From:	Matb <mbreton@**.NETCOM.COM>
Subject:	Re: A few queries
Date:	Mon, 29 Dec 1997 10:39:57 -0800

Andrew Vass wrote:

> Hi all - i'm new here, and to the game. I've a few questions which i hope
> haven't been answered elsewhere or elsewhen recently.

> I'm a little confused by the issue of allies and drones. If my mage goes
> on a run with an ally, and meets a Mine Field, does the ally count as a
> runner? And if not (as i suspect) can it take damage on behalf of the mage
> controlling it?

Ally Spirit, I assume. Since it doesn't have a Threat Rating, it
doesn't count as a Runner.
In fact, *no* Spirits or Drones (or Critters or Frames) count toward the
Mine Field. Challenges
that indicate a "Runner" in their text -- this includes Hellhounds,
Booby Traps, and so on --
only affect Runner cards, not Gear.

> Regarding pumping - is there any limit to how much a challenge can be
> pumped? Last night we were playing and my friend was able to pump his mage
> strike force 5 times, making it 16/16 A6!! also - when should he announce
> he is going to pump - ie can he wait for me to assign damage before he
> decides to pump, and can he then pump in increments while seeing what i do
> with the dmage, or does it have to all be at once.

The only limit (besides nuyen) affects thoser challenges with a +/-
notation (Halloweener Hell, Yak Turf, and so on). You can't pump those
Challenges into "negative Body" -- onec they hit 0, you stop pumping.

Pumping can be done at any time before combat -- damage is resolved
instantaneously, so (assuming he plays something Stingerish like a
Walther Palm Pistol or Stimpatch) pumping it after damage has been dealt
out will do no good.

> Finally - the max nimber of runners on a run is 6 - can they still be
> supported by indirect fire, say from an FN HAR or 2?

The maximum of six includes Indirect Fire, Deckers, and so on.

So you could have:

One Runner present on the Run (Torgo)
One Decker assisting (with, say, Crash)
One Runner using Indirect Fire
One Runner using the Sniper's Roost
One Runner (Red Widow) to be added later
One Runner (with Yamaha Rapier) to be added after that.

I've always played where you just declare "present" Runners atthe
beginning of the shadowrun phase, and then add Runners to taste -- but
never more than six total, even if some get GAQqed, trashed, or
whatever.

It's also my understanding that if there are ever no present Runners on
the shadowrun, the run is over -- even if there are still Runners
assisting in other manners.


-Mb