The Hecatonchires System (40,700 eb)

The Hecatonchires (hundred hands) system is a coordinated cybernetics suite from OLYMPUS, this time designed to optimize the user for the control of remote vehicles and systems. Once again the user gets to spend a couple of weeks flat on their back while nanites rebuild their nervous system. Implants for the Hecatonchires system include a standard size chipware socket, a pair of LiveWire type interface cables in each arm, a Universal Link, and no less then 10 further interface ports, implanted where the user desires. The Hecatonchires System replaces and removes any existing neuralware and is incompatible with reflex boosts due to the nature of the rebuilding of the nervous system (which gives you a boost to your REF anyway, so stop whining). The Hecatonchires system requires the user to undergo about 6 months of therapy. If the user doesn’t do this, then the first time they plug into a device, they’ll probably go schizophrenic as the new data vies for their attention without any practice at controlling and assimilating. If a user tries to control more ‘hands’ at once than their intelligence allows, they must make a COOL check of 15 + the number of hands over to avoid losing conciousness for 1d6 turns. This check must be made every turn until the character is unplugged from the devices. If this is done repeatedly then the character has an increased chance of developing schitzophrenia. Some extremely complex systems designed to be used by Hecatonchires equipped indivduals have a link driven switcher box to switch between subsystems to keep the user sane.

Effects:

The user gets a +2 bonus to their REF.
The user can control up to their INTx5 ‘hands’ (don’t panic, read below first).
The user is totally ambidextrous.
The user can link to any even vaguely compatible machine.
Hecatonchires equipped individuals get a +1 bonus to all rolls involving systems they are linked to. An individual could wear a suit of powered armour, but could also link and control the suit, getting a +1 to all rolls involving it.

Explanation of ‘hands’: The Hecatonchires system allows the user to control a huge number of remote systems. However, each remote may count as more than one set of hands. A little thing with treads and a single cyberoptic is going to require a lot less concentration than trying to control a full borg body by remote.

Examples:

Pair of Cyberoptics 1 ‘hand’
Pair of Cyberaudio. 1 ‘hand’
Steering (land unit) 1 ‘hand’
Brakes/Accelerator 1 ‘hand’ (2 if a stick shift).
Steering (fixed wing air unit) 2 ‘hands’
Steering (vectored thrust vehicle) 4 ‘hands’ (no acc/decc req.ed)
Weapon System 1-2 ‘hands’
Manipulator (arm or simpler) 1 ‘hand’
Complex Manipulator 2 ‘hands’
Legs 2 ‘hands’
Steering (zero-G) 3 ‘hands’
Simple Manufacturing Machine 1 ‘hand’
Complex Manufacturing Machine 2-10 ‘hands’
Simple Subsystem 1 ‘hand’
Complex Subsystem 2-10 ‘hands’

From here one should be able to figure out how many ‘hands’ it would require to control any unit. A Hecatonchires equipped individual trying to control an AV-4 with 5.56 minigun in chin turret would require:

Steering (Vector Thrust) 4 ‘hands’
Weapon System 1 ‘hands’

5 ‘hands’ total

If the user wanted to fly the AV remotely (provided it had the cameras) it would require a further ‘hand’ to assimilate the data from the cameras. If the cameras covered more than one arc, more ‘hands’ would be required to assimilate the data.To control an M-20 tank (Max. Metal) would require:

Steering (Land) 1 ‘hand’
Acc/Dec. (stick) 2 ‘hands’
Simple Subsys. (turret) 1 ‘hand’
Weapon (3cm rail gun) 1 ‘hand’
Weapon (30mm autocannon)x2 2 ‘hands’
Weapon (ATGM launcher) 1 ‘hand’
Weapon (AGAMS) 2 ‘hands’
Simple Subsys. (enviro control) 1 ‘hand’
Complex Subsys. (damage control) 3 ‘hands’
Optics (forward) 1 ‘hand’
Optics (side) 1 ‘hand’
Optics (other side) 1 ‘hand’
Optics (rear) 1 ‘hand’
Complex Subsystem (ECM) 3 ‘hands’
Complex Subsystem (ECCM) 4 ‘hands’
Complex Subsystem (communications) 3 ‘hands’
Complex Subsystem (rangefinders) 2 ‘hands’

30 ‘hands’Basically a single person could control the tank with more efficiency than the normal crew of three but if they had an intelligence of less than 6, they’d go insane trying to assimilate all the data.