[Wickidsurfer]

I know one of the players already expressed concerns about lowering starting BP, so this solution might be exactly what I needed to keep him happy.  Really after playing the earlier editions, the 4e character creation is pretty fair, I was mainly concerned with huge amounts of gear and cred.

[Wickidsurfer]

Yes Hijacking!  I've been watching a ton of Sons of Anarchy to get me all pumped up for it, so the Arms dealing suggestion also has me stoked.  I already was thinking of combining the two.  The campaign takes place in the Loveland area of the Puyallup district, so I imagine alot of milspec gear moves into the two warring syndicates possession in that area.

[baronspam]

The trouble with 300 BP games is that characters don't even start out average on Attributes, characters will often have a dreary sameness as everyone gets the same "essential" skills, and if you limit resources, everyone will play awakened metatypes.  I would recommend, instead, using a lower-karma allocation of karmagen, with some other restrictions, if you want a lower-powered campaign where you can still have some variety.  As an example, here's a set of rules that Tyro posted in a Dumpshock thread:

600 Karma with German errata, max avail. 8, no restricted gear, max natural attributes 5 + racial modifiers, max skill 3 with two 4's or one 5, max base starting cash 150k (no born rich, in debt allowed but gives no points), max magic 4, max edge 4/5 for humans, max Connection rating for contacts of 3 (the low power option).

Where can on get the German errata, and can you get it in English?
Be sure your players are on board first, though.  It sounds like they will all be okay with an amoral campaign, but be sure they will also be okay with playing gutter punks.  Not just the low power aspect, but the barely scraping by aspect.  A lot of people play to escape their daily grind, not to do something similar to it.

[Canticle]

Yes Hijacking!  I've been watching a ton of Sons of Anarchy to get me all pumped up for it, so the Arms dealing suggestion also has me stoked.  I already was thinking of combining the two.  The campaign takes place in the Loveland area of the Puyallup district, so I imagine alot of milspec gear moves into the two warring syndicates possession in that area.

Milspec gear is ridiculous. I would seriously consider limiting the use of milspec by anyone other than military and corp black ops—especially for a street campaign. The most powerful weapons in the SR4 core rule book will not even do physical to someone in full milspec. Stick to the max being full body armour with a helmet and a riot shield for a whopping 14/16 (or 18/14 with a ballistic shield instead of a riot shield). With anything less than a heavy machine gun, rocket launcher, or assault cannon there will only be stun. Milspec with a helmet and a shield rounds out to 22/18 for medium armour.

[Rascal]

I actually just started a campaign just like that! Centred around a ~25-man gang, mainly members of a couple of ork families who got together to protect their neighbourhood against Humanis and the such. The PCs are parts of the main family or of the gang, or closely involved (love interests and such).
Lots of the starting-level trouble will be things like other gangs making moves against the "211th Street Bleeders" (gotta love that name, one of the players made that and the families and gang up, gave me great stuff to work with), people dealing drugs on the wrong side of the street, family members getting into trouble. Not running, per se, but probably building up to it in the end.

The important thing is to centre the action around things that the characters are interested in, so that you don´t have to force them aboard the Plot Bus ("It´s meant to take you where the plot is!"). The players must be willing to write a lot of character-stuff for you to build on for this, though. And not just give you a list of stats and gear...

[Cass100199]

I know one of the players already expressed concerns about lowering starting BP, so this solution might be exactly what I needed to keep him happy.  Really after playing the earlier editions, the 4e character creation is pretty fair, I was mainly concerned with huge amounts of gear and cred.

This is where you exercise your right as a GM to say no. I always put limitations on gear and hardware at character creation. That Alphaware you want....how'd you get it? I let the players make their case, but in the end it comes down to "if you're reasonable, I'll be reasonable. Walking around Seattle with an assault cannon is not reasonable."

[Wickidsurfer]

@Canticle - I haven't really looked into milspec gear since hmmm.. well fields of fire came out!  I was thinking more in the arms dealing aspect, like they get the gear and sell it or try and find a buyer.  Stomping around puyallup in milspec armor is sure to bring the metroguard down in a hurry, well as soon as they check their inventory, but I'd let them try if they wanted to, because if you give players access to it you know that it ends up a pandora's box!

@Rascal - Yeah, I am hoping my players do most of the background setting for me and I can feel in the pieces.  Its definitely nice to have the players involved in the surroundings.  as a GM in any game I get pretty annoyed with lazy players, whenever I am a player I try to always write up good histories and leave plenty of potential plot hooks for the GM if he wants to use them.

@Cass100199 - Yeah I try to encourage my players to rationalize why they have something.  Like why did your character get wired reflexes?  What was the circumstances surrounding the surgery?  There was a list of questions at the end of the 2nd edition character creation section that I was pretty fond of.  and I agree on walking around seattle with an assault cannon is silly, but if a player came up with a good reason why he kept one in a satin lined box under the floorboards beside his bed.... I'd allow it, after all a piece of gear like that in a street level campaign is bound to generate some interesting conflict.

[Canticle]

@Canticle - I haven't really looked into milspec gear since hmmm.. well fields of fire came out!  I was thinking more in the arms dealing aspect, like they get the gear and sell it or try and find a buyer.  Stomping around puyallup in milspec armor is sure to bring the metroguard down in a hurry, well as soon as they check their inventory, but I'd let them try if they wanted to, because if you give players access to it you know that it ends up a pandora's box!

At least the risks are known. Never put something down that you don't want the PCs to take. We ran against a small corp after they fucked us (not even an A). We were not paid, so we took a lot of the internal wiring, 6 security cameras, and the sentry turret. The GM told us after the game, "And I thought: No, they wouldn't take that!"
Runners take everything.

[Wickidsurfer]

Shadowrunners are Murphy's law!

[CanRay]

Yes Hijacking!  I've been watching a ton of Sons of Anarchy to get me all pumped up for it, so the Arms dealing suggestion also has me stoked.  I already was thinking of combining the two.  The campaign takes place in the Loveland area of the Puyallup district, so I imagine alot of milspec gear moves into the two warring syndicates possession in that area.

The "A Fistful of Data" (Not one of the better novels, but readable) had the Shadowrunners hijack a stepvan run by crooked cops that were selling hot guns back on the street after they had been "Destroyed".

It's an interesting thought, and one I'm surprised I hadn't thought of before.  Just swap out a barrel, wipe the RFID tags, ensure the serial number is lasered off REALLY good...  If it's an old firearm, change the firing pin...

[Cass100199]

In one of the sourcebooks it's mentioned that a lot of former Lone Star employees are finding themselves working the shadows. You could have your runners end up on the wrong side of former corrupt cops making hits, stealing drugs, etc. Do something gritty a la The Departed or The Town.

[Canticle]

A lot of Loners worked the shadows when they were cops. Bribes, corruption, and double crossing were rampant under the Star.

[Wickidsurfer]

Everybody has a price.  I mean what are you gonna do have a shoot out every night with the local gang or eventually just let them pay you off or extort them some other way.  Like, "Look, Omae.  I can get you some real guns to deal with those nutjobs over on east 145th, but I need you to keep the peace on my street....."

I am sure in certain neighborhoods even the squeakiest cop has to learn to live with some bad, or other worse cops are going to make sure they keep getting their wheels greased.

[CanRay]

No, the worst cops are going to be like unto Mid-Level Crime Lords themselves.

Only even more untouchable, because of the Blue Line.

[Canticle]

No, the worst cops are going to be like unto Mid-Level Crime Lords themselves.

Only even more untouchable, because of the Blue Line.

They are only as untouchable you think they are. Shooting a Loner or a Kat in the street is a bad move, but behind closed doors in their own apartments another suicide is not going to turn heads.