CLEARANCE RED Greetings, citizen! You have a chance to serve the computer. Your security clearance is Red. If you wish to play in this scenario, do not read any further The information under Clearance Ultra-violet is for the Gamemaster only! it is treason for anyone else to read this information. Serve the computer. Keep your laser handy. CLEARANCE ULTRAVIOLET BACKGROUND: Eighteen hours ago, a group of loyal Troubleshooters were testing two autocars with experimental "bot brains." In Section D-18, they encountered a group of traitors attempting sabotage. The ensuing firefight resulted in mutual annihilation of the two groups, as well as damage to the lighting, life support, and observation Systems in that section. Full life support and partial lighting have been restored; the observation system has not. It would be treasonous to tell the players the observation system has not been re stored, but hints will be tolerated. THE MISSION: It is essential that the bot brains are returned intact. Troubleshooters are expendable. A secondary mission is to retrieve equipment and weapons lost in the shootout. Manfred BNNN-4 has been entrusted with commanding the retrieval mission. Unfortunately, Manfred is a member of the Pro-Techs secret society and hopes to steal the brains for that society. To this end, he selects a group of Clearance Red Troubleshooters (the players) and sends them after the bot brains, hoping he can steal one or both brains and blame the Troubleshooters. He will accompany them at least as far as the entrance to D-18 and may lead them (85% chance) from the rear, into that section. Otherwise, he will wait with die guards, He will not enter the section if he hears firing until it has stopped Then he will enter and steal the bot brains, if they're still there. MANFRED-B-VNN-4, ST 15, EN 14, AG 10, MD 11, MX 14, CH 10, P1 8, Clearance Blue, Secret Society-Pro-Techs, Weapon-Sonic Pistol (Skill 5), Mutant Power- Luck, Manfred-B-VNN4 should be played carefully. He didn't get a Blue Clearance by advertising his intentions. He knows the observation system is inoperative and will use that to his advantage. D-18 (See Map below) Two members of Internal Security (Clearance Yellow) stand guard at the entrance to D-18, Anyone the players encounter beyond that point is a traitor; no citizens other than themselves have clearance to enter this section. Inform them of this. The guards will remain at their posts unless Manfred-B-VNN-4 gives them other orders; they are not in conspiracy with him. D-18 is in artificial twilight due to partial lighting. Everyone is -5% to aiming ability. Anyone who misses a target badly (roll of 90-100) hits the lighting circuits again and plunges the hallway into total darkness for 20 minutes. THE TRAITORS: A group of traitors led by Russell-O-GNL-2 and Nancy-O- MMH-1 have entered D-18 to retrieve weapons. They are unaware of the experimental bot brains, but will try to steal them if discovered (25% chance). Very few of this group are thrilled to be there. When things start to happen, they may blaze away blindly (1-70% chance), cower behind cover (71-90% chance), or run unless urged on by their leaders (91-100% chance). Remember, their primary mission is to recover as many weapons as possible. For simplicity, five of the traitors have identical statistics: ST 16, EN 11, AG 14, MD 8, MX 7, CH 9, MA 11, PI 10. Clearance Red, Secret SocietyPURGE, Weapon-Laser Pistol (Skill 5), mutant Power-Advanced Smell. The other three traitors are: Max-R-DUH-6 (Big Dumb Max) ST 19, EN 17, AG 2, MD 10, MX 15, CH 4, MA 6, PI 1. Clearance Red, Secret Society-PURGE, Weapon Flamethrower (Skill 5), Mutant Power- Advanced Strength. RUSSELL-0-GU-2, ST 9, EN 15, AG 14, MD 12, MX 14, CH 17, MA 7, PI 11. Clearance Orange, Secret Society-PURGE, Weapon-Energy Rifle (Skill 5), Mutant Power-Suggestion. If Russell attempts to rally his group by successfully using his mutant power, there is a 40% chance the traitors will retreat. Otherwise, they will run blindly toward the entrance at E. NANCY-0-MMH-1, ST 9, EN 13, AG 17, MD 13, MX 19, CH 18, MA 3, PI 6. Clearance Orange, Secret Society-Death Leopard (She is hoping to make a few converts), Weapon-Ice Pistol (Skill 5), Mutant Power-Advanced Vision. If the lighting is knocked out, successful use of her mutant power will enable her to lead the traitors to entrance E. Russell-0-GNL-2 and Nancy-0-MMlf-1 are fanatically dedicated to their secret societies, They will see a small group of Troubleshooters as more weapons to be "requisitioned" and will urge their group on. Remember: 1. Keep things moving. 2. Don't give them time to think. 3. Kill the bastards. 4. Keep diings~ moving, 5. Serve the computer. EQUIPMENT TO BE RECOVERED (Aside from bot brains) 2 flashlights (1) 1 Slugthrower (7) 1 infraspecs (2) 2 swords (8) 3 laser pistols (3) 1 nylon cord (9) 1 laser rifle (4) 1 conerifle (10) 5 grenades (5) 2 autorifles 4 knives (6) These items are scattered about the hallways marked 4, 5, and 6. Roll 1d10 according to the numbers in parentheses or allow players to find them according what will advance the action. When more than one item exists, such as grenades, that item can be found in several locations until all are found. THE BRAINS OF THE OPERATION The bot brains are located inside the autocars (Map locations 1 and 2~ They are experimental. If anyone tries to drive an autocar, the car may operate normally or go haywire at any time, Use your own devious judgement or a 50% chance. if anyone shoots at a target which is near an autocar and misses, the autocar (brain and all) may be hit and vaporized . A roll of 80 or higher hits the autocar; consult Vehicle Damage Table for damage. GREAT BALLS OF FIRE: The large circle on the Map (#3) is a storage tank. On its sides are the words "Caution: Flammable." Yes, a miss in its general direction may hit the tank (on a roll of 75 or higher). Yes, it will explode if its walls are penetrated. Use the Vehicle Damage Table to determine extent of damage. If it explodes, everything in the area marked by letters A, B, C, and D is incinerated. Poor aiming ability is treason (and fatal). SUMMARY Keep the players nervous in the artificial light. Make them pay for mistakes. The dice rolls for hitting the lighting, autocars, etc. are only guidelines. Use your own judgement as the game goes along; if a little extra excitement is needed, make a miss painful. 1, 2: Autocars, 3., Storage tank 4, 5, 6: Hallways where equipment and terrorists will be tound, A, B, C, D: Explosion area if tank explodes, E: Terrorist entrance, F: Players entrance Paranoia: Game Overview Game Review: Paranoia Back to Table of Contents -- Game News #1 To Game News List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1999 by Dana Lombardy. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com