Yo!

6 am every in-game morning? Sounds good to me.

Works for me for the Edge refresh definition. 6 a.m. each game day.
Thank you,
Joel

Dusty, just noticed in your IC post, you're changing into cleaner clothing? Remember, Heaven a place where people will knife you for a decent pair of shoes. Dressing down might be an order. Obvious ordinance too. Oh, and I'll get the Heaven post up later tonight.

In terms of the "obvious ordinance" suggestion, just how "obvious" can we get? I don't think it is reasonable to haul out the LMG in broad daylight or early evening? I presume that there is some discussion of this in the Van.

Joel / Mack

The LMG might be a bit too obvious, if for no other reason than because it will mark you as a target. Wearing your knives openly, obvious pistols, that sort of stuff though will help you fit in. Basically, if you look like you're expecting (and can handle) trouble, trouble is more likely to avoid you. Lone Star does patrol the neighborhood but it's rated at an E security rating, which basically means they'll show up (eventually) if sustained automatic fire or explosions are reported. A couple pistol shots won't even register on their radar though.

That said though, perhaps leaving the LMG in the van 'just in case' might be a good idea.

Metagaming here a bit but I will say that the opposition at Heaven, even if you do end up in a pitched battle is pretty second rate. Barring terrible dice rolling you guys should be able to handle them without needing to haul out the big guns.

Some sort of obvious knife, pistol, or something like that. Preferably something lethal, as people on drugs are often able to ignore pain/injury better than normal. Knives and pistols say "I'm dangerous", without also saying "I'm going to murder everyone I see" like an AR or shotgun might.

Okay, I also figure that since combat is more or less inevitable, I'd go ahead and post some numbers of common things that might be needed in a fight. So that Imperialus can just go ahead and roll if he wants to rather than hunting through my character sheet every time I need to make a perception check or whatever.

Thanks. That's clear.
Mack normally wears the survival knife and several sets of visible throwing knives. (He keeps spare sets in both boot tops.)
He just never carries a pistol. (He'd probably hurt himself if he tried to fire one.)

Joel / Mack

By the way, how big is a grade 6 medikit? Human hand sized? A bocketbook? Or a knapsack?

Thanks,
Joel

About the size of a nice thick hardcover novel. To actually use it you need to pull out a series of sensors, and other medical gee-gaws. It expands to cover a small school desk.

In other words, it's too big to fit in a pocket but small enough that you can stuff it into a satchel on some combat webbing, or cram it in the bottom of a small rucksack.

Next IC is up. It's mostly just a filler post. I'll get Heaven up tomorrow morning sometime assuming you guys are good to go.

BTW the 'signal booster' that Sybercat mentioned is my attempt to deal with the fact that according to the RAW Sybercat should be able to hack Xanadu's system from across the planet. I'm trying out some house rules with her in an attempt to tone down the power of hackers without covering the entire world in Wi-Fi blocking paint. It seemed like an ideal opportunity to try it out since I'm doing all the rolls for her 'behind the screen' as it were and it gives me a chance to play with the house rules. Right now just consider it to be a handy plot device that lets Sweeps show off.

*edit*Also I wouldn't worry too much about the fact that Sybercat was able to hack your comlinks without too much trouble. Hacking in 4th ed is just like the combat, everyone is eggshells, and the hackers are eggshells with hammers. Even with a firewall of 6 it's pretty easy for a hacker, to build a backdoor into a comlink. It's not unless you get stupid paranoid and start running everything through a comlink with a rating 6 firewall, rating 0 signal, a rating 6 agent/black IC and a rating 6 attack program which in turn runs through a beta grade datajack with a rating 5 agent/black IC, rating 5 attack program, and then running everything else through skinlinks that only talk to the datajack that you can really start to feel safe, but that costs a lot of and takes a lot of space on a character sheet. Just like how a well built sam will kill you with a full auto burst from his Ares Alpha a Hacker will get into your comlink. Just the nature of the system.

Hmmm, good point, I'll edit that to Gothic clothing. As for obvious weaponry, I'll have to think about that. Darn! Most of my gear is designed to be subtle.

Can we take it that I am wearing my knife and Hammerli 620S at my belt? Were they can be seen?

By the way the silencer is in my pocket not fitted to the gun. The laser site is though.

You don't need to worry about the Disassemblers coming after you if you kill the trolls. They don't have the resources and Tamanous isn't going to care. These guys aren't even bringing in good corpses. They'd be lucky to get a single functioning organ or piece of ware out of a dead chiphead. The trolls are worth a bit more to them alive than dead, but not by much.

Basically what I'm trying to say is, if you want to pick a fight Heaven is a good place to do it. It'll give you a chance to play around with the combat system, and unless you really go nuts there won't be any consequences. I'll leave it up to you guys though.

Oh, and the intro to Heaven IC post is ready to go up anytime you are.

Quick request: If everyone can give me a Perception + Intuition roll (visual mods apply) the next time you make an IC post it would be greatly appreciated. I'll use that for the numbers at Heaven. Also let me know if you have Low Light vision.

Next IC post is up.

Bit o' Bad News, chummers: starting next tuesday (May 27), I'm going to be out of town and away from the Internet for roughly 2 weeks. I should be getting back sometime around June 7. Hopefully I'll be able to get on before then, but chances are slim to none that I'll be able to.

As far as control o' Padre goes, I'll leave him in the hands o' Imperialus while I'm away. Just try not to make me come back to find him dead... that would be depressing. ^_^

Do you feel like you've got a fair handle on him to do this?

Yep. Padre will just sit outside Heaven and serve as lookout. If it does turn into a firefight inside it'll likely take at least two weeks to resolve. If you're back before it finishes I can always have it spill into the street.

That'll keep him out of the line of fire and means I won't need to make any moral calls on whether or not he gets involved.

BTW, thanks for giving me the heads up.

Ah! I'm really making everyone paranoid with my paranoid play!

Sounds like a good battle will be just what we need. Cool!

I'll post my IC ASAP, gotta do some work first.

does vision magnify, flare comp help me with the perception test?

If not then I'm really gonna have to get some new eyes at some point.

Flare Compensation keeps you from being blinded by large surges of brightness (flashbulbs, etc.)
Magnification compensates for range modifications in range combat, if you take an aim action.
Neither one helps with perception, although both are VERY useful.
Vision Enhancement (comes in grades 1 - 3) adds to perception.

Joel

Right! Next visit to the Doctor, I'll get some of those Vision Enhancement's fitted. Serves me right for getting confused between Enhancment and Magnification.

What Vision Mag does do though, it let you aim to negate all range penalties. Can come in handy, especially on pistols.

Edit: Booyah! Now that's an etiquette roll!

I have to agree with you on both points.
That is one heck of a nice result (4 hits on 5 dice!)

The combined value of all the eye mods is why I keep ending up with characters with cyber-eyes instead of glasses. You can fit everything in the eyes at startup. (On the other hand, it is just weird that during running, for a modest fee and some time, you can get contact lenses with all those features!)

Yours,
Joel / Mack

Yes, very nice roll. That'll make the first bit a little easier.

Next IC post is up.

Oh that's just one of the best NIN tracks there is!

It seemed appropriate too. I've been trying to find more obscure music so it's easier to envision it being played 60 years from now but Perfect Drug was just too well... perfect for some shithole BTL den.

Well NIN did the music for the original Quake game. In case you didn't know.

So I always think of them in a futuristic fashion, especially as their music has never slotted into any current genre really. They were always radical in their tastes and fit my view of future music, now.

Inevitably, this is a perfect choice and very appropriate.

Great NIN track.

What should I roll? Intimidate + CHA + Kinesics is my guess.

yep, that works.

EDIT: Talking Crap, ignore me. LOL

OK Hex. You're up. Time to dance.

Also Mack and Padre. Let me know if I miscalculated your Init. I didn't have it on your main char sheets so I calculated it myself but may have left something out.

A couple of quick questions:
How large is the room?
From the rules, it looks like when it is my turn I can use a simple action to ready 3 throwing knives, and a second simple action to throw 1. On second initiative pass I will then be able to throw the next two, potentially at different people?
If I want to try to fast-draw the knives, to throw on the first simple action, you have said that I need 5 successes on a Throwing+Reaction roll. While it is unlike (5 hits on 10 dice needed. I just realized that the Boosters will help that roll) is there any drawback to trying other than the risk of a glitch? (21% chance of succeeding, and a 1.5% chance of glitch is why I am asking.)
Or is that 12 dice for the fast-draw, with the specialization? (I think it would.)


I presume you will roll defense, and damage?
Also, how will you handle players deciding if they abort to full defense? When does that have to be declared? (Can gymnastic dodge even be used in the close quarters in here?

Yours,
Mack / Joel

PS: Mack's Initiative looks right 4 effective Reaction plus 3 Intuition gives 7, with two IPs

I believe some degree of OOC coordination, faster than our actions, is permitted at this point? (As one would get around the gaming table. Presumably in practice mediated by our nice fast commlinks?)
Thanks,
Joel

The room was originally a reception room for the health clinic. The door to the street is to your left and a little bit behind you. Lizard Pete is sitting on a couch directly in front of you and the door that just opened to reveal the gator with the SMG is behind a small reception desk to his right.

The room is approximatly 6 meters long and 4 meters wide with the two doors on the longer walls. The wall behind you has collapsed. I'll draw something up ASAP so you can get a better idea of where things are.

If you fail to make the quickdraw roll, it just means that it takes a simple action to get your knives out. If you glitch you'll fumble the knife or something like that. No need to worry about cutting fingers off or anything like that.

OOC co-ordination is fine. Again, this is one of those things where I doubt any of us have done any real life CQB training so OOC planning helps.

Oh bugger! Here we go!

Just so you know, in every PNP RPG I have played (1 shadowrun and 3 D&D), I always ending up dying in the first battle. BUT NOT THIS TIME MOTHER FUCKERS! Sweeps is MAD!!!!!!!!!

Phew that Jazz is good!!

So Hex is up first. Good luck buddy!

Oh and imperialus, did you check your PM's?

bout the gear? Yeah. That's cool.

Oh and as for dodging what I'm going to do is post the gangers attack rolls without calculating damage. You'll have till the next day to decide if you're doing a full dodge or not. Then I'll calculate the damage.

and I'm getting the map uploaded as quick as I can. The damn print screen button isn't co-operating with me though.

It seems to me that the comment from Sybercat is the key. If the mage is any good at all, Hex needs to shoot him, probably twice, ASAP.
If no one takes the SMG before it gets to me, I will try to hit him with one or two knives. If I hit him, he will fall down, which will prevent him from shooting anyone until he can stand up again, as I understand the rules.

Joel / Mack

Or it's just a street proverb.

and here's the map. I approximated where I think your characters are.

[IMG]http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/9585/heavenentrancefe1.th.png[/IMG]

Damn it! I'm right in the middle of everyones line of fire!

Ok Here is my idea, tell me if it's crap!

Mack! Try and take out G5 (stops the surrouding of us) and then G3 and G4,

I'll go for Pete, and G2,

Loki take out Pete and G1,

Hex Pete and SMG.

EVERYONE: once Pete is out, get that SMG, but try and get the imediate ganger closest to you.

I'll assume for now that we do have to worry about getting in each other's way...
So, for the first Initiative Pass

I would suggest a slight change:
1) Hex shoots at Pete. Probably with both simple actions. (He has to declare that before shooting.)
2) If Pete is not unconcious, he should at least be going after Sweeps. So Sweeps, if Pete is still active, fix that. Otherwise, take your shots at the G2. (As you had suggested.)
3) Loki, if you want to try for the SMG, feel free. Or just go after a ganger.
4) If the SMG is still on his feet when I go, I will throw knives at him. If he has fallen over, I will throw at G5.

After that, we will have to see what damage they do to us. And take our second Initiative pass.

Joel / Mack

I think Loki'll get behind some rubble and shoot for G1. I think we should definitely keep Lizard Pete alive...does anyone have any Stun spells/weapons? Passed out is ideal, as we can remove anything harmful and tie him up.

I don't think we have any stun weapons. No Mages.
But, if we can get him unconscious, but not dead, we can stabilize him after the fight (there is a grade 6 medikit in the van), and probably bring him around to answer questions.

As for getting behind cover, note that you can move at walking pace during your actions.
That will get folks almost anywhere they want. (Hex and Sweeps get just over 3 meters, 10 feet, per IP. The rest of you get 5 meters per IP. The whole room is only about 15 feet to a side.
Heck, even Mack should be able to step into partial cover (although since I don't want the die penalty, it probably is not as much cover.)

Yours,
Joel / Mack

Even if Hex does know that Pete's a mage (which I don't think anyone mentioned, though he might guess since he's otherwise unarmed), I think priority goes to the jerk with an automatic weapon charging into the room. As for stun weapons, my silenced pistol under my jacket has Stick 'n Shock loaded in it, but given the threats, he probably isn't going for it.

He's probably also going to use his free action this pass to Run. Basically, shoot ganger, run over couch and past the guy he shoots, out the door the SMG guy just came in from. That way he can shoot into the room with cover, and see what else is in that part of the building.

Here's hoping I roll to hit like I rolled on that last etiquette check, heh.

Well, Hex would have gotten the message from Sybercat, and there clearly is only one Mage.
There is a reason that the rule of thumb is "geek the mage."
Looking at the diagram, I don't think you can run through any door. Just not enough room.
Note that if you Run, you lose two dice of attack and gain two dice of defense. Offense is usually the best defense.
I am pretty sure that you can take cover (which makes good sesnse to me) by just walking.
(I know, we should have to run, but the numbers seem to say that we don't need to.)

But, it's your call. Take what shots you want and we will see what happens.

Fair enough. I'll split my attention, as the -2 penalty for switching targets isn't a huge bother. And you're right, walking can move me far enough that after the first IP I think I can reach the door the ganger came in through.

Pete needs to be taken out, we still have the trolls to take care of to get information.

As implied in the IC thread he knows nothing other than he's in deep shit.

I have stun weapons, but I need to get to him to use them, and if he's a mage, then that's not going to happen.

Try my plan and see.

Yeah, I don't see you taking out the Shock baton. I presume you are going to be shooting the Hammerli?
(It seems sensible to try to fast-draw the pistol and get to SA shots off.)

Yours,
JoelHalpern

Okay, Hex's response is up. I didn't account for any penalties for cover or anything, so, take away hits as needed Imp!

And also, completely average rolls. 10 successes on 30 dice, total.

Edit: Oh yeah, and the gun has normal ammo loaded, so no special craziness if I hit.