[PapaR]

I was wondering if they would be some way to set up a tactical network, such as with a map overlay  that alerts you to where guards and such using drones.

[Crash_00]

There are actually TacNet systems in one of the books, can't remember if its in Unwired or Arsenal off the top of my head. Without my books I couldn't give the specifics, but I know the the bonuses you gain are based on the number of senses being devoted (each sense counts as one and then enhancements such as Thermal, Low-light, High Frequency, etc. count as another one each).

I don't know how drones work off the top of my head, but if you have a Mapsoft of the area (which you should be able to create by mounting ultrasound sensors on drones) you should be able to have them tagged on the mapsoft.

[Joush]

Generally speaking, anyone that has a comlink subscribed to a drone can access it's sensors, and use the information they offer. This means you just need a drone and a 'link to get a bird's eye view of a situation. (Not a map, but a real time image of the area.)

 Adding a simple Mapsoft program could allow you to add a map with guard locations. With an imagelink, you could even have a HUD with a map, or simply have guards located by the drone tagged with Augmented Reality Objects you can see though walls, like a chevron pointing to their locations. (Useful for trying to shoot them though walls, though you'd still be blind firing).

As far as a map overlay and guards, it's generally assumed that software in 2070 can handle producing a compiled image on the fly, but doing something like that (a annotated tactical map) could be something someone with a 'link could use to provide real time information to a squad.

So you'd need to have one person make a Sensor+Perception test (using the drone's sensor rating) then communicate the data they collected to the rest of the team across a comlink network. Or you could program the drone to locate guards and transmit their locations to your comlinks, in that case you'd use the drones sensor + clearsight.

TacNet systems instead are supposed to link a group of wired people into a single unit working together by allowing them to instantly share information. (In game, providing bonus dice). They don't acutely mention anything like the map you wanted, IIRC.

[Crimsondude]

You could run a tactical setup like that since day one of SR4, and it was half-assedly mentioned in the core book. One was used in the story on page 1 of the original book. Joush has it pretty well set. It might help somewhat if you have the Orientation System cyber, but I'm pretty sure that tech is actually made irrelevant because of commlinks.

The tactical AR software (Unwired, 124-27) was the replacement for the SR1-3 tactical computer and gives you a weak bonus if you have everyone connected in a big team with lots of sensors. Let me just say that I am biased because I once made a cybered adept in SR3 who had a Combat Pool of 32+.

[Mason]

Setting up a simple map overlay and trading sensory impressions over sim-enabled comlinks is an easy thing to do. Give one guy ultrasound and you can map out a place and share with the team. It's one of the primary advantages of that gear.

[Crimsondude]

Radar.

Slaving area surveillance cameras helps, too.

[Joush]

Outdoor, passive thermograpic is probably better for locating living guards and tagging them. Mix with visual/low light to confirm they are armed.

Radar has some flaws in keeping a tactical map updated: It's big (high cap cost) expensive, active (transmitting a lot of power makes you easy to spot), can be jammed and takes a penalty to scanning in cluttered areas, like urban locations.

Ultrawideband radar can see though things. Same drawbacks, of course, but even more expensive.

[Crimsondude]

Ideally, in the time it takes them to respond to the radar ping the opposition is either dead or incapacitated.

[Joush]

Well, the radar travels at the speed of light.. the moment you start illuminating a place with alert guards and decent radio sensors they are going to know you are there. A fast spider will try and backtrace you from your drone, and paranoid people in a high security or wild place might just try and shoot it down.

Think of it like hovering overhead and shining a spotlight on the ground. Good for looking around, bad for trying to be subtle.

Granted, people without radar detecting equipment won't notice, and a fast, casual radar sweep won't twinge any but the paranoid, as drones running active radar are part of the urban landscape. Just like a chopper that goes overhead for a moment with a spot light shining won't necessarily make someone feel hunted.

[Crimsondude]

I think we're talking on different wavelengths.

[Joush]

I see what you mean, in that if you restrain your radar work to mapping a facility by pinging for a few seconds (in game terms, a single observe in detail action?) you aren't likely to draw overwhelming attention but a paranoid or tight security setup will notice and start tracking any drone that runs reconnaissance on a facility.

If you flew over a military base today and lit it up with ground penetrating radar you'd set off all kinds of alarms. I'm not really sure what you mean by the time it takes to respond though. Generally people will either respond quickly to being scanned with active sensors or won't at all because they lack the systems to alert them that they are being illuminated.

[KarmaInferno]

This is why my characters tend to include as part of recon before a mission, to "ping" the area with radar and whatnot and observe the security reaction, if any.



-k

[CanRay]

Radar, Ultrasonics, Infrared Lights, Ultraviolet Lights, Masked Watcher Spirits, Sprites/Agents...  Do each in order, and see the reaction, if any.  There's more than one countermeasure system in place.

And if the "Really Big Guard Dogs" are able to use the doors with "Nose Print Scanners", pack silver bullets.

[Joush]

Heavy probing with active systems has a disadvantage of course, in that it can send a facility to high alert or even get them to shut down and move out when they deiced the location is compromised. Nothing more embarrassing then finding out the security specialist moved all of the valuable stuff out then turned the building into a deathtrap when it was probed one too many times.

To a lesser extent, a few security alerts can result in the on-sight security presence being increased and the measures taken being overhauled and upgraded.

"We have detected people casing out the east side hot labs six times in the past month. I want twenty four hour spider, combat drone and wage mage  on site coverage until the current project cycle is done, then a full overhaul on our security procedures there."

[CanRay]

Which is perfect if you're actually hitting another site, where that added security is going to come from.