Also referred to as FSU or "Suckers"
There are times when certain fluids become unusually scarce or highly demanded– water, oil, alcohol, blood, it all depends on the circumstances. Where there are those who transport or harbor these liquids, there are also those looking to steal them, and the Flying Syphon Unit is their primary tool.
Based on mosquitos, Flying Syphon Units, more often referred to as "FSUs" or "Suckers", are tank-breaching, liquid-suctioning, 2500 lb. flying automatons.
Their primary function is to breach and syphon the liquid out of target containers, storing it in their thick, mechanical bodies before quickly fleeing the scene with their loot. To have as much capacity for a fluid's storage while still being able to remain in flight, they are designed with limited combat capabilities so as to not add unnecessary weight in the form of weapons. While they are designed this way, their suction system can and is used on foes when the circumstances call for it.
FSUs have an AI of their own, one that is programmed with some primary factors in mind: keeping out of harms way whenever possible, choosing a proper syphoning location, keeping up with moving targets, engaging in self-defense or the support of other units when the situation calls for it, and fleeing the scene in relatively safe manner when done with their objective. That being said, certain behaviors must be tweaked manually to properly optimize each unit for the specific circumstances of the mission– aggressive/defensive levels, distance kept from target before engaging, etc. Additionally, they feature manual-control capabilities, allowing an individual to micromanage their actions.
When engaged in combat, FSUs will primarily act in a defensive manner, leaving a heist's team to handle any threatening foes. If most of a heist's members were to fall during combat, their AI designates a select few units as guardians, starting with any yet-to-syphon units and then any already damaged ones. These now guardian units will aggressively engage any foes to allow other units to securely flee the scene with their haul.
While not technically designed for combat, an FSU's competent AI, thick mechanical body, and heavy duty syphoning makes it just as deadly as any other creature. Ultimately, however, they are only as threatening as the team utilizing them.
Earlier on, introduce FSUs being improperly handled by a group of amateurs so as to give your players a certain impression of them. Later on, astonish them with better utilized ones, ones with more efficient parameters and which are better escorted. Another way to make yet another encounter with them feel different is to have them be used for gathering blood from the living (perhaps for vampires), guaranteeing a squad with aggressive parameters.
Setting/Genre: Post-Apocalyptic, Heist, Sci-Fi, Mecha
HP: C
Size: Large
Strength: B
Dexterity: B
Constitution: C
Intelligence: C
Wisdom: [N/A]
Charisma:Â F
Senses/Perception: B
Spell/Energy/Aura Potency: [N/A]
Stamina/Energy: C
Speed: B
Initiative: A
Armor (Metal Plating): C
Evasiveness: B
Fortitude/Endurance/Resistance: C
Evasion/Reflex: B
Mental/Willpower/Sensory: F
>Prick
>>Accuracy: B
>>Damage: B
>>A succesful Prick is often followed by Syphon (see below).
Scraps– Steel plates, circuit boards, infrared scanners, syphoning engine, cables.
FSUs primarily make use of their infrared vision to detect where and how much liquid is inside their target container.
After performing a Pierce attack, one specifically succesful in breaching the target, FSUs may begin to absorb the liquid content found inside during their next turn.
Taking full actions, the FSU's suctions at the rate of 5 galons per turn. Typically having a capacity for 25 galons themselves, it takes them 5 full rounds to fill up.
During this syphoning, a FSU's specially designed feet attach themselves onto their target for stabilization purposes. For rugged, uneven surfaces, their feet contain small barb-like features which allow them to latch on upon contact. For smooth surfaces, rubber suction cups assist with the stabilization.
The Syphoning action can be performed on biological creatures, specifically ones whose anatomy allows it. In such a case, the damage done per turn is directly dependent on their size.
Tiny: 320% of total HP per turn.
Small: 160% of total HP per turn.
Medium: 80% of total HP per turn.
Large: 40% of total HP per turn.
Huge: 20% of total HP per turn.
Gargantuan: 10% of total HP per turn.
Colossal: 5% of total HP per turn.
The liquid absorbed (typically blood), is routed through the inner pipes of the suction system and diverted to a special exhaust pipe for non-target liquids. A pierced character has no saving throw against the syphoning, which is extremely lethal, however, they may attempt to pull out from the FSUs Pierce before it may begin the process.
Being designed for larger targets, FSUs have difficulty grasping on to medium or smaller sized foes with their special extremities, and as thus, impaled creatures of this size may break free from the Pierce's hold just by simply using a full-round action. Larger targets, however, are susceptible to the specially designed legs' grasp and must break free by succeeding on a the system's appropriate roll for the task (difficulty: C) as their turn's Full Round action, after which they suffer some minor damage due to the leg's barbs.
While FSUs posses a respectable AI, there are situations in which one might want to assume manual control. FSUs allow for this feature, with an effective maximum range of exactly 3 miles (FSUs can recieve instructions from much further distances. This 3 mile limit is specific to efficient manual control, i.e. control without delayed or skipped inputs).
FSUs have all the bonuses and weaknesses that Automatons and similar constructs generally have.
