Hmm... I never ran Food Fight, only read through it, and my impression was that the gangers had too much cyber, too many heavy weapons, and were too skilled at using them. More like a team of gutter-level runners than how I imagine a bunch of gangers.
For that matter, they also didn't seem very smilar to most gangers my characters encountered in either of the two long-running games I've been playing in. Not that those were ever complete pushovers, but the majority of them died like flies anyway. Though now that I think about it, I suppose it was usually because of a combination of coordination, weaponry, and not fighting fair on our part.
Full Version: Newbies on their first run
| QUOTE (mmu1) |
| Hmm... I never ran Food Fight, only read through it, and my impression was that the gangers had too much cyber, too many heavy weapons, and were too skilled at using them. More like a team of gutter-level runners than how I imagine a bunch of gangers. |
And that's how most of my players start in the campaign, gutter-level runners: or just above that level.
It is true that they have way too much cyber (though the firepower is adequate: not hard to find even automatics in the seedier parts of the Sprawl, especially with gang connections) for gang members: I always imagined that a gang of 40-50 (how I imagined most gangs in Seattle-- anyone have any hard numbers?) to have perhaps half a dozen cybered members at most, acting as lieutenants and leaders.
Food fight was the first mission I ever played too. It can be really tough if you aren't careful.
Other first missions could be ghouls hunts, or hunting other paracritters. Low level survelliance and watching a target is another. Fire support or acting as a distraction or a blocking force for a more experienced team works too. An example would be a mission I ran where the more experienced team would be raiding a place that had bought protection from local gangs in the Barrens. They came in just before the run and set up on and in a building along the mostly likely approaches by the gang. When the main run went down, they ambushed the gangers coming in. Getting out was a bit rougher than they planned on though.
Bodyguarding is also good. The team could also be hired as decoys. That is, they are holding a place that is heavily warded perhaps with a look alike. The real subject would be brought there and moved out very carefully, handled by the corp or more experienced players. When the enemy comes to try to get the target, the newbies hold out until reinforcements come to counter attack the others.
Other first missions could be ghouls hunts, or hunting other paracritters. Low level survelliance and watching a target is another. Fire support or acting as a distraction or a blocking force for a more experienced team works too. An example would be a mission I ran where the more experienced team would be raiding a place that had bought protection from local gangs in the Barrens. They came in just before the run and set up on and in a building along the mostly likely approaches by the gang. When the main run went down, they ambushed the gangers coming in. Getting out was a bit rougher than they planned on though.
Bodyguarding is also good. The team could also be hired as decoys. That is, they are holding a place that is heavily warded perhaps with a look alike. The real subject would be brought there and moved out very carefully, handled by the corp or more experienced players. When the enemy comes to try to get the target, the newbies hold out until reinforcements come to counter attack the others.
| QUOTE (Yoan) |
| It is true that they have way too much cyber (though the firepower is adequate: not hard to find even automatics in the seedier parts of the Sprawl, especially with gang connections) for gang members: I always imagined that a gang of 40-50 (how I imagined most gangs in Seattle-- anyone have any hard numbers?) to have perhaps half a dozen cybered members at most, acting as lieutenants and leaders. |
SRComp lists The Spikes and The Red Hot Nukes as having 15-25 members while the Spiders have 50-100 members.
Note that the Red Hot Nukes' initiation is to disarm a live bomb made by the greatest bomb maker in North America, so it is reasonable to assume that they have many more applicants than their numbers would suggest.
| QUOTE |
| . The real subject would be brought there and moved out very carefully, handled by the corp or more experienced players. When the enemy comes to try to get the target, the newbies hold out until reinforcements come to counter attack the others. |
The above is actually a good idea, I especially like the last part: not only does it set up a believable adventure (ie: who would put an important client in the care of green 'Runners?), it also teaches the new blood to expect double crossing.
| QUOTE (hyzmarca) | ||
SRComp lists The Spikes and The Red Hot Nukes as having 15-25 members while the Spiders have 50-100 members. Note that the Red Hot Nukes' initiation is to disarm a live bomb made by the greatest bomb maker in North America, so it is reasonable to assume that they have many more applicants than their numbers would suggest. |
Yeah, and I never liked the Red Hot Nukes for that reason. Makes no sense, at least to me.
But who, honestly, can resist making a gang of Dwarven pyro/bomb maniacs?
Onto real matters: yeah, those numbers seem right. I knew I saw 'em somewhere.
Dwarven adept bomb maniacs, IIRC.
~J
~J
| QUOTE (hyzmarca) |
| Note that the Red Hot Nukes' initiation is to disarm a live bomb made by the greatest bomb maker in North America, so it is reasonable to assume that they have many more applicants than their numbers would suggest. |
With a membership restriction of Dwarven Adepts only ... maybe not.
| QUOTE (Yoan) | ||
The above is actually a good idea, I especially like the last part: not only does it set up a believable adventure (ie: who would put an important client in the care of green 'Runners?), it also teaches the new blood to expect double crossing. |
I'll give an example of what I mean.
One scenario a GM used for a new group I was in was based on one from a Merc 2000 (a Twilight 2000 spin off). The rundown was a midling company's CEO's daughter was under threat of kidnapping. The team was to take her first and in a way the opposition would see. Then, she was to be taken to a place to be handed over.
That place was a mostly abanndonned sub division with individual houses. The corp had the target house warded already and there was a tunnel in the basement leading to another house. The daughter was taken through it and out of the area when the coast was clear. The team was left to hold the house long enough for a roving strike team to come in and wipe out the opposition, corporate security plus more experienced runners. I'll detail that if anyone is interested.
The team knew what they were getting in to, though the fight was quite a bit harder than expected.
| QUOTE (Wounded Ronin) |
| I guess your example just proves that the Marines are superior in every way, even when it comes to winning in RPGs. |
And don't you forget it, either.
first night -
street fight involving a contact to get their feet wet with the combat rules. I make sure to include something during the night involving each character's contacts or background. This gets them thinking along the lines of "What would my character do?" which is what newbies need.
The second session is where they will get their first job. Courier and Bodyguard are the two perfect first runs. Courier for well rounded or combat-light teams, Bodyguard for combat heavy teams. Either way, you have the team visit several different locations across Seattle and come in contact with a good cross-section of the city's archetypes, so by the time the mission is over they get a relatively comprehensive understanding of the setting. ta da
street fight involving a contact to get their feet wet with the combat rules. I make sure to include something during the night involving each character's contacts or background. This gets them thinking along the lines of "What would my character do?" which is what newbies need.
The second session is where they will get their first job. Courier and Bodyguard are the two perfect first runs. Courier for well rounded or combat-light teams, Bodyguard for combat heavy teams. Either way, you have the team visit several different locations across Seattle and come in contact with a good cross-section of the city's archetypes, so by the time the mission is over they get a relatively comprehensive understanding of the setting. ta da
Did I mention the idea of using MILES training in-character? Just do a couple combat scrimmages within the party with everyone using MILES weapons.
| QUOTE (Wounded Ronin) |
| Did I mention the idea of using MILES training in-character? Just do a couple combat scrimmages within the party with everyone using MILES weapons. |
VR works too. Have the team computer whiz generate a target area, have everyone jack in or put on 'trodes, and you can essentially live fire the exercise, without spending ammo or attracting unwanted attention. VR games akin to Call of Duty probably exist in SR, and using the game editor, many different places could be built using existing platforms.
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