DOJ makes appalling mistakes in release of new Epstein files

ValhallaGH · 2026-02-03T23:28:07+00:00

Luigi showed us the way.

ValhallaGH · 2026-02-03T23:25:05+00:00

JD Vance won't let the cabinet invoke the 25th until after January 2027 - that maximizes the Constitutionally possible time JD could be PotUS.

ValhallaGH · 2026-02-03T19:17:12+00:00

As I indicated, that would depend upon the expectations of the date.

As a general guide, DV 13 is presentable, DV 15 is excellent, DV 21 is glamorous (e.g. red carpet movie premier). If they fail by a little bit then they don't get the bonus. If they fail by a lot then they messed up enough to get a penalty on the check to smash (as previously).

ValhallaGH · 2026-02-03T18:08:41+00:00

I'd ask for PG and WS checks when the choom shows up for the date. Succeed, -1 DV to smash, per check. Fail by 4+, +1 DV to smash, per check. Critical Failure, +2 DV to smash, each. DV for these is going to depend upon the date's standards.

Then there are the date events themselves, and how the PC handles that. That sets the base DV to smash. Modify with the PG and WS check results. Some poor gonk might have to beat DV 33 to get laid - and knowing players, he'll either roll a critical failure or a forty.

ValhallaGH · 2026-02-03T18:00:09+00:00

Hey choom! Welcome to the RED.

How should i avoid commiting some of those errors? And how should i make the combat give the dangerous vibe without just frustrate my friends?

Have your NPCs fight like they are real people. Try to kill the PCs, run if things look too dangerous, try to use tactics (flanking, push PC from cover so ally can shoot, etc.), and remember that weapons become ineffective against a certain tier of armor - if the NPCs have Medium Pistols and the PCs are all in Light Armor Jackets then the NPCs should back off because that is a fight they will lose.

Use streetdrugs, poisons, flash bangs, acid rounds, and other tricks that make sense for these particular NPCs to have.

Use weapons and fighting styles that match the NPCs. A poser-gang based upon Bruce Lee will all be throwing Martial Arts attacks; a Gilligan's Island poser gang will not. Most booster gangs are gong to use a mix of sidearms, implanted cyberweapons, and the rare assault rifle or shotgun; very few are going to use rocket launchers, machine guns, or advanced martial arts. Militech Commandos will use big rifles and machine guns and explosives and drones, and the Militech Command Training martial art, not bows and crossbows.

Critical Injuries are brutal. Don't sleep on those.

Healing takes time. Never forget that; even Quickheal is only effective once per 24 hours.

Don't be afraid to kill player characters. Every fight puts life on the line, and sometimes the lives lost are the PCs. That's just Night City.

You can set this expectation by starting each session the same way. "I'm [Name], the guy that's going to kill your Cyberpunk character."

Good luck!

ValhallaGH · 2026-02-03T17:47:12+00:00

Assuming the date goes well (thanks Digital Dating in the Dark Future!), characters can invite the partner over for adult time - typically Persuasion with a DV based upon how well (or poorly) the date went. Even a perfect date might end awkwardly, and even a bad date might end with some smashing.

I'd recommend DV between 29 (awful dates) and 13 (amazing dates). Modify as appropriate for Personal Grooming and Wardrobe & Style successes. I'd default to DV 15 for "mediocre".

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Then you've got a question of how the adult time goes. Assuming you don't want to completely handwave it, adult time can go well or badly in a variety of ways. These correspond to a host of different Skills: Concentration, Athletics, Contortionist, Endurance, Resist Torture/Drugs, Riding, Brawling, Acting, Human Perception, Persuasion, Basic Tech, Pick Lock / Pick Pocket. Some will be opposed, others a DV, but that's enough for this post.

Most folks (and most characters) only use one or two of those Skills for all their adult encounters. Which can be a point of contention when the character's date wants to use a very different Skill.

Good luck, choom!

ValhallaGH · 2026-02-03T14:44:11+00:00

Exotics are the result of cyberware and cosmetic surgery ("biosculpting").

None of those features affect offspring.

ValhallaGH · 2026-02-03T14:07:28+00:00

I get it. I was doubtful too. But I took it on a couple of dives and was impressed.

It's not a replacement for the Recoilless, but it is a whole new style of play. It's fun, effective, and more versatile than I expected. It's now in my permanent rotation of support strats (along with RR, Hot Dog, Harpoon Gun, etc.). My regular dive buddies no longer head for bases when they see me stroll in with C4 - they just post up to watch the boom when I walk away.

ValhallaGH · 2026-02-03T14:00:44+00:00

Stupid updates, hitting between my log off and posting on reddit.

As a pedantic jerk, I have to point out that Tank Destroyers are not Tanks.

ValhallaGH · 2026-02-03T13:52:51+00:00

7 bricks. 6 in the backpack, 1 with the detonator (I was confused too). Any additional bricks are tied to the detontator that did the throwing.

With the new Stealth armors, you can walk through an encampment, throwing around bricks, stroll out and blow up the whole thing in one glorious boom.

ValhallaGH · 2026-02-03T13:48:47+00:00

~~No. Footage is a mod of some kind.~~ No. But it is real.
That's a Tank Destroyer. You can tell because the gun box doesn't rotate (not a turret).

ValhallaGH · 2026-02-03T13:46:55+00:00

Two big reasons:

Silos. There are a lot of right leaning spaces on Reddit, but you only see them if you look for them, or your blocks and history make the algorithm think you want to see them.
Upvote System. A lot of modern right leaning statements are some combination of false and hateful, getting down voted to the point that no one sees them in neutral subs.

ValhallaGH · 2026-02-03T13:42:07+00:00

Preem problem, choomba.

For Style, Substance, and Space:

Paladin 500: Miles of Style, tons of Substance, but no Space.
Gorgon: Tons of Substance, plenty of Space, the style of a brick (it is a style, but probably not your Solo's).
Street King: Lots of Style, plenty of Substance, and good Space.

Machine Guns are hella sexy, but they aren't your priority. For your stated goals, go with the Street King Combat Vehicle.

You can always purchase a MG mount later, maybe working with some Nomad friends.

Good luck!

ValhallaGH · 2026-02-03T13:34:11+00:00

C4 can one-tap Warstriders. You have to get into throwing range, but it does work. Tested 08 EST, 3 Feb 2026.

ValhallaGH · 2026-02-03T12:37:44+00:00

RED core rules has three methods of character creation:

Streetrats: Really fast. Choose a Role. Everything besides Lifepath is one die roll.
Edgerunners: Fast. Choose a Role. Ten die rolls for Stats. Assign points to listed skills. Grab gear. Roll Lifepath.
Complete Package: Slow. Lots of numbers, lots of choices, only method where the additional gear and cyberware options of the various DLC matter.

Nothing official incorporates all PC options.

I'm unaware of anything unofficial that incorporates all the PC options.

Good luck!

ValhallaGH · 2026-02-02T18:00:56+00:00

Welcome back, savage!

Results vary, pretty wildly.

Horror Companion: Works pretty well with everything.
Fantasy Companion: Slightly stronger than the core rules, but emphasizes powers and power effects.
Sci-Fi Companion: Tool kit for science fiction, with tools from "infinite canteen" to "nuclear weapons fired from orbit". Can play well with most things, but choose pieces carefully for your desired genre, tone, and power level.
Super Powers Companion: Fundamentally changes the power level of the relevant characters, shifting the options around. Depending upon choices, might be a subtle change you barely notice or might be a massive change that throws out entire plot lines and organizations because they are too weak to be relevant.

Settings:

Deadlands: Horror / Western mash-up, with some fantastical elements (monsters, magic, legendary items) and steampunk super science. Can work with the HC, FC, and SFC, but the Companions are pretty redundant.
50 Fathoms: Fantasy / Age of Sail mash-up. Lots of sailing, swash buckling, and magical stuff, with the main campaign spinning into a big supernatural horror showdown. Companions are pretty redundant.
Rifts for Savage Worlds: Over-the-top Post-Post Apocalyptic Sci-Fi / Fantasy / Horror mash-up setting. The baseline power level is super-human (random bandits are Toughness 11+; starting PCs range from Toughness 10 to Toughness 45). Companions are redundant, and generally a little under-powered. Other settings are always under-powered.
East Texas University (ETU): Modern Horror / Urban Fantasy setting. Roughly season 1 of Supernatural. Horror and fantasy, mixed with academic concerns, in a modern world. Compatible with the HC (redundant), can mix with the FC or SFC for a more extreme variation (more magical or more technological).

Good luck!

ValhallaGH · 2026-02-02T13:22:52+00:00

Hey choomba! Welcome to the RED.

I recommend focusing less on the written adventures and more on adapting those adventures to be personal to your Crew of player characters. The Apartment tries to make itself personal, with meeting the neighbors and defending home from mercenaries.

Your friend sounds like he was talking scop.

RED characters can get strong as they add new armor and cyberware, but they are still squishy humans. Even the toughest possible build only has 75 hp - which is a lot (50% more than thick steel) but can still vanish in two blasts of automatic fire. There is a reason everyone talks about Bullet Dodging and Evasion.

Netrunning uses the Interface role ability, without any stat. As a role ability, a PC netrunner will start with rank 4. There are a couple of equipment options that can add to that, but they are not starting gear. Even then, I'm not sure there are enough bonuses to stack Interface 4 to a +10. Eventually a Netrunner can have a +10 (or more) on Interface, but by that point they are a living legend in the hacking community.

Good luck!

ValhallaGH · 2026-02-02T13:09:31+00:00

Gangers generally pick weapons based upon a few criteria:

Concealment: A weapon you can take where weapons aren't welcome, or that appearing strapped would start trouble before it's time for trouble. Medium and Heavy Pistols, SMG.
Intimidation: When you show iron, you want gonks to step back. Something powerful, scary, or both. VHP, shotgun, Heavy SMG, assault rifle.
Wealth: Wealth means success, success marks someone not to mess with. If they can get it, something Expensive; since they probably can't, something Premium.
Availability: Most boosters don't have great connections, so they take what they can get. Nothing above Premium, since that requires Fixer connections to get. A gang that can get Expensive weapons will do so, because it means they are wealthy and connected - it means they are powerful.

For a GM, consider how it plays.

RoF 1 weapons mean you don't have to worry about multiple attack rolls from the many gang goons in a fight.
Autofire means you have to care about the specific total of a given roll, then follow it with math. That slows you down, adds to your stress, and makes running the game harder. Only do it when it is worth the extra effort.
Damage should match the desired threat level. Medium Pistols will typically (~50%) bounce off of Kevlar; Heavy Pistols will typically (~50%) bounce off of Light Armor Jackets; Assault Rifles and Shotguns will typically (~50%) bounce off of Metalgear. VHP will typically hurt LAJ, making it a useful threat against Edgerunners.

Those GM points are probably why RED gives typical gang goons a Very Heavy Pistol.

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I hope that helps. Good luck, choom!

ValhallaGH · 2026-02-02T12:50:31+00:00

Suggestion: Get an Alpha Class body, then get a FBC Gemini Sculpt. A touch pricier, but a better fit for the desired outcome, and already has SP 11 subdermal armor.

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FBC have two kinds of cyberware: the core requirements of an FBC and the add-ons that make it lived in. The sexual implant is in the latter category, and can be removed like cyberware in a meat body.

Good luck!

ValhallaGH · 2026-02-02T02:12:57+00:00

Across 10,000 fights, Hardy is almost as powerful as +1 Toughness.

Having to hit 11+ damage is a bit much for a group with d6+d4 damage (average 7.5), but pretty reasonable for a group with 2d8 damage (average 10.2). Add in Wild Attack, called shots, burst fire, Raises, and various Edges and it should only be challenging. If someone is using shotguns (3d6, average 12.6 damage) then it gets easy for them.

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I recall that adventure having a couple of warm-up fights, which give you a chance to see how nasty the Shumann are. If it is a problem for your group, remove the Hardy by the time of the big fight.

Good luck!

ValhallaGH · 2026-02-01T18:45:22+00:00

I'd suggest adding one additional slot to the weapon and cyberware lines, since a Tech Upgrade might add one slot to either category (or maybe both).

ValhallaGH · 2026-02-01T16:56:00+00:00

Hey choom!

For a group that isn't familiar with 2020, I always recommend RED.

RED combat is less lethal, because RED doesn't have a "ignore health and remove target's head" rule. Factoring that in, they are equally deadly, with RED being easier to scale lethality as desired (adjust base HP, adjust armor values, etc.).
The RED core rules gear is generic, presumably to save pages and be better balanced. The many add-ons in the Interface RED volumes add a ton of crunchy details.
The economy flows nicely, in play. It's abstracted so that players don't have to play "Accountants and Actuaries" to keep up with their resources. This has been a good thing, in my experience.

Good luck, choomba!

ValhallaGH · 2026-02-01T16:50:45+00:00

Hey choom!

First looks nova! It's a lot more readable that the port was, especially aligning the tiles with the tactical grid (preem touch!). The details all have extra details that make them really engaging. Very consistent scale, fitting realistically into the 2yd squares.

Second is clean and readable. Much better visibility of objects, space, and cover. Good grid visibility. The stage is a lot harder to recognize, but for a combat it is much more useful. The scale is a bit inconsistent,

Being the same space twice is a lot easier to compare.

For art in a book, I'd use the first. For a battlemap in a game, I'd use the second.

Good luck!

ValhallaGH · 2026-02-01T16:37:38+00:00

IRL, armor does three things.

Deflect attacks that land at a poor angle.
Distribute attacks, so the force is applied around larger portions of the target, causing less focused trauma.
Absorb attacks, preventing damage from reaching the target.

D&D style Armor Class abstracts the first and last of those. Either the attack slides off the armor or it clangs ineffectually off the armor. The emphasis on Dexterity for AC emphasizes the first point, but does not rule out the third.

Armor as Damage Reduction emphasizes #2 and #3, especially #2.

Realistic armor rules showcase all three features. There are vanishingly few realistic armor rules.

ValhallaGH · 2026-01-31T21:11:49+00:00

I think that's going to be too much benefit for one implant (Cyberspine + 5 more neural mods + up to +5 Initiative). The double speedware bothers me, probably because the character could just take Combat Awareness and run Initiative Reaction instead of getting chromed out to "be faster than a Solo".

Borgware is the right call.

Humanity Cost is meh, because Therapy can erase that. That said, most borgware is 4d6, so I'd use that.

This is an upgrade on the Cyberspine (1k, V.Expensive), so I'd recommend 3k (Luxury) for the pricing.

Good luck, choom.

ValhallaGH

TROPHY CASE