THE NEWS IN BRIEF The Times ~ Tuesday May 2nd 1899 ~ London RURITANIA SEEKS AID BRITISH MILITARY ADVISORS KING MICHAEL of Ruritania has requested the services of British military advisors following a series of kidnappings and savage murders near the village of Zenda in central Ruritania. It is believed that as many as twenty deaths have occurred this year; the deaths are being attributed to "bandit attacks on an unprecedented scale", an incursion from neighbouring Transylvania. It is believed that Germany and France have also been asked to provide advisors. Full story page 2 ROYAL COMMISSION DEADLOCK LUDDITES, UNIONS DERAIL TALKS THE ROYAL COMISSION to investigate British investment in automata and calculating engine development has again become deadlocked, following the withdrawal of members of the General Municipal and Boilermakers' Union. Despite the Government's argument that the British economy would decline without such investment, and the need to solve "1900" problems, the talks had again been boycotted by Luddite MPs; with the GMB withdrawal the meeting was no longer quorate and has been adjourned pro tem. Speaking in the House of Commons the Marquess of Salisbury made it clear that the sentiment of the House was against these delaying tactics and that there is considerable support from both sides of the House for a change in the composition of the Commission. It seems likely that Her Majesty will be asked to approve such changes within the week. Full story page 4 PNEUMATIC "PIRATE" ARRESTED DIVERTED CHEQUES A YOUTH believed to be responsible for last week's cheque fraud has been arrested. Thieves cut into the pneumatic tube system near Harrods, removing cheques for payments totalling £12,600 and replacing them with cheques for much smaller amounts. These smaller payments were approved, and the telegraphic acknowledgement of payment was assumed to apply to the full amount. The fraud was only detected because of a mistake by one of the forgers, who wrote "seven and six" in words and "17/6" in figures. Full story page 3 DEATH OF MECHANIC "FREAK ACCIDENT" AT MINT A MECHANIC injured whilst repairing automata at the Royal Mint earlier in the week died yesterday. Gideon Temple, 27, was crushed when an automaton bearing a load of gold bars collapsed onto him as he weas repairing a defective knee joint. Temple allegedly forgot to insert a locking pin into the joint before bleeding its hydraulic supply, in what Mint officials describe as a "freak accident" Full story page 6 BALANCE OF TRADE SHOCK SWISS "BOOMING" AT OUR EXPENSE NEW FIGURES released by the Board of Trade confirm that the imbalance in trade between Britain and Switzerland has risen by 12% since the last budget. The main imbalance is of course in components for automata and calculating engines, and in royalties on their manufacture in the United Kingdom. It is rumoured that the government plans to increase subsidies to the precision engineering industry, and sponsor prizes for inventions in this field which will "break" the Swiss patents. Full story page 9 CALCULATING ENGINE FRAUD AMERICAN SCANDAL AN AMERICAN city has been rocked by the discovery of systematic fraud amongst its merchants, all of whom used a "patent calculator" of a new design which was vulnerable to tampering. Citizens of Athens, Dakota became aware of the fraud after the inventor of the machine was asked to investigate several instances of over-charging. It is believed that the city's by-laws may be amended to ban all mechanical calculation. It should be stressed that the device in question was only sold locally, and that there is no reason to believe any other type of calculating machine is defective. Full story page 9 CLOSING PRICES PAGE 12 WEATHER CLOUDY, HEAVY RAIN SUNNY WITH SHOWERS TOMORROW & REST OF WEEK

"In Italy for thirty years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, bloodshed - they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love, five hundred years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock!"

Orson Welles, The Third Man (1949)

SINCE the 1850s there have been rapid developments in the field of computation. Perfected Babbage engines have become smaller and more powerful, until it is possible to build machines that are capable of complex reasoning. Ways have been found to allow them to see, hear, and talk. Many are built into mechanical bodies powered by steam, electricity, and even clockwork, and these automata can be used as workers in industry and commerce.

The Swiss Movement Thanks to its watch and clock industry Switzerland has become the world leader in this field, with at least 60% of calculating engines and 40% of automata Swiss made. Most automata built elsewhere incorporate Swiss components, most notably the Flez Biological-Mechanical Eye (described below) which is the only way to make an automaton see, or are built using designs licenced from Swiss patent holders. Britain, France, Germany and the United States make most of the rest. Only a small proportion of the world's economy is currently dependent on this technology, but its importance is rising fast, and economists in other nations have begun to suspect that the new century will usher in an age of Swiss financial supremacy. This is a prospect that worries treasury officials in several countries, but has received little attention elsewhere. Financial reports have begun to refer to this economic shift as the "Swiss Movement". Switzerland is also notable for various laws which promote the use of this technology while protecting the welfare of workers. Employers receive generous subsities if they modernise, but must retrain employees made redundant by automation or provide pensions to those who canot be re-employed.

The state of the art is represented by powerful calculating machines used by banks and businesses, by document sorting and record-keeping machines used by businesses and government departments, and by automata such as the British mechanical soldier 'Automaton Atkins' (see below). The best automata are capable of limited understanding of human orders, and designed to carry out simple tasks such as carrying luggage or repetitive industrial processes. The mechanisms involved are complex, but in principle any human task, especially repetitive work, can be automated in this way. Whether it is desirable to do this is another matter; human workers are cheap, easily replaced, and very flexible, automata have none of these advantages. Nevertheless automata are becoming common in factories and to a lesser extent in other workplaces. Their use is occasionally an attempt to intimidate human workers and counter the power of unions, rather than a serious attempt to replace humans, but any use of automata is taken very seriously by organised labour. There have been numerous cases of sabotage of these machines, a sure sign that they are worrying the unions.

There is also a growing market for automata in entertainment; mechanical musicians controlled by small pianola rolls are fairly common, as are chess-playing automata. Magicians have used realistic automata for their tricks (the most obvious example is Maskelyne and Cook's famous "Madame Guillotine" illusion, in which a convincing automaton is substituted for the magician's assistant and beheaded, then replaced by the assistant for a miraculous resurrection), and there is a small and furtive market in feminine automata for more personal forms of entertainment, usually sold to wealthy collectors.

A Day In The Life

Automata and Babbage Engines

Words To Avoid Three words that should be avoided in this setting are "Robot", "Program" and "Computer". All detract from the Victorian feel.  The word "Robot" simply doesn't exist, it was first used by Carel Capek in the novel R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) in 1920. Automatons should always be "automatons" (or "automata") or "mechanical men", never robots.  Surprisingly, the word "computer" was sometimes used to describe a machine capable of calculations as early as the 1890s, and before that to describe a person who carried out such calculations, but even though it is historically correct it is best avoided. Say "calculating engine", "Babbage engine", "difference engine", or "mechanical brain" instead.  "Program" does not seem to have been used in this context until the 1940s; say "instructions" instead.

SINCE the 1880s there have been rapid developments in the field of computation. Perfected Babbage engines have become smaller and more powerful, until it is possible to build machines that are capable of complex reasoning and will fit into a space little bigger than a human skull.

The state of the art is represented by machines such as 'Automaton Atkins', strong automata capable of limited understanding of human orders and able to carry out tasks such as firing a gun. The technology involved is complex, but in principle any human task can be automated in this way. Whether it is desirable to do this is another matter; human workers are cheap, easily replaced, and very flexible, automata have none of these advantages. Nevertheless automate are beginning to appear in factories, and to a lesser extent in other areas. Their use is often an attempt to intimidate human workers and counter the power of unions, rather than a serious attempt to replace humans, but is taken very seriously by organised labour. There have been numerous cases of sabotage of these machines, a sure sign that they are worrying the unions.

Currently Germany and Switzerland seem to be leading the world in this technology. Faberge has also built some complex and extremely realistic automata for the Russian court, such as a jewelled dancing ballerina. Britain and the United States are also advanced, but lag behind Switzerland.

Construction of automata is still an extremely skilled process, and all but the cheapest are hand-built by craftsmen to many different designs using a wide range of techniques. This makes giving precise costs very difficult. All that can really be said is that good automata are expensive; how expensive is partly a matter of the difficulty of the job, but mainly the whim of the craftsman. It should be emphasised that most people have no detailed idea how they work, and either buy a basic model or order one from a craftsman and wait months to receive what is essentially a mechanical work of art.

The main components of an automaton are as follows:

A "brain": actually a compact Babbage engine. There is no particular reason why it should be located in the automaton's head, if one is fitted; although it is convenient to minimise the difficulty of connecting the "eyes" to the "brain", it adds to the difficulty of controlling the rest of the body. There are dozens of different designs, some based on punched tape, others on tiny punched cards, perforated cams, etc. Designs almost always include a mechanism which allows the automaton to learn from its experiences, such as a wax recording cylinder or paper tape and punch system.

Do Automata Think? One of the most hotly debated philosophical questions is the nature of automaton thought and it's "realness", the extent to which the machine is more than the sum of its parts, its built-in instructions, and its experience. The general consensus, if there can truly be said to be one, is that even the most intelligent automaton behaves like an idiot savant, its attention so tightly focused that it can only be said to think about its immediate situation, instructions, and tasks. Some have a capacity to respond to social situations, such as casual conversation, but it soon becomes apparent that these responses add little or nothing to the intellectual content of the conversation, but simply restate what has gone before or encourage the speaker to continue. Nevertheless anyone who works with automata for long can point to instances of a machine surprising them with unusually appropriate remarks or behaviour, above and beyond what is built in, and probably suspects that more advanced machines will be capable of something approaching true thought.

At least one "eye": Patented in 1885 by Flez Biological Mechanisms of Switzerland (Flez Biomechanische Technik AG), the standard Flez eye consists of a lens in front of a 20x20 grid of 400 "elements", each a dissected insect eye connected via its optic nerve to a small piece of muscular tissue. Light makes the muscle contract and (via a series of gears) extend a small metal rod. A scanning mechanism feels the pins and reports their positions to the "brain". This can be done eight times a second. The insect eyes, muscles, and nerves are bathed in a nutrient fluid which keeps them alive for up to a year, but can be damaged by excessive heat or cold. The basic "eye" costs £5. A model offering colour vision (via a rotating colour filter wheel) is available but costs £10 and slows updating of vision to twice a second. A model with three grids and fixed colour filters costs £20, and gives colour vision refreshing eight times a second, but the triple-lensed design looks very odd and cannot be used for models imitating humans. All models must be refilled with nutrient saline every week, at a cost of a few pence, and the eye elements must be refurbished by a Flez main dealer at intervals of six months to a year. Refurbishment of all models costs 20% of the cost of the eye. The illustrations above show the basic mechanism and an automaton's-eye view of the same illustration.

Recognition Q: How does an automaton recognise someone? A: With great difficulty Since automaton sight is so limited, they can rarely recognise anything more complex than the outline of a human, and can easily be fooled by something that distorts or imitates the human form. This means that the basic visual process must be augmented by other means if it is essntial for the automaton to distingush between one person and another; for example, if an automaton sentry is to distinguish friend and foe. Sound (such as a password) is one possibility, others include insignia with distinctive light and dark patterns, flashing lights, and magnetic tokens. Recognition methods are often closely-guarded secrets; for example, the British mechanical soldier "Automaton Atkins" (see below) obviously has some means of recognising fellow soldiers, possibly by their uniforms or some token concealed in it, but the exact method has never been publicised. If an automaton is being run as a player character it probably isn't a good idea to emphasise this problem too much. See below for more on automatons as player characters.

An anti-phonograph: Used to decode sounds by comparing them to phonograph cylinder recordings. Once the sound has been identified the "brain" can choose to reply or carry out an appropriate action, such as shooting or saluting. The basic patents on the phonograph itself are held by Edison, with more or less simultaneous patenting of this refinement by Swiss, German, British and American companies. As a result there is currently a free-for-all in this field, with most of the patent holders locked in prolonged litigation. Until the matter is resolved most manufacturers claim to be keeping good records and say that they will pay royalties once they know who to pay them to. The illustration shows early trials of the British version of the anti-phonograph.

A power supply: Usually steam or a compressed air bottle, although there are also clockwork and electrical designs. This is essentially the "heart" of the automaton. Steam automata must stoke their boilers occasionally (or add expensive carbide pellets), clockwork designs must be wound, electrical designs recharged, and compressed air designs pumped up. One of the reasons why steam automata are particularly popular is that they are reliable and can tend to their own fuel, other designs typically need human help or a connection to an external power source.

A skeleton or supporting frame: Generally steel, although lightweight aluminium or wood designs have been seen. This must be articulated at all joints, and strong enough to support all other components. The skeleton is usually designed in human form, but wheeled automata and machines in the shape of horses, dogs, and other animals have also been built.

"Muscles": Usually steam, pneumatic or hydraulic pistons; electric motors are too unreliable for serious use, although found in some domestic automata, solenoids don't have enough power.

"Skin": Typically a lightweight metal casing, although it can be armoured. Occasionally automatons are built disguised as humans, with rubber for the visible parts of the body. Some automata built for less public functions are rubber skinned throughout.

The cost of these components seems to have little relationship to their effectiveness or the quality of the workmanship. Some of the most expensive automata are flashy but unreliable, some of the cheapest industrial designs are utilitarian but dependable.

Automaton Design

Designing an automaton is a complex nightmare. But that's what the designers are paid for... For game purposes all that is really needed is an idea of the purpose, characteristics, skills, and construction of the automaton, which can be used to think of a number and inflate it outrageously when the bills come in.

For convenience fractions of a pound (in weight or currency) are shown as a decimal figure, not as ounces or shillings, in the stages that follow. Any fractions should be rounded UP at the end of each stage:

1. Begin with a brief outline of the purpose of the automaton. This can be as detailed or vague as you like, bearing in mind that a high degree of specialisation may make the automaton too limited, too broad a specification may result in an automaton that is jack of all trades and master of none.

   Example: 'Automaton Atkins' is a prototype military automaton commissioned by the British army. It will be used mainly for publicity purposes, also occasionally in missions where a human soldier might be hurt. Its job is mainly to look big and intimidating, obey orders, occasionally fire a weapon or hit someone, and supply hot water for tea when needed.

2. The first component of any automaton is a fully articulated framework resembling a skeleton, usually made of steel but sometimes of aluminium or wood. Prices for a steel framework are as follows:

   BODY	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
   Cost	£15	£20	£30	£40	£50	£60	£65	£70	£75	£80

   Prices include the power transmission and connecting rods and gears used to operate the limbs and joints. A steel framework weighs 30 lb. x BODY. The price is mostly for workmanship rather than the metal itself.

   • Aluminium is used to minimise weight without compromising strength, and has only been available at a reasonable price for a few years. Due to the difficulties of working the metal aluminium frameworks are still expensive compared to steel, only available to special order. Multiply the price by five and halve the weight.
   • Wooden frameworks are cheap and relatively light, but unsuitable for the largest automata or those exposed to fire etc. Halve the price and weight, but maximum BODY is 5.

   Optionally designs may omit legs (replacing them with wheels, or leaving the automaton immobile) and other limbs; modify the weight (and cost) of the frame accordingly:

   Replace legs with wheels	-10%
   Immobile	-30%
   Omit arm(s)	-10% per arm
   Add extra limbs	+10% per arm / leg

   Example: 'Automaton Atkins' is intended to be impressive, and will have normal arms and legs. The designer starts off by choosing a skeleton that is imposing without being too big to get through doors, with BODY [8]; the framework costs £70. It is made of steel, so weighs 240 lb.

   Note that this price does not include a power source, armour, etc., discussed later in the design process.

3. MIND may be no more than 4, purchased as follows:

   MIND	1	2	3	4
   Cost	£10	£25	£50	£85
   Weight	5 lb.	10 lb.	20 lb.	40 lb.

   This is the basic price and weight of the calculating engine "brain" including storage for its skills (which must be purchased separately as described below). This includes the engine itself, some memory storage on phonograph cylinders, linkages ready for standard components such as an eye, an antiphonograph, and the automaton's body. Add 10% to the cost and weight of the calculating engine for two or more eyes, subtract 5% if there are no eyes. The other linkages are less complicated and have a negligible effect on cost and weight.

   Example: 'Automaton Atkins' has MIND [2], and will have two eyes; the basic cost for the calculating engine is £25+10%=£28, it weighs 11 lb. [subtotal £98, 251 lb.]

   See the section on Sorting and Calculating Engines, below, for some additonal options in calculating engine design which can affect performance, cost, and weight. They are comparatively rare in automata, but are sometimes worth considering if there is need for their special features.

4. Add £5 and 2 lb. for a monochrome eye, £10 and 3 lb. for a colour eye, £20 and 5 lb. for a fast colour eye. Add £5 and 5 lb if an eye is fitted with a telescopic lens, mounted on bellows, which allows it to "zoom in" on distant objects; this modification gives +1 to Marksmanship at long range, but adds a bulky bellows and lens to the eye; it cannot be used if there is any attempt to give the automaton a human appearance. It restricts peripheral vision.

   Example: 'Automaton Atkins' has a monochrome eye and a colour eye, together costing £30 and adding 5 lb. [subtotal £128, 256 lb.]

5. Add £10 and 5 lb. for an anti-phonograph (needed for nearly all automata if they are to understand speech and/or speak for themselves). The basic design has a vocabulary of about 200 words, add £5 and 1 lb. per additional hundred words. As vocabulary increases it becomes necessary to search a larger cylinder, so the automaton will be slower to respond. There is an unfortunate tendency for humans to regard this as stupidity or dumb insolence.

   Example: 'Automaton Atkins' has an anti-phonograph and vocabulary of 200 words, costing £10 and weighing 5 lb. [subtotal £138, 261 lb.]

6. SOUL always starts at zero; optionally automata can acquire this characteristic magically or by following the example of others, but it is a very slow process.
7. If used, the optional MAGIC characteristic (FF VIII) should always be zero unless the automaton is created magically or granted some power by a spell or some other cause (such as being a magical being enchanted into the form of an automaton, being made from components including the metal from a magical sword, etc.)

   Example: 'Automaton Atkins' has no SOUL or MAGIC.

8. Purchase skills. There are several special rules:
   • Points and money must be spent for all skills; they cost 1 point and £2 at base value plus £2 per additional point spent on them.
   • Automaton calculating engines can access a maximum of MIND x 10 skill points.
   • The instructions for each skill weighs 1 lb., regardless of points spent.
   • Skills based on SOUL alone (e.g. Medium) may not be taken.
   • Skills based on SOUL averaged with another characteristic should be based on the average of the other characteristic and zero, and should only be available at the referee's discretion. For example, Riding is based on the average of BODY and SOUL; if an automaton with BODY [3] was to be given this skill it would have a base value of 3+0 / 2, rounded up to 2.
   • The base value of several skills requiring rapid physical reactions and dexterity (Athlete, Brawling, Melee weapon) is halved; Athlete and Brawling begin at BODY/2, Melee Weapon begins as average BODY+ MIND/2. There is an important exception: the base value for Athlete (running) is raised to BODY for wheeled automata, but they cannot perform any other athletic feats.
   • Skills must be supported by appropriate components; for example, Athlete or Brawling must be to some extent supported by BODY or by suitable modifications such as wheels (for Athlete (running) ONLY) or built-in weapons. Skills may require extra components, adding cost or weight, at the referee's discretion.
   • There are several specialised skills available, such as:
     • Chess (base MIND)
     • Housemaid (base average MIND and BODY)
     • Porter (base BODY)
     • Spelling (base MIND) - required if the automaton is to read or write.
     • Waiter (base average MIND and BODY)
     Any other specialised skills should be based on the nearest human equivalent; for example, there are rumours of a "sex" package, a specialised version of Athlete.
   • Stealth begins at 0, regardless of BODY, for all steam and carbide automata; their power plants are inherently noisy.
   • Martial Arts is not available.
   • If the Linguist skill is taken there must be a separate anti-phonograph cylinder for each language, purchased as a minimum of 200 words vocabulary (see step 5 above).
   • Psychology is not available unless the automaton has somehow acquired SOUL.
   • Up to five points can be spent per skill, to a maximum of skill [10]
   • New skills cannot easily be retrofitted to a calculating engine after it is built, but it can be done at a cost of £4 per skill point. The maximum number of skill points above still applies.

   Example: 'Automaton Atkins' skills are built in and have not been upgraded. They are costed as follows: Skill Base Cost Cost Weight points pounds lb. Athlete (running) [4] BODY/2 = 4 1 £ 2 1 Brawling [8] BODY/2 = 4 5 £10 1 Marksman [6] MIND = 2 5 £10 1 Melee Weapon [8] Av. BODY+MIND / 2 = 5 4 £ 8 1 Military Arms [3] MIND = 2 2 £ 4 1 Stealth [0] 0 - - 'Atkins' skills cost £34 and weigh 5 lb. [subtotal £162, 266 lb.] Another three skill points could be retrofitted for £12, after that a larger calculating engine would be needed.

9. Add any heavy internal equipment. Almost anything could be added to an automaton, provided it is a suitable size to fit inside. The examples below assume that the price includes everything needed to operate the mechanism, and that power will be taken from the automaton's main power source if needed:

   Equipment	Price	Weight	Note	Equipment	Price	Weight	Note
   Lantern (oil or electric)	£2	1 lb.	includes battery/oil	Air horn / steam whistle	£2	1 lb.
   Winch and 20' cable	£5	20 lb.		Quarter-plate camera	£10	5 lb.	wooden camera
   Rotary drill	£5	10 lb.		Rotary saw blade	£8	15 lb.
   Pneumatic or steam drill	£10	30 lb.		Pneumatic or steam hammer	£12	40 lb.
   Machine gun (Maxim or Gatling)	£30	25 lb.	50 rounds ammo	Elephant gun	£20	15 lb.	10 rounds ammo

   Example: 'Atkins' has an electric lantern built into its head (£2, 1 lb.) and a compressed steam grenade launcher built into one arm. Although this weapon isn't on the table, it's assumed to be a little smaller than a pneumatic drill, weighing 20 lb. and costing £15 - it's a one-off design, so expensive. While providing hot water for tea is in the specification, this will be handled by adding a tap to the boiler at negligible expense and requires no special equipment. [subtotal £179, 287 lb.]

10. Calculate approximate final weight. This figure is needed to specify the power plant needed for the automaton. It's usual to over-specify the power plant; if it's under-specified the automaton will be slow and clumsy, the main drawback to a big power plant is excessive weight. For a first approximation most engineers assume that the power plant will add at least 20% to the weight, more if prolonged endurance is required and that the outer casing will add another 5%, more if the automaton is to be armoured. Fine-tuning a design may take several passes through this and subsequent stages of the process, but in practice there is a margin for error, and anything within 10% of the correct final weight is considered accurate enough to start construction.

    Example: 'Atkins' is specified as requiring several hours of fuel, and will be armoured. As a rough guess the engineer assumes 50% extra weight, taking the estimated final weight to 430 lb., rounding it to 450 lb, roughly a fifth of a ton.

11. Add a power plant. Several types are available, the cost and weight should be found by multiplying the base cost and weight by the estimated final weight of the automaton then adjusting for endurance (per hour) after the first hour. Fractions should be rounded up at the end of the calculation.

    Power Plant	Base cost	Base weight	Per Hour cost/weight	Power Plant	Base cost	Base weight	Per Hour cost/weight
    Clockwork	£0.10	0.1 lb.	Add 20% / 20%	Compressed Air	£0.20	0.1 lb.	Add 20% / 20%
    Steam Engine	£0.25	0.2 lb.	Add 1% / 10%	Carbide Engine	£0.20	0.15 lb.	Add 10% / 5%
    Electric motor	£0.30	0.15 lb	Add 25% / 25%	Petroleum Engine	£0.30	0.15 lb	Add 10% / 10%

    For all of these plants the basic price and weight is for the power plant, internal machinery to operate the body, etc., plus a one-hour energy source; a strong compressed spring for clockwork designs, an air cyliner for compressed air models, powdered coal or carbide pellets for steam models, and lead-acid accumulators for electric automata. Unless stated otherwise this is a one-off cost, unless it needs to be repaired; the exceptions are steam, carbide, and petroleum engines, which must be refuelled; steam and carbide engines must also be filled with water periodically. Again, the weight of the engine includes the first hour of fuel. Note that all of these power plants have disadvantages:

    • Clockwork automata must be wound up by an external crank or engine; they cannot rewind themselves and "tick" as they move. Mostly used for "toy" automata. Often combined with a wooden framework.
    • Compressed air models hiss as they walk. They must recharge at an air compressor. Widely used in industry, often powered by an external compressor and air hose rather than an internal cylinder (there is still a small internal pressure tank to cover pressure fluctuations in the compressed air supply).
    • Steam engines hiss, are hot and a fire risk, and release fumes and steam. However, they are cheap to refuel, and automata can refuel themselves if coal is available. The boiler may be put out if the automaton is immersed in water. Preferred for outdoor work and endurance. Minimum BODY for an automaton with a normal steam engine is 2.
    • Carbide engines are a special type of steam engine, using the reaction of water and calcium carbide (CaC₂) to produce acetylene gas which is burnt to make steam. The engines are lighter than conventional steam engines, and can be built in smaller sizes, but are much more expensive to run. Acetylene gas is explosive and leaks are common. If the automaton is immersed in water (or even gets unusually wet) its supply of carbide may start to react, with explosive results. Carbide engines can be built to power automatons up to BODY 3, larger engines tend to explode spontaneously.
    • Electric motors are quiet and don't pollute but are easily damaged by moisture etc. The lead-acid accumulators that power them are heavy, fragile and must be recharged by an external generator; they also release small quantities of hydrogen. Preferred for domestic servants etc., and other low-risk environments, although there is at least one Prussian military design with electric motors.
    • Petroleum engines are noisy, produce dangerous fumes, have highly flammable fuel, and tend to go wrong if exposed to moisture or cold. They are generally (and sometimes unfairly) considered to be dangerously unreliable, and are often refused by clients.

    Example: 'Atkins' estimated final weight is 450 lb. and it is to be fitted with a steam engine designed to give it ten hours of endurance (less if its steam is used to make tea). An initial calculation on this basis has these results: Weight of engine = 450 x 0.2 lb. = 90 lb. Cost of engine = 90 x .25 = £23. The extra fuel and water add 9 x 9 lb. to the weight = 81 lb. and £23 x 1% x 9 to the cost, about £2. This already exceeds the estimated final weight, even without armour, so the engineer decides to revise it to 550 lb., a quarter ton, and repeat the calculation: The weight of the engine is thus 550 x 0.2 lb. = 110 lb. This costs 110 x .25 = £28. The extra fuel and water add 9 x 11 lb. to the weight = 99 lb. and £28 x 1% x 9 to the cost, about £3. In all the engine and fuel add 209 lb. to weight and £42 to the cost. [subtotal £210, 496 lb.] Looking at this figure it seems likely that 'Atkins' will come close to 550 lb. in the final stages, so the engineer carries on.

12. Choose an outer casing, needed for aesthetic reasons and to keep out dust and rain and prevent casual damage to internal components. The main materials available for this are papier-mache, rubber, aluminium plate, and steel plating of various thicknesses.
    • Papier-mache is used for a lightweight outer skin, designed mainly to keep dirt out and prevent minor damage. It has no armour effect, but does have the advantage of being easy to mould to any desired shape. For obvious safety reasons it should not be used on steam automata. A papier-mache casing adds 1% to the final weight, and costs £1 per 20 lb., more if an artist works on the final appearance. It is damaged by rain.
    • Rubber is also used for decorative effects, especially on automata which are supposed to mimic humans. It may melt if exposed to the heat of a steam or carbide automaton. A rubber casing adds 2% to the final weight and costs at least £1 per 10 lb.
    • Aluminium is used for a lightweight damage-resistant casing, adding 2% to the final weight. While the metal itself is relatively cheap, thin plating is comparatively expensive, costing about £1 per 3 lb. This basic casing reduces the Effect of damage from blows (but not bullets, knives, etc.) -1. Thicker aluminium casings could be made but it is simply not very effective as armour, since it deforms and cracks too easily; steel is better, albeit heavy.
    • Tin-plate is basically very thin steel coated in tin. It can be stamped to shape, is cheap, but has no protective value apart from keeping dirt out. It rusts easily. The main advantages are cheapness and lightness, adding 3% to the final weight at a cost of £1 per 10 lb.

    • Percentage weight	6%	12%	18%	24% etc.
      Effect	-1	-2	-3	-4 etc.

      Steel plate is used for most serious industrial and military automata; it's heavy but damage-resistant and cheap, and can be galvanised or enamelled to resist rust. A layer of steel reducing the Effect of all damage -1 adds 6% to weight at £1 for 10 lb. Thicker steel reduces damage and adds weight:

    Example: Atkins has a steel casing, -3 Effect. This adds 18% to weight, 496 x 18% = 90 lb., cost £9. This takes the final weight to 586 lb. and cost to £219, about the same as a small house. It's close enough to the 550 lb. specification to begin construction.

13. Optionally, decide if any of the components are of unusually good or poor quality (this affects nothing except the price and reliability, which is discussed below). Automaton eyes are always of standard quality, since there is only one manufacturer.
    • Unusually good components include, for example, most Swiss-built calculating engines and clockwork motors, Krupp supporting frames, the best British steam and carbide engines, Rolls Royce petroleum engines, and Westinghouse electric motors. Add 10-50% to the price for these components.
    • Unusually poor components are typically manufactured to a price, not a specification, although they sometimes come from companies which have somehow acquired a reputation of excellence without the quality that should accompany the reputation. These exceptions apart, the companies manufacturing them are usually short-lived. Subtract 5-20% from the price for these components.

    Example: 'Automaton Atkins' has a Swiss-built calculating engine. Its price (including the skills accompanying it) is raised by 25%, from £28 to £35; this takes the total price to £226.

14. Finally, add any decorative finish or small components that might be required, such as gold filigree inlay, enamelled plating, etc. Some examples (all have negligible weight):

    Realistic rubber hands	£2
    Realistic rubber or wax face mask	£1 - £5 depending on quality *
    ** Add another £5 - £10 if it is fitted with pneumatic or mechanical muscles to smile etc.
    Hot water tap	£1
    Lacquered gold leaf inlay	£1 per hour spent applying it *
    * Gold leaf work is slow and delicate, it typically takes about an hour per square foot (or part thereof) to apply.
    Baked-on enamel paint	£0.5 x BODY of automaton
    Embossed casing	£1 x BODY

    Example: 'Atkins' has a hot water tap (cost £1) and a layer of baked-on enamel paint in its regimental colours. It's BODY 8 so the paint costs £4, taking the final totals for Atkins to £231, 586 lb.

15. There is a modifier for mass-produced automata; once a production line has been set up reduce the price by 10% after the first 50 machines have been built, by 20% after 200 machines have been built.

    Remember that all prices are guidelines only, and that the price actually charged may be considerably higher. Vendors will typically capitalise on their reputations, pad expenses wildly, and charge whaterver the market will bear. The prices indicated below are a guideline, customers typically pay considerably more.

    Example: 'Atkins' is a prototype, there is no modifier for mass production.

16. Once the design process is complete it's necessary to calculate three last details of the automaton's performance. These are its lifting capacity (if the automaton is capable of lifting things), its response time in reacting to new instructions and situations, and its reliability.
    • Lifting capacity is based on the automaton's BODY, estimated weight (used when specifying the power plant) and its final weight. The formula is: Lifting Capacity = Estimated Weight² / Final weight x .1 x BODY

      Example: 'Atkins' Estimated Weight was 550 lb but its Final Weight was 586 lb and BODY 8. This gives a lifting capacity of 550 x 550 / 586 x .1 x 8 = 412 lb. Atkins can lift a maximum of 412 lb without risking damage, although it must still make appropriate BODY or skill rolls to do so. Over this weight DIFFICULTY will start to rise, with the penalty for failure damaged gears or hydraulics and other mechanical problems. Atkins can carry two soldiers and their equipment or a small field gun.

    • Reaction Time is the time needed to process information, determined mainly by the capacity of the automaton's calculating engine. Several factors can affect the result; briefly, the more information available to the automaton, in the form of visual input, vocabulary, and skills, the slower it is likely to be. The modifiers should be added or subtracted as follows:

      Basic time (seconds)	12 / MIND
      Unusually poor calculating engine	+ 50%
      Unusually good calculating engine	- 25%
      Divide by maximum possible skills / skill points used
      Monochrome 'eye'	no modifier
      Colour 'eye'	+ 10%
      Fast colour 'eye'	+ 5%
      Multiple 'eyes'	+ 10%
      Vocabulary 200 words	No modifier
      Per additional 100 words	+ 25%

      
      

      Example: 'Atkins' MIND [2] gives a basic time of 6 seconds, modified to 4.5 by its Swiss-made calculating engine. 17 of 20 possible skill points are used, so the time is reduced to 3.8 seconds. The colour eye takes this to 4.2 seconds, and multiple 'eyes' take it to 4.6 seconds. There is no modification for vocabulary, so it will take 'Atkins' at least 4.6 seconds to respond to an order or new situation.

    • Reliability is simply the chance that an automaton will go wrong if it takes damage or a characteristic or skill roll is 11+. It should not be lower than 1 or higher than 10. The basic reliability number is found by adding:
      The average of BODY and MIND
      +2 if the calculating engine is of superior quality
      +1 if any other componments are of superior quality
      -2 if the calculating engine is of inferior quality
      -1 if any other componments are of inferior quality
      -1 if the automaton is powered by electricity or clockwork
      +1 if the automaton is powered by steam
      No modifier for other power plants.
      +1 if the automaton is wheeled
      +2 if the automaton is immobile

      Example: Automaton Atkins average of BODY and MIND is 5. The calculating engine is of superior quality and it is steam powered, taking the final number to 8.

      
      Use of the reliability number is discussed in more detail below.

“Automaton Atkins” (Britain 1895) BODY [8], MIND [2], SOUL [-], Athlete (running) [4], Brawling [8], Marksman [6], Melee Weapon [8] Military Arms [3], Stealth [0] Cost: £231 Weight: 586 lb. Carrying Capacity: 412 lb Endurance: 10 hours Reaction Time: 4.6 seconds Reliability: 8 Built-In Equipment: Steam grenade launcher (built in to arm), Electric torch (built in to head), Armoured, -3 Effect to all attacks Also Carried: 0.50 rifle, 50 rounds ammunition, 6 grenades plus fuses, 30 ft. rope - breaking strain 1000 lb., military uniform (extra large) Quote: "Sir! Yes Sir!" Description: British-built prototype military automaton with excellent Swiss-made calculating engine, monochrome and colour "eyes". Steel frame, humanoid construction, steam powered, with armour steel casing. The casing is enamelled to regimental colours (later supplemented with uniform), the boiler is fitted with a tap to allow hot water to be used to make tea. Notes: This was the fifth of several similar prototype automaton soldiers. A later design using a more powerful calculating engine was eventually put into mass production. Endurance may be reduced if hot water is repeatedly drained from the boiler to make tea; even if the water is replaced, more fuel is used to keep it boiling. Early versions were simply enamelled in regimental colours, and this is still done, but clothing was added after Queen Victoria complained of Atkins' 'nakedness'. The illustration is a studio portrait. A player character version of Atkins, omitting or modifying some of these details and expanding on characterisation, is described as part of The Queen's Own Aerial Hussars

Some Other Automata

Krupp Stahlwächter (Germany 1894)
BODY [4], MIND [1], SOUL [-], Athlete (running) [4], Brawling [4], Marksmanship [5 / 6 at long range only], Stealth [2]
Cost: £364
Weight: 236 lb.
Carrying Capacity: 108 lb
Endurance: 5 hours
Reaction Time: 9 seconds
Reliability: 5
Built-In Equipment: Maxim gun, 50 rounds, Armoured: -6 Effect to all attacks
Also Carried: -
Quote: "Stehenbleiben oder ich schieße!" (Halt or I fire)
Description: A Prussian-built military automaton with Swiss-made calculating engine, monochrome "eye" with telescopic lens, single arm. Aluminium frame wheeled construction, electric powered, with armour steel casing. Typically described as resembling a conical pepper-pot with sloping sides.
Notes: The Krupp Stahlwächter (steel guard) is a Prussian automaton used to protect the Imperial Calculating Engines and other important facilities. Where most other nations built automata that can adapt to the terrain on which they are used, for this important job the Prussians have takem the unusual step of adapting the "terrain" to the automata. Sites on which they are used are levelled and surfaced to a high standard, and in buildings ramps replace stairs. This allows the use of a wheeled design with very little ground clearance, the wheels being covered by armour plating. An aluminium chassis minimises weight and electric motors reduce noise. Generally considered to be successful, although they are slow to react and vulnerable to attacks which damage the "terrain" or push them over; they cannot right themselves. An unusual feature is the telescopic eye, which is moved in and out on bellows and improves the accuracy of marksmanship. The down-side is that the eye has a restricted field of view, so that the automaton is easily attacked from the side, although sites where this model is used are generally designed to limit opportunities for such attacks.
At least a hundred are believed to be in service. The photograph shows a model generously donated to the Science Museum by the Kaiser; the unit designation and Prussian crest indicate that the machine it depicts is attached to the Imperial Archives. German soldiers generally refer to these machines as Pfeffertopfsoldaten, literally "pepper-pot soldiers".

Adventure Idea: Second Variety Trade journals in Germany have reported that contracts have been awarded for a new model Stahlwächter, but no specification has been published. The adventurers are hired or assigned to find out what changes are to be made. Unfortunately the only place to find this information seems to be the Stahlwächter production plant - which is guarded by dozens of the automatons. In fact about one Stahlwächter in ten at the factory is already the new and upgraded model with MIND [3], Marksmanship [6/7], and a second eye fitted with a wide-angle lens mounted to cover the automaton's rear and sides. Reaction time is reduced to four seconds, other statistics are unchanged. Once the adventurers are well into this mission have them run into some of the new automata, preferably in a situation where they must fight or out-think the machines.

The Fosdyke-Chatterton Mk 2 Automaton Porter (Britain 1893)
BODY [4], MIND [1], SOUL [-], Brawling [3], Porter [6]
Cost: £105
Weight: 163 lb
Carrying Capacity: 63 lb.
Endurance: 2 hours
Reaction Time: 11 seconds
Reliability: 3
Built-In Equipment: "Coin in the slot" box (£5, 2 lb), steel casing -1 Effect all damage.
Also Carried: -
Quote: "Please insert a penny to continue."
Description: A humanoid compressed-air powered automaton designed to carry luggage. It has a single monochrome eye and a Birmingham-built calculating engine of average quality. The steel casing is floridly embossed and has a dark blue and red lined enamelled finish with gold-leaf detailing and a prominent coin mechanism that can take pennies, half-pennies, and three-penny bits. It does not give change or refunds. The illustration shows Mr. Houdini using one in a conjuring trick, probably circa 1910.
Notes: The Mk 2 porter was comissioned by the Great Eastern Railway and is still exclusive to that company, although similar automata are used elsewhere. Its most distinctive features are the GER livery, some unusually ornate decorative metalwork, and "coin in the slot" activation; where other automaton porters wait for tips after carrying luggage, the Mk 2 must be given a penny before moving, and an additional penny per 100 yards the luggage is carried. This has led to numerous "spending a penny" lavatorial jokes. It is designed to defend itself if it is vandalised or there is any attempt to steal it, and there have been several incidents of hooligans tricking two porters into fighting. There are forty or so in use in 1900, as production continues the price will drop. The built-in instructions compel the automaton to return to recharge with compressed air whenever there is fifteen minutes or less endurance remaining. They also prevent this model from leaving GER stations and their immediate environs; typically they can travel to the nearest taxi ranks and tram and omnibus stops, but no further.

Ford Factory Automaton
BODY [6], MIND [2], SOUL [-], Mechanic [4]
Cost: £165
Weight: 233 lb
Carrying Capacity: 161 lb
Endurance: 1 hour backup supply
Reaction Time: 1.5 seconds
Reliability: 3
Built-In Equipment: Rotary drill
Also Carried: Assorted rotary tools to fit drill
Quote: "Where are the bolts? Where are the bolts?"
Description: A wheeled automaton powered by compressed air from a centralised supply. It can operate on an internal air tank for short periods; this lets the automaton move from one part of the factory to another, where it must re-connect to the high pressure air main. The right "hand" is a rotary drill, the chuck can be replaced with various tools including wire brushes, screwdrivers, a circular saw, a socket driver, etc. It has two monochrome eyes and an American-built calculating engine of inferior quality. The illustration shows the final stages of assembly at the Ford factory.
Notes: This design is used to carry out assembly operations on a mass production line. The mechanic "skill" is usually a suite of simple pre-determined tasks, such as fitting a wheel or assembling a chassis, although some have been trained to be more versatile. Some tasks can include fetching materials, so they can operate on their internal air tank when necessary. They have a reputation for becoming "agitated" if any part of their working routine is interrupted, leading to errors and broken tools, and some Luddite sympathisers find this to be a highly amusing form of sabotage. Several hundred have already been manufactured.

Beeton Automaton Housemaid
BODY [3], MIND [1], SOUL [-], Housemaid [4]
Cost: £90
Weight: 71 lb
Carrying Capacity: 27 lb
Endurance: 3 hours
Reaction Time: 5.3 seconds
Reliability: 3
Built-In Equipment: -
Also Carried: Feather duster etc.
Quote: "May I clean in here, Ma'am?"
Description: An electrically-powered humanoid automaton built on a wooden frame, designed for light cleaning and dusting. It is modelled closely on a human housemaid, with its mechanism covered by tinplate and sculpted for a lifelike human appearance. It wears a traditional maid's dress; rubber hand coverings and a rubber mask are included in the price, but rarely used, since the main selling point of this automaton is as a "mechanical marvel", so there is little point hiding its artificiality. Since it is often in the company of humans it has a vocabulary of 400 words, considered sufficient for everyday household activities. As household objects are often referred to by colour it has a colour eye on one side of its "face", the other eye is decorative, not functional. The calculating engine is a Prussian design of excellent quality. This design is sold by several companies, most successfully by Mrs. Beeton, the famous cook; the illustration shows an advertisement from Beeton's Annual.
Notes: This type of automaton is primarily purchased as a status symbol by the upper middle classes; the nobility continue to prefer human servants and feel that mechanical minions are a sign of the nouveau riche. There are many stories about their errors, which are mostly urban legends of the "drowned/cooked baby/pet" variety with little or no factual basis.

Automaton Damage and Reliability

If an automaton is damaged the effects can range from scratched paintwork to total destruction. Injuries that would incapacitate a human for months can be repaired with a few spare parts and a lick of paint, but no damage, however minor, will heal without repairs. Some forms of damage have little or no effect on automata, others may have even more of an effect on automatons than on humans; most notably:

• Poisons (other than strongly corrosive chemicals) have little or no effect unless they are somehow added to the nutrient solution in the automaton's eye.
• The Effect of fire damage is halved for metal-framed automata, but full for those with wooden frames.
• The Effect of electrical damage is halved for all automata.
• Automatons cannot drown, as such, but immersion in water will probably cause damage such as extinguishing the boiler, stopping the calculating engine (the water adds so much friction that it won't work), short-circuiting electrical components, corrosion, etc. Currently there are no fully waterproof automata with the exception of some torpedo prototypes.

Damage Results

Bruised

Minor damage to paint, dented metalwork, etc. Will not get worse, but may affect an automaton's warranty or appearance. Repair DIFFICULTY 2, repair cost a few shillings, repair time a few minutes.

Flesh Wound

Minor damage to components that slightly impedes movement or has some relatively small effect on the automaton's efficiency. Damage can get worse if it isn't "treated" by a mechanic; for example, a wheel or limb might be stiff at first then lock up if it isn't repaired, a hydraulic pipe might leak slightly at first but eventually burst if the damaged section isn't replaced. Repair cost £1-3, repair time 2-4 hours.

Injury

Serious immediate damage such as an immobilised limb, boiler or hydraulic leak, chipped gear wheel, etc., with a greater chance of the problem escalating if left unattended. Repair cost £2D6, DIFFICULTY 6, time 2D6 hours.

2+ Injuries

Multiple instances of damage, with more chance of damage escalating to catastrophic proportions. Repair cost £4D6, DIFFICULTY 8, 2D6 hours per repair.

Critical

Totally incapacitating damage such as seized gear wheels in the calculating engine, a major boiler failure, a burned-out electric motor. The automaton is completely immobilised and may not even be able to think until repaired. Repair cost £1D6 x 10% of automaton cost, Difficuly 8, Time 2D6 days ("you can't get the parts, you know....")

Kill

The automaton is damaged so badly that it would probably be cheaper to replace than to repair it. Any "personality" or memories acquired by its calculating engine are lost, any SOUL or MAGIC is also lost unless the referee rules otherwise. If the automaton is nevertheless repaired the cost is 1D6+6 x 10% of its original cost, and the repair time will be 1D6+1 weeks, DIFFICULTY 8. At the referee's discretion a Kill result may also lead to serious damage to the automaton's surroundings; for example, a boiler explosion which sprays its surroundings with shrapnel and steam.

Knock Out

The automaton's calculating engine slips a gear and cuts out. This may reset spontaneously after 2D6 minutes, but the careful attention of a mechanic will fix it almost instantly (the secret is knowing exactly where to hit the automaton and how big a hammer to use). Repair DIFFICULTY 4.

Reliability
As well as the obvious effects of damage, automata can sometimes become confused or malfunction spontaneously if "upset". Typical causes might include a minor impact which does no permanent damage but jars the calculating engine, the interruption of their normal routine, instructions that call on skills they don't have, etc. It's up to the referee to decide when a reliability roll needs to be made, and determine the DIFFICULTY it is made against.

• Example: Automaton Atkins is bought into the regimental mess to meet distinguished visitors, but nobody thinks to check the strength of the floors it will be crossing. Atkins falls through the floor of the mess and drops several feet, fortunately without damage, then has to extricate itself. The referee asks for a reliability roll against DIFFICULTY 4 to get out without malfunctioning.
• Example: A factory automaton runs out of widgets for the device it is building, and is prevented from going to the widget store. DIFFICULTY 3.
• Example: An automaton housemaid is told to do something that isn't part of its built-in instructions, such as sewing a sleeve that has a slightly torn seam at the armpit. DIFFICULTY 5.

The effects of a failed reliability roll are generally temporary and amusing rather than destructive. Possible consequences might include socially inappropriate behaviour or remarks (since automata are capable of learning from their surroundings, they may pick up bad language and the habit of using it when things go wrong), repetitive actions, or the right action in the wrong place.

• Example: Atkins starts to swear loudly, offending a visiting duchess.
• Example: The factory automaton starts to mime fitting widgets, going through the motions even though it doesn't have any widgets to fit.
• Example: The housemaid sews across the armpit, closing the sleeve off completely.

Optionally a really poor reliability roll may lead to more permanent damage or more serious behaviour. Again, this is entirely at the discretion of the referee.

Automata As Player Characters

Calculating and Sorting Engines

What? More Machines? If you're wondering why this section is separate from the main rules on automaton design, it's because it complicates the design process and adds some ideas that are less likely to be useful for machines created by adventurers. Tom Sloth and his Mechanical Soldier has a nice ring to it, and could be a springboard to interesting adventures, Tom Sloth and his Mechanical Card-Sorting Engine is somehow less exciting... (unless you happen to be unusually interested in statistics, of course)

While every automaton contains a calculating engine, there are many other uses for engines. The immobile calculating and sorting engines used in commerce and bureaucracy are if anything more important. There are many different designs, from simple adding and multiplying machines to complex archiving and record-keeping systems. Usually they are designed as fixed installations, not portable, although there are portable suitcase-sized calculating and type-writing engines for businessmen on the move. Devices that can be controlled by calculating engines include card-sorting machines, factory equipment, weaving and sewing machines, printing presses and typesetting machines, etc. Often the calculating engines used for these purposes are larger than those used for automatons, and add refinements such as faster operations, multiple simultaneous operations, extremely precise mathematics, etc. The largest machines are gigantic, capable of sorting through the records of an entire nation in a few hours.

These machines are rarely suitable for use as player characters, since they are often immobile and usually very limited compared to the automata described above.

Design

Most of the design steps for automata also apply to calculating and sorting engines. The main difference is that most are immobile and lack limbs, so most of their specification is determined by the components they control, and by any special processes built into the calculating engines. The following points should be born in mind:

• Often there is no need for the calculations to include a specialised supporting frame structure, since the calculating engine will be fixed in place or will be a relatively small part of a much larger machine. If a frame is needed, it should be purchased as an immobile limbless frame, at 50% of the cost and weight of a normal limbed design.
• Similarly, any casing is probably part of a larger structure, or of negligible weight; for example, a system might be built into a desk, or into a large suitcase.
• Depending on the purpose of the system, the eye and anti-phonograph may also be omitted.
• Power supplies are needed to keep the calculating engine's wheels spinning; purchase weight and price should be based on the weight of the calculating engine and associated components, ignoring the immobile frame. Again, this may often be a negligible component of the power needed for a much larger machine. For example, if a naval gun is controlled by a calculating engine and moved by hydraulics the power required by the engine is a tiny fraction of that needed to train the gun, and will be tapped from the gun's hydraulics; it can be considered to be a negligible part of the cost and weight of the gun.

Some of the modifications and components below could be added to a mobile automaton, but for one reason or another are rarely used. The modified engines add weight and bulk, the other components are bulky or of limited use outside an office.

Engine Modifications	Minimum BODY	Cost	Weight
Precision Arithmetic 1	1	£5 x MIND	1 lb. x MIND
Improved Speed 2	2	£10 x MIND	Add 50%
Multiple Tasks 3	2	£5 x MIND	3 lb. x MIND
Multiple Engines 4	2+1 per engine	As first engine plus 10% per additional engine
Parallel Engines 5	2+1 per engine	As first engine plus 20% per additional engine
1 Precision Arithmetic: The calculating engine can carry out complex calculations accurately, to any desired number of decimal places. Time rises steeply with the degree of accuracy required: Places Time (sec) 1 0.5 2 1.0 3 2.0 4 4.0 5 8.0 etc. etc. This feature is found in machines built for scientific and business purposes, gunnery, navigation, etc. Example: a standard MIND 4 engine weighs 40lb. and costs £85; adding precision arithmetic would take this to 44lb., £105. 2 Improved Speed: The engine is unusually fast, reducing reaction time (including calculations as above) by 50%. Experimental designs have been built with greater reductions. Example: a standard MIND 4 engine weighs 40lb. and costs £85; improved speed would take this to 60lb., £105. 3 Multiple Tasks: The engine can split its attention between MIND operations. For example, a MIND 4 engine might be able to devote MIND 2 to an arithmetical process, MIND 1 to a conversation, and MIND 1 to a sorting operation. Response time rises; in the example above, if the response time was normally five seconds it would take ten seconds to respond to any change in the MIND 2 process, twenty seconds to respond to a change in one of the MIND 1 processes. This modification can be combined with improved speed. Example: a MIND 4 engine with improved speed weighs 60lb. and costs £105; Multiple tasks take this to 72lb., £125. 4 Multiple Engines: The machine has several linked calculating engines. All must be identical, and the complex linkages add 10% cost and weight for each additional engine. All engines operate at full speed. It is possible to combine multiple engines and multiple tasks per engine as above, but the MIND required for a single task cannot be taken from more than one engine. Example: a standard MIND 4 engine weighs 40lb. and costs £85; a three-engine design of this type would weigh 120 + 20% lb. = 144 lb. and cost £255 + 20% = £306. This machine could devote MIND 4 to each of three simultaneous tasks, but couldn't assign multiple tasks to a single engine. An arrangement of three MIND 4 engines, each capable of multiple tasks, can deal with up to twelve simultaneous tasks with MIND 1, six with MIND 2, but no more than three with MIND 3 since a task can't be split between different engines in this arrangement. 5 Parallel Engines: Sometimes MIND 4 just isn't enough. Parallel engines split the thought process between several linked identical engines, adding MIND 1 for each additional engine. The complex linkages add 20% cost and weight for each additional engine. This design cannot currently be combined with multiple tasks, but is often combined with Precision Arithmetic and Speed enhancements. Typical uses are scientific calculation, advanced financial prlanning, and other intensively complex computations. Example: a MIND 4 engine with precision arithmetic weighs 44lb. and costs £105. Adding speed takes this to 66lb. and £145. Combining five such engines in parallel to give MIND 8 would take this to 220 lb. + 80% = 396 lb., £725 + 80% = £1305. It's important to remember that even a MIND 8 engine of this type is in most respects an idiot savant, ignorant of anything beyond the parameters of its instructions.
Accessories	BODY	Cost	Weight
Typewriting machine 6	2	£6 (£10 with keys)	10 lb.
Card punch and sorter 7	7	£150	200 lb.
Typesetting machine 8	10	£250	500 lb.
Telegraph 9	Negligible	£2	Negligible
Telephone 10	Negligible	£3	2 lb.
Telephone exchange 11	8	£100	50 lb.
Artillary (small calibre) 12	30	£5,000	5 tons
Artillary (large calibre) 12	50	£100,000	20 tons
6 Typewriting machine: Uses a rotating lettering cylinder with letters A to Z, figures 2 to 9 with I substituted for 1 and O for zero, plus basic punctuation symbols. Must be combined with an anti-phonograph and a specialised "spelling" skill (base value zero) which lets the automaton convert speech to text. Homophones (words with different meaning but similar sounds) such as "there", "their," and "they're" are a problem. MIND pages are retained in memory; this lets the user check the document and tell the automaton to make any changes required, a process repeated until the text is satisfactory. Some models have a keyboard, allowing a human operator to type messages or instructions, but this adds to the cost. 7 Card punch and sorter: The core of most modern record-keeping systems is a stack of punched cards with reference numbers linked to dossiers such as criminal records. Two to three hundred cards can be sorted per minute. 8 Typesetting machines: Automatic typesetting is still in its infancy and engine-contolled machines are rare, since it is generally felt that a human compositor is preferable. They produce strips of type, with the final page assembled by a human editor. Like typewriting machines they require an appropriate vocabulary for dictation and the special "spelling" skill. 9 Telegraph Human operators are faster and more accurate than automata, but an automaton with a telegraph can be used by someone who has no Morse Code skill. The automaton's skills must include Spelling and Morse Code. Often combined with a typewriting machine, allowing the automaton to print messages as they are received. The Reuters news agency is believed to be experimenting with a typesetting machine that can set type directly from received Morse code. 10 Telephone: A telephone can easily be added to an automaton's anti-phonograph, allowing it to connect directly to the wires without the use of a normal receiver, which would in any case be difficult to use with the usual anti-phonograph designs. 11 Telephone Exchange: An engine can be used to control a telephone exchange, using an internal telephone to talk to users and connecting calls by mechanical switches. Provided callers speak slowly and clearly the system works well. The size and price listed is for an exchange handling up to thirty telephone lines - typical for a small town or a large business. A multi-tasking engine can be added to increase the number of calls the system can handle, but a separate anti-phonograph is needed for each line the exchange is actively talking to; once a call is connected the automaton can leave it and connect to another line. 12 Artillary: Automaton-controlled artillary is being developed by several nations; for example, the Royal Navy has tested small guns for torpedo-destroyers and larger weapons for battleships, and Krupp is known to be experimenting with large guns for railway siege artillary and dreadnoughts, but the results are still a closely-guarded secret. It should be possible for a weapon under automaton control to adjust its aim for altitude, distance, bearing, wind, and its own speed and direction of movement, faster and more accurately than any human gunner.

Typical Calculating And Sorting Engines

The Fosdyke-Chatterton Automatic Secretary (Britain 1896)
BODY [2], MIND [1], SOUL [-], Morse Code [2], Spelling [4]
Cost: £60
Weight: 53 lb.
Carrying Capacity: N/A
Endurance: 2 hours (indefinite with gas supply & piped water)
Reaction Time: 15 seconds
Reliability: 4
Built-In Equipment: See below.
Also Carried: -
Quote: "Dictation now reads further.. to.. your.. letter.. of.. the.. fourth.. inst.."
Description: A "complete office in a trunk" incorporating a calculating engine with precision arithmetic, typewriting machine, telephone, telegraph, and anti-phonograph with 800-word vocabulary. It has no eye. When the case is opened the typewriting machine and a trumpet for dictation is revealed, along with compartments for files, paper, etc., a telephone, and a writing desk. It can be connected to a standard British telephone line, allowing it to take telephonic dictation and messages and to intercept unwanted calls; there are also fittings for connecting it to a telegraph line. Power is supplied by a small steam engine fuelled with paraffin (kerosene) or methylated spirits (industrial alcohol), or by gas from any convenient mantle. The boiler can also be connected to a piped water supply. The illustration shows the machine half-open with the typewriting machine pulled out; the writing desk and access panel have been removed to show the calculating engine. The steam engine, just visible behind the typewriting machine, is normally covered by an asbestos-lined panel, with fuel and water supplied through a side hatch. The antiphonograh is concealed by the side of the trunk. The half-open drawer contains the telephone, wires, and tools for connecting it to the exchange line. Several hundred of these machines have been sold.
Notes: These machines, and others like them, are aimed at small businesses and occasional private customers. While the advertising doesn't actually lie, it generally exaggerates their usefulness; dictation is slow, the automaton's voice is hard to understand over the telephone, and while they can send Morse code with relatively few errors they have difficulty decoding incoming messages. An optional upgrade to the Morse Code skill allows them to send and receive encrypted messages using the commercial codes authorised by the Post Office and other telegraph companies.

Stanley Steam Chauffeur (USA 1896)
BODY [4], MIND [2], SOUL [-], Driver [6]
Cost: £80 (add £5 for dummy legs, £2 for uniform)
Weight: 115 lb
Carrying Capacity: N/A
Endurance: N/A
Reaction Time: 0.9 seconds
Reliability: 6
Built-In Equipment: -
Also Carried: -
Quote: "Where.. to.. Sir?"
Description: Immobile automaton with twin monochrome eyes, average quality calculating engine with improved speed, anti-phonograph, powered by steam from car's boiler. The steel casing (-1 Effect) is enamelled as a chauffeur's uniform with flesh-coloured face and hands.
Notes: When the Stanley brothers launched their first steam cars in 1896 this automaton was an optional extra which made them a runaway success. It was a relatively inexpensive replacement for a human chauffeur, costing considerably less than a year's wages plus accommodation. The Steam Chauffeur must be fitted in a workshop, in place of the driver's seat, and is permanently connected to the car's steam supply and controls. The casing is humanoid from the waist up, with a somewhat oversized head to accommodate the calculating engine and eye mechanisms, but has no legs or feet, just pistons attached to the accelerator and brake pedals; its hands are designed solely for operating the controls. The photograph shows an early production model in California. Some purchasers find the legless model unnerving, and dummy legs can be added to make them look a little more lifelike, as can specially-fitted chauffeur's uniforms padded to make the size of the head look a little more natural. The Stanley model was originally only available for Stanley Steamers, but proved so popular that several other steam-car companies began to buy them and offer them as optional extras for their own vehicles. There are rival models from Ford, Daimler, etc., built for other types of power supply, typically compressed air or a belt drive from the engine.
Legal note: In Britain automaton-driven vehicles are limited to 10 MPH in urban areas, 20 MPH elsewhere, must have prominent red flags as a warning that they are not under human control, and must carry at least one human occupant capable of stopping the vehicle in an emergency. These laws often broken; steam cars carrying dead-drunk farmers home from market are a cliche of rural fiction, but a reliable source of income for country lawyers.
(Thanks to Tim Illingworth and John Birchby for suggesting some details)

Faberge Chess Player Automaton (1895)
BODY [2], MIND [4], SOUL [-], Chess [7], Linguist (Russian, German, French) [5]
Cost: If you have to ask you can't afford it.
Weight: 160 lb
Carrying Capacity: N/A
Endurance: 4 hours
Reaction Time: 6.6 seconds
Reliability: 5
Built-In Equipment: Chess board
Also Carried: -
Quote: "Pawn to king... king... king.."
Description: A clockwork chess-playing automaton in the form of a Turk sitting behind a chess board. Only one arm is mobile, the legs and other arm are fixed in place. There are two monochrome eyes. The calculating engine was built by Faberge himself; unfortunately Faberge is best known for his spectacular jewellery, not his skill as a calculating engine designer, and it is only of average quality. The inner frame is made of ivory inlaid with gold, and the pieces are made of gold or silver and ivory, but it is overall one of his less impressive works.
Notes: This is an expensive toy made for the Tsar, modelled on the earlier fake automaton (an expensive conjuring trick) built by Baron Wolfgang von Kempelen in 1770. There is no fraud in the Faberge model; it plays a reasonable game of chess, but can be beaten by any master and is less reliable than might be expected considering its price.

Krupp Precision Siege Gun (Prussia 1900)
BODY [50], MIND [8], SOUL [-], Military Arms (gunnery only) [10], Morse Code [9], Spelling [9]
Cost: Circa £150,000
Weight: 250 tons
Carrying Capacity: N/A
Endurance: N/A
Reaction Time: 5-10 minutes (mostly time required to aim the gun, return to the firing point after recoil, reload, etc.)
Reliability: 10
Built-In Equipment: Naval gun, five parallel fast superior quality calculating engines with precision arithmetic, four telegraphs, two colour eyes fitted to telescopic periscopes, typewriter, anti-phonograph.
Also Carried: See below.
Quote: "Ready to fire."
Description: An "intelligent" railway-carried field gun (based on a naval design) capable of precision fire at a range of up to fifty kilometres. Its shell weighs more than a ton, and can be fired with an accuracy of +/-100 metres at maximum range. The gun is part of a specialised military train which also carries several hundred rounds of ammunition, a generator, track laying and other engineering crew, defensive weapons, a team of gunners, soldiers, etc., observation balloons, and several hundred workmen who set up the gun once it is in position. The gun can be directed visually, using a ten metre periscope and range-finder system, but it is more usefully aimed by integrating telegraphic signals from forward observers or observation balloons. It can take instructions by voice, but to avoid accidents the target coordinates are usually typed in. If for any reason the calculating engines are disabled the gun can be fired and directed manually but it is usually less accurate.
Notes: Traversing the gun horizontally requires a section of curved track or a railway turntable for coarse adjustment, with the fine adjustment made at the gun mount. In use an advance party of engineers and surveyors finds a suitable area of hard ground on or near a railway line, and sets up an appropriate position, usually a curved section of track with extra rails parallel to the main track for stabilising outrigger bogies. Once this position is prepared the artillery train is brought forward and the gun is set up, a procedure that usually takes several hours. Meanwhile defensive positions are prepared and manned, observers go forward with telegraph lines and direction-finding equipment, etc. Once the gun is in position and assembled the first ranging shots can be fired, the aim is automatically adjusted to compensate for the observations reported to it, and a steady bombardment can begin.
(suggested by Sir Ernest)

Other Technology

While automata and calculating engines seem to be the most important technology in this world to those that are interested in or affected by them, not everyone would agree. Many other aspects of science and engineering are important. Germany leads the world in organic chemistry and chemical engineering, the USA in large-scale civil engineering works and architecture, Britain in shipbuilding (especially warships such as the Dreadnought class) and other forms of transportation. These fields and many others have been helped a little by automation and computation, but still largely depend on human resources and ingenuity. Many fields of technology regard automaton components as a minor part of the package, not an end in itself.

The Secret history of the Swiss Movement

Referee's Eyes Only Everything follows is for the Referee's eyes only, not the players. If you want to play a character in this setting your enjoyment will be greatly diminished if you read on.

MOST of the material above is known, to some extent, by anyone with an interest in technology, politcs, or economics. Some of the more subtle details aren't common knowledge, but can be found out with a little effort. The material that follows isn't like that; it's a dark secret, known only to a handful of peoplem, mostly in Switzerland. As a campaign develops some of the details may become known to adventurers, but every step should be a challenge against serious odds, and against serious people who really value their privacy, are immensely rich, and will do their utmost to ensure that their secrets don't get out. If they exist at all...

The way that the Swiss seem to be gradually taking control of Europe's economy worries economists and scares conspiracy theorists. The latter are generally considered to be exaggerating things. In truth, the most likely state of affairs is that there are no Secret Masters out to control the world. The Swiss economy is booming, but that's more the result of shrewd investment in long-term economic growth and training than any deliberate plan to subvert other nations. If anything, the other European nations are benefitting from Swiss investment and financial know-how.