Directorate Officer
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: To provide a synthetic soldier more focused on incorporating more traditional technologies into its base design
Image Source: here
Canon Link: N/A
Primary Source: Hoplite series Synthetic Soldier
Manufacturer: Lucerne Labs
Model: Antiope series Synthetic Soldier
Production: Mass-Produced.
Affiliation: Directorate, Silver Jedi, Closed Market
Modularity: Basic Appearance, modular hardpoints, accoutrements (typical soldier gear and weapons)
Material: Soma series Body Chassis, AA-1 VerboBrain, Synthflesh, Servomotors, ionization buffer, quantum fiber subdermal armor, light-mass core
Classification: Fourth Degree
Weight: ~1.82 meters
Height: ~95 kilograms
Movement: Bipedal
Armaments:
1 Repulse Hand
1 Neuroshock Hand
2 Modular Forearm slots, each capable of taking one of the following:
MM9 Wrist Rocket Launcher
Dur-24 Wrist Laser
MagnaForce Security Shield
ZX Miniature Flame Projector
Snare Launcher
Grapple Spike Launcher
miniature tractor beam projector
miniature ARC Caster
Fusion Cutter
[*]
Misc. Equipment:
AA-1 VerboBrain
Soma series Body Chassis
subdermal quantum fiber armor layer
Hi-sense Enhanced Eyes
Modular back slot, capable of taking one of the following:
Myntor Personal Shield
Micro Repulsorlift
9320/B Sensor Pack
Interference Box
Density Projector
SPECIAL FEATURES
Human Replicas: While actually droids, the Antiope series Synthetic Soldiers are designed to appear as strikingly attractive humans of Hapan descent upon casual interaction. A key element of this is the use of a Soma series Droid Chassis, which is then covered covered in synthflesh, much like their direct predecessor, the Synthdroid. Aside from making Antiopes easier to interact with organics (especially for civilians), it also enables them to utilize existing weapons, armor, and other equipment originally designed for organic use.
Variable Appearance: Antiope series Synthetic Soldiers use basic synthdroid construction, meaning that it takes only little effort to sculpt or dye the synthflesh to make it look like a variety of humans. Because of Lady Miilarta of Charubah's involvement in the project, there is much less variety in terms of skeletal frame differences in order to ease production and meet Hapan standards of beauty. Consequently, Antiopes of modeled after either sex tend to be strikingly attractive if all somewhat similar looking among their apparent sexes. Because of Lady Miilarta's concern with aesthetics, Antiopes do actually look and move almost organically, making it quite possible to confuse them for actual humans in most day to day circumstances.
Variable Personality: Antiopes borrow the same advanced personality matrixs originally designed for the Praetorian series. While these personalities start out as relatively basic, continued interaction with the world and a lack of memory wipes allows the droids to develop sophisticated and unique personalities that are almost on the level of many organics.
Subdermal Armor: While a Antiope appears to be a normal human on the outside, they actually have two layers of quantum fiber right underneath their synthflesh. This is fairly minor protection that does not provide significant protection against most direct fire weapons, but it is useful for absorbing shrapnel, richocets, and low-tech melee weapons like daggers or clubs. This provides them with a minor edge in durability compared to the average human body.
Hi-sense Enhanced Eyes: Synthetic soldiers use off the shelf Hi-sense Enhanced Eyes originally intended for cyborgs as photo-receptors. These provide the Antiopes with slightly better than average baseline vision than a typical human, along with a limited ability to see in the ultraviolet and infrared spectrums.
Light-Mass Core: Rather than use the complicated and biomemetic fuel cells of other synthetic soldiers, Antiopes use more conventional light-mass cores. This provides Antiopes with more power, which in turn allows them to incorporate more electronic components in their frames. It also quite clearly reveals the droid's true nature on a sensor scan, making them easier to detect than their other synthetic soldier counterparts.
Modular Slots: Because less emphasis has been placed on biomemetically recreating humans, the actual anatomy of Antiope is much more similar to a typical droid, which means that there are free spaces and compartments that can hold different pieces of equipment that are either plug and play or only need a little bit of modification. The most most obvious of these are located in either inner forearm, which typically hold weapons or other combat devices. A larger slot is concealed in the upper back of the droid, which typically carries larger electronic devices. All of these compartments are covered with synthflesh panels, though bits and pieces of certain devices may run through this synthflesh panel, causing many observers to think that they are cyborgs.
More than Human: Antiope Synthetic Soldiers are typically more physically strong than the average human soldier. While that strength is less than that of many other battle droids, their strength, endurance, and speed runs on the upper end of the human spectrum.
Adaptable: Antiopes can adopt a variety of devices and weapons into their frame, making them adaptable for different purposes and unpredictable: One arm might carry a wrist rocket launcher one day and personal shield generator the next day.
Close Quarter Combat Specialists: Antiopes are programmed and equipped to be particularly effective in close quarters combat, particularly with fast reflexive servomotors. Almost of all of their forearm modular slots support weapons or devices useful in such encounters, while both hands have obvious melee applications. In terms of programming, Antiopes can wield most melee weapons, submachine guns, and pistols proficiently.
- Short-Range Fighter: As good as they are at short-range combat, Antiopes are equally poor at long-range combat. The fast-reacting servomotors do not have the right configuration nor stability to use rifles or heavy personal weapons effectively.
Ion/EMP Vulnerable: While the ionization buffer and Soma Body Chassis provide some protection to the droid brain and its operating software, the rest of the droid and its components have no protection from ion or EMP weapons.
Individualists: Antiopes' programming is based on achieving individual combat excellence, which means that they simply do not think about group tactics or strategy.
Not content to rest solely on the success of their Hoplite and Praetorian Synthetic Soldiers, Lucerne Labs soon turned their attention to making more specialized niche versions of synthetic soldiers. As their research started, they were approached by Lady Miilarta, a Hapan noble in exile. With loyalty being difficult to find in the swirling intrigues of Hapan court, she requested a synthetic soldier who could serve as her royal guard as she plotted her return to that society. Through the woman and her staff's own expertise, Lucerne Labs came up with the Antiope series Synthetic Soldier, which blends Hapan beauty and martial arts with high-end, modular technology. The resulting synthetic soldier is a highly competent melee fighter with a few tricks up its sleeve. Unfortunately, it is also very much an individualist and more susceptible to ion weapons compared to its other synthetic soldier counterparts. Nonetheless, the Antiope seems to have successfully paved the way for future development even if its production run seems likely to be small and intermittent.
Technical Explanations:
Personality: Antiopes sport a fairly advanced personality matrix that starts with a basic protocol droid personality that then has combat and other military skillsets and motivators spliced into it. Antiopes fresh off the assembly line consequently have a personality that is described as courteous, calm, dutiful, and disciplined. Such models are not known for being aggressive, theatrical, or curious. However, as the droids go through service and acquire experience, their personality undergoes gradual changes that make them individually different. In large part because of their droid brain's protocol droid based programming, users and commanders of the droids have found that this programming can be influenced by indoctrination through reading, speeches, and other forms of traditional organic communication.
Skillset: Antiopes are purely combat focused droids, and unsurprisingly have nearly all of their skill programming based on achieving excellent combat results. The challenge with programming Antiopes was integrating their standard operating procedures with the modularity of their components. Fortunately, Lady Miilarta was able to provide her and her retinue's expertise in traditional Hapan martial arts as a starting point to this challenge. Hapan martial arts takes its basis in the rough brawling and improvised weapons of the Lorell Raiders, which manifests typically as straightforward boxing and swordplay attacks backed up with fluid counterattacks and graceful deflections. Consequently, Antiopes have a marked preference for engaging in melee combat with either their fists or whatever melee weapon (or impromptu object) that is laying around. Antiopes are somewhat limited by their fast-reacting servomotors in wielding ranged weapons effectively, but they can use smaller ranged weapons such as pistols fairly well. These weapons and many of the droid's modular attachments thus tend to be used as interjections within their catlike martial arts routines, oftentimes to catch an opponent offguard. If left without memory wipes, Antiopes gradually develop their own variants of fighting styles and techniques, making them individually unique fighters. Because of the nature of their programming as martial artists, Antiopes have a tendency to fight as individuals rather than as a collective group, and oftentimes are thought of as more of duelists and champions rather than as true soldiers. With so much combat programming in their droid brain, Antiopes have only the most basic skills and knowledge in other areas. As an example of their limitations, they're not particularly good conversationalists, nor can they operate a vehicle or perform first aid.
Chassis: While the Antiope series does use the base Soma series Body Chassis like other Synthetic soldiers, there is a more limited range of builds within the Antiope series than with other synthetic soldiers. This was done in part in order to meet Lady Miilarta's need for the droids to match Hapan cultural expectations/aesthetics and to speed up production. This latter goal was furthered by the use actual servomotors rather than the artificial muscles. Because Antiopes are designed as more of martial artists, the servomotors of the Antiope are tuned to be fast-reacting and strong, which unfortunately means that they are also not very precise or stable enough to use ranged weapons such as blaster rifles or other larger personal ranged weapons. This working frame is then covered in quantum fiber armor and then Synthflesh to allow the droids to effectively mimic humans. In order to better conceal their nature, the droid's modular compartments as well as their cybernetic hands have been carefully covered in sculpted synthflesh. Because of Lady Miilarta's involvement, more care was placed into the droid's aesthetic looks, and they can convincingly be confused for organics by most people.
Locomotion: Antiopes move around on a pair of legs and also have a pair of humanoid arms, giving it the range of motion typical for most humanoid species. Using servomotors means that the Antiope has sufficient strength, endurance, and grace to perform at the capability of an exceptional human athlete. An Antiope can easily perform such tasks as long marches, sudden sprints, or freehand rock climbing. As their endurance and frame is largely the result of its artificial construction, the droids can also carry and move around slightly more weight than many of their organic counterparts without any loss in physical performance. This may practically manifest itself as carrying an extra weapon, heavier armor, or more ammunition. Because of their specially tuned servomotors, Antiopes have unusually quick, almost catlike reflexes.
Weapons: Antiopes are somewhat unusual for droids in that their weapon of choice (against organic foes) is their fists, or rather their Repulse-Hand or Neuro-Shock Hand. Each of these hands is randomly selected as a right or left hand on the assembly line, which tends to affect their fighting stance. Regardless of which hand is where, Antiopes prefer to uses these hands in conjunction with their Hapan fighting style to be fluid and devastating martial artists. Antiopes can also use these hands to carry melee weapons and small ranged weapons originally designed for organic use. Antiopes can also sport a variety of small weapons and devices mounted inside of their forearms. Most of these devices have been already designed as wrist weapons. Because these devices are so compact, they can be easily concealed within the droid's frame, allowing Antiopes to use them as a last minute surprise to opponents; an opponent may be expecting another punch towards his face but may get a wrist rocket or a gout of searing flame instead. This modularity also allows Antiopes to be optimized for different combat roles or uses. As an example of this, an Antiopes expecting to fight Yuuzhan Vong warriors might use a flamethrower and wrist rocket launcher while another Antiope being assigned as part of a security detail might equip a snare launcher and energy shield instead. Perhaps more esoterically, sometimes Antiopes are equipped to masquerade as Force users with ARC Casters (to simulate Force Lightning) and Tractor Beam Projectors (to simulate telekinesis).
Defenses: Like humans, the most inherent physical defense of a Antiope is simply not getting hit. Antiopes frequently rely on their size and natural movements to avoid enemy fire or seek cover and/or concealment. However, they do possess a layer of quantum fiber which provides minor protection against many common threats such as shrapnel, primitive weapons, and glancing weapon strikes. Antiopes often rely on wearing armor suits originally designed for organics to provide them with better defense. As an example of this, those in the service of Lady Miilarta use Hapan Battle Armor. As they rely heavily on traditional droid components and traditional power sources, Antiopes are susceptible to ion and EMP attacks, though their core droid brain is somewhat resistant to this thanks to the built-in ionization buffer and Soma series Body Chassis.
Miscellaneous Equipment: Antiopes by default have no particularly outstanding features that warrant mention, but the ability for the droid to incorporate different technologies through modular compartments in their forearms and in their back makes them fairly adaptable. Most forearm components are weapons, but they can also house some more miscellaneous device such as grapple spike launchers, a small personal shield, or a fusion cutter. The back slot is somewhat larger and is more focused on combat support devices, such as entire body shielding, sensor arrays, micro-repulsorlifts (allowing a limited ability to ascend and glide), and an interference box (to conceal the droid's presence). While there are consequently many combinations of modular slot loadouts, these are some of the common ones:
Low Profile Security:
Arm Slots: Dur-24 Wrist Laser, MagnaForce Security Shield
Back Slot: 9320/B Sensor Pack
Description: This loadout is used to make Antiopes appear as innocuous bystanders while they wait on standby to act against potential intruders. The wrist laser provides the Antiope with a reasonable ranged punch in such circumstances while the shield generator allows it to better take a few hits itself or shield someone near by it. The sensor pack is used to detect people and objects where they shouldn't be and to pursue them, or to detect incoming threats.
Intruder
Arm Slots: Grapple Spike Launcher, Fusion Cutter
Back Slot: Interference Box
Description: This loadout allows Antiopes to be used as intruders, typically to assassinate or abduct targets. The Grapple Spike Launcher allows the Antiope to scale up walls and vertical obstacles while the Fusion Cutter allows the droid to cut through barriers such as walls in order to get to the target. The Inteference Box is used to conceal the droid's presence and to jam outgoing distress calls.
Force User Decoy / Training Partner
Arm Slots: miniature tractor beam projector, miniature ARC Caster
Back Slot: Micro Repulsorlift
Description: This loadout is designed to allow the Antiope to mimic a Force User to either act as a decoy or sparring partner. A tractor beam projector allows the Antiope to emulate telekinesis while an Arc Caster can simulate Force Lightning. The Micro Repulsorlift makes Antiopes much more acrobatic, allowing them to better keep up with a Force User's movements, especially those that prefer lightsaber fighting styles like Ataru. It's not uncommon for Antiopes in these roles to be equipped with lightsaber-resistant melee weapons, such LPD's own beskar-forged vibroblades, to allow them to engage in lightsaber duels.
Vong Fighter
Arm Slots: MM9 Wrist Rocket Launcher, ZX Miniature Flame Projector
Back Slot: Myntor Personal Shield
Description: This loadout is commonly used to fight Vong and other combatants who have a tendency to employ unusual technologies. The wrist rocket launcher typically employs specialty munitions based on the opponent. This variant uses a flamethrower as few opponents are prepared or equipped to deal with the possibility getting burned alive. The shield generator is also customizable, allowing it to be tailored to protect against the favored weapons of a foe.
Royal Guard
Arm Slots: Snare Launcher, MagnaForce Security Shield
Back Slot: Density Projector
Description: This loadout is frequently used by Antiopes wearing uniforms and acting as guards for VIPs where the focus is providing a nonlethal means of incapacitating opponents. A snare launcher allows Antiopes to capture interlopers while a Security Shield allows them to better protect their charges. The density projector helps ensure that the droid won't be easily knocked down by a Force Push or a crowd of people if the droid gets between the attacker and its ward.