Session 7 of XCOM, featuring special guests, robot, and a rather jarring reversal!
Had an interesting session yesterday, in several senses of the word. Several old friends were in town so they joined up for the day, resulting in a slightly overstaffed mission that we're just gonna agree to sort of glaze over in that regard.
April 10th, 2016. At roughly four in the morning UFO-9 is detected coming in towards Poland, and manages to evade interception before landing next to a lake. Cue operation Bloody Hero, a totally-not-ominous-at-all mission. Three corporals, three recruits, a specialist, and a R.I.V.E.T (which one of the recruits is operating remotely). should be more than enough for a single small UFO though, right?
It's 4:30 in the morning and it's raining but they've got night vision goggles so they're feeling alright as they pile out of the Skyranger. They make contact with some Sectoids rather promptly, including one who seems to be supervising an open and glowing [Meld] canister, making it the third such canister they've seen as an organization so far. They proceed to apply their bullets to the problem rather effectively, even as a pack of Floaters comes flying out from the UFO toting carbines and shooting up the R.I.V.E.T. rather nastily.
[t]http://i.imgur.com/BWRUxxW.jpg?1[/t]
The ayys seem to be using more grenades than before, but they manage to clear the exterior and as the rest of the squad moves up 'More C4' and Tom (aka the craziest people on the roster) breach the UFO, leading with frag and tear gas grenades respectively. Tom then proceeds to move in and get down to business with his alloy knives with Carly covering, and then almost fucking dies because he forgot that Outsider live inside of UFO power supplies and one proceeds to burn away practically all of his armor's health with several shots to the back. He does manage to knife it to death after that, burning himself because 'stabbing a being of pure energy', but still.
[t]http://i.imgur.com/slLBtD5.jpg?1[/t]
Mission complete, and everybody sets around to bagging up the corpses, retrieving the weapon fragments, that sort of thing. At which point the Skyranger's radar picks up something coming in very fast and very low towards the AO and everybody dives for cover, shortly before a large stone obelisk lands on the cliff above the UFO without disturbing the earth at all and begins spewing suppressive flechettes and what the soldiers will soon realize are high-lobbed mortar shells.
'Tortuga' draws their fire while most of the rest of the squad start high-tailing it to the Skyranger, except for the two special guest recruits who proceed to go balls-out. One of them chucks an HE grenade up the cliff and manages to actually damage the obelisk, while the other starts climbing said cliff to get a closer look and also to toss a couple more HE grenades next to it before climbing back down.
[t]http://i.imgur.com/QJXCmuG.jpg?1[/t]
At which point several things happen in quick succession. First, the mortar shells start to land, blasting open the roof of the UFO and then blowing it the fuck out with a shell directly to the power supply.
Second, a squad of strange towering stone pillar-legged creatures emerge from the obelisk, with six legs and actual individual markings. One of them begins laying down smoke, to cover the one who heads for the [Meld] canister, while the third begins fussing with the damaged exterior of the craft.
That poor third fucker gets shot at by practically everybody with LOS and then the two HE grenades next to him go off, killing him rather completely.
In response the creatures launch more smoke and some incendiary grenades to cover their retreat, retrieving the corpse and flying away.
[t]http://i.imgur.com/6Luj4rT.jpg?1[/t]
In the aftermath, Tom earned a nickname! The squad settled on Ka-Bar, which I agree is pretty appropriate. They also named the new strange aliens as 'Bforts', which apparently stands for 'big fuck-off rock things'. They also decided to make Frejr 'Tortuga' Fridjof their first officer, which is probably a good call.
=
That was last week. This week our second session of M&M went alright, though the game is apparently going to be a bit darker than I first expected. The other players still haven't figured out what I'm actually playing, though they've gotten close guesses.
Anyone know a Pathfinder group that I could join?
I want to play as a Face character after playing as the skill-monkey/muscle for the past 5 years.
[QUOTE=SiberysTranq;47894225]It is okay, but not for firing both at once, moreso for using two pistols or SMG's and firing them alternately so you get twice the RC from your guns (if you have guns with good RC, of course)
Pretty nice with two Praetors fully gyro-modded and with gas vents, since you can get something like 12 odd RC before your own strength[/QUOTE]
although the way this works makes no sense and most GMs probably wont let you because it's kind of exploity
[QUOTE=elowin;47894462]although the way this works makes no sense and most GMs probably wont let you because it's kind of exploity[/QUOTE]
Why not? It's how you would sensibly dual-wield in the real world. Aim gun, fire until satisfactory, switch to other gun, aim, fire, repeat, etc. You have time to correct for recoil with your guns after each switch, since you're not unloading continuously, which would explain why you get to apply the RC from your guns twice, and really Shadowrun punishes you enough enough already for wanting to use smaller guns anyway, especially SMG's.
It's far less broken than just slapping a gyromount on an assault rifle that does something like 2-3 more damage with a far greater range, plus actual armor piercing, with the exact same rates of fire, for less money. It's just a way to do dual-wielding in a way that doesn't just make it blatantly inferior to using AR's.
[QUOTE=SiberysTranq;47894560]Why not? It's how you would sensibly dual-wield in the real world. Aim gun, fire until satisfactory, switch to other gun, aim, fire, repeat, etc. You have time to correct for recoil with your guns after each switch, since you're not unloading continuously, which would explain why you get to apply the RC from your guns twice, and really Shadowrun punishes you enough enough already for wanting to use smaller guns anyway, especially SMG's.
It's far less broken than just slapping a gyromount on an assault rifle that does something like 2-3 more damage with a far greater range, plus actual armor piercing, with the exact same rates of fire, for less money. It's just a way to do dual-wielding in a way that doesn't just make it blatantly inferior to using AR's.[/QUOTE]
It doesn't work like that as far as I remember, all your weapons apply recoil penalties to all your other weapons, it's why you can't use the weapon mounts in 4E's Arsenal to strap 4 LMGs to yourself and spray everything to death.
[QUOTE=Rents;47894633]It doesn't work like that as far as I remember, all your weapons apply recoil penalties to all your other weapons, it's why you can't use the weapon mounts in 4E's Arsenal to strap 4 LMGs to yourself and spray everything to death.[/QUOTE]
I don't know anything in 4E, but as I recall in 5E that it's just tracking the total amount of recoil you have on as a person, not that it's dependent upon weapons. So, if you're dividing the recoil up between two weapons, each with their own compensators, it made sense to me that you get a couple more shots before becoming completely ineffectual thanks to recoil.
And from experience, it's really not that great even then, it's just a fun fluffy thing, because ultimately SMG's are utter trash in pretty much every way. That one Ares machine pistol has the clip size and the fire modes while only losing one point of damage or whatever, and again with AR's it's no contest for effectiveness, so the little extra RC was the only way I found that made using them not just purposely gimping myself
Regardless, shadowrun is not a system I really enjoy outside of the gear porn anyway. I'm not really a dice-pools kind of guy.
[QUOTE=M.Ciaster;47890202]
[editline]6th June 2015[/editline]
Isn't that like all your games :v:[/QUOTE]
I have a 10 in the skill of "Bluff: Gaming Rules", none of you fuckers have managed to pick up on it yet.
I'm looking for a third player for my Mekton game, preferably someone who doesn't mind equal parts RP to combat and who doesn't expect the entire game to take place in the robots. Expect giant military robots, some occasional crazy Russians in equally crazy robots, and a sort of military-style down-to-earth game. Well, more down-to-earth than TTGL anyway [sp2]not that we won't get there eventually. Needs the buildup, after all.[/sp2]
We play Saturday (ie today) at 8pm Eastern Standard time, aka GMT -5.
Hit me up on Steam or by PM if you're interested.
[editline]6th June 2015[/editline]
[QUOTE=Dwarfy77;47895082]I have a 10 in the skill of "Bluff: Gaming Rules", none of you fuckers have managed to pick up on it yet.[/QUOTE]
We [I]have[/I] picked up on it. We just don't want to call you out on your shit, considering how easily your spirits are crushed once your shit has been called.
Need I remind you about the number of new assholes I tore you after I ripped into you about Mekton rules?
Or how I had to work my own speechcraft skills to get you to not quit PnP entirely?
Step it ^.
[QUOTE=SiberysTranq;47894686]I don't know anything in 4E, but as I recall in 5E that it's just tracking the total amount of recoil you have on as a person, not that it's dependent upon weapons. So, if you're dividing the recoil up between two weapons, each with their own compensators, it made sense to me that you get a couple more shots before becoming completely ineffectual thanks to recoil.
And from experience, it's really not that great even then, it's just a fun fluffy thing, because ultimately SMG's are utter trash in pretty much every way. That one Ares machine pistol has the clip size and the fire modes while only losing one point of damage or whatever, and again with AR's it's no contest for effectiveness, so the little extra RC was the only way I found that made using them not just purposely gimping myself
Regardless, shadowrun is not a system I really enjoy outside of the gear porn anyway. I'm not really a dice-pools kind of guy.[/QUOTE]
SMGs aren't great, they're not concealable or powerful, there's no real reason to use them vs rifles or machine pistols besides dual wielding.
[QUOTE=Rents;47895133]SMGs aren't great, they're not concealable or powerful, there's no real reason to use them vs rifles or machine pistols besides dual wielding.[/QUOTE]
Style points count, and in an RPG, if you put in-game power above style, you're a goddamn weenie, and you bore me.
[QUOTE=Dwarfy77;47895150]Style points count, and in an RPG, if you put in-game power above style, you're a goddamn weenie, and you bore me.[/QUOTE]
Machine pistols are more stylish, you can go from unarmed to a wall of bullets instantly with some arms slides and long sleeves.
Also heads up, looking for a party of evil-doing space nazis who have a taste for giant robots. System is Mekton Zeta, planned gametime is Thursdays at 7:00PM CST, GMT -5:00 for the Euronerds out there and such. All interested apply by PM. Don't worry if you don't know the rules, because quite frankly neither do I, but things still manage to work out in the end (mostly)
[QUOTE=Dwarfy77;47895150]Style points count, and in an RPG, if you put in-game power above style, you're a goddamn weenie, and you bore me.[/QUOTE]
It's shadowrun, if you're not sporting a neon pink mohawk and LaForge's visor from Star Trek and fingerless gloves then you're doing it wrong.
[editline]7th June 2015[/editline]
[QUOTE=Dwarfy77;47895183]Also heads up, looking for a party of evil-doing space nazis who have a taste for giant robots. System is Mekton Zeta, planned gametime is Thursdays at 7:00PM CST, GMT -5:00 for the Euronerds out there and such. All interested apply by PM. Don't worry if you don't know the rules, because quite frankly neither do I, but things still manage to work out in the end (mostly)[/QUOTE]
You're looking at a midnight start time on a weekday, so I doubt many euronerds such as myself will be able to attend. :(
Shitting up the GM's planned encounter by burning down the building that contains it is too GOOD.
[QUOTE=elowin;47890691]Yeah it's really not that bad.
It is one of the few systems I would generally not recommend a newbie GMing in, though, because unlike a player you will need at least a decent grasp of every big facet of gameplay, and you'll need to juggle all of it.[/QUOTE]
I'm actually having quite a bit of fun reading over the lore and theme of Shadowrun as a first time GM, it has interesting themes and scenes that pique my interests overall.
Especially that part where a Dragon gets assassinated for trying to become the President of Canada.
Everyone [I]knew[/I] how that would turn out.
Decided to try my hand at making a world map (or at least, a continent map) for my game since that seemed like it would be better than just a small area.
[t]http://i.cubeupload.com/LlHmLn.png[/t]
Players will probably be starting in Whiteguard. I'll write up all the DM and player stuff for that area and summarize everything else until they start heading out of it. Whiteguard is generic D&D ville, naming wise anyways. Everything else is sort of cultural. Beorland's names are kind of old english, the two deserts are something else I can't remember. I just remember the right country is 'best country' a bit skewed and the left one is 'better country.'
Any thoughts or critique on it? I want my players to enjoy this to the best of my abilities.
Just got back from GMing my first Shadowrun session. Aside from a few hiccups involving character creation, it went rather smoothly. We'll probably play again if I can think up some more missions.
[QUOTE=Rents;47895133]SMGs aren't great, they're not concealable or powerful, there's no real reason to use them vs rifles or machine pistols besides dual wielding.[/QUOTE]
Hence my justification for anything that makes them slightly more worthwhile
I love my future P90's and MP5's
[QUOTE=MaxisOp;47895589]I'm actually having quite a bit of fun reading over the lore and theme of Shadowrun as a first time GM, it has interesting themes and scenes that pique my interests overall.
Especially that part where a Dragon gets assassinated for trying to become the President of Canada.
Everyone [I]knew[/I] how that would turn out.[/QUOTE]
RIP Dunkelzahn
But hey, at least his will gives runners a couple ways to make mad dosh, if they have the time and the resources.
[QUOTE=Aperture fan;47895091]I'm looking for a third player for my Mekton game, preferably someone who doesn't mind equal parts RP to combat and who doesn't expect the entire game to take place in the robots. Expect giant military robots, some occasional crazy Russians in equally crazy robots, and a sort of military-style down-to-earth game. Well, more down-to-earth than TTGL anyway [sp2]not that we won't get there eventually. Needs the buildup, after all.[/sp2]
We play Saturday (ie today) at 8pm Eastern Standard time, aka GMT -5.
Hit me up on Steam or by PM if you're interested.
[/QUOTE]
Cancel this order, already got a player but I may be regretting it.
That means he's good. If I don't regret having them as a player I can't in all good conscience GM for them.
[QUOTE=Dwarfy77;47895082]I have a 10 in the skill of "Bluff: Gaming Rules", none of you fuckers have managed to pick up on it yet.[/QUOTE]
we have, we just like you enough not to mention it :v:
[editline]7th June 2015[/editline]
[QUOTE=Dwarfy77;47895150]Style points count, and in an RPG, if you put in-game power above style, you're a goddamn weenie, and you bore me.[/QUOTE]
[img]http://puu.sh/ifuVX/91011f5579.png[/img]
[QUOTE=MaxisOp;47895589]I'm actually having quite a bit of fun reading over the lore and theme of Shadowrun as a first time GM, it has interesting themes and scenes that pique my interests overall.
Especially that part where a Dragon gets assassinated for trying to become the President of Canada.
Everyone [I]knew[/I] how that would turn out.[/QUOTE]
Not Canada, the United Canadian American States. It's both USA and Canada, minus the southern states, and all the parts claimed by the native tribes. And Denver because fucking dragons.
[sp]and he technically didn't really get assassinated, but that's a sekrit hush hush[/sp]
Dunkzilla died for your sins.
[QUOTE=Aldawolf;47895582]Shitting up the GM's planned encounter by burning down the building that contains it is too GOOD.[/QUOTE]
I think this is the elevator pitch for my entire Shadowrun Campaign so far.
An important thing I wanted to ask; in Shadowrun, is there canon references to the Pre-Awakened world?
One of my ideas to work with in my lore involved how megacorps, [sp2] in a extreme desire of wealth, would lazily ransack Pre-Awakened landmarks to achieve mass expansion. [/sp2]
(Please don't read this if you are one of my players!)
[QUOTE=MaxisOp;47898650]An important thing I wanted to ask; in Shadowrun, is there canon references to the Pre-Awakened world?
One of my ideas to work with in my lore involved how megacorps, [sp2] in a extreme desire of wealth, would lazily ransack Pre-Awakened landmarks to achieve mass expansion. [/sp2]
(Please don't read this if you are one of my players!)[/QUOTE]
There's a few, as far as I remember basically everything is the same as real life up until the 80s, then everything gets steadily worse after the millennium, like Israel nuking everything around them in 2004
I asked one of my old DnD friends how the new group he and his GF had joined was panning out at a party last night and he stone face looked at me for three seconds before saying "The DM was a furry. It was a furry game".
I was laughing so hysterically that I actually collapsed onto the ground (I was a little drunk too, so that helped). Apperantly he and his gf had absolutely no idea what they were getting into before they were already there.
[QUOTE=Rents;47898693]There's a few, as far as I remember basically everything is the same as real life up until the 80s, then everything gets steadily worse after the millennium, like Israel nuking everything around them in 2004[/QUOTE]
I like to imagine everything is exactly the same up until the beginning of the Sixth World, in 2011.
Partly just because it means I don't [I]have[/I] to read all that lore stuff if I don't want to, but mostly because I like the idea of everything being exactly the same up until suddenly a fucking dragon appears and people realize they can do magic.
[editline]7th June 2015[/editline]
Also because the most I ever read on the setting info in the first game I played(one of only two, and the only one actually using the default setting in any way, however grimdark the GM's interpretation made everything) was the blurb about how the Sixth World began and bits and pieces about how various parts of the world work in the Sixth World.
[QUOTE=MaxisOp;47898650]An important thing I wanted to ask; in Shadowrun, is there canon references to the Pre-Awakened world?
One of my ideas to work with in my lore involved how megacorps, [sp2] in a extreme desire of wealth, would lazily ransack Pre-Awakened landmarks to achieve mass expansion. [/sp2]
(Please don't read this if you are one of my players!)[/QUOTE]
Mages get right pissed when people fuck with ancient landmarks, because they're pretty much all magical to some degree or another.
not that that's ever stopped megacorps before
[editline]7th June 2015[/editline]
[QUOTE=Rats808;47898872]I like to imagine everything is exactly the same up until the beginning of the Sixth World, in 2011.
Partly just because it means I don't [I]have[/I] to read all that lore stuff if I don't want to, but mostly because I like the idea of everything being exactly the same up until suddenly a fucking dragon appears and people realize they can do magic.
[editline]7th June 2015[/editline]
Also because the most I ever read on the setting info in the first game I played(one of only two, and the only one actually using the default setting in any way, however grimdark the GM's interpretation made everything) was the blurb about how the Sixth World began and bits and pieces about how various parts of the world work in the Sixth World.[/QUOTE]
it's more or less the same up to around the 80s or so, since thats when the first edition came out
obviously they couldn't see into the future and know everything that'd happen between then and 2011, so they made shit up
[QUOTE=elowin;47898914]Mages get right pissed when people fuck with ancient landmarks, because they're pretty much all magical to some degree or another.
not that that's ever stopped megacorps before[/QUOTE]
Ah, yes, the St. Louis Arch, said by some to be a magical gateway to the world of the...[looks at scribbles on his hand] Cardinials. We've never figured out the incantation required to activate it, though.
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