Oh yeah, and D) Was there any sight of the red-headed kid Tasha/Shellie mentioned? Odds are he was in the den, but since we said we'd try to keep him alive, his position would be important to know, too.

I decided that the answer to any of those questions is unlikely to change my current plan of action - so I am posting it.

If I am wrong about the number of people in the kitchen, and it is less than three, the plan works even better. If I'm wrong, and there are more than three, let me know, and I will adjust it. Either way, having a distribution for how many gangers are where will help in planning out how to clear the rest of the rooms.

Current plan is for Zee to work her way down the building, engaging each group and attempting to take them out silently, so that when the alarm finally goes up (probably when the den is dealt with), half the house will be KO'd somewhere, or dead - and won't rush to the aid of whoever spotted us. I'm not too worried about any group except the den - but here is my plan for taking out the first group (3 guys in the 3rd floor kitchen).

Assuming this goes well, I will probably do something similar to the 3 guys in the 2nd floor kitchen (or anywhere else where there are 3 or fewer gangers). Feel free to use the same plan, with all the same bought successes, if it works the first time and if you want to save a back-and-forth post.

The group of 4 (well, 3 at the moment) having sex on the second floor, will be a little different, since Zee cannot reliably take down 4 people in one IP - so I'll save them for last (before the den) and deal with that in a new post (but, assuming the other two plans work, you can have her sneak back to that room, confirm that the 4th guy is back, and prepare). Otherwise, if he's not back yet for some reason, taking those three down should be just as easy - and I can deal with the 4th guy while I intercept him when he comes back. I'm just assuming that dealing with the first two rooms (and travel time) will take more time than it takes him to come back after talking to the prostitutes.

So... without further delay, the plan for the 3rd floor kitchen... (feel free to interrupt me at any point where this plan goes horribly wrong - I am making a lot of assumptions)

You surprise two of them, and tie with the third, so neither one of you are surprised by each other. Let me know if you want to re-allocate your dice pool.

I do. My contingency plan was to count on beating the other two in initiative, so that I still go before them in the second IP (since they cannot react to me, during the first IP). That way, Zee can drop the guy who noticed, before he screams, catching the other two-off guard, and buying her enough time to drop them in IP 2 (although, they'll get to defend, as usual, then).

So, during IP 1, I'll allocate 12 of the 14 dice to the primary target, and 1 die, each, to the other two guy (but won't call their shots at all).

So, against the non-suprised guy:
12 + Called Shot (-4) + Touch Only (2) + Limbs (2) = 12 dice = 3 hits
Against the two suprised guys:
1 + Touch Only (2) + Limbs (2) = 5 dice = 1 hit

Even zapping the other two a little in round one will help. 1 hit is 7S damage (and they still have to roll against incapacitation).
Hopefully the 3 hits is enough to tag the unsurprised guy, though - cause if he doesn't go down (or get incapacitated from the electricity damage effect), my cover is blown.

Going to have a spotty online presense for the next couple of days. I should be able to check in a few times a day, though.

Ganger 1 down, 5S damage on Ganger 2 and 2S damage on Ganger 3. Neither one of the remaining gangers was incapacitated by the shock. They're too far apart now for you to attack both in one action. Second IP is your move.

Oh yeah, both of them used their free action to ready a weapon.

Ouchies. Gonna get nasty now. The good thing about electricity damage, though, is that even if the target resists incapacitation, they still suffer that -2 disorientation penalty for a few rounds. When you're dodging bullets, every little bit helps.

I've grown to like your characters and I would be very sad if they got killed off in the first run, so I sure hope you guys have a good plan for taking out 18 gangers when there's only two of you.

I'll do my best not to die.

So, one thing, I think when you're suprised, in the first IP you can't even 'react' to the thing that suprised you (which might include drawing weapons, or moving away from it). But, that's probably not a big deal.

My IP2 actions will be to quick-draw her fubuki (14 dice, threshold 3, buying 3 successes) with a narrow burst at the guy who took the 5 damage, last time. 14 dice, buying 3 successes, base DV is 6S raised to 8S(e) by the burst. Again, electricity damage.

Then using a free action to call a shot on the second guy (can only call on shot a round, it seems), but only taking a -2 penalty for +2 DV.

Then using second simple action to fire a narrow burst at the other guy (who took 2S damage), the second shot is 12 dice, buying 3 successes, and the DV goes up to 10S(e)

The handgun is loaded with Stick-n-shoc rounds, and has a lot of silencer modifications (electronic firing, integrated silencer, etc) on it (-7 to perception dice rolls). So, hopefully people downstairs won't hear the shots.

OOps, forgot about the penalty for attacking a second target (-2 right?), so just ignore the bit about called shots. Base DV on guy #2 will have to be 8, also. Hopefully, he doesn't soak much of it.

Yeah, I was debating with myself about that, but the example in the book said specifically that a surprised character can ready a weapon, so I'm guessing surprised characters are only barred from making opposed tests against non-surprised characters. Technically, that means one of the guys could've raised an alarm the previous round, but I thought that would be too mean.

Guy 1 is up to 8S damage. Guy 2 rolled friggin 3 hits with a Reaction of 3, so he dodges the attack completely.

Two incoming attacks. Defend against 5P with 4 hits, and 6P(-2 AP) with 2 hits and a -6 dodge penalty.

Damn. Lucky bastard.

Well, Zee's dodge should be 10 (Reaction 9 + Handling 1)
WIth a -1 penalty on the second roll, increased to -7 because of the -6.

#D=10 : 5166164265 n1=2 n6=4 nHit=6
#D=3 : 561 n1=1 n6=1 nHit=2

Pretty lucky on both, so it looks liek Zee evades. Unfortunately, the damage is sort of done.
Can do my best to roll with it.

IP3 action will be to Fire twice again. Same split, same hits, same base DV. THis time, shooting the lucky bastard that dodged my second attack FIRST. (Although, I don't think it matters much, since I am buying successes).

The -1 penalty for a previous attack was already factored in, but it looks like it doesn't matter either way.

Guy 1 is down. It's apparently Guy 2's birthday, and he staged the damage down to 1S, for a total of 3S. They only have 2 IP so neither of them act against you this IP.

Guy 2 blows his only point of Edge to go first the next round. Incoming 6P (-2 AP) (-5 dodge) with 2 successes.

-5 dice leaves Zee with 5
#D=5 : 51352 n1=1 n6=0 nHit=2
It must be her birthday too (although that roll wasn't as impressive as the previous two)

Zee's turn, she'll rush him with shock gloves, calling no shots because I'm sick of this guy doding everything (as he must be with me). 18 dice = 4 hits, Base DV of 6S(e). If a charge is possible, that gives her two more dice (and one more hit).

If that actually puts him down, Zee will use her movement this turn to take her towards the exit of the room (hoping to duck into a different room to re-hide since some people will be coming up the stairs to investigate. Ideally, they will move past her, to check on the kitchen, and she can step out and put a few rounds into their backs, or shock them as they move by or something.

In any case, after stepping out of hte room, Zee will attempt to start making her way down to the second floor (sticking to corners, unused rooms, etc)

The stealth was good to try as long as it lasted, but our priority now will probably be causing enough of a ruckus to get Peyton out, assuming we can even do that.

Whatever else comes next, you've managed to whittle down their numbers at least, which is always a good thing.

I'll be out tomorrow, so next GM post comes on Friday. Blackhat, to answer some of your previous questions: the redhead kid was in the den, and the gangers in the second floor kitchen also have assault rifles.

Happy Thanksgiving, guys!

Okay, changing my previously declared plan a little bit. Still moving towards the stairs (ideally, moving as far down towads the first floor weapon-cache as possible. Difference is, Zee will let people move past her to investigate the gunshots upstairs without jumping out at them. She'll keep a count of how many pass her (or how many she passes) - but the weapon cache and the den are definite priorities. Feel free to stop me if I get to a doorway or stairs or something with people waiting, where I can no longer move forward undetected.

Might have messed up the stealth plan, but the attack on the third floor might still work well as a distraction - drawing people's attention away from the 1st floor where our real targets are.

The weapon cache is on the third floor. Do you want to go there or make your way down a level?

Damn, no, that's perfect.
I thought I even re-read the IC to confirm that the cache was on the first floor (when I wrote about giving Tasha a map of the first floor), but the third floor is *way* more convenient.

New plan: Sneak to weapon cache, and chuck 1 of the two grenades in there. (Buying 3 hits on throwing test - to make sure the DV is high, and most of the stuff in there detonates), using the grenade's built in count-down to get away from that room (to the stairs and down to the second floor, if possible - otherwise, just moving someplace that looks structurally sound, with some walls between us).

After that, continue to sneak (as much as possible) past the gangers (who I expect will react a whole lot differently to a room of their house blowing up than they would to a few gunshots). If sneakings not possible, I'll engage - but I'm not really worried about the groups on the 2nd floor anymore. I don't know how close the stairs between floors are, but if they're right next to one another, I'll skip the 2nd floor entirely.

The other grenade is meant for the den - but I suspect that after the weapon cache goes off, they probably won't stay clustered in there very much (won't know till I check, though). Again, as much as possible, if gangers want to move past Zee's position to investigate teh third floor, she will let them (stepping into side rooms, or just backing against darkly-lit walls, etc)

Was the weapon cache above any particularly interesting 2nd floor rooms?

That also makes more sense by Tasha would be suggesting that I throw a grenade in there (which was the whole reason I took one). I figured I was going to have to go down two flights of stairs first, and by the time I did, the 10 or so Den guys would have already geared up.

This is actually pretty good news for us (aside from not being able to loot the weapons afterwards). A post-turkey-day-miracle!

Initiative:

Zee: 21
Ganger 1: 14
Ganger 2: 13
Ganger 3: 12

The explosion distracts the gangers and you get an automatic surprise round to act against them.

During Surprise round:

Simple action narrow burst at ganger 1
Reaction (9) + Handling (1) + Pistols (4) = 14 dice
#D=14 : 53326421111152 n1=5 n6=1 nHit=3
Base DV (with burst factored in): 8S(e)
Since this is a surprise round, that should just become a success test - so the guy is resisting 11S(e) with half-impact armor

Second simple action to Narrow burst at ganger 2
Reaction (9) + Handling (1) + Pistols (4) + New Target (-2) = 12 dice
I'll just buy these three successes (the other pool was close enough to 15 that I rolled)
Base DV is 8S(e) which should also be upped to 11S(e) due to surprise and the 3 hits.

------------------------

During regular round:

Simple action narrow burst at ganger 3 (regardless of whether or not 1 or 2 are still conscious)
Reaction (9) + Handling (1) + Pistols (4) = 14 dice
#D=14 : 35232456125436 n1=1 n6=2 nHit=5
Base DV of 8S(e)

Second simple action to Narrow burst the least-wounded ganger still awake (not incapacitated by electricity, though, those guys become lowest priority)
Reaction (9) + Handling (1) + Pistols (4) + New Target (-2) = 12 dice
Again, I'll just buy these three successes
Base DV is 8S(e)

And, yes, I am keeping tabs on the ammo, and I'm burning through it fast. Down 24 stick-n-shock rounds, so far. The Fubuki is just over half-empty.

At the very least, anyone still standing is at -2 to attack Zee. She probably should have started the first round in the last room with her pistol.

Two gangers still standing with 9S damage apiece. They each spend one simple action to ready weapon and the other to fire. One of them has a heavy pistol and the other one has an assault rifle. The one with the pistol rolls no hits and misses his shot, which means you need to defend against: 5P (-1 AP) (-5 Dodge) with 4 successes

Ouch. These guys must have a lot of dice to get 4 hits after the -2 from electricity, and the -5 from firing a long burst

#D=5 : 52262 n1=0 n6=1 nHit=2
So, he nets 2 successes (bringing the DV up to 7P)

Resist roll
Body (3) + Ballistic Armor (8) + AP (-1) = 10 dice
#D=10 : 5215166534 n1=2 n6=2 nHit=5

So, brings the damage down to 2 boxes of physical.

I was sure Zee was toast until I saw that her ballistic armor was decent. It was her impact armor that isn't very good.

-----------------------------------
IP3:

Same as IP2, except one shot on each of them. (3 successes each)
Hopefully the -3 dice pools to dodging plus whatever penalties from having already dodged once ortwice this round will make sure they get hit. Base DV of 8S(e), again... so, this could theoretically all spill over into physical and end up killing them. :-) I'm not going to feel too bad.

Nope, just a recoil compensated rifle, a point of Edge, and some good old fashion luck. Didn't seem to help them that much though. The guy who just shot you, on the other hand...

Resist 10P (+2 AP) with Impact armor, no dodge test possible. He made a called shot to incapacitate you, and since the rules for called shots for effect are non-existent, I'm just gonna make something up. Since you can't get killed from getting shot in the leg, I'm gonna say the maximum amount of damage he can do to you is 4P. Every point of damage past this that you don't stage down is instead applied as a dodge penalty for all further dodge tests until you can repair yourself.

Body (3) + Ballistic Armor ( 8 ) + AP (2) = 13 dice
#D=13 : 5564115244331 n1=3 n6=1 nHit=4

So, that would bring it down to 6P, but you're saying its 4P instead, with a permanent -2 to dodge tests until I get patched together, right?

From the description of the voice coming from behind me - does that mean he's on the 3rd floor? Or is this after some point where I went down to the second floor?

In either case, I'll toss the Fubuki down the stairs - if only to buy myself more time - if the guy wanted me dead, he could have had me that way.

Zee will also turn to face him.

Now that she's taken 6 boxes of physical damage, total, her drone-parts are starting to show (probably in her leg). How that would be different from a cyberleg, I'm not sure - but her gait is probably a lot more robotic, now.

Isn't the AP for flechette +5 AP after the errata? Might be enough to soak a bit more of that damage. Posting IC in a second. Unfortunately, Tasha is a bit outclassed when it comes to large numbers, and she doesn't know that Zee is in trouble, so she'll stick to the original plan and concentrate on getting Peyton out.

Yup. He's on the third floor.

Re: flechette: I just checked the errata and you're right, it is +5. Gogogo 3 more dice to resist. Woo hoo!

#D=3 : 263 n1=0 n6=1 nHit=1

So, damage is the same, but only -1 to dodge if I decide to tangle with this guy.

Thanks for the catch. Might make the difference between whether or not Zee gets a second job with you.

No sweat. That was my plan for Tasha anyway. I figure even one of these guys full-autoing into Tasha would either kill her, or screw her up pretty irreparably - and even one shot at Peyton and the mission is screwed. If they're all rushing to the third floor, Zee is still waiting there with another grenade. So, I might still even the odds a little bit more.

Of course, the fact that Zee has now taken 6 boxes of physical damage means that she is potentially quite irreparable herself. She could probably patch up 2 or 3 boxes, using automotive mechanic like first-aid (as per the house rule we discussed a while ago), but after that, I'm not sure what options she has left. Theoretically, there is a mage spell for fixing vehicles, but we don't have a mage who can cast it (Note: If we get a full team next mission, we need to get a mage who can repair people and vehicles). Also, I remember there being some talk about handling post-first-aid repair like they did in SR3 (which translates to 10% of the drone cost per box) which would come to a little over 7 grand in new parts, per box of damage. Probably reasonable for a state-of-the-art android - but cost-prohibitive enough that if Zee gets damaged badly, she's pretty much out of commission for as long as Tasha would be - seeing as she will have only made enough to heal one box.

You forgot "and its a good thing she did, too, or someone running by from the den might have noticed the padlock was open".

Way I run games, all damage is healed between runs. The only thing you've got to worry about is surviving until downtime.


Hah, that's pretty much a given. I was actually wondering whether or not you'll forget to lock it again earlier so I can do some evil GM things, but you foiled my plan.

Oh yeah, elven dude has one Simple action delayed.

Do you need me to roll to see if I shoot the lock off, or for a heavy pistol and EX explosive rounds, is it pretty much a given? She'll wait just a bit, both to take aim, and hoping that Zee will drop another grenade or something else distracting.

If Zee can hear them approaching, its probably best not to waste a few IPs in a shoot-out with this guy by trying to draw her other pistol. Instead, I'm gonna try to buy time until I hear them reach the bottom of the stairs - then the plan is to ready her other grenade, and toss it down the stairs (hopefully splattering as many gangers as she can).

I'm guessing the guy will get a shot off on her when she tries (his delayed action?) and she's just going to have to try dodge and still be standing afterwards.

I figure, if she went for her other gun, she'd have to do the same thing - but if she messes that up, she might not get a chance to use the grenade - and Tasha is going to be kind of screwed.

No need to roll for that.

Buying one success on the device rating test to check for cyberware/weapons/gear on the elf, his friend, and the two guys who come upstairs as back-up.

New plan is us both to wait for most of the ganger's to leave. Then, rather than Zee providing a distraction for Tasha, she'll signal for Tasha to shoot the lock, and provide the distraction for Zee. Since Zee will be expecting the gunshot, and the gangers wont (hopefully), that might buy her the surprise she'll need to get out of her current situation.

One more thing. Since mimicry isn't an option anymore, Zee will also switch out her Disguise program for Gymnastics - as I'm expecting to have to make a jump test sooner or later.

Took a little liberty with Tasha (Assuming she'd shoot the lock once she got the signal she was waiting for), and worked it into my post. I don't mind waiting to see if Glyph consents (so I can edit, if necessary). Otherwise, if we want to start rolling out this combat, I'm down for that. Either the gangers are going to fill Zee with bullets, then run down to see who shot downstairs, or Zee will make it down the flight of stairs (with the bodies slowing pursuers) which should buy her time to use her grenade.

*IF* the shot coming from downstairs startles anyone, it won't be the two guys I need to worry about, so I'm guessing that Jumping backwards down the staircase would trigger some shots....

Zees' plan is to go on full defense (as an interrupt action, if necessary) using gymnastic dodge (or her defense program, it doesn't really matter, but the action sounds more gymnasticy) - and moving her "run" speed (giving her another bonus to defenses).

Buying hits on her gymnastics test to jump (even wounded), from a standing position, she can jump 3 meters (10 feet), which I'm guessing is far enough to reach the staircase. The fall shouldn't hurt, either, because her hydraulic jacks negate 4 meters (13 feet) of falling distance, so bounding down a one-story drop should be no problem.

I'm just guessing that we have to resolve a few shots before any of that plan matters, though - and I'm not sure if the running bonus comes into play immediately upon moving (when the attacks are triggered) or after.

If surprise is an option, of course, I'm willing to take it. (Dice pool would be 15-2 =14 dice)
#D=14 : 62354615264222 n1=1 n6=3 nHit=5

Oops, +3 because Zee was expecting Tasha to make a rucus breaking into the basement.
#D=3 : 213 n1=1 n6=0 nHit=0

But those 3 didn't matter.

The two gangers beside Zee are surprised and can take no action. The elf and his other lackey lose their delayed actions from the distraction and now act on normal initiative. The elf manages to get off one shot before Zee sails out of sight. Defend against 8P (+5 AP) with 4 hits.

No penalty to dodge this time?

Other than the ones from wounsd and the leg-shot.

Nope. He has the pistol set to semi-auto because he didn't want to kill you before. Sucks for him now.

Reaction (9) + Handling (1) + Gymnastics (4) + Running (2) + Wounds (-2) + Kneecapping (-1) = 13 dice
#D=13 : 3663326261622 n1=1 n6=5 nHit=5

Very nice. Lots of sixes too, not that it matters.
Zee hits the ground running (since she intends to run the entire round). How far is it from this staircase to the next one? Are they next to one another (like, a staircase tha goes from the first floor to the third, with a stop on the second), or are they on opposite sides of the house? If they're close, or within 15 meters of one another, Zee might be able to make it down both stories this round, and do her plan on the first-floor staircase, otherwise, she might do it here.

So, that was IP1. Does anyone else get to act (even if not a direct action against Zee or Tasha) that round, or do we go to IP2, and what's the initiative order there?

Also, did I get any indication if these were frag or high-explosive grenades, either when I picked them up, or when the other one went off (I wasn't in the room to watch it - but, maybe)?

They're high explosive grenades. The staircase winds around itself, so you can keep going down if you want. It's now IP 2, and the initiative order is Zee, elf, and then the three gangers. None of you have a clear shot at each other, and if you keep moving downwards, it'll stay that way until you hit the first floor.

On second IP, Zee will stop being on full-defense (now that she has broken line of sight, and there are obstacles between her and her pursuers).
Instead, she will use one simple action to ready her grenade, a free action to call the shot (-2 to DP, +2 to DV, aiming for a corner where it will catch both staircases (and the supporting walls around them) in the blast - while continuing her "run" bounding over the edge of the second set of stairs, and running away (to get out of the blast). She'll be heading down the hallway towards Tasha and Peyton.

Response (9) + Handling (1) + Throwing (4) + Wounds (-2) + Running (-2) + Called Shot (-2) = 8 dice, buy 2 hits.

Scatter 1d6-4 =
#D=1 : 1 n1=1 n6=0 nHit=0
So 1-4 = no scatter.

DV of the explosion (which should occur at Zee's initiative next round) will be 10P +2 for called shot +2 for hits = 14P.
I'm counting on that either blowing the stairs and walls apart (or if they hold, the blasts-in-confined-spaces rules should almost double the DV until they do explode).

The gangers she left behind will have to consider following her down the stairs, since the grenade is waiting at the bottom. AFAIK, SR4 got rid of the rule that used to let people pick up live grenades and throw them back - but if I'm wrong, I suppose that's an option if someone gets down there fast enough. If I'm not mistaken, or they're not fast enough, rushing up to the grenade will end pretty much the way one would expect (hoping they're wise enough to stay upstairs).

Assuming it blows up, and takes both stairs out, the hole in the floor should span all 3 floors (so, if someone wants to chase after, they'll have to jump down to the first floor from the third). Unfortunately, nothing can be done to spare the wounded gangers unconscious on the stairs (they'll make a cool mess, though), and Zee can't spare the actions to pick up her Fubuki.

The cost of doing business, I suppose.