My first few meetings with Johnsons had me freaking out - I spent the first half of the meeting being cagey as hell, and then I lost my mind trying to pump him for info, knowing that I was forgetting something important. Eventually I sat down and made a list of everything I was worried about going wrong, so I would remember to check it out ahead of time. I consider this my 'homework' prior to a mission. I'd be interested in what the Dumpshock community thinks about it - what did I miss?
1) They call me Mister Johnson.
a) Is this a bust?
The first concern of any crook when meeting someone new is making sure he's not the Law.
b) Is this a setup?
If the job exists, it might be a suicide mission. Is Johnson connected to my enemies? Does he have a rep for getting teams killed?
c) Is this worth what we're being paid?
If Johnson is negotiating fees, we need to know if he's going to try and lowball us. Complicated question.
d) May I speak freely?
Some Johnsons or Clients are uncomfortable discussing Shadowruns in plain language. If they're not, we can speed things up considerably.
2) It's a simple job. No complications.
a) What exactly is the objective? Are there secondary objectives? Conditions or requirements?
Establishing scope of work is vital. If collateral damage is bad, that needs to be established up front.
b) Why are you hiring a Shadow Team for this?
At some point, this job looked like it needed a swat team with ninjas and wizards. What sort of opposition are the clients expecting that justify our involvement?
c) How do you think this will play out?
The client probably has an expectation of how it will be handled. We will probably do something else, but knowing what they expect will give us a starting point and insight into what the opposition will be expecting.
d) What aren't they telling us, and why?
Nobody gives you all the information. Are they trying to hide the real threat level to get us to work cheaper? Are they hoping we achieve our objective and then get wiped out, for financial or security reasons? Do they have a personal involvement that they're trying to hide?
3) Prior Planning Prevents Piss-Poor Performance
a) What do we know about the physical layout?
If we can find maps before we go in, we can plan an assault that doesn't waste time and resources.
b) What do we know about the security systems?
If the alarm system can be bypassed, our odds improve.
c) Can we gain an advantage via the Matrix?
With enough lead time, a hacker can get privilaged access to the network. Is their security vulnerable to tampering? Will that require a dedicated Matrix Overwatch?
d) What is the nature of the target's Armed Response capability?
When they come for us, what will they be packing? Will we need armor piercing, anti-spirit, or anti-vehicle weaponry? Will there be a second wave of Heavy Responders, and how soon after the alarm should we expect them?
e) How long are we on-site?
If we know how soon the Heavy Responders can arrive, do we have time to accomplish our objectives using our current plan? If we have extra time, can we do the job with less risk, or more personal gain?
f) What is our exit strategy?
At each stage of the mission, we should have a plan to get out if needed. We need to locate chokepoints and ambush locations. If a section of the facility is likely to get cut off, can we breach windows or walls to get clear?
g) Where is the fallback point?
If the team gets seperated, we need to have an established meeting place where we can get patched up and swept for tracers. This gets critical when running against corps.
4) You have something that belongs to me.
a) What will be required to transport the objective?
Are we after a briefcase, a prototype, a metahuman? Will they be cooperative? Are they sensitive to conditions we will need to avoid? Will it fit in the transport?
b) Is the objective safe to transport?
Is the Objective booby-trapped? Does it have RFID tags, or other tracers? Is there tissue samples on file for ritual magic?
c) Is the objective time sensitive?
Does the objective require special support that will need to be provided prior to delivery? Will the objective lose value if not delivered within a timeframe?
...so, what's the verdict?