Everyone remember to get comm gear. It's even more important in a merc game than it is in a normal one.

Ok everyone. Deadline for character submission is now set for Monday, October 3rd. I am planning for the game to start on the 10th. That will give the accepted characters a week to get a team-history compiled.

you will let people with submitted characters know when if they are in or not?

Do we need to buy Lifestyles?

fair 'nuff

Got any use for an elven ninja/assassin who will only wear polished black leather?

Didn't think so.

Ok, I've already sent a much better character to you.

Alright, it's the 3rd. How's this team thing gonna work out?

Well, I'm ready when everyone else is. My char isn't much of a leader, though.

Ok, here's who's in:

Cedric
Foxx
Brohopcp
Herald
Sicarius
One Eyed Bat

Barring any unforseen circumstances the game will begin in one week's time. Please use this time to get together with one another in this thread or through PM to share your characters with one another and work out a team history. I think it will be more interesting if the team seems to have worked together before, at least for a couple missions. Of course it could also be interesting to have one or two "new guys" for the team to warm up to. You guys do whatever you think is needed.

Also, give each of your characters 15 karma and there is now a team fund of 30,000 NuYen. This money can be used for anything the team thinks it needs to start out as long as the entire team agrees. It can also be saved for in-game funds, so you may not want to spend all of it before the game starts. Karma can be spent to improve some skills, conjure things or bond foci. If the magic users want to initiate they need to talk to me about it sometime this week.

Ok all, have fun.

All right, 30 big ones to spend. So if no one is opposed to it, I would like to be the team-treasurer (TT). As TT I have some budget options to propose.

Option 1: Blow the wad on a fixer-upper car to one day turn into the Batmobile.

Option B: Invest in some stinger missiles to back flip off of.

Option #9: Transfer into gold bullion.

Option C: Bling/pimp/mod every gun we own.

Option Tango: iPod nanos.

Option 6: There is no option 6!

Option Zed: Matching uniforms.

Any alterations or suggestions may be discussed amongst the group; however, as TT I reserve complete veto and approval ability. If you don’t like it, you should have never voted me into office.

(That is just a joke. Had I been an actual idiot, oxygen masks would be dropped from the ceiling and the pilots and crew would be deciding who to kill and eat first.)

Seriously though, I don’t care what the group fund is spent on. Anyone have some good ideas?

Character Bio: Hand picked from a sampling of gifted children by a Mega Corp special forces unit, David Pliskin has been in active combat situations as far back as he can remember. Combat and death have done more parenting for him than the Nurturing Screens ever did for him back at the Farm.

David was never at the top of his class, in fact he did quite poorly on his simulations and exams. Then came the live fire jungle test on his 7th birthday. He went missing; all they found of him was his tracking implant on the inside of a rodent that was eaten by a snake. The search team of upperclassmen that found him suffered a loss of 5 out of 6 students in the team. That was three weeks after his disappearance. Upon his return, his classmates named him “Snake”.

Years later, a rival Mega Corp discovered the Farm, there was an assault resulting in copious casualties on both sides. Snake had disappeared the Farm on that day. No one knows if he died, just left, knew about the assault and ran, or masterminded the whole thing. Rumors of his accomplishments have passed through the ranks of many special forces teams and merc haunts, elevated to the status of myth.

Um. Uh, damn. I thought we had until the end of today. You have my character now, MF...is there any possibility of me still being in?

Character bio (anemable to change by group history)
In late 2060, the eccentric son of a dying CAS oil tychoon latched onto the idea that he wanted to be a mercenary, spurred on by an unhealthy addiction to the Desert Wars trideo show. Ignoring the protests, begging and occasional outright threat from his family, he spent his extremely sizable inheritance to put together a state-of-the-art mercenary company, staffing it with equal parts idiotic idle rich and variously-experienced but universally bemused mercs.
Leonard Wood was one of those mercenaries, a former Lone Star elite security guard who'd managed a few straightforward recon and patrol jobs in his previous outfit. A troll and heavy-weapons specialist, he knew that the commander was a moron but was attracted by promises of generous pay and top-notch gear.

Of course, it was a debacle: the ambitious eccentric chose a frontline combat job right in the middle of the Salish-Tamishan Border War, getting his well-equipped but abominably-led company between a pair of fighting battalions before he offered his services to either side! He then happily opened a phone book, got public-relations representatives for both nations on the line, and asked the bewieldered reps to start bidding. Before he got even halfway sorted through the confusion his command tent got pasted simultaneously by artillery shells from both sides, each thinking the other had hired the company to reinforce them.

What followed was three weeks of hell, as actions by a platoon commanded by one of the rich kids marked the rest of the company's remnent for war-crimes execution. A two-squad platoon formed out of all the experienced mercs who were still alive after the initial artillery bombardment and subsequent manhunt: they fought and sneaked their way out over nine days through a hundred miles of hostile territory before getting out of reach of both armies. Leonard Wood was a member of that hastily-formed platoon, one of only 11 men to make it out of that insanity alive. The experienced toughened him, changing him from a displaced-seeming security man to a hardened merc, seasoned in wilderness survival and asymmetrical warfare. He still carries the expensive gear, weapons, and implants issued to him in the eccentric's company: they have served him well in his subsequent engagements.

I vote for I-Pod Nano's and matching uniforms that make us look like I-Pod Nano's (thin cardboard 6ft. box covered with white cloth and a little plastic wheel, the display screen can double as a trid viewer) I also vote to place one-eyed-bat into office as treasurer (on the condition that he has a math spu implanted).

C.J. is a leader. Born in Denver to a Latino mother and Russian father (both UCAS citizens) and raised in the public school system. Recruited by the UCAS Army (as most poor inner city kids), Cale went through their extensive ability testing. His innate magical summoning ability was discovered. He was then apprenticed to a full mage and trained in warfare. With leadership and tactical skills, he was promoted to an officer position. Some time later he was given command of a small marine infiltration group. On a mission in Aztlan he executed the second in command and defected with his crew. His reason's were unknown. Since then, the group has been plying the mercenary trade with much success.

C.J.'s best personal skills: Sniping/scouting, leadership, negotiation, and some conjuring.

We could use this history as background for the group, or C.J. could have joined with other runners and created a new group. If any other character's have command experience or leadership, we could set up a command structure or co-lead. The 30K may be needed for comm gear (C.J. only has a micro-transceiver rating 1).

Cryptic is a Signals Intelligence Specialist, formerly of the CAS Army, and CAS Intelligence. He specializes in intercepting and decrypting enemy coms, or jamming them if need be. He also has good contacts with Aztlan border security, the CAS military, Yuctan rebels, and Arms Dealers in country. He speaks quality spanish.

Musashi, my character had 214,924 remaining, before doing the nuyen shuffle. Can I throw that into the team pool? if he says yes I'd like to suggest using it to buy broadcast encryption of rating 6. (that's like 30 gs apiece if i do the math in my head right) That would still leave us with about 50,000 left over to add to the 30,000.

Best Skills: Electronic Warfare, SMGs, Voice Stress Analysis, Stealth

Yes. You can keep it to yourself or throw it into the pool. It's your decision.

okay. with the permission of the team i'll work on comm gear for us with that 200+. Will probably have come up with something by tommorrow, since books are not at work.

I was hoping we'd have a comm specialist. You have my permission to spend that, especially since its your money and I'm sure we need com gear. Rating 6 would be sweet.

Sorry Sic, you need to apply the 10% plus 100 x 3d6 rule to that cash before you can start using it. This money is considered In-Game so you can't use Character Creation funds to help the team pool.

Sorry for the misunderstanding.


TopTomCat: Thanks for the hard work you put in, but I'm going to reject your cahracter. I already have six characters and I'm going to draw the line there. You'll be first on the list if anyone falls out. Hopefully we'll be able to play in the future.

oh gotcha.

forget about the rating 6 encryption for 5 radios guys. its like 30,000 a piece. I'll come up with a proposal and let you know the best I can do.

I'm all right with C.J. being the leader, and I like that defection in his story. Pliskin wants in on that background, he deserves it, it's his. I agree that communicators are key for the begining, so lets focus on getting those.

Three of us.

So, I know that isn't everyone. But once we get going there will be more pictures made, so don't worry.

Cryptic left the CAS Intel on relatively good terms (refusing to take a desk job after a blown op out of his control.) Perhaps we can portay him as the "new" guy to the mercenary outfit, and play off the associated moral qualms which might present themselves.

Heather is the gunbunny of this group, the woman who knows how to use the major firearms against the enemy. Has some ability as a gunsmith she can service the team weapons, though her personal preference are building and repairing pistols; like her custom Dawson Dragoons. Her experine is being able to supply the firepower while the rest of the group goes about doing their jobs. Heather is an experinced commando, knowing her way around jungles of the world.

Being foremly of the CAS military, she has some time dealing with things south of the border. She's dependable, she's good looking, and she's a good texan woman. She's always got a officer in the CAS out to get her. He's the reason why no one wants to touch her and the reason she left the CAS as he was using his political clout to make life for her and her two year old son. Woman had to drawn the line when it started to affect her children.

The father of the kid turned out to be a loser and dumped her and she's not really looking for a father figure for her kid, not yet at least.

Top Skils: Stealth, Pistosl, Heavy weapons, Edged weapons
***

I wouldn't mind playing off Cryptic. Of course, Heather reasons for leaving the CAS are much more damaging and no one will touch her. She comes with a cyber-radio R3 and commlink R3 as well. So she's good to go with the radio gear.

Suggestions and idea's welcomed

Uhh, I'm not sure about following anyone who executed their second-in-command. It doesn't much matter to me, my character left the military because of a disagreement concerning the necessity of following orders anyway, so whoever the leader is I'm likely to be somewhat of an independant. (That ought to make the team leader's job fun!)

Sicarius,

Knock them down to rating four and you can use your character creation money to buy them for everyone. The apply the Starting Cash rules to the remainder and add that to the pool.

okay.

Mush.. Is my Rating 6 encryption going to be able to communicate with their rating 4? (meaning can my character Intentionally "scale down" the amount of encryption he's applying? (in data encryption i know with an advanced program you might be able to select the amount of bytes you are using, but i have no idea about broadcast encryption.) cause otherwise I'll need to edit my characters equipment to accomodate them. otherwise it would be:

Cryptic: "buzz...buzz. garble garble buzz buzz"

Everybody Else: "What the F*** did he say?"

Cryptic: "BUZZ GARBLE BUZZ GARBLE BUZZ!!!!!!!!"

[I]Everyone else: "Jackal? Jackal.. It's a Jackal!"
(bonus points for picking out the reference)

I'd have to wonder why our leader is shooting his own people too. I think most of the charcters are victims of circumstance, while C.J. made his choice in violent fashion. Explanation would be warrented of course.

Ok, here's the condensed version.

C.J. wanted to defect and pursue mercenary contacts. He handpicked his marine team, which consisted of others who also wanted a chance to leave the armed forces. During the next mission he walked in while the second in command was sending secret communications to the UCAS base. The soldier had planted into their group to monitor their actions and report any plans of defection. After quickly splattering the scumbag spy's brains onto the tent wall, C.J. and his marines scattered into the jungle moments before a UCAS airstrike obliterated their location.

Here's the team as I see it so far.

(Cedric R.): Commando Squad Leader.
Heather (Foxx): Gun-Bunny, Gunsmith, Commando.
C.J. (Brohopcp): Boss/Sniper.
(Herald of V.): Unknown, Possible Shaman
Cryptic (Sicarius): Comm Specialist, Intelligence, Commando.
David "Snake" Pliskin (One Eyed Bat): Jungle Stealth Expert, Commando.

Background as of now.
C.J. and Pliskin were part of the fated defection marine squad. Most members are dead, though a few have merely disappeared. Looking for additions, they recruited Heather and Cryptic, needing a heavy weapons and communications expert for the team. After running multiple missions with those two, C.J. met a fellow soldier (Cedric) he remembered from the academy. C.J. and Cedric were never friends, but had mutual respect for each other's abilities during their time training. Needing an on-scene commando leader, Cedric filled the role admirably.

Herald is an unknown at this point, though I guess he's probably a shaman of some sort (by rule of exclusion). If Cedric doesn't want the squad leader job, it'll go elsewhere. Hopefully he or his replacement has or will get a 'small unit tactics' skill.

I'll get on Herald's case and see if I can't get him to report in.

I think I have a small unit Tactics skill, not terribly high but there.

Uhhh, C.J. deliberately set about defecting and then turned the second-in-command (the one loyal solider in the group remember) into abstract art and now the job of second-in-command is being offered to me. Hmmmmm, tempting but I think we'd have to establish some ground rules concerning a scale of displine that doesn't start the lowest level with gun fire.

Nah that's fine I'll do it but understand I designed a character who is young, talented, but somewhat brash and impulsive.

Which is why you are a squad leader. If you won't follow orders, then when you are out there with the team... you get to give the orders. You'll also have the opportunity to disagree with plans when they are created, just like everyone else. When a plan is in place and during a mission, that is when orders are followed.

Being 'brash and impulsive' is a completely different issue compared to a full scale sell-out. Also I should add that the defection group had met and agreed to defect before the second in command turned on them.

Everyone will also have the opportunity to turn down missions person by person.

okay. I've purchased 4 micro-transcievers, with rating 4 encryption for the group. Foxx I know you said your gal already had radioheadware and i think a commlink. if its not encrypted let me know, and I will pick up one more rating 4 encryption for that. (i'm a little iffy on my ability to buy encryption for a radio in your head, but my imagination says that if you have a data jack we should be able to upload it to the program. you do have a data jack??

(prays Herald doesn't show up)

Doh, I forgot encryption, but fear not, I have headware memory and a datajack, so you can pimp it up.

That's fine then, I'll go along, just no shooting the second in command.

Musashi, have I already sent you my finished character sheet yet?

sweetness. I'll notch off another rating for encryption.

We are Com ready folks. and still have that 30k to spend.

I guess we could look into a vehicle or two, maybe 4-wheelers or a small yacht as a quick escape safe house. Other than that, I don't see any reason to spend it.

well I know we've been told that transportation is unlikely to unaccompany us. What about a team lifestyle, or a serious of weapon caches stashed on both sides of the border?

That sounds logical. How about both? A nice large area living space with good security and ok food/entertainment shouldn't cost more that 5K a month. Get that for 2 months and spend 5-10K on a couple weapon stashes or even cheap safehouses.

<edit> Get C.J. a Remington 750 sport rifle (600ny) + 2 mags ammo (30ny) for each weapons stash. Depending upon the cost, we'll see what everyone wants in a stash and go from there.

Sounds good. Whose dispensing the money?

Cryptic uses an HK227, and has a back up Browning Max-Power, with smartlinks.

If we got some extra cash left over, I could use some thero googs or night vision. Bionoculars would be great too.

Okay, it looks like we'll have 10,000 spent on a residence. That leaves 20K. I want a minimum of 5K emergency cash so we have 15K to spend on baubles. With 6 members that puts us at 2,500 each. I like the weapon stash idea, and will spend my cash on gear for that. It looks like Pliskin wants some thermo goggles (2,200ny) or thermo/lowlight goggles (2,700ny) and binoculars (100ny). Cryptic uses a HK227 (1663ny w/ 3m ammo) and a Browning MP (500ny w/ 2m ammo).

I should have a little extra cash if people have to go over their 2.5K

My character will be able to use any SMG, but if there is no weapon available that's fine. Don't forget to include medkits in the caches.

House (5,000 a month, currently rented for 2 months when we start)
Area: Low - A residential area that has seen better times. Dilapidated buildings, poor maintenance and petty crime.The cops sometimes show, but only when something fairly bad happens.
Comforts: middle - Water and Power rarely go out. Food is real and soy, but low quality. Well stocked fridge, shower-tub, dishwasher, climate control, washer/dryer.
Entertainment: middle - home is well equipped with excellent matrix and trid access, simsense, and most importantly... a fully stocked BAR!!!!
Furnishings: middle - Low quality mass produced furniture, but plentiful for all rooms. Couches, beds, chairs, tables, etc...
Security: middle - Security that keeps casual thieves out. Security system, good maglocks on doors, windows alarmed, privacy fence.
Space: high - House. 3 bedrooms, attic (C.J.'s room) and basement. 2 people will have to room together or 1 take living room couch. garage if needed for workshop.

stash
(2X) SMG: H&K MP-5 TX w/ laser sight, gas vent II, 20m(X3), sa/bf/fa, 6M, (985ny total). SI 1 (covers cryptic and cedric)
Sp. Rfl: Remington 750, 5m(X4), SA, 7S, mag 1, (660ny total). SI 1 (covers C.J.)
grenades: 2 IPE frag (15D[f]), 2 IPE reg (15S), 2 IR smoke - 320ny
medkit: 200ny
survival kits (2x): 200ny
large military rucksack: 140ny
1,000ny various local currencies
H of V: unknown
Snake needs nothing stashed

If ya'll disagree with these plans, speak up now. Thanks. You of course have the option to not place anything in a stash and spend your money however you see fit. Remember that Street Index costs apply to your 2,500ny.

Cedric needs nothing other than an SMG in the stash. I'll contribute my 2500 to the fund for spending.

We could use a clutch of handgrenades for those special occasions.

Everything is looking real good to me guys. Could you all do me a favor and resubmit character sheets to me that include any changes you might have made with the team cash and the karma I handed out.

Pliskin has talked to me about initiating, any other mages want in?

Herald may have unexpectredly lost internet access. We'll give him to the deadline.

And do we really have an all human team? Interesting...need to see if Humanis or Alamos 20k will sponsor you guys.

Pliskin