[metalslvg]

Hello!

I'm a new player to SR and I have been using Chummer to create a character based on the Mercenary Rigger Archetype by UmaroVI. I won't bother copying all the stats in here. I have one question with regards to a concept I would like to implement. I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this thread, but I'll leave that up to moderators if they would like to move it.

Can a rigger/hacker hack into a building (with medium security) upload a pirated copy of the TacSoft and then subscribe the building into his TacNet? I would assume that a medium security building would have a vast array of sensors and if you gave them the right access to the TacNet you would be able to get the most out of it.

I only ask because the group I will be in has only 3 PCs and the GM. We need to cover a variety of skills and at present we have a Troll Tank, who probably won't be useful on the TacNet due to lack of tech, and a wizard that won't have the ability to join the network either. That leaves it to me and my drones.

Thanks in advance for any response to this question.

[Csjarrat]

as far as i'm aware, stuff like helmet cams, radar sensors and the like all count as sensors. so long as the other guys have plenty of techy sensors attached and running through their commlink they should be fine to join the network.
drone sensors can also be used i believe

[bmoham]

I'm not getting why you would want to. If you're trying to get up to 6 members, I think you would be better off buying a drone, or loading up the troll with sensors he can use (you probably want the troll in your tacnet, even if you need to loan him some gear to join up) and the mage with cheap sensors he doesn't need - you can get 8 sensor channels with under 500 nuyen. Or just buy more drones.

[grumble]

A sensor could be slaved to a comlink as needed i imagine......
If it's in the right viewing location and the right type of sensor, it can add to a TacNet rating.

[Orvich]

They have good points, but it would still be worth it to try and slave a building central node to your tacnet. Not necessarily because of mechanical/sensor-feed reasons, but because you now all know what's going on in the entire building, semi-intuitively via the tacsoft. If the building has cruddy enough security to allow you to do this, you can give yourself a MASSIVE tactical advantage.

[metalslvg]

I'll definitely get the Troll and Mage on the TacNet. I was just thinking about the benefits of having the building you're infiltrating as part of the network, too. I would imagine that even a low-tech building with a basic security system would have enough sensor channels to join the TacNet.

Next question, if you have your vehicle equipped with a remote, flexible turret (for artillery support w/ pepper punch grenades) and give it the right sensor channel requirements, it would be a valid member of the TacNet correct?

I'm just wondering because it seems quite easy for a single PC to have their vehicle, even one drone and, of course, themselves and get some decent bonuses with low rating TacSoft if they get the 'enemy' building on their side.

Maybe not enough to write home about, but enough to give a semi-jack of all trades character a reasonable bonus.

[grumble]

The rules i've read only cover other characters as valid members of a TacNet.
But there may be some seperate bonus values to gather from rigger/drone  tactics.....

[bmoham]

I'll definitely get the Troll and Mage on the TacNet. I was just thinking about the benefits of having the building you're infiltrating as part of the network, too. I would imagine that even a low-tech building with a basic security system would have enough sensor channels to join the TacNet.

Next question, if you have your vehicle equipped with a remote, flexible turret (for artillery support w/ pepper punch grenades) and give it the right sensor channel requirements, it would be a valid member of the TacNet correct?

I'm just wondering because it seems quite easy for a single PC to have their vehicle, even one drone and, of course, themselves and get some decent bonuses with low rating TacSoft if they get the 'enemy' building on their side.

Maybe not enough to write home about, but enough to give a semi-jack of all trades character a reasonable bonus.

I think you can feed the building sensors to the tacnet without actually having it be a member of the network. Same with vehicles (that don't have a pilot rating). Keep in mind that if the building is part of the tacnet then it (and probably any automated security it controls) gets all of your sensors and the tacnet bonus. It would be a really crappy trade, I think. Which isn't to say that loading up building schematics, sensors, etc into your tacnet isn't a good idea. But if it's possible to to consider the building a single entity for the purposes of the tacnet (which I'm not sure it is) then that entity would probably benefit from being inside your network.

But yes a rigger and a couple of drones could make their own tacnet.

[grumble]

Do you get the same bonus ratings or, do drones have their own unique TacNet benefit?

like multiple drones giving a dice bonus...

[Orvich]

I like it run like this:

If a drone is participating in combat directly, it can act as a member of a TacNet, provided it has enough sensory feeds. This is your ol' gun drone.

If a drone is not participating in combat directly, it can add sensory feeds to a character it is linked to, probably the rigger. This is your flyspy and vehicles. You can limit this by the sensor rating of that drone, regardless of how many actual sensory feeds it has, if you want.

[metalslvg]

Let's pretend for the sake of argument that a building, as a single entity, can be a valid member of a TacNet. It would grant the other members use of it's sensors, which would be an advantage against any enemy inside the building because the building can only be a member of one TacNet at a time. So, if you are able to add it to your network, then it would be irrelevant that it would also get the benefit of your own sensors as it isn't feeding that info to the enemy. 

Is that correct, and what sort of hacking checks would be needed to acheive this? 

EDIT: When talking about a member of a TacNet, I would agree that there are two types: Firstly, a member (that get's a DP bonus from the TacNet) would be an entity that could act on info given by the network. Secondly, a contributor (that doesn't get any DP bonus) would be an entity that grants the members the benefits of their sensory input.

[grumble]

109th post. 


It could be argued that a group TacNet and a seperate sensor array can't coexist on the same Net. At least not give each other a added dice pool at all.

[metalslvg]

It seems that every second thread I read over here is about drones and TacNets! 

Lucky this ones about BUILDINGS and TacNets  haha

The whole concept of this started when I read this:

"Tactical softs can also take advantage of auxiliary input, such as floor plans or mapsofts, GPS positioning via commlink, sensor software (see p. 60, Arsenal), or external sensor feeds that
are patched into the network. Team members with biomonitors can also feed that data to the network, allowing their teammates to remotely check their health and vital signs. Spiders are particularly valuable to tactical networks, as they can plug in data from their rigged security systems, giving team members access to interior sensors and possibly even building controls (if the rigger allows it—most will not, preferring to exercise control over their domain)."

I realise, now, that the building wouldn't be a member as far as the TacNet is concerned to give bonuses to, meet qualifications to join the TacNet etc. However, what I'm wondering about is how would one go about adding the sensors of the building to the TacNet without having the building gain the same benefit. My character is playing a hacker, and I have limited experience with playing SR. 

[Csjarrat]

Well your hacker would just Cherry pick which sensors to donate to the tacnet, and the data would flow from the cameras for example.
You could also upload the floor plans from the building's systems into the tacnet.
This doesnt mean the building is getting any benefit, its just contributing as a sensor suite.
Other hackers could track where that data was going to and pinpoint your team, but unless you upload a version of the tacnet to the building computers, it isnt a true member, just a sensor donor