Steve Jackson Games Forums - View Single Post

Varyon · 03-15-2017, 06:32 AM

For purpose-built anti-robot tech, it's tough to beat Microwave Disruptors, which will shut down electronics on a failed (and penalized) HT roll. Failing that, lasers make for decent anti-robot weapons, with their armor divisors and the fact tight beam burning damage doesn't get downgraded by IT:Unliving. In terms of firearms, anything that can get through the robot's armor is better than nothing, even with the IT:Unliving downgrade, but you can make them a lot better with appropriate payloads - SAPHEC can deliver a decent internal explosion, APHEX gives you a smaller explosion but can get through armor more easily, and HEAT/HEMP will make short work of armor and has a decent WM besides. At TL 10, there are also Stingray rounds, where you can hope to rely on the Surge modifier to disrupt the electronics, while with larger caliber weapons you can use the much-more-effective EMP rounds. Vortex ring projectors firing explosive gas, with some sort of self-detonation method, might also be effective. If you've got robots of your own, Devourer and Gremlin swarms can be effective as well - and you can deliver them to the target with a 40mm grenade.

While they probably aren't as effective against robots as people, electrical stun weapons - like electrolasers or stun batons - might also be an option. Offhand, I'd say their "kill" setting would probably function against machines just as their "stun" setting functions against people.

03-15-2017, 06:32 AM	#2
Varyon Join Date: Jun 2013	Re: Ideas for Anti Robot Technology For purpose-built anti-robot tech, it's tough to beat Microwave Disruptors, which will shut down electronics on a failed (and penalized) HT roll. Failing that, lasers make for decent anti-robot weapons, with their armor divisors and the fact tight beam burning damage doesn't get downgraded by IT:Unliving. In terms of firearms, anything that can get through the robot's armor is better than nothing, even with the IT:Unliving downgrade, but you can make them a lot better with appropriate payloads - SAPHEC can deliver a decent internal explosion, APHEX gives you a smaller explosion but can get through armor more easily, and HEAT/HEMP will make short work of armor and has a decent WM besides. At TL 10, there are also Stingray rounds, where you can hope to rely on the Surge modifier to disrupt the electronics, while with larger caliber weapons you can use the much-more-effective EMP rounds. Vortex ring projectors firing explosive gas, with some sort of self-detonation method, might also be effective. If you've got robots of your own, Devourer and Gremlin swarms can be effective as well - and you can deliver them to the target with a 40mm grenade. While they probably aren't as effective against robots as people, electrical stun weapons - like electrolasers or stun batons - might also be an option. Offhand, I'd say their "kill" setting would probably function against machines just as their "stun" setting functions against people.