Bioroid

The **Bioroids** were a series of humanoid combat Mecha used by the Robotech Masters. While a number of different models existed, they all featured the same unique design elements.

## Background

As the Robotech Masters' empire grew, so did the size of the armies needed to maintain control of it. The Zentraedi represented the main instrument of their control; an army of giant warrior slaves, indoctrinated into total obedience of the Masters, and armed with a seemingly limitless fleet of vessels and combat Mecha. However, the Masters were also keenly aware that their control of the Zentraedi was never perfect and that by their own policy, the Zentraedi now massively outnumbered their own limited forces. Furthermore, the deliberate segregation of the Zentraedi meant that the Masters could not exert direct control on individual fleets or vessels, and rather had to operate through the Zentraedi leadership.

To this end, the Masters felt that they needed an army of their own that would be directly controlled by them. Rather than being composed of Zentraedi, this army would be made up of cloned Tirolians that would be custom-tailored to specific roles. Finally, this army would be equipped with advanced technologies that would be unique to the Masters. Rather than using the sheer weight of numbers like the Zentraedi had, their weapons were instead crafted to be superior by design to anything they might face, including potentially their own warrior slaves.

The core of this new army was the Bioroid. An anthropomorphic combat Mecha, the Bioroid was created from the outset to fulfil as many roles as possible, both on its own and as a part of an integrated military. At the most basic level, the Bioroid could function as an infantry Mecha both in planetary environments and onboard the Master's massive vessels. A number of unique design features made the Bioroids incredibly agile and responsive, far in excess of any other Mecha. Equipped with a hand-held energy weapon, Bioroids were effective against both enemy Mecha and infantry (it has to be said that 'infantry' also included the subject populations of their own empire and even, when needs be, their own citizens).

However, the basic Bioroid was only a part of an overall integrated package of weapons systems. Normally, the Bioroid was purely land-based and were equipped with boosters to allow them to make powered leaps. They lacked any ability to fly under its own power, although this was by choice. Rather than compromise the design by adding flight systems that would have dramatically increased the complexity, the Bioroid was instead partnered with an anti-gravity Hover Sled that would allow it to fly under terrestrial conditions as well as operate in space. This combination drastically increased the Bioroids' capabilities, allowing it to also fulfil ground-attack, dogfighting and space superiority roles.

Additionally, the Bioroid/Hover Sled combination was partnered with a third element, being the Tirolian Assault Dropship. This powerful craft served a number of functions, including transport and command for Bioroid forces. Furthermore, its agility and firepower were such that it could serve as an air superiority craft in its own right, effectively clearing the way to then deploy its own troops to combat operations. Furthermore, the craft was armoured enough to allow it to linger over battlefields and provide airborne fire support to ground forces. The result of this triumvirate of systems was that while a Bioroid might seem limited on its own, it was incredibly versatile and flexible when operating as a part of an integrated team.

The Masters were impressed with these developments and began mass-production of the Bioroids (and their related platforms) at a number of sites across the Empire. These sites included large automated factory satellites, as well as facilities onboard their own Motherships, and were deliberately kept separate from the facilities that produced mecha, ships and weapons for the Zentraedi. This move was as much due to their unique technologies that the Masters had reserved for their own army as a simple lack of trust in the Zentraedi and a desire to maintain the segregation that was key to their society.

Bioroids and their attendant vehicles quickly became common sights across the Tirolian Empire. They were used as garrison and policing forces on the core worlds of the Empire, those that were either directly controlled by the Masters, or client races that were deemed to be sufficiently trustworthy and subdued. There they were employed among conventional forces (typically clone paramilitaries), but were supported by fleets of Assault Dropships for air defence and support duties. However, the majority of the Bioroids produced were assigned to the Masters' massive motherships and the other vessels that made up their fleet.

Despite their capabilities, the Bioroids saw very little action for much of their existence. With the Empire subdued and the seemingly limitless fleets of the Zentraedi to keep their enemies at bay, the Masters had very little to fear and little reason to engage directly with their opponents. Even the Invid were considered to be of little threat, with the Zentraedi serving to keep the parasitic invaders contained. For the most part, combat was limited to policing actions and putting down insurgencies, situations where the Bioroids rarely faced any real opposition.

Everything changed with Zor's rebellion and the theft of the Protoculture Matrix. Overnight, the seemingly endless resources of the Tirolian Empire were compromised as they were deprived of their endless source of power. As the Empire began to crumble, the Zentraedi and then the Masters themselves saw more and more combat against the Invid and other enemies. Bioroids were used in combat on numerous occasions, with the last time being approximately 1950 CE. While they performed well against Invid forces, the Masters were also aware of both the growing limitations of their systems as well as emergent threats, which would lead to further Bioroid developments.

Following the destruction of Dolza's Grand Fleet, the Robotech Masters were forced to take direct action to retrieve their lost Protoculture Matrix and ensure the future of their empire. The majority of the extant Bioroids were taken with the Masters on board their fleet to Earth. In their wake they left only skeletal garrison forces to protect what was left of their empire, Tirol included. These forces were destroyed by the Invid as they advanced through the Local Group worlds. While the Bioroids were more than a match for the Invid mecha they faced, the sheer weight of numbers that the Invid could bring to bear, as well as the depleted state of the Tirolian Empire, meant that those forces were simply crushed.

Bioroids formed the backbone of the Masters' forces deployed against Earth during the Second Robotech War. The combination of Bioroid, Hover Sled and Assault Dropship proved to be lethally effective against the Army of the Southern Cross, and inflicted severe losses on the Earth forces. They handily outmatched most Mecha they faced, with only the Spartas Hovertank and AGAC proving to be equal to the task. Biroids saw action across Earth and in near space during the conflict, and were present in every engagement of the war.

For all their effectiveness, the combination of attrition and Protoculture exhaustion were threats that the Bioroids could not overcome. Towards the end of the conflict, Bioroids were simply being thrown into battle with little regard for their survival, many often operating without their Hover Sleds or with only limited Dropship support. Ultimately, the majority of the Bioroids employed during the war were destroyed in its apocalyptic final days. Many of those that survived simply shut down due to power depletion.

None the less, some Bioroids continued to fight after the end of the war. These renegades achieved little save for pointless attacks on human settlements, and those proved to be irrelevant anyway. Those that remained were then either destroyed by the Invid during the invasion, or hunted down and eliminated during the early years of the occupation. No examples are known to have survived on Earth; while there have been sporadic Bioroid sightings in remote corners of the world, none have ever been confirmed.

The Bioroid series served as the basis for the UEEF's own ZBR-10 Bioroid Interceptor, a hybrid design that mixed Tirolian and Terran technologies.

## Capabilities

While a number of different Bioroid models existed, they all shared a number of common design elements and features that were entirely unique to them. These technologies were zealously horded by the Robotech Masters, and to date, none of these have ever been seen on any other Mecha. Externally, Bioroids appear to be humanoid combat Mecha. However, they are far more advanced and complex than any other Mecha designs. These changes go as deep as the basic skeleton and structure, which takes a very different approach to other platforms.

Rather than the mechanical actuators common to other Mecha designs, Bioroids use a combination of mechanical drives and artificial musculature to provide motion. Through the unique control system (described below) the Bioroid acts more as an extension of the pilot's own body than anything else. This makes them incredibly agile and responsive, far more so than any other Mecha. Furthermore, the design of their skeletal structure gives a Bioroid a greater degree of flexibility and mobility than any other Mecha, which combined with their control system, makes them more akin to a powered suit than anything else.

As expected, Bioroids are powered by a compact Protoculture reactor; while the details vary by individual Bioroid, all feature a degree of output greater than their small size would suggest. The interior components of all Bioroids included an unprecedented degree of redundant and backup systems which made them very hard to actually destroy or disable outright. During the Second Robotech War, it was found that only a direct hit to the cockpit or reactor would disable or destroy a Bioroid outright; otherwise they were capable of taking hits that would cripple other Mecha and continue operating. Stories of Bioroids fighting with missing limbs or holes in their torsos were not uncommon during the conflict. Furthermore, all Bioroids are equipped with a nano-patch repair system that will slowly regenerate damaged systems as long as the Bioroid has power. While unable to rebuild completely destroyed systems from scratch, the nano-patch eases maintenance and eliminates the need for many basic repairs.

Normally, Bioroids were entirely ground-based and lacked any ability to fly. However, all models featured high running speeds that were matched by few other Mecha. In addition, they all featured boosters that allowed them to make long-ranged leaps. These boosters also acted as verniers to allow Bioroids to manoeuvre unassisted in space. In almost all situations, Bioroids were paired with Hover Sleds to greatly enhanced their mobility, allowing them to effectively take flight and greatly expanding their functionality in space.

As mentioned above, all Bioroids feature a unique control system that is key to their incredible mobility. In most Bioroids, the pilot sits, curled up inside a spherical cockpit located in the Mecha's torso. This cockpit lacks any sort of conventional controls or interfaces; rather, the Bioroid is directly linked to the pilot's own neural system through a series of cybernetic transmitters implanted into the body, effectively over-riding their own control. The net result is that the pilot simply performs actions as if the Bioroid was an extension of their own body, giving the mecha an unprecedented response time. Through this link, the pilot also perceives the world through the Bioroid's sensors, which are fed directly to their nervous system. Due to the nature of this design, forcibly removing the pilot from the Bioroid can result in nervous system damage or death.

The Bioroid cockpit is fully sealed and provides full life support capabilities as well as NBC protection. Furthermore, the cockpit features a degree of inbuilt medical systems that can sustain the pilot when injured. If needed, the cockpit systems can also place the pilot into a form of hibernation that can be sustained as long as the Bioroid has minimum power for about a decade. Due to its nature, the pilot cannot normally wear any sort of protection when inside the cockpit, and is typically dependent on the Bioroid for life support systems. Normally, pilots wear a skin-tight wetsuit-like suit, likely a requirement of the cybernetic connection system. However, there are also confirmed reports of pilots wearing the Terminator armour; how this suit interacts with the control system is unclear.

All Bioroids had an advanced sensory system that included a short-range, multi-mode radar system. Secondary detection was handled through advanced optical systems, including thermal, infrared, low-light and ultraviolet detection. Bioroids were also equipped with laser scanners and detectors, air samplers, radiation detectors and other systems. Most Bioroids featured a combination of head-mounted sensory systems and a secondary sensor located on their torsos. Communications systems included radio and video systems, as well as other advanced equipment that allowed the Robotech Masters some degree of over-ride of individual Bioroid units. The exact nature of these systems remains classified.

Generally Bioroids are divided into three broad categories. **Legion-Class Bioroids** are the most common and heavily mass-produced varieties, and are typically piloted by low-level clones that have minimal autonomy. **Imperial-Class Bioroids** are more advanced and often will feature additional systems unique to each model, and are piloted by higher-level clones that are used to lead the Legion-Class. Finally, **Triumvirate-Class Bioroids** are the most sophisticated, and feature an advanced control and communications system that allows three Bioroids to effectively act as a single unit via a shared collective consciousness.

See individual Bioroid descriptions for further details.

**Legion-Class**

* Soldier Bioroid
* Mortar Bioroid
* Combat Engineer Bioroid
* Subcommander Bioroid
* Scout Bioroid

**Imperial-Class**

* Commander Bioroid
* Destroyer Bioroid
* Stealth Bioroid
* Advanced Soldier Bioroid
* Imperial Bioroid

**Triumvirate-Class**

* Invid Fighter Bioroid

Some sources categorise Bioroids by 'Periods' based on the combination of design elements and when they were built. **Early Period** Bioroids are the Soldier, Subcommander, Commander, Mortar, Destroyer, Stealth and Worker Bioroids. **Middle Period** Bioroids are the Scout and Invid Fighter Bioroids. **Late Period** Bioroids are the Advanced Soldier and Imperial Bioroids.

## Weapons and Equipment

All Bioroids are equipped to carry a variety of Gun Pods in their hands. Furthermore, some models are equipped with specialty weapons unique to them. The following is a list of gun pods common to all Bioroid types, but by no means should be considered definitive. See individual entries for more details.

* **Dotz-Meghor Drum Gun Pod:** Ion Beam/Pulse Cannon, fires ion discs. Alternatively, the weapon drum can fire this ion salvo as a particle beam. It can fire at a rate of 450 discs per minute for up to 56 seconds in automatic mode, after that limited to one burst/3 seconds, unless sub-maximum rate of fire allows replenishment of the ready ion supply. Typically used by Legion-Class Bioroids.

* **Uhl-Megor Disc Gun Pod:** One Ion Beam/Pulse Cannon, fires ion discs. Alternatively, the weapon drum can fire this ion salvo as a particle beam. It can fire for up to 73 seconds in automatic mode, after that limited to one burst/3 seconds, unless sub-maximum rate of fire allows replenishment of the ready ion supply. Typically used by Imperial-Class and Triumverate-Class Bioroids.

* **Terlog-Gohr Heavy Gun Pod:** A large, five-barrelled Ion Pulse Cannon. This weapon fires energy bursts at a rate of 1200 discs per minute and is effective against most forms of mecha-mounted armour. This weapon is powered by a dedicated Protoculture Cell, which it can rapidly exhaust with sustained fire; as such it was rarely seen during the Second Robotech War. The weapon is usually issued to the Soldier, Subcommander or Commander Bioroids, but can be used by any model. As it requires two hands to use, the Bioroid cannot operate a Hover Sled while carrying the weapon. As such, it is usually used only by ground-based units or those riding as a passenger on a Heavy Hover Sled.

* **Evad-Gorul Heavy Particle Bazooka:** A large, shoulder-mounted weapon intended for fire support use or to be employed against heavily armoured targets. While it resembles a missile launcher, the weapon instead fires cohesive plasma energy packets that explode on impact. The weapon possesses a large blast radius and is effective against even the heaviest Mecha armour. weapon is usually issued to the Subcommander, Commander or Invid Fighter Bioroids, but can be used by any model. As it requires two hands to use, the Bioroid cannot operate a Hover Sled while carrying the weapon. As such, it is usually used only by ground-based units or those riding as a passenger on a Heavy Hover Sled.

Due to their design, responsiveness and fully articulated hands, Bioroids are also very adept at unarmed physical combat. They are capable of inflicting damage on even heavily armoured enemy Mecha, and there are reports of Bioroids lifting and grappling with Battloids during the Second Robotech War.

## Game Statistics

See individual entries for game statistics.

## Notes

* Design Notes
* Image Gallery
* Bioroid Hover Sled