Narse: Contacts cannot stack with goggles. Refraction fun.

You'd need to buy a new set of goggles, but if you bought the contacts already (and I don't have the time to check before work), I'd be willing to just charge you the difference on upgrading the goggles and handwave it.

If not, normal shopping rules.

WMS: If the Blythe has NO contacts in the Bahamas, which is nearby and where he's from, you deserve smackage.

@Redjack
I was interested in the ships weapons smartgunlinks for those who do not rig them. I did not think that the installation of a smartgun link external or internal required a armorers shop.

The remote pop up turrets can be used/controlled from below the turret, a smartgun link with camera upgrade, will allow a firer to use the remote pop up with the vision enhancements for that weapon, along with the advantages of the smartgun link.

As for the APDS the Availability number of 16F can and will be problematic. IIRC it can take weeks to locate such an item with availability rating that high.

@Penta
Yes Gunner has a contact in his home nation. The others are in different island nations.

WMS

We need to start assembling our lists of additional gear so we can begin to work through the mechanics of what to get from who. My last IC post is also an attempt to work through establishing some tactical plans for assaulting a ship.

@WMS
No problem. Just talking through the details after a post from Narse (two back).

Ok, then for the time being Carlos will just stick with his laser-sight, and make do with what the mounted weapons already have (there is an in character reason for Carlos not to have a smartlink & smartgun at character creation).

Now, as for Capt'n Rollins, why wait for a nice chop shop when you could get glasses or goggles? Unless you already have cybereyes, in which case Carlos and Franklin might be able to satisfy the chop shop requirements, assuming we can find the 'ware you need.

Am I right in thinking that on the way to intercepting the Benito Juarez on it's way to Montreal and stealing some baby toys, we also need to get intel on the BAA Nahuatl, Pics, Props and info on it's CO, we also want to pick up and got to work on any odds and ends we need for ourselves to operate?

We need to start tracking the Benito Juarez, and I assume if it will be easier to wait till it enters our current area between Florida, Cuba and Bahamas to take a shot at it, and meanwhile we can also see what the Nahuatl is doing starting in Havana? This would limit our travels to this region for now.

@All
Ok, my primary contact (fixer) just happens to be in Orlando on business. We should be able to get gear without horrible availability ratings. As the team "hacker", I'll be getting waterproof cases & skin-links for all coms and extra skin-links for use in modifying weapons.

I will have firewall upgrades soon for Litany, Franklin & Carlos.

No sure how to locate the Benito Juarez. Do we have any information on the transponder? Any assets in the canal that can assist us? As to the BAA Nahuatl: Havana sounds like a good place to start.

I think we are gonna need a number of flags and decals (to change the ship's name) so that we can fake our name and registry as required. Any other supplies we need?

You paint the letters of the ship's name and home port on the stern, BTW. They're not Gigantic Stickers.

Re the Benito Juarez: You do have contacts that may be able to help, and the issue isn't so much transponders as figuring out where they might be. Remember, this is not a ship that is zig-zagging, it's heading direct. It's not in convoy, it's alone. It's going to have to register with authorities when it sails through places' territorial waters, for instance, like any merchant ship.

@Redjack
Are all fixers able to get gear with little effects of availability?

Several ways of finding out where the target is?
Hack the database getting her course and plot.
Talk to a Snitch in the Know
Intercept a Transmission from her
Hack a spy satellite and locate/track her that way
Get Lucky

WMS

Such presumptuous, even if unintended, would cause me to raise the tresholds...noticably...

Whew! Good thing I clarified.

So....
Whats the next order of business IC? Are we going to swing by Orlando? Just trying to motivate the game here.

Orlando is 20-30m away by land, IIRC.

Work's been beating me up; I'll try to get to Redjack's equipment requests tonight.

Don't forget Litany asked for everyone's shopping list.

BTW: Does anyone else IM?
WMS, I thought I had you on my list but you seem not to be there.

Indeed, mine is Talnefan on AIM if you'd like to chat.

Cooking 2, and I will gladly cook if it gets me off Eng Watch.

If there is gear you feel we need in the next few weeks game time, speak up.

In cross referencing the team questionnaire I recommend the following in a tactical situation:

Cuda at ship helm, manning pop up turrets and the mounted directional jammer.
Litany manning pintle mounted guns.
Johnny on drones and signal support.
Gunner leading the boarding party.
Carlos: boarding party, physical security
Franklin: boarding party, rear guard, medical.

How does that look for a first pass?

People might not tell the whole truth on the questionnaire.

It might be useful to run some boarding/anti boarding sims. Maybe someone can get a copy of Miracle Shooter and we can do a shipboard Miracle Shooter LAN party.

@Redjack
Litany manning the pintle mounted guns?

Last I saw here the pintle mounted weapons were not rigged?

Question what craft is the boarding party going to be using to board ships/boats?

WMS

Pintles requires Heavy Weapons Skill. Litany doesn't have that. But Gunnery also covers any vehicle mounted weapon. And Litany does have that skill.

"Th e Gunnery skill governs the use of all vehicle-mounted
weapons, whether in mounts, pintles or turrets. Th is skill includes
manual and sensor-enhanced gunnery."

Looks like I was mistaken on Litany's tactical role I knew the pintle mounted weapons are not rigged, but not which skill applied.... How about she goes skinny-dipping and distract the other ship's crew?

@WMS
We have a sled (actually 2 with Cuda's) and the launch. I actually was being a little vague there hoping to narrow down which (or both) gets used depending upon the situation.

Penta, how do you want to handle interaction with contacts? Post a request OOC, figure out results then post IC?

Sounds about right.

Fixer - Saucy Steven - (L3, C4)
Hacker - Flipper - (L4, C3)
Armorsmith - Chromatic Dresden - (L4, C3)
Fence - Flint "The Hammer" Jensen (L2 C3)
Marina/Boat Yard Operator - Sunshine Williams (L2 C3)
Drug Smuggler - Injun Lightning (L2 C3)
CAS Customs Agent - Yancy Deville (L2 C3)

Starting Money
(4d6 + 12) * 500 = 6 5 6 1 + 12 = 30 * 500 = 15000 nuyen

Primary contacts for each request givein, but if any others may be appropriate or possible. There's no harm in asking.

Will make inquiries when we make port in Port Canaveral, or as we go south past Miami,

Saucy Steven, Flipper, and possibly The Hammer and Injun Lightning
Quote on a set of Fake SIN and licenses for the Crew and a Fake Ship Registration for the Thundercloud

Flipper
Location/planned Route of the Benito Juarez, ship layout for that class of transport

Yancy Deville
Typical storage/security on shipped baby toys. Container sizes kind of thing. Typical Crew for a freighter.

The Hammer
Quote on a Thundercloud size load of "Baby's new drug kit" toys

Sunshine Williams (Miami Beach area)
Arrange for "off the books" re fueling, inquire into availability and cost of boat yard for emergency repairs

Is there anything else anyone can think of?

Redjack, did anyone actually admit to being sneaky? Otherwise it looks like we're good for a heavy assault team, but not so much for the getting around unnoticed.

Nothing resembling a Stealth skill group here...

Dire:

1. Sunshine will charge a 20% premium (per liter of fuel) for keeping refuellings "off the books" (because she basically has to forge sales entries and lie about sales to her boss), but will refuel if need be - She advises that, for the next week, their yards are booked up with work (snowbirds who want their vessels fitted out before they come down for the winter after the new year), but that after that, they should have yard space for the Thundercloud, at 500 per day, plus 75 per hour labor costs.

2. The Hammer looks at you kind of oddly, replying with "'Baby's first drug test'...? Fuck, I don't even want to know the demos on that marketing campaign. Fuckin' Azzies." Then, he notes that he has no idea, but should be able to get back to you in 72 hours with a price quote.

3. Yancy notes that typical crew size can vary wildly for a bulk freighter like you describe: Some crew with only 6 people total, some have crews of more than 30. Container sizes are all standardized ISO containers, same dimensions as they've been for over a century. Normally, she notes, pirates only steal portions of the cargo - which in this case is unlikely to have much security on it, if any. Toys like you describe would be shipped in standard containers, along with a lot of other cargo - fortunately for everybody in the supply chain, RFID tags identify the contents of each container, though customs officers tend to scan a random sample from each ship to confirm the tags, often opening up a container or two and visually inspecting things, if they feel like it.

4. Ratings on the fake IDs and licenses and stuff? Fake papers for the Thundercloud are a flat 6000.

5. Flipper can get you a passage plan for the Benito Juarez (as filed with the Quebec authorities - hope someone can read French!) in 4 days, but will need 2000. He can supply the ship layout for the class in 24 hours, for 500.

Johnny spent quite a bit of time in Cajun areas of New Orleans. He speaks/reads/writes a passing French. Better at Spanish from his time around the rest of the Gulf.

Snitch-Babbling Billy 3/3
Smuggler Contact-Chart Man 3/3
Weapons Fixer-Davy Bones 3/3

Babbling Billy is snitch that Gunner used while he was in the RBDF, he is a Jamaican human, living in city of Kingston. Billy has some reasonable connects that Gunner has been able to use in the past. But Billy can not be trusted because information is his stock and trade.

Chart Man is a smuggling contact that resides at least in part in Borinquen (Puerto Rico), in the town of San Juan. He is Hispanic elf of some average connections, Gunner met him while in the RBDF, and they worked out a relationship.

Davy Bones is a Bahamian Dwarf fixer for weapons that works out of New Providence, Bahamas. He and Gunner worked many years while Gunner worked for the RBDF, it was one way Gunner was able to “acquire� the needed tools/gear for allow him to keep weapons and ammunition for his unit of the RBDF. After Gunner left the RBDF, the relationship was continued.

Gunner can speak French and Spanish

WMS

Was there meant to be a question in there for me, WMS? If not, okay. If yes, then i don't see it.

@Penta
Was trying to see if any of my contacts could assist us in getting the arms needed, and any info on the target ship.

Thanks
WMS

Ah, okay. Will deal w/ it tonight then.

Um, so what is supposed to be going on now? I don't know what to do IC or OOC. Are we gonna move out of whatever port wer're in? Head toward Havana? I just want to get this moving again.

Currently, the Thoundercloud is, I believe, docked in Port Canaveral, with people getting in touch with contacts to gather info, stuff, etc.

Probably can't post till Thursday.

Sorry I've been out guys, got hit with a nasty cold thats had me barely able to get up, much less think for the past couple days, hopefully I'll be posting later today/throughout the week.

One Advantage of pipe smoking, no lungs involved. Just have to get that tongue cloned and implanted.

Gunner Blythe is seeking shops/establishments for those that smoke pipes and or cigars.

As for the anti smoking AR spam, he has dealt with it before and will do it again.

I was posting something until others can post.

WMS

Assuming that Litany passes the information from the post to Dire (several posts back):

Litany will share

I believe it's a 1000 miles, or 500 round trip. Fuel. dunno.

Litany can't find the Juarez without some idea where to start looking.

Are we waiting on anything in particular? If not, I'll go ahead post for January 2nd (Johnny getting stuff from his fixer) and we can set sail for Havana.

One set of each per person?

For your rating 6 SINs, be advised: That's a threshold of 24, interval 1 week.

I already did the roll: You got it, but it'll take 6 weeks. (I was merciful, and did one test for the set.) 24000 per SIN, plus a 2000 processing fee (on top of the total order) because there are so many.

Rating 3 SINs: Again, you got it. 3 weeks. :nuyen:12000 per SIN, plus a 1000 processing fee.

If you would like to make any changes to your order, please do so now. Otherwise, payment is expected in full at time of order. Thank you for shopping at Identity World.

FYI: Penta said the only cash we have at the moment is the character's starting cash. I think we are gonna have to be a little stingy on starting supplies until we start raking in some bucks. At the moment Johnny is fronting some of his own money to buy the following things for the team:

[750] 15x Skin-links
[500] Satellite link
[1800] 600xGEL for White Knight LMG

Current Total 3,050

I'm also recommending that we buy 3x fake ship name setups [800each; Includes decals to covers names/numbers & a foreign flag]
I also recommend that we buy one set of fake papers for the ship [6,000]

That will put the team in the hole 9,850 + the cost of the ship and supplies, but we should be set to go for a while except for food & fuel.

I'm thinking additional IDs for the crew can wait given our current cash flow...?

What do you all think?

Nothing like debt to give you incentive to work.

So if I got the math right, 140,000 for a set of 6 rating 6 fake SINs in 6 weeks.

73,000 for a set of rating 3 in 3 weeks.

Prices subject to change.

On one level scary, on another, we're already on the hook for a yacht.

Up to the team if they want to commit. IC Litany considers both essential, but others may not think so, and she'll go with the team.