Vertibot

Vertibots are robots found in Appalachia.

Background
Vertibots are automated vertibirds utilized by the United States Armed Forces. Strategic Air Command deployed cargobots in Appalachia to provide reconnaissance and deliver supplies, which were protected by vertibots. Vertibots were part of the canceled Sugar Grove BR-04 "LOCUST" project, aiming to create a self-directed bugging network swarm capable of covertly accessing enemy installations, hacking into mainframe systems, and extracting data of interest. After the Great War, the Fire Breathers at the Ash Heap targeted survey vertibots in order to obtain valuable salvage from its wreckages.

Gameplay
Vertibots are automated versions of vertibirds with opaque windows and inaccessible cockpits. Vertibots are found escorting cargobots and will turn hostile if either the cargobot or the vertibot itself is attacked.

Workshops
If a player character controls a public workshop with a vertibot landing pad, the pad can be repaired to spawn a friendly vertibot, which will automatically take off and attack enemies. Vertibots can be summoned by vertibot signal grenades collected from a yellow box near the landing pad, and will arrive to assist the player character in combat. If it is destroyed, repairing the landing pad spawns a new one. If the player character doesn't own a workshop with a functional landing pad, the vertibot won't be summoned after utilizing the signal grenades. Workshops with functional landing pads include the converted munitions factory, Grafton Steel, Poseidon Energy Plant yard, and Wade Airport.

Locations

 * In random encounters around Appalachia.
 * During the Fly Swatter event in the Ash Heap.
 * Three can be sighted protecting cargobots.

Appearances
Vertibots appear $$