Re: Drones
In reply to Horatio Aubrey:
The Longshot's UPP says it is equipped with "Repair Drones" and "Mining Drones". StarMaster has said, at some time in the past, that there are 20 Repair Drones and 4 Mining Drones. I'm probably wrong about this, but that's what I remember.
Repair Drones are mentioned in both the MgT1E Core Rulebook and the Central Supply Catalogue. Repair Drones are not mentioned, at all, in any currently available MgT2E book. The MgT1E definition of "Repair Drone" is thus:
Repair Robot (TL 11): Shipboard repair robots are small crab-shaped machines that carry a variety of welding and cutting tools. They scuttle around tiny access tunnels but also crawl over the exterior hull to conduct repairs and maintenance. Specialized repair robots may run Expert Engineer (any) rather than Expert Mechanic.
Strength 6 (+0), Dexterity 7 (+0), Hull 1, Structure 1
Intelligence 5 (–1), Education 6 (+0), Social Standing 0 (–3)
Traits: Integral System (mechanical toolkit), Specialized Computer/1 (running
Intellect/1 & Expert Mechanic/2 software)
Weapons: Tools (Melee (unarmed), 1d6 damage)
Price: 10,000 Credits
My head exploded one night, when I kept trying to justify that information abouve, with the "18 tons" and "360-million Credits" cost listed in the UPP. I was off the board while my head grew back...
"Mining Drones" are not mentioned, at all, in any book from either MgT1E or MgT2E. I suppose that they could be MgT2E versions of the "Utility Droid" programmed with Profession (Mining), just made a little tougher, given Enhanced Senses to aid in Prospecting, and something like a Vibro-Jackhammer, things like that.
I swear I remember StarMaster saying that these 4 Mining Drones were "man-sized, shaped like a barrel, with thick, tentacle-like arms with pincher-claw 'hands', and legs/feet of similar design, and just a slight bump of a 'head' on top, housing a pair of visual sensors". But, again, I'm probably wrong about that, too.
We have had occasion to make use of the Repair Drones--especially when we explored the Alien Tetrahedron-ship--where we used the EM Probes of the drones to manipulate the "magnetic code locks" on the alien ship.
Also, early after we got the Longshot, Vonon inspected the Drone Bay, and when he saw the 4 "Mining Drones", he had the sudden urge to name them. So he wrote a name on each "Mining Drone", in large letters, in both Anglic and Ovaghoun (the Vargr dialect his Pack speaks):
Mining Drone #1: "Diefenbaker"
Mining Drone #2: "Akela"
Mining Drone #3: "Buck"
Mining Drone #4: "Raksha"
When asked, Vonon said the four names were Fictional Canine Heroes from some vid-stories he's seen when he was a pup.