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"The science fiction method is dissection and reconstruction. You look at the world around you, and take it apart into its components. Then you take some of those components, throw them away, and plug in different ones, start it up and see what happens."
- Frederik Pohl
 |
| Bolo | ||
| An highly advanced combat tank controlled by a sophisticated Artificial Intelligence. |
It should be noted that there are many different models and depictions of Bolos. Early version were just better, automated tanks. Later versions (the Mk. XXXI) are AI-controlled Supertanks that could shoot down orbiting targets. In contrast to the cliche of robots-hating humanity, Bolos are not only loyal to their makers, but are even more honorable and duty bound than their human commanders.
A quote from "Combat Unit" by Keith Laumer from "The Compleat Bolo", which is told from the First Person view of a Bolo:
| "My hull, my proud hull of chrome-duralloy, is pitted, coated with a crumbling layer of dull black paint, bubbled by corrosion. My main emplacements gape, black, empty. Rusting protuberances mar the once-smooth contour of my fighting turret...
"But I cannot lie idle under attack. I no longer have my great ion-guns, my disruptors, my energy screens; but I have my fighting instinct. " "A Mark XXXI Combat Unit is the finest fighting the ancient wars of the Galaxy have ever known. I am not easily neutralized..." |
| Technovelgy from Combat Unit,
by Keith Laumer. Published by Del Rey in 1960 Additional resources -
|
Thanks to Gatomon41, who provided the research and quote for this entry.
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Tech news articles related to Combat Unit
Tech news articles related to works by Keith Laumer
Bolo-related
news articles:
- Ripsaw MS1 Like Laumer's Bolo
- Ethical Governor For Battlefield Robots
- Will OpenAI Have High Ethical Standards?
- Superior Morals For Autonomous Cars
- Keith Laumer's Bolo Autonomous Tanks Right On Schedule
- EA Created AI That Taught Itself To Play Battlefield
| Sleeper Drones Lie in Wait |
| Worm Disrupts Physics Simulations Undetected For A Decade |
| Moscow Attacked By Hundreds Of Drones |
| China's Handheld Electromagnetic Gun |
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'Our study of your race has convinced us that you are not fitted to leave your planet in the present state of your civilization.'
'...the spreading beam of the deranging ray struck them, and Then one toppled and fell. Then another.'
'Within seconds the material was spread out over fifty yards, in a matter of hours it might occupy several cubic miles of space...'
'The men are dead, but their acquired wisdom lives on and I am the beneficiary.'
'Young people found the driverless car admirable for petting.'
'After twenty generations of shillyshallying...'
