@Panzer: You know, they probably wouldn't let you in the Ares parking lot with those spells bound to sustaining Foci, but I'm not going to be picky on this. You can simply use that success test for when you touch down in the operational area.

@All: So the ball is rolling. All of you guys are seated in Deke's office, ready to negotiate for the contract. If you have any questions about any of this, go ahead and post them here.

I expect Callidus to be back on the boards sometime today, so he should be able to take over Ophelia from there.

Just to make sure we are all on the same page when it comes to time.

Zulu is Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Seattle Time is GMT - 8 hours. (Zulu -800)

Azerbaijan is GMT + 4 (Zulu +400)

Normally, when I put a time/date stamp, I'll include both the Zulu and Local times.

If anything I post is unclear, please be sure to let me know and I will try to clarify it in this thread.

I'm back *8-> but seriously shattered *8-< I'll get a post in later on tonight.... most likely when I get home and get Ophelia caught up with you guys *8->

Negotiations: 10 09 08 08 05 03 03 02 02 01 #D:10 TN:6 H#:10 S:4

Negotiations: 22 17 11 09 07 03 03 02 01 01 #D:10 TN:6 H#:22 S:5

Heh, take that!

Another update here. From this point forward, I will not give out target numbers. I will ask for dice rolls and results. There will be other times where I will roll for you. In those cases, I will let you know I am rolling, but again you will not see the results.

My posts up.... and on the langauge front....

English - Main
Arabic - Fairly fluent
German - Surviable
French - Passable
Spanish - Passable

*8-> she should be able to survive with any of those but she's not gonna sound like a native *8->

Another detail for the geographically challenged. Azerbaijan is about as far north as Chicago, and in february is going to be pretty damn cold. Remember to bring your long-johns.

Damn thought it was south of Russia ah well she never was a geography buff *8->

Dammit, Ronin, you beat me to it! I was going to be all sarcastic in my thought process. Damn you! <shakes fist>

And Callidus, it was Russia for a while.

Oh, and keep a look out for my nod to Red Vs. Blue in the mission briefing (for those of you who know what I am talking about).

Ok, I'm gunna make a crapload of knowledge skill checks and you let me know what inside info I'll get.

Criminal Organizations: 05 02 02 02
Fringe Cults: 16 04 03 02
Politics: 11 10 04 03
World Cultures: 10 09 07 05 01 01
World Religions: 11 04 03 02 01 01
Current Affairs/International: 13 02 02 02 01 / 08 05
Terrorist Organizations: 11 09 05 04 02 01
Intelligence Analysis: 11 09 08 08 05 02 02 02 01

Damn, I was thinking the med. Danny isn't going to be happy about that.

Just for the heck of it

Politics / Middle-East: 05 09 02 03 / 02 02
History: 02 17 03 02 05 04
Geography: 05 03 05 02 10 05

Middle Eastern Politics: 2,1 - 0 (Tanked)
Tir Politics: 8,5,4,4,3 - 4

Empathy (on Deke): 9,7,5,4,4,3 - 4

Oh hell, why not?

Sci-Fi Technobabble: 2 13 5

Just trying to figure out what the hell they're saying on Star Trek: the Decrepit Generation while on the drive home.

Okay, I'll jump on the "trolling for free info" bandwagon.

Political science: 2 2 3 9
economics: 2 3 5
anthropology (cultural) 1 2 2 3 5 8

Let me throw some more in

Economics 02 11 05 11 02
Megacorp Policies 01 04 09
Sociology/Middle-East 05 07 03 10 01 08 / 05 03

Grey, what languages does your PC know?

You guys can submit your gear requests here on the OCC board, or you can PM them to me if you want to keep secret what you are asking for.

According to the info on the chips, your plane flight leaves tomorrow (Feb 2nd, Saturday) out of Sea-Tac via HSCT at 8:00 am Seattle time (1600 Zulu), makes stops in Tokyo and New Delhi before arriving in Baku at 8:00 am local time (0200 Zulu) on Sunday, February 3rd. Your bodies will still feel like it's 6pm on saturday...be ready to deal with the jet lag.

Deke has reserved 5 suites at the Hyatt in Baku. Two people to a suite with the final suite to be used as the team/meeting room. Looks like Ares is picking up the tab for that. Also, you will have two rental SUVs for duration of your contract. Basically they will be older, Ford Explorer types.

You have street maps of Baku and a few other towns, as well as topographic maps of the whole country and surrounding area. You have directions to the Ares Arms factory which is just outside of Baku. This is where Deke will be, and where your requested gear will be stowed.

Deke also includes, accounts and passcodes for access to the Ares PLTG and SatCom networks.

I think that's everything, but I'll update the intel stuff as needed.

Max would like to get the a reasonable amount of the best explosive Ares can give me. It might be very useful to have a very effective explosive type since we will be trying to hide any material like that and we want to travel light, yet we will most probably make good use of explosives, depending on the style of the team.

Personal Gear:
Cougar Fineblade - Thigh sheath
H&K Mk. 23 SOCOM MOD 0 - Suppressor, Laser Aiming Module (Flashlight, Vis. Laser, IR Laser), Quickdraw Holster, Clip (4x)
Colt M4A1 - Laser Aiming Module (Vis. Laser only), Gas Vent III, Sling, Clip (6x)
Compdeck - "Deep Forest" (Probably carrying this on the flight with her)

Armor:
Form Fitting Body Armor (Full Body) - Insulation 4
Armor Vest
Camouflague Suit - Thermal 4, ChemSeal 4, Urban/Arctic Patterns
SecHelmet - HUD

Ammunition:
.45 ACP
5.56 NATO
All regular rounds, nothing special.

Misc:
Microelectronics Toolkit
Personal Communications Unit (Rating 10)
Medkit (Rating 10)
Bug-Sweeper (Rating 10)
Window Glass Vibrators
Portable White Noise Generator (Rating 8-10)
Combat webbing/harness - Ammo pouches, canteen, etc.
Chemlights
Duct-tape
Stick matches

Never know when you might need the last two.

CONDITIONAL - For utilization during extended outdoors operation

Thermal Sleeping Bag
Survival Kit - Rations included.
Rucksack and Carrying Harness
Portable Satellite Dish Construction Kit

Good idea Cardboard!

I want Urban combat camo clothing too; if my camo for desert doesn't do for urban combat, that is.

Normally, you guys request your general purpose gear before you leave seattle. Once you get in country, you ask for whatever gear you need for each particular mission that you plan.

Ares ALWAYS has always given you guys copious amounts of ammo, firearms, and explosives. You never run short on that. Also, any miltary/security specific gear is usually available in great abundance. Drones and vehicles are also usually available. Anything else is basically the roll of the die.

Also keep in mind that Ares Arms has at least one factory and several munitions plants in country, so that should make a lot of that sort of stuff available.

And don't be shy with your gear requests. The worst they could say is no.

I'dadd to the list things like chemsuit, water purification tabs (or the Unicorn shaman *8->), emergency rations. Remember it's gonna be polluted to hell and back over there *8-< so we can't trust locally sourced food and water.... necessarily.....

Also as it's been pointed out to me it's gonna be cold out there so thermal undies would be good *8-> but more importantly for the blending in thing, some outer clothes that are 'local' in nature so we don't obviously look foriegn from 300 miles away..... "Yes I'm from the next village over....." "So that's where you got that Ares skiing outfit from then" *8->

Good posts. One thing that would really help me out is if your put your gear requests in the same format that Cardboard did. It just makes it easier for me to organize things.

And Callidus is right...it's going to be pretty cold. Winter gear is a must.

Camo Suits are nice and padded, would wearing that along with form-fitting keep us warm?

oh, and just in case it wasn't clear, Michael called a team meeting to start at 1530 at his apartment.

Don't be a slacker, Grey. Get friggin' Insulation.


[Personal Gear]

FN Five-seveN Smart (.328 ADVAT) Tactical Pistol
[*] Personalized Grip, Quick-Draw Holster, Clips (x2)
Handful of Blank OMCs
Lockpick Gun (Rating 10)
Microtronics Toolkit
P.A.V.L.O.V.
Proxy Emitters (x5)
Sequencer (Rating 10)
Spetsnaz Entrenching Tool, Sharpened & Dikoted (Treat as Tomahawk)
Spetsnaz Uniform
Ultrasound Emitter (Rating 10)

The following is Nikolai's request form, OOC style since I have no clue what it would look like formally.

[Weapons & Ammunition]

FN P-90 Submachine Gun
[*] H&K Leather Quick-Draw Harness, Heavy Barrel, Personalized Grip,
[*] Smartlink-2 (.328 ADVAT), Suppressor (Quick-Release), Underbarrel Weight,
[*] Spare Clips (x4)
FN MK46 Minimi Machine Gun
[*] Sling, Heavy Barrel, Gas-Vent IV, Carswell M443 20mm Grenade Launcher w/ Indirect Fire Add-On,
[*] XM1822 Grenade Launcer Adapter, Smartlink-2 (.328 ADVAT), Personalized Grip, Shock Pads,
[*] Spare Clips (x6), Box Magazine (x1)
Survival Knife, Dikoted
Ammunition
[*] APRO and Subsonic Frangible for the P-90; Light Armor Piercing for the 5-7; SLAP for the Minimi
Grenades
[*] IPE Concussion (x1), Tear Gas (x1)
Mini-Grenades
[*] White Phosphorous ATAT (x5)

[Armor]

Camouflage Full Suit
[*] Urban/Arctic Reversible Patterns and Ruthenium w/ 12 Scanners; 2 spare battery cells
[*] Chemical Seal 4, Thermal Dampening 4
[*] Helmet with the works
Form-Fitting Body Armor (Full Body)
[*] Insulation 4, Nonconductive 1

[Drones & Vehicles]

Ares Cloudship (Series 41 Mini-Blimp)
[*] Remote-Control Encryption 10 and BattleTac IVIS/FDDM 10
[*] SunCell Power
[*] Ruthenium Polymers (including external mounts) with 12 Scanners
[*] Radar-Absorbant Materials 3
[*] Pericles Sensors upgrade [+9 Shotgun Microphone and +9 Optical Magnification with Infrared and Low-Light only]
[*] Drone Pilot 5 Enhancement
[*] Autosoft Interpretation System with Clearsight 5, Electronic Warfare 5, and Sharpshooter 5 Autosofts
[*] External Cargo Mount with Anti-Aircraft Micro-Remote Turret and 0.2 CF Ammo Bin
[*] Barret M89, Silenced
[*] SLAP (Heavy Sniper Rifle) Ammo x100, Subsonic Polymer Tip Match Ammo x100
[*] Properly-Threateded Barrels for each
[*] Smartlink-2 Integration
[*] ECM/ECCM/Retransmission Suite in External Mount
[*] Chances are you guys issued my old baby to one of your Firewatch teams. Again. So if you can just have the parts and tools available, I'll put her back together again.

Ares Guardian (x2)
[*] Standard accessories except as noted below
[*] Drone Pilot 5 Upgrade
[*] Engine Customization 1 (Load)
[*] Remote-Control Encryption Module 10
[*] BattleTac IVIS/FDDM Modules 10
[*] Fixed Hardpoint instead of Turret
[*] FN M240G MAG MMG w/ Underbarrel Grenade Launcher
[*] Vehicle Gyroscopic Stabilizers
[*] 10,000 rounds of SLAP Ammo; 10 IPE White Phosphorous Mini-Grenades
[*] Smartlink-2 Integration
[*] Autosoft Interpretation System
[*] Ruthenium Polymer w/ 12 Scanners
[*] Radar-Absorbant Materials 3
[*] SunCell Power

Ford Explorer SUVs
[*] Rigger Adaptation
[*] Off-Road Suspension

[*] Note: Other drones requested depending upon our game plan...

[Miscellaneous]

Ammo Pouches (x2)
Equipment Pouches, Large (x4)
Load-Bearing Harness
Maglock Passkey (Rating 10)
Military Rucksack, Small
[*] Quick-Release Harness
Mountaineering Kit w/ Stealth Line and Silenced Grapple Gun
Rations & Survival Gear
[*] Canteen & Mess Kit
[*] Field Rations (Self-Heating)
[*] Medkit (Rating 10)
[*] Survival Kit
[*] Thermal Sleeping Bag

[*] Note: The rucksack, pouches, and harnesses should also have ruthenium treatments, but no scanners (as they'd "plug in" to his fatigues).

*Does the P-90 dance*



I'll have a gear request for you today Ronin.

Everyone: Don't forget to request a Personal Comm Unit (Rating 10) if you don't have one already.

I've got rating 8 pre-installed in my leg, that good enough?

You're the boss, but the lowest rating unit is the one the entire network uses.

Good point. I can always replace the one in my leg with the new 10.

Hmm Gear..... g'ah *8->

Personnal:

MGL-6
Ares Alpha
Battletac receiver unit
Savior Medkit and refill
Bioculars with thermo and lowlight

Requests:

Thermal smoke minigrens for alpha and mgl-6 (approx 20 for each)
Concussion minigrens for alpha and mgl-6 (approx 20 for each)
Neurostun minigrens for alpha and mgl-6 (approx 20 for each)
Tactical Comms rating 10
FFBA Full Suit with Insulation 4
Sec Helmet with Ultrasound, Thermo, HUD, Optic Mag 3
Arctic Camo Full Suit with Thermal Dampening 5
Urban Camo Full Suit with Thermal Dampening 5
Chemsuit rating 10
2 clips of APDS for the alpha
5 clips of regular for the alpha
Military sytle Bergen (backpack)
Military sytle webbing (the belt, ammo pouches, shoulder straps, etc)
Thermal Blanket (3 of the silver space blanket style)
Thermal sleeping bag
Two man pop up tent (you know the ones that self erect)
20 Trauma patches
20 Stim patches rating 6
20 Antidote patches rating 8
30 days of survival rations
Survival kit
Canteen and mess kit
Respirator
Civilian clothes appropriate to the local area and winter version
Franchi SPAS-22
40 Slug Shells
20 Shock Lock Shells

Requests for equipment to be available on site but not to be taken immediately

Barret Model 121 and 60 rounds of ammunition
(for if the excretement REALLY hits the rotating air mover and she will label this bit with that sort of comment)
IWS Multi-Launcher
8 Anti-Personnel Rockets
8 Anti-Vehicluar Rockets
4 Zapper Rockets

Think that pretty much covers it..... I'll add stuff if and when I think of it *8->

Grey, what languages does your character know?

I've been going over the equipment list, and I noticed a few things.

When out in the field, only half the team will be sporting Assault/Battle Rifles. While that sort of weapon system may not be your character's forte, it's still a great weapon to have if you run into unexpected contact with the enemy and they are between 50 and 200 meters. And if you guys end up having to do any house/room clearing, you are also underequipped. No shotguns, and the Assault rifles carried by Mike and Maxwell are way to large for CQB. And despite what Shadowrun rules tell you, pistols are NOT ideal weapons for CQB.

Now, don't take this as a demand that you guys change your gear lists/requests. This is just me throwing in my tactical two cents.

On top of these, I have a Mnemonic Enhancer, giving me an extra 3 dice to any language roll.

English [6]
Arabic [3]
Azeri [3]
Hebrew [3]
Hindi [3]
Latin [3]
Russian [3]
Turkish [3]

So is the P-90 and 5-7 good enough for what you're saying, Ronin, or should I get a full-sized assault rifle, too?

Ideally everyone should have three weapon systems. A pistol for extreme defense, a SMG for CQB and street fighting, and an AR for when were out in the bush.

You don't have to carry them all, but you should have access to them.

@ Clock, A P-90 is a great weapon out to about 100 meters. And a fantastic weapon FOR CQB, but in a ranged fire fight 200+ meters it isn't very effective.

Okay, thanks. My gear list was edited to slip that in, then. Figured I'd take advantage of my Gunnery and Strength scores a bit on that one.

Shadow is right. Although a Carbine (M4 or M23) works really well in the Assault Rifle AND CQB roles.

I also noticed we have no real machine gunner. While that's not necessary, it's always a good idea to have someone who can put 200 rounds down range for suppressive fire if necessary. Again, you don't have to request that now, but its not wise to go out into the field without at least one machinegun.

Hehe...seems I spoke too soon. Looks like Dragos will be pulling MachineGun duty.

Good. You guys won't regret it.

<pauses> Well if that's not ominous, I dunno what is.

You guys think I should request one or two Knight Errant Peep-a-Lot (Lone Star Strato-9 variant) drones with an MMG for backup, just in case? We don't have to take them with us each time, but it'd be nice to know that they were around if we needed them for a specific sub-mission.

Oh, and just to let you all know, Pavlov is a prototype robotic reconnaissance drone in the form of a realistic (deadly realistic) Siberian Huskey. He was acquired on one of our earlier missions, and he's been with us ever since Nikolai was able to get him back in working order after... a rather nasty "accident." For all intents and purposes, he has a personafix that causes him to behave like a loyal guarddog to Nikolai first, then the rest of the team second. So feel free to treat him as such if you like.

Yes on the drone request.

Did a bit better and requested an Ares Guardian. Higher signature and nice armor. Should come in more handy for us if/when the shit hits the fan.

Hmm, had forgotten about CQB.... I'd better add Franchi SPAS-22, 40 slug shells, and 20 Shock Lock rounds to the request list..... I'll edit the early post to add them in....

And I'd defineately second Grey on the Strato-9 type drones..... they're so useful, it's just a shame you can't get an electric one with suncell without some serious modding.... *8->

Here's a note about ammo. I don't like the ammo types in SR3 or CC. For variant ammo, use the ammunition rules on Raygun's site.

Also, ammo is not freely interchangeable between weapons of the same type like in SR3. Again, refer to Raygun's site for specifics. Basically, a rifle that fires 7.62x51mm is ONLY going to be able to fire that type of ammo.

Ok here is everything I could think of. I decided since Ares was willing to play nice with the equipment then DT won't take any of his own gear.

@ Clockwork, can your drones read a Laser Designator? If not let me know.

Downtown equipment req.

Asteriks denote custom gear.

Pistols:
USP Compact (9mm)
- Laser Sight
- 12 Mags BAL (Match)

USP Match (.40 S&S)
-Laser Sight
-Low Light Flash light
-12 Mags PIE (+1 power)
-12 Mags BAL (Match)

SMG:
P-90 (5.7mm)
-Laser sight (low powered)
-Sound Suppressor
-Shock Pads
-Under Barrel weight
-10 Mags PIE (+1 power)
-10 Mags BAL (Match)
-5 Mags APDS

AR:
G36A3C (5.56mm NATO)
-Laser Sight
-Shock Pads
-Custom grip
-Imp. Gasvent 3
-Under Barrel weight
-10 Mags PIE (+1 power)
-10 Mags BAL (Match)
-10 Mags SLAP

Sniper:
MSG90A1 (7.62 NATO)
-3X Thermal/lowlight scope w/anti reflective coating
-Shock Pads
-Sound Suppressor
-All Ammo in optional 20 round detachable boxes
-20 Mags +3 Power, Incendiary, x0.5 Armor Rating, AV
-20 Mags BAL (Match)
-20 Mags SLAP

Armor:

(3) FFBA lvl 3 Concealability: 12 Ballistic: 4 Impact: 1-Thermal Dampening 4

*(3) Secure Jacket (OD Green) Conceal ability: 9 Ballistic: 5 Impact: 3
-Fire Resistance 4
-Chem Sealed 4
-Built in Battle Tac receiver
-Built in Comm. unit 10

*(2) Cammo Full suit (1 of each, Night, Desert, Urban) Ballistic: 5 Impact: 3-Fire Resistance 4
-Chem Sealed 4
-Built in Battle Tac receiver
-Built in Comm. unit 10

*(2) Ghillie suit (W/ Ruthium Polymer and 4 sensors) +8 TN
-Thermal Dampening lvl 6



Equipment:
3 months worth of the following:
Boots, underwear, a rucksack, kit bag, boonie hat, LBV, ammo pouches, carrying harness for the P-90, slings etc. Holsters both concealable and full for the pistols.


Gear:
Laser Designator - hand held
Binoculars 50X LL + Thermal
Subdermal Microphone (throat) and Earbug
Nav Dat GPS
Insulated gloves
Wire cutters
Micro Flare Launcher -10 Flares
Micro Survival kit
Chem Mask lvl 10
Survival knife/bayonet

Misc:
6 smoke grenades (thermal) white
6 smoke grenades (thermal) Blue