[SoA2064] Best Of SOTA 206X, favorite articles Options

[Club]

My favorite three sections in the books are the adept and Top 10 sections of 64 and the B&E section of 63.

Adepts needed a wider range of powers. I'd have increased the cost of some of the abilities by half again, mostly the social ones, but overall very good.

Top 10 is a good supply of run ideas. Best of both worlds, It's cannon, but the GM has room to make up most of the story.

B&E detailed the passives runners might come up against, and some tactics to get past them. Mostly for puzzle solvers though

What are your votes and thoughts?

[Rock-Steady]

I enjoyed the espionage section, because nobody talked about that. *g*

[Teulisch]

I like the idea of pheremone sensors from 2063. It gave a new use for clean metabolism bioware :)

[Digital Heroin]

Favorite would have to be the adepts for whole article... the Urban Brawl bit in 2064 is my altime favorite, though.

[JongWK]

[Lagdor]

Amazonia 2064 :D

Man, being in the Novo Maracana during the WC final....

I just can't imagine how they would build a stadium with half a million seats and still get everyone a place to see the game on the field. They would have to be almost 5 times as large as the Maracana now.

But if it could happen: 500,000 soccer fans... The largest one was in Dortmund which now seats 80,000 but only took 65,000 back then.
I wouldn`t like playing an away-game there. The fanblock is behind one of the goals and so you are playing one half running directly towards this yellow-black WALL of 25,000 fans who scream themselves horse in order to motivate their team.

And 2064 would be 6-times larger.

[Guest_Crimsondude 2.0_*]

Bah.

The largest football stadiums in the U.S. (college football stadiums) hold over 100,000 people.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway holds 250,000 people. It's not beyond the realm of engineering to make a 500k capacity stadium. Strahov Stadion in the Czech Republic is also supposed to have a capacity of 250,000.

The view would suck in the nosebleed section, but not because of obstructions. To give an example, I've seen a photo of the NCAA Final Four game they recently played at the Louisiana Superdome. The Superdome, being a football stadium, is quite a bit larger than your average basketball area, and the view sucked for two reasons--obstructions (both in the design, and because they put in temporary seating so the high-dollar fans could sit courtside), and the fact that the sheer distance from the nosebleed section to the courts.

But 500,000 is not unrealistic. It's just not economically feasible IRL. But in Metropol in 2060? Sure.

[JongWK]

Ol' Maracana housed about 200,200 fans during the 1950 WC final: 200k Brazilians and 200 Uruguayans.

[Guest_Crimsondude 2.0_*]

I know. Which is why 500k is not beyond the realm of possibility.

And maybe this time they can actually keep it at X hundred thousand capacity, and not let what happened to Old Maracana happen to Novo Maracana.

[Guest_Crimsondude 2.0_*]

I was thinking about a investigative/security company (which now sends mercs to Iraq) IRL, and that it would be interesting to see Argus or AI or one of these larger merc/for-profit intel agencies making inroads into North America through it or something similar.

Another thought, and this is a bit late given the fact that the whole thing started in SOTA63, but I could see the IOC handing the '72 Olympics to Yamatetsu if for no other reason than to reassert its own (RL) claims that the IOC is a sovereign body beholden to no nation's laws--like Yama actually is.

Whatever happened to Desert Shield Security--the private security company Shiawase owns--in the Bit Players part of the Police chapter. They were one of the more fearsome private security companies described in NAGRL because they had a license to field armed response, and boy did they ever.

[Guest_Crimsondude 2.0_*]

Well, since it's already here...

The Prison subchapter separated the control of prisons into two camps: Private corps, and the Feds. I can understand the private corps, but this implies that the Feds took over all of the remaining state prisons (assuming any were run by the states) in 2063.

I was thinking of this especially since in Lone Star there is an implication that the UCAS Feds actually contract out police services, I guess through the FedPols, which would make sense in a way since 1. It makes them money, and 2. the RCMP does it in Canada already.

But there T:SH also mentions that there are still plenty of local PDs and, of course, sheriffs in the UCAS and CAS in 2060, so I was just wondering.

Oh, and about Argus, et al. and their incursion into the NA market--It's not for a lack of companies that could be taken over, assuming they haven't already been sucked into KE Intelligence/Counterintelligence, or some other Megacorp subsidiary or security force (like perhaps Fed-Boeing, which tried to overthrown the Malaysian government in the '40s).

This post has been edited by Crimsondude 2.0: Dec 22 2004, 11:51 PM

[Synner]

Although there was little space to develop it ISS, the CAS-based indy intel agency, was concieved as just such a concern.

Unlike Argus and Aegis which built on the pool of Euro-War intel veterans, ISS was meant to have grown from American security consultancy firms and big detective agencies (Pinkerton-style).

More on how these private intelligence agencies operate in the upcoming Loose Alliances.

[Guest_Crimsondude 2.0_*]

Cool (that will rock), and damn (I didn't think of it to submit first).

I keep forgetting about ISS, which sucks because I need a firm competitive with KE Intel (I'm making one up, but it'll be "integratable" into the info in LA). I need LA, pronto.

Is there anyone who could answer, or give me their impression of the other two points in my second post. Can the FedPols be contracted by a city instead of hiring a corp like LS or KE?

[Kanada Ten]

[Kanada Ten]

Also, I wanted to mention the Local Police just peripherally. I can picture a town sponsoring cadets in Lone Star or KE training programs and for cyberware - provided they spend x number of years working for the town following. And, of course, we can see the exploits of the competent and handsome Peace Officer in a quirky, remote Algonkain village every Thursday night on trid channel 236's "Northern Enforcer".

[Guest_Crimsondude 2.0_*]

Right. The problem is not that all of the sudden I'm going to start throwing FedPols into random cities, but that it contradicts a consistency in the privatization movement. Consider that the Department of Energy did not have its own security apparatus for years until the NNSA was created. While they do have an Intelligence/Counter-Intelligence Division, almost all of DoE security was contracted out to Wackenhut (speaking of private intelligence collectors...), which has long had shoot-to-kill authority in many facilities, plus the drivers that move nuclear materials cross-country. Wackenhut is the corp I would have assumed KE bought after they bough ADT for its contracts because I've seen plenty of their uniformed guards look and act like KE would--down the the black SS-like uniform of a guard who accosted me in the EPA offices of the Ronald Reagan ITC building six years ago.

OTOH, it might be interesting just because in the rash of privatizations, the government might have figured that they could sell the one thing they're good at--busting skulls and getting away with it.

But, I was specifically thinking of Kroll in the first post I made this morning about private security, although it may be more related to mercs and SOTA63. Others clearly fit as well, groups like Black Water, Custer Battles, MPRI, Sandline (they're British, but still), or whatever became of Executive Outcomes (*ahem*MET2000*ahem*) or any of these corps. They all got sucked into various mega-outfits like KE or MET2k or something, but I was just thinking about it since the idea crossed my mind.

I'm very interested in any corporations or for-profit enterprises involving people acting under what is usually assumed to be state power (policing, security, military, intelligence being the most obvious from my posts), so I just figured I'd mention it.

[Kanada Ten]

[Guest_Crimsondude 2.0_*]

Ah, like in Snow Crash. Of course, the CIA also hires mercs and analysts, too, since even it can't legally operate in some countries that they can (like, oh, Colombia).

But, yeah. There are between two and three dozen federal police forces. And in SR, even the NRC (well, since there's no DOE, anymore) and EPA have gotten into enforcement in ways they wouldn't now. The best way to create a unified emergency command structure, and thus the FedPols, would have consisted of the U.S. nationalizing the Washington, D.C. MPD (especially the Special Operations Division, which is heavily involved with assisting ExecSec), the WMATA Police, U.S. Park Police, GSA Federal Protective Service, USSS Uniformed Division, U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. Mint Police, BEP Police, FBI Police, Smithsonian Security, Supreme Court Police, Diplomatic Security Service, and D.C. National Guard, even NARA Police. The Pentagon Police (can't recall their exact title ATM) would tell them to piss off, but the rest would likely fall into line quickly if Congress was in fear for their lives. Once the FDC was created, the various counties' Sheriff's Offices/Depts. would fall under the FedPols, and *bam* you have a huge friggin' police force to draw personnel from. But even with all of those cops, a lot of security in Washington is conducted by private security guards (or not at all...). And in NAGNA, some of it still is (KE and UCAS Protective Services, for sure).

Ironically, the creation of the FedPols would've given the UCAS an opportunity to align jurisdictions *ahem* logically, and create a cash-cow (hey, if they're good enough to protect Congress, let's hire them for the rest of Downtown... Pittsburgh, or something). For example, we now have one agency in charge of Matrix Crimes. Thank god. As opposed to the USSS, FBI, INS, Customs, Postal Inspection Service, IRS CID, DSS, and prettty much anyone with a computer. But, OTOH, there are several agencies which provide ExecSec for various dignitiaries: USSS for the Pres, VP, Treasury Secretary, their families, and visiting heads of state. DSS also protects other foreign dignitaries (incl. people like Arafat and the Dalai Lama, and currently Hamid Karzai). and the SecState/Deputy SecState. Marshals protect federal judges, and SCOTUS Justices on trips out of town. Pentagon police protect the SecDef (although I once saw one escorted by a USSS Agent as well--different earpieces--in a bookstore). FBI agents protect the Director, and AFAIK, AG. Capitol Police protect Congressmen. Etc. It's a mess, especially considering that the FBI also has its own FBI Police.

Twenty bucks says none of that changed.

But if all of those agencies were combined, then I could easily see them spread out across the country just because a lot of these agencies are focused primarily in Washington, but also the DSS and USSS and USSS/UD help protect foreign dignitaries in the United States as part of the government's adherence to the Vienna Convention, and even though Seattle still (AFAIK) maintains direct diplomatic relations, they probably still have the onus of protecting the various embassies and consulates in Seattle (which was discussed a year ago here). Likewise, they may have taken over all security of federal buildings directly (including most uniformed security done by U.S. Marshals at Federal Courthouses) while the big name agencies stick to various ExecSec and investigations--that is, Plain-clothes Marshals still provide ExecSec for Federal Judges, Officers of the Courts, sometimes Jurors, as well as various other duties (btw, they probably took over Matrix Crimes because already FedCourts thrive on electronic communications of legal documents, which would require someone to ensure they're secure--namely, the Marshals), the Secret Service Special Agents haven't changed their duties, nor the FBI or ATTF, or INS (well, I split INS and Customs up into CIS and ICE like RL), etc.

Heh. I played out a scene where two people pulled guns on each other in downtown Seattle three blocks from the Federal Building, and a Lone Star patrol car babysitting the building had its lights on and was speeding towards them within 15 seconds of the first frantic call, leading to a footchase between a cybered runner and LS physad for four blocks. Good times.

[Kanada Ten]

I guess I'm going to fall against the government contracting out FedPols due to the distain all government employees have against corporations in all the material. Plus, corps have fits today when the state trys to provide or perform "private" services, I can only guess they are even more "protective" of their territory. Also, KE is contracted to the federal government during the riots and that indicates they don't have the peoplepower in the FedPols to contract themselves out... unless such contracting (or otherwise previous engagement such as the prior mentioned State of Emergency) was the cause of enforcement shortage.

This post has been edited by Kanada Ten: Dec 23 2004, 02:39 AM

[Guest_Crimsondude 2.0_*]

Heh. Sorry. I really should just write it out all at once.

Although the idea of a manpower shortage due to contracting could be an intriguing explanation.

[edit]

Well, it depends on what exactly the FedGov did when it created FDC, incorporating several counties from Virginia and Maryland. Counties, by their very nature, are political subdivisions of the state (as are municipalities). Once they no longer exist as part of the state, then their authority would shift from being the political subdivision of their respective states to being a political subdivision of a federal enclave--FDC. Once they were part of a federal enclave, the FedGov would have jurisdiction over the law enforcement authority within the Sprawl.

Given the organizational structure of the FDC government, it is pretty much run like Washington, D.C. was before they turned it over to Self-Rule in the 1970s (and then took it away again in the late 90s, and now it exists in a limbo), where the city is administered day-to-day by the Mayor and City Council, but Congress has authority over the budget, and can repeal any ordinance passed by the City. In SR, FDC is run by an appointed commission, and the head of the FedPols is actually a Schedule C federal employee--that is, she (in NAGNA) is appointed by the AG without having to be confirmed by the Senate.

Of course, the applicability of the FedPols even out to the counties was a matter of debate I had with a N. Va. player several years ago. He insisted that the FedPols were limited to Washington. However, given the already heavy cross-jurisdictional crime and just commuter activity (3 million people work in Washington. 600k live there), it's a bit like trying to enforce laws in Oklahoma with the Indian land checkerboarding. Which is why, given the opportunity, it would make eminently more sense for the FedPols to have jurisdiction over all of FDC so that they don't have to, basically, waste the time of the other federal agencies (who would get involved anyway, because.... because) investigating cross-county federal crimes in the Sprawl when they finally have one police force that can go anywhere and not have to burden everyone else.

One of the things to consider is, again, when NAGNA was written. Washington, D.C. was, in the 1980s, the Murder capital of the U.S. The drug wars--and that's precisely what they were--had turned Washington into a real nightmare region which spilled over into Prince Goerge's County, and every single PD, SO, and federal agency was involved--and remains. There's something strange about the level of crime being so high that the U.S. Park Police--who usually stick to the Mall--manning a surveillance post observing dealers in a Northeast Washington neighborhood called Trinidad--and that was a few years ago, when the MPD actually stumbled onto their surveillance post, not realizing they were out there.

Of course, these are all reasons why the FedPols should exist as a comprehensive police force for virtually all law enforcement in FDC.

The counterargument is, of course, political posturing. The number of little fiefdoms which would be swallowed up and rearranged makes the formation of the DHS look like a picnic.

This post has been edited by Crimsondude 2.0: Dec 23 2004, 02:50 AM

[Kanada Ten]

[Guest_Crimsondude 2.0_*]

see the above edit.

[Kanada Ten]

[Guest_Crimsondude 2.0_*]

Could be.

That is, consider that airport security even in FDC is private. Perhaps some of them were spun off into what is now UCAS Protective Services--parts of TSA (which, AFAIK, never existed in SR), Customs, etc.

But maybe they realized that if they were paying corps like UCASPro or KE to help provide security in the Government Zone and airports (amongst other places), maybe they could make a buck, too, where there are still federal secguard equivalents in agencies which now form part of the FedPols in the FDC itself.

"Sure, since we sold off most of the national parks, if you want security for your logging site we can always contract some formerly-Park Police FedPols to help you out." Something like that. Or contracting out DipSec services to people in foreign countries who are newly sovereign (such as what we're doing in Afghanistan with their President) and don't really know who to trust in their own country.

This post has been edited by Crimsondude 2.0: Dec 23 2004, 07:47 PM

[Guest_Crimsondude 2.0_*]

Ah, now I know why I forgot about ISS--I can't seem to find the reference.

Little help?