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First PC host run

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adzling

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« on: <11-04-15/1019:47> »
Ok so looking for some input from the GM community on a run I am GMing this weekend.

The PCs will need to hack the host of the HK airport in order to access the camera system and use it to find someone they have a picture of.
Once located they will either need to hack the immigration control points (the barriers where you present your SIN and they validate it or not) to flag an incoming passenger as a person for the authorities to detain.

Most likely this last part will be accomplished by the team technomancer using puppeteer directly on the specific immigration control barrier the mark will be using to pass through immigration (once they have located the mark via the host's camera system).

My questions to you kids:
1). host rating? How about 4 or 5?
2). anything else about the host worth mentioning/ designing? IC?
3). would someone be so kind as to lay out the step-by-step procedure for a decker/ technomancer to penetrate the host, find the camera control system and set them up to search for a particular person the team has a picture of?

thanks!

Jayde Moon

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« Reply #1 on: <11-04-15/2000:29> »
I imagine the Security Host of the HK Airport would be higher, BUT you want to design it based on the difficulty you set for your hacker.

Imagine that the Host Rating and Firewall added together would be equal to the Hacker's Dice Pool for a difficult, but doable hack (easier if there is more edge available).  The Attribute Array for the Host is DR/DR+1/DR+2/DR+3 and the standard is usually Sleaze is lowest and either Firewall or Data Processing is highest.  So a host Rating 5 might have a Firewall of 8, giving it 13 Dice to defend from Hacking.  If that is about what your hacker's pool is and you want an even-ish difficulty, then that works.

Steps to hack:

Hack on the Fly to place Mark.
Enter Host.
Search for Device (Matrix Perception or Search, just need a hit)
Mark on the Device.
Snoop Action on the Device to tap into the feed in real time.

Every 1d6 turns or so, have the spider do a sweep, Matrix Perception vs your Hacker's Logic + Sleaze, failure means he's spotted.

Something like that,
That's just like... your opinion, man.

adzling

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« Reply #2 on: <11-04-15/2141:16> »
very helpful, thanks ;-)

TheWayfinder

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« Reply #3 on: <11-04-15/2350:34> »
Depends on the city and what you want to happen.  Generally speaking, an International Airport probably will have about a 4 or 5 rating, overall.  Municipal airports might likely have a 3 or a 4.  If it's Portland International Airport, it starts at 4, and ramps up to 7 during alerts, because the Tir Tairngire Peace Force is in charge and they can redirect a flight, except for sub-orbitals, out of their airspace in 10 minutes upon notification. Sub-orbitals get a squad or two of troops to debark passengers and go over customs. 

But, for your purposes, I'd keep it at a 4, and you can determine what you want from there.  Black IC is a little harsh for an airport, even for Tir forces, in my opinion, because ultimately what most security/police forces want is to know who's doing what and why, so something that's less lethal is more their style.  At an airport, the tone is more "passive-aggressive."  Black IC will likely be in places more important than near surveillance equipment in the terminal, such as air traffic control (that's where I put the most security). 

A little tip; consider what's the most important system area, and put your best security measures there, for any system or facility.  It doesn't really make too much sense to put Black IC in smaller, less important systems without a damn good reason (like, it's Zurich Orbital, and they don't want anyone unauthorized being there). 

Darzil

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« Reply #4 on: <11-05-15/0847:50> »
When setting host rating for your hacker, consider their dice pool and edge and work out how many times they'll need to succeed a roll to succeed in a mission. Sometimes you'll be needing 3-4 successes, and if you set the difficulty such that they'll succeed 50% of the time, they'll have a tiny chance of success overall.

adzling

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« Reply #5 on: <11-05-15/1940:45> »
So reading through Coyotes an average international border crossing would have a host rating of 8 and firewall of 11.
Which seems reasonable for the Hong Kong International Airport.

However this means the party's poor technomancer will be facing 19 dice to get a mark on the host to enable her to enter (you need one mark to enter a host right? or is it 3?).

Her hacking pool is only 10, assume +2 for hot sim and that makes 12.
If her 2 x rating 4 Crack Sprites aid her that's an extra 16 dice for her teamwork test, averaging the maximum of +5 (max teamwork bonus = skill level, in this instance 5).
She would end up with a hacking pool of 17 dice vs. the Host 19.
Not likely unless she edges and even that's dicey.

Or am I doing it wrong?

thanks!


Darzil

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« Reply #6 on: <11-06-15/0624:03> »
Sounds right to me. And that's why high hosts are hard !

Now, an alternative possibility is to get their stealth expert to go stick a silent running wireless on datatap, marked/owned by the technomancer, on the cable the camera (or several if cameras) is plugged into. Then I'd rule that you can get remote access, as a technomancer, to the camera, dice pool reduced by noise to datatap, but now with only the camera's defences to overcome.

Of course, that is more of a physical challenge, but turns it into more of a team challenge, and makes the dice rolls a lot easier.

Edit - Alternatively, there is always tracing and intimidating/replacing the spider.
« Last Edit: <11-06-15/0626:29> by Darzil »

adzling

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« Reply #7 on: <11-06-15/1031:48> »
So you only need one mark on the host (or slaved device) to be able to enter, right?

They do have a social engineering option to fall back on if the host camera-hacking fails.

Anyhoo see below for Coyote's entry for regular border hosts.
It says Killer IC is loaded and running at all times, so the host always has Killer IC on patrol?
If so then it would make sense that at least one of those Patrol IC is running at all times, but the text says nothing about this...oddly....

I think I'm going to change it up and have one copy of Patrol IC running and if it notices anything it will summon a Track IC and then Killer IC in that order.

Sound good?

Device Rating: 8
Default Ratings: Attack 10, Data Processing 9, Sleaze 8, Firewall 10
Running Programs: Rating 6 Agent (see below), 3 copies of Patrol IC, 1 copy of Track IC, 1 copy of Killer IC
 
The agent is responsible for collecting the information of anyone who wishes to pass by the border and forwarding that information to a processing center at head of office. As with other borders, the host offers a mark to any device that is not running silent. The agent approaches every avatar that enters the host, as well as every AR device that accesses the host, and asks each device for a SIN and a visa. It then collects the information and transmits it in encrypted format to the head office, where the SIN and visa are checked. The results of the check are sent back to the agent, which then allows valid visitors to progress by opening gates and ordering the emplacements not to fire. Separate messages are also sent to any magical or physical security present.
 
Note that it is possible to spoof the agent to open the gates, though this will be almost immediately noticed by the head office, and appropriate steps taken. Not to mention the physical and magical security will not have received the “all clear” signal.
 
Normal border hosts are more aggressive than easy and very easy borders, with Killer IC loaded and running at all times. Track IC is usually used in tandem with Killer IC, so that security can attempt to find the physical location of any hackers and bring them into custody—or at least ensure they are not on their side of the border. When security notices any evidence of hacking, that evidence will be sent back to the head office for analysis. This analysis can give GOD and any Matrix detectives a bonus to track or recognize any hackers who have been involved in the hack. To determine if the security forces learn anything, make a Logic (7) + Software (9) (Data Processing) Test opposed individually by the Intuition + Hacking (Sleaze) of any hackers involved in the breach. Net successes for security on this test subtract from the Sleaze attribute of hackers for any tests on the host. As with any information, this evidence degrades over time, at a rate of one net success per 24 hours until the signature is obsolete. Alternately, hackers can get rid of the penalty by logging out of the host and staying out for three hours.

Zweiblumen

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« Reply #8 on: <11-06-15/1432:02> »
However this means the party's poor technomancer will be facing 19 dice to get a mark on the host to enable her to enter (you need one mark to enter a host right? or is it 3?).
Yes, only need 1 mark to enter the host

Quote from: adzling
Her hacking pool is only 10, assume +2 for hot sim and that makes 12.
If her 2 x rating 4 Crack Sprites aid her that's an extra 16 dice for her teamwork test, averaging the maximum of +5 (max teamwork bonus = skill level, in this instance 5).
She would end up with a hacking pool of 17 dice vs. the Host 19.
Not likely unless she edges and even that's dicey.

Don't forget Diffusion of Firewall!!!  It is sustained, but she can have a sprite maintain it for her!
Dunno her die pools for threading or soaking fade, but threading at level 3 or 4 (aim for her likely pool results) and that can take the FW down to 6 or 7 for a total of 15 or 16 dice.  Much more manageable now.  Thread it at a level 1 with edge for busting limits and then the fade is easy to soak and with a good roll can devastate a host's FW.  And as long as that sprite is sustaining the thread for her, even the IC in the host are now easier for her and her other sprites to deal with.

Techno's may be gimped, but with some creative planning and use of resources they can be *very* dangerous.
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Hobbes

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« Reply #9 on: <11-07-15/1839:30> »
Technomancer has a few choices. 

1.  Direct Hack via skinlink (or however you want to handwave a TM using a direct link) on a device connected to the Hosts WAN.  Once inside the Host carry on as normal.  Direct Hack is usually the way to go vs Hosts.  Something as complex as an Airport is going to have all kinds of stuff in the WAN, just no way to avoid it.  Something will be unattended, at least for the couple of seconds you need.  Skinlink makes it pretty trivial, they'll likely touch you with a scanner to take finger print at some point.   

2.  Gawd awful HUGE!!! Edge fueled Crack Sprite.  Level 9 or 10 should do it, and send it on a Remote Task to do your hack.  Has the benefit of allowing the GM to handwave the hack to whatever outcome amuses you.  Plus you can fake the Sprites resistance test to the Compiling to ensure the TM gets a net hit or two.  Edit: and your TM's Registered Sprites can help with the Crack Sprites Initial Hack on the fly too...

3.  Go head on in VR.  And fail.  Don't encourage that. 
« Last Edit: <11-07-15/1848:07> by Hobbes »

adzling

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« Reply #10 on: <11-08-15/1141:54> »
well it all came off smoothly
she went in full VR teamwork supported by two of her crack sprites and pulled it off despite some horrific dice rolls (she had to spend 3 points of edge on re-rolls).

Her dice pool ended up being pretty good:

Hacking 5 (+2 specialization hosts), logic 5 (+1 psyche), 2 x rating 4 crack sprites managed to add +7 dice to her test, +2 hot sim = a pool of 23 dice against the 19 dice firewall of the host.

Only question i'm not sure about is how many tasks does "help me crack this host" take from each sprite.
1 per teamwork test?
1 for the whole time cracking the host?
I went with the latter.

thoughts?

Ganggreenkhan

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« Reply #11 on: <11-09-15/1737:33> »
     The sprite task would be for the entire attempt to hack the host. Not each individual roll. Just like an entire combat is one task not every combat roll.

Hobbes

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« Reply #12 on: <11-13-15/2019:53> »
Minor technicality, specializations don't actually count as "skill" they're a +2 dice pool so max +5 dice from Teamwork. 

Number of services, depends.  Does the TM micromanage down time and rack up dozens of free services?  Then sure, charge off lots.  Are they more casual about it and only show up at the start of a run with a handful of Compiled Sprites?  One and done. 

adzling

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« Reply #13 on: <12-16-15/1131:28> »
ok so this next run pits our technomancer against a rating 6 host in a high spam zone (very high).

a few questions:

1). rating of spam zone (I'm thinking somewhere between 4-6 to force them to use a direct connect)?
2). is the below correct for how to direct connect via a peripheral (camera, maglock or similar) to get a mark on the host?

All exterior doors are maglocked with a rating 6 maglock and have a rating 2 anti-tamper system.
Defeating maglock and camera casings:
The first step to bypassing a maglock is to remove the case and access the maglock’s electronic guts.
This requires a successful Locksmith + Agility [Physical] (Maglock Rating x 2, 1 Combat Turn) Extended Test.
If all else fails, the case can be smashed or shot off; treat the case as if it has a Barrier rating equal to the maglock rating. Overzealous attempts to break the case may harm the electronics inside. Re-assembling the case afterwards requires the same test.
Some maglock systems come equipped with anti-tamper systems, rated between 1 and 4. In order to bypass the anti-tamper circuits, an additional Locksmith + Agility [Physical] (anti-tamper system rating) Test must be made. If this fails, an alarm is triggered.

Once the case is off the techno needs to get a mark on the peripheral, HotF vs. 2 x device rating (in this instance, 12).

All the above correct?

3). finally once inside the host the 'mancer must locate and retrieve multiple data files. Simple matrix perception tests?
4). What if they do not know what file they are looking for?
5). how about ICE, any suggestions?

thanks in advance!

Hobbes

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« Reply #14 on: <12-16-15/1518:45> »
1.  Should do it, unless your TM has invested in the Fabulous Fashionable Frensal Fabric Fcloak.

2.  Yes.

3.  Covered under Matrix Search action.  Base time one minuet per File IIRC.

4.  Kinda have to know what you're looking for.  If you mean the name of the file, then no, they don't need that.  They Matrix Search Action is presuming you're working from a vague idea of what the data is.  i.e. 4rth quarter financials, picture of someone, info on project X, whatever.  If you know the name of the file and such I'd give a substantial bonus to the Matrix Search action once inside the Host.

5.  Patrol IC are a given, after that it really depends on the whim of the Host owner.