Airport Security in Sixth World, How much is too much? Options

[XON2000]

Hi, everyone,

(I tried searching for this, but couldn't find a previous thread.)

I'm planning on incorporating an airport into my next run, and I need to figure out how tight the security should be.

I've already decided that people will be required to set their commlinks to public mode. Obviously, there will be MADs, but I'm not sure where to put them. At most airports I've been in lately, you can access the terminal without going through a metal detector, and only have to go through security to get to the concourse. But in 2070, I thought they might scan you before you even stepped foot inside. What do you think?

And what other kinds of security measures would you put in an airport? Armed Lone Star guards? Magical security? Security cameras with face recognition software?

Any ideas are appreciated.

[ornot]

I think a big question is what kind of airport? Are we talking a big international hub like Heathrow, or a smaller domestic strip?

For the system to work there has to be a reasonable degree of freedom, else it would grind to a halt with the time and effort required to run in depth security over passengers.

Most likely there'd be a lot of guards, acting as a visible deterrent, and I'd stick in a bunch of chemsniffers. Most of the security would be post check-in though. No point running all those checks on folk just dropping off their friends or greeting people. To actually get on a plane though, they prolly run the works; cyberware scanner, a warded room you need to walk through, actual physical searches if anything looks suspicious and for flying while trog... Smaller places with smaller budgets would likely rely more on physical searches. They have fewer passengers so can afford the extra time.

YMMV

[CanRay]

Well, if the only thing the guy has to declair is a pair of custom pistols, and no luggage, then he gets picked for the "Random" Full Body Cavity Search by the Troll Security Guard, and full-on Spectral Scan by the Security Mage and his gaggle of Watchers.

Which might be distraction enough to allow other people to get through with other things, maybe.

[Method]

I think ornot hits on a key point. A large airport like DIA (I see you are in Denver?) would be a nightmare if the goal was to evaluate every single passenger for potential threats. The strategy there is to make the place a death trap for anyone brave or stupid enough to try anything. Your runners may have a little more leeway to spoof their way in and move about, but they should have the feeling that a big clock starts ticking down as soon as they are detected. Exfil ASAP.

Now smaller airports would likely be far more numerous by 207x given the widespread use of aerial taxis. Most large corporate facilities would maintain small heli-ports if not fully equipped (but small) airports. The baseline security at these places might be a little tighter, but there would be a finite and predictable escalation of force, similar to any corporate facility.

In other words, a large international airport like DIA would go from 25% to 110% deadly at the drop of a hat, but a small corporate heli-port (of which there are many) would have an escalation like 50% -> 75% -> 100% allowing your runners some time to do shadowy stuff if need be.

[Blade]

Basically, you just take every possible sensor that'd be useful and put them inside the security check. There's no need for them to have wireless on and they'd probably be wired to the security terminals to prevent hacking.

But don't overdo it: they didn't have 9/11 in Shadowrun and I don't remember any big terrorist attack involving plane hijacking or anything like that in SR. Besides, Nation-States don't have a lot of money to spend for airport security.

[Chrysalis]

Airport security at major airports will be tight, while private airstrips will have as muc or as little security as posisble.

For an international airport expect a lot of "invisible" security For example, cameras, choke points, scanners, and dogs. There will also be magical counteragents. Wards and mage-cuffs are going to be quite common.

Don't expect to be able to take spell focuses on flights or cyberware without restraints.

[nezumi]

Heavy wards, MAD, chem sniffer, bomb-sniffing dogs/drones, plenty of people with guns and random strip searches (all passengers are required to get to their terminal half an hour early to allow sufficient time should they be randomly selected for a full cavity search, for your safety). Security will be tight for those coach-flying passengers. On the flip side, this is dystopia, so imagine they miss a lot and they pick a lot on the wrong people. They'll stop the one guy for a 4 oz. package of apple-sauce, but then miss your disassembled handgun in your carry-on.

Of course, as you throw more money around, things get easy. You better believe no business class passenger is getting searched, and they get the 'express' security line.

Private airports are set up however you'd like.

[Earlydawn]

Generally, I'd model airports as slightly more advanced versions of airports today; high technological security with generally inept and underpayed employees. Corporate attempts to minimize costs and maximize profits would only exacerbate the problems we see with TSA personnel today. If you try and get through any kind of detection point without proper preparation (ceramic weapons, cyberware jamming), expect to get caught. Main points of weakness would be the susceptibility / unreliability of people, and the runner's initiative to plan beforehand. Social engineering rules here.

Also, I disagree with the mage-per-airport logic. If anything, they have FAB-based detection systems, and perhaps a small number of watchers. Hermetic corporate resources are busy guarding important things, like top-secret research labs a half-mile under a Z-Zone.

[Backgammon]

As required by your plot... Do you want getting past the security to be a big part of the run, or not? You can basically make it nigh impossible, requiring weeks of preperation and bribery, or make it 80s cyberpunk and say nobody really cares.

[TheForgotten]

Basically, you just take every possible sensor that'd be useful and put them inside the security check. There's no need for them to have wireless on and they'd probably be wired to the security terminals to prevent hacking.

But don't overdo it: they didn't have 9/11 in Shadowrun and I don't remember any big terrorist attack involving plane hijacking or anything like that in SR. Besides, Nation-States don't have a lot of money to spend for airport security.

Terrorists used a plane to take out the Sears Tower in Chicago in the SR timeline.

[XON2000]

Thanks for the feedback, everyone.

The airport is supposed to be a big international hub; I'm using DIA as my main inspiration. The runners aren't going to need to get on a plane. They're goal will be to steal some data off the commlink of a corporate exec as he passes through the airport.

I think the main obstacles will be the guards, some passive magic protection, and cameras just about everywhere. The runners won't have to deal with any serious scans to get into the terminal, but with the guards around, they'll have to make sure that they're not too conspicuous. As long as they can get their data without any major mishap, they'll be okay, but if they get caught, or rouse suspicion, they'll have a bunch of Lone Star guards to contend with.

[the_real_elwood]

Some armed guards are going to be a given, but the security guard at every metal detector may not be packing. If you decide you want them to be armed, then your generic guards have some kind of light armor jacket and a light pistol, and then for a major international hub, there's probably a dedicated rapid reaction force on standby somewhere in the airport. Think your generic SWAT team, ready to respond to any incidents at the airport. MAD and chemsniffers are a given, along with security cameras in high traffic areas and on the security lines. Magical security is probably pretty minimal, but there might be one or two mages on staff, especially if the airport serves Denver, where you'd likely have a lot of important people coming through.

[Nath]

Terrorists used a plane to take out the Sears Tower in Chicago in the SR timeline.

A combination of magic and explosives, according to the Neo-Anarchist Guide to North America. AFAIK, no sourcebook ever mentioned the involvement of an airplane in this.

[kzt]

But don't overdo it: they didn't have 9/11 in Shadowrun and I don't remember any big terrorist attack involving plane hijacking or anything like that in SR. Besides, Nation-States don't have a lot of money to spend for airport security.

No, somewhere some idiot wrote there there was this giant insurance fraud/defamation plot that involved blowing up a dozen airliners in flight. This was used as the start of the whole Shadow Run business. Naturally nobody got caught because it had the power of PLOT behind it....

[kzt]

Terrorists used a plane to take out the Sears Tower in Chicago in the SR timeline.

No, that was a magical demolition job by the Alamos 2000.

[kzt]

Magical security is probably pretty minimal, but there might be one or two mages on staff, especially if the airport serves Denver, where you'd likely have a lot of important people coming through.

This is one of those sites where a high force long term bound spirit would work. Force 12 spirits get 8 average successes on assensing, and they are hugely hard to target if they have magical guard/counter magic.

[CanRay]

Depends on the airport, really. Some are lax, others aren't. Just like real life.

In the UCAS and CAS, the security is probably not going to be too tight, well, except for New York. England is going to have heavy Magic Security (Due to their politics.).

Israel is... Well, hell, Israel sets the high bar for security today, why would it change?

Aztlan. Well, um, well... With all those laws and everything, your asprin that you keep in your kit bag can be considered heavy contraband and get you a visit from the Blood Mages!

Some European Countries, you can probably get through some of the more chaotic country easier with obviously fake papers and a subtle bribe than you could with legit papers.

Africa, just try not to get shot out of the sky as you enter/leave.

Austrailia, well, Mana Storms.

And, of course, the main issue with lots of flights now are "Non-IFF Using Flights", AKA Dragons and other Para-Critters big enough to take on a Jumbo Jet.

I advise using Zepplins. Slower, but a lot less issues.

[BishopMcQ]

I'd point you to the Travel and Smuggling Section in Runners Companion. It admittedly is designed to teach runners how to bypass the security, but it mentions the type of security and the protocols that various locations use (Train Stations/Airports/Bus Stations etc)

[Nath]

Depends on the airport, really. Some are lax, others aren't.

According to California Free State and Corporate Enclaves, LAX was destroyed by an earthquake in 2028.

[Method]

I was inspired...

[Draco18s]

According to California Free State and Corporate Enclaves, LAX was destroyed by an earthquake in 2028.

I read that as LAX and not "lax, as in relaxed" too.

[CanRay]

I read that as LAX and not "lax, as in relaxed" too.

You read that correctly. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

If I meant LAX, I'd have written LAX, not lax. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

And I'm sure it was meant as a pun, as well. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[nezumi]

If you decide you want them to be armed, then your generic guards have some kind of light armor jacket and a light pistol,

A light pistol? What do you think they'll be shooting at? Cockroaches?

Last time I went to an airport, BWI had pretty standard handguns, tac vests, probably bulletproof vest under that (I wasn't really looking) and some dudes with shorty M-16s. DEN had guys with normal service handguns, but I don't remember seeing any vests (they could have been there, but I just don't recollect).

Granted, DeeCee area might be unusual. Our train stations have guys in body armor with M-16s waiting. But I would assume they will have, at minimum, armor vests and medium or large handguns, equivalent to police (since they usually are police, either TSA or some sort of federal DOT police). People with automatic weapons should not be unheard of. The guy with a light pistol and light armor jacket maybe is the redcap outside.

[AngelisStorm]

Also, I disagree with the mage-per-airport logic. If anything, they have FAB-based detection systems, and perhaps a small number of watchers. Hermetic corporate resources are busy guarding important things, like top-secret research labs a half-mile under a Z-Zone.

Enter the guys who got the short end of the stick, and only has the quality which gives them astral sight. These are the guys who aren't good enough to be paid to stand over a corporate negotiator's shoulder and tell him what the opposition is feeling. Don't forget though, airports are big business. Like any important target, they will have at least a mage or two around and on duty.

(I like the suggestion that the security checkpoints are warded.) Likely the security all have those nifty glowsticks that light up when magic is aboot.

[CanRay]

A light pistol? What do you think they'll be shooting at? Cockroaches?

"Have you seen the SIZE of cockroaches recently??? You'd need a PANZER ASSAULT CANNON to take them out!"

"You've just been to Chicago, haven't you?"

"How could you tell?"