Just so the GM knows. Tanya is planning on using the fire and smoke as a distraction. Her thinking is that once the people upstairs know what is going on, they may try to leave the building. She will monitor the movements and try to be ready at whichever stairs they use. A lot could change if the fire really kicks in and/or smoke gets too thick for her.

@Mercy - you can see that there is a guy outside the house at the door to the small study, the one you came through.
Yes, you can communicate with Spriggan - you guys are roughly at the same time.

I'm going to put up an IC of some stuff Spriggan perceives, but I'm just keeping things flowing to give you guys a springboard.
But Mercy, you've got an IP or two before the stuff in the upcoming IC hits, if you want to use it - or just be holding and be able to react immediately...

In the meantime - basic Suppressive fire rules apply - if you duck out of the kitchen immediately, nothing much happens to you. If you stay then you risk getting shot and also take penalties on your actions.

@Aria - the first two upstairs are gimmies to keep things going - they have virtually no chance anyway.
But now I need initiative and actions for your spirit, and for Spriggan herself if she wants to do anything in this moment....

I want to use the two IP, please. Let me know if the following is possible:

Free action - Toss Tanaka's 'link onto the counter near the stove. It is more of a liability now.
Complex action - Attack stove with the whip from near the exit to the breakfast dining area. Whip Attack"Whip Attack: 18d6t5 1 Use edge for rerolls: Edge for misses: 17d6t5 4 Total of 5 successes. I am not sure how that translates to attacking a stove.

The intent of these actions is to give me a bit of protection if they are using the 'link to focus on me and the attack on the stove is to try to sever the gas line, allowing gas to enter the room. If the attack is successful, I will be using the next IP to go to the patio door and out of the house. I will have to use a Plan F if the attack on the stove fails.

So stupid question, will my contact Bryan “Rascle” Willis, which is a fixer work for this?

Sorry man, I think I was unclear - I meant to imply that he would work fine.

As before, IC if you want, rejoin group, I think we'll roll!

All cool.

It occurred to me that the weighted tip at the end of the whip would prevent whipping through anything where the tip doesn't have a free swing on the other side, but then I figured if a GM told me that I'd think of some workarounds, and all that is represented by your success test. And you whip that stove, how hard can it be to find a gas line? Has to be one leading to each hob, right?

As for how to IC it, were you thinking of doing it from the doorway after the suppressive fire started? If so, no problem with the IC flow
Or were you thinking of having done it prior to the suppressive fire? Also cool, but a bit of past perfect tense in next IC would be cool so that we can keep the sequence going.

Finally, can we say that you, um, nick the gas line or something - what I mean, can we say you manage to accelerate the fire, rather than cause a huge gas explosion right this instant (thinking of your safety here more than anything else!). Still could be an explosion later - might have to roll some dice about that....

Not my best work but IC up so we can keep moving. Sorry for the delays.

OK. Post is up. I am still thinking we are in combat so initiative is: Initiative: 13+3d6 26 26 and 3IP is not too bad.

Since I was holding my actions from the end of the prior combat turn, I am assuming that me dropping the 'link and attacking the stove is my first IP of the next turn. Let me know if that is incorrect. And, yes, hoping for a leak to help the flames along, followed by an explosion sometime after I have left the room. We will see what fate and the GM have in store for her.

@Jack If you kill these guys now, won't that cause them to call off the delivery?

Yeah, first of the current Turn is right (best I can keep track). But you're reacting to their first IP, so both first IPs are gone, so we'll go to the next IP, with you first (the number get weird with delays here, but the main point is, it's your turn, and you'll get another IP after this one in the combat turn).

I have you currently right outside the burning kitchen - would you be in the butlery or the breakfast room or the family room?

So need to know what you'll do next...

We can play out this combat turn, but then we'll have to stop, cuz we also need to know (A) what Aria's spirit is going to do against the new threat upstairs, and (2) what Spriggan is going to do during this combat turn.

EDIT: Put up a quick IC - but the game effect won't hit until after you've had your go - so no -3 suppressive fire penalty on your actions...yet, and you've got a chance to keep moving if you want.

LOL I will keep moving as I expect an explosion of some sort in a short time. It may not happen, but I do not intend to stick around near the kitchen to watch it happen. I am currently near the exit from the kitchen into the breakfast nook. I do not want to get ahead of Spriggan.

Hmmm. I do not know much about spirits, but do they stick around if the person who commands them is brought down? I mean, if Spriggan's spirit breathes on the enemy summoner(s) upstairs, would that send the other spirits home or what?

Assuming any of your assumptions about what is happening upstairs are correct...then the answer is a big maybe (someone correct me if there's a hard-and-fast rule I've missed).

Ultimately, it depends on the relationship the conjuror had with the spirit what the spirit might do if he is dead or unconscious - large range of options there, just as if a mundane servant perceived its master's vulnerability.

OK.

Free Action: Talk to Spriggan
Simple Action: Use Simple Device to open the patio door
Simple Action: LOL Not sure what to do for a second simple action so I guess I hold it.

@Mercy & Aria - just read Mercy's IC of leaving the house and communicating with Spriggan.

This is about a second (1-2 IPs) after Spriggan hears the guy outside's clip drop.

@Aria - once we work out your upcoming first IP of the turn, you could answer Tanya's query (no action cost - just to keep things flowing).

Ok, showtime

My plan is to kill all those in the front of the restaurant with HE grenades (or at least wound them so seriously as makes no difference) - hopefully this hits them while they are only just dressing with their armor.

The back of the restaurant where John, the Lieutenant and his bodyguards are, is where the three Pepperpunch grenades explode. Their 10m radii should overlap so that it's 13S the three have to resist.

The kitchen explosion was to turn their attention away for a second from John, so he can get a surprise shot against the two guards (Multiattack)
Afterwards John needs to win Ini (likely) against he Lieutenant and use his shock glove to disable him, so he can interrogate him in his car.

And sorry to my fellow players, but I really, really wanted to massmurder that restaurant

Jack,

Your break down of options and results made sense to me and if nothing else it will be interesting.

@Jack -

Okay, looks like it's on at the Korean BBQ.

My IC is all just fluff so you can have an idea of what you're facing.
Not going to torture myself with the math of whether the big explosion actually extends a meaningful DV into the kitchen. We'll see later, I guess, what became of the men in the dining area.

Pepper Punch is in the air - I assume John is immune. We'll see what happens at the end of a Combat Turn.

The part about the guys touching you is again no game effect - though it does signify that they are not surprised and all will be going very early in the combat turn...

Need your initiative and declarations for your first IP. And plenty of defense tests.

@DES team at warehouse site -

Okay, I've got Vex on the roof still (poor kid), Jan in his hide 13 seconds from the putative exchange site, DES and Rave in the RV.

What I need to also know now:

Rocky - your last IC asked to be awoken at dark, which is now an hour ago - shall I assume you are now also back to your closer-in hiding spot?

DES - with the new nightfall, do you have drones/spirits up? What and where?

Thanks!

Summon Spirit of Air Magic 4 + Summoning 6 + 2 = 12: 12d6t5 3

F4 Air Spirit Resist: 4d6t5 2

Drain Resist 4 DV Wil 2 + Cha 5: 7d6t5 2

2 Stun and 2 Net Services
Concealment on Team = 1 Service

Force 3 Watcher Magic 4 + Ritual Magic 4: 8d6t5 1
Force 3 Watcher Resist * 2: 6d6t5 1
Oops
Drain Resist 2 DV Wil 2 + Cha 5: 7d6t5 0
2 Drain

Watcher Perception: 3d6t5 0
Watcher Assense: 3d6t5 2

Recover Stun Body 2 + Wil 2: 4d6t5 2
Recover Stun Body 2 + Wil 2: 4d6t5 2

Fly Spy Pilot Perception: 3d6t5 2
Aeroquip Drone Perception: 3d6t5 2

Looks like it is indeed on with the larger group. Good luck, guys. Spriggan and I are still trying to make things happen with their matrix security.

Alright, time to dance:

John Henry Ini: Ini: 14+5d6 33 [5d6=4, 3, 5, 5, 2]

AGI 8 + Skill 8 + Smartsoft 2 = 18 dice:
Free Action: Multiattack
Complex Action: Full Auto attack (10 Bullets), split dice pool on the two body guards:

Shoot: 18d6t5 6 [18d6t5=2, 6, 4, 3, 1, 3, 3, 1, 6, 2, 6, 5, 5, 2, 6, 1, 2, 4]

If necessary I'll spend a point of edge to reroll the misses.

Two successes at the first guard with -9 to defense and
Four successes at the second guard with -9 to defense
(That's RAW, a saner and probably intended reading of the rules would give each -4 to defense)

Damage is 11 DV + Succeses AP -6
If they take more than 10 damage, they are knocked down.

@Jack
Nice initiative, but bodyguards still going first - just letting you know in case you want to use Edge to try to go first.

Let me know and I'll resolve tonight.

(Whether you go first or not, you're still likely to need defense rolls. )

I'm impressed
Got himself a bunch of sams, did he?

Na, no need for edge in that case. I might need it for my defense test.

Could you post their rolls here?

I know you said I should do rolls for my spirit but I think in this instance, and with my instruction in mind, it should be in the GM's hands how the sylph interprets that command!

Otherwise for actions Spriggan is still holding until I either get a visible target (and it will get a spell in the face!) or Lady T is there so we can engage together!

OK. Now we see what the bad guys do on their IP. Looking at the map it looks to be about 30-35 meters from the patio to the small study if I go around the outside of the house. Am I correct? So if I take a run for the next IP I can move 24m then walk for the following IP to get into contact.

Being closer in works for me.

That would tell you way too much about them.

But happy to tell you how many hits they each get so that you can optimize your dice/Edge choices (much faster for PbP!).

They each attack to subdue, and each gets four hits.
You'll need to do a defense test against each, and remember the second test is minus one die.
They each have 5 Strength, so you can do the math on whether either one gets a subduing hold on you (doubt it - but you could roll abysmally - I myself have proven that can happen!).

The boss guy is pulling a pistol, but he does not go before you.

So assuming neither bodyguard subdues you, you will still get your full-auto shot on the two guys, though at that point you'll have the -3 for being in melee combat.
Turns out last three dice of your roll were all misses, so you don't lose any hits there, but shifting the split in your dice thread over does leave one guy with only one hit on him, so the other guy takes five hits....

Again, assuming you are not subdued (in which case the whole shot is of course stopped), the first guy is missed and the second is killed dead.

We'll take it to there just to keep things sane, though the lieutenant guy will be the next to act...

@Dire and Vegas (and for all you wondering, I now Vegas has been busy lately, but she assures me she'll be around for some posting this week) -

Do what you want. Rave being a cop might be useful...or maybe not. Whatever.

If you decide to answer the door, feel free to save us some post back-and-forths by having them open with the usual 'you can't park/camp here, move it along' routine.


Dire - you got this RV through your fixer, right?

Can you refresh my memory - did you get any sort of fake reg with that? (If you paid full price for it, you can assume it is legal and you can attach it to any real or fake IDs you have - whichever way you go - I'll need to know what ID is attached to the vehicle's PAN - which of course vehicles are required to broadcast like license plates in civilized parts of the Plex).

As for interpretation, the command doesn't directly apply to the astral newcomers, but since they are trying to stop your spirit from carrying out it's mission, it will fight them as best it can (but it is two-to-one on that front, and with conjured spirit vs. NPC assets, I'll be doing a fast and dirty resolution...)

See IC...

So Spriggan holds, the guy reloads and keeps shooting into the room (this IP is only blind fire, which misses), but suppression for fluff, and for real in the next combat turn...

Tanya running, but...

Actually, movements rates are for whole Combat Turns (to be divided over one's IPs). So you won't be in contact for within this combat turn unless you Sprint and get a decent roll (and you'll need to include movement from starting in the kitchen).

So I'm a bit rushed - check where 24 from the kitchen gets you, and feel free to slow down if you it will just end up exposing you to the outside guy's fire before you're ready - up to you.

That ends another IP for everyone - sorry for poor bookkeeping, but do any of you have any more IPs for this Combat Turn, or are we at a new initiative.

If you do have more IPs this turn (probably Tanya), then feel free to take more actions, though no further movement possible for Tanya.

I think 24 puts me somewhere near the corner of the house near the patio. Tanya has an IP left so will use it to get a good read on her radar and ultrasound systems.

Alright:
Defense 1 + Dodge: 20d6t5 11
Defense 2 + Dodge: 19d6t5 7

Lowering my Ini by 5 to add my gymnastics/piloting autosoft to my defense as an pre-emptive dodge (lasting the rest of the round)

I'm dropping a point of edge to reroll the misses:

[18d6t5=2, 6, 4, 3, 1, 3, 3, 1, 6, 2, 6, 5, 5, 2, 6, 1, 2, 4]
Rerolls: 9d6t5 4[9d6t5=4, 6, 4, 6, 4, 6, 2, 4, 5]

Green is hit with 4 total and red gets 6

My Ini is now 18 and hopefully both goons are down.

Not that it matters as he's dead anyway, but aren't split dice pools counted as separate rolls for the purpose of rerolling misses? I haven't read the rules in ages so maybe I'm wrong, but its useful to know if I'm wrong for when I try it later

All modifiers are added before the split, so I'd say this also applies to edge use (since you can spend only one point of edge per action and multiattack is explicitly only one action with a splitted dice pool)

The rules only seem to be explicit about pre-Edge.

Rerolling fails is ambiguous, but here it doesn't matter - I already said the one guy died, so you get the same effect if you just reroll fails on the guy you missed. So he's dead.
You did factor for all that massive full-auto recoil, right?

As for the Dodge thing, both the minus-five versions (for ranged on p168 and melee on p191) are good against one attack only. Are you using something more esoteric, maybe from Run & Gun?
Just checking, cuz I want to learn.
I know you are an ace with the rules!

Anyway, I'll IC now - the two guys end up dying before they get a chance to try grabbing you, but it comes out the same in game terms, and flows better with your previous IC.

The lieutenant shooting you gets five hits for you to defend against.

Once you do that it'll be your second IP...

Yupp, that one's from R&G p.122

Although I now realize that I actually had to use the normal version since it wasn't my turn (stupid me still thinks I won the Ini )

Oh well, in that case I'm now using full defense (reducing my Ini down to 8, leaving me with only one ini phase after the guy)

Defense: 19d6t5 7 [19d6t5=5, 3, 3, 5, 3, 3, 4, 4, 2, 5, 4, 6, 5, 3, 5, 3, 1, 6, 2]

Close combat attack with Shock Hand:

Melee Attack Shock Hand: 14d6t5 8[14d6t5=6, 6, 5, 6, 6, 3, 1, 1, 5, 6, 1, 5, 4, 1]

DV 8 + Net Hits AP -5

I think I'll grab him by his nuts...

@Aria and Mercy - my last IC ends the combat turn.

New initiative, etc....

@Jack - grazing hit by you, he soaks all of it (once you hit him it's not hard to tell he's got a lot of electrical insulation).

His turn ends the combat turn: He shoots again with the in-melee penalty - he gets three hits.

Then the pepper punch catches up with him and he goes down gagging in a pool of tears and mucous.

That's three seconds after the HE blasts, enough time to see that the room is a shattered, body-strewn wreck with a fully-involved blaze (I guess those chained doors might be problem about now...).

Draw us a picture!

EDIT: Oh, you already got an IC up - okay, I'll put up a quick one, and then leave the rest of the illustration to you...

LOL The dance continues.

Tanya Initiative: Initiative: 13+3d6 21 21 and 3IP.

Tanya's intent is to charge at the man near the small study. Would I get a charge bonus because the whip is a melee weapon?

Defense against the last shot Defense 2: 18d6t5 6

I assume there will be no opposition for me to drag the man out of the restaurant and to my car?

Yes, you get the charge bonus, and you go first...

Nah, those guys are done.

So here you are trying to get this guy to talk.

These scenes seem to come up in every run, and I always have hard time with them.

As a player, I always assume that, faced with a sufficiently extreme pain/mutilation scenario, bad guys will talk.

But my growing impression over the years is that a reliable interrogation take a bit of time, and that severe pain yields mixed results with a determined resistor.

Not saying it won't work - heck, he's already facing dice penalties.

But you will need an Intimidation test - I'll double your +2 torture bonus to +4 for your diabolical use of the Valkyrie as a Pain Chamber.
Can't let you know how many successes he gets, though - that'd take all the fun out of any lies he might tell if he beats you on the opposed test....

Tanya charges in and attacks with the whip: Whip Attack: 20d6t5 4 Only 4 hits, but maybe it will be enough if the man was looking into the room and blinded by the flash from his gun. He might not even see me coming. I will use edge to roll misses if I need to. DV 12 + net hits AP-8.

Fair enough:

CHA 4 + Intimidate 1 + Bonus 4= Interrogation: 9d6t5 6 [9d6t5=6, 6, 5, 5, 6, 2, 5, 1, 1]

That happens to be my limit, but I'm fairly confident that the man would like to keep his toes

And don't forget: I only healed one point of Stun damage, so he has at least -6 from wounds + pepperpunch effect (doubling penalties for ten minutes after exposure)
(Which makes pepperpunch arguably a better interrogation tool than gamma-scopolamin)

No need for the Edge, you cut him up like the rest.

As my upcoming IC closes, I need your next action and also any first action (held to now because of the suppressive fire) that Spriggan may take...

Sorry folks, RL giving me another kicking this week

Will catch up next week...

lol Looks like I have a couple of days to think about the next action. Tanya has 1m of running movement left for the turn so she will not be going far. I think that we are setting up for some looky-see rounds as she waits for the next turn. She is still hoping that the left side of the house explodes. There may be some explosion assist if there are any vehicles in the garage. I think I will be holding an action to dive prone in case the place blows up before the beginning of the next turn.

Free Action: Talk to Spriggan
Simple Action: Use radar to scan for enemies
Simple Action: Hold


Ten guys dead and nine unconscious. Not too bad so far. Apparently at least four remaining gunmen on the stairs or already down and several people still in the back bedroom upstairs. Sounds like we still have not accomplished the mission to disrupt the matrix security. Any ideas, Aria?

Well as you pointed out the house hasn't exploded yet...I imagine that would ruin anyone's day, particularly if they are in VR! Not to mention the police no doubt en-route!

Spiritual aide seems to be in order! I'm a bit vague about my connection to the sylph she had before...but I think technically it is 'gone' and she can summon another one?!?

Summon Air Spirit [5] 10d6t5: 3 [10d6t5=3, 3, 1, 4, 6, 3, 3, 6, 4, 6] Resist 5d6t5: 2 [5d6t5=5, 6, 1, 1, 4] 1 service
Drain 14d6t5: 4 [14d6t5=3, 6, 4, 5, 2, 2, 1, 4, 1, 5, 3, 5, 3, 2] so no drain, just!

Optional power: energy aura (for variety!)

So will IC once I get a ruling on whether I can have another spirit! If I can the one service will be to conceal Lady T and Spriggan

Yup, that's right - per your instructions the other spirit left this plane at a thousand meters.

Free to summon the new one.

No problem with the Concealment.

Just a second or two of what Tanya sees on her new radar check is not really enough to put in an IC post of my own, so I'll just say here that there's basically no change - four figures around the kitchen, still six upstairs in the back bedroom.

@DES group - looks like John is off to the border.

Guess it's up to the rest of the group to try to meet him there or sit tight and wait...

With the boards not exactly burning up with posts, I reckon whoever posts first should make that decision.

If you decide to go meet him, don't worry too much about travel times - traffic is extraordinarly light this evening - eager to get more of you into the game besides Jack's character....