So I was looking through the older Caprice books and noticed a trait common to many of the early designs (the ones that became the Maru, Zikru, etc.) was the Trideo Link-Up trait. I did a cursory search and couldn’t find this trait defined, but would assume from the references in Life on Caprice that essentially the relevant concept is that the designs are equipped with full-spectrum recording gear.

Trideo uplinks are common equipment on all Mounts. The Corp-Serf learned long ago that they are not only useful for identifying troublemakers, but also as a valuable propaganda tool. When dissident groups produce footage that someone killed by a Mount, they often conveniently leave out the reason the person was killed. It also provides better real-time intelligence to the officers responsible for coordinating riot control.
(Life on Caprice, p86)

Justification and Degree of Difficulty

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Video recording isn’t a gigantic aspect of the setting: While the old Caprice material took inspiration from many Cyberpunk tropes, there’s not a lot of focus on the idea of omnipresent surveillance. The use of ‘data-rigs’ to track people is more common in the material.

Terra Novan Gears are described with Omnicameras that provide diverse views across a wide range and the data is synthesized into whatever views the pilot needs, suggesting the Gear’s ONNet and software does quite a lot of image processing ‘on board’ to the Gear. It’s assumed that Frames, Mounts, and so on use something similar.

I’ve heard a rumor that “stable” as part of Caprice’s overall theme might not be around in future rules. It’s already restricted to the 4-legged walkers could be seen as leading to some odd play by modifying the ’economy’ of the faction.

This should be a relatively easy idea to implement, requiring a new Trait (possibly a ‘pseudo trait’ if it totally uses existing rules) and the expected requirements to test and assign value.

Candid Camera

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The idea is simple: Create an upgrade for “Video Feed” (or something more generic) to represent Caprice units taking video.

Thematically for the CorpSec sub-faction the video is propaganda used to validate their efforts. For Invasion forces it’s propaganda and maybe just reselling exciting footage to the home market. For Liberati it’s motivational video for their allies.

The most popular video and trideo programs are the smuggled recordings of Terranovan Gear duels and battles that were brought over by traders and CEF survivors. Terranovan agents, having reported this, are now bringing datachips of victorious battles from the War of the Alliance when they are sent to Caprice. Public broadcast of Gear battles is illegal, but they are common, and wildly popular, in the bars and nightclubs of Gommorrah.
(Life on Caprice, p69)

I’d argue it’s a +1 TV upgrade that gives something similar to the Duelist “Lead by Example” rule:

• Once per round, for each duelist, whenever a duelist damages an enemy model, give one SP to one model in formation with the duelist.
• This SP does not convert to a CP. If not used, this SP is removed during cleanup. (Heavy Gear Blitz 3.1, p43)

A ‘Video Feed" trait doesn’t need much to add to this: I could see it applying to the entire CG (so any CG member in formation can trigger it, but still once per round) including the model that triggered it. If a single ‘camera’ covers the entire CG that would probably raise the cost.

For Caprice I’d probably change this slightly, possibly so even the unit using the rule gets the SP (but they don’t expire) I’d argue the price may even be too high and could be used to help moderate prices on some units (including it on some of the ‘eggs’ clearly built with police work in mind) and making it an option on the more expensive units.

This could be included on some of the “Police” units (Maru, Zikru, etc.) as a basic part of the build and an upgrade to units from the more military-focused options. The Black Talon Field Guide did not incldue this trait on the more military-focused designs like the Ba’alim, Moab, and similar.

It could be argued that the Liberati sub-faction can kind of fake this now with the “Heroes of the Resistance” rule allowing a duelist per combat group, but that includes a bit more at a higher minimum cost.

Thematically it’s not as if the video is being instantly sent to consumers, but simply that being on video encourages the Caprice forces to be more enthusiastic in their efforts.