Vatgrowns

The introduction of the Iron Womb to the Rim Worlds Republic was a blessing. While their population was growing, it was nowhere near the numbers they needed to maintain and grow a force capable of one day threatening the Inner Sphere. The size of the Iron Womb arrays and facilities built by the Wolverines and the Republic since their union surpasses whatever the Clans ever did. Thousands of children are “grown” monthly, with massive collective creches and training programs maintaining them. Those “vatgrown” children are generally considered slave labor and at the absolute bottom of any hierarchies, but some of them do “rise above” after internal testing in the creches. The Union makes sure, however, that they know their place.

The various vatgrown programs and “batches” keep being improved upon, especially with the inclusion of new scientists from organizations like The Society and the Word of Blake. While there are 3 “generations” of vatgrown, all 3 remain in production at the same time, just in different amounts, with the Generation 2 vatgrowns being the most common by the mid-32nd century.

Trueborn

Clan Trueborns are viewed as about most vatgrowns as they are carefully selected and improved upon. While the Republic have little use or care for Trueborn, the Wolverines still view them highly for combat role, and the other exiled Clans are even more dedicated to the eugenics plan than they are.

The only 2 warrior phenotypes created in the Union are MechWarriors and Elementals, with a portion of the MechWarriors being trained as ASF pilots. With the start of the Protomech program by the Word of Blake and Society, a specific “protomechwarrior” phenotype has been created as well, but this is a recent development and the first sibko has just completed their Blooding.

Trueborns are raised and trained in a very traditional Clan manner in the Union, outside of limiting the number of members testing down as the lower castes are often made up of Generation 1 and 2 vatgrown. Those who do test down often are considered “free men and women” and allowed flexibility in their lifestyle and life, often just being poorly viewed by the bloodborn elite rather than actively discriminated against.

Generation 1

First generation vatgrowns are basically just “normal humans” born from a iron womb. Two gene donors, one male and one female, is randomly selected from a pool of valid individuals. Those vatgrowns have no rights on their gene donor’s property or general inheritance. They are generally raised in collective creches, where they are given basic education to be able to fit various jobs. “Upper education” is not available for most generation 1 vatgrown unless they show exceptional talents, in which case they are often transferred to Trueborn creches.

Very minor gene-editing is used on modern Generation 1, outside of testing things like different hair colors, skin color and eye color. “Bloodborn” children of Generation 1 vatgrowns can choose between being sent to a collective creche like their parents or be raised by their natural parent.

Generation 1 vatgrowns can easily be drafted in military units, generally as infantry, power armored infantry, tank crew or ship crew. Again, skilled vatgrowns or highly motivated ones, are sometimes allowed to join Clan Trueborn creches after their first testing period. While more poorly regarded

Generation 2

Generation 2 vatgrowns have more genetic alterations brought to them and began seeing “production” in the early 31^st century. The most basic change is that all Generation 2 vatgrowns are infertile and have more rapid maturation, generally being “ready to work” by the mid-teens rather than early 20s. This rapid maturation does lead them to die earlier than “bloodborn”, with a life expectancy of about 60 or so years.

Gene-editing, especially after the introduction of Society scientists, increased the options of “grown to task” vatgrowns, with batches being created for more specific roles in the Union. Combining Elemental phenotyping with many vatgrowns has led to a new, more resilient labor force, as an example. For military purpose, a few phenotypes of vatgrown were created to serve in unarmored infantry, tank crew and spaceship crew. Having been “created for purpose”, these Generation 2 Vatgrowns do not have to participate in Blooding, simply having to complete a training regimen.

Generation 2 vatgrowns make up the bulk of the Union’s vatgrown population by the mid-32^nd century.

Generation 3

The most recent Generation of vatgrown have cut out as much as possibly could be cut out for vatgrown to be viewed as human. A lot of these changes came after Clan Ice Hellion was integrated in the Union and their scientists pushed the limit on genetic engineering to their limit.

Generation 3 bioroids are asexual and androgynous in look. Unlike normal humans, they mature in about 8 years, and are “fully formed” by about 12. Expected lifespans on them is in the 50 years. For most “basic tasks”, the rapid growth is perfect as they can be trained and educated quickly for manual labor and basic skilled labor. For more “advanced” work, Generation 2 are generally preferred.

Physically speaking, Generation 3 vatgrowns are “grown to task”, with laborers borrowing from the Clan Elemental phenotype, technicians being made to be smaller and more limber and merchants to have more brain power. Generation 3 is not meant to be used for warrior caste, outside of a specialized type created by Clan Ice Hellion for internal use. The Union has not fully embraced Generation 3 vatgrowns at this point, with them mainly being used to bolster work force in the Exiled Clans and Word of Blake.

Bioroid

Bioroids are not even human in the long run. They only possess a lower brain; the upper brain portion is meant to be replaced with command-and-control equipment once they are ready to be installed in a machine. For the “assembly” to work properly, the body requires to be humanoid, with a basic musculature and bone structure. Tests done without it drove the command unit (or original pilot) insane and prevented correct control of the combat unit the bioroid brain was assigned to.

Genetically speaking, there is very little differentiation between bioroids, the Society and Word of Blake scientists having found some of the most efficient genetic combinations for the job. The body is grown fully in specialized Iron Wombs, growing the body to “maturity” in about 18 months. Afterwards, the Word of Blake metalsmiths begin implanting the necessary devices in the bodies for service as either an assembly in a BattleMech, Aerospace Fighter or ProtoMech.

A bioroid disconnected from their assembly dies, and quickly decomposes, a mean to protect the Union from loss of materiel and to hide their existence. When someone starts using bioroids to project their “selves”, they can easily become attached to them like another body part, and someone losing a bioroid connected to them often feel “ghost limb syndrome” unless it is replaced.