| From: | Danyel N Woods <9604801@********.AC.NZ> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Re: Aztech Armoured Troopers |
| Date: | Wed, 20 May 1998 12:46:19 +1200 |
>>I was thinking of emphasising how nasty the Aztechnology labs could be
>>by making this thing 'piloted' - by a rigged individual who was
>>*permanently* wired into the machine's systems and kept doped-up with
>>aggression-enhancing drugs. Such a thing would either be voluntary
>>('special duty'), or the last resort of some prisoners ('Either you
sign
>>up for this duty, or we kill you.' Which would be worse?).
>
>I'd have to say that if it was done right, it is very possible for the
SR
>universe. This concept has popped up before to my recollection, but
it's
>still a cool idea.
<<SLICE request to Ereskanti to do the number-crunching>>
>The only problem I'd see with this is what happens to the "pilot" in
the
>long-term? I'd think that all that inactivity in the body would cause
it
>to degenerate within a month or so. Within a few months, you'd end up
with
>a rigger with physical stats of no better than one each.
>
>But since you could probably recycle the VCR-3s they would have (spruce
it
>up each time you reimplant it to avoid normal second-hand cyber rules)
and
>the Azzies have an ample supply of prisoners, I'm not sure they would
>really care.
>
>"Do a six month tour with us and we'll erase that 20-lifetime prison
>sentence of yours." "Oh, you mean we didn't mention you'd be a
physical
>invalid after your service to the glory of Aztlan? You should have
read
>the contract more carefully..."
Good points, though I was thinking more along the lines of two types of
these units: volunteers, who can dismount whenever they choose (the true
'Armoured Troopers'), and 'permanents' ('Berserkers').
The permanents would be death-row or multiple-lifetime prisoners who get
their sentences commuted to life-service in a Berserker unit. And
between the deterioration you mentioned, the developing mental problems
(MAJOR-LEAGUE cyber-psychosis!), and the potential for violent death 'in
the line of duty', life would be about a year at most. (<Evil thought
strikes> But what if they use cybermancy to keep their Berserkers on
line? <shudder>)
You're an inspired, evil man, Erik. I gotta love it.
>I like it. It works for me. I'll have to keep it in mind when the
current
>batch of PCs gets to sufficient power levels.
I was actually going to throw it at my (low-power) players as a hint:
you see one of these things, you don't try to shoot it out; you *RUN
AWAY*. Otherwise, they'd just be in the background - special
assault-platoons attached to the Azzie heavy-infantry brigades staring
across the border at Cal-Free and CAS.
Danyel Woods
9604801@********.ac.nz
'Are you deliberately trying to drive me insane?'
'The universe is already mad. Anything else would be
redundant.'
