**Introduction**
This is a short sample Operation for a single player that introduces you to almost all the basics you need to know about Operations in Neomancer. Since it is designed for solo play, some things are slightly changed and it is not as flexible as a real Operation. Nevertheless, simply play along and have fun.
NOTE:
OD=Operator Dice (black, the good ones)
SD=System Dice (red, the bad ones)
Since this is a 2-Phase-Operation the standard difficulty is 2 SD if not noted otherwise.
Now lets grab you freshly made Operator, the Beta Rules and [[get the job]].*Ailsa throws a dataslate on the table. It’s a slick black device with no connections whatsoever. You input raw data in it and it deletes itself when the battery depletes or someone tries to fiddle with it. Yin-Yao invented it and millions copied it. It is a cheap throwaway-device, mostly used for illicit information trading.
You grab the the device and scroll through the infos: a courier (Alex Kehoe, apparently a low-level, half-Operator) was expected to exchange a briefcase yesterday at midnight in a small restaurant in Santa Monica called the “Seaside”. You see a map of the restaurant and the city blocks around it. So, this restaurant probably should be your first station to check out what happened.
The informations are available for the Operator but now he can add informations. Every broker makes every piece of information he sees valuable for the Operation available since they actually want the Operators to succeed. Only in rare cases of criss-cross-business brokers might hold back informations. Let’s hope this is not such an Operation, eh?*
Go to [[Preparation]]The Preparation Phase explains what the Operators do for the Intrusion and later for the Extraction (since often, terrible things happen during an Operation, planning your Extraction is a good idea).
Remember that the creative solution here is the goal. A standard Operation never needs to be fully fleshed out. That’s what the Preparation and later the actual playing of the Operation are there for.
For now, you get to do 1 PrepScene for Intrusion and also 1 for Extraction. Later in the game, you are totally free to choose what you will do with your Network together.
[[I know people who can help me.]]
[[I want to use my Hacking skills.]]
[[I want to sneak in.]]
[[I want to use my drones.]]
Make an Interaction or Street Smarts Check. If succesful add 1 OD to Intrusion. If not successful, add 1 FP to the FW.
*One of your Contacts tells you the following: “So, I’ve put my ear to the streets for a while. Turns out that Alex has a drug problem. But he also owes money to a small-time gangster named Lucius. The interesting part is that Lucius also owns the Seaside. Maybe Alex knew that or not, but it’s pretty obvious that Lucius has to do something with his disappearance, if you ask me…”*
Go to [[Extraction preparation]]Make a Stealth or Tactics Check. If succesful add 1 OD to Intrusion. If not successful, add 1 FP to the FW.
*It looks like the Seaside is not really dangerous to enter. There are a few backdoors, even unlocked windows you could simply slip through. Confident that you can enter without any problems, you disappear and prepare yourself.*
Go to [[Extraction preparation]]Make a Rigging Check and remember to remove 1 ERG. If succesful add 1 OD to Intrusion. If not successful, add 1 FP to the FW.
*Your drones should be able to get you inside through an unguarded room or window when you start the Operation. Now it’s time to prepare for the actual entry ...*
Go to [[Extraction preparation]][[I want to plan an escape route.]]
[[I want to escape by water.]]
[[I hire an escape driver.]]
Make a Tactics or Street Smarts Check. If succesful add 1 OD to Intrusion. If not successful, add 1 FP to the FW.
*You sneak around the restaurant for a while, confident that you didn’t draw any unnecessary attention upon yourself. From the look of things, Lucius’ men only seem to be in the restaurant or right in front of it. In any case, if you manage to exit the Seaside, it shouldn’t be a problem to simply disappear into the streets surrounding it.*
[[Go to Network activation]]
Make an Athletics Check. If succesful add 1 OD to Intrusion. If not successful, add 1 FP to the FW.
*You have planted a wetsuit not far away from the restaurant. If you make your escape, you can simply enter the water and bring some distance between you and the Seaside.*
[[Go to Network activation]]Make a Rigging or Street Smarts Check. If succesful add 1OD to Intrusion. If not successful, add 1 FP to the FW.
*A car is waiting for you outside. All you have to do is leave the Seaside and you’re gone.*
[[Go to Network activation]]You may be satisfied with your results but it is always smart to call in some favors.
You may activate your Network for 200₵ to add 1 OD to your Intrusion or Extraction. Some networks have special rules which can increase the Firewall ans so on. Remember to apply them.
[[Go to Intrusion Check]]
Make a Check with all OD in your Intrusion against 2 SD. Since this is a solo Operation you may add 2 OD to Intrusion and 1 OD to Extraction.
[[Intrusion passed!]]
[[Intrusion Failed]]Your Preparation paid off. You entered the Seaside smoothly without any problems.
Go to [[Phase 1]]Despite your good work earlier you entered the Seaside with a few complications, but nothing a professional couldn’t handle. Add 1 FP to the FW.
Go to [[Phase 1]] Decide what to do next. You have entered the seaside and several options:
I want to [[talk]] to some people
I want to use my [[tech]] and rig/hack.
I want to [[sneak]] around.
Make an Interaction Check. If not succesful, add 1 FP to the FW because you act suspicious.
*In any case, the waiter tells you the following:
“Yes, I think I have seen him. I remember he had a meeting with another man, but later on he was gone while the man was still here. I remember because the man asked me where he had gone. I couldn’t tell him because I didn’t know. The last time I saw your … friend … was where the toilets are. He was talking with … someone. But there is a guard! I’m sorry, I have to continue work now.”*
Go to [[Guard]]
Make a Hacking or Rigging Check (remember to spend ERG). If not successful, add 1 FP to the FW because you might have alarmed someone … or something.
*In any case, the waiter tells you the following:
It is pretty easy to get access to the Seaside’s surveillance systems. The last time you can spot Alex is when he talks to someone in front of the toilets. The stream is only visual, so you don’t know what they are talking about. Two guys appear behind him and one of them hits Alex hard on the head. He collapses on the floor, and they move him (and the briefcase he was carrying) through a door with the label “Private”. You can spot some stairs, so maybe it’s kind of a basement.*
Go to [[Guard]]Make a Stealth or Tactics Check. If not successful, add 1 FP to the FW because you attract too much attention. Maybe you should have worn pants...
*You move through the restaurant, keeping your eyes open. Next to the toilets is a door with the label “Private” where a man is standing, looking like he is guarding the door. Before you enter the toilets, you can spot a tiny drop of what looks like blood on the carpet right in front of the door. You think you are right here …*
Go to [[Guard]]So, it is a safe assume that Alex is probably behind that door, and also the briefcase which is actually your main priority. The Guard doesn’t look like he is leaving anytime soon, however. You need to find a way to get past him.
[[I want to talk to the guard.]]
[[I want to attack the guard in close combat!]]
[[I want to shoot the guard.]]
Make an Interaction Check. If not successful, add 1 FP to the FW. The guard still lets you pass, but you’ve got a bad feeling about this …
*You approach the guard with a cocky attitude. “Hey, boss sends me to … talk to this Alex guy. Seems he needs a little bit of motivation.” You wriggle your eyebrows and grin.
The guard eyes you for a second, but then shrugs his shoulders. “Yeah, whatever. But keep it down. No need to worry the customers.”
You nod and enter what is in fact a basement.*
Go to [[Phase 2]]
Make a Melee Check. If not successful, add 1 FP to the FW.
*He was tough and needed a few more hits before he went down. Anyway, you’ve hidden his body and enter what is in fact a basement.*
Go to [[Phase 2]]Make a Ranged Check. If not successful, add 2 FP to the FW. If successful, still add 1 FP to the FW. It’s easy to shoot someone, but against common belief even a silenced gun is loud.
*You’ve hidden the corpse and enter the basement, as it seems …*
Go to [[Phase 2]][[The Firewall is 0-2]]
[[The Firewall is 3-4]]
[[The Firewall is 5+]]
*The basement is more or less empty, but at least none from Lucius’ men seem to be there. A few tables are filled with a few weapons and not really exciting looking black market gear. Seems as if Lucius really isn’t the biggest fish around, at least at the moment. A briefcase is lying there, still closed. You recognize the model and know that these things destroy their contents if someone tinkers with them the wrong way. There also is a small, holding cell in which Alex sits. He looks pretty beaten up and seems to be unconscious, but he is alive. You think that you can open his cell, but it takes a little time and he might hinder your escape.*
[[Take the briefcase and get out of dodge]]
[[Take the briefcase, Alex and get the hell out of dodge]]
*“Well, what have we here?” Where the hell did Lucius come from? Anyway, he and his three men are armed, but they aren’t shooting … yet. You might be able to get out of this without a fight if you play your cards right.
“Listen, the owners of the briefcase might come looking for it. Let me take it and I’m gone.”*
[[“Listen, the owners of the briefcase might come looking for it. Let me take it and I’m gone.”]]
[[“Listen, the owners of the briefcase might come looking for it. Let me take it and I’m gone. Also, I’m taking Alex with me, asshole.”]]
*Before you can do anything, bullets are flying around your head. You think you might have made a little too much noise …*
Make a Ranged or Melee Check. If you fail mark a random wound.
Go to [[Fight]] *You snatched the briefcase right from the table and left the Seaside before anyone noticed what had happened. Still, you feel a little sad for Alex, but this is the way things are. He would have been a burden to take with you and you actually don’t know him. Maybe they will let him go after roughing him up some more.
You disappear into the neon lights at the Santa Monica pier. Time to collect your reward.*
Automatic Success. Go to [[End]], but you are an asswipe
You curse a lot, but you have opened Alex’ cell and drag him with you.
Add 1 SD to Extraction.
Go to [[Extraction Check]]If you failed the Extraction consult the Extraction table and apply the effects.
*So, you have done your job and it even went the way you wanted it, more or less. You deliver the briefcase, pick up your reward from Ailsa and are done for the moment.
This was a short glimpse into an Operation for Neomancer. In the full rules, you will see exactly how the outcome of Intrusion and Extraction will affect the Operation. You will find out what happens after an Operation when you have to heal, can improve Skills, buy new cyberware or see what happens when Alienation strikes because you have put too much machine into your body and do to little to balance its effects.
See you out on the streets.*You know have to make an Extraction Check. Take all OD in the Extraction and roll against the DEFCON you reached. It should be between 1 SD and 3 SD.
[[You pass the Extraction Check]]
[[You fail the Extraction Check]]
*Despite taking Alex with you, you leave the Seaside unnoticed. Alex thanks you about a thousand times. Before he leaves, he promises that he stays out of dangerous business and he also owes you a favour. If he doesn’t get killed tomorrow, it might come in handy someday.
Time to collect your reward.*
Go to [[End]]
*Damn Alex. First he slowed you down, then he got shot when they came after you. And even you catched a bullet. That’s -500 Credits for getting yourself stitched up. Well, you’re better off than Alex, at least ...*
Go to [[End]]Make an Interaction Check against 2 SD.
[[You succeed with your bargain.]]
[[You fail with your bargain.]]
Make an Interaction Check against 2 SD.
[[You succeed with your bargain!]]
[[You fail with your bargain.]]“Hmm.” Lucius scratches his chin and puts a toothpick between his teeth. “I think I’ll let you win this time. But you owe me a favour, and don’t chicken out when I come knocking. Now piss off. I’ve got something to do. He looks into Alex’ direction and grins”
Time to collect your reward. Poor Alex...
Go to [[End]]. And you are an asshole.“Don’t insult me”, Lucius screams. His goons are opening fire. Time for negotiation is over …
Make a Ranged or Melee Check. If you fail mark a random wound.
Go to [[Fight]]“Hmm.” Lucius scratches his chin and puts a toothpick between his teeth. “I think I’ll let you win this time. But you owe me a favour, and don’t chicken out when I come knocking. Now piss off.”
And that you do. Time to collect your reward. Alex thanks you about a thousand times and promises to owe you a favour. If he doesn’t get shot tomorrow, he might come in handy someday.
Go to [[End]] Well, they’re all dead. Next time, they better pick a fight they can win.
Grab the [[briefcase]] and get the hell out of here
Grab the [[briefcase, Alex]] and get the hell out of here
You now have to make an Extraction Check. Take all OD in the Extraction and roll against the DEFCON you reached. It should be between 1 SD and 3 SD.
[[You pass the Extraction Check!]]
[[You fail the Extraction Check!]]
You now have to make an Extraction Check. Take all OD in the Extraction and roll against the DEFCON you reached. It should be between 1 SD and 3 SD.
[[You pass the Extraction Check!!]]
[[You fail the Extraction Check!!]]
You feel a little sorry for Alex, but after the fight you have to take care of yourself, first
Go to [[End]]*Even without Alex, it was close shave.*
Add 1 FP to the FW.
Go to [[End]]*Despite taking Alex with you, you leave the Seaside more or less unnoticed. Alex thanks you about a thousand times. Before he leaves, he promises that he stays out of dangerous business and he also owes you a favour. If he doesn’t get killed tomorrow, it might come in handy someday.
Time to collect your reward.*
Go to [[End]]*Damn Alex. First he slowed you down, then he got shot when they came after you. And even worse, you too catched a bullet. That’s -500 Credits for getting yourself stitched up. Well, you’re better off than Alex, at least ...*
Go to [[End]]Make a Hacking Check. If succesful add 1 OD to Intrusion. If not successful, add 1 FP to the FW.
*Probing the security systems of the Seaside was easy. You couldn’t access everything from the outside, but it wasn’t a problem to make a fake reservation, so you can get inside without any problems.*
Go to [[Extraction preparation]]