Actually I thought it would be the Knight Errant painting us. I assume that the there is an optical gimbal type mount on their APC that is pointing our way. Its interesting that this is another place that materialisation is better than possession: a decent level spirit would just trash a bunch of optics, while I need something to possess!

I suspect I cannot deal with the gimbal unless I can get a line of sight on it.

I think I will head for the helicopter and see if I can take it over. Could you tell me how many people in the helicopter?

Legundo possessing the pilot: wow...even with the background Legundo is pretty kick ass: 6 successes...I am going to guess that worked!
Of course...Legundo isn't very good at piloting: how hard can it be? ... I hope the safety systems work!

And so the peace maker becomes the warmonger

You could try and talk to KE you know...they're a Corp too... Ares almost certainly own some DW shares! I can also gauruntee that possessing the pilot will not bring down the chopper...the copilot or the autopilot would take over.

For reference the helicopter is the one from War with drop pods (can't remember the name off hand). It has deployed its troops. KE have approx 30 ish men on the ground plus drones... so technically you outnumber them lots, except your men are under guard.

Sabs, you can block the tunnel but these city masters have ram plates on the front... your call. The turret holds an mmg with apds rounds and you have access to reasonable counter measures.

Its probably worth reminding you at the moment that I have a criminal SIN. I think of DW as a bit like the foreign legion.... So I am well motivated not to get caught by Knight Errant.

Getting dead isn't much of a career move either

Ram plates just mean when they hit us, they'll destroy the vehicle (and probably their own, unless they are going very slowly)... but there aren't really any rules for determining whether or not they can push our wreckage all the way down the tunnel. I was hoping Sticks could wedge the thing in so that IF they ram it, they will totally mess up the body (and it will be undrivable afterwards) but that it will still be lodged in their way. We would, of course, have to evacuate out the other side once we're wedged since being in a vehicle that takes ram damage is almost always a death sentence in SR4.

Alternatively, we could kick this baby into reverse, and ram them and insure that nobody survives!

OK well lets do it one bit at a time. We might as well crash the helicopter into the middle of the deployed troops. If nothing else it will cause quite a diversion, and a diversion is a good thing right now.

Legundo's attempt to pilot the helicopter: 1 success towards the group that look nearest to the entrance

While that's going on, I am going to unstrap in the vehicle...so no crashes please! and move so that I can see the wolf packs vehicle.

I was about to worry about whether Gash would recognize a laser targetter, then I remembered that he is a keen fan of Combat Biking! (kind of like your Grandma being a fan of wrestling)

If I can I will drop a force 6 ignite spell on the laser designator
First attempt 3 successes
Second attempt 3 successes
Third attempt 0 successes
Last attempt 4 successes

Resist drain 4, 4, 3, 4 Nett 1 stun
I suspect that the last attempt will work...I think a laser designator is the same tech level as a sensor, so that has an OR of 3...start to melt!

Sorry to rain on the parade but did you did see my bit about it being impossible for Legundo to crash the chopper just by flying it? (Even without a copilot the autopilot would take over as soon as he released the VR controls) Could you tweak your IC post please and refer to my subsequent one?

The designator is slag...they stop painting you

Current background is 2, 3 nearer the tower where Legundo is!

I'll work out what to do with Legundo... I think its still a good idea to sort out the helicopter!

Legundo is far from powerless here...the pilot has a nice fat sidearm and his copilot will be seriously reluctant to shoot him!

Checking a couple of things:

• I'm assuming average stats of around 3 for the helicopter pilot...is that ok?
• I think from what you said, in the helicopter the background count is 2.

3-4 for mental stats is probably about right, maybe higher for physical.

Helicopter background count is on the edge of the 3 as it was hovering over the tower (being buffetted by the thermals), I will say that Legundo's impromptu piloting has taken it back into the 2 though so you can breathe a little more easily

When you said he wasn't powerless...you are not wrong:

If there is a blade or knife nearby (combat boot maybe?) I'll use that otherwise its the good old hands around the throat!

Unarmed combat on the co-pilot 7 successes. I want to get this lucky when I GM

Base damage would be 4 with any weapon modifier

I'll wait to see what was available to use before posting.

You didn't like the big fat predator in a shoulder holster then? I think it's probably reasonable that the pilot also has a combat knife on his person...and it's so much more visceral to stab the copilot

Feel free to kill him outright with no rolls...he really isn't expecting it!

Still doesn't give you direct control of the chopper but will allow you to do some damage to it in the hopes of it crashing...

Ah well Legundo isn't a guns sort of spirit. African native with spears / knives / throwing sticks yes, guns no.

I guess the major win is that the helicopter isn't going to rain down doomy death, or follow us as the eyes in the sky.

Legundo will just fly it away if that's possible (made 1 success on piloting, but has no skill)

Aria: I'm back in form and I've caught up on the reading (some)

Couple of questions/thoughts.

1) Are any of stick's external drones out here. Can Sticks sense where his lovely LAV is?
2) All that military has to be putting out FF tags, and sign/counter signs. Can I figure out who the hell they are?
3) I've got a piloting total in the 20's.. I didn't roll for wedging the APC but I can if you want

1. the 'eyes in the sky' are probably still loitering around somewhere...the lav was on the side of the burning tower...you can't sense it now
2. yes, you can pick them up...probably a decryption roll required for the comms but I'll tell you now...KE Firewatch!
3. yeah, no need to roll

EW(4) + Decryption(5)+CI(1)+PuSHeD(1)=11d6 4 4 1 5 4 6 5 5 1 5 2 (5) hits.

UCAS Politics: 1
Military: 3

If we surrender, how likely are we to get returned to Fort Lewis, and how screwed are we? VS, What's the outcome if we fight our way out of this? With no vehicle. And having to hoof it back to Fort Lewis, on foot, in Native American controlled territory?

@Sbas
Well Sergeant Sticks and I have been through quite a bit. I have no intention of surrendering to the cops (my criminal SIN will not be my friend) so I'll get you out if you want (or die trying...but I am quite good at getting away). If you have a drone to carry you that's fine, otherwise one of you or I will be possessed.

Sticks is a paraplegic
He's not going nowhere without his horseman. Though it is a really nice horseman. (No speed mod though)

Sorry for my absence. I've posted IC now. While I remember, next weekend I'll be going on holiday for 2 weeks so won't be able to post then

A possession spirit is a paraplegic's best friend...well maybe... I did think though, that I could carry you.

I am not sure of the status of your horseman...hence the post. Messing with BTL can screw up your memory about what is real I guess

What an interesting idea for a character. Thanks.

KE are not the cops (yet, this is 2070!) ...a criminal SIN just means you've been convicted of something so unless you're on the run it isn't going to get you arressted! Of course making a KE soldier jump out of a helicopter might


In essence KE are acting as private security here...they have nothing personal in the mix as far as you know. Being professionals they are seriously unlikely to execute anyone that surrenders - although they might turn you over the the Wolf Pack and let them do it, that seems unlikely as you know the rest of your troops are being rounded up under KE guard.

Fighting your way out on the other hand is a very different kettle of fish! But Gash may have prempted that for you

Death to all KE...oops getting a little excited there.

Ok all, what's the plan? Fight, flight, surrender?

Sticks is waiting for the Captain to make the call.

MJ can you fix your IC post a bit? We've already wedged our APC across the tunnel entrance, and evacuated out the far side exit. So your post doesn't make any sense

If you are going to fight (and no reason why you shouldn't) then now would be a good time to contact your contacts and see if you can get a lift out of dodge...hotfooting it back through Redmond doesn't have a good life expectancy attached!

On a side note, there are probably other vehicles topside in the various houses / villas dotted around here

Better?

I confess I was a little behind on events...

Gash only has one "contact" a magical group C4L4 size 2. I didn't fully specify it, but I am guessing that it is a DW mercenary magical group: I don't see Gash as having much of a life outside DW.

I vote: distraction and run! but fortunately I am following orders at the moment, so I don't get a vote

Summoning Gebhuza. Nett 4 services, 1 point of physical drain



Status:

Just a quick note. On Sunday I'm going away for 2 weeks so won't be able to post. I'll try and do another IC before then

No problem. If you fancied tagging on a starting post in the EoD thread that would be good if you have the time. Don't worry, you'll survive, I don't kill off PCs in their abscence

Sigh, noone is making a decision.

Aria:
I've got knowledge skill Deep Watch procedures. WHat's our orders if we're caught like this? Whats' the protocol we're supposed to follow.

My military knowledge is spotty (yeah, I know I'm GMing a milspec game )...I'd guess "Name & Serial No." would be an appropriate thing if captured. Most mercs wouldn't kill a prisoner off hand and there will be protocols in place for prisoner exchange (nuyen exchange)! The bottom line is just that...there's no profit in offing you (but that's a personal take on things, I don't want to decide for you!)

OK I'm waiting for the captain: I've tried to encourage him to "Fight! Fight! Fight!", or to run away. I summoned my most bloodthirsty spirit just so that we could give Firewatch a good kicking (or die trying). Mostly thats because I hate coppers (as a character)

However as a player I don't mind surrendering. It kind of makes sense for the next game: the price of our freedom is one scenario is the nano simulator. I suggest that we all do a last post in which we get escorted into the holding cells, and a wrap up post from Aria, and that would be a good finish.

Sticks wants to live, and he's a 'Party Man'. If the standard orders are, "Surrender, say nothing, we'll ransom you back" that's totally what he would do. Unless the Captain has a reason for us to need to fight to the death.

He does not. In fact, he's said that he will not be ordering anyone to fight - and has not ordered anyone to surrender. He basically wants to see if everyone else is planning to run or fight, because he knows doing either one of those on his own is a bad idea.

If it moves things along, I could always have him reconsider and order a surrender, as well, but i would like some OOC buy in.

OOC: I'm happy to go down in death and glory, but just as happy to surrender. Mark me as a OOC buy in for which every option you want (I'm not dodging the issue: I'm playing a private third class, and I do what the captain says when he is watching me).

Sticks would like to live unless there's a good reason he shouldn't.
So he's pro surrendering

Wuss

He fights with his drones not himself. If he can avoid it.

I took an executive decision and closed out the thread rather than have you fight your way out (it seemed like that was the way you were heading anyway and now you can save your fight for Azzie scum rather than the Boys in Black).

There are a couple of possible leads into the EoD thread for DW personnel. As Gash pointed out Stillwater don’t have military experience so they are hiring outside contractors to test their simulator and perhaps later train troops in the real world:

• You are retained in the specialist recon unit. Ares own you and Stillwater request ‘specialist trainers’ (or some other euphemism) to test their simulator. This way you have no choice except to go back
• After being laid off by DW you join another merc / shadow outfit and Stillwater hire your expertise from there. Curiosity might be enough to draw you back...
• You approach Stillwater for a job directly as a way-in to try and get to the truth

I don’t mind which you choose...or make your own up!

Any feedback on this game will help to make the next one better! I also want to try and work on character driven stuff a bit (as hard as that may be in a futureSIM) so any comments on your character motivations would be good (as character goals will be hard to achieve)

Good executive decision: I suspect none of us are that good at 'finishing' role playing stories. Mostly we want them to keep on going...
Feedback:

• I enjoyed the game immensely.
• I'm not very skilled in pbp games yet. I learned enough watching you to give Shadow's Dawn a go.
• I liked the pace, although it slowed at the end: I suspect none of us know how to end a game.
• I have started over 10 games in dumpshock. 7 of them ended within the first month. Having run Shadow's Dawn I can half understand why: the games run for a long time, your personal circumstances change, and it can be hard to give the game the attention it needs to thrive. This game made it! There was some marvelous necromancy in the middle, but none the less it was nice to see a game work, and to see the commitment necessary from the GM to make it work

I had a really good time. I found that.. when my character is engaged, I'll post several times a day. if need be. When my character isn't involved, then I tend to be a couple of days between posts.