Hello chummers I need some HELP .
We were hired for a Data Steal on Microdeck's Issaqua faciltity in Renton . Our Decker and Idol Shaman walked in the front door using a Programmer's Proximity Card , Polymer Gloves with his prints and a Physical Mask on the Idol Shaman and 5 successes on a Mind Probe for securtiy Procedures ( all ).

Unfortunately I(we) forgot the Elemental watching for magic use ( ugh ) . It alerted the Security Guard on Duty , they tried to Bluff and failed , a Security ERT was dispatched .

The rest of the team the Troll Street samurai with a LMG , A Cat Shaman conjurer/Sniper with Rifle , and (me) an Adept Gunslinger and Driver of the Van . We have a clear line of sight and can provide covering fire . Matrix overwatch is down .

We have full communications ( Cncl 12 ) and the infiltration team has Signal Beacons AoD ( Cncl 15 ) . They have no weapons , but the Decker's Cyberdeck and the Idol Shaman foci .

What to do ?

The emergency plan B is to move across a open field towards the fence using and Ultra Sound Emitter/Detector ( avoiding Sentry Guns w/ Ultramax MMG's ... shudder ) and we blow the fence . Drive our stolen van to a meet point change vehicle an head to a safe house close in the district .

OR

Allow themselves to be captured and attempt a rescue . Tracking them with the Signal Locator AoD .

Are there any other options ? And can we still complete the job ? . Our group are newbie runners ( experienced players ) . HELLLLLLP !!!!

Hmm... what laws have you broken? If you're not commited in yet, and your mission goal and employer are not about to be compromised, you may consider surrendering and having the rest of the team contact Mr. J and have him bust you out. I mean, you got picked up at the lobby, with no illegal weapons and no murders or assaults. The only crime you commited is using a stolen sec card and physical mask thing. If you have good fake SINs, hold out till you get busted out by Mr. J's lawyers. Maybe you'll just get fined. If it's so bad that you face jail time, take the bail and dump your SINs.

If, however, you don't have SINs... well, run or hope real bad Mr. J likes you.

Note: all of this depends on what kind of GM you have. Some GMs think surrendering means new character sheets. Try to ask him what he thinks about surrendering. Maybe he *wants* you to shoot your way out.

Have the Cat shaman conjuror summon the biggest nastiest spirit he or she can directly in the lobby. Drain is not an issue unless it reaches deadly or physical.

Have the gun adept(you) and the troll with the LMG shoot those sentry guns

Have the idol shaman change the physical mask spell so you look like security guards use the ultrasound emitter and run!

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No corp keeps MMG sentry guns on its property unless you're on extraterritorial property. (I'm not sure if Microdeck is a single A or weak double A corp) Even if their not extra-territorial they may be leasing the property from someone who is.

You do not want to be subject to corporate law. ( which basically boils down to them doing whatever they want to you )

Sounds like they have some loads of illegal goods on them like the decker's Hot ASIST deck, stolen passcard and possession of the polymer gloves. My guess is their gear would pull up a few more flags. Add that to the breaking/entering and they have intent for a larger crime.

Rescue gets much harder if they make it all the way to jail.

Option 1) Storm the guards with your remaining team to prevent the capture of the decker and shaman.

Option 2) Tell the decker/shaman to surrender cooperatively and use the remaining team to hit the pattywagon on its return to the station. This might involve less opposition, but it would require finding out immediately where they would be taken, most likely routes, and how to stop the police van w/o killing the decker & shaman.

Option 3) Call your fixer/Johnson/Lone Star contact/Yakuza Boss and explain how you have been looking for a way to donate large sums of NuYen to a their cause.

What other spells do the shamans have?

Your first mistake was not having each Shaman conjour up a spirit of some kind and have them watching in astral space outside the facility first. If you had done that, you'd probably have been able to escape with little or no problem. (Send in one spirit to fight the elemental, the other to fight the guards, and either take out the guards while they're distracted or run like heck!)

If the Adept Gunslinger has Quick Strike, you might consider having the rest of the team come in and try to shoot it out. Just give the Gunslinger a FA or BF firearm, or a gun that can be used for cover fire if you have one. The Cat Shaman should summon up the most powerful spirit they can first, though.

Might be a good idea to use some concussion or flash grenades, if you've got them. I'd toss them in, even if the would-be prisoners got hit, since its only Stun damage. (Being knocked out is preferrable to being dead, after all) Drag them out, then either blow away the guards or get out of there as fast as possible.

Incidentally, we might be able to offer more ideas if we knew:

1. Which Idol the captured Shaman follows.

2. What type of elemental is guarding the facility.

3. If either Shaman has Spirit-only attacks spells (Spiritblast, Spiritball, etc)

The shaman's the key. first: never trust a Johnson to get you out! You'redeniable assets! Summon a spirit. If the shaman has defensive spells, Armour or Barrier would be really frikkin usefull right about now. Block the exit with Barrier (quickened if you can do it.) and protect yourselves with armour. Don't worry about the penalties for stacking spells. It has no effect on damage resistance rolls, which is what armour is for. If the spirit can take down the elemental, then you can use it's power to hide you as you run through the sentry gun field. Have your teammates in the van cover you and blow a hole in the fence. Failing that, levitate/have the spirit lift you over it.

This is all assuming you don't have a greater invisibility spell.