An SR5 actual game report Options

[Backgammon]

So, before I begin, just for full disclosure: while I am a CGL Freelancer, I did not work in any way, nor did I have any input on the development of SR5. That's that, read the rest as you will.

Last night was my group's game. We are currently running the Coin of Luck mission from Corporate Intrigue (which, incidentally, is an amazing campaign book. I highly recommend it). This was our first game with SR5, everyone having converted all their chars and etc. One did not have much time, so he outright switched his character to the Brawler Adept, which is close enough to what he had before.

The team had just entered the dreaded Kowloon Walled City. First thing they ecounter are some thugs beating up a man in front of his child. Turns out the Brawling Adept has a Code of Honor that doesn't like that, so she steps in. Words are spoken, threats are made, but the gangers won't back down (narrowly failed Intimidation test). After some posturing, the biggest of them goes mano-a-womano with the brawler to settle things. Our first taste of very basic SR5 combat. Rolls are fluid, and moments later, after suffering a minor cut from the ganger's knife jab, the brawler puts the ganger down. So far, so good.

Next, the continue on into a "building", more like a pile of rubble, and cross over to the next one via a narrow plank walkway. The toll sammy's weight causes it to collapse, but his Gymnastics 6 allow him to nimbly scramble safely to the other side. Once there, the team's hacker runs a perimeter search for Silent icons. He rolls wells, and spots a gaggle a few feet below them. Hmm. This is unusualy in Kowloon Walled City, where few people have any Matrix devices. He beings investigating, randomly Perceiving the Icons for more details. He encounters a commlink, which he Hacks-on-the-Fly. Gaining a Mark on it, it turns out it's the Master device for a bunch of other sutff, uincluding cybereyes. So, having hacked that stuff, he proceeds to pipe into the cybereyes and gains field of vision. Black Chrysanthemum Triad members and brokering a organ deal with Ghouls. Wow, would have been bad if they'd just stumbled into that, so everyone thanks the hacker. The team decides these scumbags deserve no mercy, so the sniper gets into position and the rest of the team advances. The hacker continues to wrack havok. He trips an alarm on another ganger's commlink. The meeting being typically tense, the Triad assume the Ghouls are pulling something and weapons are drawn, though not immediately fired. Unfortunately for them, the hacker continues his merry game, and hacks a gun and causes it to fire a round. That's enough to ignite that poweder keg, and shooting commences. The sniper makes a few gangers explode while the team engages two Triads trying to make a run for it in melee. Another very fluid round of dice rolling sees the Brawler use Called Shots to Disarm a Triad before the Troll and Brawler beat the Triads up. Everyone cheers when the brawler kicks the gun out of the Triad's hands - a cool move for sure! And everyone shakes their heads sadly when the sniper causes something like 14P of damage in a single shot to a poor Triad guy.

The team moves on, reaching a suspicious looking courtyard formed by 4 buildings. Pretty juicy spot for an ambush. They have no real reason to expect one, but Shadowrunners are a paranoid lot, so they advance cautiously. Of course, paranoia is a healthy thing. Turns out there IS an ambush. The sniper's background includes the Enemy quality, which (while he doesn't know quite all of this) is in fact the Fallen from Quebec (the sniper's homeland). Now, those Very Scary and Cunning Psycho Bastards are bad-ass motherfuckers, but Hong Kong is a long way from Quebec, so what's reaching out to the runners is a locally hired team of runners (I grabbed 5 of the archetypes from SR5). Their team hacker is very competant, so a stealthy battle of detection between the Player's hacker and the opposition begins. The opfor gets an in in that the sniper, because he's a paranoid pig-headed kind of guy, refused the hacker's offer to slave his stuff to his. Being much less defended, the opfor's hacker spots him and proceeds to one-shot brick his Sniper Rifle's Smartlink, and half-brick his cybereyes. The opfor's sammy tosees a grenade at the team, which the Player Troll Sammy does a Quickdraw Test on to throw back, and succeeds. Gunfire starts being exchanged, but no hits yet. The poor Elf Face Chick tries to run out of the middle of the courtyard, but runs right into the opfor's Troll Bounty Hunter's shotgun instead. Thankfully for her, she dodges the shotgun roll.

So, that's where we left off for the night. All in all:
* I was able to do 2 and a half Combat scenes in one sitting, which is *unheard* of in our previous SR4 games. Without a doubt, dice rolling and combat is much more fluid and faster now
* We all LOVE the new hacking. Even though the hacker is much less powerfull, finding it much harder to Matrix-dominate the opposition, he really enjoys it a lot more. The challenge is much more fun, and everyone really loved the scene with hacking the Black Chrysanthemums. The sniper didn't mind too much getting his rifle bricked, just part of the challenge, once again.

All in all, everyone agreed this was a really awesome game under the new mechanics.

[Shemhazai]

You can quickdraw to throw back grenades?

[Sendaz]

Only properly holstered weapons or in a sheath or sling are supposed to be quickdrawn. Idea is you know where it is and have practiced that snap movement.

However, a creative GM could have made him do a snatch from the air with penalties to the QD roll (he can clearly see the device so he knows where it is, jus the exact motion is being a bit improvised - or not, some military training (or an outfielder for baseball) might lend that sort of response) to basically grab and return throw the device I suppose.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

You can quickdraw to throw back grenades?

Of course you can, just as long as your Wirelss is enabled.

[Bigity]

Of course you can, just as long as your Wirelss is enabled.

Where is the Awesome post button?

[saiyanslayer]

Of course you can, just as long as your Wirelss is enabled.

Quick draw rules on pg 165 do not mention anything about grenades and support that the grenade had to be in a holster. It also isn't mentioned on page 181 that has a section for grenades. The wireless link allows you to remotely detonate ahead of the timer, reducing scatter.

Personally, I think the throwing skill would have sufficed. Add penalties if the grenade landed in a pile of rubbish, and have the player drop it if they critically glitch.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Quick draw rules on pg 165 do not mention anything about grenades and support that the grenade had to be in a holster. It also isn't mentioned on page 181 that has a section for grenades. The wireless link allows you to remotely detonate ahead of the timer, reducing scatter.

Personally, I think the throwing skill would have sufficed. Add penalties if the grenade landed in a pile of rubbish, and have the player drop it if they critically glitch.

Epic Fail on the response... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wobble.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)
Wireless fixes anything...

[Backgammon]

We looked for rules concerning throwing back but found nothing specific, so this seemed a VERY close rule to what we needed.

[saiyanslayer]

We looked for rules concerning throwing back but found nothing specific, so this seemed a VERY close rule to what we needed.

All in all, good call. Maybe the errata should include a quick note on how to throw back?

You noted that the Sniper's rifle's smartlink was bricked. Where you playing it easy on the player by not bricking the rifle first?

[Backgammon]

Partially yes, but also, I wasn't sure the RIFLE could be bricked. You can only brick Matrix Devices, right? The rifle *itself* is not a matrix device, is it? I mean, for example, if you take a revolver without a smartlink, there's nothing to brick - it's already fully mechanical. So killing the smartlink seemed to be the limit of what could be done. I think maybe I could have been more cruel and said a smartlink modification is so invasive that if it's disabled the gun can no longer fire until the smartlink is taken out, but, yes, that'd be a little mean towards the Player.

[Sendaz]

Partially yes, but also, I wasn't sure the RIFLE could be bricked. You can only brick Matrix Devices, right? The rifle *itself* is not a matrix device, is it? I mean, for example, if you take a revolver without a smartlink, there's nothing to brick - it's already fully mechanical. So killing the smartlink seemed to be the limit of what could be done. I think maybe I could have been more cruel and said a smartlink modification is so invasive that if it's disabled the gun can no longer fire until the smartlink is taken out, but, yes, that'd be a little mean towards the Player.

oh dear...

Actually under the new system ALL devices, right down to your Ruger Super Warhawk (you would think its just a mechanical pistol right?) has a wireless capability and can be bricked.

Don't ask...

But the good news is you can either rip it out or buy a increasingly rare throwback version that never got the wireless put in.

[Freya]

Partially yes, but also, I wasn't sure the RIFLE could be bricked. You can only brick Matrix Devices, right? The rifle *itself* is not a matrix device, is it? I mean, for example, if you take a revolver without a smartlink, there's nothing to brick - it's already fully mechanical. So killing the smartlink seemed to be the limit of what could be done. I think maybe I could have been more cruel and said a smartlink modification is so invasive that if it's disabled the gun can no longer fire until the smartlink is taken out, but, yes, that'd be a little mean towards the Player.

That interpretation makes far too much sense to be an actual rule. (I like it, though!)

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

All in all, good call. Maybe the errata should include a quick note on how to throw back?

You noted that the Sniper's rifle's smartlink was bricked. Where you playing it easy on the player by not bricking the rifle first?

I am just curious WHY the Sniper was not Dark (at least for his weapons and smartlink). Serious security hole, there.

[Sendaz]

That interpretation makes far too much sense to be an actual rule. (I like it, though!)

second (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[DWC]

Partially yes, but also, I wasn't sure the RIFLE could be bricked. You can only brick Matrix Devices, right? The rifle *itself* is not a matrix device, is it? I mean, for example, if you take a revolver without a smartlink, there's nothing to brick - it's already fully mechanical. So killing the smartlink seemed to be the limit of what could be done. I think maybe I could have been more cruel and said a smartlink modification is so invasive that if it's disabled the gun can no longer fire until the smartlink is taken out, but, yes, that'd be a little mean towards the Player.

That's exactly the intent of the new rules. And per the Firearms section, even non-smart weapons have wireless functionality that allows for wireless manipulation of the firing mechanism, feed mechanism, and monitoring of magazine contents. So yeah, the hacker bricks the rifle, not just the smartgun system. I see a strong move towards throwbacks as more and more trigger pullers move all the way to the left on the risk/reward graph, but that's the way it is.

By the way, I do like the idea that organized crime goons would be relying on running silent rather than being EM dark, exposing them to being absolutely victimized by shadowrunners. Turning a meeting into a Aztlaner standoff (you see what I did there?) was a nice bit of hacking work. Glad you all are having fun with SR5.

[saiyanslayer]

Partially yes, but also, I wasn't sure the RIFLE could be bricked. You can only brick Matrix Devices, right? The rifle *itself* is not a matrix device, is it? I mean, for example, if you take a revolver without a smartlink, there's nothing to brick - it's already fully mechanical. So killing the smartlink seemed to be the limit of what could be done. I think maybe I could have been more cruel and said a smartlink modification is so invasive that if it's disabled the gun can no longer fire until the smartlink is taken out, but, yes, that'd be a little mean towards the Player.

Ya, pg 228 says that the internals melt, clog up mechanics and could jam the firing pin, for example. That's the risk/reward cycle for keeping the smartlink wireless. It may be mean, but it also drives home the idea trusting the team hacker is beneficial. Which actions did the enemy hacker take to brick it? Data Spike? I'm curious since I haven't had a chance to play a session yet and would like to know how the actions handle in combat.

Players can disarm the wireless as a free action for all of their devices (pg 421). Let that be a lesson to your sniper to trust your hacker or shut down the wireless once you know a hacker is around.

[Backgammon]

I am just curious WHY the Sniper was not Dark (at least for his weapons and smartlink). Serious security hole, there.

If he hadn't been so stubborn and gone under the wing of the team hacker, he would have been fine. The opfor was probing them for a while, but he couldn't get any hits on the Perception to get past the hacker's Running Silent security for the rest of the team. The only way he managed to get to the sniper was because he refused the hacker's extra security. Oddly enough, he agreed to have his stuff slaved under the hacker now... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Annd as to why he wasn't completely turned off, one one hand the general 2075 attitude is that that is a very odd thing to do in the first place, especially for characters who in-game are not Matrix experts and don't fully understand what could happen to them, and on the other hand, the sniper does enjoy sharing his scope field of vision with the team (and vice versa)

[cndblank]

Thanks for posting.
Looking forward to hearing about the next session.

[Backgammon]

Ya, pg 228 says that the internals melt, clog up mechanics and could jam the firing pin, for example. That's the risk/reward cycle for keeping the smartlink wireless. It may be mean, but it also drives home the idea trusting the team hacker is beneficial. Which actions did the enemy hacker take to brick it? Data Spike? I'm curious since I haven't had a chance to play a session yet and would like to know how the actions handle in combat.

Players can disarm the wireless as a free action for all of their devices (pg 421). Let that be a lesson to your sniper to trust your hacker or shut down the wireless once you know a hacker is around.

Yes, data spike. He had 1 or 2 Marks on his rifle already, so he got like 3 net hits, base damage 5, +4 from the marks, so one-shot bricking. That impressed got the Player hacker's attention, by the way. The sniper has not shared with the rest of the team the fact he has powerful Enemies, so the hacker asked him "just who the fuck did you piss off?"

[Sendaz]

the sniper does enjoy sharing his scope field of vision with the team (and vice versa)

Snipervoyuerism (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

If he hadn't been so stubborn and gone under the wing of the team hacker, he would have been fine. The opfor was probing them for a while, but he couldn't get any hits on the Perception to get past the hacker's Running Silent security for the rest of the team. The only way he managed to get to the sniper was because he refused the hacker's extra security. Oddly enough, he agreed to have his stuff slaved under the hacker now... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Annd as to why he wasn't completely turned off, one one hand the general 2075 attitude is that that is a very odd thing to do in the first place, especially for characters who in-game are not Matrix experts and don't fully understand what could happen to them, and on the other hand, the sniper does enjoy sharing his scope field of vision with the team (and vice versa)

I can see that as being the attitude for the general populace, but not for Shadowrunners, Military, Security, etc. Communications and Tacnets are one thing, but complete device Matrix Integration is thoroughly stupid. *shrug*

[saiyanslayer]

Yes, data spike. He had 1 or 2 Marks on his rifle already, so he got like 3 net hits, base damage 5, +4 from the marks, so one-shot bricking. That impressed got the Player hacker's attention, by the way. The sniper has not shared with the rest of the team the fact he has powerful Enemies, so the hacker asked him "just who the fuck did you piss off?"

Cool, thanks for sharing. Eager to see how the games progress.

[Redjack]

The sniper's background includes the Enemy quality

This quality is not in SR5. Is this a house ruled item?

[Backgammon]

Yes. While most characters Re-Qualified (hehe) using only SR5 stuff, as painful as that was - this character's Enemy stuff was really central to his character and I in fact had the ambush session all set already right before we decided to hop to 5th. So, I kind of hand waived it. In exchange, he got to keep his Sniper Rifle (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[RHat]

Next, the continue on into a "building", more like a pile of rubble, and cross over to the next one via a narrow plank walkway. The toll sammy's weight causes it to collapse, but his Gymnastics 6 allow him to nimbly scramble safely to the other side. Once there, the team's hacker runs a perimeter search for Silent icons. He rolls wells, and spots a gaggle a few feet below them. Hmm. This is unusualy in Kowloon Walled City, where few people have any Matrix devices. He beings investigating, randomly Perceiving the Icons for more details. He encounters a commlink, which he Hacks-on-the-Fly. Gaining a Mark on it, it turns out it's the Master device for a bunch of other sutff, uincluding cybereyes. So, having hacked that stuff, he proceeds to pipe into the cybereyes and gains field of vision. Black Chrysanthemum Triad members and brokering a organ deal with Ghouls. Wow, would have been bad if they'd just stumbled into that, so everyone thanks the hacker. The team decides these scumbags deserve no mercy, so the sniper gets into position and the rest of the team advances. The hacker continues to wrack havok. He trips an alarm on another ganger's commlink. The meeting being typically tense, the Triad assume the Ghouls are pulling something and weapons are drawn, though not immediately fired. Unfortunately for them, the hacker continues his merry game, and hacks a gun and causes it to fire a round. That's enough to ignite that poweder keg, and shooting commences. The sniper makes a few gangers explode while the team engages two Triads trying to make a run for it in melee. Another very fluid round of dice rolling sees the Brawler use Called Shots to Disarm a Triad before the Troll and Brawler beat the Triads up. Everyone cheers when the brawler kicks the gun out of the Triad's hands - a cool move for sure! And everyone shakes their heads sadly when the sniper causes something like 14P of damage in a single shot to a poor Triad guy.

See, I don't care where you stand on combat hacking or the wireless bonuses - I think we can ALL agree that this is fragging awesome.