[Dracain]

Is it necessary for a combat focused character to have contacts at the start of the game?  I have seen some archetypes that had contacts that would be helpful in certain situations, at well as fleshing out the characters background, but mechanically speaking, is it necessary?

[rasmusnicolaj]

It's kind of strange not to know anybody.

You need a Fixer to get you a job and maybe buy some loot you score on a run.
You need an arms dealer to get better weapons and those cool APDS rounds for your SMG.
You need a street doc because you don't wan't to hurt to much and at some time need to upgrade your ware.
You need a bartender/blogger/beat cop whatever so you can do som legworking and not get bored with your character outside combat.
You need a friend in the mafia so you can just say hi and get you team through a specific area without problems.

So in short you alway can use a contact.
But there are no mechanical rules that demand it.

Rasmus

[Medicineman]

It's kind of strange not to know anybody.
its not only strange
its more like shooting Your Knee (a Step-up to " Shooting Your Foot" )
How Do You get to the Run, the Contact to Mr. Johnson, without a Fixer
How Do You get Weapons,Armor & Equipment (especially the Illegal Ones ) ?
Whom Do You sell the Booty, Who helps You with Datasearch for Your Legwork ?

+ everything rasmusnicolaj says/writes

He who never dances alone
Medicineman

[Dracain]

True, but I saw some characters in the archetypes thread that had a contact that work as a journalist, which while it could be useful for legwork, how does this character get runs?

[JustADude]

Well, I've only had a couple GMS, I've always seen the GM "give" the group their communal Fixer as a means of making sure everyone is on the same page, and has a reason to be going to the same spot. And I mean to the point that I've started to consider a "personal" fixer a waste of points, since he never gets used.

The other contact types, though... definitely worth getting.

Also, I find Group Contacts to be incredibly useful if they fit your theme. Since one Underworld Group, like the Vory or the Ancients, can provide you with just about any service you need, from legwork to leg-replacement, for less over-all points than several individual contacts.

[Medicineman]

Also, I find Group Contacts to be incredibly useful if they fit your theme.

totally right
for my pre-last Char (a female Nartaki Drowposer with the Streetname" Lolth") it was a Hackergroup
("Gygax' Sons" a Group of Hacker /Roleplayer/Fantasy /Computer Nerds )
and for a Friend of Mine who plays a Gypsy Mage it was his Gypsy Family (complete with Magic Auntie and Orkish Big Brothers and Elfish Sisters )

HeyaHeyaHeyaJa
Medicineman

[JustADude]

Also, I find Group Contacts to be incredibly useful if they fit your theme.

totally right
for my pre-last Char (a female Nartaki Drowposer with the Streetname" Lolth") it was a Hackergroup
("Gygax' Sons" a Group of Hacker /Roleplayer/Fantasy /Computer Nerds )
and for a Friend of Mine who plays a Gypsy Mage it was his Gypsy Family (complete with Magic Auntie and Orkish Big Brothers and Elfish Sisters )

HeyaHeyaHeyaJa
Medicineman

It's even more useful if you pick up a big group, like one of the various Organized Crime syndicates or one of the top-tier gangs (aka Ancients, First Nations, etc).

Definitely a big point investment, since they end up having something like Connection 11-12 just from Group Contact modifiers, but for 17-18 BP  (plus Code of Conduct: Sworn Soldier and Black Market Pipeline, if you can swing the Quality points!) you end up with not only a major source of assistance, but a perfect source of all sorts of story hooks.