COMBAT DRONES

Combat Drones were autonomous aerial defense units originally developed for reconnaissance and perimeter security aboard the Exohuman spaceship Last Frontier. Unlike their Courier and Seed Drone counterparts, these machines were never available to the civilian market. In the Beta Age, they were exclusively assigned to the Guarding Troopers of the Free State of Settlers.

They served as high-mobility support units, particularly effective in terrain surveillance, patrols, and the protection of key installations. During the Great War, Combat Drones played a central role in defending Exohuman settlements against the Alliance of Native Tribes.

• Combat Drones were part of the standard equipment issued to exploration squads
• Each drone was paired with a Guarding Trooper and integrated with the GAIA-AUX tactical interface.

Original Drone Inventory Aboard Ship:

• 80 Seed Drones
• 120 Courier Drones
• 2,000 Combat Drones

• 1,140 drones were lost during the crash
• The remaining 860 Combat Drones were reprogrammed for ground defense and border patrol by Drones of Hope Inc.
• Heavily deployed around Arla Town, Morningstar, Hope, Firetown and New Kourou to secure outposts and key facilities.
• Drones could operate autonomously or in command-chain coordination with Guarding Trooper patrols.

• Under the Peace Treaty of 2631, all Combat Drones were banned.
• The Federal Confederation ordered the destruction of remaining drones, which had to be burned in the presence of the Native Supervisor.
• Rumors persist that a few drones were smuggled into Outlaw territories.

• Size: Roughly 80 cm across, bulkier than Courier units
• Frame: Armored chassis with modular weapon mounts
• Power Source: Twin Micro-Grade Quantum Fusion Batteries (µQFBs) for extended flight and weapon function
• Weapon Systems: Variable setups including stun beams, micro-lasers, and terrain-marking flares
• AI Module: Advanced GAIA-AUX combat protocols, including threat recognition, target prioritization, and emergency recall

• Armor Class (AC): 17
• Hit Points (HP): 45
• Speed: 50 feet (flying)
• Primary Role: Tactical Defense

Actions:

• Stun Pulse | Ranged Attack: +5 to hit, range 60 ft., 2d6 electric damage; DC 13 CON save or stunned for 1 round
• Tactical Scan | Bonus Action: Reveals all hidden threats in a 30-ft radius; grants advantage on attack rolls for 1 round
• Overwatch Lockdown | Reaction: When an enemy moves within 15 ft., drone fires a warning shot; enemy must succeed DC 12 DEX save or stop movement

• The Broken Wing: A Combat Drone crashes during a test flight on the outskirts of Hope. Players must find it before it falls into the wrong hands…

• Buried Sentinel: A hidden Combat Drone is discovered in an abandoned bunker. When activated, it mistakes the PCs for intruders. Reprogram it — or survive its countermeasures.

• Beta Age
• Exohuman Technology in the Beta Age
• Drones of Hope Inc.
• GAIA System
• Quantum Fusion Batteries (QFBs)
• Guarding Troopers
• Great War
• Federal Confederation
• Peace Treaty

Drones of the Exohumans:

• Combat Drones
• Courier Drones
• Seed Drones