Worse Than the Disease OOC

[u-b]

The merchants can't offer the mortar, but they do have gas masks, a helmet and special ammo in stock. They would happily sell them to the exiles.

The shopping list should be final. Of note:
1. We buy a modern gas mask for everybody but Bart. The dogs do not have gas masks anyway, so Bart would have to stay back any time this is expected to be an issue. We do get him NVGs though.
2. The gas masks have tinted glasses and provisions to use the radios, so we will have protected vision and will hear everyone loud and clear.
3. Tariq's old Colt SAA has been given to the river guys. I'm marking Tariq as using Glock 22 with an extra magazine ready, both with APHCs. Tariq also gets a modern helmet, with radio and stuff.
4. Selling Richard's Colt Government now that he has a Desert Eagle. Some downgrade in quality to be eventually fixed, but much more bang. UPD: Forgot we are buying it broken, not cheap, sorry. Richard will have to do without a functioning sidearm until Tariq gets around to fix it.
5. Can NVGs be used with gas masks out of the box or is the helmet-mounting gear to be bought separately? If the later, how much?

[Shoot Da Moon]

Good, noted.

For number 5, I'd rule that getting the necessary attachment gear is either a modification or paying extra (say, the same CF as "Expensive"/Cutting Edge without the weight reduction?) - standard NVGs do not come with the bells and whistles for wearing a gas mask. Either do that, or make your peace with one-at-a-time-ing it.

Also, Richard fails his roll and can't figure out the mutant attacks. He might get a clue and another roll if he investigates the ground zero or captures a mutant who took part in them.

[u-b]

For number 5, I'd rule that getting the necessary attachment gear is either a modification or paying extra (say, the same CF as "Expensive"/Cutting Edge without the weight reduction?) - standard NVGs do not come with the bells and whistles for wearing a gas mask.

I'll add that to our wish list then. Since it would be expensive / cutting edge, could it be made to accomodate the visor too (I mean, either the gas mask or the visor, user's option, changed easily)?

[Shoot Da Moon]

I'll add that to our wish list then. Since it would be expensive / cutting edge, could it be made to accomodate the visor too (I mean, either the gas mask or the visor, user's option, changed easily)?

Yes, but it may take modification to customize it for someone other than the immediate buyer. Take note of who is going to buy and equip the gear, as anyone else using it might find it ill-fitting.

[GnomesofZurich2]

Hi guys, I've decided to step away from this game. Shoot Da Moon, thank you for GMing for all this time, and thanks to my fellow players. I apologize for my long delays in posting.

[Volthawk]

Hi guys, I've decided to step away from this game. Shoot Da Moon, thank you for GMing for all this time, and thanks to my fellow players. I apologize for my long delays in posting.

That's a shame to hear, but thanks for posting up until now. It's been fun to have you around.

[u-b]

Hi guys, I've decided to step away from this game. Shoot Da Moon, thank you for GMing for all this time, and thanks to my fellow players. I apologize for my long delays in posting.

Sad news, but thanks for having us informed. Good luck IRL.

So, GM, what are we going to do?
1. Keep Tariq as NPC and move on?
2. Try to find some players willing to take over Tariq and/or Simone? Simone should be fairly easy to rebuild to taste as she had little of screen time a long time ago.
3. Try to find some players for external recruits?

[Shoot Da Moon]

Sad news, but thanks for having us informed. Good luck IRL.

So, GM, what are we going to do?
1. Keep Tariq as NPC and move on?
2. Try to find some players willing to take over Tariq and/or Simone? Simone should be fairly easy to rebuild to taste as she had little of screen time a long time ago.
3. Try to find some players for external recruits?

This is a pain. I hope he can rejoin the campaign ASAP, but in the event that is permanent...
1) For now, he's a NPC, fully controlled by the other players. Anyone want the newest version of his full character sheet, tell me and I'll PM you.
2) Not sure about recruiting new players, mostly because GURPS does not seem that popular on this board and I'm not certain what the protocol for new recruitment threads for ongoing games is. Anyone done this before?
3) New players could play PCs who don't share the original Shelter origin, sure. If we can get new players.

[u-b]

Anyone done this before?

Yeah, pretty much. It's not at all different from a normal recruitment, just copy/link all the relevant stuff in there like this, but tends to attract less interest. This will be a problem with the low base, the last GURPS recruitment here went spectacularly like this. I'll see if I can get anyone by side channels...

[GnomesofZurich2]

This is a pain. I hope he can rejoin the campaign ASAP, but in the event that is permanent...
1) For now, he's a NPC, fully controlled by the other players. Anyone want the newest version of his full character sheet, tell me and I'll PM you.
2) Not sure about recruiting new players, mostly because GURPS does not seem that popular on this board and I'm not certain what the protocol for new recruitment threads for ongoing games is. Anyone done this before?
3) New players could play PCs who don't share the original Shelter origin, sure. If we can get new players.

I do have the sheet in GCA if that would be helpful, let me know.

[Shoot Da Moon]

I do have the sheet in GCA if that would be helpful, let me know.

Yeah, put it in Dropbox and post the link?

At least export it to PNG and post the pictures.

[Shoot Da Moon]

Made a re-recruitment thread, here;

https://forums.giantitp.com/showthre...-Re-recruiting

What do you think, sirs?

[Volthawk]

Seems like a good time to double-check that I have our progression so far up to date. Is this accurate with the rest of you?

Spoiler

Show

Total: 43
2: Nightbear Encounter
2: Slaves
3: Reaching Radar Base
3: Capturing Radar Base
2: Surviving First Attack
1: Surviving Second Attack
5: Resort Battle
2: Red Mark
2: Slaver Camp
4: Slave Rescue
1: Waffle House Defence
5: Mutant Base
7: Slaver Camp/Battle Bus
2: Merchant Rescue
2: Power Plant

Recruitment post looks good to me.

EDIT: Maybe it's worth adding a summary of the settlements and factions we've met to the recruitment post, to give anyone interested a better idea of where their character may have come from?

[u-b]

Is this accurate with the rest of you?

I have not been tracking piecewise, but the total is totally correct. Sean has an extra -2, but that's just him.

[GnomesofZurich2]

Yeah, put it in Dropbox and post the link?

At least export it to PNG and post the pictures.

Okay, I uploaded it as a .gca4 sheet and and as a RTF.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/aoiy8b2qz6...oval.gca4?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1dia3tddl4....gca4.RTF?dl=0

Let me know if that works.

[u-b]

Sean figures the distance to the parking lot is 200 to 375 yards. He counts six motorcycles in view. The size of the place is approximately one and a half buildings, so 500 square yards of area? Getting from here to there means either bypassing the blockades on the safer passages or somehow making it form one rooftop to the next. The floodwaters are waist-high at the deepest, that's about three feet. Still deep enough to slow travel, drown someone, and dive then swim. He sees no formal hitching post or a dock for a barge. There is no flooding once you get past the parking lot. Not much cover on the road to the hills. Detouring around the flood would require exiting city limits and traveling the highway for two miles (risky if any raiders are patrolling the roads) or climbing up onto the major bridges (hard to do, not much cover on the bridge, long walk).

So, what would be our plan? I am not sure this time. Maybe...
1. Bart stays with the dogs to guard the ground level.
2. Richard and Tariq set up a camouflaged position behind some cover on the roof and observe the parking lot.
3. Sean makes a detour on foot off the roads. That'd take a bit more time, but he's quick on his feet (we are talking 35..70 miles per day kind of speed over forests and hills).
4. Sean approaches the camping lot not along the road. Can look right now to what extent such an approach is feasible.
5. We stay in contact over the radio. It is encrypted and has enough range, so should not be problematic.

Any corrections or alternative ideas?

[Volthawk]

What's the range on Tariq's launcher? I'm wondering whether it's feasible to set him up somewhere on our side of the barricades with some cover and have him lob some explosives into their stuff once Sean gets into position - actually directly hitting their stuff and/or people would be nice, but the main point would be to pull attention away from the parking lot as they either go to ground or try to send people out (at which point Richard and Bart can earn their keep if the search parties do well), allowing Sean to pick off people on his side and/or get in without as much attention thrown in his direction.

Just looked down and remembered that Gnome posted his sheet. 440 yard range seems like it'd allow for this, given the parking lot is 200-375 yards away and on the opposite side of their fortifications to us.

[u-b]

Yeah, the targets are in range and that's sort of backup plan. I wouldn't want to start with it, though. First, the motorcycles cost money. Second, I don't want to repeat ourselves shooting first and asking questions later. I want at least to look at those guys. Maybe fill first 3..6 rounds with flashbangs that can be shot at anyone, including both Sean and the opposition, to grant everyone smoke cover and maybe stun those without protected senses. I gues, 4 would be the best - first, it's enough, and second, you can start to shoot real stuff on round two.

[u-b]

He only manages to navigate the city well enough to come 20 yards closer to his goal without taking any risks. If he wants to get any closer, he may to take a chance on the unsafe streets or climb up to the roofs or dismantle the barricades.

Not much cover on the road to the hills. Detouring around the flood would require exiting city limits and traveling the highway for two miles...

Not sure we are on the same page here. The intended route was the one exiting the city, except that Sean was to walk some distance from the highway, not getting the benefit of the road, but not left in the open too much. I am not sure how much, if any, of the city is on the other side of the flood, but there's a parking lot, so there should be some. Otherwise, will take the last cover on that road from the hills, however far that would be, and observe from there.

[Shoot Da Moon]

Not sure we are on the same page here. The intended route was the one exiting the city, except that Sean was to walk some distance from the highway, not getting the benefit of the road, but not left in the open too much. I am not sure how much, if any, of the city is on the other side of the flood, but there's a parking lot, so there should be some. Otherwise, will take the last cover on that road from the hills, however far that would be, and observe from there.

I thought you meant Sean was going to navigate the streets to the parking lot, not go out to the city limits and drive around.

There is not much city left near the parking lot, the hills are on the outer limits, the flooding is pretty bad just before the hills and the enemy seems to have exploited that.

Driving around the flooding and circling to the parking lot via the city limits is worth -3 to both Navigation and Driving rolls. Failure could mean a random encounter or obstacle.

[u-b]

Driving around the flooding and circling to the parking lot via the city limits is worth -3 to both Navigation and Driving rolls. Failure could mean a random encounter or obstacle.

No, not driving. Hiking. I don't care if it takes an hour to walk a few miles. The risk is acceptable, but probably lower on foot. I'll roll it again, just in case.

UPD: Well, if navigating on foot carries the same penalty, it seems something is to be encountered. Let's hope Sean spots them first.

[u-b]

"Freeze and talk or we'll kill you!"

Wait combat maneuver to get as many of them as possible if they don't do as they are told.

Unwilling to risk much, the patrollers spread out and get behind cover.

Well, it seems we have a misunderstanding here that might have some major consequences... You see, these guys were told to "freeze" and as soon as they don't, that is, well before they get into cover, they should have had a burst coming their way. I mean, I rather expected them to notice shouting Sean and his rifle and choose between compliance and fight. I did not quite expect them to choose neither. Not sure what we should make out of this situation, but I'm feeling lucky, so if you do not mind, I'll just not execute that readied action and continue talking instead, eating whatever consequences of them still being eight and now covered...

[u-b]

OOC: Do you need to know how many miles it is between Newport and the radar base?

1. Newport => Radar Base
2. Radar Base => Waffle House
3. Radar Base => Meeting Location (Blackwire's)
4. Meeting Location => Waffle House
5. Meeting Location => Stone's Camp
6. Meeting Location => Stone's Workshop

I guess the location requested is somewhere near the Stone's camp, but not sure where exactly. Sean wanted to have the man in the area, then name a location of his, but now that it's to be the other way around we seem like we'll have to be extra careful. By the way, what time is it now?

Also, is there anything at that location on any of our maps (atlas, Stone's, Waffle House people's)?

[Shoot Da Moon]

1. Newport => Radar Base
2. Radar Base => Waffle House
3. Radar Base => Meeting Location (Blackwire's)
4. Meeting Location => Waffle House
5. Meeting Location => Stone's Camp
6. Meeting Location => Stone's Workshop

I guess the location requested is somewhere near the Stone's camp, but not sure where exactly. Sean wanted to have the man in the area, then name a location of his, but now that it's to be the other way around we seem like we'll have to be extra careful. By the way, what time is it now?

Also, is there anything at that location on any of our maps (atlas, Stone's, Waffle House people's)?

1) 10 miles.
2) 110 miles, the first journey you guys went on.
3) 20 miles.
4) 95 miles.
5) 8 miles.
6) The workshop? You mean the depot where the raider bus came from? 12 miles.

The current in-game time is about 4(?) hours after you guys woke up today. Call it 1 PM?

No, your maps do not have that location marked. It's probably just a non-distinct area that was picked for being defensible.

[u-b]

A few things Sean wants to learn from the papers in addition to the fact they are fake (not spending a lot of time on it now, but maybe something is clear already):
1. Can he reliably prove that the reports are fake, especially by specifying what parts are fake in what specific ways?
2. Can he determine what these reports have been altered from?
3. What are the specific allegations (purported WMDs, their locations, methods of acquisition, people doing it, time frame of them allegedly doing it etc.)?
4. How are this stack and the individual documents dated and sourced?
5. How well the forgers seem to know the targets beyond just normal public information?

@Volthawk: Any ideas about how we should go about this Blackwire appointment?

3) 20 miles.
4) 95 miles.

I think this does not quite add up. The Stone's location was described as being 5 miles west of Springfield, so much closer to the Waffle House than to the Radar Base. I will proceed with the assumption that these distances need to be swapped or something.

[Shoot Da Moon]

A few things Sean wants to learn from the papers in addition to the fact they are fake (not spending a lot of time on it now, but maybe something is clear already):
1. Can he reliably prove that the reports are fake, especially by specifying what parts are fake in what specific ways?
2. Can he determine what these reports have been altered from?
3. What are the specific allegations (purported WMDs, their locations, methods of acquisition, people doing it, time frame of them allegedly doing it etc.)?
4. How are this stack and the individual documents dated and sourced?
5. How well the forgers seem to know the targets beyond just normal public information?


I think this does not quite add up. The Stone's location was described as being 5 miles west of Springfield, so much closer to the Waffle House than to the Radar Base. I will proceed with the assumption that these distances need to be swapped or something.

1) Not quite prove, but it is compelling evidence. A deeper investigation could pull the thread enough to prove the fake.
2) Well, in parts, but only in parts for sure without copies of the original or the original writer of the reports. Mostly, the parts where specific numbers and dates were altered - someone used forgery techniques on the writing.
3) The specific allegations is an attempt to gather a posse for the purpose of raiding the mutants for their top secret weapons. The settlements hatched a plot to steal the WMDs, according to the fake reports.
4) The stack and the docs are dated two months ago, but that data was changed. The source is supposedly a recon scout and spy aligned with the mutants who is embedded across unaltered human settlements undercover as a travelling merchant. The report was then passed along via dead drop and then couriers who delivered the reports to home base (rather than direct communication with the source). It could have been tampered with anywhere along that line to home base. Check in with the couriers and the spy to see what they have to say?
5) Probably not that well, other than the names and surface descriptions of people and places. You suspect a good portion of the most detailed interviews or surveillance is completely made-up, the people detailed within may have never existed.

Yeah, I may have messed it up. Perhaps the distances vary due to twisted terrain or non-straight roads? Maybe take 10 miles from the bigger distance and add it to the lesser?

[u-b]

3) The specific allegations is an attempt to gather a posse for the purpose of raiding the mutants for their top secret weapons.

Can we reasonably conclude there was an original stating mostly the same, but about different suspects?

Yeah, I may have messed it up. Perhaps the distances vary due to twisted terrain or non-straight roads? Maybe take 10 miles from the bigger distance and add it to the lesser?

Then I guess we just take people off the Radar Base instead.

[Shoot Da Moon]

Can we reasonably conclude there was an original stating mostly the same, but about different suspects?

You do not know for sure unless you can get your hands on the original. It might have said something completely different, completely unrelated to the WMDs.

[Shoot Da Moon]

Are you two still discussing your next step?

Are you waiting for the new players to get into the game before you take the next step? If so, we can have the new Player Characters join you two at the radar base or the Waffle House.

[u-b]

I'm mostly waiting for Richard to OK or correct Sean's plan. I mean, we can proceed, but his life is at stake. Not sure if people will be ready in time to join us before the trip, I'm fine either way.