Is a MCPD MARS game doable?

[bigbywolfe]

I've been thinking of running a "super-agents" game set in the CU, but instead of having the PCs be the usual UNTIL or PRIMUS agents they would be a MARS (Metahuman Activities Response Squad) team with the Millennium City Police Department.  I wondering if such a setup is workable for an extended campaign.  It lacks the scale of a PRIMUS (national) or UNTIL (international) game.  On the other hand it may offer more options for in depths role play with local politics, corporate espionage, and other smaller scale affairs.

Some other concerns.  MARS units seem to be SWAT like and mostly reactive in nature.  I think I would have to make them a bit more investigative or risk having very episodic, "mission based", railroad-y adventures.  Another concern would be not wanting to throw the team up against a full powered super villain every week.  Perhaps an ongoing plot involving Viper or Argent could stop it from having a "monster (or villain in this case) of the week" feeling.  

Since most of my group is not familiar with HERO I would probably make minimalist character sheets, use heroic level rules for their equipment, and ignore tracking END since most of their attacks and such will be equipment/weapon based.  I think this could be a fun way to introduce them to the CU and Millennium City, and will give them a solid understanding of the setting if I run a traditional Champions game down the line.  Heck, their supers could even interact with their agent characters.

So what do you all think?  Is one city too limiting?  Is playing normals in a Super setting too risky?  Or does this sound like it could fly?  

I'll post some plot ideas and some character concepts when I get more time.  In the meantime, what do you think?

[TheQuestionMan]

All Gadgets and Gear, Bases, and Vehicles on Duty should be free.  

 

Use "Resources Points" and see Dark Champions details.  

 

QM  

[Christopher R Taylor]

One city offers more than enough opportunities, I'd think.  I've long wanted to do a low-powered supers cop game, and all you'd need is one metro area, but of course the governor might call them up for anything in the state.

[TheQuestionMan]

They would also execute a lot of SWAT duties with potential Superhuman suspects. Assist Federal Agencies provide Executive Security Services.

 

Too start. 

 

QM

[BoloOfEarth]

Set up the situation right, and you can have them as investigative as you want.  Perhaps they're a special unit within MCPD MARS, set up to be more proactive than reactive.  (This could set up tension between their squad and other MARS squads who bristle at the PC unit getting "special treatment.")

 

If set in Millennium City, you could have the Champions be MIA, necessitating an increase in both the activity and scope of MCPD MARS units (and making the PCs more important locally).  You could even have the superheroes' disappearance be an overall plot arc that the PCs get hints and clues about while they deal with the "villain of the week" or "plot of the month." Maybe the Champions' disappearance is why the PCs' special squad was set up in the first place.  So they have to dig into what happened to the Champions, but like detectives everywhere they have to juggle that investigation with other cases that might temporarily take priority.

[bubba smith]

itt may work

[Soleil Noir]

With the right group of players, a "Glengarry Glen Ross HERO" game could be "doable"...

[Christopher R Taylor]

Experience is for closers!

[Lord Liaden]

According to the Millennium City source book, the MARS unit is one of two subdivisions of the Superhuman Crimes division of the MCPD. The other is the Superhuman Crimes investigative unit, "consisting of about fifteen detectives with experience in crimes involving superhumans. This unit works closely wilth the various sanctioned superheroes in the city, including the Champions." (MC p. 59)

 

One chapter in the organization source book, Cops, Crews, And Cabals, details Special Unit Omega, an elite squad within MARS with the most intensive combat training and armed with the most advanced and powerful weapons the MCPD can get. For purposes of your campaign I propose that the investigative division create its own elite squad (how about "Special Unit Alpha?") with singular expertise applicable to supercrime: advanced scientific skills, psychological training, knowledge of the occult/ metaphysics/ parapsychology/ etc., perhaps even low-level superpowers such as psychic abilities. This would allow for a wider range of character types than straight MARS. They needn't be inept in combat, and might even carry some MARS equipment for when they get into hot situations. But their emphasis would be more on investigation, broadening the possible scenarios they could be drawn into.

[bigbywolfe]

That could work.  They could be an investigative team that's MARS response certified.  What are some specializations that would still make up a decent combat team?  The medic type character could have forensic training.  The heavy artillery/grenadier type could be an explosive/fire expert.  The most detective-y character could also be the strategist/team leader type.  What other roles might make good combinations?
Of course, I guess I could go with contrasting roles as well. No one would really expect the Spencer Reed young genius type to be the group's resident martial artist.

[Lord Liaden]

Well, a hyperperceptive investigator -- good at noticing and deciphering forensic patterns at a crime scene, or tracking a fugitive in wilderness areas -- could also be the team's ranged combat specialist/sniper. An occultist could prepare countermeasures against a supernatural opponent. A psychologist could also be a parapsychologist, and perhaps know techniques to help defend against mentalists.

[bubba smith]

and of course the member skeptical of the teams usefullness