2072 [+4 Months], Multiple Players / GMs - Recruitment Always Open Options

[Machine Ghost]

Ok, will try and answer some of these here and some IC…to put you out of your misery the jamming will end very shortly as the jabberwocky munitions run out of power – they are only meant to sow confusion and disrupt comms for a short time otherwise you would be screwing your own side too!

The old style comms are using microwave – my (admittedly limited knowledge) is that they are on a higher frequency/wavelength than is used by the current matrix protocols and so should escape the jamming (wouldn’t trying to jam microwave transmissions cook everyone in the neighbourhood?!?)
It's not really that bad. Need to inject noise, not raw power, otherwise the comms themselves would be cooking the users. The jammers do not need any more raw power than a comm of the same rating.

The Drakes are focused around the hole with loose overwatch patrols on all sides of the mall (otherwise they’d get flanked!). The APCs have AROs declaring them to be property of the Metroplex guard (old Eurowars surplus, probably Russian, presumably they are/were test opposition vehicles?!?)

In order to get Gemeaux to ‘meet you’ I’ve assumed you are moving closer to the mall (perhaps closer than you as players might like (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ork.gif) )… I’ll ignore what happened to your captive Drake and let you all decide that one, it doesn’t really matter to the future action (yet!)…

Yes, you can get a drone inside the mall but that should hopefully be moot once you read the IC…

You got a bit ahead of me, so I put an IC post up for before that action. Another coming that will get us into position for that, since the retrieval of the drone had to occur outside of the jammed area, though the drone will be already sent off again by then. Oyl post coming too. This seemed like a good opportunity to push her into 'taking charge' some, in preparation for that leadership roll you mentioned. Without more details about how you see the tribe organization, and member abilities (especially magical), that will have to be quite limited and/or general. Oyl, Spindle, and Spring are all known to have some magical ability. How many others?

I have been looking at the SR5 rules, and SR4 to SR5 conversion. The character conversion does not look as bad as was implied. Have not got to gear/drones yet. Working both convert and rebuild paths to see how they go.

[Machine Ghost]

@Aria,

That should provide context to fit with what you setup to meet Gemeaux, and maybe provide a way to DO something.  Unless you want to interrupt things, the jamming going down will cause Sprogget to trigger the drones.  Banjo and UWBR should have no problem seeing the APC any more, and a matrix connection will let him trigger Leo's first attack without the clumsy visual signalling.  That initial attack is intended as a full burst, split into 4 short bursts on multiple targets AR26 sidebar, after a couple of take aim actions to boost accuracy.  If he can find a group close enough together to target that way, at about the range he wants.  A bit less than the 350m 'long' range limit.  If possible, want it to look like multiple attackers, each using short bursts.  Want LeO's position to be in medium range for threats in front of the Drakehunters.  His initial shot will be away from them, his next pre planned show would be past them the other way.  If everything could be in a straight line, it would look like:
Target 1 .. 350m .. Leo .. 150m .. Drakehunters .. 200m .. Target 2
It will not be a straight line, because LeO also needs to stay back from the perimeter a bit, so he does not have another patrol right under him when he does the long range shots.  If possible, keep a building between him and the nearest known Spined Drakes position.  He might have to go higher than preferred with the storm still going, to get the line of sight he needs
T1          ?          covered area          T2
        building      Drakehunters
          LEO
Banjo should be somewhere between the Drakehunters and target 2, forward enough to get inside of the 100m range AR60 SR4A222 to the APCs

Oh, and LeO is not going to be sitting still after taking the shots

[JxJxA]

Gripes, just saw that I have an exposition post up. Let's get dangerous...or shoot-y... (Probably shoot-y)

Any chance I can spend some cash and karma? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Machine Ghost]

@Aria,

The Oyl Post can turn into anything from a rude awakening and embarrassment for Cam and/or Spindle, up to immediate take over. As a minimum, everyone in the tribe should shortly know that that Spindle is not going to have everything his own way uncontested any more, at the policy level. Take it where you like, depending what timeline looks good, when and how fast you want things to happen.

Minimal karma has been spent on Oyl so far, and Mystic adept should (I think) be easier to convert (or recreate) for SR5.

[Aria]

You got a bit ahead of me, so I put an IC post up for before that action. Another coming that will get us into position for that, since the retrieval of the drone had to occur outside of the jammed area, though the drone will be already sent off again by then. Oyl post coming too. This seemed like a good opportunity to push her into 'taking charge' some, in preparation for that leadership roll you mentioned. Without more details about how you see the tribe organization, and member abilities (especially magical), that will have to be quite limited and/or general. Oyl, Spindle, and Spring are all known to have some magical ability. How many others?

I have been looking at the SR5 rules, and SR4 to SR5 conversion. The character conversion does not look as bad as was implied. Have not got to gear/drones yet. Working both convert and rebuild paths to see how they go.

The tribe is approx. 100 people and the average of magically active is about 1% so you are already above that (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif) Spindle (shaman), Cam (adept) and Osha (mysad), and you’re the sole TM (until we get any new PCs who want to play one…). I’m happy to say there’s an additional mage to add to the mix so you have someone else who could have sent out that initial spirit patrol…

@Aria,

That should provide context to fit with what you setup to meet Gemeaux, and maybe provide a way to DO something. Unless you want to interrupt things, the jamming going down will cause Sprogget to trigger the drones. Banjo and UWBR should have no problem seeing the APC anymore, and a matrix connection will let him trigger Leo's first attack without the clumsy visual signalling. That initial attack is intended as a full burst, split into 4 short bursts on multiple targets AR26 sidebar, after a couple of take aim actions to boost accuracy. If he can find a group close enough together to target that way, at about the range he wants. A bit less than the 350m 'long' range limit. If possible, want it to look like multiple attackers, each using short bursts. Want LeO's position to be in medium range for threats in front of the Drakehunters. His initial shot will be away from them, his next pre planned show would be past them the other way. If everything could be in a straight line, it would look like:
Target 1 .. 350m .. Leo .. 150m .. Drakehunters .. 200m .. Target 2
It will not be a straight line, because LeO also needs to stay back from the perimeter a bit, so he does not have another patrol right under him when he does the long range shots. If possible, keep a building between him and the nearest known Spined Drakes position. He might have to go higher than preferred with the storm still going, to get the line of sight he needs
T1 ? covered area T2
building Drakehunters
LEO
Banjo should be somewhere between the Drakehunters and target 2, forward enough to get inside of the 100m range AR60 SR4A222 to the APCs

Oh, and LeO is not going to be sitting still after taking the shots

Ok, think I followed all that. The Drakes are in groups of 2-3 so you should be able to target one with no trouble. Just a note…the weapon watcher software allows trajectory tracking…what are the chances that someone on the milspec team is running it?!? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ork.gif)

The APCs have turret mounted machine guns (better than canons I suppose)…they could quite easily turn LeO into scrap metal…I’m guessing that you are going for a helo style ‘pop-up attack’ and then disappearing back behind a building…just be careful about doing it more than a couple of times!

The UWB radar will see that there are 3 people in one APC and two in the other. There is clearly a driver/gunner in each, who the others are…weird ones perhaps??? One of them is lying down having a nap (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

There are a couple of armed aerial drones in each APC too

Gripes, just saw that I have an exposition post up. Let's get dangerous...or shoot-y... (Probably shoot-y)

Any chance I can spend some cash and karma? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Yep, if you’ve got it spend it!

I’ll let you make contact with the Mechanicals before I post up another IC…

Just be aware (and this goes for all of you!) – this is a milspec team arriving in 2 APCs so up to 20(ish) soldiers. Tackling them should give you pause for thought… I know PCs tend to get delusions of invincibility sometimes (myself included!), I’m not going to pull punches on this one…just saying (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

@Aria,

The Oyl Post can turn into anything from a rude awakening and embarrassment for Cam and/or Spindle, up to immediate take over. As a minimum, everyone in the tribe should shortly know that that Spindle is not going to have everything his own way uncontested any more, at the policy level. Take it where you like, depending what timeline looks good, when and how fast you want things to happen.

Minimal karma has been spent on Oyl so far, and Mystic adept should (I think) be easier to convert (or recreate) for SR5.

I’ll pen her an IC response along with the rest of the Tribes…it won’t be an immediate coup but she will certainly be considered after this as a force to be reckoned with!

[phlapjack77]

@VirtualScream

*sigh* I guess I'm really giving up hope now and un-subscribing the thread. If the game starts back up, someone please give me a shout (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Aria]

@VirtualScream

*sigh* I guess I'm really giving up hope now and un-subscribing the thread. If the game starts back up, someone please give me a shout (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Have you tried messaging NSEDM? I haven't got round to it yet but might be worth a last ditch attempt? Even if we just get an ETA on a possible return to action?!?

[mister__joshua]

This isn't really relevant, but what is unsubscribing a thread?

[JxJxA]

Yep, if you’ve got it spend it!

I’ll let you make contact with the Mechanicals before I post up another IC…

Just be aware (and this goes for all of you!) – this is a milspec team arriving in 2 APCs so up to 20(ish) soldiers. Tackling them should give you pause for thought… I know PCs tend to get delusions of invincibility sometimes (myself included!), I’m not going to pull punches on this one…just saying (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Cool! It has been a loooong time since I've improved him. Also, good to know about the level of attackers. I saw gangers and immediately read "sniper fodder". (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

Also, if you feel like learning a simple system after SR5...Stars Without Number is a quick system to learn (no multi-page index needed (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) )

@ mister_joshua: Cool! We haven't been moving too quickly, so once a week would probably be ideal at this point.

[Machine Ghost]

..snip..
The APCs have turret mounted machine guns (better than canons I suppose)…they could quite easily turn LeO into scrap metal…I’m guessing that you are going for a helo style ‘pop-up attack’ and then disappearing back behind a building…just be careful about doing it more than a couple of times!

The UWB radar will see that there are 3 people in one APC and two in the other. There is clearly a driver/gunner in each, who the others are…weird ones perhaps??? One of them is lying down having a nap (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

There are a couple of armed aerial drones in each APC too
..snip..
Just be aware (and this goes for all of you!) – this is a milspec team arriving in 2 APCs so up to 20(ish) soldiers. Tackling them should give you pause for thought… I know PCs tend to get delusions of invincibility sometimes (myself included!), I’m not going to pull punches on this one…just saying (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)
..snip..

Since LeO is not planning to shoot AT the APCs, he will be trying very hard to keep a building between them (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
Re Weapon watcher; like I said, LeO is not going to be sitting still. Does make it harder to make them think it is multiple weapons though. Get a couple of bursts off, then high tail for a new location. Throw those hit and run tactics back at the Spined Drakes. Sow confusion, and panic. Try to stir things up. If that pulls the team out of the mall, that is perfect. Give whoever is left in there a chance to regroup and bug out. Those aerial drones are actually the biggest threat to LeO, though once the jamming goes down, tacnet can go back up, and the whole group can act as spotters, to try to get LeO a shot at them without exposing himself to the APCs. The milspec team does have one disadvantage currently. They need to come out of that hole in the wall. If that can be targeted from out of line of sight of the APCs, target rich environment (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Till they get out, then it is time to be someplace else. Step at a time. Want to avoid any sort of direct confrontation with the milspec team, or those APCs. Though if Sprogget can sneak up to them (crawl under?) with the automotive toolkit and a little time, they might just have to sit in one place. Manned though, the sensors are probably too good to let that happen. Bunch of secondary, tertiary plans depending on what the UWBR found, and what the Drakes do when they get hit like that.

To try to NOT do introductions mid battle, I'll let Gemeaux say hello before starting anything. (just?) before the jammers go down, and Banjo gets the UWBR readings?

[Machine Ghost]

This isn't really relevant, but what is unsubscribing a thread?

Removing it from the list of "Current Subscriptions" on the "My Controls" page. That list shows information about all subscribed threads, including which ones have content you have not seen yet.

[mister__joshua]

Removing it from the list of "Current Subscriptions" on the "My Controls" page. That list shows information about all subscribed threads, including which ones have content you have not seen yet.

Ah well there you go. I've never even visited the My Controls page (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[ChromeZephyr]

Planning isn't Scrap's forte, so I'm just having him look back and forth between Crow and Sprogget as they hash this out. No sense getting karma for being a listening post, just thought I'd let you guys know I'm still around. Work has been busier than anyone expected this time of year.

[Aria]

Waiting on JxJxA to say hello (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[Machine Ghost]

Planning isn't Scrap's forte, so I'm just having him look back and forth between Crow and Sprogget as they hash this out. No sense getting karma for being a listening post, just thought I'd let you guys know I'm still around. Work has been busier than anyone expected this time of year.

You could always put up a post about watching for anything to move (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Or about how *annoyed* you are with the intruders in your/our territory.

[JxJxA]

@ Aria: Sorry, sorry, sorry! x_x I'll get a post up and then start spending karma and credits.

[Machine Ghost]

@JxJxA

What tech is Gemeaux using to stay hidden? Chameleon suit? More? Unless there is more than I am aware of, Sprogget is going to be incensed to find that the sensors did not notice him before he got that close. Probably going to have to find a glitch, and reset something. The drones with the best sensors are away, but still ... You managed to come up 'behind' him, or (at least) the thermographic enhancement on the googles should have spotted him. At least as far as Sprogget is concerned :/

[JxJxA]

@ Machine Ghost:

I'm specialized at urban infiltration and wearing a chameleon suit (along with ruthenium coated equipment) with R4 thermal dampening, so...even the thermographic would probably be at a bit of a disadvantage...

I'm an assassin. Slipping into places I'm not supposed to be without being seen is part of the skillset. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[RdMarquis]

Sorry for the long absence. If it's possible right now, I'd like to get back into the game. What happened after I left?

[Machine Ghost]

@ Machine Ghost:

I'm specialized at urban infiltration and wearing a chameleon suit (along with ruthenium coated equipment) with R4 thermal dampening, so...even the thermographic would probably be at a bit of a disadvantage...

I'm an assassin. Slipping into places I'm not supposed to be without being seen is part of the skillset. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

So less complaining (to self) about the sensors missing what they should have seen, and more complaining about needing better sensors.

FYI, the current team has one that would currently *look* technopunkish. Crow is another external add on, and Sprogget is currently dressed in a very standard Victory: Industrious Coverall. The Bike helmet might be decorated a little steampunkish. He was 'out of district' earlier, and was deliberately dressing pseudo corp worker. The monocycle though is explicitly steampunk pimped ride level 1. He was wishing earlier that he had more discrete transportation. Scrapheap is probably looking more typical Mechanicals. He was on that earlier jaunt, but was (mostly) staying in the back of a van, so may not have made much effort to get a corp approved look. Nobody has had a chance to get home and change since.

@Mach_Ten,
Current IC communications is not going to be through comms. This close we should be under the jamming blanket. Sprogget will be using the audio feed from the holo projector in the back pack again, although not pushing the volume like last time.

[JxJxA]

@ Machine Ghost: I was just going with my intro post when it came to descriptions. As for better sensors, I always include ultrasound. If you have that up, you'll see me. ^_^

[Machine Ghost]

Sorry for the long absence. If it's possible right now, I'd like to get back into the game. What happened after I left?

Summary: Mechanicals (drakehunters) team took out a pair of Spined Drakes bombers, then ambushed a group that appeared to be their backup support. Encountered a Dissonant TM rigging a drone. Drone destroyed, one ganger captured, surplus milspec communication gear captured. Interrogation got some information, at least partially confirmed by sending drone for recon past where explosion noticed by mall.

Military / Milspec group, with at least some magical support, and apparently working with Dissonant Technomancers currently attacking Fre∑dom mall. Started by blanketing the area with high power jammers, and blew hole in the wall. Mechanicals (drakehunters) team acquiring intel, and looking to cause enough of a distraction to get them to break off, to give defenders time to regroup / bug out. 4 watcher spirits sent into mall from side away from entry point, with instructions to show everyone found a map of the jammed area, breach point, and 2 APC's, plus verbal summary description message, including recommendation to pass along, and get out.

This is the last IC post I show from Lefey, and Aria's GM Response. That is only one page back, so should not need to much reading to get caught up. Matching OOC starts about here, which is going to take longer to digest.

[Aria's] plan is to move E:Tribes to SR5 and 2075 Thread, after character conversion or rebuild (time jump after tribes weakened). I have a local contact that was involved with SR5 play testing, and am told that TM are awkward to convert. At least if not using the 'main' stream. Still working through what the changes are myself. Does not seem to be any replacement for Paragons.

[RdMarquis]

Summary: Mechanicals (drakehunters) team took out a pair of Spined Drakes bombers, then ambushed a group that appeared to be their backup support. Encountered a Dissonant TM rigging a drone. Drone destroyed, one ganger captured, surplus milspec communication gear captured. Interrogation got some information, at least partially confirmed by sending drone for recon past where explosion noticed by mall.

Military / Milspec group, with at least some magical support, and apparently working with Dissonant Technomancers currently attacking Fre∑dom mall. Started by blanketing the area with high power jammers, and blew hole in the wall. Mechanicals (drakehunters) team acquiring intel, and looking to cause enough of a distraction to get them to break off, to give defenders time to regroup / bug out. 4 watcher spirits sent into mall from side away from entry point, with instructions to show everyone found a map of the jammed area, breach point, and 2 APC's, plus verbal summary description message, including recommendation to pass along, and get out.

This is the last IC post I show from Lefey, and Aria's GM Response. That is only one page back, so should not need to much reading to get caught up. Matching OOC starts about here, which is going to take longer to digest.

[Aria's] plan is to move E:Tribes to SR5 and 2075 Thread, after character conversion or rebuild (time jump after tribes weakened). I have a local contact that was involved with SR5 play testing, and am told that TM are awkward to convert. At least if not using the 'main' stream. Still working through what the changes are myself. Does not seem to be any replacement for Paragons.

Thanks for the summary. As for converting characters, I think we can base Paragons off Mentor Spirits and change mental attributes to reflect different streams. Fading and Drain mechanics don't seemed to have changed too much. Not sure about complex forms, though.

[Machine Ghost]

Thanks for the summary. As for converting characters, I think we can base Paragons off Mentor Spirits and change mental attributes to reflect different streams. Fading and Drain mechanics don't seemed to have changed too much. Not sure about complex forms, though.

Fading is currently always Resonance + Willpower, instead of using a stream specific attribute. Either no streams, or the only available stream uses Willpower. SR5 pdf p251. Fading from threading is Physical damage if more **hits** than Resonance attribute, instead of only if final rating is higher than resonance. Maximum number of learned complex forms limited to 2 times Resonance. Fading for CF is now like spells. It has a base fading value of the level (rating), with a modifier depending on which CF it is. P252 Resonance Library.

I have not gotten through all of the pieces yet, but right now it looks like Complex Forms get treated like spells. There are even some typos in the pdf that say "spell" when describing TM related things. Previously you could thread any complex form, or thread to boost the rating of a known complex form. Known complex forms were always available (for free) at the learned level. Now, it looks like you have to learn a complex form before you can thread it. Need to thread to desired level before using every time. Complex Forms (at least some) no longer correspond directly to programs.

[Aria]

@Rdmarquis (et al.)

Welcome back! Thanks to Machine Ghost for the summary – he captured everything that he was aware of outside. Inside you will have been dumpshocked as you were forcibly jacked out by the jammer warheads (they fired one inside too – no expense spared!). You ‘wake up’ to all hell breaking loose, panic stations, armed soldiers shooting at tribe members and a mad scramble towards the safer parts of the mall. Jazz drags your arse down towards the basement...unless you want to resist?

More details to follow IC...

Oh, and as luck would have it, it's entirely possible that Mordred is here too (Gemeaux is after dropping off the Collots)...so you could IC post meeting him in the chaos, have a happy reunion, I might even let it last (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ork.gif)

I will try and finish off the IC post before the end of the week but work is taking a turn for the worse so I'll get back to you if not and suggest ways that you can post some stuff without my IC input...