A Session Compatible with Cyberpunk 2020
Background:
MostFoods has reached out with a new contract through their local fixer. They lost contact with one of their transport subs mid-route. While communication blackouts aren’t unusual, MostFoods subs are required to ascend to periscope depth at a scheduled time to upload their location and vent their engines, however they missed two of these windows and their transponder has recently gone dark. This is concerning as the transponder is embedded into the sub's hull and is usually only turned off in the event of total destruction or intentional sabotage. Prior to the transponder going dark, an initial recovery team boarded the sub but contact with team soon after they entered the sub. As this is a sensitive (and embarrassing) situation. They need a discreet, professional crew to investigate and recover the sub.
Referee Information:
Unbeknownst to the company, the submarine captain has made a deal with the Marlin Marauders, a group of pirates based in the Bahamas. Knowing MostFoods shipping protocols, he trapped his crew in the lower decks and depressurized the decks, killing them instantly. When the recovery team breached the sub, he used an anti-personnel mine in an attempt to stop them but the subsequent explosion breached the hull and sank the sub for good killing him in the process. The sub is flooded but in safe mode which means it can be powered on and re-pressurized if the hull is drained.The pirates who were waiting for the food were jacked into the captain's optical cyberware while these events play out; meaning they know the location of the sub and that it is in safe mode. They will be sending a crew to attempt to recover the cargo, since they partially prepaid for it.
If the players choose plan one, there can be multiple ways of recovering the cargo. For example, players can prioritize high value cargo listed on the manifest and recover it piece by piece to avoid pirate confrontation. Clever players could utilize foam, floats, buoys etc. to float the cargo to the surface and recover it that way. Bigger groups can remotely drain the sub with a drone and restart the sub, giving MostFood access to the subs remote system - after breaking the captain's ICE. If the players come up with other ways to recover the cargo or raise the ship, use your discretion and remember that they will still need to deal with the nanobots while doing their underwater operations. Don’t be afraid to require a supply run, gear up or construction session prior to running the op! Remember, always take it to the edge.
If the players follow plan two, I encourage you to use random encounter generators during the flight to the wreck. If you’re feeling particularly creative, come up with your own or use one of mine in the reference section.
When the group climbs down the ladder to the dive bell, do a difficult athletic check. On a fail, they lose the turn and need an extra turn to descend to the bell and on a fumble fall off the ladder into the ocean. Since the AV is hovering just above the surface of the ocean at this point, they only take 1D6/2 damage but will need to enter the dive bell after it has dropped, causing a delay. Players at risk of falling should use equipment (harness, guide rope etc) to increase their success chance prior to doing this check. After they have entered the dive bell,. feel free to consult a random event generator while the group is descending to the wreck. Making the players wait in suspense, helpless, deep under the ocean can add a lot of atmosphere and dread to your game. If the players complete the re-pressurization quickly, it’s possible they can avoid the pirate gang. If you want to add an additional layer of difficulty, add a difficult cool check as the AV-9 drops into the ocean to see who can handle the pressure.
Additional Details:
The sub is resting on the ocean floor at 250 meters (820 ft). The submarine landed on its bottom but is listing slightly to the right. There is enough sediment on the bottom that it is stable.
When using the sonar, the Netrunner enters a subgrid with the players ship in the middle of the grid. They can use LocateRemote or other programs to scan the immediate area. Nanobots are small and sometimes hard to detect. You can use your discretion to determine detection, I suggest either using 1D6/3 to check if an Average, Difficult, or Very Difficult check is needed, or start at Difficult and add points after each wave.
Vehicle combat rules from the Core, Maximum Metal or the Firestorm rulebooks apply to this session. I have included a sample layout and damage applicator that can be used as a quick reference. The boat's SDP should be 35, although the players can modify this.
D10 | Location | SP | SDP |
1-2 | Hull | 15 | 50 |
3 | Equipment | 10 | 15 |
4-5 | Helm | 20 | 45 |
6 | Bow | 15 | 50 |
7-8 | Stern | 15 | 50 |
9-10 | Deck | 15 | 50 |
Pirates take 5D10 turns to arrive once the players have either boarded or located the sub. When they arrive, 3 fighters will enter, sweep the sub, then secure the bridge. Once the bridge is secure, the crew will enter and secure “their” cargo.
MostFoods Priority Cargo:
Burrito Extraordinaire Prototype: 2x Shipping Container
HFCS Concentrate: 10x Shipping Container
Captains Log
Submarine Blackbox Recorder
[FILE: MEMO: Market Analysis and Competitor Overview] - On subs subnet
The pirates will be attempting to recover the captains log and the blackbox recorder as well as some miscellaneous cargo. If the players do not recover these items prior to the pirates boarding and do not confront them, the pirates will take these items and the players will not receive payment.
If the players use MostFoods vessel, they must pay 100eb for each point of SDP and/or 50eb for each point of SP lost upon return to port.
Contract Details: The MostFood local fixer is facilitating the contract and has provided two plans dependent on the skill of the crew:
Plan One: Armored Naval Recovery
Caution ⚠️: High Level
Crew Requirements:
Solo - Two: Advanced
Netrunner - One: Expert or Two: Advanced
Techie: Two Advanced or One: Expert
Nomad - One: Expert
Details:
MostFoods or the crew will provide an armored naval vessel with a remote drone capable of diving to the sub. The ocean is infested with nanobots so the solos will need to keep them off the vessel by using mounted weapons. Use your discretion when picking the mounted weapons - I recommend checking the weapon tables in Maximum Metal and picking guns with a high ROF and/or area damage. Netrunners will use specialized computers equipped with on the vessel to locate the nanobot swarms. Techies will provide medical and repair support. Once on location, the nomad will pilot the drone to the sub and recover the cargo.
Plan Two: Dive Bell Recovery
Contract Difficulty: Any Level
Crew Requirements:
Solo - One: Intermediate
Techie - One: Intermediate
Details:
MostFoods will fly the players and a dive bell to the location of the crash in an AV-9. Once on site, the players will load into the bell and drop to the sub. Being close to the wreck, they can use deep sea diving gear to navigate from the bell to the sub. Once onboard, the techie will re-pressurize the hull and pilot the sub back to land. The solo will provide cover and can take inventory once underway.
Session Key Events:
Session Key Events: Plan 1
Session Key Events: Plan 2
NPCs/Bosses:
NanoBots:
Attacks are every 4D10 + 5/ turns.
[Optl] After each attack, the subsequent attack will begin 5% sooner.
SP: 5. SDP 100. +4 penalty to hit.
1D6 Damage per turn once they reach the ship, with EMP damage every third.
Pirate - Crew:
Techie
JuryRig +4.
Light Armor
Janky 9mm. Pistol.
Pirate - Fighter
Solo
Combat Sense +6
Medium Armor
9mm. Pistol
9mm SMG
Unique Gear/Rewards:
MostFoods Contractor Reputation | Preferred treatment for future contracts. This includes contractor insurance which lowers up-front contract cost. |
Submarine Travel Pass | Can be used to travel on MostFoods submarines. Note: only on existing routes and only 3x a year outside of contracts. |
EB: 2500 Per Contractor | Max payout for the gig. Can be adjusted based on performance and ship condition upon return. |