T-500 SERIES Production date: 2020
The T-500 was the first artificial soldier that was effective in virtually any environment, capable of following complex instructions, and carrying out missions of limited complexity. It was produced in the hundreds of thousands and made excellent battlefield fodder. The T-500s kept the human resistance off balance and unable to grasp what Skynet's strategy was. When most resistance fighters think of a Terminator, this is usually the first image that comes to mind. The strategy behind the T-500 was a simple war of attrition. By the time the resistance managed to wipe the T-500 series out, Skynet had successfully thinned out the humans' numbers and it turned out that the 500 series were merely a stopgap for a deadly new breed of warriors...
Note: There are variant models of the T-500 which are quite dramatically different than the base model and were produced in low volume (special thanks to Christopher Shields):
1. T-599 ELINT (Artificial Intelligence Prototype) - The T-599 production rate was less than one percent of the number of all standard T-500 units. Designed for the purpose of intelligence gathering and prototyping AI software for models that did not exist yet (T-680 and T-800). Experimental software that worked in the T-599 was ported to the T-680 models, so that upon their introduction they had fully functioning AI capabilities. It features a low material cost equivalent of a fully functioning Neural Net CPU. However, this CPU is huge and inefficient; made up of multiple processors housed in both the head and the torso area (operating in tandem). It is also about 25 percent slower than the true, single-dye Neural Net that appeared years later. Larger head assembly than T-500. Much more advanced sensors (telescoping vision, thermal imaging, etc). Though the T-599s spies provided invaluable insight to Skynet, the model was replaced in its intelligence gathering role by the T-680 (and eventually the T-800). T-599 units were then relegated to administrative and scientific duties. By 2029 less than three hundred remained in existence.
2. T-550 REAVER (Psychological Warfare) - The Reaver model is simply a T-500 designed to be distracting and frightening. The purpose was to lower morale and disrupt military operations. It has audio equipment housed in its torso capable of producing forms of sound that disrupt the human nervous system. It is also physically faster moving, due to improved hydraulics. It has longer arms and no head unit (having the CPU housed in the torso). This did not have the effect Skynet intended, as these models simply highly agitated the human resistance and increased their motivation. The Reaver's dramatically aggressive physical gestures also make it an easy target for snipers.
3. T-570 (Maintenance Drones) - Appearing identical to their combat counterparts, these maintenance droids complimented the ranks of the earlier T-20 variants, offering more advanced capabilities to explore and repair installations and factories. They have no combat programming and are controlled directly by Sknet, acting as its eyes and ears. Should it ever go off line, they would follow it into oblivion (having no minds of their own).
(Shock Troopers)
FUNCTION: Shock Troopers
Note: The original production run of the T-500 was in the hundreds of thousands. As they became obsolete they were replaced by the T-600s on the battlefield.
INTELLIGENCE- Series 50 Integrated Logic Package. The Series 50 CPU was the first competent Terminator brain, allowing sophisticated behavior such as battlefield coordination, search and destroy missions, crude trial and error reasoning, and (when communicating with aerial HK units), blitzkrieg-style offensive strikes against the resistance. The non-volatile memory area of the brain was permanently encoded with an acquisition AI program that was synced with the weapons targeting systems.
The weapons targeting systems, navigation systems, and physical agility of the Series 50 were all light years ahead of the previous models. It could run, jump, climb, and maneuver like a real military commando. It was also capable of handling a large library of weapons, including plasma based weapons. In large numbers the T-500 was especially dangerous, and unlike previous Terminators these soldiers did not accidentally fire on each other. The T-500 mind could accurately calculate distance relative to itself, calculate accurate trajectories for projectiles, and even perform delicate maintenance functions if Sky-Net uploaded the appropriate files to it.
Despite the apparent sophistication of the Series 50 relative to earlier hunter killer units, it was incapable of truly learning and relied on carefully programmed subroutines to react to a number of different combat scenarios and conditions. It had just enough volatile memory to follow complex instructions issued to it by Skynet and to navigate various terrains. Though based on the same principles as the later Neural Net CPU, the 50 series CPU is a long way away from realizing the potential of that technology and was simply designed as a stop gap to keep the human resistance off balance while Skynet worked in secret perfecting the true Neural Net CPU Learning Computer that would be installed in later deadly Terminator models.
COMBAT
3 modes of operation:
CONCEALMENT - Not applicable.
- direct (directed by Skynet defense computers like soldiers in a war game);
- automatic (individual units acting automatically to a variety of preprogrammed conditions); and
- autonomous (single units relinquished to their own control acting independently).
CAPABILITIES- In addition to the above listed capabilities the 500 Series has many features. Capable of pressing roughly 1 ton, traveling on all terrain with little difficulty, and operating many forms weaponry and machinery. New units are said to be able to run as fast as 25 mph (35 mph for short bursts).
CONSTRUCTION- 6'6". Titanium alloy construction (not hyper-alloy found in later models). Thick housing and armor. Resistant to small arms fire (but not heavy conventional weaponry), with more limited resistance to plasma weaponry.
WEAPONRY- The T-500 was issued light plasma phase weapons.
WEAK POINTS-
- Incapable of independent thought. Though highly coordinated in groups, individual units are frankly stupid.
- Vulnerable spots, such as an area on the back of the neck allowing for the unit to be disabled by a simple blunt instrument.
- Can be detected by animals at great distance
- No self-preservation programming.
THREAT LEVEL- Medium
