Charles Plemons' Blog

Game summary for July 28, 2011; present characters included Bernsen (dwarf combat mage), Network (dwarf drone rigger), Tango (ork tank), and Vessel (troll brawler).

With the location of the science base ascertained, the team prepared for an assault.  Aztechnology provided an additional four operatives to assist:  a cyber-enhanced ghoul named Feast, a combat mage named Napalm, an ork brawler named Razor, and a martial artist adept named Reaper.

The 8-man team headed into the Amazonia jungle approximately five miles from the base.  About a mile in, a trio of cybertooth tigers pounced from the foliage, their approach masked by chameleon camouflage.  One began mauling Feast, but the ghoul shook over the attacker and retaliated.  Napalm and Razor were incapacitated by the biodrones quickly, but the team rallied.  They used APDS rounds to get through the drones’ armored skins and soon took down all three.

Several team members were badly injured, and Feast and Tango went to work with first aid kits.  Bernsen used Heal to patch up the more grievous wounds.  After a short time, the team was back in good shape and pressed on through the jungle.

The firefight had drawn the attention of several Amazonia patrols, and it didn’t take long to run into one.  The MACHETE team discovered Saeder-Krupp elite CorpSec working with the Amazonia soldiers, and another firefight erupted.  Feast charged forward at an Amazonia elf infantryman, hunger in his eyes!  Vessel hurled a HE grenade at a troll, and Napalm unleashed a Fireball on the troll as well.  Bernsen used Flamethrower on the elf, and the rest of the team exchanged volleys with the remaining human.  With minimal injury to themselves the MACHETE team brought down the patrol and pressed forward.

They soon found the entrance to the science base, guarded by a number of soldiers.  They fell back to plan the assault.

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

Game summary for July 12, 2011; present characters included Bernsen (dwarf combat mage), Network (dwarf drone rigger), and Tango (ork tank).

Note:  This post has been edited for the Internet and is rated PG-13.  Details are omitted to protect the guilty.

After learning that Dr. Escobar only frequents the Handy Mandy Club every few nights, the team decided to return and lay in wait.  Network again set up outside the club in the old Nissan-Holden Brumby with the Ferret RPD-1X drone at the rear entrance.  Meanwhile, Tango and Bernsen entered the establishment and began drinking and blending in.  Tango made some small talk with a local Mr. Johnson and subtly confirmed the link with the club and the Andes Cartel.

Tango and Bernsen discussed trying to bribe the bartender into helping them slip a knockout drug into the drink of Dr. Escobar, when he arrives.  However, Tango happened to oversee a little exchange between her and Nicolas Salazar, the Cartel leader in this area, and realized that would be a very bad plan.

The two get friendly with the dancers Zorra and Honey Dowell, and Network warned them of the arrival of Dr. Escobar outside.  He came in and quickly went to the back area.  Tango decided a visit to the VIP area would be in order, perhaps giving him a chance to grab the doctor in the back rooms.  However, when Honey led him to the back, he found that the good doctor was throwing nuyen around in the dressing/shower area.  Thinking quickly, Tango bought his way to the same area and had Honey fetch his buddy Bernsen and lots of drinks.

In the back area, thanks to their free distribution of nuyen and booze, a party broke out.  In the chaos and confusion, Tango slipped the knockout drug into a drink and offered it to Dr. Escobar.  The doctor drank and soon passed out.  Bernsen and Tango carried him to the hallway where they were confronted by the massive (and armed) ork security guard.  Tango flashed him and the girls his fake DocWagon EMT license and convinced them he needs to get the man some air out back and the ork needed to go up front and fetch someone in charge.  Buying this line of crap, the ork went up front while Network pulled up around back.  The trio dumped Dr. Escobar into the Brumby, grabbed the Ferret, and fled the scene.

Back at the warehouse, they learned their fixer, Gilberto would soon have them passage on a ship going to Uruguay.  Meanwhile, Network decided to begin the interrogation.  She did a remarkable, if disturbing, job of making the man talk, and he revealed the location of the science lab.  Unfortunately, they learned that an easy entrance may not happen due to the randomized passkey sequence on Dr. Escobar’s commlink—which was left in his pants back at the Handy Mandy Club.

Undaunted, the team smuggled Dr. Escobar out of Argentina and into Uruguay where they now plan their infiltration/assault on the science research facility.

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

Game summary for July 7, 2011; present characters included Bernsen (dwarf combat mage), Network (dwarf drone rigger), Tango (ork tank), and Vessel (troll brawler).

Note:  This post has been edited for the Internet and is rated PG-13.  Details are omitted to protect the guilty.

Following the successful UNDER THE RADAR mission, Team MACHETE was delivered a new missive.

Aztechnology has intercepted some classified reports of advanced bio-cybernetic research being done by Amazonia in order to perfect living weapons of war.  The report indicates Amazonia scientists have taken the Shiawase Cybertooth Tiger biodrone template and taken it to another level.  Using genetic material samples, they have engineered warform smilodon populator (sabre-tooth cats) and fitted them with state-of-the-art advanced versions of Computer-Assisted Sensory Translation (CAST), Tactical Recognition and Analytical Capability Expert System (TRACES), and Supplemental Environment Interaction Expert System (SEIES).  The report provides evidence that these may be on a second or third generation, with full adaptation to SEIES input and interaction.

This could mean disaster for the war effort.  If Amazonia has access to such an advanced model of biodrone, they may well gain the upper hand in jungle engagements.  Even more disturbing is the report is incomplete but indicates other research is being done as well.  Aztechnology suspects they may also be working with biodrone technology involving paranormals as well.

Aztechnology has learned Dr. Leopoldo Escobar, a leading Amazonia bio-cybertechnology researcher, is on vacation in Buenos Aires, Argentina.  Despite a strong Aztechnology presence in the nation, other corporations are likewise represented.  Dr. Escobar has a very strong contingent of protection provided by Amazonia and Saeder-Krupp South America.  It is assumed S-K is providing some of the technology and funding leading to some of Amazonia’s achievements.  The weakest link in his protection seems to be his penchant for visiting the Handy Mandy Club fairly frequently, and this is an obvious location to attempt a kidnapping.  The Handy Mandy Club is operated by the Andes Cartel, which frowns heavily upon CorpSec in their establishments.  They have a particular dislike for Aztechnology and will not knowingly do business with our assets.

Primary Objectives

• Buenos Aires – The team will infiltrate into Buenos Aires, Argentina aboard commercial aircraft using provided faked SINs, passports, and permits.  Exfiltration must be arranged by the team.  The team has been setup with the following fake identities:

1. Altrus “Vessel” Bloodstrike – Manuel Solis, German translator from Hannover, Allied German States.
2. Mayorga “Tango” Durran – Alarico Carrera, DocWagon EMT from Denver, Front Range Free Zone (FRFZ).
3. Roger “Bernsen” Dorn – Anthony Willis, talismonger from Seattle, UCAS.
4. Rosa “Network” – Catalina Palomo, commercial pilot from Santiago, Chile.

• Dr. Leopoldo Escobar – It is imperative the team kidnap Dr. Escobar.  The more low-key this kidnapping, the better.  Leaving the country with Dr. Escobar is a priority.

• Research Facility – Dr. Escobar will know the location of Amazonia’s primary research facility, suspected to be located outside of Porto Alegre, Amazonia.  Extract from Dr. Escobar the location and method of entry into the facility.

• Data Recovery – Infiltrate or penetrate into the research compound and acquire Amazonia’s research data.  Use your discretion to determine if a full-on assault or clandestine operation is most appropriate.  If possible, extract DNA samples of any biodrones as well as current models of their CAST, TRACES, and SEIES technology.  Live specimens would also be a plus.

Secondary Objectives

• Conversion – Dr. Escobar is a valuable asset and should survive his kidnapping and interrogation.  He will be a useful tool in implementing Aztechnology’s own biodrone program.

• The Andes Cartel – The Andes Cartel already has a contract on the head of Aztechnology’s Chief Operating Officer, Diego Chavez.  Do not further escalate hostilities.  Preferably, the Andes Cartel should have no evidence or indication Aztechnology was involved.

• Destruction – Destroy utterly the Amazonia research facility, after the data is collected.  Destruction of the information is unacceptable.

Support

• Gilberto Zambrano – Mr. Zambrano is a freelance fixer in Buenos Aires.  He has a number of contacts that could be of use and will assist the team by providing clean weapons and so on.

After landing in Buenos Aires, the team met up with Gilberto Zambrano and received their equipment, including a collection of vintage reproduction firearms.  Vessel, dissatisfied with the firepower, began examining his MAC-10 for options and promptly broke it.  He asked Gilberto to start trying to locate a light machinegun.  The team decided they would need a boat for extraction and set Gilberto on that as well.  Several rigged some crude boxes to mount under the seats of their vehicle and placed the functioning MAC-10s inside.

They then got in the old Nissan-Holden Brumby and headed to the Handy Mandy club.  Network setup surveillance with eyes on the front door and a Ferret RPD-1X drone at the back.  Tango and Bernsen left their weapons in the van and headed inside.  They were met in the entranceway by a minotaur bouncer who searched them for weapons, informed them of the three drink minimum and sent them inside.  A couple patrons were already present, and Honey Dowell was onstage entertaining with a little number involving actual honey.

The pair sat at one of the back tables and opened communication with subvocal mics back to Network and Vessel.  The two began talking to the waitress and the elven dancer, Ravishing Raven.  That is, Tango did a lot of talking, and Bernsen often made Spanish-like sounds.  They eventually learned that the muscled, tattooed, cigar-smoking dwarf with the neon color-shifting Mohawk was the owner, Gerardo Martinez.  They met several of the other dancers and did their level best to blend in and pretend to enjoy themselves.

After a while, a pair of ork goons arrived escorting an immaculately dressed ork in a black suit, shades, slicked black hair, and gold rings piercing his ears and tusks.  The man spoke with Gerardo for a bit and went to the back.  Tango learned from Raven this was a frequent visitor she suspected Gerardo worked for.  She said she thought his name was Nicolas Salazar.  Tango had Network look him up, and she discovered he was “allegedly” the head of the Buenos Aires operations for the Andes Cartel.

Before long, Vessel got bored and came to the club as well.  He tried to slip an extendable baton into the building and was immediately discovered by the minotaur guard.  He paid her a healthy bribe to let him in, without the baton, instead of turning him away.  Once inside, he ignored Tango and Bernsen and struck up a conversation with Honey Dowell, bought some drinks, and got to know the bartender, Anita Barrera, as well.  Vessel paid for a private dance from Honey, but once away from everyone, he bribed her for some information.  He showed her a picture of Dr. Escobar and found that he generally arrives every other day and was there the night before.

After spending some more time with the dancers, to be polite, the team then returned to Network’s van to plan their caper.

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

Game summary for June 30, 2011; present characters included Bernsen (dwarf combat mage), Network (dwarf drone rigger), and Tango (ork tank).

After the LAZARUS RISING fiasco, Team MACHETE was assigned a task in the jungle.  Amazonia forces have cleared a section of rainforest and put in a small airstrip.  They are using the location to bring in massive amounts of troops and supplies into a region Aztlan had nearly suppressed.  Two stealth bombing missions have failed, with the bombers being shot down from surface-to-air missile installations.  Security around these installations is heavy, more than at the base itself.  Due to its remote location and the number of troops in the area, it seems Amazonia is confident in the security from ground assault.

Studies of geological data have revealed a cave system near the airstrip.  A scout team has found a cave opening near the airstrip which can be used to infiltrate a clandestine team behind enemy lines and make an attempt to destroy the strip.

Also, Aztlan has learned that Colonel Mateo Rivera is in the area.  He would make a prime target of opportunity.

Primary Objectives

• Airfield – Aztlan will provide eight satchel charges that will fire a charge into the air and scatter into thousands of small explosives.  This will destroy the landing strip surface.  The airfield must be rendered unusable.

Secondary Objectives

• Colonel Rivera – Capture of the Colonel would be a valuable source of information.  If he cannot be extracted, his death would be preferable to his survival.

• Structures – Destroying the air base is a temporary solution, but the more damage done the better.  Destruction of all structures would be of benefit.

Bernsen, Tango, and one of Network’s GM-Nissan Doberman drones proceeded through the caves and emerged in the steaming jungle just as evening set.  The team was not especially stealthy and came upon an Amazonia patrol including a genetically-enhanced spectacled bear warform, a female troll warrior lieutenant, a male dwarf infantry, and a male human infantry.  Tango engaged the troll and bear, readily defeating both.  Network’s drone took two well-placed rounds and was temporarily disabled.  Bernsen took several rounds and unleashed a Flamethrower spell, knocking himself out with drain but setting an infantryman on fire.

With Bernsen and Network out of the battle, Tango unleashed with his assault rifle, clearing the battlefield.  He then used first aid on Bernsen.  Meanwhile, Network sent in one of his MCT-Nissan roto-drones to the team.  Using the drone’s camera, Network walked Tango through a jury-rigged repair of the Doberman.  Ready for action once more, the team proceeded to the airstrip.

They discovered a trio of guard towers, the runway, a hangar, and several barracks.  Under the cover of darkness, Tango and Network’s drone distributed satchel charges using stealth.  The watch tower guards overlooked them, but a dwarf infantry emerged from a barracks to smoke.  He stood within one meter of Tango, smoking; he flicked his cigarette butt right by his head and returned to the barracks.  Sighing with relief, Tango continued setting the scattered charges.  After setting six of the eight, another soldier emerged to meet up with one of the Amazon warriors for an evening tryst.  Again, they seemed to pay no notice to Tango crawling along the runway.

Soon, all the charges were set, and the team moved to the edge of the jungle.  Tango launched a HE grenade into the side of one of the barracks as Bernsen detonated all the charges.  The resulting explosion ripped through the encampment, destroying the runway and killing a number of soldiers.  During the chaos, Team MACHETE slipped back into the jungle and through the cave back to Network’s awaiting GMC Beachcraft hovercraft.

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

Game summary for June 16, 2011; present characters included Bernsen (dwarf combat mage), Tango (ork tank), and Vessel (troll brawler).

After the successful assassination of Enrique Gonzales, the MACHETE team found a political nightmare brewing for Aztlan.  They were provided magical healing and sent on a new operation codenamed LAZARUS RISING.  In response to protests against Aztlan, the government has decided to plant an imposter Gonzales into power, claim the assassination attempt was a failure, and denounce Los Matan Gigantes.  Unfortunately, before any of this can happen, Aztlan needs to recover the corpse of Gonzales and eliminate anyone who could confirm he was actually dead.  Enter Team MACHETE.

Primary Objectives

• Enrique Gonzales – Acquire the corpse of Enrique Gonzales and get away with it without anyone being able to identify it.

• Witnesses – Kill everyone present at the morgue.  Leave no surviving witnesses, video, or audio recordings of your presence.

Secondary Objectives

• Structural Integrity – The clean-up team needs to be able to work quickly and clean up the mess.  High caliber weapons and explosives should not be used.

Bernsen, Tango, and Vessel scrambled to complete the mission.  They suited back up in their military armor and helmets but decided to utilize SMGs and handguns instead of assault rifles.  Vessel purchased a clunker car, and they drove the vehicle to the Los Muertos morgue.  Bernsen and Vessel investigated the side doors while Tango strolled in the front.  He walked into the office and began quizzing the receptionist at gunpoint.  Meanwhile, Vessel tried unsuccessfully to buzz himself in the side doors.  The doctor on duty called the police when Vessel began bodily hurling himself into the metal doors trying to break them open.  Tango attempted to have the receptionist avert suspicion, but he felt she tried to slip a coded warning to the others in the building.  So, he shot her.  Vessel likewise pulled a pistol with armor-piercing discarding sabot (APDS) rounds and began shooting out the door lock.

Tango progressed toward the family waiting area wherein he had heard crying earlier.  When he opened the door, a man with a machine pistol was covering the door.  A lovely, distraught woman was casting a spell, and a huge, obviously cybered, ork had pulled a sawed-off shotgun from a duffel.  Tango tried to give them the option of running away, but unbeknownst to him, an Aztlan military force had just killed El Gato, their shadowrunning companion.  Mistaking the heavily armored Tango for another Aztlan assault trooper, they pursued him into the hallway and gunfire erupted.

The man with the machine pistol kept a steady barrage of burst fire on Tango, buying time for the woman to hit him with an Acid Stream spell.  By then, the ork had emerged, taken cover at the corner of the wall and shot Tango at close range.  Tango was stunned to find himself badly wounded; the shotgun was loaded with EX-explosive rounds instead of flechettes!

Hearing the battle, Bernsen and Vessel began making their way across the building.  Tango, very injured, slid through a bathroom door for cover.  However, he was unable to go far into the bathroom before the shadowrunners began shooting him through the thin wooden door.  With a loud KABLAM! the door splintered as the ork put one last round through it and into Tango, slamming him into the far wall and incapacitating him.

Vessel moved into the hallway from the other side of the building and engaged the human at point blank range with his SMG.  The man went down in a heap.  In the meantime, Bersen was softening the opposition with magic only to find the woman counterspelling the effects.  Vessel quickly closed with the shotgun-toting ork but discovered the shotgun proved far more effective within a meter of one-another.  Collapsing in a heap, Vessel lost consciousness.

The ork came laughing around the corner and taunting the “little dwarf” Bernsen has he meticulously pushed new shells into the shotgun.  He continued to laugh as Bernsen turned and fled.  The last thing Bernsen saw behind the ork was the woman casting Heal on the downed human.  Bernsen got into the junk car and sped away as the sound of sirens drew nearer, two allies dead or grievously injured left behind.

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

Game summary for June 9, 2011; present characters included Bernsen (dwarf combat mage), Network (dwarf drone rigger), and Vessel (troll brawler).

The MACHETE team was deployed again following their unsuccessful kidnapping of Steel Hoof.  This time, they were given a mission of assassination codenamed THE JAVA JOB.  The team was tasked with ambushing Bogota congressman, Enrique Gonzales, sole surviving member following the Capitolio Nacional bombing and framing the Los Matan Gigantes for his murder.  The ambush spot selected was the Latte Mi Corazon coffee house.  The team had the following objectives:

Primary Objectives

• Enrique Gonzales – Assassinate Enrique Gonzales at Latte Mi Corazon.  Part of the goal is sensationalism, so be creative.

• Frame Los Matan Gigantes – Leave superficial evidence that would implicate the group to the casual observer.  For example, wear Los Matan Gigantes t-shirts, carry Los Matan Gigantes activist signs, and so on.

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.

• Survivors – There need to be people who survive to tell others how Los Matan Gigantes killed Enrique Gonzales.

Limitations

• Equipment – Los Matan Gigantes is a civilian organization.  You should not use any military-grade gear, armor, weapons, or ammunition.  Firearms should be limited to pistols, shotguns, and low-end SMGs.

The team made up several Los Matan Gigantes shirts and donned lightweight body armor.  They picked up several small arms and rented a getaway van under a false identity.  Vessel poorly donned a nanopaste disguise as well.  Network positioned the van down the street, and Vessel and Bernsen went in and ordered drinks.  They then took up a position viewing the entrance.

Right on time, Enrique and his bodyguards arrived.  One went to order while the rest, including a beautiful young woman, took up seats around the building.  As the ork returned with the drinks, Vessel and Bernsen jumped up with flash-bang grenades.  One of the bodyguards had been keeping an eye on them and shouted a warning.  He snatched Enrique and threw him over his shoulder and ran for the door.  Vessel tossed the flashbang up on a table.  Another ork threw a chair through a window and stepped outside while the third ork bodyguard caught the bouncing grenade and hurled it through the broken window into the street.

The woman jumped up and revealed a cyber-arm with concealed SMG, which she used to burst fire on Vessel as he pursued the ork who stepped outside.  Meanwhile, Bernsen dropped a Fireball on the fleeing target, catching a bystander and Vessel in the blast.  The Fireball ignited everyone in the radius, causing most to drop and roll, including the ork carrying Enrique who was unceremoniously dumped to the ground.

The flames took the fight out of most of the resistance except for the ork outside.  After a brief melee with Vessel, they both drew guns and fired upon each other, with Vessel taking a wound from bullets and the raging inferno his clothing had become.  Bernsen ran over to Enrique, lying unconscious (or dead) on the ground and stuff a flash-bang in his mouth.  At the same time, the outside ork allowed Vessel to retreat and moved back into the coffee house.  He fired his Colt Manhunter at point-blank, tearing a brutal hole in Bernsen’s hide.  Fortunately, Network pulled up outside and opened fire with a Deputy revolver, killing the ork.

Vessel crawled into Network’s getaway van after rolling around to put himself out.  Bernsen dove out the front door with a live grenade behind him.  Vessel helped slap the flames on him out and drag him into the van as Network floored it.  They cleared the corner right as the flash-bang went off behind them.

Fleeing the scene, and screaming sirens, the team dumped the van and guns and started them all on fire.  Then, bleeding heavily from several gunshot wounds and serious burns, they climbed into Network’s GMC Beachcraft hovercraft and escaped.

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

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.

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.

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.

Game summary for March 29, 2011; present characters included Bernsen (dwarf combat mage), Network (dwarf drone rigger), Tango (ork tank), and Vessel (troll brawler).

The MACHETE black ops team went on a quick shoot-and-loot mission into enemy Amazonia territory on behalf of Aztechnology. The team inserted into the jungle via a watercourse using Network’s chameleon coated GMC Beachcraft patrol hovercraft. Network stayed in the cloaked “safety” of her onboard rigger cocoon but jumped-in to a GM-Nissan Doberman crawler drone. The team moved into the jungle seeking a small group of Amazonia guerrillas. Network had programmed a MCT Fly-Spy drone to scout several meters ahead scanning for movement. Eventually, the discovered a trio of guerrillas approaching. Vessel moved beside a tree, dropped down, and began setting up the tripod for his Stoner-Ares M202 medium machine gun. Network advanced her Doberman drone while Bernsen used a sustaining focus to hang Increase Reflexes on himself. Tango stood in the relative open and tried to lob a mini-grenade from his launcher in the middle of the approaching troops. Unfortunately, the ordnance was caught in some branches and detonated short of the target, blowing down a tree and clearing some line of sight. The three guerrillas advanced quickly, firing short bursts from their AK-97s as they came. They focused fire on the troll setting up the machine gun! A quick firefight ensued, and Bernsen cast a force 5 Fireball amongst the rebels. One burned to death and another suffered grievous injury. Before he could retreat, gunfire cut him and his other ally down.

The MACHETE team advanced further into the jungle and found the remaining five guerrillas, one of whom was an ork lieutenant. Vessel pulled his tonfa and charged one of the orks. Network began a steady stream of short bursts, and Tango opened up with his grenade launcher. This time, he drew a bead on one of the approaching orks and shot him square with a HE grenade. The blast injured the ork and his ally, but most of the trauma was absorbed by armor and pure ork meanness. The ork yelled “Nice shot!” and fired a return grenade from his AK-98. Unfortunately, after arming, the grenade sprung back from a limb and landed behind the ork and his elf ally. More fragments embedded in the ork’s armor, and he staggered about from the back-to-back blasts.

Bernsen rushed forward into battle with his monofilament sword while Vessel began a beatdown on the ork. Several of the enemy focused burst fire on Tango. Fortunately, his armor held, but he was beginning to weaken beneath the barrage. He managed to maintain some composure and place extremely accurate (and deadly) single shots. Network continued to wear down foes with her drone-mounted AK-97 assault rifle, including killing one of the foes engaging Bernsen. The combat mage took advantage of the space and cast Flamethrower, immolating an enemy and putting him down. Vessel finished his clubbing, and the team mopped up the remaining foes.

Although a success the team learned some valuable information on how they work together. They also got their first measure of the forces aligned against them. Overall the mission proved a good test and helped cement the PCs as a team.

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