B3-4F

The self-aware robot ATMB3-4F (All Terrain Military Bot V3, Unit 4F - short B3-4F or even B3) is your swiss army knife robot and "little" helper of the squad. Manufactured to aid soldiers on their difficult missions on Na Pali it was designed to carry supplies and equipment, and provide an extra fighter as support. It can carry up to 200 kg with ease and has an initially bad, but adjustable sense of humor and interacts with the squad. You always should take it with you on mid/longer journeys and missions and plan your operations ahead with him. You will die if you bring too few supplies with you!

B3-4F is also capable of repairing your equipment and will fight along with you, if needed. It is vulnerable to energy-based attacks though, but can be upgraded with a personal energy shield later. It additionally can pull up and carry obstacles that are too heavy for humans, even too heavy for Hector. Using AI and self-aware robots for military purposes is relatively new and discussed controversially, especially since the indicdent of LBX-7683 in 2283. But 40 years have passed, and AI research has made huge advances and many scientist consider this new wave of intelligent machines to be safe since their programming is completely neutral and only purpose oriented, having a failsafe system to never turn against any human commanding them. To be fair to both sides (humans and AI) all B3 units and other AI-driven robots are given the lowest, but basic rank of "Private" giving both sides a chain of command to work with.

Bio

 * It was manufactured at the Advanced AI & Robotics Facility of the Axon Research Corp. at the Technology Park of Vandora's Harbor
 * B3-4F is assigned to your squad in 2322 with it's main purpose of "Providing a robust yet maneuverable support robot, capable of carrying supplies and equipment and even fight along with you, to relieve soldiers out in the field, which dramatically enhances self-sufficiency of today's military squads", as the CTO of the Axon Research Corp., J.P. Tang stated in a press conference during the release of the B3 units in 2321.
 * It is programmed with the latest Military AI Systems by Major Roja
 * After some difficulties with Hector, B3-4F develops some kind of relationship with the player as well as Natalie. Both kindly call it just "B3" giving it a nickname. Hector however gives it mean names like "Toaster" or "Metal Mule"
 * Discovering it's potential it becomes a valuable member of the squad providing you with supplies, equipment and a backup fighter

Personality and Features
B3-4F, like all other latest AI robots, is a neutral projection of the interactions with the people it works with. It remembers everything and anything and isn't driven by lesser emotions and motivations like hate, anger or greed. During its integration into the squad, B3 can decide to be considered male or female or stay a neuter. You can even tweak it's humor towards a more light or dark approach and how much it responds to insults or bad behavior. It WILL react to how people treat it, thus it's not very "happy" to work with Hector. You as a player and (2nd) leader of the squad are also responsible for the squad's chemistry, thus worsening or improving B3's relationships towards your squad's members. While Natalie has a very open stance towards B3 right from the beginning, Hector and at least one Nali dislike B3 at the start. Private Anne Miller is the only one who is neutral/indifferent towards B3.

Through the interaction and experience with the squad B3 will develop it's very own personality. A robot with a dark sense of humor? Or a Bot with a bad-joke-humor? Or a Bot that is completely indifferent, direct and logical. It's up to you and your interaction with B3.

It's powered by a 400 V electric biofluidic-energy cell that lasts 6 days without charging (on an average mission). It can be recharged at one of the charging stations or via it's build-in biofluidic solar cells. B3 maintains itself, reloading automatically without the player's interaction. All engines driving it's limbs are state-of-the-art heavy duty servo motors, which are strong enough to lift a huge tree or rock, but can also perform basic surgery and repairs. It comes with a standard MRN scout drone, which the player can control to scout the nearby surroundings and plan ahead.

Many at the base consider the B3 units a blessing, thus they serve a wide range of purposes:


 * Carrier
 * Repair unit
 * Scout unit (using it's attached scout drone or scouting in advance)


 * Research assistance
 * Support fighter
 * Means of defense
 * Sapper unit
 * Building unit

And now for some basic stats overview:


 * Height: 2,10 m
 * Weight: 160 kg
 * Max Speed: 20 km/h (unloaded)
 * Max Speed: 10 km/h (loaded)
 * Max Carry Weight: 200 kg (can be extended)
 * Max Lift Weight: 400 kg (for a short time, can be extended)
 * Energy source: 12 V, 800 A biofluidic energy cell with 250 Ah capacity (lasts about a week)
 * 3D printed Titanium frame
 * 2 strong lift arms, with cybernetic hands
 * 2 very strong legs
 * 3D color vision sensors, audio sensors, motion sensors, GPS and Qyro
 * MRN Scout drone (optional)

Design and Background
For B3 I was heavily inspired by the walking robots of Boston Dynamics (especially ATLAS®). These robots are absolutely incredible and will surely shape mankind's future. B3 is a bipedal, walking, heavy support robot. He has two very strong arms and can lift up to 500 kg. Its standard carry weight goes up to 200 kg, but can be extended.

Since I'm neither a 3D Modeler nor a 3D Animator I had to come up with a rather unorthodox way of designing and making B3. The robot consists of multiple interacting 3D Meshes that together form an "animated" and smoothly moving robotic body like we see with the Boston Dynamics walking robots.

Relationsips

 * Natalie and you are friends with it from the beginning, B3 mirrors this by being very polite and helpful to both of you, greeting you with "B3, reporting for duty, Sir/M'am." or "What can I do for your?"
 * B3's direct superiors, commanding the Sub-Units of the military base at Vandora's Harbor are:
 * Gunnery Sergeant August "Gunny" Sanchez (Commander Infantry Group / CIG)
 * /w Lance Corporal Ronny Jaso
 * Major Malagorzata Kowalczyk (Commander Aerospace Group / CAG)
 * Commander Arthur Hammer (Commander Naval Group / CNG)
 * Staff Sergeant Peter "Pete" O'Connel (Commander Artillery/Mobile Group / CMG)
 * Major Dr. rer. nat. Helena "Lena" Winslow (Commander Science Group / CSG)
 * Major Dr. eng. George Anatoli Roja (Commander Engineering/Weapons Research Group / CEG)
 * Commander Dr. med. Dana Wong (Commander Medical Group / CMEG - 2nd in command)
 * Hector however is sceptic towards AI technology and often insults B3, which leads to some memorable little pranks between them (like B3 not giving Hector supplies, or making fun of his physique), you can improve or worsen their attitude towards each other
 * B3 especially "likes" Major Roja and Major Winslow, naming them as the only few ones, of whom it thinks would understand what it's like to be a self-aware robot - it often works together with them, along with other B3 units, when you're not on a mission
 * Private Anne Miller and the both new Nali soldiers are more or less neutral towards B3

Possible Specialisations
Like all the other major and minor sidekicks, B3 will develope into a specialised, highly skilled and valuable member of your squad, seeking it's profession based on its (initial) preferences while progressing through the individual missions. Unlike the other sidekicks it has 1 fixed skill tree, so only 2 can be set freely here. It will, according to its experiences and dialogues with the player, specialise and/or combine one to three of the following character builds planned for her:


 * Mobile Carrier Bot (Main, can't be changed - carries your stuff and even provides energy and shelter)
 * Super Sniper Bot (a Sniper, that never misses)
 * Heavy Defense Bot (a temporarily stationary, but heavily armed defense unit, becoming a heavy turret)
 * Medical/Repair Bot (a robot specialized in healing and/or repairing)
 * Sapper Bot (a robot specialized in combat engineering tasks)

B3 will carry individual weaponry, depending on its specialisation - so it has the standard Combat Assault Rifle + whatever specialisaton (+1 additional weapon)


 * Mobile Carrier Bot - Combat Assault Rifle (Main)
 * Super Sniper Bot - additional Sniper Rifle
 * Heavy Defense Bot - additional single Grenade Launcher, twin Rocket Launchers, twin ASMD Shock Rifles or twin Miniguns
 * Medical/Repair Bot - additional (small) Flame Thrower, if the welding burner is enhanced
 * Sapper/Repair Bot - additional single Minigun or additional (small) Flame Thrower, if the welding burner is enhanced

Physical Appearance
B3 is with 2,10 m pretty high in appearance. This height was necessary and a tradeoff between maneuverability VS. providing a robust frame for carrying equipment. Having B3 on a mission is a huge advantage in itself, but leads to the big downside, that you can't take it everywhere.