My understanding is that the whole thing is still a mesh network; the grids are basically a wholly unnecessary thing put on top of it for the sake of corp control. This is pretty compatible with the fact that the whole thing is largely a protocol change.

@LG
LeFey is making a Matrix Perception test to see what the work host controls (and what she can do with 3 marks).

Computer (5) + Intuition (5) +2 (Hot-sim) = 12d6

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4423198/

12d6.hits(5) → [5,5,2,1,2,1,6,4,4,5,2,6] = (5) hits.

@Aria/LG

I created Nikki a while back and now know that I need the heavy weapons skill to use the grenade launcher on the Ares Alpha, without defaulting anyway. Any issue with moving some skill points around to give me heavy weapons? I won't use Karma or add other skills. I've shown below what I want to do.

If not okay, since game started, then I know what to do first with my Karma.

Skills 22
Old / New
Automatics 6/4 with specialization Assault Rifles
Blades 2-no change
Etiquette 4-no change
Heavy Weapons 0/1 with specialization Grenade Launders
Perception 4 (Magic) - can't change
Pistols 6/4 with specialization Semi Automatics
Sneaking 2-no change
Unarmed Combat 2-no change

@LG: Are the Patient's rooms on the main floor empty?

Also, though I know it will be difficult, Lany will be trying to find an entrance to the basement while on her search for the Patients.


Added inquiry to the crew: Lany needs a codename, any suggestions? I was originally just going to call her Lany, but as its her real name (Elaina), perhaps something else would be more appropriate. I am currently leaning towards Pandora. Let me know what you think.


@justkelly: Did I miss something here, is the outside crew is coming in?

@LG/Over

I'm trying in character to develop our plans for what the outside will do when we come into the facility - not actually doing that now necessarily.

Sorry, I simply don't find the time right now... always something new coming up here.

You got more than enough players there, so I will just drop out for now, so you do not wait for me or anything.

Bye
Thanee

Mostly maintenance stuff. Patient records are in offline archives that can be accessed from hardpoints in the various doctor's offices. No sign of anything that links to a mysterious location in the basement...no records that there is even a basement. The mechanical plant is all on the roof so no need for a basement...


No problems there, just change your sheet!

Don't worry, I'll give the outside crew something to do very shortly

The main building you are in isn't exactly empty but the patients are being kept away from you so you are mostly seeing drones. You will rapidly draw the conclusion that there is nowhere in this building for there to be an entrance underground (short of some mind bending physics) so that means the admin or the therapy blocks, seems unlikely that it would be the security block as that is by the main entrance and too visible for a secret door

No problem. You're welcome back any time you like!

@Circles of Power



In this cast of characters, is there something missing? It looks matrix, technical heavy. I wonder if Nikki could still be a playable character if I flesh her out with the appropriate accouterments for CoP. This would only work if the timelines between LG and CoP won't overlap.

If not Nikki, perhaps developing a character to round out the current cast with what's missing or needs more coverage.


@Aria, re:LG - I know better than to think ahead.

@justkelly:

Baron Herbert- Face (I think...)
Johnny Awesome- Face
Tuesday- Decker
Gemeaux- Assassin
Tresckow- Military Officer; so Soldier/Face I suppose

I think our biggest glaring hole is in the Magic department, if you are keen to that idea.

Pilot 3 + Clearsight 6 [Sensor 3] (9d6.hits(5) → [1,5,1,5,6,6,2,1,4] = (4))

To check out the docks. I'm still not clear on exactly how the drone sensor rules work (ie, does buying a sensor array replace the sensor attribute, are sensor functions in an array paid for and if so how much...), but it doesn't look like I'd be able to get that limit any higher regardless.

Baron Herbert is more of a Martix Expert than a Face, though by class and nature all the characters have good social skills (though I think only I specialize in them)

Any magic support we get would have to be from a Winterhawk like character

@justkelly: By the nature of the game we're not really 'missing' anything as such, as we're not a group of runners. It started out with just me and the Baron at a party. That's not to say don't join, the more the merrier, but don't think of it as a traditional group that needs to cover areas. Money covers all areas. If you want to play just make a character that fits the theme and go for it.

There are probably modifiers for 'active looking' and various vision mods to take into account but let's say for now you can 'see shit'

There isn't a dock within the secure perimeter any longer, although plenty of places you could land a small boat comfortably. Some of the neighbours have docks, probably with nice sporty motor launches tied up to them. Given this is Bellevue expect reasonable security on those boats!

Thank for the correction on Herbert. I think he is the only character who doesn't have an actual sheet; I was having a bit of trouble identifying his closest archetype.

@justkelly: Good point from mister joshua here; we are a group of movers and shakers, people at or near the top of the social ladder who don't really need to dirty their hands with fieldwork. All our characters have entourages, some of whom can perform duties for us as Runners under our command when the need arises.

Probably easier to make a new character concept (no need for stats and sheets if you don't want, very little rolling likely to happen - in fact we haven't done any in the year or so that CoP has been going). You could always take Nikki as a contact / retinue member for some continuity if you like!

LG, Aria:

So Dr. Z stepped out but we know Bolo remains as an NPC.

Same with Thanee's Violet, or she was never there?

Mr. Joshua still coming in? From externally?

I still intend to, but haven't had chance to make up a character yet. I'm trying to get on it, but don't wait for me.

Not sure what to roll for checking the staff list out - and I'm sort of just assuming we pulled that as pre-job research; if I need to ask LeFey to get it, let me know. In any case, I'm not sure if I have to default to Logic for not possessing a relevant knowledge skill, or if this would be a simple Logic+Intuition test. As for the drone, however...

Clearsight 6 + Pilot 3
9d6.hits(5) → [1,4,4,5,5,1,5,1,3] = (3)
9d6.hits(5) → [1,6,2,4,2,5,2,6,4] = (3)
9d6.hits(5) → [2,3,4,3,4,4,2,4,2] = (0)
9d6.hits(5) → [2,1,5,1,3,3,2,2,5] = (2)
9d6.hits(5) → [6,4,6,5,6,1,3,5,1] = (5)
9d6.hits(5) → [5,6,5,2,6,6,2,6,4] = (6)
9d6.hits(5) → [6,2,1,6,3,5,1,3,5] = (4)
9d6.hits(5) → [3,5,5,6,1,3,2,4,4] = (3)
9d6.hits(5) → [2,6,6,1,4,6,4,4,3] = (3)
9d6.hits(5) → [6,3,3,2,4,5,4,4,2] = (2)

@LG, pretty sure I mentioned in the IC (although it might have been OoC?!?) that there are more staff than can be accounted for above ground where you've seen far too many droids and not enough meat!

Yes, but things like what kind of staff they're hiding in that payroll is potentially useful information, pointing towards what's going on down there - more so if they're generally inconsistent with running a place like this.

The 'hidden' staff are mostly from medical backgrounds, there are also more sec staff than you've seen evidence of so far (as there would be if the facility is twice the size it's purporting to be)...

Good news never stops!!!

Once someone on the inside team confirms the frog's intentions in the new situation, we can make a new quick and dirty plan.

I just hope we can go undetected long enough to stay organized...

Hm... Any results on the Fly-Spy's perception?

Put in a post, hope that will move us towards meeting up at the Citadel. Also, AO, I'm backing off because my comm was compromised earlier. It's probably not a good idea to have me in a group talking about a mutual friend. Some rich scaredy-cat might think I'm there to kill him/her/it/them.

Whew, as fast as you got out of there, I was worried Lazare thought Tresckow had cooties...

...jk

No I get it, I was debating whether Tresckow should introduce himself , not wanting to give away our association to anyone. But I figured it would be seen as exceptionally rude if Tresckow had walked up, insulted the Comte' to the point of him leaving, and then walked off without having said anything to Gemeaux, Tuesday, and Herbert. So in the end I just figured he would politely introduce himself to the gathering at hand, to help make it not look as if Tresckow is avoiding being seen with them.

Nah, totally makes sense. I wasn't sure how to play it, so I just went with the "I'm just happy to be here" bit that so befits a runaway clone-turned master assassin.

@Tribes:

Frizzen is activating his wired reflexes, and loading his smg to SnS clip and setting it to BF. Aswell his Commlink is running silent with all peripherals slaved and silent aswell.

@LG: Ok, so you have a map (and some trouble!!!)...rather than IC it now as time's running out on me I will paraphrase it here and leave it to you lot to interpret or write it up IC when I have time...ask any questions you like and I'll fill in the blanks if I can

• Approx 3 floors deep. Lots of double height spaces to give the illusion of space. Go and check out Joss Wheedon's 'Dollhouse' for some of my inspiration
• Exit appears to be in the therapy building via concealed lift shafts and stairs leading to a ground floor admin area on the south side
• Vent ducts exit in the gardens as predicted, hidden by planting
• Vents are big enough to climb down...you could get in where the CIC station is and crawl down if you want...

You haven't got the entire facility mapped, the drone would have run out of power... but you've got enough (honest!)

@LG: Drek meets Fan

@Aria: Can we get a range from Al's tree to the main entrance/parking circle?

And, for the record, Al's perch is 3 meters up.


@RHat: If we go the interdiction route, Al will pick off incoming individuals for a long as his position is tenable. Are you going to be able to bring some firepower onto the main entrance parking area we are just north of?

If we end up "going in," for you will that mean actually going in, or drones go in and meat stays out? Will you need Al to guard your meat? Do you plan on coming in closer with the Bulldog or holding that back until exfil?

@JustKelly: I know where Overdrive is, but a bit hazy on Nikki's location...how are you positioned vis a vis either interdiction or going in?

I've got 3 Roto-Drones with AKs, a Steel Lynx with an Alpha, and if I want to have Titus actually go in himself he's got a Smartgun X. So... Yeah? Probably?

If we have to actually go into the basement facility, though, I've been musing with an idea where he Juryrigs up a pseudo rigger module to let him ride off the back of the Lynx, while wiring the rotodrones in so that he can run his stuff without exposing it to hacking. I frankly can't decide if it seems ridiculous or awesome.

As for the Bulldog... I'm not sure just yet. May not want to risk it getting busted up prior to exfil, though, so it might be smart to hold it back (oh, if only the rules existed for giving it more armour...).

@Outside team -

RHat - your juryrigging idea sounds way cool to me, but I am not the GM. More, I wonder about the Steel Lynx and the rotodrones navigating the entrances to the secret basement - stairs, elevators, vents.

With Nikki also out there somewhere, I am thinking we can bring more of the strengths we have to bear keeping the fight on the outside. After we nuke these new guys, we can hopefully have some juice left to play calvary for the inside team in the evil basement.

One secondary effect of keeping it outside is it will be loud and could attact law enforcement attention. That will be mucho annoying for us, but WORSE for the other side. WE can run away, an evil facility can't. However they respond to it, it will be more of a headache for the bad guys than for us.

Just thoughts -

Interdict of let them pass, I will go with what you and JustKelly decide, but with the vehicles headed up the drive, we need to make a decision now.

@Aria: Is the Fly Spy that was scanning the grounds close enough to get eyes on these guys?

@LG: If you guys can keep the fight out there, this may actually prove to be an invaluable distraction. The firefight is going to draw all of the attention of the Security inside, it may even clear some bad guys out of the basement, when they see that their buddies are getting lit up outside

So my vote is to engage them outside and while we go down into the basement through the vents.

It will be...tinted glass so can't see occupants...yet!

Looks like about 30m if I've interpreted where you are...there are so many trees, not sure which one you're in. There's a scale bar on google maps you know! You tell me

The Lynx is the size of a small car so it's not going to fit in the lift...if you can find a goods lift perhaps...or some other way in. One rotadrone per lift ride to be safe or you'll be bouncing off the walls...

@LG sorry for my delayed silence. Post forthcoming tomorrow, fighting a brutal migrane.

@Aria, does our HVAC cover give us free access through the above ground portion of the facility? Namely say the doctors lounge/locker room, or is there a lock that will have to be picked or cracked?

I posted my IC before checking the OOC, so you'll see I want to head in now - to at least get rid of the rude intruders.

I think we should be able to control the outside frek if we move quickly and then either move in or back out depending on what the inside group needs.

Feels a little bit hasty, but I'm cool with taking the interlopers out... But this does expose the outside team, and the firefight will put a pretty harsh timer.

@LG

Compiling (5) + Resonance (6) +2 from Hot-sim = 13d6
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4435301/
13d6.hits(5) → [3,3,1,5,1,4,4,3,4,2,4,4,3] = (1)

Ouch. Looks like LeFey's luck with sprites carried over from 4th edition. I'm going to use a point of Edge to reroll that.

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4435303/
12d6.hits(5) → [3,1,6,5,2,6,1,6,6,1,3,4] = (5)
Much better. 6 hits to Compile a Force 5 Fault Sprite (Sylph).

@LG: I realize its a risky choice, but given our limited options and short time to respond, its the route that seemed most advantageous for us. I think its safe to assume that these guys are going after the basement. And it may be harder for us to stop them once they are inside...

UNLESS the outside team can sneak into the building ahead of them and set up an ambush. If the facility Security can tie them up outside for a short time, it should give Al, Nikki, and Overdrive the opportunity to get ahead of them and hammer them hard as they try to get down into the basement.

If extra firepower is needed, Lany can help in that regards. But remember though if Lany goes outside, the inside team is largely defenseless, unless mister_joshua inserts a character on the inside who can do well in a fight.

Assume free access. The system will no doubt be logging where you go but otherwise you're free (for now!). This place is basically an open prison so if the intruders trigger any alarms this place is going to lock down fast (or should do unless they've got a hacker on the case...). No alarms in the couple of seconds since the initial gun shots outside... fishy? I'll let you decide

@LG: According to our research on the facility, how many Security personnel SHOULD be on duty right now? And do we know if they have the firepower to hold off a well-armed frontal assault, (like does the security have anything besides sidearms at their disposal.)

For a building/facility this size I would assume ten dedicated sec guards plus a spider, maybe an on-call mage. Bear in mind that all the staff will be trained in restraint techniques and have access to tasers, stun batons etc. So the fact that there appear to be 20 guards per watch accounts for the below ground stuff. You've already seen there are plenty of automated drones on site. Whilst monkeying in the ceiling voids you will almost certainly find a nurostun distribution system for if things get 'out of hand'...

But no, no heavy weaponry here. They have a contract with KE for riot suppression / SWAT services.

Picking the lock on the doctor's locker...
10d6.hits(5) → [5,1,2,4,6,3,5,2,1,1] = (3)
9d6.hits(5) → [3,5,4,3,4,5,1,2,3] = (1)
8d6.hits(5) → [2,5,5,6,6,4,5,1] = (4)
7d6.hits(5) → [3,4,3,3,3,1,5] = (0)
6d6.hits(5) → [1,6,4,4,5,6] = (2)
Extended, threshold 12, quick

Hmmm.

The thing about me is, i am as stupid about computers as you can possibly be and still use this site.
Afraid I have spent a determined couple of hours trying to find a way to show a scale on the map, but have so far failed at what I am sure a seven-year-old would do in a heartbeat.

But I'll take the 30m! (short range!)

@LG That reminds me. I'm also making another Matrix Perception test to make sure no other unwelcome icons are in the host. Also, files aside, is there anything in the facility directly controlled by the host? Lights, door locks, stuff like that?

Computer (5) + Intuition (5) +2 (Hot-sim) = 12d6

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4436603/

12d6.hits(5) → [4,6,2,5,4,6,4,6,6,3,5,2] = (6)

Apologies for not creating an LG character yet. Doesn't look like I'll get time today either

As I haven't started yet though, what kind of character does the team need? And which team should I be looking at (internal or external) as needing an extra pair of hands?

You've seen the host's spider bouncing about, he's not paying attention to you at the moment. Patrol IC is probably active. Assume all normal functions are controlled by the host, it's what it's for!