The Blemmye By Damien Valentine #885659

Ever since the Bronze Age, when stories were told of Talos and the golem, mankind has dreamed of an automated soldier.  One impervious to sleep and sentiment, who requires neither leave nor hazard pay.  In modern times this dream is realized by the "drone" systems ubiquitous throughout the galaxy, each consisting of one Mecha, and one android pilot with near-human A.I.  But for a few years in the mid-33rd Century, there was a single exception to this rule: the Blemmye.

When the Illyrian province of Carthagium rebelled in 3249 -- the last in a series of revolts which had plagued the Hegemony for over 100 years -- its leaders immediately realized they were vastly outnumbered.  To solve the manpower problem quickly, they ordered the design of a new type of drone: one that sped up production by cutting out the "android middleman", and installing its A.I. directly into the mech itself.  A rudimentary cockpit was installed in the central torso (a feature for which the Blemmye was named, after a mythical monster with its face in its chest) but with a total volume of 1.5 cubic meters, its only purpose was to appease traditionalists.  Its featureless "head" bore a pair of laser turrets; working together, these were sufficient to knock down incoming missiles, although they were worthless against Mecha and armored vehicles.  For these threats, Blemmyes carried a flexible (but inexpensive) mix of arm-mounted cannons, shoulder-mounted lasers, and a dorsal missile rack...typically provided by Cogwerk sympathizers.

As the core of a medium-weight force, the Blemmye might have accomplished a great deal.  Unfortunately, the rebels only possessed outdated light Mecha (mostly Red Ants and Shocklites), despite promised shipments of iMechs and Holmes from the Cogwerk Planets.  Against the Hegemony's new Ogguns, a few squadrons of Blemmyes stood no chance whatsoever.  While the original Blemmye factories on Thapsus were destroyed in 3252, when the Hegemony "salted the earth" with cobalt bombs, about 200 Blemmyes were captured by Illyrian forces and sold to mercenary Clans.  Unfortunately for both historians and A.I. enthusiasts, most of these Blemmyes had been destroyed by 3275: equipped with Advanced Cannons and Handheld Nukes, then used in suicidal frontal assaults.  Explanations for this behavior vary from owner to owner; all are notoriously unsatisfying.

COST

Ferrite: 900
Bioptics: 400
Crystal: 70

STATISTICAL READOUT

Tonnage: 35 tons
Armor Points: 60
Start Weapons: 5
Levels per Weapon: 6
Minimum Level: 16
Manufacturer: n/a

ARMAMENTS

Advanced Cannon
Advanced Cannon
Collido Laser
Collido Laser
Double Mordem

If purchased individually, these weapons alone would cost: 824 ferrite, 659 bioptics, 10 crystal.

BONUSES

Build: Speed +1
Build: Laser shield 15%
Level 3: +1 chassis slot
Level 6: +1 weapon slot
Level 9: +1 shield slot
Level 12: +1 weapon slot
Level 15: +1 chassis slot
Level 18: +1 weapon slot
Level 21: +1 shield slot
Level 24: +1 weapon slot
Level 27: +1 chassis slot
Level 30: +1 weapon slot
Level 33: +1 shield slot
Level 36: +1 weapon slot
Level 39: +1 chassis slot
Level 42: +1 weapon slot
Level 45: +1 shield slot

Submitted by Damien Valentine #885659