[Walks Through Walls]

Inca I don't understand why they get additional dice for the resistance test for cover. All I have to do is be able to see them. It doesn't matter if it is a finger or their whole body. Once I have sight I can cast on them. I could see a perception test to notice them maybe, but not extra dice to resist once the spell is cast needing LOS.

Just wondering because I have never seen it interpreted this way before.

[inca1980]

Look at SR4A pg. 160 under Partial and Full Cover, it says that this modifier also applies to Spellcasting.  I interpret this as meaning that cover doesn't necessarily mean a you're just standing there sticking out your head.....it's a little more dynamic.....like melee combat isn't just 1 punch per attack roll....it's abstract, but in reality it's a lot more dynamic.  So in this case you're ducking out and popping back....Something of the sort, and you as the spellcaster are doing likewise, so there's a chance that you break LOS when there's cover.

I think it's good too cuz it allows mundanes to have at least a little bit of strategy against casters.

[Walks Through Walls]

OK. Like I said I just had never seen it before, and have learned something new today. By the same token since it is an area effect spell would the minus for an area effect weapon apply?

[Kontact]

That's a good question...


BTW, Inca, can I not encrypt my regular matrix traffic?  I can understand if you say no, since it requires someone on the other end to initiate a decrypt.  I just figured that matrix hideouts would have that decryption/encryption stuff set up, and, from what I understand, spoofing a new ID and re-encrypting the traffic would mean that the opposed party would have to break the encryption all over again to sniff it out.  Otherwise, there's not even a glimmer of security on the matrix..

[inca1980]

Well, I would say it's possible for you to request a re-encrypt from the other side of a matrix connection and I'm sure most matrix hangouts or secure sights have an agent in place that would spend the simple action and initiate the re-encrypt.  The problem is that once the line is already tapped, this very request for a re-encrypt would also be susceptible to interception.  Even if the other side re-encrypted on a fixed schedule, they would need to pass the encryption key along to you somehow and this data-packet would also be susceptible. 

Like they say in Unwired, in 2065 the researcher Heinrich Andrews at Stuttgart University basically won the battle of Cryptanalysis over encryption theory. 2072 computer security has switched completely away from encryption as an effective form of security and is merely an annoyance.  IC, Sec. Spiders,  Alert Responses and network topology are the primary mechanisms by which a system is secured....it's like, why worry about someone tapping your matrix communications when their brains are probably already fried in their futile attempt to do so. 

So if you have someone ready to sniff, if they beat the other end of the line in an initiative test, they could do an intercept action and then they could just block the request or let it pass through but pick up the encryption key. 

Just remember that the only way they can tap your connection is if they have access to a node/s through which all of the connection is routed through......those being the originating node, the final node, or all of the routing nodes in between, which is pretty unfeasible except in places with very few devices.

[inca1980]

@Walks:

Oh and with the AOE question, LOS is still a necessary and sufficient condition whereas being inside the area is only a necessary one.  Thus it would work the same as a normal LOS spell.  Now if it was an area INDIRECT combat spell then i would treat it like a grenade because anyone who is inside the blast radius can be affected and LOS is not necessary.

[Walks Through Walls]

Kind of what I figured, but thought no harm in asking

[Kontact]

Just remember that the only way they can tap your connection is if they have access to a node/s through which all of the connection is routed through......those being the originating node, the final node, or all of the routing nodes in between, which is pretty unfeasible except in places with very few devices.

True, they could only monitor it, they couldn't alter anything unless they have significant access.

I was just wondering if spoofing to get a new ID and new connections would be enough to confuse the sniff long enough to reencrypt.  The old, you can't break a code you can't find strategy.

[inca1980]

@B.B.:

They could alter it as well as with a normal Intercept action, all they need is a presence in the routing node so they could block it too. 

Now with the spoofing the ID that's a cat and mouse game that I'll just abstract as an opposed roll.  You roll your Hacking + Spoof or your Hardware + Logic, whichever way you wanna change your ID, and the other party would roll a Elec War + Scan to just re-find you....the roll represents who can do this better and faster.  If you win you're able to hide your signal frequently and quick enough and if they win they're able to continually re-find it well enough. 

@Everyone:

The strike team will move in pretty soon and if no one is gonna act.

[FastJack]

I might have something when I get home later tonight. Sorry I haven't posted much, with the hurricane, then a head cold and stuff, it's been a bear.

[Kontact]

With a signal of 5 and radius of 4 km, the number of potential devices which B.B. could route through in the middle of downtown numbers in the hundreds of thousands.  Owning even a significant percentage of those nodes is not a realistic option.  He could connect to his own home node from Angel's place, FFS.


As to the guys at the door, half measures will only get us killed.

Either we start bombing grenades into that hallway and let the chunky salsa take out the 14 over-armored assholes with assault rifles, or we give up and hope to avoid summary executions.

This needs to be decided now.

I won't work at cross purposes here.  It's not fun or interesting for me.

Commit to total surrender and throw yourselves at their feet and beg for mercy, or we kill everyone that stands between us and getting out without bombs in our heads.

[FastJack]

D'oh! Stupid traffic getting home late and making me forget about this!

[Kontact]

I take it that means we've given up.  Okay.

I can deal with that.

[inca1980]

@Walks:

You're right that you did turn off your comm, but since you were communicating subvocally to the team we'll just assume that implicitly means you turned it back on at some point.

[Chrona]

Commit to total surrender and throw yourselves at their feet and beg for mercy, or we kill everyone that stands between us and getting out without bombs in our heads.

Secret Option 3: Mystery Text Message!