Name:  Smart Robotic Control System
Type (Category):  Equipment (Other)
Reference:  Interstellar Operations: Alternate Eras (p. 134)

Description:
Truly robotic drones date back to the earliest years of Terran spaceflight. Moving beyond remote-controlled technologies of the day, these units were capable of independent operation via a structured set of pre-programmed commands. While not truly intelligent in any fashion, these units used sophisticated “smart” software to resolve actions based on specific parameters set in advance of their deployment. The main drawback to these independent robotic units, which greatly limited their military application, was their susceptibility to ECM, combined with programming that proved too rigid to adapt to a rapidly changing battlefield environment.

Although a smart robotic control system (SRCS) could be installed in virtually any type of vehicle, the technology was most commonly mated with aerospace units, which operated far from significant terrain variables, and the risk to civilian populations and property was vastly reduced. In the commercial sector, may firms still produce robotic control systems for the civilian and industrial use, but the technology fell out of use in the military sector following the collapse of the Star League, and did not return to significant use until the years leading up to the Word of Blake’s Jihad.

Game Rules:
Units equipped with the basic smart robotic control system (SRCS) presented here follow all general robotic unit game rules with the specific modifications noted below.

Changing Aggression: If a Control Unit directs a unit operating with a SRCS to change to a new Aggression level, the change will not take effect until after the second Initiative Phase following the End Phase in which the order was given. During the intervening turn, the robotic unit will maintain its previous Aggression level.

Initiative: Robotic units operating with an SRCS must resolve their Initiative rolls separately from all human-operated units, remote drone units, and even other friendly robotic units that use a Caspar or Caspar II control system. Only other friendly robotic units using either the basic SRCS or the shielded aerospace SRCS may share the same Initiative roll, which receives a modifier of –4, regardless of how many such units are combined.

Hyperspace Travel: Although not as unstable when exposed to hyperspace as more sophisticated AI systems, robotic units equipped with a basic SRCS are still overwhelmed by the sensory and data surge that accompanies a jump through hyperspace. Any robotic unit driven by a basic SRCS that goes through a K-F jump without first being deactivated will arrive at the destination point in a shut down state, and will need to be restarted by orders from a friendly command unit or boarding action.

BattleMechsIndustrialMechsCombat Vehicles

Prototype Date:	—
Production Date:	ES
Extinction Date:	—
Recovery Date:	—

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE * See rules for this equipment
IT = Item Tonnage (weight of component itself)

RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
ALPHA STRIKE WEAPON CONVERSION TABLE
Special Unit Abilities

MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  SmartRoboticControlSystem

Prototype Date:	—
Production Date:	ES
Extinction Date:	—
Recovery Date:	—

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE * See rules for this equipment
IT = Item Tonnage (weight of component itself)

RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
ALPHA STRIKE WEAPON CONVERSION TABLE
Special Unit Abilities

MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  SmartRoboticControlSystem

Prototype Date:	—
Production Date:	ES
Extinction Date:	—
Recovery Date:	—

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE * See rules for this equipment
IT = Item Tonnage (weight of component itself)

RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
ALPHA STRIKE WEAPON CONVERSION TABLE
Special Unit Abilities

MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  SmartRoboticControlSystem

Prototype Date:	—
Production Date:	ES
Extinction Date:	—
Recovery Date:	—

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE * See rules for this equipment
IT = Item Tonnage (weight of component itself)

RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
ALPHA STRIKE WEAPON CONVERSION TABLE
Special Unit Abilities

MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  SmartRoboticControlSystem

Prototype Date:	—
Production Date:	ES
Extinction Date:	—
Recovery Date:	—

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE * See rules for this equipment
IT = Item Tonnage (weight of component itself)

RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
ALPHA STRIKE WEAPON CONVERSION TABLE
Special Unit Abilities

MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  SmartRoboticControlSystem
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot:  Smart Robotic Control System

Prototype Date:	—
Production Date:	ES
Extinction Date:	—
Recovery Date:	—

WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE * See rules for this equipment
IT = Item Tonnage (weight of component itself)

RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
ALPHA STRIKE WEAPON CONVERSION TABLE
Special Unit Abilities

MegaMek Output → Critical Slot:  SmartRoboticControlSystem
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot:  Smart Robotic Control System