Gremwrench

*“The electrical barrier might have held off those beasts just about forever if somebody hadn’t sabotaged the generators! That much was obvious; it was deliberate that the power failed! And when the power failed, the monsters broke through...and our village was lost. I don’t know if you can counts the few of us who remain as the lucky ones, because we carry the burden of knowing we were hit from the outside and the inside. The one weak point in our defense and those bastards zeroed in on it...”*

*Account of a survivor of the destruction of Kopeland Village*

## Gremwrench

BlackSteel-corrupted A-49 Combat Robot aka ‘Gremwrencher’, ‘Monkey-wrench’, ‘Mister Bad-Wrench’

The Gremwrench is a BlackSteel-corrupted A-49 Combat Robot. Although the James T.-designed A-49 had long been superseded in ARCHIE-3’s view by the much more visually impacting and capable A-63, the type was still retained as a reserve second-echelon defender, and increasingly repurposed as a general labor ‘bot. The logistical demands of the Shemarrian Civil War forced a greater number of the old ‘bots back into front-line service, and ARCHIE-3 assigned a large number to expand and protect his satellite factory complexes. Those assigned to Factory/Temple-5 fall victim to the BlackSteel corruption afflicting the factory and are infected and distorted, becoming Gremwrenches in the process.

Gremwrenches resemble their previous baseline forms except that they look rusted and scabrous, covered in blistered paint and rust spots. Closer examination, however, will show that their finger manipulators are much longer and more attenuated, almost tendrils in their flexibility. It is these extremely dexterous hands that give some hint of the Gremwrenchers’ new roles.

It is not known if the technical expertise exhibited by the Gremwrenchers is part of ARCHIE-3’s original effort to convert the A-49 into something more useful, or if it is a diabolical inspiration of the BlackSteel, but the rather pedestrian A-49 has now become a saboteur (near) extraordinaire.

Even if the original A-49s were NOT neural intelligences, their BlackSteel corrupted forms seem to have acquired a base-emotion attitude; despite (or perhaps BECAUSE) being slightly more intelligent and more technically proficient than other corrupted robot types, they seem to realize that they’re second-class machinery considered obsolete (they don’t even get supernatural strength!) and they’re bitter about it. Gremwrenches act sullen and petty, and rather than rebel will take out their frustration at being yesterday’s technology by sabotaging other folks’ technology. Masters of any trade they aren’t, though they have gotten pretty good at monkeywrenching just about anything they can get their manipulators on. Unattended equipment they come across will be tampered with, even bridges and municipal structures they happen upon will have screws undone, nails pulled out, wires disconnected, cables loosened, joists sawed through, and bolts loosened. Ideally, the ‘bots will attempt to sabotage things such that their tampering is not IMMEDIATELY obvious, but will fail at a critical time, like when a vehicle’s crew are trying to brake in a high speed turn, or a crew-served weapon’s operators are bringing it to bear on a target.

Gremwrenches CAN speak, but their voices are fixed-tonal, ‘raspy, ‘rusty robot’, and their vocabulary isn’t much better than the average Skelebot or Northern Gun labor robot, which seems to further frustrate the BlackSteel ‘bots, who would likely LOVE to taunt opponents and ‘lessers’. They DO have built-in amplifiers for alarm sirens and warning klaxons, that can produce effects ranging from startling others, to just annoying them.

When encountered as part of a BlackSteel group, Gremwrenches will attempt to avoid combat if they can, leaving the fighting to the other ‘bots. Instead they’ll try to remain unobserved, sneak around the back, and get access to any equipment the opposition leaves unattended, and sabotage it. This can be gross vandalism, like dismantling a car or hovercycle and leaving the parts strewn about, or it can take a more subtle form, like disconnecting a hoverjet’s wiring and closing it back up, loosening the tire lugs on an ATV, or cutting the brake lines on a truck. Medical kits may find their nanite doses all expended into the ground, water filters spiked with poisons, vehicle life support systems gimmicked to catch fire or deliver dangerous fumes, weapons e-clip ports jammed, and radio settings altered. Gremwrenches present a real threat to a community’s technological infrastructure if they’re allowed to run loose and vandalize important services like communications, power grids, and gas lines.

## Abilities

### Flying

Only via jetpack. Those that do get their manipulators on working jetpacks seem to like using them to bypass defenders and drop in on vulnerable rear-echelon locations like motorpools and utilities.

### Underwater

Can swim at roughly 5 MPH, or run along the bottom at 20 MPH. Estimated depth limit of 800 ft. Gremwrenches seem to HATE underwater operations, sabotaging underwater phone lines and water systems, despite (or because) they they are constantly being ordered into the water.

### Sensor Systems

#### Standard Robotic

Basic, Low-Light/Night Vision (2,000 ft range), Infrared, Thermo-Imaging (2,000 ft range), telescopic (6,000 ft) and Magnification (x60) Optics, Laser Targeting

#### Amplified Hearing

Can hear noises as low as 10 decibels at 500 ft, plus ultrasonic band hearing.

#### Motion Detector

100 ft range; 45-degree arc in front of the head

#### Molecular Analyzer

Can track by scent 80%, and recognize specific scents 84%.

### Special Systems

#### 360-degree Waist Rotation

The Gremwrench can rotate at the waist completely around, allowing it to easily strike those behind it.

#### Tool Hands

Each hand is the equivalent of a cyborg Tool Hand, with a fingerjack, screwdriver tip, mini-pliers, and a laser cutter that has a 6 ft range, and does 1d6x10 SDC, 1 MD, 1d4 MD, or 1d6 MD.

#### Self-Destruct

Standard. Just as ARCHIE-3’s ‘bots will destroy all evidence of themselves, the BlackSteel also leaves little trace of its creations. Completely obliterates itself (1d4x100+100 to immediate vicinity, and 1d4x10 MD to a 10 ft radius). Any remains will be a black slag-like material that slowly evaporates away with the taint of evil.

#### Mundane Appearance

Gremwrenches are notable among their other BlackSteel spawn for NOT being exceptionally hideous or having a Horror Factor. Because they look so mundane and lack the general aura of ‘not right’ that other BlackSteel spawn visibly exude, Gremwrenches are sometimes passed off as old utility robots by BlackSteel cultists (an unwelcome addition to the entity’s arsenal), evil-aligned dealers, or other BlackSteel ‘bots in disguise. This tactic gives them the opportunity to be snuck in close to sensitive areas like warehouses, factories, and power grid installations. Only a close physical examination and magic/psionic powers like See Aura or Detect Evil will reveal anything amiss about the ‘bots.

### BlackSteel Traits

#### Acidic Ichor

If destroyed, Gremwrenchers leak a corrosive ichor not unlike powerful battery acid. This makes destroying the ‘bots near sensitive equipment a risky undertaking. Typically a destroyed Gremwrencher will splatter in a 4d6 ft radius, its fluids doing 1d6 MD per melee for 1d6 melees. Immediately dosing the splatter with a powerful base substance, or diluting it with copious amounts of water will stop or slow the damage.

#### Vulnerabilities

##### Silver

Silver weaponry does DOUBLE damage to BlackSteel creations. If a called shot of 20+ (modified) strikes the skull or chest area with silver, the tainted container/CPU/powerplant will be struck and an explosion of 6D6 MDC to a 3 ft. radius will erupt and annihilate the Black-Steel... and decommission the ‘bot (self-destruct will still go off, however).

##### Holy Magic

Attacking with Holy Magic will cause the normal materials of the ‘bot to expel the BlackSteel. The ‘bot will still fight on using its original programming, but it will lose its viciousness and malevolent cunning (reduce initiative by HALF), and BlackSteel properties, and all other aspects of its operation remain unchanged. However, the expelled BlackSteel will remain a threat if picked up and incorporated into other machines.

### Weapons Systems

#### Handheld Weaponry

Like the original A-49, the Gremwrencher has NO integral weapons, another thing which seems to gaul them. They are reliant on what they can pick up and scrounge.

### Programming/Skills

Retains the same
skills as the baseline A-49:

* Pilot: Automobiles, Trucks, Motorcycle, hovercycle, all at 98%

Pilot: Jetpack,
Tanks & APCs, Helicopter, Combat Helicopter, Airplane, all at 90%

* Radio: Basic 98%
* Math: Basic 90%
* Computer Operation 90%
* Swim 94%
* Land Navigation 94%
* Climb 96%/86%
* Wilderness Survival 94%
* Swimming 94%
* Intelligence 90%
* Detect Ambush 60%
* Detect Concealment 60%
* Palming 80%
* Pick Locks 95%
* W.P. Blunt
* W.P. Knife
* W.P. Sword
* W.P. Paired Weapons
* W.P. Energy (all)
* Demolitions & Demolitions Disposal 95%
* Demolitions: Underwater 90%
* Basic Repair and

Maintenance 90%

* Basic Electronics

90%

* Automotive Mechanics 90%
* Basic Mechanics 90%
* Vehicle Armorer 90%
* Weapons Engineer 60%
* Paired Weapons

The Gremwrencher can use these skill proficiencies to determine how best to sabotage equipment without outright destroying it. A successful roll means the apparatus in question has been sabotaged. A second role can be taken to determine if the sabotage is immediately noticeable by others (may add Perception bonuses if you use them).

### Combat

 Dodge
 Parry
 Auto Dodge
 Roll
 Pull Punch
 Disarm
 Entangle
 Full Punch
 Power Punch
 Kick
 Body Block
 Judo Throw

Gremwrenches despise combat, preferring to sabotage equipment and vehicles, watching their handy work kill from a distance.