Snap feels she needs to do something about these SUVs. She orders her spirit to force the "first" SUV into an accident.

Repeat Mel's last action...DS the damaged SUV icon

I'll go to full defense.

Ok - so Sisco attempts to evade the fire:
3d6.hits(5)=1
He gets a hit, meaning the van is hit by the weapons fire, but suffers no damage.

Snap 13 - Command Spirit
Spirit of Man 8 Use Accident Power driver of SUV
Mel 3 - DS SUV.

Sisco does not get to go again, since his initiative was reduced to 8 by the Full Defense, and then when the new IP starts, it is reduced by 10 again to -2.

So, since it is impossible for Snap to tell which Icon Mel has been attacking, I'll leave it up to a die roll. On a 1-3, the spirit chooses to go after the one that Mel is already going after, and on a 4-6 it goes after the other one.
1d6=1

Ok, so there is a slight duplication of effort here

Spirit rolls Magic + Willpower:
8d6.hits(5)=2

Driver rolls Int + Reaction
8d6.hits(5)=4

No effect.

ETA - the Spirit can actually affect both drivers - so the other driver has to resist:
8d6.hits(5)=1

So, not enough to cause a Critical Glitch, but enough to cause a Glitch.

Mel uses DS again:
9d6.hits(5)=3

It resists
8d6.hits(5)=2

It now has to resist 7DV Matrix Damage:
8d6.hits(5)=0 - which bricks it - and is a Critical Glitch - these guys were NOT lucky this round.

Snap actually gets to go one more time - I'll have the IC post up later today.

Snap 3

Snap will command her spirit to keep making it difficult for the drivers to follow us. (1 service remaining after that)

Btw, hasn't one of them taken enough damage from the ball lightning to suffer from a penalty?

Mel will turn her attention to the other SUV. Data Spike.

One driver suffered 3 boxes, the other suffered 2. The one that suffered 3 was the one that Mel just bricked their car.

So, initiative for next turn:

Snap
4d6+11=22
Spirit of Man
2d6+10=15
Sisco
3d6+9=17 -1 =16
Jack
2d6+7=14
Mel
1d6+9=11

Snap 22
Sisco 17
Spirit of Man 15 - Use Accident Power on SUV
Jack 14
Mel 11

Tactical Update:

Two Triad Members 120 meters behind you, out of the fight.

SUV#1 - bricked, unable to pursue, 40 meters behind you, passenger still able to shoot at you.

SUV#2 - Was going to be traveling at Speed 2, would have increased to Speed 4 (gaining on you), but Accident Power reduced speed to 0, will accelerate to Speed 2 - meaning you will pull ahead by another 20 meters.

Two Triad Members 60 meters northwest of you - one permanently out of the fight with no gun, the other will need to spend a simple action to clear the jam.

The van will travel another 40 meters this turn, putting you through the gate and onto the road.

If I have ammo, I'll Take Aim and SA burst the guy who still has a viable weapon. If I am out of ammo, I'll grab the 16 round clip, load it, and take a shot at the same target.

RE: The passenger in SUV1... I think they need to make a not inconsiderable Composure (4) test, suffering potential penalties to their actions if they roll poorly.

You switched to the 16 round mag last turn - you now have 13 rounds left in it.

Good point with the Composure test
Charisma + Willpower
6d6.hits(5)=3

So he takes -1 die modifier for 1 Combat Turn.

Does that affect his resistance test against the spirit's power or is this treated like drain and physical soaking tests, which aren't affected by wound modifiers? I thought it does affect these kinds of tests.

For this action, Snap will cast Mass Confusion F3 on the SUVs (or just the closest one if she can't catch both) in the hopes of making their life more difficult.

Good call on the resistance - I hadn't thought about that. Fortunately, it doesn't affect things, in that it would only cause him to lose 2 dice (-1 for the wound and -1 for the secondary effects) - but that would only reduce his success roll to 3 hits, which is still more than the Spirit generated.

Snap 22 - Cast Mass Confusion
Sisco 17 - Complex Action - Drive
Spirit of Man 15 - Use Accident Power on SUV
Jack 14 - Take Aim, Fire 3 round burst at Triad
Mel 11 - Data Spike SUV

Snap Casts Mass Confusion - the SUV that is out of commission due to the Data Spike is too far away from the one still running to get both.
14d6.hits(5)=2

Passenger 1 (Driver) Resists (no damage, no modifier)
8d6.hits(5)=3
Passenger 2 (Shooter) Resists (2 boxes of damage - electrical effect is now gone)
8d6.hits(5)=5

You resist Drain 2DV
13d6.hits(5)=2

So no Drain (barely)

The Spirit uses its Accident Power
8d6.hits(5)=3

The Driver Resists
8d6.hits(5)=4

So it has no effect.

Next up is Jack
Auto + Agility + SM + Take Aim =12, No recoil, range is close, -4 for speed, -2 for passenger = 6 dice
6d6.hits(5)=1

Shooter attempts to dodge
8 dice base, -2 for being a passenger, -2 for speed, -2 for burst = 2 dice
2d6.hits(5)=1

He just squeaks without getting hit.

The bad guys go next.

Triad with the jam clears it, then fires full auto at Mr. T
Base dice 8, +2 for SM, -1 for range, -2 for recoil = 7d6
7d6.hits(5)=1

I'm assuming that Sisco goes Full Defense again
3d6.hits(5)=0

No hits, so Mr. T has to resist 8DV AP 4
24d6.hits(5)=5

So Mr. T takes another 3 boxes of damage, and Sisco has to resist 2 boxes of biodfeedback damage
6d6.hits(5)=3

So no damage

Crash test
16 dice base, -1 for Sisco's wounds, -2 for damage to Mr. T = 13 dice
13d6.hits(5)=5

He easily passes the crash test.

The driver of the SUV still moving accelerates to speed 2, putting him approximately 40 meters behind you.

The passenger fires:
8 dice + SM link =10, -2 for passenger, -2 for speed, -1 for failed Composure test, -2 for recoil = 3d6
3d6.hits(5)=2

Sisco Dodges
2d6.hits(5)=0

No hits - so has to resist 9DV
24d6.hits(5)=10 - No damage!

Mel now goes, targeting the other icon:
9d6.hits(5)=5

It dodges
8d6.hits(5)=3

So it has to resist 8DV
8d6.hits(5)=3
It takes 5 boxes of Matrix Damage

Snap 12 - Cast Mass Confusion
Spirit of Man 5 - Awaits Instructions
Jack 4 -
Mel 1 -

I don't have to take the drive test first btw.
Quick question, is the gate the type that slides left to right or swings or is it gone all together?
If it swings and is still there I'll like to take a test to slightly side swipe it to cause it to swing.
If you can go up a ramp, roll and target a hook to rip off the bomb under your car for threshold 4 I think you can get a gate to swing closed behind you.
Wont stop the SUV from going through the gate but at least they'd have to make a check not to lose control of the vehicle.

If this stunt isn't possible, then my first action will be to do evasive driving and second pass to take the control vehicle test.

The gate is on wheels and slides across (normally done via a button or matrix command, but that is long gone - now it has to be rolled back physically.) The gate is open, and I suppose you can sideswipe the gate and have the gate roll into place.

Not that it matters, but I was trying to shoot at the other guy on the ground, not the dude in the SUV. My ammo is probably not sufficient to effect them given that they're rolling their armor and the vehicle's armor.

ETA: I'll also suggest that we not use RG3 anymore after this fight. For one, it over-complicates an already complicated ruleset, IMO. Second, it doesn't even make sense in this situation, save for the guys on foot. The vehicle that is following us is generally going to have to be pretty close to directly behind us in order to keep up. It's speed is almost irrelevant in hitting it since it isn't moving perpendicular to us. No leading or anything like that which is what this ruleset seems to try to be emulating.

I guess we try and try and swipe the gate to close behind us.... with a Jason Statham happy dance.

Snap commands the spirit to try to force an accident once again (if this can also affect the passenger, even better). This is the spirits final service owed.

Snap 12 - Command Spirit
Spirit of Man 5 - Use Accident Power
Jack 4 -
Mel 1 -

Jack - I'm fine dropping RG3 unless there is a strong desire by the others to keep it in - you are right, it is just one more modifier. Your action?

@Mel - I'm assuming you want to DS the SUV again?

I think it adds unnecessary granularity. With that said, I don't think there would be a problem with making a call about an appropriate penalty to shoot at a vehicle if you're moving at a foot pace (or even just doing a comparison between the current speed rating of two vehicles to determine if there should be a modifier). They have nice manageable modifiers for shooting at someone running/sprinting. Maybe just extrapolating that out for vehicles might work?

I'll shoot at the guy on the ground who cleared his weapon. I don't think my SMG really has much hope to get through all the armor the passenger of the SUV is going to get to roll for his soak test.

Correct...hit the SUV again.

Snap 12 - Command Spirit
Spirit of Man 5 - Use Accident Power
Jack 4 - Take Aim, Fire Burst
Mel 1 - Data Spike SUV

Invisible Castle is down - I'll just be rolling dice at my desk and posting the results - you'll have to trust me

Spirit uses power:
8d6
4 hits

Driver Resists
8d6
4 hits

Passenger Resists
4 hits

Ok - that's sort of unusual.

Jack:
12 dice, -6 for passenger and speed (I'm going to keep using RG3 for this combat for continuity's sake) = 6 dice
3 hits

He attempts to dodge:
8 - 2 for burst=6 dice
4 hits

So no success there.

Mel DS's the SUV
9 dice
3 hits

It "dodges"
8 dice
2 hits

It has to resist 7 DV Matrix Damage
8 dice
3 hits

So it takes 4 more boxes of Matrix Damage, bringing it up to 9 boxes. - not quite bricked, but very close.

Next IP (and I'll have an IC post up this afternoon)

Snap - 18
Sisco - 17
Jack - 15
Mel - 15

Pretty much the same as last CT.

I believe Snap was at init 12 last pass so she would have gotten one more pass on that combat turn?

I'm thinking that the illusion of a police drone (those that come and try to identify people and vehicles) coming from behind a building and towards them directly could serve as a distraction. Let's call it a F4 Phantasm. She'd also send a message to the team to let them know it's another illusion.

Finish off that second SUV with another DS.

@Chrome,

Good call - sorry about that - yes, you go at 2:

Casting Force 4 Phantasm:
IC is still down - 14 dice:
6 hits, reduced to 4 by limit

Driver rolls to resist:
8 dice - 5 hits

Passenger rolls
8 dice - 3 hits

Ok - so the passenger at least will be distracted.

Resist Drain 13 dice
5 hits - no drain

Now we are up to next initiative:

Snap - 18
Sisco - 17 - Hit gate so it closes (Control Test)
Jack - 15 - Take Aim, Fire 3 round burst
Mel - 15 - Data Spike SUV

Snap is going to use her action to move the illusion around, flash some lights, announce loudly on speakers that the vehicle must come to a stop, in other words try to be generally annoying.

That driver's resistance to magic is impressive though I gotta say

P.S. sorry for not posting yesterday.

I think there was an implication that they may be getting spell resistance from somewhere, which would mean a mage must be within line of sight to them. Maybe the other mook in the SUV is a mage?

Work is crazy busy today - I'll try and post tonight.

One quick note - I put that post in IC about the "magic resistance" of the driver - but it was just me trying to have a little fun with the fact that I've rolled 8 dice for the driver like four times and have yet to roll under 4 hits with him yet.

No real indication that there is magic resistance - sorry to have misled anyone

Well, it's not like we'd know one way or the other. I don't think you can tell if someone is being protected by counterspelling dice.

Cool on the slowness, I'm busy too.

Snap - 18 Move Illusion
Sisco - 17 - Hit gate so it closes (Control Test)
Jack - 15 - Take Aim, Fire 3 round burst
Mel - 15 - Data Spike SUV

Ok - back to business

Snap moves the illusion, and Sisco makes his Control Test.

Threshold is 4, -2 for Control Rig, +2 for Restricted Terrain (having to get through the gate) =4 hits necessary.

You Roll Reaction 6+Pilot 6 + Specialization + VR Bonus =16 dice, -1 for your wound modifier, -2 for Mr. T's damage = 13 dice
IC is still down, but you got 4 hits (and 5 ones, but fortunately not enough to glitch)

Your movement now puts you on the street, and you've got the gate closed behind you.

Jack fires at the bad guys:
11 dice, -6 for passenger and movement, -1 for range (Now that Sisco has moved you are pretty far away)=4 dice
0 hits (but no 1s)

Bad guys go, the driver attempts to bust through the closed gate:

Control Test, -1 for damage to vehicle=7 dice:
2 hits, enough to keep him from crashing, although it does slow him down.

Mel goes - 9 dice
3 hits

It resists 8 dice
2 hits

It has to resist 7DV Matrix Damage, 8 dice
0 hits and is thoroughly bricked.

IC post up in a little while - with both vehicles wrecked and no means to pursue, we can I think we can exit combat

Just some tallies:

Mr. T - 6 boxes of non-structural damage
Sisco - 5 boxes of Stun
Snap - 2 boxes of Stun
Jack - I believe you are down to like 7 bullets left for your SMG.

Regular ammo, yeah. I still should have mostly full magazines of gel and, I think, APDS. Will double check when I get a chance.

Lobo, I know that Mel found and destroyed the bug, but did she notice where in the real world the bug was located?

No - you only know that it was within 100 meters. You didn't Trace it.

Sorry for the long delay - was out of town this weekend visiting friends in Baltimore - just got in last night. Back to work today - ugh.

I'm not sure I understand what she's asking. Is she telling Snap to ask Jack and Mel to point guns at her own bodyguards while she interrogates them?

Basically yes - she's not dumb, and she realizes that it is possible that some of the men she brought with them may have been plants.

She doesn't want to cast a spell and have Jack shoot her out of hand, and, assuming that one of her men IS compromised, she wants to make sure if he tries something, she has backup.

If Snap texts us to do so, assume Jack will redirect his SMG at one of the bodyguards that came along.

Same with Mel.

Is there no trust among thieves? What is the world coming to.

Snap will cast a F4 Analyze Truth spell. She also makes sure to extend counterspelling to her whole team. She'll also assense Amber and the two bodyguards in turn in the astral, looking for a clue.

Casting Analyze Truth:
12 dice - 5 hits, reduced to 4 by Force

Resist Drain
13 dice - 6 hits - no drain.

Assensing Amber and Bodyguards 1 and 2:
Amber - no new information about her w/regards to her magical ability - mood-wise she is alert with a hint of excitement
Bodyguard 1 - Mundane, exhilaration and relief
Bodyguard 2 - Mundane, nervousness and fear



ETA - Sisco - where are you driving right now?

Ok - so:

1) Snap does not get any flags from her Analyze Truth spell that he is lying (although she is not sure what exactly he is saying, since she doesn't speak Chinese)
2) The Bodyguard's aura spikes bright shades of red.
3) The other bodyguard's aura begins to fluctuate into the deeper spectrums of indigo and black

I'll give some time for IC posts.

Nothing to add for now.

Ok,

None of you are surprised, since you have been watching for something like this. It appears that his intention is to turn and use his weapon.

I'm going to give Jack the first action since he is nearest, then Snap, then Mel here's my logic:

1) Jack is primed and watching the guy
2) Snap is Astrally Perceiving and watching Amber, leaving the mundane stuff to her team - but you are still leaps and bounds faster than Mel.
3) Mel is reacting to Jack's lead.

Jack - you are going for a lethal strike with the handblade?

I think I'm going to need to, don't think I can afford to lose the dice for a called shot to split the damage. Too many valuable assets in the van to allow the guy to get a shot off.

Remember that I take the off-hand penalty since I haven't developed ambidexterity yet.

I assume we are in normal chase mode for vehicle combat.... I need to know the range between me and the SUV that's still active.
If the range is short, I'll attempt a cut-off.
If the range is longer I'll look for a side street or off ramp that I can make a tight turn into (Stunt) to try and lose the SUV.

Ok, so:

PG - There is currently no pursuit - the two SUVs have both been bricked by Mel. I'm just asking is there a direction you are driving in, or are you just driving in random directions in case there is pursuit you can't see?

Jack:
Agility 5 + Skill 4, -2 for Off Hand Penalty, I'm going to actually give you +2 for Superior Position to help reflect the cramped quarters and the advantage of the handblade in such an environment, along with him being distracted by Amber.
9 dice =2 hits (IC is still down)

He dodges:
Int + Reaction = 8
1 hit

He resists 9DV P, AP -2 base, so with the 1 net hit it becomes 10DV, He is wearing an armor jacket, so 10 Armor - since modified DV is not less than the modified armor, it is physical damage.

He rolls 14 dice to resist damage:
5 hits - so he takes 5 boxes of physical damage - a solid shot straight to the body, although not enough to incapacitate him.

Snap? Mel?

Snap casts Clout F6 to try to prevent any attack from him, or at least wear him down some (since it'll go on his Stun track). She rolls only 10 dice since she's sustaining the Analyze Truth spell. 13 dice to resist 3DV drain.

Since there is no longer a chase, Sisco will get out of VR to ask were to go.

Ok - casting the spell, 10 dice = 2 hits
Resisting Drain 13 dice = 5 hits

He Dodges 8 dice, -1 for damage, -1 for 2nd attack dodged = 6 dice = 1 hit

He resists damage: 7DV Stun, 6 AP
He resists with 4 body + 6 armor = 0 hits, but only 3 ones, so no glitch - so in addition to his 5 boxes of physical damage, he now has 7 boxes of Stun

Your punch knocks him to the ground.

Does Mel have a clear shot? If so, she'll take it when he hits the ground. Otherwise, she'll wait for an opportunity.

You can take the shot.

Ag 4 + Pistols 3 + SM 2, I'm going to give you a -2 penalty for the close quarters and the fact that the van is moving around = 7 dice = 2 hits

He attempts to dodge - 8 dice base, -2 for him being prone, -3 for wounds = 3 dice, he actually critically glitches - lets see if he is still concious:

He resists 7P base, +2 for net hits = 9 DV of Stun, 16 dice = ouch 3 hits, so 6 points of Stun, which combined with the 7 points of stun from the Clout, knocks him out.