Virai Constructor Drones

The closest analogy the IMTel nations have of Virai Constructors is that of worker ants or bees in a nest. Whilst useful, such an image falls far short of their real effectiveness for a Virai Hive is not a self-organising entity but a group controlled by a heirarchy and constructors of all types are at the bottom of that hierarchy! Despite that, each constructor is capable of operating on its own and carrying a task unsupervised but is just not as effective as when directly supervised. Constructors are given any of a wide assortment of tools, equipment and appendages, pragmatic Virai Second Instances retooling them as necessary for the tasks they have been assigned.

Whilst constructors cooperate with warriors for demolition, mining, and combat, the constructor swarms are extremely efficient at, and better equipped for, construction and manufacturing.  Their tool appendages allow them to carry out a wide range of tasks from careful extraction of useful material and minerals to repair of wiring looms. Each drone can be equipped with general purpose tools – cutters, molecular bonders, saws, clamps, vices, grips etc – or specialised to a particular task requiring tractor mauls or scavenging equipment.

Whilst there are a number of general templates, constructor drones vary more than the warriors simply because of the tasks they have to perform. Those constructors specialising in maintaining, using and firing mining equipment or scavenged weapons are typically smaller than others as they need fewer manipulators. Drones specialising in scavenging are also used as scouts and similarly have limited appendages, restricted as they are to the task of finding new locations and bringing back samples. Mining drones are most noticeably different having specific mining tools and a shell designed to protect them against rockfalls. Despite these superficial changes they are all constructors and can be refitted with new appendage location points or shells at the whim of a Secondary Instance.

Constructor drones’ power source for tools and locomotion is essentially a miniature fusion reactor.  Their basic frame is covered by a lightweight, though complex, shell that is similar to the Ghar armour – multi-layered, mixed alloy and ceramic honeycomb layers rather than the advanced hyperlight or reflex armour of the IMTel nations. Once given a task constructors can operate independently but are reliant on planning and co-ordination from their architector leaders and are even more lacking in initiative than warrior drones!

Like all Virai, constructors rely on their architectors for repairs and primary command and control, especially on the battlefield where a nearby architector boosts their chances of survival with their Repair Swarms. Not being dependent on nanospore they are immune to Scramble munitions and, of course, being artificial beings Scoot munitions also have no effect. Being the core and most numerous members of a Virai hive, constructors of various types can be found in every Virai army.

Scavenger Constructors differ slightly from the ordinary constructors in taht they normally run around in groups with specialised scavenging equipment and an auto-workshop. This enables them to repair (remove pins) from nearby units.

Assembly

‘Rocky’s War Room’ have made a few videos for the assembly of these, the best of which is for the Scavenger drones. As ever these are off-IMTel!

The following should help identify the various components.

Phaid Knott had a few tips that summarise what a number of players do to assemble the Virai:

“[on the Constructors, put the] piston looking thingy on the ‘legs’ to the back. One thing I DID do when constructing my Virai was to drill a bigger hole for the flying stand (I actually cut off the thinner bit at the top), so that the peg went a lot more deeply into the mini. I also drilled the hole so that the bodies were horizonal [so as to be easier to add the appendages]. I also used a ‘gel’ superglue and took my time, gluing one part at a time (usually I use a tray on my knee while watching the TV so I hardly notice how long it takes).”

Phaid Knott, IMTel Facebook Group