Traveller Robot

Credits Contents

Classic Traveller Traveller 1 Marc Miller Introduction 2 Loren Wiseman, John Harshman, Frank Chadwick, Darryl Hany, Winston Hamilton, Tony Svajlenka, Scott Renner, Robot Generation 3 Doug Poe, David MacDonald, Wayne Roth, Paul R. Banner. Mongoose Traveller You, Robot 25 Author Character Generation 44 Uri Kurlianchik The Science of Robotics 58 Additional Text Nick Robinson MicroBots 72 Editor Charlotte Law Robots and the Universe 75

Layout Patrons 95 Will Chapman Sample file Index 102 Interior Illustrations Nuno Nobre

Proofreading Ted Chang

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. Introduction

Rachael: It seems you feel our work is not a benefit to the public. care of the passengers or a fast-talking, smart-alecky robotic gun wielded by the grim mercenary, serving both as a steadfast Deckard: Replicants are like any other machine - they’re either ally and as comic relief? a benefit or a hazard. If they’re a benefit, it’s not my problem. Traveller: Robots has something to offer to any Traveller or — Blade Runner general sci-fi fan.

What is a robot? How to Use This Guide Strictly speaking, a robot is a machine that can perform tasks on This book is divided into five chapters, each designed to cover a its own. Robots range from automated arms that weld plates to different aspect of robotics in Traveller. Remember, these chapters spaceships, to androids practically indistinguishable from real are aimed at inspiriting the players and the Referee and to serve as people and in many ways superior to them. A robot can be a tool, a jumpstarts for more exciting adventures, not to restrict the players weapon, an enemy, a friend and sometimes even a lover. It can be and Referee’s options – this is a guidebook, not a rulebook. 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 Robot Generation describes the system used to construct, universe that sees it as a machine and not as a living creature. outfit and modify robots in Traveller.

The semblance of life is as varied as life itself. You, Robot contains roleplaying tips, new careers and methods of adjusting existing careers for robot characters. Traveller: Robots is a guide for players and Referees interested in creating, outfitting and playing robot characters. Because robots The Science of Robotics presents advanced rules for robotic are extremely diverse, it focuses on the system by which they campaigns. It also describes various hazards and abilities can be created instead of just providing a number of new ‘races’ unique for robots. for players and Referees to choose from. That said, sometimes robots do take the role of races – entire planets populated by Microbots presents Referees with a frightening new class of intelligent machines can have their own ‘zoology’ and culture machines – the microbot swarm. while mass-produced robots who won their independence can live in ghettos and have a unique society and lifestyle.Sample These Robots file and the Universe explores the roles of robots in issues are addressed by examining a number of such robot- human societies and the roles of humans in robot societies. dominated environments. It contains adventure ideas and campaign concepts to inspire your game and new worlds, cultures, patrons and robots ready Readers not interested in playing robots will still find this book for immediate use in any Traveller campaign. useful for their game. Robots, being soulless, faceless machines can make great adversaries in any sci-fi adventure. Players If only it was that easy... 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 The Three Laws of Robotics 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 1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through retellings of the old golem or Frankenstein narratives, with steel inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. and polymer replacing clay and flesh but the passion and the rebellion remain the same. 2. A robot must obey any orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. Lastly, robots, for all their vast potential, are still tools created to serve humanity. Both Player Characters and Non-Player 3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such Characters may be interested in purchasing and using robots; protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law. who would not want to have a lovable robotic pet sniffing around and spying on their enemies in the lonely wilderness of space? Formulated by Isaac Asimov What ship will not benefit from a loyal android servant taking

2 Robot Generation

‘Whether you’re made of old parts, new parts or spare parts, Career Equivalent Starting Credits (Cr) you can shine no matter what you’re made of.’ One Term 20,000 Two Terms 30,000 — Bigweld, Robots Three Terms 50,000 Four Terms 90,000 Robots are constructed from two basic component types – hardware and software. Hardware is installed on a framework Per term thereafter +50,000 (frame for short). Framework is often referred to as ‘a chassis’ If your robot is going to have a career, reduce the amount of terms by experts and ‘a body’ by romantics. Hardware defines the that you want it to have from the career row. For example, a four robot’s physical characteristics, armour, speed and physical term equivalent robot that is going to go through two career terms abilities such as radiation resistance or microwave emission. has the starting credits of a two term equivalent robot (30,000). You may not use any credits you have received from your career The robot is controlled by a computer, sometimes referred to as to buy hardware or software for your robot. ‘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. Hardware The robot’s mechanical ‘body’ is constructed from different kinds A player may choose his robot character to have a career as of hardware. Whilst the only essential parts are the frame and well but this is not necessary. A robot just off the assembly line, the computer, a robot without at least one device of each type is provided it was installed with the right software, is as ready to severely limited – it can lack the ability to communicate with the face the world as the most seasoned adventurer. external world, be immobile or utterly defenceless. Playing an incomplete robot can be a great roleplaying challenge but for most Follow these steps while assembling your robot: players it will be nothing more than a handicap and a nuisance.

Determine starting credits Buy hardware Frame Frame The frame is the body of the robot. It is the basic skeleton on Manipulators Samplewhich file all hardware is installed. A frame is usually more low-tech Transportation than the other parts of the robot because its only requirements Communication are to provide space for the installation of hardware and to Input protect vulnerable electronic components. All frames are TL 8, Output with the exception of the liquid metal (TL 14) and the biological Computer frame (TL 12). CPU Memory The spaces in which hardware may be installed are called slots. Optional: Armour, gadgets and weapons This refers to both internal and external space. Buy Software Ego The frame comes with a built in power plant that energises all Skills of the robot’s parts. Optional: Applications The frames section uses standardised sizes.

Starting Credits Frame Sizes Size Code Comparable Object The amount of credits a player can spend on his robot depends on 1 Mouse how challenging the Referee is planning to make the campaign. 2 Cat Use the following table in order to create robots roughly equal 3 Human to biological Player Characters in the group. Credits that are not used in the generation process are lost. 4 Cow 5 Elephant

3 Robot Generation Robot Generation

Basic Frame Hull versus Endurance The tall frame: This frame is most often used to create humanoid or tower robots. The former may be equipped with artificial skin Robots do not have an Endurance Characteristic. When to create strikingly lifelike androids. It is most commonly used for an Endurance check is called for, instead perform a universal household robots or human substitutes for dangerous Hull check. This uses different modifiers from regular or unpleasant tasks, such as prostitution or assassination. Characteristics: Tower robots are massive machines equipped with powerful Hull Modifiers armour that comes at the expense of manoeuvrability and Hull Modifier speed. They are most often used in war. 1 –1 2 0 Slang terms for tall frames include: biped, walker, tower and 3 +1 iron man. 4-6 +2 7+ +3 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 It is recommended that robots generated for players use Size 3 frames are compared. frames. Smaller robots are too fragile to last while larger robots will find it practically impossible to operate in structures or The long frame: This frame provides firmer grasp of the vehicles designed to accommodate man-sized creatures. ground, excellent mobility and a small silhouette. For this reason it can be used to make excellent scouting robots These are only suggestions. If a player is willing to face the or miniature assassins that can crawl through the tiniest challenges of playing a buzzing robotic spy-fly any enemy holes to find their target. Larger long frames can carry many can smash with an absent-minded swap or giant mecha passengers and serve as intelligent vehicles or even minor that can squash the entire group with a single misstep, it spaceships for limited voyages. is entirely possible. Long frames require at least four legs or wheels and double The characteristics are defined by the frame are Hull length of tracks, no matter how little they weigh. Other kinds of and Structure. Sampletransportation file have the same requirements as other frames.

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.

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Sample file

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Slang terms for long frames include: beast, mammoth, ass. Unit The unit is usually used to make space for more hardware on Long robots have the following qualities: other frames but particularly talented engineers can create strangely shaped robots from units alone. These will most likely Reduced Reach: The long robot has half the reach that a tall have the qualities of either the long or tall frames, although a robot of the same height would have. This may reduce its melee combination of the two is possible. range, enabling taller enemies to attack it without retaliation and keep it from reaching higher places. Slang terms for units include: plates, add-ons and bones.

Increased Stability: A long robot has an excellent grasp of the A common use for units is to create a ‘head’ for the robot. ground, which makes it very difficult to trip and gives it significant There is no structural reason for this but many sophonts find advantages in grappling. A long robot enjoys a +2 DM to its it disturbing to communicate with a roughly humanoid creature opposed grappling check, cannot be knocked prone and suffers without a head. In order to create an illusion of a head, one only half damage from being thrown. should use a unit two sizes smaller than the main frame.

Additionally, all movement penalties to ranged attacks are halved. 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 Small Silhouette: All ranged attacks targeting a long robot and capable of movement without any additional transportation suffer a –1 DM. At Close range, the penalty is reduced to 0. systems. Although the tube robot’s extremely low form makes Additionally, a long robot treats all cover as one row lower on it an inferior combatant, its superb stealth abilities make it an the cover table (see page 63 in the Traveller Core Rulebook). excellent robotic scout or assassin. Long robots gain no benefits from crouching. The benefits of the prone stance are not cumulative with the benefits of Slang terms for tube frames include: centipede, snake and worm. Small Silhouette. Tube robots have the following qualities: Zoomorphic: With the proper hardware, a long robot can pass as an animal. Reduced Reach: The tube robot has half the reach that a tall robot of the same height would have. This may reduce its melee Unit range, enabling taller enemies to attack it without retaliation and Mass Cost keep it from reaching higher places. Size Slots Armour Hull Structure (Kg) (Cr) 1 2 — +1 +1 1 Sample100 Crawler: file The tube robot can crawl and jump without the aid of any 2 4 — +1 +1 7 500 outside transportation hardware. While crawling, a tube robot is not 3 6 — +1 +1 60 1,000 affected by difficult terrain and most other terrestrial obstructions. 4 10 +1 +1 +1 300 2,000 All movement penalties to ranged attacks are halved. 5 16 +1 +1 +1 1,000 5,000

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

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