The Electronics - Programming skill is the tool for those who seek control over the digital world. With a flick of a finger, you can bend software to your will and rewrite networks to suit your needs. You can alter the fundamental digital systems underlying the the behavior of robots and machines, making them your obedient servants, improving there skills sets and expanding there capabilities.
The power of this skill doesn't stop there. With it, you can craft custom software and create programs that outmatch any other in the cyber realm. Once you have hacked in you can subvert the programming of AI systems and bend them to your will. In the heat of battle, you can take control of or unleash your own combat drones and turn the tide in your favor.
The Electronics - Programming skill is the masterful tool in the digital age, giving you control over the most powerful systems and machines in the universe. With it, you can dominate the battlefield or just have them reshape the world to your liking.
This skill is primarily used to control and re-purpose software, alter networks, re-purpose doors etc as well as programming, subverting and rewriting AI systems, robots, and automated equipment. You can also use this skill for creating software patches for hacking, e-hem, I mean improving network sharing performance.
Each programming task you attempt will have a difficulty rating based on the complexity of the software or system you're working with. The more complex the code or advanced the AI, the higher the difficulty.
When you attempt to program, reprogram, or control systems, you will make an Electronics - Programming skill check against the task's difficulty rating. The GM may apply Boons or Banes based on various factors, such as the quality of your development tools, time pressure, or your familiarity with the target system.
PSU Overclocking: Electronics - Programming is used to set new E-Cell output parameters during a PSU Overclock. This is the second of three blind rolls required.
Rather than spending skill points to move up skill levels, you may instead spend skill points to purchase any of the following tricks.
Cost: 2 Skill points
Requires: Tactical Training
Frequency: Once per Lockdown
Effect: You have a dormant script in the system already. You can activate it to reboot the security AI or system, canceling any active alarms and resetting security protocols. Takes one action to activate remotely.
Cost: 2 Skill points
Requires: Tactical Training
Frequency: Once per Lockdown
Effect: You can create a backdoor access point in any system you have successfully programmed or accessed. This backdoor allows you to bypass initial security on future access attempts, granting a +1d6 Boon to reconnect to this specific system.
Cost: 2 Skill points
Requires: Tactical Training
Frequency: Once per Lockdown
Effect: You can write code that adapts to its environment in real-time. When your software encounters unexpected system conditions or countermeasures, make a Programming check - on success, your code automatically adjusts and continues functioning.
Cost: 2 Skill points
Requires: Tactical Training
Frequency: No limit
Effect: When you Execute a Program and a droid with signal encounters an error, you can spend 1 Action to roll Electronics - Programming against the Mission TL to attempt to fix it remotely. On success, the malfunction is canceled and the droid resumes normal operation.
Cost: 6 Skill points
Requires: Expert Training
Frequency: Once per Op
Effect: You carry custom AI modification chips. You can overwrite the AI core on any robot you have hacked or control. You gain complete control of that Robot, and it gains +2 to all checks for one hour, at which point the watchdog controller restores the original AI.
Cost: 6 Skill points
Requires: Expert Training
Frequency: Once per Op
Effect: You can quickly identify and fix critical programming errors and glitches. When any software fails or malfunctions (yours or an ally's), you can spend 10 minutes debugging to restore full functionality and optimize performance, granting +1d4 Boon to its next use.
Cost: 6 Skill points
Requires: Expert Training
Frequency: Once per Op
Effect: You can create and manipulate virtual machines within target systems. This allows you to sandbox dangerous code, test exploits safely, or create isolated environments that give you a +1d8 Boon when analyzing system vulnerabilities or testing programs.
Cost: 10 Skill points
Requires: Master Training
Frequency: Once per Mission
Effect: You can program advanced neural networks and self-learning AI systems. You can create an AI assistant that learns from your actions and provides tactical support, granting you and your squad +1d6 Boon to all Electronics checks for the remainder of the mission.
Cost: 10 Skill points
Requires: Master Training
Frequency: Once per Mission
Effect: You can write quantum-level code that exists in superposition states until observed. When you successfully program or hack a system, you can inject quantum code that allows you to retroactively change one programming decision or command you issued earlier in the mission.
Cost: 10 Skill points
Requires: Master Training
Frequency: Once per Mission
Effect: You can write universal code compatible with any system architecture. For the duration of one operation, ignore all penalties from unfamiliar systems, alien technology, or incompatible platforms. Your code works seamlessly across all devices and networks you encounter.
Each custom program grants a stacking Boon when used for its intended purpose:
Boons apply when:
Utility Programs:
Combat & Tactical:
Intelligence Gathering:
System Control:
Custom software requires ongoing support:
"Binary" Kim creates tactical drone control software:
Tech Officer "Firewall" Chen develops enterprise security:
"Ghost" creates infiltration utilities:
The Programming skill is used to reprogram robots and to control them in stressful situations, i.e. Combat Drones. Standard droid control is handled through a PDA or terminal interface, you issue commands via encrypted data link from a handheld device. This means your hands are occupied while commanding droids, and you are reliant on signal integrity between your PDA and your units.
Robonetic specialists bypass PDA control entirely; they command their machines through a direct neural link (see Robonetic). This gives them far greater control but comes with risks that PDA operators never face.
When you activate a robot or drone, it takes 1 Action to establish secure combat comms via your PDA. This is a one-time cost per robot when it is first powered on; not per encounter.
You have two options for directing your droids each turn:
All droids act at the end of your turn unless commanded otherwise.
A program is a simple set of behavioral instructions written in advance. Examples:
When you execute a program, roll Electronics-Programming vs Mission TL. On success, the program runs cleanly across all your droids. On failure, roll on the Drone Malfunction table below; the bug affects one random droid in the fleet.
When controlling droids in combat, roll Electronics-Programming vs Mission TL to determine how many droids you can command simultaneously.
Success: You control 1 droid, plus 1 additional droid for every 5 points by which your roll exceeds the Mission TL.
Critical Success (natural 96-100): You gain +1 extra droid beyond the normal total.
| Roll vs Mission TL | Droids Controlled |
|---|---|
| Exceed TL | 1 |
| Exceed by 5 | 2 |
| Exceed by 10 | 3 |
| Exceed by 15 | 4 |
| Exceed by 20 | 5 |
| Critical Success (nat 96-100) | +1 extra |
Failure: Roll on the Drone Malfunction table.
| Roll vs Mission TL | Result |
|---|---|
| Failure (under TL) | Reboot Required; 1 droid goes idle for 2 turns while systems restart |
| Tanked (≤ TL ÷ 2) | Mistarget; 1 droid attacks a random target (friend or foe), then reboots |
| Critical Failure (nat 1-5) | Glitch; 1 droid goes haywire. GM controls it until you spend 1 Action to hard-reset |