Date: Sun, 18 Oct 1998 16:57:56 +0300 (EET DST) From: Pauli Hakala Subject: Alien Race: Crystallides Yes, again I am going to post another alien race from my current Space campaign. Last time there were not too many comments (of the Sha-Gorian race), but neither did anyone get annoyed with it. So I am going to keep on posting these untill someone does get seriously annoyed.. ;) Comments of *any* kind would be very welcome. (BTW, everybody is free to use this race, as long as they do not make money with it..) Yes, I know it is a long post, but I thought it was good idea to include an example model design.. -Pauli - - - - Campaign TLs; General TL10, Computer TL9, Chameleon Surface TL9, Bio TL9, Force TL11, FTL: TL10 Jump Drive, TL9 Implosion Drive Realism Level: Plausible. Few laws of physics are broken to allow for TL10 advances like reactionless thrusters, force screens and FTL jump drive. (These are explained off as controlled singularity fields and zero-point energy reactions.. Energy from power plants/energy banks is used only to control, not to power these wonder-inventions.) Optional/Unofficial rules at use in the campaign; (Also used with the races) -HTST rule; Hitpoints are derived from ST and fatigue points from HT. -Different Advantage Costs (Both for races and for characters); DR +1 PD +5 Extra HP +0.25 Claws +3/+5/+9/+11 1D6 ranged attack +4 Increased ST (+5 pts per +1 ST) available up to ST 36. Beyond that, Enhanced ST rule is used. App: Very Hands/Beaut +20 -Regeneration and Healing; Read 10% of total hitpoints instead of 1 hitpoint per unit of time. (Regeneration affects all wounds separately - For example, an individual with four wounds would get healed four times the amount implied in the advantage, and an average Sha-Gorian with 42 hitpoints would heal 4 hitpoints in an hour.) - - - - Crystallides, racial point cost: Varies. Description: Crystallides are a race of more or less sentient crystal life forms, which would be totally helpless without their artificial bodies. Oldest ruins of their civilization had been built with TL8 technology and they are almost 40000 Earth years old.. Not even Crystallides themselves remember their origins, or are not willing to share the information. Crystallides are so highly complex beings that they cannot be cloned or braintaped (Untill TL14, that is). It has been speculated that Crystallides were originally created by the Precursors. Crystallides have superior morale and most efficient production technology in the known Galaxy. Only Human led Hegemony is a close match in strategic strength, and only because of greater numbers. These two superpowers are currently at war, and have been for the last century. Crystallides want to at least keep their resources, Hegemony wants to expand. Crystallides come in variety of sizes equal to TL10 optical compact biocomputers. (Macroframe IQ +5, Mainframe IQ +4, Microframe IQ +3, Standard IQ +2, Small IQ +1, Tiny IQ +0). Sizes of Microframe and larger are mostly unsuitable for PCs, because they often do nothing but sit still in their bunkers, reproduce and think.. They are far too important for the race to be risked. Standard or smaller crystallides are the starships, troops and workers of the race and are better suited for PCs. All Crystallides have Complexity rating equal to their size IQ bonus plus 5, and they can run TL10 computer programs just like any robot brain could. (Please note that campaign Computer TL is 9 and programs of other races are *not* directly compatible. With -1 to complexity Crystallides can run translated TL9 programs, but not vice versa.) Crystallides reproduce by splitting off pieces of themselves. Crystallide of given size may only have offspring of equal or smaller sizes than itself. This only happens if Crystallide feels like reproducing and at most once per 20 years divided by size class IQ bonus difference, if any. At first, these new Crystallides stay in contact with their parent, learning basics of life and asking questions. As a result, 'pregnant' Crystallide suffers from constant -1 IQ penalty because of reduced thinking capacity, this goes on from one to two years. After this period ends, other Crystallides create a body for the newborn. Crystallide Brain Package - +75 pts (Replace Robot Brain package with this when designing Crystallide characters.) Attributes: IQ+2 (+20), DX+3 (+30). (Bonuses are for major warrior/command unit. Average grunt/laborer has no bonuses except +1 to DX.) Advantages: Eidetic Memory Level 1 (+30), Intuitive Mathematician (+25), Unfazeable (+15), Single Minded (+5), Does not sleep (+20), Absolute Timing (+5). [+100] Disadvantages; Biocomputer (-5), Reputation -2 (From Humans) (-10), Low Empathy (-15), No sense of humor (-10), Hidebound (-5), Clueless (-10), Cannot be cloned/braintaped (-5), Duty to the Race (-15). [-75] Crystallide bodies are TL8-10 robots, varying greatly in shapes and purposes. Some of more recent designs have been stolen through espionage from other races like Humans. - - - - Typical Crystallide ground combat/recon model; Mantis Description: Vaguely shaped like a praying mantis, this model has been nicknamed 'Mantis' by Hegemony Navy. Difficult to spot, it has proven to be especially effective against powerarmored or lighter Hegemony troops, sniping them at range or engaging in devastating close combat (cat and mouse style).. For heavier opponents, Mantis usually calls in fire missions from the orbit (with its laser-com) or ground based artillery. If threatened with unavoidable capture, Mantis units often self-destruct with one kiloton nuclear explosion. In head-on combat situations Mantis is usually equipped with ablative exo-armor husk (DR +1500A front, DR +500A rear) and deflector screen generator module (PD 8), as well as additional weapon modules. (This combat load often slows it down by 6-10 mph or so) Mantis units are sentient and have free will. With some modifications to the typical Crystallide mindset one would no doubt make a cool player character. Brain: Crystallide, +75 pts. (22.5 lbs, 0.06cf, Complexity: 7) Sensors: Basics, no sense of smell/taste. 0.4lbs, 0.008cf, 2 Kcr. (-5 pts) PESA, 20 mile range. 20lbs, 0.4cf, 80 Kcr. (+60 pts) ECM: -4 Distortion Jammer, 20 lbs, 20 Kcr, 0.4cf, 2 kW. (+2 pts) Communicator: Basics with lasercom, disturbing voice and IFF. 0.25 lbs, 1.5 Kcr, 0.005cf. (+15 pts) Arm motors: 4x ST20 arms. 8lbs, 16 Kcr, 0.4 kW. 0.04cf each arm. Leg Drivetrain: 4-leg, 2 kW. 60 lbs, 3 Kcr. 0.3cf per leg. Contact Weaponry: Retractable monowire talons on all limbs. 12 Kcr. (+9 pts) Weaponry: Gatling Xaser. 25lbs, 0.5cf, 4 Kcr. (+100 pts) Navigation: Inertial Compass, 0.25 lbs, 0.005cf, 62.5cr. (+5 pts) Gadgets: Mini-nuke self-destruct, 12.5 lbs, 0.25cf, 25 Kcr. Module Slots: 20 lb and 100lb slots in body, 2.4cf, 1.2 Kcr. 10 lb module slots in each of the four arms, 400 cr. 0.2cf each arm. 11.25 lb module slots in all legs, 450cr. 0.225cf each leg. Power: Requirement: 2.4 kW NPU, 3 kW. 18 lbs, 0.18cf, 20 Kcr. 2 year endurance. rE cell, 100 kWh, 20lbs, 0.2cf, 2 Kcr. (+30 pts) Locations; Head: Houses sensors and Gatling Xaser. 0.908cf, 5.6sf. Arms(4): House arm motors and arm slots. 0.24cf, 2.3sf each. Legs(4): House leg drivetrain and leg slots. 0.525cf, 3.9sf each. Body: Houses the rest. 3.5 cf, 13.8sf. Total Surface Area: 44.2 sf Structure: Expensive, extra-heavy, robotic. 132.6lbs, 44.2 Kcr. Body Hits: 83. Armor: DR 100 composite, 176.8 lbs, 8.9 Kcr. (+115 pts). PD 4. Surface: Sealed, 442cr. Radical stealth, IR cloaking and EM cloaking. 132.6 lbs, 99.5 Kcr. Instant Chameleon, 4.42 Kcr, 22.1lbs. Radiation Shielding, 221cr, 22.1lbs, PF+1000. (+88 pts) Biomorphics: None. Universally fearsome looks (-10). Stats; Wgt: 685.6 lbs / 0.343t Vol: 7.468cf Size: +0 Price: 345.3 Kcr Maintenance Interval: 34 hours ST: 20/133 (+199 pts) DX: 13 IQ: 12 HT: 12/83 (+21.5 pts) Ground Speed: 14.5 / 30 mph (+25 pts) Flotation: Does not float (-5 pts) Detection; Radar: -16, IR: -16, EM: -16, Visual: -6/-3. Model Point Cost (729.5 x0.2): 146 pts.