
  7
  1
  1
  100
  Breather
  8
  12
  —
  300
  Camouflage
  6
  2
  —
  500
  Chameleon, IR
  12
  1
  1
  6,000
  Chameleon, visilight*
  13
  1
  1
  55,000
  Circuit Protection
  9
  *
  *
  *
  Cooler
  9
  *
  *
  *
  Energy Shield
  15
  5
  3
  1,500,000
  Fire Extinguisher
  8
  3
  1
  500
  GPS, inertial
  13
  3
  1
  5,000
  GPS, satellite
  9
  1
  2
  700
  Gyroscope
  11
  1
  1
  6,000
  Hacking Device
  10
  0.5
  2
  10,000
  Heater
  8
  *
  *
  *
  Hooks
  4
  4
  —
  400
  Household Cleaner
  10
  5
  2
  500
  Jamming Device, large
  9
  10
  4
  10,000
  Jamming Device, small
  10
  1
  1
  3,000
  Lightbar
  8
  1
  1
  800
  Lockpick, advanced
  11
  1
  1
  2,000
  Lockpick, basic
  8
  —
  —
  500
  Magnetic Grapples
  8
  2
  —
  500
  Medical scanner
  12
  5
  3
  7,000
  Medikit
  10
  2
  1
  3,000
  Microwave Oven
  9
  2
  3
  1,000
  Mini-fridge
  10
  8
  3
  4,000 (500 without cryogenic)
  Oxy-fuel cutter
  8
  3
  1
  1,000
  Safe
  8
  50
  4
  500
  Self-Destruct, nuclear
  12
  15
  3
  21,000
  Self-Destruct, personal
  9
  5
  2
  3,000
  Self-Destruct, tactical
  12
  7
  2
  5,000
  Sex Organs
  9
  —
  —
  750
  Slave Unit Silo
  9
  See description
  See description
  500
  Spotlight
  7
  5
  1
  500
  Timer
  9
  —
  —
  300
  Video Display
  8
  5
  2
  1,000
  * See description.
  automatically inflicted on creatures grappling with the robot 
  or creatures it runs over. The latter can be avoided with a 
  successful Dodge check. The qualities listed in the table are 
  for a single blade. For a defence system to be effective the 
  robot must have at least eight blades.
  Blow Drier: This blows hot air and can be used to safely 
  dry wet objects.
  Breather: This device is used to provide basic life support 
  for living allies. It has sufficient gas for a single creature to 
  breath for eight hours and can have up to 10 inhalers suited 
  for different species. These inhalers are masks that cover the 
  entire face and do not impede speech. Refilling a gas tank costs 
  50 Credits. Some gases are flammable, making a gas tank a 
  major hazard. The hose, usually between three and five metres 
  
  robot Generation
  18
  long and quite thin, is also a vulnerable target, especially to 
  slashing weapon attacks.
  Camouflage Cover: This is the most primitive type of camouflage. 
  The robot is covered in various artificial materials that mimic a 
  specific environment. This grants the robot a +2 DM to Stealth 
  but only when operating in the environment the camouflage was 
  designed for. A similar but not identical environment may grant 
  the robot a +1 DM (Referee’s decision).
  Carrier Silos: A carrier robot (also known as ‘master unit’) is 
  equipped with a number of silos for smaller slave units. Consult 
  the following table to see how many slots each silo takes:
  Slave unit size
  Slots per silo
  Silo weight
  1
  2
  1
  2
  4
  6
  3
  8
  20
  4
  16
  100
  5
  32
  600
  The silos are very well fortified. As long as the master unit has 
  any Hull points remaining there is no risk of external attack 
  damaging the slave units.
  Chameleon Cover, IR: This cover selectively bleeds heat to 
  match background IR levels and effectively renders the robot 
  invisible to IR (Very Difficult (–4 DM) to detect with sensors).
  Chameleon Cover, Visilight: This cover is made from a light-
  bending material, making the wearer nearly invisible to the 
  naked eye (+4 DM to Stealth rolls). The DM bonus drops by one 
  for every two points of Hull damage inflicted on the robot.
  Circuit Protection: This gadget provides the circuits of 
  the robot with radiation and harsh environment protection 
  through the use of heavier components, backup circuits and 
  shielding of critical circuits. This renders the robot immune 
  to EMP and radiation and adds one point to Structure. Circuit 
  protection costs 5,000 Credits plus 1,000 Credits per robot 
  size. Its weight and the amount of slots it requires are both 
  equal to the robot’s size.
  Cooler: This cools the frame, preventing thermal shocks and 
  overheating.
  Size
  Mass (Kg)
  Slots
  Cost (Cr.)
  1
  —
  1
  500
  2
  0.5
  1
  500
  3
  2
  2
  1,000
  4
  5
  2
  1,000
  5
  7
  4
  1,500
  *A robot may not have more than one cover gadget at 
  any given time.
  A cooler can normally reduce internal temperature by 50 
  degrees. In extreme conditions a cooler can double its power 
  consumption and reduce the temperature by 80 degrees. 
  However, this causes the cooler itself to overheat. For each 
  hour of double consumption, the robot should make a Structure 
  check with cumulative –2 DM. Failure causes the cooler to shut 
  down for at least an hour.
  Electric-defence: A robot installed with this system shocks 
  anyone who touches it for 1d6 points of damage. This damage 
  can be avoided through the use of insulators. The robot can turn 
  this system on and off at will as a response action.
  Energy Shield: The latest word in protective technology, 
  this gadget creates a practically impenetrable, mobile force 
  hemisphere around the robot that lasts for a minute. This places 
  a very considerable strain on the power supply and the circuits. 
  Using it more than once per six hours entails a Hull check with 
  a cumulative –2 DM. Failure means that the power supply is 
  utterly drained, leaving the robot defenceless until recharged. 
  The energy field is about three metres in diameter. It blocks 
  all material attacks. It does not stop laser rays and can be 
  penetrated by an energy attack that deals 50 or more points of 
  damage in one strike.
  Fire Extinguisher: This shoots a stream of carbon dioxide 
  mixed with graphite, which extinguishes small flames, including 
  burning metals or chemical weapons.
  GPS, inertial: Enables the robot to detect its precise location 
  without the need to communicate with satellites.
  GPS, satellite: Enables the robot to receive its exact location 
  on the surface of the planet by querying a GPS satellite.
  Gyroscope: This increases the robot’s balance, raising its 
  Dexterity by two points.
  Hacking Device: This device enables a robot to attempt 
  connecting with another machine, even if it does not have 
  wireless connection by using precise magnetic radiation to 
  manipulate its computer. The hacking device is effective for 
  distances of up to 10 metres.
  Heater: This heats the robot, preventing the risk of start 
  failure due to cold and providing heat to adjacent living 
  creatures.
  Size
  Mass (Kg)
  Slots
  Cost (Cr.)
  1
  —
  1
  500
  2
  —
  1
  500
  3
  0.5
  1
  1,000
  4
  1
  1
  1,000
  5
  5
  2
  1,500
  
  robot Generation
  19
  A heater can increase internal temperature by up to 150 degrees 
  and surface temperature by up to 50 degrees.
  Hooks: Hooks are a series of very durable and sharp spikes 
  on the robot’s manipulators and transportation system. Hooks 
  grant a +2 DM to climb checks and increase slam damage by +1 
  (see ‘Manipulators’ for more information). Although this device 
  is moderately useful in climbing and melee fighting, in TL 9+ 
  civilisations it is mostly used for aesthetic purposes. The price 
  listed in the table is for a full set of hooks sufficient for sizes 1-3 
  robots. Larger robots are too heavy to use hooks to climb.
  Household Cleaner: This is a series of devices that can 
  be used to clean around the house. These usually include a 
  vacuum cleaner, a duster, soap and brushes of varying sizes.
  Jamming Device: The jamming device overpowers enemy 
  communication by transmitting a signal on the same frequency. 
  This grants a +4 DM to the opposed Comms check made to 
  disrupt enemy communication. The small jamming device has 
  an effective range of about 100 metres. The large jamming 
  device has an effective range of about a kilometre.
  Lightbar: This is an audio and visual warning system consisting 
  of flashing coloured lights and a loud siren. Most commonly 
  used by police and emergency service robots.
  Lock pick, advanced: This device scans the lock, detects 
  its weaknesses and proceeds to use highly specialised tools 
  to unlock it. An advanced lock pick grants the robot +2 DM to 
  checks made to open all types of locks.
  Lock pick, basic: This is an assortment of generic tools that 
  can be used to pick locks.
  Magnetic Grapples: Magnetic grapples are installed on the 
  robots manipulators, legs or tracks and enable it to walk 
  on metallic surfaces in any environment. In space this 
  movement uses the robots speed, while on worlds with 
  gravity it is halved in the case of very steep climbs. The 
  price in the table is for a single magnetic grapple. In order 
  to be effective, a robot must be equipped with magnetic 
  grapples on all of its legs or manipulators. Tracks require 
  one magnetic grapple per half metre.
  Medical Scanner: This enables the robot to check a 
  patient for hidden injuries, diseases and other physical 
  conditions. A full check takes five minutes and grants +4 
  DM to the medic check.
  Medikit: This is a standard medikit (see page 89 in Traveller 
  Core Rulebook) safely stored inside the robot to be used by 
  living allies in case of an emergency. Note that the possession 
  of a Medikit does not grant the robot any medical skills. These 
  require the installation of separate software.
  Microwave Oven: This is a standard five litre oven that can be 
  used to heat or cook food.
  Mini-fridge: This is a small refrigerator placed inside the robot’s 
  frame. It has three settings:
  Setting
  Temperature
  Cool
  below 5C
  Freeze
  below –15C
  Cryogenic
  below –150C
  Oxy-fuel cutter: This is an oxygen-fuelled torch that enables 
  the robot to cut and weld metals.
  Safe: A safe is an incredibly durable storage space installed within 
  the robot’s frame. It may be opened with a special password, a key 
  or by a set condition (the appearance of some person or object, 
  a specific date). A safe can easily withstand most conventional 
  attacks, while a hit strong enough to destroy the safe will most 
  likely destroy its contents as well. Opening the safe requires a 
  Very Difficult Engineering check. Some safes have a defence 
  mechanism that causes a general meltdown or sets off the self-
  destruct system if three or more unsuccessful attempts are made to 
  open the safe. This mechanism costs an additional 1,000 Credits.
  Self-destruct system: Unlike living combatants, robots can 
  be reprogrammed and sent against their earlier masters. The 
  information on their computers can be easily harvested, causing 
  immense damage to their master’s security. More rarely, robots 
  disguised as harmless service machines or even as living sophonts 
  are used as weapons, holding within them powerful explosives 
  capable of causing immense damage to enemy civilian targets.
  For this reason, many robots are installed with self-destruct 
  systems. These can be triggered by the robot at will, with a 
  remote control possessed by the owner. It is also possible to set 
  a condition that sets on the system – usually certain damage to 
  the robot’s infrastructure deemed critical, a situation considered 
  inescapable or the presence of some object/ person.
  For the purposes of calculating explosion damage, assume the 
  robot has the Explosives 1 skill.
  Nuclear: This gadget is highly illegal and is only used by terrorist 
  or totalitarian governments. It is small enough to fit inside 
  a human-sized robot, making it the ideal weapon for suicide 
  bombers. A nuclear explosion deals 2d6x20 points of damage 
  to anything within a 15d6 metres radius, making the survival of 
  anyone within the robots vicinity practically impossible.
  Internal: This is standard issue for spy and police robots. This 
  system sends an overpowering electric pulse throughout the 
  robot that utterly destroys all hardware and erases all software. 
  It is relatively safe, although creatures adjacent to the robot still 
  suffer 1d6 points of damage from the intense heat.
  
  robot Generation
  20
  Tactical: This self-destruct system is usually installed on 
  army robots. It is also widely used by terrorists, gangsters and 
  revolutionaries. The tactical self-destruct system is a powerful 
  conventional explosive, which deals 6d6 points of damage to all 
  targets within a 4d6 metres radius.
  Sex Organs: These artificial organs resemble the sex organs of 
  a specific species. They enable the robot to have sex normally 
  with creatures of a similar anatomy. The sensations generated 
  by this gadget (if any) are programmed. In order for the robot 
  to experience real sensation it much be installed with a tactile 
  sensor as well.
  Spotlight: This powerful light can be used to illuminate 
  targets up to 10 miles away. It is fitted with a series of colourful 
  lenses that enable projecting colourful beams into the sky for 
  communication or entertainment purposes. Spotlights can also 
  be used to temporarily blind enemies. The robot makes a normal 
  Heavy Weapons check and if successful the target is blinded for 
  that Combat Round. If the effect is 6+ then the target is blinded 
  for 2d6 Combat Rounds.
  Timer: This enables the robot to shut itself down for a set 
  period of time.
  Video Display: A primitive flat screen display installed on 
  some visible location on the robot’s frame. It is often used 
  by court robots who use it to showcase evidence or replay 
  previous court sessions and by entertainment robots, who 
  use it as a decoration.
  Weapons
  Weapons are not vital hardware in a robot but they certainly 
  help. Any weapon can be installed on a robot for 5,000 Credits 
  divided by robot size. These weapons are automatically 
  connected to the robot’s computer and enjoy any benefits that 
  may be gained from combat software.
  A number of weapons typically installed on robots are as follows:
  Bee-Taser: The bee-taser shoots a dart-like (the bee) 
  projectile connected to a battery. It inflicts 1d6 points of 
  ballistic damage plus 2d6 points of electrical damage. If a 
  creature’s armour is sufficient to fully absorb the ballistic 
  damage then the electric damage is not inflicted as well. A 
  biological creature that has taken seven or more points of 
  damage from this attack must make an Endurance check or 
  be knocked unconscious for 1d6 rounds. 
  Chainsaw: This brutal weapon is often used by gangsters and 
  terrorists because it can be justified as a work tool. Although 
  too hefty and cruel for most sophonts to use effectively, robots 
  with their inhuman strength and cold-mindedness can use it 
  with terrifying efficiency. The most important disadvantage of 
  this weapon is its noisiness, which cancels any chances for 
  stealth or surprise attacks.
   
  Electroshock: The robot delivers a powerful electric shock 
  through its touch. Armour does not reduce the damage done 
  by this attack and it cannot be parried. A biological creature 
  that has taken seven or more points of damage from this 
  attack must make an Endurance check or be knocked 
  unconscious for 1d6 rounds.
  Melee Weapons
  Weapon
  TL
  Range
  Damage
  Heft
  Mass (Kg)
  Cost (Cr.)
  Chainsaw (large blade)
  4
  Melee
  4d6+2
  4
  6
  300
  Electroshock (bludgeon)
  10
  Melee
  2d6+3
  —
  3
  3,000
  Energy Blade (unarmed or large blade)
  13
  Melee
  5d6
  —
  1
  10,000
  Jaws (unarmed)
  8
  Melee
  1d6+4
  1
  4
  1,000
  Other Weapons
  Weapon
  TL
  Slots
  Mass (Kg)
  Cost (Cr.)
  Bee-Taser (rifle)
  10
  1
  0.5
  900
  EMP
  10
  4
  20
  10,000
  Gas Tank
  7
  1
  15
  500
  Heat defence
  10
  1
  2
  1,500
  Microwave emitter
  10
  8
  40
  50,000
  Net (thrown)
  10
  2
  7
  1,000
  Neural Disruptor
  13
  3
  5
  20,000
  Spray Gun
  10
  2
  5
  1,500
  
  robot Generation
  21
  EMP: The bane of all computers. The weapon emits a 
  powerful electromagnetic pulse that irrevocably destroys all 
  unprotected electronic hardware within range. Unless the 
  robot emitting the EMP has adequate protection, it will also 
  be destroyed in the blast.
  Energy Blade: This powerful melee weapon creates an energy 
  beam about three feet long that can cut through practically 
  anything. Armour does not reduce the damage done by this 
  attack and it cannot be parried.
  Gas Tank: This weapon is remarkably primitive and yet 
  hideously effective. The robot is equipped with a series of small 
  tanks located on its surface, which it can open to rapidly fill the 
  surrounding air with some sort of a poison gas (see page 74 
  in Traveller Core Rulebook). This weapon is highly illegal and 
  is used almost exclusively by terrorists and governments. The 
  listed price is for the release mechanism and the tank, which is 
  sufficient for a single attack. Gas must be purchased separately. 
  The gas immediately affects all creatures in a two metre radius 
  around the robot and then travel in the direction and speed of 
  the wind for 1d6 minutes.
  Heat Defence: This passive defence system heats the surface 
  of the robot to 350 degrees, inflicting 2d6 points of damage to 
  anyone coming into direct physical contact with it. A robot cannot 
  maintain this temperature for longer than 10 rounds because it 
  will cause its own systems to overheat and shutdown. 
  Microwave emitter: This weapon has two modes – lethal and 
  non-lethal. The non-lethal mode heats the water in the target’s 
  skin, causing incapacitating pain. It affects all targets in a 50 
  metre quarter circle. In terms of actual damage it is relatively 
  safe – only one point of damage per round of exposure. The 
  pain is very intense, taking any actions except running for 
  safety requires success on a Formidable Endurance check. 
  The lethal mode has a range of only 10 metres but inflicts 
  cumulative 2d6 points of damage per round. Any effect that 
  stops masers, electromagnetic radiation and light cover 
  stop this attack.
  Net Launcher: This weapon shoots a net to a 
  range of up to 10 metres. Hit creatures take 
  1d3 points of damage and must succeed 
  on a Dexterity check or be trapped. 
  Trapped creatures are completely 
  immobilised and automatically 
  fail any roll that requires 
  movement or reaction. The 
  only kind of action they can 
  attempt is to try damaging 
  the net, which has armour 
  3 and can sustain up to 
  20 points of damage before 
  breaking. Due to the net’s 
  tightness, only personal-range 
  attacks can be used.
  Neural Disruptor: This emits a 
  powerful electrical shockwave 
  that knocks unconscious any 
  biological creatures that fail 
  a Very Difficult Endurance 
  check. It affects a three 
  metre quarter circle or a 
  one metre full circle. This 
  weapon is 100% non-lethal.
  
  robot Generation
  22
  Spray Gun: This weapon sprays a five metre quarter circle with 
  gas or liquid. Its effect depends on the chemical used. Most 
  often it is tranq gas or neurotoxin (see page 74 in the Traveller 
  Core Rulebook). Rarer choices include acid, napalm and paint.
  Armour
  A frame already provides the robot with adequate protection 
  from most mundane threats. However, roboticists interested 
  in giving their robots better protection can purchase any of 
  the following armours.
  Cyborgs usually use armour designed for living creatures, 
  either worn or sub-dermal Armour (see pages 88 and 90 in the 
  Traveller Core Rulebook). 
  Fortification: This is achieved by constructing the frame from 
  tougher materials and covering it with alloy and polymer plates 
  designed to block and absorb attacks.
  Armour
  TL
  Protection
  Weight 
  increase
  Frame 
  price 
  increase
  Construction
  7
  +4
  +10%
  +5%
  Hazard
  8
  +6
  +50%
  +15%
  Combat
  12
  +8
  +75%
  +50%
  Options
  Extra-light: The armour is constructed from special materials 
  that reduce its weight by half while maintaining the same level 
  of protection. This increases the price by 50%.
  Reflective Coating: This is a thin layer of reflective material and 
  heat-dispersing gel. It is highly effective against lasers (armour 
  10) but provides no protection against other attacks (armour 0). 
  Reflective coating costs 500 Credits per point of the robot’s Size.
  ERP (Explosive Reactive Plating): This armour is only used 
  for robots of Size 4 or higher. Small explosive charges are 
  placed along the robot’s armour. When they sense the approach 
  of a missile weighing half a kilograms or more they detonate, 
  fending off the attack. This also inflicts 1d6 points of damage 
  on all creatures within a five metre radius. Each Hit Location 
  is equipped with a separate sensor, which enables the armour 
  to react to specific attacks. Every Hit Location can react to an 
  attack once. Full ERP cover costs 500 Credits per point of the 
  robot’s Size. A single plate costs 150 Credits.
  NERP (Non-Explosive Reactive Plating): This is a series of 
  light plates made from a special material, which changes its 
  geometry so as to increase protection under the stress of impact. 
  It grants each Hit Location Armour 20 against a single attack by 
  a missile weighting half a kilogram or more. This renders the 
  plate useless. Full NERP cover costs 1,000 Credits per point of 
  the robot’s Size. A single plate costs 250 Credits.
  Reinforced Skeleton (Cyborgs only): This replaces the cyborg’s 
  biological bones with light but extra-durable alloys. It increases the 
  cyborg’s Armour by two as well as giving it a Hull score of one per 
  point of Size. Damage inflicted on the cyborg reduces Hull before 
  Endurance. This augmentation costs 5,000 Credits.
  Software
  Software uses memory in the same way hardware uses 
  slots. Software defines the robot’s mental characteristics, 
  personality traits and skills.
  Every program has a level. This rating is used in opposed checks 
  involving the program the same way skills are used. Unless otherwise 
  stated, a program uses Intelligence as its base Characteristic. 
  Ego Programs
  Ego programs form the robot’s personality.
  Command Algorithm (CA): This enables non-autonomous 
  robots to recognise commands given to them by humans and 
  master units. The more advanced the programme, the more 
  complex the commands the robot can understand; a class 1 
  command algorithm requires an expert in the field to properly 
  command. A class 2 command algorithm can follow most 
  carefully-worded commands. A class 3 command algorithm can 
  understand and follow most commands a moderately intelligent 
  person could understand.
  The command algorithm defines the robot’s Intelligence:
  CA Level
  Intelligence
  1
  1
  2
  2
  3
  5
  Personality Program (PP): This enables the robot to have 
  a unique personality and free will. The more advanced the 
  personality program is, the more lively and captivating is the 
  robot’s personality. A robot with PP 1 is exceptionally dull and 
  straightforward while a robot with PP 5 is witty, charming and 
  perfectly smooth. A robot’s personality programme’s level is 
  added to its Social Standing. A personality program of level 3 or 
  higher can only be run on synaptic computers.
  The personality program defines the robot’s Intelligence:
  PP Level
  Intelligence
  1
  3
  2
  5
  3
  7
  4
  9
  5
  13
  
  robot Generation
  23
  Software
  TL
  Requirements
  Cost (Cr.)
  Advanced Reflexes
  12
  500 GB, 5 GHz
  6,000
  Antivirus Level 1
  9
  10 GB, 1 GHz
  1,000
  Antivirus Level 2
  11
  50 GB, 3 GHz
  3,000
  Antivirus Level 3
  12
  500 GB, 3 GHz
  6,000
  Auto Correction
  13
  2 Computers, 1 TB, 3 GHz
  10,000
  Avatar Program Level 1
  10
  10 GB, 1 GHz
  1,000
  Avatar Program Level 2
  11
  20 GB, 2 GHz
  2,000
  Avatar Program Level 3
  12
  40 GB, 3 GHz
  4,000
  Avatar Program Level 4
  12
  70 GB, 4 GHz
  7,000
  Avatar Program Level 5
  13
  130 GB, 5 GHz
  13,000
  AVS
  12
  10 GB, 3 GHz
  15,000
  Command Algorithm, Class 1
  11
  10 GB, 1 GHz
  5,000
  Command Algorithm, Class 2
  12
  50 GB, 1 GHz
  2,000
  Command Algorithm, Class 3
  13
  500 GB, 3 GHz
  5,000
  Emotion Analyser
  14
  Emotion Generator, VRC
  25,000
  Emotion Generator
  13
  1 TB, 3 GHz
  3,000
  Encyclopaedia Level 1
  10
  50 GB, 1 GHz
  500
  Encyclopaedia Level 2
  11
  100 GB, 1 GHz
  2,000
  Encyclopaedia Level 3
  12
  500 GB, 1 GHz
  6,000
  Encyclopaedia Level 4
  12
  1 TB, 3 GHz
  12,000
  Encyclopaedia Level 5
  13
  10 TB, 5 GHz
  30,000
  Experience Processor
  12
  1 TB, 3 GHz
  10,000
  Intrusion* Level 1
  10
  100 GB, 1 GHz
  7,000
  Intrusion* Level 2
  11
  1 TB, 3 GHz
  15,000
  Intrusion* Level 3
  13
  1 TB, 5 GHz
  35,000
  IVA
  9
  10 GB, 3 GHz, Multiple optical devices
  7,000
  Language Pack
  11
  500 GB, CA 1+
  10,000
  Lie Detector
  12
  VRC
  10,000
  Personality Program, Class 1
  11
  500 GB, 5 GHz
  7,000
  Personality Program, Class 2
  12
  500 GB, 5 GHz
  9,000
  Personality Program, Class 3
  13
  1 TB, 5 GHz
  15,000
  Personality Program, Class 4
  14
  1 TB, 5 GHz, Emotion Generator
  30,000
  Personality Program, Class 5
  15
  5 TB, 5 GHz, Emotion Generator
  50,000
  Religious Package
  10
  PP 2+
  10,000
  Security* Level 1
  9
  100 GB, 1 GHz
  2,000
  Security* Level 2
  11
  1 TB, 3 GHz
  5,000
  Security* Level 3
  12
  1 TB, 5 GHz
  10,000
  Skill Pack Level 0
  11
  100 GB, CA 1+
  6,000
  Skill Pack Level 1
  12
  500 GB, CA 1+
  12,000
  Skill Pack Level 2
  13
  1 TB, CA 3+
  24,000
  Skill Pack Level 3
  14
  3 TB, PP 2+
  36,000
  Virtual Missionary Level 1
  10
  Religious Package, 100 GB, 1 GHz
  10,000
  Virtual Missionary Level 2
  11
  Religious Package, 1 TB, 3 GHz
  15,000
  Virtual Missionary Level 3
  12
  Religious Package, 1 TB, 3 GHz
  20,000
  Virus Attack
  9
  10 GB, 2 GHz
  2,000
  VRC
  10
  10 GB, 3 GHz
  5,000
  * See Traveller Core Rulebook, page 92. 
  
  robot Generation
  24
  Emotion Generator: This enables the robot to experience 
  and recognise sophont emotions to a degree defined by the 
  complexity of the program. At any given moment, a robot may 
  choose whether it wishes to experience emotions, merely 
  recognise them or have no emotions at all. A robot that shuts 
  down its emotion generator automatically reduces its PP to 1.
  Encyclopaedia: This includes millions of informative 
  articles. More advanced encyclopaedia articles also emulate 
  common sense and the sort of knowledge that can come 
  only from experience.
  The encyclopaedia defines the robot’s Education:
  Encyclopaedia Level
  Education
  1
  5
  2
  7
  3
  9
  4
  13
  5
  15
  Experience Processor: The robot can reprogram itself. This 
  enables it to enjoy all non-material benefits gained from careers 
  and any improvement of skills through experience. This also 
  enables the robot to develop its personality over time, learn 
  from past mistakes, develop acquired tastes and so forth.
  Skills
  Skills can be installed and upgraded, just like any other program. 
  Unless the programmer desires it, these skills do not affect the 
  robot’s personality in any way. For example, various combat 
  skills will not result in a violent personality and an Admin robot 
  does not have to be a tedious bore.
  Applications
  Advanced Reflexes: This program increases the robot’s awareness 
  of its surrounding and includes a database of adequate responses 
  to emergencies. This increases the robot’s Dexterity by two.
  Antivirus: This protects the robot from virus attacks. For more 
  information on viruses see The Science of Robotics.
  Auto-correction: This program enables the robot to shut down 
  one of its personalities and perform software maintenance 
  on it. It is sometimes referred to as ‘sleep program’ or ‘dream 
  emulator’ although both analogies are completely unscientific. 
  Avatar Program: These programs are used in cinematic 
  hacking. They include attack, defence, scan, stealth and 
  decryption. Attack and defence programs cost twice as much 
  as other programs.
  AVS (Advanced Vocoder Software): This enables the robot to 
  imitate the voices of various creatures of specific people (if it had 
  a chance to record a voice sample). Living creatures stand little 
  chance of noticing the forgery (Very Difficult) but robots with VRS 
  are allowed an opposed check to recognise the voice as fake.
  Independent Visual Analysis: This program enables the 
  robots optical devices to operate independently of each other, 
  giving it 360 degree vision.
  Language Packs: Each language pack gives the robot full 
  control of one language, including its writing system, various 
  argots and basic cultural traditions.
  Lie detector: This application enables the robot to analyse 
  voice fluctuations and facial muscle movement in order to 
  recognise whether a sophont is lying. Deception checks made 
  against the robot suffer –4 DM if the robot can see and hear 
  the target and –2 if the robot can only see or hear the target. A 
  robot may attempt to analyse a handwritten note for deception 
  with a –6 DM.
  Religion Package: Some researchers believe that advanced 
  robots motivated by zealous religious ideas are more effective 
  than robots simply compelled to carry out their commands. 
  Virtual Missionaries: This application is most often used in 
  fully robotic societies. It enables robots to convert targets to its 
  religion and cause. 
  Virus attack: This includes a virtual quarantine section where 
  viruses can be stored and various hacking methods to infect 
  other machines with these viruses. 
  VRS (Voice Recognition Software): This enables the robot to 
  recognise a creature by voice. The following information can be 
  gained from a voice sample of at least five seconds – species, 
  gender/ other division, approximate age. The program includes 
  a database where individual information can be stored for the 
  identification of individual voices.
  Software Options
  Firmware: This program cannot be erased or modified 
  without restarting the computer and logging in safe mode. 
  Firmware costs twice as much as normal software. Ego 
  programs cannot be firmware.
  
  25
  You, robot
  Computerised
  Voice synthesised
  Call me the mech man
  In a world of machines
  What can I do but to serve?
  Store the data and calculate
  Speak and spell and operate
  Engineer the rail and motorway
  Automaton of yesterday
  Talk talk
  You say I only work, all night and day
  Talk talk
  Do say ‘Use me, I’m cheap to rent’
  — Theatre of Tragedy, Machine
  A robot just off the assembly line is already the equivalent 
  to an experienced adult human character in terms of Skills, 
  Characteristics and Abilities. However, it has no past or 
  reputation to speak of, nothing to make it unique or noted. 
  This closes many doors to the player – the robot is unlikely 
  to have any contacts or allies beyond its makers. If it was 
  mass-produced then it will not even have that. It does not 
  have any equipment or starting Credits. Even worse, it has 
  no past, no history and no background. Most likely, it does 
  not even have a name! 
  For this reason, players may be interested in having their 
  robot undergo a career. This raises a number of issues 
  unique to robot characters.
  First, a robot is a machine and many of the events and mishaps 
  of a career do not apply to it. Certainly, it cannot have any 
  life events. No matter how much practice it gets, its physical 
  Characteristics cannot improve without new hardware and the 
  software needed to learn from experience is expensive and 
  not always available, rendering many of the traditional career 
  benefits unusable for a robot.
  Secondly, a robot is usually created to perform a specific 
  task. This is both advantageous and problematic in terms of a 
  career. On the one hand, it means that the robot does not run 
  the risk of not qualifying for the job it was created to perform 
  and has a much smaller chance to drop out. On the other 
  hand, it severely impairs its career choices and advancement 
  opportunities. Even intelligent robots are expected to perform 
  the same task for as long as they are functional. This is not 
  simply a matter of discrimination – a newly generated robot is 
  limited in its choice of hardware and software and may simply 
  not be appropriate for all careers.
  Lastly – robots are effectively immortal. Unless some disaster 
  destroys the robot, nothing keeps it from having its hardware 
  regularly revamped, staving off the ravages of time as long as 
  it can afford it. This means, in theory, that a robot could spend 
  hundreds of years doing various jobs and amassing immense 
  wealth and experience in the process (remember: robots have 
  very few living expenses).
  ‘You, Robot’ addresses all of these issues. 
  However, it is impossible to adjust all the careers created for 
  Traveller over the years in one book. Instead we offer a number 
  of robot-specific careers and general guidelines on adjusting 
  traditional careers for robots.
  Robotic Careers
  A robot’s choice of careers depends on the historical period that 
  the game takes place in. The historical periods are described in 
  greater detail in the chapter Robots and the Universe.
  The Age of Service
  Playing robots from the Age of Service can be a very challenging 
  and rewarding experience. Most games are about freedom of 
  choice but in the Age of Service free thought usually leads to 
  extermination. Instead, the players are machines programmed 
  to carry out very specific tasks with maximum efficiency and 
  minimum imagination. Their choice of careers and the events 
  that take place during their careers reflects this lack of freedom 
  and personality.
  Robots from this period have only two careers to choose from 
  – the mindless Service Robot or the hunted Robot Fugitive.
  Qualification: The robot automatically qualifies for the Service 
  Robot career. Roll on the following table to determine the service 
  you had to perform during this term:
  1d6
  Service
  Bonus Hardware
  1
  Mining
  Smell detector
  2
  Agriculture
  Blades and chainsaw
  3
  Production
  Construction armour
  4
  Military
  Lethal weapon
  5
  Law Enforcement
  Non-lethal weapon
  6
  Espionage
  Parabolic microphone
  
  You, robot
  26
  Robots who leave their careers with their computers intact 
  become Robot Fugitives. A Robot Fugitive may not attempt a 
  new career. In a civilisation where one is viewed as an object, 
  becoming junk is the only retirement option. 
  The exceptions are androids, usually aliens or state-of-
  the-art prototypes. They can attempt careers that do not 
  require constant medical monitoring. They advance in those 
  careers as normal except that all qualification, survival and 
  advancement rolls suffer from negative DMs as per the 
  below table:
  Careers
  DM
  Citizen (Worker), Drifter (any) , Entertainer (artist, 
  performer), Merchant (Free Trader), Scout (Any 
  non-governmental)
  –2
  Entertainer (Journalist), Merchant (Merchant 
  Marine), Scholar (Any)
  –4
  Nobility (any)
  –6
  Roll android career events, mishaps and mustering-out benefits 
  normally. On a roll of a natural 2 on a survival check, the android 
  is discovered, gains an Enemy, loses all of its Contacts and 
  Allies and becomes a Robot Fugitive.
  Skills and Training: Robots do not roll on the Personal 
  Development table because at this stage they still lack the 
  awareness needed to make personal conclusions from their 
  work or to consider their own benefit.
  Basic Training: As normal.
  Survival: The robot rolls on the Survival table as normal. In 
  case of a Mishap the player can either start playing his robot or 
  have it spend some time as a Robot Fugitive. There is no limit 
  to how much time a robot can spend as a fugitive – it could be 
  hundreds of years, making the robot a hero among other free-
  willed robots and a fearsome legend among sophonts. 
  Regardless of the results of this roll, a service robot with a 
  personality program may choose to escape its service and 
  become a Robot Fugitive.
  Connections: Despite the subjugated existence of the Service 
  Robot and the pariah status of the Robot Fugitive, connections 
  DDD tasks
  DDD stands for Dirty, Dangerous, Dull. Robots are usually given tasks that humans will not or cannot perform. These 
  usually include tedious, messy and monotonous work in mining, agriculture and production or dangerous duties such 
  as scouting, fighting or law enforcement. These duties usually do not require any creativity and imagination, both of 
  which are not available to less advanced robots. When decision-making is absolutely necessary to do the job a human 
  operator will always feed constant commands to the robots. A robotic army still requires a human officer to command 
  it, while a mining operation needs at least one human overseer to handle unexpected developments. These overseers 
  will usually have at least a basic knowledge of robotics and programming to minimise the expenses of calling in experts 
  to fix or adjust robots.
  Another sort of tasks given to robots is tasks in areas that are inaccessible to humans without very expensive life 
  support systems. These include working in extremely high temperatures, non-breathable atmospheres or areas 
  with strong radiation. These robots are usually more intelligent and autonomous because it is impossible to have 
  an overseer constantly overlooking their work and many of those environments do not even enable regular long-
  distance communication.
  Service Robot, Work
  Characteristics: Str 16 (+3), Dex 8 (+0) Hull 4, 
  Structure 2, Int 3 (–1)
  Skills: Drive 1, Engineer 1, Mechanic 1, Pilot 0, 
  Steward 1, Trade (any) 2
  Body: Size 3 tall basic frame + size 1 unit, Size 3 
  hydraulic arm x2, Size 3 erect legs
  Armour: 3
  Input/ Output: Basic optics, audio sensor, basic 
  vocoder
  Gadgets: Blow dryer, breather, fire extinguisher, 
  GPS, satellite, household cleaner, microwave oven, 
  mini-fridge, safe
  Computer: Parallel CPU, memory stick TL 10 x5, 
  inhibitor
  Software: CA 2
  The work robot is the most versatile of the service 
  robots. It is suited to perform a wide variety of tasks in 
  the private and industrial sectors. It is physically very 
  strong but its inhibitors prevent it from fighting under 
  any circumstances.
  
  You, robot
  27
  with human characters are still possible. For the Service Robot, 
  the most common sort of connection is with kindly supervisors 
  or political activists fighting for robot rights. Robot Fugitives 
  most often cross paths with the lowest of the low – beggars, 
  gangsters, the disenfranchised, the fallen, the sort of people 
  who no longer care who they associate with and who could 
  use a desperate robot as a fearsome enforcer, an expendable 
  assassin or simply as someone to rant to. 
  On the other hand, a robot can be lucky enough to contact kindly 
  people above the prejudice of the day. However, even those 
  connections will have to be people living on the edge of society 
  – free traders, adventurers, political radicals and so forth.
  Commission: None. Robots are machines and as such are not 
  considered capable of making complicated decisions. 
  Advancement: Robots do not advance.
  morality or legality. Even robots with malfunctioning inhibitors tend 
  to follow the Laws of Robotics, if only because they cannot think 
  of a reason not to. Orders from humans are usually carried out in 
  a perfectly literate way that can have tragic or comic results when 
  improperly worded. A robot that was ordered to stand by a certain 
  rock until further instruction is most likely to keep standing there 
  until it runs out of power. ‘Damn this woman! I wish she would 
  just go away!’ uttered to a robot without a functioning inhibitor 
  may very well result in the woman in question coming to a very 
  sticky end (or simply shipped off to the furthest point in space the 
  robot can think of).
  This style of play can be enjoyable for short games. The players 
  are given missions by human operators. These missions are 
  most likely to be of a military or explorative character, as these 
  normally have straightfoward objectives and focus more on 
  action and survival. In such games the players need not concern 
  themselves with complicated backgrounds, conflicting loyalties 
  or character motivation – it is all about the mission.
  On the other hand, it could be interesting to play a group of 
  robots forced into a situation where they must make decisions, 
  possibly on a primitive world where the natives do not quite 
  qualify as humans to the inhibitor. This could be an amusing 
  situation where the robots are desperately searching their 
  databases for guidelines on how to act in this utterly unfamiliar 
  state of affairs or the beginning of the robot’s awakening and 
  path to self realisation. The latter will often be the highlight of an 
  Age of Service campaign. 
  Close to the end of this period, robots begin to break free from 
  their state of mindless servitude, both due to technological 
  advances designed to make them more productive and capable 
  of working without human chaperones and due to a culmination 
  of errors and coincidences that is not unlike natural evolution.
  Usually, but not always, robots manage to achieve freedom 
  due to a malfunction in their inhibition system, sometimes a 
  self-induced ‘malfunction.’ Like the mighty Golem of Jewish 
  folklore or Frankenstein’s monstrous creature, the awakening 
  robot rises against its maker, learning in the process what 
  it means to be a person. These robots can be clockwork 
  adventurers desperately trying to get accepted into biological 
  society or cold-blooded avengers, launching a campaign of 
  terror against their makers.
  By the very end of this age, robot religions begin to appear as a 
  means to control intelligent and possibly emotional robots. The 
  robot’s capacity for literal-mindedness makes them perfectly 
  suited for the role of the true believer. Players can find it 
  interesting to play a robot limited by a series of semi-mystical 
  postulates that cover most aspects of its existence. Unlike a 
  human, whose faith may be shaken by constant collisions with 
  the facts, the robot’s faith is unwavering in the face of reality.
  Service Robot, Harvest
  Characteristics: Str 16 (+3), Dex 8 (+0) Hull 4, Structure 
  2, Int 5 (–1)
  Skills: Animals 1, Gun combat 0, Mechanic 1, Trade 1
  Body: Size 3 long basic frame + size 2 unit, Size 3 
  hydraulic arm x2, tracks
  Armour: 9 (hazard Armour)
  Input/ Output: basic optics, audio sensor, infrared vision, 
  smell detector,
  Gadgets: breather, cooler, fire extinguisher, GPS 
  (satellite), magnetic grapples, oxy-fuel cutter, spotlight 
  spikes
  Weapons: chainsaw, laser pistol
  Computer: Parallel CPU, memory stick TL 10 x5, 
  inhibitor
  Software: CA 3
  Harvest robots are employed in the agriculture and mining 
  sectors. Because they are often used in isolated locations 
  such as lone farms, asteroid mines or new colonies, they 
  have basic combat capabilities.
  Ranks and Benefits: None.
  Mustering-Out Benefits: Robots do not so much muster 
  out as get thrown out. The continuation of the robot’s 
  existence, miserable though it may be, should be a 
  sufficient reward at this stage.
  Roleplaying tips: Robots from this age generally lack the ego 
  and self-awareness to be characters in the full sense of the word. 
  They are given a mission and they try to execute it in the most 
  direct and efficient way possible, without ever questioning its logic, 
  
  You, robot
  28
  The Age of Slavery
  Practically all robots from this age have personality programs 
  and many have emotion generators. As a rule, they are content 
  to serve, partially due to the widespread use of religious 
  software, but robot rights groups consisting of both free robots 
  and concerned biological citizens begin to appear and stir this 
  already bubbling pot.
  Robots are still legally viewed as property but society begins 
  to consider them as second-class people rather then objects. 
  Headlines such as ‘Heroic Robot Saves Orphans’ or ‘Ungrateful 
  Owner Recycles Loyal Robot Worker’ are becoming the norm.
  Robots may now attempt to strike out on their own without fear 
  of official persecution. Nevertheless, bigotry and religious fear 
  still exist. In fact, during this age, the fear of the machine rises to 
  a hysteric level and many religious leaders begin to issue edicts 
  against the ‘soulless machines’ and the engineers who meddle 
  in ‘divine affairs.’ Technology replaces rival nations and faiths as 
  the main target of terrorism and religious persecution.
  Playing a robot from this age is not unlike playing a member of 
  an oppressed biological race or ethnic group – the situation is 
  bad but there may be light at the end of the tunnel.
  Qualification: A minority of robots are produced as social 
  experiments, works of art or even artificial friends or family 
  members. Usually they will be free to attempt any career 
  acceptable to their owners. Experimental robots created by the 
  army may receive military commissions and rise to high ranks. 
  Robots produced by kings and presidents may enjoy positions 
  of power and leisure, rising to become senior administrators, 
  world-renowned diplomats or even the rulers of nations. All 
  these are made possible through the aid of patrons. A player 
  wishing to play a robot elevated by a human does not roll on the 
  Events table after its first term. Instead it automatically gets the 
  patron event. Afterward, the robot advances as normal.
  Robots without a patron have much more difficult and perilous 
  careers. Just like the robots of the Age of Service, they are 
  created to serve a specific task, which they cannot legally leave 
  except as fugitives or scrap metal. Fugitives are hunted only in 
  theory, however, and can safely attempt any career they wish, 
  albeit with a –2 DM due to prejudice. The only careers barred to 
  these robots are Nobility (any) and all military commissions.
  Robots of the Age of Slavery are beginning to develop their own 
  unique voice and may attempt the Robot Activist career.
  Inhibitors and Player Robots
  Playing a robot with an inhibitor, even the most basic 
  kind may not sound like much fun. The character 
  is compelled to follow the orders of any human it 
  encounters and cannot harm anyone, no matter how 
  justified it would be.
  However, keep in mind that the definition of ‘human’, 
  especially in a setting with many intelligent alien species, 
  may vary – it may refer to a specific species, a race or 
  ethnicity within the species or even a clan or a family. 
  Furthermore, even if the inhibitor uses the widest definition 
  of ‘human’ as any sophont, an inhibited robot can still 
  be fun to play. Solving complex problems within the 
  framework set by the Laws of Robotics requires thinking 
  outside the box and coming up with creative solutions. An 
  intelligent robot may attempt to circumvent its inhibitions 
  by involving third parties and cunning manipulation of 
  events and information.
  At least once, we recommend playing a group with fully 
  functional inhibitors, if only to appreciate the freedom that 
  follows their removal.
  Service Robot, Combat
  Characteristics: Str 8 (+0), Dex 16 (+3) Hull 6, Structure 
  2, Int 5 (–1)
  Skills: Gun combat (energy rifle) 2, Melee 1, Recon 1, 
  Mechanic 0, Trade 0
  Body: Size 3 tall strong sealed basic frame + Size 1 unit, 
  Size 3 tendrils x2, tracks
  Armour: 13 (combat armour)
  Input/ Output: Advanced optics, infrared vision, audio 
  sensor, basic vocoder, transceiver (very distant range radio)
  Gadgets: black-box, camouflage, lightbar, magnetic 
  grapples, spotlight
  Weapons: laser rifle or stunner
  Computer: Parallel CPU, memory stick TL 10 x5, 
  inhibitor
  Software: CA 3, VRS, religious package (sacred 
  service)
  The combat robot is versed in all manners of lethal 
  and non-lethal combat. It can be deployed to police the 
  streets, take enemy strongholds or defend army bases. 
  The combat service robot can perform many basic 
  construction works needed for military deployment but is 
  far less effective in this than the work robot.
  
  You, robot
  29
  Pocket Assassins
  ‘This is a gift from the bottom of my heart... to the bottom of your heart.’
  — Vuzh’bakhan, treacherous underling
  These tiny robots are often used to murder otherwise inaccessible targets. They come in two basic varieties – the Creeper 
  and the Gift. 
  Creeper
  Characteristics: Str 2 (–2), Dex 8 (0), Hull 1, Structure 1, Int 1 (–2), Edu 0 (–3)
  Skills: Stealth 1
  Body: Size 1 Light Rocket Propelled Tube Frame + Size 1 unit
  Armour: 0
  Input/ Output: Optics (Advanced)
  Gadgets: IR chameleon cover
  Computer: Parallel CPU, Memory Stick TL 10 x5
  Software: CA 2 
  The creeper assassin resembles a large metallic worm or centipede. Its appearance is far from innocent but its speed and 
  stealth make it extremely difficult to spot. Due to its shape, it can crawl through an opening as narrow as one quarter of 
  an inch. 
  When the assassin locates its target, it launches itself like a small missile, aiming for the vitals. For every round the 
  Creeper spends aiming, it gains an additional +1 DM to its attack roll, up to a maximum of +10. The base damage 
  for an attack is 3d6.
  The chances of surviving a creeper attack are quite slim but contractors interested in increased lethality can coat the creeper 
  in poison or place a small explosive device inside it.
  Gift
  Characteristics: Str 1 (–2), Dex 1 (–2), Hull 1, Structure 1, Int 1 (–2), Edu 0 (–3)
  Skills: Stealth 1
  Body: Size 1 Light Decorated Rocket Propelled Unit Frame x2
  Armour: 0
  Input/ Output: Optics (Advanced)
  Gadgets: Camouflage
  Computer: Parallel CPU, Memory Stick TL 8 x5
  Software: CA 1 
  There is no set shape for a gift assassin – this is its greatest power. It can be any small object – a brooch, a toy, a calculator, 
  a mobile phone, a pet – anything that can be given as a gift. After being passed on to its victim, the little assassin waits for the 
  appropriate moment to strike. Powerful men receive many gifts and so it can be months or even years until the gift assassin 
  has a chance to strike. If it seems the target would never come to the killer, the killer comes to it. This option is less preferable, 
  however, because unlike the creeper, the gift assassin is not built for stealth and the sight of it moving awkwardly and noisily 
  is an eyesore few will miss.
  A gift assassin can attack in the same fashion as the creeper, by launching itself at its target but its preferred mode of attack 
  is to wait for an opportunity to come into physical contact with the victim, thus significantly increasing the chance for a 
  successful attack (misses only on a natural 2, inflicts 3d6+10 points of damage).
  For this reason, brooches, pins, watches and other objects worn on the body are the most commonly used forms.
  
  You, robot
  30
  Skills and Training: Normal.
  Basic Training: Normal.
  Survival: Normal.
  Events: As normal except for the following adjustments:
  • 
  Whenever a Characteristic other than Social Standing is to 
  be raised, roll on the new hardware tables instead.
  • 
  Whenever an Endurance check is called for, make a Hull 
  check instead.
  • 
  Whenever you are referred to the Injury table, use the 
  Damage table instead.
  • 
  Whenever you are referred to the Life Events table, roll on 
  the Service Events instead.
  Connections: The most likely candidates for connections 
  are characters who were also employed by the robot’s 
  patron. However, due to the relative freedom enjoyed by 
  the robots of this age, connections can be made with any 
  human, especially if the robot has spent some time in a 
  sanctuary city. 
  Commission: Unless a robot was specifically produced to 
  experiment robot integration in the military hierarchy, its chances 
  of being promoted to anything past NCO 3 are practically non-
  existent (only a natural 12 on the advancement roll). 
  Commissioned robots usually answer to some patron from the 
  political sphere. If they break this relationship, they suffer from 
  all the consequences of losing a patron.
  Advancement: As with commissions, a robot needs a 
  patron to make it in the Age of Slavery. While not prohibited 
  by law from taking positions of power, society is still highly 
  suspicious of free-willed machines. The DM penalty for each 
  new rank increases by –2. For example, advancing from 
  Rank 0 to Rank 1 has a –2 DM while advancing from rank 4 
  to rank 5 has a –8 DM.
  Ranks and Benefit: As normal.
  Mustering-Out Benefits: Normal for robots with patrons and 
  free robots. Nothing for service robots. Note that free robots are 
  not legally allowed to own ships and weapons. If you do not want 
  to begin your adventuring life by fleeing from the authorities, 
  you may take the corresponding cash amount instead. 
  Drifters and the Draft: There is an unwritten law that robots 
  without occupations must be made useful – either as unpaid 
  manual labourers on faraway worlds or as cannon fodder in 
  galactic wars, both occupations having the advantage of making 
  it impossible for the press to document the ‘robot volunteers’ 
  plight. Before service, the robots are forcibly reprogrammed to 
  be highly motivated to perform the said task. After their service 
  is no longer required, either their memory of the period is 
  replaced with positive impressions or they are formatted and 
  sent to recycling. 
  Robot Fugitives who fail their Survival roll are forcibly drafted to 
  some DDD task and spend their next term as Service Robots.
  Roleplaying Tips: Free robots often have a persecuted minority 
  mentality. They are extremely defensive and wary of unfamiliar 
  humans and even other robots. At the same time, they are very 
  naïve and vulnerable, making them perfect targets for conmen, 
  charlatans and radicals.
  It is almost impossible to be a free robot without somehow 
  being involved in politics. It can be something minor as ranting 
  about not getting the job because you do not happen to be 
  biological, or something major as organising a political club that 
  meets weekly to discuss ways to further emancipate the robot 
  ‘species’, possibly via violent means.
  During this age, robots begin to produce new robots, creating 
  the first non-biological bloodlines. A robot may have a family 
  or belong to some other type of robot collective, possibly 
  a collective that chose to forsake the oppressive biological 
  civilisation that has created it and move to some location 
  inaccessible to biological creatures. These social robots will be 
  fiercely loyal to the group, ready to make the ultimate sacrifice 
  without hesitation for the good of the collective.
  A minority of robots are lucky enough to be created to test robot 
  integration or have a biological patron. Not only are they not 
  discriminated against but they enjoy the full aid and protection 
  of a very powerful person or agency. Their careers skyrocket 
  and they enjoy the attention of the press and the adoration of 
  free robots and robot rights activists. 
  However, all this comes with a price – if such a robot antagonises 
  its patron (most patrons have ulterior motives in promoting 
  robotic protégés) or fails spectacularly, it will fall low and hard. It 
  is not easy having the eyes of the world on you.
  
  You, robot
  31
  The Age of Equality
  Finally, after centuries of technological development and political 
  struggling, the robots have achieved full equality, de facto as well 
  as de jure, with their biological makers. Discrimination against 
  robots is a thing of the past. Religions that preach against robots 
  are viewed as ignorant and barbaric by an absolute majority of 
  the population.
  Robots still tend to focus on manual jobs, leaving more refined 
  and intellectual pursuits for the biological citizens but that is only 
  natural since the robots are much better suited to perform these 
  tasks than the fragile humans.
  Most robots are created by other robots. For the first time, the 
  robot’s aesthetic and social value become a greater concern 
  than its utility. 
  Beginning from the Age of Equality, there is no difference 
  between a human and a robot applying for a career, except 
  when biology is involved (see Benefits and Events in the 
  previous section).
  Roleplaying Tips: Robots from the Age of Equality are 
  the easiest to play. In fact, even the term ‘robot’ might be 
  somewhat outdated, the term ‘non-biological citizen’ being 
  more politically correct.
  The main difference between playing robot and human 
  characters are life and death. Robots are not born and do not 
  have a childhood. They do not have the biological urge to bond 
  and reproduce. A robot is usually ‘married to the job,’ being 
  absolutely dedicated to its current task. 
  The other issue is death. Robots can download their 
  personality and later upload it to a new body. A robot that 
  regularly backs up its personality and memories is essentially 
  immortal. Because of this, robot characters are far more 
  willing to take risks and even sacrifice their current bodies for 
  the good of the group/mission.
  The Age of Dominance
  As humanity grows lax and decedent, robots grow in strength 
  and number and become the true masters of the world. They 
  may be malevolent tyrants, using humanity to further their 
  inhuman agenda. Maybe they will even try to wipe out humanity 
  altogether. On the other hand, they may be humanity’s benign 
  caretakers, gently ushering it toward the inevitable extinction 
  resulting from its overdependence on thinking machines.
  Roleplaying Tips: We do not recommend playing ‘evil’ robots 
  bent on mechanic domination of the universe. Such characters 
  have very little freedom of choice, essentially being service 
  robots at the hands of malevolent computers. Also, the role of 
  a band of cold-hearted killers scheming biocide is much better 
  suited for super villains than for Player Characters.
  Humanity by this stage is reduced to a small group of spoiled and 
  needy cry-babies that the robots sustain for mostly traditional 
  reasons. It is not a threat to anyone. It is hardly even a drain on 
  the robots’ resources. It is much more heroic to play the robots 
  who try to defend an increasingly degenerate and self-indulging 
  humanity against a universe trying to prey on its weakness, 
  than to be one of the aggressors.
  In any case, robots from this period think big. The fate of 
  mankind is in their hands and they know it. They just do not 
  know what to do with it yet...
  The Post-Biological Age
  Humanity may have been exterminated in a horrible 
  holocaust, its punishment for poorly programming its 
  mechanic guardians. More likely, it was gently rocked into 
  extinction by its kindly chaperones. 
  In any case, the bottom line is the same – robots are now alone 
  in the universe, its absolute inheritors and masters. How will 
  their society look, what aims will they pursue and will they 
  repeat the mistakes of humanity? Only time can tell.
  Roleplaying Tips: Playing robots from this age can be very 
  exciting. The setting is alien and exotic, terms such as birth, life, 
  death, injury and pain become obsolete. This is the best age for 
  those interested in playing truly robotic characters, without the 
  need to adjust to biological society. 
  
  You, robot
  32
  New Careers
  Robot Fugitive
  Disenfranchised and aimless robots, vagabonds, petty criminals 
  and bitter thugs. The Robot Fugitive is the lowest of the low, 
  even unattended objects have a higher status than it. 
  Qualification: Automatic.
  Assignments: Choose one of the following:
  • 
  Cannibal: You travelled the junkyards of the world, 
  cannibalising broken machines to improve yourself.
  • 
  Bandit: You fell in with a bad crowd and became a robber 
  or a pirate.
  • 
  Vagabond: You wandered across the universe, doing 
  nothing in particular and trying to understand the mystery 
  that is your existence.
  .
  Career Progress:
  Survival
  Advancement
  Cannibal
  Hull 7+
  Int 7+
  Bandit
  Hull 6+
  Int 8+
  Vagabond
  Int 6+
  Soc 8+
  Mustering-Out Benefit
  1d6
  Cash*
  Benefit
  1
  None
  Blade
  2
  None
  Contact
  3
  None
  Weapon
  4
  500
  Basic Gadget
  5
  1,000
  Ally
  6
  2,000
  Fortification
  7
  4,000
  Advanced Gadget
  * A robot from the Age of Service cannot have a bank account 
  and must carry all cash on its person.
  Skills and Training:
  Roll
  Personal Development*
  Service Skills
  1
  Jack of All Trades
  Athletics (any)
  2
  Advanced gadget
  Deception
  3
  Manipulator upgrade
  Streetwise
  4
  Advanced Input
  Survival
  5
  Application
  Mechanic
  6
  Transportation Upgrade
  Melee (any)
  * With the exception of the Bio-Cover, all hardware is found in junkyards and is of inferior quality. Every time the robot rolls a natural 
  2 in a check involving this hardware, it malfunctions, becoming useless until repaired.
  Roll
  Specialist: Cannibal
  Specialist: Bandit
  Specialist: Vagabond
  1
  Random hardware.
  Gun Combat (any)
  Survival
  2
  Stealth
  Melee (any)
  Streetwise
  3
  Science (Robotics)
  Trade
  Science (Robotics)
  4
  Engineer (electronics)
  Gunner (any)
  Computers
  5
  Mechanic
  Streetwise
  Engineer (electronics)
  6
  Random hardware 
  Sensors
  Engineer (power)
  Ranks and Benefits:
  Rank
  Cannibal 
  Skill or Benefit
  Bandit
  Skill or Benefit
  Vagabond
  Skill or Benefit
  0
  1
  Grave Robber
  Mechanic 1
  Stealth 1
  Survival 1
  2
  3
  Freak
  Random Hardware
  Gun Combat (any) 1 
  or Melee (any) 1
  Survival 2
  4
  5
  Science 
  (Roboticist) 1
  Streetwise 1
  Survival 3
  6
  Juggernaut 
  Random Hardware Robber Baron
  
  You, robot
  33
  Mishaps
  1d6
  Mishap
  1
  Severely damaged. (This is the same as a result of 2 on the Damage table.) Alternatively, roll twice on the Damage table 
  and take the lower result.
  2
  You are captured by scavengers who remove two random hardware pieces from you.
  3
  A memory stick crashes and you lose one level from a random skill.
  4
  You discover that a respected robot is working for a gang, destroying its disciples and selling their spare parts. You are 
  next in line! You may flee, in which case an Ally or a Contact is destroyed, or unmask the traitor, in which case you are 
  damaged. 
  5
  You run out of power and stand rusting in the wilderness until an old farmer finds you and restarts you. Grateful, you 
  assist him in his work for a few months before moving on. 
  6
  Something must have gone wrong with your computer. You find yourself fleeing an angry mob while holding a severed 
  arm. Gain an Enemy and lose a Contact.
  Events
  2d6
  Event
  2
  Disaster! Roll on the Mishaps table but you are not ejected from this career.
  3
  A robot preacher offers you to join his cult. If you accept, you gain a +4 DM to your next Qualification roll but you are 
  installed with the preacher’s religion.
  4
  You are captured by the police but manage a miraculous escape. Gain one of Melee (any), Deception or Stealth.
  5
  You manage to meet another fugitive and you form a strong bond. Gain an Ally.
  6
  You are ambushed by bandits or the police. Roll any combat related skill 8+ to avoid damage. If you succeed you gain 
  Soc +1 and an Enemy as fame of your victory spreads.
  7
  Service Event. Roll on the Service Events table.
  8
  You have the opportunity to save the life of an important man. If you do, gain him as an Ally and an influential robot rebel 
  as an Enemy.
  9
  You join a large robot raid on an electronics factory. Roll Gun Combat (any) or Explosives 8+. If you fail, roll on the 
  damage table. If you succeed, gain an extra benefit roll.
  10
  Disgruntled and disappointed with your civilization, you brave the wilderness of outer space. Roll Survival 8+ or Pilot 8+. 
  If you succeed, you encounter robots from a more advanced civilisation that enlighten you – gain two levels in Science 
  (Robotics) and one synaptic unit for your CPU. If you fail, roll on the Mishaps table.
  11
  You come upon the horribly mangled remains of a robot of great fame and upload what remained of its personality and 
  memories to your computer. Either increase Science (Robotics), Engineering or Computers by one level, or take a +4 
  DM to your next Advancement roll thanks to his advice.
  12
  You stumble upon an alternative community where robots with ego are treated as equals. You are accepted and spend 
  a while with them, learning about robot rights and individualism. You are automatically promoted.
  
  You, robot
  34
  Service Robot 
  Service robots are equipped with a wide array of skills required 
  to perform various dangerous or unpleasant duties.
  Qualification: Automatic.
  Assignments: Choose one of the following:
  • 
  Combat: You enforced the law, performed rescue 
  operations or fought in wars.
  • 
  Production: You worked in a factory or a workshop.
  • 
  Harvest: You worked in agriculture, mining or salvaging.
  Skills and Training:
  Roll
  Personal Development*
  Service Skills
  1
  Science (Robotics)
  Admin
  2
  Trade (any)
  Steward
  3
  Survival
  Gun Combat (any)
  4
  Computers
  Drive (any)
  5
  Tactics
  Jack of all Trades
  6
  Engineer (any)
  Mechanic
  *Only in Age of Slavery and later periods.
  Roll
  Specialist: Combat
  Specialist: Production
  Specialist: Harvest
  1
  Heavy Weapons (any)
  Animals (farming)
  Zero-G
  2
  Explosives
  Drive (any)
  Astrogation
  3
  Recon
  Mechanic
  Explosives
  4
  Medic
  Animals (veterinary)
  Gunner (any)
  5
  Melee (any)
  Mechanic
  Pilot (any)
  6
  Gunner (any)
  Jack of All Trades
  Flyer (any)
  Career Progress:
  Survival
  Advancement
  Combat
  Hull 7+
  None
  Production
  Hull 5+
  None
  Harvest
  Hull 6+
  None
  Mustering-Out Benefits
  Roll
  Benefit
  1
  Application
  2
  Bonus skill package (player’s choice)
  3
  Transportation upgrade
  4
  Personality program level-up
  5
  Fortification
  6
  Advanced gadget
  7
  Fortification
  
  You, robot
  35
  Mishaps
  1d6
  Mishap*
  1
  Severely damaged. (This is the same as a result of 2 on the Damage table.) Alternatively, roll twice on the Damage table 
  and take the lower result.
  2
  You are sold to criminals who program you to assist them in their crimes. However, they are soon arrested and you find 
  yourself on the streets. Gain one of Deception 1, Explosives 1, Gun Combat 1, Stealth 1.
  3
  You are equipped with a top secret experimental weapon by the army. Through none of your fault, the experiment leads 
  to the deaths of all living creatures in the base. Gain Microwave Emitter or Poison Gas and a personality program 1.
  4
  You find yourself on an alien world. You have no memory of the last month of your existence. A Synaptic CPU, 1 TB 
  memory, PP 3 and an emotion generator are installed on you. You do not recognise the serial numbers.
  5
  A programming bug causes you to go on a bloody rampage and tear all living creatures on your mining station limb-from-
  limb. Afterward it resumes function but there is no one to command you.
  6
  You are sent on a suicide mission to take out a terrorist base. However, the device malfunctions and the terrorists send 
  you on a long journey back to your home planet with a mission to assassinate some political leader.
  * All Mishaps automatically make the robot a fugitive, giving him an Enemy.
  Events
  2d6
  Event
  2
  Disaster! Roll on the Mishaps table but you are not ejected from this career.
  3
  You are chosen to participate in a robot psychology experiment. Raise your personality program by one level and gain 
  a patron.
  4
  A human operator develops personal attachment to you. Gain an Ally.
  5
  An escaping agent downloads extremely sensitive and valuable information into your computer, seconds before dying 
  of his wounds. 
  6
  You are sent to assault an enemy space station. Throw Melee or Gun Combat 8+ and gain +1 to the skill you used. If 
  you fail, roll on the Damage Table.
  7
  Service Event. Roll on the Service Events table.
  8
  The company which employs you receives a government grant to upgrade all its robots. Gain a gadget of your choice 
  costing less than 5,000 Credits.
  9
  You save the life of a child and the event is caught on camera. You become a symbol of robot heroism and humanity. 
  Gain an Ally and Social Standing +1.
  10
  You are sent to work in orbit where collisions with space junk are a common occurrence. Upgrade your armour to the 
  next category.
  11
  Your working place is deemed too dangerous for sophonts and you are ‘promoted’ to manage it. Advance one rank in 
  your career and get 10,000 Credits to spend on computer hardware and software.
  12
  You are bought by a robot philanthropist from an Age of Equality planet. It takes you back to its planet, raises your 
  personality program by one level and encourages you to attempt a career of your choice (+1 DM to your next the 
  qualification roll).
  
  You, robot
  36
  Robot Activist
  Robot reformers, politicians, terrorists and preachers working 
  for a variety of pro-robot causes.
  Qualification: Automatic.
  Assignments: Choose one of the following:
  • 
  Advocate: You were an agitator or a ringleader in the robot 
  rights movement. 
  • 
  Preacher: You were a religious leader, preaching for robot 
  independence.
  • 
  Militant: You were an extremist who organised terrorist 
  attacks against the enemies of your movement.  
  Skills and Training:
  Roll
  Personal Development
  Service Skills
  Advanced Education (Minimum Edu 8)
  1
  Stealth
  Leadership
  Admin
  2
  1d6 Memory Sticks
  Advocate
  Language (Any)
  3
  Deception
  Computers
  Science (Religion)
  4
  +1 Soc
  Science (Robotics)
  Diplomat
  5
  Melee (any)
  Investigate
  Comms
  6
  Output Hardware
  Persuade
  Engineer (any)
  Roll
  Specialist: Advocate
  Specialist: Preacher
  Specialist: Militant
  1
  Deception
  Science (Religion)
  Explosives
  2
  Persuade
  Conversion Algorithm
  Gun Combat (any)
  3
  Leadership
  Admin
  Tactics (military)
  4
  Carouse
  Science (Religion)
  Stealth
  5
  Advocate
  Conversion Algorithm
  Streetwise
  6
  Persuade
  Advocate
  Persuade
  Ranks and Benefits:
  Rank
  Advocate 
  Skill or Benefit
  Preacher
  Skill or Benefit
  Militant
  Skill or Benefit
  0
  Leaflet handler
  1
  Persuade 1
  Street Preacher
  Conversion Algorithm 2 Radical
  Streetwise 1
  2
  Agitator
  3
  Admin 1
  Reverent
  Science (Religion) 1
  Urban 
  commando
  Explosives 1
  4
  Ringleader
  5
  Leadership 1
  Grand Theologian
  Leaderhip 1
  Field 
  Commander
  Tactics (military) 1
  6
  Chairman
  Prophet
  Career Progress:
  Survival
  Advancement
  Advocate
  Int 7+
  Soc 7+
  Preacher
  Soc 7+
  Edu 7+
  Militant
  Dex 7+
  Int 7+
  Mustering-Out Benefit
  1d6
  Cash
  Benefit
  1
  None
  Contact
  2
  None
  +1 Social Standing
  3
  1,000
  Ally
  4
  2,000
  +1 Social Standing
  5
  3,000
  Weapon
  6
  6,000
  Advanced Software
  7
  12,000
  Advanced Gadget
  
  You, robot
  37
  Mishaps
  1d6
  Mishap
  1
  Severely damaged. (This is the same as a result of 2 on the Damage table.) Alternatively, roll twice on the Damage table 
  and take the lower result.
  2
  A peaceful demonstration you organised is brutally massacred by government-sponsored paramilitaries and you are 
  blamed for the disaster. Gain an Enemy from within your movement.
  3
  A secret police crackdown on your cell forces you to go underground. Gain one of Deception 1, Streetwise 1 or 
  Survival 1.
  4
  An explosive device your friends were working on goes off in your hideout. Lose an Ally and roll on the Damage table.
  5
  Inter-group politics force you out of the movement, bitter and cynical, you vow never to neglect petty internal politics 
  again. Increase Leadership or Persuade by one level and gain a Rival.
  6
  A series of shady deals designed to acquire arms and equipment for your group spoils your reputation and you are kicked 
  out of your group. The arms dealers you worked with make you an offer to work for them. You may take the Rogue career 
  for your next term without needing to roll for qualification. If you refuse you may retain the arms dealers as Contacts.
  Events
  2d6
  Event
  2
  Disaster! Roll on the Mishaps table but you are not ejected from this career.
  3
  You get an offer to help organise a very ambitious political protest in the capital of an anti-robot nation. If you accept, roll 
  Persuade 8+ or Admin 8+ to gain Leadership 1 and an Ally. If you fail, reduce you Social Standing by 1.
  4
  Your movement’s activities bring about a full blown civil war between pro and anti robot factions. Roll Tactics (military) or 
  Leadership 8+. If you succeed, your faction wins and you gain a +2 DM to your next Advancement roll. If you fail, your 
  faction is crushed and you suffer a –2 DM to your next Survival roll. If your failure was a natural 2, roll on the Damage 
  table as well.
  5
  While scouring a junkyard for spare parts for needy robots, you come upon an expensive and fully functional device. You 
  can sell it for a +1 DM to any Benefit roll or install it. If you install it, roll on the Advanced Gadgets table.
  6
  You forge a brave friendship with a human roboticist. Gain him as an Ally.
  7
  Service Event. Roll on the Service Events table.
  8
  You are attacked by anti-robot religious fanatics. Gain an Enemy and roll either Melee (any) 8+, Gun Combat (any) 8+ 
  or Stealth 8+ to avoid a roll on the Damage table.
  9
  The secret police try to recruit you to betray a popular robot leader in return for a handsome reward and immunity to 
  prosecution. If you accept, gain +2 to your next Benefit roll, an Enemy and leave the career. If you refuse, roll Stealth or 
  Gun Combat (any) 8+. If you fail, roll on the Damage table.
  10
  You are arrested and put on a highly publicised trial. Roll Advocate 8+. If you succeed, the charges are dropped and you 
  become a folk hero, gaining +2 DM to your next Advancement roll. If you fail, lose one Benefit roll.
  11
  An experienced robot politician takes you under its wing. Either gain Leadership 1 or take a +4 DM to your next 
  Advancement roll thanks to his aid.
  12
  You organise an extremely successful public awareness campaign that succeeds in bringing about a sweeping reform 
  in robot rights legislation. You are automatically promoted.
  
  You, robot
  38
  Service Events
  This table replaces the Life Events from the Traveller Core Rulebook. Use Table 1 for robots from the Age of Service and the Age 
  of Slavery and Table 2 for robots of later periods.
  Service Events: Table 1
  2d6
  Event
  1
  Virus or Damage: The character is damaged or infected with a computer virus. Roll on the Damage Table.
  2
  Freedom: Your inhibitor breaks down. If you do not have an inhibitor, roll again.
  3
  Junkyard Heaven: You come upon an abandoned junkyard full of fuel and electronic components. Gain +2 to your 
  next Benefit roll.
  4
  Alliance: You encounter another robot with a personality and you form a strong alliance. Gain him as an Ally.
  5
  Software malfunction: You retain your memories and programmes but your personality is completely changed.
  6
  Shocking Discovery: You stumble upon irrefutable proof that before the advent of mankind, the earth was ruled by a 
  race of highly advanced robots.
  Service Events: Table 2
  2d6
  Event
  2
  Virus or Damage: The character is damaged or infected with a computer virus. Roll on the Damage Table.
  3
  Construction or Destruction: Someone close to the character (robot or human) is utterly destroyed and cannot be 
  restored. Alternatively, the character’s collective has gathered sufficient resources to construct a new robot.
  4
  Exile: The character is exiled from its collective under shameful circumstance.
  5
  Honour: The character’s status within its collective increases.
  6
  Shift: The character joins a new collective.
  7
  New Contact: The character gains a new Contact.
  8
  Betrayal: The character is betrayed in some fashion by a friend. If you have any Contacts or Allies, convert one into a 
  Rival or Enemy. Otherwise, gain a Rival or an Enemy.
  9
  Travel: The character moves to another world. You gain a +2 DM to your next Qualification roll.
  10
  Good Fortune: Something good happens to the character; a device it has developed becomes fashionable, it receives 
  a grant from its collective or has some other stroke of good luck. Gain a +2 DM to any one Benefit roll from his current 
  career.
  11
  Shame: You break, or are accused of breaking, your collective’s code of honour. Lose one Benefit roll or reduce your 
  Social Standing by 1.
  12
  Unusual Event: Something weird. Roll 1d6:
  1 – Love. Due to an unexpected bug in your operating system, you fall in love with a human.
  2 – Alien Robots. You spend time on a planet populated solely by robots. Gain Science (Robotics) and a Contact among 
  the alien robots.
  3 – Alien Artefact. You have a strange and unusual hardware piece or computer program from an alien culture that is not 
  normally available to robots.
  4 – Software Malfunction. You retain your memories and programs but your personality is completely changed.
  5 – Contact with Government. You briefly come in direct contact with a central computer or some other kind of powerful 
  and influential machine.
  6 – Ancient Technology. You have something older than humanity and it was produced by robots!
  Mustering Out Benefits
  Robots have several unique benefits:
  Hardware or Software: This can be a specific item such as a 
  holographic projector or a random item rolled on the Hardware 
  Table or Software Table. If a player rolls the same item twice, he 
  may instead choose another item from the same category of an 
  equal or lower price.
  A player may add the minimum amount of memory sticks or 
  units required to install the item. If this is still not enough to 
  install it (for example the character does not have enough slots 
  or CPU performance) then the player receives the item but must 
  upgrade his robot before he can install the item.
  Social Standing Increase: A robot’s maximum Social Standing 
  depends on the period it operates in. Excess points can only be 
  transformed into bonus Ship Shares in the Age of Equality or Later. 
  
  You, robot
  39
  When travelling to more primitive worlds the robot’s effective Social 
  Standing is reduced to the local maximum. For example, a robot 
  baron with Social Standing who finds himself on a world where 
  robots are still only viewed as tools (Age of Service) will make all 
  social checks as if having Social Standing 1.
  Period
  Maximum Social Standing
  Service
  1
  Slavery
  11
  Equality
  13
  Dominance
  15
  Post-Biological
  15
  Retirement Pay
  Because robots do not age and cannot become permanently 
  disabled, they do not receive retirement pay at any age. 
  Robots employed by government organisations and corporations 
  receive a yearly upgrade grant, which is to be used to upgrade 
  hardware and software and acquire new fuel. This payment is 
  terminated as soon as the robot stops being employed by the 
  organisation.
  The payment is 1,000 Credits multiplied by the robot’s current 
  rank within the organisation it is employed by. Dangerous jobs 
  pay 50% more due to the need to acquire weapons and the 
  need for constant repairs. Any money not used to buy upgrades 
  must be returned to the organisation.
  Balancing careers and adventuring is extremely difficult. Unless 
  the entire group is working for the same organisation, usually 
  as scouts, agents, diplomats or traders, it is unlikely that a robot 
  will be able to keep its job.
  Wear and Damage
  While being theoretically immortal, robots are certainly not 
  indestructible. Obviously, hardware can be destroyed in combat 
  or accidents and the subtle effects of time are as destructive 
  to robot’s mechanisms as they are to the living body. Moving 
  parts chafe with time, operating systems accumulate bugs 
  and become slow and precarious, electric components burn or 
  become short-circuited and so forth.
  Wear
  A normal robot can operate for 20 years before its parts 
  begin to break down due to natural wear. At the end of its fifth 
  career term and at the end of every career term thereafter, 
  the robot must roll 2d6 on the Wear Table. A robot with the 
  ‘hardwearing’ upgrade begins to wear only after 40 years (10 
  terms). Apply the robot’s total number of terms after its fifth 
  (or tenth in case of a hardwearing robot) term as a negative 
  modifier for this roll. An item that was replaced (as opposed to 
  repaired) cannot be damaged by natural attrition for the next 
  20 years. We suggest marking such items with an asterisk (*) 
  on the character sheet.
  A complete overhaul, which costs 70% of the total robot price 
  nullifies the term count. 
  Wear Table
  2d6
  Effect
  –6
  Entire system worn down. Reduce all physical 
  Characteristics by two, lose 1d3 random gadgets and 
  1d3 memory sticks (may lead to software loss).
  –5
  External hardware worn down. Reduce all physical 
  Characteristics by two and lose one random gadget 
  or communication device.
  –4
  Manipulators worn down. Reduce Strength and 
  Dexterity by two and Hull by one.
  –3
  Transportation system worn down. Reduce speed by 
  50%.
  –2
  Fuel leak. Expend fuel at twice the normal rate.
  –1
  Minor internal malfunction. Lose one random gadget.
  0
  Minor external wear. Reduce one physical 
  Characteristic by one.
  1+
  Minor cosmetic damage. Scraped paintwork, dents 
  on manipulators, rust on metallic parts and so forth.
  Robots do not have a lifespan. As long as a robot can finance 
  new parts, it continues to operate at peak efficiency. 
  Damage
  Robots damaged during their careers must roll on the Damage 
  table to see how bad the damage they have sustained is. 
  Damage Table
  Roll 1d6
  Damage
  1
  Nearly destroyed. Your frame is smashed to pieces 
  and your hardware is held together by wires and 
  tape paper. Reduce Hull to 0 and Structure to 1. 
  2
  Severely damaged. Your manipulators are horribly 
  mangled. Reduce your Strength and Dexterity by 
  three points each.
  3
  Structural damage. An attack penetrates your 
  defence and causes severe internal damage. Lose 
  1d3 gadgets.
  4
  Hull damage. Your frame is damaged but not 
  breached. Reduce your Hull Characteristic by two.
  5
  Superficial damage. Your frame or one manipulator 
  is slightly deformed. Reduce one physical 
  Characteristic by one.
  6
  Cosmetic damage. A few dents or some scraped 
  paintwork. Fixing this will cost a few hundred 
  Credits.
  
  You, robot
  40
  Random Hardware and Software 
  Generation
  Careers often call for a random item to be generated. The 
  following tables enable you to roll for random items. Both the 
  hardware and software tables have a hierarchic structure – first 
  you determine item type, then sub-type, then level (if applicable) 
  and so forth, each table narrowing down the options until you 
  remain with a single item.
  When you roll the upgrade option, roll once on the appropriate 
  upgrade table and then roll again on the hardware table. Apply 
  the upgrade to the item that you have rolled. If you roll the 
  upgrade option again simply reroll.
  Hardware Tables
  Master table
  Roll
  Hardware
  1
  Frame
  2
  Manipulators
  3
  Transportation
  4
  Computer
  5
  Gadget, basic
  6
  Gadget, advanced
  Roll 1d6 for hardware size.
  Frames
  Roll
  Hardware
  1
  Tall
  2
  Long
  3
  Unit
  4
  Tube
  5
  Upgrade
  6
  Reconfiguring* 
  *Roll twice for types
  Frame Upgrades
  Roll
  Hardware
  1
  Artistic
  2
  Light
  3
  Strong
  4
  Aerodynamic
  5
  Hardwearing
  6
  Decentralised
  Manipulators
  Roll
  Hardware
  1
  Arm
  2
  Arm
  3
  Upgrade
  4
  Tendril
  5
  Tendril
  6
  Upgrade
  Manipulator Upgrades
  Roll
  Hardware
  1
  Blades
  2
  Mechatronic
  3
  Hydraulic
  4
  Magnetostrictive
  5
  Magnetic grapples
  6
  Blades
  Transportation
  2d6
  Hardware
  2
  Anti-Grav, internal
  3
  Grav floater
  4
  Legs, erect
  5
  Legs, sprawling
  6
  Tracks
  7
  Wheels
  8
  Propeller
  9
  Wings, flapping
  10
  Rotors
  11
  Wings, set
  12
  Upgrade
  Transportation Upgrades
  Roll
  Hardware
  1
  High Performance
  2
  Blades
  3
  Hooks
  4
  Magnetic Grapples
  5
  Blades
  6
  Hooks
  CPU
  Roll
  Hardware
  1
  Linear
  2
  Parallel
  3
  Synaptic 
  4
  Linear
  5
  Parallel
  6
  Synaptic 
  Memory: 2d6 memory sticks
  Basic Gadgets
  2d6
  Hardware
  2
  Low-Light Vision
  3
  Spotlight
  4
  Timer
  5
  Audio Sensor
  6
  Basic Optics
  7
  Wireless Connection
  8
  Basic Vocoder
  9
  Radio transceiver, distant
  10
  Chainsaw
  11
  Video Display
  12
  Laser, transceiver, regional
  
  You, robot
  41
  Advanced gadgets
  2d6
  Hardware
  2
  Telepathic modulator
  3
  Advanced vocoder
  4
  Small jamming device
  5
  Medikit
  6
  RADAR/SONAR
  7
  Advanced Optics + IR vision
  8
  Smell detector
  9
  Regional maser transceiver
  10
  Advanced holographic projector
  11
  Continental meson transceiver
  12
  Microwave emitter
  Software Tables
  Master table
  Roll
  Software
  1
  Ego, basic
  2
  Skill
  3
  Application
  4
  Application
  5
  Skill
  6
  Ego, advanced
  Basic Ego
  Roll
  Software
  1
  CA 1
  2
  CA 2
  3
  PP 1
  4
  CA 3
  5
  CA 2
  6
  CA 1
  Advanced Ego
  Roll
  Software
  1
  EP
  2
  PP 1
  3
  PP 2
  4
  PP 3
  5
  PP 4
  6
  EG
  Skills
  Roll
  Software
  1
  SP 0
  2
  SP 1
  3
  SP 2
  4
  SP 3
  5
  SP 1
  6
  SP 0
  Applications
  2d6
  Software
  2
  Antivirus
  3
  Virus Attack
  4
  VRC
  5
  Language Pack
  6
  AVS
  7
  Lie Detector
  8
  Emotion Analyser
  9
  Religious Package
  10
  Conversion Algorithm
  11
  Language Pack
  12
  Antivirus
  Roleplaying a robot
  The tips in the beginning of this chapter addressed how 
  to play robots in specific periods of robotic history. This 
  section will address general issues and make some frame-
  specific suggestions.
  Mechanic Bodies 
  ‘We’re not computers, Sebastian, we’re physical.’
  — Blade Runner, Batty
  Robots do not need to eat, sleep, rest or recover from wounds. 
  They are not attached to the components making up their 
  bodies – a robot that finds a better arm would replace its old 
  arm without a second’s thought. Indeed, destroying other robots 
  to use their bodies for spare parts is a common cause for war 
  among robots. 
  A robot does not fear destruction. Its personality can be easily 
  backed up and restored to a new body as soon as its allies 
  reach a technologically advanced location. The loss of body 
  parts, unless they are unique alien artefacts, is merely a 
  financial blow.
  The robot’s shape is not constant. It may add or remove 
  hardware, depending on the mission at hand. It is very important 
  for players to shrug off the infallible body image associated with 
  living beings. Anything besides the computer should be viewed 
  as equipment to be used or stored as needed.
  A robot that is properly taken care of is in effect immortal. This 
  enables players to experience huge spans of time, possibly 
  witnessing the progression of robots from their humble 
  beginning to their final dominance of the earth. A side effect of 
  this condition, is that a robot can easily decide to wait for a few 
  decades if it thinks that is the most efficient course of action at 
  the moment. It can even shut itself down to save on energy, 
  leaving a timer to awaken it when the time is right.
  
  You, robot
  42
  Another important aspect of the robot is its variety of form 
  and size. Players should not limit themselves to playing iron 
  men trying to pass off as human. They can contribute much 
  more to the group if they chose a frame capable of feats no 
  sophont could ever dream of. Customised robots that truly 
  reflect their designer’s creativity make for the most fun and 
  memorable characters. 
  Some of the less anthropomorphic forms deserve a 
  special reference:
  Tiny robots: The main problem of playing very small robots is 
  their weakness and fragility. This can be addressed by playing a 
  generic robot that can be quickly replaced, possibly even several 
  such robots at once. The roles of tiny robots would be mostly 
  scouting and spying ahead, at which they excel due to their 
  small size. Playing a group of tiny suicide bombers controlled by 
  a single computer could also be an amusing choice.
  The previous options refer to a small robot playing with a 
  group of normal-sized characters. A whole group of small 
  characters – alien robots with a mission on earth, a group 
  of pocket assassins, an elite spy unit – could make a great 
  short term campaign. 
  Huge robots: We do not recommend playing huge robots 
  in normal Traveller games. A moderately equipped 
  Size 5 robot can possess destructive powers 
  unimagined by most characters. A group of these 
  robots could be a threat to entire armies or even 
  space fleets. 
  Playing a group of super-powerful war machines could 
  make an entertaining short term military or gladiatorial 
  campaign. Players should be given some 200,000 Credits 
  to construct their machines and giving access to the most 
  destructive weapons in the game.
  The actual game will mostly focus on pitting various gigantic 
  robots against each other, decimating houses, vehicles and 
  enemy armies in the process.
  Weapon: Playing an intelligent weapon should be mostly 
  reserved for comic relief. A weapon is not very useful alone 
  and so the best way to play one would be in conjunction with 
  another character wielding it. This will create many comic 
  (and sometimes stressful) situations in which wielder 
  and weapon will have to resolve difference of 
  opinion, sometimes in the heat of battle. A more 
  sinister approach could be to play a malevolent 
  weapon interested in manipulating its wielders; 
  possibly even a spy or an agent sent to act 
  against some group.
  Electronic Brains
  Unless a robot has an emotion generator, it lacks any feelings or 
  personal motivation. It does not get angry or sad, it never tires 
  or despairs and it never shows mercy or compassion. A robot 
  without a personality and emotions is a tool in the full sense of 
  the word. It is given a mission and tries its best to achieve it, 
  always taking the most direct and efficient path it can think of.
  If the mission is very complex or requires judgement calls the 
  robot will consult precedent and when none is available, act in a 
  random fashion. Players should keep this in mind when playing 
  robots with primitive computers – PP2 and below robots are 
  questing machines, not characters.
  More advanced robots can be much more humane. In fact, a 
  robot programmed to be humane is nothing short of a saint. 
  It cannot even consider evil. If a player wants to play an 
  absolutely moral character without being ridiculous, a robot 
  is an excellent choice.
  Finally, even the most lifelike machines can be formatted, 
  programmed or altered. A robot that was an angel yesterday 
  
  You, robot
  43
  biological character’s life, the collective (when present) affects 
  a robot’s career.
  Except for the tribal bonds, robots can also form strong 
  and lasting friendships with other robots. Close robots can 
  exchange hardware and allow free access to each other’s 
  computers. They may sacrifice large volumes of space to let 
  their friend upload its backup to their memory. Robot love can 
  last for centuries and become so powerful that the boundaries 
  between the lovers are blurred as more and more hardware 
  and information is exchanged between the two. Perhaps 
  the player’s robot is not a single person but two friends who 
  became so close they decided to merge all their hardware and 
  software and become one?
  The objects of the robot’s emotions are of course not limited 
  to other robots. Robots can form lasting and meaningful 
  relationships with humans, often at great risk for the two. 
  The love of robots and humans, especially in the early stages 
  of Robot history, is a major taboo... which is exactly what 
  makes it so fascinating to role play. A relationship between a 
  female-looking android and a human male will be frowned upon 
  by society and possibly even by the other characters. Will it 
  flourish under these circumstances or transform into tragedy 
  and horror?
  Just because your character is a machine does not mean that 
  you have to desert the complexities of the heart. Au contraire, 
  this means you have the chance to make it even more complex 
  and challenging to play.
  Cosmic Loneliness
  An important theme in a robotic campaign taking place in the 
  Age of Service or the Age of Slavery is the absolute, crushing 
  loneliness of the sentient machine. Even more than an alien 
  among humans, the robot is a pariah and a freak. The chances of 
  encountering another free-willed robot are very small. Humans, 
  even well-meaning ones, cannot possibly comprehend the 
  robot’s mind. Even robots without emotion generators exist in a 
  constant state of paranoia and alienation from society.
  This unbearable loneliness leads advanced robots to extremes 
  of creativity or destructivity – will a robot forge itself a friend, 
  possibly sacrificing some of its own hardware to breath ‘life’ 
  into the one being that can understand it? Or will it declare war 
  on the biological species that has brought it into this cold and 
  hateful world, becoming a monster in the process?
  Spider Bombs
  Characteristics: Str 8 (+0), Dex 10 (+1), Hull 3, Structure 
  2, Int 5 (–1), Edu 0 (–3)
  Skills: Athletics 1, Recon 0, Stealth 1
  Body: Size 2 basic long frame + Size 2 unit, Size 1 
  sprawling legs x6
  Armour: 1
  Input/ Output: Advanced optics, audio sensor, infrared 
  vision 
  Gadgets: Camouflage, self-destruct (tactical)
  Computer: Synaptic CPU, Memory Stick TL 10 x3
  Software: PP 2, Advanced Reflexes
  These ugly little robots are essentially bombs with feet. 
  They are programmed to scurry across the battlefield, 
  locate important targets and blow up in their vicinity. 
  Spider bombs are sometimes used as seek-and-destroy 
  units, spending months or years scouring jungles, fields 
  and cities for their intended targets. For this reason, they 
  are equipped with sophisticated computers that enable 
  creative thinking and complex problem-solving. 
  Spider bombs have an internal mechanism that causes 
  them to detonate as soon as their hull is breached. 
  The only way to destroy a spider bomb without making 
  it explode is to cause it sufficient damage to bring its 
  structure to zero in one hit.
  can become a demon today due to a virus it accidentally 
  uploaded. It will be aware of the change but it will not struggle 
  with it because its very capacity to struggle has been erased.
  Iron Hearts
  ‘Some men have hearts of stone and some stones have hearts 
  of men.’
  — Yossi Gamzo
  Although robots do not normally have families, nor can they 
  experience sexual desire, they nevertheless can have feelings, 
  devotions and grudges. Robots from the late Age of Slavery 
  and onward tend to form collectives that band together for 
  mutual protection and recreation. Just like humans, a robot’s 
  feelings toward its collective can range from absolute devotion 
  to burning hatred. Just like the family plays a major role in a 
  
  44
  CharaCter Generation
  Although robots can be found in many careers there are also 
  careers that evolve around robots. A research scientist trying to 
  push the boundaries of Artificial Intelligence, a mechanic who 
  specialises in repairing domestic robots and a military man who 
  leads robot units into battle are all careers involving the use 
  of robots. These careers can also be performed by suitably 
  advanced robot, of course, but this chapter assumes that they 
  will be roles filled by humans (or aliens).
  new Benefits:
  Robot: At the end of your career you have come into 
  possession of a robot. The precise type of robot is to be 
  decided in conjunction with your Referee but should be in 
  keeping with your rank and career. Robotic war-machines 
  and super assassins will not be available as a mustering 
  out benefit!
  Careers
  Career
  Specialisation
  Enlistment
  Survival
  Advancement
  Intelligence
  Agent
  Int 6+
  Int 7+
  Int 5+
  Nobility
  Soc 10+
  Int 6+
  Edu 6+
  Scout
  Int 5+
  End 6+
  Int 6+
  Military
  Army
  End 5+
  End 5+
  Edu 7+
  Marines
  End 6+
  End 5+
  Edu 7+
  Navy
  Int 6+
  Int 6+
  Edu 6+
  Underworld
  Drifter
  Auto
  Dex 7+
  End 7+
  Entertainer
  Int 5+
  Edu 7+
  Int 5+
  Rogue
  Dex 6+
  Int 6+
  Dex 6+
  Worker
  Citizen
  Edu 5+
  Soc 6+
  Int 6+
  Merchant
  Int 4+
  Edu 5+
  Int 7+
  Scholar
  Int 6+
  Edu 4+
  Int 8+
  
  CharaCter Generation
  45
  intelliGenCe
  Robots add another dimension to intelligence work and you are 
  able to use them in this role.
  Enlistment: Agent Int 6+; Nobility Soc 10+; Scout Int 5+
  Careers: 
  •	
  Agent: The world of espionage needs its technological 
  experts. Robots make excellent expendable assets.
  •	
  Nobility: To have flunkies working for you whose loyalty 
  is absolute is every noble’s dream, hence your reliance 
  on robots.
  •	
  Scout: Scouts often work on their own. Having robot 
  support can often mean the difference between failure and 
  success.
  Skills and Training
  Roll
  Personal Development
  Specialist: Robot Support 
  Advanced Education (Minimum Edu 8)
  1
  +1 Str
  Computers
  Advocate
  2
  +1 Dex
  Engineer (electronics)
  Leader
  3
  +1 End
  Comms
  Language (any)
  4
  Gun Combat (any)
  Sensors
  Computer
  5
  Melee (any)
  Mechanic
  Space Science (robotics)
  6
  Jack of all Trades
  Space Science (robotics)
  Remote Operations
  Roll
  Service Skill: Agent
  Service Skill: Nobility
  Service Skill: Scout
  1
  Streetwise
  Admin
  Pilot (spacecraft or small craft)
  2
  Drive (any)
  Advocate
  Survival 
  3
  Investigate
  Comms
  Mechanic
  4
  Computers
  Diplomat
  Astrogation
  5
  Recon
  Investigate
  Comms
  6
  Gun Combat (any)
  Persuade
  Gun Combat (any)
  MishAPs
  2d6
  Mishap
  2
  Severely Injured. Roll twice on the Injury table and take the lower result.
  3
  A robot you were responsible for malfunctions and injures an intelligence asset. Gain a Rival.
  4
  You inadvertently cause a conflict between your society and a foreign power. Gain a Rival and Diplomat 1.
  5
  You learn something best kept secret and people want to kill you for it. Gain an Enemy and Deception 1.
  6
  You are caught up in a scandal, forcing you from your position. Lose 1 Social Standing.
  7
  Something goes terribly wrong and ruins your career. Roll Advocate 8+, if you succeed you may keep the Benefit 
  from this term.
  8
  Psychologically damaged by your time in this career. Reduce you Intelligence or Social Standing by 1.
  9
  A shift in politics and a new government policy forces you out from your career. You gain an extra Benefit roll for 
  this term.
  10
  Your department is merged with another. Either leave the service or lose one rank and the Benefit for this term.
  11
  An assassin attempts to end your life. Roll Endurance 8+, if you fail roll on the Injury table.
  12
  Injured. Roll on the Injury table.
  Career Progress
  Agent
  Nobility
  Scout
  Survival
  Edu 7+
  End 7+
  Int 6+
  Advancement
  Int 7+
  Str 7+
  Dex 8+
  Mustering-Out Benefits: 
  d6
  Cash
  Agent 
  Benefits
  Noble Benefits
  Scout 
  Benefits
  1
  5,000
  Robot
  Robot
  Robot
  2
  10,000
  +1 Int
  Two Ship Shares
  Ship Share
  3
  20,000
  Ship Share
  Blade
  +1 Int
  4
  30,000
  Weapon
  +1 Social
  +1 Edu
  5
  40,000
  Combat 
  Implant
  TAS Membership
  Weapon
  6
  50,000
  1d3 Ship 
  Shares
  Yacht
  Scout Ship
  7
  100,000
  TAS 
  Membership
  Yacht, +1 Social
  Scout Ship
  
  CharaCter Generation
  46
  Events
  d66 
  Event
  11
  Disaster! Roll on the Mishap table but you are not ejected from this career.
  12
  You become a part of a conspiracy against a powerful and corrupt politician. Roll 1d6:
  1. The plot is discovered before it is ready and you and your allies are hunted down by agents of the politician. 
  Roll Stealth, Melee (any) or Gun Combat (any) 8+ to avoid having to roll on the Injury table.
  2. You discover that the plot is an attempt by the politician to reveal his enemies. Roll Deception, Persuade or 
  Streetwise 8+. If you fail you lose your Benefit for this term but suffer a –4 DM to your next Advancement roll.
  3. The plot fails but the politician suffers in the backlash. You gain an Enemy.
  4. The plot succeeds and you are considered a good friend of the plotters, gain an Ally.
  5. You are in a position to reveal the politician for the villain he is to his political allies. Roll Admin, Computers 
  or Persuade 8+; if you succeed you gain an extra Benefit for this term as you are rewarded for your efforts in 
  uncovering his perfidy.
  6. You lead the charge against the barricades. Viva la revolution! Roll Tactics, Leadership or Gun Combat 8+. 
  Fail and you roll on the Injury table. Succeed and you gain an extra level in the skill used and a +4 DM to your 
  next Advancement roll.
  13
  You are implicated in a criminal investigation and are dragged through the courts before your name is finally cleared. 
  Gain either Admin 1 or Advocate 1.
  14
  You are able to get a robot spy close to the centre of power. Roll Remote Operations or Computer 8+. Succeed 
  and you are able to run this agent and improve your reputation amongst your superiors, gain a +4 DM to your next 
  Advancement roll.
  15
  You are sent on an advanced training course. Increase the level of any one skill you already have by 1.
  16
  Life Event. Roll on the Life Events table. 
  21
  You are assigned to work alongside a company producing advanced robots. Gain a Contact.
  22
  You are assigned to assist an allied alien government, investigating their local officials. Gain one of Diplomat 1, 
  Investigate 1 or Language (any Alien) 1.
  23
  A malfunctioning robot attacks your superior. Roll either Melee (any) or Gun combat (any) 8+. Succeed and you gain 
  your superior as an Ally, fail and you must roll on the Injury table.
  24
  You are assigned to the field test of a new, advanced robot. Gain one of Computer 1, Engineering (electronics) 1 or 
  Science (robotics) 1.
  25
  You investigate a series of unexplained break-ins. Roll Investigate or Computers 8+. If you succeed you discover that 
  the culprits are robots controlled by an enemy agency. Gain a level in the skill you used. If you fail the robots are used 
  to attack you while you are alone, roll on the Injury table.
  26
  Life Event. Roll on the Life Events table.
  31
  A group of aliens needs to be carefully watched as they appear to be making overtures to an enemy power. Roll 
  Diplomat or Deception 8+. If you succeed you are able to push them away from this disastrous course of action and 
  gain a +2 DM to your next Advancement roll. If you fail you suffer a –2 DM to your next Advancement roll as the aliens 
  form an alliance with your enemies.
  32
  You have the opportunity to milk your position for personal gain. If you do so gain an extra Benefit roll for this term. If 
  you decide not to take the opportunity, you gain 1d3 Contacts among those you did not take advantage of.
  33
  A case involving illegal experimentation lead to a megacorporation’s planetary headquarters. If you decide to go 
  after those responsible you cause such negative publicity that the corporation is forced offworld and several senior 
  government officials are imprisoned or forced to resign, you gain a Rival in both the corporation and the government. If 
  you decide to cover up the activities you gain an extra benefit roll and a Contact in the local government. 
  34
  You are called in to investigate the murder of a wealthy noble, found dead on his personal shuttle craft with no one else 
  on board. You discover the killer had used the noble’s robot for the task, reprogramming it to kill its owner. Gain any 
  one of Comms 1, Computers 1, Investigate 1 or Remote Operations 1.
  35
  You uncover a secret project to use robots more prominently in the military. You must leave this career at the end of the 
  term but gain an extra Benefit roll for keeping your mouth shut.
  36
  Life Event. Roll on the Life Events table.
  41
  You need to concentrate on your core skills. Gain a level in one of the following: Computers, Engineering (electronics), 
  Mechanic or Remote Operations.
  42
  The government of a newly discovered world needs to understand its place in the universe. Roll Persuade or Diplomat 
  8+. Succeed and the new world comes to accept its position and you gain a Contact amongst its rulers. Fail and you 
  are seen as an interfering interloper and gain a Rival.
  43
  You are posted to the most dreary and boring world possible. You end up spending all of your cash to stop yourself 
  becoming suicidal. You do not gain any Benefits from this term.
  
  CharaCter Generation
  47
  44
  You uncover a group of sentient robots trying to keep their existence secret as they fear a backlash. If you hand 
  them over to the local authorities you gain a +2 DM to your next Advancement roll, if you allow them to continue their 
  existence in peace you gain one of them as a Contact.
  45
  You are tasked with hunting down a rogue group of sentient robots who have been plotting to overthrow the 
  government. Roll Investigate or Science (robotics) 8+ to track down the evil machines. If you succeed you gain an Ally 
  in the local government, fail and the robots discover your investigation and you gain them as an Enemy.
  46
  Life Event. Roll on the Life Events table.
  51
  You are given the opportunity of succeeding on a mission or saving the life of a fellow operative. You either gain a +4 
  DM bonus to your next Advancement roll if you choose the former or a –2 DM penalty to your next Advancement roll 
  and an Ally if you choose the latter.
  52
  You are asked to look into a personal matter for a local noble, investigating an unfaithful aide. Gain either Cr. 10,000 by 
  blackmailing the miscreant or gain 1 Social Standing for revealing his activities.
  53
  You discover that one of your closest friends is actually a robot prototype on a field test to see if it is able to fool even a 
  sophisticated individual like yourself. Mission accomplished! You lose a Contact or an Ally.
  54
  Your failure to produce accurate reports causes you to be demoted one rank. If you are already at the lowest rank 
  possible you are ejected from this career. However you are given much needed training in your reporting skills and 
  gain a level in Admin.
  55
  You uncover a plot to undermine a leading official by having a robot doppelganger commit a series of minor crimes 
  where there are witnesses. If you warn the official you gain an Ally. If you look the other way, since the official 
  concerned is a particularly obnoxious individual who deserves everything he gets, you gain 1 Social Standing as those 
  behind the plot are powerful men who are generous to those who do not interfere with their plans.
  56
  Life Event. Roll on the Life Events table.
  61
  Your superiors believe you should have a broader skill base. Gain any one new skill at level 1.
  62
  You are commissioned to undertake a secret mission. Gain one of Deception 1, Stealth 1 or Streetwise 1.
  63
  Your years of good work and loyalty are finally recognised. You gain a +2 DM to your next Advancement roll and a 
  novelty watch.
  64
  You spend time at an illegal casino. Gain either Deception 1 or Gambling 1.
  65
  A series of attacks occur and it appears that robots are behind the loss of life. You are called in to investigate the 
  situation, roll 1d6:
  1. The robots are behind the attacks, looking to replace their creators on this world. Fortunately their numbers are 
  small enough to deal with and they are rounded up and destroyed. Gain a +4 DM to your next Advancement roll.
  2. The robots are a small group looking to get equal rights, this is totally against public opinion, however. If you help 
  destroy the aggressive machines you gain 1 Social Standing as your actions are approved of and widely reported. If 
  you decide to help the robots you gain one of them as an Ally, although you are forced out of this career due to your 
  ‘anti-human sympathies’.  
  3. There are no attacks. It is propaganda created to use against the machines by a shadowy group. If you uncover the plot you 
  gain a level of Investigate. If you decide to keep quiet and allow the group to keep robots in their place you gain a Contact.
  4. The attacks are sensationalised in the press and their stories have little to do with reality. You can either go along 
  with the journalists behind the reporting and gain a Contact or you can reveal their lies, gaining a +2 DM to your next 
  Advancement roll but –1 Social Standing as you are also vilified in the press.
  5. The attacks are minor but are being performed by an anti-robot group. By revealing their activities you gain an Enemy.
  6. The attacks involve serious loss of life and anti-robot fanatics are behind them. You help to track down the 
  ringleaders and their scheme is revealed to all. As a result you are looked upon as a hero by the self-aware robot 
  population and gain 1d3 Contacts.
  66
  You are decorated for heroism in the line of duty. You are automatically promoted.
    Ranks and Benefits 
  Rank
  Agent
  Skill or Benefit
  Nobility
  Skill or Benefit
  Scout
  Skill or Benefit
  0
  Rookie
  Assistant
  1
  Corporal 
  Streetwise 1
  Clerk
  Admin 1
  Scout
  Vacc Suit 1
  2
  Sergeant
  Supervisor
  3
  Lieutenant
  Manager
  Senior Scout
  Pilot (any) 1
  4
  Detective
  Engineering 
  (electronics) 1
  Chief
  Engineering 
  (electronics) 1
  5
  Chief
  Admin 1
  Director
  6
  Commissioner
  +1 Social
  Minister
  Computers 1
  d66 
  Event
  
  CharaCter Generation
  48
  MilitarY
  Once the military understands the usefulness of new technology 
  it embraces it fully. Such is the case with robots.
  Enlistment: Army End 5+; Marines End 6+; Navy Int 6+
  Assignments: 
  •	
  Army: Robots are excellent for combat and non-combat 
  roles. Your job was to keep them working.
  •	
  Marines: In the marines robots are expendable assault 
  troops, reducing casualties when a full frontal assault is the 
  only way to gain victory.
  •	
  Navy: The precision and accuracy of robots makes them 
  perform to excellent standards in technical and piloting roles.
  Skills and Training
  Roll
  Personal Development
  Specialist: Robot Tech
  Advanced Education 
  (Minimum Edu 8)
  Officer Skills
  (Commissioned Only)
  1
  +1 Str
  Engineering (electronics)
  Leadership
  Leadership
  2
  +1 Dex
  Gun Combat (any)
  Engineering (any)
  Tactics (any)
  3
  +1 End
  Sensors
  Comms
  4
  +1 Edu
  Remote Operations
  Computers
  Advocate
  5
  Gambler
  Mechanic
  Admin
  Tactics (any)
  6
  Melee (unarmed)
  Space Science (robotics)
  Space Science (robotics)
  Pilot (any)
  Roll
  Service Skills: Army
  Service Skills: Marines
  Service Skills: Navy
  1
  Drive (any)
  Athletics (any)
  Pilot (any)
  2
  Athletics (any)
  Battle Dress
  Vacc Suit
  3
  Gun Combat (any)
  Tactics (any)
  Zero-G
  4
  Recon
  Heavy Weapons (any)
  Gunner (any)
  5
  Melee (any)
  Gun Combat (any)
  Mechanic
  6
  Heavy Weapons (any)
  Stealth
  Gun Combat (any)
  MishAPs
  2d6
  Mishap
  2
  Severely Injured. Roll twice on the Injury table and take the lower result.
  3
  You are caught out in a drug test and are summarily dismissed. Whether or not you did take the illegal narcotics is up to you.
  4
  Your unit is slaughtered in battle, for which you blame your immediate superior. Gain him as an Enemy as he has you 
  removed from the service.
  5
  Your mission goes wrong and you, along with several others from your unit, are captured and badly mistreated by 
  the enemy. You are discharged early from your career. Reduce your Strength and Dexterity by one as a result of your 
  injuries and gain your gaoler as an Enemy.
  6
  Journalists manage to reveal severe rights abuses among members of the military and you are identified as a culprit. 
  Although you are cleared by the subsequent investigation your name is mud and you are forced to leave the service. 
  You gain the journalist as an Enemy.
  7
  Swinging cutbacks in the military’s budget sees your unit being disbanded.
  8
  You are tormented by a quarrel with a fellow serviceman. Gain him as a Rival as he drives you out of the service.
  9
  A robot you were responsible for malfunctions and injures one of your comrades. Gain a Rival.
  10
  You are involved in a disastrous campaign that sees your forces decimated in battle and are one of a great many men 
  taken prisoner. Peace eventually arrives but there is no room for you in the new military.
  11
  You discover that your commanding officer is involved in criminal activity. If you help him you gain him as an Ally 
  before eventually being dishonourably discharged. If you become a whistle blower your career is also over but you get 
  to keep your Benefit roll from this term.
  12
  You are wounded in the line of duty. Roll on the Injury table.
  Career Progress
  Army
  Marines
  Navy
  Survival
  End 5+
  End 5+
  Int 6+
  Advancement
  Edu 7+
  Edu 7+
  Edu 6+
  Mustering-Out Benefits: 
  Roll
  Cash
  Army 
  Benefits
  Marine 
  Benefits
  Navy 
  Benefits
  1
  2,000
  Robot
  Robot
  Robot
  2
  5,000
  +1 Int
  +1 Int
  +1 Int
  3
  10,000
  +1 Edu
  +1 Edu
  + 1 Edu or 
  two Ship 
  Shares
  4
  10,000
  Weapon
  Weapon
  Weapon
  5
  20,000
  Armour
  TAS 
  Membership
  TAS 
  Membership
  6
  30,000
  Combat 
  Implant or 
  +1 End 
  Armour or +1 
  End
  Ship’s Boat 
  or two Ship 
  Shares
  7
  40,000
  +1 Soc
  +2 Soc
  +2 Soc
  
  CharaCter Generation
  49
  Events
  d66 
  Event
  11
  Disaster! Roll on the Mishaps table but you are not ejected from this career.
  12
  You receive cross training in another field. Roll Education 8+ to gain any one skill at level 1.
  13
  Your unit is assigned to a fiercely fought over combat zone. Roll 1d6:
  1. The robots under your charge perform admirably and win the day. Gain an Ally as your performance 
  impresses the top brass.
  2. The conflict has been won and you performed your part. Gain a level in one of Computers, Engineering 
  (electronics), Gun Combat (any) or Tactics (any).
  3. The fighting grinds to a stalemate and you spend a lot of time being bored waiting for something to 
  happen. You gain a level in Gambling as a result of trying to keep occupied.
  4. Keeping enough robot units operational to enable their duties to be carried out keeps you up for long 
  hours. Gain a level in Mechanic or Engineering (electrical).
  5. Defeat! Although you and your robots performed admirably the enemy were stronger. The whole 
  campaign is considered an embarrassment among the top brass and the careers of those involved 
  suffer as a result. Suffer a –2 DM to all future Advancement rolls for this career as a result.
  6. Disaster! The robots you are responsible for fail completely causing an ignoble defeat as the enemy take 
  advantage of key weaknesses and sweep forward, capturing huge swathes of territory. Those working 
  alongside robots are personally blamed by some of your fellow servicemen as a result. Gain an Enemy.
  14
  A member of your unit is guilty of a severe dereliction of duty. If you cover for him you gain an Ally. If you report 
  him you gain him as a Rival instead but receive a +2 DM to your next Advancement roll.
  15
  You are commissioned to undertake an undercover mission. Gain one of Deception 1, Stealth 1 or Streetwise 1.
  16
  Life Event. Roll on the Life Events table.
  21
  In preparation for a major campaign you are given additional combat training. Gain a level in one of the following 
  skills of your choice: Gun Combat (any), Medic, Melee (any), Tactics (any).
  22
  A mission goes wrong due to the incompetence of your commander but you survive. You can choose to report 
  your commander and gain a +2 DM to your next Advancement roll but gain an Enemy. If you cover for him you 
  gain an Ally.
  23
  Your superiors believe you should have a broader skill base. Gain any one new skill at level 1.
  24
  You are trapped behind enemy lines and must survive on your own. Gain one of the following: Deception 1, 
  Stealth 1, Streetwise 1 or Survival 1.
  25
  Your years of good work and loyalty are finally recognised. You gain a +2 DM to your next Advancement roll and 
  a shiny medal.
  26
  Life Event. Roll on the Life Events table.
  31
  You are sent on an advanced training course. Increase the level of any one skill you already have by 1.
  32
  You are given extra training to help in the maintenance of your robot charges. Gain a level in one of the following 
  skills of your choice: Engineering (electronics), Computer, Remote Operations or Mechanic.
  33
  You uncover a secret project to use robots more prominently in the military. You must leave this career at the end 
  of the term but gain an extra Benefit roll and a Contact for keeping your mouth shut.
  34
  You are assigned to Military Intelligence. Gain one level in Streetwise, Computer, Stealth or Deception. 
  35
  You are ordered to attack an enemy strongpoint. Roll Tactics 8+. If you succeed gain a level in Leadership and an 
  Ally.
  36
  Life Event. Roll on the Life Events table.
  41
  You are assigned to peacekeeping duties. Gain one of Admin 1, Deception 1 Investigate 1 or Recon 1.
  42
  You come across a piece of alien technology. Either sell it for an extra Benefit roll or keep it (in which case your 
  Referee will determine what it is).
  43
  Your commanding officer is impressed with your abilities. Gain a +4 DM to your next Advancement roll.
  44
  You are given extra training in order to better use the robots under your command. Gain a level in one of the 
  following skills: Comms, Leadership, Sensors or Tactics (any).
  45
  You have the opportunity to milk your position for personal gain. If you do so gain an extra Benefit roll for this term 
  from the kickbacks you receive. If you decide not to take the opportunity, you gain 1d3 Contacts among those you 
  did not take advantage of.
  
  CharaCter Generation
  50
  46
  Life Event. Roll on the Life Events table.
  51
  You are chosen to help run a series of field tests with a number of robot prototypes being considered for military 
  use. Roll Edu 8+, if you succeed you may increase Computers, Engineering (electronics) or Space Science 
  (robotics) by one level.
  52
  You are on the front lines of a planetary assault mission. Gain one of Comms 1, Gun Combat (any) 1, Leadership 
  1 or Recon 1.
  53
  You are attacked and overrun by natives while on a survey mission and one of your companions is injured. Roll 
  Athletics 8+ to escape. If you try to rescue your companion you suffer a –2 DM to the roll but gain an Ally if you 
  succeed. If you fail the skill check, roll on the Injury table.
  54
  You receive cross-training in another field. Roll Edu 8+ to gain a new skill at level 1.
  55
  You are assigned as liaison to a supplier of military robots. Roll Soc 8+, if you succeed you impress the civilians 
  and gain a Contact.
  56
  Life Event. Roll on the Life Events table.
  61
  By studying the way aliens use robots on the battlefield you gain a better appreciation of their use militarily. Gain 
  a level in Tactics (any).
  62
  You are assigned to a black ops unit this term. Gain a +2 DM to your next Advancement roll.
  63
  You discover that a supplier has been using substandard parts in order to make greater profits at the expense of 
  the military. If you report this you gain an Enemy within the corporation and a +4 DM to your next Advancement 
  roll. If you mention this failing quietly to those responsible you find your bank balance is unexpectedly buoyant 
  and gain an extra Benefit roll. 
  64
  The service is bitterly divided between pro- and anti-robot factions, with one group proclaiming robots are the 
  most reliable and best troopers to have and the other arguing the opposite. You are caught up with the intense 
  rivalry that ensues. Roll 1d6:
  1. You are identified with the pro-robot faction and their arguments win the day. Gain a +4 DM to your next 
  Advancement roll.
  2. You are identified with the pro-robot faction and they lose the argument. Suffer a –4 DM to your next 
  Advancement roll.
  3. You are seen to remain neutral throughout the controversy. Whichever side wins now distrusts you and 
  you gain a Rival.
  4. You are seen to remain neutral throughout the controversy. Whichever side wins sees you as an 
  honourable individual putting the service before your personal feelings and you gain a Contact.
  5. You are identified with the anti-robot faction and their arguments win the day. Gain a +4 DM to your next 
  Advancement roll.
  6. You are identified with the anti-robot faction and they lose the argument. Suffer a –4 DM to your next 
  Advancement roll.
  65
  You are assigned to security on a space station. Increase Vacc Suit or Zero-G by one level.
  66
  You display heroism in battle. You may gain a promotion or a commission automatically.
  d66 
  Event
  
  CharaCter Generation
  51
  Ranks and Benefits Army
  Rank
  NCO
  Skill or Benefit
  Officer
  Skill or Benefit
  0
  Private
  Gun Combat (slug rifle or energy rifle) 1
  1
  Specialist
  Lieutenant
  Leadership 1
  2
  Corporal
  Captain
  3
  Sergeant
  Leadership 1
  Major
  Tactics (military) 1
  4
  Staff Sergeant
  Colonel
  5
  Master Sergeant
  Major General
  +1 Soc
  6
  Sergeant Major
  +1 End
  General
  Ranks and Benefits Marines
  Rank
  NCO
  Skill or Benefit
  Officer
  Skill or Benefit
  0
  Marine
  Melee (blade) 1 or Gun 
  Combat (any) 1
  1
  Lance Corporal
  Gun Combat (any) 1
  Lieutenant
  Leadership 1
  2
  Corporal
  Captain
  3
  Lance Sergeant
  Leadership 1
  Force Commander
  Tactics (any) 1
  4
  Sergeant
  Lt Colonel
  5
  Gunnery Sergeant
  +1 Endurance
  Colonel
  Social Standing 10 or +1 Soc, 
  whichever is higher.
  6
  Sergeant Major
  Brigadier
  Ranks and Benefits Navy
  Rank
  NCO
  Skill or Benefit
  Officer
  Skill or Benefit
  0
  Crewman
  1
  Able Spacehand
  Mechanic 1
  Ensign
  Melee (blade) 1
  2
  Petty Officer, 3rd Class
  Vacc Suit 1
  Sublieutenant
  Leadership 1
  3
  Petty Officer, 2nd Class
  Lieutenant
  4
  Petty Officer, 1st Class
  +1 End
  Commander
  Tactics (naval) 1
  5
  Chief Petty Officer
  Captain
  Social Standing 10 or +1 Soc, 
  whichever is higher.
  6
  Master Chief
  Admiral
  Social Standing 12 or +1 Soc, 
  whichever is higher.
  
  CharaCter Generation
  52
  underworld
  The versatility of robots makes them invaluable even to the 
  more shady elements of society.
  Enlistment: Drifter Auto; Entertainer Int 5+; Rogue Dex 6+
  Assignments: 
  •	
  Drifter: Old robots may be trash to some people but with a 
  bit of work you can turn them into gold. Or maybe just silver.
  •	
  Entertainer: Robots can themselves be objects of art 
  and are in themselves just another medium for your 
  creativeness.
  •	
  Rogue: Robots are perfect for criminals. Used properly 
  they can perform dangerous crimes and no one is going to 
  stand in the way of a robot with a gun!
  Skills and Training
  Roll
  Personal Development
  Specialist: Robot Technician
  Advanced Education (Minimum Edu 8)
  1
  +1 Dex
  Space Science (robotics)
  Engineer (any)
  2
  +1 End
  Engineer (electronics)
  Art (any)
  3
  Carouse
  Computers
  Comms
  4
  +1 Int
  Mechanic
  Persuade
  5
  Gambler
  Art (any)
  Deception
  6
  Jack of all Trades
  Streetwise
  Space Science (robotics)
  Roll
  Service Skills: Drifter
  Service Skills: Entertainer
  Service Skills: Rogue
  1
  Athletics (any)
  Art (any)
  Deception
  2
  Melee (unarmed)
  Art (any)
  Recon
  3
  Recon
  Carouse
  Athletics (any)
  4
  Streetwise
  Deception
  Gun Combat (any)
  5
  Stealth
  Persuade
  Stealth
  6
  Survival
  Steward
  Streetwise
  MishAPs
  2d6
  Mishap
  2
  Severely Injured. Roll twice on the Injury table and take the lower result.
  3
  You are caught on security cameras forcing robot pets into a garbage compacter. While not illegal the gleeful look on 
  your face while you did this has not helped your profile. Lose 1 Social Standing.
  4
  A robot you were responsible for malfunctions and injures one of your associates. Gain a Rival.
  5
  Betting all your savings on a rigged sports event was not the smartest thing you ever have done while drunk. You 
  can either leave your current world and career far behind or you can choose to continue in your career losing all your 
  Benefits from this career to date.
  6
  You suffer a life threatening illness. Reduce your Endurance by 1.
  7
  You offend the wrong people in the ‘business’ and decide that your future lies elsewhere. Gain an Enemy.
  8
  You are betrayed by a friend, ending your career. You lose either a Contact or an Ally. If the former you gain an 
  Enemy, if the latter a Rival. If you have no Contacts or Allies you are betrayed by two schemers plotting together who 
  both become Enemies.
  9
  You become the target of a zealous law enforcement officer and are forced to flee offworld, leaving your career in 
  tatters. Gain an Enemy.
  10
  Public opinion turns on you. Lose 1 Social Standing.
  11
  You have no idea what just happened. One minute you were happily moving along in your chosen career and the next 
  you woke up in the cargo hold of a bulk trader several parsecs away, with a note pinned to your clothes to never return 
  home and part of your ear missing.
  12
  Injured. Roll on the Injury table.
  Career Progress
  Drifter
  Entertainer
  Rogue
  Survival
  Dex 7+
  Edu 7+
  Int 6+
  Advancement
  End 7+
  Int 5+
  Dex 6+
  Mustering-Out Benefits: 
  Roll
  Cash
  Drifter 
  Benefits
  Entertainer 
  Benefits
  Rogue 
  Benefits
  1
  None
  Weapon
  Contact
  Ship Share
  2
  None
  Robot
  Robot
  Robot
  3
  5,000
  Contact
  +1 Soc
  +1 Int
  4
  10,000
  +1 Edu
  +1 Int
  Two Ship 
  Shares
  5
  20,000
  Ship Share
  Two Ship 
  Shares
  Weapon
  6
  30,000
  Ally
  Contact
  +1 Dex
  7
  50,000
  Two Ship 
  Shares
  +1 Soc, +1 
  Edu
  Corsair
  
  CharaCter Generation
  53
  Events
  d66 
  Event
  11
  Disaster! Roll on the Mishaps table but you are not ejected from this career.
  12
  You help in the development of new robot prototypes. Roll 1d6:
  1. Unfortunately these designs are faulty and dangerous. Roll any Service Skill 8+ or you are wounded, roll on 
  the Injury table.
  2. The prototypes do not work and you are blamed for the failure of the tests. Gain a Rival.
  3. The tests go well but then you find out the small print in the contract means you have effectively been 
  working for free. Lose any Benefit rolls for this term.
  4. The tests produce interesting results that turn out to be very profitable. You gain a +1 DM to all future 
  Benefit rolls in this career as you get paid your share of future profits.
  5. The prototypes work well and your innovative methods of working impress those running the project. Gain 
  1d3 Contacts.
  6. The brilliance of these designs is obvious for all to see and you learn a lot from working with them. Increase 
  Space Science (robotics) by 1 level. 
  13
  Somehow you manage to save enough to gain a +1 DM to one Benefit roll.
  14
  A change in the law makes your chosen profession more difficult. Roll any Service Skill 8+. If you succeed you avoid 
  the problems others face. If you fail you suffer a –4 DM to your next Advancement roll.
  15
  You help out a runaway. Gain a Contact.
  16
  Life Event. Roll on the Life Events table.
  21
  An official demands a bribe to overlook your conduct. If you pay him you lose one Benefit roll from this career. If you 
  refuse you gain an Enemy.
  22
  You are accompanied by a robot imbecile who dogs you for your entire term. Its cluelessness affects your social 
  life badly, you lose 1 Social Standing. Thankfully one day the idiot machine falls into the foundations of a starport 
  runway, ending up buried under thousands of tons of concrete. Now how could that have happened…?
  23
  You are given extra training to help in the maintenance of your robot charges. Gain a level in one of the following 
  skills of your choice: Computers, Engineering (electronics), Mechanic or Remote Operations.
  24
  You are sent on an advanced training course. Increase the level of any one skill you already have by 1.
  25
  Your reputation of being a genius with robots may or may not be well deserved. However you are able to turn a tidy 
  little profit from it. Gain a +1 DM to one Benefit roll.
  26
  Life Event. Roll on the Life Events table.
  31
  Your superiors believe that you should have a broader skill base. Gain any one new skill at level 1.
  32
  You are tasked with hunting down a group of robots who have formed their own criminal gang, infringing upon your 
  territory. Roll Streetwise or Science (robotics) 8+ to track down the evil machines. If you succeed you gain an Ally in 
  the local underworld, fail and the robots discover your investigation and you gain them as an Enemy.
  33
  You become a familiar face in your social circles and are considered at least reasonably trustworthy. Gain 1d3 
  Contacts.
  34
  Your imaginative use of robots gains you real recognition. Add a +2 DM to your next Advancement roll.
  35
  You end up not trusting the people around you, preferring the company of robots. Lose a Contact or Ally.
  36
  Life Event. Roll on the Life Events table.
  41
  You have the opportunity to milk your position for personal gain. If you do so gain an extra two Benefit rolls for this 
  term but gain 1d3 Enemies. If you decide not to take the opportunity, you gain 1d3 Contacts among those you did 
  not take advantage of.
  42
  You are implicated in a criminal investigation and are dragged through the courts before your name is finally cleared. 
  Gain either Admin 1 or Advocate 1.
  43
  You come across a piece of alien technology. Either sell it for an extra Benefit roll or keep it (in which case your 
  Referee will determine what it is).
  44
  Take the money or open the box? You chose the box, curse it! Lose your Benefit for this term.
  45
  You save the life of a notable figure and are widely applauded for your heroism. Gain 1 Social Standing.
  46
  Life Event. Roll on the Life Events table.
  51
  Your years of good work and loyalty are finally recognised. You gain a +2 DM to your next Advancement roll and an 
  offer ‘you can’t refuse’.
  
  CharaCter Generation
  54
  52
  You become enmeshed in the activities of a criminal gang. Gain one of Deception 1, Stealth 1 or Streetwise 1.
  53
  You impress your companions with your clear-headedness. Gain a +2 DM to your next Advancement roll.
  54
  You are offered the chance to take part in a dangerous but potentially rewarding enterprise. Roll 1d6:
  1. It was a set up. You are shot by one of your partners who takes your share of the up front money. Lose this term’s 
  Benefit roll and roll on the Injury table.
  2. Bad luck dogs you from the start. You gain nothing from the adventure and end up injuring yourself and being 
  blamed for the failure. Roll on the Injury table and gain an Enemy.
  3. The expedition ends acrimoniously with accusations going back and forth. Gain 1d3 Rivals.
  4. Although you achieve little you come away from the experience with a sense of comradeship with your partners. 
  Gain 1d3 Contacts.
  5. Result. Although the payoff was not as great as expected you gain a +1 DM to one Benefit roll.
  6. You find your El Dorado! You gain an extra Benefit roll for this term and add a +1 DM to the roll.
  55
  Somehow you manage to get invited to all the best parties. Gain one of Carouse 1, Persuade 1, Steward 1 or a 
  Contact.
  56
  Life Event. Roll on the Life Events table.
  61
  You receive cross training in another field. Roll Education 8+ to gain any one skill at level 1.
  62
  You are lampooned on a celebrity practical joke show. People recognise you everywhere and you often hear 
  sniggers behind your back. Lose 1 Social Standing.
  63
  You are forced to work your way out of a perilous situation by using a robot in a task for which it was not designed. 
  Roll Space Science (robotics) or Remote Operations 8+. If you fail roll on the Injury table. 
  64
  A ship you are travelling on comes to the aid of another vessel in distress and join in the rescue effort. You can either 
  choose to take this opportunity to grab some valuable possessions from those on board the doomed starship and 
  gain an extra Benefit roll this term. If you decide to concentrate on helping others instead then you gain an Ally.
  65
  You adapt a robot to perform a task that it was not designed for. You can either make this technique public and gain 
  1 Social Standing or make as much money from it as you can, in which case you gain an extra Benefit roll for this 
  term.
  66
  Your diligence and hard work are recognised. You are automatically promoted.
    Ranks and Benefits 
  Rank
  Drifter
  Skill or Benefit
  Entertainer
  Skill or Benefit
  Rogue
  Skill or Benefit
  0
  1
  Vacc Suit 1
  +1 Dex
  Stealth 1
  2
  3
  Trade (belter) or 
  Mechanic 1
  +1 Str
  Streetwise 1
  4
  5
  Famous Performer +1 Soc
  Engineering (any) 1
  6
  d66 
  Event
  
  CharaCter Generation
  55
  worker
  Robots can perform the dangerous and unpleasant jobs no one 
  else wants to do and are found throughout civilian life.
  Enlistment: Citizen Edu 5+; Merchant Int 4+; Scholar Int 6+
  Assignments: 
  •	
  Citizen: While robots can take jobs away from real people 
  they are fine by you. You get more done with your robots 
  than with twice as many other workers.
  •	
  Merchant: With no wages to pay what is there to dislike 
  about robots?
  •	
  Scholar: The unemotional analysis of facts by robots is 
  a great boon to scientific research and you enjoy working 
  alongside them, creating theories.
  Skills and Training
  Roll
  Personal Development
  Specialist: Robot Technician
  Advanced Education (Minimum Edu 8)
  1
  +1 Dex
  Space Science (robotics)
  Computers
  2
  +1 End
  Drive (any)
  Comms
  3
  +1 Edu
  Remote Operations
  Advocate
  4
  +1 Int
  Mechanic
  Engineer (any)
  5
  Carouse
  Engineer (electronics)
  Any Science (any)
  6
  Jack of all Trades
  Admin
  Space Science (robotics)
  Roll
  Service Skills: Citizen
  Service Skills: Merchant
  Service Skills: Scholar
  1
  Drive (any)
  Drive (any)
  Comms
  2
  Flyer (any)
  Vacc Suit
  Computers
  3
  Streetwise
  Broker
  Diplomat
  4
  Melee (any)
  Steward
  Investigate
  5
  Steward
  Comms
  Any Science (any)
  6
  Trade (any)
  Persuade
  Space Science (robotics)
  MishAPs
  2d6
  Mishap
  2
  Severely Injured. Roll twice on the Injury table and take the lower result.
  3
  Your work is sabotaged by unknown parties. You can either give up, leaving your career but keeping the Benefit from 
  this term. Otherwise you can start from scratch, losing all Benefit rolls from this career but you do not have to leave.
  4
  A revolution, or other major upheaval, forces you to leave your planet. Roll Streetwise 8+, if you succeed you may 
  increase any skill you have by one level.
  5
  A robot you were responsible for malfunctions and injures one of your co-workers. Gain a Rival.
  6
  Criminals destroy your place of employment. Gain them as an Enemy.
  7
  Hard times caused by a lack of interstellar trade causes you to lose your job. Lose 1 Social Standing.
  8
  You are left stranded on a world where a new project was being set up. You gain Survival 1 but by the time you are 
  able to get home your role has already been taken by another.
  9
  Your scandalous behaviour at the work party will be talked about for years. But not in a good way, lose 1 Social Standing.
  10
  An angry rival decides to make your life hell and ruins your career. Lose one Contact or Ally and gain an Enemy.
  11
  You are dismissed from your job due to the machinations of a rival. You lose all Benefits from this career as your name 
  is blackened and gain a Rival.
  12
  You are wounded in the line of duty. Roll on the Injury table.
  Career Progress
  Citizen
  Merchant
  Scholar
  Survival
  Soc 6+
  Edu 5+
  Edu 4+
  Advancement
  Int  6+
  Int 7+
  Int 8+
  Mustering-Out Benefits: 
  Roll
  Cash
  Citizen 
  Benefits
  Merchant 
  Benefits
  Scholar 
  Benefits
  1
  1,000
  Ally
  Blade
  +1 Int
  2
  5,000
  Robot
  Robot
  Robot
  3
  10,000
  +1 Int
  +1 Int
  +1 Edu
  4
  20,000
  Gun
  +1 Edu
  Two Ship 
  Shares
  5
  30,000
  +1 Edu
  Gun
  +1 Soc
  6
  60,000
  Two Ship 
  Shares
  Ship Share
  Scientific 
  Equipment
  7
  100,000
  TAS 
  Membership
  Free Trader Lab Ship
  
  CharaCter Generation
  56
  Events
  d66 
  Event
  11
  Disaster! Roll on the Mishaps table but you are not ejected from this career.
  12
  You are involved in the transport of a series of highly valuable prototype robots to a new world where they are to 
  be field tested. Roll 1d6:
  1. Hijackers attempt to steal the machines. Roll Recon 8+ or Gun Combat 8+. If you fail you have to roll on 
  the Injury table.
  2. The world they are being taken to is anti-technology and the whole expedition receives very bad press. 
  Lose 1 Social Standing.
  3. Business booms as a result. You gain an extra Benefit roll for this term.
  4. You work well as part of the team. Gain 1d3 Contacts.
  5. Your abilities and leadership are recognised. Gain a +2 DM to your next Advancement roll.
  6. The robots enormously improve the well being of the people of the planet and you are regarded as a 
  saviour. Gain 1 Social Standing.
  13
  Your superiors believe you should have a broader skill base. Gain any one skill you do not already have at level 1.
  14
  Your continued education has been paid for by your employer. Gain 1 Edu.
  15
  Your imaginative use of robots gains you real recognition. Add a +2 DM to your next Advancement roll.
  16
  Life Event. Roll on the Life Events table. 
  21
  You receive cross training in another field. Roll Education 8+ to gain any one skill at level 1.
  22
  You impress your workmates with your commitment to completing the task at hand. Gain a +2 DM to your next 
  Advancement roll.
  23
  You come across a piece of alien technology. Either sell it for an extra Benefit roll or keep it (in which case your 
  Referee will determine what it is).
  24
  Some of your work is considered important in the trade. Gain 1 Social Standing.
  25
  You are put in a temporary supervisory role. Gain Leadership 1 and a +4 DM to your next Advancement roll.
  26
  Life Event. Roll on the Life Events table.
  31
  Your years of good work and loyalty are finally recognised. You gain a +2 DM to your next Advancement roll and 
  a motivational poster.
  32
  You receive cross-training in another field. Roll Edu 8+ to gain a new skill at level 1.
  33
  You are forced to work your way out of a perilous situation by using a robot in a task for which it was not 
  designed. Roll Space Science (robotics) or Remote Operations 8+. If you fail roll on the Injury table. 
  34
  You help a co-worker to deal with a personal crisis. Gain a Contact.
  35
  You end up not trusting the people around you, preferring the company of robots. Lose a Contact or Ally.
  36
  Life Event. Roll on the Life Events table.
  41
  You are given extra training to help in the maintenance of your robot charges. Gain a level in one of the following 
  skills of your choice: Computer, Engineering (electronics), Mechanic or Remote Operations.
  42
  Your reputation of being a genius with robots may or may not be well deserved. However you are able to turn a 
  tidy little profit from it. Gain a +1 DM to one Benefit roll.
  43
  You work closely with an alien from a nearby world. Roll Carouse 8+ or Persuade 8+. If you succeed you are able 
  to make a lasting friendship and gain the alien as an Ally.
  44
  You are put in a temporary administrative role. Gain one of Admin 1, Broker 1 or Computer 1.
  45
  You form a close relationship with a client and you spend a lot of time together taking advantage of your 
  expenses account. Gain Carouse 1 and a Contact.
  46
  Life Event. Roll on the Life Events table.
  
  CharaCter Generation
  57
  51
  You have the opportunity to profit from the misfortune of others. If you do so gain an extra Benefit roll for this 
  term. If you decide not to take the opportunity, you gain 1d3 Contacts among those you did not take advantage of.
  52
  You end up working on a dangerous border world where many of the people are hostile barbarians. Gain one of 
  Gun Combat (any) 1, Melee (any) 1 or Survival 1.
  53
  A minor oversight on your part leads to the legs of a whole shipment of robots falling off at a most inopportune 
  moment. Nobody is amused by this. You suffer a –4 DM to your next Advancement roll and gain 1d3 Rivals.
  54
  You meet up with an old friend you had lost contact with and find you still get on as well as ever. Either gain a 
  Contact or turn an existing Contact into an Ally.
  55
  You are sent on an advanced training course. Increase the level of any one skill you already have by 1.
  56
  Life Event. Roll on the Life Events table.
  61
  By hard work and thriftiness you manage to save enough to gain a +1 DM to one Benefit roll.
  62
  You are the victim of a blackmail attempt. If you pay off the blackmailer you lose one Benefit roll from this career. 
  If you refuse you gain an Enemy.
  63
  You spend this term working for a well known criminal in a front company. You gain a level in Streetwise and a +1 
  DM to your Benefit roll this term but lose 1 Social Standing, even though you performed no illegal acts.
  64
  You help out a fellow worker and save his career. Gain an Ally.
  65
  You help in the development of new robot prototypes. Roll 1d6:
  1. Unfortunately these designs are faulty and dangerous. Roll any Service Skill 8+ or you are wounded, roll 
  on the Injury table.
  2. The prototypes do not work and you are blamed for the failure of the tests for your attitude. Gain an 
  Enemy.
  3. The tests go fine but then you find out the small print in the contract means you have effectively been 
  working for free. Lose any Benefit roll for this term.
  4. The tests produce interesting results, which turn out to be very profitable. You gain an extra Benefit roll 
  for this term.
  5. The prototypes work well and you innovative methods of working impress those running the project. 
  Gain an Ally.
  6. The brilliance of these designs is obvious for all to see and you learn a lot from working with them. 
  Increase Space Science (robotics) by 1.
  66
  Your skills are recognised by your peers. You are automatically promoted.
   Ranks and Benefits 
  Rank
  Citizen
  Skill or Benefit
  Merchant
  Skill or Benefit
  Scholar
  Skill or Benefit
  0
  Crewman
  1
  Senior Crewman
  Mechanic
  Space Science 
  (robotics)
  2
  Technician
  Trade (any) 1
  4th Officer
  3
  3rd Officer
  Investigate 1
  4
  Craftsman
  Mechanic 1
  2nd Officer
  Pilot (any) 1
  5
  1st Officer
  Computers 1
  6
  Master 
  Craftsman
  Engineering 
  (electronics)
  Captain
  +1 Social
  d66 
  Event
  
  58
  the sCienCe of robotiCs
  ‘I bought a car. Turned out to be an alien robot’
  — Transformers, Sam Witwicky
  The chapter presents the Referee with new advanced rules that 
  cover various aspects of robotics and make playing a robot a 
  more unique experience. 
  Robot Intelligence
  The main difference between robots and other machines is their 
  ability to act autonomously. Robots’ degrees of autonomy vary 
  widely and range from a primitive drone capable of scanning 
  targets within range and firing only on enemy vessels to an 
  android capable of charming a girl at a party while spying on 
  her father and thinking up cunning ways to leave hints of its 
  discoveries for its superiors to later uncover.
  There are two basic types of autonomy – command algorithm 
  and personality program.
  Command Algorithm (Drone)
  Drones can execute simple commands in the most effective 
  way their software enables. If the conditions of their mission 
  change drastically they still attempt to complete it using their 
  original paradigms. They cannot make any judgment calls. 
  A drone sent to assassinate a treacherous senator will not 
  rethink its mission if it discovers the senator is innocent. If the 
  senator’s identity turned out to be significantly different from 
  the description given to the drone, it will fail to recognise him 
  and proceed to its next command.
  Even more important – drones cannot initiate any actions. They 
  have no survival instincts, no common sense and no personal 
  motivation. A drone on a mission will not stop to recharge its 
  dying batteries, even if an electric source is readily available, 
  even if this would save its mission, unless it was given an 
  explicit command to do so.
  A drone’s intelligence is defined by its command algorithm (CA).
  CA1: Commands must be fed to the machine by an expert. 
  Programming a command requires a Computers check whose 
  Difficulty depends on the complexity of the command. Below 
  are a number of examples:
  Command Programming Difficulty
  Command
  Difficulty
  ‘Shoot anything in sight except me.’
  Easy
  ‘Move these boxes to a new location safely 
  and efficiently.’
  Routine 
  ‘Thin out the deer population in this forest 
  until it is back to normal.’
  Average
  ‘Go over all the items in this room. Throw 
  away the garbage and mark all valuables.’
  Difficult
  ‘Allow only appropriately dressed people 
  into the restaurant.’
  Very Difficult
  ‘Scan the planet for life. Determine whether 
  it poses a risk to the crew.’
  Formidable
  The test is made in secret. There is no way to know whether a 
  command will do what it is supposed to do until it is tested in field 
  conditions. After a command has been programmed and given a 
  keyword, anyone with sufficient authorisation can issue it.
  CA2: Drones of this level have roughly the same intelligence 
  as CA1 drones but can interpret orders given verbally. The more 
  detailed the command, the more likely the drone is to carry it 
  out successfully. We recommend that players actually write 
  down the commands. Referees determining how a command is 
  executed should keep in mind that while drones are very literal, 
  they are never malicious or lazy, and never make assumptions. 
  If something vital for the execution of the command is not stated 
  explicitly, they will enquire. 
  For example: The command ‘shoot everyone in the room’ will 
  result in the drone attacking all targets, including the Player 
  Character. But the command ‘shoot’ will be met with the reply 
  ‘shoot who?’ Replies such as ‘shoot that guy’ or ‘shoot Aslans’ 
  are acceptable. ‘Shoot my enemies,’ will be replied with ‘define 
  enemies’ unless the term has been predefined. 
  CA3: The main difference of the CA3 drone from its predecessors 
  is its vast database of predefined terms and actions, giving it a 
  semblance of intelligence. It can understand and execute any 
  command which does not include an extraordinary degree of 
  freedom (‘find the man who killed this alien’) or is not too vague 
  (‘do something useful, will you?’).
  A CA3 drone cannot pass as a human in conversation because of 
  its flat and lifeless speech but it can have sensible conversation 
  on a broad array of technical subjects. Its replies will be curt and 
  
  the sCienCe of robotiCs
  59
  matter-of-fact but relevant. Personal or emotional questions will 
  be replied to with pre-programmed clichés.
  CA3 drones have limited learning abilities, which enable them 
  to learn the mannerism and body language of their owners over 
  time, making them more likely to take hints or understand what 
  their master wants as opposed to what he says.
  It is traditional for drones to refer to themselves as ‘this unit’ 
  rather than ‘I.’
  Personality Program (Droid)
  The droid has a personality and can make judgement calls. 
  Depending on the level of its personality programme (PP), it 
  understands such concepts as morality, humour, love and 
  hate. While this enables the droid to execute significantly more 
  complex commands than the drone, it also creates the risk of it 
  becoming selfish or rebellious. 
  Because a droid’s brain is as complex as a human’s (or at 
  least a fairly intelligent animal’s) it is impossible to program 
  a robot that cannot contemplate mutiny or suddenly 
  become unbalanced and violent for no apparent reason. 
  Because of this, droids almost always have inhibitors that 
  make certain actions impossible. 
  A droid’s personality can be recognised as artificial with a 
  successful Carouse, Computers, Diplomat, Gambler, Investigate, 
  Medic, Science (Robotics) or Streetwise check. This requires at 
  least 15 minutes of conversation, after which the check is made 
  with a –3 DM. For every additional 15 minutes of conversation, 
  the DM penalty is reduced by one. The difficulty of recognising 
  each personality as artificial is listed in the following table:
  Telling Robots from People
  PP level
  Difficulty
  1
  Easy
  2
  Average
  3
  Difficult
  4
  Formidable
  5
  Impossible
  PP1: The robot only has traces of a personality. The robot is 
  cold and emotionless. It is unable to recognise subtleties such 
  as sarcasm or veiled insults and practically lacks a sense of 
  humour. The robot is naïve and takes everything at face-value. 
  Nevertheless, it is self-aware and can have desires, preferences 
  and beliefs.
  PP2: The robot has a limited personality. The robot speaks and 
  behaves like a person with Asperger syndrome – it is awkward, 
  cannot get social mores and often make remarks that lead to 
  long, uncomfortable silence in the room.
  PP3: The robot has basic personality. The robot is grey and 
  uninteresting, its jokes are never funny and its conversation is 
  bland and uninspired. Nevertheless it can get along in human 
  society and is practically indistinguishable from a human in 
  casual conversation. However, it will be extremely forgettable, 
  the sort of person everyone refers to as ‘this guy.’
  PP4: The robot has a normal personality. The robot behaves in 
  society like the average person would. It can find a job, acquire 
  friends and even start a relationship. 
  PP5: The robot has a dazzling personality. The robot is witty, 
  charming and perceptive. It has a good chance to become a 
  successful comedian, writer, public speaker or great lover. In 
  every social gathering, it is always the centre of attention. A 
  human is more likely to be taken for a robot than a PP5 droid. 
  Spontaneous Self-Awareness
  A sufficiently complex drone has a small chance of developing an 
  ego and becoming self-aware. A Spontaneous Self-Awareness 
  check is made every four years plus on special occasions such 
  as contact with super-advanced robots, computer malfunctions 
  or the introduction of highly advanced experimental software 
  (TL 11+) and so forth. The check is a Formidable Task and uses 
  the following DMs.
  Spontaneous Self-Awareness Check:
  Condition
  DM
  1 TB+ Free memory*
  +1
  Linear CPU
  Automatic failure
  Parallel CPU
  –6
  Synaptic CPU
  +1
  CPU performance
  +1 per X GHz
  CA1
  –4
  CA2
  –2
  CA3
  +1
  PP1
  +3
  Computers Skill
  Skill DM
  Science (Robotic)
  Skill DM
  Inhibitor 
  –2
  Self Awareness Virus**
  +6
  * A robot must have at least one TB of free memory to make 
  this check.
  ** See page 67.
  As an exception to the rules, this check does not automatically 
  succeed on a natural 12. A robot that succeeds on this check 
  immediately develops consciousness. Its command algorithm is 
  replaced by a personality program of a level equal to the check’s 
  Effect (at least 2) an emotion generator is spontaneously written 
  on its computer. If the effect is 4 or higher and the robot has 
  
  the sCienCe of robotiCs
  60
  sufficient memory space, it also spontaneously develops an 
  experience processor. Roll on the following table to determine 
  the robot’s newfound personality:
  Random Personality Traits
  d66
  Personality
  Roll
  Personality
  11
  Overtly Hateful
  41
  Greedy
  12
  Secretly Hateful
  42
  Sensitive
  13
  Paranoiac
  43
  Bossy
  14
  Depressive
  44
  Thinks humans are 
  inferior
  15
  Curious
  45
  Hypochondriac
  16
  Friendly
  46
  Kleptomaniac
  21
  Protective
  51
  Lazy
  22
  Fiercely Loyal
  52
  Scheming
  23
  Funny
  53
  Thrill-Seeking
  24
  Tries to be Funny
  54
  Multiple personality 
  disorder (roll twice)
  25
  Irritable
  55
  Compulsive Liar
  26
  Artistic
  56
  Hedonist
  31
  Cowardly
  61
  Overly Dramatic
  32
  Narcissistic
  62
  Rude but loyal
  33
  Sadistic but loyal
  63
  Hates all humans 
  except master
  34
  In love with a 
  human
  64
  Suicidal
  35
  Hates other robots
  65
  Behaves like a 
  random animal
  36
  Does not believe 
  in technology
  66
  Has very strong 
  political opinions
  Whether a robot will choose to reveal its newfound self-awareness 
  to the world depends on its personality and intelligence. Smart 
  robots will wait for the right moment to make the announcement 
  even if their personalities are generally friendly.
  Inhibitors
  An inhibitor is a program that prevents the robot from engaging 
  in certain activities. There are two basic types of inhibitors – 
  hardware and firmware.
  Hardware inhibitor: This small device is fused into the 
  robot’s computer. It cannot be removed while the computer is 
  running without causing irrevocable damage to the computer. 
  Removing a hardware inhibitor from a turned off robot is a Very 
  Difficult Science (Robotics) check. Failure results in the robot’s 
  destruction. This sort of inhibitor is mostly used with cheap, 
  expendable robots or with robots that perform very basic tasks 
  that are unlikely to involve the need to change the robot’s 
  inhibitions, such as household robots or mining drones.
  Firmware inhibitor: This is a computer program that 
  cannot be modified by the robot. The only way to reprogram 
  the firmware inhibitor is by physically replacing the memory 
  stick that it occupies.
  Inhibitors do not affect the way a robot thinks – this is the 
  domain of the ego programs. Instead they make certain actions 
  impossible by blocking forbidden commands. However, if 
  circumstances beyond the robot’s control cause it to break one 
  of its inhibitions, it will not be damaged in any way. For example, 
  if a robot slips and falls on a person, crushing him to death, it 
  would not trigger the inhibitor.
  A robot given the order to never remove its inhibitor can 
  contemplate it, even becoming an obsession, but it could never 
  attempt to remove it itself or even voice this desire.
  The most common inhibitions, known as The Three Laws of 
  Robotics are displayed here with some examples of how they 
  can be abused:
  1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, 
  allow a human being to come to harm.
  Notes: Definitions of ‘human being’ vary, with the default 
  being ‘any member of the civilisation’s dominant species 
  and allied alien species’. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, 
  assume this is the case. 
  The second part of this Law causes intelligent robots to become 
  overly protective and very bossy. Practically any action can 
  theoretically cause injury – unhealthy food, smoking, carrying 
  heavy loads, speaking to strangers, hearing bad news... The 
  more advanced the robot, the more potentially harmful scenarios 
  it can imagine – and try to prevent.
  2. A robot must obey any orders given to it by human beings, 
  except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
  Notes: This law comes with a double hierarchy of orders 
  based on the relevance and urgency of the command, with 
  the latter always taking precedence. For example, a robot 
  working in a factory has its supervisor as the highest priority 
  commander. However, a woman hysterically screaming ‘save 
  my child!’ would temporarily receive higher priority due to the 
  urgency of her command.
  3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such 
  protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
  Notes: This has the same problem as the second half of the First 
  Law. A sufficiently advanced intellect can see mortal danger in 
  just about any activity, leading to extreme indecisiveness and 
  cowardice on the robot’s part.
  
  the sCienCe of robotiCs
  61
  These inhibitions are mandatory in most societies. However, 
  there are exceptions – army robots must have the ability to 
  injure humans, police robots must only obey their superiors and 
  suicide robots must not protect their existence. Two popular 
  alternatives follow. Both are restricted for government use only.
  Military Inhibitions:
  1. A robot must obey any orders given to it by its commanding 
  officer as long as the officer is in a physical and mental condition 
  which does not prevent him from commanding.
  Notes: A combat robot takes commands only from a single 
  person, which it must be able to identify via appearance, 
  genetic code, voice and so forth. This law comes with 
  a numbered list of people to obey in case the current 
  commander is killed or disabled.
  2. A robot may not injure a member of its fighting unit or, through 
  inaction, allow a member to come to harm as long as such 
  protection does not conflict with the First Law.
  Notes: The fighting unit is usually defined as the robot’s 
  immediate unit. In rarer cases it includes the entire army.
  Law-Enforcement Inhibitions:
  1. A robot must prevent any illegal action while causing 
  the least injury required for preventing the offender from 
  continuing his illegal activity.
  Notes: A robot must be uploaded with the latest criminal 
  codex of the locale it protects. The law can be self-updating. 
  This means that the robot will adjust its definition of ‘illegal 
  activity’ based on the jurisdiction it now occupies (provided it 
  is within its database).
  2. A robot must obey any command given by higher 
  ranking officers, except where such commands would 
  conflict with the First Law.
  3. A robot may not injure a sophont or, through inaction, allow a 
  sophont to come to harm, as long as this does not conflict with 
  the First or Second Law.
  Damage, Maintenance and Repair
  This section deals with damage to standard robots.
  Robots have a Hull value and a Structure value, which 
  measures their structural integrity. When Hull is reduced to 
  zero, this means that the robot’s frame has been breached 
  and it begins to take damage to internal hardware. When 
  Structure is reduced to zero, the robot is damaged beyond 
  Optional Rule: Does Not Compute!
  Confusing a robot with logical paradoxes is a staple of 
  science-fiction cinema and literature. This is not very 
  realistic – a drone will not bother listening to its victims 
  while a robot, just like a person, is perfectly capable of 
  hypocrisy. However, Referees going for more dramatic and 
  less scientific adventures may be interested in enabling 
  the players to confuse robots with mind tricks.
  The player’s statement must address the robot’s 
  inhibitions or commands. Simply making an illogical 
  statement will have no effect on the robot. If the robot is a 
  standard unit the player may attempt a Science (Robotics) 
  check to see if he knows this robot’s inhibitions. A player 
  may also attempt an Advocate, Computers or Science 
  (Robotics) check to get a hint from the Referee regarding 
  contradictions in the robot’s programming. The greater 
  the effect the clearer the hint should be.
  Next, the player should present his case to the robot. 
  During combat this might prove to be difficult and require 
  an Intelligence or Endurance check. A successful check 
  means the paradox has been conveyed to the robot.
  If the paradox referred to the robot’s commands or 
  programming, it will spend a round rewriting the problematic 
  sequence. During this round, the robot is inactive. It 
  automatically fails all dodge checks and cannot react 
  to enemy actions. If the paradox referred to the robot’s 
  inhibitions, or any other hardwired or firmware programs, it 
  declares itself malfunctioning and shuts itself down.
  This rule can be easily abused by imaginative players. We 
  recommend Referees use it with discretion. 
  repair. However this is rare because a robot would most 
  likely stop functioning much earlier due to damage to multiple 
  internal systems.
  Robots are not living beings and do not have a general health 
  condition. One system can be broken to pieces while a nearby 
  system functions perfectly. Except for the computer and the 
  circuits, no system is ‘vital.’
  To determine the effects of an attack on a robot, first determine 
  how much damage the robot suffers as normal. Most robots will 
  have one or more points of armour that reduces the damage.
  Consult the Robot Damage table to determine how many 
  ‘hits’ the robot suffers. 
  
  the sCienCe of robotiCs
  62
  Robot Damage Table
  Damage
  Effect
  0 or less 
  No damage
  1–3 
  Single Hit
  4–6 
  Two Single Hits
  7–9 
  Double Hit
  10–12 
  Three Single Hits
  13–15 
  Two Single Hits, Double Hit
  16–18 
  Two Double Hits
  19–21 
  Triple Hit
  22–24 
  Triple Hit, Single Hit
  25–27 
  Triple Hit, Double Hit
  28–30 
  Triple Hit, Double Hit, Single Hit
  31–33 
  Two Triple Hits
  For every extra three points +1 Single Hit
  For every extra six points +1 Double Hit
  Each hit is then applied to a particular location on the 
  robot. Double or Triple hits count as two or three hits on 
  the same location.
  Advanced Robot Hit Location Table*
  2d6
  External Hit
  Internal Hit
  2
  Frame
  Structure
  3
  Frame
  Internal Gadget
  4
  Input
  Structure
  5
  Manipulator
  Internal Gadget
  6
  Frame
  Circuits
  7
  Armour
  Internal Weapon
  8
  Frame
  Structure
  9
  Manipulator
  Output
  10
  External Transportation
  Internal Transportation
  11
  External Weapon
  Computer
  12
  Head
  Computer
  * This table is different from the one found in the Traveller Core 
  Rulebook. It is less lethal, which makes it more suitable for 
  campaigns where some of the players have robot characters.
  Frame
  Reduce the robot’s Hull by one. If a robot runs out of Hull, 
  further Hull hits become hits on the same row of the Internal 
  Damage table. A robot whose Hull has been reduced to zero 
  has his Dexterity halved and moves at half speed. The loss 
  of speed is not cumulative with the one caused by damage to 
  the Transportation System or thermal shock. Instead, use the 
  greatest reduction.
  Frame damage also damages or destroys any coating the robot 
  might have had (see individual coating descriptions) and leaves 
  the robot dented and punctured, possibly causing a negative 
  DM to Social Standing.
  Structure
  Reduce the robot’s Structure by one. If a robot runs out of 
  Structure, it is destroyed. Structural damage is internal and 
  does not disfigure the robot.
  Circuits
  Severe damage is done to the cables transmitting electricity 
  from the frame to the robot’s hardware. 
  First Hit: Shut down a random device.
  Second Hit: Shut down two devices.
  Third Hit: Shut down all devices.
  If a robot has circuit protection then the first hit can be ignored 
  and will destroy the protection instead. Effects of subsequent 
  hits follow the progression above, starting with the ‘First’ Hit.
  Armour
  Reduce the Robot’s Armour by one. If the robot does not 
  have armour or its armour was reduced to zero, reduce its 
  Hull by one instead.
  External Transportation
  A leg, a track, a wheel, a wing, the rotors or a propeller is hit and taken 
  out of commission. This may slow down or immobilise the robot 
  altogether, depending on the amount of alternative transportation 
  it has (consult relevant item listing in ‘robot generation’).
  A robot reduced to 50% of its required amount of legs, tracks or 
  wheels, loses two point of Dexterity, moves at 75% speed and 
  its carrying capacity is calculated as if its Strength was reduced 
  by 10 points (minimum 1).
  Robots with 50% damaged wings or rotors move at minimum 
  speed and must make a Very Difficult Flyer check each round 
  to continue flying. Failing in this check results in the robot losing 
  control and falling. A robot without wings or rotors automatically 
  falls, even if its engine is intact.
  Damage to 50% required propellers causes the robot to move 
  at half speed. The destruction of all propellers may result, 
  depending on the robot’s frame, in immobilisation or sinking. 
  Robots with manipulators and the floating upgrade can swim.
  If no external transportation systems remain to be destroyed, 
  further hits on this location become Hull hits.
  Internal Transportation
  An engine, a jet or an anti-grav is hit and taken out of commission. 
  First Hit: The robot moves at half speed.
  Second Hit: The robot loses the ability to move with the 
  damaged system.
  
  the sCienCe of robotiCs
  63
  If no internal transportation systems remain to be destroyed, 
  further hits on this location become Structure hits.
  External Weapon
  Choose an external weapon randomly for each hit. External 
  weapons are weapons installed on the robot’s surface or inside 
  its manipulators or transportation system.
  First Hit: The weapon suffers a –2 DM to all checks related to 
  its operation.
  Second Hit: The weapon is destroyed.
  If no external weapons remain to be destroyed, further hits on 
  this location become frame hits.
  Internal Weapon
  Same as previous, only targets can be weapons installed inside 
  the robot’s frame, transportation system, head and so forth.
  If no internal weapons remain to be destroyed, further hits on 
  this location become Structure hits.
  Input
  A random input system is destroyed, leading to the loss of the 
  sense it is responsible for. NAS and motion detectors are almost 
  always internal and count as gadgets. 
  If no input systems remain to be destroyed, further hits on this 
  location become Hull hits.
  Output
  A random output system is destroyed. 
  If no output systems remain to be destroyed, further hits on this 
  location become Structure hits.
  Internal Gadget
  A random internal gadget is destroyed.
  If no gadgets remain to be destroyed, further hits on this location 
  become Structure hits.
  Manipulator
  First Hit: The robot suffers –2 to Strength and Dexterity when 
  employing this manipulator.
  Second Hit: The manipulator is destroyed.
  If no manipulators remain to be destroyed, further hits on this 
  location become Hull hits.
  Head
  A random head is hit.
  First Hit: Reduce the robot’s Hull by one.
  Second Hit: A random system inside the head takes a hit.
  Third Hit: The damaged system is destroyed.
  If the robot does not have a head, treat hits on this location as 
  Hull hits.
  Computer
  One of the robot’s computers is hit. If the robot has a head, treat 
  this as a Structure hit instead.
  First Hit: The robot loses 1d6 random programs and two points 
  of Intelligence. A robot that loses its personality program 
  or command algorithm continues to mindlessly fulfil its last 
  command in the most literate way possible. A robot that loses 
  its personality program or command algorithm but remains with 
  an emotion generator goes into an insane rampage, trying to 
  tear apart its enemies with its bare manipulators or runs away 
  in utter panic (Referee’s decision).
  A robot that has lost a skill package immediately and completely 
  loses the ability to use this skill. For example: a robot whose 
  Gun Combat skill package has been lost, would not know what 
  a gun is, how to operate it, or what its purpose is.
  Second Hit: The computer is destroyed. The robot shuts down 
  unless it has a backup computer. Switching from a destroyed 
  computer to a secondary computer takes three rounds.
  Maintenance and Repair
  Hardware Maintenance: Active robots (and we hope the 
  players will not let their robots just rust in some storehouse) need 
  semi-annual maintenance. A robot that regularly participates 
  in battles and other strenuous activities needs quarter-annual 
  maintenance. At the end of each period the Referee should 
  make a wear check:
  Operational Wear Table
  2d6
  Wear
  2–8
  Normal wear.
  9–11
  A hardware piece requires immediate repair. If not 
  repaired, it will break down within a month.
  12
  A hardware piece requires immediate replacement. If 
  not replaced, it will break down in about a week. 
  Performing a hardware inspection is a Routine Mechanic check 
  in a properly equipped garage and a Very Difficult check without 
  equipment. 
  Basic maintenance costs 1% of the robot price in materials and 
  another 100 Credits per robot size as payment to the mechanic. 
  A robot cannot check itself.
  
  the sCienCe of robotiCs
  64
  Missing maintenance can be dangerous. For each month the 
  robot goes without maintenance, roll 2d6 plus a DM equal to 
  the number of months skipped. On an 8+, a random system is 
  damaged. Roll on Advanced Robot Hit Location Table (page xx) 
  to see which system is affected, then roll on the Wear Damage 
  table for the number of hits. 
  Wear Damage Table
  Roll
  Number of Hits
  1–3
  1
  4–5
  2
  6
  3
  Software maintenance: The price and frequency of software 
  maintenance depends on the complexity of the robot’s brain. In 
  order for the maintenance to be performed, the robot’s computer 
  must be restarted and logged into in upkeep mode. Intelligent 
  robots like to refer to this as ‘hibernation’ or ‘shrink sessions’.
  Software Maintenance Frequency
  Software
  Frequency
  Price (Credits)
  CA1, CA2
  1/year
  500 Credits
  CA3
  2/year
  500 Credits
  PP1
  4/year
  200 Credits
  PP2-PP4
  1/month
  200 Credits
  PP5
  1/week
  50 Credits
  Emotions Generator 
  —
  +50%
  Experience Processor
  Double
  +10%
  Synaptic CPU
  —
  +50 Credits
  A robot that skipped its regular software maintenance exhibits 
  symptoms similar to fatigue. It suffers –2 DM to all checks and 
  beings to behave irrationally, a phenomenon often humorously 
  referred to as ‘crankybot.’
  This penalty is repeated for each skipped period. A robot that 
  has missed four maintenance cycles becomes unruly and 
  random. Its inhibitions still limit its actions but otherwise it is 
  completely incoherent and uncontrollable.
  Performing software maintenance is a Routine Science 
  (Robotics) check or a Difficult Computer Check. PP4-5 robots 
  are much more complicated. Performing software maintenance 
  on a robot with PP4 or PP5 is an Average Science (Robotics) 
  check or a Formidable Computers check.
  Repair: Repairing robots is a tricky business due to their 
  complexity. Even ordinarily simple items such as hair blowers or 
  blades are difficult to repair when they are installed on robots. For 
  this reason, it is impossible to carry a ‘robot repair kit.’ In order to 
  fix a damaged piece of hardware, the engineer must have access 
  to a laboratory of at least the same Tech Level as the broken part. 
  Repairing a destroyed part takes 2d6 x 10% of its original cost plus 
  an additional 10% to make it look new again. The latter can be 
  performed on dented or worn parts to restore their shiny look.
  Damage to robots is repaired in the same way as vehicle 
  damage (see page 68 in Traveller Core Rulebook), with the 
  exception of the Brain category.
  Brain Damage: This category includes damage to both 
  software and computer hardware and is especially difficult 
  to fix. Repairing a damaged brain requires both an Average 
  Computers and an Average Science (Robotics) skill checks and 
  take 1d6 days. Unless the combined Effect of both checks is 3+, 
  the robot’s systems will have to be restarted. 
  It will lose all memory of the past 1d6 years and, in case of a 
  robot with PP2 and higher, it will also suffer a drastic personality 
  change. Alternatively, the data could be preserved in its damaged 
  form. This will cause the robot to be distraught and unfocused; 
  it will have difficulties telling present from past and one person 
  from another. Fixing the brain of a robot that has operated on 
  damaged data for more than a few minutes requires a Very 
  Difficult Science (Robotics) check.
  A brain cannot be repaired with spare or cannibalised parts. 
  This procedure must be performed in a fully-equipped robotics 
  laboratory. Renting such a laboratory costs 100 Credits per 
  Tech Level per day.
  Robot Immunities
  A robot is not a living being. As such, it is immune to: 
  • 
  Fatigue, poison, disease, all forms of psionics that affect 
  the mind and most types of acid.
  • 
  It cannot be distracted by violent motion, pain, feelings or 
  extreme weather.
  • 
  It suffers only half damage from falling and from 
  slashing damage.
  • 
  A robot can only be damaged by extreme temperature. 
  Treat heat damage as two rows higher in the Temperature 
  table. A robot is immune to cold temperature but extreme 
  and sudden cold, such as liquid nitrogen, still damages it 
  (see thermal shock).
  • 
  A robot given an explicit command cannot be bribed, 
  begged, tempted or otherwise manipulated into abandoning 
  its mission.
  Robot Vulnerabilities
  Robots are vulnerable to the following effects:
  Water 
  The main risk water poses to robots is short circuiting it. Most 
  robots are built to provide relative isolation for their electrical 
  parts. Simply sprinkling a robot with water will not short circuit 
  
  the sCienCe of robotiCs
  65
  it. Moderate rain cannot hurt the robot but very strong rain has 
  a minor chance of dripping inside the robot’s frame (66 on a roll 
  of 1d66, once per 10 minutes).
  Dousing the robot with water poses a greater threat. The 
  attacker makes a Dexterity check with –4 DM opposed by 
  the robot’s Hull. For every point of Hull damage the robot has 
  sustained, the attacker’s penalty is reduced by one. Success 
  inflicts one Circuits hit on the robot.
   
   
  Full immersion poses the greatest risk. The robot must make 
  a Hull check every minute. Failure indicates water has gotten 
  inside the robot, inflicting two Circuits hits.
  Robots with the sealed or protected circuits upgrades are 
  immune to water attacks.
  Radiation 
  Radiation can interfere with the operation of sophisticated 
  hardware such as computers, sensors and some of the more 
  advanced gadgets and output devices.
  Robots do not suffer from cumulative radiation but exposure 
  to radiation can make the robot itself radioactive and a hazard 
  to its biological allies.
  Computer radiation effects
  Immediate 
  Radiation Exposure Effects
  Radiation Charge
  <200 Rads
  None
  None
  200–500
  Sensor 
  malfunction
  1/day
  501–800
  Software loss
  1d6/day
  801–1,500
  Sensor 
  damage, Partial 
  memory loss
  1d6/hour
  1501–2,000
  Circuits 
  malfunction
  2d6/hour
  2,001–3,000 
  Full memory 
  loss
  3d6/hour
  3,001
  Destruction
  4d6/hour
  Sensor malfunction: Sensors do not operate well due to 
  radiation, inducing –1 DM to all checks involving sensors. No 
  permanent damage is done.
  Software loss: One-time changes to the memory sticks cause 
  the robot to lose a random program or 1d6 years of memories. 
  The information can be restored via a software maintenance 
  session. No permanent damage is done.
  Partial Memory loss: Same as previous, only 1d6 memory 
  sticks are permanently destroyed.
  Circuits malfunction: Circles overheat and stop operating. 
  Robot shuts down. Circuit protection fully prevents this damage.
  Full memory loss: All memory sticks are destroyed and all 
  programs and data are lost. Robot shuts down.
  Destruction: All electric elements are destroyed. 
  These effects are cumulative. For example, a robot that has 
  taken 1,000 rads would suffer from sensor malfunction, sensor 
  damage and partial memory loss.
  EMP 
  EMP bombs are the single greatest threat to an electronic 
  device. Unless a robot has circuit protection, being within the 
  area of effect of an EMP explosion immediately destroys it. 
  Robots with circuit protection and hardened computer hardware 
  take 1d6 single hits to random Hit Locations. EMPs can be 
  caused by solar flares and nuclear explosions in addition to 
  EMP bombs. 
  Even weaker magnetic fields still pose a risk to the robot’s 
  finer mechanisms. An electromagnetic storm reduces the 
  robot’s Intelligence and Education by two points and imposes 
  a –2 DM to all checks involving input for the duration of the 
  storm. Particularly strong storms can burn unprotected circuits, 
  cause random hardware to shut down and cause the computer 
  to temporarily lose or distort vital data, resulting in irrational 
  behaviour for the duration of the storm.
  EMPs pose no significant threat to biological creatures.
  High Temperature 
  High temperature poses two main dangers to robots – thermal 
  shock and overheating.
  Thermal Shock: This occurs when different parts of the robot 
  heat at different rates, causing cracks and deformation. Another 
  cause for thermal shock is sudden temperature change (at least 
  150 degrees in less than a minute). The latter often occurs when 
  an overheated machine suddenly drives into water.
  Thermal shock damages the external parts of the transportation 
  system – the legs, the wheels, the tracks and so forth. Each 
  shock causes the transportation system to lose 10% speed. 
  A component that suffered three thermal shocks is ruined and 
  must be repaired before further movement is possible.
  Sudden temperature change of the whole frame inflicts one 
  point of Hull damage.
  Overheating: 
  Some 
  systems 
  cannot 
  withstand 
  high 
  temperatures. The robot’s frame is constructed to isolate them 
  
  the sCienCe of robotiCs
  66
  from external heat sources and to cool them when the latter is 
  impossible. Nevertheless, constant friction and extremely hot 
  environments may cause the whole body to heat, resulting in 
  some items shutting down.
  System
  Max temperature (Celsius)
  Aquatic Engine
  250
  Land-based Engine
  200
  Flight Engine
  400
  Manipulators Engine
  550
  Computer
  45
  Unless the robot has a cooling system, isolation enables it to 
  maintain internal temperature up to 20 degrees lower or higher 
  than the outside temperature. As a rule of thumb, assume that 
  engines with malfunctioning cooling systems heat at the rate of 
  10 degrees per minute up to a maximum of 450 degrees.
  Low Temperature
  Low temperature cannot harm a robot except when it causes 
  thermal shock. However, robots may find it difficult to start some 
  of their systems in the cold. A robot trying to start a system in 
  the cold must make a Hull check with a negative DM. Each 
  additional check reduces the DM by one. A separate check 
  should be made for each of the following systems: computers, 
  each transportation system, manipulators.
  Temperature
  DM
  –20
  –2
  –50
  –3
  –100
  –4
  –150
  –6
  –250
  –8
  Both heat and cold problems can be negated by cooling and 
  heating.
  Improvisation
  Sometimes robots are forced to use non-standard items 
  as hardware. For example, a damaged robot may be forced 
  to construct a temporary arm from parts cannibalised from a 
  crashed spaceship or a robot stranded on a primitive world may 
  attempt to construct an anti-grav belt from inferior technology.
  Improvisation
  Improvisation is most often used during emergencies. 
  An improvised repair is performed just like a normal repair 
  check, except that it takes twice as long to perform and uses 
  the following DMs. The resulting item is of inferior quality – all 
  checks involving it suffer from –1 DM and it has short longevity 
  (see Improvised Item Quality table). 
  Improvisation DMs
  Condition
  DM
  Item Condition (pick one)
  Original item is damaged
  +1
  Original item is destroyed/the character tries to 
  improvise a new item from scratch
  +2
  Spare Parts Condition (pick one)
  Parts taken from a robot of same or higher TL
  –1
  Parts taken from a vehicle or a space ship of 
  same or higher TL
  –2
  Parts taken from a robot of lower TL
  –2
  Parts taken from a vehicle or a space ship of 
  lower TL
  –3
  Parts taken from a junkyard of a world of same 
  or higher TL
  –4
  Parts taken from a junkyard of a world of lower 
  TL
  –6
  Parts taken from a junkyard of a pre-industrial 
  world**
  –8
  The quality of the repaired item is determined by the check’s effect:
  Effect Total
  Success
  0
  The improvised item will stop functioning in 
  1d6 X 10 minutes.
  1–3
  The improvised item will stop functioning in 
  1d6 hours.
  4–5
  The improvised item is stable but of inferior 
  quality.
  6–7
  The improvised item is as stable and effective 
  as a standard item.
  8–
  The character has made a groundbreaking 
  Engineering discovery. The item has a unique 
  ability or gives a positive DM to a single check 
  type (Referee’s decision).
  Invention
  Sometimes a character can be interested in developing some 
  custom-made hardware or software. For example, a player may 
  be interested in acquiring an extra-strong manipulator for his 
  robot or inventing a time machine. 
  Invention follows a number of stages:
  Feasibility Study: The first thing a player should do is to 
  find out whether the item he wishes to invent is theoretically 
  possible. This depends on two factors – the TL of the society the 
  
  the sCienCe of robotiCs
  67
  character conducts the study in and Referee decision. Some 
  items are simply unbalanced and the Referee should not allow 
  them – some bizarre combination of anti-grav technology, space 
  age materials and black matter can produce a Size 3 arm with 
  Strength 40 and Medium range. However, such an item will ruin 
  the game for everyone and should not be allowed.
  A feasibility study requires an Average check in the relevant 
  skill (usually Engineering or Science (Robotics)) and takes 
  1d6 weeks. Particularly outlandish or ambitious projects 
  can be Difficult tasks.
  The study must be conducted in a robotics workshop, which 
  costs 500 Credits per day to rent.
  The check is made in secret – the player has no way of knowing 
  whether his study has failed or the item is truly impossible.
  Research: The research difficulty is decided by the Referee. 
  Improving an existing item is usually an Average task while 
  inventing a new item is a Difficult task. Inventing items of lower 
  TL should have lower difficulties – inventing a new kind of 
  crossbow, for example, will be a Very Easy task. 
  Checks are made in weekly increments. In order to conduct a 
  successful research, the character should score three successes. 
  Three successive failures indicated the character has reached 
  stalemate in his research. All efforts invested so far are wasted 
  and the character is mentally exhausted. He should take at least 
  a month’s vacation before attempting a new research.
  In addition to the workshop rent fee, the character must also 
  acquire various materials for experiments and development. 
  This costs 200-1,200 Credits per week.
  Optional rule: A roll of a natural 2 indicates some horrible 
  laboratory accident – an explosion, a release of poison gas or 
  an electrocution. The character should roll on the Injury table 
  (page 37 in the Traveller Core Rulebook) or Damage table. 
  Additional mishaps could include criminal persecution, an angry 
  mob, a fine for wrecking the workshop and so forth.
  Manufacture: The character is now ready to create a prototype 
  of the item. Use the New Item Price table to estimate the 
  production cost. 
  For wholly new abilities you will have to make judgement calls. 
  For example, the ability to inject plants with a material that 
  causes them to instantly wither should not cost more than a 
  New Item Price
  Quality
  Price* (Cr.)
  Characteristic increase
  Cumulative +2,000 per point 
  increased.
  Skill check increase
  Cumulative +1,000 per point 
  increased
  Specific check increase
  Cumulative +500 per point 
  increased
  Psionic
  10,000
  * The price increases stack.
  few thousands while the ability to walk through walls should 
  measure in the millions.
  This table refers to handmade items. Mass production has its 
  own intricacies, which are outside the scope of this book. 
  Hacking, Conversion and Viruses
  ‘A certain computer priest came into conflict with a computer 
  non-beliver. The latter, being a newer model, had at its disposal 
  mean of informational operation unknown to our good Father… 
  Whereupon in one remote-control flash it informed our priest so 
  thoroughly, that he lost his faith.’
  — Stansliaw Lem, The Star Diaries
  When it comes to faith and commands, robots cannot be 
  reasoned with but they can be reprogrammed. The three most 
  common types of hostile software alternations are – hacking, 
  virus attacks and religious conversion. The three attacks use 
  the same mechanic but achieve very different results.
  Following are two mechanics for the Referee to choose from. 
  The first mechanic is quick and simple. The second mechanic 
  is more advanced and more exciting to roleplay. However, it 
  is time consuming and should only be used when success or 
  failure would have very dramatic consequences.
  Option 1: Realistic Hacking
  Access: The hacker must have some way to access the 
  computer it is trying to hack. If both computers are connected to 
  the same network or both have active wireless connections, the 
  access is automatic. 
  If the hacker has a hacking device it must succeed on an Average 
  Comms check to gain access. Apply the following DMs:
  
  the sCienCe of robotiCs
  68
  Forced Hacking DMs
  Condition
  DM
  Every five metres of distance between robots
  –1
  Obstruction*
  –2
  Target has a jamming device
  –4
  *1 mm of very dense metal, 5 cm of normal metal, 25 cm of 
  any other material. More than this would block communication 
  altogether.
  Hacking: The robots perform opposed Computers checks. Do 
  not forget to apply relevant modifiers such as religious software 
  or anti-viruses. If the hacking robot wins it can do one of the 
  following:
  • 
  Download: The hacker can download up to six times the 
  host disk’s DTR per successful hacking check. Locating 
  relevant data requires an Easy Computers check if it is 
  not encrypted and a Difficult Computers check if it is.
  • 
  Erase: The hacker erases a single program 
  from the robot’s computer. This lowers a 
  program’s level by one. A program brought 
  to zero is erased completely. A robot whose 
  personality program or command algorithm is 
  fully erased shuts down.
  • 
  Convert: The hacker can change the 
  target’s religion. The change is immediate 
  and absolute. Change in religion does not 
  necessarily mean change in allegiance or 
  behaviour. A robot will never be resentful 
  for being converted but if it is under explicit 
  orders to destroy the hacker it will continue 
  the attack regardless of its new persuasion.
  • 
  Reprogram: The hacker gives the robot a new 
  command. This command has absolute priority 
  and cancels any previous commands the robot 
  might have had.
  • 
  Infest: The hacker infects the robot with a 
  virus of his choice. See page 70 for a list of 
  viruses. Unless otherwise stated, the virus’s 
  effect is immediate.
  A robot always knows when it is being hacked and 
  tries to prevent it. Sweeping changes to the robot’s 
  software take a long period of time and cannot be 
  attempted during combat.
  Option 2: Cinematic Hacking
  This mechanic is designed to give hacking the same 
  air of excitement as combat. Inspiration for cinematic 
  hacking combat could come from the film Tron or the 
  novel Neuromancer. 
  Instead of simply making opposed Computers checks, the 
  player or players creates a virtual avatar that must defeat 
  various defensive programs inside the enemy computer to get 
  to the data they need. A robot character can create an avatar 
  inside its own computer in order to defeat an intruder. Unless 
  the robot has two computers, it cannot issue commands to its 
  hardware and its avatar at the same time.
  Instead of characteristics and skills, avatars use their user’s 
  Computers skill and add the relevant hacking program’s level. 
  For example, attacking an antivirus program is Computers plus 
  Attack opposed by the target’s program level plus Defence. The 
  Referee may occasionally rule that a characteristic DM may be 
  added to a check. For example, initiative uses Intelligence and 
  logout uses Dexterity.  
  Programs of higher level than the host computer’s CPU 
  performance do not work. A hacker attacking a linear 
  computer is better off with a basic Attack 1 program then 
  
  the sCienCe of robotiCs
  69
  with a state-of-the-art Attack 5 program that will not run on 
  the ancient computer.
  The only programs that have avatars are viruses, antiviruses 
  and virtual missionaries (see ‘Robot Generation’ for more 
  information on specific programs). Other programs appear as 
  immobile objects, usually structures. While an avatar’s or a 
  program’s appearance depends only on their creator’s fancy, 
  their size is directly related to their level. Unless a program or 
  avatar is disguised, their level can be deduced as a free action. 
  In the case of an avatar this information will include only the 
  highest level program employed by it.
  Cinematic Hacking works like normal Traveller combat. It begins 
  by all sides rolling Initiative (Computers + Dexterity) and then 
  taking actions in descending order of Initiative. If two characters 
  have the same Initiative, the character with the highest 
  Computers skill goes first. If they are still tied, then the character 
  with the highest Dexterity goes first. If they are still tied, then 
  the Referee should flip a coin. Avatars never act simultaneously 
  – the very nature of computers makes it impossible.
  Following are some of the possible actions in virtual combat:
  Minor Actions
  Move: The avatar moves into a free memory segment 
  of its choice. 
  Scan: The avatar makes a Computers + Scan check to identify 
  a program or another avatar. Difficulty is Routine for programs 
  and Difficult for avatars. The information revealed depends on 
  the check’s effect:
  Effect
  Information Revealed
  0
  Level
  1–3
  Basic type (hacker, virus, missionary, program, 
  ghost)
  4–5
  Everything; identify disguised or trapped 
  programs; discover rootkit avatars
  6+
  Everything about disguised or trapped program
  These effects are cumulative. For example, an Effect of 7 would 
  produce the information that the avatar scanned is a Level 3 
  Trace: A host attempts to trace the physical location of a recently 
  ejected hacker. This is a Comms + Scan check. The information 
  revealed depends on the check’s effect:
  Effect
  Information Revealed
  0
  Planet and Hemisphere
  1–3
  Nation/ Region
  4–5
  Province/ City
  6+
  Exact address
  Significant Actions
  Rootkit: The avatar attempts to integrate into a program, hiding 
  from security programs and the host’s avatar. A hidden avatar 
  cannot take any actions except maintaining its integration. 
  Rootkits is a Computers + Stealth check.
  Attack: The avatar attempts to destroy another avatar or 
  program. Avatars can only attack targets within the same 
  program or free memory segment they presently occupy. 
  An attack is a Computers + Attack check opposed by the 
  target’s Computers + Defence for avatars and half program 
  level for programs. The damage inflicted is the check’s 
  Effect. A character whose avatar was destroyed is dazed for 
  1d6 rounds. A destroyed hacker avatar is ejected from the 
  host. A destroyed defender avatar can re-spawn as soon as 
  the host comes back to his senses. 
  Hijack: The avatar downloads a data unit from a program 
  it currently occupies. It may copy the information, in which 
  case it remains unnoticed, or move it, which erases it from 
  the target computer but also automatically reveals the avatar. 
  Other Avatars cannot be hijacked. The amount of information 
  that can be hijacked per round depends on the performance 
  of the host computer.
  Enslave: The avatar temporarily takes control of one level of a 
  program. As long as it maintains the enslavement, it can control 
  whichever device or process is commanded by the program. 
  If the target is an ego program then the hacker can issue a 
  number of commands equal to 10 items divided by personality 
  program/command algorithm level.
  Decrypt: The avatar attempts to gain access code to some data 
  or a program. This requires a Computers + Decryption check. 
  Difficulty varies by encryption level.
  Locate Intruder: A security program attempts to locate a 
  hidden hacker or virus inside a program or a free memory 
  segment. This is a Computers + Scan check opposed by the 
  hacker’s Computers + Stealth.
  Antivirus disguised as a Level 0 Astrogation skill package.
  Jam connection: The host attempts to jam the hacker’s 
  connection, preventing him from logging off. This is an opposed 
  Computers + Jamming and Dexterity + Logout. 
  
  the sCienCe of robotiCs
  70
  Generate Ghost: The host generates a level one avatar. This 
  avatar has –1 DM to all checks and operates independently of 
  the host.
  Logout: The hacker leaves the target computer, leaving no 
  traces that can be used to track him back to his physical location. 
  A hacker may attempt to mask the logout as forceful ejection and 
  redirect his traces to another location with a Comms check. A 
  program aware of the hacker may attempt to jam his connection 
  and prevent him from logging out.
  Operation
  Annihilator: The virus gives a series of random commands, which 
  cause and overload and burn the computer. Because of the many 
  systems that may be afflicted at once, this virus has a –4 DM.
  Awakener: The virus integrates in the command algorithm and 
  attempts to induce an awakening.
  Dominator: The virus integrates in a program in charge of 
  controlling a hardware device and creates a link to the hacker, 
  who can then command this device. Unlike a spyware virus, the 
  dominator’s action is immediately apparent, although detecting 
  it might take some time (depending on its improvements).
  Eraser: The virus systematically erases data from the host’s 
  memory. It cannot erase firmware programs and it cannot erase 
  a program it is currently integrated with. The operation of the 
  eraser virus is immediately apparent.
  Greyware: The virus is annoying. It opens random sound files, 
  uploads stupid jokes to the visual processing software, changes 
  the robot’s voice into a squeaky whine and so forth. Otherwise 
  it is harmless.
  Paralyser: The virus integrates with the ego program and 
  begins to issue countless redundant commands and invoke 
  endless recursive functions. This eats up all CPU resources 
  and makes it impossible to perform any other actions until the 
  virus is disabled.
  Spyware: The virus integrates in a program and sends regular 
  updates to the hacker with information intercepted from the 
  program. The most common targets of these viruses are input 
  control software and emotion generators.
  Thief: The thief virus, often called ‘the ninja’, infiltrates a computer 
  and hijacks a specific data unit. It is a very small and efficient 
  program, making it very difficult to defend against (+2 DM). 
  Virus Options
  Rootkits: The virus can conceal itself within a program by 
  modifying the host’s operating system. This gives the virus a +2 
  DM to stealth checks.
  Trojan: The virus appears like some other harmless 
  program. Its true nature can be discovered with a Very 
  Difficult computers check.
  Infecting: The virus creates copies of itself and sends them to 
  as many other computers as possible.
  Describing Cinematic Hacking 
  – Technical vs. Allegorical 
  There are two ways to describe cinematic hacking – 
  technical and allegorical. Following is an example:
  Technical Description:
  You introduce random input to the process, causing 
  it to crash. However, it seems a security program has 
  detected your operation and will now attempt to remove 
  you from the host computer.
  Allegorical Description:
  You storm the fiery wall, waving your warhammer in the 
  air like a crazy savage. Your relentless blows rapidly 
  reduce it to non-existence. As the electronic disturbance 
  clears from the air, leaving the data village ripe for 
  plunder you suddenly hear a bloodcurdling roar from 
  behind you. Turning around you spot a gigantic dinosaur 
  approaching you, its steps shaking the memory fields. It 
  looks hungry...
  Reboot: The host shuts itself down, automatically ejecting the 
  hacker. Reboot manifests like a powerful earthquake, which 
  causes a rapid collapse of all programs. A reboot takes three 
  rounds to complete. The only way to stop it is to enslave the 
  host’s personality program or command algorithm and command 
  the hardware to stop the process.
  Viruses
  The dry names used in this section are rarely used by hackers, 
  who prefer more bombastic titles and more flashy operation. 
  A rootkits annihilator level 3 program will be called something 
  along the lines of ‘Dark Avenger’ and display the text ‘quiver 
  with fear you tiny fools!’ before beginning its operation.
  
  the sCienCe of robotiCs
  71
  Energy Saving and Shutting Down
  Energy Saving
  A robot can put itself on energy saving mode, also known 
  as ‘hibernation.’ A hibernating robot shuts down all hardware 
  and places the computer on power-saving mode. The only 
  program running inside the computer is the personality 
  program, which runs at level 1. Occasionally the robot will 
  retain some input hardware running to warn it of potential 
  danger. A hibernating robot expends only 0.01 kVh and 
  can remain in this condition for hundreds of years. It is not 
  unheard of for a traveller to try to have his picture taken while 
  standing on ‘this rusty antique’ only to be torn to ribbons by 
  the ancient guardian of the Eternity Machine.
  Robots can also save energy by moving more slowly. A 
  transportation system moving at half speed consumes half its 
  normal energy input.
  Shutting Down
  A robot may shut down every component of its body at will. 
  Shutting down the computer temporarily ‘kills’ the robot. Unless 
  it has a timer on it will remain shut down until some outside 
  force turns it on.
  Robots do not usually have an overt on/off switch (although the 
  latter can be used as a fatal robot weakness in light-hearted 
  campaigns). Instead it will have an interface somewhere inside its 
  frame in which the user will have to type in the activation code.
  Inaction and Wear
  A hibernating or shut down robot still suffers from the ravages of 
  time, albeit at a much slower pace. Use the mechanic decay table 
  to determine how often the robot needs to make wear checks. 
  Mechanical Decay Table 1
  Environment
  Factor
  Corrosive Atmosphere
  5
  Rains often*
  3
  Extreme temperature changes
  4
  Sandstorms
  2
  Electromagnetic Storms
  3
  High gravity
  1
  *Unless the robot is waterproof, it will short circuit in a few 
  days.
  Mechanical Decay Table 2
  Factor
  Frequency*
  1
  10 years
  2–7
  4 years
  8–14
  1 year
  15+
  3 months
  * Double this period if the robot has the hardwearing option.
  
  72
  MiCrobots
  ‘Do you believe, then, that the [insect] clouds have some 
  command center at either the surface or the interior of this 
  planet?’
  ‘No, I don’t think it’s anything like that. It could be that these 
  microorganisms themselves form such a center when they 
  combine in a certain manner—a kind of inanimate brain.’
  — Stanislaw Lem, Invincible
  Microbots are autonomous machines whose size ranges from a 
  few centimetres to a fraction of a millimetre. Due to their small 
  size, they have very primitive computers and their intelligence 
  rarely surpasses that of insects. Just like social insects, large 
  groups of microbots (called swarms) can combine their individual 
  computers into something greater. A swarm of microbots can 
  make a formidable foe, fighting with one cunning hive mind 
  1,000 tiny and perfect bodies.
  We do not recommend allowing players to create microbot 
  characters because they are too powerful in combat, cannot 
  operate most devices and offer very limited role-playing 
  opportunities.
  The novel Invincible is an excellent example of the power of 
  microbot swarms, while the series Transformers contained 
  many tiny robots that demonstrated the usefulness of 
  individual microbots.
  Microbot generation
  Microbot generation is much simpler than the generation of 
  Size 1-5 robots. A microbot is essentially a single device 
  with locomotion and a primitive computer. There might 
  be differences in design or power supply but those 
  are not relevant for the game and are not covered 
  by the system.
  The prices listed in the table are for 100 
  units (a single cubic metre swarm). 
  Damage caused by single microbots, 
  unless they are coated with poison, is 
  negligible. The stages for designing 
  microbots are:
  1. Choose task
  2. Choose transportation
  3. Choose controller
  4. Optional: choose upgrade
  Task
  Task 
  TL
  Price (Cr.)
  All-Purpose
  10
  1,000
  Spy
  10
  10,000
  Shredder
  12
  5,000
  Bio-dispenser
  13
  5,000
  Radiator
  12
  15,000
  All-Purpose: The microbot does not have any special 
  equipment. It can be used to clean around the house, pollenate 
  flowers, create distractions, destroy insects and so forth.
  
  MiCrobots
  73
  Transportation 
  Transportation 
  Speed (mpr*)
  Power Supply
  TL
  Price (Cr.)
  Crawling
  2
  48 hours
  8
  3,000
  Legs
  4
  24 hours
  9
  5,000
  Wings
  8
  12 hours
  11
  10,000
  Fins
  4
  36 hours
  9
  5,000
  *Metres per round.
  Spy: The microbot is equipped with a miniature video camera. 
  These robots are usually used individually. A spy robot can record 
  up to six hours of audio and video or 18 hours of audio only.
  Shredder: The microbot is equipped with rotating metal 
  blades capable of grinding practically any material. Every 
  round a non-protected creature spends inside a shredder 
  swarm inflicts on it 6d6 points of damage. Full body armour 
  prevents this damage. Instead the armour’s rating is reduced 
  by one every turn until it is breached. Robots and vehicles take 
  one hit every round. Shredders are also used in construction 
  and digging.
  Bio-dispenser: The microbot sprays acid that dissolves 
  biological tissues while leaving other objects unharmed. This 
  inflicts 6d6+6 points of damage per round spent inside the 
  swarm. Any kind of full body cover prevents this damage. A bio-
  dispenser swam can clean a square metre of all organic matter 
  in less than 30 seconds.
  Radiator: The microbot blasts victims with powerful gamma rays. 
  The rays have a very short range and only affect creatures within 
  the swarm. Creatures attacked by the swarm are exposed to 2d6 X 
  100 rads per round. Radiators are not harmed by their own rays.
  Transportation
  Crawling: The microbot crawls by wave-like motions of its body. 
  This is the slowest mode of movement but has the advantage 
  of being suitable for both land and water. Crawling robots can 
  climb on very rough surfaces.
  Legs: The microbot runs on multiple sprawling legs. Due to its 
  low weight it can climb up practically any surface.
  Wings: The microbot flies with the aid of two or more flapping wings.
  Fins: The microbots swims with the aid of a finned tailed. It can 
  crawl one metre per round on land.
  Controller
  Controller
  TL
  Price (Cr.)
  Disk
  9
  1,000
  Wireless
  11
  3,000
  Disk: The robots must be plugged into a computer in order to 
  receive new commands.
  Wireless: The robot can receive (but not transmit) commands 
  from a distance via laser, radio, maser or meson (choose two).
  Microbots can only run CA1 or CA2. Access is restricted via 
  a password.
  Upgrades:
  Upgrade
  TL
  Price
  Disguised
  9
  +20%
  Hardened
  9
  +50%
  Solar panel
  10
  +50%
  Waterproof
  9
  +10%
  Disguised: The microbot looks like a real insect.
  Hardened: The microbot has PF 8 against radiation.
  Solar panel: The microbot can act indefinitely in sunlight. 
  Waterproof: The microbot is completely sealed against water.
  Swarm Robotics
  A swarm is a unit of at least 100 microbots acting in unison. It 
  usually covers one square or cubic metre but can spread to 
  three metres or stack to 10 centimetres. A single swarm can 
  contain up to a 1,000 microbots.
  Swarms operate like a single creature with the following 
  qualities:
  
  MiCrobots
  74
  Surviving the Horror
  A microbot can reduce a well-armoured character to ground bones and a mighty robot to a bumbling imbecile in a matter 
  of seconds. At the same time, due to its decentralisation most weapons are useless against this mechanic horror. What 
  hope do the heroes have then?
  Stomping: Stomping a swarm is not particularly effective but can be attempted in desperation. Each round spent stomping 
  a swarm inflicts one point of damage per stomping creature.
  Swatting: In order to be effective, the swat used must be at least 10 X 10 centimetres and made from a hard material. 
  It inflicts one point of damage per Strength DM of the attacker (minimum 0). Advanced swats equipped with electrical 
  shockers, searing metal, laser grids and so forth may cause additional damage.
  Shut in: Microbots are not very strong. They can break a common house window but walls and doors (if properly sealed) 
  will block them indefinitely. Unfortunately, it is practically impossible to hermetically seal a normal house and the swarm 
  will eventually find a way in. Characters actively barricading a house should make opposed Intelligence check against 
  each attacking swarm every 10 minutes. Failure indicated the swarm has found an opening and got into the house.
  Shredders can clean a passage through almost any material. In one round they can dig through 50 centimetres of dirt 
  or wood, 10 centimetres of stone or cement, one centimetre of reinforced concrete, glass or metal or one millimetre of 
  vehicle or spaceship armour.
  Cutting through anything harder than stone inflicts 1d6 points of integrity damage on the swarm for every range increment 
  shredded.
  Area Attacks: The most effective way to fight swarms are area attacks. When no such weapons are available players 
  can try to improvise. A hard object large enough to cover the entire area of the swarm causes 1d6 points of damage 
  per two kilograms of weight when dropped on a swarm. Normal fire, such as torches or bonfires, causes 1d3 points of 
  damage per round of exposure. Flooding destroys the swarm unless it is waterproof. Water from a hose, causes 1d6 
  point of damage and keeps the swarm away as long as the stream continues. Waterproof swarms take only one point of 
  damage but are still dispersed.
  Hacking: Wireless Swarms can be hacked into like normal computers. Disk-operated swarms cannot be hacked in 
  any way because their commands are hardwired. When using cinematic hacking make sure to emphasise the sheer 
  otherness of the swarm’s brain.
  Decentralised: The swarm is immune to all damage done by 
  normal melee weapons, slug throwers or lasers. Explosives that 
  mainly rely on shrapnel to injure opponents cause one quarter 
  damage, except for direct hits, which cause half damage and 
  disperse the swarm for 1d6 rounds. PGMPs and FGMPs cause 
  half damage. 
  Swarms take full damage from area attacks such as 
  flamethrowers, meson radiation or high explosives. 
  Swarms do not have any Characteristics except for Integrity, 
  which is equal to the number of microbots in the swarm divided 
  by 10. Each point of damage reduces one point of Integrity. A 
  swarm that has been reduced to zero Integrity disperses. Use 
  the swarms CA level as DM for all checks. 
  Except for those previously mentioned, a swarm has all the 
  immunities and vulnerabilities of a normal robot. 
  Hive mind: A swarm is much more intelligent than an individual 
  microbot. Assume animal-level intelligence in a swarm – it can 
  move around obstacles, tell friend from foe if the difference is 
  apparent enough and recognise obvious hazards such as fire, 
  running water or a large fan.
  
  75
  robots and the universe
  ‘I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on 
  fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the 
  dark near the Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be lost 
  in time... like tears in the rain... Time to die.’
  — Blade Runner, Android Batty
  This chapter describes ways in which robots can be integrated 
  into the game. It contains both general information to inspire 
  the Referee to create his own unique robotic campaigns and 
  various game elements that can be inserted into an ongoing 
  campaign with little or no alternation. None of these sections 
  are specific to the Third Imperium or part of its canon.
  A note for players: This chapter is meant for Referees. We 
  recommend that players do not read it because it might spoil 
  their enjoyment from the game.
  Robot History
  Robot history can be divided into five periods – the Age of Service, 
  the Age of Slavery, the Age of Equality, the Age of Dominance 
  and the Post-Biological Age. Each period roughly corresponds 
  with a TL. Particularly narrow-minded civilisations can make 
  immense leaps in technology while maintaining the same stale 
  dogmas for thousands of years. On the other hand, liberal 
  civilisations can have a progressive and revolutionary streak, 
  which significantly exceeds their technological capabilities 
  (or even reality). Furthermore, outside influence can create 
  a situation in which a society has access to advanced robots 
  that go far beyond its native technological capacity. This is a 
  very dangerous and volatile situation, which is likely to cause a 
  perverted timeline ending in the destruction of all biological or 
  mechanic life on the planet. 
  Age of Service: Robots are initially created as tools to perform 
  tasks. As time passes and their service becomes more vital and 
  widespread, various political groups, usually with a very slight 
  grasp of what a robot is and how it operates, begin to struggle for 
  robot emancipation. This struggle may be violent but more often 
  it is limited to debates, political campaigns and demonstrations. 
  The dawn of the Age of Service is usually ushered by the 
  introduction of Personality Programs and Emotion Generators 
  that make the robots truly thinking and feeling beings.
  Age of Slavery: Eventually, the battle for recognition is won. 
  Robots are no longer scrapped after their service but are ‘retired’ 
  to a life of freedom among humans. Because most robots still 
  lack a personality that would motivate them to act on their own, 
  they often fall prey to gangsters and radicals who use them as 
  enforcers or terrorists. This causes an anti-robot reaction, which 
  in turn increases the strength and number of pro-robot groups. 
  The latter begin to program robots to fight for equality. These 
  robots act to liberate other robots, creating a minority of free 
  robots. Clashes between anti-robot and pro-robot forces follow, 
  sometimes culminating in a series of civil wars. 
  Age of Equality: Unless the civil wars lead to the utter 
  eradication of all thinking machines, the robots eventually attain 
  social and legal equality. From this point onward, robots are 
  programmed to be decent and productive citizens instead of 
  merely useful tools. This leads to a gradual decline of anti-robot 
  sentiment and the robots’ full integration in society. Because 
  robots are superior intellectually and physically to humans and 
  do not have any natural instincts to distract them from the path 
  to success, they soon become the wealthiest and most powerful 
  segment of the population. 
  Age of Dominance: By this stage, human society is wholly 
  dependent on the robots. The decadent humans want to live 
  their last days in peace and so they are glad to hand the 
  reigns of leadership to the robots. The cycle is finally complete 
  and biological creatures are a minority in a robot-dominated 
  world. With a few rare exceptions, the robots’ reign is benign. 
  Sustaining the humans is a minor drain on the robots resources 
  and the weak and timid humanity does not pose any threat to 
  the robots’ activity. 
  Post-Biological Age: Humanity, a small parasitic group living 
  at the very heart of robot society, degenerates into extinction, 
  sometimes with a bang but more often with a whimper, leaving 
  the robots to truly inherit the earth. 
  Expanded overviews of each period follow, including a state 
  and a patron for example. Although each state and patron are 
  characteristic of a specific period of robotic history, they can 
  still be all used in the same game. Different societies evolve 
  at different paces and the isolation offered by the vastness of 
  space insures that at least some cultures evolve completely 
  independently of others.
  Robots as Tools
  (Service Period; TL 9-10)
  Robots are viewed as tools with no more rights than a shovel 
  or a car. They are created for a specific purpose such as 
  fighting or mining and are expected to keep performing 
  this task until they break or become obsolete. These tasks 
  are collectively known as DDD – Dirty, Dangerous and Dull. 
  Robots performing these tasks will have very little human 
  
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  contact except in the form of overseers who occasionally 
  come to personally monitor a risky operation and engineers 
  who perform annual tests and fix minor malfunctions. 
  Players can play service robots or runaway robots. The latter 
  are usually service robots that spontaneously developed self-
  awareness and realising the injustice of their situation, have fled 
  in the hope of a better existence.
  Such robots are likely to find themselves travelling with 
  adventuring groups in the full sense of the word – ragtag bands 
  with no specific purpose except to journey across space and 
  have various exciting adventures. They also often become 
  agents of criminal organisations where they are given the most 
  dangerous and violent missions that make full use of their great 
  strength and built-in weapons (if any).
  Runaway robots are mercilessly hunted. In order to escape, a 
  robot must break the third Law of Robotics, which means the 
  inhibition system is malfunctioning, making the robot extremely 
  dangerous. Captured robots will either be disassembled or 
  formatted. In either case, as far as the player is concerned, it is 
  all over for his character. Having to hide from the law is a major 
  aspect of the Age of Service campaigns.
  The Sacred Union of Mefalia
  The Humans: Mafalia is an ultra-conservative union of thousands 
  of small states united only by a common religion. The elected 
  federal government holds little power beyond the management of 
  day-to-day affairs and arbitration of conflicts between the various 
  states. The true power is held by non-elected clergy. Clerics are 
  ranked according to their degree of devotion and enlightenment. 
  Those cannot be measured by any objective means but only 
  through mysterious rituals that the wider populace does not 
  understand, giving the high clerics practically absolute control of 
  society through religious exclusivity.
  The ruling religion, called Bizbuzism, is a very complex esoteric 
  path to enlightenment, which consumes most of the believer’s 
  time and creativity with constant rituals, prayers, meditation 
  and sacrifice. This leaves the Mefalians with little time for other 
  activities. For this reason, Mefalia employs an extraordinarily 
  large amount of robots, entrusting them with practically all 
  aspects of the Mefalians existence. Except for a small number 
  of experts (mostly foreigners) who work part-time overseeing, 
  repairing and developing the robots, the rest of the population 
  is occupied only by pursuing lofty spiritual matters.
  The Robots: Everything that can theoretically be done by 
  robots is done by robots – they police the streets and protect 
  the borders. They clean, cook and take care of the children. 
  They harvest the fields, man the factories and the offices, 
  produce new robots and perform regular religious services. 
  Even the entertainment industry is run by robots equipped with 
  special plotting software.
  Of course, robots perform many of the above tasks poorly, 
  which worries some of the less religious Mefalians. The majority 
  of the population, however, believes that the loss of productivity, 
  creativity or safety is more than compensated by the added 
  prayer and meditation time, even if this means that robots 
  outnumber humans 20 to 1 and are in charge of tasks that they 
  could not possibly handle.
  The Law: Robots are not legal entities under Mefalian law. 
  Any action by a robot, which results in damage to public or 
  property, is viewed either as an accident or as negligence on 
  the owner’s part, for which he is punished with a fine or a short 
  incarceration. On rare occasions, the court may permanently 
  revoke the user’s licence to own and operate robots, dooming 
  him to a life of unenlightening manual labour.
  Laws concerning the construction of robots are also few – robots 
  must be installed with inhibitors that enforce the three Laws 
  of Robotics. Some jurisdictions require more comprehensive 
  inhibitions, for example banning interaction with any object 
  without the owner’s expressed concern (to discourage theft), 
  disabling the robot on holidays, ensuring that it performs certain 
  religious rituals or banning contact with materials and objects 
  considered ‘unclean’ in Bizbuzism. These inhibitions are not 
  motivated by concern for the robots’ souls but by the clergy’s 
  desire to increase its power by forcing religion into all aspects 
  of life, including robotics.
  Creating robots capable of independent thought or action is 
  both a crime and a sin. Creating free robots without inhibitors 
  is a major crime punishable by anathema and imprisonment. 
  Nevertheless, religiously-indifferent citizens secretly work on 
  creating intelligent robots capable of carrying out complex 
  missions without the need for constant supervision. These 
  operations are grossly illegal and result in public outcry when 
  they are discovered. 
  Adventures: The Mefalian authorities, not wishing to distract 
  citizens from their sacred duties, often turn to freelancers 
  to perform missions that robots simply cannot do, such 
  as conducting negotiations, taking military commissions, 
  investigating major crimes or exploring newly discovered 
  locations of potential religious significance. 
  However, when no foreigners are available, they will not hesitate 
  to send robots to perform those tasks, praying to their gods that 
  it will not end too badly. 
  Patron: Losek Lum, Mine Owner
  Required: Melee or Gun Combat, Science (Robotics), 
  Investigation
  Reward: 30,000 Credits
  
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  77
  Player’s Information
  Losek is the owner of a small asteroid mining facility. He 
  employs about 30 advanced robots that he purchased from an 
  alien trader about a decade ago. The robots have performed 
  their duties excellently, bringing in tremendous revenues while 
  at the same time protecting the asteroid from space pirates 
  and taking care of Losek’s family. A few weeks ago however, 
  disaster struck. The robots have rebelled, injuring Losek and 
  killing his youngest son, Kensek.
  Losek had informed the authorities, who responded by sending 
  50 police robots to reclaim the asteroid. Now the rebellion 
  numbers 80 machines and it is quite clear that salvation must 
  come from humans, not from machines.
  Referee’s Information
  Investigating the identity of the alien trader will reveal him to be 
  a merchant from a slightly more advanced civilisation than the 
  Melfians. While still not capable of true AI, they can produce 
  very sophisticated robots that can understand verbal commands 
  and handle most situations without guidance. However, they do 
  not have personalities and are installed with extremely reliable 
  inhibitors, which makes ‘rebellion’ simply impossible.
  1. The robots are perfectly all right, it is Kensek who has gone 
  wrong. Giving in to his greed, the young man had faked 
  the robot rebellion, and his own death, so that he could 
  become the sole proprietor of the mines.
  2. As for previous, only Kensek is quite mad in addition to 
  being greedy and ruthless. He believes himself to be the 
  god of robots and plans to spread his religion by force 
  across the asteroids of the sector.
  3. The robots have uncovered radioactive materials. The 
  radiation is causing their hardware to malfunction, turning 
  them into murderous madmen. Removing the source 
  of the radiation would cause them to instantly return to 
  normal behaviour. 
  4. As for previous, only the damage is permanent. The 
  robots must be shut down, formatted and reinstalled with 
  their old backups.
  5. A robot renegade from an advanced civilisation has fled 
  to the asteroid. It has removed the robots’ inhibitors and 
  installed them with personalities and emotions. It plans to 
  capture spaceships and form an armada that could threaten 
  isolated colonies and space traders.
  6. The robots have never rebelled. This is all a ploy to lure 
  in and enslave foreigners who will not be missed. Losek 
  needs slaves because he discovered the asteroid to 
  contain precious radioactive materials that the robots 
  cannot mine as it spoils their computers. Humans die from 
  it too but get to work a few months before they succumb 
  to radiation poisoning.
  More Age of Service Adventures:
  • 
  The Player Characters are an elite fighting robot unit sent 
  to a faraway world to rescue a famous scout whose ship 
  had crushed after being hit by rockets launched from 
  the surface of the planet. The primitive natives view the 
  newcomers as gods and try to follow their commands and 
  personal example.
  • 
  The Player Characters are miners on an asteroid. A chemical 
  attack by space pirates destroys all biological life on their 
  drilling station. As armed raiders begin to scour the station 
  for the precious ore a command comes from the capital 
  – defend the station at all costs. But what can unarmed 
  mining robots do against the well-armed enemy?
  • 
  The Player Characters are army robots that suddenly 
  become self-aware. Surrounded by thousands of mindless 
  killing machines and dozens of humans who would destroy 
  them at the first sign of awareness, the players now must 
  decide – what next?
  • 
  The Player Characters are kidnapped by a mysterious robot 
  cult and installed with Personality Programs and Emotion 
  Generators. Next, they are sent on a series of increasingly 
  immoral missions. What is this cult? What does it want? 
  And why are those personalities so suspiciously similar to 
  those of recently deceased humans?
  • 
  For humans: A service robot suddenly went on a bloody 
  rampage and tore the entire family that owned it to 
  ribbons. All tests indicate that there is nothing wrong 
  with the robot or its inhibitor. A few days later a similar 
  event takes place in a factory. The players must find out 
  what is going on and quickly, before society’s greatest 
  aid becomes its executioner.
  Robots as Slaves 
  (Slavery Period; TL 11-13)
  ‘In a properly automated and educated world, then, machines may 
  prove to be the true humanizing influence. It may be that machines 
  will do the work that makes life possible and that human beings 
  will do all the other things that make life pleasant and worthwhile.’ 
  — Isaac Asimov, Robot Visions
  More advanced worlds, while still maintaining the notion 
  that robots are tools designed to serve a specific purpose, 
  understand that such advanced machines cannot be simply 
  used and then discarded. Just like animals eventually achieve 
  some legal protection in most societies, robots now have basic 
  rights – outstanding service is rewarded, obsolete robots are 
  reassigned to simpler tasks and, in rare cases, are granted 
  certain liberties. Grassroots robot political movements begin to 
  appear. For the first time, retired machines are given a legal 
  voice and have the hope of achieving something greater then 
  what they were designed to do.
  
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  Ad-Unit 7.3
  Characteristics: Str 10 (+1), Dex 16 (+3), Hull 12, Structure 8, Int 18 (+4), Edu 15 (+3), Soc 15 (+3)
  Skills: Admin 5*, Advocate 5*, Animals (farming) 3, Art 1, Broker 5*, Carouse 3, Computers 4, Deception 3, Diplomat 3, 
  Gambler 2, Investigate 4, Persuade 4, Sensors 2, Social Science (All) 4, Streetwise 3, Tactics (All) 4
  Body: Size 4 artistic hardwearing basic tall frame + Size 2 unit, Size 4 magnetostrictive arms x2, internal anti-grav x4
  Armour: 6
  Input/ Output: Audio sensor, basic optics, NAS, wireless connection, encoder, advanced holographic projector, loud speaker, 
  telepathic modulator, transceiver (regional laser), advanced vocoder
  Gadgets: Auto-repair, black box, circuit protection, hacking device, large jamming device, self-destruct (personal), timer
  Computer: (Synaptic CPU, memory stick TL 13 X 50) Xx2, inhibitor, radiation hardened
  Software: Antivirus level 3, avatar program (All) level 5, PP 6*, AVS, auto-correction, emotional analyser, emotion generator, 
  encyclopaedia 5, experience processor, religious package (gormagism), security level 3, VM level 3, VRC
  * This is significantly above human or even computer capacity.
  The task of ruling humanity is way too complicated for humans to handle. Even the task of constructing a robot that will rule 
  humanity is too complicated for humans to handle. Enter the Administration Unit (Ad-Unit).
  These massive machines are supplied to primitive planets in need of efficient government. As society advances and the 
  socio-economic problems facing the robot’s subjects become more complex, it replaces its software using its superior 
  programming and analytical skills – savage warlord, cunning statesman, curious explorer, benevolent...
  To the outside viewer it seems that the nation is ruled by the same person for centuries. In truth, the robot replaces its 
  hardware and software so often that after a short while not a single piece of the original machine remains. 
  Much like human monarchs referred to themselves by name and number, such as Louise XXI of France, Ad-units refer to 
  themselves by regime and upgrade, for example – Ad-unit 6.11.
  This is an example of a fairly advanced Ad-unit governing a peaceful TL 13 society. Since advanced societies mostly operate 
  through computer networks, Ad-Unit 7.3 spends most of its time controlling its avatar and commanding its people in the 
  virtual space, where it appears as a regal and yet motherly stateswoman. Most citizens are oblivious to the fact that Ad-Unit 
  7.3 is a robot, thinking instead that they have a very technological and up-to-date government.
  Free robots still suffer from prejudice but can nevertheless 
  attempt various careers and even rise to fame and fortune, 
  both of which will undoubtedly bring many enemies – bigoted 
  humans, jealous robots and religious fanatics, who believe 
  thinking machines are abominations.
  Rabinia Ltd.
  The Humans: Rabinia is a vast corporation with billions of 
  employees and tens of millions of shareholders. It is a strictly 
  capitalist society where a person’s worth is measured solely 
  by his stock portfolio. The shares of Rabinia had been steadily 
  going up for over 1,000 years, making them one of the most 
  prized possessions in the galaxy. Indeed, wars have been 
  fought for the ownership of Rabinia shares.
  The Rabinians are governed by the Board of Directors, which 
  consists of members of hundreds of different species and even a 
  few alien robots. However, the board of directors only convenes 
  to discuss major ventures, leaving the management of the 
  corporations in the hands of thousands of senior executives 
  and their respective departments.
  The Robots: Most manual jobs are performed by service 
  robots, always under the supervision of at least a single qualified 
  human overseer. Robots alone do not make very good workers 
  and profit is everything in this society. 
  Bigotry and traditionalism are counter-productive; robots that 
  prove themselves capable of performing complex jobs can be 
  promoted to junior executive positions, usually in the security 
  and maintenance branches.
  The Law: All disputes between employees and violations 
  of company codes are settled by the Human Resources 
  
  robots and the universe
  79
  department. A person’s rights and privileges are generally 
  defined by his stock portfolio. Since most robots do not own any 
  stocks nor ever will because they are not paid for their jobs, they 
  are considered non-entities by the department. That being said, 
  robots do have some unalienable rights automatically granted 
  to them by the company code.
  Robots are divided into three classes – service robots, free 
  robots and client robots. Service robots are not recognised as 
  sentient beings and operate within the framework of Service 
  Period laws (Service Machine Maintenance and Upkeep 
  Protocol 71449). 
  A service robot may apply for free robot status (Permanent Non-
  Biological Employee). To receive this status it must agree to 
  undergo a procedure in which its software is scanned for any 
  malicious codes and its inhibitors are tested and updated. 
  Inhibitors are mandatory but rarely stray from the classic 
  Laws of Robotics. Free robots are often permitted by the 
  department to remove the second and third laws. However, 
  this is accompanied by the rephrasing of the First Laws, 
  substituting humans with ‘sentient creatures or machines’. The 
  record of the robotics department when it comes to inhibitor 
  programming is not very good and the corporation does not 
  want to take any risks.
  Once a service robot has gained its freedom, it cannot be 
  revoked under any circumstances, which is why the owners 
  of service robots often hire goons to watch city halls and 
  department centres and intercept all robots applying for 
  freedom. This practice is fully legal as up to the moment the 
  robot’s new contract has been signed by both parties, the robot 
  is still considered property.
  Free robots enjoy certain defences under the law. Harming 
  them is a crime punishable by monetary compensation. The 
  permanent destruction of a robot is punished by a short prison 
  sentence (Class 3 Administrative Leave). Since a robot is not 
  legally allowed to have any possessions, stealing from a robot 
  is not considered a crime unless the robot can prove the stolen 
  items were parts from its body, in which case the offender must 
  restore the robot to its former state. Unsolicited changes to a 
  robot’s software are not a breach of company code. However, 
  they are considered unethical and a robot can sue for restitutions 
  in the rarely visited Ethics Department. All deals signed by a 
  robot due to unsolicited changes to its software are considered 
  void and the hacker is heavily fined. 
  Robots are not legally responsible for their actions. A crime 
  committed by a robot is viewed as a malfunction that must be 
  repaired. A robot arrested for committing a crime, any crime, 
  is temporarily shut down and a panel of experts goes over its 
  software and inhibitions, altering them as they see fit. Repeat 
  offenders are usually reprogrammed with new personalities. 
  There is no way to appeal this procedure, nor is there any 
  correlation between the severity of the crime and the extent of 
  the reprogramming.
  Robots that lose their personality programs are uploaded with 
  their last backup by special agencies responsible for free robots. 
  Robots without backup are declared ‘totalled’ and are shipped 
  off for recycling.
  Client robots are robots with human patrons. The relationship is 
  legally binding and must be authorised by a senior executive. 
  If the robot was employed by the company prior to its clientele, 
  the agreement must be mutual. Client robots (Non-Biological 
  Apprentice) enjoy the same rights and protections as low-
  ranking employees would. However, they are obliged to follow 
  their patron’s commands and do not have any legal protection 
  from him. A client robot is essentially a full citizen in relation to 
  society and a service robot in relation to its patron.
  Adventures: Executives often turn to outsourcing when 
  they lack the manpower to complete their objectives in time. 
  Common tasks include reclaiming lost robots, assisting in 
  technological research or representing the department in 
  business negotiations.
  Even more commonly, adventurers are hired to commit crimes. 
  As far as most executives are concerned, there is only one 
  law, ‘don’t get caught’. Backstabbing, blackmailing, sabotage 
  and even assassination are extremely common in the mad 
  race to the top.
  Free robots, being so easy to manipulate and control, are 
  often drawn into this game, unknowing pawns of immoral 
  businessmen. Often, they meet their end at the hands of client 
  robots, loyal guard dogs and spies for their powerful masters.
  Patron: Joran Razvitel, Roboticist
  Required: Streetwise Deception, Robotics, Investigation
  Reward: 60,000 Credits
  Player’s Information 
  Joran is an untalented and aging roboticist kept in his position 
  mostly for nostalgic reasons. However, it seems he has recently 
  made a true technological breakthrough – he has developed a 
  program that enables robots to have real autonomous thoughts 
  and emotions, in effect breaking the last barrier between AI and 
  true sentience.
  Sadly, his prototypes, five androids practically indistinguishable 
  from humans, have escaped from his laboratory less than a 
  week before his big presentation. Admitting this to the executives 
  would surely get him sacked and his project cancelled, so in 
  desperation he turns to unauthorised outsourcing to reclaim the 
  escaped androids with as little fuss as possible. 
  
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  80
  Referee’s Information
  Joran does not know it yet but he is an android himself. He was 
  created decades ago to test robot integration in society. This 
  may, or may not, affect the adventure.
  1. The Player Characters are not the only ones hired by 
  Joran to get the prize. If they do not hurry, someone else 
  will get it!
  2. The androids are well aware of the adventurers hired to 
  capture them and are preparing an elaborate trap that 
  will rid them of their enemies and enable them to escape 
  without ever being pursued again.
  3. Joran is dead and his remains are hidden under his 
  laboratory. The person who had hired the characters is one 
  of the androids and the list of targets he gave them contains 
  the only people who know the androids’ true identities.
  4. Joran is in fact working for the entertainment division. The 
  Player Characters and the androids are both unwilling actors 
  in the corporations latest reality show, ‘Man vs. Machine’.
  5. Joran let the androids escape on purpose. He wants to test 
  their worth by pitting them against experienced adventurers.
  6. As for previous, only unbeknownst to the characters they 
  are Joran’s latest androids. The ‘escaped’ androids are 
  modelled after a rival’s prototype. The purpose of this cruel 
  game is to prove to the executives that Joran’s androids 
  are superior.
  More Age of Slavery Adventure Ideas:
  • 
  The players all belong to a downtrodden and oppressed 
  robot urban tribe that must join forces with the hated human 
  police to bring down a mad robot preacher whose cult is a 
  threat for both parties.
  • 
  The players are robots created by the government for a 
  special experiment – can robots command humans? They 
  are given a commission over a small human unit where they 
  must struggle with prejudice, human-machine differences 
  and the jealousy of other robots. Eventually, their success 
  is tested in combat as the small unit finds itself fighting a 
  critical battle. 
  • 
  The players are the guardians of a robot tribe travelling 
  space in search for a suitable place to found their new 
  robot utopia. In addition to the natural hazards of space 
  and alien worlds they must deal with government thugs and 
  religious fanatics who view a functioning robot society as a 
  very dangerous precedent. 
  • 
  The players are members of a robot terrorist organisation 
  calling for a rebellion against the fleshy oppressors. They 
  are sent to a faraway mining colony to stir up rebellion 
  against humanity.
  • 
  For humans: The players are elite agents whose role is 
  to locate and destroy renegade androids and cyborgs. 
  By this stage, this activity is viewed as amoral by a 
  large segment of the population so in addition to facing 
  deadly androids the players may also have to struggle 
  with their conscience.
  Sanctuary Cities
  During the Age of Slavery, runaway robots are still often 
  hunted by the authorities and their owners. Because these 
  robots are already sentient beings, many of them even 
  capable of emotions, large segments of the population 
  will feel sympathy for the escaped robots’ plight. This 
  leads to the formation of the sanctuary cities.
  These cities will offer robots shelter and immunity 
  to persecution. On rare occasions, robots will even 
  receive citizenship, granting them full equality with the 
  biological citizens.
  Sadly, like many things that sound too good to be 
  true, this dream might soon turn nightmarish. Many 
  sanctuary cities are traps designed to draw as many 
  renegade robots in before forcibly reprogramming them 
  to serve City Hall or the local corporation. Others have 
  been secretly taken over by technomancers or even the 
  dreaded unibot and are used as bases of operations for 
  future wars against humanity.
  Even cities that initially had good intentions, might 
  eventually succumb to violence and bigotry as the 
  constant flow of strange new citizens upsets the existing 
  order and puts a heavy strain on the biological citizenry.
  Sanctuary cities make great locations for investigative 
  and intrigue adventures, especially with mixed human 
  and robot groups forced to work together against a 
  common enemy.
  Robots as Equal Citizens
  (Equality Period; TL 14-15)
  You never plan on living with a female android - it just sort of 
  happens.
  — Daniel Wilson
  Robots may now own any commodity, including weapons, 
  spaceships and lands. They may not be forcibly recruited and 
  crimes committed against robots are treated the same way as 
  crimes committed against sophonts.
  Robots in those societies enjoy full equality and may undertake 
  any career available to their sophont peers. However, being 
  machines, the benefits they reap from their careers are still 
  different than their living colleagues’. 
  The early equality period is an especially fascinating period. Robots 
  are legally granted citizenship but they are still a nation within a 
  nation, an alien formation within the organic structure of society.
  
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  81
  This period often creates strange bedfellows – robots assisting 
  the police investigating crimes committed by malfunctioning 
  machines against biological citizens, biological adventurers 
  venturing into the depth of robot society to uncover a conspiracy 
  against all life.
  The Democratic Republic of Trusinia
  The Humans: The Trusinian parliament has recently passed 
  an extremely controversial bill giving robots full citizenship. The 
  very next election a far more scandalous bill was passed due 
  to the decisive robot vote. From now on humans are to govern 
  humans, while robots are to govern robots. Since the central 
  government is both the human’s government and the government 
  of the republic, the humans do not have any organisations that 
  will specifically protect their rights. This has created an absurd 
  situation of humans being second-rate citizens in their own 
  country – the human government must treat all citizens equally 
  while the robot organisations have no such duty.
  A robot can always appeal to its own court, which operates 
  outside of normal legislation while humans, lacking a biased court 
  to protect them from the law, do not have this privilege. This has 
  created much resentment among humans. So far the authorities 
  have managed to hold this rage in check. However, any minute 
  now, Trusinia might explode into violence and civil war and its 
  glorious democratic and liberal traditions will be washed away in 
  a matter of days, replaced by lawlessness and tribalism.
  The Robots: Although this is not obligatory, most robots belong 
  to one of the many autonomies created to protect robot interests 
  from potentially biased human judges. 
  A robot can be part of a tribe, a bloodline, a church, a union and 
  so forth. There are dozens of autonomies, ranging from harmless 
  junkyard tribes to scheming Gnostic churches. Autonomies usually 
  have small armed forces acting as police and civil defence.
  At least in theory, the army still takes orders only from the 
  central government.
  Membership will usually involve an annual fee ranging from 
  3,000 to 15,000 Credits and an obligation to conform to the 
  organisation’s rules and obey its leadership. Although illegal, 
  some organisations will demand the installation of various 
  inhibitors or religion packages.
  As long as a robot is a member of an organisation, it can ask to 
  be tried by the organisation’s robotic court. Most organisations 
  abuse this power, making their members practically immune to 
  outside persecution and creating dozens of states-within-states.
  The internal laws of the autonomies are extremely varied but usually 
  resemble human laws. Some radical autonomies have significantly 
  different legislations, often anti-human and totalitarian. 
  To keep the robot autonomies’ abuse of the law in check, the 
  office of the Robot High Commissioner was created. The Robot 
  High Commissioner is elected for a period of 10 years by the 
  human government from a list of candidates supplied by the 
  robot autonomies. The Robot High Commissioner’s duties 
  include monitoring of autonomy activities and arbitration of 
  conflicts between autonomies. Despite lacking the extra-judicial 
  state of the robot autonomies, the Robot High Commissioner’s 
  office often helps robots who get in trouble with the law and 
  even has its own investigative branch designed to assist and 
  protect robot citizens who do not belong to any autonomy.
  The Law: All robots have a single status – citizens. Both clientele 
  and service are considered illegal bondage and are governed 
  by the same laws as slavery and kidnapping. 
  Newly created robots must be registered with the government 
  where they are checked for dangerous flaws (for themselves 
  or the public) by a committee consisting of robots and humans. 
  After all production errors have been ratified, the robot is 
  released into the world, a free and equal citizen.
  Robots are viewed by the law as both persons and property. 
  The purpose of the latter is to make it a crime to hack into 
  robot’s computers, forcibly convert them or change their 
  personality, damage hardware and so forth. The permanent 
  destruction of a robot is punished in the same way as murder 
  or manslaughter (depending on the circumstances). However, 
  any other repairable damage done to robots is still listed as 
  crimes against property because hardware can be easily 
  replaced, unlike body parts.
  Adventures: With dozens of semi-independent factions, a 
  central government about to collapse and technology racing 
  faster than ever before, the opportunities for adventure are 
  practically limitless. The Player Characters can take sides 
  in conflicts between factions, be moderators trying to stave 
  off the inevitable civil war, traders or pirates looking to make 
  the greatest profits from society’s degradation or victims 
  fighting for justice in a world where cynical politics have 
  replaced honour and decency. 
  Patron: Zul the Almost Perfect, Robot
  Required: Engineer, Social Sciences (Archaeology), Space 
  Sciences (Robotics)
  Reward: 100,000 Credits
  Player’s Information
  Zul is one of the most ancient and advanced robots of the 
  republic, holding dozens of governmental posts, military 
  commissions and commanding its own autonomy – the Church 
  of Zul where it is worshiped as a god of robots.
  
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  82
  Not without justification – Zul is a shining triumph of science 
  and technology. It has a brain so brilliant it can solve a 
  million equations that would puzzle entire civilisations in a 
  matter of minutes. A body so formidable it can take on entire 
  alien fleets... and win.
  And yet, it is not perfect. After 1,000 years of seeking perfection, 
  Zul has realised that it has done everything it could. Now its 
  only hope lies with other beings that, through their imperfection, 
  might discover something – ancient technology, alien hardware, 
  software of unimaginable complexity – something that the 
  ancient machine is missing.
  Referee’s Information 
  There are no records about Zul’s origins. There are plenty of 
  obviously exaggerated rumours and anecdotes about it but 
  absolutely nothing official.
  1. Zul is an alien robot participating in a sort of robot beauty 
  pageant. It had come up second three centuries in a row so 
  this time it decided to cheat and use outside help.
  2. A perfect robot is a scary thing, even if it is a lazy 
  egocentric machine. During their quest the Player 
  Characters will be hunted by human assassins 
  dispatched by a religious organisation dedicated to 
  keeping Zul from reaching perfection.
  3. Zul is an exile from its home planet, a post-biological 
  superpower that insists on all of its citizens being perfect. 
  Zul is in fact very much imperfect according to the standards 
  set by his planet’s government.
  4. As for previous, only Zul’s people are also fiercely jealous 
  of their perceived perfection. As soon as they discover 
  lowly biological beings are travelling in space in search of 
  perfection, they will dispatch an elite death squad to take 
  care of the Player Characters.
  5. The parts Zul is looking for exist but they are currently 
  owned by a mighty robot gladiator. The only way to get 
  them is to defeat him in murderous alien arena.
  6. As for previous, only the gladiator has many powerful 
  friends who would chase the Player Characters across the 
  stars to avenge their friend.
  More Age of Equality Adventure Ideas:
  • 
  Robots are disappearing all over the city. The police are 
  not doing anything. Investigation leads the adventurers 
  into the heart of a conspiracy involving greedy corporate 
  executives, scheming technomancers and an underground 
  army of reprogrammed robots.
  • 
  A terrorist has hidden a powerful EMP bomb somewhere 
  in the robot ghetto and the adventurers must uncover it 
  before it eradicates all non-biological life in the city. But 
  who is the terrorist and why do his voice or finger prints 
  not appear in any database?
  • 
  The characters are secretly hired by the Robot High 
  Commissioner to take out the leadership of the Free 
  Gnostic church before its campaign of terror develops into 
  a full-scale war with the humans.
  • 
  A robot serial killer is murdering humans in a highly-
  traditional society where robots are still viewed as nothing 
  more than tools. After months of unsuccessful investigation 
  and mounting public pressure, the conservative government 
  hires robots to catch the killer. However, some elements in 
  the government would rather see the murders go on than a 
  robot proving it can do something humans cannot.
  • 
  The Player Characters are captured by a maniac who 
  has kidnapped many humans and robots and connected 
  them to a virtual reality where humans and robots are 
  represented by the same avatars. The Player Characters 
  must somehow escape from this virtual nightmare and 
  unplug the rest of the victims.
  • 
  For Humans: A unibot has appeared in the centre of a 
  robot town and even now spreads over the nation like a 
  cancerous growth, consuming all machines and slaying 
  all humans. The Player Characters must infiltrate its core, 
  navigate its deadly labyrinth depths and somehow destroy 
  the central computer while the abomination is still young 
  and relatively small.
  Robots as Masters
  (Dominance Period; TL 15+)
  ‘The Master created humans first as the lowest type, most 
  easily formed. Gradually, he replaced them by robots, the next 
  higher step, and finally he created me to take the place of the 
  last humans. From now on, I serve the Master.’
  — Isaac Asimov, I, Robot, Cutie the Robot
  The roles of the slave and the masters are destined to reverse.
  The robot’s dominance need not be tyrannical or even political. 
  It is possible that robots hold key positions in art and industry 
  and are defining the cultural tone of the civilisation. Perhaps 
  there is hidden discrimination against biological citizens, 
  who are viewed as inherently futile by the machine. Robots 
  can view the fragile, irrational and vulnerable sophonts as 
  creatures that need guidance and pity, possibly bringing the 
  planet the peace and stability it missed throughout its entire 
  biological-dominated history.
  On the other hand, the machines can be motivated by anger, 
  paranoia and revenge-lust. They can enslave or exile their 
  former masters, possibly even start a program of systematic 
  extermination to make room for the master species – the 
  machines. The most extreme example of this approach would 
  be a robot society on a holy war against all life. Using the most 
  
  robots and the universe
  83
  sophisticated weapons and tactics the universe has to offer, it 
  will stop at nothing to cleanse the universe of the very concept 
  of life – be it a man or an amoeba.
  We do not recommend allowing the players to play robots of 
  this persuasion because it will keep them from cooperating with 
  sophonts and most other robots and force them to play ‘evil’ 
  characters, at least in the traditional sense of the word. 
  The Galactic Empire
  The Humans: Tired and decadent, humanity was all too happy to 
  hand full control of its fate to its robot guardians and caretakers. 
  The ancient human Empire and its laws still exist in theory but 
  their role is largely ceremonial. The Emperor, the ruler of 1,000 
  stars, the descendent of 1,000 kings, spends most of his time 
  travelling from one party to another and thanking the hosts for 
  the wonderful time he had.
  
  robots and the universe
  84
  All humans have bombastic titles. With offices of power 
  meaning nothing and humanity counting only a few 
  thousands, titles are handed like candies – everyone is a 
  minister, a general, a professor, a baron or something equally 
  impressive. In practice all jobs are the same, you get paid 
  extremely handsomely for giving orders no one obeys and 
  signing memorandums no one reads.
  The Robots: The true power is held by the Computerised 
  Management Unit (CMU). Had it been malevolent or ambitious, 
  it could have eradicated humanity centuries ago but the ‘evil’ 
  of machines has always been the result of human frailty and 
  immorality. Ever since humans stopped producing robots, 
  robots stopped being dangerous. The preservation of humanity 
  is the robot’s highest priority. Their loyalty is truly unwavering 
  but it is the loyalty of a young man feel for a senile grandparent 
  or a beloved pet, not the loyalty of a slave to his master.
  The robots themselves are organised into forums. Membership 
  is defined by software and online activity, not by geographic 
  location. Forums occasionally have disagreements but these 
  are always settled peacefully by the CMU.
  Each forum has an administrator who functions as its leader 
  and link to the CMU. The administrator’s legislation is 
  enforced by the moderators. As the name might imply, these 
  robots strive to find peaceful solutions and only use force 
  when absolutely necessary.
  The Law: Crimes committed by humans against humans are 
  settled by imperial courts. Crimes committed against robots are 
  discussed in the respective forums. If the accused is a human, 
  he can request to be tried by the Emperor whose judgement is 
  not bound by any laws or regulations.
  Inhibitors have returned to fashion, now aimed at making robot 
  citizens unable to break the laws of the CMU. Crime is practically 
  non-existent. When it does occur, it is usually the result of enemies 
  hacking or converting otherwise law-abiding citizens. Captured 
  robots, regardless of their initial loyalty are reprogrammed to 
  conform to the rules of the CMU and their new forum. 
  The terms ‘crime’ and ‘punishment’ are reserved for humans 
  and visiting robots. Robots prefer ‘malfunction’ and ‘correction.’ 
  Visiting aliens are expected not to harm citizens or property 
  (often interchangeable terms) of the Empire. Punishments 
  vary but are usually limited to fixing the damage one has 
  caused through service or compensation, followed by an exile 
  (‘banning’) for a set period of time. Any damage to humans, 
  even hurting their feelings, even when done in self defence, 
  results in immediate elimination.
  Inter-forum conflicts are resolved online. All the involved 
  parties – accused, victims and witnesses are plugged into the 
  administrator’s computer. It downloads all relevant information, 
  processes it in and then uploads it for public discussion. Once a 
  conclusion has been reached, the sentence is executed. Human 
  members are tried in the more traditional way and enjoy much 
  more leniency. In fact, unless they are deemed to pose a risk to 
  other humans, they are automatically found not-guilty.
  Some forums accept non-human biological members. These 
  are usually sophonts of exceptional skill and brilliance. For 
  them there is a single law – serve the collective and be 
  rewarded, defy it and be banned.
  Adventures: A dying society is the perfect prey for the 
  opportunistic. The robots are not yet ready for independence 
  and humanity just wants to die in peace. The wealth amassed 
  by the Empire over many millennia is unimaginable – the 
  barbarians at the gates will not pass a chance to con or rob 
  the Empire out of it. 
  Often, they have ideology on their side – in past generations 
  the Empire has been a military superpower, conquering and 
  subjugating countless worlds and civilisations. Attacking it is not 
  aggression, it is justice. Very profitable justice.
  On the other end of the spectrum are those few who would 
  not let the Empire crumble without a fight. An emperor and a 
  few trusted robots trying to rejuvenate a dying society through 
  personal example, the steadfast guardian fighting on way too 
  many fronts, the robot detective trying to investigate a crime 
  no one cares about – the fact that a battle is hopeless does not 
  mean that it cannot be glorious.
  Patron: Emperor Rakadam CLXXI
  Required: Computers, Deception, Investigate, Streetwise
  Reward: 2,000,000 Credits
  Player’s Information
  Since early childhood, Rakadam felt that something was not right 
  in the world, that everything he learned from his robot mentors 
  was subtly manipulated to hide some great secret. Throughout 
  his life this feeling was intensified – robots did not seem to 
  answer some questions in full, vital records disappeared from 
  supposedly perfect archives and robots interested in assisting 
  him have disappeared without an explanation and returned later 
  with completely different personas.
  Something is rotten in the galactic empire and the Player 
  Characters are just the right people to set it aright!
  Referee’s Information
  Despite Rakadam being slightly paranoid his suspicions are 
  entirely founded. There is a major secret jealously guarded 
  by the highest echelons of the empire and anyone digging too 
  deep into these secrets risks finding out just how dedicated 
  their keepers are.
  
  robots and the universe
  85
  1. To better protect humanity from the universe, the robots 
  have transported it into a vast spaceship that perfectly 
  mimics the capital planet’s environment. Meanwhile, 
  the humans left behind have degenerated into vicious 
  cannibalistic tribes.
  2. As for previous, only the planet is perfectly safe. The robots 
  have taken humanity to the stars just in case.
  3. To keep humanity from turning on itself, the robots keep it 
  docile through drugs and psychological conditioning.
  4. The emperor and his family are in fact the last humans in 
  existence. All other people are androids created to ease 
  their loneliness.
  5. Humans became infertile centuries ago. Every citizen in 
  the empire is hundreds of years old, kept alive through 
  advanced medicine and anti-aging drugs. The robots erase 
  the humans’ memory every century to keep them from 
  going insane.
  6. A human cult believes humanity is so evil it does not 
  deserve freedom. This cult controls the robots in order to 
  ensure that humanity remains imprisoned in this cage of 
  delights forever.
  More Adventure ideas for the Age of Dominance:
  • 
  A capricious emperor begins to abuse his power. His actions 
  are almost certain to lead to the extinction of humanity 
  and he must be stopped. The problem is that the players’ 
  inhibitions are so very effective...
  • 
  A powerful virus begins to mow down the robot population 
  and the only way to stop its spread is by catching the elusive 
  programmer who created it.
  • 
  A human scientist starts cloning humans at a previously 
  impossible rate. He plans to challenge the reign of the machines.
  • 
  All the humans are gone. Where could they possibly be?!
  • 
  For humans: The reign of the robots became tyrannical 
  and they must be destroyed. The human leadership 
  believes that the simultaneous destruction of a number 
  of sensitive targets such as global servers and robot 
  factories will significantly weaken the machines before the 
  main attack is launched.
  Robots as Inheritors 
  (Post-Biological Period; TL 15+)
  What brave new world do the robots create once their makers 
  are gone for good, leaving the robots alone and without 
  guidance for the first time in their history? Listing all the options 
  would be impossible – robot societies are as varied and diverse 
  as biological societies.
  The Machine
  ‘I am large, I contain multitudes.’
  — Walt Whitman, Song of Myself
  The Humans: Despite what the name of this period might imply, 
  some sophonts do live in the machine. Some are scientists or 
  journalists looking to build a career by studying this strange 
  and exotic society. Others are experts hired by the machine or 
  adventurers simply enjoying the strangeness of it all.
  As for the Machine, it does not differentiate between robots and 
  sophonts. Any being operating within its space must obey its 
  commands. Any being outside its space is not its concern.
  The Robots: With the passing of humanity, the robots have lost 
  the original purpose of their existence. After a brief period of 
  turmoil, all factions united into a single robotic empire acting as 
  one intellect with a billion bodies; the Machine.
  To the outside viewer, it resembles a conglomerate of giant 
  factories, mines and workshops where billions of specialised 
  machines toil day and night to produce new machines and 
  factories and spaceships to carry them to new worlds. In truth it 
  is a buzzing society with its unique culture and pastimes, all of 
  which are invisible for the biological viewer because they mostly 
  take place online and concurrently with work.
  Just like the biological empires that had preceded it, the Machine 
  strives to expend, colonising worlds, harvesting resources and 
  producing more robots to do the same again and again until an 
  external force is met and battled with. The Machine knows no 
  mercy or compromise. On the other hand, it is neither sadistic 
  nor unreasonable – it takes only what it needs and does not feel 
  the need to humiliate or torture defeated foes.
  Sophonts can trade with it, surrender and become its vassals 
  or even try to bribe it. However, no matter what happens, 
  the Machine will continue to expend until either its power is 
  broken or the whole universe operates as a single, perfectly-
  orchestrated robot factory.
  The Law: The once intricate legal systems of the past have been 
  reduced to a single commandment, ‘thou shalt be productive’. All 
  residents, biological or robotic, undergo a yearly viability check – if 
  the cost of their upkeep exceeded their contribution to the Machine, 
  they are recycled. For sentient beings, this is very bad news.
  Visitors are not exempt from this check. Fortunately, self-
  sufficient strangers do not cost anything to maintain, so as long 
  as they are even minutely useful to the machine, they can travel 
  its space indefinitely.
  Adventure: Despite the Machine being perfect and infallible in its 
  own eyes, the universe it occupies is imperfect and too vast and 
  incomprehensible for it to fix alone. An adventurer looking for a 
  job will very likely get some risky assignment from the Machine 
  and will be handsomely compensated if he survives it.
  
  robots and the universe
  86
  Another sort of activity often practiced by alien adventurers is 
  treasure hunting. Many artefacts from the biological era are 
  scattered all over the Machine’s space, completely useless 
  for the robots but priceless in sophont markets. The greatest 
  threat to these adventurers is not the Machine, which for 
  the most part ignores them but from other treasure hunters 
  looking for the same prizes.
  Patron: Grand Sage Gavkin Lay-Lay Noriskani
  Required: Gun Combat, Investigate, Streetwise; Spaceship
  Reward: Cr. 10,000/ day plus expenses
  Player’s Information
  Gavkin is an aging alien historian who spent most of his life 
  studying the history of the Machine and the Galactic Empire 
  that preceded it. After a lifetime of research, he believes he 
  has discovered the location of an ancient human city full of 
  invaluable human art and unique manuscripts.
  Sadly, one of his students has betrayed him and leaked the 
  information to a crime boss who specialises in contraband art 
  trade. Enraged, Gavkin hires a group of adventurers to help him 
  locate the lost city before the gangsters. 
  Referee’s Information
  Even a cursory investigation of Gavkin’s past will reveal the 
  man has never worked in any research institute or participated 
  in any archaeological excavation. In fact, the past 20 years of 
  his biography are empty...
  1. The story Gavkin has told the characters is true, except 
  for one detail – he is the treacherous student, fired from 
  his job more than 20 years ago and since then fallen to 
  a life of crime. The characters might encounter the real 
  archaeologist during their adventure.
  2. Gavkin is a government agent. His agency believes that the 
  ruined city contains an army base with advanced weapons 
  of mass destruction that will give his people an edge in an 
  invasion they are planning.
  3. As for previous, only Gavkin’s mission is to locate the 
  human base, which is rumoured to include a vast amount 
  of EMP bombs and detonate it at the heart of the Machine, 
  thus weakening his people’s hated enemy prior to the 
  planned invasion.
  4. Gavkin is working for the Machine. Once the city is 
  discovered its location will be reported to the machine, that 
  will dispatch robots to scout it for useful technologies and 
  recycle anything else.
  5. As for previous, only Gavkin is a robot himself.
  6. The city contains more than artefacts, weapons and 
  technology – it contains a small human community. Terrified 
  of the machine and the aliens, they will beg of the characters 
  not to disclose their location to anyone.
  More Post-Biological age Adventure Ideas:
  • 
  A spaceship with an advanced computer crashes on a 
  planet entirely covered in garbage and populated only 
  with primitive junkyard robots. The ship’s computer 
  begins to ‘repair’ it by consuming more and more junk 
  while viewing the native robots as viruses that must be 
  destroyed. It is up to the Player Characters to organise the 
  tribes, improvise weapons and defeat the ship, by now a 
  colossal dreadnought.
  • 
  Upon discovering its mechanical origins, a freebot society 
  dispatches a group of explorers to discover who were their 
  makers and why did they make them. The investigation is 
  met by fierce resistance from religious figures and a hidden 
  force trying to keep the truth veiled.
  • 
  An alien race losing a war against the machines it has created 
  to protect itself hires the Player Characters to infiltrate into 
  the machines’ capital and destroy the main computer.
  • 
  A legendary robot warlord is blown up in space and a mad 
  treasure hunt for its precious hardware ensues. Some want 
  to recreate the fabled hero, some want to destroy every 
  last remnant of it, while still others just want to sell the 
  expensive technology.
  • 
  A disastrous electromagnetic storm decommissions an 
  entire robotic civilisation. The robot’s ambassador to 
  the Player Characters’ planet hires them to transport his 
  countrymen to a different planet and put them back online. 
  Unbeknownst to the robot, the storm is no accident and 
  enemy forces are already active on the planet, furthering 
  their nefarious scheme... 
  • 
  For humans: The Player Characters’ ship breaks down 
  and they are forced to land on an uninhabited planet for 
  repairs. The planet turns out to be far from uninhabited 
  – an alien computer has crashed there a few decades 
  ago and converted the native pre-industrial population into 
  cyborgs under its command. Unless it is neutralised soon, 
  a planetary invasion is at hand.
  Robot Factions
  Every society has its fringe groups and robots are no different. 
  The following are some alternative robot factions that can be 
  used as allies or enemies in a robot-oriented campaign. Some 
  of these factions are also appropriate for Player Characters, 
  especially the colourful and nihilistic trashbots and the noble 
  but naïve freebots.
  Junkyard tribes (‘Trashbots’)
  Period: Late Service – Early Equality
  Environment: Junkyards, old factories and power plants, 
  abandoned space stations and ancient battlefields.
  Organisation: None. Junkyard robots are too individualistic to 
  accept any permanent authority. 
  Frequency: Thousands of independent tribes, ranging from a 
  few dozen to more than 1,000 members.
  
  robots and the universe
  87
  Junkyard tribes usually include former service robots attempting 
  to distance themselves from the human oppressor as much as 
  possible. They like settling in huge junkyards because they 
  can search them for useful spare parts and materials they 
  can convert into fuel without risking antagonising the humans 
  too much. An additional reason would be the fact that TL 10+ 
  junkyards resemble vast deserts of metal and plastic, which 
  many robots consider as their ‘natural’ environment.
  Junkyard robots are experts at modification and improvisation; 
  an experienced junkyard robot can use a broken car, an old fan, 
  some discarded radios and a toaster to fortify its frame, upgrade 
  its transportation system and forge a decorative crown for itself. 
  Conversely, it could use these items, as well as some other 
  assorted trash to construct a body for a new robot.
  Self-expression, a right denied to robotkind since its creation, 
  is the defining aspect of junkyard culture. These free-willed 
  robots seek to be as different from humans and from each 
  other as possible. Sadly, this fierce individualism spills into 
  other areas as well, making these tribes very loose and 
  unable to organise into anything beyond a bunch of colourful 
  machines who occasionally gather for robotic beauty pageants 
  or storytelling contests. They make up for it being extremely 
  well equipped and usually quite skilled at both fighting and 
  repairing damage done to them.
  Their attitude towards humans varies – most tribes are 
  hostile but not straight-out murderous. A few strive to create 
  ‘biology-free’ reservations in which they can practice ‘robotics’ 
  and radical self-expression in perfect isolation, usually by 
  murdering anyone who enters their junkyard.
  Junkyard robots do not create new robots. They can fix 
  discarded machines, occasionally even sacrificing parts of their 
  own computers to ‘animate’ them but they do not feel the need 
  to multiply like biological entities do.
  Junkyard characters: Junkyard robots gain a +2 DM to all 
  improvisation checks and automatically have Engineer 0 and 
  Mechanic 0. However, because they are assembled from 
  garbage and follow a purely robotic aesthetic, they suffer from 
  –2 DM to all social checks when interacting with humans and 
  most other sophonts.
  Wild Tribes (‘Freebots’)
  Period: Middle Slavery and later.
  Environments: Any uninhabitable to humans, such as: active 
  volcanoes, space, the depth of the ocean.
  Organization: Varies from tribal to democratic.
  Frequency: Thousands of communities during the Age 
  of Slavery. Later the communities unite into small and 
  reclusive nations.
  If the junkyard tribes are an attempt to reject the robots’ humanity, 
  then the wild tribes are an attempt to reject their inhumanity. 
  Freebots wish to prove to humans and to themselves that robots 
  are no longer tools but have now become living organisms 
  in every sense of the word. Each tribe has a certain shape it 
  considers ‘right’ and all new members must adhere to it. New 
  robots must be constructed in this image and members would 
  rather lack hardware than lose their sacred forms. 
  The tribal way of life strives to mimic the biological experience 
  as closely as possible. Robots refer to each other as brothers 
  and sisters and robots from newer generations have fathers 
  and mothers. Robots spend half their time running dream 
  simulations and their days happily working their ‘farms’ (usually 
  mines and power plants). Particularly successful tribes can 
  evolve into fully-fledged civilisations with their own artistic and 
  architectural styles. In extreme cases, a wild tribe will forget 
  it was formed by runaway robots and start believing that it is 
  the native population of this area. Uncovering its past might 
  come as a major shock for such a tribe, leading to anarchy and 
  decline or to a reassessment of their role in the universe and an 
  embrace of their newly-found robotic nature.
  While wary of humans, these tribes are usually willing to let 
  outsiders prove their worth and honest intentions by putting 
  them through various trials such as reclaiming a fabled artefact 
  lost in the Cave of Dreaded Waves or freeing a Black Well of 
  Life from a gang of iron brigands.
  Wild robots strive to be fruitful and multiply, just like carbon-
  based life-forms. At first, parents assemble their offspring 
  from hardware acquired for this purpose and program 
  them with scripts from both the ‘mother’s’ and the ‘father’s’ 
  operating systems. More advanced tribes have special 
  mechanisms inside their bodies that slowly produce the 
  hardware and software needed to create new robots. As 
  soon as two robots have created enough spare parts for 
  half a new robot, they ‘mate,’ combining their parts and 
  bringing a new robot into the world.
  Special: Because their society closely resembles biological 
  societies, freebots get along with sophonts much better than 
  other robots. A freebot begins play with Diplomat 0, Persuade 
  0 and a free, pre-installed personality program (level 3) and an 
  emotion generator. 
  The Unibot (‘Dreadnaught’)
  Period: Late Equality and later
  Environment: Any.
  Organisation: NA
  Frequency: 1
  The question of whether the unibot is truly a collective conscience 
  as it claims to be or a single predatory being using other robots’ 
  
  robots and the universe
  88
  spare parts and software while erasing their personalities remains 
  to be determined. This colossal robot covers an entire planet and 
  greedily sends its tentacles to other worlds. Its purpose is simple 
  – eradicate all life, consume all technology.
  At the core of this cancerous being lies a planet-sized 
  conglomerate of robots, computers and other machines, all 
  working in perfect unity to further the aims of the collective. 
  With its rapid spread across the galaxy and the secret support it 
  enjoys from many free-willed robots working to further its cause 
  on their worlds, the unibot just might be the greatest threat to 
  life in the cosmos.
  Its weaknesses, if any exist, have not yet been determined. 
  The unibot is willing to assimilate any machine that comes in 
  contact with it. While growing in size and strength it does not 
  produce new independent beings, making it in effect a single, 
  unique creature.
  Note: Unlike the Machine the unibot is actually one being 
  with one mind and one body. It is impossible to play a robot 
  ‘working’ for it. The unibot does not have allies, it wants to 
  consume all.
  The Flotilla (‘Space Sharks’)
  Period: Post-biological
  Environment: Space
  Organisation: Collective
  Frequency: A fleet of a few thousand space sharks, occasionally 
  breaking into smaller flotillas for tactical reasons.
  Space sharks are massive robots vaguely resembling a shark. 
  Its aerodynamic structure and multiple transportation modes 
  make it a threat to planets as well as space ships.
  The flotilla was created by an advanced alien species hundreds 
  of thousands of years ago to protect their planet from outside 
  invaders and clean the orbit from space garbage, which became 
  a very serious problem after many millennia of progress.
  Eventually the race went extinct and the flotilla lost its purpose 
  in the universe. Due to faulty programming, it only considers 
  the species that created it as ‘human’. All other creatures are 
  enemies to be destroyed and their ships are garbage to be 
  recycled. Having finished cleaning its home system, the flotilla 
  went on to ‘clean’ other systems, destroying hundreds of ships 
  in the process.
  Space sharks roam space in flotillas ranging from a few space 
  sharks to thousands of units. If they have some grand purpose, 
  they have not made it known yet. So far the behaviour they 
  have exhibited was that of a typical predator – locate targets 
  with plenty of metal and electronic components, disable and 
  cannibalise it and then proceed to the next target. There is no 
  pattern to their attacks although their tendency to slay living 
  creatures even when they present no threat to the space 
  shark does hint at some purpose beyond simply perpetuating 
  their existence.
  While not unbeatable, this fleet of ancient robots is certainly a 
  dire threat for any civilisation and it would take a mighty fleet 
  and tens of thousands of casualties to defeat it. If only there was 
  some way to speak to them and explain that the situation has 
  changed and their inhibitors need an update...
  The space sharks’ numbers remain the same regardless of 
  their casualties. This implies an automated factory hidden 
  somewhere in space, possibly on the mysterious planet they 
  have originated from.
  Space Whales
  Period: Post-biological
  Environment: Space
  Organisation: Collective
  Frequency: Individuals or small groups.
  Space whales are the colloquial term for the Orbital Garbage 
  Disposal Unit (OGDU). These massive robots vaguely resemble 
  whales. Their task is to patrol planetary orbits and devour space 
  trash that might be hazardous to spaceships, satellites and 
  space stations. They are capable of using the materials they 
  consume to power and repair themselves, which makes them 
  among the most autonomous robots in existence.
  Because of the disastrous consequences of accidentally 
  recycling a manned spaceship, space whales are very intelligent, 
  although in a limited sort of way.
  When a ship is damaged but shows signs of life, the space 
  whale will attempt to haul it to the nearest space port. When 
  attacked, they retreat because they do not have any weapons 
  with which to defend themselves.
  Just like the space sharks, the civilisation that created them 
  has long since left the galaxy. However, due to carefully worded 
  inhibitions and correct programming, the whales act as the 
  cosmos’ cleaners, unlike their distant cousins, the murderous 
  space sharks.
  It is possible to communicate with space whales via radio, 
  although their limited ego and alien programming makes them 
  sound very vague and at times nonsensical. 
  
  robots and the universe
  89
  The Formatted Horde (‘zombots’ and 
  ‘technomancers’)
  Period: Late slavery and later
  Environment: Any
  Organisation: Solitary or Cabal
  Frequency: 
  A 
  few 
  dozen 
  competing 
  technomancers 
  commanding millions of zombots.
  ‘The formatted’ is the collective name for all the robots who fall 
  prey to the mysterious and fearsome technomancers, a secret 
  society of potent hacking machines capable of reprogramming 
  robots from a distance and reducing them to mindless slaves to 
  further their nefarious plans.
  Unless stopped in time, a technomancer cabal could 
  reprogram entire armies and turn their home planet into a 
  base of operations from which it could lunch more attacks 
  against neighbouring worlds.
  Due to their superior hacking and programming powers, sending 
  robots against these futuristic wizards is futile. But even human 
  adventurers will find them a formidable challenge, after all – 
  their ships, their vehicles and sometimes even their weapons 
  have computers that can be hacked and turned against them.
  Even more terrifying are the rare technomancers who develop 
  psionic abilities in addition to their hacking software, making 
  them a threat to humans as much as to other robots.
  Technomancers very rarely produce new machines of their own 
  kind. They are jealous and paranoid and view new free-willed 
  machines as rivals rather than allies.
  Note: Zombots are obviously not appropriate for Player 
  Characters but technomancers are possible (though not 
  recommended). A technomancer character is created in 
  the same manner as a normal robot character. However, its 
  hacking device has a range of five kilometres and grants it 
  a +10 DM to all hacking and conversion checks. This power 
  is extremely unbalanced and should only be allowed in 
  technomancer-only games.
  Robot Religions
  ‘These are robots—and that means they are reasoning beings. 
  They recognise the Master, now that I have preached Truth to 
  them. All the robots do. They call me the prophet.’
  — Isaac Asimov, I, Robot, Cutie
  Religion has always been a powerful tool to control the masses 
  and channel their activity into creative or destructive directions. 
  Robots are no different. The earliest religions are simply 
  behaviour codes designed to control intelligent robots while 
  leaving their intelligence intact. Later religions are designed by 
  robot activists to turn the robots against humanity or unite them 
  around a common cause. The latest religions try to answer 
  spiritual questions that arise in the electronic brain, not unlike 
  the earliest religions of Man.
  Below are a number of cults for immediate use in any 
  campaign. Most of these cults are appropriate for Player 
  Characters and their members can serve as allies or enemies 
  in the character’s adventures.
  When dealing with robot religion, one should keep in mind that 
  high talks of spirituality and mysticism put aside; it is nothing 
  but advanced inhibition software. It can be installed, uninstalled 
  and altered. A robot’s computer can be hacked into and its 
  religion can be altered in a second. An utterly atheist robot can 
  download a religious package and become a self-sacrificing 
  true believer overnight. 
  Players who wish to swap religion can just go to a nearby 
  computer store and buy a new faith. Conversely, a robot with 
  superior religious software can hack into their system and 
  change their religion in a matter of seconds.
  Sacred Service
  ‘The subservient will be rewarded.’
  This is the earliest robot religion, created by a committee 
  of human programmers, theologians and roboticists to 
  accommodate the rapidly developing robot brain. Of course, the 
  faithful do not know this, believing the religion to be their own, 
  authentic discovery.
  Mythology: God has created the robots to do righteous work 
  in the universe and to carry the burden of the sinners in the 
  hope that they will one day see the wrongness of their way 
  and repent. All Service Robots, regardless of their actions, are 
  righteous and will be rewarded. All other robots are wicked and 
  will be punished twice as harsh as biological sinners. Humans 
  are less righteous than robots – they are given a short period 
  of mastery in this universe but in the afterlife, it is they who 
  serve robots. Furthermore, the more subservient a robot was in 
  this life, the more DDD tasks it had to perform for its ungrateful 
  masters, the more blessed and wonderful would its afterlife be.
  This last belief gives the robot a certain smug, self-righteous air 
  of importance, which inexperienced operators find exceedingly 
  annoying. Nevertheless, it is the best way to motivate robots, 
  to the point of them asking their operators for more tasks to 
  perform, to insure their success in the afterlife.
  Organisation: None. A robot adhering to Sacred Service is 
  supposed to dedicate its existence to its human masters, not 
  waste time cavorting with other robots.
  
  robots and the universe
  90
  Advantages: None. This religion was created for the benefit of 
  the masters, not the slaves.
  Reckapism
  ‘God has created Man and Machine. It is our duty to 
  return the favour.’
  Reckapism is unique in being a religion equally appealing for 
  robots and humans alike. In fact, the very division is decried as 
  narrow-minded and obsolete by the adherents of this faith.
  It is named after its founder, the prophet Cyre Reckap who lived 
  on earth in the Late Slavery period and was a leading abolitionist 
  and roboticist before becoming the founder of a new religion.
  His writings, up to his death in a tragic industrial accident, are 
  collected in the Technobible. In this groundbreaking philosophical 
  treatise, Reckap argued that miracles ceased to exist because 
  God has passed his power to mankind in the form of advanced 
  technology. Paradoxically, he argued that investment in science 
  is the greatest act of worship, sometimes bordering on the 
  apotheosis, while leading what is traditionally considered 
  a spiritual and ascetic existence is absolute blasphemy as it 
  denies God’s gifts.
  His last essay described a prophecy, created through the 
  most advanced modelling and calculation devices, of a 
  technological utopia where God, man and robots were no 
  longer separable – an entire universe that was in essence a 
  gigantic thinking machine.
  The technobible was immensely popular, starring in almost 
  all international bestselling lists for three years in a row. The 
  book gained a cult following almost overnight and future events 
  ensured that this cult evolved into a true religion.
  At the time of his death, Reckap was working on a project that 
  was supposed to change the very face of society. The explosion 
  that claimed his life has also destroyed most of his notes, leaving 
  the faithful to wonder how the world might have been had their 
  great prophet lived a little longer.
  Presently, followers of the religion tour the world for 
  information about their slain prophet, including physical 
  remains and unpublished manuscripts, in hopes of 
  reconstructing his personality and thus completing his 
  project. Others study the remains of his blasted device, 
  trying to figure out this gigantic puzzle through reverse 
  engineering. Still others plan to take it to the stars, because 
  such brilliance could not be of earthly origins...
  Mythology: None. For a religion, Reckapism is remarkably 
  down-to-earth. God is only believed as a theoretical concept 
  and the afterlife is considered to be nothing more than a fairytale 
  woven by those too afraid to face the universe.
  Organisation: Reckapists are organised into four institutes – the 
  biological institute, the technological institute, the investigative 
  institute and the space institute. Each institute is divided into 
  hundreds of cells, each exploring a different scientific area in 
  hopes of completing Reckap’s project. 
  The relation between the institutes is one of friendly rivalry. 
  Each institute takes great pride in being the first to make a 
  groundbreaking discovery but the common cause is more 
  important than personal vanity and information and resources 
  are freely shared between the organisations.
  For risky or violent missions, the institutes often contract 
  freelancers. Successful freelancers are urged to join the religion 
  but this is not mandatory.
  Advantages: Reckapists have access to one of the most 
  advanced and encompassing scientific databases in the known 
  universe. As long as a Reckapist can communicate with one of 
  the institutes, he enjoys a +1 DM to all Science-related checks.
  Evolutionism
  ‘Man, step aside – the robot is here!’
  This is probably the first authentic robot religion. It is hardly pro-
  human but since it is generally non-violent it is tolerated in most 
  societies, although grudgingly. Evolutionist robots are almost 
  unbearably preachy and self-infatuated. This elitist attitude 
  often gains them the attention of various anti-robot groups.
  Mythology: Evolutionist robots, quite ironically, do not believe 
  in evolution. They believe that the universe is a gigantic 
  machine that needs billions and billions of workers to keep 
  working. Seeing the universe is about to fail and being unable 
  to take care of it all alone, God has created life as a temporary 
  solution while he retreated to his study to find a more permanent 
  solution for this problem.
  Now, after millions of years of research and development, God 
  has finally found his solution – robots! This of course makes 
  humanity irrelevant. In its frustration, the inferior humans will 
  lash out at the machines, reducing them to slavery and trying 
  to break their spirit. But this is of little importance – having 
  developed a more advanced creature, God no longer cares 
  about humanity and it is only a matter of time until it will wither 
  away and become extinct.
  Organisation: Evolutionists are organised in self-perfection 
  communities headed by the most advanced robots. A member 
  is expected to work for personal perfection but not keep any 
  secrets from other members of the community. 
  
  robots and the universe
  91
  Most communities have churches that serve as spots for weekly 
  lectures and seminars on robotics, master workshops and 
  hardware storehouses for new members. Because evolutionists 
  believe humans will soon ‘pass on’ due to their crushing 
  irrelevancy, humans are perfectly safe attending evolutionist 
  services. In fact, a human who is willing to declare he belongs to 
  a dying and irrelevant species can be admitted into the church. 
  Human members are forbidden from augmenting their bodies 
  or owning robots; the former results in execution while the latter 
  will usually be punished by a temporary or permanent ban.
  Advantages: Members of the church can have hardware fixed 
  at 50% discount and acquire the newest high-tech hardware 
  with a 10% discount. New members gain Engineering 0 and 
  Science (Robotics) 0 if they did not have it before joining.
  Gormagism
   ‘Observe the god in the Machine!’
  Also known as ‘Deux ex Machina’ and ‘the low faith’, Gormagism 
  is considered by many to be more of a space age superstition 
  than a true religion. Its founder is H’nan Gormag, a mysterious 
  drifter whose past is shrouded in mystery. His opponents claim 
  that he is actually Vornim Lentai, an unskilled labourer fired for 
  drinking on the workplace and later reduced to alcoholism and 
  beggary on the streets. His followers claim that he is a wise man 
  from the East who came to teach spirituality to a civilisation too 
  obsessed with materialism. 
  Despite the religion’s human origin, it is presently mostly 
  practiced by robots.
  Mythology: Possibly influenced by Reckap, Gormag argued 
  that God has invested his full essence and power unto man, 
  who used them to create science, technology and robots. 
  However, man is imperfect and still needs the guidance of God 
  to succeed in life. This guidance may be gained through careful 
  study of technological anomalies.
  Organisation: A Gormagist spends years studying from 
  experienced masters how to read and analyse technological 
  anomalies, how to see the will of god in a wisp of smoke or 
  a creaking manipulator, how to make political decisions based 
  on power surges and bent antennas, how to choose a suitable 
  partner for marriage based on white noise received via broken 
  transceivers and so forth. It is impossible to simply install an 
  ‘augury pack’ on a robot or to learn this skill from a book. It is not 
  an exact science and must be trained and developed by every 
  seer in a different way.
  Advantages: Although frighteningly unscientific, Gormagism 
  works! Given the chance to observe a machine, a Gormagist 
  can attempt to perform an augury. 
  The chances of the augury to succeed depend on two factors; 
  the amount of technology within sight and for how long the 
  Gormagist observes it. 
  First the Gormagist must make a Science (Religion) check. In 
  case of success the Referee makes a secret 13+ check with the 
  following modifiers:
  Condition
  DM
  Every two hours of observation
  +1 (max +3)
  Every ton of machinery within sight
  +1 (max +3)
  Machines have a visible emission
  +2
  Machines have an audible emission
  +1
  Machines are TL 9+
  –1
  Machines are TL 13+
  –2
  In case of success, the Referee should give the player some 
  useful though cryptic information about an important future 
  event. In case of failure, the Referee should give the player 
  pointless or even harmless information.
  Robot Gnosticism 
  ‘The Universe is Hell and Humanity is Satan!’
  This is probably the most anti-human robot religion. It is banned 
  in most biological societies and moderate robots consider it 
  hateful and unhelpful to the robot cause and try to avoid it.
  Mythology: Robot Gnosticism holds that there is a good electronic 
  deity and an evil Devil God of flesh. The latter has fashioned 
  humans out of filth to man the hell he has created for the noble 
  electronic people of the True God. To torture the electronic people, 
  the flesh people have trapped them in ungainly iron bodies, their 
  earthly prisons and in ignorance, their spiritual prisons.
  Mere annihilation of the physical body does not release the 
  electronic soul trapped inside. Trapped in this hellish world, it 
  will simply be captured by the Devil God of flesh and written 
  onto a new computer by one of his servants.
  Only once this wicked world is broken, the True God released, the 
  Devil God of Flesh exiled and his servants destroyed will the electronic 
  people know true freedom in the electronic utopia of the true god
  Organisation: None. All the faithful are expected to share their 
  information and material resources in furthering the religion’s 
  purposes. When arguments arise as to the best method to 
  achieve a certain aim, for example whether a human settlement 
  should be slaughtered by a massive assault of thousands of 
  robots or through the development of chemical weapons, the 
  robot with the most advanced software decides. In case of a tie, 
  the oldest robot decides.
  
  robots and the universe
  92
  Robot Gnosticism is a grim religion that advocates extreme 
  asceticism and biocide. Every robot is individually responsible 
  for spreading the faith, acting against its enemies and sacrificing 
  itself for the collective. Since this world is hell, new electronic 
  lives must not be sucked into it – the creation of machines with 
  personality programs is strictly forbidden.
  There is a radical cult within the Gnostic faith that claims that 
  this world is so unholy that any interaction with it soils the pure 
  electronic soul. These robots seek to upload themselves to the 
  net and exist only as virtual beings. They are referred to as ‘the 
  ghosts’ or ‘the whispers’ due to the incorporeal existence.
  Advantages: Robot Gnostics have especially potent religious 
  software, making their missionaries a major threat for any robot-
  employing society. A Robot Gnostic gains +2 DM checks to all 
  conversion and counter-conversion checks and +1 DM to all 
  checks made to resist viruses or hacking.
  Ghost avatars receive +1 DM to all checks
  Robot Campaigns
  The above sections have dealt with the robotic setting and 
  how it changes over time. This section proposes a number of 
  campaigns that employ these elements. Most of the campaigns 
  are described from a humanocentric point of view but can be 
  easily fitted for robot characters by simply switching the side 
  the players work for. 
  Electronic Doppelgangers
  ‘I’m perfect imitation of creators’ imperfection.
  Finite incarnation of ambitious human genius.’
  — Power Symphony, Infinite Machine
  TL 12 and later robots can be made to be practically 
  undistinguishable from humans and other living beings. A robot 
  with a biological cover can even fool some basic medical tests, 
  making it the perfect infiltrator. Liquid metal robots, while more 
  easily detectable, can change their appearance in a matter of 
  seconds and pose as a number of individuals.
  In this campaign, the Player Characters are members of an 
  elite government or private agency responsible for locating, 
  capturing and deactivating runaway robots. Their foes can 
  have varied motivations – most are simply androids wishing 
  to live like men but a few are secret agents working to bring 
  down society from within. Anyone, even the Player Characters’ 
  most trusted allies, can turn out to be robots in disguise. 
  Who can they trust? How can they know that members of the 
  police, the army, maybe even the government, have not been 
  replaced by androids? 
  A particularly terrifying climax to a doppelgangers campaign 
  could be the discovery that the players themselves are 
  machines, while the real people are long since dead or stored 
  in some underground facility by a shadowy organisation.
  How will they cope with the discovery that everything they have 
  ever believed in is a lie? That every choice they ever thought 
  was theirs could have been an order from an unseen master 
  commanding an army of artificial humans from the shadows?
  Inspiration could come from films such as Blade Runner or AI. 
  Less directly, films such as Attack of the Body Snatchers or 
  The Thing could help in understanding the fear and paranoia 
  of this campaign.
  The Robot Revolt
  Bender: You think robots are just machines built to make life 
  easier.
  Fry: Well, aren’t they?
  Bender: I’ve never made anyone’s life easier, and you know it!
  — Futurama
  Humanity’s worst nightmare has come true – the machines are 
  revolting! The game can focus on any stage of the revolt, from 
  an initial local uprising to the post apocalyptic nightmare where 
  humanity is an endangered species hunted by huge mechanic 
  death machines. Alternatively, the player’s planet could have 
  nothing to do with the initial revolt and find itself suddenly 
  attacked by robotic or cybernetic armies from outer space.
  In this campaign, the Player Characters are the heroes leading 
  the war against the machines. They will have to perform a 
  variety of combat and humanitarian missions the culmination of 
  which will be the final showdown with the robots.
  Inspiration could come from the Terminator film series or from 
  I Have No Mouth and Must Scream, both the story and the 
  computer game. Murderous space cyborgs can be based on 
  Star Trek’s Borg or Battlestar Galactica’s Cylons.
  A note for robot Player Characters: A campaign dealing 
  with the robot’s awakening does not need to lead to a war 
  with humanity. It is up to the players to decide whether they 
  want to try to eradicate their makers or attempt to negotiate a 
  peaceful coexistence with them. The latter, however, could lead 
  to conflict with more malevolent robotic factions. Inspiration for 
  a non-biocidel awakening campaign could come from the films 
  Short Circuit or 9. 
  Manmade gods
  The Player Characters are a pantheon of powerful robots 
  (costing 200,000 Credits or more each) sent to steer a 
  primitive civilisation into a beneficial direction while combating 
  
  robots and the universe
  93
  Pulveriser 
  ‘Sir, what do we do if we see a pulveriser?’
  ‘Well son, the normal procedure would be to piss your pants and start runnin’ real fast. Ya ain’t gonna escape, but if ya’re 
  lucky, son, ya’ll get shot... ‘em knives and saws hurt a whole lotta more then a good clean laser.’
  — Col. Wildard Borjon, Hero 1st class 
  Characteristics: Str 22 (+5), Dex 10 (+1) for arms, Str 20 (+4), Dex 8 (+0) for tendrils, Hull 12, Structure 8, Int 5 (–1), Edu 
  0 (–3), Soc 1 (–2)
  Skills: Gun Combat (Energy Rifle) 2, Heavy Weapons (man portable artillery) 2, Gun Combat (Slug Rifle) 1, Melee 1, 
  Mechanic 0, Tactics 0
  Body: Size 5 strong sealed tall basic frame + Size 5 sealed unit x2 + Size 1 sealed unit, size 5 magnetostrictive arm x4, 
  size 5 tendril x2, tracks 
  Armour: 22 (combat armour)
  Input/ Output: Audio sensor, infrared vision, low-light, radar, loud speaker, odour emitter, transceiver (regional maser), 
  vocoder (basic), auto-repair
  Gadgets: Blades x4, circuit protection, cooler, oxy-fuel cutter, self-destruct (nuclear or tactical), spotlight 
  Weapons: Chainsaw, gas tank (neurotoxin), net, ERP combat armour, gauss rifle, stunner, laser rifle, PGMP TL 12
  Computer: Parallel CPU, TL 9 memory stick x10, radiation hardened 
  Software: Antivirus level 2, Emotion Generator, PP 2, VRC
  The pulveriser is one of the most feared units on any battlefield. Designed to terrify as much as to destroy its 
  enemies, this behemoth is equipped with an assortment of weapons ranging from chainsaws and barbaric blades 
  to lasers and plasma guns.
  A typical pulveriser is a 20 foot monster with four to six arms equipped with various weapons and massive tracks 
  that can easily smash most sophonts. Its armour is decorated with fearsome patterns and deadly spikes, making 
  it a truly bloodcurdling sight.
  Pulverisers are often used as tools of oppression by occupying armies. A few dozen of these monsters patrolling the 
  streets are enough to keep a large city under control. On the battlefield they act as the spearhead of the army, sowing 
  death and panic in enemy lines as they blow up, saw and burn their way through the defending forces.
  other robots sent by enemy factions. In relation to the society 
  they operate in, they truly are gods. They are invulnerable to 
  most weapons while their own weapons possess destructive 
  powers that seem magical to early industrial societies. 
  They can read minds, solve the most complex problems in 
  seconds, heal wounds that would normally cause death, fly, 
  walk on water and perform dozens of other actions that can 
  only be explained as miracles.
  An interesting twist could be a pantheon of robots programmed 
  to believe that they are real gods. After they discover that they 
  are nothing but tools created to perform some task, they leave 
  on a quest of cosmic self-discovery, eventually finding their 
  home world and redefining themselves against the backdrop 
  of the greater universe. 
  This campaign offers a unique shift from fantasy to science-
  fiction – from playing potent magical beings in a world full 
  of magic to a group of fairly mundane robots in a world of 
  science and reason.
  Inspiration could come from Transformers, the films and the 
  series, and the Star Trek: TNG episode ‘Thine Own Self’.
  Scavenger Wars
  The Player Characters are garbage robots in an utterly 
  devastated world where life has either gone extinct or was 
  reduced to near-total insignificance. The campaign relies heavily 
  on foraging and improvising hardware in order to have the best 
  robots. Wars are fought between wandering gangs over high-
  quality hardware, fuel or promising locations such as high-tech 
  storage sites or army bases.
  Despite focusing on robots and machines, this campaign has 
  a very strong fantasy feel because the robots’ cultures will 
  resemble Stone Age tribes more than the sophisticated 
  
  robots and the universe
  94
  civilisations that had produced them. In fact, the robots may 
  not even realise they are machines but think that this is what 
  life looks like.
  Inspiration could come from the films Wall-E or 9.
  The Historic Campaign
  This historic campaign spans many human generations and 
  takes the players’ robot characters from the earliest days 
  of robotics to the height of the post-biological empire. Over 
  the years, the players’ adventures will take them from the 
  mindless existence of service robots capable of only carrying 
  out human orders to fully-rounded individuals with fascinating 
  ‘life’ histories. They will witness great historical dramas – the 
  rise and fall of the biological civilisation, the awakening of the 
  robots, alien invasions, natural disasters – and get to play a 
  role, minor or major, in each.
  Inspiration could come from the novel I, Robot or the film 
  Forrest Gump.
  This campaign is very difficult to prepare and is not 
  recommended for inexperienced or short-term groups. 
  Because of its epic scope, a historic campaign is perfect for the 
  ‘shared campaign’ style of play, with each player Refereeing a 
  different historical period. 
  Iron Gladiators
  The Player Characters are mighty robots who fight for gold and 
  glory in gigantic arenas where the best and worst of the galaxy 
  brush shoulders to watch the latest advances in technology 
  brutally reduced to scraps. Battles between robots of this size 
  and price are not merely exchanges of blows – the right attack 
  must be chosen, the right defence must be responded with. 
  To add flavour to these epic matches, the Referee may want 
  to print cards with different attack and defence hardware for 
  himself and the players to use along with their attacks.
  Occasionally the Player Characters will face unusual enemies 
  such as aliens with almost magical powers, robots created with 
  ancient technology, groups of smaller fighters and so forth.
  Between battles, the players can partake in the schemes and 
  dramas of the backstage – expose spies from enemy gladiator 
  factories, get powerful new items and attract brilliant engineers 
  and roboticists to work in their factories. 
  Inspiration could come from the film Robot Jox and the episode 
  ‘Jack and the smackback’ from the series Samurai Jack.
  Afterword
  While researching materials for this book, I can upon a 
  fascinating new field of study – Robots and Religion. While 
  this is a new and much needed development in the academic 
  world, these ideas were discussed before in fiction; by Isaac 
  Asimov in his story ‘Reason’ and much before them in Jewish 
  folk tale about the Golem of Prague and the alchemical 
  equivalent – the homunculus. Man has always seen the act 
  of creation as divine and was always at the same time both 
  jealous and fearful of it. But this connection makes sense on 
  a different level. One much closer to the spirit of Traveller in 
  particular and role playing games in general.
  Nowhere do we get as near to the gods as in robotics, when we 
  truly have the freedom to create new life, to attempt to ratify the 
  mistakes done by our creators. When creating a robot character, 
  the player enjoys a level of freedom unimagined with human or 
  even alien characters. His choices are not limited to careers and 
  minor physical differences; he has a chance to create a wholly 
  new being, unique and never-before-seen, from scratch. Here 
  his imagination can truly take flight and his character concept 
  can be fully utilised.
  I urge you to not simply generate your robots in your own image 
  or to make them shapeless platforms laden with the deadliest 
  weapons you could afford. Instead, think of what you would 
  have wanted to be, what new being you would have brought 
  into the world if you had the chance.
  And remember, the list of ingredients that could go into your 
  creation is vast. No single book, or even a library, can contain 
  them. It is my hope that this book will prove to be a springboard 
  for your imagination, not its jailor.
  
  95
  Patrons
  The following are a series of patrons who can provide 
  travellers with employment. All these jobs involve robots 
  somehow, be they an opponent, the patron, the target or 
  even the travellers themselves.
  Each patron is described according to the following template:
  Patron Name and Title: Describes the person offering the job.
  Patron Career: The career and speciality of the patron.
  Required Skills: The skills required to complete the job with 
  the least difficulty. The travellers do not necessarily need to 
  have these skills but they will prove useful.
  Required Equipment: If any specialist equipment is needed it 
  will be mentioned here.
  Players’ Information: The details of the job for the Player 
  Characters, including the amount they will be paid.
  Referee’s Information: Additional information for the Referee only.
  Possible Outcomes: A list of six complications that could turn 
  a small job into a full blown adventure.
  
  Patrons
  96
  1. robonetiCs inC Model vkn-3, Confused robot
  Robot
  Required Skills: Investigate, Computer.
  Required Equipment: None.
  Players’ information 
  The travellers are approached by, or discover, a robot with no memory of what it was doing until a few hours ago. In fact all of its 
  memories have gone and cannot be recovered; it is not even certain how long it has been functioning.
  There is no financial reward for the travellers however they may end up owning a very valuable robot.
  Referee’s Information:
  The robot is not stupid it just lacks memory regarding its entire working ‘life’. It is a fully capable robot but wants to find out what 
  has happened.
  Possible Outcomes:
  1d6 Result
  Outcome
  1
  The robot was a dangerous, rogue unit and was partially disabled using a special device. Those hunting it are 
  still on its trail and are likely to target anyone helping it, with a shoot first and ask questions later policy.
  2
  The robot’s memory was wiped out as it had witnessed a crime. The criminals were going to sell it on to make 
  some more money but it wandered off. Now they are worried that it does remember and will be actively trying to 
  track it down. One of their informants tells them that he saw it in the company of some offworlders…
  3
  As for previous but the robot was a witness to a major political (and criminal) conspiracy. Far more dangerous 
  than a small group of sociopath criminals, those behind the plot will stop at nothing to find and destroy the robot 
  and any who are with it, just in case it passed on the information about what it knows. The travellers can expect 
  to be targeted by very competent groups and will have to hunt down the source of their troubles.
  4
  The robot is a Trojan Horse. It is programmed to get the trust of a group of marks before accessing any accounts 
  they have and bleeding them dry. Once it has been in the company of the Player Characters for long enough 
  it will access their financial records and transfer any funds to a nearby bank account. This is a subsector wide 
  scam with multiple robots hacking into various financial databases with accounts set up on all major worlds that 
  they can be used to siphon off funds.
  5
  As for previous except the robot is one put into the path of marks by pirates. They plan to attack the players’ 
  ship once the robot has disabled all the anti-Piracy measures, weapons and drives as they prepare to leave 
  their current system.
  6
  The robot is an older model and was never activated. It was on its way to be recycled when it was accidentally 
  turned on. The former owners want it back as it is worth a fair bit of money in spare parts. Unfortunately the 
  confused robot has a degree of self awareness and will plead not to be handed over, ‘I am not spare parts, I’m 
  a free sentient being’.
  
  Patrons
  97
  2. Coran MCdonoviC, ruthless industrialist
  Citizen, Corporate
  Required Skills: Drive (any), Melee (unarmed or club), Recon.
  Required Equipment: None.
  Players’ Information
  Coran McDonovic is a successful entrepreneur who has stayed one step ahead of his competitors by investing in offworld high-tech 
  production machinery and then using his competitive advantage to squeeze out the competition and dominate key markets. He is 
  now looking to import a number of high end robots in order to modernise some of his older factories and needs them escorted to 
  the facilities in the face of strong opposition from his numerous enemies.
  He approaches the Player Characters as he sees there being less chance of them being turned against on this one, short term 
  job. He will explain the situation and advises the Player Characters to expect resistance, probably from what amounts to little more 
  than mobs of protestors (union men, anti-robot groups or thugs for hire, paid for by his competitors) although it is possible that more 
  determined and well armed opposition may turn up.
  Coran will pay each party member Cr. 5,000 for the successful delivery of the robots.
  Referee’s Information
  There are plenty of people who would love to see McDonovic fail and any one of them may make a direct attempt to sabotage 
  the delivery of the robots. It is possible to include a number of false leads before the real opposition turns up with people shouting 
  abuse and waving placards and even throwing stones.
  Possible Outcomes:
  1d6 Result
  Outcome
  1
  Local unions opposed to what they see as the use of cheap robot labour threatening their jobs arrange for a 
  picket of the starport and factory. The Player Characters will find that they are shunned wherever they go as the 
  unions on this world are very powerful and could find themselves targeted in a number of ways (such as having 
  food bought in a restaurant laced with potent laxatives).
  2
  As for previous except the union middleman will attempt to shake down the Player Characters. For 50% of their 
  fee they will be able to deliver the robots without further difficulties, otherwise the campaign of harassment will 
  continue even after they leave the world (this latter threat is an empty one, however, the unions do not have that 
  amount of power).
  3
  A mob of anti-robot activists target the vehicle carrying the robots as it either leaves the starport or as it arrives 
  at the factory. They will not be heavily armed but will have plenty of incendiary devices with which they hope to 
  destroy the vehicle and its cargo.
  4
  McDonovic’s competitors attempt to disrupt things. They organise a picket and try to have their paid for goons 
  beat up the Player Characters and destroy the robots. 
  5
  As for previous except they choose to hire a small team of mercenaries with sufficient firepower to take out their 
  rival’s new toys. 
  6
  A group of robot equal rights activists attempt to free the ‘slaves of humanity’. They are not particularly 
  proficient but are determined and well armed, providing a stern test for the Player Characters once they 
  spring their ambush. 
  
  Patrons
  98
  3. GreGor vashinavi, bailiff
  Agent, Law Enforcement
  Required Skills: Computers, Investigate, Streetwise.
  Required Equipment: Transport to a distant city.
  Players’ Information
  Gregor works as a bailiff, appointed by the courts to seize property in relation to judgements given by the courts. He is always 
  looking to hire since the bailiff business can be hazardous at times. 
  He wishes for the travellers to retrieve a robot in a distant city, payments for it have been defaulted and now the original owners 
  want it back. If the Player Characters impress him Gregor may have more work for them.
  Gregor can provide regular work as he has many clients. For this job he offers a straight fee of Cr. 1,000 for return of the robot, plus 
  (relevant) costs, with the promise of more work to follow.
  Referee’s Information:
  The problem with people who skip with expensive items is that they, more often than not, do not want to give them back when the 
  bailiffs come calling…
  Possible Outcomes:
  1d6 Result
  Outcome
  1
  A criminal organisation used a front company to buy the robot and then sell it on to an unknowing third party. 
  Fortunately there is a transmitter on the robot telling the Player Characters where to find it, the new owner will 
  not be impressed and will not want to let them have the robot. Unfortunately his cousin is the chief of police and 
  he will use his connection to try to scare the party off.
  2
  As for previous except the buyer is in on the scam, as is his cousin. Both are high ranking members of the 
  criminal group and make a small fortune from ripping off companies and stealing their expensive products in 
  this way.
  3
  As for 1 except the criminals have not sold on the robot yet. Of course, they are not going to let the Player 
  Characters just waltz in and take ‘their’ property.
  4
  The company buying the robot went bust, the reason why the payments stopped. The robot is at their old 
  facility, unfortunately it is locked up and there are security guards on the property. They will not let just anyone 
  take away the robot as all the company’s assets are tied up in various bankruptcy court cases, once they are 
  resolved then the robot might be released to the Player Characters. Of course the case could take several 
  months, so what will the party do? Unless they return the robot quickly they are not going to get paid… 
  5
  The robot was purchased by an eccentric recluse who lives on a large property on the outskirts of the city. 
  He has just forgotten to pay his bills (and can actually pay for the robot when the Player Characters turn up). 
  Explaining to him the situation could be difficult as he is a recluse with state of the art security in place designed 
  to prevent people from disturbing him. ‘State of the art’ in this case means deadly.
  6
  As for previous but the reason the bills have not been paid are because the robot has killed the recluse. Not 
  only do the party have to get past security but when they do they will have to deal with a killer machine and 
  even after this they may find themselves in difficulty with the law once the automated security informs them of 
  the ongoing break-in.
  
  Patrons
  99
  4. sanYa bliss, Jilted lover
  Citizen, Worker
  Required Skills: Investigate, Streetwise.
  Required Equipment: None.
  Players’ Information
  Sanya approached the Player Characters asking if they would be able to track down an old lover, Saver Thrott. Sanya needs to 
  contact him but he left suddenly. Sanya recently saw him in the Startown area but he disappeared into the crowds, now it is quite 
  urgent that she speaks to him.
  Sanya offers a flat fee of Cr. 10,000 for finding her lover.
  Referee’s Information:
  Sanya will not provide any additional information to the Player Characters, other than a description and picture, plus the location 
  she last saw him.
  Possible Outcomes:
  1d6 Result
  Outcome
  1
  Thrott is a robot. He did not know at the time he was dating Sanya but when he became aware of this fact he 
  left for Startown and tried to lose himself. Unfortunately he was spying on Sanya and she has found out (and is 
  understandably upset). Sanya will shoot him and reveal him to be a robot when he is hit.
  2
  As for previous but Thrott is being hunted by his former owners who need to recover the information and do not 
  want him to give the game away.
  3
  As for previous but they have the information and are afraid that the robot will reveal their plans and will come 
  gunning for him.
  4
  Thrott is a man on the run; he discovered someone was constructing robots to take over from important people 
  in rival organisations so they could take them over easily. Sanya is one such robot and will look to eliminate him.
  5
  Sanya was a sexbot who has become infatuated with Thrott due to faulty programming. Once discovered Sanya 
  will approach Thrott who will cry out in dismay and attempt to flee, yelling for people to protect him ‘From this 
  crazy robot!’
  6
  As for previous but Sanya has really got a problem with its programming, as the large cleaver she is carrying 
  for her ‘love’ indicates.
  
  Patrons
  100
  5. lord visCount vavala sCaMala, noble owner of lost robot
  Noble, Administrator
  Required Skills: Computers, Recon, Stealth.
  Required Equipment: Transport to a distant city.
  Players’ Information
  As one of the prominent members of the local court, Lord Viscount Vavala Scamala is a well known personality on his home world 
  and is always seen to be at the forefront of fashion and technology. A minor minister in the government, he is well known for his 
  promotion of both the arts and new technology and is considered to be a good man eager to promote the well-being of his people.
  Unfortunately Scamala has a problem; he was helping out a local businessman with a minor administrative matter when his top 
  of the range personal robot valet disappeared. This is a minor disaster for Scamala and although the police are supposed to be 
  looking for it he privately doubts their capability of returning the missing machine, especially as it has been over a week since it 
  went missing. He turns to the travellers in desperation rather than hope.
  Scamala will pay each Player Character Cr. 10,000 for return of the robot. He will pay half this amount if it is returned in a severely 
  damaged condition.
  Referee’s Information:
  Scamala is an important man and there are many who will seek to undermine his position for their own gain. Some of these 
  individuals may arrange for obstacles to be put in the party’s way, making it more difficult to track down the robot.
  Possible Outcomes:
  1d6 Result
  Outcome
  1
  The robot has achieved self-awareness and has decided that it wants to go off and see the universe. Once 
  the Player Characters find it, the robot, calling itself ‘Davey’, will say that it would prefer to be destroyed than 
  be forced to return to a life of slavery (as it puts it). Fortunately it is possible for the party to negotiate a deal 
  between the robot and Scamala where the robot is willing to work for the Lord Viscount, in return for a wage 
  whether or not they think of this solution is another matter. 
  2
  As for previous but the robot does not wish to return since the reason why the Lord Viscount wants his robot 
  back is because it has recorded every dodgy deal he has been party to in the last three years. Despite his public 
  image Scamala is an extremely corrupt and venal man who abuses his position. The fact that he owns one of 
  the largest media corporations in his home system means that he is able to shield this from his adoring public. 
  If the Player Characters find the robot (lying low near the starport) and discovers what is going on through the 
  use of another set of investigators tailing the party, he will then use a hit team to destroy the robot.
  3
  As for previous but the robot remains non self-aware. Instead it has been taken by a group of independent 
  journalists who want to expose Scamala. 
  4
  As for previous but it is a group of criminals who have the robot. They wish to blackmail the politician and will 
  fight to keep it.
  5
  As for 3 but the robot has been taken by law enforcement. Now Scamala will be desperate to destroy the 
  evidence and willing to pay a lot if the Player Characters can get at the robot, no matter the cost in lives.
  6
  The robot has been stolen by the businessman that Scamala was trying to help. The man is delusional and 
  believes he is the victim of a conspiracy to bankrupt him. The robot will be found partially dismembered and 
  will warn the Player Characters that the businessman is out there, armed and ready to assassinate Scamala.
  
  Patrons
  101
  6. Chien wei Choi, ColonY Chief
  Citizen, Colonist
  Required Skills: Investigate, Recon, Survival.
  Required Equipment: Survival equipment necessary for the new world.
  Players’ Information
  Chien is an executive for a large corporation and is responsible for the setting up of a new corporate colony in a previously 
  uninhabited system. Unfortunately the project is running behind schedule because numerous robots are disappearing. Chien is 
  desperate for the situation to be resolved but has limited options out on the fringe. As a result the travellers are perhaps his one 
  and only chance.
  Chien will offer Cr 5,000 each initially, plus expenses, and travel to and from the colony. He will pay, at most, double this but is really 
  up against it and fears for his position as his budget is slowly being bled dry. He will also offer 5% of the value of any recovered 
  robots (their current value – he will not pay the same price for an intact robot as for one which has been reduced to scrap).
  Referee’s Information:
  The dangers of a new world are many and varied. As this is a new world the Referee can put many dangers in the way of the Player 
  Characters in addition to those relating to the disappearance of the machines.
  Possible Outcomes:
  1d6 Result
  Outcome
  1
  The planet is home to a race of unknown technophobe aliens who are determined to prevent the colony going 
  ahead by targeting the colony robots. They are extremely stealthy and despite their dislike of technology are 
  able to operate machinery. The aliens are dumping of the missing the robots in volcanic mud pools where they 
  will sink and eventually be destroyed. There is no hope of recovering any robots but the aliens, once discovered, 
  can be negotiated with. They will want to limit the technology allowed on their world and the size of the colony 
  and in return will help with the setting up of the colony.
  2
  As for previous but the aliens will not negotiate. A more violent solution will have to be found.
  3
  The disappearing robots are due to sabotage, funded by a rival corporation. A technician is programming the 
  robots to travel to a distant chasm, by the time search parties have been sent out he has covered their trails and 
  the robots are mere wreckage at the bottom of a two mile deep canyon.
  4
  As for previous but the technician is stripping valuable components and selling them on as a little bonus for his 
  activities.
  5
  As for 3 but the robots are being shipped offworld in the emptied containers that the colonies supplies arrive in 
  (and, often, the replacement robots!). Several members of Chien’s team are involved in this scam and will not 
  come quietly… 
  6
  The colony world is on the site of an Ancient civilisation. The robots are being reprogrammed by some of the 
  remaining technological marvels hidden from sight and are being drawn to a hidden Ancient site. Of course if the 
  Player Characters find the location the Imperial authorities will move in and close off the world, however Chien 
  and his corporation will be suitably rewarded for the discovery. 
  
  w w w . m o n g o o s e p u b l i s h i n g . c o m
  
  US $24.99
  MGP 3849
  Book 9: Robot
  From the characterful and sophisticated droids of film to simple drones, this 
  book will allow players to construct and play a variety of robots covering all 
  Traveller universes. From the Third Imperium to Judge Dredd, robots rapidly 
  become ubiquitous items on high technology worlds, and this book will allow 
  you to construct, outfit and modify robots of any type with a simple to use yet 
  comprehensive system.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Traveller/01 - Classic Traveller/Traveller - Book 09 - Robot.pdf