|
|
|
Viewing Weapons & Equipment |
|
|
Weapons & Equipment » Search » Drone Operating System
|
| Weapon & Equipment Information |
General Details
Name: Drone Operating System
Type (Category): Equipment (Other)
Reference: Tactical Operations: Advanced Units & Equipment (p. 118)
Description:
Not to be confused with the fully autonomous robotic control systems used by the infamous Caspar-class drones of the Star League era, the drone control systems used in the 31st century instead reflect a less sophisticated remote-control command and operating system, where human hands direct the intelligence of unmanned vehicles. Because of their reliance on communications, remote drone systems are highly susceptible to ECM, and they are often far less effective than piloted machines. These factors alone have prevented remote drone control and operating systems from becoming commonplace on the battlefield.
Game Rules:
Vehicles using a remote drone operating system are automatically considered to have a Crew of 0 for game play purposes, regardless of the construction rules for said unit, and may not use crew-served equipment beyond weapons, communications and sensors. Any Piloting or Gunnery Skill checks made by drone vehicles suffer a +1 modifier (based on the skills of the carrier control unit).
Critical hits against remote drone vehicles that would normally stun or kill a driver or crew do not affect drones (as they have no crew), but all hits to the vehicle commander destroy the drone’s remote operating system, rendering the unit inactive and immobile for the remainder of the game. Also, because they lack a crew, remote drone units may not clear weapon or turret jams in combat.
If for any reason (noted above under the drone carrier control system rules) a drone is cut off from its network controller, the drone becomes inactive and immobile. Airborne drones in the space/atmosphere interface, atmospheric row or ground row hexes of the High-Altitude Map fall 1 hex per turn of communications failure, starting during the Movement Phase (Aerospace) on the turn following the turn communication fails. If there are two equal hexes to fall into, randomly determine which hex the unit enters. If players are using Low-Altitude Movement, the airborne drone falls three altitudes each turn. If it enters a Ground Hex (on the High-Altitude Map) or Altitude 0 (if using Low-Altitude Movement), the airborne drone crashes. Drones operating in space under these conditions continue along their last heading and speed, expending no Thrust and making no actions. If communications with the control unit are restored at some point (and the drones are not destroyed in the meantime), any drones affected by such network failures resume normal operation.
Modifiers to Piloting Skill checks from Small and Torso-Mounted Cockpits are ignored.
Unit Type Availability
BattleMechsIndustrialMechsCombat Vehicles
Primitive/Inner Sphere Data (BattleMechs)
| Prototype Date: | — |
| Production Date: | ES |
| Extinction Date: | — |
| Recovery Date: | — |
WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE
Type
Heat
Damage (Aero)
Range (Aero)
Rating
Availability
Cost (C-bills)
Weight (Tons)
Criticals
Battle Value
Direct-Fire
Explosive
E
–
– (–)
* (*)
C
E-F-F-E
5,000+(10,000xIT)
0.5+(0.1xTT)
1
—
—
—
* See rules for this equipment IT = Item Tonnage (weight of component itself) TT = Total Unit Tonnage RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
Start Year
End Year
Rules Level
ALPHA STRIKE WEAPON CONVERSION TABLE
Heat
Short Medium Long Extreme Special Abilities
Special Unit Abilities
The special unit abilities described here are intended for use with the Alpha Strike rule system:
 Drone (DRO)
Units with this special ability are unmanned units capable of movement and (occasionally) combat. Ground drones must stay within 900” of their control vehicle, unless the control vehicle is airborne or in orbit, in which case range is functionally limitless for a ground game. In space, drones need only remain within LOS to their controller, as the actual range limit is more than 100,000”.
Drones enveloped in a hostile ECM field shut down during the End Phase of the turn in which they were trapped by the field. They remain shut down until the ECM field is no longer present. Drones restart automatically in the End Phase of the turn in which the ECM field is removed. If the drone control unit is caught by a hostile ECM field, all of its drones shut down until the ECM field is no longer present. In addition, if the LOS from a drone control unit to its drone passes through an ECM bubble, the drone will shut down. This is frequently avoided by the use of Satellite uplinks for drone control. If the drone control unit is eliminated, the drones shut down for the rest of the game.
When not affected by hostile ECM, and as long as their control units (see below) are operational, drone units may Move, attack, spot for indirect fire, and use special abilities as an equivalent unit of the same motive type and capabilities. The Skill Rating of a drone is equal to that of its controller’s Skill, plus 1.
Drones use the Skill of their remote operator to determine any PV modifiers for Skill. Remember, however, that such drones always receive a +1 Skill Rating due to their nature, so a drone operated by a Skill 4 operator must be valued as if the drone unit has a Skill of 5. ISDroneOperatingSystem
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot: Drone Operating System
Clan Data (BattleMechs)
| Prototype Date: | — |
| Production Date: | ES |
| Extinction Date: | — |
| Recovery Date: | — |
WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE
Type
Heat
Damage (Aero)
Range (Aero)
Rating
Availability
Cost (C-bills)
Weight (Tons)
Criticals
Battle Value
Direct-Fire
Explosive
E
–
– (–)
* (*)
C
E-F-F-E
5,000+(10,000xIT)
0.5+(0.1xTT)
1
—
—
—
* See rules for this equipment IT = Item Tonnage (weight of component itself) TT = Total Unit Tonnage RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
Start Year
End Year
Rules Level
ALPHA STRIKE WEAPON CONVERSION TABLE
Heat
Short Medium Long Extreme Special Abilities
Special Unit Abilities
The special unit abilities described here are intended for use with the Alpha Strike rule system:
Drone (DRO)
Units with this special ability are unmanned units capable of movement and (occasionally) combat. Ground drones must stay within 900” of their control vehicle, unless the control vehicle is airborne or in orbit, in which case range is functionally limitless for a ground game. In space, drones need only remain within LOS to their controller, as the actual range limit is more than 100,000”.
Drones enveloped in a hostile ECM field shut down during the End Phase of the turn in which they were trapped by the field. They remain shut down until the ECM field is no longer present. Drones restart automatically in the End Phase of the turn in which the ECM field is removed. If the drone control unit is caught by a hostile ECM field, all of its drones shut down until the ECM field is no longer present. In addition, if the LOS from a drone control unit to its drone passes through an ECM bubble, the drone will shut down. This is frequently avoided by the use of Satellite uplinks for drone control. If the drone control unit is eliminated, the drones shut down for the rest of the game.
When not affected by hostile ECM, and as long as their control units (see below) are operational, drone units may Move, attack, spot for indirect fire, and use special abilities as an equivalent unit of the same motive type and capabilities. The Skill Rating of a drone is equal to that of its controller’s Skill, plus 1.
Drones use the Skill of their remote operator to determine any PV modifiers for Skill. Remember, however, that such drones always receive a +1 Skill Rating due to their nature, so a drone operated by a Skill 4 operator must be valued as if the drone unit has a Skill of 5.
MegaMek Output → Critical Slot: CLDroneOperatingSystem
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot: Drone Operating System
Primitive/Inner Sphere Data (IndustrialMechs)
| Prototype Date: | — |
| Production Date: | ES |
| Extinction Date: | — |
| Recovery Date: | — |
WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE
Type
Heat
Damage
Range
Rating
Availability
Cost (C-bills)
Weight (Tons)
Criticals
Battle Value
Direct-Fire
Explosive
E
–
–
*
C
E-F-F-E
5,000+(10,000xIT)
0.5+(0.1xTT)
1
—
—
—
* See rules for this equipment IT = Item Tonnage (weight of component itself) TT = Total Unit Tonnage RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
Start Year
End Year
Rules Level
ALPHA STRIKE WEAPON CONVERSION TABLE
Heat
Short Medium Long Extreme Special Abilities
Special Unit Abilities
The special unit abilities described here are intended for use with the Alpha Strike rule system:
Drone (DRO)
Units with this special ability are unmanned units capable of movement and (occasionally) combat. Ground drones must stay within 900” of their control vehicle, unless the control vehicle is airborne or in orbit, in which case range is functionally limitless for a ground game. In space, drones need only remain within LOS to their controller, as the actual range limit is more than 100,000”.
Drones enveloped in a hostile ECM field shut down during the End Phase of the turn in which they were trapped by the field. They remain shut down until the ECM field is no longer present. Drones restart automatically in the End Phase of the turn in which the ECM field is removed. If the drone control unit is caught by a hostile ECM field, all of its drones shut down until the ECM field is no longer present. In addition, if the LOS from a drone control unit to its drone passes through an ECM bubble, the drone will shut down. This is frequently avoided by the use of Satellite uplinks for drone control. If the drone control unit is eliminated, the drones shut down for the rest of the game.
When not affected by hostile ECM, and as long as their control units (see below) are operational, drone units may Move, attack, spot for indirect fire, and use special abilities as an equivalent unit of the same motive type and capabilities. The Skill Rating of a drone is equal to that of its controller’s Skill, plus 1.
Drones use the Skill of their remote operator to determine any PV modifiers for Skill. Remember, however, that such drones always receive a +1 Skill Rating due to their nature, so a drone operated by a Skill 4 operator must be valued as if the drone unit has a Skill of 5.
MegaMek Output → Critical Slot: ISDroneOperatingSystem
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot: Drone Operating System
Clan Data (IndustrialMechs)
| Prototype Date: | — |
| Production Date: | ES |
| Extinction Date: | — |
| Recovery Date: | — |
WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE
Type
Heat
Damage
Range
Rating
Availability
Cost (C-bills)
Weight (Tons)
Criticals
Battle Value
Direct-Fire
Explosive
E
–
–
*
C
E-F-F-E
5,000+(10,000xIT)
0.5+(0.1xTT)
1
—
—
—
* See rules for this equipment IT = Item Tonnage (weight of component itself) TT = Total Unit Tonnage RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
Start Year
End Year
Rules Level
ALPHA STRIKE WEAPON CONVERSION TABLE
Heat
Short Medium Long Extreme Special Abilities
Special Unit Abilities
The special unit abilities described here are intended for use with the Alpha Strike rule system:
Drone (DRO)
Units with this special ability are unmanned units capable of movement and (occasionally) combat. Ground drones must stay within 900” of their control vehicle, unless the control vehicle is airborne or in orbit, in which case range is functionally limitless for a ground game. In space, drones need only remain within LOS to their controller, as the actual range limit is more than 100,000”.
Drones enveloped in a hostile ECM field shut down during the End Phase of the turn in which they were trapped by the field. They remain shut down until the ECM field is no longer present. Drones restart automatically in the End Phase of the turn in which the ECM field is removed. If the drone control unit is caught by a hostile ECM field, all of its drones shut down until the ECM field is no longer present. In addition, if the LOS from a drone control unit to its drone passes through an ECM bubble, the drone will shut down. This is frequently avoided by the use of Satellite uplinks for drone control. If the drone control unit is eliminated, the drones shut down for the rest of the game.
When not affected by hostile ECM, and as long as their control units (see below) are operational, drone units may Move, attack, spot for indirect fire, and use special abilities as an equivalent unit of the same motive type and capabilities. The Skill Rating of a drone is equal to that of its controller’s Skill, plus 1.
Drones use the Skill of their remote operator to determine any PV modifiers for Skill. Remember, however, that such drones always receive a +1 Skill Rating due to their nature, so a drone operated by a Skill 4 operator must be valued as if the drone unit has a Skill of 5.
MegaMek Output → Critical Slot: CLDroneOperatingSystem
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot: Drone Operating System
Inner Sphere Data (Combat Vehicles)
| Prototype Date: | — |
| Production Date: | ES |
| Extinction Date: | — |
| Recovery Date: | — |
WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE
Type
Heat
Damage
Range
Rating
Availability
Cost (C-bills)
Weight (Tons)
Item Slots
Battle Value
Direct-Fire
Explosive
E
–
–
*
C
E-F-F-E
5,000+(10,000xIT)
0.5+(0.1xTT)
1
—
—
—
* See rules for this equipment IT = Item Tonnage (weight of component itself) TT = Total Unit Tonnage RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
Start Year
End Year
Rules Level
ALPHA STRIKE WEAPON CONVERSION TABLE
Heat
Short Medium Long Extreme Special Abilities
Special Unit Abilities
The special unit abilities described here are intended for use with the Alpha Strike rule system:
Drone (DRO)
Units with this special ability are unmanned units capable of movement and (occasionally) combat. Ground drones must stay within 900” of their control vehicle, unless the control vehicle is airborne or in orbit, in which case range is functionally limitless for a ground game. In space, drones need only remain within LOS to their controller, as the actual range limit is more than 100,000”.
Drones enveloped in a hostile ECM field shut down during the End Phase of the turn in which they were trapped by the field. They remain shut down until the ECM field is no longer present. Drones restart automatically in the End Phase of the turn in which the ECM field is removed. If the drone control unit is caught by a hostile ECM field, all of its drones shut down until the ECM field is no longer present. In addition, if the LOS from a drone control unit to its drone passes through an ECM bubble, the drone will shut down. This is frequently avoided by the use of Satellite uplinks for drone control. If the drone control unit is eliminated, the drones shut down for the rest of the game.
When not affected by hostile ECM, and as long as their control units (see below) are operational, drone units may Move, attack, spot for indirect fire, and use special abilities as an equivalent unit of the same motive type and capabilities. The Skill Rating of a drone is equal to that of its controller’s Skill, plus 1.
Drones use the Skill of their remote operator to determine any PV modifiers for Skill. Remember, however, that such drones always receive a +1 Skill Rating due to their nature, so a drone operated by a Skill 4 operator must be valued as if the drone unit has a Skill of 5.
MegaMek Output → Critical Slot: ISDroneOperatingSystem
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot: Drone Operating System
Clan Data (Combat Vehicles)
| Prototype Date: | — |
| Production Date: | ES |
| Extinction Date: | — |
| Recovery Date: | — |
WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT COMBAT AND CONSTRUCTION TABLE
Type
Heat
Damage
Range
Rating
Availability
Cost (C-bills)
Weight (Tons)
Item Slots
Battle Value
Direct-Fire
Explosive
E
–
–
*
C
E-F-F-E
5,000+(10,000xIT)
0.5+(0.1xTT)
1
—
—
—
* See rules for this equipment IT = Item Tonnage (weight of component itself) TT = Total Unit Tonnage RULES LEVEL PROGRESSION TABLE
Start Year
End Year
Rules Level
ALPHA STRIKE WEAPON CONVERSION TABLE
Heat
Short Medium Long Extreme Special Abilities
Special Unit Abilities
The special unit abilities described here are intended for use with the Alpha Strike rule system:
Drone (DRO)
Units with this special ability are unmanned units capable of movement and (occasionally) combat. Ground drones must stay within 900” of their control vehicle, unless the control vehicle is airborne or in orbit, in which case range is functionally limitless for a ground game. In space, drones need only remain within LOS to their controller, as the actual range limit is more than 100,000”.
Drones enveloped in a hostile ECM field shut down during the End Phase of the turn in which they were trapped by the field. They remain shut down until the ECM field is no longer present. Drones restart automatically in the End Phase of the turn in which the ECM field is removed. If the drone control unit is caught by a hostile ECM field, all of its drones shut down until the ECM field is no longer present. In addition, if the LOS from a drone control unit to its drone passes through an ECM bubble, the drone will shut down. This is frequently avoided by the use of Satellite uplinks for drone control. If the drone control unit is eliminated, the drones shut down for the rest of the game.
When not affected by hostile ECM, and as long as their control units (see below) are operational, drone units may Move, attack, spot for indirect fire, and use special abilities as an equivalent unit of the same motive type and capabilities. The Skill Rating of a drone is equal to that of its controller’s Skill, plus 1.
Drones use the Skill of their remote operator to determine any PV modifiers for Skill. Remember, however, that such drones always receive a +1 Skill Rating due to their nature, so a drone operated by a Skill 4 operator must be valued as if the drone unit has a Skill of 5.
MegaMek Output → Critical Slot: CLDroneOperatingSystem
Record Sheet Output → Critical Slot: Drone Operating System
|
|
|
|
|
|
