The first nanite materialization system was constructed in early 2013 by Marko Suslovich at MIT as  part of his doctoral work.  It was a large unit when compared with later designs, being a large backpack filled with matter tanks and a portable high voltage power source.  The whole thing was interfaced with a rudimentary Soft AI to aid in the management of the various systems.  The technology involved continually developed during the buildup to and during World War 3, during which time it saw combat deployment with Russian Federation forces under the command of then-Colonel Suslovich.

It was discovered that when combined with atomic matter storage systems and more advanced nanites, the system could be used to store items and quickly reassemble/disassemble them.  The system was adopted by various governments for use in combat situations.  However, the system could work effectively on complex devices such as firearms.

AIs can take control of nanite systems, often using them to form physical avatars for themselves.  These avatars, however, are little more than a collection of nanites, and are not effective in combat.

 

The first stage of equipping someone with the Nanite Materialization System is possibly the most invasive, and it enables them to store enough nanites to be effective and enough matter so that they don’t have to rely on large tanks.  Universal constructors are injected into their bloodstream, which then seek out bone marrow in the legs and arms.  Along with nanites, the injection also contains the initial batch of nanites that form the basis of the user’s enhanced immune system, and the hormones that increase red blood cell production in their other bone marrow.  The universal constructors consume the subject’s bone marrow in their legs, arms, and shoulder blades, breaking it down into its component atoms, lining the interior of their arm and leg bones with carbon fiber to form storage tanks – this also serves to reinforce their bones to counteract the fact that they are now hollow.  The nanites then divide the tanks into separate sub-tanks, using carbon extracted from the bone marrow and subsequent injections to form carbon nanotubes that lead out from the tanks to the user’s skin, concentrating around their hands, ankles, and shoulder blades.  In addition to these concentrated groups of nanotubes, there are tubes scattered over the subjects entire epidermis.  This process takes about a week and requires the subject to stay near an external nanite control unit that is needed to control the operation.  It is often performed with the subject under heavy doses of painkillers, because some subjects have experienced pain as the nanites create the nanotubes.

In the next stage, the neural implant is implanted in the primary motor cortex, with nanosurgery being used to form the microwire contacts that work their way into the surface of the cortex.  After confirmation of successful brain/computer contact has been made with the implant, the nanites begin to mesh the visual implant onto the primary visual cortex, allowing it to input the data that leads to the user having their heads-up display.

Once this is completed, the subject is paired with their Class VI AI partner and begins to undergo the extensive training needed to operate the system.  In the case of recipients of the system who are members of the CEC (or have received special dispensation to receive the system), they receive additional nanosurgery augmentations (“nanoaugmentations”) during their training.  These augmentations listed below.

• HUD -Installed during initial surgery, activated on the first day of training.
• Biomonitor – One week into training.
• Regenerative Implant – Two weeks into training.
• Comlink, Subcutaneous – Three weeks into training.
• Glide Systems – Four months into training.
• Move By Wire System – Six months into training.

Users of full-scale NMS often supplement their normal diet with supplements for materials not commonly found in food, as this allows them to not rely on scavenging materials when they are needed.  Someone equipped with an NMS can actually eat and digest inorganic compounds, although they gain no nutrition from doing so.

Combat usage of the full-scale NMS is actually rather limited, at least in a direct sense.  While high-speed materialization is feasible, the raw materials involved limit usage to armor, melee weapons, and repairs.  Most other combat usages of the NMS are actually non-materialization uses – the nanites can be used for more than just building things after all.  Enemy armor can be weakened, at least in small areas.  Systems can be interfaced with using the nanites and then hacked.  However, some direct combat applications for the system and the associated training have been found, and are listed on the Nanite Abilities page.

 

LIMITATIONS OF NANITE SYSTEMS (AKA “The Jessica Rule”)

The GM has the final say on what can and cannot be done with the nanite systems.

WHAT YOU CANNOT DO

• Convert materials from one element to another or change a material from one form to another (along the lines of making carbon nanotubes or graphite from diamonds and vice versa).  While this can be done on an industrial scale (at great expense), the equipment in the NMS is not capable of this.  You cannot rearrange matter on a subatomic or atomic scale.  The nanites in the NMS work on a molecular level.
• Create Bullets.  This is mainly for balance purposes.  While in theory you can use Disassemble/Reassemble to store bullets in your matter tanks, you can’t just randomly walk around making bullets.  Otherwise ammo concerns go out the window.
• Synthesize chemical weapons.  While the system can sort of do this, you would expose yourself to the chemical agent.  Also, this is illegal, and there are protocols in the system’s programming to prevent you from doing this.  Circumvention of the protocols is a Class-B offense punishable by jail time and dishonorable discharge.  Use of chemical weapons is a Class-A offense, punishable by life in prison and possible capital punishment.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

• Convert bullets from one type to another (within the same size.  pistol to pistol, rifle to rifle, etc).  For example, you could convert a single TAAF standard caseless pistol round to a 7.62mm Caseless round used by a VAG-73.  Converting to a non-caseless round requires the addition of materials to serve as a case for the propellant (brass, steel, or aluminum work best).  It takes 2 rounds to convert a bullet.

WHY IS THIS CALLED “THE JESSICA RULE”
One of the people who has helped me test the CEC Nanotech stuff goes by the moniker of “Jessica” and is (in)famous for coming up with crazy ideas on how to use the NMS systems. These crazy ideas included destroying DeBeers’s hold on the diamond market, the creation of chemical weapons on the fly, manufacturing diamond-tipped bullets, making helmet faceplates out of diamonds, and converting bullets from one type to another. Obviously, most of those ideas fall into the ‘no’ category, but that last one is allowed.