How to convince a hero group that they should be registered and work for government

[Martin2]

I have agroup that is currently working for the government secretly. I.e. currently they are working for a secretgovernment department of the Ministry of Super Human Affairs who want them to become the new Champions / New Knights of the Round Table. They currently don’t know for sure and think its a private company with government contacts (they will know for certain this session).

 

They are abunch of mercenaries and not really a four colour group so are not respondingto my subtle hints that working for this secret organisation would be beneficial.

 

We have one who is an ex criminal trying to do good but with a dodgy background. A quite wealthy character (perk 5 for 500,000a year inherited background) who wants to sell any villains / evidence to thisorganisation for cold hard cash. He also says as he hasdyslexia he would not sign anything. So not all have a government friendly background but which groups do?

 

They currently have a small base partially paid for (6 bedroom property in a bit ofland) they are just paying character points for the extra’s and not the space. They have their contact who passes them information (but does not jump when they snap their fingers and give them lots of stuff).

 

So how do I sugar the pill?

 

Everyonecould spend exp on wealth 1 to simulate 100,000 pay and perks

Policepowers?

A biggerbase with lots of equipment (all paid for or shared CP’s?).

 

It doesn’t reallymatter if they do go with the government offer or go on their own but for story purposes it would be better if they kept the good relationship with the government.

 

Thanks for any help

[csyphrett]

Re: How to convince a hero group that they should be registered and work for governme

 

The characters write the story. If they don't want to work for the government, you'll wreck your game trying to get them to do that. If the department is using them as front men, let that go on until something bad happens. Then you can cut them loose.

CES

[Hermit]

Re: How to convince a hero group that they should be registered and work for governme

 

That sounds like a tricky situation. Government powers and perks sound nice, but with the rich guy there, it may seem almost redundant. If they have any DNPCs, perhaps the government could hire the DNPCs in some jobs (by accident, if they don't know secret IDs of the heroes) and thus cause the heroes to interact more. If those DNPCs are treated kindly, all the more good will might spring up from it.

[Steve]

Re: How to convince a hero group that they should be registered and work for governme

 

You can sugar the pill with freebies, but there comes a point when you as the GM have to give in to the will of the players. If they don't want to be government agents, then it's a bad idea to keep upping the offer to get them to sign up.

[Christopher]

Re: How to convince a hero group that they should be registered and work for governme

 

I think, they need more development (to good guys). They totally not sound ready for that type of change and the chance that they resist is high.

 

The DNCP approach might be something. Perhaps suddenly the DNCP's are threatened and only the government can help/offer a long term solution.

Perhaps there is a small business crisis/fraud and the wealthy guy looses his wealth. Perhaps someone steals his ID and publically donates all the money to charity, with him being unable to call it back (it's so much harder when there are hundred Ophans looking at you while you want to claim your money, or he has to reveal something he can't for it to work*).

Perhaps there is the government pays better for the fron job, then for finding the evidence.

 

*Like having to say: "I was at [Place of Botched Up Mission], thus framign himself for it." Perhaps the mission is secret and he would risk fine and/or prision if he reveals where he was (in addition to blasting his Secret ID).

 

Neither of the nessesary changes should happen right now (this adventure). Apportion them over time, while simultaniously giving them chances to explore their characters "good side" in the missions (doing easy, good things without compensation).

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: How to convince a hero group that they should be registered and work for governme

 

A note: They may be reluctant because of the vastly common occurrence in both Comics and Games where letting yourself become registered is about the same as painting a bullseye on your forehead and a kick-me sign on your back.

 

If you want to run a Government Sponsored Superteam, the team has to be able to trust the government in question.

[Pizza Man]

Re: How to convince a hero group that they should be registered and work for governme

 

Good comments here. Keep the campaign as a private company front. The govt will know that the gang will rebel against conscription/registration. That's why they use this ruse: it works, and costs a lot less than using actual agents.

 

If you wanted govt agents, you should have told the player BEFORE the campaign.

[Old Man]

Re: How to convince a hero group that they should be registered and work for governme

 

You could have the government swoop in and save their bacon at a critical juncture. That might get them to sign on temporarily to return the favor.

 

I kind of like this idea. If your players are anything like mine, they would never trust a government organization in game. So you play the government as an entirely benevolent, if secretive, entity, and watch the players thrash around trying not to drown while they ignore the rope that is obviously being thrown to them. When was the last time you saw the government portrayed as a good guy?

[Escafarc]

Re: How to convince a hero group that they should be registered and work for governme

 

You could have the government swoop in and save their bacon at a critical juncture. That might get them to sign on temporarily to return the favor.

 

I kind of like this idea. If your players are anything like mine, they would never trust a government organization in game. So you play the government as an entirely benevolent, if secretive, entity, and watch the players thrash around trying not to drown while they ignore the rope that is obviously being thrown to them. When was the last time you saw the government portrayed as a good guy?

The Computer would like me to tell you that in the game Paranoia the Government is your friend.

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: How to convince a hero group that they should be registered and work for governme

 

To 'splain, we had this situation come up in our old Champs campaign, and it took close to a YEAR of R/T play to get all the players on board with becoming a PRIMUS sponsored team. Even afterwords we got occasionally screwed, but that was mostly MY character, and I'd both built my C that way and expected it (former Street Level Vigilante turned Big League with a fairly big "Hunted By the Press" Disad).

 

I believe that had the GM pulled the stuff he pulled with me with the rest of the players, we would have lost at LEAST one long term player, probably in a table flipping moment.

[BoloOfEarth]

Re: How to convince a hero group that they should be registered and work for governme

 

I ran a campaign where the player characters were registered with the government, but not the federal government. I used Bob Greenwade's excellent Oregon Hero Sanction (with slight modifications) to set up a state-level sanctioning. IMO, you have to offer the heroes some obvious benefits, and have definite safeguards to protect the heroes' private info. But it can be done, and I think Bob did a good job of laying out an example of how to do this.

 

Of note to the OP, you could offer them certain tangible benefits (i.e. point gifts from the government, perhaps discounts on vehicles or base equipment). In addition, if they're already working for the government (albeit unknowingly), if they technically run afoul of the law, you could have their "sponsor" smooth over that legal difficulty as a way of revealing who they're really working for.

 

You could sugar the pill by pointing out that normally the government might not work openly with an ex-criminal with a dodgy background, but if the heroes work for the Ministry "under the table" so-to-speak, it covers both sides. If, however, you're trying to get them to work openly for the Ministry, they could offer a pardon for that character's crime (depending upon how severe the crime was and whether he actually committed the crime). That's a pretty nice sugar-coating, IMO.

[SKJAM!]

Re: How to convince a hero group that they should be registered and work for governme

 

One important factor is to show that the government people your team work with directly are trustworthy. This may take a while to establish in game, but even if the characters distrust "the government" in general, if they know Agent Jones will never screw them over, they might tolerate the connection.

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: How to convince a hero group that they should be registered and work for governme

 

One important factor is to show that the government people your team work with directly are trustworthy. This may take a while to establish in game' date=' but even if the characters distrust "the government" in general, if they know Agent Jones will never screw them over, they might tolerate the connection.[/quote']

 

This is a great point. Our PRIMUS handler was a Silver Avenger we trusted explicitly, because of our mutual participation on several world saving missions previously. That's part of what finally let me sell the idea of becoming Sanctioned to the rest of the players.

[KX_Mushashi]

Re: How to convince a hero group that they should be registered and work for governme

 

They are mercs, or so they think. Offer them a job from a new source that is a villain but the job is to gain their trust so nothing illegal in it (again or so they think. Maybe they have to deliver a small time hero to the villain.) The government finds out and comes to their base to see where one of their newer members went and well since they have a key to the front door (either through the contact or literally) they question the heroes and threaten Jail time. If the heroes want to work for the government they can have a rescue mission, game goes on as planed. If they don't want to work with them they go to jail or have to escape the authorities and the game changes and they have a new hunted capture disadvantage for free.

[Querysphinx]

Re: How to convince a hero group that they should be registered and work for governme

 

It says something about modern comic-book cynicism that no group of players in their right minds will ever trust anyone to have go/no-go authority over them in a supers game.

[Nuclear Fridge]

Re: How to convince a hero group that they should be registered and work for governme

 

It says something about modern comic-book cynicism that no group of players in their right minds will ever trust anyone to have go/no-go authority over them in a supers game.

 

It all depends on *when* the campaign is set in real-life terms -- and how much 'real-life' stuff occurs in the campaign. Given the media stink about the whole WikiLeaks business, the PCs might have some justification for their reluctance...

 

"I do not want my Secret ID plastered all over the news by some whistle-blower with an ISP and an axe to grind against authority!"

[casualplayer]

Re: How to convince a hero group that they should be registered and work for governme

 

They are abunch of mercenaries and not really a four colour group so are not respondingto my subtle hints that working for this secret organisation would be beneficial.[/size]

 

We have one who is an ex criminal trying to do good but with a dodgy background. A quite wealthy character (perk 5 for 500,000a year inherited background) who wants to sell any villains / evidence to thisorganisation for cold hard cash. He also says as he hasdyslexia he would not sign anything. So not all have a government friendly background but which groups do?

 

This does not sound like the kind of people that a government would want to formally and openly sponsor.

 

If you want to force the issue, put them up against an adversary that only the government can protect them from. The next time they cross foreign airspace in pursuit of Eurostar without permission, drop the hammer on them and then have the government take the blow. Dry up their intel or send it the way of an NPC team who is looking like they might be the new first choice to be New Knights.

 

Each of the characters should have a way to be asked a question where they will reliably answer "Yes." It may have to be a different question phrased a different way by a different person for each of the players but governments are known for that kind of pressure and resources.

[csyphrett]

Re: How to convince a hero group that they should be registered and work for governme

 

It says something about modern comic-book cynicism that no group of players in their right minds will ever trust anyone to have go/no-go authority over them in a supers game.

 

I have guys in my NSU game that work for the government. They are awesome. I don't think it's a comic book thing where players don't want to work for the government. It's the way government does things in reality. That makes it where if you're playing, you start thinking some idiot in Congress, or a aide with too much ego and too little sense in the white house will tell the world that Micheal Riven, the Raptor, saved a bus from Quin Al Din, The Suicide Bomber.

 

What happens to the heroes then?

 

I'm sure there is other stuff too other than the obvious leaks.

CES

[Christopher]

Re: How to convince a hero group that they should be registered and work for governme

 

I ran a campaign where the player characters were registered with the government' date=' but not the federal government. I used Bob Greenwade's excellent Oregon Hero Sanction (with slight modifications) to set up a state-level sanctioning. IMO, you have to offer the heroes some obvious benefits, and have definite safeguards to protect the heroes' private info. But it can be done, and I think Bob did a good job of laying out an example of how to do this.

Interesting, but I think the insurance may need higher coverance. Especially for Bricks/EP's.

German insurance for Car Drives must be at least:

7,500,000 € for Person damage + 1,000,000 for Item Damage + 50,000 for indirect Economic losses

or

50,000,000 to 100,000,000 fixed with a limit of 8 to 15 per person.

 

And my car trainer said this was low, especially when long-term care was nessary from anyone you damage.

 

One important factor is to show that the government people your team work with directly are trustworthy. This may take a while to establish in game' date=' but even if the characters distrust "the government" in general, if they know Agent Jones will never screw them over, they might tolerate the connection.[/quote']

Indeed. This was even adressed in the Champions-setting. Their current C-Headquarter has a trustworthy Government liason, nessesary to get police powers more easily.

[Martin2]

Re: How to convince a hero group that they should be registered and work for governme

 

Thanks for the feedback.

 

The campaign sort of started with everyone getting a letter to their secret I.D. at their home address from a mysterious G.M. (Gordan Masters ) with a character sheet with a rough break down on their powers inviting them to their first session of a super hero RPG game. This was sort of to cover if they all decided to turn up in costume . Non had met before and knew very little about each other apart from the ocassional news clip.

 

That was just the how do we get all these supers in one room and try and get them to work together options. It sort of worked .

 

They are still trying to figure how GM found about them and they may never know.

 

So I have GM backed by a shadowy company with some links or contacts with the Government floating at the back.

 

It could go anyway tonight with them loosing all contact with the government and going their own way or getting slightly closer.

 

The problem being the government would like to have another super team to call in when needed but currently they do not have enough confidence in the group. UNTIL are going to get introduced to them tonight and they would throw them in the brig for being a rabble of loose cannons .

 

I am fine which way it goes as it is their game but it would be easier to have them on friendly terms.

 

But they could be saving the world from a snakeman plaque. Or cause more of the world to become snake men who can tell .

[TheQuestionMan]

Re: How to convince a hero group that they should be registered and work for governme

 

GM Advice: Let the Players stay independent.The Player want what they want. Have a few Guest-Star appearances of NPC Supeheroes who work with the Government let them see the benefits of being a member of the team. Its tricky.

 

Player Advice: I love joining UNTIL, PRIMUS, etc... I have only met a few GM's who'll do it. Its always nice for someone to do the dirty work of superhero investigations, science, and research. Not to mention the occasional back up. clean up, etc... They arrest, transport, and hold the supervillains. Treat superhuman diseases and arrange for availability of materials.

 

 

IMOHO

 

 

QM

[Old Man]

Re: How to convince a hero group that they should be registered and work for governme

 

I don't think it's a comic book thing where players don't want to work for the government.

 

What? For every S.H.I.E.L.D. there are thirty rogue CIA agents, a dozen government experiments gone wrong, and seven shadow government conspiracies. Each with their own brigade of supernatural enemies and black-clad gun-toting soldiers. That's before we even get to things like mutant suppression and mandatory registration. Even in the Hero universe UNTIL is a running joke.

[casualplayer]

Re: How to convince a hero group that they should be registered and work for governme

 

Back in the day my players learned the hard way that all PRIMUS agencies were not alike. The San Francisco department was pretty straight-laced, the LA division was tech-crazy and the Northern Cal office was were careers went to die. Who wants to associate with faceless and homogenous government drones? Who wants to NPC them?

[csyphrett]

Re: How to convince a hero group that they should be registered and work for governme

 

What? For every S.H.I.E.L.D. there are thirty rogue CIA agents' date=' a dozen government experiments gone wrong, and seven shadow government conspiracies. Each with their own brigade of supernatural enemies and black-clad gun-toting soldiers. That's before we even get to things like mutant suppression and mandatory registration. Even in the Hero universe UNTIL is a running joke.[/quote']

 

And for all that, public teams affiliated with the government crush this stuff usually.

 

Then Civil War happened.

 

WTF Marvel?

CES

[Martin2]

Re: How to convince a hero group that they should be registered and work for governme

 

Well they found out they are sort of being backed by the government. Nothing much has changed. None of them have become more government friendly. They threw the "but you have not give all the stuff we requested (instant passports for those who did not have one (took a week), permit to work as heroes in Americs (They dont allow Canadians so why Brits!), equipment, labs etc". I countered with well you did not sign this I will be a good hero and work for this company document.

 

There is a world wide plaque of snake men so they agreed to keep intouch but no more stability!

 

Can I ask what various GM's ask for when a super registers in their campaign?

 

In GB they do not have to give up a secret identity but I presume they have to sign under their super name. Supply finger print / iris scan. A rough break down of their powers. A promise to be a good hero and not to break the law too many times a week

. A means of contacting them (telephone number, PO box, message on the news / local media, bat signal)? All wrapped up in a large document giving lots or irrelevant information which is not compulsory so will not be filled in.