[H2Os]

Hello,

I'm new to Shadowrun. I'm am learning 5e and my goal is to teach my friends then run them through the shadows. Is there an (I don't know what shadowrun calls them) module/adventure that is recommended for beginners?

Also I come from Pathfinder, where paper and minis are usually a given. I've seen people mention that while the game is built around not using minis and paper, it can be used.  Do people use Hex or square maps?would you use each block as 5m?

Thank you for your time,

H2Os

[Lighthouse]

I would start with fast food fight: http://cdn.shadowruntabletop.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/E-CAT27QSR_SR5-Quick-Start-Rules.pdf
Some GM's use figs and hex maps, 5m sounds about right,

[The Wyrm Ouroboros]

One of the ancient standbys, the original 'Food Fight' out of first edition, is a good one to use to get used to how the game is played; I believe there's a 5e version, though I haven't ever played it myself, either as GM or player, so I can't give you a blanket suggestion offhand.  You might snag the first mission in the current timeline (Chicago) to run them through; I don't believe it's too terribly insane.  One that would IMO be best would be the 'Walk in the Park' from the first Missions set (and it's free), but you'd have to convert it, and since you're just learning, that's likely to be a bit more than you're ready for.

In regards to minis, I admit to coming from HERO system in that regards, which uses hex maps/facings, and therefore IMO handles both straight and angled movement pretty darn well.  Were I to play and use a map, I'd use the hex map and set each at a standard of 2m - most people are going to have roughly that amount of space for combat movement, and if they're crowding into one hex, they're likely either packed behind cover or else in grappling mode.  If you use 5m, you are very, very likely to wind up with everyone in the same hex - remember, 5m is over 16', 8' in every direction from the center - you can cram a lot of people in there.  2m is only 6.5', and the next hex over is roughly within arm's reach.

[Michael Chandra]

Most gunfights happen within 7m. Corridors tend to be only a few meters wide. So I'd really go with less than 5m unless you're going to be fighting in a large environment.

Whenever I got a map I tend to just have a drawing, officially sometimes but usually by hand, on paper and indicate positions on it. There's no grid, we just measure distances only when truly necessary, such as being on the edge of two weapon ranges or running into position. And often the map is just 'these lines are the buildings on both sides, there's a few obstacles here, have fun'. No need for a full battlemap for a simple shootout.

[H2Os]

Awesome, thanks for the replys.  I fooled around with Food Fight last week when my cousin and I were trying things out. Is the Chicago setting part of the living story? Thanks for the tips!

[Michael Chandra]

Chicago had a long history and is currently where Shadowrun Missions takes place. Convention Mission Packs take place all around the globe, but the main Missions storyline is currently season Chicago.

[Medicineman]

I would start with fast food fight: http://cdn.shadowruntabletop.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/E-CAT27QSR_SR5-Quick-Start-Rules.pdf
Some GM's use figs and hex maps, 5m sounds about right,

I'd advice an old Fast Food Szenario from 3rd or 4th Ed.
the new 5the Ed fast Food is just another Mission(one with crappy Payment imo !!), the old ones are kind of more Fun.
@H2O
in the Old Fast Food Fighhts, the Chars are by Chance in the same Stuffer Shack (because they're hungry) and
just in this Moment that Store gets   attacked and the Chars have to fend of the Attackers. (Basically its a Mini Fighting Szenario to get used to the combat Rules) and because the Chars have a Common Enemy, they're bound to work together.
In the 4the Ed Food Fight, some mobsters are chasing an Elf woman with her Baby  that seeks refuge in said store.
I made her the widow of a killed Fixer (who messed with the Mob) If the Chars save her, she'll become the Groups first Fixer herself (as she steps into her late Husbands shoes) as a Kind of Reward to the Players. She (the Elf) "grows" together with the Chars and can give them more valuable Runs after a while.
But because of her they also have an Enemy within the Mob (not the whole Mafia, just a Branch/Family)
lots of opportunities for RPG and for Runs
 

Do people use Hex or square maps?would you use each block as 5m?

Most often People tend to shoot at each other with Pistols,Autopistols or SMGs with a Range of 50,60 or even 150 Meter.
so (sometimes)you need a large Map but I would take Hex of 2 Meter and if 2 figures are in the same Block they're in Melee
(Trolls could also  be at the adjacent Hex.
 5 Meters is to big a Hex ! Especially if inside a Building

with a Dance in a Hex
Medicineman

[firebug]

I use a sqaure grid map with each square counting as one meter.  This is how the Warhammer 40k RPGs are played too, by the way, and being that it's also a setting with lots of guns and yet still swords, it working for them says something.

Any troll I give a miniature that is 2x2 squares to represent how massive they are.  A lot of things work well for having just 1-meter squares, especially the intercept action in melee.  Keep in mind though that I am using maps for the immediate area around a fight, not something like the whole complex during an extraction.  The latter would be too big to map without making the squares represent too much space and become useless.

A pre-designed battlefield though made for a 1-meter square grid can give some really cool tactical options for the group, so I'd suggest trying for it at least once.

[adzling]

We use 28mm miniatures (same scale as most RPG miniatures) on a square map where each 1" square = 5 feet so everything stays to scale.

If you do this you will find that your cars and vehicles should be @1:55 scale, or exactly the same as the Pixar Cars diecast vehicles.
Which is great because you can pick them up cheap and repaint them.
Or you can look for SIKU 1:55 scale diecasts.
I also have a 1:55 chopper that works great that I picked up on ebay for like $15.

You can find the old shadowrun miniatures on ebay but they tend to be overpriced.
Instead look for the original shadowrun miniatures at RAFM (the reincarnation of Ral Partha Canada), Iron Wind Metals (Ral Partha USA reincarnation) and the Italian site Mirliton.it for the old Grenadier Shadowrun minis.
There are also a whole bunch of new companies with modern and post apocalypes figures that work very well like Hasslefree, Chronoscape line at Reaper minis.
There are others as well but those are the main sources for new-cast 28mm minis suitable for Shadowrun.

I'll try and post a few photos of our session this weekend showing our setup.

Oh, one thing, you will want to throw out the movement rules and houserule your own as the ones in the book don't work.

Good Luck!

[Reaver]

I use a hex map myself and scale it to 1 meter per square. I find tjis helps when figuring out movement, range of AoE attacks, and the all rest...

[The Tekwych]

i prefer hex as well

[H2Os]

Thanks for all of the replys. So much info. The food fights of the past sound much better than the 5e one. The idea of the elf widow becoming the groups fixer sounds awesome. I'll have to look it up.

[Michael Chandra]

I agree, I prefer the old Food Fights. I once ran one before running a short campaign (adaptation of OU Missions Season 4), so that people could get familiar with the rules. Also ran two short pvp battles that evening, to familiarize people with their combat abilities.

If people get interested after the QSR, consider rotating sample characters on a few varying short runs so people get to know different character types and got a better idea what they want to go for. Furthermore, I strongly advise you do NOT use Riggers or Technomancers, they need a lot of experience from both player and GM to be really enjoyed due to their complexity and problems.

[Whiskeyjack]

Also I come from Pathfinder, where paper and minis are usually a given. I've seen people mention that while the game is built around not using minis and paper, it can be used.  Do people use Hex or square maps?would you use each block as 5m?

My IRL group uses graph paper, typically 1m squares, but we don't use minis. My online group uses roll20 as it has a map feature. A map is nice for positioning and can be important to easily keep track of ranged increment penalties. And yeah the vast majority of fights in Shadowrun are in extreme close range, a dozen meters or less.

[JimmyCrisis]

I've had a lot of success with the battlemat for urban combat or room-to-room fighting.  1 square = 2m works best, imo.

I've also used the battlemat for open-warfare, with the runners on foot with support from an Ares Dragon, infiltrating a militia separatist base.  At the time I used 1 square = 1km, but I'm thinking 1 square = 500m would be better.  That way longer-ranged weapons are differentiated...  Most snipers and heavy weapons could fire two spaces, assault rifles can fire one, and anything closer would require them to engage in the same square.

I also recommend using the battlemat as a ruler, not as a hard-and-fast spacing between characters.  There aren't a lot of spacing rules, but they more or less rely on increments of individual meters.  You might consider allowing "half" spaces, such as centering minis on lines, or crosses, indicating they've moved one meter instead of two.