Simulating High Altitude Drone Strikes, Death from above Options

[AppliedCheese]

So, every now and again the headlines come back on about drone strikes in Pakistan. Which got me to thinking:

We have precision strike capable drone aircraft in present day, no 6th world involved. They are relatively cheap according to wiki: $4.5M for a predator. They can can hang on station for 30+ hours. They fly high enough and far enough away to be unspottable by the naked eye and unheard. They already have cameras capable of resolution that allow the decision makers to see if people are carrying guns (though not too much detail, or else the misdrops on a border patrol wouldn't have happened). They carry missiles that can engage from a dozen kilometers or more , and some models carry GPS directed bombs. In short, a pretty ideal and comparatively cheap weapon for conducting precision strikes against small groups of terrorists or other people who don't have an integrated air force and air defense network.

People, coincidentally, a lot like shadowrunners. I'm thinking this would be a valuable tool in the mega's arsenal, for either those times when they've said "screw collateral damage" or can lure the runners away from where a strike would have many negative consequences. Depending on the level of precision (according to wiki, current models can put a hellfire through a window if given the conditions, and will reliably hit vehicles), there are probably some urban areas acceptable to. Will anyone ask too many questions if there's an explosion in the deep barrens?

Of course, not so much for the runners, because someone is going to wonder what the drone is doing in their airspace, and it needs a satellite band for long range ops...

So, for a lot of these double crosses, deliberate team take outs, basically those times when you need runners dead, and would usually send an HTR, or try to have an on site ambush in the woods or what not...send a few missiles and bombs form the impunity of 50,000 feet. Even if they cost 15-30k nuyen a piece, getting even one HTR guy thwacked costs a lot more.

So, how do you simulate this? I think the reaosnable design goal should be 50-75% of the team on site killed, with follow on strikes finishing the survivors.