From:	Peter Bailey <pbailey@*****.IPSWICHCITY.QLD.GOV.AU>
Subject:	Re: Rigger questions
Date:	Mon, 11 Sep 1995 22:06:39 +0200

Hi Fikouras,

[snip]
> my rigger was all wrong and I had to change everything according to his
> interpretation of the rules. Anyway I haven't got anything against GMasters
> understanding the rules their own way, but I am tired of having to adjust
> my rigger characters everytime I come across a GM with a different way of
> understanding what's in the Riggers Black Book.

Unfortunately this is going to be a fact of life while the rules are the
slightest bit ambigous. Heck it happens whenever the GM decides to run
"his" game a little different in any case.

> 1) What is the initiative of drones that are being driven by their
> auto pilot?

I do AP init by (AP rating + 1D6). It's a dog brain. It has enough trouble
keeping the drone in the air or not getting stood on. You could modify the
AP to include sentry gun brains however and that'd be a whole new ball o'
wax.

> 2) How do twin weapons (i.e. weapons mounted on twin firmpoints) fire ?
> Does the rigger need to fire both ? Does the target resist two separate
> attacks or just one bolstered one? Does the second weapon +2 modifier apply
> when targeting optically ?

2a. In my game, a twin mount firmpoint has but one trigger. Therefore
only the rigger or the AP can fire the weapons on the firmpoint. Both
fire at the same time, with both of their recoil affecting target numbers.
If you are talking about two single place firmpoints, the rigger fires one,
the dog brain the other.
2b. Twin firmpoint: Treat rounds on target as a full auto attack. Damage as
appropriate to number of rounds impacting the target. Burst fire treat as
super machine gun burst fire.
Two single firmpoints: Two seperate attacks.
2c. Yes. If the rigger is firing both weapons.

> 3) The RBB p122 "Remote Turrets" sez that "A remote turret may be
operated
> by a separate gunner or by the rigger. In the latter case, however, each
> counts as one drone against his control limit."
> What is this control limit ? Does this mean that the rigger has to spend
> one action per turn for the turret in order to keep it operable ? If yes
> then what is the logic behind this, after all gunners using the turret
> only have to spend one action to target and shoot.

I'm not sure but I think a rigger is limited by his intelligence as to the
number of drones he can control at once. Comments anyone?

As for why the turret logic, You have to look for a target first don't you?
That takes time and sensors. Voila instant action/turn.

> 4) Are fixed arc weapons mounted on firmpoints/hardpoints conlealable/
> supposed to be concealed anyway ? If yes what is their concealability
> rating ?

Depends on where they are mounted and how they are covered. You would have
to sort this one out with your GM.

> 5) What is the result of recoil on the handling of the vehicle ? Take
> a bike for example that mounts a Panther Cannon, what does firing the
> cannon do to its handling ?

I do a handling check for my rigger whenever I fire a heavy weapon from
something that is light, and where recoil could be a problem. Twin MMG's on
a rotor drone in tight terrain for example. "OOOh, geez, that wall just
impacted on your rotors! Shame about that recoil!" Essentialy, role play,
not roll play.

> 6) What are the penalties for going without tires ? When you blow the
> tires of another vehicle away with a called shot, the other vehicle is
> automatically subject to a handling test (maybe even a crash test), but
> what happens next ?

I personally would add about 5 to the handling, plus the terrain modifier.

> 7) Do riggers use full cybernetic control when rigging (As most
> of the novels suggest) ? If yes how do rigged bikes work ?

7a. In my game yes. A rigger can mantain some sense of his meat self at a
+2 penalty to all target numbers. That +2 came from the part about deckers
doing the same thing.
7b. Strap yourself to the seat sunshine. Or the meat and the machine soon
part company.

> 8) Which vehicles have VCR equipment installed and which dont. We
> assume that none have, but what about drones ? Drones cant only be
> driven remotely and most of them dont have enough space (CF) to install
> the VCR gear. Does that mean that drones are not operable, or does
> it mean that all vehicles have the nececery equipment (thus making it
> not worthy to mention)?

I assume all "drones" or vehicles designed not to have a pilot carried by
the vehicle in some manner have rigged remote control gear fitted. This may
seem generous to some GM's but it does simplify things.

> 9) The RBB makes it clear that an autopilot with a rating less than 3
> is incapable of driving a vehicle. So does that mean that all drones
> (as drones have autopilots of 1 or 2) canot operate on their own despite
> the fact that the RBB and SRII expressly say that a rigger can order them
> around ?

Exqueese me? Rating 1 autopilots may not pilot the vehicle. Rating 2 has
trouble with rough terrain.
They don't have the decision making capabilities of the higher rated
systems. They don't have the intellect to decide to zig or zag so they
stop and ask the pilot.

> 10) Can a rigger that utilises full cybernetic control fire his weapons
> optically ? Or is opticall targeting just restricted to non-cybernetic
> drivers.

I would allow optical targeting. At +2 target number. Or stop rigging while
you are targeting.

> 11) How does swapping engines work ? I mean the table tells you
> how much an engines that manages a particular speed for a particular
> kind of fuel/type of car/body rating cost, but it doesnt tell you
> how much it would improve your speed if you were to install a bigger
> engine in a smaller car.

I just install the same body rated engine but of a higher capability into
the vehicle. Or improve the body to the size of engine you want and work
from there.

Hope this helps. My favorite character is called "Remote". She's a
paraplegic rigger/decker with a few screws loose. :-)