First time I've tinkered with the rules in Arsenal on modifications and the like. Just want to make sure I've got this remotely correct



And more to the point, if this works, why on earth would I ever leave the confines of my personal mobility vehicle?

I think you're running into Availability problems with your weapon mount, but otherwise it looks good.

I believe the flavor text talks about people who live their whole lives either at home or in their vehicles. So it's definitely a choice many have made.

Unless there's been errata I don't know about (possible!) it's 8F for the normal mount, and +2F each for flexible and remote control, so I think I'm alright there.

Who needs battle armor, with this setup?

I would be tempted to put an ares alpha on one, giving you two weapon systems for the price of one. The underbarrel grenade launcher gives you a clip of 6 micro grenades, which would be pretty useful. Some HE grenades are always useful.

I was considering putting the LMG on one drone and a full-on GL on the other, but couldn't find a definitive ruling on what fit into a standard mount versus a reinforced mount.

The Alpha might just be the compromise I'm after.

Yeah, its not bad. You could toss in a AK-98 or whatever, any of the pre-equipped underbarrel varieties of ARs. Probably whatever's cheapest, since integral recoil comp doesn't matter too much on a drone.

I recommend using SR4 character generator. It does availability, cost, and everything else you need.

Nope, no errata, just me being away from the books, and remembering having problems getting a decent mount under 12 Availability. The biggest issue then will be having a big gun protruding from the vehicle, and going anyplace in public.

Vehicles are limited to a maximum armor rating of Body x2 (so 8 for a PMV), up to a hard cap of 20.

How about two LMGs, modified with underbarrel grenade launchers.






-k

It could only be better if you could modify some HMGs with underbarrel grenade launcher.

Nobody else caught the Armor 20 on a Body 4(okay,6) vehicle?

Sorry. 12 is the highest you're going to get. At that rating, you might want to get concealed armor instead - it may stop you from getting arrested with it.

While this is a cool idea, and I suggest you pitch it to your GM, you actually can't put a second small drone rack on your horseman. Another Mini is the biggest that will fit.

You really need to read the descriptions of the mods you put in; ofthen they will have some additional restrictions.

If you're considering using a handgun, such as the alpha, instead of a weapon mount, then you may want to use a Mechanical Arm instead of a weapon mount. Its not a bad choice at all.

If your character is acquiring / building this vehicle during play, then no worries. You cannot start with rating 20 armour at chargen, however.
Also remember that there is an erratum that decreases a vehicle's speed when its armour has been significantly improved.

If you are going to live permanently in this vehicle, you could install a Gun Port (for passing biological necessities in and out) and you could use the cargo module which comes with two Mechanical Arms so that you could still handle things outside your cabin.

I consistently forget the rule about Rating 6 being the maximum at chargen, I'm so focused on availability.

Thanks for the mention on the errata about speed. I'd not seen that. I'll pop over to the site and see if I can't find all the appropriate errata I've not been playing with.

I'm not really interested in a character who never leaves his bubble, but during a run, it seemed like a no brainer. Now that the armor is maxed out at 12, it's less useful, and not available at chargen, so I see why, in addition to cost, it doesn't tend to happen.

Anybody give me a page ref on why I can't add a second small landing drone rack? I'll go searching, but wouldn't mind the pointer.
Nevermind - it's a body minimum of 10 that I missed on the first pass.

I'm not so sure that the restriction on device ratings at char gen applies to armor ratings. I mean, you can start the game with an Armor Jacket, no? And many of the vehicles available at char gen have armor > 6 as a default (Evo Falcon, Rover 2068, etc.).

I believe the rating restriction applies to devices with ratings, like jammers, commlinks, sensors, etc.

Still, you cannot have armor on a vehicle > body x2. So you still can't have 20 armor on a body 4 vehicle.

Well, it's not a restriction on device ratings >6, but *gear with a rating*; the armor *mod* seems to qualify.

I've never liked that drones somehow get armor x3.

Really "drone" and "vehicle" shouldn't have been made separate distinct classes - The only thing that separates the two, really, is passenger space. Which could have been made an equipment mod, with current vehicles possessing one or more seats listed as standard equipment, and drones not having any standard.


-k

In SR3, IIRC, you *could* trade cargo/passenger space for armor space. *shrug*. It's just a question of 'how much rules is enough?', I guess.

Its because drones are -supposed- to be small, tiny,tough combat machines. Except they cap out at body 4.
Its hard to make a minitank when its as tough as a thick coat.