Motorized Patriot



"The MOTORIZED PATRIOT is a testament to the technical prowess and power of Columbia."

- Fink Manufacturing advertisement "My aim is true, as my eye is the Prophet's!"

- Motorized Patriot battle quote

The Motorized Patriot is an automaton built in Columbia to the likeness of a major figure in American history, and is a part of the "Heavy Hitters" class of enemies in BioShock Infinite.

Overview
The Motorized Patriots were originally built to be tour guides for the city of Columbia, representing the clear system of beliefs of The Founders. With the war between factions, they were reprogrammed by different factions to be destructive foes. Donning American flags with its ruined presidential facade and shouting propaganda, this clockwork enemy is unwavering and brutal. Ken Levine, co-founder of Irrational Games says, "Unlike most of the enemies, he's completely fearless. He doesn't have a sense of self-preservation, so he'll just keep coming at you and coming at you." As the player deals damage to the Motorized Patriot, the porcelain-like rubber Washington mask will fall off, revealing the skeleton-like metal and wooden frame behind the mask.

The player first encounters the Motorized Patriots in a non-combat situation within the Hall of Heroes, similar to the Hall of Presidents in Disney World. Later on the player will be forced to fight them. Unlike other enemies encountered in the game, the Motorized Patriots lack a self-preservation instinct, so they never seek cover under the player's fire. They also tend to be slow turning, giving the player the advantage of being able to outmaneuver and outflank them. The Patriots all share the same vulnerability, which is the protruding gears in their backs. However, despite their seemingly slow and cumbersome appearance, the Motorized Patriots are well equipped to fight on or against enemies on the Sky-Lines. Additionally, the Motorized patriots' lights work exactly like the big daddies' helmets in BioShock except that they only have to spot the player to become hostile. After taking some damage, the Motorized Patriots will charge if Booker is within a certain distance and deliver a melee attack.

The Motorized Patriot has three varieties of its skin: a cracked porcelain George Washington mask, an Abraham Lincoln devil mask with a complete change of clothing used by the Vox Populi and the final representing Zachary Hale Comstock in a Confederate-style dress uniform. Beyond these, George Washington variants can be brought through tears. These friendly Patriots have green lights instead of red, and fly normal American flags in place of Columbian ones. This is the only ocassion where Motorized Patriots sport green lights.

Behavior
The developers simply defined the Motorized Patriot as "completely fearless" and "will keep coming". In-game, the Motorized Patriot is exactly that, choosing to relentlessly charge forward with its pepper-mill blazing rather than attempting to take cover, stopping only to reload its gun. If attacked from up close, it will attempt to bash its assailent with its Pepper-Mill Gatling Gun, throwing them back several feet. When firing, the Motorized Patriot's speed is slowed down to a sluggish walk, but when it stops firing (such as when Booker is out of sight or behind cover), it picks up the pace and sprints forward with loud, metallic stomps. Despite its mass and lack of grace, the Motorized Patriot can also leap over gaps and small barriers.

Weapon
The Motorized Patriot features a new heavy weapon, the Pepper-Mill Gatling Gun, known simply as the Crankgun in-game. The Pepper-Mill is usable by the player character, Booker DeWitt, though, outside of rare environment tears, they are only be found on the Motorized Patriot. It can carry 200 rounds, and has 100 bullets in each magazine.

Strategy

 * With sufficient shield (5 infusions or more) directly confronting them with a Crank Gun will often work. The Patriot will shoot at you, but because of your shield you will keep the upper hand, killing the patriot in about 50 shots. This way, you also get your bullets back.
 * At range, a sniper rifle is optimal for engaging the Motorized Patriot (given sufficient cover). The player could safely headshot the Motorized Patriot (headshots are still critical hits) during the breaks in the Pepper Mill's fire.
 * The player should avoid staying behind cover too long, as the Patriot may decide to sprint toward the player if out of sight for too long
 * Shock Jockey and the shotgun make a superb combination against the Patriot. Due to Shock Jockey's low Salt consumption, the player can simply disable the Patriot, fire at its gears, and repeat when the Patriot snaps out of the shock.
 * If one has Electric Punch, it is possible to continiously punch a Motorized Patriot and them never fight back as the gear immobilizes them much like Shock Jockey.  This is especially useful if one has Executioner.

Attacking

 * The Lord judges, I act.
 * For Fatherland.
 * For the glory of Columbia!
 * Reap what you sow.
 * My aim is true, as my eye is the Prophet's.
 * Vengeance is mine, saith the Prophet.
 * Rejoice, for death has no sting.
 * Mercy belongs to the Lord.
 * We hold these truths to be self evident.
 * He gives me His vision, but not his heart.
 * What is anarchy if not a knife in the back of our Prophet?
 * The Tree of Liberty must be watered with blood!
 * HEATHEN!
 * How can we escape if we refuse salvation?
 * For Faith!
 * You shall not escape His judgments!
 * What is a life compared to a fate?
 * But Men had let their Eden become corrupted by the children of Ham!
 * Do not mistake compassion for wisdom; only God's mercy is pure!
 * Our enemies mistake the patient for the humble!
 * WE ARE THE SAVED!
 * Fear not apprehension! Fear Judgement!
 * The seed of the prophet shall sit the throne and bathe in flame the mountains of man!
 * There is nothing to envy, for there is nothing to hide.
 * We all sit under the watchful eye of the prophet.
 * Strike down the heathen with great force, so that he may act as a caution to all the wayward nations of men.
 * The prophet is not without mercy.
 * Those who sow discord are no better than the great apostate, the cause of the nation's great fall.

Abraham Lincoln Variant

 * Red...is the price of liberty.
 * For Fitzroy!
 * For Daisy!
 * The revolution is at hand.
 * The false prophet will fall.
 * Our cause is just.
 * Hide because the world is no longer yours.
 * United by rage, bound by blood.
 * Empty the jailhouses, burn down the mansions!
 * The farm is now run by the pigs!
 * If they will not have us in their city, then there shall be no city!
 * Remember Finkton!
 * Remember the martyrs of our cause! Remember Booker DeWitt!
 * Farmer, flee your farm, for it belongs now to your cattle! [Reference to Animal Farm]
 * A Prophet who loves not all his people is as cruel as a mother who loves not all her sons.
 * A Prophet for some, is a Prophet for none!
 * We are the sycthe!
 * The master fears nothing but the lash.
 * The old order must burn for the new order to grow.
 * Warn the others that the mighty have fallen!

Comstock variant

 * Mercy belongs to The Lord.
 * The Lord judges, I act.
 * Reap what you sow.
 * For Fink!

Tour variants

 * To rare is the man who takes a stand, for God and sweetest fatherland. But heres the place we revere, the heroes of our city dear.
 * Against savage man and foreign horde, 'tis Comstock who takes up the sword. He puts himself in way of danger, between Columbia and barbarous stranger.

When Player is hiding

 * The innocent have nothing to hide.
 * There is nothing to envy, for the Prophet shall provide!

When Possessed

 * For family!

Seeing the Player Run

 * Why would you run if you were not guilty?

Behind the Scenes

 * As stated by Nate Wells, art Director at Irrational Games: "...I came up with this idea of this creepily, motorized- like Hall of Presidents animatronic George Washington. It was specifically the face. Specifically, this weird-like porcelain child doll's, you know, poor rendering of George Washington. That kind of clinched it".
 * Originally, the Motorized Patriot evolved from the concept of the Automatic Gentleman. The initial idea was inspired by 20th century fascination with exploring technology into the field of early robotics and complicated machinery, which Irrational Games felt that for Columbia, they would consider their scientific hive-mind imagination to create a servant for the society. As Nate Wells mentions, "There's this fantasy that people of the time wanted these automatons to do things for them. We don't start with a gun. We set the vibe first." Eventually, multiple concepts of the Motorized Patriot's appearance and its Pepper-Mill weapon were conceptualized before being finalized, such as one version had a small altered version of the Pepper-Mill attached to its torso, another had its upper torso mounted on a wheeled platform, and another version was modeled after Abraham Lincoln, bearing his signature "stovepipe" hat.
 * Ken Levine mentioned that the idea for the cracked porcelain face was a reminiscent of his mother's doll from the 1900s that was displayed in his childhood home, which disturbed him, even giving him nightmares; one where the doll flopped its head around on its own, and a follow-up dream where it killed his mom.
 * In the Art of BioShock Infinite, Concepts for the Motorized Patriots as Benjamin Franklin and an unused Thomas Jefferson would have been more distinct from the George Washington version. Both had concepts for their own distinct damaged faces, such as Franklin having no glasses, and the right side of the face and eye missing. Jefferson would have had missing eyes, a broken jaw, no face, and burned hair. In addition, both would have worn their own variant colored coats (purple for Franklin and green for Jefferson), similar to those seen on the Founding Father balloons.
 * Although a Motorized Patriot of Thomas Jefferson was not seen in the game, its mask still exists in both levels of Comstock House and The Hand of The Prophet, either worn by enemies, or on piles of other Motorized Patriot masks and heads.
 * Before Booker is baptized, there is a basket of toys containing a miniature toy patriot.