Echos of the Past OOC

I agree with Paradox, the morphing plate and spoof chip won't be very useful on this run. Later ones probably, but not so much here. I'm not so sure Disguise will come in handy as opposed to say, Infiltration, but I guess it's worth looking into.

Paradox, what did you mean by 'trading' programs?

Micro drones are actually pretty pricey btw. Most run about 1-2k and I've already got 5 modified/upgraded ones.

Jungle camo couldn't hurt necessarily, but keep in mind it wont be of much use once inside a facility, and would more than likely make you even more noticeable once inside. Then again if we stick to just buying jungle camo clothing (As opposed to armour) the cost should stay pretty low.

As to the plates and spoof chips, you may be surprised. A vehicle has to broadcast something in the way of an identifier. If you don't at least have a spoof chip it's stupid easy to track a vehicle. The plate itself is less necessary since you can cover up/obscure it other ways and is, as far as I know, entirely visual in nature. You can not however run a vehicle without a transponder and not stand out like some one holding up a huge neon sign.

So if there's that much objection to it I'll just forgo the disposable comlink and drop my own 500 on the spoof chip. Leaves me pretty open to potential hackers and legality issues etc but not having a spoof chip is even worse if I'm going to have to use my bike for anything without hope of drawing attention. Since at least as customized and flashy as the bike is on it's own, it at least has a chameleon coating so I can do all sorts of fun things to deliberately hide said exterior flashy components.

Also you need to think less about the law in regards to a get away vehicle and more about 'the other side'. Corporate security, runners etc are all just as capable if not considerably more so (And potentially far better equipped) than we are.

You just intending to run away if they bring in a helicopter or some attack drones?

Staying and fighting is not always the best answer, and at least in my case would be near suicidal since I"m focused heavily on mechanical skills.

A vehicle only has to broadcast something if the law makes you. In Seattle you've got authorities breathing down your neck to make you conform. I dunno if it's the same way in Belize or not. I don't know much of anything about 2070 Belize (or even 2010 Belize for that matter!).

But my point wasn't that we won't need a getaway vehicle for retreating from battlefields where, as you said, we might be outmatched. Just that we won't need to worry as much about the information aspect of it in Belize if we do have to run away.

Then again I could be totally wrong and Belize is even more big brother-esque than Seattle, so who knows? Em, besides Azo and his NPCs, that is... maybe we should ask?

Pick has Infiltration 5, which was what prompted the Disguise skillsoft. I figure we set up an observation post just inside the treeline, and it would be nice to have it reasonably disguised. Anyone got Disguise skill?

Pick does have level 3 skillwires, so we can plug in any skillsofts if needed (and if we can find 'em).

Kesslan: I don't know how effective a bike is going to be on jungle roads anyway, let alone that you only carry 1 or 2 additional. Rough thoughts on the getaway plan were to fade into the jungle; otherwise, we have to coordinate getaway vehicles, etc. (Should we buy our own getaway car or rely on Riker for transportation? Buying would take up a lot of our capital, but we would have control over it...)

Jack has disguise. But he's either going to be a nervous wreck or a stiff commando, so someone else would have to do the talking.

Well it's not like I"d pike the bike right next to the facility or anything. Given that it has a chameleon coating it should be quite easy to leave it some ways back (however far away the group feels it needs to be to be 'safe' before we hoof it in from there) and then just have the chameleon masking blend it in with the trees etc. Since it should remain immobile after that point it shouldn't kill the battery or something.

Also the J already did advise us against trying to hike in the whole way via the jungle. Going that route is gonna be pretty harsh on anyone with out a decently high athletics skill, strength etc and even then we were warned it would be hard.

Again though the matter of how tight Belize traffic security is, is somewhat irrelevant if some one is looking for a specific vehicle and you cant spoof your transponder. If you can spoof it you can at least stand a chance of slipping 'under the radar' as it were. A drone however is entirely capable of tracking you otherwise and they even have software suites to allow them to do that even better than before (Such as one of my own drones sports)

Besides, since my bike is a drone itself it's not like I cant order it to come up the road in a hurry if need be so long as I'm still in range of it. The bike isn't as good off roading as I would have liked it to be (Was gonna put on smart tires and a few other things but couldn't swing the budget for it). Still it's got a pretty solid pilot and maneuvering program and worst case I can jump into it.

Wont know more till we do some recon one way or another.

Skill wise you can count on me for anything mechanically oriented be it vehicles or weapons or electronics since I can toss 6-8 dice at any test in regards to that at the very minimum. Not as good as I'd have liked, but due to the limitations in drone selection I had to compromise a little in the skill and cyberware department.

Either way before we go about buying jungle camo, skill softs (Which are expensive) we should probably do a little poking about. I can get a really good range out of my drones so I could probably poke about the facility well before hand. I've got a good signal strength and one of my drones features a retransmission unit so I can use it as a mid point for a second drone, allowing that drone to go even further away.

I could use the heavily modified fly spy to act as the mid point then use one of my stealth heavy dragonflies to do the actual poking around with worst case.

Darkwolf wrote:

Jack has disguise. But he's either going to be a nervous wreck or a stiff commando, so someone else would have to do the talking.

I'm more worried about camouflaging an observation post in the jungle than personal disguises. Once we're in the building, I figure we'll subdue/incapacitate anything that moves. (Depending on what we find on the recce, there might not even be anyone to con!)

But speaking of which, whose our Face in the team? Here's what I have for rough roles so far:

Pick: Infiltration, demolitions, perception, driving (secondary: mechanic, hacking, armorer)
Trevor: Drones, bike, mechanic, armorer
Anya: Matrix support, drones (?)
Jack/Darkwolf: Stealth, guns/blads/augmentation
Taur: Combat mage (?), face (?)
Aimond: ?

Speak up if you've got any useful stuff...

Jack: I think you and Pick should get together on the armorer/mechanic skills. I think we should either buy or build silencers for the team...

Actually, Jack is more covert ops. He's got automatics with a specialty in assault rifles, the stealth group at 4 with a specialty in urban infiltration, blades, and is extensively augmented. His body is worth the GNP of several small nations.

Anya is Matrix support, which includes hacking and spoofing stuff, plus intercepting communications and all that jazz, and she does have a few useful drones. Plus she's not too bad as a Face with Influence group 2, Charisma 5, and (so long as the social interaction is done when she can see them with a camera or other appropriate sensor) Empathy 6.

Aimond is spirit support

And Kieron is another mage - he's been fairly quiet so far, but he's there too.

All told for Trevor: Electronics, Vehicle piloting, electronics, electronic warfare, vehicle mechanics and armorer.

He's got some 'ok' combat skills and basic wires but he wont be so hot in ranged combat and would more than likely get his dreck kicked in melee.

Durandana wrote:

Paradox, what did you mean by 'trading' programs?

I have Analyze 6, Browse 6, Command 6 and Scan 6, but I don't have any hacker programs (despite the fact Pick has Hacking 4!). If Azo would allow it, I'd copy these onto a data chip and give 'em to anyone who I could hacking programs from. (I.e., sharing pirated software between team members to keep costs down. I think the rule is that anyone with Software skill can crack copy protection in an Extended test.)

Mages: what kind of skills/spells do you bring to the table? Also, do you have any specialties (e.g., particular spirit types, melee combat, etc.)?

Spitballing ideas here. We could set up a watcher spirit to tell us of any human presence near the compound. Visual recon at around 200m (the treeline) with anyone who has vision magnification, scopes, etc. Astral recce of the site as well. Keep the recon around the clock for at least a day, ideally two, with teams of at least one mage, one mundane (with good eyes) and a drone or watcher spirit. Initial goals would be to find the entrance/exits, identify cameras/firelanes/traps., and determine the level of activity outside (humans, paracritters, spirits, etc.).

While we're doing visual recon, Anya can be scouting the Matrix boundaries, and Pick can assist with hunting for local scuttlebutt, regular deliveries, etc.

Also, if we do infiltrate, I'm thinking in terms of 1-2 scouts up front (some combination of Taur, Pick and a drone?), firepower in the middle (or in the front if they can be quiet!), and riggers/magic support in the back.

Also, what kind of weapons does everyone prefer? Any heavy guns or quick-kills?

I have an AK with Suppressed sound with the specialty to Assault rifles.

my specialty is plant spirits and I can bring out some pretty strong ones with reasonable oods to live through it.

Paradox wrote:

If Azo would allow it, I'd copy these onto a data chip and give 'em to anyone who I could hacking programs from.

That's what I thought you meant but unfortunately almost all of Anya's hacking programs are her inherent programs. The only hacking programs she actually bought are Defuse, ECCM, Medic, and Armor. So... not much help there, I'm afraid.

Bear wrote:

my specialty is plant spirits and I can bring out some pretty strong ones with reasonable oods to live through it.

We may need you just to keep the awakened rain forest out of our hair...

Taur is mostly a combat mage, specializing in ice based attacks. He has some stealth ability augmented by invisibility, some pretty good face augmented by control actions, and he can take things up close with his cyber arm as well, it serves as both a weapon focus and a hammer. His actual combat spells are used rather curiously, he is also slowly starting to learn the spirit world.

BTW Pick, just as an FYI but Trevor hasn't even yet introduced himself, much less by name.

Azonalanthious wrote:

And Kieron is another mage - he's been fairly quiet so far, but he's there too.

Yeah I'm around just a bit of a lurker at heart. I'll try and up my post amount. I'm pretty good at keeping up to date on what is happening though I was a bit busy today.




Kieron tends towards manipulation spells, though he can cast a few combat, healing, and invisibility spells. He also has a few spells that can incapacitate foes. He can shoot a pistol and ride a bike though not spectacularly well. Also he has some stealth skills.

He has some powers due to his infected nature that he is less than willing to reveal, though he would use them if required for the mission to succeed. Mist form, fear, enhanced senses and the like. His nature is generally something he avoids bringing up.

So, doesn't sound like has much else they want to do at the airport? I'll give it til tomorrow then assume everyone piles into the limo and move on.

Well we're supposed to be introducing ourselves but Phantom is holding us up.

Just a heads up folks but I'll be heading out of town in a few hours and won't be back till likely Monday.

I may manage a post or two while I'm gone however though I have no idea what my internet access will be like (And may be limited to just my phone, in which case I wont be able to do much in the way of posting)

Looks like everyone's finished with intos - we'll be moving out from the airport tomorrow if no one posts before then.