Well for turn 1, I'm just going to use it to control the van. For the second, I'll do a maneuver stunt, in hopes that I'll get some extra dice for the next test. Posting it up IC thread shortly. They guys in the back can knock out the windows and start aiming.

Initiative: 6 dice = 1 hit so 7

Is it just me, or are the chase rules here ridiculous? Six bikers behind one van. That means you're at -10 on your dice rolls and they're at +10 on theirs in the opposed vehicle test?

Yeah, its kinda wierd. But it makes sense, it's harder for me to out maneuver multiple guys. The only thing that effects is the ability to dictate range. Meaning, you can get into close range pretty easily. We just gotta hope that we can shoot some guys down or that I can ram some of them, since we have a bigger vehicle. If we take out a few, they'll get scared off. Not worth the risk to keep throwing away troops trying to take us out.

This is only for the range step.
So, Klink is going to roll response+vehicle skill +2 vr + 2rigger control (if he has one) - 10, and they're going to roll response+vehicle+10 and the winner gets to change the 'range' of the combat.
This is +/- the speed of each vehicle.
All it really says is that, he's not 'outrunning' 5 bikes and getting away to do a disengage.

also remember, they can't really RAM him. But he can ram them, if they're in short range.

As for Kreskin's turn, I'm still considering what he should be doing. Shooting at -3 seems pretty pointless (since I'd be down to 2 dice, and as an unskilled pistol-weilder, aiming is pointless). He'd be more likely to glitch than to actually hit anything. I'll think about it over lunch, and post something in a bit - but with a 7, I doubt he'll be next, anyway.

Do you count yourself? Seems like we'd be at -10 and they'd be at +8 (or we'd be at -8, from the +2 of having one vehicle on our side, and they'd be at +10)

EDIT: Er, wait, I was thinking 5 bikers. With six, it works out as long as we count all 7 vehicles.

Initiative (8d6.hits(5)=5) = 13

Doc's going to hold her action for now, sizing up the situation to see if she needs to act. If the bikers actually try to attack or board the van, then she'll start shooting.

Nice roll! Stick n Shock those guys. Be funny when they fail their body+willpower (3) roll.....

Do they have multiple IPs?

Waiting on initiatives from Zy and Kim. Feel free to in-character talk Blackhat, if you're sitting this one out.

Was thinking about that, especially if they're not pulling guns yet. Speaking in combat is a free action, so he can do it before his turn comes up, but he can't open the window before then, so if he's going to talk now, it'd be just to the team. If we want to try talking to the gangers before ramming into them and shooting at them, then I will have to wait until his turn comes up to roll down a window and shout out a few words (3 seconds max).

You can try and scan for a commcode and talk to them?

Taht would also take actions. Almost have my IC post ready. Kreskin is basically going to use his free action to propose the idea of him spending his other actions trying to talk to them as a free action (before his turn). If they agree, everyone can delay until after he goes, and then he can take a simple action to roll down a window (and maybe use movement to lean out near Riot and talk out the driver's window) and then he can use his second simple action to speak again... this time, to the gangers.

Both Angel and Wolf might go before Kreskin, but if they're willing to delay (or if they're actions are not immediately aggressive), when Kreskin's turn comes up, I'll have him lower a window (his own, or riot's, whichever) and say something clever to put the gangers at ease with etiquette (while inquiring as to what they want). If the shit hits the fan before then (like angel starts casting spells on them, or wolf shoots at one of them) I'll probably use Kreskin's action to do something else.

Option 2....we pull over and take them out on foot.

The chase scene is gonna be tough. Now that they're in close range, I can try and ram them, but they're going to try and cut us off. I'm comfortable fending off their attacks....I have 11 dice, they're probably at the 6 to 8 range depending on their pilot ground craft skills. The problem is, they're going to get 6 cut offs per turn, while we get one ram. I don't particularly want to crash. Thoughts?

Trying to cut off a Van with a motorcycle sounds like asking to be rammed.
They can't all do a cut off every round. That just doesn't make any sense.

I mean, you should get an option to ram the vehicle that's trying to cut you off. (and both take vehicle damage)

Let me reiterate that the rules on this are vague and a little bit unrealistic. I don't see anything in RAW about ramming a vehicle that tries to cut you off - no rules on it, no rules against it.

I vote for not crashing as well.

I'm guessing this is one of two things. Either they are after the package, which would mean a whole bunch of groups are really interested in this thing, and had a pretty good clue as to our route and timetable - and that it will be kind of tough to avoid combat... or this is just some random shakedown. If we crossed into their territory, they might be just out looking to cause trouble, or charge people who ride on "their" roads, or something... in which case, depending on what they want, it might be worth our time to just give it to them, and be on our merry way.

Combat doesn't take that long, one way or the other - so I am not too worried about loosing time - but if they cause us to crash the van, and we have to go the rest of the way on foot, we might not have enough time to make it (I have no idea how much farther it is, or what our odds on foot would be). Also, if any of us get shot, we'll be that much worse off if there are more encounters before the run is over and we have time to patch that person up - but at this point, the van itself might be more critical than any one of us.

Talking our way out of the situation is likely going to take longer than fighting our way out, though, so if the gangers are not about to give us an ultimatum that we can accept or reject quickly, it might be worth it to risk a little combat to keep things moving. If that's the case, I would vote to try to avoid risking damage to our only vehicle, unless we get the sense that we could run the rest of the way if we had to.

Well it depends on how many IPs they have. If they just have 1, they have to make a choice, maintain control or go out of control but attempt to cut us off.

I have 2 IPs, I can maintain control and make a cut off or ram attack. Either one is a stunt, either takes a complex action. They're just resolved a little differently. Ramming is better for me, they're only real option is cut off. However, if they only have 1 IP, they have to opt to not control their vehicle, suffer a -2 penalty to all actions for the turn, and are forced to make a control roll for the next turn or crash. So yeah, if they have 2 IPs, they'd get 6 cutoffs a turn, odds are good one will roll exceedingly well, and it could be an early night for all of us.

You can, but ramming is an action that you have to take on your turn, not a reaction you take. So, by RAW, you could choose to ramsomeone who tried to cut you off, or choose to do something else, but if they make you crash, first, you might not get that choice.

You do know you have 3 ips if you go full vr?

4 with Hot Sim tho.....my initiative would decrease tho....

your response is lower than your reaction?

Still losing a couple of points, to get more ip.. is that so bad?

I'm going to give a bit more time before I post further, lest anyone else in your van have plans I don't want to disrupt. We'll play it out by the rules in the book and see what we get for our troubles.

Opps, no hot sim is only 3 IPs. Response + Int + 1 (8 dice) = Dropping to VR for 2nd round.



What a roll....

initiative (-1 stun) (6d6.hits(5)=2) +6=8

Do we even know if they're not there to escort us?

Just being cautious. But we would have been warned if this was part of the plan. Since we weren't forwarned, I'm assuming their also after the package. Pretty reasonable assumption, given the day we've had.

I'm not sure.... any idea how they would know about this van if it wasn't the Chavez Family who told them?

How did the Yaks and Triads know? We're in a unobtrusive van, yet two major criminal groups know where we were. It wouldn't be unreasonable to assume the same with another group.

@JP - Would my gangs knowledge hits of 2 know if they work with the Chavez family or any of the other mobsters?

Yaks could have been waiting for Kim to pass and Triads could have been watching the Yaks. As far as Kim knows there is nothing these guys have on us.

The Fronts are not known to work directly with the Mafia, at least as far as you are aware. They might do one-off jobs, perhaps, or your knowledge might just not be deep enough to know the full details of any relationships they have.

That's why I asked. Thanks! Did you see that silly 2nd initiative matrix roll?

The one where you rolled all sevens and one eight? Cripes! Yes...

We're delivering a package from the Koshari leadership council to the Mafia. I can understand how a possible alliance between the 2 could offset the balance in the city. It makes sense that the Yakuza and Triads and even governmental organizations want to prevent that from happening. What these Fronts have to lose is not clear at all.

Of course Kim knows more than I do, so any help will be appreciated, but if I can’t come up with a reasonable explanation why they’re after the package and know that we have it, Kim will be pretty confident the bikers are either there to escort us or just happen to ride their bikes on the road.

From Riot's perspective, the Fronts are a rival gang. We've had at least 2 criminal organizations attack us for the package and it wouldn't surprise him if at least a few more factions would be after this particularly hot item.

It's Shadowrun. At least 1 fight has to be unavoidable

~lol~ You're right of course, but it's not something I can use to base Kim's reaction on.

I'm gonna switch up my second IP, since well, they did get into short range. Ramming speed! Failed a composure test to avoid trying to thrillseek, which this situation would definitely trigger this flaw in me.

Can we have an initiative rundown so we know who's doing what, when?

Boo! Had to burn edge to not have to take that crash test. Let me know when you're ready for turn 2, I've got the 2nd ram rolled up.

Yeah, since things turned violent, I think I am going to change my action when Kreskin's turn comes up. Is there any kind of "brace for impact" vehicular full defense?

Sorry, Z, that's my fault

Doc and Riot @13
Bikers @9
Kim and Wolf @8
Cody @7

Yeah, Z, everyone besides myself held actions thru the first IP. At this point, they've all gone. SleepIncarnate and yourself can use up all your actions.

@JP - I take it the lead biker avoided a crash? The drawback of the cutoff, if you get beat out, you have to take a crash test.

Kreskin hasn't acted yet either, since we didn't end up talking

Might as well shoot someone.

I did miss that in the reading of "Cut Off" in the book. He made the test, by the skin of his teeth.

Yeah, with 2 dice, I'm worried I'd just glitch and make things worse. You guys think its worth it? I'll see how the others do if they end up shooting, and go from there - but feel free to just pass me up if it'll keep things moving. I don't really have a good option this round other than trying to duck low and hide from incoming shots.

Could you "aid another" helping me drive by pointing things out on a HUD via AR since I'm in VR?

Not sure I'd buy aid another in a driving test. You're moving at high speed and already amped up because of being in VR.

It's okay though - not everyone is good at everything, and that's okay.