IP 3
Snap 1

Any actions by Snap?

On the previous pass, she did an observe in detail (auditive + visual?) in particular looking for threats

Did she spot anything worth mentioning? Does she have LOS on any opponents?

@Chrome,

Currently no threats in sight - the only threat that was within LOS was the drone, and you would not have been able to see that through the smoke.

We can move to the next turn.

Snap
4d6+11=23
Sisco
2d6+11=15 -1 =14
Doberman
4d6+6=17
Jack
2d6+7=13
Mel
1d6+9=14

Snap 23
Doberman 17
Sisco 14
Mel 14
Jack 13

As an FYI - looking at relative speeds, you will be able to get Huiquing (and any other members of the team that wish to) into Mr. T before the goons heading north turn the corner. However, they will get there before Hung Lao and his group reach the northern door.

The team and Huiqing can all be inside Mr. T on their first action. The goons will reach the northern corner next turn. Hung Lao and his group won't reach the door for two turns.

Actions?

Once Jack is sure Huiquing is within the relative safety of Mr T, he will set up at the southeast corner of the van, preferably with the backdoor open to provide some cover (alternately, in the van with the sliding door partially open if Mr T has one of those) and point his weapon down the north wall of the building to the east. I can't remember if I have regular ammunition loaded in the SMG, but if not, I'll swap magazines.

Whenever he sees a bad guy round the corner, he'll go all Cyril Figus on them. The goal is to keep them pinned down while Hung Lao's people get to the safety of the van. I think I can maintain it completely for one CT, but will have to change magazines before I can do it again in the next CT. I need to go check the book.

ETA: Actually, I guess the Dobie could also do that if it is in the van. Wouldn't have to stop either, assuming it's full of ammo. Jack will text Sisco to ask. If the drone can handle the suppression, Jack will snipe anyone else who shows their head on the north side of the building. He would also text Mel and Snap about covering Hung Lao's people inside the warehouse. If we still have the smoke grenades, we should probably use one or two relatively close to the van, but inside the warehouse.

Assuming that she gets that text, Mel will find some cover (probably outside the plant doors) and cover Hung Lao and his people until they get to safety. She will ready a flash-bang to use to cover the escape as well.

While walking towards the vehicle, Snap will create a second illusion to try to delay the other group of enemies coming towards them from outside.

She'll try to create a large explosion as though from an especially devastating grenade or missile blast, leaving as deep and wide a hole as the spell will allow while keeping the whole thing realistic enough, right next to the corner of the building. The hope is that to engage us while avoiding the hole, they have to be further away and in the open, missing the cover that the building corner could provide. Not to mention they might be afraid of more grenades coming their way. Any delay will help us.

In game terms this will be a F3 Phantasm spell and she'll get a penalty to sustain it until she chooses to drop one of the two illusions. She'll again use 5 reagents to increase the limit. 14 dice to cast, 13 to soak drain.

Just after casting, if successful, she uses a free action to tell the team about it:

<<@Team [Snap] Fake explosion, don't worry.>>

I think the sustaining penalty applies to the casting of the second illusion as well.

I don't think there's a sustaining penalty until you are actually sustaining, just like you don't have an automatic penalty for casting a sustain spell when you don't have the Focused Concentration quality.

I forgot you had Focused Concentration. Normally, since you're sustaining the other Phantasm spell, you would be suffering the -2. But yeah, at this point, she'll be taking that -2 to just about everything with both spells up.

Snap 23 - Free Action send message Cast Phantasm
Doberman 17 No action, moving to the car.
Sisco 14 - get in Mr. T. command Drone to move to a covered position and suppress the corner of the building
Mel 14 - Simple Action Take Cover, Simple Action ready Flash Bang
Jack 13 Free Action send message, simple action Take Cover, simple action Change fire mode to full auto.

I want to say that I really like how the combat is going. You had a plan all set, the sealed doors will cut off half the attackers, the Fly Spy gives you better tactical awareness than the bad guys, and everyone is pulling their weight.

I especially like the use of Phantasm, it is a cool change from many games where spellcasting is simply flinging fireballs

In sequence, Jack can take a Free action at any point during the IP, as long as he isn't surprised, which he obviously isnt'. So he can send the message to Sisco at Initiative 23, and Sisco can act on it at 14. Then Jack will perform his Action Phase at Initiative 13. (you still have a simple action if you want to do something.).

Jack will end this IP behind the van, using it as cover, ready to fire. Sisco will get into Mr. T and into the driver seat. Mel, you want to take cover - you can, you have several options, just tell me which one:

1) Behind the van, next to Jack on the other side. If the Van is facing East, Jack is on the southwest corner, in a position to cover the door leading out of the northern side of the building and the northeast corner where the goons are coming. You would be on the northwest corner, unable to cover the northern door, but still able to cover the northeast corner of the building.

2) Inside warehouse, behind some crates. This would put you out of line of sight of the northeast corner (you are in the building after all), but would allow you to cover against the possibility of the two goons currently with the SUV's outside the eastern door coming in. You would also have cover against any attacks directed at you from the eastern doorway.

3) Inside the doorway - currently Sisco occupies this position, but he is leaving. This has the usefulness of being able to cover both the northeast corner and the eastern door, and give you cover, but only from one or the other. I.e. if you are using the doorway as cover against the eastern door, you are going to be exposed to any goons coming around the northeast corner. If you switch to the other side, you are covered against the corner, but exposed to the eastern door.

Your choice (or if you had a different idea, let me know).

Snap - where do you want to end up? The only stipulation is that you have to actually exit the building so you have LOS to the corner where you are casting the spell?

The only roll that is necessary right now is the spellcasting, lets do that now:

Spellcasting
14d6.hits(5)=4

Resist 2DV Drain
13d6.hits(5)=4

So - everyone outside will need 4 hits to not hear the explosion, and Snap takes no drain.

Once I hear where:

1) Mel is going
2) Snap is going
3) Jack's second simple action (if any) is, I'll put up the IC post.

My first action was taking cover, right?

I'll mentally turn my low-light flashlight on or change my firing mode to Full-Auto.

ETA: Also, I was thinking the van was backed up to the door, rather than perpendicular to it. I figured Jack was only really in a position to cover the exterior of the building. So if you want to move him to the northwest corner of the van, feel free. With the changed orientation, it doesn't seem like the drone could attack unless it is outside of the van. Too expensive to leave, so I'll assume I'm covering suppression fire detail.

Agreed on Phantasm, it's being really effective here. Good job, Chrome.

Ok - put your second action, yes, take cover was your first action.

I pictured the van as parallel to the building - I've uploaded a picture to the dropbox called "Jack and the Van" in the Adventure 2 folder. Does that make more sense?

I used the wrong term. I meant parallel. I had imagined that the back doors of the van were basically backed up to the door of the warehouse. It doesn't really matter. From your description, I know what you were saying.

Ok - just as an aside, you still have time to have Sisco re-position the van however you want it before the bad guys turn the corner.

I think it's okay. I guess if things go really bad, we can pull the drone back out. I'm hoping I can pull off suppressing that end of the building well enough.

Mel will go on the other side of the van, and move to Mr. T's driver side, ready to deploy the flash-bang at that corner.

Snap will get out of the building and stand very close to the door she'd use to reach her own seat.

Btw I also enjoy trying out illusions as a combat tactic (but also in non combat situations) in this game. Snap's got good ones in invis, mass confusion and phantasm! It's her specialty after all

It would have been nice if they had kept aspected magician by spell type: for example Health Magician who can only summon Health Spirits and cast Health spells but can't summon any othe spirits or cast any other type of spells.

Welcome back PG

Snap 13
Doberman 7 Lay down suppressing fire
Sisco 4
Mel 4
Jack 3

As indicated in the IC post, Mel, Amber, Hung Lao, and the two bodyguards near them made their resistance test against Snap's spell. (Mel cause she rolled pretty well, the others because of Amber's counterspelling).

Everybody else went prone.

If you just want to hold actions at this point, that's fine, I can push it to the next IP.

Yeah, Jack's pretty much just waiting to snipe some people if they try to get through the Dobie's suppressing fire.

Sisco will order the Doberman to return to Mr T.

Snap will wait for Mel to be there before actually getting into the car. The spirit power should help Mel as well.

For now she won't do much other than talk and wait, unless she sees anyone not on her side coming towards them. So Delay action every round until she sees an enemy. If nothing else happens, observe in detail on the feed from the drones, to track what's going on, and on her physical surroundings.

Ok - so I'm going to put up another IC post up, advancing the pace one combat turn.

ETA - the IC post is up, the group on the southern side of the building is many Combat Turns away, so they are no immediate threat, although the decision has to be made about two things:

1) What to do about the two Hung Lao bodyguards in the building. Leave them there? Wait for them to get outside and into the van?
2) Once everyone is in the van who is going to be, which direction to head out? Turn around and head down the western side of the building (and toward the three men who are coming around that direction) or go forward and go around the eastern side, past the three men currently being surpressed and the parked SUVs

1) It's partially Hung Lao/Amber's call, but ultimately ours. If Hung Lao says to leave without them, we leave. If Hung Lao wants us to stay, our primary concern is Hui Quing. If we feel it is going to endanger our client an intolerable amount, we're moving out.

2) Which way is the exit? I'm thinking back toward the SUVs. Maybe we can shoot out the tires of whoever is gunning for us.

1) Ok - we'll see in IC what Hung Lao/Amber want to do .

2) The exit is due south of you, with the building in between you and it. Swinging east around the building toward the SUVs is probably closer by maybe a hundred meters or so at most.

Mel is going to activate the wireless on the flash-bang. She's prepared to set it at the corner that is away from the whichever way the van leaves (so if we leave going east, she'll drop it at the west corner and keep an eye on the eye-spy feed on when to activate it).

From that last IC post, it looks like the bodyguards are in, is that correct?

I think those are the other two bodyguards. All four were inside, but two were by the front door when it blew and have been covering our escape. FOr Hung Lao's group, I believe he, Amber, and two bodyguards are in Mr. T, while two others are holding off the attackers coming in through the front.

Jack is exactly correct with this.

When Snap sees Amber jump into the car, she makes sure to extend her counterspelling to Jack, Sisco and Huiqing.

Otherwise, she's just waiting for one of the others to reach the corner before blasting away in the hope of scaring them off a bit. She's also trying to take cover behind the van, in case they shoot at her.

No man left behind unless their boss says forget about them, then who the frag cares what the drek happens to them. Just saying.

Initiative for this turn:

Snap 4d6+11=25
Sisco 2d6+11=23 - 1 is 22
Doberman 4d6+6=23
Jack 2d6+7=17
Mel 1d6+9=14

Snap 25
Doberman 23
Sisco 22
Jack 17
Mel 14

As a free action at the start of the turn, Amber will yell "Get us out of here" - you can declare your actions based on that.

Jack will move to put the Dobie in the back of the van. He'll wait to get in the van until everyone else is inside.

Mel is going to assume the van is leaving toward the east, so she will come around the back of the van (so, the west side) and drop the flash-bang near the corner of the building. She'll be prepared to activate it wirelessly.

She'll then climb into the van.

Will get into driver's seat and go into Cold Sim

Snap delays action until Mel's turn and gets into the van at the same time. As a free action, she drops the illusion that's inside the building.

Snap 25 Drop Illusion, get in van
Doberman 23 Await Instructions
Sisco 22 Go into Cold Sim
Jack 17 - put Doberman in van, get in van
Mel 14 - Drop Flash Bang get in van

Sisco's Initiative changes from 2d6+11 to 3d6+9.
1d6=4
So his new Initiative is 24.

Snap 15
Sisco 14
Doberman 13
Jack 7
Mel 4

IC post up soon

If everone is in the van I guess I take off towards the exit gate.

Extend counterspelling to all her allies, including Huiqing. Turn on astral perception.

Jack will ready an action to aim and shoot at any of the attackers on the north side of the building as they pass them, if they appear hostile. He will also send a message to Mel to ask her to tell everyone from Hung Lao's group to turn all of their devices off, then scan for hidden icons. These guys tracked us or them down here, and I'm hoping it's them.

Hope everyone had a great weekend - bad weekend for most of us football-wise, as New Orleans (Jack), Miami (PG), and the Giants (me) all lost. Mel, as a Patriots fan, on the other hand I'm sure is feeling smug.

(Chrome, not sure which team is yours, or if you even follow football)

Snap 15 Free Action - Extend Counterspelling, Simple Action - switch to Astral Perception
Sisco 14 Complex Action - Drive
Doberman 13 - Await Instructions
Jack 7 - Free Action - send message to Mel, Fire
Mel 4

You are allowed to set the speed of a vehicle at the beginning of turn - Mr. T has a Speed of 3, and an acceleration of 1 (Since you are not jumped into the vehicle as yet). So you can accelerate to 20m/turn.

Jack - you will have LOS to the bad guys, who, although they are taking cover, do seem like they will be firing on the van when they get a chance - what type of shot will you take?

Do you remember what firing mode I am on? I kept considering changing it back and forth between FA and BF when I wasn't sure if the Dobie was going to be able to suppress. Hell, if I'm on FA, I might just suppress out the side of the van. I think I can do that... If I'm on BF, I'll Take Aim and fire a three-round Simple Action burst at the ugliest one given the penalties for firing a weapon out of a moving vehicle. I need all the dice I can get.

ETA: I'm resigned to the Saints just sucking this year. But my Tigers tore it up Saturday and I got to go that game in person. Leonard Fournette is a freight train.

I'm grateful to LSU for producing OBJ - he is one of the few bright spots on my team. I was at the game on Sunday and watching his 67 yard TD was great. The rest of the game, especially the 4th quarter - not so much.

You switched firing mode to FA - so you are suppressing them? (just double checking)

Mel? Your action?

Yeah, I'll suppress.

LSU has produced a lot of good players over the last decade. OBJ is among the top (Oddly, we can't produce QBs to save our life). Hell, Tyrann Mathieu was killing the Saints last weekend. He's come around pretty well.

I don't follow football closely, though I often enjoy watching random games on TV. I had fun yesterday watching the raiders beat the ravens in a really close matchup until the very end. During the playoffs, I typically want Green Bay to win and I tend to dislike Dome teams. Being Canadian, my number one sport is of course hockey even though I now live in the US.

Snap seems to have one more action, she'll roll down her window if that's something she can do manually, electrically or electronically.

I don't think, even as a Patriots fan, I've ever been smug. I'm fortunate to follow a great team.

That being said, WOOO!

Once Mel gets the message, she'll tell the others to turn off their devices, and then scan for hidden icons.

IC post up:

Snap 5
Sisco 4

Chrome I picture the Renault like a panel van - so the only windows are for the driver and the passenger. There are two windows out the back as well, but none for you to roll down. Its one of the downsides of a van, but on the bright side, if you were in a car, you couldn't fit the 9 people you currently have in the vehicle

If no further actions by either of you, let me know, and I'll jump to the next CT.

PG - you can switch to Hot Sim and then Jump into Mr. T if that is what you would like.

Oh yeah, my bad about the van, it's pretty obvious

Could Snap try to position herself at the back of the van, so that she can see out the window, and open the door to sling a spell later, if need be? And Snap will turn off her commlink to follow Mel's command.

Absolutely - you can get to the back of the van (you may have to clamber around one or two people, but that won't be a problem) - and be able to cast a spell out the back of the van as you pass them.