Clarifications on rule changes: (The Core thread has been properly updated with all the rule changes as well.)
1.) 5 agents per theatre, and if captured/killed you lose that agent next Operations Phase. Captured agents can provide intelligence to their capturers via interrogation. Operations are now longer-term and take place over a longer period of time, more representing the overall operation and not just some coincidental engagement where both agencies arrive at the exact same time.
2.)
(New) Expense is now done in simple numbers (and National Effort). Expense will now be shown in numbers - "1x, 2x, 3x," etc. with the number representing the number of agents per theatre able to use this design. "National Effort" still exists but should be very rare, and represents something that can only be used by one agent in one theatre. These are the conversions from the old expense values:
Cheap -> 6x, Expensive -> 2x, Very Expensive -> 1x.
3.)
(New-ish) Design rolls are now based on Sensei's ICAR and NUKE9.13's
BFA. Designs + Revisions are assigned a difficulty that determines the modifier, there's only one roll, and that roll uses a 2d4 dice. See the Core thread for more details.
4.) There are completely new Theatre Control Bonuses. See the Theatres spoiler for the details.
Operations Report, 1957Human Power Inc. [5/5 Agents]
Objective: Locate and receive blackmail documents from crowded bar.Once we realize the courier is actually missing, our agents are set to the bar where the documents were to be held for safekeeping. The agent on Overwatch is placed in a nearby skyscraper with a Portable Radio and HOMER, instructed to open fire on any confirmed
MOLE agents. The agent on Deep Infiltration gets in a couple of months in advance as a rookie bartender, and the rest are assigned to utilize
Sneaking to appear as if they were bar patrons. One sneaker is given the portable radio. We can only hope he isn't killed as soon as he walks in.
The beginning goes fine. Our cover continues intact despite how bad our agent is at being a bartender. As the bar closes and the time to retrieve the document from its safe in the bar without suspicion comes, the Sneaking agent wearing the radio comes in. The entire bar seems confused at this. But suddenly, two bartenders begin hustling towards the back room -
where the documents are. Suspicious of
MOLE involvement but not certain, we begin the retrieval early and the bartender
KOSMIC operative moves in. Yet one of the bartender splits off and blocks our agent from advancing, making strange small talk. The other continues.
Our agent's patience is wearing thin at this point, but we aren't willing to risk a diplomatic incident.
The bartender is unable to get through, but our man on Overwatch spots him walking out through the back entrance and informs the portable radio wearer on the ground. He organizes the rest of our agents to rally out the bar in pursuit of the
MOLE carrier.
MOLE picks up on this and their entire team - almost simultaneously - gets up in pursuit of our agent.
Luckily before the carrier can get far, the Overwatch agent gets clear shot and takes it. The carrier falls down, likely dead. The sound of the shot incites the civilians at the bar into a panic as they try flooding out of the exit. Fairly quickly afterwards, our agents can all hear police sirens in the background.
Both
MOLE and
KOSMIC exchange fire, but our agents in the open don't have any cover, and eventually they manage to hit one - likely killing them. The dash to the corpse is interrupted by police cars screaming around the corner and coming to a sudden halt between the bar (and
MOLE) and our agents. Seeing that they'll likely be shot at if they all make a run for the documents, two agents are left behind while one grabs the documents.
According to the two surviving operatives - the one that grabbed the documents and the one on Overwatch - the two agents distracting the police were arrested. But their distraction gave our carrier time to disappear into the city with the documents safe in hand.
It was expensive for us, but we managed to prevent
MOLE from using the documents as blackmail against HPI.
1 MOLE agent KIA. 0 MOLE agents MIA? | 1 KOSMIC agent KIA. 2 KOSMIC agents MIA. Human Power Inc. is now on High Security, and police will be much more present next year.Astria holds control of Human Power Inc. [A: 4/4; M: 0/4]. Astria can now begin infiltrating Merkan and gains the bonus: Can assign +1 agent to one theatre. Singleton Arms [5/5 Agents]
Objective: Prevent MOLE sabotage of Astrian tank testing at Singleton Arms facility.The facility in question is easily infiltrated with our agents before the date of testing - a bit after the Human Power operation. A schedule is assigned for Overwatch duty watching the tank - and also use of Deep Infiltration. The rest of our agents largely wait outside the facility as their disguises don't gain them permanent access. Sneaking allows them to get in, but not to stay in.
One day the Overwatch agent sights a suspicious group of workers at the area hosting the tank. They wear strange hats with some kind of wire in them only apparent after a while of continued observation- remarkably similar to
MOLE's hats at HPI, Command remarks.
Eventually our agent spots one of them doing
extraordinarily suspicious tinkering with the tank. He opens fire on the tinkering agent before they can do any damage, but is quickly overwhelmed with gunfire as the rest notice and open fire with their own concealed weapons. Due to his preparation and position, the cover prevents any wounds while he calls for backup from our waiting agents outside the facility. Though there's no doubt that the police were called as well. That gunshot would have been heard across the entire facility.
As the
MOLE agents realize reinforcements are coming, they throw one of their signature suffocating-smoke grenades, immediately filling the
entire room with a very thick opaque smog, disappearing before our armed agents arrive. A siren approaches in the distance as a few police cars park outside. The sneaking agents scramble, hiding their MP54 Cs. The agent on Overwatch has more trouble, though. He manages to disassemble his HOMER to the point where he can begin disassembling it on the move, but by the time he gets to the exit of the facility he's confronted by police and taken into custody.
We believed we drove
MOLE off, but later it was reported that with the tank's catastrophe of a test, Astria cancelled the tank's program and contract with Singleton Arms. Merkan came in afterwards, securing their relationship with Singleton Arms.
1 MOLE agent KIA. 0 MOLE agents MIA? | 1 KOSMIC agent MIA. Merkan gains further control of Singleton Arms [A: 1/4; M; 3/4]Global League [5/5 Agents]
Objective: Eliminate VIP at Merkane airport before their airplane takes off.Eliminating the VIP was easy.
Just a matter of the man on Overwatch using their HOMER to the fullest potential.
Something not as easy, however, was the Global League security response. They zeroed in on our team's position nearly immediately. Not wanting to cause any
more of a diplomatic incident, three of our agents - the ones caught - surrender. While two make it out alive and unharmed.
While Global League's interrogation techniques should be ineffective, there has already been a decision to
greatly increase the security this year and the next, with routine searches to prevent another sniper sneaking into position.
The reasoning for the assassination of the VIP has also been called into question, and in response to the VIP testifying against Astria as well as Astrian weaponry present on the scene, our governmnt has claimed that the "terrorists" responsible for the 1954 Human Power incident were also responsible for this.
3 KOSMIC agents MIA. Global League is now on High Security, and security will be much more present and conducting routine searches next year.Astria gains further control of Global League [A: 4/4; M; 1/4] If Astria holds the theatre for one more year, they gain the bonus: Can bypass type-restriction on Revisions. Merkan [5/5 Agents]
Objective: Find and eliminate Merkane MOLE before captured by MOLE.Our Overwatching agent sets up at the tallest building in town, and all our other agents are given basic disguises and radios to aid with the search. It takes a while to locate the mole, but eventually the distinctive sound of a A-R1940 and the new silence of one of the searching agents over the radio gives their position away. The Overwatcher quickly finds their location, but while they stick out, [1d2=1] the night's latent darkness and buildings they hide behind prevent any effective sniping. Our sniper shoots whenever they get a chance, but their tactics just prevent a hit from being made.
The
MOLE agents accompanying the MOLE are eventually stopped by two police cars and get in. Knowing that the Merkane police in the area would be cooperative in a case like this, our Overwatching agent attempted to shoot out the car's tires.
One of the only lit lampposts of the town is destroyed as, careening out of control due to a shot-out tire, one of the cars crash into it after colliding with the other police car. The other car is knocked directly off the road straight into a building.
Unfortunately, no one appears to have been harmed.
They don't exit the cover of their crashed cars, and the reason why becomes apparent when the room of our Overwatching agent is raided by the police, arresting him. The rest of our agents - previously pursuing
MOLE based on directions over radio - scatter.
The Merkane parliament considers preparing the police for more situations such as this, but ultimately decide that would be far too militaristic. For now, the government remains un-infiltrated.
1 KOSMIC agent MIA. Merkan maintains control of their government. [A: 0/5; M: 5/5]Expense Credit!Special Agent Sayuri Tressler Dolvich enters the party dressed just as if she were an unassuming worker. Without pause, she walks through the festivities until she reaches the interior. She surveys her surroundings as she puts up an act of working. The Tycoon, a fairly obvious and poorly-dressed man, walks in accompanying a man dressed in a
very expensive tuxedo. Both make their ways to the stairs.
But there was a flaw in the tuxedo-wearing man's disguise. Agent Dolvich knew it well - the imprint of a Merkan Subduer hidden beneath the fabric.
Without a pause, Agent Dolvich casually brushes by the
MOLE agent. Just as the two are adjacent, she pulls the Subduer out of the tuxedo, exposing it. Feigning a fearful collapse to the ground, Agent Dolvich points a terrified finger to the man - screaming about his gun. A security guard pulls out his pistol and points it at the
MOLE. With his hands raised and security storming in, Agent Dolvich takes the opportunity to make her entry upstairs undetected. As she locates the third floor, she can hear gunfire.
A quick backing into a closet gives the Special Agent space as more security come rushing down the hallway. She exits again and locates the room holding the book - still protected by one guard. As the sound of gunfire continues, though it draws further away, Dolvich uses the chance to eliminate the guard protecting the room with a single shot from the MP 54C.
With no one the wiser about her entry of the room, she grabs the small book from a shelf in an ornate desk. She looks through the windows. A search party is being formed. The Agent haphazardly jumps from the window and slides down the shingled roof, landing on the ground with a roll. Before the search party has the idea to return to check the mansion, she disappears with book in hand.
KOSMIC earns an Expense Credit. It can be used to increase the expense of any design by +1 for a turn.
OVERWATCH and HOMER are nice and all but, according to Command, they have obvious flaws. They're extremely obvious and result in the frequent arrest of our agents. The effectiveness paired with this aforementioned obvious nature points to a significant chance of MOLE aggressively reacting in ways to reduce their effectiveness. Command doesn't have any specific requests, but advises you to be careful with this field moving forward.
It is now the Design Phase of 1957. Vote for a single Tech or Skill proposal to be worked on as this year's design.
Theatre objectives for next Operations Phase:
Human Power Inc. - A party involving a high-up Astrian official and representative of Human Power Inc. is set to occur in a luxurious penthouse at the top of one of Astria's tallest skyscrapers. We are already planned to be present as
official security, so
MOLE - which is no doubt coming to crash the party - will have the element of surprise.
KOSMIC must protect both VIPs (as long as one lives, we should be fine). However, according to an admission from the Astrian official, there will be more illicit activities (we believe bribery) going on, and we have to prevent
MOLE from obtaining evidence of this activity.
Singleton Arms - Unfortunately, Merkan has learned of, through their newfound relations with Singleton Arms, a train full of freshly manufactured weaponry - one of the few contracts Astria still has with Singleton Arms - being prepared at a remote train station. Singleton security is minimal right before and during the train's transit from its original station to a temporary stop in Astria. If
MOLE waylays the train to a Merkane train station or simply stop it altogether, then they'll be able to disrupt one the last remaining vestiges of our government's historical cooperation with Singleton Arms. The security times means both
MOLE and
KOSMIC agents will likely have to conduct the majority of the operation during the train's movement.
Merkan - A separate branch of
KOSMIC has reported success in raising a small amount of
terrorists rebels in Merkan. A shipment of weapons is being brought to them via truck, and we believe
MOLE knows of and is planning on stopping this shipment. The planned route is largely just busy roads, but at some point a lengthy bridge is crossed then an hour is spent in a fairly remote path in the mountains; we believe
MOLE may strike during these parts of the route. We have to insure the shipment makes it through these parts unharmed. If no vehicles are designed, we will be provided our choice of
basic civilian vehicles to use for the operation if we so desire.
Global League - The
Astrian "terrorist" agent captured by the Global League in 1956 is still under imprisonment, and there's rumors that he's starting to crack and may talk soon. The prisoner is scheduled for transfer to a less-
regulated prison belonging to one of the Global League's nations. The transfer will be happening on a very large prison boat which is planned to leave port the soonest our agents can get there.
MOLE is tasked with capturing or protecting the prisoner from harm or extraction by
KOSMIC.
Companies
- Human Power Inc. [A: 4/4; M: 0/4] (2/5 Agents) (High Security) (Can assign +1 agent to one theatre. Re-assignable.)
- Singleton Arms [A: 1/4; M: 3/4] (4/5 Agents) (Can assign +1x expense to one design. Re-assignable.)
Governments
- Astria [A: 5/5; M: 0/5] (5/5 Agents)
- Merkan [A: 0/5; M: 5/5] (4/5 Agents)
Global League [A: 4/4; M: 0/4] (2/5 Agents) (High Security; Searches) (Can bypass type-restriction on Revisions.)
- Deep Infiltration - Via political influence, an agent is placed into deep cover as an employee with very little security clearance in the appropriate place throughout the year. Agent can smuggle in small concealable (e.g. briefcase) weapons, but must return routinely to HQ for new orders. EXPENSE: 1x.
- Intimidation - Operatives will attempt to force their way past security via waving their guns around and using loud words. EXPENSE: 6x.
- Forceful Exit - If made, Operatives will use copious amounts of violence to fight their way out of the area until they can regroup with reinforcements. EXPENSE: 6x.
- Memorized Orders - Operatives are given their mission in person at HQ, and are expected to remember the specifics of their mission until they report back (again in person) for debriefing and a new assignment. Operatives shouldn't give away info unless under notable interrogation. EXPENSE: 6x.
- Sneaking - With quick beforehand research, our operatives wear simple disguises with some quick training beforehand to very easily avoid passive detection by non-Astrian personnel. Can't bring any Tech that isn't extremely concealable. EXPENSE: 6x.
- Overwatch - An agent finds a vantage point (if present) and attempts to coordinate the team - if possible - from there based on observations of the theatre, allowing for plan flexibility (still abiding to Skills) in the field and relatively easy reaction to new developments. Agents on Overwatch can't communicate with the rest of the team, and are notably exposed to spotting and general danger. If equipped with a HOMER, the agent uses its scope and eliminates targets they determine to be tactically important. Requires a vantage point in the theatre. EXPENSE: 1x.
- A-R1940 - A simple yet functional assault rifle developed during the war, roughly on par with the weapons of other world powers developed around the same time. Very obvious, but quite versatile. EXPENSE: 6x.
- A-R1940 S - A variant with a suppressor equipped. Still loud, but doesn't immediately alert all security in the region. EXPENSE: 2x.
- MP54 C: A 9mm 20-round metal machinepistol capable of automatic fire, though it becomes somewhat more inaccurate when fired above the rate of a traditional pistol. Can be concealed in small containers like briefcases but is somewhat noticeable when worn on the person without extra considerations. Weak stopping power and a bit heavy for its size. EXPENSE: 2x.
- MP54 CS - A variant with a suppressor equipped. While not objectively quiet, it should only notify a limited & delayed local security response (if security is in the area) at first. EXPENSE: 2x.
- Body Armor - Very bulky body armor. Greatly increases survivability of operatives, but greatly reduces agility and is very obvious. EXPENSE: 2x.
- Suppressor - A standard suppressor that can be equipped on any standard gun for a -1 to expense. Size & effectiveness of suppressor does not scale with larger guns.
- H.O.M.E.R.: An all-metal unsuppressed semi-automatic sniper rifle equipped with a 2x scope and a 10-round magazine. Can be easily disassembled and put back together, and comes with a briefcase and foam fittings for the parts. Reliably lethal on all known armor from either nation, and has moderate penetration power. Has a fairly slow rate of fire for a semi-automatic. EXPENSE: 2x.
- Portable Radio - A standard military-issue "backpack"-style two-way radio allowing our agents to communicate with each other when separated. Extraordinarily obvious. EXPENSE: 2x.
Author
Topic: Shadow Race - Astria, 1957 (Revision Phase) (Read 12961 times)