5150 New Beginnings Bat Rep -Where Is She? Part 2

 Part One

Billy found the girl he was hired to Escort. She was working as a Hostess at a restaurant in Middleton. Now he has to bring her back to the Mover. I roll to see where he will be.  Private Office in the Pub & Rec Area. I roll 1/2d6 to see how many PEFs to resolve and score a 1. I roll 1d6 to see if it's a Confrontation and score a 4. Nope. Just a "normal" PEF to resolve. I score a 10 - Criminal Element. Uh, oh. I roll 1/2d6 and score a 1. Only one NPC. I roll on the Usual Suspects for the Pub & Rec Area to see what kind of Criminal I meet and bam! It's an Escort. Yep, I roll to see if Billy met them before, except when you're escorting it's the NPC being escorted that checks and... yep, she met her before, and they are friends! 

Well, Lella and Billy now go to the Office and the Mover is there. Job done; Billy gets paid 5 Increasing Rep d6. Added to the 3 he already has; he ends the month with 8 Increasing Rep d6! But he has the following expenses for the month.

3 Band Members cost 3 Decreasing Rep d6.

Home in the Pub and Rec Area of NHC costs 2 Decreasing Rep d6.

Upkeep and Storage for 1 Trader Class spaceship costs 3 Decreasing Rep d6.

So that's 8 Increasing Rep d6 and 8 Decreasing Rep d6 for 0 Rep d6. Billy broke even!?

Since I've decided to play a Campaign from now on, Billy needs to cut some monthly expenses. Time to see what Jobs pay the most.

5150 New Beginnings Bat Rep - Where Is She? Part 1a

 Part 1

Played this one with minis on the Battle Board. Outside the restaurant and it's a Confrontation. Billy tries to Interact, but it goes badly and it's time for a fight. But what kind? I choose a Fist Fight.

Quick and easy and with Fast Eddie going Out of the Fight I figure it's time to do a Recovery Table. Here it is. 

Recovery

2                                                  Recovery                                                           (Taken versus Rep)                                                  A score of “6” is always a failure.
Modifier
Hard as Nails: Can re-roll 1 failed d6.
Fist Fight: If went Out of the Fight from Fist Fight roll 3d6 instead of 2d6.
Star: Roll 3d6 instead of 2d6
Zhuh-Zhuh: Count Rep at 1 point higher than actual.
#D6 Passed	Result
2	I’m good! If Out of the Fight from Fist Fight, back to normal. If Out of the Fight from Shooting, count current Rep at 1 point lower for the rest of the Encounter/Mission. Recover back to normal Rep afterwards.
1	Going, going… Immediately re-take test counting pass 1d6 as pass 0d6.
0	Gone. Never heard from again.

 Billy is now at 3 Increasing Rep d6 for the month. 2 for taking out the 2 Bounty Hunters and a from Interacting with the hostess at the restaurant. 

Part 2

5150 New Beginnings Bat Rep - Where Is She? Part 1

Been sidetracked with the 5150 Q&E Combat 2023 playtesting and now it's time to get back to Billy Pink. A Night on the Town Part 1 I'll do more "How I do it" to show a way that works really well for building Stories. 

Billy has an Escort Job from a Mover, but the Mover doesn't know exactly where she is at. I rolled up on the Area of New Hope City Table and she is in Middleton. I rolled up her Profession and she's a Criminal, Escort. I pulled her stats from 5150 Usual Suspects as it is easier to use pre-generated NPCs.

Billy must first go on a Find Encounter to find the NPC. I set up a Chillin' Encounter and populate the restaurant.

The circled numbers are for each group of NPCs, and I leave them blank as I don't know who they are. Makes it interesting.

After Billy and Fast Eddie enter the place, I roll for each group to see what they are. The colors tell me their Profession. I'm using Power Point, but I do the same with minis and markers. Who does Billy Interact with? That's easy. I roll 2d6 for each group to see if he has met them before. 2 - 8 = Nope, never met them. 9 or 10 = Yep and it was good. 11 or 12 = Yep and it was bad. But how do I find the girl? 

When you run into NPCs with the same Profession as the NPC you're looking for, it's them, or her in this case. Amazingly, it was the hostess that they met when they entered the restaurant!

Billy Interacts with her and sets up a private meeting with her. That's the good thing. The bad thing is there are two groups of NPCs he's met in the past, he has to Interact with. Unfortunately, all of them were bad so I need to Interact with them at a disadvantage. As it's a very public place in an upper-class area of NHC any "issues" will occur after they leave. The Xeog just says crappy stuff about Billy, nothing more as she is outnumbered by Bill and Fast Eddie.

The other group - Exotics - score a Confrontation. As mentioned, I'll play it after Billy leaves. I decide that they are also looking for the girl but not working for the Mover.

Part 1a

5150 New Beginnings Bat Rep - Cops Are Called?

More tweaking of the 5150 Q&E Combat 2023 rules. Nothing major. Check out the 1st picture for an explanation. 

The slight tweaks work great. With the Shaken able to fire there's no stopping the play with firing between the two figures not being resolved. Now ends the turn with one winning, no carry over. The not facing came up because I set up the figures and realized there should be some sort of penalty for not facing the enemy. In this case, the Ganger was surrounded so he rolled 2d6 versus the guys to his front and counted an automatic zero to the guys to his rear. If he survives the first shots he rolls on the Stay or Go Table and can return fire as long as he doesn't Run For It.

I'm liking the rules and will play more but won't post all the games. BTW - These will work for military THW rules...NUTS, Star Army. etc. 

5150 New Beginnings Bat Rep - Difference of Opinion

 

So, I've been tinkering around with the new 5150 Quick & Easy Combat 2023 rules and wanted to play a larger game with them. I made sure to play a couple of small one on one games first as well as a two or three figures per side game to get the mechanics down. Similar to other THW sets we go from the Action Table to Shoot or Melee then Stay or Go (new Will to Fight Table). The big difference is each figure rolls on the Action and Stay or Go Table individually instead of the Leader rolling on it. That means more dice rolling. Gives a different feel to the game, but the concern was, will it slow the game down if at all. So, I gave it a go. Nine figures, one fight. 

In other THW games, Leader rolls on the Action Table to see what side acts first. All figures Shoot or Melee, some Return Fire, some Duck Back, some Recover From Duck Back.  Then Leader rolls on the Will to Fight Table. Figures are removed. Function like a group. Then back to the Action Table.

With the new system each figure goes from table to table as needed. Having played a few small games to get the dice rolling order and tables down, it was very easy playing a larger game. Didn't take a long time, not much more than previous rules because you actually roll to activate less times. No Duck Back and Recover speeds play as well. Will give it some more plays and post the results. So far, the system works well.

Had to tie it into a Story so I figured Ashlynn Cooper would be good to use. Also, establish some more NPCs as well as using existing ones. Wonder what Vantos will do? I mean, he does know Billy Pink. 

5150 New Beginnings Bat Rep - Amber's Job - Part 3.

Part 2

Billy and Amber had a gunfight in an Office Building in the Financial District. Cops were called and Billy finds himself in court.

Had to tidy this one up. Having the possibility of Cops Being Called puts a different spin on things. Billy gets 1 Decreasing Rep d6 for having Kireu get the video and another for hiring her. Better to stay in Little Hisha and other Low-level Areas of NHC. LOL. Now off to the Mover Escort Job. Billy is now at zero Rep d6 for the month.

FYI - I didn't have to do this but thought I would just to show what is possible with 5150 New Beginnings in the way of building a Story.

5150 New Beginnings Bat Rep - Amber's Job Part 2

 Part 1

Amber and Billy have met the Employer and credits exchanged hands. Time to leave the building. Usually, you resolve a PEF outside when leaving a building. I figured I'd do it at the elevator on the way out. 

I roll 2d6 to resolve it and score an 11. Who are they. Wait. Criminal Element? In the Financial District? I roll 1/2d6 for How Many. 2 - same number as group. Have they met before? I roll and score another 11! Yep, they have, and it's been bad. I figure instead of Interacting let's just go to a gunfight. In a Financial District office building. Can you say Cops? But first let's play this out, again using the upcoming 5150 Quick and Easy Combat 2023 rules.

 In the new rules each Character rolls on the Action Table. Add the scores of the passing d6 and you get a number from 1 to 10. Shooting is done from high to low. Roll 2d6 versus Rep to Shoot. If the passing d6 total is higher than the target Rep - Out of the Fight. Could be dead but that's resolved after the fight. If total is Rep or lower, the target goes to the Stay or Go Table. Roll versus Rep. Pass 2d6 and return fire, pass 1d6 go Shaken and cannot return fire, pass 0d6 Run For It.

Then the next Character fires. it could be the one that returned fire. Fire continues until one side is Out of the Fight and/or Ran For It.

It definitely has a different feel to it. Plays quicker but still similar results. Instead of being all about the Leader, each Character rolls their own. Very cool IMHO

Billy picks up 4 Increasing Rep d6. Two for the Gangers and 2 for having a successful Escort Job. Not that much as Amber is an Exotic but still good. This puts Billy at 2 increasing Rep d6 for the month. On to the Mover's Escort Job. That one will pay very well.

Part 3 

 

 

5150 New Beginnings Bat Rep - Amber's Job

 It's been a busy month for Billy Pink and he needs to finish off two Jobs. The first is an Escort Job with Amber, a Net Runner that he has worked with in the past. Should be a quick one then another Escort Job for a Mover. This one is in the Financial District. I set up the Battle Board (using Power Point) and get started.

Never had this happen before. Amber freaked out and ran for it by herself. I'm using the 5150 Quick & Easy Combat 2023 rules. A bit different than all the other THW rules and can easily be used with the other games. While most THW rules have the Leader of the Group take the Action Test, these are set up for each figure to take it. 

The one concern I had doing the rules is that I didn't want it to get confusing with everyone Returning Fire, Ducking Back, etc. When the Leader takes the test, the whole side does their shooting, melees and check to see if they will stay and fight at the same time.  I had to adjust the tables when it came to Return Fire and Duck Backs on an individual level at different times. I'll go into more detail later. Right now, Amber and Billy have to enter the building, she makes her sale and then they can leave. That's when Billy will get paid. 

Billy had 7 Decreasing Rep d6 but this time gained 5 Increasing Rep d6 for Interacting and taking out two Gangers. He's at 2 Decreasing Rep d6 for the month but he hasn't gotten paid by Amber yet. 

Part 2

5150 Star Army Total War - 50% off Deal of the Day!

 

5150 Star Army!

5150 New Beginnings - Let's Cut a Deal - Part 3

 Part 2

Billy needs to "take Mullins out". Not necessarily physically, as he is a member of the NHCPD, but he has to make sure that Mullins can't get Billy in trouble. I need to figure this one out and what to do. If Mullins gets "whacked" there will be an investigation and when you're rolling d6, no telling how it could turn out. Ask Sooze. Mullins is holding a Murder charge over her head unless she sets up Billy. 

After giving it some thought I decide Billy needs to get someone to "help" him. But who and what's it going to cost? 

I've tracked Billy's adventures and have over 900 pe-generated NPCs (5150 Usual Suspects), Billy having met quite a few of them and not always in a good way. I review A Night at the Fights              (5150 A Night at the Fights) and have an idea. 

Billy has been successful and enlisted the aid of Leshie the Razor Patron. I set up what I needed to get done, diffuse Mullins, and set up how to do it. As I don't want Mullins physically injured as mentioned before, I decide she will do it. If it didn't work out, I'd have to figure out another method. This is safer but now Billy has gained 4 Increasing Rep d6 for "taking out" 4 NPCs this month but 7 Decreasing Rep d6 for the Interactions with NPCs, including Leshie. 

The game occurrences and dice rolling took the Story down a Road I hadn't thought of - Sooze getting arrested for murder due to an accidental death during a fist fight, Mullins being involved, etc. I could have ignored it but for me it's about the Story. Now with this all tied up I can get onto the next Encounters and some combat...at least some fist fights! Ouch Sooze. LOL.

Time to play the Escort Job from the Mover and there's Amber's Job Offer as well. As they are all tied together, I can count this as only one month.