[Tecumseh]

I never really thought about it, but if you include the VR bonus, do you include noise/distance "bonuses" as well?

No, those are explicitly mentioned on p. 231: "Noise never applies to defense or resistance tests."

It's possible that a resistance test is not a "matrix action" and should not qualify for a VR bonus, but I don't know of anywhere that the rules say so explicitly. Since it affects both sides equally, we can play it either way.

[Zweiblumen]

Let's add it then, as it's another reason to *not* be in AR.

[Zweiblumen]

Minutemen, I fuckin' knew it. Not sure how Ace could have exploited it, but I knew the Natelys were some "X"reich motherfuckers.  OOC, I'm worried that we stirred up some shit with some secret society types, but Ace won't be able to put that together unless he hears something about what the opposing icon looks like.

Dunno if Doc would know the same things you do (I don't know the significance of the Minutemen reference).  To not meta game (I know Tec said that it's almost impossible for Doc to meta, but it makes me feel like I'm cheating ) he made a pretty straightforward yet still somewhat oblique reference to it in his report of what happened.  He'll respond to any questions thrown his way.

[8-bit]

I'd like a round of posts from everyone of what the PCs are doing in anticipation of running into trouble. Also, your general location in the RV. Chino is driving although he does not need to be; he could program Katsina's route into GridGuide easily enough. The passenger seat is currently empty. In the RV, their are multiple places to sit or stand, including the kitchen/dining area, the bathroom, and the bedroom. These posts can be IC or OOC, but IC earns you participation credit!

Chino is definitely driving this thing. If we are under attack from the Matrix, there is no way he's letting the computer control the car. I'll get an IC up.

[Malevolence]

I have a bunch of actions in there, so it will probably take a few CT to do them all (I'm not sure we are still in initiative after the Minuteman was fought off, but just in case), but I see them largely as this:
CT 1 IP 2
Talk
Talk to spirit
Reboot all my devices


Initiative: 1d6+7 10
CT 2 IP 1
Search Mr. Nately
Switch commlink to running silent
Nod to Katsina and move to front of RV


He will want to be sitting. If he can do so and get a view out of the front without taking the passenger seat, then that's best. If he can't get a usable view out the front window, then he'll settle for close physical proximity. I'm guessing that he'll need to project, so a seat that he won't fallout of is key and once projecting, the windows stop mattering. You are familiar with the layout of the RV, so place me where you think best suits my needs.


Just to make sure I am understanding this right: if the RV goes wireless off, it will attract the attention of the authorities. It is currently protected by the host from the cabin. So we have to leave it wireless on, but it'd be a pretty tough hack for anyone not an authorized spider for the Nately's house. We can't join it to Doc's PAN because we aren't the owner. So our only option is to drive it as is and hope it stays safe. Once out of town we might be able to turn off the wireless without much concern about the authorities. Does that pretty much sum things up?


Also, the Nately's commlinks are still wireless on. Who has them? I think Doc has Mr. Nately's, but I lost track of who has Mrs. Nately's (probably me). If I have it, I'll be turning it wireless off before searching Mr. Nately and moving the other actions to the next IP (or CT as I only get one IP) as needed.

[Tecumseh]

We're out of IPs. Open posting for now.

This is the layout to the RV. In my head the sofa bed (where Doc is now) and the kitchen swap places but the rest of it looks pretty spot-on. There's a chair behind the passenger seat that sounds like it would work for Ohanzee.



There are windows to the sides but none to the rear. O'HD indicates overhead storage.

The RV is no longer slaved to the Nately's host. As Mal said it can't be slaved to Doc's commlink since you aren't the owner so the best bet is probably to turn the wireless off or it will be vulnerable to an easy hack. Running it without wireless is not necessarily a red flag to the authorities. It might make them raise an eyebrow but it won't trigger any alarm unless the vehicle is maneuvering oddly, e.g. fishtailing on the ice while engaged in a slow-moving gun battle.

At this point I presume the Natelys' commlinks are off. Whoever wants them can have them.

[Malevolence]

Cool. Yeah, I'll take that seat and buckle up. I've turned all of the Nately's gear I could find wireless off and all of my gear is freshly rebooted and wireless off except my commlink, which is running silent and slaved to Doc.


I would have assumed that the overhead storage is over the window as the line for the outer wall is hollow, indicating a window. But since the image is merely an approximation of what the RV looks like, we'll go ahead and treat that line there as solid.


I'm not going to astrally project yet as I have good sight lines (the front window and two side windows).

[Zweiblumen]

Just FYI I'm fairly confident they don't have a physical location for us yet, and Doc said as much in char.  He's more confident in it than I am.  He stopped the decker from getting any marks on anything.  And with almost everything running silently except for Doc we are doing pretty well.  And Doc will go silent once he's done doing a couple of things in the matrix.

I think we *might* get out of Aspen in no more than 2 or 3 peices

[Malevolence]

True. I'm not sure how large their presence is in Aspen - it's possibe they  have ties to local law enforcement and can get our location via GridGuide or they may have spotters that know what the RV looks like that might be able to notice it as it travels through town. Or maybe they have access to real-time satellite imaging. We hope that Trace Icon is their best (or only) option for obtaining our location, but I'm the paranoid type.

[rednblack]

Minutemen, I fuckin' knew it. Not sure how Ace could have exploited it, but I knew the Natelys were some "X"reich motherfuckers.  OOC, I'm worried that we stirred up some shit with some secret society types, but Ace won't be able to put that together unless he hears something about what the opposing icon looks like.

Dunno if Doc would know the same things you do (I don't know the significance of the Minutemen reference).  To not meta game (I know Tec said that it's almost impossible for Doc to meta, but it makes me feel like I'm cheating ) he made a pretty straightforward yet still somewhat oblique reference to it in his report of what happened.  He'll respond to any questions thrown his way.

I don't know if we can use any of that to our advantage.  Ace is of the opinion that Mr. Moran, and Mr. Nately are some sort of old USA patriot types who'd like to see a unified N. America once again (you know, cause Canada never really counted).  The Minuteman icon would further cement that in his head, and point toward the existence of some secret organization that works to that end, but again, I don't really see how suspecting that will offer us any real benefit at the moment.

@Tecumseh, can you advise on the feasibility of Ace's idea to move the oven range under the roof hatch that was posted IC?

[Tecumseh]

@Mal, the hollow lines on the diagram do indicate windows with the one exception of the rear wall (in the bedroom) being solid. If the diagram says O'HD next to a window it does indicate storage space over a window.

@rednblack, hmm, that is a creative approach.

Pros: it works!
Cons: the oven is only 1 meter tall, leaving 2 more meters between the top of the oven and the roof hatch. But it's a start.

@All
Not to give people too many RP prompts, but Ace just pulled a laser rifle out of his duffle bag. This is a duffle bag that Ace and Katsina brought back from their jaunt into town. Unless Ace casually picked up an 18F laser rifle at the sporting goods store, then Red Team made an unannounced stop.

Chino, with his knowledge skill in Action Trid Stars, is familiar with the Ares Redline laser pistol from the Cross Point: Daedalus trideo trilogy (featuring the trid star Ace Holt, no relation to your Ace), but this is almost certainly the first time any of you (besides Ace, and maybe Katsina for having previously known Ace) have seen a laser rifle in person. How notable this is for your PC is up to you.

[Zweiblumen]

Bah, and Doc misses the fun.  I don't think the agent would mention this icon to him when it comes online.

[Malevolence]

Well, it would make it unlikely that the Native American government here in Aspen would be as likely to go out of their way to help. They probably have a very different view on a re-united N. America.


Ohanzee has almost no clue as to weapons. He's just as likely to think it was there when we awoke in the Van this morning as he is to assume that these things are available form the corner store. He'd probably even help him look for a plug so it can run off of the car battery without even raising an eyebrow.


Now, if he'd noticed the blood packs in the cooler before Kat started burying them under stuff from the fridge, he'd probably have a few choice questions. Wolf is aware of them IC, but he's not likely to share.


@Z - If it comes online running silent, the agent should mention it. There might also be some chatter from others that notice it. And if it comes up unhidden, Doc should be aware of it. In any case, if Ace wants to avoid the authorities, he'd probably bring it online running silent (too easy to be noticed), wireless off (best option if workable, but Doc would be unaware f it unless mentioned by others), or ask Doc to use Wrapper on it (the best option if it has to be Wireless On). So, there is a good chance you won't miss all the fun.

[Tecumseh]

Correction on what I said earlier. Having reviewed the matter in Arsenal (p. 104), it appears that vehicles running silent are a no-no for the authorities.

Most jurisdictions restrict vehicle nodes from operating in hidden
mode (see p. 211, SR4) and additionally require vehicles to broadcast
their access ID, license plate, and sometimes their registration and
insurance information as well as the SIN and license data of the driver.

So running silent the RV silently (or without wireless) will generate attention when you're in a civilized part of town, but that's not the point of this episode.

It takes about 20 minutes to get out of town due to traffic and moving slowly, so that's how long you have to make any preparations before the next encounter (e.g. rednblack and the oven).

You are turning down a rural road that will offer you a good deal of privacy. The RV has no hope of outrunning the vehicles following you. Of course, you don't know why they're following you other than Katsina says they are hostile toward her.

Katsina is triggering one of her Combat Sense preparations, but the Potency has faded to 1.

Force 5 + Potency 1 = 2 hits

The sustained spell will only last 60 seconds until it fades.

Let me know what you're up to, or if you're going to take the initiative and start the hostilities. (In which case, roll Initiative.)

[rednblack]

Perception on vehicles: 10d6t5 4

Ace is trying to make what he can out about the two vehicles as the Buffalo passed by.

As they rolled through town, all of Ace's gear would have been Wireless Off, but now that it looks like contact is about to be made, he'll turn Wireless On, and run Silent.  For the more experienced runners out there, that's the smart play, right?  Wireless bonuses are too good to sacrifice, especially if everything is slaved to a Transys Avalon?