[Let's Play] Battle for the Ancient Robot: Mikael

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Beroli
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[Let's Play] Battle for the Ancient Robot: Mikael

Post by Beroli »

Primary Player Character: Mikael Renshaw, Earthborn Human

Hit Points: 44/44

Outstanding Characteristics: Lightning-quick reflexes. Extensive knowledge of three ancient martial arts disciplines: Ninjutsu, Hapkido, and Tai-Chian Kung Fu. You possess the ability to think and react quickly in dangerous situations.

Height: 6'4''.

Weight (in Earth Standard Pounds): 225.

Weapon: Energized Throwing Stars

Damage: You have three attacks per Combat Turn. How much damage they do will vary depending on the conditions of the planet you are on. On Earth, each Throwing Star does 4 damage.

Personal History: The youngest person ever to graduate from the rigorous Solar Space Academy, you were at the top of your class. Now you are the most highly-respected interplanetary pilot of your generation. Your hobby, the study of ancient martial arts, keeps your body and mind in top condition. You were the Solar Government's first choice to lead the expedition into the stars. Knowing you might meet many enemies on the strange new worlds you will visit, you had your favorite Ninjutsu practice weapon--the Throwing Star--energized for use in battle.


Mikael's Ally: Kan-Tal, from Jupiter

Hit Points: 36/36

Outstanding Characteristics: He is the strongest and tallest of his race. He holds doctorate degrees in both chemical and mechanical engineering.

Height: 5'2''

Weight: 492

Weapon: Hydrogen-Powered Mining Pick

Damage: Kan-Tal has one attack per Combat Turn. On Earth, his Mining Pick does 10 damage.

Personal History: Kan-Tal is a descendant of humans who were genetically altered for residency on Jupiter. He attended the two most noted engineering colleges in the solar system.


Mikael's Ally: Zanleer, from Venus

Hit Points: 35/35

Outstanding Characteristics: Unusual empathy with plants, highly skilled in all forms of technology.

Height: 7'6''

Weight: 169

Weapon: Twin Laser Blasters

Damage: Zanleer has two attacks per Combat Turn. On Earth, his Laser Blasters do 5 damage each.

Personal History: Zanleer is a descendant of humans who were genetically altered for residency on Venus. He attended Solar Survival Academy and was one of their finest students. He is also skilled with Laser Blasters, as Venus contains numerous predatory aliens.


Ancient Robot:

Hit Points: 10/10

Weapon: None (cannot fight)

Damage: 0 everywhere (cannot fight)

Your Ancient Robot has the original part you found in the Sol system and the Indigo Star part. Three parts have been found.

Special Abilities: Negates one energy attack against your group each Combat Turn.

The Ancient Robot part you have gave humanity the secret of greater-than-light-speed travel. It also gave you a map to its other parts
Human Star Map.jpg
Human Star Map.jpg (22.12 KiB) Viewed 8596 times
and the following information about them:

Indigo Star 3830: Gives the robot 10 Hit Points.

Azure Star 4234: Gives the robot the ability to heal an injured humanoid, restoring them to full health, 3 times during the course of the adventure. Not useful to robots.

Cerulean Star 4325: Gives the robot 10 Hit Points.

Emerald Star 3622: Gives the robot one laser attack per Combat Turn which does 7 damage if it hits.

Jade Star 3825: Creates an energy screen which will reduce each successful attack against your group by 1 point.

Ivory Star 3736: Gives the robot one particle beam attack per Combat Turn which does 9 damage if it hits.

Ebony Star 3437: Gives the robot 13 Hit Points.

Xanthous Star 3531: Energy insulator negates one energy attack against your group each Combat Turn.

Golden Star 3324: Gives the robot the ability to repair a damaged robot, restoring them to full health, 3 times during the course of the adventure.

Platinum Star 3035: Ion Nerve Stimulator: Can be used once during this adventure. Will cause one robot to gain a single extra attack.

Silver Star 2629: Gives the robot 12 Hit Points.

Copper Star 4230: Gives the robot two energy dart attacks per Combat Turn, each of which does 5 damage if they hit.

Amethyst Star 2622: Whenever you move between stars while traveling in Black Hole regions, each member of your team will heal 1 damage.

Lavender Star 3028: Gives the robot one cosmic attack per Combat Turn which does 10 damage if it hits.

Black Hole Star System

Crimson Star 1422: Gives the robot one stunning attack per Combat Turn, which does no damage but causes an enemy to miss their next turn if it hits.

Ruby Star 0329: Gives the robot 12 Hit Points.

Scarlet Star 0929: Solar Emitter halves one physical (non-energy) attack against your group each Combat Turn.

Burgundy Star 1329: Gives the robot one Device Drainer attack per Combat Turn, which does damage equal to half the target robot's current Hit Points if it hits (rounding damage fractions down, so this will never kill a robot with 1 Hit Point).

Wine Star 1729: Gives the robot one Pulsar Nerve Disintegrator attack per Combat Turn, which does damage equal to half the target protein being's current Hit Points if it hits (rounding damage fractions down, so this will never kill someone with 1 Hit Point).

Maroon Star 2029: Gives the robot 12 Hit Points.

Orange Star 1238: One enemy Combat Turn, whichever attack does the smallest amount of damage will be bounced back to the one who inflicted it, once per battle.


If you decide you desperately need to get out of your current situation, you can declare a retreat. This will mean you and all allies dash back to your ship and you explode the engine of one of your three scout ships, destroying that scout ship and sending your ship at great speed to an unknown location.

Your long-range sensors will tell you some information about each star system you can currently reach before you choose which one to go to. Mikael takes the first turn; once he has explored one star system as much as he intends to and chosen a new one to fly to, E-Ben takes his turn, and so on until the game ends.

In combat, your group always acts first unless you are ambushed or there is some other reason you would act second.
Last edited by Beroli on Wed Nov 26, 2025 9:33 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Beroli
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Re: [Let's Play] Battle for the Ancient Robot: Mikael

Post by Beroli »

You arrive at Indigo Star 3830. The planet where the Ancient Robot part is located is size 6, the largest size you have a classification for, Jupiter-sized or larger, and temperature 5, dangerous even with space suits, the hottest temperature you have a classification for. Your sensors detect animal life but no signs of civilization. Your scan determines that the Robot part is buried under vegetation in a dense jungle.

Your Throwing Stars will do 2 damage here. Kan-Tal's pick will do 12 damage. Zanleer's laser blaster will do 7 damage.

Landing near the location of the Ancient Robot part, you are forced to use your scoutship jets to cut through the thick, purple vegetation that surrounds it.

As if this wasn't annoying enough, weird aliens surround your ship. Refusing to respond to your attempts at communication, they spit on your scoutship! You are tempted to laugh--until you notice that the liquid they're spitting is acid! Watching the metal hull of your scoutship fizzle and bubble, you wonder if there might not be a safer was of reaching the Ancient Robot part.

You could fly your scoutship over the vegetation or continue trying to blast your way through it. Glancing at your instrument panel, you see sensor readings indicating a large life form ahead, much bigger than these aliens. But you can't tell if it's above the vegetation or within it.

Go above the treetops to gain speed?
Keep cutting through the vegetation?
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deaddmwalking
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Re: [Let's Play] Battle for the Ancient Robot: Mikael

Post by deaddmwalking »

Half vote for flying.

So we're a human, a dwarf, and an elf. In space. I can dig it.
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Re: [Let's Play] Battle for the Ancient Robot: Mikael

Post by Dogopolis »

OK, lets fly.
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Re: [Let's Play] Battle for the Ancient Robot: Mikael

Post by Beroli »

A huge purple cloud reaches out a tentacled arm and grabs your scoutship!

It studies your ship--a hungry look it its eye--then takes a lick with its tongue.

"Yick! Pah! Phooey!" Grimacing in disgust, it shoots a bolt of energy through the hull! Then it drops your ship back to the ground and floats away.

You and each of your companions take 2 damage each.

Leaving your ship, you travel a short distance before you find the Ancient Robot part.

Your Ancient Robot now has 10 Hit Points, though it still cannot fight until it has at least one attack.

Your sensors indicate that Cerulean Star 4325 has a planet of temperature -1 (uncomfortably but not damagingly cold), size 3 (Earth to Venus range), with previous development but cities now in ruins. No life forms are visible on the surface.

Jade Star 3825 has a planet of size 2 (in the Pluto to Mars range) which is Earthlike except for its temperature (which is -2, cold enough to require space suits), and has evidence of a recent nuclear war. What appears to be a race of friendly robots are attempting to rebuild.

Xanthous Star 3531 has a warm (temperature 1) planet of size 2 which is occupied by intelligent but primitive reptilian aliens.

Azure Star 4234 has no planets, only asteroids.

Fly to Cerulean Star 4325?
Fly to Jade Star 3825?
Fly to Xanthous Star 3531?
Fly to Azure Star 4234?
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Re: [Let's Play] Battle for the Ancient Robot: Mikael

Post by Dogopolis »

Azure Star looks like it has 2 robot pieces, let's go there.
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deaddmwalking
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Re: [Let's Play] Battle for the Ancient Robot: Mikael

Post by deaddmwalking »

Some notes for myself...

Azure Star 4234: Gives the robot the ability to heal an injured humanoid, restoring them to full health, 3 times during the course of the adventure. Not useful to robots.

Nothing indicates that there are two pieces of robot there that I can see. I do see that there are two 'planetary dots' that are next to 14.

On the list of planets provided in the first post, not all of them have numbers on the map. In the order they're presented above:

Black Hole Star System
Crimson Star 1422: Gives the robot one stunning attack per Combat Turn, which does no damage but causes an enemy to miss their next turn if it hits.
Ruby Star 0329: Gives the robot 12 Hit Points.
Scarlet Star 0929: Solar Emitter halves one physical (non-energy) attack against your group each Combat Turn.
Burgundy Star 1329: Gives the robot one Device Drainer attack per Combat Turn, which does damage equal to half the target robot's current Hit Points if it hits (rounding damage fractions down, so this will never kill a robot with 1 Hit Point).
Wine Star 1729: Gives the robot one Pulsar Nerve Disintegrator attack per Combat Turn, which does damage equal to half the target protein being's current Hit Points if it hits (rounding damage fractions down, so this will never kill someone with 1 Hit Point).
Maroon Star 2029: Gives the robot 12 Hit Points.
Orange Star 1238: Each enemy Combat Turn, whichever attack does the smallest amount of damage will be bounced back to the one who inflicted it. (If you are facing a single opponent with a single attack, they will inevitably kill themself without being able to damage you.)

Now, I don't know where these stars are hiding and whether we'll get an option to go to them from a star that doesn't indicate that they exist. The fact that they're almost all 'red coded' seems to imply that they follow a pattern. Maybe 'red stars' are around the outer edge, in which case heading to the Azure Star would be one option that lets us determine that. The fact that two planteary circles are indicated on the map without an explanation seems curious and worth exploring.

In the event that all the red planets were in one spot, that could be Xanthous's Star in the center (6). There's also a possibility that the missing planets are on someone else's map and they connect to our map at a single point. If that's the case, it's probably on the far side. But it's equally possible that the Robot Planet is already marked on our map but we don't see it. 15 (Copper Star) is like Earth in that it has only one initial starting point followed by 4 possible connections.

I'm going to assume that Planet 15 is our opponent's starting point. If that's the case, they could explore Planet 6 on their second move. Since we have the initiative we can get their first and then stay ahead of them assuming that they're potentially planning to follow us (or try).

This leads me to recommend that we hit Six first, then plan on heading 'galactic south' and hitting 13. At that point moving to 14 might 'paint us into a corner' so I'd lean toward completing a clockwise circuit (6, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 15???).

I could certainly be convinced that we should hit 14 first, but my initial vote is for 6. Let's have a brief discussion before we make a final decision. Based on this do you still want to hit 14 first?


Edit - And I really was squinting to read names and numbers so it's possible I've made an error.
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Re: [Let's Play] Battle for the Ancient Robot: Mikael

Post by Dogopolis »

Image
I've made the picture a bit larger to avoid eye strain.

I had this argument lined up
I would guess 15 is their home and 8 is forced first choice as you say, but it's odd there's a robot piece there. (Is there a robot piece on Sol that they can see but we can't?) You're probably right that the dots don't represent robot pieces. If you want to go all poke the bear and close inn on our opponent I'm happy with that and have no problem going with 6 at it also seems to be somewhat useful, but looking at the routes we can take I think 14-13-12 (3 full health restores, 9-attack weapon, 13 hit points) probably the best combo.
but I'm not really feeling it any more as then it would lead to the not very useful 11 and the mysterious 10 which doesn't appear to have anything. For simplicity sake let's just go "grab the centre" and choose 6.

It's also confusing in some respects which "robot" benefits are for our opponents excluding us and which are for the Ancient Robots. I'm reading Platinum and Golden as being something we can't take benefit of at all, but not sure about Platinum.
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Re: [Let's Play] Battle for the Ancient Robot: Mikael

Post by Beroli »

Sorry about the map size. The forum wouldn't let me upload it at the size I first had it.

If something affects a robot and doesn't explicitly say "not usable on the Ancient Robot itself," it's usable on the Ancient Robot itself.

You have your original robot part and the Indigo Star robot part; the Cybrtrons have their original robot part and the Lavender Star robot part. Four robot parts are currently owned.

You arrive at the occupied planet in the Xanthous Star system.

By the time you shut down the engines on your scoutship, the vessel is surrounded by hundreds of seven-foot-tall, yellow-skinned lizards riding strange bird-like mounts that have feathers but no wings. (This gamebook came out two years before Final Fantasy...)

Using your translator, you ask the Lizardfolk for the Robot part. They refuse to give it up without something in return.

The Lizardfolk make you an offer. They love tests of honor and say you can appoint a champion to battle their champion for the Robot part. Alternatively, you can trade them another Ancient Robot part.

Fight? (Specify who will be your champion if you choose this one. On this planet Mikael's Throwing Stars do 5 damage each, Kan-Tal's pick does 11 damage, and Zanleer's laser does 6 damage.)
Trade the Indigo Star robot part?
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Re: [Let's Play] Battle for the Ancient Robot: Mikael

Post by Dogopolis »

I think we should fight using Mikael, as we get a 25% increase from base.
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Re: [Let's Play] Battle for the Ancient Robot: Mikael

Post by Dogopolis »

Beroli, are we "Mikael" or are we "team Sol"? If Mikael dies is it game over?
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Re: [Let's Play] Battle for the Ancient Robot: Mikael

Post by Beroli »

If Mikael dies it's game over, but don't worry about it here. If your champion dies the Lizardfolk will immediately slaughter the rest of your team anyway.
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Re: [Let's Play] Battle for the Ancient Robot: Mikael

Post by deaddmwalking »

Mikael has the most hit points. I'm for having him do an honor fight.

I can see from this that getting Robot Parts we can't use is potentially useful for more than just denying them to our opponent.
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Re: [Let's Play] Battle for the Ancient Robot: Mikael

Post by Beroli »

Mikael is fighting a Lizard Warrior and his mount. The Lizard Warrior has 22 hit points and does 7 damage per hit with his crossbow. The Mount has 11 hit points and does 3 damage per hit with its beak. Which will you focus on first?
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Re: [Let's Play] Battle for the Ancient Robot: Mikael

Post by Dogopolis »

those are annoying numbers, I'd go for the lizard warrior who takes 5 regular hits but does much more damage over mount who takes 3 regular hits. Our Jovian ally would have been so much better.
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Re: [Let's Play] Battle for the Ancient Robot: Mikael

Post by deaddmwalking »

Yes. Higher damage dealer first. Go for the Lizard Warrior first.

Hope for good rolls!
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Re: [Let's Play] Battle for the Ancient Robot: Mikael

Post by Beroli »

Mikael hits, gets a Special result, and misses. A strange mist springs up out of nowhere, negating his group's laser attacks this Combat Turn...of which he has none. The Lizard Warrior misses; the Mount hits.

Mikael misses, hits for double damage, and hits. The Lizard Warrior hits for double damage; the Mount misses.

Mikael hits for double damage, finishing off the Lizard Warrior, and misses twice. The Mount hits.

Mikael hits three times, finishing off the Mount.

Mikael Hit Points: 22/44

The Lizardfolk give you their part of the Ancient Robot as they promised. Your Ancient Robot now has an Energy Insulator that will negate one successful energy attack against the group per Combat Turn.

You have been to Indigo Star 3830 already. Your sensors pick up a Black Hole and no planets at Golden Star 3324, a race of humanoids living in very primitive conditions on a huge (size 5) cold (temperature -1) planet at Ivory Star 3736, and a heavy jungle with only animal inhabitants on a medium (size 3) cold (temperature -1) planet at Platinum Star 3035.

Go to Indigo Star 3830?
Go to Golden Star 3324?
Go to Ivory Star 3736?
Go to Platinum Star 3035?
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Re: [Let's Play] Battle for the Ancient Robot: Mikael

Post by Dogopolis »

I would like to choose golden star to a) give our ancient robot the ability to heal itself b)remove the ability from our enemies as it can chhoose to heal them also if they get it and c)test out Black Hole mechanic.
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Re: [Let's Play] Battle for the Ancient Robot: Mikael

Post by deaddmwalking »

I'm good with that. Let's make it happen.
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Re: [Let's Play] Battle for the Ancient Robot: Mikael

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You have your original robot part, the Indigo Star robot part, and the Xanthous Star robot part; the Cybrtrons have their original robot part, the Lavender Star robot part, and the Silver Star robot part. Six robot parts are currently owned.

Entering the Golden Star system, your sensors go wild! Two yellow giant suns are feeding energy to a Black Hole! Whatever planets were supposed to be in this system were destroyed long ago!

You sense space debris with a powerful energy signature--likely the Ancient Robot part! The question is, is it worth the risk of flying closer to the Black Hole to pick it up?

From here, you can travel to the Emerald Star System, the Xanthous Star System, and the Amethyst Star System. The Emerald Star 3622 System has a planet with earthlike terrain, inhabitants, and size, temperature -1, orbited by war satellites. The Amethyst Star 2622 System has a tiny planet with a similar environment to Earth but with no offworld communication.

Try to get the Ancient Robot part here?
Go to the Emerald Star 3622 System?
Go to the Amethyst Star 2622 System?
Go to the Xanthous Star 3531 System?
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Re: [Let's Play] Battle for the Ancient Robot: Mikael

Post by deaddmwalking »

It could be insta-death, but we're intrepid explorers. We try to gain the part for ourselves.
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Re: [Let's Play] Battle for the Ancient Robot: Mikael

Post by Dogopolis »

Try to get the part.
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Re: [Let's Play] Battle for the Ancient Robot: Mikael

Post by Beroli »

You float forward and grab the hunk of metal with your ship's grappling arms. Then you try to pull back, but you are caught in the Black Hole's gravity well and inexorably pulled in.
Black Hole Star Map.jpg
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You have entered an alternate universe! Your sensors pick up readings from a huge star and also from several other star systems. You have no idea how to get back. Hopefully you can discover a way or you are trapped here forever!

But in any event, you have the Golden Star Ancient Robot part. Your Ancient Robot can repair itself or another robot three times over the course of your adventure.

(And now you wait for E-Ben to finish his turn.)
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Re: [Let's Play] Battle for the Ancient Robot: Mikael

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You have your original robot part, the Indigo Star robot part, the Xanthous Star robot part, and the Golden Star robot part; the Cybrtrons have their original robot part, the Lavender Star robot part, and the Silver Star robot part. Seven robot parts are currently owned.

You arrive at the planet orbiting the Black Hole Orange Star.

As you walk through the streets of this planet, you are dazzled by the myriad colors and the odd shapes of the buildings! Sparkling crystals lie everywhere on the streets. Picking one up, you examine it and feel an unusual warmth radiate from its shining surface.

Arriving at the center of the city, you enter the largest building there, hoping to find out more about this planet and its inhabitants. A gigantic crystal, similar to the small one you picked up, stands in a hallway. You draw closer, reach out, and touch it.

"How dare you disturb the rest of the high Cres?" a voice shouts at you. "For this you will suffer!"

A beam of laser light flashes from the crystal. It misses, but it is obviously a warning!

Attack?
Apologize?
Last edited by Beroli on Wed Nov 26, 2025 11:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: [Let's Play] Battle for the Ancient Robot: Mikael

Post by Dogopolis »

We are not barbarians or *shudder* robots. Apologise for our mistake.
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