GM Justice Inc Quandry

[Vigil]

Hi Folks,

 

I'm currently running a JI/Pulp Hero campaign here and I had wanted some input into a itustion that the PCs have gotten themselves into.

 

I've been running the Radio Marauders scenario and at our last cliffhanger the PCs have crashed their Oldsmobile sedan into a garden shed where several Marauders are guarding the secret access to Dr. Hengelhoffer's underground lair.

 

The problem is, that a couple of PCshave taken some Body from a previous run in with our Tommy Gun toting baddies and given the DCV of a Olds sedan the car was welcomed with a robust hail of gunfire, totalling 15 hits. That's the cliffhanger.

 

What to do now?

 

Fudge the hit locations?

 

I mean this could be a Bonny and Clyde type blood bath. What do you JI/Pulp Hero GMs and players suggest? Obviously, given the convetnions of the genre some sort of spectacular coincidence is needed here.

 

Maybe the floor collapses under the weight of the car landing it in the underground tunnels while the gunfire chatters above?

 

Not sure how to play this one...

 

Vigil

[TheQuestionMan]

Re: GM Justice Inc Quandry

 

That's a hard call. Fudge the Dice Rolls, but leave every PC seriously wounded 1 to 3 Body left each. Roll the Dice behind the GM Screen. Be careful when handing out damage. Leave them Stunned, but the Bad Guys hesitate after the shooting. Their mocking laughter ringing in their ears.

 

 

Depending on what the PCs do in the aftermath is another question.

 

 

QM

[bubba smith]

Re: GM Justice Inc Quandry

 

say thecrooks were out of range whenthe car crashed throughso they only got the scare of their lives

[csyphrett]

Re: GM Justice Inc Quandry

 

Doesn't the car provide a limited amount of armor? I should think any damage would go to the car instead of the characters unless they got bullseyed through the windows. Plus the car grants -OCV/+dcv because it is cover.

CES

[Manic Typist]

Re: GM Justice Inc Quandry

 

Doesn't the car provide a limited amount of armor? I should think any damage would go to the car instead of the characters unless they got bullseyed through the windows. Plus the car grants -OCV/+dcv because it is cover.

CES

 

I like this approach most. I don't believe in free passes for PC actions.

 

If this was a Bonehead maneuver , they should suffer the consequences.

 

If this was a braze, or hilariously zany stunt, then they should be afforded some slack. Sounds like they're likely to be captured instead of killed.

 

If things go REALLY south, have all the gunfire knock them out instead of killing them... either they wake up in their own blood having been left for dead, or in bandages and restraints courtesy of their captors...

[jtelson]

Re: GM Justice Inc Quandry

 

This sounds like a classic 'you've been captured' setup. Rolling the recap into the group waking up in cells or the villians' infirmary or perhaps having been handed off to a third party - a hunted maybe...

[Ian Mackinder]

Re: GM Justice Inc Quandry

 

This sounds like a classic 'you've been captured' setup. Rolling the recap into the group waking up in cells or the villians' infirmary or perhaps having been handed off to a third party - a hunted maybe...

 

That definitely works, and is suitably Pulpy besides.

 

I would also point out the obvious, that cars in that era were pretty tough and this would afford the PCs SOME protection. Especially given that a lot of this gunfire would have been coming from in front of the car - an engine block makes for pretty good armour, even if rather limited in its coverage.

[Prometheus]

Re: GM Justice Inc Quandry

 

Assuming you're not out to outright kill the PCs, ridiculous (or at least fantastic) coincidence is fair game. You don't have to hand the players a victory or a way out, just give them enough for the players to earn it on their own.

 

In the real world it's unlikely any amount of gunfire would make the radiator explode- or vent- violently, filling the area with steam, but in the pulps world it's entirely possible. A couple of hexes of Darkness won't hand the PCs a win, just give them a chance to get out of the Oldsmobile and hand out some two-fisted justice.

[Ian Mackinder]

Re: GM Justice Inc Quandry

 

Another thought.

 

What is actually in that 'garden shed' prior to the PCs' arrival? Other than the bad guys with the guns, that is.

If there is a reasonable amount of chemical fertilizer, that could make for an explosion. A quantity of insecticides could lead to a cloud of noxious fumes. Or there could be something that does not belong in any normal garden shed, but was in the process of being brought into the secret base.

 

Have to say, upon reflection, I do like the floor collapse idea. Just when the PCs thought things couldn't get worse, it does.

Hmmm, a variant on that, perhaps - lift shaft inside, the PCs' car smashes into the shed, and PLUNGES down the shaft, wedging in some distance down. Kind of like that scene in 'Die Hard 4'. Works well from a dramatic standpoint as well - the PCs are braced to anticipate gunfire, then they are caught flatfooted when suddenly this happens instead.

[TheQuestionMan]

Re: GM Justice Inc Quandry

 

Let us know how it works out.

 

 

Thanks

 

 

QM

[LordGhee]

Re: GM Justice Inc Quandry

 

Well with 15 hits spread out to multipul players and the fact that I would use the car as armor (the players seeing the tommy guns would duck) the First barrage should not kill anyone unless you roll a head shot.

Generally I am of the opionion that players pay for bonehead moves, unless one has luck or the stlye of the campain is such that dropping into tunnel is common. I remember wacthing a Captain America serial once on tv and was disapointed when with each cliff hanger the action was shown that he never was in danger. Example on the truck the driver leaps, the Captain and truck go over cliff next chapter we are showed Captain America jumping off truck, never in danger Dex ex, poor writing.

 

some times the players write themselves out of the story.

 

Lord Ghee

[LordGhee]

Re: GM Justice Inc Quandry

 

This is a

 

 

WHAT HAPPEN????

 

Bump

[SuperPheemy]

Re: GM Justice Inc Quandry

 

Bonnie and Clyde were hammered by BARs, which fire a .30-06 round, and could tear straight through the body of the car they're driving. The Thompson Gun fires .45 ACP ammo which won't have as much penetration of the vehicle's body. So, shoot the car up. KO the PCs (if they demand dice rolls, smack em with 10 dice of Normal Damage to represent the combination of being bashed around in the car wreck and being ground zero for the fusillade). Drug from the wreck, semiconsciuos and bleeding they get to wake up to a delightful villainous monologue where their captor will expound on the plans for world domination and how the "pathetic so-called heroes are now powerless to stop me" (cue manic laughter).

[Derek Hiemforth]

Re: GM Justice Inc Quandry

 

I know it's probably too late to offer useful advice on the original problem, but... why should that stop me?

 

To be really cinematic, rule that the "hail of gunfire" was actually an instance of Blazing Away (rather than normal gunshot attacks), and make the whole thing a situational Presence Attack on the oncoming PCs. So each shot will only hit on a 3, but with a sizable PRE Attack with modifiers for surprise, incredibly violent action, PCs at a disadvantage, etc., it'll probably scare the crap out of them. (As much as you can scare the crap out of two-fisted heroes, of course. )

[Tasha]

Re: GM Justice Inc Quandry

 

Hi Folks,

 

I'm currently running a JI/Pulp Hero campaign here and I had wanted some input into a itustion that the PCs have gotten themselves into.

 

I've been running the Radio Marauders scenario and at our last cliffhanger the PCs have crashed their Oldsmobile sedan into a garden shed where several Marauders are guarding the secret access to Dr. Hengelhoffer's underground lair.

 

The problem is, that a couple of PCshave taken some Body from a previous run in with our Tommy Gun toting baddies and given the DCV of a Olds sedan the car was welcomed with a robust hail of gunfire, totalling 15 hits. That's the cliffhanger.

 

What to do now?

 

Fudge the hit locations?

 

I mean this could be a Bonny and Clyde type blood bath. What do you JI/Pulp Hero GMs and players suggest? Obviously, given the convetnions of the genre some sort of spectacular coincidence is needed here.

 

Maybe the floor collapses under the weight of the car landing it in the underground tunnels while the gunfire chatters above?

 

Not sure how to play this one...

 

Vigil

 

I should point out that Bonnie and Clyde died from rifle fire (from hunting rifles and from LMG fire from BARs)NOT SMG fire. It seems that the doors on those older cars tended to bounce pistol fire. So perhaps the SMGs don't penetrate the car. Also if most of the shots are from the front at hip level. most of those 15 shots would go into the engine block.

 

I would recommend having most of the shots hit parts of the car and not penetrate into the passenger compartment. Heck that Huge Olds engine would be great cover for the gunfight.

[SCUBA Hero]

Re: GM Justice Inc Quandry

 

The problem is, that a couple of PCshave taken some Body from a previous run in with our Tommy Gun toting baddies and given the DCV of a Olds sedan the car was welcomed with a robust hail of gunfire, totalling 15 hits. That's the cliffhanger.

 

What to do now?

 

Fudge the hit locations?

Also coming in late - the *car's* DCV took the 15 hits, not the *player's * DCVs. As stated by others, take into account the DEF of the car's skin before applying any damage. Are you using any particular Hit Location chart for the car?

 

Really, what kind of continuation is most dramatic/appropriate for the situation? Initial hail of SMG fire shreds the car but occupants are (mostly) intact? A captured scenario? Something else? Pick the outcome, then direct the cliffhanger that way.

 

Oh, and please, post back with what you decided and how it went!