Hide Outs/Safe Houses, Not exactly either but... Options

[Stormdrake]

The below is something a character wants to create for himself because he is getting paranoid about the other shoe dropping. I like the concept and in RL have seen "some" examples of refitted trawlers. Not cheap by any means but then what is in this game?

Fishing trawler

Description:

The “Laughing Nymph” is a Mahasagar's 52' Combination/Outrigger Trawler of 16-21 day fishing voyage capability. The outward appearance of the vessel bespeaks a lifetime spent on the high sea. This “appears” to be a working trawler from the last century that has been scroupesly maintained. In other words it looks like any other small, family fishing vessel in the harbor from the outside. On the inside its a different matter. Both the Fishhold and crew accommodations have been removed and remodeled. The Fishhold and crew accommodations have been replaced with the equivalence of a medium sized apartment designed for 2 or possibly three inhabitants. All electronics have been upgraded and a computer system has been installed.

Statistics:

Basic Specifications:

Length: 52'
Beam: 17'
Displacement: 34 m.tons(empty), 58 m.tons(fully loaded)
Fuel oil cap: 16 KL
Freshwater cap: 8 KL
Winch: Triple drum mechanical/hydraulic drive

Crew accommodation:
for two to three (Medium life style size and accommodations)

Electronic equipment:
includes Radar, Sonar, Satellite uplink-phone/communication, GPS and weather doppler. The vessel is fully automated so that one person can safely crew it for extended trips (16 to 21 days duration)

Computer:
Green - 5 Barrier - 4, Matrix access only when in port. Systems primary tasks are navigation and security.

Engine:
Twin 250hp marine diesel

Security:
Re-enforced Doors and walls with Maglocks that operate off of thumbpad verification (Rating eight), location violation alarm system linked to non-lethal intrusion counter measures. Video surveillance camera’s linked to on board computer system. There is also a safe in the master bedroom with a maglock outfitted with retinal and thumbpad scanner (rating ten) Integral bug detector and white noise generator.

Obviously this is going to cost the player a lot but if I let him do it then I don't feel so bad when his primary home gets blown to drek by the teams latest enemy. What do you all think?

[Deacon]

[Kanada Ten]

[Stormdrake]

The funny thing is that if you look up fishing trawlers for purchase from manufactures on goggle they can have almost all of the electronic stuff he listed including the sonar and satellite communication. Obviously some of it was upgraded by him in deference to the advances in tech that shadowrun has. No the source he used as the blue print did not have bug detecters or white noise generators but I believe those are rather mild additions.

[Stormdrake]

In building such a vessel would Rigger 3 be of any use? The character is a hermetic mage with no cyber at all. So setting it up for a rigger seems pointless. Keeping this in mind would the book still be useful for building the design? If you have not guessed I don't have the book.

[Nephyte]

The book despite it's name lends itself towards making mundane vehicles just as well as rigged ones.

[danbot37]

What book covers 'awakened' vehicles? lol

[Nephyte]

I was simply referring to the post above mine which implied the postee thought Rigger 3 might only be for riggers.


I was pointing out that it works well for non-rigged vehicles as well, or mundane vehicles. You could in a certain light I suppose suggest a rigged vehicle is the mechanical equivalent of being somewhat awakened compared to a non-rigged vehicle :P

[danbot37]

oh, I understood what ya meant, but an awakened vehicle was the first thing that popped in my head when I read your post. Hey, if the matrix can have technoshaman otaku, why not awakened vehicles? A vehicle spirit or something

[Nephyte]

Shaman of the Spirit of Car.


I am summoning a Euro Westwind Spirit, with the travelling power! Zoom Zooooooooooooom!!!!

[danbot37]

Would definitely have to have movement and accident powers

[El_Machinae]

He should have an escape route, out the bottom of the boat. With ready-to-use scuba gear. That way, if things hit the fan again, he can swim away.

Also, it might be a good idea to get other systems to help him travel. That way he can shut off his GPS and radar (thus making it harder to track him).

Hiding in plain sight always works - just be one of the innumerable boats!

[Frag-o Delux]

GPS doesn't broadcast it only recieves, the last time I checked, so it would be immune to being tracked by a hostile.

Not mention he should still have some sort of navigation skill if he was serious about running in his boat. Charts, and compasses are a good low tech item all ships should have. And a trawler is a ship, if I remember correctly so he may need another skill to take advantage of this escape vehicle. If he is just going to moar it at a dock and just live there then he really doesn't need all that. But if he really wants to find in a marina he should at least learn some nauticle knowledge so he doesn't stick out to the locals.

[Kurukami]

[Drain Brain]

Erm... Airlock?

[Herald of Verjig...]

[Kagetenshi]

It depends on how you do the hole. Moon pool anyone?

~J

[Nephyte]

Technically you're trying to escape the boat, do you really care if your airlock is pressurized or if you're boat is going to sink after you escape out the bottom....

[Ed_209a]

[El_Machinae]

Erm, just make sure the room with the escape hatch doesn't have a screen door!

[Stormdrake]

Comedians, gotta love em. The vessel as described by my player seems like it would just disappear amongst the other individually owned fishing vessels in Seattle harbor. As this is what he wants and the vessel serves as only a hide out and will only come into play should I frag his normal dwellings I say why not? By the way, the reason the character is so paranoid is he swiped a drake out from under the noses of not one but two Great Dragons. unfortunately it was not a "clean" extraction and enough clues were left behind for him to be found, should one or both dragons decide to extract a little vengeance.

[Siege]

A drake...from under the nose of two Great Dragons?

The character is dead. He is so dead, Jesus Christ said, "Holy shit, you're dead."

At this point, he should just forgo paranoia and embrace the liberating feeling of knowing he's dead and enjoy the rest of his brief life.

-Siege

[TinkerGnome]

Not necessarily dead... but I'd say he's going to find himself with a new employer. You know, one that doesn't really offer you cash but rather the right to continue breathing for your work. Task one being getting that Drake back. :vegm:

[Siege]

Like I said, dead.

Or dragon bait, with barbcue sauce.

-Siege

[Athenor]

I think you are making this overly complex.

Simplest answer I can provide is just design it as a lifestyle, using the rules out of SSG. Because it is a system meant to represent roleplaying elements, not to mention being geared towards the paranoid, it should work fine. In fact, I would be willing to bet that there is a rule for having a "mobile" lifestyle (to represent mobile homes and such)... and if it doesn't, it wouldn't be too hard to add it as an edge.

Also, I'd be willing to bet that by doing it that way, as a lifestyle, it'd be cheaper in the long run than trying to buy a schooner. It's not technically in the "ship" size category yet (I don't believe), but it is pushing -really- close.. which would mean learning a whole new set of rules. In fact, I think your tub there is bigger than the naval-class yacht used in Brainscan.

So in the end, I'd say weigh your options, with consideration (as a GM) towards whether or not you are going to actually -need- the rules for the fuel, armor, speed, weapon mounting points, and so on. Also consider how long he will spend at sea, as opposed to being on land -- if it were a sea-based game, like a pirate game, then of course go with the naval rules. But if this is a backup safehouse, or even just some place to get some side cred, go with a lifestyle.

Athenor

PS: Hadn't seen the drake comment. Yup. get out the marshmellows now, man. just give him the boat -- after all, dragons love their crunchies in tin foil, keeps 'em warm and from going stale.