Dice Robotech: Army of the Southern Cross - OOC thread

[Psychie]

Flashbangs yes, tasers and tranq guns no. Tear gas grenades yes, Multi-Optic helmets yes. Flex cuffs and regular handcuffs yes, duct tape no.

 

[Purr]

Doug gives up his own heavy weapons for a 9mm semi-auto pistol, a MDC capable Ion Pistol, and a stun baton. He glances at everyone, saying, "At this point, less lethal firepower is preferred, so no using the heavier MD weapons unless the stuff hits the fan. Ok, lets see where she is." He goes over to a terminal and sends out a signal. "Comms center, this is Sgt. Dorsey. Where is the First Sergeant? I have some paperwork questions that is making my hair fall out from aggravation and I'd like to go over it with her."

"One moment, please, Sgt. Dorsey." After a few seconds of silence on the line, the voice returns with, "She is in her quarters and is expecting you. Do you need directions?"

"Yes, please, and thank you."

"Of course, sergeant. Check the display on your terminal. It should show her room."

"Yup. Indeed it does. Thanks again. Dorsey out."

He turns to the rest of you and says, "Ok, here we are, and here's Antonia's room. Nova and Miya, this is your baby. The rest of us are your back-up. Everyone, on me. Let's go."

Moving with confidence, Doug quickly leads everyone through the tunnel network that forms the BSURP's halls and quarters. The five of you garner a few quizzical looks from people but no one tries to stop you or get in your way as you move through the base. It does not take you long before you are at the door to the First Sergeant's quarters. With a quick knock, Dorsey announces your presence.

From inside the room, you hear Antoinia's voice, "Come!"

Dorsey opens the door and steps inside. You can see that her room is a touch larger than Doug's room that you were just in, and the Meltrandi woman is seated at a small desk with a terminal on it, and she swivels around to face the door as Dorsey walks in to give Miya and Nova room to step in on his heels. She looks surprised, saying, "What is this? What is going on here?"

Purr you are the GMP player, so it falls to you to make the arrest.

O.K., I'm terribly sorry, but... it's probably best that Nova or Dorsey do the arresting in this scene. Just have Kitty hang back and grab Antonia's computer or something. She and I are kind of cringing and confused here. Sorry if I'm being "high maintenance," but after reading this several times, I just plain don't understand. So it's best someone else who does understand (i.e. anyone but Kitty) perform the arrest.

Spoiler: Here's why if anyone has an interest.

DISCLAIMER: Today, a huge mess of weather cropped up and messed my head up. I couldn't think straight from the time I woke up until about 9 PM and tomorrow, this weather event is supposed to hit full-force. So if I sound "out of it" or "down," that's a big part of the reason why. I mean what I say below, of course, but any added irritation is coming from things no one here is able to change. But hey! C'est la vie! =)

So. I've tried. I am having a very hard time getting behind this scene. I'm sorry, folks! This was supposed to be a Global Military Police action handled by GMP. Not ATAC. Looking back briefly, now this part of what Dorsey said makes more sense to me.

"...I just reserve the right to gripe about how bad things can go wrong if we don't do this absolutely by the book. Just remember, we are the best of the best at everything we do. Now, lets go do this."

(ellipsis mine)

O.K.. So he intended to do it his way all along. And he just did. No one was given a choice - Dorsey just dominated this supposedly-GMP operation here. And the whole thing feels "off" to me.

Well... I would like to take a moment to explain what I kind of had in mind with our ESWAT-trained characters when apprehending Antonia (not exactly this video, but the difference in approach alone will probably be clear):

"Ghost in the Shell (1995) My favourite scene"


In other words, folks, I was all ready to go Deunan Knute/Motoko Kusanagi on Antonia. Kitty and Steven are, after all, ESWAT-trained just for this sort of action. Chris makes for perfect back-up with his heavy weapons expertise, and Meltrandi Nova is GMP herself - a real force to be reckoned with from what I've seen. And all four of those characters are team players.

I was going to suggest Nova and Kitty start out this little arrest sneaking up with a double-flashbang followed up by four of us with stun-baton-aided take-downs, cuffing Antonia, gagging her, and swiftly stuffing her and the rest of us into a waiting vehicle running outside (that's where I would have wanted Dorsey if it were Kitty's call). And off to the GMP (or whatever Anton-17 has for a jail) we go, alerting GMP to expect us. If it went smoothly, then our troubles would be kept to a minimum.

Why go this way? So... when performing an arrest, I think it is best that your suspect has no warning and no clues whatsoever. It's ambush all the way. Nothing out of the ordinary until - pow! They're caught! Using espionage is key. The element of surprise can lead to a quick take-down instead of them being prepared and having better chances of escaping or whatnot. We might have even caught Antonia in the act. Imagine that!

Instead, ATAC sergeant Dorsey decides to take over the whole GMP operation. He calls dispatch. But what if Antonia was in the dispatch center? Better if Nova or Kitty had discreetly gotten that intel by going to the dispatch center themselves. Dorsey alerts Antonia from the get-go and, for me, it goes downhill from there. An unexpected visitor? If Antonia is on her guard, she might have cameras herself set up to see what's coming. Either way, with Dorsey's approach, now Antonia has plausible reason to hide or destroy any evidence our team might have uncovered had she not had warning. Bad guys can have sharp instincts and smarts too. Some even use them. My guess is Antonia has been a successful mole this long because she was cautious and careful. Now, thanks to Dorsey's approach, she knows she's about to have unexpected company. I think we were lucky she was in her quarters at all.

Sgt. Dorsey then does all of the leading, does the (and I still can't believe this) announcing of our presence? He steps in first (lucky he didn't get shot if Antonia wasn't the paranoid type, really) and then Dorsey tries to hand Kitty an invisible microphone, if you will, so she can deliver news of Antonia's arrest to her? That's my character's only role here? Flash her badge and yell, "We're bringing you in?"

And after all of his actions, Sgt. Dorsey says this is "our baby?" Speaking only for Kitty, she hasn't had any say except for what gear she's bringing, but this whole thing is her show? No, it really isn't, folks. And immediately afterwards, Dorsey orders everyone in the room? The very next thing he says is, "Everyone on me," but this is supposed to be "our baby?" What?

I'm sorry. I don't mean to pick this apart; I mean only to show where and why I am frustrated with this scene. Nothing gets fixed if you don't know where it's broken. I just... don't get Dorsey right now. At the moment, he's making me wonder why I rolled Kitty as a cop at all if he is just going to do her job all his own way. Which I think he is. Besides her Skill package, there is no point in Kitty having the ESWAT background if all she is is a badge and a mouthpiece. That's not what I envisioned at the start of this game at all, hence my disappointment in this scene (but not the overall game, to be clear).

So what is expected of Kitty here? Is Kitty supposed to deliver some speech or something to Antonia while... I guess, Dorsey gets to haul her away and book her? I mean, he's done just about everything else, hasn't he? Besides being an extra gun and having arrest powers, I'm no longer certain why Kitty is even in the scene. Really. Right now, Kitty could (and probably should) be watching the team's butts electronically from the dispatch center (I take it there are security cameras, etc. in Anton-17?). Or maybe Kitty could have been outside waiting in a borrowed armored vehicle (say, an APC), engine running? Since Sgt. Dorsey decided to do our job for us, we don't even have a vehicle that I know of. Are we really supposed to walk Antonia to wherever with the whole base watching? Call the GMP to come and pick her up and they take her away (and then watch her get away while en route)? What?

Look. Given the scene, I'm honestly O.K. with Nova doing this arrest instead of Kitty (Cpl. Nova is probably better choice given she's the most experienced in 3rd JSOG). Let Nova have the limelight. I think I'm happier with Kitty just being an information hound and extra gun or tank in a fight. She's a support-person by nature anyway.

I don't mean to attack the game or anything; I just can't wrap my head around what Kitty is supposed to be in this scene, so I think it's safer that she remain in the background. Sgt. Dorsey did all of the leading and work and whatnot. Let them pin a medal on him. All Kitty did was find evidence. And that's more than enough for her.

 

[Psychie]

Purr I'm sorry if I stepped on your toes there, and ruined your plans for the scene. It was never my thought to do anything like that, and I feel bad for it. I can only say that I will do my best to not do something like that again. A part of it was that Dorsey is used to taking charge, and he's not a cop in any sense of the word to know the best way of getting things done with that mindset. I should have paused some of my post to give you a chance to reply sooner.

 

[Purr]

Psychie Apology accepted, lady!

Oh, I never thought it was your intention; just a bad habit you picked up somewhere. Now that you're aware of it, you're able to fix it in future scenes and games. =)

I should have paused some of my post to give you a chance to reply sooner.

This is an excellent solution. You came to it without any guidance whatsoever. Good on you, dear Psychie! =)

 

[Sherwood]

Perhaps we can rewind the last IC post a bit? Just to give the players a chance to get their thoughts in? Is that an option?

 

[Psychie]

Perhaps we can rewind the last IC post a bit? Just to give the players a chance to get their thoughts in? Is that an option?

That can be done IF everyone is onboard with the change ahead of time. This is not just my game, but all of ours together.

GunMan2 Purr and of course, Sherwood
What do you guys wish to do? We can back up just a bit, or continue on from where we are. I just want to hear from everyone on this.

 

[Sherwood]

I am good with the idea of backing up, just as long as it is good with everyone else, too.

 

[Psychie]

I expected you would be, since you suggested it in the first place.

 

[Sherwood]

 

[Purr]

I expected you would be, since you suggested it in the first place.

Psychie? You are just too cool. If ever there was a thing I admired in the world, it is a human being willing to stand on their own two feet and tell it like it is.

Nothing against you, good Sherwood, but... she's right, buddy! =)

 

[Purr]

GunMan2 We haven't heard from GunMan2 and I'd like to get his take before I post on the subject again. Must like his posts or something. =)

 

[GunMan2]

If anyone wants to backup and change weapons or discuss strategies i am open for it

 

[Sherwood]

So does this mean we are rewinding? I just want to make sure I know the straight skinny of this.

 

[Psychie]

I believe so. Purr , I am not certain on your response here. Are you open to me deleting my last post and we start over? Just to be sure.

 

[Purr]

Psychie Hey! Forgive me, for I am still of two minds about this and I'm still trying to figure out which one is going to come out on top.

Reading back, I think the serious trouble begins not in the last post but at the very tail end of the one before that:

...if we don't do this absolutely by the book. Just remember, we are the best of the best at everything we do. Now, lets go do this."

(Ellipsis mine)

Sgt. Dorsey appears to be implying that this had better go his way ("by the book" from an ATAC tanker's perspective for a GMP operation). It would be completely different if instead he said something like, "You're both ESWAT. I have confidence you'll do things by the GMP book. Let's go do whatever it is you do. I have your back."

But as things stand, I am a little worried that pre- (or worse, mid-) operation, Dorsey might instead say something like, "Hey! We don't do things like that in my command!" Then the ESWAT pair (Steven and Kitty; I don't know Nova's M.O.S./background) perhaps looks at him and replies, "But that's how we're trained to do it?"

If this happens, where does that put us? Basically, I think, right back where we started. That's no good.

What's your take, Psychie? Sgt. Dorsey is your character after all. Least I can do is go to the source (you). =)

 

[Psychie]

I was having Dorsey try to make clear that there will be no abuse of force when trying to arrest the suspect, not trying to imply that the whole operation is to go his way. Does that make sense? It was more an error on my part for not being more clear in what Dorsey was trying to say than his actual intent.

 

[Purr]

"Abuse of force?" That's all he's worried about? Wow. I hadn't connected that at all. Thank you for explaining that to me.

There should be a joke right about here where his real problem is actually Chris who keeps grabbing for Mega-damage weapons and flamethrowers. =) Of course, I think that is less Chris and more GunMan2 being new to the system which is perfectly innocent. =)

Edit: In case that's not clear, that's a compliment towards Chris and his Player. I think Chris is more than ready to take out trash at the drop of a hat and I like that about him. =)

I think Kitty needs to know where Sergeant Dorsey stands. Then I'll know where she wants me to take her if you get my meaning. =)

 

[Purr]

Psychie

It was more an error on my part for not being more clear in what Dorsey was trying to say than his actual intent.

Sorry, I did not address this, did I?

Yeah, if that was Dorsey's only issue, then I don't think Kitty would have gotten so worked up at all! My pardon!

I'd like to get Kitty and Dorsey back on the same page. If Dorsey shows that he's confident with his GMP doing what they've been trained to do, and he's only worried about abuse of force (and what sergeant working outside of his field wouldn't be?), then Kitty can reply more to the positive and then I am fully on board with rewinding!

I do have a recommendation for you, though. Some of of my best lessons I've learned are from other other people's mistakes and my own. I would not delete that last post but drop it into a spoiler where you can look back on it for your future reference so that it aids you. Then post and new post saying what you really want to say.

I believe failures, mistakes, and even embarrassing goofs should not be takien away but kept and learned from. If you take them away, and where is one supposed to gain wisdom?

(Get this! My auto-correct here wanted to make that last word "women" instead of "wisdom." =) Auto-correct here needs to keep its mind outta the gutter! =) )

 

[Psychie]

Ok, we will back up a touch. I'll edit my last post to reflect that, and Sherwood , you post of Steven standing guard at the door will be removed. Lets move forward from here in a good way.

 

[Sherwood]

Sounds like a plan.

 

[Purr]

Sherwood Purr GunMan2 Original post of mine has been put in the spoiler, and the new content is up in the leading paragraph. Hopefully this opening works better for everyone, and doesn't step on toes.

Doug gives up his own heavy weapons for a 9mm semi-auto pistol, a MDC capable Ion Pistol, a Stun Baton, and a flashbang grenade and a tear gas grenade. With is gear set in place, he looks over at the three GMP/Eswat members and says, "If this were a frontal assault in hover tanks, I'd know how to best handle this. But this arrest is out of my area of expertise. Kitty? Nova? Bishop? What is the next step from here? I turn to you to best advise me and the squad on how to proceed."

Psychie Good job! Now this is something I can definitely get behind.

Up until now, Miyazaki has been quite content to let Sgt. Dorsey do what ATAC sergeants do - lead into mecha battles and complete missions to both the satisfaction of the people he's answering to (officers) and 3rd JSOG all the while doing it his own way. Miyazaki enjoys working as a subordinate with him under these conditions, especially as it is his field and his passion.

But for Dorsey to be willing not only to take a back-seat in affairs he knows little of while also showing confidence in those who know best all while getting the mission done? That's a cool leader Kitty can feel good following! Now watch. The next mission we'll have will involve comms and heavy weapons in such a way that we fall behind ol' Chris like a bunch of ducklings behind Momma Duck. =)

Seriously, well done, Psychie! And you kept the old story in the spoiler to look back on. =)

 

[Psychie]

Thank you for your kindness. I am still learning this Storyteller thing, and there is a lot to learn still. Someday I hope to be as good of a storyteller as my two teachers, Dannigan and Sherwood!

 

[Purr]

Psychie This might surprise you, lady, but so am I. I feel a good Storyteller is ever a good student. =)

 

[Sherwood]

Psy, I have been gaming for longer than you have been alive, and I still make mistakes! It is a continual work in progress, one that I hope to continue on doing for many more years. That being said, you have progressed in your own storytelling skills from the first game we had together all those years ago. You've done good, kid!

 

[Purr]

I have just made minor changes to my last post (Kitty donning her multi-optics helm, supporting Steven's words) while adding some kickin' music. Because, really. What kind of bad-ass story lacks for jammin' music, huh?