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Lilt
I really am a bitch for long multiple-point posts but anyway:

1) If a character is rigging an FDDM-reciever-equipped vehicle/drone, can he shoot a weapon on the vehicle and have the AI pilot of the vehicle/drone spot for indirect fire? What about the other way round? Does it matter if the character is remotely piloting the vehicle or must they be present?

2) To take Advantage of a BattleTac Network; Does the drone also need to mount a BattleTac Reciever Unit or would the FDDM and IVIS systems do the job?

3) Autosoft interpretation systems say that the system's processing power and memory is equal to Pilot *2. Does this mean that a rating 5 pilot would only be able to use autosofts of under 10MP or does MP rating not matter?

4) Could a large anthroform carry and use an assault cannon that had been modified for it?

5) Would a drone pilot firing a smartlink-equipped remote turret weapon gain the TN bonuses? What about the smartgoggle-level -1 to TN?

6) Is it useful for a drone to have both a pilot and an autopilot?

I think that's it. I've just never really done the vehicle rules before.
grendel
QUOTE
1) If a character is rigging an FDDM-reciever-equipped vehicle/drone, can he shoot a weapon on the vehicle and have the AI pilot of the vehicle/drone spot for indirect fire? What about the other way round? Does it matter if the character is remotely piloting the vehicle or must they be present?


Yes, the drone can spot. The drone's pilot functions as the skill dice for reflected energy designators, while it's sensors serve as information guided dice. A character can spot for a drone that is firing indirectly as well. It makes no difference if the character is remotely piloting the vehicle, or if they are physically present. Remember, though, that spotters suffer a +2 modifier to all actions while they are spotting for indirect fire.

QUOTE
2) To take Advantage of a BattleTac Network; Does the drone also need to mount a BattleTac Reciever Unit or would the FDDM and IVIS systems do the job?


For a drone network to be able to spot and target remotely, it must be equipped with BattleTac FDDM and IVIS modules. If the network wants to incorporate dismounted personnel into the BattleTac network, then at least one BattleTac Master Module must be present.

QUOTE
3) Autosoft interpretation systems say that the system's processing power and memory is equal to Pilot *2. Does this mean that a rating 5 pilot would only be able to use autosofts of under 10MP or does MP rating not matter?


R3, p.142: The system's processing power and memory is equal to its Pilot rating x 2; when the drone is using multiple autosofts and/or knowsofts simultaneously, the combined ratings may not exceed this figure.

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4) Could a large anthroform carry and use an assault cannon that had been modified for it?


Yes, the weapon can be carried, but the anthroform will suffer from all rules regarding (meta)humans carrying heavy weapons. It's better to mount the assault cannon on the drone and gain the recoil compensation from vehicle mounts.

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5) Would a drone pilot firing a smartlink-equipped remote turret weapon gain the TN bonuses? What about the smartgoggle-level -1 to TN?


Drones do not gain smartlink bonuses.

QUOTE
6) Is it useful for a drone to have both a pilot and an autopilot?


Drone pilots and autopilots are mutually exclusive pieces of equipment. They're designed to accomplish similar things, but drone pilots are capable of interpreting their orders in order to accomplish tasks while autopilots are only capable of deviating from their directions for safety purposes.
Lilt
Thanks for the info.
One further niggling thing about the first question: Could the a rigger operate a ship's weaponary at the same time as a drone pilot is targeting for indirect fire?

Also: If a vehicle has 2 firmpoints/turrets/1 each, what are the rules for firing them at the same time?
grendel
It depends on if the rigger is trying to do both at the same time. If she's issued a command to the drone previously (Illuminate this vessel with your target designator at time XXXX) and then engages with the ship's weaponry at some time XXXX+X, then it's not a problem. But issuing a drone command is a complex action, as is gunnery. So a rigger would have to take two complex actions to do indirect fire by herself at the spur of the moment.

I don't think there are any rules specifically governing that contingency, but I would treat it the same as a character using two weapons in ranged combat. There may be something to be said for sensor enhanced gunnery being able to target multiple contacts for different weapons systems, but that's something your GM would have to determine. If your turrets are controlled by separate people, though, then there aren't any restrictions to the number/variety of targets they can engage simultaneously. Apart from the usual combat restrictions.
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