For most of your life, STATQUO has looked after you. It's given you a job, a home, a family, and a sizable amount of wealth. Now it's time to return the favor.

The societal situation throughout the world has decayed to a point where ordinary measures are no longer adequate to fight off the insurgendes that now threaten the very existence of STATQUO. STATQUO has brought order to the world. Now all that is threatened, and the threat is felt primarily within the confines of The Net, where hackers have penetrated to the most vital of areas. - The Net is the lifeline of STATQUO. If The Net falls, STATQUO follows. You have been given the position of Chief of Net Security. As CNS, you have been given full autonomy to deal with the cyber insurgents, and to use whatever means are necessary to eliminate them as a threat.

Know Thine Enemy (Lest He Bite You)

Although it is impossible to predict exactly what resources any given Netrunner may have at his disposal, it is important to know his capabilities. He certainly has an impressive array of software that he can use against you, and his hardware offers him some options that cannot be overlooked either.

First let's take a look at his software arsenal, piece by piece.

First, and abundant in number, is the Password. A Password allows the Netrunner to neutralize any passive defense system, as well as destroy or capture any files. Fortunately it is not a mobile file, and therefore requires the presence of the ghost at the address in which the password is used. A Password can be neutralized by a Cleaner, Flat Liner, or Samurai.

Next is the Trojan Horse. A Trojan Horse is similar in capability to a Password, but has the added advantage of being an active, and therefore mobile file. The pressing danger of a Trojan horse is its ability to reveal and neutralize ICE. Because ICE is the primary vehicle wherein you receive your Ops Points during a Netrun, the last thing you want is for the Trojan Horse to reveal a level 1 Nexus and then reveal all of your ICE with an abundant number of Ops Points to spare. When a Trojan Horse starts roaming around your system, kill it. Quickly. The only things that can kill a Trojan Horse are the Flat Liner and the Samurai, and that, unfortunately, makes the Trojan Horse particularly virulent.

The Virus is tied with the Password for most abundant piece of Cybernaut software. A virus is a mobile file that can actively seek and kill your Cleaner, VR Missile, and Tracer. Of those three, the Tracer is the one you particularly don't want to lose. A virus can be eliminated with a VR Missile (in which case they'll both be destroyed), a Flat Liner, and the Samurai.

The Cybernaut's most deadly piece of software is the Worm. It can kill anything you have, including the Samurai, and what's more, it's mobile. To kill it, use a VR Missile. Although it can also be eliminated by a Flat Liner or the Samurai, a VR Missile is a much more worthwhile trade, because anything that attacks a Worm will also be destroyed.

The Probe can only harm you by revealing files. It cannot actually attack anything. However, having your file locations revealed is dangerous enough. Kill it in short order, but be careful. A savvy Cybernaut will not only use a Probe to reveal file locations, but will also use it to lure you into a trap. Probes can be killed by VR Missiles, Flat Liners, and the Samurai.

Logic Bombs are deadly, but fortunately, not mobile. They can kill anything they attack, but require the presence of the Ghost in the same address in order to be used, making them a particularly risky proposition for the Cybernaut, especially if the Samurai is nearby. If you get the opportunity to trade your Samurai for a shot at the Ghost, take it. Things that can kill a Logic bomb include the Cleaner, The Flat Liner, and the Samurai.

Finally we have the Back Door. The Back Door cannot actually attack you. What it does is create an access point that works exactly like a GAP at an address of the Cybernaut's choosing. This file can be particularly dangerous if placed in any of the Cores, especially Core B. It can be eliminated by a Cleaner, a Flat Liner, or the Samurai. Death by Flat Liner would require a particularly unintelligent Netrunner, however.

As if the arsenal of software available to Cybernauts wasn't enough, he also can utilize hardware against you. These little devices can give him the ability to foil even the best laid traps and plans. And what's worse, there's nothing you can do about any of them.

Somewhere out there is a reservoir of monetary resources that the Cybernaut can access. He accesses it through the use of the Cred Card. There is nothing you can do to prevent or interfere with this device. just sit back and cross your fingers he gets a bad roll on the Interaction Table when he uses it.

Encrypt, or encryption device, allows the Cybernaut to return to hidden status the instant he places this chit back into the Cyberchit container. Once again, this device is a trap foiler, and there's nothing you can do about it. Your only hope is that the Cybernaut fails to use it at a critical juncture (probably the same player who looses his Back Door to a Flat Liner).

Your superiors at STATQUO have told you that these illusive Cybernaut insurgents are a bunch of degenerate drug abusers. You know this assertion to be true because Netrunning Cybernauts frequently use a substance called Hyper Speed that allows them to add two to their Wetware value.

The IRS (for Integrated Rifle System) gives the Cybernaut an additional point to his RealWorld value when in RealWorld combat, The Jack-In enhancement allows the Cybernaut to enter The Net at any address containing a Sprawl name. This ability can be very dangerous you, however, you can also use it to your advantage in that you can at least predict what Cybernaut be doing the majority of Netruns.

When NSA defensive setups are discusses later, it will become evident why we want to pro the Norad and Cosmograd files, at least in the early rounds of the game. On the RealWorld, it is obvious that only a few Cybernauts have high enough or RealWorld values to access these Sprawls. The Mask alters that reality by giving a plus two to the RealWorld of any Cybernaut.

The Meat Puppet negates a "1" result on the RealWorld Combat Results Table. A Cybernaut with this hardware is invulnerable to all but the toughest attacks in the RealWorld.

Nanites can turn an otherwise poor Netrunner into a hacking genius instantly. Use of this chit indicates that the Cybernaut player is about to make a suicide Netrun with a Cybernaut he deems as otherwise expendable. Beware, these kinds of Netruns can be the most deadly if the Cybernaut is equipped with lots of nasty software.

A Neural Implant adds one to the Cybernaut's Wetware value. It is not necessarily a big threat, but it can give a Netrunner that little edge.

Psycho-Synth is another one of those devices that, as the NSA player, you can only sit back and hope for a bad die roll.

The Nexus Structure (Lead the Norse to Poison and Make Him Drink)

A Nexus represents hardware access points through which The Net can be accessed.

Without a doubt the most important aspect of defending The Net is the setup of the Nexuses. Once you place them, they stay there the rest of the game, and once revealed, remain revealed. Therefore the Nexus structure is all important, Placement of an unplanned or carelessly arranged Nexus structure is the single most fatal thing the NSA player can do.

Nexuses come in three flavors: single node, multi node, and Dead End.

The most innocuous of the three is the Dead End. It serves primarily as a dummy nexus and is only useful until revealed. Once revealed, it serves only as a blot on the cyber landscape. There are two Dead End Nexuses.

A single node Nexus has only one number on it (1, 2, or 3) and may only be accessed via a similarly numbered Nexus. There are three each of each type of single node Nexus. If the game were made up of only single node Nexuses, your job would be easy. Unfortunately

A multi-node Nexus is one that has more than one number. These are the choke points of your setup. From one of these (especially the 1, 2, 3 Nexus) the Cybernaut can reveal and access almost any or all nexuses in Cyberspace. There are four multi­node Nexuses, representing all four combinations of Nexus numbers.

Because Core B can only be accessed via Nexus, we want to be sure that a Cybernaut making a Netrun must expend as many Ops Points as possible to get to it, not to mention software. It is desirable to channelize the Netrunners axis of approach as much as possible. Therefore, in both the Central Matrix and in Core B, we'll want to place single node Nexuses only.

Place all of the level 1 Nexuses in the Central Matrix. Space them out as far as possible, both from each other and from any Access points (see Central Matrix Nexus setup). Remember that the Netrunner cannot move diagonally and that we want him to bum as many Ops Points as possible in order to get anywhere,

Next place two level 2 and two level 3 Nexuses in each comer of Core B. Placing them in comers limits the movement options of any penetrating Netrunner, and allows us to maximize the limited resources we have to defend against said penetration.

Now place the left over single node Nexuses, along with the level 1-2 and level 2-3 Nexuses in each corner of Core A. Finally, place the 1-3 and 1-2-3 Nexuses in the comers opposite the Cosmograd access point in Core C.

Take a look at the Sample Matrix Setup. As you can see, Core B is isolated from the Central Matrix, Any penetration into that Core must be made through Cores A and C. In essence, we've channelized the Netunner's movement via Nexus. No claim is made that this setup is perfect. In fact far from it. Certain combinations of software, and a clever Cybernaut player can wreak havoc with even the best plans. The most we can hope for is to limit the Netrunners movement along specific axes, around which we can build our defenses.

File Placement (A dichotomy of Importance)

The truth is, all of the Files are important. The issue then becomes which ones are more important than others. To help make that determination, a look at Cybernaut victory conditions is in order. The Cybernaut has four choices: Loot, Espionage, Sabotage, and Insurgency.

Of the four, Sabotage spreads the victory points out the most evenly, with special emphasis on the destruction of Control files. It also offers the highest possible total of victory points available to the Cybernaut. It establishes Control files as particularly important.

Insurgency is, in my opinion, the most difficult victory condition to fulfill. It requires the Cybernaut to destroy as many Sprawl files as possible and offers the lowest point total of all four options. Although the destruction of some Sprawl files is inevitable throughout the course of a game, getting most or all of them is a tall order against a well Planned and coordinated NSA defense,

Loot places a high point value on Finance. Obviously we need to elevate that file to the status of protected specie, Espionage values the Intel file, and spreads the points out pretty evenly among the rest. This choice ranks with Insurgency in terms of desirable victory conditions. It's tough to achieve without that one big kill, and no NSA player worth his salt is going to leave it out in the open.

So we now know that, at least in terms of victory conditions, the files we most want to protect are the Finance, Intel, Control, and at least some of the Sprawls, There are, however, other considerations.

Some files that fall into the hands of the Cy bernaut give him some distinctly undesirable advantages. Others, however, are less problematic.

The COMSAT was not determined to have any great value for purposes of victory, and frankly it's not too dangerous when controlled by the Cybernaut either. It limits the number of SS agents that can perform activities in the RealWorld to a number rolled each turn on the die. A good NSA setup doesn!t require a great deal of SS activity in the RealWorld, as we'll see shortly.

Control of the Finance or Intel files can be insignificant or devastating. It all depends upon a roll of the die.

Loss of a Control file is not so important because of what it does for the Cybernaut player, but what it does to your ability to function as the NSA player. They are key to recovering destroyed NSA software. The loss of that ability spells doom for the NSA.

Destruction of Sprawl files by the Netrunner causes the corresponding Sprawl in the RealWorld to become Autonomous. For the most part, Autonomous Sprawls are a bad thing. However, it's inevitable that at some point it will happen. The process, however, provides some unique opportunities, as we'll see later,

X-MUTE, although of negligible worth for victory points, can be devastating if captured by the Cybernaut player. The ability for the Cybernaut player to leave software active on The Net after Logoff is a frightening prospect indeed, and elevates the importance of this file quite high.

The Trap file is the ace up your sleeve. It has no value in victory points and is of no worth to the Cybernaut. What it does is instantly terminate the Netrun. That's a useful trick.

So to our list of files worth protecting we must add X-MUTE. The obvious spot to place these files is in Core B, but stacking Emits prevent us from placing them all there so here is what I suggest.

Place the Intel, Finance, X-MUTE, and two Control files in Core B in addresses that dont contain a Nexus. Place the other Control file in Core A, and the Trap and COMSAT files in Core C, next to the 1-2-3 Nexus. Placement of the Sprawl files is a little more tricky. The Cosmograd and Norad files need to go in Core B. Put one on a 3 Nexus and one on a 2 Nexus.

The placement of the rest of the Sprawl files requires an examination of the RealWorld, and a quick discussion of overall strategy. As the NSA, you have one primary goal: kill Cybernauts! This strategy translates into some very specific tactics. Channelize movement and attack him along those axes. Attacking a Cybernaut can be accomplished in two ways: attacking the Ghost with the Samurai in Cyberspace, or attacking the Cybernaut in the RealWorld with SS units' Both can be tricky propositions, but the latter poses the bigger challenge while offering the best results.

Placement of the Sprawl files is critical because we are going to use them as bait'. One of the early goals of any Cybernaut will be to create an Autonomous Sprawl as soon as possible. It is inevitable that he will be successful at this endeavor. Therefore it is only logical to give him control of a Sprawl of our choice, rather than his.

By examining the RealWorld, we can make a couple of assumptions. The first is that his initial placement of at least one of his Cybernauts will be in a Techno Sprawl, because that is where he stands the best chance of getting Cyberchits when rolling on the Interaction table. By not placing SS units in the Techno Sprawls, he'll have no pressing urge to leave that Sprawl and will hopefully conduct his initial Netrun from there.

The Techno Sprawls are L-5, Silicon Angeles, and Geneva. Although we do want the Cybernaut to conduct his initial Netruns from those locations, we don't want him to capture those files. For a Sprawl to be the best location for interaction and be an autonomous zone at the same time is a combination we want to avoid. Place those files in Cores A and C.

Of the remaining environ types, the two Security Sprawls are the most advantageous to us on the interaction table, but protected access to Cores A and C is to be avoided. As stated earlier, those files go in Core B.

That leaves us with the Anarchical and Corporate Environs. With respect to Interaction, I rate them about the same in desirability to either side. However, since we will not be depending upon the Interaction table to reveal the Cybernaut, the Anarchical Envrion is best suited to our purpose. Place the Corporate files (Neo Tokyo, Petroburg, AtlantaPlex and Capeburg) in Cores A and C.

That leaves us with Amazonia, Sydneydrome, and Katmandu. These files go in the Central Matrix. Because we have assumed that the initial Netrun will be made from either L-5, Silicon Angeles, or Geneva, we want to place the Anarchical files within easy reach of the corresponding access points of the Techno Sprawls. Another assumption we can make is that the initial run will probably not be made from L-5 because he cannot initially set up there. So our attention is further limited to four access points (remember that Silicon Angeles and Geneva have two corresponding accesspoints in the Central Matrix). Place the near, but not too near, these access points. Cybernaut may try to be tricky and access a but a good placement of files will leave him same options or lead to a Dead End (see File Se Example). 

Agents in the RealWorld (Tigers That Lie In Wait)

Placement of the SS units is a simple enough affair. The problem is that you don't initially know how many you'll have. The priority spots are in the Sprawls of Sydneydrome, Amazonia, and Katmandu. "But won't those be Autonomous Sprawls," you ask? Yes, they will. We'll get to the reason shortly The other likely places include the two Security Sprawls, and perhaps the Techno Sprawls or L-5.

NSA Software Placement (Prosecute With Extreme Prejudice)

To borrow a phrase from Chicago area voters, the NSA wants to kill Cybernauts early and often. When the Cybernaut decides how many Cybernauts he will use in the game, he is making a choice between having fewer SS units chasing him around the RealWorld and having more flexibility with which to make Netruns. Perhaps a more relevant way of looking at this decision is what it means to the end game. The more Cybernauts there are running around the RealWorld, the more potential victory points are being made available to the NSA player. Using only a few Cybernauts is equally dangerous, because a couple of quick kills by the NSA and the game is over.

It is most likely that a competent Cybernaut player will choose between three and five Cybernauts with which to begin the game. Therefore a defense in depth, that stops Netruns and kills Cybernauts quickly is most desirable. Up to now the discussion has been limited to Nexus and file Placement. Now we'll take a look at how to use the software resources available to the NSA player in the most efficient and destructive manner.

Of our defensive software, ICE is the most abundant, and arguably the most important. It stops Nexus use by Netrunners, it gives the NSA Ops Points for each ICE chit revealed, and it reveals the Cybernaut in the RealWorld. Therefore it is obviously essential to our effort to kill Cybernauts early.

Place ICE on all three level 1 Nexuses in the Central Matrix. This placement is a calculated risk that the Cybernaut's initial Netrun won't be equipped with a Trojan Horse, but I happen to think it's a risk worth taking, Next, place ICE on all four of the multi-node Nexuses. Place the remaining ICE on the level 3 Nexus in Core B. With this setup, the moment any of the level 1 Nexuses are revealed, seven of the eight ICE chits will be revealed, giving the NSA an abundance of Ops Points to play with.

The 1-2-3 Nexus in Core C needs to be protected. In addition to the ICE chit, place a Flat Liner there. Place the other Flat Liner on either the 1-3 or 1-2 Nexus, preferably the one next to the Control file in Core A. This placement will offer some protection from penetration into Core B. Resist the temptation to cover up the left over chit with the Samurai. If the Netrunner just so happens to have a Worm in his arsenal, your Samurai could get eliminated before you even get to use it. That would be most undesirable.

You now have five VRMissiles at your disposal. These little guys will kill any Active Netrunner software, the most desirable target, of course, being the Worm. Place one on the left over multi-node Nexus in Core A, and one on every Nexus in Core B.

Cleaners kill Logic Bombs and Back Doors. But don't bother going after a Logic Bomb with your cleaner. When the Netrunner decides to release it, it'll be too late to do anything about it anyway. Save them for getting rid of any Back Doors the Netrunner may place. With this duty in mind, it's a good idea to keep Cleaners safe and hidden until needed. Place them somewhere in Core B, preferably not on a Nexus.

You remember earlier I presented a lengthy dissertation about predicting where the initial Netrun would come from and setting up certain Sprawl files to be found and destroyed by the Netrunner thus converting one of the three Anarchical Sprawls into an Autonomous Sprawl? It is through the use of the Tracers that the trap will be sprung. Place the two Tracers near the Katmandu, Amazonia, and Sydneydrome access points. The way the trap works is as follows:

The Cybernaut initially sets up in a Techno Sprawl and gets Cyberchits. He sees no compelling reason to move, so he begins his initial Netrun from that Sprawl. He quickly bumps into one of the Anarchical Sprawl files we've left for him and he destroys it, turning the corresponding Sprawl into an Autonomous Sprawl. Since there is no good reason to discontinue the Netrun, he moves on and discovers an ICEd level 1 Nexus. If he has a Trojan Horse or a Password he can continue, if not he must move on. Regardless of what he does at this point, his Cybernaut was exposed in the RealWorld when he hit the ICE. Therefore it is highly probable he will move his Cybernaut directly to the newly created Autonomous Sprawl in order to regain his hidden status. When he gets there he'll notice the presence of an S S unit. If the NSA player was smart, he will have moved his other available SS units to any surrounding Sprawls as well. If he starts his next Netrun from the Autonomous Sprawl, the Tracers will be waiting for him. Regardless of what else he does during that Netrun, he'll be dealing with SS gunfire the moment he logs off.

The last piece of software we need to place is our most deadly weapon: the Cyber Samurai. He needs to be placed somewhere from which he can quickly get to any other part of The Net. Place the Samurai on top of the COMSAT file, next to the 1-2­3 Nexus in Core C. From there he can rapidly get to any other part of The Net in a minimum number of moves. Use him to relentlessly pursue the ghost. At the very least he will cause the Netrunner to log off prematurely. At the most, he will catch the Ghost and kill the Netrunner. If it means sacrificing the Samurai to get to the Ghost, do so. As long as you have Control files, you can reclaim him. Remember, when it comes to Netrunning Cybernauts, kill them early and kill them often!

The End Game (What the Rules Don't Tell You)

What will become evident the first couple times you play Cybernaut, is that the Cybernaut's role as a player is largely reactionary What you do and how you do it will greatly determine what options he has. Although in the realm of Interaction, you can do little but hope for bad die rolls, once the Cybernaut enters The Net, he's in your realm. How you deploy your forces will ultimately determine his success or failure.

The advice I've given you above is good only to a point. Once the Cybernaut player gets the gist of what your doing, he'll be able to crack it. Take advantage of the fact that you can completely redeploy every time he logs off. A changeup in file locations at a critical juncture will throw a wrench into his plans, but will also be a greater short term risk. Once the Cybernaut player exposes all the Nexuses, the game will get a lot more exciting. That is why you want to pursue and kill Cybernauts as early as possible. Later in the game he'll have more software, have more knowledge, and be much more dangerous. You will lose files. That is inevitable. To counter balance this you need to kill Cybernauts while you can, because sooner or later he will cripple your ability to regenerate defensive software, and once that happens your ability to harm him will rapidly evaporate.

Like any good game, there are no perfect setups or tactics. It is my hope that this article has at least pointed out how the NSA player should proceed. In my opinion the NSA player has the more challenging task before him, and it is the successful accomplishment of a challenging task that is the most satisfying.