[kirk]

Armor makes it restricted, though. I think I'm just in general less willing to put my faith in strategies that amount to "low defenses don't matter if you never get shot at," though.

You're getting Issue Command and Control Device mixed up. Issue Command is used to get drones/vehicles to act autonomously. Control Device is used to remote-control rig, and you really want to be doing this (not JUST this obviously). Issue Command is Command+Skill, and is what makes VR riggers good because you can jack this roll through the roof.

What he said.

Here's the way I've taken to describing it.
Issue command is telling the drone to "go do this" and getting out of the way.
Command+Skill is micromanaging.
Jumping in is "give me the controls."

[Xarin]

Low defenses also matter less if I'm not in the van, which I'm typically not.  If I added armor, it'd probably be concealed, quite frankly, as high obvious armor is the sort of thing that makes you a fire-magnet in the first place.

I see what you mean now on the Control Device action.  Reading through it brings up another fun (semi-related) rule contradiction too.  It gives an example of a drone-mounted rifle using Longarms + Command.  Which isn't actually correct according to the Skills section, which says Gunnery is used for all vehicle-mounted weaponry be it pintle, mount, turret, remote, manual, drone, etc.  So shouldn't that example be: "Gunnery + Command" since it's a drone-mounted weapon?

Speaking of, I'm already sitting at 7 Command + 6 Gunner + 2 tacsoft for 15d6 on all drone-mounted weapons.  Piloting could use a bump though from 8d6.  And it does fit the video-game adoring RP idea.  So I'll see if I can scrounge up the points for it now.  If not, I'll try to save some karma up later I suppose.

[UmaroVI]

If your GM will let you buy it later with karma, it isn't a bad idea.

Concealed armor caps at 10, which is why I like the Roadmaster - it's one of very few ways to get over 10 armor without have visible Restricted stuff.

[Xarin]

If your GM will let you buy it later with karma, it isn't a bad idea.

Concealed armor caps at 10, which is why I like the Roadmaster - it's one of very few ways to get over 10 armor without have visible Restricted stuff.

I'd like to eventually have both, but frankly I need the drone racks more then the extra 9 soak dice (5 dice if I get the concealed armor).  The anthro drones are easy, just open the door and they can climb in and out on thier own.  Flying drones are a bit trickier when they get bigger so I'd rather have the racks for them.  The flyspy can just zip it's tiny butt in through the window and park on a seat until I can get to it.

And it may not be restricted, but it is still extremely obvious heavy armor on a vehicle known for transporting high-value goods.  It's like trying to be a stealthy shadowrunner while driving an armored truck from the bank instead of the FedEx van.  Just doesn't work.  Great in a fight, but fairly useless for anything covert.

[kirk]

May I offer an alternative to both the van and the roadmaster for consideration?

Buy a Rover 2068 (25,000¥) and two CD Doberman drones (2 @ 2200¥).

Give both the Dobermans rigger cocoons - or give one a rigger and the other a cargo container (not listed, dicker with GM using FedBoeing Kull as guide). (1500¥ ea). Also give them Gecko tips (300¥) so they can hang out on the sides of buildings or under bridges while waiting for you.

Until you can afford a drone landing, Jeeves can lift Beanie in and out, and as an anthro can also get itself in and out.

The dobies are for nonstandard entry and backup GTFO machines. One's for you, one's for your drones.

[Xarin]

May I offer an alternative to both the van and the roadmaster for consideration?

Buy a Rover 2068 (25,000¥) and two CD Doberman drones (2 @ 2200¥).

Give both the Dobermans rigger cocoons - or give one a rigger and the other a cargo container (not listed, dicker with GM using FedBoeing Kull as guide). (1500¥ ea). Also give them Gecko tips (300¥) so they can hang out on the sides of buildings or under bridges while waiting for you.

Until you can afford a drone landing, Jeeves can lift Beanie in and out, and as an anthro can also get itself in and out.

The dobies are for nonstandard entry and backup GTFO machines. One's for you, one's for your drones.

It's a neat idea, and I do like the gecko grips in particular, but a rigger cocoon's not so hot for a Pixie since it negates thier flight and Concealment powers completely.  In either case it doesn't help the medium-sized roto drones land anywhere.  (Also, "Beanie" is the van   Mayhaps you mean Plum / Marvin / Eddie? )

Drone landing mods will be a long ways off unless it comes standard on the vehicle, as the Landing versions all require a Facility and that's pricey.  The Hermes is one of a handful that come pre-equiped with a landing-style drone rack.

*edit* As for Code Slinger, I think I'll drop Edge to 2 for the 10 BP to snag it.  Getting Edge back up to 3 is only 15 karma vs the 20 for the quality itself, and I can live with 2 edge for a little while.

[kirk]

Yeah, lost track of the names.  The flight, with dobermans, is immaterial as they fly already. Concealment, yeah.  But again I want to point out that this isn't for on-site. These are your in and out machines. Get you there and land you in a spot not normally accessible. Let you escape by running to ANY opening, even the roof, and leave (faster than you fly) -- with your gear.

Down the road sig mask and concealment.

hmmm. Want a fun trick I pull in a slightly different fashion?  Have your doberman drop you in mid-air as you fly over. Just fall, and catch yourself closer to the ground. Give your team drones gecko tips (I put them on almost everything, i think I keep the company in business by myself) and have them walk/crawl the outside of the building to meet you.

[UmaroVI]

I don't think Dobermans fly. They are dogs.

[Xarin]

Yeah, dobermans are Anthroform walker drones.  Literally: robo-dogs with guns mounted on back.

Thinking of something like putting Gecko tips on a Roto-drone?  Doesn't work.  Gecko Tips only benefit drones with some form of ground propulsion.  And the mods rules don't allow for adding a ground-mode to a flying thing   hmm, though it looks like you might be able to add Lighter than Air to a doberman (blimp-dog!)

All that said, I have thought about getting a Tower drone and adding a rigger cocoon to use as a "command chair" or lazy transportation option, and still use it as a mobile air-drone carrier.  I'm just not super-keen on spending that much on a drone yet.

For future upgrades I'm also looking at boosting the Response and Pilot a little on the drones, making room for running the Stealth program (not to mention just better all-around dice pools).  Maybe just up them to 4 to stay cheap, maybe 5 on key drones like the lead attacker.  Another relatively cheap option is just boosting sensor suites a tad more with affordable extras (thermo, low light, etc) for extra sensory channels and upgrade my tacsoft to 3 or 4.  Helps the entire network, meatbag teammates included.

[kirk]

Yeah, in addition to confusing the names of your drones I've done it with type names as well.

For Doberman above, substitute Dalmation.

Two DALMATIONS with rigger cocoons.

Memory? I think I left it by the bedside table. Or was it at the kitchen sink?

[Xarin]

Heh, that makes more sense.  Alas, you can't put Gecko Grips on a Dalmation as it has no ground propulsion systems.  Still a handy air-taxi though.  Might have to pick one up just for that once the nuyen starts flowing in.  Especially at the lower price tag.

As for the drones names, they're easier to remember if you catch all the refferences

[kirk]

Heh, that makes more sense.  Alas, you can't put Gecko Grips on a Dalmation as it has no ground propulsion systems.  Still a handy air-taxi though.  Might have to pick one up just for that once the nuyen starts flowing in.  Especially at the lower price tag.

As for the drones names, they're easier to remember if you catch all the refferences

"easier".  Allow me to share a true story.

years go, before some here were born, my one year and 19 days younger brother came to visit me at college, shortly before the end of the semester.

I could not introduce him to my roommate, nor vice versa, because i literally blanked on both their names.

Easier may not mean what you think it means.

[Xarin]

I usually do that when I'm trying to remember why I entered a room...

Memory like a steel sieve!

Ok, so on topic: The Dalmation with a cocoon is probably going to be high on the purchase / build list because cheap fast air transport would be really nice to have, and it can park on a rooftop.

Those cheaper smaller sensor bug drones would be spiffy.

A sturdier people-transport option like the roadmaster is up for consideration as well.

A couple backup drones for bigger fights.

After that, probably some upgrades for the drones' hardware.  Also maybe see about getting a spiffier Stealth program with Optimization and Ergonomic to run it on the drones so they don't get pegged by a simple Scan action as easy.

Other suggestions on "things to pick up soon-ish"?

[kirk]

by the way, note the dawnglider. Gecko tips are on the landing pods. It's what gave me the idea.

[UmaroVI]

Another solid option is to take a conestoga vista (yes, it's a bus), slap on Armor 20, and a Concealed Turret with a GE heavy minigun. It is not even a little subtle, but it is (at least if you don't find the turret) only Restricted, and it basically a tank for 70k or so. Not a good idea as your only vehicle, but nice when you need a tank.