[Netzgeist]

The third car would make part of the ambush, I guess*. If we took it out before the others, why would they even bother to continue with their initial traject?

*I was under the impression that we would "hijack" the car controls as soon as they get to the ambush; in this way, we would have it's gun as another way to pin the other two vehicles agains the explosions/exploded walls.

[Mirikon]

As I understand it, Tachikoma is going to blast the drone out of the sky, blinding them. If they hesitate in running into the ambush, I have incendiary bombs and can jump into the rear vehicle to launch missiles if need be.

If Tachikoma waits to blow the drone, then they'll likely either spot the drone or the drone will spot the ambush.

[Netzgeist]

I agree with that. But once the drone is taken, they will notice the lack of responce from the drone, don't they? So, anyway, Tachikoma will have to do his thing the hadr way soon, I guess.

[Mirikon]

Well, the minute we saw that there was a drone on overwatch, the idea of total surprise went out the window. But if they're looking for aerial drones, they might not see the ground game, yeah?

[Thvor]

Has the plan somehow changed to something that brings the third vehicle into our ambush site?  Because in that case Smiley would like to register an objection 

Well, I don't think we spelled out exactly what the plan was, once we saw what we were up against. Hank's plan is still to try to blow up the lead vehicle & trap the second; if the hackers can take out the third vehicle, he's fine with that. The trick, though, is for the hackers to take out the third without scaring off the two in front...

If we can take over the third without it alerting it's friends, then we've got extra firepower for the Charlie Foxtrot. And fun toys to play with later (or sell...), but that can wait. But if our hackers don't think they can do that without scaring the target, then I think we're best just disabling it--or at least its launchers.

[Crossbow]

The drone needs to go down now, period.  If that completely bones our ambush I can live with that and we have a minute or two to reset regardless.  Remember, we are still between them and their goal and we have the high ground, in that scenario.

My point of the third car is this: if we can remove it from the equation we need to do it because missles can kill you even when they miss.  They are in armored vehicles and can ignore splash damage, Marak and Smiley can't, and we chose our ambush site because of the close quarters.  I do not think they will abandon their mission if they lose their backup, they might switch up their route, maybe going for the interstate, but I doubt that too, they are making the run they are making because of the relatively low visibility, the interstate is high vis-go gangs, lots of cops, lots of cameras.  If I am wrong, again, we still have the high ground and can reset.

So to recap: Kill the drone, do something to disable or disarm or remove the chase car.  When the ambush goes down, hopefully shutdown and poplocks on the target, get in and get gone.

[Netzgeist]

Anyway, even if everything does not go as we want, so long as Tachikoma's drone is within range of the cars, Rybka can at least hack their nodes and make them stop (she can crash nodes fairly easily, and once jumped in, Tachikoma could damage the cars by ramming them against whatever he wants to). So even if we need to change the situation rapidly, we will still manage to do it.

[Marak1972]

And if need be Tachi has bombs too he said

[Netzgeist]

When in doubt drop a bomb. If that does not solve the problem, you haven't used enough, hm?

[Marak1972]

No not my thinking . When foe tries to change route the bomb is deterent for going that way. ..... uh made sense in my head

[Thvor]

So to recap: Kill the drone, do something to disable or disarm or remove the chase car.  When the ambush goes down, hopefully shutdown and poplocks on the target, get in and get gone.

Sounds good to me. Which means, I think, that we're just waiting to hear how the first shot at the drone went?

....Reading this discussion, I had this image of the target vehicles peeling off, everyone giving chase--including Hank jumping in the van bomb and trying to ram them, going out in a blaze of glory...If that happens, I'm blaming Netz. Just saying.

[Netzgeist]

I'd like to remember everyone that, even though my hacking rolls  were not that great, the GM decided to make the story in a way in which we would need to deal with a botched hacking attempt (no rolls on the System side to discover the invasion attempt, it just discovered). Which I'm fine with, it will build some tension and set the tone of the run.

Not that I wouldn't like to see people shooting each other with explosions on the background; far from me. 

[Lethe]

(no rolls on the System side to discover the invasion attempt, it just discovered).

How do you know? Me as GM would never share my rolls, but only the results. It would give away too much information about NPC.

Lets just hope, they don't call for reinforcement, when they smell the ambush. A lost drone, a node on alert... they will be at least looking for us.

[Mirikon]

Yes, Tachikoma has bombs, but only two of them. However, between my three combat drones I have four machine guns. Three with EXEX, and one with SNS.

The drone needs to go down now, period.  If that completely bones our ambush I can live with that and we have a minute or two to reset regardless.  Remember, we are still between them and their goal and we have the high ground, in that scenario.

[snip]

So to recap: Kill the drone, do something to disable or disarm or remove the chase car.  When the ambush goes down, hopefully shutdown and poplocks on the target, get in and get gone.

That's my understanding, as well.

[Netzgeist]

I've forgotten to add the +2 for being in Hot sim VR to the last roll; but I guess with that result, it really does not matter.