Legio Cybernetica??

[DrLove42]

I know back in the dark days of GW that there were rules for robots, and AI is largely mistrusted in the imperium, but while reading through the fluff in the newest FW IA Apoc book, the page on the contemptor mentions the Legio Cybernetica;


The contemptor has more systems in common with the dread battle-automata of the fabled Legio Cybernetica

Does the imperium still use robotics in the way it used to? Not counting things like Machine spririts, or artificial weapon emplacements and limbs.

[eldargal]

Aren't the Contemptors a Great Crusade STC? So it could utilise what is now forbidden technology.

[ankhcitizen]

To answer your question yes apparently the Imperium does still use Robots. The legio cybernetica is an active branch of the mechanicus military
source -> Warhammer 40,000 Compendium, Imperial Robots, p.96-112

So why in the God Emperor's name isn't there a mechanicus codex!!!

check out lexicanum's articles on the Mechanicus military

[energongoodie]

I'm sure in the current fluff that robots are thought of as heretical in the current fluff. Hence servitors. I'm sure in one of the novels I've read in the last couple of years some one was un-happy at some robot thingymajig and went on about anti omnissiah. I'm gonna try and find it.

[Gotthammer]

The robots from the compendium aren't true robots or AI - they use an engineered/grown biological brain of sorts that is hardwired with programming. It is the program wafer that is said to house the robot's soul and battle spirit, and it has to be set up by its controller. They can't think for themselves and are slaves to their programming, but how they obey it is determined by the limited funcionality of their 'brain'.
So they're actually like servitors, except instead of putting metal bits in a biological body thay put a biological brain (of sorts) in a metal frame.

[Brusilov]

Indeed, this is described in some length in "The First Heretic", which features a Maniple of Legio Cybernetica robots and their techpriest minder.

[Wolfshade]

It is a lovely thing that AI is illegal/immoral whereas very complicated cogitators that do very similiar things aren't, or just slaving a human mind is ok.

But it would be cool to have a Legio Cybernetica in a Codex Adeptus: Mechanicus type release.

[ankhcitizen]

The robots from the compendium aren't true robots or AI - they use an engineered/grown biological brain of sorts that is hardwired with programming. It is the program wafer that is said to house the robot's soul and battle spirit, and it has to be set up by its controller. They can't think for themselves and are slaves to their programming, but how they obey it is determined by the limited funcionality of their 'brain'.
So they're actually like servitors, except instead of putting metal bits in a biological body thay put a biological brain (of sorts) in a metal frame.

Yeah thats makes sense, sort of a robocop 2 thing going on and it would awesome to have an Adeptus Mechanicus codex, seriously who wouldn't check it out. you can't have too many imperial factions, I mean the Imperium spans a million worlds at least how could they not be diverse.

[miteyheroes]

I'm sure in the current fluff that robots are thought of as heretical in the current fluff. Hence servitors. I'm sure in one of the novels I've read in the last couple of years some one was un-happy at some robot thingymajig and went on about anti omnissiah. I'm gonna try and find it.

That was the AI-operated Kaban Machine, in the short story "The Kaban Machine" contained in the Horus Heresy Collected Visions artbook. It later re-appeared in "Mechanicum".

But as people have said 'robots' in the Legio Cybernetica (as described in "The First Heretic") aren't actually AI. They have organic brains, so they're akin to servitors.

[Mourner]

I've always understood the line to be drawn at artificial life-forms.

As long as something has an organic brain (and thus organic intelligence) it's okay.

Likewise, artificial intelligence is okay as long as is doesn't have movement.
i.e. Advanced cogitators are ok since they can't move...

[Servant of the Emperor]

Aren't the Contemptors a Great Crusade STC? So it could utilise what is now forbidden technology.

Aren't Contemptors dreadnoughts? Piloted by a half-dead Marine?