Contract #2: Gangland, USA.

[John]

Max pulls the pin on the first grenade on the window sill and holds it contemplatively for a brief moment before throwing it with a high lob into the emerging group of coughing gangers.

[GM Nick]

Ranged Combat (Max)

[Throwing Weapons(Lobbed) + AGI + Extreme Distance + Firing From Cover (6) = 4]
3 6 5 4 6 5
Scatter Direction: 1
Scatter Distance (1): 2 - 4 = 0 meters

Max's grenade bounces a few times before coming to rest near the gangers.

Damage Resistance (Ganger #2)

Distance from blast: 3 meter(s)
[Damage Resistance (11) - 2 (AP): 5] (( 0P Damage! ))
5 6 2 1 4 5 5 4 5

Damage Resistance (Ganger #3)

Distance from blast: 3 meter(s)
[Damage Resistance (11) - 2 (AP): 2] (( 2P Damage! ))
2 5 4 6 2 2 4 1 1

Damage Resistance (Ganger #4)

Distance from blast: 2 meter(s)
[Damage Resistance (11) - 2 (AP): 4] (( 2P Damage! ))
6 5 3 4 3 5 1 5 4

The resulting explosion is just a bit too far to do any real damage.

[GM Nick]

Ganger #2 from the Western side levels an AK-97 at Doc and Val's position and lays down a suppressive fire.

Suppressive Fire (G2W)

[Longarms (4) + AGI (6) = 1]
3 2 1 5 2 3 4 1 3 4

Ganger #4 from the Eastern side follows the path that the grenade traveled from and fires blindly at the windows with his Enfield AS-7.

Ranged Combat (G4E)

[Automatics (4) + AGI (5) + Blind Fire (-6) = 3]
5 6 6
[REA (9) + Good Cover (4) = 2]
3 4 4 4 3 3 3 1 3 5 6 2 1

Damage Resistance (Max)

[BOD (4) + Armor (11) + APDS (-4) = 5]
1 4 4 6 6 5 1 3 1 6 5

Max swears as a stray bullet catches him in the shoulder. (( 2P DAMAGE! ))

Ranged Combat (G4E)

[Longarms (4) + AGI (5) + Blind Fire (-6) = 2]
3 5 6
[REA (9) + Good Cover (4) = 5]
1 3 6 6 4 2 5 4 1 6 2 3 6

The elf ducks below the windowsill as another round hits the side of the building.

[GM Nick]

Ganger #3 from the West side stoops low and moves across the street, seeking cover behind a car.

Ganger #2 from the East staggers through the grenade smoke and weaves an intricate pattern in the air with his fingers...

Improved Invsibility (f6)

[Spellcasting (5) + MAG (5) = 2]
1 1 2 6 1 4 3 2 4 6

Resist Drain (5)

[WIL (4) + LOG (5) = 4]
4 6 4 3 3 3 5 6 6

(( 1S DAMAGE! ))

...before shimmering out of existence.

Ganger #3 follows his comrade's lead and squeezes off a burst in the direction the grenade came from.

Ranged Combat (G3E)

[Automatics (4) + AGI (5) + Blind Fire (-6) = 2]
6 3 6
[REA (9) + Good Cover (4) = 4]
6 6 4 2 1 6 4 1 1 2 5 2 3

Max ducks again as the side of the building is pelted with automatic fire.

Ranged Combat (G3E)

[Automatics (4) + AGI (5) + Blind Fire (-6) = 0]
3 2 3

The ganger swears as his gun jams.

[GM Nick]

Ganger #5 from the West side follows his chum and seeks cover across the street.

[Elliott]

((You've got my improved reflexes spell that gives +3 initiative dice factored in to my roll right? Last run I was getting great initiative, now I seem to be back to my old slow self))

Hovering above the action and surveying the land in astral vision, Tyros sees Ganger #2' spell go off like a flashbulb, except his aura is not masked by his invisibility like his body is from sight. Reaching out with one hand (centering), Tyros let's loose another new spell, as electricity suddenly balls in his hand and crackles down towards the enemy mage like a lightening bolt from a sky without clouds (lightening bolt, f5).

[John]

(( You're up, Nick! ))

(( Regarding your INI roll, Elliott-- you rolled a 35, which would be impossible had Nick not factored your +3d6 into the roll. As is, your average value on the dice you rolled was 4.375, so this roll is actually higher than you can typically expect them to be. Also, I don't think you remember how you used to roll INI-- I recall sometimes seeing you roll numbers that were barely into double digits. ))

[GM Nick]

(( Yeah, I got your initiative bonus. Just a bad roll! Also, it takes a simple action to astrally perceive, which would be required to target the mage as he is invisible. However, since you stated before combat you were astrally perceiving, I'll assume you still are. ))

Lightning Bolt (f5)

[Spellcasting (6) + MAG (6) + Power Focus (2) + Sustaining (Levitate) (-2) = 4]
6 2 3 1 1 2 3 6 4 6 4 5
[REA (5) + Sustaining (Imp. Invis.) (-2) = 2]
1 5 5

Tyros' bolt of lightning strikes the enemy mage!

Damage Resistance

[BOD (5) + Armor (1/2 impact) (3) + Sustaining (Imp. Invis.) (-2) = 3]
4 5 2 3 6 5

(( 4P DAMAGE! ))

The mage's aura is hurled backwards as he writhes on the ground in agony.

Resist Drain (Tyros)

[WIL (4) + LOG (6) + Focused Concentration (2) + Centering (4) + Sustaining (Levitate) (-2) = 6]
4 6 2 3 5 6 2 2 1 2 5 4 5 6

[Elliott]

((Like you say, I switched to astral vision before combat specifically to avoid the simple action. I knew I'd be on anti-mage duty.))

[Drew Buddy]

The sound of battle seems strangely muted after the initial blast. Doc perceives the bullets striking the car he and Val are hiding behind with a sort of detached calmness.
I should probably do something about that guy, he thinks.

He pops his head up, and fires a burst at the ganger who is laying down suppressive fire. (( Narrow burst at G2W ))

[GM Nick]

Avoid Fire (Doc)

[REA (7) = 4]
2 1 4 5 5 6 5

Doc pops up between a round of suppressive fire.

Ranged Combat (Doc)

[Battle Rifles (8) + AGI (9) + Smartlink (2) + Firing From Cover (-2) = 3]
2 4 1 2 4 3 3 1 6 2 3 2 3 4 6 4 6
[REA (6) = 4]
5 6 5 3 1 5

Doc's first burst is wide, exploding chunks of tarmac instead of ganger brains as intended.

Ranged Combat (Doc)

[Battle Rifles (8) + AGI (9) + Smartlink (2) + Firing From Cover (-2) = 3]
5 2 3 5 5 1 4 1 2 2 3 4 2 1 1 2 4
[REA (6) = 2]
2 5 1 3 5 1

Damage Resistance (G2W)

[BOD (5) + Armor (6) + Orthoskin (2) + AP (-4) = 3]
4 1 5 3 4 3 5 6 4

(( 8P DAMAGE! ))

A thirty-ought-six round catches the ganger square in the chest and knocks him over backwards, the arc of movement traced by a splash of blood.

[GM Nick]

Ganger #4 from the West runs to join his two comrades behind cover.

[Stephen]

Filled with a primal rage familiar to IT specialists everywhere, Val levels his rifle over the car, finds the squishiest-looking target on the west end, and unleashes a burst at the poor bastard. The vicious growl escaping his throat almost drowns out the stuttering of his own rifle in his ears.

[GM Nick]

(( Assuming you're firing the FN HAR? ))

Ranged Combat

[Automatics (5) + AGI (5) + Smartlink (2) + Firing From Cover (-2) = 3]
4 3 2 1 5 5 2 4 6 4
[REA (6) = 0]
3 2 2 3 1 4

Damage Resistance (G1W)

[BOD (5) + Armor (6) + Bone Lacing (Alum.) (2) = 1]
4 1 1 4 4 2 2 2 5 4 3 2 1

(( 10P DAMAGE! ))

Val's burst hits the ganger dead-on, splattering blood across the asphalt.

Ranged Combat (Val)

[Automatics (5) + AGI (5) + Smartlink (2) = 6]
6 1 4 5 5 1 4 6 2 6 2 6
[REA (6) + Wound Modifier (-3) = 1]
5 4 2

Damage Resistance (G1W)

[BOD (5) + Armor (6) + Bone Lacing (Alum.) (2) + Wound Modifier (-3) = 4]
5 1 4 2 3 1 6 5 4 5

(( 9P DAMAgE! ))

The barrage from Val's FN HAR reduces the ganger to a bloody stump and scores the decker a kill!

[Conway]

((Haha Yay IT rage!))

[Stephen]

(( Geek rage FTW! And yeah, Nick, I was firing the FN HAR. At this point I may have the SMG melted down and turned into a crowbar. ))

EDIT: (( As this is the first time I've fired this weapon, I'm not sure how it works. Was the -1AP factored into dmg resistance or was there some reason it was negated or not listed? ))

[GM Nick]

The Steel Lynx swivels its mounted machine gun and fires a full-auto barrage on Ganger #2.

Ranged Combat (Lynx)

[Targeting (3) + Pilot (6) = 1]
3 4 2 4 3 4 4 5 4
[REA (6) = 5]
4 6 6 5 5 5

The ganger dodges as clumps of asphalt detonate across the street.

(( Go, Sinjin, Go! ))

[Conway]

Sinjin's brow is filthy and his throat is dry. The dust and debris fallout from the exploded building hang in the air, chalky and cloying against his skin and heavy in his lungs. A drop of sweat stings his eye as he scans left to right, looking for an opening to advance into his lethal range. The world erupts into sound as the automatic turret finds a target and unleashes a hellish barrage. Taking advantage of the moment, Sinjin pushes his body erect and rushes the east end gangers, brutally laying into the nearest one.

((Nick, assume all Unarmed attacks are Critical Strike+ Killing Hands, unless I note otherwise.))

[GM Nick]

Sinjin pounds down the tarmac and leaps in the air, executing a flying pile driver that would make a Spartan warrior curl up in the fetal position.

Melee Combat (Sinjin)

[Savate (8) + AGI (5) = 8]
5 4 2 2 6 2 5 5 4 6 6 6 6
[Unarmed Combat (3) + AGI (5) = 3]
6 4 2 1 4 5 5 1

Damage Resistance (G4E)

[BOD (10) + Armor (0) + Orthoskin (2) = 4]
3 3 6 6 2 2 6 2 1 6 3 4

(( 10P DAMAGE! ))

Sinjin drops the mighty troll ganger, fracturing his collar bone and all of his ribs.

[John]

(( Every time Sinjin leaps into a gunfight with only his hands at the ready I have to put a book in my lap. ))

[GM Nick]

[ Doc = 44 ]
[ Max = 43 ]
[ Ganger 2 (East) = DECEASED ]
[ Ganger 2 (West) = DECEASED ]
[ Ganger 3 (East) = 35 ]
[ Sinjin = 34 ]
[ Ganger 4 (West) = 34 ]
[ Ganger 5 (West) = 34 ]
[ Ganger 4 (East) = DECEASED ]
[ Tyros = 31 ]
[ Steel Lynx = 25 ]
[ The General = 23 ]
[ Ganger 3 (West) = DECEASED ]

[Drew Buddy]

Doc grins. The tide is turning in their favor.

He taps off another burst at the ganger in his sights. (( G2W ))

[GM Nick]

Ranged Combat (Doc)

[Battle Rifles (8) + AGI (9) + Smartlink (2) = 8]
2 5 1 6 6 1 2 6 6 4 1 5 5 4 5 4 4 2 4

Damage Resistance (G2W)

[BOD (5) + Armor (6) + AP (-4) + Wound Modifier (-2) = 2]
5 2 2 1 6

(( 16P DAMAGE! ))

The ganger's head explodes as Doc puts one right between his eyes.

[John]

Max sees the combat mage near him shimmer out of the visible spectrum and feels a pang of amusement. Think you're crafty, do you? the elf asks in his internal monologue. Unfortunately for the ganger, Max sees also by ultrasound. He may not be able to see the color of the rosy blush on his cheeks, but he can see clearly the cut of his jib as the mage scurries across the field of battle. Max takes a certain pleasure in catching the enemy with his pants down as a wall of armor piercing lead flies through the air toward his invisible form. Max always liked a good game of catch.

[Drew Buddy]

Doc swings his sights to the next ganger, and fires another burst. (( Let's say G4W ))

[GM Nick]

Ranged Combat (Doc)

[Battle Rifles(8) + AGI (9) + Smartlink (2) + Firing From Cover (-2) = 9]
1 6 4 6 1 5 4 1 5 6 6 4 5 5 5 1 4
[REA (6) + Good Cover (4) = 3]
5 1 2 6 4 6 1 3 3 4

Damage Resistance (G4W)

[BOD (10) + Armor (6) + AP (-4) = 5]
6 1 4 3 4 5 3 5 3 5 6 3

(( 10P DAMAGE! ))

Ganger #4 stumbles backwards, hemorrhaging blood from a gunshot would to the throat.

[Elliott]

((I'm still confused why we have new initiative scores. This is initiative pass 2, correct? Subsequent initiative passes use the same initiative as the initial roll...))

[GM Nick]

Ranged Combat (Max)

[Shotguns (8) + AGI (10) + Smartlink (2) + Firing From Cover (-2) + Visibility (-2) = 4]
2 3 6 3 5 6 3 1 3 3 1 2 3 6 4 3
[REA (6) + Wound Modifier (-1) + Sustaining (Imp. Invis. (-2) + Firing From Cover (-2) + Visibility (-2) = 0]
**Critical Glitch!**

Max squeezes off a slug at the topographical representation of the ork mage.

The mage looks up at the last second, his eyes narrowing slightly as he makes eye contact with the muzzle flare that signals the end of his life. Half a milli-second later, his eyes roll back in his sockets--Max's slug having perfectly bisected the two lobes of his brain. The magic he was channeling flares out of control and explodes outward, sending ork giblets in a 360 degree, 5 meter radius.

[John]

The explosion is glorious. The ork entrails raining down upon the battlefield dance across the ground as the finer blood mist catches the light and glistens in the air. For a moment, it almost appears as though a rainbow shines through the crimson haze-- but of course that's impossible. The explosion of magic is equally vibrant as the unfocused energy blooms into a chromatic torrent of electric pops and sparkles. The air clears and all that's left of where the ork mage had once stood is a smear of blood, flesh, and whatever the ork ate for dinner two nights ago.

Max has to restrain himself from shouting 'GEEK THE MAGE' for the off chance that any of his possible enemy combatants have not yet made his position. Instead, the elf swivels his shotgun on the window sill and brings its focus to another of the gangers-- his elevated position giving him a better killing vantage.

[John]

((I'm still confused why we have new initiative scores. This is initiative pass 2, correct? Subsequent initiative passes use the same initiative as the initial roll...))

(( Elliott is right. Page 132 in the source book confirms that subsequent INI passes do not include the act of rolling initiative again, which should make combat rounds quicker to get through as they'll involve less GM rolling. ))

[GM Nick]

(( I amended that rule to prevent injured characters acting before non-injured characters in initiative, since wound modifiers would not apply. I can revert, though... ))

[John]

(( Actually, if a character takes damage during an INI phase before he's acted, his wound modifiers affect his INI roll for that round (which will obviously affect the next INI pass's roll as well). Makes sense-- if you get shot before you act, you won't act with the same speed as you would have had you never been shot. Unfortunately, the source book (also page 132, continued on page 134) is vague on what the specific impact of the wound modifiers on INI roll is. I'm assuming INI gets rerolled with the wound modifier.. ? ))

[Drew Buddy]

(( I think the way we're doing it now is fine. It keeps combat dynamic, and it's probably more time consuming to sort out who got injured this round, and needs to be rerolled. We've never used the full-blown SR4 rules at any point during any of our runs. Using the REAL SR4 rules (based on hits) would also put the lower INI characters even further behind. ))

[GM Nick]

"He's in the apartment!"

Ganger #3 on the East side opens up fire on Max's position.

Ranged Combat (G3E)

[Longarms (7) + AGI (5) = 5]
1 6 1 1 5 1 5 6 1 4 5 4
[REA (9) + Good Cover (4) = 8]
6 5 2 2 6 1 6 5 5 2 6 6 4

Max ducks as the top of the windowsill is blown out by the ganger's shotgun blast.

Ranged Combat (G3E)

[Longarms (7) + AGI (5) + RC (-1) = 4]
1 5 5 1 3 5 6 3 3 2 4
[REA (9) + Good Cover (4) = 4]
1 2 4 2 1 3 2 5 4 6 5 3 5

A slug ricochets off of the corner of the window, narrowly missing the elf.

[John]

Ducked behind the window sill after dodging the second shot, Max raises a middle finger out the window toward the gangers. The gesture is comical from the street as the hand shoots up with speed that seems almost silly, extends its middle finger, and disappears back down with the same haste with which it arrived.