A robo-scorpion is a specialized security robot produced by the Big MT research company to serve as robotic guardians for the Big Mountain Research and Development Center. As expected from their name, robo-scorpions take the form of a scorpion and are painted with a yellow body, two red pincers, and a red tail; connective parts are green. The original robo-scorpion was created before the Great War by Dr. Mobius[1][2] and his team in the X-42 robo-warfare facility in Big MT. Prototypes became popular security measures at the Big Mountain Research and Development Center equipped with a tail-mounted energy bolt blaster, optical systems allowing anyone in the X-42 robo-warfare facility to see through them with monitors, and a self-destruct system which, after their death, causes electrical explosion to ensure component destruction and ward off reverse engineering. Additionally, their public address systems allow anyone in the X-42 robo-warfare facility to speak through them. According to Mobius, they can form themselves from floor panels along with any other random parts lying around.[3]
X-42 giant robo-scorpions, unlike the others, were a project to create automated tanks for the United States Armed Forces for use against communist China.[4][5] The entire robot from stinger to pincers is forged from Saturnite and is fitted with atomic laser, but is still susceptible to electromagnetic pulse discharges.[6] Despite several prototypes being requested, certain kinks in design and programming prevented them from reaching battlefield deployment and only one functional prototype was completely finished, remaining idle in the X-42 robo-warfare facility.
Sometime after the Great War, Mobius, after hacking his colleagues and altering their personalities, chronometers, and geometers, among other things, was disgusted by his actions against his friends and erased some parts of his own memory to ease his conscience, including the knowledge of his creations. Later, Mobius removed himself to the X-42 robo-warfare facility which he renamed the "Forbidden Zone". According to him "every scientist needs an army" and he drew inspiration from the radscorpions that wandered into the crater of Big MT. The radscorpions had survived when nothing else had, making them perfect candidates for improvement.[7] He set to work improving upon the original design adding energy weapons, computer data drainers, optical cameras for remote surveillance, and audio systems to act as bull horns; he added the suffix "b" onto his new creations and retained all other features of the pre-War model. He also took the control of the previous models of robo-scorpions and they became his personal army, principally used to constantly distract the Think Tank.
The Think Tank eventually came to see the Robo-Scorpions as evil minions that Mobius was utilizing in an attempt to steal their intellect and stupefy them as a result of his bio-gel negligence and insanity.[8] The group came to rely on O's findings that they drained intelligence, due to lack of actual experimentation and inability to "comprehend Mobius' Robo-Schematics", though the reality was that their self-detonation made him unable to study them.[9][10] Due to this lack of evidence, some did have their doubts on their intellect-draining abilities, seeing them more as nuisances to annoy or irritate them.[11]
Characteristics[]
Robo-scorpions are very fast and are normally found in groups of 2-4. They are extremely resistant to most damage; the effect of pulse weapons cause less damage to them compared to other robots. The X-42 giant robo-scorpion is a special model adorned with a Saturnite armor plating, making it virtually impervious to small arms fire and an improved EMP shield. It is also equipped with a powerful tail-atomic laser, with which it draws the required energy from its internal generator, which is capable of causing severe damage and leaving residual radiation of about 30 rads per second for one second, as well as having a blast area of about 3 meters. It also equipped with a self-destruct system like other robo-scorpions but with a small nuclear device, leaving radiation of about 15 rads first and decreasing every second, stopping after five seconds.
Variants[]
Robo-scorpions appear in Mk. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, and come in 'standard', pincer, blaster, and bomber sub-variants, as well as different sizes relative to their Mark. Standard robo-scorpions with models between 1 and 5 can also appear with a 'b' suffix, which indicates a 'buffed' version (except in the case of the Mk. 1b, which is actually weaker than the standard Mk. 1).
Their appearance in the game depends on the player level and importance of the location in which they appear. Robo-scorpions below Mk 3 do not naturally appear in the DLC.
Pincer series[]
The fastest robo-scorpions. They can only use their pincers and use melee quickly.
Encountered in the Forbidden Zone, the X-42 giant robo-scorpion is a unique robo-scorpion and Dr. Mobius' ultimate guardian. It is armed with a powerful atomic laser capable of causing severe damage and radiation damage of about 30 rads per second for one second as well as having a blast radius of about that of a pulse grenade. It's also armored with experimental Saturnite armor and EMP shielding giving it a large DT.
It sometimes fires at you while you are behind cover, and you will still absorb the reduced amount of radiation, about 2~15 rad per second.
All robo-scorpions can be disabled with the Robotics Expert perk, including the X-42 giant robo-scorpion. However, the X-42 giant robo-scorpion will restart itself after a set amount of time has passed, a unique feature compared to all other robots. The player can exploit the latter for unlimited experience by deactivating the X-42 giant robo-scorpion again and staying hidden when it reactivates.
Mobius stops speaking through them after the completion of Old World Blues.
Even if the player allows the Think Tank and Mobius to live after completing the Old World Blues quest, robo-scorpions are still hostile.
The legs of a robo-scorpion far larger than even the X-42 can be seen poking out of the ground next to the Waste Disintegration Platform. Terminals and Mobius' declarations reveal that this bigger version of the X-42 giant robo-scorpion became frenzied and left the Forbidden Zone, consuming an unacceptable amount of power and forcing Mobius to disable and dispose of it.
The X-42 giant robo-scorpion explodes upon death in a similar manner to how Gabe explodes should he be killed in A Brain's Best Friend. The explosion leaves radiation around and lowers at the same rate of a Fat Man.
As seen in the trailer, X-42 giant robo-scorpion appears in Higgs village, though it is likely a red herring put in to avoid spoiling the plot.
The X-42 giant robo-scorpion is the largest enemy the Courier comes across without using console commands.
Notable quotes[]
It should be noted that quotes are from the robo-scorpions, but are transmitted to the Courier by Mobius through the robo-scorpions' public address systems connected to the X-42 robo-warfare facility.
"Robo-scorpion... attack!"
"Go my minion, sting them in the name of all that is Mobius."
↑The Courier: "What minions?" Mobius: "Whoa, have they not constructed themselves yet? That's a bit premature of me. The Robo-Scorpions, of course. They can assemble themselves from floor panels and parts scattered about, quiet inventive - never really know when they might suddenly appear." (Mobius' dialogue)
↑The Courier: "Can you tell me about your Robo-Scorpions?" Mobius: "Well, every scientist needs an army. Mine came to me after these rather large scorpions kept coming in from the dessert. Like poisonous frosting. How scary, I thought! But they had survived when nothing else had. Perfect candidates for improvement, as a reward for their tenacity. Then I thought, what if they shot energy bolts and acted as walking eyes and data-drained computers and acted as bullhorns? Then I made them bigger. Then, I thought about... custard. I do so love custard. Or was it mustard? Mustard custard. Mmmm. I miss sugars and salts." (Mobius' dialogue)
↑The Courier: "Why would Mobius want my brain?" Klein: "WHY DOES HE SEEK OUR DESTRUCTION? WHY DID HE BUILD ROBOT SCORPIONS WITH INTELLIGENCE-DRAINING STINGERS? IT IS BECAUSE HE HASN'T CLEANED HIS BIOGEL IN... A LONG TIME. CLEARLY, HE'S GOT SOME SORT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL CORROSION. HE'S MAD."(Klein's dialogue)
↑The Courier: "These mechanical Robo-Scorpions "consume" intelligence? Are you certain of your findings?" Klein: "[SUCCEEDED] DR. O IS CERTAIN OF HIS FINDINGS. AND NO ONE ELSE IN THE THINK TANK IS WILLING TO TEST THE RESULTS. LOSS OF BRAINIAL POWER - TERRIFYING. O HAS SAID ON MANY OCCASIONS HIS INABILITY TO COMPREHEND MOBIUS' ROBO-SCHEMATICS IS BECAUSE OF REPEATED ROBO-SCORPION STINGS."(Klein's dialogue)
↑The Courier: "Tell me about Mobius and these monsters of his." 0: "
That "genius" Mobius somehow cobbled together these really impressive-looking robot scorpions with spare parts. Even painted them.* *Tried to see what makes them tick. Can't even examine them without them detonating all over me. Left with shrapnel and burns. Every. Time.* *Supposedly, he has even larger models, even a Giant Robot Scorpion hidden deep within the Forbidden Zone. Yeah, right. Giant monsters. Sure.*" The Courier: "A Giant Robot Scorpion?" 0: "*Yeah, crazy right? Something right out of a Midnight Science Fiction Feature. Ridiculous. What are the odds?*" (0's dialogue)
↑The Courier: "Robo-Scorpions drain intelligence from living creatures - how? Chems?" Klein: "[SUCCEEDED] I AM NOT CERTAIN. PERHAPS IT ONLY AFFECTS MACHINES. IF SO, YOU MAY BE IMMUNE. IF IT IS CHEMS, THEN WE HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR. SINCE WE ARE AFRAID, IT MUST NOT BE CHEMS AND YOU NEED NOT FEAR, WHICH MEANS YOU CAN TEST IT. LOGICAL." (Klein's dialogue)