Worse Than the Disease OOC

[Volthawk]

Richard, are you going to take another shot?

Ah yeah, sorry. Didn't have much internet access yesterday.

[Shoot Da Moon]

No prob.

Tariq?

[u-b]

Tariq seems to be AFK since 19th, so how about we just say he starts to work on the car?

[Shoot Da Moon]

Tariq seems to be AFK since 19th, so how about we just say he starts to work on the car?

Alright, I'll roll his Mechanic skill.

[GnomesofZurich2]

Alright, I'll roll his Mechanic skill.

Sorry, back now, but fixing the car is fine.

[Shoot Da Moon]

What is Richard doing this day?

[Volthawk]

What is Richard doing this day?

Hm. He can't effectively help Tariq with repairs (I think he can default a relevant skill, but the skill level would mean his complimentary rolls would hurt more than help on average), he's done with healing, and he's done with repairing guns, so I guess he'll just keep watch and patrol around the base. Keep an eye out for any sign of a third wave or other trouble coming.

[u-b]

Can probably count it as 100 hours of practicing some relevant skill(s), like e.g. observation, which would be 50 hours worth of learning or 0.25 char points.

[Shoot Da Moon]

What's the opinion on fast-forwarding days until the car is fixed? I reckon you guys have enough food. And I am not sure any random encounters would hit the base...

[u-b]

What's the opinion on fast-forwarding days until the car is fixed? I reckon you guys have enough food. And I am not sure any random encounters would hit the base...

I'm all in for skipping until either of the following occurs:
1. Tariq is done repairing the car
2. We have a (random) encounter
3. We have new material information (incoming on the radio or otherwise)
4. Sean is at full health - this is optional because we don't have to hunt for more jerky for sale, but it might be something Sean would do; can easily drop it depending on collective preference

[Shoot Da Moon]

I'm all in for skipping until either of the following occurs:
1. Tariq is done repairing the car
2. We have a (random) encounter
3. We have new material information (incoming on the radio or otherwise)
4. Sean is at full health - this is optional because we don't have to hunt for more jerky for sale, but it might be something Sean would do; can easily drop it depending on collective preference

Okay. I see you've already rolled HT for ten days in the Dice Rolls thread, that is good. You should be at full HP before the week is out.
I'll fast-forward until the car is fixed.

[GnomesofZurich2]

I'll fast-forward until the car is fixed.

Sounds good.

[u-b]

(OOC: Mark off another 3 meals for everyone.)
(OOC: consumed 3 meals per PC for 8 days. So 24 rations times 3, I think.)

Nope. Because of thermal regulation failure Sean eats just one per day. If we include Simone, that would be 10 * 9 days = 90. If we switch Simone to Waffle House supplies, that would be 7 * 9 = 63.

[Shoot Da Moon]

Nope. Because of thermal regulation failure Sean eats just one per day. If we include Simone, that would be 10 * 9 days = 90. If we switch Simone to Waffle House supplies, that would be 7 * 9 = 63.

Sorry, my mistake. Call it 63 meals eaten, then.

[GnomesofZurich2]

Tariq drives by default at skill 8. I'm willing to put a point in Driving when next I earn one, but increasing my HT by one and a few skill increases ate up all of my earned points.

[u-b]

Tariq drives by default at skill 8.

That is basically a crash for anything over 12 and a minor mishap more often than not. It would depend on how often we have to roll, but even rolled daily it's not ideal. Sean has 3 points left and is willing to spend them as follows:
- 2 points to get the skill at 11 (we'll have to assume Sean had some experience with driving simulation, gaming or otherwise)
- 1 point to have the car as signature gear (making Sean into some kind of Nomad, but that's fine)

The question, then, is if the GM will allow it and how much time it would take to get up to speed (pun intended).

[Shoot Da Moon]

The question, then, is if the GM will allow it and how much time it would take to get up to speed (pun intended).

If you have the Character Points, you can spend them however you like.

[u-b]

I'm spending the points then. Assuming we choose to go, Sean will spend one hour familiarizing himself with the car (maybe more, if people need more time to prepare), then we depart.

[Shoot Da Moon]

I'm spending the points then. Assuming we choose to go, Sean will spend one hour familiarizing himself with the car (maybe more, if people need more time to prepare), then we depart.

Good, post in the IC thread where you're driving. You remember what I posted about the car's fuel mileage and travel speed (much) earlier?
And I think we can rule your character is familiar with the car, that Sean made sure to get comfortable with the sedan while it was being upgraded.

[u-b]

Also, be sure to note what you are leaving behind at the base, and what you are taking with you.

Left some rations at the base to have more spare capacity. The rations are adequate trade value, but we aren't going to trade, so carrying capacity might be more important. Should not need any other changes except maybe Tariq making (or taking) some claimors for this trip.

[u-b]

Now here's the interesting part. Six cars worth of attackers (well, five cars worth now), even with some automatic rifles is still hell of a lot. We were discussing taking some mines with us, but the game moved on. So the questions now:
1. Can Tariq make a batch on the spot (considering equipment and materials availabe)?
2. Failing that, can he be considered having made a batch before departure?

[GnomesofZurich2]

Tariq could use his Gizmo advantage to make use of a retroactive invention:

"4. A retroactive invention. Instead of pulling a usable item out of his pocket, the gadgeteer declares that he has already
built a certain device and had it in his pocket all along. Use the normal Inventing (pp. 40-41) rules, with no modifier for time (because he took the normal time to build it “off camera”).

The gadgeteer still has to expend the necessary parts, make all of the rolls, and so on. If his final roll succeeds, the device he pulls out of his pocket works! If not, it falls apart horribly and embarrassingly. Either way, this uses up a Gizmo."

I'm hoping this means he can use parts still back at the radio station, because I'm unsure we have enough with us to do so.

What sort of mines did you have in 'mined'? I would lean towards OZM-3 (5d cr ex plus 4d frag) or Claymores (6dx3 exp, + directional 2d(0.5) pi at RoF 1x700); the former requires $48 worth of parts, the latter $40 worth of parts.

The car should count as an improvised workspace (no penalties to skill), same (for me) as using the workshop back at the base. The value and TL means that I'll end up rolling at +2 to skill, so should likely be able to produce several copies.

[u-b]

I think we should make Claymores, considering the following plan. If you come up with some other plan, another setup could be considered.

So, we ride there, take our car off the road some distance from the mountain and camouflage it. We trap the road some distance towards the mountain, one or two mines. Here, either OZM-3 or Claymores will do. Then we choose a position and plant some mines facing the mountain. I plan Sean to operate during the coming darkness and want him to be able to safely retreat to this position where Tariq and Richard are to be waiting in ambush. This means manual trigger for the mines. This means Tariq and Richard making perception checks. This means mines are to be placed fairly close to their position. This means Claymores. The manual triggering could be achieved using det cord, which we have in the car.

UPD: Hm. Reading B414, it seems OZM-3 would be dangerous out to 20 yards (fragmentation) while Claymore would be dangerous out to 36 yards (explosion), but the explosive damage beyond 20 yards yould be negligible, placing them roughly in the same ballpark and making it up to you which ones you'd prefer to have in front of your position.

UPD2: Reading HT189, it's probably still Claymores, if only because their fragmentation range is that large, allowing you to catch the riflemen in the back along with the approaching melee types.

[GnomesofZurich2]

I think we should make Claymores, considering the following plan. If you come up with some other plan, another setup could be considered.

So, we ride there, take our car off the road some distance from the mountain and camouflage it. We trap the road some distance towards the mountain, one or two mines. Here, either OZM-3 or Claymores will do. Then we choose a position and plant some mines facing the mountain. I plan Sean to operate during the coming darkness and want him to be able to safely retreat to this position where Tariq and Richard are to be waiting in ambush. This means manual trigger for the mines. This means Tariq and Richard making perception checks. This means mines are to be placed fairly close to their position. This means Claymores. The manual triggering could be achieved using det cord, which we have in the car.

UPD: Hm. Reading B414, it seems OZM-3 would be dangerous out to 20 yards (fragmentation) while Claymore would be dangerous out to 36 yards (explosion), but the explosive damage beyond 20 yards yould be negligible, placing them roughly in the same ballpark and making it up to you which ones you'd prefer to have in front of your position.

UPD2: Reading HT189, it's probably still Claymores, if only because their fragmentation range is that large, allowing you to catch the riflemen in the back along with the approaching melee types.

Sounds good. I'll just wait until Shoot Da Moon rules whether I can use equipment from base for this purpose or if we have to use gear on hand, if needed I could salvage a grenade, then I'll make some rolls.

[Volthawk]

Yeah, explosive damage falloff is sharp enough that if we want to have a decent chance of hurting people from pretty far away, we'll need to rely more on fragmentation - the explosive blast will be good if we can time it right, because these guys don't seem to be amazingly armoured and large-area injury is pretty nice if they're not 100% armoured, but if the plan relies on getting that distance we need better fragmentation.

[Shoot Da Moon]

I'm willing to say you just grabbed some of the already created claymore before you set out. No need for Gizmos or making new ones.

[GnomesofZurich2]

I'm willing to say you just grabbed some of the already created claymore before you set out. No need for Gizmos or making new ones.

In that case, I guess we can get going, stash the car and set up some mines, and see how the raiders like them!

[u-b]

OOC: I'd say you guys are closest to the Whiffletree Condos. Most of the fires are set in or around the Condos. No visible antennas. I lost track of how many miles per hour your car does, but you travelled about 70-80 miles from the camp grounds? Maybe a hour on the road? It is about early afternoon? Darkness penalties can be worse than overcast (-1), but the night is pitch black and 4-6 hours away?

The car has a practical speed of 11 miles per hour after accounting for deep snow. Which means we drove for about 13 hours today, including 70 + 70 miles and 10 + 10 minutes the wrong way. This not includes time spent doing anything else, which should be at least 30 minutes today, probably more. The time between sunrise and sunset in february should be around 11 hours, but we are far enough from equator so there are noticeable periods of some illumination even with sun below the horizon, both in the morning and the evening.

[GnomesofZurich2]

@u-b: That's neat that you were able to find this location on Google Maps!

[Shoot Da Moon]

What sort of mines did you have in 'mined'? I would lean towards OZM-3 (5d cr ex plus 4d frag) or Claymores (6dx3 exp, + directional 2d(0.5) pi at RoF 1x700); the former requires $48 worth of parts, the latter $40 worth of parts.

The car should count as an improvised workspace (no penalties to skill), same (for me) as using the workshop back at the base. The value and TL means that I'll end up rolling at +2 to skill, so should likely be able to produce several copies.

A little late and certainly redundant, but...
Did you take into account the TL multiplier to cost here?
Like, high TL stuff is worth more, and are harder to make/repair/upgrade as a result.
The parts cost is a little low, I think...