[skalchemist]

Trying to work out how drones and weapons mounts work.  It seems that a standard weapon mount can accept any weapon up to an assault rifle, and 250 rounds of ammo for that weapon.  So, questions...

* Are the standard ammo capacities intended to still apply and the drone needs to "reload" in some fashion?  Or is the weapon assumed to be retrofitted such that all 250 rounds of ammo are available?

* Are drones assumed to be able to benefit from things integral laser sights if such things are included with the base weapon (e.g. Yamaha Raiden)?  What about aftermarket laser sights or similar modifications (gas-vent systems)?

* If a weapon has an underbarrel grenade launcher or shotgun (e.g. Yamaha Raiden) is the drone assumed to be able to fire it as well?  If so, how is ammo counted for that?  Can such things be added and assumed to work at no extra cost if the launcher is not integral?

* Does smartgun modification (integral or aftermarket) mean anything in the context of drones?  For example, the +2 AR bonus?

I probably have more, but those will do for now.

[Michael Chandra]

#1 has been argued about for ages, I forget if we ever had any official stance. I'd assume for now there's some internal things in the mount that allow for reloading it, asa player would.

#2 Sure, why not? Drones still use cameras to fire.

#3 You mean, 'is it the same program'? Uhm... Let's just assume yes. XD But a GM might disagree.

#4 In 5e, they eventually came with a program that functioned as smartlink, iirc. So maybe they can't use them yet, since smartguns require smartlinks and drones don't have those. (Then again, you could say 'why can't I install a smartlink in their camera?')

[Stainless Steel Devil Rat]

Pretty much agree with Michael Chandra... but some additional thoughts:

1) it's not very fun for the player to force the controller to continually come manually feed a new belt/clip, despite having a 250 "ammo capacity".  Far easier and I daresay fairer to just figure the weapon mount includes whatever switchers/feeders to keep the gun going remotely.

2) there's no reason they wouldn't.

3) I'd probably say if the underbarrel weapon is intergral (so Raidens, Alphas, yeah those kinds of things) it's reasonable to say the same Targeting Autosoft governs both.  However, it's also reasonable that they don't and you'd need a 2nd Targeting Autosoft for the UBGL.  So YMMV... make sure you know what your GM thinks.  And as far as I'm concerned, if the UBGL is an optional add-on, then absolutely you need a seperate Targeting Autosoft for it.  Either way, the weapon mount only gives ammo capacity for the "primary" weapon: bullets for the rifle. My understanding would be that the UBGL has an ammo capacity of only what it can carry itself; the weapon mount won't add to this.  You want to fire 250 grenades? Then install a grenade launcher, not an UBGL under a rifle.

4) As MC said, you used to have to run a special autosoft for drones to make use of smartgun technology.  They didn't include that this time, and I choose to NOT believe it's change blindness but a deliberate change for streamlining/ease of play.  If it were up to me, just let the smartgun do what it's meant to do without a program tax.  Provided you do bother to install a smartlink vision enhancement onto the drone's sensors, of course...

[skalchemist]

Pretty much agree with Michael Chandra... but some additional thoughts:

1) it's not very fun for the player to force the controller to continually come manually feed a new belt/clip, despite having a 250 "ammo capacity".  Far easier and I daresay fairer to just figure the weapon mount includes whatever switchers/feeders to keep the gun going remotely.

Thanks for the replies.  I hadn't the need for a separate targeting autosoft, but that makes complete sense, even when the additional weapon is integral.  That plus the idea that only the main weapon can reload (see below) means buying a weapon with an integral grenade launcher for a drone is likely a waste of money.

On the reloading, I wasn't thinking in terms of the controller having to reload, more that the "available" ammo came in the same chunks as the listed weapon, and the drone would need to use actions to reload.  But I agree with both of you that is still a bit silly; if you have already modified the gun to be attached to a drone and to be fired by the drone AI, modifying it to take belt or hopper fed ammo seems pretty trivial.

The idea of needing smartlink enhancement on the drone sensors would never have occurred to me.  That's interesting.

[Michael Chandra]

That autosoft was added in another book though, wasn't in SR5 Core, so we don't know if it will come back. Before that book I always went with 'install smartlink in the drone camera and you're good'.

I'd say internal grenade launcher isn't a waste of money. O_O What kind of monster are you that you want to fire that many grenades?!

[Stainless Steel Devil Rat]

I just want to see how big an explosion a drone carrying 250 grenades makes.

[Finstersang]

Pretty much agree with Michael Chandra... but some additional thoughts:

1) it's not very fun for the player to force the controller to continually come manually feed a new belt/clip, despite having a 250 "ammo capacity".  Far easier and I daresay fairer to just figure the weapon mount includes whatever switchers/feeders to keep the gun going remotely.

2) there's no reason they wouldn't.

3) I'd probably say if the underbarrel weapon is intergral (so Raidens, Alphas, yeah those kinds of things) it's reasonable to say the same Targeting Autosoft governs both.  However, it's also reasonable that they don't and you'd need a 2nd Targeting Autosoft for the UBGL.  So YMMV... make sure you know what your GM thinks.  And as far as I'm concerned, if the UBGL is an optional add-on, then absolutely you need a seperate Targeting Autosoft for it.  Either way, the weapon mount only gives ammo capacity for the "primary" weapon: bullets for the rifle. My understanding would be that the UBGL has an ammo capacity of only what it can carry itself; the weapon mount won't add to this.  You want to fire 250 grenades? Then install a grenade launcher, not an UBGL under a rifle.

4) As MC said, you used to have to run a special autosoft for drones to make use of smartgun technology.  They didn't include that this time, and I choose to NOT believe it's change blindness but a deliberate change for streamlining/ease of play.  If it were up to me, just let the smartgun do what it's meant to do without a program tax.  Provided you do bother to install a smartlink vision enhancement onto the drone's sensors, of course...

[irony]
Yeah, can´t wait for Rigger 6.0 coming out in 4-5 years and crippling every Rigger build so far by officially crowning the most punishing answer to every single one of these questions as the new RAW 
[/irony]

[skalchemist]

I'd say internal grenade launcher isn't a waste of money. O_O What kind of monster are you that you want to fire that many grenades?!

It was literally the first idea that came to my mind when contemplating a drone rigger character. 

[Stainless Steel Devil Rat]

Grenade Launchers (and Rockets) were my go-to for 5e, too.  Blast attacks only ever need 3 hits?  Great, I don't have to pay for expensive sensor and pilot upgrades, or giant autosoft ratings now...

Of course that's all obsolete now... 3 hits doesn't guarantee on-target placement anymore in 6we.