Something something Cyberpunk, Something something Catholicism
Human connection is something to be valued. Technological connection is not.
For centuries, organisations have existed to promote a feeling of belonging to a greater cause, but also in some cases promoting intense guilt for the actions of those who came before. One such organisation, Callenity, believes the hyperconnected nature of the world takes away part of what makes us fundamentally human.
In this shorter session the cybermercs (the players) have been hired by Callenity to reclaim a potential communications hub site from the Clover neocorporation who intends to create an information monopoly in the region. To do so, they will need to infiltrate the proposed hub site, disable security, before ambushing a survey convoy to convince Clover1 this site isn’t safe.
Setting:
This narrative takes place in Night City (NC), a neon metropolis of towering skyscrapers, high-tech advancements, and urban decay. The city breathes with glitzy life 24/7, and there's nothing you can't find here for the right price provided you also know the right guy. Even if you don’t, this city’s a melting pot of neocorporations, street gangs, and the increasingly rare ordinary person; use your wits and I’m sure you’ll do just fine.
Specifically in the proposed site for the Nemeth Technology Park, still in the very early days of construction with barely any foundations laid. The job is to ambush a survey team belonging to Clover Industries, who are scouting a new site for a potential communications hub. For a bit of extra cash, the cybermercs may also “retrieve” some of the survey equipment from the convoy as Callenity plan to make it open-source to the market.
Site infiltration:
We begin at the edge of the proposed construction site, which is secured primarily with cheap wire fences and simple padlocked gates. Inside there are temporary construction cabins, cargo trailers and containers left around, and a few sites of concrete foundations already set. Resting on the outside, gazing in the cybermercs can see just inside the perimeter several floating drones slowly patrolling each of the edges.
A technologically inclined cybermerc would recognise these as generic XC88 “House fly” security drones. Fan driven, cheap, and robust with a front mounted camera, they’re a common security measure used to patrol low risk areas for intruders.
A technologically skilled cybermerc would additionally know they’re short range, and would be controlled from a nearby transmitter.
In order to prepare for the ambush, the cybermercs need to bypass the security drones and reach a temporary cabin located toward the centre of the site. This cabin houses underpaid night shift workers named Fernando and Kai, whose company’s (Fox Security) been contracted to provide out-of-hours site security.
Avoiding detection until Fernando and Kai have been “persuaded to leave” is critical, as an alarm may result in the construction convoy diverting from the site. Being seen by the drones isn’t an instant fail state though, as Kai initially mistakes the cybermercs for typical vandals or copper thieves, stepping outside to warn them off while Fernando calls in that they’ve warned off some small time vandals.
To disable the alarm without raising concern, the cybermercs will either need to disable the guards or their radio signal.
Disabling Fernando and Kai requires breaking into the cabin with speed so they cannot get a call for help out, and then imitating them if any check in calls come from their headquarters offsite. The drones can also be set to friendly from here
A skilled cybermerc may also be able to hijack the radio antenna, preventing any calls for help being sent. A full signal cut off would be suspicious, so the antenna itself cannot be destroyed for any reason.
Convoy ambush:
Once site security is handled, there will be a moment of respite to get into position for the convoys arrival. Entering through the main site gate, they’ll travel a short distance to check in with the security office before proceeding to test transmission signals and the like.
Based on intel provided by Callenity, the cybermercs know the Clover convoy will likely consist of a 4x4 vehicle containing armed guards, as well as a larger truck with a trailer containing the actual technicians and survey equipment. There haven’t been many attempts on a convoy yet though, so additional information about automated defences can be hard to come by.
A social cybermerc may make a check to see if they’ve heard of any rumours regarding these convoys. If they pass, then they can find out both vehicles are armoured against small arms fire although the windows may crack under sustained fire. Additionally it’s rumoured the truck has two automated turrets concealed in the roof.
There aren’t many opportunities around the site above ground level to have the drop on the convoy, and so the cybermercs will need to conceal themselves amongst the various construction materials and equipment. Scattered between the gate and the cabin are:
Suspiciously clean work vehicles parked here until tomorrow
Stacks of concrete pipes large enough for an adult to crouch through
Piles of earthworks next to deep pits
A noxious cabin housing the bathroom that can be smelt from several yards away
When it arrives, the convoy is comprised of two vehicles:
A 4x4 all terrain armoured vehicle
A logistics truck comprising of the truck itself and a large trailer.
The 4x4 contains 3 armed guards who when attacked will use the heavy bulk of the vehicle to ram their foes position, before flanking them and calling for backup.
Within the truck there are an additional 2 technicians (with standard issue sidearms). When the truck comes under fire it shuts down remaining in place while two automated turrets emerge from the roof. The techs bunker down inside relying on the automated defences to hold off any looters while they wait for backup to arrive.
To retrieve the survey equipment from inside the truck, the cybermercs must first disable the two automated turrets on the roof. After this the technicians inside the truck weakly surrender, rather than let the cybermercs attempt to break in by force and damage everything inside (themselves included). The survey equipment itself quite bulky, meaning it would take two hands to carry for most people.
Locusts:
2D4 rounds after the first shot is fired, a rapid response armoured aerial vehicle (AV) arrives to extract the Clover operatives, and to stop the cybermercs from further damaging company property.
If the truck has been broken into: the AV will land a short distance away from the rear and offload 4 armoured security operatives to secure the contents and technicians.
If the truck has not been broken into, the AV will instead drop off the security operatives in whatever position seems most advantageous to taking out the cybermercs.
After offloading the team, it takes back to the skies and circles the area blaring warnings over its loudspeaker and firing at the cybermercs using a mounted heavy machine gun.
Taking out the AV sends it crashing into a power transformer, plunging the site into total darkness. This buys the cybermercs valuable time to make a getaway before the slower ground based reinforcements arrive. If any security operatives aren’t incapacitated by this point, they attempt to make their way to the trailer in the dark, using rifle mounted flashlights to light their path.
From near the main gate, headlights appear as 2 additional 4x4s2 arrive to further support the, now downed, AV response team. If the cybermercs haven’t yet secured the survey equipment for extra pay, they can attempt to fight off these new arrivals in the dark. Even without making off with the survey equipment, the message that this site isn’t safe has been sent.
Callenity thanks the cybermercs for their discrete help in this matter. With these efforts, they hope to delay Clovers attempts to hyperconnect everyone to everything, and so take one step back towards what really matters in life.
What did you think? Any ideas, feedback, want anything expanded on, or do you intend to use this in a session? Let me know!
This experimental session was originally written with Cyberpunk Red in mind, and the original prompt was a reinterpretation of Catholic values, based on a conversation with my friend Heidi.
I am aware of the inherent irony of this session being made available online.
Cowritten/Edited with the assistance of Alsanna.
HowTTaS is unofficial content provided under the Homebrew Content Policy of R. Talsorian Games (Creators of Cyberpunk Red) and is not approved or endorsed by RTG. This content references materials that are the property of R. Talsorian Games and its licensees.”
Replacing Ziggurat in the official Cyberpunk Red canon.
Identical to the one from the original convoy, with the same amount of security operatives.