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[rel]

I'm trying to figure out the average KE response times to the districts of Seattle.
Does anyone know if official numbers appeared anywhere?

If anyone can point me towards similar numbers for say Lone Star or corp security that would also be appreciated.

Finally, if you have numbers you have come up with yourself I love to see those too.

[Sengir]

When response times were mentioned they often are in a matter of Combat Turns, because combat in SR is so fast that with realistic response times, the action would be over long before reinforcements arrive. I'll have a look were those numbers I remember are from...

[Blade]

They were indeed response time in combat turns in some 2nd ed book (Corporate Security Handbook? Lone Star?). The idea was that if it took more than a few combat turns, the PC will already be far away.

Response time will obviously vary a lot from one place to another. Generally speaking it will be quite different from today since:

- You can have many drones on stand by in different places that you can quickly dispatch to a nearby area.
- Spirits and astrally projecting mages can be on the scene in a matter of seconds.
- A spider/security hacker can access the nearby devices, this can be security cameras (and being a private company means that LS/KE can have contracts with stores/businesses which means they can access all the cameras from these places as well) but this can also be anything that will let the hacker/spider gather information about the runners from all the wireless enabled things they are carrying and track them from the Matrix.
- A VTOL can bring reinforcement faster than a patrol car or armored van.
- The multiplication of private security companies can either make it better or worse for the runners. Better because LS/KE might be slowed down by the local security contractors, worse because the local security contractors can be more efficient and responsive than a police force with resources stretched over the whole plex.
- Service can be totally cut in some areas and/or at some times because having a police coverage there at that time has been judged too costly.

Also finally, you have to remember that in many cases, runners are not just regular burglars/gangers. Even in a world where a drugged-up cybered ganger can shrug off a storm of bullets. This means that when it's clear that the bad guys on site are runners (with heavy cyber/powerful magic/military grade weapons and drones/etc.) the police might not just send one more patrol car, but might want to evacuate the area and bring in the choppers, drones, mages and spirits, some SWAT teams, etc. (or send only one heavily modified veteran with an armada of camera drones streaming live to the trid).
Of course, this will depend on how dangerous the situation is, what other stuff are currently happening and how efficient you want LS/KE to be in your setting.

So all in all, I'd say that the setting allow for about any kind of response time, from being swarmed by drones and spirits in a few seconds to nobody caring about it ever. It just depends on the conditions and what's most interesting in your game.

[Mantis]

The Lone Star response times were in New Seattle, pg 111. I don't imagine KE is any faster or slower and it works well enough if you need a time off the cuff.

[Zednark]

There's response times by zone in the SR5 corebook, IIRC. *checks*

Okay, here it is. It doesn't differentiate between the fuzz and corpsec, and instead bundles them under HTR, but here goes:

AAA: Downtown Seattle, Megacorp HQ, military installation: 1D6 Minutes
AA: Luxury Residential: 1D6 + 4 Minutes
A: Mid- to High-level residential, common corp: 2D6 + 3 Minutes
B: Mid level residential, industrial: 1D6 x 5 Minutes
C: Low end residential, storage areas: 1D6 x 10 Minutes
Z: Redmond Barrens, Chicago Containment Zone: 2D6 hours

I doubt the official stuff changed over 3 in game years.

[Iduno]

They were indeed response time in combat turns in some 2nd ed book (Corporate Security Handbook? Lone Star?). The idea was that if it took more than a few combat turns, the PC will already be far away.

Response time will obviously vary a lot from one place to another. Generally speaking it will be quite different from today since:

- You can have many drones on stand by in different places that you can quickly dispatch to a nearby area.
- Spirits and astrally projecting mages can be on the scene in a matter of seconds.
- A spider/security hacker can access the nearby devices, this can be security cameras (and being a private company means that LS/KE can have contracts with stores/businesses which means they can access all the cameras from these places as well) but this can also be anything that will let the hacker/spider gather information about the runners from all the wireless enabled things they are carrying and track them from the Matrix.
- A VTOL can bring reinforcement faster than a patrol car or armored van.
- The multiplication of private security companies can either make it better or worse for the runners. Better because LS/KE might be slowed down by the local security contractors, worse because the local security contractors can be more efficient and responsive than a police force with resources stretched over the whole plex.
- Service can be totally cut in some areas and/or at some times because having a police coverage there at that time has been judged too costly.

Also finally, you have to remember that in many cases, runners are not just regular burglars/gangers. Even in a world where a drugged-up cybered ganger can shrug off a storm of bullets. This means that when it's clear that the bad guys on site are runners (with heavy cyber/powerful magic/military grade weapons and drones/etc.) the police might not just send one more patrol car, but might want to evacuate the area and bring in the choppers, drones, mages and spirits, some SWAT teams, etc. (or send only one heavily modified veteran with an armada of camera drones streaming live to the trid).
Of course, this will depend on how dangerous the situation is, what other stuff are currently happening and how efficient you want LS/KE to be in your setting.

So all in all, I'd say that the setting allow for about any kind of response time, from being swarmed by drones and spirits in a few seconds to nobody caring about it ever. It just depends on the conditions and what's most interesting in your game.

With the number of potential holes, it feels like there should be a roll involved. A glitch means there is poor coverage or security was routed incorrectly, and a critical glitch means it's "someone else's" coverage area.

Assigning 1 die for D zones, and adding one for each level better would give the weirdness with 2 dice being the worst possible. Maybe do 1 die for Z zones, but also require a good reason and at least one hit? They'd have to be focused to go into a Z zone (not just relying on local cameras, drones, and patrols - they aren't present to rely on), so they'd be less likely to screw up if they did so. But it would happen less often.

[Sengir]

The Lone Star response times were in New Seattle, pg 111. I don't imagine KE is any faster or slower and it works well enough if you need a time off the cuff.

Even in Splintered State, it says enemy troops will run after 6 turns because they KE response times...if you want to make security response a threat, they need to be that fast.

There's response times by zone in the SR5 corebook, IIRC. *checks*

Okay, here it is. It doesn't differentiate between the fuzz and corpsec, and instead bundles them under HTR, but here goes:

HTR is DocWagon's service to drag you out of trouble, that should take a little longer so players don't rely on the fire support. However I just checked Run Faster and made those times apply to police response, too, so I guess there is the OP's official answer.

[Zednark]

Even in Splintered State, it says enemy troops will run after 6 turns because they KE response times...if you want to make security response a threat, they need to be that fast.



HTR is DocWagon's service to drag you out of trouble, that should take a little longer so players don't rely on the fire support. However I just checked Run Faster and made those times apply to police response, too, so I guess there is the OP's official answer.

That's not how HTR was defined in SR5 Core. It was defined as the reinforcements that would happen if Shadowrunners raided a facility.

[Renard]

Keep things like silent alarms in mind !
Often enough, the HTRs are already on the way when the bullets start flying.

[rel]

How does this sound?

corp high sec facilities, the gated communities of the very wealthy, high security government buildings - 1D6 + 3 rounds for initial response team; drones, deckers, spirits, onsite security with reinforcements arriving in 1D6 minutes

Nice neighborhoods like downtown or bellevue or normal corp facilities - some sort of physical response (drone or metahuman) in 1D6 + 4 minutes however on a roll of 6 there was a patrol nearby and the response occurs in 1D6 + 4 rounds instead

Middle class neighbourhoods and industrial / commercial operations - 2D6 + 4 minutes for physical or matrix response. On a roll of 12 there was a patrol nearby and response arrives in 1D6 + 4 rounds instead

Lower class / blue collar neighbourhoods ( auburn or tacoma) - response might come from gangs running protection rather than municipal security, response in 2D6 x 3 minutes. On a roll of 12 a patrol is nearby and arrives in 1D6 + 4 rounds. On a roll of 2 response never shows up.

Just above lawless, close knit communities or the turf of more community minded gangs in Redmond or puyallup - response in 2D6 x 5 minutes. On a roll of 1, 2 or 3 no one shows up. On a roll of 12 someone nearby is willing to step up, response in 1D6 + 4 rounds.

Lawless zones - roll 2D6 on a roll of 12 someone had friends nearby response in 1D6 + 4 rounds. Otherwise, no immediate response