The Robot Handbook is Here!

[Annatar Giftbringer]

Just realized. I don’t have this book yet. Physical I mean.

What’s the status on it, is it awaiting printing, should it have been here by now… where are we?

 

[CordwainerFish]

Just realized. I don’t have this book yet. Physical I mean.

What’s the status on it, is it awaiting printing, should it have been here by now… where are we?

I'm too lazy to go to my office and look, but my spreadsheet says I have the physical item.

 

[MongooseMatt]

Just realized. I don’t have this book yet. Physical I mean.

What’s the status on it, is it awaiting printing, should it have been here by now… where are we?

In print and in stock!

 

[Annatar Giftbringer]

In print and in stock!

So I should have received mine by now if I preordered on the day of the PDF release..?

 

[MongooseMatt]

So I should have received mine by now if I preordered on the day of the PDF release..?

Yes, absolutely - drop a line to sales@mongoosepublishing.com, and we will see what has happened!

 

[ScienceGuy]

There is description of fabrication chamber on page 51 and on page 121. There is quite a big difference on capabilities. Page 51 says ”full robots with advanced brains” on tl13. On page 121 it says that on tl13 ”basic robotic brains”. Which one is correct?

 

[Terry Mixon]

There is description of fabrication chamber on page 51 and on page 121. There is quite a big difference on capabilities. Page 51 says ”full robots with advanced brains” on tl13. On page 121 it says that on tl13 ”basic robotic brains”. Which one is correct?

The author indicated page 52 is correct.

Errata Robots Handbook

The Robotics Lab Fabrication Chamber on pg 121, Complexity differs from the chart on pg 52. Is this a typo? Why are they different?

forum.mongoosepublishing.com

 

[shammond42]

Can the Solar Coating and/or the Solar Power Unit provide power for thrust locomotion? I'm guessing no, but maybe we assume something similar to the deep space maneuver system (DNR Campaign Guide p.26) at higher tech levels?

 

[Geir]

Can the Solar Coating and/or the Solar Power Unit provide power for thrust locomotion? I'm guessing no, but maybe we assume something similar to the deep space maneuver system (DNR Campaign Guide p.26) at higher tech levels?

If it's a grav-based thruster propulsion system (not a thruster-based missile) it should be able to move at a reduced rate under Solar Coating and function as stated with Solar Panels, but if it's for instance TL7 and uses propellant, not so much.

I would assume that the 0.1 G Thruster drive is an M-Drive-equivalent, but a Grav propulsion unit would be what T5 calls a G-drive and only work to 10D. Of course under solar power, you'd get very little power in the outer system or deep space anyway. so it depends.

Oh, now you made me think: Do missiles stop working at 1000D?

 

[shammond42]

Grav is a separate locomotion type from thrusters in the Robots Handbook, so distance from a mass doesn't matter. The question is, is it some other type of reactionless propulsion?

 

[MasterGwydion]

If it's a grav-based thruster propulsion system (not a thruster-based missile) it should be able to move at a reduced rate under Solar Coating and function as stated with Solar Panels, but if it's for instance TL7 and uses propellant, not so much.

I would assume that the 0.1 G Thruster drive is an M-Drive-equivalent, but a Grav propulsion unit would be what T5 calls a G-drive and only work to 10D. Of course under solar power, you'd get very little power in the outer system or deep space anyway. so it depends.

Oh, now you made me think: Do missiles stop working at 1000D?

Unless they are an R-Drive instead of an M-Drive. Although, in My games, I ignore the 1,000D rule. 1) It's dumb and seems to not improve the game in anyway. 2)Once the tech to develop hop drives is available, you jump in at 1,000D. If you are off by just a smidge, say 50D past the 1,000D limit, you are screwed.

 

[MasterGwydion]

Grav is a separate locomotion type from thrusters in the Robots Handbook, so distance from a mass doesn't matter. The question is, is it some other type of reactionless propulsion?

That Grav is a minimum a 1G though. Correct? A Thruster is limited to 0.1G. Yes? Or am I wrong in My understanding? I see no reason why the Thruster couldn't be Grav. You explain the discrepancy in price factor, by simply saying it is 1/10 the size of a Grav locomotion system. It is not an elegant solution, but it works.

 

[shammond42]

That Grav is a minimum a 1G though. Correct? A Thruster is limited to 0.1G. Yes? Or am I wrong in My understanding? I see no reason why the Thruster couldn't be Grav. You explain the discrepancy in price factor, by simply saying it is 1/10 the size of a Grav locomotion system. It is not an elegant solution, but it works.

Thruster as a secondary locomotion type is limited to 0.1G, Thruster as a primary type is 10G at TL8-13, and 15G at 14+.

 

[MasterGwydion]

Thruster as a secondary locomotion type is limited to 0.1G, Thruster as a primary type is 10G at TL8-13, and 15G at 14+.

Thank you for correcting Me.

 

[Terry Mixon]

Unless they are an R-Drive instead of an M-Drive. Although, in My games, I ignore the 1,000D rule. 1) It's dumb and seems to not improve the game in anyway. 2)Once the tech to develop hop drives is available, you jump in at 1,000D. If you are off by just a smidge, say 50D past the 1,000D limit, you are screwed.

I was reading on the Hop Drive just yesterday and don't recall seeing the 1,000D limit. Where does it specify that? And would the Skip drive be 10,000D? Seems needless. I'm inclined to keep the jump limit the same for all.

 

[MasterGwydion]

I was reading on the Hop Drive just yesterday and don't recall seeing the 1,000D limit. Where does it specify that? And would the Skip drive be 10,000D? Seems needless. I'm inclined to keep the jump limit the same for all.

T5 Book 2 pg 124 on the Hop Process Chart

On pg 126 it lists 10,000 Diameters for the Skip Drive, so yes.

If you want to keep them the same, keep them the same. Rule Zero.

P.S.- This may be the only thing that I can regularly find in the T5 rulebooks. lol

 

[Terry Mixon]

T5 Book 2 pg 124 on the Hop Process Chart

On pg 126 it lists 10,000 Diameters for the Skip Drive, so yes.

If you want to keep them the same, keep them the same. Rule Zero.

P.S.- This may be the only thing that I can regularly find in the T5 rulebooks. lol

Thanks. I will use rule 0 in this case.

Still, the fact it says it in T5 doesn't mean that is the way Mongoose means to handle it. As they didn't mention it at all, perhaps the intent was to keep it 100D all the way up.

 

[Vormaerin]

I was reading on the Hop Drive just yesterday and don't recall seeing the 1,000D limit. Where does it specify that? And would the Skip drive be 10,000D? Seems needless. I'm inclined to keep the jump limit the same for all.

I don't believe that is in the Mgt2e quick reference to Hop Drives. It is in the source material on Hop drives, which is T5.

 

[J. L. Brown]

JTAS #06; page 14. The write up of the Tijian Khaganate 'Steppehauler'-class Modular Freighter begins on page 02, and it has a TL 16 prototype Hop-1 drive. There are write ups on several standard 500 dTon modular pods which can be carried, and then the description of the Hop drive is on page 14 and 15.

Yes, Mongoose has written material stating that the minimum safe distance for using a Hop drive is 1000 diameters. As always, be aware of how incorporating (or changing) rules will affect your game, and do what seems best for your table.

 

[ottarrus]

JTAS #06; page 14. The write up of the Tijian Khaganate 'Steppehauler'-class Modular Freighter begins on page 02, and it has a TL 16 prototype Hop-1 drive. There are write ups on several standard 500 dTon modular pods which can be carried, and then the description of the Hop drive is on page 14 and 15.

Yes, Mongoose has written material stating that the minimum safe distance for using a Hop drive is 1000 diameters. As always, be aware of how incorporating (or changing) rules will affect your game, and do what seems best for your table.

I would caution a lot of folks about the early MJTAS volumes:
A bunch of the material in many of the articles has been superseded by later Mongoose rules. Also, almost none of the material are 'official rules', they're options, alternatives, and IMTU variants.
All this is fine, btw. The original JTAS was the exact same thing. Things in JTAS 3 were superseded by the official rules in Mercenary, High Guard, and Scouts later on. The JTAS volumes were and are intended to give players and refs other options to follow and other voices to be heard.