Technoir Playtest, Part 2
Two weeks ago or so I posted part 1 of my Technoir playtest. Today, it’s time for part 2!
One thing I do want to let y’all know. I did cut this one short, since the public beta playtest document has been released on the Technoir site. I decided to finish the first playtest with the rules that I had, and if I do another one, that’ll use the publicly available documentation.
Previously On…
Last time we left our protagonist, Tanner, he had been hired by Cybertronics Systems, through one of his contacts, Dok Petrov, to steal the Pulsecore Alpha. The Pulsecore Alpha is an experimental cybernetic heart in development by Daedalus Innovation.
Tanner got into two scrapes with a local gang, the Bleeding Razors. The Razors were hired by Daedalus to make sure no one stole the Pulsecore Alpha.
And Now…
After having Dok Petrov patch him up, Tanner decided to do some more research on the Pulsecore Alpha—see if he can find out where it is. To do this, he turns to Arma Winn, asking her what she knows. Her sources tell her that the Pulsecore Alpha is scheduled to move from the production site to a lab for the final rounds of testing. It just so happens that there is no straight-line from the plant to the lab.
In order to get where it needs to go, the Pulsecore must change trains at the light rail terminal #91. It just so happens that the change is scheduled to happen later that day!
Armed with this new information, Tanner decided to go to the terminal, and scope the place out. It wasn’t much (as shown on the left), and it wasn’t even that busy.
Tanner took a seat and waited for the train to arrive. It wasn’t long before two people—wearing SecTec uniforms—walked out of the train with a large briefcase.
Bingo! This has to be the case he’s looking for! He sneaks up behind them to get the drop, rolling Prowl+Sneaky vs. their Detect of 3, rolling a 6. With the element of surprise, he bum-rushes the younger-looking one3, trying to knock him off the platform. Roll Fight+Tough vs. Move of 3. Crap, I seemed to roll three 6s! Based on that roll, I just decided that not only was the guard thrown from the platform, but he lands on a car and is knocked out.
Seeing that his wingman was so carelessly thrown from the platform, the leader (Leory) draws his pistol and takes a few shots at Tanner. Shoot+Short Range vs. Tough(3), rolling a 4. Tanner discharges one Push Die to add his [+]Tough to his defense, making it a 4, so the shots do nothing to him!
At this, Tanner is sick and tired of being shot at, so he returns fire with a vengeance! Shoot+Short Range vs. Move of 2, and he rolls another 6! He spends the one Push Die in his roll to make the [-]Bleeding Badly sticky. Leory takes two solid hits to the abdomen. Although he is injured, it doesn’t stop him from moving behind cover and [-]Grazing Tanner with his own bullet (Shoot+Short Range vs. Move of 3 and rolls a 6).
Tanner needs to finish things quickly, so bum rushes Leory and aims to aggravate Leory’s current wounds by punching him in the gut. Fight+Tough vs. Fight of Fight of 3, and he rolls a 5. Spending his last Push Die, Tanner again tries to upgrade the wound. Not willing to die for his paycheck, Leory refuses the Push Die and [-]Adj that goes with it, and capitulates.
Triumphant, Tanner grabs the case with the Pulsecore Alpha in it, and starts walking back to Dok, hoping to be rid of the blasted thing. Maybe he’ll use his reward money to buy a vehicle for driving around.
Afterward
I know that I took a few liberties with the story, but I wanted to get to the end before I “added” the new material from the public beta document. I didn’t think it would work well if I mixed-and-matched what rules I was using. For my next playtest, I’ll be using the public beta.
Anyone else out there played some Technoir? I’d love to read about you’re experiences!
P.S. Jeremy, I hope you don’t mind me using the Technoir cover art! I’m trying to add more pictures to my blog!
1This was rolled on Arma’s Un-connected table, and resulted in a 4: Light Rail Terminal.
2This wasn’t rolled. I looked at the various threats, and SecTec jumped out at me as the obvious choice. It was either that or WolfStrike One, but WSO specializes “in raid and rescue scenarios.”
3That’s Griffin from the Transmission for those following along at home.
