[Killerclown]

I am thinking about writing a Shadowrun story set in the backdrop of the Sixth World Criminal Underworld. My basic idea is about a street gang called The Martichoras, a street gang comprised of upper-middle class punks and spoiled trust fund babies based in either the Seattle, Los Angeles, or Boston Sprawls . The gangs membership is comprised of preppies, a subculture that has seen a revival as of late. However, in the Sixth World, they are often called " Archies" due to the fact that their clothing seems to resemble the ones worn by the famous 20th centuary comic character of the same name.

In the story, the main characters set up shop in one of the more well-off areas of the Sprawl and begin trying to build their "rep" by doing things like fighting off gangs that invade their turf, smuggling and dealing drugs, setting up deals with more " higher-up" gangs and crime syndicates, and other schemes thought up by their leader, a rich kid named Dennis, a human with a Napoleon Complex.  Can i have some advice on making this gang fit in the Shadowrun universe?

[Stainless Steel Devil Rat]

Typically the rich kids gangs are bosozoku gangs.  (street racers)

It's far easier on the delicates to play tough with mommy and daddy's money than with your own hides.

Although, if you do want a 'street fighting' angle, gangs inside an Arcology might be just the place where rich kids get their hands dirty with simple thuggery.  It's all comfortably indoors and never far from the safety of home!

[Tecumseh]

The Nova Rich are a good example of rich kids being brats:

http://shadowrun.wikia.com/wiki/Nova_Rich

Honestly, I think your idea already sounds like it will fit pretty well. Depending on what their "turf" is, the gang might rely on the local private security forces to keep out some of the competition while simultaneously overlooking their youthful shenanigans. Thus, the rich kids almost have an institutional backing of sorts, as long as they don't get too far out of line and keep most of the mayhem to turf outside of the security provider's footprint.

I'd work up your profile of Dennis. Does he have corper parents who are so busy working that they don't know what he's up to? Or maybe his parents are amoral and tacitly approve of their son's ambition and entrepreneurship, which reflects their upper-middle-class striving. I think if you figure Dennis out then the rest of the gang will fall into place.

As for the gang itself, maybe they're well-equipped (because money) but not well-trained (because they rely so much on their gear). Maybe they have more cyber than you would expect. Not necessarily combat ware, but maybe some rich kid indulgences.

Note the demographics of the Sixth World. The upper-middle class is largely human, elven, and dwarven. That should be the racial core of the gang. They're probably not a lot of orcs or trolls in the gang. Maybe there's an ork or a troll (maybe ork twins?) who feels so isolated in the High-class neighborhood that he (or she) lashes out and embraces their conception of trog culture (i.e. gangs and violence) and runs with the gang, but simultaneously I think any ork or troll parents that have clawed their way up to the upper-middle class would want to stomp that rebellion out of their child immediately. That could be a subplot, if the story needs one.

[Mirikon]

Agreed that this could work very nicely. May do even better as a gang inside a megacorp, starting with an arcology. For instance, a Azzie-brat gang, running protection and other schemes inside the Pyramid, smuggling stuff and doing other shenanigans. Corpsec looks the other way so long as nothing major happens, because that is a 'controlled' route, for contraband and other materials, which makes it easier to keep a finger on the pulse. Plus, they're training the next generation for some of the 'job opportunities' in the corp proper once they get above a certain age. It might even be encouraged as an 'in house' way of allowing troublemakers to blow off steam without exposing the corp to outside influences or vulnerabilities.

[Spooky]

Personally, I'd do a Los Angeles based group, because "Hollywood Brats" is easy to conceive and develop.

[Killerclown]

Actually, i kinda like the arcology idea. I could set the story in either a Sader-Krupp, Aztechnology,  , or Ares Arcology. I wonder which of these corps would have a arcology in LA ? Also, what do you think of the term Archies as a slang for preppies?

[Sphinx]

Actually, i kinda like the arcology idea. I could set the story in either a Sader-Krupp, Aztechnology,  , or Ares Arcology. I wonder which of these corps would have a arcology in LA ? Also, what do you think of the term Archies as a slang for preppies?

"Arcology Mile" is the heart of downtown Los Angeles. SR2 California Free State (p.97): "All the major megacorps have some kind of property here, even Saeder-Krupp and Aztechnology." Of course, that was back before Pueblo annexed the city in 2061, before Horizon was formed in 2063 (or reached megacorp status in 2065), before the Twins broke up the city in 2069. SR4 Corporate Enclaves mentions that Horizon bought up a lot of Arcology Mile, but I expect the major megas held onto their pieces.

[Killerclown]

Well, besides LA, i have narrowed down the choices to either Seattle or Jacksonville. As for the Arcology the Archies hang in, it will belong to either Saeder-Krupp, Aztechnology, or possibly Wuxing. Though i do wonder what the odds of those three ooperating in Jacksonville are.

[The Wyrm Ouroboros]

Most gangs have a prejudice of some sort.  Figure that out -- whether it's 'poor people', 'the Goblinized (i.e. orks and trolls, the most likely prejudice for a group of this sort, as it tends to combine poor with 'visibly different'), a specific corp (for or against), or whatever -- and most of the rest will fall into place by extension.

[Mirikon]

Most gangs have a prejudice of some sort.  Figure that out -- whether it's 'poor people', 'the Goblinized (i.e. orks and trolls, the most likely prejudice for a group of this sort, as it tends to combine poor with 'visibly different'), a specific corp (for or against), or whatever -- and most of the rest will fall into place by extension.

To add on to that, remember that just because two groups hate one group (poor people) doesn't mean they're necessarily going to get along with each other. Especially if they are corp kids, the megacorp would be more likely to come down on them for activities that brought kids of multiple corps together. A gang of all-Ares corp kids is more likely to get a wink and a nod, boys will be boys treatment than a gang that mixes kids from across the Big 10.

[The Wyrm Ouroboros]

Yeah, members of a 'high-class' multi-corporate gang work better if they're part of wealthy B-, A-, or (very maybe) AA-rated corporations; not quite as much tied into corporate jingoism.  That said, there ARE corp gangs, mostly involved in looking tough, playing pranks, and harrassing anyone who's wearing/using non-their-corporate stuff.

[Killerclown]

I have actually decided to set my story in Boston As for the AAA that owns the archology my boy's live in, i am thinking either Sader-Krupp, Mitsuhama, Aztechnology, or NeoNet. I do like the idea of the boys having a prejudice against people who are employees of rival AAAs, especially if they are a member of a rival "archie" gang.  Though i do wonder, besides Aztechnology, which of these megacorps sec would be the most willing to turn a blind eye to the antics the gang would get into?

[The Wyrm Ouroboros]

It always boils down to what they damage, who owned what they damage, what the victims can prove, and whether or not the antics of the 'gang' can be reasonably assumed to be intentional on the part of the corporation.  Remember that no matter who you choose, the most dangerous opposition are the corporate security officers of their OWN corporation -- because if you want to go home tonight, you CAN'T shoot back!

Presuming these 'archies' are getting into trouble out in the city and not inside company ground, the corporation would be able to shrug off a lot, as they can (and will) at any time throw the Archies to the wolves, i.e. local civil security, e.g. the cops.  Your BEST bet would be NeoNET, as they half-own Boston -- but you're also looking at the remains of the whole Boston CFD issue, so you might want to consider ... Providence or something, I dunno.

[Michael Chandra]

If you're going Boston, make sure to either prequel the Lockdown or go afterwards, with all the impact the Lockdown had.

[Mirikon]

If you're going Boston, make sure to either prequel the Lockdown or go afterwards, with all the impact the Lockdown had.

A NeoNET-based corp gang in Boston, having to deal with the fallout of the Lockdown all the while not knowing that, outside the containment zone their corp is falling apart at the seams? Yeah, that's a good setup for a story.