[Let's Play] Fighting Fantasy 22 - Robot Commando (Take 2)

[Dogopolis]

For some reason, the book basically checks the same map reference twice (we couldn't have gotten to this section without knowing the map reference).

You can get there by approaching City of Storms in flying robot: there's a 1/3 chance of being moved off course to CoG

[SGamerz]

For some reason, the book basically checks the same map reference twice (we couldn't have gotten to this section without knowing the map reference).

You can get there by approaching City of Storms in flying robot: there's a 1/3 chance of being moved off course to CoG

Ah, that explains it. Thanks.

[SGamerz]

You have chosen a powerful Robotank. This fearsome war machine looks like a human from the waist up. From the waist down, it is a huge tank, with terrible twin guns. It is one of the few 'battle-line' machines your land possesses.

ROBOTANK ARMOUR 18 SPEED Slow COMBAT BONUS +2
SPECIAL ABILITIES: The Robotank contains a special Sonic Gun in one hand. It cannot be used by any other robot. It may be fired once per combat turn, in addition to the Robotank's regular attack. However, it may be used only three times in all; then it is useless. When fired the Sonic Gun is instandly deadly to unprotected humans. Against a robot, roll one die to see how many ARMOUR points the target loses. Against a dinosaur, roll 2 dice to see how many ARMOUR points the target loses.

There are three of these robot here. You may take one and leave or, if you prefer, you may turn to 167 to take a faster robot.

OMG, not only is this an upgrade from any of the robots we've found previously, there are 3 of these, which means 2 extra save points for us!

And it appears that we still have the option to look at the other robot, and I see no reason not to do so, since if we can change our mind for this one we can probably do the same with the other anyway, so I might as well post the stats for that too:

You have chosen a versatile but powerful humanoid robot, a Trooper XI. This the standard Thalian combat robot. It has two forms: it can shape itself into a giant metal warrior, or into a sleek combat plane.

TROOPER XI
Human Form ARMOUR 12 SPEED Medium COMBAT BONUS +2
Plane Form ARMOUR 10 SPEED Very Fast COMBAT BONUS +2
SPECIAL ABILITIES: In human form, the Trooper XI carries a gun in one hand and a shield in the other. On an Attack Strength roll of 18 or better, even if the enemy hits it, the robot gets the shield in the way and takes no damage. In plane form, the robot has no special combat abilities.

It takes one combat turn change forms. During that turn, the robot makes its normal combat roll, but it it wins, it does no damage to the foe - it just defends itself. The shield does not protect it on this turn.

You may take one of these robots if you like (there are many here). If you take one and leave, turn to 376. Or, if you would prefer a tank robot instead, turn to 247.

This is clearly a solid choice in its own right, with less firepower but more defensive abilities, and can even change form mid-combat depending on the circumstances. And apparently, there's no limit to the number of these robots here. Obviously, I can't be making this and endless save point, since the game would be broken. This will only count as 1 save point, but if we were to lose our robot later but survive the encounter, there's always the chance of us coming back to pick up another one of these if we don't have better options.

The Robotank is obviously meant to be the bigger prize, hence the "limited editions".

There is nothing else to do except to leave, but if any of you still want to change your mind about which robots to take, you have until the next update to do so.

You are leaving the City of Guardians. If you decide to go to the City of Storms, turn to 144. If you decide t go to the City of Industry, turn to 265.

Both names are familiar, but note that the Jason Scott of this timeline hadn't been to the City of Industry. Our visit there was before the last save point rewind.

And once again City of Storms is still a legit choice - it may appear that we run out of things to do there, but we may need to pass through it again to proceed to a different city we hadn't gone before (and of course, if we pick up a flyer here we still have an additional option there as well).

Where do we go?

[Queen of Swords]

City of Industry.

[JourneymanN00b]

I will also vote for the City of Industry.

[SGamerz]

You are in the City of Industry. Normally, it is busy and bustling, but now you see no life anywhere. Everyone is asleep...everyone but you. Where will you go in your quest for useful artefacts:

The Fuel-refining Plant?
The Robot Experimental Center?
The tunnels underneath the city?
Just explore?
Leave the city?

Adventure Sheet:
Name: Jason Scott
SKILL: 10/10 (9 for robot combats)
STAMINA: 20/20
LUCK: 6/10

POSSESSIONS:
Sword
7 Medikits (Each can restore 1 lost point of STAMINA)
Blue Potion
Luck Amulet (+1 Initial and current LUCK)

Notes:
1) The ancient Karosseans would settle a tribal dispute by choosing champions - one from each tribe - instead of allowing a battle between the whole tribes. The reference number of the book that provides the above information is 111.
2) Map reference for location of the City of the Guardians, the secret base headquarters of the army of Thalos, is 22. Substitute it for 'XX' when given the option to visit it.

CURRENT ROBOT: ROBOTANK ARMOUR 18 SPEED Slow COMBAT BONUS +2
SPECIAL ABILITIES: The Robotank contains a special Sonic Gun in one hand. It cannot be used by any other robot. It may be fired once per combat turn, in addition to the Robotank's regular attack. However, it may be used only three times in all; then it is useless. When fired the Sonic Gun is instandly deadly to unprotected humans. Against a robot, roll one die to see how many ARMOUR points the target loses. Against a dinosaur, roll 2 dice to see how many ARMOUR points the target loses.

SAVE-POINTS/UNUSED ROBOTS FOUND:
DRAGONFLY MODEL D - section 1
WALKER ROBOT - section 260
ROBOTANK x2 - section 247
TROOPER XI - section 167

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to go to the Robot Experimental Center once more, and check out the second floor this time.

[Queen of Swords]

Sure, might as well try that.

[SGamerz]

This is the Robot Experimental Center. If you have been here before, turn to 251. If you have not been here before, keep reading. You know little about the Center except its name, but you have heard rumors that top-secret work is being done here.

You are in the lobby of the Robot Experimental Center. You read the directory, and see that different sorts of work are being done on different floors of the building. Several seem interesting. Where will you go:

Second Floor: Interface Mechanisms?
Third Floor: Weapons Development?
Sixth Floor: Amplifier Project?
Tenth Floor: Deteronics?
Leave the Building?

Heading to the second floor...

Exploring the second floor, you find several prototype models of an odd-looking helmet. According to the files you read there, it is an Interface Transponder. While you where one of these helmets, increase your SKILL by 1 when using a robot, up to a maximum of 11. That is, if your SKILL is already 11 or 12, it does not help you. It does not affect other combats. If you leave the Centre and return to your robot outside, turn to 206. If you want to explore further, return to 333 and make another selection.

Our SKILL with robots was still at 9, but with this new bonus we're now as SKILLed in robot combats as in personal combat! Also, combined with the +2 bonus from our Robotank, it means we effectively fight at SKILL 12 in most robot combats! We're on a roll.

Where do we go now? If you want to explore further, please also indicate which floor to go next.

Adventure Sheet:
Name: Jason Scott
SKILL: 10/10
STAMINA: 20/20
LUCK: 6/10

POSSESSIONS:
Sword
7 Medikits (Each can restore 1 lost point of STAMINA)
Blue Potion
Luck Amulet (+1 Initial and current LUCK)
Interface Transponder (+1 SKILL for robot combats)

Notes:
1) The ancient Karosseans would settle a tribal dispute by choosing champions - one from each tribe - instead of allowing a battle between the whole tribes. The reference number of the book that provides the above information is 111.
2) Map reference for location of the City of the Guardians, the secret base headquarters of the army of Thalos, is 22. Substitute it for 'XX' when given the option to visit it.

CURRENT ROBOT: ROBOTANK ARMOUR 18 SPEED Slow COMBAT BONUS +2
SPECIAL ABILITIES: The Robotank contains a special Sonic Gun in one hand. It cannot be used by any other robot. It may be fired once per combat turn, in addition to the Robotank's regular attack. However, it may be used only three times in all; then it is useless. When fired the Sonic Gun is instandly deadly to unprotected humans. Against a robot, roll one die to see how many ARMOUR points the target loses. Against a dinosaur, roll 2 dice to see how many ARMOUR points the target loses.

SAVE-POINTS/UNUSED ROBOTS FOUND:
DRAGONFLY MODEL D - section 1
WALKER ROBOT - section 260
ROBOTANK x2 - section 247
TROOPER XI - section 167

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to get the seeker missile on the third floor.

[SGamerz]

When you leave the lift on the third floor, you immediately spy a man-sized Guard Robot standing in the hallway. "Sorry. No admittance," squawks its mechanical voice. What will you do:

Try to reason with the robot?
Attack the robot?
Go to another floor? (specify)

Since we already know that trying to reason with it will not work, let's just get straight to the battle.

Your mission is more important than this asinine robot. You will have to deal with it by force.

GUARD ROBOT SKILL 8 STAMINA 10

Note that this robot is human-sized, and you fight it as though it were a human foe. You may Escape at any time by turning to 118. If you defeat the Guard Robot, turn to 48.

COMBAT LOG:
Guard Robot 18, Jason Scott 18. Tie.
GR 17, JS 18. GR is at 8.
GR 18, JS 19. GR is at 6.
GR 18, JS 17. JS is at 18.
GR 16, JS 17. GR is at 4.
GR 19, JS 15. JS is at 16.
GR 17, JS 16. JS is at 14.
GR 15, JS 19. GR is at 2.
GR 15, JS 18. GR is defeated.

Even though this alternate timeline's Jason Scott has a higher SKILL, he actually did worse in this fight than his other doomed counterpart, getting his 3 times. All the roles were extremely close during most of the combat rounds, but at least Jason's higher overall stats prevail.

You step over the fragments of the smashed robot and enter the laboratory. Inside, you find something very interesting: the prototype for a Seeker Missile. There is only one, but it looks very handy. It can be attached to the outside of any robot. It can be used only when you are piloting a robot – not in personal combat. It may be fired at any time, between attack rounds. It will automatically hit its target and reduce its ARMOUR score by 10.

As you take your prize downstairs, you see another Guard Robot like the one you defeated. You hurry out of the lobby and back to your robot. You may install the Seeker Missile now, or save it for another robot. It may be moved from one robot to another, but it is lost if the robot carrying it is lost, or if it is fired.

Please decide if you wish to install the missile in our current Robotank now. Again, for this particular item, I'm ruling that, once used, it cannot be regained even upon a save-point rewind later, so choose carefully.

You are back in your robot. If you want to explore elsewhere in the City of Industry, turn to 265 and pick a new destination. If you want to go to another city, turn to 309.

Once again, we are sent straight out of the building instead of being allowed to check other floors there, so please pick a new area to explore:

The Fuel-refining plant?
The Robot Experimental Centre?
The tunnels underneath the city?
Just explore?
Leave the city?

[JourneymanN00b]

I guess we try the temples again in the city of worship? If we go there, how about the peace temple? I vote not to install the missile yet.

[SGamerz]

There's one vote to go to another particular city. However, there's no direct route to that city from here:

You are leaving the City of Industry. Where will you go now:

The City of Knowledge?
The City of Pleasure?
The City of the Jungle?
The City of the Guardians?

Which route do we take?

[Queen of Swords]

We haven't been to the City of Pleasure yet. Let's try that.

[JourneymanN00b]

Sure, I also vote to go the City of Pleasure.

[SGamerz]

You are in the City of Pleasure. It is your country's vacation spot, where rich and poor alike come to partake of a thousand different amusements. What would you like to do:

Visit the arcades?
Visit the airfield?
Leave the city?

A "thousand different amusements" but we only get to choose out of 2? Surely this is the best time to take advantage of as many of them as possible without having to pay for them! (I guess some of them probably won't function with the work-crew sleeping. Still, there ought to be more than 2!)

Adventure Sheet:
Name: Jason Scott
SKILL: 10/10
STAMINA: 14/20
LUCK: 6/10

POSSESSIONS:
Sword
7 Medikits (Each can restore 1 lost point of STAMINA)
Blue Potion
Luck Amulet (+1 Initial and current LUCK)
Interface Transponder (+1 SKILL for robot combats)
Seeker Missile (may be fired at any time between attack rounds to automatically hit reduce target's ARMOUR score by 10, not installed on robot yet)

Notes:
1) The ancient Karosseans would settle a tribal dispute by choosing champions - one from each tribe - instead of allowing a battle between the whole tribes. The reference number of the book that provides the above information is 111.
2) Map reference for location of the City of the Guardians, the secret base headquarters of the army of Thalos, is 22. Substitute it for 'XX' when given the option to visit it.

CURRENT ROBOT: ROBOTANK ARMOUR 18 SPEED Slow COMBAT BONUS +2
SPECIAL ABILITIES: The Robotank contains a special Sonic Gun in one hand. It cannot be used by any other robot. It may be fired once per combat turn, in addition to the Robotank's regular attack. However, it may be used only three times in all; then it is useless. When fired the Sonic Gun is instandly deadly to unprotected humans. Against a robot, roll one die to see how many ARMOUR points the target loses. Against a dinosaur, roll 2 dice to see how many ARMOUR points the target loses.

SAVE-POINTS/UNUSED ROBOTS FOUND:
DRAGONFLY MODEL D - section 1
WALKER ROBOT - section 260
ROBOTANK x2 - section 247
TROOPER XI - section 167

[Queen of Swords]

Visit the arcades.

[JourneymanN00b]

Sure, I also want to see what the arcades have to offer, so I vote to visit them.

[SGamerz]

You are in the Arcade building, with your robot parked outside. It is a madhouse of sound and coloured lights. Each arcade game is wilder than the next. Which one will you play:

Wasp Fighter?
Dinosaur Hunt?
Zap the Karossean?
None of these?

The PC stops to play a game. Well...at least, unlike the PC of Sky Lord, he isn't directly stalked by some alien monster looking to eat him at the moment, so I guess he can spare a few minutes if he wants...

[Thaluikhain]

Yeah, definitely remember this, so will remain quiet.

[JourneymanN00b]

No Time Crisis or Virtua Cop? Boo!

I vote to play Dinosaur Hunt, and hope it is like Duck Hunt or Jurassic Park.

[Queen of Swords]

I'd prefer Zap the Karossean, we might learn something about fighting them.

[SGamerz]

With a tie in the votes and the remaining third player abstaining, I checked ahead, and it turns out the choices aren't mutually exclusively, so we might as well try both. First, we play Dinosaur Hunt:

In the 'Dinosaur Hunt; game, you are given a huge gun with which to fire at holograms representing dinosaurs of all kinds. You fire for a while, but the game is very unrealistic and boring. The dinosaurs seem to walk right past, unaware that they are targets.

You leave in disgust. But, as you do, you notice a plaque by the door. It reads, in part, '...this game is based on the prototype "Cloak of Invisibility" device, Model 3, now being tested at the Dinosaur Preserve.' Very interesting! If you want to play another game, turn to 288. If you would rather leave the arcade, turn to 165.

Can it be the same Dinosaur Preserve in the City of Knowledge? Interesting indeed.

Let's try Zap the Karossean (although if it's like this game we just tried, it's probably not a lot of help in training us kill real ones):

You step into the game and pick up the toy ray-gun that comes with it. A light comes on and you see yourself in a mirror - but a holographic trick as clothed your reflection in a beard and a Karossean uniform. You laugh and fire at it. Unfortunately, with all the repairmen sleeping, this machine is out of order. When you fire, you receive a severe electrical shock. Roll one die. On 1, 2 or 3, you lose 1 point of SKILL. On 4, 5 or 6, you lose 1 point of STAMINA. If you want to play another game, turn to 288. If you want to leave the Arcade, turn to 165.

Boo! This is supposed to be "Zap the Karossean", not "Zap yourself disguised as Karossean"! This game sucks even without the malfunction.

Die roll = 4! At least we narrowly avoid a SKILL penalty.

What do we do now? Do we want to play Wasp Fighter as well! Or visit the airfield? Or go to another city?

(And apparently, this is one of the few cities that doesn't have a section for "if you'd visited this city before", so nothing new happens if we come back here again later.)

Adventure Sheet:
Name: Jason Scott
SKILL: 10/10
STAMINA: 13/20
LUCK: 6/10

POSSESSIONS:
Sword
7 Medikits (Each can restore 1 lost point of STAMINA)
Blue Potion
Luck Amulet (+1 Initial and current LUCK)
Interface Transponder (+1 SKILL for robot combats)
Seeker Missile (may be fired at any time between attack rounds to automatically hit reduce target's ARMOUR score by 10, not installed on robot yet)

Notes:
1) The ancient Karosseans would settle a tribal dispute by choosing champions - one from each tribe - instead of allowing a battle between the whole tribes. The reference number of the book that provides the above information is 111.
2) Map reference for location of the City of the Guardians, the secret base headquarters of the army of Thalos, is 22. Substitute it for 'XX' when given the option to visit it.
3) The prototype "Cloak of Invisibility" device, Model 3, is now being tested at the Dinosaur Preserve.

CURRENT ROBOT: ROBOTANK ARMOUR 18 SPEED Slow COMBAT BONUS +2
SPECIAL ABILITIES: The Robotank contains a special Sonic Gun in one hand. It cannot be used by any other robot. It may be fired once per combat turn, in addition to the Robotank's regular attack. However, it may be used only three times in all; then it is useless. When fired the Sonic Gun is instandly deadly to unprotected humans. Against a robot, roll one die to see how many ARMOUR points the target loses. Against a dinosaur, roll 2 dice to see how many ARMOUR points the target loses.

SAVE-POINTS/UNUSED ROBOTS FOUND:
DRAGONFLY MODEL D - section 1
WALKER ROBOT - section 260
ROBOTANK x2 - section 247
TROOPER XI - section 167

[JourneymanN00b]

I guess we check out the airfield.

[SGamerz]

At the airfield, you find dozens of pleasure craft of all sorts, none of which looks useful. But parked in an out-of-the-way corner is a small but deadly-looking fighting machine. It is a sleek experimental fighter, called a Wasp Fighter. Only a few exits. It has very little armour, but it has good weapons and handles well.

WASP FIGHTER ARMOUR 6 SPEED Very Fast COMBAT BONUS 2
SPECIAL ABILITIES: Whenever the Wasp's Attack Roll exceeds its foe's roll by 4 or more, it has literally flown circles around its foe! It automatically wins the next combat round as well - no rolls are necessary.

You may take it if you like. If you return here later, your old robot will be here instead of the Wasp.

Obviously not as OP as our current robot, but none the less a good one with a cool trick. The potential to score double-hits makes up for its fragility to some extent, and we will also effectively be fighting at SKILL 12 (or SKILL 13 if we face a slower robot) if we fight in it.

Note that if we switch robots here, the Robotank isn't lost for good, just parked in this location until we come back to reclaim it.

Whether we take this robot or not, the only remaining thing to do in this city is to play the arcade game that shares the same name as this new robot we just found, so:

1) Do we take the Wasp Fighter?
2) Do we want to play Wasp Fighter?'

(The choices above are not mutually exclusive, of course.)