Sathar Society by implications of Equipment

jedion357's picture
jedion357
March 10, 2019 - 5:43am
What is the one thing you always see on a PC's equipment list that you never see on a sathar stat block?

A Chronocom.

Now to be fair the stat block is about just listing pertinent information and usually that is all about listing just enough to run a combat. And that doesn't mean that an individual sathar doesn't have a chronocom but it equally doesn't mean that they do have one.

If for the most part they dont have one then it says something about their society.
Joe Cabadas has been working up stats for sathar vehicles in part based off the APC half track seen in Star Spawn of Volturnus and the rocket sled seen in Face of the Enemy. it occured to me that we really dont see many sathar vehicles.

just those two and the Von Neuhmann machines article (Polyhedron or was it Ares article) the robotic "tank" in that article are no doubt built off of a chassis or design that was previously "manned"

So if the sathar in general dont enjoy individual vehicles and com devices but have a very structured and controlled society we can envision a model of that society that is ?

I hate to say it since things are fairly politically charged these days- facists, communist or totalitarian or am i reading too much into this with an overlay of my own prejudices?
I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers!
Comments:

JCab747's picture
JCab747
March 10, 2019 - 10:09am
One could argue that the Sathar don't put too much value on communications, personal mobility, or even personal value. The soldiers on Volturnus had no armor, going into battle like those of many savage Earth wars such as World War I and II and Korea.

I think some would have a chronocom-like device and probably with later encounters with the Frontier, some vary basic form of armor.

Now, keep in mind, the Sathar boarding party in the Starship Omicron module had 50-point skiensuits, laser rifles, and albedo screens. And, I think some of the Sathar in later modules had armor. So, higher end individuals have some worth to the Sathar's society.
Joe Cabadas

jedion357's picture
jedion357
March 11, 2019 - 5:03am
Life is cheap- or poop rolls down hill- their attitude toward captured and subject people memni fighter pilots in war machine- unable to handle high G of fighter craft but Sathar don't care. Don't even care about performance of fighter craft being degraded. 

Slave bots- kind of the ultimate in treating you like meat and violating you. 

The hypnotism ability may make them so arrogant- I can bend anyone to my will. 
I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers!

jedion357's picture
jedion357
March 11, 2019 - 5:10am
One of the benefits of a half track and part of their original popularity was that fully tracked vehicles required more training but anyone with a drivers license could drive a half track. 

This might be benefit in Frontier society. With a lack of national military organizations maybe there isn't many people being trained to operate fully tracked vehicles. 
I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers!