Fenris--I moved forward and looked through one of the windows. I was waiting to see what is behind it before I moved on. Unfortunately I don't know where to head from here so I'm waiting on some impetus or aspect of the landscape to provide a path of choice.

If there is nothing in the window, I will continue moving in the same direction keeping my eyes and ears open for any sign of life.

As I posted, I will have something up by Monday at the latest, Life has gotten a little hectic sorry.

No worries Buddha!

Happy Monday!! I am slinging out some posts as promised. Stay tuned!

Ok combat has started, I gave you a "surprise round" from the actions you posted before. I am going to use your iniative roll to place you in the first wave of fighting. I have to run a few errands but I will get a order of iniative up today. Feel free to make any skill tests you'd like (non-combat ones) to gather more info about what's going on. Since it's PBP I am more fluid with stuff.

Ok questers, it's back on you again.

Well I have my set of actions.
So let me know when you want them posted.

Ok here's the break down. Ninja Baddies 1-5 are attacking the van, #5 is out for the count from the grenade (no combat pool to soak it and I rolled horrible) and Ninja Baddies 6-10 are going after Onna at the make shift campsite near the tunnel opening.

Here's the order for the 1st round of combat:

Ninja Baddie #10 27
Ninja Baddie #1 25
Ninja Baddie #6 24
Murrey 23
Ninja Baddie #7 23
Onna 22
Ninja Baddie #3 22
Ninja Baddie #4 21
Ninja Baddie #2 20
Ninja Baddie #8 19
Ninja Baddie #9 18

I need to know if the shock skin of the van is standard or if you've upped it or not. I thought we had discussed custom mods before but not sure in reference to what. I will post after I get that question answered. Thanks for your patience!

Didn't know I could up it. But no, it's standard.
And, the doors are locked by the way.
Just let me know when it's my turn.
Also, am I currently jumped into the van or is that still pending?

Ok, Nikoli--about that apology....

I AM SO SORRY! This one was my bad...

What did you do?
And, should I change calibre?

The ninjas are my fault....I mean um...no, there isn't a ninja clan hunting my character...no, not at all....

Use lethal force please.

is there any other kind?

Ok Murrey is up. NB 1 is sucking a moderate stun and his ruthenium system got fried by the contact with the electric shock skin. Onna appears uninjured at this time.

Okay, the van is going to ram the guy hit by the grenade.
The LMG lynx will put 2 bursts into the stunned fellow
the grenade lynx will put one in the space the van just occupied.

Ok just need some die rolls to go with that all.

K-O

Driving test: (Saving Control pool for later attacks against van)
17 15 4 4 4 4 3 2 (TN i think should be 8-(2*VCR)-2 for Car Empathy and Aptitude for a total TN of 2 and 8 successes if that's not the case I'll spend a KP to re-roll failures, just need to know how many)
Assuming that's good enough to ram a prone grenade victem here's the barrier resist test
8 5 5 5 4 4 3 2, IRC that's against a 4L for me and a 4S for him but I could be wrong about the power. If I'm wrong about the power and the resist test let me know.

LMG Lynx (I figure if his stealth suit has dropped, then he's easier to hit)
Burst #1 17 8 5 5 (if that's less than full successes, let me know I'll spend a KP)
Burst #2 5 5 4 3
Half recoil penalties for turret mounting, then subract 6 for recoil compensators so no recoil mods for a while yet.

GL Lynx (Offensive Grenade)
5 5 4 4 (if that's less than full successes, let me know I'll spend a KP)

Also, how much IVIS pool did I get from the SUT:Vehicle test.
Because the drones next order will be to simply concentrate fire on each target that gets hit.

And, no, I don't mind over-killing these guys. Think Ender's Game here. If the 'lesson' is brutal enough, they may think twice against sending another team. At least that's Murrey's thought process, so yes I'm doing my best to make sure they are dead, they know they are dead, and that retreiving the bodies may involve a wet-dry vac or a geiger counter. Murrey is really starting to dislike these ruthenium polymer slitches with a predjudice, they mucked with his ride before, they attacked a place he liked (garish as the colors may be) and now they are a threat to his team who is sitting relatively helpless in a hole in the middle of no-where. No wonder I didn't want to do the Astral quest, I had a feeling these guys would be showing up.

*taps Buddha on the shoulder* You awake man?

Well, got my action post in, which is what he may have been waiting on.

If only Murrey knew if the spirit was a spirit for sure. some stun grenades would help considerably on her front, as it is, I'll have to pick them off as I can.
Oh well, here comes some full-auto goodness.

Also, whoever pulled the strings for us to be at this location, I'm apologizing now for the craters I may inflict.

--edit

No, I'm pretty sure I will be inflicting more craters.

Sorry folks life has gotten a little hectic, my da has bought a coffee shop and is playing the family card for help with it. To boot I am actually working this week at a family friend's costume shop as well. Will post when I can, be patient.

Ok from what I read the TN for the IVIS test is base 5 and you have no current conditions to modify it so you generated 2 successes. Sorry again for my lack of knowledge when it comes to rigger stuff.

Ok will have another post tomorrow morning, got that free for now, to move the combat along and give more for the questers.

NB 3
Called shot to tire (ignore armor) 1 success w/ AV rounds
2nd shot missed completely

NB 4
Called shot to driver side window (ignore armor) 1 success w/ AV rounds
2nd shot missed completely

NB 2
1st shot 3 successes w/ AV rounds
2nd shot missed completely

Base power of the weapons are 9M.

Questers - I believe we are waiting for answers. If people have looked in windows, no one said so specifically, they do see different scenes in each one but the same if you all look in the same window.

Okay, Dodge tests:

Base TN is handling of vehicle (8 for off road) modified as any normal handling tests. So, after Implant, and edges, it's TN 2 for dodging.

Dodging NB3 2 Control pool, 8 left)
03 02, no hit scored

Dodging NB4 2 Control Pool, 6 left
07 05, no hit scored

Dodging NB2 4 COntrol pool, 2 left
05 05 04 03, no hit scored

Now, of you could be so kind as to give me a layout for this combat. I think that my lack of proper visualization may have caused some tactical errors on my part.

also, just a quick question, are the weapons being held by these ninja thugs similairly polymered?

Egads, I didn't kill this did i?

Nope you didn't. Life has just gotten busy for me. I should be able to post in the morning tomorrow. Hang in there.

Ok all I need to get some player feedback. My life is getting a little more busy now and will be for the next couple of months. I just won't be able to post as regular as I have in the past. So the question to you all is this.....

Do we keep going, knowing the pace of the game will slow or do I put it on hold until things calm down for me or just call it a day and end it?

Blitz is gone from the game so don't wait for her post but I will like to hear your opinions on this?

I'm fine with the slower pace, I tend to expect that out of play by posts. I'd like to keep the game going even at the slower pace.

Yeah....we can be patient...or at least semi-patient

I'm ok with the slower pace...

I'd rather than go slow than not go at all. This is one of the longest running games around and it would be a shame for it to die now.

I agree. Just needed to know that it will be going slower. Just don't let this die.

Ok, votes are in and thread goes on at it's slower pace. I will post today/tonight with the next big bump. I am going to try to bump the thread twice a week on the new slower pace. Thanks for all your input.

Ok here's my attempt to describe the scene for ya.

NB 1 is currently playing speed bump underneath the van and is quite dead.

NB 2 is/was (since you drove forward) on the right side of the vehicle. He was 15 meters away from the van before it pulled away.

NB 3 is behind the car on the left side, was shooting at the left rear tire, he was 10 meters away from the van before it pulled before.

NB 4 is/was on the left side of the van. He was 12 meters away before it pulled forward. He was lined up with the driver side window before it gunned forward.

NB 5 was the poor soul elected to place explosives on the van but since you got alerted the skin of the van was buzzing and he got fried. Rolled for any gear getting ruined by the eletrical discharge and his ruthenuim system was toast. Two bursts later he is also dead.

This is OOC knowledge at this point since the sensors have no fix on the targets. You have them in a 3-4 meter area when you ping (my flavor text for high Signatures but something is out there) them. You actually got one success on one guy back in the surprise round (NB 1), the fella you dropped with a grenade and then ran over. The gear appears to be coated as well since ninja baddies with visible gear ruin the whole ninja thing.

Is that enough detail? Please let me know. I know that PbP suffers from the lack of visuals and don't want you to feel short changed or ineffective as a result of it.

2nd pass of the combat is this now:

Ninja Baddie #6 14
Murrey 13
Ninja Baddie #7 13
Onna 12
Ninja Baddie #3 12
Ninja Baddie #4 11
Ninja Baddie #2 10
Ninja Baddie #8 9
Ninja Baddie #9 8

Ok going to post some Quester stuff while I wait for feedback from Nikoli on lay out.

Questers I need a perception test please.

Perception: 09 05 04 02 02 01

05 04 03 02

Perception: 5, 3, 2, 1, 1

I'm really busy at werk atm, so I'll see what i can do with visio tonight, I want to be absolutely sure we're on the same page.

Also, was my dodging effective, did the van escape harm?

Also, keep in the van if nothing else should have some kind of object radar for autonav collision avoidance and they are calibrated for metahumans by default, no amount of ruthenium will cover that. Are they showing up on that at all from earlier sensor tests, or does Murrey suspect magic at play here? Heat sigs, etc. (also, does Onna have a heat sig? as I have a visual on her I should be able to tell (looking for IC confirmation on wether or not she is a spirit, as stun grenade or 2 centered on her would do wonders for her fight if she is)

My understanding is that ruthenuim and thermal dampening raise the TN for sensor tests. If you do not meet or beat the test you do get clear info at all and from a game mechanic, it's like blind fire (+8 modifier) since you're guessing at their approximate location. You can keep trying to get a better lock on them by making Perception tests.

To dodge the attacks you need to exceed the number of successes by 1 or more. You currently have one shot coming in at the van (9M with 1 success floating). They are using AV rounds so reduce the power of the attack by 1/2 the armor of the vehicle, if the number remaining does not exceed the original armor rating, the weapon does no damage.

If the rating left does exceed the armor rating then you roll the vehicle's Body Rating plus any remaining Control Pool (if you desire) to soak the damage as normal.

Ruthenium only adds half its rating to sensor tests, thermal dampening is full rating.

Although, if they are using weapons, it is doubtful that the weapons are Ruthenium coated, so he should be able to easily spot them (the heat signature from the guns alone should be enough).

DOH!!

To answer your other question, Onna does completely register to your sensors so is a fleshy being.

Umm, were my TN calcs off? I showed at least 1 success over for each of the 3 attacks leveled agains tthe van. If that's not hte case, I'd like to use a KP.

Also, for the sake of arguement, if the guns are shielded, what about the heat pouring from the barrel, can I use that for targeting?

I would rather stick with the abstract game mechanic, as soon as we begin making rules to reflect "real life" things begin to break down. I have had a game where I allow some flex and soon it was "Well, when he breathes it should show up hot since that's not ruthenium covered" and I'd rather avoid that. This is a fantasy game (dragon, magic, elves, etc) so I am always hesitant to apply "real world" physics where the game has built in mechanic to deal with it.

On the dodge test, I have a +2 TN modifier (terrain) in effect since you're out in the woods. Sorry I didn't mention it before but I assumed you knew more than me at this point (like I said Riggers unknown territory) and that would place the TN at 4 (I believe you got it all the way down to 2 in a previous post).

Again sorry if this is frustrating but doing my best here.

Go ahead and reroll the single die from the last dodge test.

Perception: 15 05 04 02

Die roll: 05
Approx. 11 KP left...

Ok will post today to move things forward, hope all had a good 3 day weeekend.

Aside from the ulcer inducing hunt for an aditional 4k usd to break my lease so I can get even further into debt with a house, it's been a wonderful one (pain med's from a triple tooth removal doing wonders for my mood)