Best robot for a lone pilot.

ImpecableTimeing · Fri Sep 30, 2016 10:00 am

I want to preface with, I know power armor is a better choice. I just have an idea for the character an flavor wise it fits better for him to operate a robot as opposed to PA.

So with that, I am curious what people think is the best Robot vehicle that can operate single crew. The idea of the character is the type that lives and breaths in his robot. So I am looking one that is good for combat, but also used for exploration. Good storage and ability to live in the armor as much as possible. While it still is a robot that can be used to its best potential by a single crew member. I hope this all makes sense.

guardiandashi · Fri Sep 30, 2016 3:47 pm

ImpecableTimeing wrote:I want to preface with, I know power armor is a better choice. I just have an idea for the character an flavor wise it fits better for him to operate a robot as opposed to PA.

So with that, I am curious what people think is the best Robot vehicle that can operate single crew. The idea of the character is the type that lives and breaths in his robot. So I am looking one that is good for combat, but also used for exploration. Good storage and ability to live in the armor as much as possible. While it still is a robot that can be used to its best potential by a single crew member. I hope this all makes sense.

well for certain definitions of "best" it was the neruni death machine that "eats" the pilot and is a war crime to have...

with that said, it depends on if you are restricting to rifts, north America, etc.

for instance some of the Robotech /Macross II units are crazy powerful, (I personally find the Metal Siren from Macross II sourcebook 1 to be sick and wrong.... until it runs out of missiles. )

in the main book there is the UAR1 for the coalition, in japan there is the IR-2040

to be honest most robot vehicles have a multi person crew

ImpecableTimeing · Fri Sep 30, 2016 4:01 pm

Ah no restrictions, we are playing a modified version of the game. So I have access to all Robot vehicles, and yes I know that the single pilot requirement is where I am having the most trouble.

kaid · Unread post by **kaid** » Fri Sep 30, 2016 5:56 pm

ImpecableTimeing wrote:I want to preface with, I know power armor is a better choice. I just have an idea for the character an flavor wise it fits better for him to operate a robot as opposed to PA.

So with that, I am curious what people think is the best Robot vehicle that can operate single crew. The idea of the character is the type that lives and breaths in his robot. So I am looking one that is good for combat, but also used for exploration. Good storage and ability to live in the armor as much as possible. While it still is a robot that can be used to its best potential by a single crew member. I hope this all makes sense.

My operator uses a bulldog. I have a triax robot with combat programing to man the top turret while the pilot controls the missiles and the chin gun and melee. While not as heavily armed as some it has a pretty solid amount of missiles and decent rail guns/energy weapon mix and its a great one man mobile home. It has multiple fully decked out personal cabins/kitchen/bathroom/labratory/cargo area work shop.

kaid · Unread post by **kaid** » Fri Sep 30, 2016 5:58 pm

For a smaller version of that the okemos would work as well but the bull dog is a better combatant. It is about as durable as a spider skull walker and decent weapon mix for an exploration bot.

Zamion138 · Unread post by **Zamion138** » Sat Oct 01, 2016 12:50 am

Mobile howitzer, your hands can do the mini missiles, you can still move and fire the big gun, the small laser cannon becomes about useless, but you can get something like 6 or 7 attacks at level 3, either movement and melee, or move fire, and intercept incoming missiles with your own.
The main gun is going to be used for most attacks, and you should be starting far away when you can and moving backwards, if your enemies are moving toward you. Use the range to your advantage.

Axelmania · Unread post by **Axelmania** » Sat Oct 01, 2016 1:30 am

How much storage space are you looking for?

In terms of cost the K-GTRV Hover Land Skimmer (Robot High Speed Land Skimmer) on world book 2 page 156 (Robotech babe included) is a pretty sweet deal, hovers 2-100 feet in the air, 570mph, can carry a passenger, only 2.1 million. If you have 300k more then the Kittani ATV Hover Jet preceding it is good, but it does list a co-pilot but I'm not entirely sure what it is they do, nothing much to do except maybe gun with the lasers. Probably just an option to fly in shifts while the other rests.

Robots are usually slow, expensive and land-bound, these Kittani vehicles transform between humanoid and aircraft, it's hard to find a better candidate for top-tier robots than these.

Go to Atlantis, buy one from a Kittani city, then find a Naruni base and say you stole it from the Splugorth and want to use it to fight back and free slaves, then buy the full 320 MDC force field upgrade.

ShadowLogan · Unread post by **ShadowLogan** » Sat Oct 01, 2016 8:29 am

[quoet="ImpecableTiming"]So with that, I am curious what people think is the best Robot vehicle that can operate single crew. The idea of the character is the type that lives and breaths in his robot. So I am looking one that is good for combat, but also used for exploration. Good storage and ability to live in the armor as much as possible. While it still is a robot that can be used to its best potential by a single crew member. I hope this all makes sense.[/quote]
Given the parameters laid out:
-Crew of One
-Good in Combat
-Exploration Ready
-"free space" (Good Storage & Living Accommodations)
-Can Live in it as much as possible

The Combat/Exploration/"free space" mix requires balancing out those factors which can go several ways depending on how you want to balance them out, and most 'bots don't consider living accommodations and generally those are multi-crew affairs (to be fully combat effective). Storage space is generally limited in humanoid bots, though IINM the non-humanoid stuff tends to have better accommodations here but also requires multi-crew.

Given the various parameters and how you want to balance these factors out it might be best doing a custom Robot RCC build from Source Book 1 (just treat it as an accessory unit instead of AI, you might need to supplement this with features from Heroes Unlimited Robot and Hardware: vehicle Categories).

Triax (WB5) Insect-ish Robot APCs (I'd go with the Landcrab over the Bug) might meet your parameters given they have room for multiple passengers, but has a crew of 2, and you could retrofit the passenger area with living accommodations (ontop of the large storage space). I'd also check Traix2 for evolutionary units.

IINM there is a race in Phase Word (SB) that lives in Power Armor (normal size, they have to live in their PA though), and Rifts Canada/DBoNA has the Faerie 'Bot which matches your concept I think though you lose storage space (they are technowizards so RUE's guidelines for TW creation might help aliviate issues) and will likely be able to go anywhere the other party members go (maybe even places they can't give the listed size).

The single person crew is the hardest feature to work with, but there might be ways to work around the additional operator(s):
-GM call on Cyber-links
-salvaging a AI to specific systems
-GM allows you to create "duplicates" of yourself as a power/ability (in HU2E its a Major Super Power though)
-play as a Zebuloid from DB5 given their abilities would allow them to operate a multi-crew vehicle alone
-the vehicle is really a retrofitted experiment in the WB5 Robot Solider (optional) OCC on pg166-70 or in MiO (CAN) using self contained VR (or option of VR for a brain transplant so they can "relax"), since IINM the VR system allows a single operator to pilot a multi-crew vehicle.

J_cobbers · Unread post by **J_cobbers** » Sat Oct 01, 2016 9:11 am

The Black Market Mega Rex fits the bill nicely: crew of 1 (optionally 2); disguised as a dinosaur; 80 mph ground speed; 2 weeks food and water; adequate storage space; lots of guns and it's a freaking dino-bot!

wyrmraker · Unread post by **wyrmraker** » Sat Oct 01, 2016 10:08 am

Try the NG-V7 Hunter Mobile Gun (Sourcebook 1, p.47):

Crew: Three: One pilot, one copilot and gunner, plus four passengers.
Note: The controls are designed so that the pilot can
handle all functions if necessary.

say652 · Unread post by **say652** » Sat Oct 01, 2016 10:13 am

The Banshee from Rifts Japan. 18 feet tall, decent ps and mdc plus it flies. One of the few flying Robots.

Axelmania · Unread post by **Axelmania** » Sat Oct 01, 2016 12:09 pm

J_cobbers wrote:The Black Market Mega Rex fits the bill nicely: crew of 1 (optionally 2); disguised as a dinosaur; 80 mph ground speed; 2 weeks food and water; adequate storage space; lots of guns and it's a freaking dino-bot!

page 173, 62 million...

wyrmraker wrote:Try the NG-V7 Hunter Mobile Gun (Sourcebook 1, p.47):

Crew: Three: One pilot, one copilot and gunner, plus four passengers.
Note: The controls are designed so that the pilot can
handle all functions if necessary.

Page 53 of Revised, 40 million...

say652 wrote:The Banshee from Rifts Japan. 18 feet tall, decent ps and mdc plus it flies. One of the few flying Robots.

Page 174, 28 million

Such pricy buggers, I could have a whole fleet of Kittani bot-ships in exchange.

wyrmraker · Unread post by **wyrmraker** » Sat Oct 01, 2016 1:49 pm

Well, yeah. But prices are ridiculously insane in Rifts. The fictional economy is grossly over-inflated.

Axelmania · Unread post by **Axelmania** » Sat Oct 01, 2016 3:05 pm

I don't understand inflation too well but given that they don't seem to deal in cents and meals are exchanged in terms of under 10 credits this seems about in line with our own.

dragonfett · Unread post by **dragonfett** » Sat Oct 01, 2016 5:07 pm

Supply and demand. Not a lot of people can mass produce robot vehicles (supply) but there are always people willing to buy one (demand).

Zamion138 · Unread post by **Zamion138** » Sat Oct 01, 2016 5:47 pm

dragonfett wrote:Supply and demand. Not a lot of people can mass produce robot vehicles (supply) but there are always people willing to buy one (demand).

No its off, a big boss atv mdc viechal is less money than a suit of body armor, actually everything but plastic man.
Anyhow robot prices are crazy.

Still voting mobile howitzer for the win

HarleeKnight · Sun Oct 02, 2016 12:05 am

My lone pilot used the Coalition Spider-Skull Walker. The inside is about the size of an Econoline Van (which is very livable) and it can be operated by one man. I just painted mottled grey and it had anti-Coalition slogans, all over it, in red.

ImpecableTimeing · Sun Oct 02, 2016 2:11 am

Sorry for the late reply, thank you all. This has helped alot, I've been pouring through books and this brought my eye to some things I hadn't seen yet or skipped over. Thank you!

guardiandashi · Sun Oct 02, 2016 2:43 am

one "trick" that was sort of mentioned is just about any robot vehicle can be used by "one" person if the controls are tweaked the right way, or if you use "robots" (with the right skill package) to fill in for extra crew.

Mack · Unread post by **Mack** » Sun Oct 02, 2016 7:58 pm

Nomad Scout Robot, by Naruni (Mercs, p139). Only uses 1 pilot, but as room for 2 passengers. Fast (150mph). PS of 40, which is high for something of its size. Weapons are OK to below average, but its hands are unencumbered. And it comes with a unique camouflage system.

Also consider the Death-Knight Assault Robot (Mercs, p136). While it calls for a crew of 3, it's expressly designed so that a single pilot can handle everything. Has room for 4 additional passengers (that's 6 if the pilot is working solo). Decent weapons, to include 32 short-range missiles (which is a bit unique). PS of 60, which well above its peers. And a nice energy axe for when things get... personal.

Zamion138 · Unread post by **Zamion138** » Sun Oct 02, 2016 9:51 pm

Mack wrote:Nomad Scout Robot, by Naruni (Mercs, p139). Only uses 1 pilot, but as room for 2 passengers. Fast (150mph). PS of 40, which is high for something of its size. Weapons are OK to below average, but its hands are unencumbered. And it comes with a unique camouflage system.

Also consider the Death-Knight Assault Robot (Mercs, p136). While it calls for a crew of 3, it's expressly designed so that a single pilot can handle everything. Has room for 4 additional passengers (that's 6 if the pilot is working solo). Decent weapons, to include 32 short-range missiles (which is a bit unique). PS of 60, which well above its peers. And a nice energy axe for when things get... personal.

I never remember NE stuff, both are sweet its just so rare in our games

Axelmania · Unread post by **Axelmania** » Sun Oct 02, 2016 11:31 pm

The short list of bots would be ones which explicitly need multiple pilots to use. The most restrictive I can remember is in NGR where some had half bonuses and minus two actions with no copilot which is bearable. I'd still prefer a Dragonwing at that penalty to a UAR-1 Enforcer.

kaid · Unread post by **kaid** » Mon Oct 03, 2016 10:30 am

guardiandashi wrote:one "trick" that was sort of mentioned is just about any robot vehicle can be used by "one" person if the controls are tweaked the right way, or if you use "robots" (with the right skill package) to fill in for extra crew.

Yup that is my standard operator layout if you can afford a robot vehicle even a cheap one than you can probably afford to get a triax or NG bot or two to man guns for you. It is also nice to have them set to guard your vehicle wilst wandering about in your very expensive vehicle.

ImpecableTimeing · Mon Oct 03, 2016 1:17 pm

So looking through these options, I am now having a hard time choosing. On top of that I finally got a chance to look through the Northern Gun books. So with that I found the Super Max to my liking as well as another. I can't recall its name off hand, it was a bipedal exploration bot that only required a pilot. Though it also had a gun current that needed to be manned, along with four sleeping areas on it.

Zamion138 · Unread post by **Zamion138** » Mon Oct 03, 2016 1:27 pm

Here is a question, lets say you try to do the two bots and you piloting the Anrar assualt robot. Normally the robot trys to kill you if you tinker with it, but the demons still get one soul...
Do you think it would kill you or let you roll with the two bots. Also will it ever be able to become a full demon with out the other two pilots inside to loose their saves?

Do you get to live the dream? An Angrar robot with out self destruction?

say652 · Unread post by **say652** » Mon Oct 03, 2016 1:29 pm

The Triax Landcrab. Hidden powerhouse of versatility actually.
Good mdc, Robot ps 60, lands and water vehicle that can be piloted by one person and has large area for living.

RockJock · Unread post by **RockJock** » Mon Oct 03, 2016 8:34 pm

Naruni Ovoid for something different. From PW2, has crew space, and can fly. Yes, you lose a little without a gunner, but the description says it is designed to be piloted by one.

kaid · Unread post by **kaid** » Tue Oct 04, 2016 12:17 pm

ImpecableTimeing wrote:So looking through these options, I am now having a hard time choosing. On top of that I finally got a chance to look through the Northern Gun books. So with that I found the Super Max to my liking as well as another. I can't recall its name off hand, it was a bipedal exploration bot that only required a pilot. Though it also had a gun current that needed to be manned, along with four sleeping areas on it.

I think that may be the ogre if I recall correctly one from the cover of NG1. I tend to like the bulldog a bit more but the ogre is probably easier to rig for a single person to fight. Not an amazing combat bot but it is strong and tough and pretty good missile supply.

ImpecableTimeing · Tue Oct 04, 2016 12:58 pm

Haven't been able to look at the book again, it has like a bubble canopy that you can buy a plate cover for. Uhh I think arms that can extend and a nose gun controlled by the pilot. Along with an open air turret on its back. As well as four sleeping areas with like a toilet and storage and such.

Blue_Lion · Unread post by **Blue_Lion** » Tue Oct 04, 2016 3:19 pm

Personally I think the best is one that is not stock. An operator with the right skills can add things to give a single pilot robot really good edge in combat. (increase armor add missiles or other weapons.) In addition by being modified your foes do not know what your capable of.

A TW can with the right skills modify a robot to do things well beyond that to give an even bigger edge.

Stock is for armies that need standard units, and the poor.

kaid · Unread post by **kaid** » Tue Oct 04, 2016 3:21 pm

ImpecableTimeing wrote:Haven't been able to look at the book again, it has like a bubble canopy that you can buy a plate cover for. Uhh I think arms that can extend and a nose gun controlled by the pilot. Along with an open air turret on its back. As well as four sleeping areas with like a toilet and storage and such.

I think that is probably the okemos if it is the more bipedal one. It and the bull dog are really nice exploration/party wagons.

J_cobbers · Unread post by **J_cobbers** » Wed Oct 05, 2016 11:29 am

I was looking at NG1 last night and the Hunter Mobile Gun block IV notes it can be operated by just the pilot, though it isn't optimized for solo use. It's got really good levels of MDC and several configurations for several main weapon systems, but not configured for long term living. However, without copilot gunner or passengers (it can hold 2 extra though cramped) that should leave a bit of space for extra supplies.

ImpecableTimeing · Wed Oct 05, 2016 1:13 pm

It was the Okemos, and I will have to look at the hunter gun again

kaid · Unread post by **kaid** » Wed Oct 05, 2016 1:50 pm

J_cobbers wrote:I was looking at NG1 last night and the Hunter Mobile Gun block IV notes it can be operated by just the pilot, though it isn't optimized for solo use. It's got really good levels of MDC and several configurations for several main weapon systems, but not configured for long term living. However, without copilot gunner or passengers (it can hold 2 extra though cramped) that should leave a bit of space for extra supplies.

The mobile gun is a pretty solid combat mech. Not a lot of living space inside although you could probably sleep in it okay but its big/tough and the new models even tougher with a really hard hitting rail gun. All that for a pretty low price as far as such things go simply because they have been around for so long.

Nurgesh · Unread post by **Nurgesh** » Thu Oct 06, 2016 4:19 am

How about a Titan recon or combat robot specifically so you can take advantage of the "free repairs" policy?

I suppose if you go the recon you might want to consider some aftermarket firepower though.

J_cobbers · Unread post by **J_cobbers** » Thu Oct 06, 2016 3:28 pm

Another solid choice from NG1 is the Ogre. Large, well armored, capable of single pilot operations, and has living and storage space built in; think a Behemoth Explorer but smaller). However, it is slow (35 mph) and lightly armed in terms of weapons compared to something like the Hunter Mobile Gun.

I don't think there is a stock Robot that is fully optimized between combat and exploration/living with a single pilot. You have to figure out what is your main priority for your single pilot; combat, or livability/exploration, and make your compromise.

kaid · Unread post by **kaid** » Thu Oct 06, 2016 4:54 pm

J_cobbers wrote:Another solid choice from NG1 is the Ogre. Large, well armored, capable of single pilot operations, and has living and storage space built in; think a Behemoth Explorer but smaller). However, it is slow (35 mph) and lightly armed in terms of weapons compared to something like the Hunter Mobile Gun.

I don't think there is a stock Robot that is fully optimized between combat and exploration/living with a single pilot. You have to figure out what is your main priority for your single pilot; combat, or livability/exploration, and make your compromise.

Ogre is a potentially good option for an operator simply because it is big enough and strong enough to make it pretty reasonable for mounting additional weapon systems onto it in the future. By default is is a good exploration mech but pretty limited weapons well unless something gets into melee range. It is a good mech for punching things into small chunks.

dragonfett · Unread post by **dragonfett** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 2:28 am

Nurgesh wrote:How about a Titan recon or combat robot specifically so you can take advantage of the "free repairs" policy?

I suppose if you go the recon you might want to consider some aftermarket firepower though.

Are the free repairs cannon? Where can they be found?

rem1093 · Unread post by **rem1093** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 6:15 am

If you allow it I would go with the VHT. Get the model that is a convertible, so you can go with of without the canopy. You should be able to mod it so it has mounts on the shields, to carry your supply's,
Also you could take an idea from Stark's playbook and get a Jarvis to run some of the systems on your Robot. Then you can get a multi pilot Mecha and have the AI run some systems so it can be piloted by one person and then mod out the inside to suit your needs.

Nurgesh · Unread post by **Nurgesh** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 10:18 am

dragonfett wrote:
Nurgesh wrote:How about a Titan recon or combat robot specifically so you can take advantage of the "free repairs" policy?

I suppose if you go the recon you might want to consider some aftermarket firepower though.

Are the free repairs cannon? Where can they be found?

Yes and you can find it in Rifts Aftermath.

You'll need to visit a Titan Robotics facility though.

dragonfett · Unread post by **dragonfett** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 12:54 pm

Nurgesh wrote:
dragonfett wrote:
Nurgesh wrote:How about a Titan recon or combat robot specifically so you can take advantage of the "free repairs" policy?

I suppose if you go the recon you might want to consider some aftermarket firepower though.

Are the free repairs cannon? Where can they be found?

Yes and you can find it in Rifts Aftermath.

You'll need to visit a Titan Robotics facility though.

I figured that I would have to visit Titan Robotics, and I remember seeing somewhere about the free (or at least reduced) repair costs, but I couldn't remember if it was canon or not. Would those free repairs also apply to the Flying Titan power armor?

Nurgesh · Unread post by **Nurgesh** » Fri Oct 07, 2016 6:57 pm

dragonfett wrote:
Nurgesh wrote:
dragonfett wrote:
Nurgesh wrote:How about a Titan recon or combat robot specifically so you can take advantage of the "free repairs" policy?

I suppose if you go the recon you might want to consider some aftermarket firepower though.

Are the free repairs cannon? Where can they be found?

Yes and you can find it in Rifts Aftermath.

You'll need to visit a Titan Robotics facility though.

I figured that I would have to visit Titan Robotics, and I remember seeing somewhere about the free (or at least reduced) repair costs, but I couldn't remember if it was canon or not. Would those free repairs also apply to the Flying Titan power armor?

Regrettably it's just for robots as it's explicitly tied into the robotic sensor system. Personally I'd house rule that Titan power armor was fine too. It just makes sense to me that Archie would have a similar version of his robot spyware for power armor as well - it's not like he's lacking in technical capability to cram it in there somewhere.

kaid · Unread post by **kaid** » Mon Oct 10, 2016 12:38 pm

Yup just the big bots as archie uses that as a good incentive to get them in the shop to strip all their recording info they collect when they are in the field.

I think it is not in the power armor simply because there is less room to sneak the stuff and it would be more likely somebody bumps into it.