Most efficient & effective way to control a flock of birds? Options

[Laodicea]

I'm working on a character that I'd like to be able to control a flock(murder) of ravens/crows. These birds are ubiquitous in the Pacific Northwest, and I don't see that changing a lot in the next 60 years. I think they'd make great operational cover.

I'd like to get several things out of it.

1. A high degree of control. Ability to order the flock to attack, retreat, follow, land, inspect, etc.
2. Ability to gather information from the flock. See what is around them, etc.
3. Ability to replace a single lost bird without too much cost or time involved.
4. Flock size 5-20, the bigger the better.



Methods I've thought of:


1. Control Pack spell & Eyes Of The Pack spell - Requires 2 high drain spells & sustaining them.

2. Possession spirits. - I don't really want to do a summoning build, but this could be hybridized with other options to get a high degree of control and performance from the birds.

3. Some kind of tech solution. This is one of my weak points with the rules. I'd appreciate any help here. I think Stirrup interfaces are too expensive to bother putting into a bunch of birds. I could see mounting some cheap sensors on each bird just to be able to see what is happening around it.

4. Training the birds the old fashioned way. Combining this with some other things, like Possession, might do the trick.

[Emperor Tippy]

Do they have to actually be birds or just look like birds?

If they actually have to be birds then you are almost certainly going to want to use magic as the possible tech solutions are way too expensive for too little return.

[Laodicea]

Do they have to actually be birds or just look like birds?

If they actually have to be birds then you are almost certainly going to want to use magic as the possible tech solutions are way too expensive for too little return.

Convincingly looking like birds might be good enough, depending on the cost/benefits.

[WhiskeyJohnny]

Convincingly looking like birds might be good enough, depending on the cost/benefits.

Reskin a bunch of Entertainment Systems Falcon drones (Arsenal, pg. 119) as Corvids?

[Laodicea]

Reskin a bunch of Entertainment Systems Falcon drones (Arsenal, pg. 119) as Corvids?

59k each and the need to take Restricted Gear for each one, because of 16 availability. Way too expensive.

Thank you for the suggestion, though.

[Cabral]

I'm working on a character that I'd like to be able to control a flock(murder) of ravens/crows. These birds are ubiquitous in the Pacific Northwest, and I don't see that changing a lot in the next 60 years. I think they'd make great operational cover.

Have you looked at the Attunement Adept metamagic from Street Magic? Particularly, the sidebar on page 54. It suggests that a GM might allow a group of smaller animals (like a flock of sparrows) as one animal for the metamagic's purpose.

[FuelDrop]

"Even if the rules allow it, I cannot control 20,000 pigeons and use them as flying piranha" - Mr Welch

[Laodicea]

Ok, I think I've decided to go with Animal Training + mounting some sensors onto the birds. Does anyone see a problem with a minidrone sensor going onto a trained bird via some kind of small harness?

[FuelDrop]

Ok, I think I've decided to go with Animal Training + mounting some sensors onto the birds. Does anyone see a problem with a minidrone sensor going onto a trained bird via some kind of small harness?

It's a simple question of weight ratios. a five ounce bird cannot carry a one pound minidrone sensor!

[WhiskeyJohnny]

It's a simple question of weight ratios. a five ounce bird cannot carry a one pound minidrone sensor!

It could be carried by a New Caledonian Crow!

[Cabral]

It's a simple question of weight ratios. a five ounce bird cannot carry a one pound minidrone sensor!

What if two birds carried it together?

[FuelDrop]

What if two birds carried it together?

Nah, they'd have to have it on a line.

[Sid Nitzerglobin]

Nah, they'd have to have it on a line.

They could grasp it by the antenae...

[Manunancy]

Are those african ou euorpean crows.....

but whatever the sort, you're going to have troubles giving the birds anything like a significant offensive potential - the only somewhat effective wy woumd be turning them into suicide bombers. Which can end up in a messy and painful mishap especially if you're trying to train them to attack a synagogue on their own (We are Four Lions is a great film...)

[NiL_FisK_Urd]

You can cyber your crows - i suggest the following package:

Commlink: 2k nY, 0.2E
Cybereyes R1 w/ low-light and magnification: 2.5k nY, 0.2E
Shock Hand: 1k nY, 0.25E
Orientation Goad: 500 nY, 0.1E

Total: 6000 nY, 0.75E for basic cyberware, 3000nY, 0.9E for basic used cyberware. Oh, and the cost of the Commlink that goes into the crow.
-10% each if you can convince your GM to make a cybersuite out of it.

Add this to a warform (p.28, Running Wild) crow with the following modifications:

Attribute Enhancement (AGI)
Attribute Enhancement (REA)
Attribute Enhancement (INT)
Skill Enhancement (Perception)
Skill Enhancement (Unarmed Combat)
Pheromone Coding

The untrained crow will cost 3.8 times its original price. You could also use a Barn Owl (p. 99, Running Wild) warform, and switch "Pheromone Coding" to "Skill Enhancement (Infiltration)" for an infiltration capable critter.

Purchasing these critters fully trained (against instincts) will result in a 20X increase in cost, so training them yourself is advised (p.35, Running Wild). For training and handling, i recommend a possesion based mystic adept with Tailored (Critter) Pheromones R3, Animal Empathy adept power, Animal Empathy PQ, and the control pack spell.

[toturi]

Ally Spirit with Control Animal

[hermit]

I'm working on a character that I'd like to be able to control a flock(murder) of ravens/crows.

Biodrones.

However, given how clever these birds are, you could just train them like dogs or pet monkeys.

[Laodicea]

I realize that the people talking about the bird carrying a minidrone sensor are referencing monty python, but I thought I'd look into the relative sizes anyway.

From AR 102:

Minidrones (Body 1): The size of a large insect or mouse,
minidrones range from 10 to 25 centimeters in length and fi t in
the palm of one’s hand (or a pocket). Th ey receive a Concealability
modifier of –2 (see pp. 301–302, SR4).

This is actually a little smaller than a Raven is. I don't see any problem with a Raven carrying a minidrone sensor.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

I realize that the people talking about the bird carrying a minidrone sensor are referencing monty python, but I thought I'd look into the relative sizes anyway.

From AR 102:

Minidrones (Body 1): The size of a large insect or mouse,
minidrones range from 10 to 25 centimeters in length and fi t in
the palm of one’s hand (or a pocket). Th ey receive a Concealability
modifier of –2 (see pp. 301–302, SR4).

This is actually a little smaller than a Raven is. I don't see any problem with a Raven carrying a minidrone sensor.

RFID Sensor. 1 Capacity - Needs a Signal Upgrade to be sure, but... *shrug*

[Laodicea]

RFID Sensor. 1 Capacity - Needs a Signal Upgrade to be sure, but... *shrug*

But I couldn't run my Tacnet with 1 capacity sensors. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

But I couldn't run my Tacnet with 1 capacity sensors. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Weell, That would be true. *shrug* I Did not realize that was the purpose of this exercise. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Laodicea]

Weell, That would be true. *shrug* I Did not realize that was the purpose of this exercise. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

It wasn't. The moment I realized I could use a Tacnet with a mischief of crows, I literally let out an evil laugh. My wife looked at me funny...