"Bring back the 40k Robots!?" Topic

Since the polls are down, I figured I throw this one out to the SF room for 40k/30k players to voice their opinions on whether GW should bring back the Robots which were featured prominently in Rogue Trader, 40k 2nd Ed, and Space Marine (aka Epic 40k). They previous similar poll on bringing back grenades met with an interesting and balanced level of results.

So what sayeth you, should they bring back the bots (along with some over-priced updated models too!):
picture

While I didn't care much for the old RT era robots, I'd say go for it. The Tau use drones and unmanned fighters to some extent already anyway. If GW design a new generation of cool looking droids (like the Infinity combat 'remotes' for instance) I'd find them hard to resist.

link

link

I must say that the programs for the old robots were a lot of fun. The minis were not so great, but the rules made them interesting. I think they could be fun to bring back, but I would not bet GW will do it.

Jeff

I've always been a big fan of robots. Bring 'em back!

Might sound stupid cause i only know rougue trader. But aren't necrons kinda robots?

I always thought the robots with space crusade looked like necrons.

The old Rogue Trader robots are a hoot!
The models ain't all that bad but most of the time I use Warmachine mechs… Cryx models make for very cool chaos robots.

earthad666--the point isn't to simply have robots, it's to have IMPERIAL robots again. Clearly, the Tau drones are robots of some sort. More so, in fact, than the Necrons are, because the Necrons are the mechanical remants of ancient biological beings. (The Necrontyr.)

Anyway, in the good old days, the Imperium still had robotic battle droids of its own. The models were just so-so, but the programming rules for them were fun. More importantly, if GW brought back Imperial robots, it would be a great excuse for some really cool new models.

this all just points out that the old rules were more fun to me.

I liked the old robot rules too, minis not so much

It would be nice if GW brought back the Imperial robots at the original prices ;)

I've got one old robot with the flamers, but will happily substitute a number of alternatives. Lots of robot options these days, even if they don't look exactly like the Imperial Robots. For example, I have some Starship Troopers CHAS robots, but also had an eye on the Pig Iron robots with the desire of making an Imperial Robot squad.

I also enjoyed the old program rules, but a number of people I played with did not. I'm sure I'd get the same spectrum of opinion if I were to bring those rules into a game these days.

It would be nice if GW brought back the Imperial robots at the original prices ;)

People would still complain about it, though…

Yes bring back the models and the rules, both were and are fun. Even if I have to use modified clix BattleMechs for them now days!

Long live the Imperial Robots

AS

I love the Rogue Trader robots. I've got about 25 of them – a maniple of each variant, plus extras.

Uesugi Kenshin – you mentioned them appearing in 40k 2nd edition. When/where was this? I'm only familiar with their presence in Rogue Trader and 1st & 2nd ed Epic.

I'm not just being picky, I'm asking because I've recently been planning to run a mod/hybrid of 40k 2nd ed and Necromunda rules, but I'm not aware of any published rules for Imperial robots under either of those two sets. Any pointers would be appreciated.

For those clamouring for new GW models – there was some great potential for these in the design sketches by Jes Goodwin, published in his sketchbook "The Gothic and the Eldritch". They were updated/reworked versions of the original variants. It's a pity they were never made, the designs were ace.

What were the original prices and what year?

The original "beasts of metal?!" ABSOLUTELY. Bring 'em back on line!

Leland R. Erickson
Metal Express
metal-express.net

It'd be a neat addition, but I don't think it'd fit with the direction they've taken the fluff in the last decade.

Robots represent a level of tech understanding higher than most of the imperium, which relies on STC computers and servitors. Robots would be pretty exclusively part of Adeptus Mech, and asside from tech priests and Tech marines, their associates don't show up on 40k battlefields too often.

As cool as they'd be, I'd say that they are best left in the past.

WW2Fanatic makes a very good point, the Tau use drones so why not the Imperials. And technically the Eldar Wraithguard and Wraithlords are a kind of drone operated by a dead Eldar.

If the Imperials are so set of sparing human lives robot drones only make sense.
Although that then reminds me of the Coalition from Rifts using robots in dangerous areas.

As cool as they'd be, I'd say that they are best left in the past.

Humbug! (that's my first 'humbug!' of the season!)

They seem ideal to fight Tyranids and Chaos… no genes to steal, no souls to possess (though somehow Chaos takes over Rhinos and such…).
Squats and Orks had robots too… though I've only got the Orky variety… which are parodies of the other races. Eldar have their 'warghost' thingies… and those little ones with buzzsaw fists.
The Adeptus Arbites have robot dogs…

Long live the Legio Cybernetica!

I too would like to know if there were rules for robots in 2nd/Necromunda.
Wasn't there some bit of fluff… post Rogue Trader, about the Empire banning robots because of… something?

Whatever… post-Rogue Trader fluff is pretty much dead to me unless it got nice models.

I've no interest in playing the newer rules but surely there's someone out there in GW fandom who has cobbled an update to bring the robots into modern 40K?

Like Parmenion, I still have a maniple of each variant that I field occasionally. Love the old robot programs – lots of fun in a Code Monkey sort of way.

My favorite design has always been the Crusader: link

I like the insect-like look, and the fact that it doesn't look like any other robot out there.

What were the original prices and what year?

The robot rules are in White Dwarf Issue 104 August 1988. Price per robot was £2.50.

40/30K…what the heck is 30K?

Crusaders were my favorites of the 'official' robots too…
Probably wouldn't be too hard to scratch build some more poses out of sprue and bits.

Supposedly in more modern fluff there is a space marine legion called the Desert Lions which allied with a bunch of Legio Cybernetica robots, and after their victory made them honorary members of their legion.
So it's not like they've been completely written out of the fluff… just left out of the rules.

venusboy3, that stuff about the Desert Lions is also in the original fluff, White Dwarf 104. Interesting to know it's still referred to in current fluff, I wasn't aware of that.

My favourite used to be the Crusader too. As well as my Imperial maniple, I had one set aside for use as a looted robot for my Harlequins – though I never got round to giving it a suitable paint scheme. In later years though I developed a soft spot for the Conqueror. I've got about 7 or 8 of them, various configurations.

I've no interest in playing the newer rules but surely there's someone out there in GW fandom who has cobbled an update to bring the robots into modern 40K?

40/30K…what the heck is 30K?

In answer to both, Bell of Lost Souls produced an unofficial 40k expansion set in the Horus Heresy, ie the 31st Millennium/30k. It was written for current 40k rules and included rules and army list entries for robots. Grossly simplified, but what do you expect of current 40k.

I'm not up on current fluff and I'm getting the Desert Lions info as 2nd hand on another forum (which is full of intolerant fluff goons) so, grain of salt for those that care about such things.

I don't think there are any recent referencest to the Desert Lions, just that one reference way back when.

A rousing good debate going here!

"but also had an eye on the Pig Iron robots with the desire of making an Imperial Robot squad."

Thats what I'm doing for one of my IG Regiments currently. Working on 3 Robots per maniple at the moment (due to cost). The PI 'bots are fantastic and come w/ a load of options that fit 40k/30k (see review here: TMP link )

Parmenian, re: 2nd edition Robots, I just sold all of my 2nd Ed. 40k books on Ebay so I can't say for sure, but as I recall they were covered in one of the 2nd Ed books, like the Compendium or the Codex Imperialis book . Sorry not more help.

Here is some interesting 'bot info from Wiki:

"Background-wise, Imperial Robots were the jurisdiction of an obscure branch of the Adeptus Mechanicus called the Legio Cybernetica. Robots were fielded in organizations similar to the reformed Roman Legions of old. Three to five robots, plus their attending tech-adept were organized in a single maniple, which were then organized into a cohort of less than a hundred maniples. During this early time, entire cohorts of Imperial Robots were spread across the armies of the Imperial Guard (then-called the Imperial Army) and the Space Marines. On at least one occasion, Robots were made honorary members of a Space Marine chapter for exemplary service. This was after marines from the Desert Lions chapter participated in Operation Carthage on the planet of Isstvan V. Because of the actions of a legion of Robots, the Space Marines lost only seven of their battle brothers in their siege."

Sorry for not clarifying "30k" above. I thought that was general knowledge these days. Bell of Lost Souls (Bols) is a really fun site. Until something better comes along, I using that and the Horus Heresy novels to build 2 complete Horus period Marine companies. Currently working on the Emperors Children. I found the "Bols" site very helpful.
belloflostsouls.net

Looks like the forum is leaning about 90% in favor of bringing back the 'bots so far :D

I dont care what GW would charge, if they brought 'em, I'd buy 'em! And think about what a great opportunity it would be for multi-part plastic sets where you could build either standard Imperial designs or customize your own!

I'm actually trying to get a multi-part plastic droid/bot made over at the Wargames Factory site (read more here:
link
link
Its currently one of the most talked about threads at WF. Feel free to contribute input! If these work out, they would cost you about $5 USD per Robot!!! (beat that GW).
link

THE ROBOTS WILL (re)RISE!

Parmenian, re: 2nd edition Robots, I just sold all of my 2nd Ed. 40k books on Ebay so I can't say for sure, but as I recall they were covered in one of the 2nd Ed books, like the Compendium or the Codex Imperialis book . Sorry not more help.

That's a pity – I've got all the 2nd ed rulebooks, expansions and codices and they're nowhere in there, but thought from what you said that robot rules might have appeared in a not-quite-official source, such as the Citadel Journal.

However, I've checked an online index of material for 40k, and it looks like GW has never published rules for them under 2nd ed in any format (though I'm sure there are individual gamers who will have attempted something like this). The best I can find is that robots are mentioned in the same line as dreadnoughts under the rules for walker vehicles in the 2nd ed core rulebook.

You're right about them appearing in the Compendium, but that was a Rogue Trader supplement, collecting articles from White Dwarf (in the case of robots, from the aforementioned WD104).

That could very well have been it!

I've got the aforementioned WD104 (the cover fell off years ago) and they were a very interesting rules for governing AI. I've not seen anything like them since.

I've been toying for years with expanding the rules to see if I could come up with an 'AI opponent' for solo wargaming.

Why not scan and share those rules for the rest of us :-)

Bring back the 'bots!

Parmenion you evil robot horder.

The prices on ebay are outrageous, I've only ever gotten one.

Vote for the Bots here:
TMP link

Give Dan Abnett's 'Titanicus' a read, and you'll really want to bring back the robots. It's less that he has robots, than just all the neat high-tech stuff and how he works it into the setting.

(I always thought that a game of just robots fighting each other using the old 40K program rules might be fun.)

I just finished "Mechanicum" from the Heresy series and was glad to see 1 particularly nasty 'bot was featured in that story.

I'm definitely going to have come up with some substitute bots for my 28mm Horus Heresy Period armies.

Weellll… EM4 do very cheap ones that are just a bit taller than 28mm, and they look pretty cool too.

nvdoyle: That's basically Robo-Rally heh heh.

I use robots a lot in my version of Rogue Trader, I have them as heavy support for heretics/pirates etc who have no access to Space Marines but need the heavy support.

Aardvark, which 'bots do you use? The original RT 'bots?

The new Khurasan 15mm L-hac looks like it will work pretty well w/ 28mm minis as it is about 4" tall.
link
picture
link