I imagined the Rover's internal setup to be something like one of those old ambulances which the Ghostbusters used to make their awesome ghostbuster-mobile. There is room in the back for a stretcher, but not for anything else besides the surgical machinery. No one besides a dwarf-type could stand in an SUV. The surgical bay is separated from the back seat area by a sliding window, since it's meant to be kept sterile as possible, but still might require access.

So, as I envisioned it, Jovan would be in the back seat, sticking his arm through the sliding window, holding the commlink over Jay's head, and relying on the video feed to let him aim it correctly. At most, Jay would be able to see the link and the arm, (which would likely be clothed,) upside down above his head as he lays supine on the stretcher.

As for the video setup, the best way to go about that would be to route it through Ozzy's link, so going from him to Ferret it would be a R6 encryption to break before signal capture could happen. As to the program load, should someone track Oz down, he's got Firewall R6, Analyze R6, Stealth R3 and a R3 Agent constantly running scans. Digital fortress that he is..

Same stuff as before
EDIT: Program lists for oz->com->blimp set-up

Program load on the comlink (Response 4 Signal 4) is:
System 3 Firewall 6
Monty - Agent R3 (Should be continuously running Analyze to make sure there are no file/system changes or intruders in the comlink.)
Analyze R6 Optimization 3 + Ergonomic
Stealth R3 Ergonomic
ECCM R5 Optimization 2 + Ergonomic
Encrypt R6 Optimization 3 + Ergonomic

Total program load = 5 - 3 (max ergonomic benefits = system) = 2 so I shouldn't see any Response degradation.

Program load for GTS Tower (Response 4, Signal 6) should be:
Pilot 3 Firewall 6
Analyze R6 Optimization 3 + Ergonomic
Stealth R3 Ergonomic
ECCM R5 Optimization 2 + Ergonomic
Encrypt R6 Optimization 3 + Ergonomic
Electronic Warfare Autosoft R3
Covert-Ops Autosoft R3
Clearsight Autosoft R3
Scan R6 Optimization 3 + Ergonomic
[Radio Signal Scanner operates as Sniffer R6]

Blimp is slaved to Oz's comm.

PAN Hidden.
Commlink: Response 4, Signal 3, Firewall 6, System 4
Active programs: Stealth, Analyze, Scan
Loading Track for a -1 Response. Adding Biofeedback filter, Reality filter, Attack takes total programs to 7 so still only -1 response.

I'll try to keep the -1 die for noise in mind for future rolls. Will likely also go hotsim for the 2 extra passes, +1 response increase and extra 2 dice for matrix actions.

I also apologise in advance for any matrix mistakes.

I was just looking for the icon trying to get in, so yeah opposed test against hacking + stealth. I need at least one net success, initially just want to see who or what is trying to get in.

5d6.hits(5) → [6,3,3,1,5] = (2)

Took off three dice on Mag+Assensing; I believe you said that's what the Background Count was for the area?

@ Ferret:

Roll matrix initiative
AR(meat speed)
IP 1: Analyze (simple), Drawing weapon(simple)
Next round,
IP 1:loading Track??

@ saint: sounds good, Ferret has to decrypt it to show the trideo? Thats a running decrypt program, yes?

The way signal encryption works, anyone who is communicating with a person running encryption gets the benefit of that person's encryption rating, or whomever's is highest, but the data is automatically decrypted upon reaching its destination. So, the stream traveling from Oz to Ferret would be bit-slurry, but if someone gets access on either side of the connection, the data is plain code. Additionally, the ARO showing the trideo stream would be unencrypted, unless Ferret was encrypting it and shooting keys to anyone who wanted to view it.

Initiative: Intuition 4 + Response 4 + 8d6.hits(5)=3 = 11

Stuff Track, loading Armor, then going Hot (gives +1 init, but negated by loading 4th program)

Next round
IP1 of next round: load Attack
IP2 of next round: Attack = Computer 4 + Attack 3 + Hotsim 2 - Codeblock 2 - Static 1 = 6d6.hits(5)=2
IP3 of next round: Attack = Computer 4 + Attack 3 + Hotsim 2 - Codeblock 2 - Static 1 = 6d6.hits(5)=1

Ferret is not a combat decker!

ip1:"cobra" continues to use exploit:[6,3,6,2,4,4,2] = (2)

ip2: defense=[1,5,3,3,4,2,3] = (1)

damage=4, resist: [5,4,6,4] = (2)
: net damage= 2
attack: [6,5,1,1,3,3,1] = (2)
ip3: defense= [5,4,2,1,2,5,2] = (2)
attack: [3,4,1,1,4,3,5] = (1)

@ seph: Air elemental's perception roll/assensing roll:6d6.hits(5) → [4,2,6,2,6,3] = (2)
6d6.hits(5) → [6,1,1,5,1,6] = (3)


@ all: I ran short of time with the crunchy stuff, I'll post IC tomorrow

Hey hey. Anyone want to keep Oswald appraised of the situation?



He's kind of the logistics guy in this gang... god help you.

<<@team: Going hot. Will try to scare him off or...>>

While my broadcast was a little cryptic, Oswald should at least get the 'going hot' reference to Ferret jumping to hotsim and the 'or...' should hopefully set off alarms bells in the minds of our more paranoid team members.

Nice catch. I'd forgotten about him since a while after Jay's interrogation. =/

@ Notso: I was hoping for some defense rolls, when you get the chance

Yeah, he was mentioned in the data dump, but I don't know if Ferret would remember... though he did end up reading all that info for hours on the stakeout..

So, anyway, snake icon... Viper12.

EDIT: Notes on defensive spoofing can be found on p99 of Unwired. Terminating connections and rebooting are covered on p238 of SR4a or p223 of SR4. Regardless of what you do to try and boot the guy, if he's got an active alert against him, he can't affect anything on the node without passing a Hacking + Exploit check vs. the System + Firewall +4. So, he'd have to beat 14 dice to access anything on your link.

Looks like one attack in IP2 (2 hits) and one in IP3 (1 hit):

Defending against first attack: Response 4 + Firewall 6 = 10d6.hits(5)=5 - did not include + 2 for hotsim or -1 for static.
Defending against first attack: Response 4 + Firewall 6 = 10d6.hits(5)=3

Well, there's also the -1 Response for program load, so the +2 -2 should cancel out.

BTW, is it still okay for Oz to buy the max 2 hits for the infiltration roll? He's got ~12 dice for the test, so hitting 2 is pretty much guaranteed.

@Red-ROM: How many seconds/posts left until the sunset reaches Jovan/spirit and Jovan can summon a new one?

Ferret is a little distracted right now, he might remember later.

Looking at stuff on terminating the connection, next round I set the node to active alert and try to boot him off (duration is a combat turn):
Firewall 6 + System 4 (+ active alert 4) = 14d6.hits(5)=4 - still 4 hits if last 4 don't count vs viper's Exploit rating (or hits on Computer + Exploit).

If booting him doesn't work then next round is:
IP1 attack: Attack = Computer 4 + Attack 3 + Hotsim 2 - Codeblock 2 - Static 1 = 6d6.hits(5)=2
IP2 load Track
IP3 initiate trace: Computer 4 + Track 3 + Hotsim 2 - Static 1 = 8d6.hits(5)=3 - need to reduce dice by Viper's stealth rating so here are the rolls: 4,5,5,6,4,1,3,1. Threshold is 10 (can be increased if he tries to redirect the trace).

If he does get booted, then skip the Attack and go straight to load trace, meaning an additional trace attempt in IP2: 8d6.hits(5)=4 - stealth: 6,5,4,6,5,3,2,3.

Looking at it, he's technically not even on your node yet, so booting him with a terminate connection action, or even cybercombat, shouldn't really be on the table. He still needs 5 more hits on his Exploit attempt to breach your Firewall's Alert-augmented rating of 10 so that you can get face to face time for fighting. If he has set off an alert, you should be able to see his Matrix ID. Usually, in that situation, you could try and do a Trace User action then hack him or just use that to point me towards him and I can take it from there.

<sigh>
Why is the Matrix so confusing, ok, the hacker has 14 hits now against the firewall. he needs 2 more, I imagined if Ferret could "see" him, he could attack him. I can't find any clarification in the rules about attacking an intruder before he's finished intruding. So, I guess it's not possible (Kind of less exciting as that way). So we'll just hand wave it for now. Lets say he's in there, and now the fighting makes sense.
I wasted too much time looking at Matrix rules, and shopping for a second house this evening, I'll try to post as soon as I can.

@ Acme: Sorry if I neglected your astral search earlier. There was nothing much to see, and I forgot.

I'm totally with you on the matrix ROM, even though the rules are a lot better than previous versions. But don't worry about it, as I am having fun and learning as I go. And big thanks to Saint for all your input on how it works.

I've avoided learning the matrix to any depth, so this discussion is great for me as well.

@sephiroth: paranoia goes BOTH WAYS

Haha. I do indeed wish to develop Jovan to that point where he can start successfully pulling off his own Xanatos Gambits. But as I have mentioned in frustration several times previously in this thread, doing something like that without being the GM or (at the very least) the assistance of the GM is extraordinarily difficult.

He's also only been an Immortal for two years, so he's not quite on the intelligence level of most immortals yet (although it would be interesting to have Jovan explore the aspects of being an immortal if Red-Rom ever uses your Harlequin-alluding hook from earlier).

ip 1: Ferret instigates a connection termination against the hacker(complex action). Defend against termination (+4 for Admin account, -1 for static):[3,1,6,2,2,1,2,4,2,2,4] = (1)

Success, hacker has been booted

ip 2: Ferret loads trace, Analyze + firewall: [6,1,3,5,2,6,6,2,3,2,6,4,5,3] = (6)
Another hacking attempt detected

ip 3: Running trace:[6,5,4,6,5,3,2,3] = (4)
...6 hits to go
more hacking detected

edit: these hacking attempts are the same access ID, i figure you know that

From the moment that Ferret sends the Matrix ID to Oswald, I want him to make the blimp's Pilot run an extended search for hidden nodes.
So, that's a Threshold of 15 and an interval of 1 complex action. Ought to be one roll per second.
scan 6 +3 Elec War autosoft -1 noise =8x8d6
block of rolls


Should also run some perception tests for the blimp looking for a vehicle and a man standing next to it.

I'll assume the local static will interfere with sensors too. The combination of the low-light/thermographic camera and the R6 Radar should keep darkness from being much of an issue. Let me know if you need to pull dice of the back end.

sensor 6 +2 Skill +3 attn. coprocessor -1 noise
10d6.hits(5) → [2,1,3,4,6,4,2,3,1,2] = (1) Wow, I seriously can't catch a break today...

Sorry for the short post. I'm short on time right now. Spirit summon rolls and more IC stuff will come tonight.

Sithney, unless I get luck and wtfpwn my drain roll, we're probably going to have to figure out where to put Jay so you can heal Jovan sometime soon.

Keeping the trace going:

IP1 trace: Computer 4 + Track 3 + Hotsim 2 - Noise 1 = 8d6.hits(5)=2
IP2 trace: Computer 4 + Track 3 + Hotsim 2 - Noise 1 = 8d6.hits(5)=6 - ya beauty, critical success I believe.
IP3 issue commands: transmit trace ID and location to Oswald, start another terminate connection action, send a message to the van (this can wait to IP1 of next turn if it needs it's own action).

you'd have to wait for him to actually log on

Summoning Force 6 spirit after boosting Magic to 7: 6 Magic + 2 Conjuring + 3 Power Focus = 11d6 = 2 hits.

Edge to reroll failures: 9d6 = 3 hits

Spirit roll: 6d6 = 2 hits

Jovan gets 3 services from the air elemental.

Extra die roll to determine extra drain to spirit roll from background count? = no hits

Resisting 4 drain: Logic 6 + Willpower 3 = 9d6 = 3 hits

Jovan is now at 3S damage.

Actually I was thinking more of going out there after him. I figure he's on the public part of my commlink, effectively the modem/router, trying to get past the firewall to access my system. I just go onto that 'interface' and trace him from there. I'll edit my IC post to reflect this and hope it all makes sense.

you can trace him (I think), but not terminate his connection until he's made one, right?

Perception test, followed by astral perception test , 9 dice each (I figure a general scan of the area doesn't get the three dice for looking for something specific).

==> 3 HITS, then 2 HITS

At this point I should probably refresh the Attribute Boosts. Drain first (Probably should have done this a few Combat Turns ago, I'll try to keep up next time.), 1S each for the two, 9 dice to resist.

==> 2 HITS and 5 HITS ... damn right, no Drain!

Finally reboost REA, then AGI, 11 dice each.

==> 4 HITS, then 3 HITS

So going out the door, his REA is 7 (INI 11) and AGI is 6.

Yeah, he should be able to trace anyone whose matrix ID he has, and the ID should be provided as part of the firewall alert. Terminating a connection requires that a connection has been made.

Fighting a trace can be done with a redirect trace action, where you roll hacking + spoof to try and raise the trace threshold and buy time. Alternately, you can use Spoof to reset your Matrix ID all together, but this terminates all of your connections and really messes with slaved devices if you don't take the time to update them.

Reminds me that I forgot to put the +3 for actively looking on my previous shitty perception test. I'll roll that now to see how it shakes things. 3d6.hits(5) → [2,2,1] = (0) Dice gods can suck it. Still only one hit.


With the trace info Ferret shot Oswald, he should be looking for likely hideouts in a 50m radius. It would be cool if he could dial back the signal until the node with the offending ID disappeared and use that distance data for telemetry proposes in the old math SPU. A little euclidean caluculation later would give a finer estimate of the target's position...

Assuming that Viper spent his last turn trying to break in to my node, then I keep the trace running and my next combat round looks like:

IP1 load Biofeedback filter - just in case. Running programs are now: Stealth, Analyze, Scan, Armor, Attack, Trace + Biofeedback filter = 7 (-1 response from load, +1 from hotsim, no response degradation)
Warn off Viper
IP2 attack: Computer 4 + Attack 3 + Hotsim 2 - Noise 1 = 8d6.hits(5)=2
IP3 attack: Computer 4 + Attack 3 + Hotsim 2 - Noise 1 + Edge 2 = 10d6.hitsopen(5,6)=6 - Frag you chummer!

Ahhhh... I love the taste of snake in the morning.

fighting with wife about the holidays already, can't post right now

Nice!

@ all: working on post now, sorry for the delay

@ Notsoevil: you have a public access to your comm? I imagined you could fight out there in the matrix between nodes, but the rules do not support this. You would have to subscribe to the same node as the hacker(e.g. hack his node, or let him hack yours, or meet in some other node that both of you subscribe to) we might need to edit some posts.

@ Seph: I thought sunset would be at 8:00, But I'm assuming your summoning a spirit to replace the one that will fade at sunset(which has started) I guess we can bump the sunset up a few minutes for better dramatic timing

I thought you said somewhere when Jovan was powernapping that sunset would be at 7:30, so I thought my other spirit was gone shortly after it spoke in your post. My apologies.

I think somewhere back there I checked sunset times in Seattle at this time, and found 7:30 pm.

hmm, you guys are probably right. My bad. 7:30 it is

Yo ROM, has Oz narrowed down the location close enough to take a blind-fire shot at the source of the signal, or would that be too much? I'd be willing to do a longshot and just roll Edge for the hit.

@ROM - I was assuming that most of the interaction with Viper was taking place in the 'foyer' of my commlink node - based on this section from the corebook:
A public account is a sort of 'foyer' for a node. When logging on without any authentication, you get a public account. Public accounts usually allow the user to access public information about the node, and could also allow a small amount of functionality, like the ability to order food, shop, fill out forms, etc., depending on the node's purpose. Most retail outlets, malls, restaurants, and other nodes open to the public offer this account to customers.

Note that my commlink node is hidden and offers no user functionality but must have some connection to the matrix that is the 'public section' - the silver sphere in my posts. Don't think we need to edit if we make the assumption that all the action is taking place in the foyer. All I need to know is whether the snake's icon is still in one piece after my mega attack roll.

@ notso:

Ip 1: more hacking
Ip 2: defense = [4,2,6,4,1,6,6] = (3)

Attack = [4,5,6,3,5,4,6] = (4)

Ip 3: defense = [1,5,2,3,2,3,4] = (1)
ouch!
soak 8 DV= [5,4,1,5] = (2)
: 6 boxes, almost toast.
attack= [2,1,1,2,3] = (0)

this assumes you have no negative modifiers from damage after Ip 2, but I imagine it wouldn't change much.

@ saint: I only use non-euclidean geometry but sure, take a "lucky shot"

@ huge: you're running low on the Death clock buddy

IP2: defence = Response 4 + Firewall 6 = 10d6.hits(5)=0 - feck, use 2nd point of edge to reroll = 10d6.hits(5)=2 - slightly better.
Soak damage = System 4 + Armor 3 = 7d6.hits(5)=3 - that's enough to cancel the 2 net hits and take 1 off the rating of the attack program but Ferret's icon still takes damage equal to remainder of the attack program rating. If it's 3 or more boxes then knock the necessary dice off the next rolls.

Next round:
IP1: attack = 8d6.hits(5)=4 - still 3 if you knock off 1-2 dice for damage
IP2: attack = 8d6.hits(5)=1 - still 1 if you knock off several for damage
IP3: attack = 8d6.hits(5)=3 - still 3 if you knock off several for damage - hopefully he's crashed by now.

Work has been nuts lately, but I'll try to not die!

Rolling edge to try and guess the broadcasting point of a link.
6d6.hits(5) → [2,1,3,6,3,1] = (1)

Meh. One hit.
Alright, first off, a few caveats. When you said "across the street," did you mean Cheap-ohs? I'm trying to get an idea of the neighborhood. If it's Cheap-ohs, and Ferret knows it's Cheap-ohs, I would hope that he'd have said as much. Feh, regardless I'll want to just do an attack vs. barrier to try and collapse the roof and get a look inside the building at where I've assumed the target would be.

I'll roll an attack vs barrier for the first shot. Firing away. Command 6 +3 Gunnery +2 Codeslinger +1 comlink optimization +2 hotsim =
14d6.hits(5) → [5,2,2,3,4,6,4,5,2,6,5,6,6,2] = (7) Yikes! Tear the roof off the mother, sucker.
7 hits +2DV for bullet +1DV explosive ammo for a total of 10DV. Assuming 10 beats the armor rating of a shitty roof, it has to resist with armor x2, comparing the final DV to its structure rating, or there's now a 1 meter hole in the ceiling.

EDIT: Ah, re-reading it, you said it was a tent-city on top of a parking garage. I suppose 10Dv would be enough to obliterate some shitty shanty of propped-up boards and such.

Yet more travel along Professor's learning curve. "Watch what you ask of Ozzy!"