DRONES / DRONE MODULES

AADD (Anti-Anti-Drone) Module

Tech 0X ? DrnSpace 0.5 BPV ? Invented ?

If you take this module once (i.e. a half space), the drone takes only 1d6 dmg from a successful ADD hit. If you take this module twice (i.e. one space), the drone is immune to ADDs.

Armor Module

Tech 0X ? DrnSpace 2 BPV ? Invented ?

Each half space of Armor Module is 2 hp.

Boarding / Cargo Module

Tech 0X ? DrnSpace 2 (or 1) BPV ? Invented ?

One Boarding Module (2 spaces) can carry one Boarding Party from the launching ship. The Boarding Party is released into space if the drone it's in is reduced to exactly 0 hp, runs out of endurance, or the Boarding Party wishes to get out (this would destroy the drone in the process). If the drone takes more damage than it's hp rating, the Boarding Party inside is killed. When the drone strikes a ship, if the shields held, the Boarding Party is released into space outside of the shields. If the drone did internals (or struck the hull if the drone has no explosive modules), the Boarding Party is released to a random box on the target's SSD. "Allocate" a point of damage using the DAC to see where it landed. Spearfish modules do not count as dealing an internal for this purpose; the shields must actually be down. A Boarding Module could hold alternatively hold a Crew Unit, Deck Crew, or Passenger Unit. A smaller (one space) version can hold an individual person, such as a Legendary Officer, or 1 cargo space of cargo.

Catfish Module

Tech 0X ? DrnSpace 1 BPV 5 Invented ?

The drone is considered cloaked (x2 range +5). If the drone fires a Swordfish or releases any sort of subminition, the cloak is voided. Multiple Catfish Modules does nothing extra. A half space version of this Module would cause the drone to be "phased" (+5 range).

Erratic Module

Tech 0Xl DrnSpace 0.5 BPV ? Invented ?

The drone moves oddly, and enemies have a +1 to hit penalty on it (including ADDs). Other drones cannot target a drone with an Erratic module. The range and speed of the drone is halved, and ATG is not possible (this is the same penalty as having an External Armor Module, and is cumulative with it). Drones with Erratic Modules cannot have submunitions of any kind. A drone with an Erratic Module does not lose tracking if it's target is not in the FA arc. Multiple Erratic Modules are cumulative.

Exodrone Drone

Tech 0Xl DrnSpace 3 BPV 6 Invented Barganites

Exodrones are 50 dmg, 6 hp (note that normal triple space drones are 36 dmg, 8 hp). A Half-Exodrone theoretically exists; it is 1.5 space and has 25 dmg, 3 hp.

External Armor Module

Tech 0X ? DrnSpace 0 BPV 0 Invented ?

This is a half space Armor Module (+2 hp) which is fitted to the outside of the drone (using no interior space). The range and speed of the drone is halved, and ATG is not possible. No other module types other than Armor have a known External version. A drone with External Armor Modules cannot be placed inside Scatterpacks or other drones as a submunition. A two space drone may have 2 External Armor Modules, and a three space drone may have 3. The halving penalty is fully cumulative (e.g. a 3 space drone with 3 external modules would divide it's range by 8).

Explosive Module

Tech 0X ? DrnSpace 0.5 BPV 0 Invented ?

Each half space of Explosive Module is 6 damage. If there is only one half space of Explosive Module total on the drone, the damage is 8 instead of 6.

Focused Module

Tech 1X DrnSpace 0.5 BPV 1.5 Invented Kzi

The drone cannot be broken by Wild Weasels. If you take this module twice (i.e. one space instead of a half), the drone cannot be broken by Wild MRS shuttles. It requires three Focused Modules and a Stealth Module (2 spaces total) to make a drone immune to Wild SWAC shuttles.

Hammerhead Module

Tech 0X ? DrnSpace 2 BPV 7 Invented ?

Lays a T-Bomb at the target hex. There is a 1 segment delay before the T-Bomb is active. It will explode during Movement step if there is a ship within detection range.

Hardened Module

Tech 0X ? DrnSpace 0.5 BPV ? Invented ?

One instance of this module (i.e. a half space) makes the drone immune to maulers and mine explosions (incl. T-Bombs). A second instance of this module (i.e. one space) makes the drone immune to tractor beams and ship explosions.

Joiner Module

Tech 0X ? DrnSpace 0.5 BPV ? Invented ?

This system is a prototype and is of limited practical use, but it was designed for certain unusual situations. Several drones must each have the Joiner Module and be going for the same target for Joiner to be effective. It is in a sense the opposite of a Multi-Warhead drone. After launch, all the drones with Joiner Modules connect together and form a single gigantic drone-like object. Their hit points and damage rating add. The resultant large drone benefits from all of it's modules, and it uses only one control channel to guide. You can use ATG (if you have it) on the original individual drones, even if the target is out of ATG range, because the drones will connect together at range 1. At 8 spaces, the drone is considered size 6 (turn mode SF) and takes only 1d6 dmg from ADDs, and is immune to SpecSen and Wild Weasels. At 64 spaces, the drone is considered size 5 (turn mode AA) and is immune to ADDs. It has a movement cost of 1/6 for purposes of when it is Tractored, and is powerful enough to conceivably tow a ship for a short distance.

Multi-Warhead Module

Tech 0X ? DrnSpace 0.5 BPV ? Invented ?

Each half space of Multi-Warhead module is 2 dogfight drones (8 dmg, 1 hp). You need to be able to control the original (mother) drone and the submunitions.

Pseudo Drone

Tech 1X DrnSpace 0.5 BPV 1 Invented Kzi

This is a 1/2 space drone. Any launcher may fire pseudo drones. They do not count against the launch limit for the drone rack, but a drone rack cannot launch anything else (even other pseudo drones) in the same impulse. They appear to all systems to be whatever type of drone you like, emulating space and speed. One point of damage destroys a pseudo drone.

Pufferfish Module

Tech 2X ? DrnSpace 1 BPV 8 Invented ?

Each space of Pufferfish Module causes the target to lose 5 movements. The drone does not need to strike the hull; hitting the shields is sufficient. A half-space version of this Module would cause the loss of only 2 movements.

Recovery Module

Tech ? DrnSpace 0.5 BPV ? Invented ?

A Recovery Module causes the drone to return back to the launching ship when instructed to do so. When the instruction is given, the drone will perform an HET to face the launching ship. It no longer remembers what it's target was, and will track the launching ship instead. When it arrives at the launching ship, it will "land" in the drone rack that originally launched it. This does not cost a "firing" of the drone rack, but the drone rack cannot launch the impulse a drone lands in it. The drone rack is considered "reloaded" of the spaces that the drone was. Any expendable charges on the drone (Swordfish, Starfish, etc.) are refilled, and the drone is repaired of damage. That particular drone cannot be relaunched for 2 impulses (assuming the drone rack has the firing capacity to do so). Recovery Modules are useful for submunition style drones, or for Boarding Module drones (allowing the launching ship to "ferry" a lot of people or cargo to one place).

Scud Drone

Tech 0Xl DrnSpace 4 (but count as 3) BPV 8 Invented ?

Scud drones are 4 space (and use 4 spaces of ammunition), but can be fired from drone racks that can launch only 3 space drones (e.g. DRN-B, DRN-H). They were the earliest 4 space drone available (discounting Seeker Missiles which are 5 space but aren't really drones), and were mostly a prototype. They have a max range of 23. At range 24 they crumble apart. They do 96-4*R damage and have 24-R hit points, where R is the range. ADDs do only 1d6 damage to them, and SpecSen require 1-2 to break (instead of 1-4). Scud Drones are rather clumsy tho; they have a turn mode of SF (not SW), and when they reach their target, 1d6 is rolled. On a "5" or "6", the drone has missed and must try to hit the target again next impulse. They cannot use any modules. (Well, they could use External Armor, but it would almost always not be worth it, because it would double the R rating).

Slug Drone

Tech 0X ? DrnSpace varies BPV ? Invented ?

A Slug drone is a drone that is all Armor modules. 0.5 space has 3 hp. 1 space has 8 hp. 2 space has 14 hp. 3 space has 20 hp. Slug drones deal no damage if they strike anything (except for ESGs).

Spearfish Module

Tech 0X ? DrnSpace 1 BPV 2.5 Invented Kzi

Each space of Spearfish Module is 3 damage and 1 internal.

Starfish Module

Tech 0X ? DrnSpace 0.5 BPV ? Invented Kli

Each half space of Starfish module is 2 ADDs. The ADDs may only be used to protect the ship that fired the Starfish Module. The half space version is the Stonefish, the full space version is the Starfish.

Stealth Module

Tech 1X DrnSpace 0.5 BPV 1.5 Invented Kzi

If you take this module once (i.e. a half space), the drone cannot be broken by SpecSen. If you take this module twice (i.e. one space), the drone is at double range (and minimum adjusted range 2) for purposes of weapons fired at it. Each additional instance of Stealth increases the range multiplier and minimum adjusted range by 1 (e.g. three Stealth Modules means triple range and minimum adjusted range 3).

Stingray Module

Tech 0X ? DrnSpace 0.5 BPV ? Invented ?

Each half space of Stingray module is 1 dogfight drone (8 dmg, 1 hp). You need to be able to control the original (mother) drone and the submunitions. Stingray subminitions are released even if the original (mother) drone is destroyed. The submunition may be targetted for destruction immediately upon release.

Stonefish Module

Tech 0X ? DrnSpace 0.5 BPV ? Invented Kli

Each half space of Starfish module is 1 ADD. The ADDs may only be used to protect anyone (unlike Starfish), but if you use the ADD to protect someone other than the launching ship, you need to use an extra drone control channel. Stonefishes may attempt to ADD even if the original (mother) drone is destroyed. Thus, a 1 space drone with 0.5 Explosive and 0.5 Stonefish could ram another drone (destroying it) and attempt to ADD another at the same time. Sometimes this is superior to using a Spearfish module.

Subspace Guidance Module

Tech 0X ? DrnSpace 0.5 BPV 2 Invented ?

The drone may "maneuver" around terrain or objects. The firing ship may use any path to the target, not just a straight line. However, the drone must keep the target in it's FX arc at all times. (An Erratic Module would remove the FX arc restriction.) ATG doesn't work with Subspace Guidance. If you use ATG on a drone, it's Subspace Guidance shuts off until you use a "real" channel on the drone again.

Swordfish Module

Tech 0X ? DrnSpace 0.5 BPV 4 Invented ?

Swordfish drones fire once then are expended (they will continue to track the target if they have other payloads such as Explosive Module). One space is a Ph-3. Two spaces is a Ph-2. Three spaces is a Ph-1. Four spaces is a Ph-5. Five spaces is a Ph-M or one Ph-6 pulse. ATG is insufficient to allow the Swordfish to fire; you need a real channel to control the firing. At 1X, you may spend half a space to "overload" a phaser (so an overloaded Ph-1 is 3.5 spaces total). At 2X, you may spend half a space to allow the Swordfish drone to fire once a turn (instead of just once). The drone will not "hover" at range 1 or 2 to keep firing; it will (stupidly) strike the target if it can. A Subspace Guidance Module in conjunction with Swordfish would allow the drone to "hover" and repeatedly fire.