The Sprawl – Page 19 – Powered by the Apocalypse G+ Archives

So I’m running the Sprawl, my first experience with a PbtA game other than Dungeon World.

So I’m running the Sprawl, my first experience with a PbtA game other than Dungeon World. So far me and my group are enjoying it a lot. I’m sure I’m messing a bunch of stuff up but I’m getting better for sure 🙂

There is one thing I’d like some help with though. Should I track the harm of opponents who do not warrant their own harm clock? For example, say a prototype is guarded by 6 security guards. Should I track the harm of each of them or consider them more as a nebulous blob of “threat”?

Or, should I do neither of these things maybe? I don’t know, some input would be greatly appreciated!

Cutting Edge Russian Attack Software

Cutting Edge Russian Attack Software

After their first mission, two of the team members bought some new gear. The Pusher went to her Haas-Bioroid handlers and had dermal plating implanted (she’d taken a bullet while extracting Kurosawa and didn’t like it much), and the Hacker bought some “cutting edge Russian attack software”.

We discussed what that might be, and as it was rather late, I foolishly suggested a Manipulate program that granted +2 hold on a successful Manipulate Systems move. Seemed fine at the time.

Cut to the middle of the last mission. Between Console Cowboy, Programming On the Fly, and the improved Manipulate program, the Hacker has a whopping 6 hold on the Building Security node. I’m all for being a fan of the characters, but that is way too much and I’m already having trouble challenging the Hacker on their matrix runs.

So can people help me come up with an alternative program? I don’t want to give the 4 credits back and tell the player to pick something else. What about a Manipulate program that grants +1 hold even on a missed roll? Or a Manipulate program that also created 1 hold of Security on a 10+?

Corp Specific ICE

Corp Specific ICE

I’m currently MCing a game set in the Android: Netrunner universe. (We have four players including myself, all of whom play the LCG, and it seemed like a natural fit.) There haven’t been that many encounters between our Hacker and ICE, but I need to start using it way more, as the PC is wrecking shop in any server he gets into.

To add some Netrunner “flavor”, I’m thinking about making some Corp specific ICE. How ICE looks and behaves not only makes the game feel more Netrunner-y, it will also give the players clues about what Corp the characters are messing with. If they pay attention.

Haas-Bioroid ICE:

Whenever a piece of HB ICE executes a routine, the player loses 1 hold (if any) from either the Compromise Security or Manipulate Systems move.

Jinteki ICE:

Whenever a piece of Jinteki ICE executes a routine, damage an intruder’s cyberdeck (Lower one of the cyberdeck’s ratings by 1).

NBN ICE:

Whenever a piece of NBN ICE executes a routine, trace an intruder’s location (Trace +1).

Weyland ICE:

Whenever a piece of Weyland ICE executes a routine, corrupt an intruder’s program (Destroy an active program).

This means Crop specific ICE always gets an additional effect when it executes a routine. That might be too much. Maybe instead of the additional effect, the ICE should simply do an extra point of something when a specific routine is run. So Jinteki ICE would lower an intruder’s cyberdeck rating by an additional +1 if the MC chose that option.

Thoughts?

Ran a pick up game of The Sprawl at the Millenium Falcons, Southampton Guild of Roleplayers last night.

Used the Kurosawa Extraction from the book with some corporations that we brainstormed. Game went well as three of the players soon got the hang of how things should work and only one had some problem grasping the concepts behind a PbtA game.

The team opted to hit the convoy on the access road to the airport (I was describing a cross between the access road from the M4 to Heathrow and the access road to Washington DC International) so straightish road with grassy areas either side. The plan was for the bunch of Thugs who formed ‘Handsome’ Johnson’s posse to act as a distraction while the Driver and his three vectored thrust panzers attacked the armoured limos having been transported nearby under a tarpaulin on a flat bed truck.

The action opened with the minibus full of Arsenal supporters driving across the median to cut off the first limo throwing smoke grenades and lager cans. The panzers (the player opted for three vehicles the same for odd reasons – he said why not and I thought it would be fun in a one off game) then attacked with a rocket at the first limo – it missed. The second panzer fired another rocket and this damaged the first armoured limo and the third panzer used a magnetic grapple to stop the second limo.

The Arsenal supporters then attacked again and threw lager cans at the windshield of limo #2. The windshield cracked and they took some damage from the assault rifle armed security guards. The Killer then got into the act and blew away the security goons but took 1 Harm damage as his armour kept out the assault rifle fire.

The armoured limo keep out the crew until the Killer blew the door off. Mitchell was dragged off to the nondescript vehicle they had waiting as the vectored thrust panzers left in a hurry. One of them took an anti-materiel rifle round to the engine and blew away the police SWAT team with a rocket in reply.

As the team exited they saw the road blocked by the two gangs of South American drug cartels members who they had arranged to turn up and grab each other’s latest shipment. This had slowed the police response and stopped anyone else getting through to the scene.

Excellent ideas from the team included Fast talking a contact in the traffic department to arrange the traffic lights going to red after the convoy went through ala Italian Job. Also getting a contact, Frank the Tank, to supply the flat bed truck transporting the covered panzers and Fast Talking a police department contact to find out about the drug gangs.

A great session and much enjoyed.

I hate these maps, as they connect stations that are connected to one another in a functional way rather than a…

I hate these maps, as they connect stations that are connected to one another in a functional way rather than a geographic way.

So… perfect for describing cyber system layouts for runs.

Originally shared by Deborah Teramis Christian

This tool creates subway style maps. Could be way useful for a variety of settings!

https://metromapmaker.com/

Ware implanting is kinda weird mechanically.

Ware implanting is kinda weird mechanically. You need to spend (At least) 8 cred in the first place just to get the ‘ware, 2 ‘ware on the street doc and even THEN you’ve got a 40% chance to actually get you’re ware implemented right. That’s with literally the best doctor you can buy.

That feels really weird and out of genre for most cyberpunk. Molly Millions would be falling apart at the seams with all she’s got installed with those sort of odds.