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"Decker-Cocoon" - PMV for outdoor-shy Hacker

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Razhul

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« on: <04-26-13/1318:02> »
Hey there,

My hacker character is borderline paranoid about leaving his hideout and does not want to subject himself to any harm. If you feel like it, could you help me design a mobile "safe place" he could be operating out of? I understand that sometimes he will need to be on-site physically (despite using bug drones and repeaters usually when wireless is unavailable).

I was thinking about using a Horseman, armor it, put on sensors etc. However, I've never modified a vehicle or drone in SR so I am quite unsure about how to go about it and what are good modifications for what I'm looking for. For example, Chameleon coating looks useful to avoid detection but I am not sure you can turn it off and it might be weird on the street?

Plx help? /puppy eyes

BTW: I have 68k nuyen available but would obviously like to not spend it all.
« Last Edit: <04-26-13/1432:48> by Razhul »

UmaroVI

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« Reply #1 on: <04-26-13/1404:55> »
I would actually suggest keeping it simple:

Daihatsu-Caterpillar Horseman (12000) with Advanced Cargo Module (5000) (Avail 8)
Rigger Cocoon (1500, Avail 8, 6/Kit)
Walker Mode (3000, Avail 4, 10/shop)

This means it has arms and legs so it can go anywhere a troll can go. The reason not to slap on more mods is:

1) As is, it is perfectly legal. Putting on R or F stuff breaks that.

2) Rigger Cocoon is plenty of defense, and extra armor will attract more attention than it's worth.

http://forums.shadowrun4.com/index.php?topic=5197.msg82044#msg82044 is how you upgrade sensors if you want to.

Elektrycerze3

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« Reply #2 on: <04-29-13/0810:52> »
Daihatsu-Caterpillar Horseman (12000) with Advanced Cargo Module (5000) (Avail 8)

+ It has a smiley Availability  :D
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“Forget hackers, I have my buddies Smith & Wesson: innovators of the point-and-click interface.”

Razhul

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« Reply #3 on: <04-29-13/1458:26> »
I attached a picture of how I built it out and would love some feedback. It does not come with arms, as far as I can tell.

Michael Chandra

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« Reply #4 on: <04-29-13/1500:19> »
Minor note: SR4a was updated to that Audio Enhancements cost 1 Capacity per Rating point. Chummer apparently won't implement that though. Similarly, Ultrasound costs 2 Capacity slots.
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Razhul

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« Reply #5 on: <04-29-13/1537:44> »
Oh good to know.

The armor of the vehicle (12) gets overwritten by the 20 I put on, right? And then I can stack that with the 20 from the Rigger cocoon? Is that allowed?

Michael Chandra

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« Reply #6 on: <04-30-13/1748:06> »
Hm. Bad news: The Horseman can't go beyond 8Armor. At a Body of 4, its maximum allowed Armor as drone is 2x its Body, so 8. It also only can have 4 modslots, while you're using more than that.

As fori the stacking of armor, I don't know if any sourcebook has rules on shooting through multiple barriers but stacking seems fair, though I'm not sure how its barrier-piercing ability would work, whether its DV would be decreased by the first barrier before it decides whether it pierces the second.
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Razhul

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« Reply #7 on: <04-30-13/1947:59> »
Spoke with the GM and did some research: The Drone Horseman has body 6 so can have 12 armor. That armor rolls separately and if damage goes through, that then hits the Rigger Cocoon armor.

Michael Chandra

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« Reply #8 on: <04-30-13/1954:30> »
Ah, I see. It has 6 Body when you buy one of its special versions. Seems like HeroLab doesn't really support it.
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UmaroVI

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« Reply #9 on: <05-01-13/0802:14> »
I would actually recommend against armoring the Horseman.

1. It is Restricted. This means walking around in it is as legal as walking around brandishing an assault rifle (with a license, mind you). It's not subtle, and you can't take it to some places, which defeats much of the point.

2. Rigger Cocoon is already plenty of armor.

3. If you really do want armor - get Concealed Armor.

The way armor stacking for this works is slightly goofy yet still one of the least bizarre aspects of the barrier rules.

a. Check if the weapon's modified DV (including AP and net hits) exceeds the first barrier's armor. If no stop, if yes it pierces.

b. Check if the weapon's modified DV (including AP and net hits) exceeds the sum of the first and second barrier's armor. If no stop, if yes it pierces.

Repeat until you get to the target.

The target gets bonus armor equal to the sum of all the barriers that it passed through.

Also, the Advanced Cargo Module is what gives the Horseman arms.

Michael Chandra

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« Reply #10 on: <05-01-13/0815:38> »
That sounds rather weird, Umaro. I'd expect a separate roll for each barrier that decreases the DV for the next to face.
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JoeNapalm

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« Reply #11 on: <05-01-13/1055:12> »

The Evil GMTM in me wants to throw EMP 'nades.

Is that wrong?


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Michael Chandra

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« Reply #12 on: <05-01-13/1129:40> »
That's why the player should pay extra for Hardening, which pretty much makes EMP worthless.
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JoeNapalm

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« Reply #13 on: <05-01-13/1213:36> »
That sounds rather weird, Umaro. I'd expect a separate roll for each barrier that decreases the DV for the next to face.

Think of it as quick-and-dirty Hard Armor.

Your handling a complex situation with a comparison that is going to do away with most rolls, and reduces the whole operation to a single roll if a roll is actually required.

I still have flashbacks to full-auto resolution in CP2020, when the target was behind cover and wearing several layers of armor. Hit location, damage roll, barrier degradation, armor degradation (recursive for each layer), rinse, n=n+1, repeat.


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Razhul

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« Reply #14 on: <05-01-13/1854:31> »
That's why the player should pay extra for Hardening, which pretty much makes EMP worthless.

I don't have extra slots left! :(