 Drone Rigger, A player needs help and ideas... |
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 Sep 16 2003, 04:08 PM
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#1
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Target  Group: Members Posts: 46 Joined: 16-August 03 From: Dallas, TX Member No.: 5,494  |
Well, my group and I are about to start playing Shadowrun again, after four or five years of leaving it be... Now, I have mostly experience as a GM in Shadowrun, and that was 1st and 2nd editions. Now, I am going to be a player in this new game, and I've decided to go with a rigger.
Basic Idea I have going is this was a former Corp rigger, maybe a Security Rigger, who finds himself on the streets after his minor corp was "eliminated" by the competition. So, he ends up running the shadows. The basic idea I have behind this is that he has a nice armored van, with an integrated RC deck, and maybe a spare one that is non integrated in case he needs to go on the run. Unfortunately, I'm still reading the rules on drone rigging, and don't have them all down yet. But I figured, while I'm reading them, I'd ask you great folks for any ideas on building and creating a rigger with a security/drone background. What ware would you grab? what contacts? What drones, vehicles, and weapons, and why? Basically, I am looking for small bits of Insiration that I can combine and make him work well with my team, and make the others sit up and say wow! *grins* I always did like to be a little flashy. Thanks for any help. |
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Sep 16 2003, 04:26 PM
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#2
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Target Group: Members Posts: 40 Joined: 17-July 03 Member No.: 4,962 |
You can't go wrong with the Bulldog Step van, security model. Nice, armored, lots of space.
Before we get any further, do you have a Rigger 3 book? |
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Sep 16 2003, 04:55 PM
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#3
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Dragon Group: Members Posts: 4,138 Joined: 10-June 03 From: Tennessee Member No.: 4,706 |
This is the van that I love, as well. The beautiful thing about it is that it is armored and everyone expects it to be (so none of those cops do double takes when they notice an armored delivery van). As far as ware goes, get a VCR-2 (with a reflex trigger if you want to double as a decker, you might even go with a VCR-3 if you're not doing double duty but I generally don't) and a datajack. You might also want to get a smartlink (probably II). That pretty much takes care of you, as far as what you really need. Rigger 3 has all sorts of neat tricks for you to add to your vehicle (PV paint, morphing licence plate, transponder library, oil slick, etc) to make it a good get-away vehicle. I usually also upgrade the sensors to some ungodly level to make its use as a surveillance van that much better. For drones, you can't go wrong with a Condor (upgraded sensors, fiddle with the transponder to make it appear like a weather balloon), a spider drone (for internal infiltration), and a doberman (two weapon mounts). One of the best weapons to mount is the Ares MP-LMG (from Cannon Companion) because it has an integral gas vent II, saving you from having to buy those points in recoil compensators. If you're going to do security work, you'll also need some of the tech toys from Rigger 3 to break into CCSS systems and MIJI other people's drones. |
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Sep 16 2003, 09:24 PM
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#4
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Target Group: Members Posts: 46 Joined: 16-August 03 From: Dallas, TX Member No.: 5,494 |
Yeah, I just recently got the Rigger 3 revised book, and I can say that it is driving me wild. I love this stuff. I seem to be picking up the basics pretty quick. It's pretty fascinating stuff. I can see that the Security Model is nice, but is that avail a little high for a starting char? What is the availability limit for a starting rigger?
Anyways, thanks for all the help. |
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Sep 16 2003, 10:42 PM
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#5
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Dragon Group: Members Posts: 4,138 Joined: 10-June 03 From: Tennessee Member No.: 4,706 |
Your availability limit is generally 8 with all starting ratings capped at 6. The van is only availability 3 in my printing.
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Sep 16 2003, 10:53 PM
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#6
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 614 Joined: 17-June 03 From: A safehouse about to be compromised by ninjas Member No.: 4,754 |
Its not something you have to flat out decide, but *deinfatly* give some thought to how youll actually be playing, and how you integrate with the team. For example:
If you plan on using drones a lot, youll need to sink a fair bit into buying and upgrading them enough to be quite capable and survivable. Youll also need to dump a chunk o change into a decent deck. You wont be driving the team around, or be playing wheel man, but youll bring a lot to the table for survellance and cover fire. Smartlink is useless because it doesnt work on drones, but Battletac comes into its own. Conversly, if the team expects you to be the getaway driver, youll need a fast manuverable vehicle with space for everyone, their gear, and the extraction target (as opposed to the non-descript van parked 3 blocks down). Youll also need the means or skills to change the plates and paint at least occasionally, since youll be hiding from the Star. Youll want a VCR as high as you can, since youll be using it a lot, and the team will literally be all in one basket. Deciding whether or not to use guns is another consideration, hard to shoot and drive, and also hard to conceal.. but powerful. Those are just two more extreme examples of how a rigger can play out. If you dont consider stuff like this first, youll get a character either too spread out to be effective anywhere, or a guy stuck doing something that doesnt fit with the team (like no getaway ability when the other 4 guys at the table demand it, or something). |
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Sep 16 2003, 11:07 PM
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#7
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 316 Joined: 18-July 03 Member No.: 4,963 |
I can't ever remember seeing the rule about smartlinks not working with drones. Could you go into a bit more detail on whatever rule you're reading that from? I can't seem to find it and it would make a very noticable difference in my game and others. So far, I've found Pg 27-28 of Rigger 3 that talks about Smartlinks and vehicles, then the section on Smartlink Intergration on pg 139 of the same book, neither reference stating flat out(as far as I can see) that Smartlink's don't work with drones. |
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Sep 17 2003, 12:11 AM
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#8
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Target Group: Members Posts: 46 Joined: 16-August 03 From: Dallas, TX Member No.: 5,494 |
There is actually going to be a second rigger in the group...He was telling me he was going to play it pretty basic, as the getaway type. So, I figured I'd focus more on Drones, and Security.
As for the Bulldog, in my version of R3-Revised, it shows the regular to be avail 2, and the Security version to be avail 9. |
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Sep 17 2003, 01:52 AM
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#9
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Target Group: Members Posts: 40 Joined: 17-July 03 Member No.: 4,962 |
Oh... um... well...
That's a change in the Revised. Mines an original Fasa, and it says 3... So... get a bulldog and use concealed armor on it! :D |
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Sep 17 2003, 03:26 AM
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#10
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Dragon Group: Members Posts: 4,138 Joined: 10-June 03 From: Tennessee Member No.: 4,706 |
You can always just buy the regular version and upgrade it to armor 5 ;)
If there are a lot of changes like that, I might have to spring for the new book to be able to rig legally/effectively. Out of curiosity, what're the availabilities of the Doberman and Steel Lynx? |
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Sep 17 2003, 04:44 AM
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#11
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Target Group: Members Posts: 46 Joined: 16-August 03 From: Dallas, TX Member No.: 5,494 |
Both the Doberman and the SLynx are at 8 Avail.
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Sep 17 2003, 05:31 AM
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#12
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 614 Joined: 17-June 03 From: A safehouse about to be compromised by ninjas Member No.: 4,754 |
Smartlink wont work with a drone because you cant run a cord from you to the drone most of the time. Theres no rule about it, its not impossible to link yourself physically to the drone in most situations. With Gunnary the rules say its possible to just run a cord from your seat to the actual gun mounting, so youre okay there, but the nature of drones kinda pulls the plug so to speak on smartlink. Increasing a drones pilot and sensor ratings is usually enough to hit things.
If youre going to go the drone route, I highly reccoment the mini-blimp drone mentioned above. The sig 10 is great for recon, and the more expensive model also has solar panels for unlimited (i think) daytime flight. Doberman is a good ground drone thats not as obvious or unweidly as the lynx. So is the ferret, with its great pilot/sensor values, if you need a perimiter scout drone. |
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Sep 17 2003, 07:48 AM
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#13
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Samurai Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 574 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Lancashire,UK Member No.: 169 |
You might not have a cable linking you to the drone, but you do have a high quality, high speed comms network that's capable of sending much more data than that needed for a smartgun IMO. I can't see any reason why smartlinks don't work on drones, they aren't treated any differently in the rules than any other vehicle.
I agree about the mini-blimps, the condor series are the best recon drones available, also fit a pop-up micro turret with a rifle and they make an excellent sniper platform. I also like to fit a shotgun and/or laser microphone to my mini-blimps to give even better surveillance. The shotgun mike can pick voices out of a crowd, the laser mike in especially useful as you can try to listen in to conversations inside moving cars. I also like to use rotor drones, the MCT-Nissan is very customisable and small enough to go inside buildings, fit 5 points of armour and it's virtually immune to small arms fire except for AV rounds. For a command vehicle, I actually prefer the Ares Roadmaster, with 5 points of concealed armour fitted it's still got 65CF of cargo space left for customisation. |
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Sep 17 2003, 12:13 PM
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#14
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Dragon Group: Members Posts: 4,138 Joined: 10-June 03 From: Tennessee Member No.: 4,706 |
In the games I've played in, this is what we call an "escalation". We don't do this because then we'll have to deal with the NPCs doing this, and the game rapidly stops being much fun. As far as the smartlink goes... You are able to substitue the VCR in for the simsense rig and other components, and the rig is a much higher bandwidth connection than the limited rig the smartlink normally requires. If the link is powerful enough that you take damage across it, it should be powerful enough to handle the smarlink signal, as well. Only when you are "in" the drone, though. |
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Sep 17 2003, 12:47 PM
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#15
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Samurai Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 574 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Lancashire,UK Member No.: 169 |
You could say the same thing about sniper/sports rifles in general. I always GM, rather than play, Shadowrun and I do allow my players to use sniper fire without starting an arms race. Having said that, any time that my player have got themselves cornered by a spec-ops / Swat team I've had them try to deploy their own snipers around the players' position. I don't have a problem with 'fire support' sniping, but I would have Lone Star start a massive manhunt if the players used purely sniping methods to assassinate a target, especially in light of recent events in Washington. I guess Saintgrimm should probably check with his GM though before arming recon drones, in case his GM has a different opinion then me. |
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Sep 17 2003, 05:59 PM
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#16
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panda! Group: Members Posts: 10,331 Joined: 8-March 02 From: north of central europe Member No.: 2,242 |
"hmm, condor on radar sir, and optics shows it sporting a sniper rifle. shit, its aiming for the exec leaving the building! yes sir, fireing missile. drone destroyed, tell pr department to stand by for cleanup"
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