Ok - we are currently here:

Amy 20 - Command Earth Spirit, Assense Huiquing
Jack 8 - Free Action send message, AP swap regular ammo with Gel
Sisco 8 - Simple Action Take Aim, Simple Action, Full Auto Burst
Spirit of Earth 5 - Conceal Party

Mel 2 -
Spirit of Man 2 - waiting on Amy's command

Just waiting on Mel.

Just a quick bump - still waiting on Mel's action. If he is unable to post by the end of today, then I'll have her do something just to keep the action flowing.

(Sorry guys...my home comp's power supply konked out...my connectivity is severely limited)

Mel will attempt to locate the bodyguard's commlink and brick it.

Ok so Mel's Matrix Perception:
Comp 6 + Int 5 + 2 from Codeslinger, Signal Scrub cancels noise penalty= 13 dice: 7 hits
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4769005/

ETA - Actually, the noise rating is not cancelled. You are on the Public Grid, -2, he is on a different grid -2 more, and you are over 100 meters, that is another -1. Your Signal Scrub takes away 2 of those penalties, and looking at your Gear in post 263, none of them are marked (W) indicating you are running them wireless. (I only say this because a Wireless running Datajack gives a 1 point Noise penalty reduction.) I am totally willing to give you the benefit of the doubt that you didn't realize that, so I'm going to assume you would have had that at least running wireles. This makes your noise penalty a total of 2. I know you don't have a lot of access, just when you have time, update that post to indicate what you have running wireless.

In addition, you are running silent, which is another -2 penalty.

Fortunately, those -4 dice only eliminate 1 hit from your roll (since I eliminate dice from right to left.) - leaving you with 6 hits.

You spot the commlink icon (Hao Fe did not have it running silent) and you can ask 6 questions about it. Those questions are:


• The number of boxes of Matrix damage on the target’s Condition Monitor.
• The programs being run by a persona.
• The target’s device rating.
• The target’s commode.
• The rating of one of the target’s Matrix attributes.
• The grid a persona, device, or host is using.
• The last Matrix action an icon performed, and when.
• The marks on an icon

I'm not sure you care about any of those, since your next action will be to Data Spike it, but you have the option of asking 5 of those questions (the first hit spots the icon, any additional give you one question each).

Making that Matrix Perception test is a Complex Action. You still have a Free Action you can take to swap programs or swap attributes in order to make your Data Spike more powerful. (and you will have another Free Action you can take next Combat Turn as well.

Let me know what you want to do.

IP 3
Snap 10

Chrome - your action in IP 3?

IC Post up shortly for IP 2

Snap uses her pass to find the best cover she can get/hide somehow. She doesn't have many dice, but I can't imagine that she'd not be doing this. With the spirit's help, it might just work.

She also sends another message to the team: <<@Team [Snap] Jack, I can try an attack on Hao Fe, even from this distance, should I?>>

Ok - so Amy rolls 3 dice for here stealth test ( Ag 3+ Sneaking 1, -1 for wounds) - no hits, but at least not a critical glitch)
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4769079/

I'll update the previous IC post with that in a bit, for now, we have the next Combat Turns initiative.

Snap 26 (including -1 for wounds)
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4769084/
Jack 11
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4769085/
Sisco 15
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4769086/
Mel 14
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4769087/
Bound Spirit of Man - 20
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4769088/
Spirit of Earth - 13
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4769089/

IP 1, CT 2
Snap 26
Bound Spirit of Man 20 - Await Snap's instructions
Sisco 15
Mel 14 Free Action ? Data Spike Hao Fe's commlink.
Spirit of Earth 13 - Use Conceal Power
Jack 11

Actions?

Sorry folks, I was sick yesterday and am not feeling all that much better today. I am at work though, but trying to catch up on yesterday. I am probably not going to have a lot to ask today. He will respond to Amy in the affirmative, we might as well go balls to the walls now, I think.

Sorry to hear you are sick - I actually called in sick yesterday, as I felt like my head was going to explode

Hope you feel better.

I want the device's commcode (NOT commode, as you listed). That's it.

I'll take the free action to change my ASDF to 6,5,3,5.

Also, I did mention at the bottom of my gear post that the only thing that Mel was running wireless is the Urban Jumpsuit, so I can definitely take that noise penalty now.

When she can, Mel will activate Wireless on the datajack, and slave it to her deck...it's a free action, correct?

I'm sorry - you only have the option of obtaining its commode, not commcode. It is an old fashioned one, made of porcelain, with a bright floral pattern

Commcode number is 887-9274-072

Sorry, I somehow missed the note about the wireless listing - even with losing 1 more die, it still doesn't affect the roll.

As far as your ASDF changing, you can Swap two digits as free action, not more than that.
Right now you have 3,6,5,5
So you could go to 6,3,5,5

Changing a device from Wireless Off to Wireless On is a Simple Action (Change Device Mode, page 164) - so since Data Spike is a Complex Action, you would not be able to do that and Data Spike when you go at 14, you would have to turn it on at 14 and then Data Spike at 4. Or you could just keep the -1 die penalty and Data Spike it at 14 and then again at 4.

Okay, then let's swap A with D...making it 5,6,3,5

Let's stay wireless off then, and Data Spike on both IPs.

my shot was my second IP...correct.

Right - so what did you want to do on IP 1 of CT 2?

IP 1, CT 2
Snap 26
Bound Spirit of Man 20 - Await Snap's instructions
Sisco 15
Mel 14 Free Action Swap Attack and Data Processing, Data Spike Hao Fe's commlink.
Spirit of Earth 13 - Use Conceal Power
Jack 11

How far is the bodyguard approximately?

About 125 meters.

As a simple action, Take Aim, Magnification-making extreme range down to Long plus +2 Dice pool from Smartgun.
As a simple action shoot Bodyguard.
FA 5(Firearms)+8(AGI)+2(Smartgun)-3(Long Range)-1(Recoil)=11+-any other modifiers
ACC 6 Stick-n-Shock Ammo DV 6(e) -5AP
Bodyguard -5Def

IP 1, CT 2
Snap 26
Bound Spirit of Man 20 - Await Snap's instructions
Sisco 15 - Take Aim, 6 round Full Auto at Hao Fe
Mel 14 Free Action Swap Attack and Data Processing, Data Spike Hao Fe's commlink.
Spirit of Earth 13 - Use Conceal Power
Jack 11 - Send message to Snap

Ok - so should I assume that Snap will simply delay her Action Phase until after Jack says Yes, and then attack Hao Fe with a Spell?

If so, what spell, Force, Reagents, etc.

Since everything else goes down before me, I'm going to delay my AP to take a shot at Huiquing if he pops up. At that point, I'll use a simple action to turn my smartgun's Wireless On (Silent) and take a Simple Action BF shot at him. My improved rangefinder reduces the range penalty by one step with no action required.

Snap will delay her turn until she hears back from Jack, in case that blasting at Hao Fe is the right move.

IP 1, CT 2
Snap 26 - Delay
Bound Spirit of Man 20 - Await Snap's instructions
Sisco 15 - Take Aim, 6 round Full Auto at Hao Fe
Mel 14 Free Action Swap Attack and Data Processing, Data Spike Hao Fe's commlink.
Spirit of Earth 13 - Use Conceal Power
Jack 11 - Send message to Snap

Sisco shoots Hao Fe - 3 hits
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4769639/

Hao Fe Dodges
Int + Reaction -5 dice - 5 hits
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4769642/

ETA - sorry, I screwed up here, I had his Reaction+Int as 13 instead of 11. He should only have rolled 6 dice, not 8. Unfortunately, as it turns out, he still got 5 hits on 6 dice

Do you use Edge?

Mel using Data Spike:

Thinking about this,
Logic 6 + Cybercombat 3, -3 for Noise (including 2 negated by Signal Scrub), -2 for running silent - yields only 4 dice.

I think you are better served leaving your ASDF as it is for now, and stopping Running Silent, as that will increase your dice pool to 6, making it more likely that you will damage him. Next IP you could turn your Datjack on, which will give you another die.

Let me know how you want to go.

I'd have to get 3 hits on 8 dice...odds say no.....
I guess I'll wait to the next initiative pass to see if I get lucky
Besides, I still have 4 FA and a partial left in this clip

Let's do that...leave ASDF, stop Running Silent. Simple action on next IP, turn on Wireless for the Jack.

Ok- so, Mel attempts to Data Spike his commlink - 1 hit
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4770129/

It resists - 3 hits
Int + Firewall - http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4770130/

Since it beat yours by 2, you take 2 points of Matrix Damage (this doesn't actually affect anything you do, except you will need to spend a couple minutes repairing it at some point, and you are closer to having your deck bricked).

Hao Fe spends a simple action to find out where the fire is coming from, and then another simple action to send a short burst at Sisco
Automatics 5 + Agility 5 + SM link 2 - Extreme Range 6 = 6 dice, yielding 3 hits
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4770133/

Sisco Dodges
Int+React=11 dice - yielding 5 hits.

ETA, sorry, you lose 2 dice for the short burst, which negates 2 of your hits. However, since it is a tie, you just suffer a glancing blow, and suffer no damage.

IC post up shortly.

Last IP
As free action: <<@Team[Sisco] Shoot the guard!>>
As a simple action, Take Aim, Magnification-making extreme range down to Long plus +2 Dice pool from Smartgun.
As a simple action shoot Bodyguard.
FA 5(Firearms)+8(AGI)+2(Smartgun)-3(Long Range)-1(Recoil)=11+-any other modifiers
ACC 6 Stick-n-Shock Ammo DV 6(e) -5AP
Bodyguard -5Def

With the sound of drones incoming, Jack is going to eject his GEL mag, load back a REG mag, and send the team a message.

<<@Team [JustJack] Drones incoming from the north, probably that shed. I've got that area covered. Take down Hao Fe, Huiquing is crawling. Mel, see if the Fly-Spy can acquire and follow him>>

IP 1, CT 2

Jack 11 - Send message to Snap
Snap 11

Ok, we are now here:

Jack any action besides sending a message to Snap to attack Hao Fe?

Snap, your action?

Also, Mel - I've thought about this. Before, you were concerned about not alerting GOD. Now that you've done an attack action, that has now started. Instead of Data Spiking him again, you take a Complex Action to Hack on the Fly and get a Mark on the Local Grid (which is what Hao Fe is using), and then a Simple Action to enter it, you can then start attacking him and you lose the -2 dice penalty for being on the public grid, and the -2 for being on a different grid, meaning that your Signal Scrub will be able to handle the 1 point of noise, and your dice pool goes up by 3.

The downside is that it you won't be able to attack him for another two actions, the positive side is that all your dice pools go up by 3.

This may have gotten lost in the shuffle:


If that never happens, I guess I delay until initiative count 1 of IP3, at which point I'll turn my Smartgun system to wireless ON (Simple), eject my GEL magazine (Free), and load a REG magazine (Simple) in preparation for the incoming drones.

In that case, I think I have to wait to send the message I just posted to the team until CT2/IP1

Ok - so I can tell you that Huiquing doesn't pop up. He continues to crawl feebly deeper into the grove of trees he's in. Did you mean you would shoot him if he literally stood up, or rather if you saw that Sisco's burst hadn't knocked him out?

Either way is fine, you can shoot him again as he is crawling, although he will get cover, or you can simply turn on the wireless and swap mags.

Just let me know.

Also, I need to know Snap's action, and then we can move on to the next IP.

If he's crawling, I'm not so worried. I'll see if Mel can get the FlySpy to track him while we do the work or possibly send the microskimmer after him. If I can turn my Wireless ON and swap mags with my actions in IP2, I'll take it.

Ok - once I get Snap's action, I'll post your two actions and move on to the next IP.

ETA - I'm only putting the reminder about Snap's action because we had a lot of OOC posts, and I don't want it to get lost)

Given her personality, Snap wouldn't have hesitated and made an attack of her own as soon as Hao Fe fired at us, not waiting for Jack any longer. I don't mind that it plays out in this order though.

F5 Clout at Hao Fe. 12 dice pool -1 woud +- other modifiers, 2S drain on 13 dice.

It isn't a problem one way or the other - I will insert her attack on Hao Fe immediately after he fired at you guys.

As for the spell:
11 dice - 4 hits
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4770737/

ETA - you should have actually suffered a -1 penalty due to delaying an action, however, since the last die was a miss, this does not affect the outcome.

Hao Fe Attempts to Dodge, 11 dice - 7 hits
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4770747/


Resist 2DV Drain
13 dice - 3 hits, no drain
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4770739/

So now for next IP we have:

IP 2, CT 2
Snap 16
Bound Spirit of Man 10 - Await Snap's instructions
Sisco 5 - Send Message, Take Aim, 6 round Full Auto at Hao Fe
Mel 4
Spirit of Earth 3 - Await Snap's instructions
Jack 1 -

Boring, I know, but Snap will simply fire again. At the very least, this will continue to remove dice from Hao Fe's dodge pool.

You had Hao use 11 dice on rea+int test on my shot and then again for Snap's clout spell.... each additional defense in a combat turn should receive a -1 dice pool modifier if I'm reading it correctly.

You are almost reading it correctly. You lose 1 die if you have defended against at least one other attack since his last Action Phase, apply a –1 cumulative modifier for each additional defense roll.

So, Sisco acted, and fired at Hao Fe. Then Hao Fe went, resetting that timer so to speak. Next Snap went, and attacked him.

So Sisco's attack was not "since his last Action Phase", and so the -1 modifier does not apply.

However, Snap now gets to attack again, and since Hao Fe has not gone again, he will suffer a -1 modifier to his defense because this is the 2nd attack since his last Action Phase.

Speaking of Snap's attack:
12 dice normally, -1 for wounds - 6 hits nice! (however, this is reduced to 5 since it is a Force 5 spell)
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4771160/

He attempts to dodge with 10 dice now - 4 hits
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4771162/

So, he takes 6DV Stun, -5 AP

Body+Armor-5=13dice =5 hits
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4771164/

So he takes 1 point of Stun.

Now Sisco shoots at him - 6 hits
FA 5(Firearms)+8(AGI)+2(Smartgun)-3(Long Range)-1(Recoil)=11
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4771165/

He now tries to dodge, 11 dice normally, -2 for additional attacks, -5 for long burst - 2 hits
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4771166/

He now resists 10DV Stun, -5 AP - getting 4 hits
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4771167/

So he suffers 6 points of Stun, plus a -5 reduction in Initiative, and a -1 die penalty to all his actions.

This does not exceed his physical limit, so he is not knocked down.

We still have this to go:
Mel 4 ??
Spirit of Earth 3 - Await Snap's instructions
Jack 1 - ??

For Mel's next pass, we'll do the Hack on the Fly on the local grid, then enter the grid.

Free Action, turn on Datajack, Complex Action Hack on the Fly
Ok- Hack on the Fly
Logic + Sleaze = 12 dice, Noise for being on the Public Grid-2, Signal Scrub cancels that out, - 2 hits
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4772168/

Fortunately the Local grid only rolls 4 dice - 0 hits
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4772172/

You've turned your Datajack on, so you now have 3 points of Noise Reduction.

Your next pass it is a Complex Action to Grid Hop.

Once we get Jack's Action for this IP, we can move on to CT 2, IP3 (in which only Snap is acting).

What are my options for sending the Microskimmer after Huiquing? I don't want to lose track of him, but also don't want to leave our position. I'm not sure I can trust the dog-brain, so I may need to use Control Device. I do have Pilot Groundcraft as a skillsoft, so I could load that and have a few dice. With that said, what would be used for Perception to track him down?

Basically want to try to determine if that route would be worth it or not...

I believe since you physically see Huiquing, you can use your commlink to mark him with an ARO and command the dogbrain to stay with x meters of that target... since it's already marked for it, it shouldn't need a tracking test unless he moves fast enough to get out of the drones sensor ranges.

So, there are two parts to this:

1) Actually spotting Huiqing
2) Keeping near him.

Let's look at #1

You know where he is, so it would be easy to mark that spot he is in now, and then move the drone there and have the drone acquire him. To have the drone acquire him, you could either:

1) Use Send Message Action - this will rely on the dog brain of the drone, which would roll Pilot+Clearsight.

Back in post 664 I had determined that each drone had Clearsight and Stealth running, that would mean that the drone would roll 5 dice if necessary.

2) Use Control Device - since you would be using the drone to do this, it would be Perception + Intuition with the Sensor rating of the drone as a limit. (which for you would be 7 dice)

Now on to #2

If he moves, then for the drone to follow him:

1) Using Send Message it would be rolling Pilot+ Maneuvering - but since it doesn't have that Autosoft loaded, it would just roll Pilot.

2) Using Control Device, you could load your Pilot Groundcraft and roll that + Reaction - which would be 1 for your skill and 4 from your stat, so 5 more dice.

Those are the dicepools you are looking at, should some test need to be made.

With regards to what PG says, you can't really put an ARO on a person, I would think it is more something you put on a location - otherwise how does the ARO know to move when the person does? It isn't like a MARK on the person's Persona.

Does that make sense?

The ARO is just to mark the location he is at, if he moves, you would have to put a new ARO.
It just a mark to tell the dogbrain where to go to first.
And since it's marked it shouldn't need a test to get there...only a test to acquire the subject once it gets there.

That all makes sense. I agree about the ARO on the location thing as well, albeit I think a lot of people assume you can "tag" a person and have it follow, based on other games I've played in. Me, I always figured if you wanted an ARO to move with a target, you would need to literally tag them with an RFID. With that said, I think drones are generally smart enough to be able to identify something as a person, so if the drone gets close enough to Huiquing, it can probably follow him pretty easily.

So, I think I am going to create an ARO where Huiquing is (or at least at the last place I saw him). When the drone reaches the area, I'll Send Message to the drone to search for a person. Even though drones are pretty fast, I assume that's going to take a little time. If I have any actions left, I guess I'll pop off a Simple Action BF at Hao Fe just to keep him on his toes. This is all assuming that our overhead drone doesn't have Huiquing otherwise located, which would eliminate the current need of the Microskimmer to locate him.

He is in a group of trees, and the canopy is preventing spotting from the air.

Ok - setting the ARO would be a Free Action, and using the Send Message action would be a Simple Action. The Microskimmer has a speed of 3, which gives it a walking rate of 20 meters per CT, and a running rate of 40. So at best it will take 2 CTs for it to reach the spot where he is.

Your second Simple Action is to fire at Hao Fe.
Automatics 4 + Agility 5, smartlink is not Wireless enabled, so no bonus there, -6 for Extreme Range yields only 3 dice. You sure you want to do that (and risk a glitch or critical glitch)?

Unlike myself- I believe his gun has an improved rangefinder which drops the range one category.
The description doesn't say it needs wireless to function.

My smartgun is Wireless ON isn't it? I thought I turned it on earlier in the CT when I reloaded my regular ammo magazine. Remember that the only component that has to be Wireless ON (i.e. connected to the Matrix) to get the bonuses is the smartgun system in the gun. The smartlink vision enhancement doesn't have a Wireless bonus, so it doesn't have to be connected to the Matrix to function.

My apologies - I looked at your list of gear (which of course shows the wireless on your smartlink to be off) and not at your later post where you turned it on.

Plus the improved Rangefinder, so, let's try that again:

Automatics 4 + Agility 5 + 2 for smartlink, -3 for range=8 dice. Short Burst, I'm assuming, with is 3 points of recoil, negated by your strength.

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4772998/ - 5 hits Nice shooting Tex!

He attempts to Dodge.

Normally 11 dice, -3 since he already attempted to dodge Snap, Snap, and Sisco, - 2 for short burst, -1 for the effects of Sisco's Stick and Shock ammo = 5 dice
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4772998/

ETA, sorry about that, add in on top of that -2 dice for wounds, meaning he only gets 1 hit.

Your base damage is 7 with no AP, up to 11DV for extra hits.

He resists - getting 8 hits
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4773001/

So he takes another 3 points of physical damage

ETA - as per Jack's post below, this should be Stun, not physical, and combined with Sisco and Snap's damage, drops him.

IP 3, CT 2
Snap 6

So Snap's turn and then we are on to CT 3.

Just checking, did I do Physical or Stun to him? I know it says Physical, I guess I'm just surprised he doesn't have at least 12 Armor.

It has not been a good couple of posts for me - I am so sorry.

Flashed back to 3e where damage was not based on amount of armor.

You do 3 points of Stun damage, which puts him down.

I want to reiterate that I appreciate you guys checking my stuff - its easy to lose track of stuff

Ok, that probably significantly changes Snap's action

I'll through an IC post up shortly for CT 2, IP 2, and we await Snap's IP 3 action.

Not to add to the corrections, but I don't have trodes. I'd be using my datajack DNI to use my commlink. Don't sweat it though, it's a lot to keep track of.

Lol - no problem - you HAD trodes in your helmet, but got an upgrade at the end of last run. I'll fix that too

BTW - just to keep all the ammo nice and neat, so far I have 12 rounds of S&S for Sisco and 3 rounds of Regular for Jack