[The Wyrm Ouroboros]

I guess this is one of the advantages to having played through five editions of very-closely-similar rules - you give a pass to the writers not wanting to point out what is (to them and to yourself) an obvious conclusion.  Has this really spawned multiple threads?  I mean, it's like wondering whether or not every metatype has four fingers and a thumb on each hand, or if (for example) trolls have three-and-one.  If it contains 250 rounds, why would the weapon not have consecutive access to all 250 rounds?  I could understand if the ammo bin was described as being in a seperate area, and that after exhausting the ready magazine the thing needed to reload ... but it wasn't.  Soooo ...

*shrugs*

And I don't think clearly defined rules, nor a little civility, is too much to ask for.

I get that you think it's a "stupid bloody question"; that doesn't change the fact that its a topic that's been raised multiple times.

And that, my dear man, is all I have to say on the matter. Good day.

That was me being civil.  But as I said, one can read the rules too closely - or require too much clarity.  Some wiggle room is necessary for every rule and every game, and some things should be left to the GM - or are, apparently, thought to be clear enough as stated that the simple next-step conclusion needn't be spelled out.  I would guess that you're a new player to the game, though, and that you're someone who wants as many potential questions or minor variables ironed out, nailed down, defined specifically within the rules.  In some cases, I'll concede, it makes for a better game, but in a lot of them, it turns a 300 page book into a 500 page tome.

[Sabato Kuroi]

I also think that drones don't need to reload.
But as for firing  different kinds of ammo(if you ve loaded your drone with 200 regular rounds and 50 stick n shock rounds for example), I'd say at least a free action is required.

[MijRai]

I also think that drones don't need to reload.
But as for firing  different kinds of ammo(if you ve loaded your drone with 200 regular rounds and 50 stick n shock rounds for example), I'd say at least a free action is required.

You'd either need to load the ammo in order you want it fired (a GM call), or have an ammo-feed that lets you switch (which was in Arsenal, last I checked).

[tequila]

ArmTech MGL-12..........  Nothing says love like a 3 round burst of HE Grenade to hit something for 32P
Nuff said. 

That is SO true.  Think that's going in my signature.

[Csjarrat]

Just for clarity here are the actual rules:

Weapon mounts: Vehicles may be equipped with a
number of weapon mounts equal to their unaugmented
Body ÷ 3 (round down). Standard weapon mounts may
hold any assault rifle or smaller-sized weapon and 250
rounds of ammo. Heavy weapon mounts count as two
weapon mounts and can hold any weapon and up to 500 rounds of belted ammo or up to Body rockets/missiles.
All weapon mounts are operated remotely and can
target a ninety-degree arc of fire (horizontal and vertical).
Manual operation can be added, but only for vehicles,
not drones, and at extra cost.

Note: this does not say anything regarding modification of weapons, altering of fire modes, changing of clip/cylinder/break action/muzzle loader/internal magazine.
It just doesn't.
The rules are vague and leave things open to interpretation either way and are further muddied by the requirement for belted ammo on the heavy mount.
Does that requirement therefore preclude non-belt fed weapons? so a small mount can make a pistol into a 250 round capacity, but a large mount can't do the same for a sniper rifle?
If so, why? If not, why not?
The rules are vague and for those that use previous precedents from earlier rules, i'm reasonably sure that small mounts in sr4a require belt-capable weapons to utilise the ammo bins, hence everything had 100 round drum mods and dual magazine feed mods to give 200 round capacity for non-belt weapons.
Note i am not stating an opinion here, just presenting facts.
CBA with yet another argument on this topic

[Novocrane]

Does that requirement therefore preclude non-belt fed weapons?

It precludes belt-feeding non belt-fed weapons, if you read into it that way.

so a small mount can make a pistol into a 250 round capacity, but a large mount can't do the same for a sniper rifle?

Take a look at the weapon mount in the core rulebook, page 270. That's a no-frills version of how I imagine standard mounts work.
I'm not going so far as to say it can't reload, but is there any reason it should have a 250 round capacity?

[Csjarrat]

i'm not arguing a case here, wyrm was the one arguing that weapons should have access to all 250 rounds.

  If it contains 250 rounds, why would the weapon not have consecutive access to all 250 rounds?

My point was that SR4a precedent is against this interpretation and the rules are too vague to make a call either way.
I support getting a missions FAQ on this

[The Wyrm Ouroboros]

And yet precedent BEFORE SR4a is FOR that interpretation.  Or I dunno - maybe we just figured, "hey, if you can modify the weapon and mount it and load in the ammo, the thing is gonna be able to load all the ammo into the gun."  Crazy, I guess.

[Csjarrat]

And yet precedent BEFORE SR4a is FOR that interpretation.  Or I dunno - maybe we just figured, "hey, if you can modify the weapon and mount it and load in the ammo, the thing is gonna be able to load all the ammo into the gun."  Crazy, I guess.

You're more than welcome to play it that way, as are other people to play it their way.
Like i said earlier, rules are vague and can be interpreted either way.
Whatever you (op/random reader) decide, check it through with your GM and make a rule for your table to avoid disappointment further down the line

[Reaver]

while I agree with you wyrm, some of the weapons that I have seen loaded into mounts make me shake my head.

A revolver (cause it does more damage!)
A double barrelled shotgun (break action)

Which leaves GMs in an interesting spot. Do you allow all 250 rounds with out a reload action on all mounts? Do you limit it to the gun feed system? (No to break actions and cyclinders, yes to clips, magazines, belts)

There are serious ramifications to both choices.

If you allow access to all the ammo for all weapon types, you in effect turn what could have been a cheap and limited weapon (the break action shotgun for example) to become a relatively powerful one. However, the player IS paying for the drone that the weapon is being mounted on, and has the added possibility of getting that drone destroyed.



FWIW, I just leave the argument to others and let the weapon access the ammo to use as the weapon allows. There are more important things to worry about then just how a fictional part, in a fictional game actually works.

[CanRay]

Drum-Fed AK-97 with an underbelly Bola Launcher. 

[The Wyrm Ouroboros]

I prefer my drum-fed Enfield AS-7 with an underbelly Bolo launcher.  Trust me, nothing makes the opposition crap their pants faster than a 500 kiloton sentient tank.

[Rift_0f_Bladz]

I would agree with the heavier damaging shotguns (AS-7 or AA-16), or the harder night mmg or hmgs (krime wave included even though technically a lmg). The sustained fire of the machine guns or the (bleep) you of full auto wide choke shogun.

[Spooky]

Warm, how many Bolos can you load before taking encumbering weight penalties?

[jim1701]

Shotguns are awesome but I would not put one on a drone.  A Steel Lynx is tough but not that tough and I'd rather keep my drones back as much as possible to make them less of a target to cut down on repair expenses.  That said I'd go with the heaviest MG I could find.  Given the body rating of a Lynx you can add Gas-Vent 3 and a under barrel weight and you have enough RC to fire off a 10 round burst or several consecutive 3 round bursts without penalty.  And of course you always have suppressive fire.