Rigging and agents, Can a agent running in a comlink command a drone Options

[CoyoteNZ]

Ok, never was any good at the (SR4)!hacking and rigging rules, so this has got me confused.

I believe I can have an agent running in a comlink (or nexus etc). While the agent can't jump into a drone, can it control it using command, like a rigger could if it chose to subscribe but not jump into a drone?

It's just that I couldn't figure out how to upgrade the pilot in a rig, but realised I'd get better dice if it was being commanded by a agent in a comlink which had a higher rating that the pilot did.

Thoughts/suggestions..

[Neraph]

Well... Yes and no.

Yes an agent can do that, and it may result in a higher dicepool for controlling the drone, but the Command program would still be limited to the Rating of the Agent who is using it (SR4A, page 234, Payload). In the core rulebook, you'd need to increase the Response of the vehicle like any other device (SR4A, page 222), then buy an improved Pilot program (SR4A, page 330).

If you have Arsenal, there's more rules on page 105 for increasing Pilot rating.

[CoyoteNZ]

Ok, let's see if I have this straight...

If I buy a stock standard S-B Microskimmer pilot 3 (SR4Apg351),
Then buy a stock standard Fairlight Caliban, response 4 (SR4Apg328)
Load it with Novatech Navi, system 4, (SR4Apg328)
Purchase and load Command 4, (SR4Apg330)


Now if I wanted to remote control command it personally, I'd use Command 4 and my Gunnery dice for 4 + gunnery dice.

I think I'm ok up to there.

Now, if instead of commanding it myself, I wanted to have my comlink run an agent and command the drone, could I...

Purchase Agent 4 and place it on my comlink
Have the agent load (as an extra program if I'm still using it) Command 4 purchase Targeting 4 (with SB Micro specs) and have my agent fire it

Then I could command the agent on my comlink to attack a particular group of targets for example, and it would do so using Command 4 + Targeting 4 dice?

That means my comlink would be running agent, command, plus targeting, which is 3 so not to over or degrade my response.

Is this right, or have I gone off the track ?

Yes I realise in this example I would degrade by response when I loaded command to command my agent, but it would come right as soon as I unloaded command afterwards.