This isn't really a formalized variant proposal, but rather a concept I've noodled around with. Basically, AP programs should be extendable to large units.
"Why would I do such a thing?" you ask. I dunno. There are lots of possible areas where a large unit is substantially more capable than an equivalent drone or buoy.
* I really want that BS/AF firing as soon as it detects something coming through the WP, and an AP program would let it do so where a crewed unit would not.
* A life-valuing race nevertheless needs to throw a massive fleet into a simultaneous-transit WP assault. If the simultaneous wave can go in autonomously, then you no longer need to deal with the ethical implications of the maneuver. Or, really, anything else in the "suicide run" category.
Some thoughts for related rules tweaks:
* The AP Program restriction to "within field of fire" should probably be dropped, reflecting the increased capability of ship sensors. This should perhaps only apply to Y- or Yc-equipped units (and, IMO, to sY-equipped Drones, too -- seems like "turn to engage a target aft" is a reasonable program).
* D9.04.2's auto-self-destruct for AP would need to be reconciled with D7.04.4.1's rules for non-mandatory large unit scuttles. My gut feeling here is that scuttling needs to include a non-stress-situation (or, in this case, a pre-programmed situation) for an automatic scuttle, at least for military units. For example, a race has lost a deep space battle near a shipyard with valuable units under refit, and they won't be able to evacuate those units. If they've got nearby weapons on other units, they can fire on and destroy the units, but if it's a matter of self-destruct, they're limited to rolling against RM/2. That's fine for an in-combat stressed decision, but a pre-planned and fully-evacuated scuttle shouldn't be such a gamble for success. An uncrewed unit again skips the potential ethical implications, and so should be able to detonate itself per a suitable condition (time, proximity, whatever).
* These units probably shouldn't be integrateable into a standard AP datalink, but they should be controllable by (APC), and probably could datalink with normal Z/Zc systems strictly among other large AP units.
* The "guarantee a shot" concept above, to circumvent crew readiness, is potentially unbalancing. What if the crew proceeds to readiness as usual while the BS autonomously fires, and disables the AP program when ready? As a result, there should be some appropriate changeover penalty. Something in the 2-to-10-turns of steady-state activity (same course/speed, no use of systems that would require an activated crew) to swap between AP and Crewed state would mean that the insta-fire BS really will have to accept the AP limitation of fighting that battle on the limited terms of an AP program instead of getting the best of both worlds.
* This should not require a special system. These things already have big computers.
* This might need some increased degradation under combat, though, to account for the lack of real-time damage control a crew provides. Maybe once the armor is breached, the unit operates as if it's lost all its Q systems (D4.05)?
What do you think? Any further ideas on how this might be useful?