Making Terminator Steam Punk

[SuedodeuS]

Originally Posted by Nymdok

I was going under the assumption that tech never made it as far as steam.

Nymdok

That certainly makes it more difficult, but the clockwork automata could still make use of options other than steam to wind themselves back up without having a reliance on humans. Draft animals can manage, and they could also make use of waterwheels or even wind power. You could also have them doing odd things, like triggering avalanches (the falling rocks/snow being used to charge up a huge clockwork "recharge station"). Gunpowder could also be used, with bullet traps (or more direct methods) being utilized for winding.

In short, if the automata were smart enough to win, they'll probably be able to come up with some way of sticking around without violating the 2nd law of thermodynamics. Of course, a setting where there were previously a huge number of automata, but that they are slowly dwindling down due to being unable to recharge, could be interesting.