"Mission to Lianna" Question

[DougRed4]

I've got a question for you other GMs (or players):

The "Mission to Lianna" adventure takes place on the corporate world of Lianna, the planet where Santhe/Sienar is headquartered (they're the ones who make TIEs for the Empire).

As per the start of this published adventure, the PCs arrived to a massive cordon of ships outside the main starport at the main city. When they learned it was going to be a five hour wait, they bluffed their way (successfully) to a neighboring city (Southwest One).

My question is this: With the massive security this planet has at their one starport (Lola Curich), should I make the other, smaller cities (like Southwest One) have (obviously smaller) starports as well? Or should I just make it so that the only starport on the planet is in that main (capital) city?

I guess what I'm saying is that for a company with massive security (as Santhe/Sienar does) to guard against spies and saboteurs, it doesn't make much sense to have potential adversaries just fly to the nearest city, then take a speeder into the city they're after. Obviously I could just have smaller starports, with equally tight security, but I'm wondering if that makes as much sense for this (approximately Earth-sized) world. Keep in mind that security in the capital city is super tight. No weapons are allowed, and they have scanners everywhere.
_________________
Currently Running: Villains & Vigilantes (a 32-year-old campaign with multiple groups) and D6 Star Wars; mostly on hiatus are Adventures in Middle-earth and Delta Green

[klhaviation]

According to Platts Starport guide there are various "scales" of starport (Enter shameless plug, REUP integrates this into core rules) the imperial scale is likely your large starport, with ultra tight security. In my mind there a likely other "ports" on the planet, hiwever theae may only be landing pads with some fuel and basic necessities. Think od the landing oad at Endor. It exists to support VIP shuttles, remote resupply points, and basic atmospheric transportation. Security however is tight. AT-ATs, AT-STs and a company of stormtroopers defending it.

Remember the Imps are obsessed with control and one major starport is not unusual. The planet may be earth size, but population may be different, and the imps my want to maintain more control over the planet. Either way this is Star Wars. It is not unusual to travel around a planet to get to THE starport. Repulsor trains and speedera make it a smaller universe. Keep the PCs under control too. Too much access to stuff can derail published adventures.

If you have a landing pad in the city, it is likely less accessable than the main starport. Just as in ROTJ the party may need to find a "back door" if they insist on using it as a means if entry, perhaps with the aid if a local freedom fighter, who may or may not have alterior hidden motives for his aid. Motives at odds with the Rebels and the Imps. You of course dont want to sidetrack the entire adventure, but making the outlying landing pads essentially inaccessable to entry forces the party to rethink their plans, and through the help if NPCs, you can add elements from the films and keep them on track.

So my thoughts are yes to more starports, but heavly defended military use only. One starport should be enough to serve a planet in the grip od imperial rule.

[DougRed4]

Thanks, klh! That's kind of what I was leaning towards. I like the idea of walkers there as well.

For more interesting reading on this topic, here is the same thread I opened over on rpg.net.
_________________
Currently Running: Villains & Vigilantes (a 32-year-old campaign with multiple groups) and D6 Star Wars; mostly on hiatus are Adventures in Middle-earth and Delta Green

[DougRed4]

As I've read more of the adventure, I've now realized they spell out some about those other cities and areas.

Melford (home of the Imperial Star Academy) has a starport. And those two communities - Southwest One and Two - each are "major starports". Both are described as "built to support the mining industry in the early days as a Republican colony". It also spells out that there are two more starports on the other continent, Landra.

It's surprising that none of that is detailed on Wookieepedia.

I think I'm still going to stick pretty close to what's been discussed here. I'll let each be a major metropolis with a major starport, but the Imperials (and the massive corporation Santhe/Sienar) are not going to let spies and saboteurs easily get to their planet by just dropping down to a different starport across the continent. Security would still be tight, even there.
_________________
Currently Running: Villains & Vigilantes (a 32-year-old campaign with multiple groups) and D6 Star Wars; mostly on hiatus are Adventures in Middle-earth and Delta Green

[Whill]

Been a long time since I read that adventure, but I agree about the planet's security. Maybe the Empire maintains control by requiring most ships to generally go through the main city's starport system, but there are special permits available to land in a smaller city's lesser class starport if they have specific business to do there. Like bringing perishable organic feed for the cattle in a farming community when there is a problem with the normal supply channels. Maybe the supply from the normal channel from the capital city was ruined in the traffic jam. Maybe the Alliance timed the arrival of the Rebel group for this traffic jam. Maybe they forged the permit or Bothan spies secured it. But anyway that gets to the other landing site. More than just a con. Just throwing ideas out there.
_________________
*
Site Map
Forum Guidelines
Registration/Log-In Help
The Rancor Pit Library
Star Wars D6 Damage

[DougRed4]

Things went pear-shaped for our heroes as they got into a firefight with Santhe/Sienar security on the lower level (ground floor). The Jedi was first able to use Affect Mind to get some of the way in, but after that the gig was up.

Now they've somewhat taken over some of the security systems from the main control room, but they allowed one guard to escape (I suppose he will get reinforcements; the module says there are another dozen guards in the city that can respond). The security droids are separate from the system, and the PCs are already fighting a few of them. Other droids will be sent to the top floor, as one of the characters input a false alarm into the system that shows something happening there.

Part of the set-up of this adventure is that most of Santhe/Sienar is out of hte building, due to the party that evening. But a major corporation like this probably would have backing from the military of the planet as well, in addition to local law enforcement.

One question that occurred to me as I've thought about things: If Affect Mind is used on one person, what about the others right next to him? I just rewatched the scene with Obi-Wan using it on the stormtroopers, and though he only seemed to be affecting the one (probably lead) trooper, the others never did anything, making me wonder if they were partially affected as well.

The reason I bring this up is because I'm wondering about the other security guards. The Jedi affected the one, but should the others that were with him be affected somewhat as well?
_________________
Currently Running: Villains & Vigilantes (a 32-year-old campaign with multiple groups) and D6 Star Wars; mostly on hiatus are Adventures in Middle-earth and Delta Green

[Whill]

If you are asking if the rule should be changed so that there is a "side effect" to other characters near the target character, I don't think so. To be fair, wouldn't you also have to have the possible side effect be equally effective on the other members of the PC's own party within the vicinity? Otherwise you would have to have the side effect of the power's use be selectively effective against those around them to be chosen by the Force character, and that just seems to really be getting out of hand. And how would you handle the side effect anyway? Use the part of the same role for the nearby characters to individually resist?

I guess if you really wanted to incorporate this idea, you could have the Force character attempt to Affect the Minds of multiple characters at the same time with the same Mind Trick attempt, but each target character would roll separately to resist, and MAPs should apply to the rolls due to using the Force on multiple targets. Since this is a 3-skill power, to have even two targets you're talking a -5D to each skill roll and that takes it out of the realm of success for most Force PCs most of the time.

I see Obi-Wan easily being able to identify the sergeant (or whatever the lead trooper's rank was) among them and only bothered to use the Mind Trick on the him, knowing the others would just follow suit. Even though Obi-Wan may have been powerful enough to use it on more of them, it wasn't necessary.
_________________
*
Site Map
Forum Guidelines
Registration/Log-In Help
The Rancor Pit Library
Star Wars D6 Damage

[DougRed4]

Thanks, Whill. I was just looking at this again (about to repost the Affect Mind question in another section). Even the picture right next to Affect Mind (in the 2R&E rulebook) shows that scene from ANH, and it sure looks like there are two stormtroopers right there next to them (plus others nearby that would have likely heard the entire exchange).

I think your answer makes the most sense. It ends up being one of those little things you kind of have to not think too hard about (to prevent it from unraveling). I mean, think about it. Even if your supervisor went along with something like this, wouldn't you (as the lesser ranked stormtrooper, standing right next to him) hear the person being detained speaking out loud the same words, right before your supervisor says them? You would hear the suspect/target saying "You don't need to see his identification", which would of course be a huge signal that something was going on!

I think game mechanics-wise, the way you suggested is the way to go. And perhaps only we (the viewers) actually hear anything said by the person using Affect Mind (in this case, Obi-Wan). Perhaps it somehow clouds the minds of those around the person (in opposition), so they at least don't hear what's being said.
_________________
Currently Running: Villains & Vigilantes (a 32-year-old campaign with multiple groups) and D6 Star Wars; mostly on hiatus are Adventures in Middle-earth and Delta Green

[Whill]

Yeah it probably is something that you shouldn't think too hard about, but the Force knows I do that about Star Wars too!

There could be a lot of reasons the subordinate troopers weren't suspicious of the lead trooper saying "We don't need to see his identification". Maybe the lead trooper had just come from another unit where he may have already pulled them over and seen his identification. Or maybe they were suspicious until the lead said "These aren't the droids we're looking for" and they were like OK whatever, next.

If you mean the troopers should have noticed the lead trooper was saying whatever the old man in the speeder was saying and questioned it, there are possible explanations for that too. Maybe they weren't really listening because the lead trooper does the talking. And even if they were, these troopers probably had no experience with the Jedi Mind Trick. The Empire officially denounced the existence if the Force. So maybe they thought it was weird but would have no reason to believe the Force was being used to manipulate him. You and I know the Force is real in Star Wars and we know that the Mind Trick was being done on him, but why would the troopers think that? Maybe they they thought it was weird but their training indoctrinated them to just follow their leader. One of the themes of Star Wars is to question authority, and stormtroopers symbolize conformity. They do not question authority and the Empire likes it that way. Your question seems to come out of what you would think or do if you were a stormtrooper. I dont think the stormtroopers are like you and me, and they don't know what we know. In my SWU the troopers there were clones who are even more conformity-minded. They are programmed from early childhood on to do what they are told. In light of the prequels, General Kenobi would know clones and their frame of mind very well.

And maybe Obi-Wan used the Force power on multiple targets. He probably wouldn't have bothered with all of them because they all may not have been able to hear him. Obi-Wan probably didn't really need to vocalize the mind trick, and only did so loud enough for Luke to hear to show Luke what the power of the Force could do.

I personally wouldn't add a "cloud of perception dimming" side effect to the power either. There is a separate power for doing that so that would again be beefing up the Affect Mind power. I don't think the Jedi Mind Trick is supposed to be easy but Kenobi is one of the most powerful Jedi left in the galaxy. The power should not be easy for PCs and give bonus side effects to PCs, IMO.
_________________
*
Site Map
Forum Guidelines
Registration/Log-In Help
The Rancor Pit Library
Star Wars D6 Damage

[DougRed4]

Yeah, I was meaning more about the other ones hearing Obi-Wan speak things, only to hear them repeated back again (word-for-word) by their commander. Even said quiety (where only Luke could hear), at least one other trooper appeared to be right there where it would be clear and obvious to him.

And the reason I asked was because something similar just happened during this (Lianna) mission. Our Jedi Knight went up to a desk with three security officers, and used Affect Mind on one (the apparent leader).

I almost feel like there almost has to be some sort of clouding effect on the others right there, or the power becomes significantly weaker (and tough to do unless on a target that's alone).
_________________
Currently Running: Villains & Vigilantes (a 32-year-old campaign with multiple groups) and D6 Star Wars; mostly on hiatus are Adventures in Middle-earth and Delta Green