[TennyJaden]

So, I GM now for a couple of weeks Shadowrun 4E. Me and my friends are having fun and all, but now I wanted to design a bigger B&E run, which will contain basic sketches at least for all three aspects of the game (Physical, Matrix and Astral).

The basic idea is, that a smaller companie has tasked a couple of Runners to steal a datastick with some software for a new Assault Cannon designed by another company (names not yet decided). I've decided to start out with some smaller companies I invent on my own because I think the Megacorps are a little too big for the players and myself to work with.

Now, I was wondering, what kind of security would be appropriate for smaller companies.

For physical defenses I thought, well, alarmsystems, some drones and a couple of security guards would be appropriate. What I am not sure about is, should they wield lethal weapons? I mean, I'd expect the avarage security-guard to be equipped with tasers and Flash-Bangs maybe, but even the Professional Rating 2 Guard from the Corebook already wields even a SMG.

Matrix Security: I thought maybe about 2 spiders with professional rating 2 or 3 and a couple of IC programs all around ratings 3 and 4, but I am not really sure about all that, especially in the matrix I am very unsure how to design defnsesystems and so any advise would be appreciated.

And for Astral Security I thought, maybe one Mage who wards the most important areas, so that no spirits can just break in too easylie, but it's a smaller company, so they won't have THAT much magical security.

So what do you think about my basic thoughts, are these things appropriate? Any feedback or tips and tricks by experienced GMs would be welcome.

Thansk for any answer =D!

[SunRunner]

For the rent a cops remember that they can always load Stic N shock rounds for non lethal response. Let them keep there SMGs or Ares Predators, just have Stic N shock rounds loaded in them with regular ammo as back up once a demonstrable threat is present. Also remember that even though the company is small they are probably out sourcing their security to a larger company like Knight Errant or Lone Star for example. I dont think corps start having in house security forces until they are at least an A level corp which is a decent mid level. Also all corporations pretty much benefit from extra territoriality so once your on company property they can do pretty much what ever they want and as long as its not too bad or word never gets out, no one will care or do anything about it. The AAA big 10 will come down like a hammer on anyone that even tries to challenge extra territoriality in even the smallest way as they will not tolerate a precedent being set with some small time corp that could eventually be turned into a legal foot hold for some one to come after them.

[Unwirklich]

You can easily run all security on non-lethal. Stun batons, gel or s+s rounds for the physical security, the mage either prefers stunbolts or works with illusion/manipulation-type spells (for extra fun, give him the ice sheet spell and freeze the ground - great in conjunction with aerial drones!). As for the matrix: build a small network of nodes, have the spider patrol and use encryption on some of them, forcing the hacker to spend time decrypting (and increasing the likelihood to get spotted by the spider, Analyze-wielding IC or the node itself). In my last run, I had a 5-node-system, two of them encrypted, patrolling Analyze&Track IC and a bunch of triggers for more offensive loaded stuff. Maybe let your spider run a supportive agent too (like: Agent with Exploit, tasked with crashing the intruder's defensive programs while the spider launches his Attack), depending on your hacker's power level.

[Walks Through Walls]

The way I usually design smaller corps security is the majority of it is outsourced especially the magic and matrix.

Matrix: Depending on how secure usually make the system with a node or two patrolling IC and a on call spider for if an alert happens.
Magic: A patrolling spirit maybe one outside and one in the building. This is fairly inexpensive yet gives good coverage. A ward on sensitive areas is a good addition. Possibly using something like glowmoss in an area where there won't be any spirits or anything to throw a curve ball at the team.

Physical security: A few on hand guards. I agree with the others that keeping the SMG and maybe even upgrading to an assault rifle for sensitive areas is a good idea. (the way I see the Shadowrun world is that pistols are common, SMGs are readily available and the assault rifle isn't uncommon) If you want it non-lethal then use stick-N-shock which are quite effective in disabling opponents. However, I would have the guards have some more heavy duty ammo for if things go bad. I usually go heavy on the armor for the gook guards also even to the point of being encumbered. Then have heavier armed, heavier armored and more experienced response teams. One thing to think about is that combat turns are 3 seconds so to make a difference response times have to be almost unrealistically fast.

Hope all of this helps

[Greenknight001]

For my last big mega-run I deceided to steal from the best...

I stole the intro from the classic module DNA/DOA, where the players were hired to sneak into an old Aztechnology lab to steal some research material (I even had the "Hand of Five" goons grab one of the players and strongarm him into stealing a sample of the lethal "Changeling" virus).  However, when the players got into the complex things got a lot stranger...

1) the complex was a LOT bigger than they were expecting.
2) it was in Protocol-5 Pathogen lockdown (with Protocol-6 being nuclear sterilization)
3) all of the hundreds of personel had turned into flesh-eating zombies.
4) there was a mean, red, little girl hologram popping up to order them around (with an even meaner Black, little girl hologram trying to kill them)

Basically I dropped them into Resident Evil 

Good times...

[Zilfer]

For my last big mega-run I deceided to steal from the best...

I stole the intro from the classic module DNA/DOA, where the players were hired to sneak into an old Aztechnology lab to steal some research material (I even had the "Hand of Five" goons grab one of the players and strongarm him into stealing a sample of the lethal "Changeling" virus).  However, when the players got into the complex things got a lot stranger...

1) the complex was a LOT bigger than they were expecting.
2) it was in Protocol-5 Pathogen lockdown (with Protocol-6 being nuclear sterilization)
3) all of the hundreds of personel had turned into flesh-eating zombies.
4) there was a mean, red, little girl hologram popping up to order them around (with an even meaner Black, little girl hologram trying to kill them)

Basically I dropped them into Resident Evil 

Good times...

Once you got to the red girl i knew what you were doing. XD

[Greenknight001]

I had a lot of fun putting this run together.  In addition to the Resident Evil references, I threw in a few of the pink demons from Doom (in this case they were genetically modified Barghasts), and the blade-sprouting floating silver spheres from Phantasm.

The group had a lot of fun.  Some notable moments:

• The orc street sam photocopying his butt and stapling it to the forheads of zombies.
• Discovering that the coffee and donut machines still worked, and having to fight their way through zombies wearing name tags saying "Hi, My name is Phil" to get to them (the zombies were all there for 1st day orientation the day the zombie plague struck).
• The rigger not quite grasping the Resident Evil theme

GM: "You see a brightly lit corridor leading to the computer room."
Rigger: "I send my drone down the hallway."
Everyone else: "NOOOO!"
GM:"You see a bright flash of light, then your camera goes dead."

It had it's moments 

[Zilfer]

I had a lot of fun putting this run together.  In addition to the Resident Evil references, I threw in a few of the pink demons from Doom (in this case they were genetically modified Barghasts), and the blade-sprouting floating silver spheres from Phantasm.

The group had a lot of fun.  Some notable moments:

• The orc street sam photocopying his butt and stapling it to the forheads of zombies.
• Discovering that the coffee and donut machines still worked, and having to fight their way through zombies wearing name tags saying "Hi, My name is Phil" to get to them (the zombies were all there for 1st day orientation the day the zombie plague struck).
• The rigger not quite grasping the Resident Evil theme

GM: "You see a brightly lit corridor leading to the computer room."
Rigger: "I send my drone down the hallway."
Everyone else: "NOOOO!"
GM:"You see a bright flash of light, then your camera goes dead."

It had it's moments 

Heh, he DEFINATELY did not see that movie. xD