So I’ve got a team with two Corp Clocks sitting at 21:00 and I’m looking for some advice on how to make that an issue. I know the advice the book gives regarding showing them the barrel of a gun and all that, but up to this point there have been no signs of an increasing threat on my part and I’m worried this is getting away from me. With this group, one of the two elevated Corp Clocks is the result of Links and Pre-Campaign Missions. The other is mission related. At 21:00, I know they need to be taking action against them. Should that be subtle or would they be trying to take them out at this level?
I’m sort of tempted to spend a session/mission dealing with this, but I also don’t want to just waltz into it with nothing planned and I’m worried that a whole session of Corp Clock fallout will require a lot of railroading and planning big combat scenes and I’m not sure that sounds like fun. Hamish Cameron do you (or anyone else for that matter) have a suggestion on steps to take in-game to simultaneously deal with a pair of angry Corporations that are gunning for my PCs? Should I just have a strike team from either corp show up at random while they’re doing stuff? I thought it might be entertaining to have them be in the midst of something only to have an unexpected attack occur. Would you make sure the attacking squad is identifiable so that they understand or would you keep them nondescript? Any advice is appreciated.
Adam Koebel deals with this issue in Arc one of their Roll20 game. You can just check out the GM Prep episodes, if you don’t have time: youtube.com – The Sprawl | Roll20 Games Master Series – YouTube
Christoph Sapinsky I was going to mention that I’d seen that, but that situation basically boiled down to them sending a one man terminator after them. I’ll have to rewatch it and see if I can put something together based on his actions. Thanks for the reminder.
I take as the 21:00 corporations getting aggressively involved with the contract. They send a squad in after them at the wrong time, aid security forces, set a trap at the needed medical facility, and so on.
Christoph Sapinsky Thanks Christoph! I think I’m leaning towards having them deal with some problems while needing to resolve other issues. They’ve got their hands full in this next session, and I think it might be the prime moment to have things fall apart. >: )
One of the things i’d be tempted to do is have the Corps start putting heavy pressure on their associates. suddenly noody wants to deal with them or provide info, maybe some close contacts suddenly turn up dead. It has the double impact of making it clear somebody is coming for them and also limits their ability to do mission prep if nobody in the know will interact with them.
At 2100, the MC move could be a sternly worded threat. Maybe a corporate team that kidnaps an isolated team member and tells them to stop meddling where they don’t belong… or else… then lets the character go.
At 2100, they probably still view the team as a potential asset to be exploited. They might think about hiring them for suicide missions though.
Hamish Cameron Very interesting. I’m glad I asked because I was definitely considering going a more severe route.
Last night’s mission concluded with them making a ton of noise and the team decided it would be best to lay low for a while. I have been thinking about the organized crime syndicates in our setting, and I think I’ve decided that few missions focusing on the tensions between the Yakuza and Vory in our setting. Now that they’ve become too hot to touch, they’re going to have to mingle with the organized crime syndicates in order to rebuild their reputation, which I’m very much looking forward to.
Thanks Hamish!
I usually start by thinking what 1200 and 0000 would look like, brainstorm some mid points, then distribute them in order of increasing severity 🙂
I’ve definitely pondered a decision tree that would give the characters a choice between +owned and a swift kick right in the Resources.
But it is a little hard to come up with offers they can’t refuse and feel like you’re not railroading. I’ma watch this thread carefully for ideas.