Swarm Drones Options

[Socinus]

Im curious if there are any rules regarding taking a group of drones and melding them together into a swarm so they perform better or can cooperate?

[Yerameyahu]

You can let them use a tacnet together (with the right sensors), or send them the same commands as a single action.

[sabs]

just remember, when 30 drones, slaved together, with SnS ammo shoot the poor security guard you're trying to knock unconcious... he's gonna die (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[BishopMcQ]

If you are using microdrones, you could apply the Swarm rules from Running Wild with a few changes.

[Socinus]

I was thinking a pack of Medium flying drones with machine guns attached.

[Epicedion]

I was thinking a pack of Medium flying drones with machine guns attached.

That's less a "swarm" and more an "army."

[CanRay]

Depending on the size, more like a Fire Unit or Platoon than an Army.

I doubt a Company could be used without some major computing power and command issues...

[phlapjack77]

I was thinking a pack of Medium flying drones with machine guns attached.

I think what BishopMcQ said still could apply - this would be a "Mischief" as opposed to a "Swarm", as per Running Wild...

[Socinus]

That's less a "swarm" and more an "army.'

I dont know if I would consider four or five Ford LEBD-1's an army, but I dont know any rules or software that would assist a group of drones in working together.

[Seerow]

I dont know if I would consider four or five Ford LEBD-1's an army, but I dont know any rules or software that would assist a group of drones in working together.

Like someone else already said, TacNet is pretty much the go-to for this. With 5 of them you can get up to 3 bonus dice on pretty much everything combat, as long as they have at least 6 different sensor types each (incidentally exactly what a medium drone comes with standard). Bump it up to 6 and you can get the cap of 4, but they need 8 sensors (which means having to get the improved sensor array upgrade for each drone, eating up upgrade capacity)

[Socinus]

I can see how Tac-Net would come in handy, but just...doesnt seem like enough.

I was thinking something like this:

TACPAC Software
Tactical Persistant Automated Collaboration Software is an advanced version of the TacSoft software designed to enable drones to work together more effectively. The software is installed on a drone (taking one capacity unit) and any drone with the unit becomes part of the group. All members of the swarm gain access to the other's sensor feeds and all are commanded as one unit; they have the same initiative, move in a group, and react as a single entity. All drones in the swarm must have at least one sensor channel to contribute and must have a System rating of at least 3. A minimum of 2 drones must be present and installed with the TACPAC software to gain benefit from it.

A pair of drones receives a +1 bonus for actions while part of the swarm (similar to TacSoft). For every participant equipped with the TACPAC software who is part of the swarm, the bonus increases by 1. The drones communicate with each other wirelessly, however this link can be upgraded to a different type of link (laser, microwave, hardwire, etc etc) for an extra 500.

The controlling rigger can add or remove drones from the swarm to act independently, but this takes a Complex action.

[Dakka Dakka]

Does no one have a problem with the fact that you can only command all drones or one? Am I missing something? For a swarm or army, being able to group individual drones is pretty much necessary IMHO.

[Yerameyahu]

You can control one drone, or any number with the same command. That second one is not 'all', it's just anything from 2 to 'all'. You can also control multiple drones/groups with your multiple actions; even a basic rigger gets 3 IPs.

Socinus, how's that different from tacnet software, besides giving a bigger bonus for fewer sensors?

[sabs]

You can also use upgraded pilot programs with fuzzy logic upgrades, and good software.
Then you can actually use free actions to give drones commands, and they use their pilot+program to do the actions.

[CanRay]

I dont know if I would consider four or five Ford LEBD-1's an army, but I dont know any rules or software that would assist a group of drones in working together.

I though a group of Ford LEBD-1s was a "Murder" of them. Learn something new every day.

As for commanding all the drones with a single command, pretty easy, really. "Shoot the target that's being hit by the designator laser.", done. You could probably do that today with armed UAVs.

[Yerameyahu]

It depends if they're controlled by police or shadowrunners.

[CanRay]

Yera, morally speaking, what's the difference other than one side having a badge?

[Yerameyahu]

I don't understand the question. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Regardless, it's clearly a 'Mischief' for runner-controlled, and a 'Murder' for police-controlled.

[CanRay]

I don't understand the question. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Regardless, it's clearly a 'Mischief' for runner-controlled, and a 'Murder' for police-controlled.

Is there any difference between the Police in Shadowrun, and Shadowrunners themselves? They sell themselves to the highest bidder and try to get the best contracts and reputations possible to get bigger and better deals...

And shoot people in the face for money. Or "Kidnap" people for money (Although the police call it "Arresting".). And so on... Just one has legitimacy and the other doesn't.

It harkens back to the old joke about "The Police is just the world's largest Street Gang.".

Although I will agree on the naming conventions of Drone Swarms. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Yerameyahu]

It's a joke, I meant 'what're morals?' (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Xahn Borealis]

It's a joke, I meant 'what're morals?' (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

We don't have those. Too much encumbrance, you know?

[Modular Man]

Running a tacnet rating four on LEBD-1s is rather easy: Just pack in at least two vision enhancements on one of their cameras, those count as extra sensor channels, too. No need for a houserule in my opinion.

[Whipstitch]

just remember, when 30 drones, slaved together, with SnS ammo shoot the poor security guard shadowrunner you're trying to knock unconcious kill... he's gonna die (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

As a GM, I've done this a few times. One time it took only a half dozen Ferrets. I like to call it the RC Rally of Doom.

[CanRay]

You know, with TacNets, This Old Drone just became that much more dangerous.

[Whipstitch]

Another thing to keep in mind with swarms: They don't necessarily need many bonuses if you've got enough attacks available to start wiping out their Defense pool.