Shadowrun – Black Ops: Bogota – Game Session 004

Game summary for April 28, 2011; present characters included Bernsen (dwarf combat mage), La Eme (troll heavy weapons specialist), Network (dwarf drone rigger), Tango (ork tank), and Vessel (troll brawler).

After securing the prisoner in the GMC Beachcraft, the MACHETE team rocketed along the river heading to the extraction point. Along the way, they picked a tail of three Saeder-Krupp Barrakuda hunter-killer drones. The fast-moving mini-boats opened fire and closed in on the hovercraft. Vessel opened fire with his Stoner-Ares MMG, damaging one of the drones. Tango sank one with his Ares Stalwart assault rifle system and damaged another. The drones maneuvered to the side and opened up with turret-mounted assault rifles into the rear bay of the hovercraft, flattening bullets against body armor at an amazing speed. Network skimmed the craft across the water keeping clear lines of sight for the soldiers in the back. Bernsen took advantage of the drones grouping together to cast a Fireball spell over them. The flames super-heated part of the river, causing an eruption of steam. One drone came through nearly unscathed, but the other melted to slag and plunged beneath the surface. Vessel attempted a full-auto burst at the nearest drone but instead riddled the river with stray bullets, the jarring high-speed hovercraft whipping around the river bends proving far too damaging to his aim. Tango took a better shot, sinking the third HK drone. First aid was quickly applied in the rear hovercraft bay, but a patrol boat picked up the pursuit.

The powerful Saeder-Krupp River Rat patrol boat, with its twin engines, caught up to the hovercraft in moments, its twin-mounted assault rifles hammering a staccato of deadly fire. An Amazonia dwarf lieutenant and troll infantry rode in the front of the patrol boat and exchanged gunfire with the MACHETE team. The team caught the troll with several bullets, but the tough monstrosity shrugged them off with a laugh. Vessel hurled a HE grenade at the patrol craft but overthrew, leaving the grenade to explode in its wake. Tango switched tactics and dropped the clip from his Stalwart. A mischievous glint flicked across his eyes as he rammed a magazine full of armor-piercing discarding sabot (APDS) rounds into the rifle. He then shot several holes in the armored vessel itself. More bullets rent the air, and Bernsen was knocked unconscious from the impact of a full auto burst, his ribs cracking under the force. The dwarf collapsed in the back of the hovercraft. Network released a MCT-Nissan roto-drone into the air, which immediately put pressure on the enemy team. With a short run across the bay, Tango bodily hurled himself through the air and into the patrol boat firing full automatic on the way down. His bullets ripped into the troll infantryman and blasted him over the side.

Undaunted, the dwarf lieutenant stuck his AK-97 in Tango’s gut and unloaded at point-blank range. Although his armor absorbed the bulk of the damage, Tango was incapacitated by the blunt force trauma and shock. He collapsed unto the deck of the speeding boat. Vessel tried to duplicate Tango’s daring high-speed leap but instead gracelessly plunged into the river. As the patrol boat sped by, he was able to snag the railing and hold on as he bounced along. The elf patrol boat pilot quickly swerved, trying to sideswipe the hovercraft and catch Vessel between the speeding boats. Network saw it coming and deftly avoided the collision and sent the roto-drone into another burst attack against the enemy forces. From the hovercraft, La Eme lined up a perfect shot with his cyber-shotgun and blasted the dwarf lieutenant at close range. The deadly slug ripped through armor and punched the corpse over the rail and down into the water. He then began trying to nurse Bernsen back to consciousness.

Vessel hauled himself up and over the railing of the patrol boat and entered the cab. He whipped out his tonfa and entangled the elf pilot. With an expert flip, he hurled the man over the rail and out of the boat. For a few moments, the speeding boat swerved about dangerously. However, Vessel reacted quickly to correct course and take control. The team bounced along at high speed to the extraction point. The team was loaded up, and La Eme proved his love of explosions once again by sinking the patrol boat with a well-placed HE gecko grenade.

As the team flew away in their helicopter, they went over the mission objectives, realizing they met half of their primary goals and all secondary. Although not completely satisfied with their performance, the team did survive and struck a blow for Aztechnology. Soon, they will debrief and then learn their next mission.

The above summary is for a game session of Shadowrun: 20th Anniversary Edition played by the Phoenix Gaming Club.

Shadowrun – Black Ops: Bogota – Game Session 003

Game summary for April 12, 2011; present characters included Bernsen (dwarf combat mage), La Eme (troll heavy weapons specialist), Network (dwarf drone rigger), Tango (ork tank), and Vessel (troll brawler).

The MACHETE team continued into the jungle and failed again to be stealthy, with Bernsen accidentally firing off rounds into the canopy. In short order, the team stumbled upon an Amazonia security depot including a watch tower. Vessel fired a grenade from his AK-98 and collapsed the tower, spilling the man within to the ground. A warform jaguar charged through the foliage and engaged while a massive troll lieutenant opened up with full automatic fire from his AK-97. A brutal exchange ensued, with spells, bullets, and grenades rocking the jungle. Bernsen used Flamethrower to ignite the jaguar and one of the human infantry. Network laid down a solid wall of lead, and Vessel traded fire with the troll. Tango arrived on the scene and put several rounds in the infantryman. After the firefight, the team patched up as quickly as possible.

Almost upon the enemy encampment, and rejoined by La Eme, the team encountered Steel Horse and his allies, two GM-Nissan Doberman sentry drones, an ork soldier, a human infantryman, and an elf infantryman. The Dobermen closed in, trying to flank the team. AK-97s opened fire, and bullets shattered against body armor. Vessel fired his AK-98 grenade launcher directly at the elf, blowing him to pieces. La Eme caught a full burst in the chest and went down temporarily. He crawled back to his feet and opened fire with his cyberarm shotgun on one of the drones. Tango put down the ork with his rifle. Steel Hoof let loose with his Ingram White Knight with devastating effect. The team opened up on Steel Hoof, bullets ripping through his flesh. Bernsen hurled his Flamethrower spell about, setting one man alight and fleeing and roasting Steel Hoof. In his dying moments, the centaur unloaded his machine gun into the team, but it was too little too late.

With the centaur slain, the team tracked the fleeing human and found him unconscious and smoldering in the undergrowth. They quickly bound the man and his wounds. They returned to examine Steel Horse, who they were supposed to take alive. Tango examined him and discovered he had cybereyes, so the team cut off his head in hopes that they could recover valuable data from the eye recording units. To carry the head, Vessel fashioned a stake and impaled it. The result was much like a morbid hobby horse. The group found the enemy encampment, ransacked it from information, and La Eme used some foam explosives and grenades to rig an IED to blow the whole place. The team fled back into the jungle as the camp exploded in a shower of flames.

Now the MACHETE team has returned to Network’s GMC Beachcraft hovercraft with their prisoner, and they must now exfiltrate and reach the pick-up zone.

The above summary is for a game session of Shadowrun: 20th Anniversary Edition played by the Phoenix Gaming Club.

Shadowrun – Black Ops: Bogota – Game Session 002

Game summary for April 7, 2011; present characters included Bernsen (dwarf combat mage), La Eme (troll heavy weapons specialist), Network (dwarf drone rigger), Tango (ork tank), and Vessel (troll brawler).

Several weeks after their first mission, following some drone upgrades and bioware implants, the MACHETE team found itself deployed once again. Their operation this time was codenamed STEEL HORSE ROUNDUP. The team was tasked with seeking out mercenary tactical adviser, Steel Hoof, a cyber-enhanced centaur working for Amazonia. The team was given the following objectives:

Primary Objectives

  • Steel Hoof – Capture Steel Hoof alive and return him to the extraction point.
  • Data Recovery – Collect any potentially valuable intelligence from the encampment.

Secondary Objectives

  • Complete Extraction – Leave the location with all members of the team, alive or dead. No allied bodies should be left behind as evidence.
  • Enemy Demographics – Gather photographic and DNA evidence from each slain enemy for record keeping.
  • Misinformation – Plant a “dropped” commlink with incriminating evidence against Shiawase.
  • Sabotage – Destroy as much weaponry, ammunition, or other military assets as possible.

The team dropped in via cargo helicopter with Network’s GMC Beachcraft hovercraft. They proceeded a couple miles upriver and then headed into enemy territory. The sound of war could be heard all around, with automatic fire tapping an echoing staccato rhythm among the trees, and occasion grenades shaking the canopy. Tango relayed his experiences with Amazonia encampments and defenses to the rest of the team as they tried to slink through the foliage. Unfortunately, Vessel proved less than adept at stealth, snagging his weapon on a limb and discharging several rounds into the jungle. Within moments, a small unit of Amazonia forces were upon them. Large warform Brazilian mastiffs, genetically enhanced canines, burst through the leaves and closed the distance. Male elf and dwarf soldiers closed in, while a female human Amazon moved through the trees. Battle ensued, with the dogs proving no more than a nuisance against military-grade armor and assault rifles. The MACHETE team scythed through the opposition, but they took a few bumps and bruises themselves. As they sat around patching each other up, reinforcements arrived.

Led by an elf Amazon, the second team brought much more firepower to bear. Several switched to full-auto fire with their AK-97 assault rifles. The MACHETE team responded with magic from Bersen, a hail of bullets, and a number of launched and thrown grenades. A couple of the grenades bounced off course in the dense vegetation, including one thrown by La Eme, and soon everyone on the battlefield was scrambling about to avoid fragmentation or armor debonder. Network’s Doberman drone proved a deadly force, dropping yet another dwarf soldier. Tango shot up the elf Amazon while Vessel wrecked havoc on an ork soldier. Once again, the battle proved short but violent. The MACHETE team walked away bruised but largely unhurt.

Network quickly videoed each of the slain Amazonians, while Vessel took blood samples from each. Then, the team set off deeper into the jungle in search of Steel Hoof’s encampment.

The above summary is for a game session of Shadowrun: 20th Anniversary Edition played by the Phoenix Gaming Club.