Ship's Brain Interface sizing and use

[Terry Mixon]

How is a robot gunner, a virtual crew gunner or an NPC gunner any different?

The player says we shoot, and in game the robot/virtual gunner/NPC "presses the button" to authorise the computer fire control to take the shot.

That’s my thinking as well. Ditto virtual crew.

 

[rinku]

There's also nothing wrong - and a lot to like about - a group that starts out unskilled in some areas.

If they find themselves with a skill hole, eight weeks and a successful EDU roll can fix that. Or, maybe you can get by shooting at the pirate with a -3 for a while. Beam lasers help; throw the DEX 9 farmboy in a turret and he's -3 for skill, +1 for DEX, +4 for weapon, so still hitting on a 6+ at Medium range.

 

[Condottiere]

If he's a cityboy, would competency in video games count?

 

[CordwainerFish]

Skill holes also foster creative really bizarre solutions to problems.

(This is good.)

 

[swordtart]

How is a robot gunner, a virtual crew gunner or an NPC gunner any different?

The player says we shoot, and in game the robot/virtual gunner/NPC "presses the button" to authorise the computer fire control to take the shot.

Or a player character that is a robot (since those are a thing in RH).

 

[swordtart]

There's also nothing wrong - and a lot to like about - a group that starts out unskilled in some areas.

If they find themselves with a skill hole, eight weeks and a successful EDU roll can fix that. Or, maybe you can get by shooting at the pirate with a -3 for a while. Beam lasers help; throw the DEX 9 farmboy in a turret and he's -3 for skill, +1 for DEX, +4 for weapon, so still hitting on a 6+ at Medium range.

8 weeks is a long time, when you find you need a skill, generally you need it sooner than that.

I like characters with low skills and skill gaps, and that farm boy is going to be able to knock down small craft piloted by mooks who cannot land a shot on target after a few shots and maybe that'll be fun.

Against even a Type A however it is going to take him a dogs age to make any impression on his target. With a beam laser you need the effect (and preferably crits) to make a dent, just hitting isn't really enough (even with a triple turret). A pulse laser makes hitting only a little harder so you might miss or get 2 less effect damage, but it doubles the base damage and moves it to the point where 8 points might get through armour.

And as has been pointed out in the weapons for merchants thread, medium range is not where you want to be if you are facing someone who actually has a real gunner and credible weapon systems if you are handling that equivalent to a red rider for the first time in your life.