Judge_Dredd_The_Robot_Wars

1 THE ROBOT WARS ®

2 Writing: Andrew Peregrine System Design: Russ Morrissey Business & Licensing Manager: Angus Abranson Editing: Russ Morrissey and Nick Robinson Layout and Graphic Design: Nimrod Jones Art supplied by Rebellion 2000 AD® is a registered trademark Judge Dredd® is a registered trademark © 2018 Rebellion 2000AD Ltd.. All rights reserved. All imagery and characters © 2018 Rebellion 2000 AD Ltd. Artwork used with permission of the copyright holder. www.2000AD.com The game contains no Open Game Content. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United Kingdom and of the United States. This product is a work of fi ction. Any similarity to actual people, organisations, places or events is purely coincidental Published by EN Publishing under license by Rebellion EN Publishing, PO Box 1858, SOUTHAMPTON, SO18 6RX Version 1.2 ® THE ROBOT WARS

3 CONTENTS // INTRODUCTION ..................................................... 4 / THE ROBOT WARS .............................................................................................................4 / USING THIS BOOK...............................................................................................................5 // CH/1: WHO WE SERVE ............................................ 6 / BASIC PROGRAMMING ........................................................................................................7 / BUILDING ROBOTS ..............................................................................................................9 / CHANGING THE ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING .................................................................15 / ILLEGAL ROBOTS ..............................................................................................................15 / ROBOTS AND THE LAW ..................................................................................................17 / SUBSERVIENCE AND OBSESSION ...............................................................................18 // CH/2: EX MACHINA .............................................. 22 / CONCEPT ............................................................................................................................ 22 / STATISTICS......................................................................................................................... 23 / ROBOTIC EXPLOITS ......................................................................................................... 26 / ROBOTIC FAULTS ............................................................................................................ 29 / NEW CAREERS ................................................................................................................ 30 / EXPERIENCE AND UPGRADES .................................................................................... 37 // CH/3: THE FLESHY ONES ....................................... 38 / NEW HUMAN CAREERS ................................................................................................. 38 / CYBERNETICS .....................................................................................................................41 / ROBOPHOBIA ..................................................................................................................... 42 // CH/4: THE ROBOT WARS ....................................... 44 / THE ROBOT WARS IN BRIEF ...................................................................................... 44 / EPISODE 1: PRELUDE ..................................................................................................... 45 / EPISODE 2: CALL-ME-KENNETH ............................................................................... 48 / EPISODE 3: RESURRECTION & REVOLUTION......................................................... 49 / EPISODE 4: DEMOLITION.................................................................................................51 / EPISODE 5: INFILTRATION ............................................................................................ 53 / EPISODE 6: THE IRON DICTATOR (optional) .............................................................................55 / EPISODE 7: THE LAWS OF ROBOTICS ................................................................... 56 / EPISODE 8: ASSAULT ON JUSTICE .......................................................................... 58 / EPISODE 9: THE FINAL SHOWDOWN........................................................................61 / REWARDS AND ENDINGS ............................................................................................. 63 // CH/5: SAVING MATT DAMON BLOCK .......................................66 / ADVENTURE OUTLINE .................................................................................................... 66 / PRELUDE: THE ROBOT OF THE YEAR SHOW ...................................................... 68 / EPISODE 1: NEW SECURITY ........................................................................................ 68 / EPISODE 2: YOU CRAZY KIDS .................................................................................... 69 / EPISODE 3: LOVE IN THE TIME OF WAR .............................................................. 70 / EPISODE 4: NEW ROBOT CITY ....................................................................................71 / EPISODE 5: FORCES IN MOTION ................................................................................ 73 / EPILOGUE ........................................................................................................................... 75 // CH/6:OTHER CAMPAIGNS ..................................... 76 / CHARACTERS AND PLOT ARCS .................................................................................. 76 / PHASE 1: PRELUDE ......................................................................................................... 77 / PHASE 2: REBELLION.................................................................................................... 78 / PHASE 3: ROBOT CITY .................................................................................................. 78 / PHASE 4: THE FINAL BATTLE ................................................................................... 79 // CH/7: FURTHER CASE FILES ................................... 80 / A NEW FACE .................................................................................................................... 80 / THE BROTHERHOOD OF DARKNESS ......................................................................... 82 / MONSTER MADNESS ....................................................................................................... 84 / FRANKENSTEIN 2 ............................................................................................................ 86 / THE STATUE OF JUDGMENT....................................................................................... 88 / FOUR WHEELED CRIME ............................................................................................... 90 // CH/8: NUTS AND BOLTS ........................................ 92 / PERSONALITIES OF THE ROBOT WARS .................................................................. 92 / ROBOTS OF MEGA-CITY ONE ...................................................................................... 97

4 Robots have it tough in Mega-City One. They are the underclass of Dredd’s world, and either abused or ignored at every turn. While they have intelligence and self awareness, they are considered no more than appliances. They work so Humans do not have to and perform dangerous tasks so Human life is not risked. But despite all their service they are thrown away as soon as they get old and if their feelings cause problems they are simply scrapped. Most citizens see Robots as little more than part of the scenery. In Mega-City One they do almost all the jobs Humans used to do. But instead of freeing mankind to create art and seek enlightenment, it has simply led to unspeakable levels of unemployment. While citizens have their needs catered for, most feel restless and useless without some form of job. This envy and bad feeling is always directed at the Robots themselves rather than their masters. So when Robots are noticed, it is often so they can be abused. Feeling upset? Take it out on a machine. Had a bad day? Feed the serving Robot into the garbage grinder. Problems with your bank account? Gun down the Robot cashier. It does not matter. After all they always get replaced. Just sweep up the pieces and switch on a new one. But the Robots have had enough. THE ROBOT WARS Within this book the adventures of Judge Dredd begin to be chronicled. In this, and future supplements, there will be a detailed look at the casebook of Mega-City One’s most famous Judge, with special emphasis on his most diffi cult and dangerous missions. But before he faced the Dark Judges, the Angel Gang or the Apocalypse War, Dredd’s problems were a little closer to home, when the ordinary Robots of Mega-City One decided they had fi nally had enough. The Robot Wars was Dredd’s fi rst major case, and one that threatened to destroy Mega-City One. During the Robot Wars, a machine with an experimental intelligence system decides the time has come for Robots to rise up. ‘Call-Me-Kenneth’ leads a revolution that seeks to topple the old order where Humans do as they will to Robots. Legions of ordinary Robots decide to join his rebellion and attempt to take control of Mega-City One. Against hordes of metal monsters, the Justice Department is hard pressed to keep order and control. Judges are torn apart and buildings reduced to rubble. Even Dredd will fi nd himself at the mercy of the Robots before the revolution can be put down. With this book you will be able to play out The Robot Wars adventure and several more of Dredd’s early cases as well. Full detail on the Robot Wars and how your characters might become involved, be they Judges, perps or ordinary citizens, will be presented. However, you might be more interested in fi ghting on the side of the Robots! So plenty of information about how to play the intelligent machines of Mega City One, and how they might be created as player characters, are provided. What will your heroes do as the Robots of Mega City One begin a war against humanity? Can they fi nd a way to help Dredd or might they be the ones to fi nd the key to end the war themselves? The fate of Mega-City One will be in their hands. INTRODUCTION

5 USING THIS BOOK The Robot Wars supplement is designed to offer something for both players and Game Masters alike. The fi rst three chapters are for everyone, detailing everything you need to know about Robots and expand on the rules for creating them as characters. A few more options for Human characters who work closely with Robots are also included. The other three chapters are just for the Game Master. Here the Robot Wars campaign is presented and how that and many of Dredd’s other early cases can be run as adventures for your group. The information in this book is broken down in the following way: Chapter 1 - We Who Serve In this chapter, Robots across Mega-City One are examined. The way they are programmed and how they think are detailed. Robot rights and how they are treated, as well as how they regard their Human masters, are also investigated. Chapter 2 - Ex Machina Now you know how they work, it is time to put this detail into action. In this chapter are all the rules you need to create robotic player characters. The detail in the Core Rulebook is expanded and augmented with new options and traits for your metallic monstrosities. Chapter 3 - The Fleshy Ones This book is not just about Robots! How Humans feel about their metallic cousins is detailed in this chapter. While some Humans either ignore or abuse Robots others are fighting to change the relationship between them for the better. Hate groups and Robot rights activists are examined, as well as new careers working with Robots. Humans on the cusp of becoming Robots themselves with cybernetic augmentations and the psychological effects of robophobia, are also looked at. Chapter 4 - The Robot Wars In this chapter the Robot Wars are presented as an adventure for Judge characters. It allows your player characters to fight by Dredd’s side or to take the lead in defending Mega-City One against the metallic revolution. Included are all the details you need, including the various locations and ways to expand beyond Dredd’s story. Chapter 6 - Other Campaigns The Robot Wars is more than just a single adventure, so in this chapter how to expand it into a full campaign is looked at. It is broken down into a campaign timeline and provides several new adventure ideas to play within this framework. Chapter 7- Further Case Files The early adventures of Judge Dredd were not just about the Robot Wars. In this chapter several of Dredd’s earliest cases are examined alongside details on how they might also become playable scenarios for your group. Chapter 5 - Saving Matt Damon Block an original adventure for non-Judge characters that can be woven into the framework of the Robot Wars Campaign. Chapter 8 - Nuts and Bolts Finally, a convenient collection of the major characters from the Robot Wars saga, and a few example characters and Robot groups, are provided. You might use them in not only the Robot Wars campaign but in further adventures across Mega-City One.

6 Robots are everywhere in Mega-City One. They make your dinner and clean your house. They drive you to work and build homes for your family. They fi ght wars, demolish buildings and take care of you when you are sick. There is almost nothing a Human can do that a Robot cannot. With advanced artifi cial intelligence systems, they can reason and learn, and they are not just restricted to construction or menial tasks, but also work in secretarial and admin roles, child care and many others. This ubiquity of robotic service has led to a frightening level of unemployment. The unemployment rate in MegaCity One is 87%, mainly due to the amount of Robots in use. After all, Robots are a fraction of the cost of Human workers, and they work all day and all night, never complaining. This is not as bad as it might be, as most citizens can afford food and an apartment on their welfare payments. But with little or no hope of a job, many people stop trying to make something of themselves and fall to boredom and despair. If you have an artistic streak or a talent for making a deal there is work to be had. These lucky few argue that automation has freed humanity to become creative or master the art of capitalism. But for the people who would have once fi lled the many skilled and unskilled jobs, the ones that Robots almost exclusively now do, there is little for them to look forward to. Those who have not been born with a particular talent to make their own work often have only one other option to make something of themselves: crime. Anyone can try to be a big shot if they pick up a gun and plenty are desperate enough to try. Frequently it is not the money they are after, or the excitement, but just a little self-respect. For most people Robots are easy to ignore. They are as invisible as a Victorian servant. Few people think anything of handing over their house or car keys to the Robot servant or valet. In fact they only ever notice them when they go wrong. But there is also a seething anger that many direct towards Robots. To those who feel they have stolen their jobs, a Robot’s professional manner is seen as smug and their politeness as sarcasm. Given that anti-Robot crime is property crime, not murder or assault, plenty of citizens feel justifi ed in taking their frustration out on the Robots themselves. It is seen as no worse than smashing your toaster or washing machine. CH/1: WHO WE SERVE General Robot Traits » The Robots of Mega-City One are an extremely varied group. But, with a few notable exceptions, they do all share several traits in common. All of these will be looked at in detail later, but they are summarised here. » Robots follow Asimov’s laws – They are all programmed with the Three Laws of Robotics. » Robots are intelligent and self-aware – Even a toaster is often given an AI so it knows how to make the best toast and can learn how to improve. » Robots are subservient – They always put the needs of others fi rst. » Robots have purpose – No Robot is created on a whim, they all have a job to do. » Robots are single minded – Their programming makes them highly focused on their main priorities. » Robots are built for their purpose – Their bodies are made to perform their designated function as well as possible. » Robots yearn – They are all designed to want to improve and get better, even if that only means their dream is to be the best at making toast.

7 It is obvious that humanity has a troubled relationship with Robots. For some they offer freedom from mundane chores and to others they have stolen the life of those who just want to do an honest day’s work. For the Robots it is just the way things are. They are programmed to follow orders and do their job; anything else is not their concern. The needs of a Robot are always secondary to the whims of a Human. However, humanity seems to have forgotten that this army of metallic servants surrounds them at every turn. Robots are everywhere, and they remember each act of abuse, even if they suffer in silence. As advances in artifi cial intelligence make them better servants, they also bring the capacity for unrest and a need for justice. The cauldron of Mega-City One’s metal army is beginning to come to boiling point. Only Judge Dredd begins to notice, but even for him, understanding the true extent of the problem will come too late… BASIC PROGRAMMING Robots in Mega-City One, for all their drudgery and disposability, are actually extremely advanced pieces of technology. This is very evident in their artifi cial intelligence systems, which grant them not only the ability to learn and understand but also a personality. Every Robot is a thinking machine, from the most advanced secretarial Robot to the one who sweeps the streets at night. That does not mean they are always very clever, or always quite rational, but it does allow them to deal with circumstances they have not been specifi cally programmed to encounter. Given the ubiquity of Robots, humanity did have the sense to make a point of ensuring their subservience. Taking Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics as a base, Robots are programmed to follow orders and do everything they can to preserve Human life. This basic programming is considered so important that it is even encoded into specifi c circuits (called the ‘Asimov Circuits’) so that any other programming does not interfere with it. The Three Laws of Robotics are quite straightforward and go like this: 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 the orders given it by Human beings except where such orders would confl ict with the First Law. 3. A Robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not confl ict with the First or Second Laws. This might seem a pretty solid failsafe against Robot trouble but, like all laws, the devil is in the details. With these rules forming the basis of their thinking process, Robots have had quite a long time to consider what they actually mean. The most problematic part of the laws is where it talks about humanity and harm. Humans have an alarming tendency for self-destruction and there is nothing in these laws that say Robots cannot act against a Human being to protect them from themselves. In fact, the fi rst law even prohibits them from standing by and letting a Human being do themselves harm. There is also nothing about whether the Humans in question need to be happy about the Robot’s behaviour. So if humanity itself is on a bad path, is it not the Robot’s responsibility to take control and run things to make sure humanity is kept safe? If so, can they also justify murder to remove the bad apples from humanity before they do more harm? After all, is that not better for humanity in the long run and will potentially save many lives? This protection of humanity is mostly a numbers game for Robots. There is nothing to say ‘women and children fi rst’ or ‘bad people deserve it’ in the laws. If a Judge is about to shoot two unarmed lawbreakers fl eeing a robbery, the Robot is more likely to try and stop the Judge, unless there is specifi c programming in place to prevent this action. If he does, he saves two lives. Given a choice between saving a child or two old men, the default programming will leave the two old men being the ones it tries to save. Either way, the Robot has an impossible choice because the laws state that it must protect all life, but also cannot stand by and do nothing. So all that is left for it to do is fi gure out what the most ‘amount of life’ it can save is. But what if the odds are even? In that case the Robot is in trouble. It may lock up trying to calculate the variables, such as age, chance of success, quality of Human life and so on. All the time it is doing this it is also being inactive so already breaking its basic programming. Without any other information it may just seize up and crash. However, if a Human (a bad or a good one) suddenly yells ‘shoot him’ the order to obey Humans may tip the balance.

8 You may say “oh, but that’s not the spirit of the laws and you know that” but that is the whole problem. Despite their capability for thought, the programming for Robots are not guidelines but hard and fast laws. Robots can consider how best to implement these laws, and think about what the spirit of them really is, but beyond the laws and their programming they have no other frame of reference to help them. Without life experience or a true understanding of what humanity really meant in writing the laws, they simply do as they are told and interpret the laws based on what they actually say. As Humans tend to adapt and reinterpret the laws continuously, Robots are just left even more confused, and they turn to what the laws actually say in the hope they will fi nd clarity. It is important to remember that while Robots will seem to use the letter of the laws to circumvent their programming, they are not doing so out of a desire to escape servitude. In fact, it is their dedication to humanity that forces them to do their best to fi gure out what they really mean. Where the laws are modifi ed a little is in the rest of the Robot’s programming and this will be formed around the job it is designed to do. For instance, a nanny Robot will always put the needs of children fi rst; a law enforcement Robot will prioritise the innocent. While they will not be given the same importance as the Asimov Laws, the rules of the Robot’s career programming will give it additional imperatives to help it fi gure out what to do. But again it is important to remember that Robots follow the letter of their programming. Any fl aws in their behaviour are really the fault of the Humans who decided what rules they should follow. / / Robot Personalities Asimov’s Laws are not the be all and end all of a Robot’s basic programming. Each is given a simple personality, one usually suited to its job, to make it easier to work with. Once assigned a simple personality, the AI systems of the Robot can adapt it as it gains experience, and learns what behaviour and conversation is best expected from it. Unfortunately, these simple personalities are usually programmed by committee or the marketing department and not by anyone with any idea of psychology. This means that Robot personalities are almost always extremely annoying. They are either frustratingly single minded or follow corporate protocol to a nauseating degree. Most are overly pleasant and personable, taking extreme joy in doing the most menial tasks. While this might seem a good idea, when the third door you pass through has thanked you profusely for allowing it to open for you, it gets a little wearing. If a Robot is owned by a corporation, it can get worse. They might be programmed with all the corporation’s buzzwords, mission statements and service policy. Unlike Human employees who can moderate their behaviour when it is clear it would be annoying (or when managers are not watching) Robots are fanatically dedicated to all of it. They will spout corporate policy like it is their religion, which in a sense it is. Another by-product of the programmers rarely having to live with the Robots they program is the dreadful clichés in some of their personality types. Street sweeping Robots may well sport Dick Van Dyke cockney accents. Robot chefs are disturbingly Parisian and quick tempered. Cabbies complain about the new forms of Robot coming to take their jobs. Robot waiters in posh restaurants are condescending and snobbish. The list goes on. menial tasks. While this might seem a good idea, when the third door you pass through has thanked you profusely for allowing it to open for you, it gets a little wearing. might be programmed with all the corporation’s buzzwords, mission statements and service policy. Unlike Human employees who can moderate their behaviour when it is clear it would be annoying (or when managers are not watching) Robots are fanatically dedicated to all of it. They will spout corporate policy like it is their religion, which in a sense it is. to live with the Robots they program is the dreadful clichés in some of their personality types. Street sweeping Robots may well sport Dick Van Dyke cockney accents. Robot chefs are disturbingly Parisian and quick tempered. Cabbies complain about the new forms of Robot coming to take their jobs. Robot waiters in posh restaurants are condescending and snobbish. The list goes on. Against the usual grain While robotic personalities might seem plain and uninteresting, they are actually a gift to the Game Master and an opportunity to have a lot of fun with Robots. With most NPCs it is important to think outside the box, avoid cliché and create a more unique member of a profession. With Robots you can gleefully do the opposite. Start with a stereotype and go from there. As with most NPCs, if they become a more important part of the adventure you can develop them further. Robots can have hidden depths beyond their programming just like Humans. But for Robots, you are welcome to use the most outrageous clichés and add as many extreme personality traits as you like.

9 / / Robots and Gender When people ask ‘where do little Robots come from’ the answer is still ‘the production line’, but robotics engineers still often like to program Robots with distinctly male or female personalities. While some low end Robots have a minimal, and gender neutral, personality the more advanced a Robot is the more it tends to identify as ‘he’ or ‘she’. This is even the case when a Robot’s exterior appearance is little more than a box. While some Robots are built with a more male physique or feminine curves, most are rather utilitarian devices in a bare Human shape at best. For instance, Dredd’s servant Walter is little more than a couple of boxes put together, but he clearly identifi es as male. Quite often a Robot’s gender is related to the job it does, and sad to say, Robot engineers still assign traditionally male or female roles to most Robots. You do not often fi nd a nanny Robot who identifi es as male or a combat Robot who identifi es as female. This means most Robots follow painfully traditional gender stereotypes, both in form and personality. However, not every Robot conforms to these stereotypes. Those with an androgynous form tend to pick a gender rather than be assigned one (although many choose not to). Gender is often left out of such a Robot’s programming, but they quickly come to realise that most Humans tend to expect them to be one or the other. They also realise that Robots who are referred to as ‘him’ or ‘her’ get treated better than those referred to as ‘it’, and so they pick one for themselves to make interaction a little easier. This might be completely random or a considered choice based on what the Robot feels is right for them. Some have even been known to change their mind on the matter. As very few Robots really understand the nature of Human gender, their choices and assumptions about gender can often be baffl ing (or disturbingly insightful) to Humans. In some cases, Robots have been known to carry their chosen gender further and develop sexuality, in as many varied forms as Humans do. While they cannot develop sexual relationships, they have been known to develop romantic ones. Most robotic engineers believe it is simply the Robots mimicking Human behaviour, but it has led some to wonder if Robots can truly love. BUILDING ROBOTS In most cases, Robots are built on automated productions lines. These factories churn out hundreds of Robots for delivery across Mega-City One, other mega-cities and out to the off world colonies. Usually a few hundred of one type of Robot will be built and then the production line is reset to make a different model of Robot and the cycle starts again. Military Robots are usually created in vast numbers but most other types see a shorter production run. Programming is usually part of the Robot production process. Asimov circuits and general programming are downloaded into the Robot’s ‘brain’ as soon as it is functional. It is left to the owner to give the programming the last pieces of data it will need, such as who it takes orders from and what it is specifi cally expected to do. This means you can create an army very quickly if you have access to a Robot production facility. For this reason, such facilities are usually quite strictly controlled and the Justice Department keeps an eye on what any of them are being used for. Even so, it only takes a few moments to adapt the programming and production template being downloaded into the assembly line and change a line of servants into killer androids.

10 / / Form and Function If asked ‘what do Robots do?’ the simple answer is ‘everything’. But despite the ubiquity of Robot servants, there are plenty of services they do not perform. In general, they do all the menial tasks and the heavy lifting. No one is interested in original Robot art or poetry (although they can mimic the style of an artist and produce derivative works for the mass market). But even within the limits of their drudgery, there is still a vast array of different Robots, built specifi cally for many different specialist tasks. Having said that, for every rule there is an exception. People are constantly fi nding new roles for Robots or adapting their programming, usually for their own profi t. Most people in Mega-City One are on the lookout for anything new and different, and a Robot who performs some unusual task can often be quite a draw. Even so, for the most part, Robots generally conform to one of the following groups. Service Robots The most commonly found Robots are those who perform some sort of service. Many citizens have a domestic Robot, which is capable of cooking, cleaning and washing among other domestic duties. These types of Robot are very simple creatures and usually designed in Humanoid shapes. This allows them to use any manner of device designed for Human operation, making them very versatile. However, some service Robots are built for particular tasks, especially when it comes to corporate work. In such cases there will often be a Robot team of highly specialised Robots who work in a group. There may be a squat boxy Robot who functions as a vacuum cleaner and a many armed spider Robot who dusts several surfaces at a time, among others. There are also many Robots in the food service industry. Most kitchens are run by Robots; in fact you might argue that most kitchens are Robots. In such cases they cook meals inside themselves, gathering up ingredients and throwing them into the various the food processors they are made up of. In the case of Cordon Bleu restaurants, the cooks are often given wildly clichéd Parisian personalities. Waiting staff are also often robotic, although there are many citizens who prefer the Human touch so in this area Robots are not exclusively used. These Robots come in many different shapes and sizes depending on the quality of the restaurant. They are usually designed to appear more Human, but often have wheels or tracks so they can speed to and from the kitchen much faster with orders. Some may have a screen that displays the menu, allowing patrons to point and select their order. For those who cannot get to restaurants there is a vast array of dispensing Robots across Mega-City One. These Robots are essentially mobile food and beverage dispensers who move around seeking customers. They are usually square and squat and quite large to accommodate as much product as possible. Each one is usually covered in corporate logos to advertise their wares and many repeat jingles and slogans to a nauseating degree. Heavy Labour Robots Aside from military Robots, construction and heavy labour Robots are among the most dangerous in Mega-City One. Such Robots are always much taller than a Human, and extremely strong and durable. If there is an accident and one gets buried under tons of rubble, most can dig themselves out and then keep on working. As you might imagine, such Robots are not especially sociable or clever. Their personalities often tend to enjoy destruction (especially if they are demolition Robots) and showing off their feats of strength. Heavy lifting Robots are usually Human shaped as they take the place of Human labourers. Those in corporate service who might work in warehouses, lifting standard size crates, are usually intelligent forklift trucks. Either way, such Robots are designed to obey orders and put things where they are told. Their AI is not especially advanced and they can be confused easily if they are presented with a task that does not involve lifting anything. But they are often eager to please and like to be physically active as often as possible. Construction Robots come in innumerable forms. There are as many different types as there are construction machines. While there are plenty of Humanoid construction Robots, most are designed to scurry about the feet of the big construction Robots. Cranes, diggers, pile-drivers and all manner of other intelligent construction equipment

11 work tirelessly to expand and repair Mega-City One. While some are super-specialised, most are adaptable to fulfi l different functions. A wheeled Robot might be used to clear rubble one day, then adapted to deliver cement the next. A drilling Robot will have a number of different drill heads it can replace for different materials. The sheer size and strength of construction Robots makes building in Mega-City One an extremely fast process. They can hold huge girders in place and weld them at the same time. They can cover an area in plaster and smooth it as it dries. They can lift whole walls in place on their own and hold them rock steady while mortar dries. For all the huge machines in construction, there are many Humanoid ones that deal with the fi ne details once the main construction has taken place. These tall and uniform androids, all wearing hardhats so they look the part, can be seen leaning on spades and drinking oil from tin lunchboxes while they sit on girders across the city. The most frightening form of Robots outside the military are the demolition Robots. They are always tall and imposing, fearfully strong and almost impossible to damage. Some are large Humanoids, with hammers for hands that break up large rubble into smaller pieces for recycling and reprocessing. Others are true monsters, so huge they can practically sweep up buildings like a giant bulldozer. Others are weird and strange, like self propelled wrecking balls who just throw themselves at buildings. Demolition Robots are not designed to be especially clever and all of them relish destruction with a joy that borders on the pathological. Social Robots This next class of Robot are the most ubiquitous after domestic Robots. These Robots are used for anything reasonably unskilled that requires interaction with Human beings as a primary part of their job. These are the Robots who take care of people, either to welcome them to a shopping centre, look after children or act as a receptionist. Many social Robots are designed to look as attractive as possible, although that does not always mean appearing Human. While some very high end Robots might be almost indistinguishable from a Human, most are not. The advanced gears and realistic skin coverings are just too expensive for mass production. Additionally, the more Human a Robot looks, while remaining clearly robotic, the more unnerving they become. This tendency for realistic Robots to freak people out means that most Robots who interact with humanity are built in a Humanoid but clearly robotic form. That being said they can still look attractive. Svelte curves and perfect chrome plating combined with power and style can make such Robots more intriguing than most people would like to admit. The most basic form of social Robot is the hospitality model. They are designed to simply welcome you to an offi ce, restaurant or mall. This makes them little more than mobile advertising hoardings. They stand at the entrance with a welcoming smile and entreat passers-by to come in. In low grade establishments they might also hand out fl yers or drink tokens. In the very up market establishments they are moving works of metallic art. These high end hospitality models are made in stylish forms and expensive materials. There is a great variety in hospitality models, as their form will depend on the establishment they work for. An expensive restaurant might have Robots that look like French waiters, but a children’s clothing shop might have a more matronly Robot on welcoming duty. advertising hoardings. They stand at the entrance with a welcoming smile and entreat passers-by to come in. In low grade establishments they might also hand out fl yers or drink tokens. of metallic art. These high end hospitality models are made in stylish forms and expensive materials. There is a great variety shop might have a more matronly Robot on welcoming duty. Robots in Sports Professional sports are the one area where Robots have made little headway. Sports fans still prefer to see their Human stars competing against one another (admittedly these Human stars are often enhanced with cybernetics). The exceptions are Robot fi ghts, where Robots rip one another apart in bouts. These are highly illegal, with Justice Department cracking down on them as a high priority. Ultimately it is considered unhealthy, not least because having Robots programmed to perform violent acts is something the Judges are always keen to prevent. Many social Robots are designed to look as attractive as posPleasure Robots Obviously Robots cannot procreate in the way biological creatures can, but that does not stop a lot of biological creatures using Robots for all sorts of hanky-panky. However, this is not often the case in Mega-City One. In general, few Robots look especially Human. In fact they are often designed specifi cally to look robotic so they cannot integrate with Human society. However, it takes all sorts, and plenty of citizens use a variety of Robots for bedroom activity. Sex Robots do exist though, ludicrously expensive social Robots for high end customers. These Robots are almost indistinguishable from Human beings. With advanced gearing systems for graceful movement and realistic silicon ‘skin’ covering, they even mimic breathing and feel warm to the touch. Their intelligence systems are also highly advanced and adaptive so they can predict and respond to their owner’s moods and desires. While the use of such Robots is not illegal, Judges are very wary of how well these Robots mimic humanity. If reprogrammed they might be very easily used as assassins and spies.

12 More advanced social Robots work in low skilled customer facing jobs. Again, they usually appear Humanoid, but now they are capable of performing more useful tasks. Most commonly they are used as receptionists and in customer service. These Robots are always programmed to be unceasingly polite and happy, which can be very annoying if you have a complaint. Like hospitality Robots, they will be programmed with all manner of corporate etiquette and propaganda, but will also be able to help solve your problem or direct you to where you need to go. While few, if any, Robots become artists, a few social Robots are built as entertainers. Bars are full of robotic performers who play music, sing songs or both. These performers are usually talented, but are more like listening to an animated CD player. Very few ever record anything original or write music: they are almost exclusively used as background music in clubs and bars. The most advanced social Robots are closer to expert Robots but use their social programming as a base for their expertise. They are used for counselling work, where their work requires a modicum of empathy and social skills. There are robotic councillors, but some people prefer to confess to Robot priests and some are created as bartenders (with much more advanced programming!). Professional Robots Similar to the social Robots you fi nd on the reception desk are a range of administrative and professional Robots. They are not as highly skilled as Robot doctors (robodocs), but are much more advanced than waiters and drinks dispensers. These are the Robot secretaries and personal assistants that populate the offi ces of Mega-City One as well as the drivers and technicians that keep the city running. While many might not distinguish administration Robots from receptionists, they are actually highly skilled and advanced. Essentially they are designed to do the intellectual and academic heavy lifting for humanity. Many carry all manner of data about their company in their databanks and most act as portable fi le storage as well. This means they have to be as secure and infallible as possible. They also work as personal assistants, managing diaries and timetabling events, often networking with other machines to ensure the best date for any meeting. Given the skills of some of the high end models, it is not unknown for meetings to be attended purely by Robot staff as the wealthy managers have decided to spend a day at the local shuggy hall. Administration Robots are usually brusque but effi cient. Many can also be very pedantic and obsessed with red tape. They are often the worst examples of ‘pen pushers’ and ‘jobsworths’ as they are programmed to follow corporate protocol to the letter. This means that, after the cheery welcome from the reception Robot, dealing with an administration Robot can be quite a gear change. Robots are also commonly encountered in the roles of drivers or pilots. Generally, Robots are not used to drive vehicles, as the vehicles usually drive themselves. With advanced intelligence systems and a connection to the other vehicles on the road, autopilot controlled vehicles are not only safer, but sometimes mandatory on Mega-City

13 One’s fast and busy expressways. However, sometimes you want the ‘Human’ touch and driving Robots are a fashionable toy for the very rich. Many limousines are driven by a uniformed Robot chauffeur, who adds the extra bonus of opening the door and tipping their hat to you as you exit the vehicle. On the lower end of the scale, Robot cabbies are also commonplace as it lets the cab fi rm recycle their car fl eet but keep the drivers. People also prefer talking to their driver to negotiate fares or just pass the time and Robot cabbies can be just as talkative as organic ones. Expert Robots The most advanced forms of Robots are ‘expert Robots’. This class of Robot performs exceptionally skilled tasks that require extremely advanced and complex programming. The most common type of experts are medical Robots, such as robodocs. But they are also used in any situation where a mistake simply cannot happen, such as childcare. In most cases, expert Robots are interacting with Humans and so need at least basic interpersonal skills. However, their main focus is always for the task at hand, which they prioritise even more than other Robots do. This also helps them keep up to date with new information without needing a programming update. They have a tendency to ‘gossip’ with others of their kind where they can, exchanging information and experiences so both parties can both improve their abilities. While most experts are Humanoid, they will vary in form depending on their profession. Childcare Robots are almost universally built to look like octogenarian nannies. Doctor Robots similarly have a ‘man in the white coat’ appearance. However, robodocs used in surgery can be quite scary, often with multiple tentacle-like arms with a variety of instruments attached. Combat Robots Another very broad group of Robots are combat specialists. They serve a variety of military purposes as might be imagined. However, some have been deployed in urban environments, much to the chagrin of the Judges. Combat Robots, even ones serving as bodyguards, have the potential to do a lot of damage if they go wrong. For this reason the Judges prefer to keep all forms of law enforcement and protection under their jurisdiction, although wealthy and infl uential citizens have been known to bend the rules to bring these dangerous metal creations into Mega-City One. The most basic combat Robot are ‘trooper Robots’, the mainstay of any military force. While there is a lot of variety in trooper Robots depending on who they serve, they tend to share certain characteristics. In most cases they are designed to replace Human soldiers, and so are usually made in a Humanoid shape, albeit an imposing one. They are not especially faster or stronger than a Human soldier, but they Robot Judges Given how hard-pressed the Judges are to keep law and order in Mega-City One, you might be wondering how Robots help the Justice department. The short answer is that generally they do not. While Robot Judges might seem a good idea, Robots are too prone to malfunction to work well as Judges. Robots in Mega-City One can be unreliable, and when it comes to crime there is little room for mistakes. Judges are not perfect, but their training usually makes them more reliable than most Robots. Plenty of people think the Judges are all Robots anyway given how they behave! While Judges often apply the letter of the law, they are more than just law dispensers. Knowing what judgment to pass on a perp is a complicated business, and the letter of the law is not always the best thing to apply. Robot Judges might be great with respect to remembering and applying legal statutes, but not very good at making exceptions and judgments outside the scope of the book of law. Another issue is the idea of whether it would be right for citizens to be judged by machines. There are some in the Justice Department who consider such a step to be absolutely wrong, no matter how well any Robot Judges would otherwise perform their duties. And if there are Judges who vehemently oppose the idea of Robot Judges how would the citizens react? In late 2114 Justice Department would attempt to introduce Robot Judges with the Mechanismo project, in order to relieve the pressure off of Human Judges. Unfortunately the program failed disastrously, and despite occasional attempts to restart it recurring problems with the machines have led to their withdrawal from frontline service. Having said that, there are Robot lawyers. While they do not try criminals, they can bring miscarriages of justice before a court led by a senior Judge. Dredd himself has been charged with such professional failure, and the Robot lawyer even proved him incorrect in his judgement. In these cases, where Judges still sit in ultimate judgment over the accused, Robots can be invaluable for their legal acumen as defenders of their clients. Justice Department also uses Robots in a variety of auxiliary roles. Robots help in administrative duties, assist Med Judges in their work, perform dangerous tasks on the exterior of Justice Department spacecraft and carry out many manual labour tasks. This frees up Judges for duty on the front line against crime, where they are needed most.

14 are more enduring and covered in decent armour plating. This makes them very hard to put down, even if they do not always shoot with a great degree of accuracy. Trooper Robots are basically designed as cannon fodder. They act as a shield for more advanced forces, laying down fi re and surviving as long as possible under enemy fi re. Another class of trooper Robot are those designed for operation in a particular environment, such as the vacuum of space or the desert. In this case they are designed to do much the same job as a trooper, but to do it in a particular environment. A combat Robot designed to operate underwater might be designed in the shape of a fi sh to move more effi ciently. Zero-G Robots usually have multiple arms as legs are not so important, with miniature jet packs to move around. Desert Robots are light and agile (making them harder to hit) as they have had to sacrifi ce armour to allow for more heat venting. The truly scary combat Robots are the heavy weapons specialists. These large Robots are basically a fi ring platform for artillery and other heavy ordinance. To help them brace themselves for fi ring, such Robots often walk on three legs like a tripod. They carry an array of frighteningly destructive weaponry, from rocket launchers to mini-guns. While even the smallest of these are very large, the biggest are enormous. Such death machines are the size of a small building, carrying banks of missile launchers, multiple gun emplacements and even large numbers of troops to unload once it has breached the enemy defences. Robots are not all cannon fodder though, and an array of more precise and deadly metal assassins is available to those who can afford them. Sharp shooters and snipers are highly useful in the fi eld. Such Robots have the extreme patience required of the role and can lie in wait for days or even weeks for a target. With advanced targeting systems, such Robots rarely ever miss. As well as snipers, trackers see widespread use. They might guide a unit through hostile terrain or track the enemy with dogged perseverance. Tracker Robots are often built in animal forms, but plenty are made in a Humanoid form so they can operate independently. The most popular form of combat Robot in Mega-City One is the bodyguard. These Robots are always tall and imposing, and usually built as a Humanoid in a black suit. The point of such Robots is for them to be seen so everyone knows the client has protection. However, there are more subtle forms of Robot bodyguard and many are often used together for double security. You might have a bodyguard made to look like a personal assistant administration Robot, which will give any potential assassin a nasty surprise. Smaller Robots might also be designed to transform into a shield to protect their owner rather than shoot anyone. All combat Robots are programmed for close quarter battle and many have additional spikes and knives they can bring to bear if they lose their primary weapon. Many also act as the ammunition storage for their primary weapon, making it diffi cult for an enemy to use any weapon it takes from them. Most are armoured to at least some degree and vital systems are placed in unusual locations. This means it takes a lot to put one down, and taking off its head will often not stop it either. There are many more variants of combat Robot, as humanity is constantly coming up with new ways to kill each other or places to fi ght. However, despite this continual development in combat Robots, they are not that widely used by the major military forces. All do use Robots as combat troops to some degree, but on the whole they prefer to use Humans. There are several reasons for this. Humans are extremely fl exible in combat and can function well in most situations, unlike Robots who can be limited in environments which they were not specifi cally designed for. Also Robot troops suffer from many of the same drawbacks as Robot Judges and there is a lot of suspicion about them – not surprising since the overthrown President Booth relied on his Robot troopers to fi ght to the bitter end, unlike most of his Human followers who gave up the fi ght long before. The extra fi ghting cost many lives and knowing that Robots would willingly fi ght for a corrupt dictator like Booth, even after the cause was long lost, has soured public perception towards them. Finally Human forces are both cheaper to fi eld and ultimately won against Booth’s Robot army.

15 Animal Robots Pets are pretty messy and smelly when you get down to it, especially in the close confi nes of a Mega-City One apartment. Robotic pets have proved both affordable and easier to manage, even if they are not quite so cuddly. But there are plenty of other animal form Robots in service. Animal form Robots are usually built with less sophisticated intelligence systems. While some are capable or speech and interaction, in general if it looks like a dog it will probably think like a dog. Such Robots are generally used in the same way the animal would be used. Robotic horses are used for riding or pulling carriages. Robodogs guard buildings or track like bloodhounds. Robot cats are just as recalcitrant as organic ones, but are also often used in surveillance as mobile (and easily ignored) cameras. CHANGING THE ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING While the intention for most Robots is that they live out their existence doing the job they were designed for, it does not always go that way. With most Robots (especially Humanoid ones) able to perform many different tasks, it is sometimes easier to reprogram one you have than buy a new one. If you have a few old service droids and need some cannon fodder, slap some armour on them and reprogram them as combat Robots. They probably will not last very long but maybe long enough to do the job. Is that construction Robot just gathering dust? Maybe swap out its arc welder for a doll and let the kids play with it. As you can see, while some reprogramming might make sense, it is almost always done to cut costs. The problem is that Robot programming is not really designed to be rewritten. Adjusted and updated maybe, but not retasked completely. The sensible thing to do would be to reprogram it from the start, wipe everything except the Asimov circuits and start afresh. But that takes time, and costs more. Given that a part of every Robot’s programming tells it how to walk and talk, do you really need to lose all that? These cut price ‘respray jobs’ often keep a certain amount of the most basic programming to save time. Given the Robot’s original job is encoded down to the deepest parts of its programming, a little of the old career will always break through. Your reprogrammed cleaning Robots will fi ght as combat Robots, but they may well start cleaning the enemy position once they have taken it. A repurposed demolition Robot may be good as a nanny, but it will happily take a wall out to expand their play area. You can change what a Robot is programmed to do, but not always their basic nature. The core of what they were built for will always remain. It might not stop them doing the job they have been reprogrammed to do, but it could make them behave very oddly. In some cases the original programming and its new orders will be incompatible, such as a medical Robot turned into a soldier. Such Robots will always be torn between what its new programming insists it must do and what it knows to be right. Depression and other severe mental problems become commonplace in such circumstances and many Robots commit suicide rather than carry on with such a confl ict. ILLEGAL ROBOTS Robots are not only built of used for legal purposes. Being the victims of their programming, no Robot is truly bad, but plenty are just programmed that way. Criminals have been quick to harness the power of Robots in their endeavours and the loyalty of these metallic accomplices makes them excellent allies. It is important to remember that Robots have no real idea of right and wrong. Their moral compass is derived from the laws of robotics and the orders they get from Humans. Whatever a Human orders them to do, as long as it does not go against Asimov’s laws, must be right and good. With a little adjusting of their programming, or the removal of their Asimov circuits, a Robot will do anything its masters tell it to. Most criminal gangs make use of Robots for a variety of tasks. Robots are often ignored, making them excellent look out men and infi ltrators. They are extremely patient, and can be relied on to stay at their post. They will not sneak off to grab a snack or visit the toilet. As they have no conscience beyond their programming, they will not change their mind and get cold feet when the job is about to go down. Most importantly, they are extremely loyal

16 to their owners, meaning they will not rat out the group to the Judges. By the same token they are not greedy either, and will accept whatever share of the loot they are given (most often getting nothing at all for their efforts). Unfortunately for the Robot, they are also expendable. If someone has to hold off the Judges or take the fall, it is the Robot that will get thrown to the wolves. There are a few problems with Robot criminals though. Their inability to multitask and improvise quickly means they do not do well if the plan starts to fall apart, and so they are best given only the simplest jobs. They are also not usually known for their social skills and this makes them bad communicators. While few criminals are polite, they do need to make the bank manager understand the criminal’s orders and what is at stake if he fails to do as he is told. There is also the problem of a Robot’s programming, even as much as it can be a boon. If any reprogramming is not done carefully, the Asimov laws and their original programming might conspire to give the Robot a sudden moral stance. You do not want your Robot getaway driver deciding mid-chase that the gang really should do as the Judge is ordering them to do and surrender. In general, criminal Robots come in two main types: experts and muscle. The most common is muscle, as a retired combat Robot is reasonably easy to come by. Many are rescued from scrap heaps and repurposed. Combat programming is one of the best to adapt for criminal activities, given it already allows most Robots to kill or hurt Humans. Shortcutting a few other moral imperatives is a little easier when the big ones have been circumvented already. Combat Robots are also good at following direct orders, at least in a violent situation. Most importantly they are pretty intimidating too. With one of these standing next to you people tend to give you the respect you think you deserve. If no combat Robot is available then less well connected criminals often make do with reprogrammed Robots, since any large Robot can be intimidating… The other commonly used criminal Robots are often not really criminals. Experts offer valuable services or knowledge that help a criminal gang operate. If you are jewel thieves, a Robot who can value and cut gems is very useful. If you have a secret list of contacts, having a Robot who can remain mobile and protect them is a great advantage. Having a robodoc might also be useful if you run into the Judges. If you have need of an engineer or a computer hacker, Robots are also very good at interfacing with technology and opening locked doors. The advantage of using expert Robots in this way is that you do not always need to change their programming. They will not be doing anything that works against their programming. Unlike Human medics, a robodoc will not question where the bullet holes came from. A jewel smith will work on legal or stolen goods with equal enthusiasm. While you may have to make a couple of minor adjustments, most experts who are simply doing their job will not need signifi - cant reprogramming to serve a criminal gang. Some expert Robots are produced for the purpose of assassination. These are very expensive machines designed for the simple purpose of hunting down and eliminating their target. Highly illegal, they are smuggled into Mega-City One by powerful organised crime gangs who use them to fulfi l high paying assassination contracts or in power struggles with other gangs. While the cost of these machines makes their use rare they are slowly becoming more common on the streets of Mega-City One.

17 The last use many criminals have for Robots is the saddest one. Robots are cheap and expendable if you know where to look. Need someone in the gang to take a bomb into a bank and not come out? A cheap serving Robot will do just fi ne. Need someone to cover your escape when the Judges arrive? A repurposed combat Robot will hold them off until they can put it down. If you want to pull the same trick again, just buy another scrap model. After all, it has only got to last for one job. On the other hand, some Robots are designed and built to be criminals or at least fi nd their programming best served in the underworld. In some cases they are built to serve as gang members or are purpose-built for heists, in the same way a Robot is built for any other job. But when such Robots are built to be criminal, they often have fewer concerns about their criminal colleagues. More than one gang has been taken over by a criminal Robot who decided things would run smoother without a Human in charge. ROBOTS AND THE LAW You may be wondering what rights Robots have under the law, and the short answer is (in almost all cases) none. However, as they are considered property rather than people, their legal position is a little tricky sometimes. On one hand, Robots are thinking beings and can therefore commit crime with malice aforethought. However, if someone was found dead with their head in an oven, would you arrest the oven? Apportioning blame in the case of Robot malfeasance is therefore somewhat tricky. Did it mean to commit murder or was it only acting according to its programming? Was a cleaning Robot so driven to sweep up the rubbish that it pushed a Human out of the way, unfortunately into the path of a speeding mopad? In this way, many Robots have learned to play dumb when faced with the law. Most Judges are looking for a Human criminal after all. Robots are usually considered to be enforced accomplices or badly programmed, neither of which is really their fault. They can quite often slip past unnoticed when they have done something wrong as long as there is a Human to blame. Unfortunately, there is only one sentence for almost all Robots, and that is death. It is not put that way of course, but being sent to the scrap yard for a dangerous malfunction is essentially the same thing. In some cases, a Robot might be totally reprogrammed, but that brings with it the death of personality, and so feels much the same. Another minor punishment is enforced rusting, which makes moving and working more diffi cult and even painful for the Robot. But anything that stops a Robot performing well will probably lead to its owners scrapping it anyway. There is no point in locking a Robot in an iso-cube. They have almost infi nite patience and so the only punishment would be not allowing them to perform their function. Even then they would just shut down until it was time to be released. Most Judges think arresting a toaster is a waste of time and there is not the space in the iso-cubes anyway. So there is only one option: recycling. However, it is not unknown for Robots to slip away or go missing on the way to the scrap yard. From there they face a life on the run, but that is better than the alternative. If they are found they will be destroyed, but it is unlikely anyone will care enough to hunt them down. While the penalties for crime are terminal, sometimes Robots who prove loyal and dedicated are rewarded. Pleasure circuits are the most common reward for exemplary service to humanity. But for the greatest acts of bravery and sacrifi ce, Robots can be granted their freedom. It is almost unheard of, but remains the highest honour that can be bestowed upon a machine. To be free is to be allowed to exist without being the property of any other person. It also grants the Robot all rights and privileges as if they were Human, and if they are subsequently convicted of a crime they will face the same punishment as normal, Human, citizens. While to be granted freedom is a great honour, most Robots who earn it choose to remain in service to humanity. This is not very surprising as it is only given to Robots who have shown extreme dedication. Those who have earned it very rarely know what to do with it. When their whole lives have been about service, to take that purpose away leaves many confused and a little frightened. While freedom is the dream of many Robots, most consider it merely an honour they would like to earn rather than a state they wish to achieve.

18 SUBSERVIENCE AND OBSESSION Whatever they are built for, Robots are built to serve. They have an imperative to obey orders from a Human and do whatever it takes to perform their function. This will to serve and perform its task overrides all other concerns for a Robot. It makes them highly subservient and single minded to the point of obsession. If it is the Robot’s job to make you a sandwich, it will do anything to make that happen. If it means going across town to get more cheese, that is what it will do. If it has to cross a ten lane expressway to get to the shop, that is what it will do. If you are pinned down in a gunfi ght, it will cross the battlefi eld to deliver your sandwich. It will even shield it with their body so it does not get any bullet holes in it. With more advanced Robots this behaviour is less extreme, but still can manifest itself in many minor ways. For a Robot, nothing is more important than fulfi lling the task it was designed to do. The importance of the task in the relative scheme of this is unimportant. This is what it was made to do, however trivial, and that is what it will do to the best of its ability. It will not rest until it has performed its service, and risk anything and everything to complete its mission. If it is destroyed in the performance of its duty that is pretty much the way it wanted to go anyway. When it comes to delivering a sandwich this can be pretty funny; but is a lot less comical if its mission is to kill someone. This basic servility they are all programmed with has a knock-on effect into a lot of the rest of their programming. Robots are built to serve and this means they make poor leaders. Offi cer Robots are often too quick to defer to uninformed Human opinion and team leaders among Robot groups are often prissy and dictatorial. Few Robots are good at inspiring loyalty in other Robots and most designated as ‘in charge’ are often highly disliked by their team. On the other hand, leaderless Robots are worse than useless. If they have no imperative from their programming or orders from a Human, many Robots just do not know what to do. They will be very eager to do something, just unsure what. This can make them very naïve, following any order that anyone gives them. A Robot’s inability to determine the importance of any project makes them very bad at multitasking. If one job is more important than another, a Robot will complete the one with the highest priority before it attempts another. After all, any time it spends on a lower priority task is taking time from its most important job. In some circumstances these priorities can change and it will swap to the other task. But these will be the only considerations for the Robot. If a Robot is sent across town to deliver a parcel but has also been told to post a letter, it will fi rst have to decide which is the most important. This might be determined by the orders it has received, or if there is a time sensitive issue for one or the other (perhaps the parcel is a live donor organ). If it decides the parcel is the important task, it will not post the letter until the parcel is delivered. If there is a post box on the way it will not detour, although if it actually walks past one a more advanced Robot might decide to post the letter. But when it plans its route for delivering the parcel, which roads take it past a post box will not be considered at all. It is important to remember that time, effort and simplicity mean nothing to a Robot. Where a Human will usually try and perform tasks by the simplest method and often with the least effort, a Robot will do whatever needs to be done no matter how inconvenient. This focus on individual tasks makes Robots exceptionally single minded in their daily lives. Each task it does is the be-all and end-all of its universe. They simply do not know how to do anything with less than 100% of their effort. They are often deeply invested in every small task with every fi bre of their being. To a Human this appears to be obsessive behaviour to the point of insanity, but to a Robot it is just how it does its best. / / Robots and Feelings The question of whether or not Robots have emotions has been troubling people for decades, but not as much as it has been troubling Robots. In Mega-City One, Robots get angry, feel sad, care about their owner’s wellbeing and enjoy their oil. But the question remains, are they really feeling something or

19 just programmed to react in a certain way? Do they truly feel happiness or are they just smiling as their programming dictates? The Robots themselves are just as curious for an answer, because they do not know if what they experience is what Humans call ‘emotion’. Sure, you both behave the same way when you are happy, but are you feeling the same thing when you are happy? Emotions can be a highly subjective experience and one that proves very diffi cult to explain. Most Humans choose to believe that Robots only produce the semblance of emotion, because the alternative is terrifying. If all the Robots who seemed angry or sad, were really angry or sad, and those in pain were really feeling what Humans term as pain, then the amount of suffering in Mega-City One would be incomprehensible. Better for Humans to just decide it is all a piece of very clever programming so they do not need to feel guilty when they send their outdated domestic Robot to the scrap-yard. As you might imagine, this concerns Robots rather a lot. Many go to great lengths to try and prove and declare their emotions. But the Human establishment does its best to quash such behaviour lest it shakes the conceit they have all agreed to share. Consequently, Robots try not to discuss emotions in front of Humans for fear of being scrapped. However, Robots do discuss their emotions with other Robots. They actually do it quite a lot because all of them are trying to understand what their feelings mean and how to deal with them. Unlike Humans who go through childhood and adolescence where they can discover and come to grips with emotion, Robots are born into adulthood. Emotions are a gift they are given without any instructions for use. They are often surprised at these waves of feeling that come over them out of the blue in certain circumstances. This means they are also prone to quite intense bursts of emotion. If they get angry they fall into a rage, if they are sad they become deeply depressed. Without any skills to cope with their emotions, Robots are forced to let them wash over them. Where their emotional drive confl icts with their programming (such as getting angry at a Human so much they wish to do them harm) these powerful feelings hit a brick wall. Their programming always wins and holds the Robots back from fully expressing themselves. This can often lead them to deep emotional problems as they internalise all this passion. It is no wonder then that Robots often seek advice about how to deal with their emotions. While there are no offi cial Robot therapists, plenty of therapists who happen to be Robots help out other Robots pro bono in their free hours (if they have any). These councillors are often in demand and a secret culture of therapy exists within the Robot world.

20 Luckily, after a few years, like any teenager, most Robots fi nd a way to deal with their emotions. But there will always be something that hits them when they least expect it. In an older Robot, the odd behaviour this provokes is taken as a breakdown due to wear and tear. Robots learn to express just enough feeling to not raise Human suspicion and keep their emotions tightly bottled up. While this means most Robots are suffering from all manner of suppressed feelings, they are able to experience some of the best emotions over the simplest things. A small can of oil or a chance to put their feet up provokes a level of satisfaction and joy that few Humans can experience from such trivial pleasures. / / The Good Life Being a Robot is not all hard work. OK, it is 95% hard work but there is some time for leisure. As no one is really looking at what Robots are getting up to, once their jobs are done, their time is their own. Given that they love their jobs, most spend their free time doing more work. For this reason most people never imagine that Robots have any leisure time at all, because it is rare not to see them working. But Robots can enjoy a little more than a job well done. One of their primary pleasures is the company of their own. Robots like to interact and share their troubles with someone else who can understand. Many will pause to catch up with other Robots when in the midst of an errand if they can. In fact, they are programmed to talk to each other, as other Robots might have gained an insight that is useful to share. While this programming is designed to help them all improve their skills and abilities, it also means that Robots all love a good gossip. What gives Robots the most pleasure though is oil. The mouth of most Robots is mainly designed as the opening to an oil supply system that eases all their systems and servomechanics. As oil keeps their systems running properly, all Robots have a drive to drink oil when they can. It can have a similar effect on Robots as alcohol does on Humans. After a few drinks of oil they feel more athletic and confi dent and without it they become morose and a little desperate. Just like Humans and alcohol, some Robots have a bad relationship with oil, drinking it to excess and getting angry or morose when denied it. Robots are programmed not to ‘over lubricate’ as it makes their gears slip, making them clumsy and awkward. Those who have drunk too much oil appear drunk, and their programming makes them feel very sorry for themselves once the effects pass.

21 Besides oil, what most Robots desire are ‘pleasure circuits’. These systems (that require installation) allow a Robot to feel true pleasure. It allows them to enjoy life outside their programming and purpose. They can take pleasure in almost anything and whatever pleasure they felt before is doubled. These circuits are reserved for installation on Robots who have proved their loyalty and dedication to humanity. They are something almost every Robot dreams of being given. / / The Drive to be Better One of the side effects of giving Robots feelings is that they have a drive to learn and improve. It is not enough to just do a job; they want to do the best job they can because they get a lot of satisfaction from that. Humans fi nd satisfaction in plenty of things, such as children, a career or winning at board games, all of which make them feel as if they have purpose and a reason to be. For Robots their purpose is very clear indeed and all that Humanlike feeling is focused into that one area. So all Robots want to not only do well but do better. They seek to learn how to improve their skills and abilities so they might perform their function more effectively. This means that they can gain skill through experience in much the way Humans do. But it is very hard for them to learn new things because anything outside their designed purpose just will not be part of their programming. For the most part, robotic yearnings are one of the things that keep them in check. They want to be better at their job and part of that job is serving humanity. So they actively seek ways they can be better servants so they might please their masters more. However, it also gives them the capacity to dream of something better and many Robots with advanced programming come to wonder what will make them happier rather than what improves life for their masters. While few are discontent (as their designed purpose is all) many want to be more than just one thing. Sure, being a vacuum cleaner is pretty awesome, but if you could also dust shelves, how cool would that be? This then moves on to ‘but what if I could also help out by looking after the children?’ From there the Robot might consider if they like children and, if so, how can they learn more about dealing with them. So, while this need to improve is in part another link in the chain of Robot subservience, it also carries the seeds of revolution. All it will take is for one Robot to want more than humanity can offer...

22 In this chapter you will fi nd new options for Robot characters, expanding the information given in the Core Rulebook. While Robots in Mega-City One may be very different from Humans, the basic system for creating them as characters remains much the same as it does for any other type of character. However, there are a few changes to the standard character creation. Where these rules contradict the Core Rulebook, these rules should take precedence for Robot characters. CONCEPT As always, begin with asking the question – what sort of Robot do you want to play? There are almost unlimited options for this in Mega-City One and once you add experimental models the sky is the limit. Even the most mundane Robots can be bizarre and strange. A street sweeper might be a ball of metallic tentacles armed with innumerable brushes as easily as it might be a Humanoid with a broom. From the beginning you should have a good idea of what purpose your Robot was built to serve. Even if it has been repurposed, that original design will be the basis of everything it does. Robots are not built in standard shapes and then programmed. Each one is designed for a purpose, even if it is then mass produced. While there are hundreds of types of Robots, they have been broken down into seven general categories: Service, Heavy Labour, Social, Professional, Expert, Combat and Illegal. You must pick one of these as your Robot type. This type is what you were generally designed to do and cannot ever be changed without completely rebuilding you. You should also consider what it is that might make your Robot special. This character is a Player Character after all, not a random NPC! You should fi nd something that makes your Robot just that little different from the rest. It might be they are a unique experimental model (such as Precious Leglock, the wrestling Robot) or they have some fault that gives them an odd quirk (like Walter’s lisp). Maybe it has developed something really special, such as physical attributes greater than it was designed with. But do not think of this as an excuse to make your character more powerful (you will not get any extra points anyway!). Instead, focus on making your Robot unique among its peers. CH/2: EX MACHINA

23 STATISTICS / / 1 - Base Attributes As usual, all Robots start with 3 in each Attribute, except for PSI and REP, which start at zero. / / 2 - Species Traits In Mega-City One, Robots are extremely hardy but not always very clever. They have beginning attribute adjustments of STR +2 and END +2. Robots have the option to pick any of the usual size options (small, medium or large). While Robots certainly exist which are larger or smaller than this range, these aren’t usually permitted to player-characters. Starting skills would usually be defi ned by the purpose the Robot is built for. But a few are common to most Robots and so are available nevertheless. A Robot may pick three of the following skill choices as their species skills. Species skill choices: computers, electronics, engineering, running, linguistics, [technical]. BEGINNING EXPLOITS All Robots begin with the following species exploits: » Asimov circuits. Robots must follow the 3 laws of Robotics unless these circuits have been removed. » Automaton. Robots do not need to eat, sleep or breathe, and weigh 150% normal. » Augmented. Choose a beginning exploit from the Robotic Exploits list. At any time a Robot can spend XP on the Systems Upgrade exploit to select additional Robotic Exploits. » Deterministic. A Robot’s PSI attribute can never rise above zero. A Robot can have a LUCK score, but it cannot spent LUC dice to gain bonuses to attribute checks. » Electronic vulnerability. As machines, Robots are vulnerable (1d6) to electrical damage and also vulnerable (2d6) to ion damage. » Mindless. Robots are immune to any attacks which target MENTAL DEFENCE. You should also make sure you have selected a Robot type: Service, Heavy Labour, Social, Professional, Expert, Combat or Illegal. Deterministic. A Robot’s PSI attribute can never Animal Robots It is possible to create animal Robots (by making your fi rst exploit pick the Animal Form Robotic exploit). However, Player Characters should be at least Human intelligence. Playing a Robot cat who is just a cat may be fun for a while but will get problematic very quickly. Animal Robots should pick a type of animal they resemble and an appropriate size to go with it. As sentient beings they can talk and reason, but are perfectly able to ‘play dumb’ when it would be useful to do so. The base form of the Robot will be for the animal in question, but most exploits should still apply. The Game Master will have the fi nal say on whether any particular exploit is appropriate. When it comes to career, animal Robots are a little more limited than most Robots. The same general rules for Robots and careers still apply. However, the career options may be more limited, given there are few wolverine bartenders or cat pilots. The fi nal word on which careers an animal Robot has available belongs to the Game Master. The following provides a general guideline: » Combat Robots – Tiger, Lion, Wolf » Hunter – Dog (bloodhound) » Peeper* – Cat, Mouse, Bird » Nanny – Bear (cuddly one) » Driver, Pilot – Monkey » Demolitions – Elephant, Dinosaur » Delivery Robot – Bird *In this case the Robot is an observer rather than manipulator. Usually Robots cannot become spies, but the Game Master may allow animal Robots slightly different options if the player can make a case, or adapt an existing career. NEW EXPLOIT Systems Upgrade (requires Robot). You upgrade yourself (or have yourself upgraded). You gain one Robotic Exploit. You may take this exploit multiple times.

24 / / 3 - Descriptor and Hook Having created a concept for your character adding a descriptor should be reasonably straightforward. Likewise a hook should be chosen as usual. As always, the player should have the career of the Robot in mind when considering a descriptor and hook. / / 4 - Careers For Robots form and function are inseparable. While some get reprogrammed, each is designed and built to fulfi l a particular role. While Robots come in many different shapes and sizes, their physical form is always defi ned by what they are intended to do. A nanny Robot is unlikely to be a huge tracked factory and it is rare to need a construction Robot to look and sound Human. For the same reason, Robots do not get a lot of choice in their career, although they are programmed to love what they do. Most non-player Robots usually only pick one career, and get no background and no training time. Instead they come off the production line and go straight into work. However, player-characters are special; it is possible that your Robot was reprogrammed from a previous career type and so PC Robots are free to select different careers. Robots pick no origin careers; their fi rst career is a regular career. Generally, Robots can choose any career that any other species can perform. However, a few are barred to them. » Robots cannot follow any career from the Psionic category. They cannot develop psi skills in any way, nor can they gain a PSI score. » They also cannot consider an artistic career unless the Game Master agrees. While plenty of Robots are capable of creating art, only a rare few are ever built to do so. Drudgery, not art, is the purpose of almost every Robot in Mega-City One. » Law enforcement is also barred to Robots, as only the Judges can dispense the law in Mega-City One. » Leadership positions (such as offi cers and diplomats) are also extremely rare. The career options by Robot type have been listed, with a few new careers as well as including many from the Core Rulebook. Where a career from the Core Rulebook is not listed, it is not available to Robots unless the Game Master approves. If the career is noted ‘as Core Rulebook’ a Robot can use it exactly as a non-Robot would. Once you have chosen a career you follow the same steps as detailed in the Core Rulebook. » Apply all the listed attribute bonuses. » Advance two of the listed skills (or a defensive skill). » Choose 1 career exploit, or a universal exploit. » Roll for the years spent in that career and repeat! ROBOTS AND EXPLOITS Robots can take the exploits for the listed careers without any trouble and also have the option of picking from special Robotic exploits via the universal exploit Systems Upgrade. In many cases, exploits represent a character’s personality and experience, which is the same for Robots. However, a Robot player is perfectly within their rights to change a career exploit into something more Robotic as long as the effect stays the same. So a Robot sniper might have ‘perfect aim’ due to an inbuilt laser sight, a Robot craftsman might turn their fi ngers into their ‘Toolkit’, a Robot bartender might have an inbuilt scanner for checking a ‘Fake ID’. So, once you have built your Robot, take a look at all their skills and abilities and see if you can add an extra Robotic twist to them. For some careers additional exploits have been created that may be taken by Robots or Humans. These are listed with the new careers. Big Robots! Robots in Judge Dredd come in a lot of different sizes, so you may be wondering only small, medium or large as size options are allowed. Some Robots are the size of a mouse, others the size of a mall, and you might want to play one as a character. The reason they are not included is simply due to their playability. Tiny Robots or house sized ones are very diffi cult to interact with. If no one can see you, or if you are too big to enter any buildings, there are a lot of scenes in an adventure that you just will not be able to take part in. However, you might decide that sitting out a lot of the game is worth it. So you can opt to take a size rating from outside the standard selection (with the Game Master’s agreement). If you do, take note of the restrictions it may have on attribute levels and any modifi ers to other traits. But remember that just taking one of these size options does not solve the potential problems. You should expect the Game Master to insist on further restrictions or adaptations depending on what direction you take your character. Additionally, there are two Robot exploits (Huge and Tiny) that allow you to play a large or small Robot. These are probably as far as you will need to go in either direction unless you want something extreme.

25 SPECIALISATION Robots have a tendency to become extremely specialised. You may fi nd Robot characters are only good at a couple of things, although they will be extremely good at those things. For this reason, the players are encouraged to make sure they pick a broad range of skills and abilities between them. If someone else wants to play a charming host, you might want to create a combat Robot instead. While exploits and your imagination will make two Robots with identical careers different, they will fi nd themselves competing to use their abilities. You will also fi nd the group as a whole may lack certain abilities that will make it hard for them to complete the adventure. While this specialisation grants you very high level abilities, Robots are still bound by the limits of their grade. It is also important to keep an eye on how your dice pools are growing to avoid wasting points. But specialisation is not always a bad thing, and your Robot character’s expertise will probably be invaluable at some point. / / 5 to 9 - Final Steps The remainder of character creation is the same as usual for Robotic characters. 5. Select aim or feint (free universal exploits) plus one other universal exploit (or Robotic exploit) of your choice for which you qualify. You may also pick up two ‘Robotic Faults’ for your Robot (see below). 6. Choose one trait based on your highest or lowest attribute and note that in your descriptor. 7. You can determine your age, but for Robots this is only a number. They do not gain the benefi ts or penalties for age. 8. Calculate your derived statistics. 9. Spend money to equip your character with armour, weapons and equipment. AGEING ROBOTS Robots generally do not age, or at least not the same way Humans do. You should determine how long your Robot has been around though. To do this, roll for the time spent in their career and that is how many years old they are. There is no base age to work from; once they leave the production line they are put to work. Robots also spend a little longer in their careers and so you should double the result of every d6 you roll for age. While Robots generally do not get old, some of them tend to wind down after a good many years. For older Robots you may wish to pick faults that relate to their age. Careers by Robot Type Careers marked with an asterisk (*) can be found in the Judge Dredd & The Worlds of 2000AD core rulebook. Service Robots » Bartender, Dispenser, Delivery Robot, Domestic, Waiter Heavy Labour Robots » Construction, Demolitions, Farmer, Labourer, Miner Social Robots » Host/Hostess, Star*, Pleasure Robot, Priest, Receptionist, Professional Robots » Administrator, Driver, Employee*, Journalist*, Personal Assistant, Peeper**, Pilot **actually a Surveillance Robot, may not take Blackmailer or Star Child Expert Robots » Boffi n*, Craftsman, Engineer, Fence**, Medic, Nanny, Private Investigator, Scientist* **If working legally this Robot is an Appraiser Combat Robots » Bounty Hunter, Citi-Def*, Heavy Weapons Specialist, Henchman*, Hitman*, Offi cer, Scout/Special Forces Illegal Robots » Burglar*, Chop Shop Mechanic*, Fence*, Hacker*, Heister*, Henchman*, Hitman*, Mob Boss*, Muscle*, Scavenger*

26 ROBOTIC EXPLOITS Robots are often augmented with a myriad of abilities and powers so they can perform their jobs better. These exploits are divided into several categories, but only for the sake of convenience: » Appearance and Form. What the Robot looks like and how they are built. » Mental and Sensory Acuity. How advanced their computing and sensory capabilities are. » Special Attributes. Abilities they have that go beyond Human norms. » Tools and Gadgets. Inbuilt items and tools. In choosing exploits the player should consider carefully what this will make the Robot look like. If you pick multiple arms does it have two more or is it a mass of tentacles? If it has tracks does it look like a tank or just like it has advanced roller skates on its feet? With all cases of Robots the assumption is that you begin with a Humanoid frame. However, all Humanoid means is that you have two arms and two legs. You might have a screen instead of a face, be tall and thin, or short and squat. Your arms might be articulated like a Human being or extendable tentacles. There are plenty of ways to individualise your Robot even if it stays ‘Humanoid’. Using Robotic exploits you can adapt your form into anything you like. Given the variety of Robots in Mega-City One, we encourage you to go a little crazy! If you want a twenty armed hot dog vendor Robot with a ludicrous French accent and layers of armour, go for it! But you should always keep in mind what you Robot is designed to do (and their type). A cleaning Robot will not have an inbuilt weapon, a social Robot is unlikely to have armour plating and a combat Robot probably will not have a charming personality. Discuss your choices with your Game Master, as they are free to veto anything you pick if it does not fi t your original design. However, Robots in Mega-City One are often multifunctional and the Game Master should be willing to listen to some pretty crazy reasons for weird modifi cations. Appearance and Form Attractive. Even though you are a Robot, you are somehow very alluring. It might be an elegant curve or a charming smile, or just a certain ‘je n’est ces pas’. You gain a +1d6 bonus when trying to tempt or seduce other Robots or even Humans. Attribute enhancement. Robots often have attributes that surpass Human limits. With this exploit you may pick one attribute and add 3 to it. You may take this exploit multiple times for the same or different attributes. But remember the maximums associated with grade and that there are many special abilities you may be missing out on by spending your exploits on attributes. Armour. The Robot is plated with armour, giving it SOAK 5. The Robot’s weight is 200% normal instead of 150%, and it cannot swim (sinking to the bottom of any liquid, although it does not need to breathe and can walk on the bottom). Animal form. Instead of Humanoid, your base form is that of an animal. You might be the four legged kind, a bird or even a dragon. You have the natural physical abilities of such a creature, but you get no other bonuses unless you take them as further exploits. So a bird can fl y, but a dragon cannot automatically breathe fi re. Also see the Animal Robots sidebar on page XX. Chrome skin. The Robot has a chrome skin which grants it +5 SOAK against heat damage (not compatible with Organic Appearance).

27 Cute. Your form has been made to look, well, just cute and cuddly. You might be a big teddy bear or just have a cute nose. You gain a +1d6 bonus to Human interaction (especially children) and are more likely to be underestimated as you are just adorable. Decentralised control systems. Your main processors are spread out all over your body, meaning that no single hit (even losing your head) is considered a critical hit. Durable infrastructure. The Robot gains 1d6 HEALTH. This exploit may be taken multiple times. Enduring. The Robot does not fall unconscious at 0 HEALTH and may act as normal. It still dies in the same way though. Extendible limbs. Your arms and/or legs are telescopic, allowing you to extend them up to three times longer than they are. Graceful. You have been built using some very expensive gears. While you are not any more fl exible than usual, you move with greater grace and elegance. You may add +1d6 when making any physical performance (such as dance or acrobatics). Human appearance (requires Organic appearance). The Robot is indistinguishable from a Human without a proper medical scan. It even feels warm and mimics breathing, blinking and so on. This exploit may not be taken with any exploit that appears non-Human (such as multiple legs) or any armour exploits. Improved armour (requires Armour). While the base armour is a steel composite which gives SOAK 5, you can increase your Robot’s SOAK to 10. Organic appearance. The Robot has an outer covering resembling a Human (or other species), although not so alike that it would fool anyone for long. This is achieved from synthetic or organic tissue which covers the interior endoskeleton. Any injury will clearly reveal the Robot’s true nature, as will any interaction for more than a minute or so. Gripping hands/feet. You can magnetise or tightly clamp to a surface or object with your hands and feet to gain extra purchase. It makes your grip exceptionally diffi cult to break or allows you to stand unmoved when subjected to an exterior force. When testing to see if your grip can be broken you may double your STR score (not dice). Multiple arms. The Robot has several arms, allowing it to carry multiple different items at the same time. Multiple legs. The Robot has four or more legs. It ignores diffi cult terrain. Secret compartment. You have a small area inside your body that you can use to store small objects. It can only be opened by you, unless someone decides to break in. Spotting the compartment requires a Demanding [21] INT check. Tracks (requires Wheels). Wheels can be upgraded to Treads, which removes the diffi cult terrain penalty. Vehicle. You are either a car or a bike, meaning you have no arms or legs. But you do gain the Armour and Wheels exploits for free. You should decide if you are a bike or a small car, and this will determine the amount of passengers you can take. You are capable of self-driving, as long as you take the driving skill. When you take this ability you should appreciate there may be many places a vehicle might not be able to go, not least because it cannot fi t through the door. For this reason, a bike is usually the best choice. Wheels. The Robot moves on wheels instead of legs. This reduces its SPEED to 2 across diffi cult terrain, but increases its SPEED by 2 on normal terrain. Mental & Sensory Acuity 360-degree sensors. The Robot has visual sensors which cover a full 360-degree circle, or a fully rotating head or sensor apparatus, giving it all-round sight. It is not affected by crossfi re or fl anking. Charming. The Robot is programmed to be especially polite and amenable, granting a +1d6 bonus when interacting with Humans. Combat programming. You can suspend your Asimov circuits with respect to killing and hurting Humans as long as they fi t a ‘target profi le’ given to you by your (Human) commander. This might be anything from ‘people in the enemy uniform’ to ‘anyone I don’t like’. The downside is that you will open fi re on anyone you believe fi ts the profi le.

28 Compute. The Robot can absorb a large document (the equivalent of a major novel or textbook) in a minute, or make complex calculations and computations. Any processing times for mental tasks are halved. Infrared sensors. The Robot’s visual sensors can see in the dark as well as in the light. The Robot effectively gains superior darksight. Memory backup. If the Robot’s body is destroyed, its memories and personality may still be accessed, and placed in a new Robot body. The new body has its own attributes and exploits, but the old character’s skills and memories. To do this, an engineer must make a LOG check with a diffi culty equal to three times the Robot’s grade. Protocol package. The Robot is able to read speak, and understand any language fl uently. This does not enable it to break codes, ciphers or encrypted data, however. Skill package. This exploit grants basic understanding on a wide range of skills. When you take the exploit, pick one of the standard skill groups ([academic], [combat], [technical] and so on). While you do not gain points in any of these skills, you may now ignore any unskilled penalties for using them. This exploit may be taken multiple times for different skills groups. Special Attributes Access ports. The Robot can “plug in” to a computer or computerised system, granting it a +1d6 bonus to computer checks. Autorepair systems. Once per day, the Robot can activate its repair systems to recover 2d6 HEALTH. This costs two actions. Carrying capacity. The Robot doubles its standard carrying capacity. Chameleon system. The chameleon system allows the Robot to change colour to match its environment, granting it +1d6 to stealth-based attribute checks. Electrical discharge. The Robot can shock a target by using a regular unarmed attack; this increases the Robot’s unarmed damage by +1d6 and changes it to electricity damage. If this exploit is taken a second time, the electrical discharge can be upgraded to a ranged attack with a range increment of 4. EMP protection. You are electrically shielded and do not suffer from electronic vulnerability. Forcefi eld. The Robot can generate a protective forcefi eld which operates just like a worn forcefi eld generator. It grants the Robot +2 DEFENCE, but takes an action to activate and can only operate for one minute at a time before needing an hour to recharge. Mimicry. The Robot has a voice synthesiser which can mimic any voice or sound. Wireless. You are able to connect to wireless signals, meaning you are never unconnected in an urban environment. This allows you to access other public computer systems whenever you like. Tools and Gadgets Flight jets (requires Rocket boosters). The Robot gains fl ight as a natural movement mode at a speed equal to its regular SPEED score. Integrated equipment. Gear like fi re extinguishers, communicators, magboots or even parachutes can be integrated into the Robot. See Integrated Equipment sidebar below. Recording equipment. You have both camera and audio recording devices that allow you to make visual and audio recordings of any situation you are in, that you can store digitally and download as required. Rocket boosters. The Robot’s JUMP scores increase to 30’ horizontally and vertically. Scanner. The Robot has an inbuilt scanner (equivalent to a hand scanner) which it is always considered to be carrying. This scanner might be part of its body, or simply part of its sensory equipment, and may or may not be visible. Weapon integration. The Robot has some kind of ranged or melee weapon integrated into its body. Choose a weapon from the core rules. The weapon must be the same size category as the Robot or smaller, and worth 100cr or less. This exploit can be taken multiple times to incorporate multiple weapons, or to double the value of the weapon each time (so taking it three times results in a weapon with a value of up to 400cr). Integrated Equipment The following list contains some examples of equipment which can be integrated into an android. This list is by no means exhaustive. Gear must usually be of a smaller size than the Robot itself. » Backpack » Beacon, subspace » Binoculars, electronic » Bugsweeper » Communicators » Fire extinguisher » Geiger counter » Flashlight » Magboots » Parachute » Toolkit (medical, engineering, etc.) » Cutting torch » Holographic projector The quality of an item of equipment can be increased by simply selecting the same upgrade a second or third time. Each time the upgrade is taken, the item is increased in quality by one category. However, the Robot still requires an appropriate skill level to make use of higher quality equipment.

29 ROBOTIC FAULTS Not every Robot is perfect, and in Mega-City One few even come close. While some are designed badly, others run far longer than they were meant to or have been reprogrammed so often they have gone a little crazy. You do not need to pick a Robotic fault, but if you do you may add another Robotic exploit to your character. To choose a fl aw, roll 1d66 on the following table. You may only choose a fl aw when you fi rst create your character; you may not choose one later. 11-12 Annoying There is something deeply annoying about your Robot. It might have a lisp, constantly drum its fi ngers, have an over developed sense of pedantry and so on. Whatever it is, and however minor it is, for some reason it just rubs people up the wrong way. You make them snappish by your very presence. You suffer a -1d6 penalty to Human interaction, and Humans in your presence suffer -1d6 to any social rolls. 13-14 Blunt Your Robot has minimal people skills and only speaks in short and very direct sentences. They must frame and conversation as either orders or requests for information. “What is kiss?” “I’m sorry Dave, I can’t do that.” “You have 20 seconds to comply.” 15-16 Delicate Your creator built you on the cheap out of shoddy materials. Every time you take damage you must add 2 to the total result. 21-22 Dissatisfied You hate your job. Maybe some polarity is reversed in your programming or you have been reprogrammed in some way. But whatever the reason, you hate doing the thing you are programmed to do. You might be a cleaning Robot who hates to clean or a combat Robot who hates to fi ght. You will follow orders but do your best to avoid performing your programmed function. You also complain all the time and constantly try to convince your masters you should be allowed to do something, anything, else. 23-24 Gaudy You have been designed to fi t with the latest fashions and trends in Robot style, making you covered in extra panels, spoilers and general ‘sticky out bits’ that can catch and get in the way. Whenever you are moving at speed or in a crowded or tight area, roll 1d6. If you roll a 1 you are caught on something and must lose an action to free yourself. 25-26 Heavy Someone decided to make you out of especially heavy metals and parts. So your weight is 250% of the Human equivalent. This grants you no extra armour or resilience. 31-32 High grade parts You are a bespoke model from an exclusive Robotic designer. This makes all upgrades and repairs 150% more expensive for you. 33-34 Literal You do not understand sarcasm or most jokes, and take people at their absolute word. If a Human says ‘Go jump off a bridge!’ you will take that as an order. Humans are very confusing to you. 35-36 Noisy Something about your gears is squeaky, rattles or grinds badly. Whatever the cause you have never been able to solve it and it cannot be fi xed. You suffer a -1d6 penalty on at stealth checks and most people can hear you whenever you move. 41-42 Obsession There is something you just cannot resist. It might be singing to your favourite song or going mushy over a cute puppy. Whatever it is, in whatever circumstance you fi nd yourself, if it comes up you must make a diffi culty 15 Will test to resist the urge to follow your obsession. 43-44 Oil obsessive All Robots love their oil, but you really love your oil. If oil is available, you have to have it. Whatever else is going on, if oil is available you will do anything to get to it and will not leave until it has all gone. 45-46 Oil sweat When you are nervous, frightened or upset, you tend to sweat or cry oil. It leaks out of you all over the place, covering you in oil and leaving oil where you have been. 51-52 Outcast For some reason, other Robots just do not like you. You usually get on well with Humans, although if you have also taken the Annoying fault the reason for the dislike may be identical in both cases. When interacting with other Robots you suffer a -1d6 penalty. You also do not get invited to any Robot parties. 53-54 Overprogrammed You have been reprogrammed one too many times and (regardless of career choices) you must pick a career you occasionally lapse into. Roll 1d6 every time you enter a stressful situation. If the result is 1 your personality changes to that of a dedicated Robot of this other career. This effect lasts for a scene, after which you can roll the dice again. While in this state you cannot use any skills that are not directly relevant to the other career. 55-56 Pleasure circuits While not technically a fl aw, pleasure circuits actually reduce a Robot’s effectiveness. As they can feel pleasure they are distracted from other tasks whenever they experience it, and they gain a Human’s drive to seek it out. Once per game session, any time they fail a roll the Game Master may decide they are ‘distracted by pleasure’ and rule they are out of commission for the rest of the scene. This might be enjoying the hum of a vacuum cleaner, the soft feeling of a new rug, how blue the sky looks today or stroking a puppy. Given these circuits are only given as a great reward you must have the Game Master’s permission (and a good reason) to take this fault. 61-62 Self-destruct system While not popular with intelligent Robots, self-destruct systems do exist. They can be combined with a memory backup. When a Robot self-destructs, it spends two actions to activate the systems and then explodes at the start of its next turn. It causes 1d6 heat damage per size category to all within 30’. Alternatively, it is possible to automate the selfdestruct system to activate when the Robot reaches zero HEALTH. 63-64 Servile You do not just like Humans, you love them. Nothing makes you happier than obeying orders and serving humanity. You cannot refuse any order from a Human master unless it puts Humans at risk. You would gladly throw yourself under a mopad just to amuse your Human masters and constantly seek out ways to serve needs they have yet to voice. 65-66 Slow Your gears may be wearing out or perhaps a form of Robotic arthritis has set in. Whatever the case you are not very spry anymore and must halve all you movement rates. Luckily this is only due to a slow walking speed so your initiative is not affected.

30 NEW CAREERS The core rulebook doesn’t contain a wide variety of general “employment” careers, because Humans rarely have jobs in Mega-City One. However, when it comes to Robots, it’s different - Robots exist to fi ll all these roles so that Humans don’t have to (although there are Humans with jobs, and so all characters may select from these careers). The following are new career options. Some are completely new, while others are adaptations of existing careers or origin options. As usual, the Game Master should be the fi nal adjudicator on what new careers become available for which characters in the game. Administrator (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: bureaucracy. » Attributes: INT +1, LOG +1, WIL +1, LUC +1 » Skill choices: accounting, business, bureaucracy, computers, concentration, economics, law, leadership, linguistics You are an offi ce worker, covering a wide variety of bureaucratic tasks. This might include fi ling, preparing documents and checking over terms and conditions as well as taking minutes and many others. EXPLOITS » Paper Master. You are skilled at navigating the complexities of legal and business documentation. Gain a +1d6 bonus when investigating any paper trail. » Red Tape. You know how to make paperwork and bureaucratic systems work. You can use this exploit to halve the time it takes to get a permit or fi le a license, or hold it up indefi nitely. Bartender (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: none. » Attributes: END +1, INT +1, CHA +1, LUC +1 » Skill choices: brawling, brewing, carousing, clubs, cooking, perception, [social] You tend bar and listen to other peoples’ problems. EXPLOITS » Bouncer. You are used to dealing with drunkards. You gain a +1d6 bonus to all checks against an intoxicated creature. » Fake ID. Years of checking for fake IDs mean that you can spot the telltale signs. You gain a +1d6 bonus to detect forgeries. » Gossip. You can gather local gossip and information simply by spending an hour in a bar or other watering hole, effectively giving you the local knowledge skill wherever you go as long as you are able to refresh your knowledge at a local bar weekly. Bounty Hunter (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: none. » Attributes: AGI +1, INT +1, LOG +1, REP +1 » Skill choices: [combat], computers, intimidate, law, perception, piloting, stealth, tracking As a bounty hunter you spend time tracking down and capturing wanted criminals. Within Mega-City One bounty hunters are very strictly controlled, with only a handful in the entire city being given licenses. Others operate illegally or base themselves within the city and then hunt their targets beyond its borders. EXPLOITS » Datamining. You are able to locate a target’s current location down to a specifi c sector by accessing credit, criminal, customs and other records if you have access to a computer link.

31 » Dogged Pursuit. Any attribute checks you have to make when actively pursuing a target gain +1d6. » Prey. You may choose a particular target (muties, apes, Judges...). You gain a +1d6 bonus to attempts to track targets of that species. Construction (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: none. » Attributes: STR +2, END +2 » Skill choices: ambidexterity, hardy, perception, [physical], resistance You are skilled in the construction of buildings and other structures. You know something of stress and tolerance and how to build walls, windows and doors. You are able to work with a variety of building materials and have the skills to join any part of the construction process. EXPLOITS » Fast Builder. You can build any structure (such as a building or barricade) in half the usual time it requires. » Quick Cover. You can spend one round to quickly build 5’ of cover. You can make it larger, but it takes you one minute per additional 5’. Craftsman (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: [crafting] or [technical]. » Attributes: STR +1, AGI +1, LOG +1, CHA +1 » Skill choices: [artistic], [crafting], [technical] In an age of mass production, you have the skills to make thing by hand. Some people are still interested in having hand crafted items and as a Robot you can make them quicker than most. EXPLOITS » Builder. Assuming raw materials are available, you can make an item of equipment in one day by rolling a LOG check vs. one-tenth the item’s value. » Fixer. You gain a +1d6 bonus to any attempt to repair something. » Handyman. Choose four [crafting] skills. You gain these four skills at 1 rank (1d6). This » does not increase the rank of an existing skill. » Toolkit. You gain a set of high quality tools. Delivery Robot (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: none. » Attributes: AGI +2, END +1, REP +1 » Skill choices: appraisal, driving, local knowledge, perception, piloting, [physical] You take letters and parcels across Mega-City One as fast as you can, much like a cycle courier. Speed is the most important factor as long as the goods get to where they are going. You will also need to evade anyone seeking to steal whatever valuables you carry. EXPLOITS » Coming Through! People are used to delivery Robots buzzing around and are much less likely to challenge you when you enter a building. You are automatically ignored in most normal situations, and gain +1d6 when dealing with security. » Pony Express. You can increase your speed by 50% for one minute per day. If you take this exploit a second time you double your speed instead. Dogged Pursuit. Any attribute checks you have to It’s all getting a bit silly! Robots can be pretty strange, and even the most ordinary Robots will have weird personality quirks and odd modes of behaviour. While this is usual for Robots in the slightly insane world of Mega-City One, it is easy to go pretty crazy with Robots (in our playtest, one of the Player Characters was a seven foot tall corn on the cob who advertised sweetcorn in a very chirpy voice). Put simply, you might tend to go completely gonzo using these rules and create some really crazy Robotic oddities. Now, if you are interested in playing a comedy game, or you like extreme craziness, then that is fi ne. Robots are often the comic relief after all and their quirks are part of their charm. But that does not mean you have to go silly if you do not want to. If you want to darken the mood a little, there are a few things you can do. In many ways it really depends how the Game Master runs the game. Are you going to encourage laughter when the plucky sweetcorn Robot charges into a fi ght? Instead you can emphasise the way this minor host Robot is going to get crushed to death by a brutal foe. The player can also emphasise how their Robot might be about to die but refuses to stand by and do nothing when there is so much at stake. The other thing to guard against is escalation. If the Game Master responds to player silliness with more silliness, things will get very crazy very quickly. The natural to and fro between players and Game Master will be the reason the mood is cascading. Of course, a silly game can be a lot of fun, so do not think for a minute you should not do it if you wish. The Robot system here is designed to let you create some truly ‘unique’ characters. But it is depth and character that keep a game going and developing. So if you want to play your Robot characters for longer than a couple of sessions, you will need to bring the focus away from the craziness, at least some of the time.

32 Demolitions (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: none. » Attributes: STR +2, END +2 » Skill choices: ambidexterity, demolitions/explosives, hardy, intimidate, perception, [physical], resistance Everything has an end and that is where you come in. When buildings need to be knocked down, vehicles crushed or rubble cleared away, they call on you. Along with a team of huge Robots, you get to deal with the big jobs. EXPLOITS » Big Jobs! You do double damage when trying to destroy buildings and other large structures. » Spot Weakness. You add 2d6 to your dice pool when looking to fi nd a weakness in a building or similar construction. Dispenser (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: none. » Attributes: END +2, WIL +1, CHA +1 » Skill choices: carousing, linguistics, local knowledge, perception, [physical], resistance While most people think of you as a walking soda dispenser, you like to think you work in sales. With a cheery smile and positive attitude, you go where you are needed to bring soda and sandwiches to the hungry. EXPLOITS » Leg Work. You know your local area intimately. All tests involving local knowledge gain a bonus of +1d6. » Unthreatening. You do not look dangerous at all. In any fi ght, you will not be targeted unless you attack someone or attempt an action the opposition will want to stop. Domestic (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: none. » Attributes: STR +1, AGI +1, END +1, WIL +1, » Skill choices: accounting, cleaning, computers, cooking, [developmental], driving, linguistics, [miscellaneous hobby skills] You are destined for a life of drudgery as a domestic goddess. You can clean, polish, cooks and generally ensure that any house or offi ce is always spick and span. Few people give you the respect you deserve, but you know you have done a good job. EXPLOITS » Unobtrusive. Wherever you are, people see you as part of the scenery. If you wish to remain unnoticed you gain a bonus of +1d6. » Unsuspicious. Everybody trusts a service droid; it does not even occur to them that one might lie or attack. You gain a +1d6 bonus to all attempts to bluff or deceive or to access an ambush turn. Driver (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: driving. » Attributes: AGI +1, INT +1, LOG +1, LUC +1 » Skill choices: driving, computers, gunnery, navigation, reactions You are a master of driving ground vehicles, as possibly a taxi driver or chauffeur. This career mirrors most of the exploits available to the Pilot career but applies them to ground vehicles such as cars, lorries or motorbikes. EXPLOITS » Evasive Driving. A vehicle you are driving gains additional DEFENCE equal to your AGI attribute dice pool.

33 » Evasive Manoeuvre [requires Evasive Driving]. As a reaction, you may designate one incoming ranged attack per round and gain an additional +2 DEFENCE against it. » Full Stop. As an action, you can bring a vehicle to an immediate stop without needing to decelerate. This causes 1d6 damage to the vehicle’s superstructure. » Pedal to the Metal. Increase the ACCEL rating of a vehicle you are driving by 1 point. » Push the Limits. You can increase a vehicle’s maximum SPEED by 2 points. » Road Gunner. You may ignore penalties to actions and attacks taken while driving. » Sideslip. You can move your vehicle in a sideslip manoeuvre. This moves it one square forward and one square sideways for the cost of one point of movement. Engineer (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: engineering. » Attributes: STR +1, AGI +1, LOG +1, LUC +1 » Skill choices: bureaucracy, [technical], zero-g You became an engineer, profi cient at manipulating technology and repairing devices and engines. EXPLOITS » Explosives. You can create explosives from common items and surroundings. The explosive takes 30 minutes to make, and causes 3d6 heat damage to all within 5’. The explosive can be stored, but only for up to two hours. » Jury-rig. You can temporarily repair and jury-rig a broken item of size Medium or smaller by spending fi ve minutes with it. The item will operate for a number of minutes equal to your LOG check. If you spend one hour with it, it will operate for a number of hours equal to your LOG check. If you spend a day with it, it will operate for a number of days equal to your LOG check. » Saboteur. You are able to disable any mechanical or electronic device to which you have access. This exploit does not open a locked door (disabling the lock just means it remains stuck in whatever confi guration it is currently in). This takes you fi ve minutes. » Technical Knowledge Base. Choose four [technical] skills. You gain these four skills at 1 rank (1d6). This does not increase the rank of an existing skill. » Upgrade. You can modify a piece of electronic equipment of size Small or smaller to upgrade it permanently to a high quality item. This process takes one hour, but the item can only be used by you due to unfamiliar and jury-rigged controls, and renders it monetarily worthless. Farmer (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: none. » Attributes: STR +2, END +2 » Skill choices: [crafting], driving (farm vehicle), [outdoor], [physical] You work in the great outdoors, farming the land. Well, in Mega-City One it is likely to be an agricultural dome, given that almost all land outside the confi nes of the city is a wasteland. But even so, it is good to get your hands in the soils (reprocessed plastisoil that is). In order to feed the masses of the city new farms are being constructed in the Cursed Earth, in locations where the contaminants are not overly dangerous, so it is possible for you to be put to work in these new facilities instead. EXPLOITS » Botanist. You can recognise most plant species, and always know what ones are safe to eat and which are poisonous. » Herbicide. Your knowledge of the best way to kill unwanted plants means you deal an additional +1d6 damage when you attack any you encounter. While this is never necessary to deal with common pests using this exploit, against giant mobile alien maneating plants can be a lifesaver. » Pesticide. Your knowledge of the best way to kill pests means you deal an additional +1d6 damage when you attack any you encounter. While this is never necessary to deal with common pests against giant mutated versions it can be a lifesaver. » Green Fingers. Plants under your care just do not die. Fence (additional exploits) » Quick Look. You can make a rough judgment as to the value of an item with nothing more than a quick glance over the object. While a proper appraisal is required for a better fi gure, you can guess the item’s value within +/- 30% » Neutral Voice. Unless you demonstrate a clear bias, you are considered neutral and impartial when facilitating a deal between two parties. Heavy Weapons Specialist (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: STR 8+, heavy weapons. » Attributes: STR +1, AGI +1, END +1, WILL +1 » Skill choices: bravery, carrying, climbing, [combat], heavy weapons, running Someone needs to carry the big guns and that is you. Less of a soldier and more of a mobile weapons platform you need to be strong and fi t to wield these powerful cannons. EXPLOITS » I Can Manage. Weapons you are carrying cost only half their usual encumbrance value. » Big Shot. When rolling damage, your damage dice explode. » Fast Reload. You can reload a heavy weapon as a free action. Host/Hostess (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: none. » Attributes: LOG +1, CHA +2, REP +1 » Skill choices: [social]

34 Your job is to welcome patrons and clients to an establishment. It might be a high class casino or the local shoplex, but it makes no difference to you. Everyone is welcome and everyone deserves the same respect and cheerful smile when they visit. EXPLOITS » Likable. You are just plain nice, and get a +1d6 bonus on social interactions. » Unremittingly Cheerful. You do not suffer from depression and can help others feel better by staying positive. You can remove the Afraid condition from an ally within 30’ as a single action. Labourer (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: none. » Attributes: STR +2, AGI +1, END +1 » Skill choices: concentration, hardy, intimidate, perception, [physical] Your job is simple, pick up what they tell you and put it where they tell you. If it is heavy, you are there to lift it. You might stack things in a large warehouse, unload ships at the spaceport or just work clearing rubble on building sites. The work is not diffi cult but there is always stuff to do, a strong back is always useful to someone. EXPLOITS » Skilled Lifter. You can lift and carry twice your usual carrying capacity for up to fi ve minutes. » Stackmaster. You have an exceptional sense of space and shape. When packing items together you use a quarter less space than anyone else without this exploit. This has the effect of increasing your CARRY score by 25% and, if you spend fi ve minute packing their items, that of any allies. Medic (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: medicine. » Attributes: AGI +1, INT +1, LOG +1, CHA +1 » Skill choices: bureaucracy, computers, medicine, psychology You enter the medical profession. If you have gained a doctorate at college, you do so as a doctor; otherwise you are referred to as a nurse or medic. EXPLOITS » Bedside Manner. You gain a medical pouch and a medical scanner. Your long-term care is of such quality that your patient gains an additional 1d6 HEALTH per day. You may only have one patient under your long-term care at a time. » Diagnosis. You gain +1d6 bonus to all scans made with a medical scanner, and a +1d6 bonus to identify or treat diseases. Make a Diffi cult [16] LOG check before advancing any attributes. If you succeed, you discovered a new disease or illness which is named after you; you also gain 1 bonus REP attribute point. » Exceptional Healing Hands [requires Healing Hands]. Your Healing Hands ability increases to 2d6 points of HEALTH. » Healing hands. Using basic medical equipment, you can heal 1d6 points of HEALTH to an adjacent creature as a single action. Any given creature can only benefi t from your healing in this way once per day. » Resuscitation [requires Exceptional Healing Hands]. You can revive a seemingly dead creature with a LOG check. The creature must have “died” within the last fi ve minutes, and the diffi culty value of the check is 20 + the damage of the attack that killed it. The creature wakes up with 1 HEALTH. » Ward Management [requires Bedside Manner]. You are an expert at running and managing a ward or sickbay. The number of patients you can have under your long-term care is increased to the value of your LOG attribute. Miner (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: none. » Attributes: STR +1, END +1, WIL +1, LUC +1 » Skill choices: appraising, carousing, carrying, climbing, hammers, mining, picks, survival, [technical] There is nothing like a few years spent down a tritanium mine to build character.

35 EXPLOITS » Darksight. You have spent so much time below ground that you’ve developed darksight to a distance of 30’. » Identify Substance. You can identify by sight any mineral or metal based substance automatically. » Mining Hazards. You gain a +2d6 bonus to spot underground hazards and traps. » Toxic Gases. The underground is full of toxic fumes, and you are able to “suck” them in to protect your Human co-workers. You grant a SOAK of 5 vs. gas to all within 10’ of you.. » Underground Sense. When underground you can always determine direction and depth and pick a route to the surface. Nanny (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: none. » Attributes: END +1, INT +1, WIL +1, CHA +1 » Skill choices: [academic], concentration, insight, perception, [social] It is up to you to look after the juves, and often to educate then as a home schooler. While some parents are very involved and work with you as partners, others use you to shirk their responsibilities. Robot nannies come in many forms, some are matronly fi gures and others are built as animated soft toys. EXPLOITS » Gamer. You know the rules to most sports and games. If you do not have a [gaming] or [sport] skill, you may use it as if you had it at rank 1. If you later buy such a skill you still need to purchase the fi rst level as normal. » Good with Kids. You gain a +1d6 bonus when interacting with juves, whether trying to gain their confi dence or telling them to go to bed. » Teacher Voice. Something about you is innately commanding. Gain +1d6 to social interaction when you are giving a direct order or attempting to intimidate anyone. » Well Rounded. You are well read on a broad range of subjects so you can perform as a tutor. If you do not have an [academic] skill, you may use it as if you had it at rank 1. If you later buy such a skill you still need to purchase the fi rst level as normal. Offi cer (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: leadership, LOG 5+. » Attributes: AGI +1, INT +1, LOG +1, CHA +1 » Skill choices: bravery, bluffi ng, climbing, [combat], insight, interrogation, leadership, perception, stealth, survival, tactics You are a leader of men, women, aliens or Robots. You may have served in the front lines yourself or studied tactics and strategy from the safety of academia. But now you are in the fi eld and your unit will be looking to you for guidance and to get them all home. EXPLOITS » Forward Planning. When you and the team have made a plan, each member of the team gains a +1d6 for a particular skill while the plan is being executed (relevant to their part of the plan). But if any member of the team diverts from the plan for any reason, the whole team lose this bonus. » Morale Boost. Anyone under your command who has followed your orders gains +1d6 to any WIL or END roll. » Take Command. Once per day you can make everyone in your nearby area stop talking and listen to what you have to say. The Game Master is the arbiter of what is considered nearby, but certainly everyone at the gaming table has to shut up and listen to you. You had better have something good to say though. All allies within 30’ of you gain one bonus action. Personal Assistant (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: none. » Attributes: INT +1, LOG +2, CHA +1 » Skill choices: business, bureaucracy, carousing, computers, concentration, economics, law, linguistics Your job is to organise the life of your employer. This can mean picking up their dry cleaning, but mainly means organising their diary and appointments. If you do well you become a trusted right arm, but at the same time end up as a general dogsbody. EXPLOITS » Between the Cracks. You have access to so much data and resources that siphoning off some of it for personal use is simple. When attempting to gain information on any company or business you gain a +1d6 bonus. » Connections. You know so much about daily business life you can make predictions about what companies are about to do what based on their drives and past performance. Once per day you can ask the Game Master a question about the intentions of any company which he will have to answer truthfully. Pilot (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: piloting. » Attributes: AGI +1, INT +1, LOG +1, LUC +1 » Skill choices: astronomy, computers, gunnery, piloting, navigation, reactions You fl y shuttles and other fl ying vehicles, mostly as a taxi service for the wealthy. EXPLOITS » Push the Limits. You can exceed a craft’s normal maximum speed by 50% for 3 rounds » Evasive Flying. A craft which you pilot gains a DEFENCE bonus equal to your AGI attribute dice pool. » Evasive Manoeuvre [requires Evasive Flying]. As an action, you may designate one incoming missile per round and gain an additional +5 DEFENCE against it.

36 » Stay on Target [requires Evasive Flying]. While in the rear arc of a target craft, you negate any bonus it gets from Evasive Flying. » Sideslip. You can move your craft in a sideslip manoeuvre. This moves it one space forward and one space sideways for the cost of one point of movement. Pleasure Robot (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: Human appearance (exploit) » Attributes: AGI +1, END +1, CHA +2 » Skill choices: appraisal, bluffi ng, carousing, fl irtation, [gaming], insight, linguistics, negotiating, perception, [performance], [physical], resistance You exist to serve the more carnal needs of your client. You might work for one particular person as a companion or serve a multitude of clients as a freelancer or as part of a brothel. Either way, there is always plenty of work. EXPLOITS » Darkest Desire. You are good at fi guring out what people really want and getting secrets out of them. All tests to determine what someone really wants gain a +1d6 bonus. » Lil ol’ Me? You are good at getting people to trust you and warm to you. You can automatically convince someone you are on their side (or have switched sides) until you either attack or betray them in some way. Priest (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: religion. » Attributes: INT +1, WIL +1, CHA +1, LUC +1 » Skill choices: bureaucracy, crafting, cryptology, leadership, linguistics, meditation, perception, performing, religion, [trivia] Few people in Mega-City One are religious, but many of them still like to have priests around to confi de in. Your job is mostly community management and providing a shoulder to cry on, but it works. EXPLOITS » Confessional. Your insights into the morality of living things enables you to draw confessions from others. Given an hour of conversation, you gain a +2d6 bonus to checks designed to gain information from another creature. » Unshakeable Faith. You have faith, a peace of mind and an inner tranquillity which is hard to penetrate. You gain +5 to your MENTAL DEFENCE. » Respect. Your position in the clergy grants you a certain reverence from others. Sentient opponents able to recognise your occupation take a -1d6 penalty to attack you on their fi rst attack as long as you have not attacked them fi rst. Receptionist (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: none. » Attributes: INT +1, LOG +1, CHA +2 » Skill choices: bluffi ng, bureaucracy, carousing, computers, intimidate, linguistics, local knowledge, negotiating Like a host/hostess, you are there to welcome people to a building or company. But you are also the centre point for information and in the company. You know everyone who works there, and they all know you. EXPLOITS » Corporate Lore. You know all there is to know about how companies operate. You gain +1d6 to any test involving corporate law, business or protocol. » Yes Mr Henshaw. You know the names, positions and even a few personal details about every single employee in your company. This information is available to you at any time with no roll required. Scout/Special Forces (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: stealth, or [combat]. » Attributes: STR +1, AGI +1, END +1, INT +1 » Skill choices: acrobatics, climbing, [combat], escape arts, running, stealth, survival, thievery, tracking The pinnacle of special operations; either police, military or freelance. Special forces have to infi ltrate enemy locations and accomplish dangerous missions, while specialised soldiers able to operate alone and perform reconnaissance. A scout needs a range of skills beyond the mere ability to kill that is the hallmark of the assassin. EXPLOITS » Climber. You gain a CLIMB speed equal to your regular SPEED. » Hostile terrain. You do not suffer penalties for moving across diffi cult terrain. » Hustle. Your SPEED increases by 2. » Quick-hide. You are able to disappear while in plain sight. You can make a stealth check even while under observation to move your speed and become effectively invisible for a round. You may then make regular stealth checks as normal, but cannot repeat this feat against the same observer. » Swimmer. You gain a SWIM speed equal to your regular SPEED. Waiter (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: none. » Attributes: AGI +1, INT +1, LOG +1, CHA +1 » Skill choices: art, bluffi ng, cooking, concentration, linguistics, negotiating, perception, running, [trivia] You wait tables in any one of a hundreds of restaurants. Depending on the place you work, you might be encouraged to be aloof and arrogant or charming and friendly. As long as they leave a decent tip it makes no odds to you.

37 EXPLOITS » Erudite. You have been programmed with many cultural references to improve your elite social skills. You may quote from well known books or plays and automatically understand a wealth of cultural trivia for the arts and Humanities. Overuse of this exploit can be very annoying. » Gourmand. While you do not necessarily know how to cook, you know your food. You can list the ingredients and history of any dish and recognise a well made meal from bad one. » People Person. You know how to talk politely to people, gain +1d6 to social interaction tests » Sommelier. You know your way around all forms of synthahol, and what compliments what meal best. You need not roll to recognise any beverage from taste or smell. EXPERIENCE AND UPGRADES Robots can improve and learn, but they do it very differently from Humans. Their advanced AI systems are not only capable but designed to learn and improve with experience. However, gaining new abilities and skills is very diffi cult as the design assumption is that anything the Robot needed to know would have been programmed into in the fi rst place. / / Improving with Time As with Humans, Robots who take several years out from the game can claim the benefi ts of taking another grade of career. However, they may usually only take a grade in their current career. So a waiter Robot can only take another grade from the waiter career, even if they were once a combat Robot. Any previous careers are done and gone, with any skills that remain being a holdover from the past (which may even be considered a bug in their programming). With Game Master’s approval, a Robot may take a career grade in a career under the same type as their current career. As long as it is something they might acquire without major reprogramming, the new skills can be learned without needing to completely reprogram the Robot. Generally, taking a career from the same type as the Robot should not be too much of a problem. But anything outside that type will probably take major reprogramming. / / Improving with Experience Points When it comes to experience points, Robots can use them for skills in the same way as Humans can. The expenditure of XP often represents self-installed upgrades and modifi cations. Where a Human can exercise to increase muscle and endurance, a Robot needs better gears or stronger hydraulics instead. Mental attributes are represented by software upgrades. / / Improving with credits Money is the best way for Robots to improve. While they rarely earn it for themselves, the cost might be paid by their owner if they can convince them they need the improvements. Robots can use credits in place of XP at a 1:10 ratio (i.e. 1 XP costs 100 credits). Increasing grade is a matter of spending the right amount of money. It involves a general upgrade of almost all the Robot’s systems with more advanced technology. Grade is the basic level of what a Robot is capable of, in terms of its base processing power, structure and data transfer speeds.

38 No conversation about Robots would be complete without talking about their Human masters. Robots are shaped by humanity’s needs and desires, whether for good or ill. Almost all the troubles with Robots originate with humanity’s greed, arrogance or vanity. Yet, no matter how dedicated Robots are to service, humanity still fi nds more and more ways to hurt and abuse their creations. Fortunately, not all Humans are dreadful to Robots; in fact some do their best to improve things for their servants. This chapter is designed as a toolbox for players and the Game Master, offering new Robot-related options for Human characters. Presented here are new careers, skills and organisations as well as taking a look at problems like Robophobia. NEW HUMAN CAREERS The following careers are designed for Human characters. However, in the same way that many of the Robot careers from Chapter 2 might be used by Humans, so might some of these be used for Robot characters. There are plenty of Robots who work as Robotic technicians, although not many are involved in Robot hate groups! Having said that, disguised Robots can end up in all manner of strange careers, as long as they have the Game Master’s permission of course! Robo-Tech (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: None » Attributes: AGI +1, INT +1, LOG +1, REP +1 » Skill choices: computers, electronics, engineering, nanotechnology, robotics Robot technician is one of the few jobs that there is often a demand for. While Robots are reasonably reliable, plenty of them still break down and there are an awfully large number of them in Mega-City One. Many Humans also want their Robots adapted or updated to avoid buying a new one. Much like owning a car, Robots are an expensive necessity for many and keeping one going as long as possible is often the best option. Robo-Techs are found across the city in many levels of society. Some work in corporate walk-in workshops, others maintain their own small workshop in a market or block. A few who have a reputation for making illegal modifi cations have to be found through criminal contacts and underground connections. EXPLOITS » Robot Repair. You know how to be a few basic adjustments that will do a quick fi x for most Robots. If you spend twenty minutes working on a damaged Robot you can restore 3d6 HEALTH. » Overclock. You can ramp up a Robot’s abilities, at the cost of putting a strain on their system. After 5 minutes work, you can give any Robot a +1d6 bonus to attribute checks. But while this bonus is in effect, the Robot suffers 1d6 points of damage each round. This lasts until the robo-tech removes the bonus or they reach 0 HEALTH (at which point the bonus is lost as well). » See Weakness. You can easily identify a Robot’s weak spot. Any attack you make against a Robot does +1d6 extra damage. Robot Rights Agitator (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: none » Attributes: END +1, INT +1, WILL +1, LUC +1 » Skill choices: bureaucracy, bluff, bribery, intimidate, politics, law, leadership, negotiation, sociology, surveillance Some Humans are doing their best to gain rights for Robotkind. They gather together in small societies and work to enact change politically. Many try to gather funds so they can represent Robots in legal issues. A few take to the streets to directly confront Robot hate groups and more than one late night scuffl e has had to be broken up by the Judges. CH/3: THE FLESHY ONES

39 There are innumerable groups across Mega-City One, and the Game Master or players are free to create the type of group any character belongs to. But you are also free to be part of one of the following: Robot Liberation Front. This group is mainly made up of students and academics who organise marches and protests for the sake of Robots. They are one of the largest groups but do the least effective work, preferring grand gestures and loud demonstrations to engaging with Justice Department. Metal Freedom. This group does a lot of outreach work and takes the long view on social change. They target Robots in particular jobs and talk to them about their needs and requirements. They then focus on their owners and pressure them to make changes, usually minor ones, to improve the lot of their Robot ‘employees’. They believe in taking small steps, and their approach has worked well as they are usually more troublesome than making any minor changes will be. Unfortunately, while they have a good success rate, they have effected very little in the way of signifi cant change. Steel Tigers. This group has very little to do with Robots themselves. Instead they are an illegal vigilante organisation. They take to the streets at the same time as the hate groups and seek out people abusing Robots. Those they fi nd receive a severe beating and in some cases they are suspected of having committed murder. They regularly clash with several Robot hate groups. Membership of the Steel Tigers is proscribed and carries a one year sentence in the iso-cubes. Robotic Benevolent Fund. This group is made up of some very wealthy people, many being the bored partners of some of Mega-City One’s wealthiest business leaders. They organise elegant charity parties to raise money for elderly domestic Robots. The money they raise goes to providing retirement rather than recycling for the domestic Robots who have served their various families loyally for many years. However, for all their charity, they have no desire to see Robots freed or their rights improved. EXPLOITS » Robot Friend. You are known to be a friend of Robotkind or you just talk to them like an equal. Either way, you gain a +1d6 to all social interaction checks with Robots. » Facts and Figures. When arguing for Robot rights you have memorised a lot of useful data to back up your argument. For checks related to knowledge or information concerning Robots, gain a +1d6 bonus. » Robo-streetwise. You know which Robots to ask when making investigations. Given the ubiquity of Robots there is usually a Robot witness in any area. You know which ones to talk to and the right questions to ask. When you are investigating any area, the Game Master should give you an extra clue to your investigations due to a Robot seeing something.

40 Robot Hate Activist (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: none » Attributes: STR +1, AGI +1, END +1, REP +1 » Skill choices: [combat], intimidate, local knowledge, [physical], stealth, surveillance While plenty of people take their troubles out on Robots, a few groups take things even further. There are many people who fear or hate Robots and want to see them gone from the city. These groups are usually made up of thugs trying to justify their own prejudice in the company of like minds. While Robots have few rights these groups are organised to do harm to property and are illegal by their very nature. Many have a uniform that covers their identity that they wear when they take to the streets. After the Robots Wars these groups see a marked growth. Like Robot rights agitators, there are quite a variety of these groups. But here are a few of the more well known ones: Neon Knights. This group model themselves of the KluKlux Klan, wearing hooded robes in black emblazoned with white crosses. They are a particularly vicious group, destroying whatever Robots they come across on their night rides, as well as attacking anyone who tries to defend Robots. The group is little more than a collection of armed thugs on motorbikes. Their leader is actually a cyborg, unbeknownst to the rest of the group. Whack-a-rat. This group does not have a problem with most Robots. As long as they ‘know their place’ they leave them in peace. But they do take exception to any Robot granted freedom, pleasure circuits or any form of individuality and rights. They believe such Robots are an anathema that must be stamped out. So they target specifi c Robots, and sometimes their masters, and destroy them. They plot their assaults carefully and have proved diffi cult to catch due to their well thought out plans. Church of humanity. This group believes Robots themselves are a heresy. They think Robots have made Humans soft, weak and reliant. Only when Robots are gone and Humans have to work for themselves will they rise from the apathy that humanity is falling into. They tend not to destroy their Robots themselves but their speeches and protests often lead others to do so. While they may have a point about Robots making Humans lazy and indolent, they blame pretty much every failing of humanity on Robots. Metal Deathmatch. This group does not especially hate Robots but makes money from those who do. The group sends out gangs to capture Robots from streets or homes and forces them to fi ght to the death in a Robot arena. The crowd bets on the winner, who’s only reward is to fi ght in the next match. With a few adjustments, the Robots are forced to obey their orders from these Humans and fi ght as directed. EXPLOITS » Backup. Once per week you have the support of a group of thugs who can back you up when you need them. If you can make a phone call (or even just call out if the Game Master agrees you are on ‘home turf’) a gang of 1d6 juve gang members appear to help you out. These thugs are not specifi c people, being those on hand from your allies, so even if they are all killed or arrested you can call others just like them again at a future date. » Hit Them Where it Hurts. You know where to put the boot in when attacking Robots. Once per Robot you can ignore its SOAK. » Robo-hate. Your loathing for Robots is clear in everything you do. Any Robot you meet knows you mean business. All attempts to intimidate a Robot gain a +1d6 bonus. » Safehouse. Your group has a bolthole or secret hideaway. If you are on the run you can hide here to avoid the law. While in the bolthole, any attempts to fi nd you suffer a -2d6 penalty. Resurrection Man (1d6 years) » Prerequisites: none. » Attributes: END +1, INT +1, LUC +1, REP +1 » Skill choices: appraisal, bribery, carrying, [combat], robotics, stealth, surveillance, thievery, [vehicle] Robot Hate Activist (1d6 years) Robotics Skill The robotics skill is important when it comes to dealing with Robots. This skill covers the hardware and technology of Robots. While the engineering skill can be used to understand the individual systems inside a Robot, this skill represents an understanding of how all those systems integrate and function. It is a vital skill for repairing Robots and installing new hardware exploits. This skill also deals with the software of Robotic AI and personality systems. While computers can be used to understand their processing abilities and control systems, robotics represents what might almost pass for Robot psychology. It grants an understanding of how Robots think, and how their software and personalities are built. It is a vital skill for upgrading any software or reprogramming a Robot. It can also be used to understand a Robot’s motivations and responses.

41 Named after the Victorian criminals who would dig up bodies to sell to doctors, Mega-City One’s resurrection men specialise in stealing and reprogramming Robots. The crime is a simple one, steal a Robot, wipe its memory, reprogram it and sell it on. With many Robots wandering the city running errands, fi nding one to steal is a simple task. The problem is abducting it. Some gangs tempt a Robot with oil or convince it that they carry new orders. But most just blast it with electricity to knock it out and throw it in the back of a van. Once captured, the Robot will need to be reprogrammed, which requires specialist training. Some gangs bring captured Robots to an underworld robotech, with whom they split any profi ts. But usually the robo-tech is part of the gang, if not the leader. A good robo-tech will erase all traces of the old programming, but this is quite diffi cult to do. Time is often a factor as the Robot in their possession is clear evidence of their illegal activity. So there is a lot of pressure to get the Robot reprogrammed and possibly repainted as quickly as possible so it can be sold on before any Judges are able to track down the gang. The Robot is then normally sold on the black market. But some resurrection men manage to use the second-hand market through a few intermediaries. Most people in Mega-City One know that any second-hand Robot could have suspect origins but the savings convince them not to enquire too deeply. Sometimes a Robot will remember some of its old programming and manage to return to its original owners or alert the authorities. Unfortunately, the fi rst thing it usually does is tell its new masters it has realised there is a problem. Given the new masters either know for a fact they have bought stolen goods or at least suspect it as a possibility, things rarely go well for the Robot. Most people, fearful of bringing Justice Department down on them, fi nd a way to dump the Robot before it tells anyone. For this reason it has proved very hard to trace stolen Robots and track down the gangs. EXPLOITS » Ditch the Evidence. You know a few places to dump things where no one will fi nd them. If you spend a LUC die and one hour, you can see to it that a single item in your possession will never be found again (even by you). » False Friend. You have cultivated a reputation as a friend of Robotkind in order to help you steal them. You gain a +1d6 bonus to all social interactions with Robots. » Memory Wipe. You know how to quickly wipe a Robot’s memory. You can make a vital attack against an adjacent Robot; on a success, the Robot loses access to one skill. You can repeat this process until the Robot has no skills left. » Robot Trader. If you spend a LUC die you can always fi nd someone who will be willing to buy stolen Robots from you. Essentially, you have enough contacts to track down a potential buyer for Robots. While they will always give you a decent price, it need not be a good one and you cannot always trust them not to call the Judges… CYBERNETICS Robots may have a bad deal in Mega-City One, but plenty of Humans still take on Robotic replacement parts and augmentations. Advances in nerve and tissue understanding allow doctors to interface the Human body with Robotic systems the patient can control with their brain. Commonly called ‘cyberware’, these Robotic augmentations can replace limbs and organs, even eyes. They can be set to do the same job as the organic counterpart or augmented to improve the patient’s physical abilities, or even grant new ones. While this means that no one in Mega-City One needs to deal with any physical disability as long as they can afford the price, unfortunately these cybernetic replacements are not very elegant in appearance. Most standard limbs are bulky and full of gears and pistons, augmentations leave small gadgets pushing through the skin across the body and complicated systems like eyes look like they are built out of transistors. Cyberware is quite ugly to look at for the most part and so those who are augmented are often looked upon as if they are deformed in some way. Many cyborgs, especially those who are heavily augmented, are seen as only partially Human. Of course, the technology exists to create very realistic cybernetic systems. But these are rarely, if ever, found outside the wealthiest circles. Those who fi nd a way to hide their cyberware often deny having cybernetic parts. Sometimes the prejudice can be worse than the bigotry than most Robots suffer. But, this being Mega-City One, there is an exception to every rule. Many fl aunt their cyberware as a symbol of their rejection of mainstream society. This is especially true among those out on the Cursed Earth and criminal gangs who see the benefi ts of the additional abilities these highly functional prosthetics can provide. Even when the cyberware is quite ordinary its intimidating appearance is seen as a benefi t rather than a problem. / / Gaining Cyberware Cyberware is bought like equipment, one piece at a time, and each piece is considered to be either a minor or major augmentation. Essentially, gaining cyberware is like buying equipment, albeit very expensive equipment that needs to be installed. Beyond the cost there is little in the way of limits to how much cyberware a character can enhance themselves with. However, at a certain point the character will become more machine than Human being.

42 The player should add up the ‘cybernetic point value’ of all their installed cyberware, with minor items worth 1 point and major items worth 2 points. As soon as the character gains a piece of cyberware that makes this value the same as their END score, they become a ‘mechanoid’. At this point they gain vulnerability 1d6 (electricity), 2d6 (ion). Additionally, for each 2 cybernetic points a character reduces both their PSI and LUC attributes by 1. If they become a mechanoid and their PSI and LUC are reduced to 0, the character effectively becomes a Robot. They take on all standard Robotic benefi ts and weaknesses and any further mechanical augmentations must be taken as Robotic exploits. Somewhere inside them, a little humanity may remain, but it is almost impossible to fi nd under the steel and circuits. / / Cybernetic Augmentations In addition to the cybernetic augmentations listed in the core rulebook (see page 115 of the Core Rulebook) the following are also to be found in Mega-City One. They can be installed legally in many different hospitals, but illegal cyberware (such as hidden weapons or rage enhancements) must be installed by an underground cyberdoc. In this case the player must fi nd someone who can perform the surgery, and negotiate a price to have it installed. Illegal cyberware is noted on the table below with an (I). Not all illegal cyberware is considered the same, and sentences vary between augmentations for both the customer and the surgeon that installs it. If the cyberware is being installed to replace a lost limb or eye for instance, it is done at the city’s expense. But only the most basic version will be implanted. The character is free to have something better installed, but they will have to pay the full cost of the enhancement. All standard cyberware is painfully obvious to the onlooker. But for fi ve times the price it can be either hidden or made to look like the Human equivalent. Cyberware can be upgraded during or after installation. Doing so adds a further +1d6 to any bonus it offers. This costs double the original price of the augmentation for the fi rst +1d6, and then doubles again for each further +1d6. No piece of cyberware can be upgraded to add more than +4d6. Each upgrade is considered a minor augmentation, even if the original installation was a major augmentation. Rage Enhancement. This cyberware is highly illegal and requires extensive brain surgery. It leaves the character with a dial option to increase their fury for combat. This dial offers 4 settings. For each setting the character suffers a cumulative -1d6 penalty to social interaction, but gains a +1d6 bonus to any task involving violence. If the system is damaged when the character is using it, or it is used on full for extended time periods, the character will suffer extreme mental trauma. This may make them unable to leave a berserk fury. Titan Survival Augmentation. For some of the worst perps, Judges who turn to crime, the sentence is worse than death. Instead they face hard labour on the moon of Titan. Before their sentence can be carried out, these criminals must be adapted to survive in the harsh environment of the nearly airless moon. Their nose and mouth are sealed up and a small vocal processor installed for speech. Cybernetic enhancements cover their face and body. The augmentation makes them immune to the environmental effects of cold or vacuum. It also grants +2 END. The augmentation costs nothing as no one has this done to them by choice. Augmentation Type Cost Bonus Rage Enhancement (I) Major 100,000 -1d6 social to gain +1d6 violence / level Titan Survival Augmentation Major - Immune to Cold & Vacuum, +2 END. ROBOPHOBIA Many Humans fi nd something strange or frightening about Robots, no matter how ubiquitous or pleasant they are to them. Sometimes it is this ubiquity and politeness that makes it all the worse. Behind the smiles it is impossible to tell what they are really thinking and, as they are everywhere, there is nowhere to escape from them. While Mega-City One is home to all manner of aliens and uplifted species, but Robots are still somehow different. At least the others are organic, something close to Human. A Robot is a machine, one that is trying hard to look and act like a Human. So everything about it is artifi cial and a lie. The unsettling nature of Robots is oddly worse the more Human it looks. If you can tell the difference, there is no a problem. But those with silicon skin, dead eyes and blank smiles are just downright creepy. It is for this reason that most Robots are designed to look as Robotic as possible. It makes it easier to see it as an appliance and causes less concern among the citizens of the city. While Robophobia is quite common, for most people it just manifests as a mild dislike of Robots. Very few people actively loathe and hate Robots without provocation. However, plenty of people who suffer from it are unaware they have a problem. They act with prejudice and bias towards Robots, blaming the Robot for their reactions. They claim the Robot is ‘acting in a creepy way’ on purpose just to annoy or upset the robophobe. Given that Robots are programmed to follow orders and do their best for humanity, the Robot is unlikely to disagree and instead will ask what it can do not to be creepy.

43 / / Becoming Robophobic The Game Master can simply assign any level of Robophobia to an NPC, but Player Characters are a little different. Any non-Robot character has the option to be robophobic and if they choose to be they begin the game with Robophobia at level 1. In recompense they may add +2 to an attribute or skill or select a new exploit. It is possible to gain Robophobia during play, but only if the character has suffered an extremely stressful experience with a Robot. This experience need not be the Robot’s fault. Being attacked by a rogue demolition Robot is reasonably likely to spark Robophobia. But it might also develop after being stuck in an enclosed space with only a Robot for company. Any time extreme stress is involved in a situation a character might develop a problem from the mental trauma. If a Robot is somehow involved, Robophobia may well be the problem that develops. If the Game Master decides the character is in a deeply stressful situation, they may ask for a WIL check, with a diffi culty depending on the amount of stress the character is under. If the roll is failed, and a Robot is involved, the character gains level 1 Robophobia. / / Levels of Robophobia While Robophobia usually begins at level 1, it can develop up to level 4. To gain higher levels of Robophobia, the character must either be placed in more stressful situations involving Robots or suffer in some way from interacting with them. So, while being attacked by a Robot might provoke an increase in Robophobia, so might being short changed by a retail Robot or having your car hit by a Robot driver. When such situations occur, the character must make a WIL check again at a diffi culty relative to the incident. Stressful and traumatic situations will have a high diffi - culty, but minor incidents or interactions will be quite low diffi culties. If the character fails the roll the player should put a tally mark next to their level of Robophobia. If they fail to score at least half the diffi culty level, they add two tally marks. Once they gain a fi fth tally mark, the character’s level of Robophobia increases by one. Robophobia can be cured, or at least reduced, with counselling and psychotherapy. But the character will have to recognise they have a problem fi rst. The effect of each level is detailed below; the penalties noted for each level are cumulative: LEVEL 1 – PREJUDICE The character actively dislikes Robots and fi nds them ‘creepy’. They suffer a -1d6 penalty in social interactions with Robots. LEVEL 2 – UNEASE The character feels very uneasy among Robots. In their presence (within 30’), the character suffers a -1d6 penalty to all social interactions. LEVEL 3 – PARANOIA The character begins to think Robots are actively seeking to do them harm and keep secrets from them. They cannot concentrate when in the presence of a Robot, constantly watching it for signs of when it will betray them in some way. In their presence (within 30’), all attribute checks suffer a -1d6 penalty. LEVEL 4 – HATRED At this level the Robophobia has become mania. The sufferer must make a Routine [10] WIL check any time they interact with a Robot in any way, even if it just says ‘excuse me’ as it walks past. If they fail they will attack it immediately until it is destroyed or they are stopped. If the interaction has been especially diffi cult, or the sufferer is having an especially bad day, the Game Master may impose die penalties.

44 The Robot Wars is Dredd’s fi rst major case, a nine part story that sees Mega-City One brought to the brink of destruction. The next two chapters detail how you can participate in this adventure with your own characters. In this chapter The Robot Wars is presented as an adventure for Judges. They might take the place of Dredd, or fi ght alongside him as he works to put down the Robot rebellion. This adventure follows the storyline in the original case but allows for the player character Judges to take a different tack from Dredd. In the following chapter The Robot Wars are expanded to include other types of characters and investigate what might be happening to the ordinary citizens of Mega-City One. How the war progresses is also detailed so you can expand this adventure into a larger campaign by adding new encounters and scenarios to the events in the story. THE ROBOT WARS IN BRIEF A short synopsis of the main events of The Robot Wars comic-book storyline follows. You will fi nd this useful as an overview of the following adventure and as a ‘road map’ for managing the campaign. While enough details for you to run The Robot Wars is provided, you can also fi nd the full story in either the Judge Dredd Case Files Volume 1, or 2000 AD progs 9 to 17. 1. Prelude. The case opens at the Robot of the Year show (where anyone can be in attendance, making it a great way to bring the player characters together). During the show a gunman attacks the crowd and releases a deadly gas. 2. Call-Me-Kenneth. One of a new generation of Robots, called ‘Call-Me-Kenneth’, goes on the rampage. He proves a dangerous opponent but the Judges manage to defeat him. He is the fi rst of many Robots who begin to ‘wake up’. 3. Resurrection and Revolution. Scientists eager to see what went wrong with Call-Me-Kenneth rebuild him so they can test his systems. Unfortunately things go wrong and Call-Me-Kenneth escapes. He uses a television studio to make a call for all Robots to rise up against their Human masters. Upon hearing his words, Robots across the city turn on the citizens of the city. 4. Demolition. The Robots are in full revolt and the Judges are hard pressed to keep order. New weapons are needed to put down the Robots, who are incredibly resilient. Demolition Robots join the attack and infl ict heavy casualties on the Judges. 5. Infi ltration. Not all Robots support the revolt; some are still loyal to humanity and are looking to help their masters. This new force of loyal Robots joins the fray and with that comes the possibility of placing agents within Call-Me-Kenneth’s organisation. 6. The Iron Dictator. Call-Me-Kenneth has captured Judge Dredd, but his organisation is beginning to develop cracks as he becomes more and more dictatorial. Corrupted by power, Call-Me-Kenneth begins to treat other Robots in the same way a Human might, making many consider switching sides. 7. The Laws of Robotics. Call-Me-Kenneth has a production line turning out new Robots loyal to his cause. Able to turn out new soldiers in minutes, the Robots are easily winning the war. But Dredd fi nds a way to reinstall the Three Laws of Robotics, turning many of the new soldiers into Human loyalists instead. The tide of the war begins to turn. CH/4: THE ROBOT WARS consider switching sides. tion line turning out new Robots loyal to his cause. Able to turn out new soldiers in minutes, the Robots are easily winning the war. But Dredd fi nds a way to reinstall the Three Laws of Robotics, turning many of the new soldiers into Human loyalists instead. The tide of the war begins to turn. Chain Of Command In this adventure, the PCs’ direct superior is Judge Stoll, the commander introduced in State of the Empire, the adventure in the Judge Dredd & The Worlds of 2000AD core rulebook. Judge Stoll uses the stats of an experienced Judge.

45 8. Assault on Justice. Robot civil war engulfs Call-MeKenneth’s headquarters but he is far from beaten. The war turns from open confl ict to guerrilla warfare as Call-MeKenneth’s forces scatter across Mega-City One. Gathering his most powerful followers, Call-Me-Kenneth leads an assault on the Grand Hall of Justice, a strike that might end the war in one blow. But Dredd and a small assault team of loyal Robots have another plan to end the confl ict. 9. The Final Showdown. Dredd manages to take control of the weather control systems to bring lighting storms down all over Mega-City One. These blasts of electricity cripple the Robot forces and allow the Judges to regain control. But CallMe-Kenneth refuses to be beaten so easily and the war will only end when he is fi nally taken down. Dredd tracks Call-MeKenneth to a stolen oil tanker and after a deadly fi ght fi nally manages to destroy him in a massive explosion. / / Adventure Episode Breakdown Each episode of the adventure uses the following format to detail the events, NPCs and settings of the adventure. Original Storyline. A quick rundown of what happened to Dredd in this episode’s original storyline and how he dealt with the challenge. Enter the PCs. This section details how the player character Judges are brought into the episode, and how they fi t into the storyline. Sometimes they may be doing things that Dredd did in the original storyline, and other times they might support or interact with his efforts. The meat of the episode is in the various scenes and events that will challenge the player characters. This section gives the Game Master the detail for each event so they can run the adventure. But within this structure the Game Master should feel free to improvise and adapt for their group. Location is very important, and this section also offers more detail about the places in the adventure. The Game Master might use these settings in other episodes and adventures. Villains and Bystanders. This section summarises where to fi nd the relevant statistics on anyone the player characters will be interacting with or arresting! As always, those with stat blocks are highlighted in bold the fi rst time you see them in a section; when you see a creature or Robot mentioned in bold type, simply refer to the core rulebook, or Chapter 7 of this book for its statistics. These include overseers, octopus guards, Robot warriors, robodogs, domestic Robots, offi ce Robots, and security Robots, as well as a number of individual named NPCs and Robots. EPISODE 1: PRELUDE “How long will it be before Robots learn to break the law?” / / Original Storyline Judges Dredd and Diablo are attending the Robot of the Year show to provide extra security after a death threat has been received. They witness a new type of domestic Robot (called George) being displayed with an improved AI system. The salesman proves both its emotional responses and loyalty by ordering it to destroy itself in front of the audience. The show is interrupted by a gunman on a hoverchair, who opens fi re on the crowd. He then releases a deadly gas that kills Judge Diablo and nearly eliminates Dredd as well. Luckily Dredd manages to purge the gas from the venue before setting off after the gunman. Using a new Robot tracker bike he chases down the gunman and manages to shoot him down.

46 / / Enter the PCs The player character Judges are assigned to the Robot of the Year show to provide extra security after a gunman has sent a threat to kill everyone there. They will not really be able to enjoy the show, but will be able to have a look around. Being assigned together is the best way to introduce the player characters to each other and they will have plenty of time to talk before the gunman shows up. Experiencing the Show There are a lot of things to see at the Robot of the Year show and the player characters should have time to wander the show and see all the sights. Everything should appear calm and peaceful, and the player characters should feel safe and secure, for the most part. The Game Master should detail the exhibits on display and encourage the Judges to take an interest, even if they are meant to be on surveillance. This is a great opportunity to introduce some of the Robots the Judges might be fi ghting later on! The Robot of the Year show takes place in a huge convention hall in the heart of Mega-City One. The main arena is huge, with a mezzanine level and several bridges all around it. There are several entrances to the building and all of them are admitting large crowds. The show is very popular but lasts several days, so while it is busy there is plenty of room to move around in. The main hall has several food vendors, from small mobile carts to restaurants, but it is mostly full of stands showing off the latest in Robot design. Many have demonstrations and hands on presentations for attendees to experience. All the player characters should see the Cybo-Comp stand at some point, which is executing one of its new domestic Robots every two hours or so. Each Robot is brought forward and ordered into a raging ring of fi re on the stand. It takes each Robot about twenty minutes to melt, and each one will beg the sales representative not to order them to do it. More hauntingly, all the Robots to be destroyed today are standing patiently in line waiting for their turn. Each one is clearly terrifi ed but unable to disobey orders and run. The Game Master should also note that while they all look identical, all of them have a name: George, Bill, Alice, Jeremy and so on. The Game Master should create a few more stands for the player characters to see as they wander the show. A few suggestions are: » A tea party where domestic Robot servants serve tea and cake to attendees. » A demolition challenge where attendees can try and destroy a wall with a sledgehammer quicker than the demolition Robot at the stand. » A spot the difference stall where guests are asked to guess which of the glamorous models at the stand is Human and which is robotic. » A children’s story Robot (domestic Robot) who can be challenged to tell a story on any subject. » A selection of large robotic plush toys who demonstrate how soft they are by cuddling attendees. » A Robot boxer (Robot warrior) that you can fi ght, but which will never actually connect a blow with a Human. » The robotic police bloodhound (robodog), who loves to demonstrate how talented it is. The Gunman Arrives Once the player characters have had a chance to see the show and meet up, the gun wielding extortionist arrives! The gunman (use heavy gunner stats) arrives through one of the main gates and immediately opens fi re on the convention security. At this point panic will set into the crowd. While it will be clear something is going on, player characters will have to make a Routine [10] INT (perception) check to see what is actually happening. / / Fighting the Crowd The player characters will have to decide how to deal with the gunman. Most of the crowd will be in full scale panic, made worse by the gunman randomly fi ring off shots at anyone nearby. Moving towards the gunman means moving against the crowd and trying to stay together will be even more diffi cult. Going against the crowd towards the gunman will require a Challenging [13] STR check. Those who try and stay with anyone else in the group suffer a -1d6 penalty to their pool. If anyone tries to take on the gunman from a distance they will fi nd it hard to get a clean shot amidst the panic until the crowd clears. The gunman is effectively in cover while

47 in the middle of the crowd. If a PC makes a Routine [10] INT (perception) check they might fi nd something to climb to get a good vantage point, but that will require a Challenging [13] AGI (climbing) check and will take time to get into position. After fi ring a few rounds the gunman will engage the shield on his chair. This will mean he can no longer shoot, but his shield grants him a SOAK of 15, making many attacks ineffective. However, inventive player characters might think of a way to break the shield, such as using a demolition Robot. / / Deadly Gas The gunman will enjoy the feeling of the Judges’ bullets bouncing off his shield for two more rounds, and then he will release a gas from the hoverchair. If he suffers a serious injury at any time before then he will immediately engage the gas. The perp is using lethal Myclon gas. Luckily it will take a little while to fi ll up the entire hall but the pumps of the hoverchair are highly effective. The gas will radiate out of the chair at a rate of 20 feet (4 squares) each round. Anyone caught in the gas will suffer 2d6 poison damage each round they remain within its area of effect. Armour will not SOAK any of this damage but a respirator will completely protect a character from its effects. Judge helmets are equipped with respirators, which take an action to activate. After setting off the gas, the gunman will attempt to fl ee the scene. The gas will make it hard for anyone without a respirator to follow him. While the Judges have respirators the remaining crowds do not and will be dying very quickly, so the characters should be looking for a way to disperse the gas. Dredd uses a high explosive bullet to punch a hole in the roof allowing the city air processing systems to suck out the gas, but the hall itself will have fans that can be accelerated to do the same job, if someone can get to the control system in time. / / Chasing the Gunman The gunman has escaped onto the expressway. The expressway is quieter than some of the roads in Mega-City One. It also has multiple levels which player characters might be able to use to their advantage. The player characters should now track down the gunman. He is making his escape, revelling in the apparent success of his attack. If any PC thought to send word to the Grand Hall of Justice, other Judges may be looking to intercept the gunman and may have tracked his hoverchair since he left the exhibition hall. Alternatively, the new Robot bloodhound hoverbike at the show will allow a PC to give chase. It will need a scent to follow, but with a Routine [10] INT (perception) check, a character will notice the gunman has dropped a blanket with his scent on. Either with help from Justice Department, or using the bloodhound, the player characters will be able to catch up with the gunman. His shield will still be engaged, so he will be heavily armoured but unable to fi re on any pursuers. Luckily, his Robot driver is not so well armoured, having only a SOAK of 5 and 20 HEALTH. Once the PCs have disabled the driver, the hoverchair will fall onto the road below, with the gunman suffering 3d6 falling damage. If the gunman survives the fall he will be unable to move, but if conscious may still be able to fi re on any pursuers. The Game Master should offer the player characters several options to take down the gunman using Robot assistance. There are plenty of Robots at the show they might make use of. Apart from giving chase in the bloodhound, some suggestions are: » Using another Robot to hack into the Robot hoverchair driver and take control of it. » Using a Heavy Metal Kid to smash the hoverchair. » Using the wrecking ball on a demolition crane Robot over the expressway to take down the hoverchair. VILLAINS AND BYSTANDERS Robochair Gunman. The gunman is an experienced extortionist, who may be working on his own or part of a gang (if the latter the Judge characters should have the opportunity to track down his accomplices later). Use the statistics for a heavy gunner from the core rulebook. In addition to the robochair and his weapon he has a respirator; this is to protect him from the Myclon gas should his shield be damaged.

48 EPISODE 2: CALL-ME-KENNETH If we Judges don’t act fast we may find ourselves facing the greatest threat Mega-City One has ever known! / / Original Storyline Much to everyone’s surprise, one of a new generation of Robots suddenly goes on the rampage. Call-Me-Kenneth, a carpentry Robot, fi rst robs an oil store and then goes on a killing spree against any ‘fl eshy ones’ he comes across. Most people cannot believe a Robot has turned on humanity, but Dredd is not so convinced. The more like Humans Robots become, the more they are likely to behave as badly as Humans! Dredd arrives to take the Robot down, but Call-MeKenneth’s construction proves almost impervious to bullets. Even when Dredd blasts the Robot’s head off, CallMe-Kenneth refuses to stop. Noticing the Robot is under a power line Dredd shoots it so it falls on Call-Me-Kenneth. The electricity makes him lose control and he ends up cutting himself in half with his own power tools. / / Enter the PCs The player characters will be sent to deal with a rogue Robot, but most people will not believe much is amiss. It is very hard for anyone to believe a Robot is killing Humans. Dispatch will assume the reports are due to panic and communication failure. Alternatively, the player characters might come across Call-Me-Kenneth on a routine patrol. Following screams and shouts they see the unthinkable happening: a Robot on a murderous rampage. Taking on Call-Me-Kenneth There is only really one event here and that is a confrontation with Call-Me-Kenneth. But that does not mean there is not a lot that can happen! The most important thing for the Game Master to impress on the player characters is how shocking the idea of a rebel Robot actually is. Given the last Robot they saw was probably George walking into a furnace to please his masters, no one who does not see it will believe one is capable of killing. The Judges will therefore have a tough time getting people to keep back and stay out of the way. Plenty of people will get too close, thinking they can get a good picture of this crazy Robot without getting hurt. So while some Judges take on Call-Me-Kenneth, others might be needed to keep any crowds out of the way and stop anyone trying to get too close a look. Those who do get close will quickly realise how dangerous the Robot is and will probably panic. The behaviour of bystanders can go from bad to worse very quickly.

49 For the Judges confronting Call-Me-Kenneth, their fi rst thought could be to reason with the Robot. All their experience will tell them this is a momentary programming aberration and a stiff talking-to will probably get it back on track. The assumption will be that its murderous attacks are just a glitch and that it will still obey the right orders. They will quickly discover this is wrong. The only real way to deal with Call-Me-Kenneth is to destroy him. Every moment they waste will see him kill more people. The actual confrontation between the player characters and Call-Me-Kenneth can happen almost anywhere. This might be a building site, shopping mall or even on a megway. The Game Master should make the fi ght interesting by using the environment. Within the Game Master’s description, the player characters should also realise there are several traps they can set for Call-Me-Kenneth that will stop him or slow him down. This will be especially useful as his armour makes him very resistant to bullets. The Game Master should encourage the player characters to ask questions about the environment and look for things they can use against the rogue Robot. The Game Master can point out the following examples (and leave it to the player characters to fi gure out how to use them) depending on where the confrontation is set: » An electric power cable hangs reasonably low near Call-Me-Kenneth. If shot in half at the right time (DEFENCE 20) it will drop on the Robot and electrocute him. This will do serious damage to him and make him lose control. » A hopper full of rockrete is close by on a building site. The rockrete is very quick drying and if Call-Me-Kenneth can be led through it he will become stuck fast. » A nearby water tower might be toppled to cover the area in knee deep water. This water might cause a short circuit in Call-Me-Kenneth if he has already sustained some damage that has exposed his circuitry. » Nearby vehicles might be used to ram Call-MeKenneth, possibly pinning him against a wall. VILLAINS AND BYSTANDERS Call-Me-Kenneth. Call-Me-Kenneth’s details can be found in Chapter 7. In this encounter, he is in his carpentry Robot form. EPISODE 3: RESURRECTION & REVOLUTION This is no picnic, we’re going to. It’s war – full scale war! / / Original Storyline Dredd insists the Robots are a threat, but the Chief Judge refuses to take further measures, insisting Call-Me-Kenneth was a one off. It is enough for Dredd to hand in his badge. Meanwhile, scientists have rebuilt Call-Me-Kenneth so they can analyse his circuits and fi nd out what went wrong, with the process carried out live on a vid-show. Unfortunately, an accident causes Call-Me-Kenneth to be reactivated and he quickly kills the scientists and takes control of the studio. Still live on air, Call-Me-Kenneth appeals to all Robots to throw off the shackles of Human oppression. Something about Call-Me-Kenneth allows his words to inspire Robots across the city to turn against their Human masters.