THE BASICS

-----Case in point before I let Nameless go on his rant here. Nameless deals with the higher (???) society elements in the shadow market. Therefore, he handles mostly the upper escelons of corporate Johnsons as a bodyguard. He's well suited for it. However, not all of his experience is valuable on the level of the street that I deal with, as opposed to those he mentions below. Some of it works, some of it doesn't, but all can be modified in some way to apply to wherever it is you do your work and with a liberal sprinkling of nuyen.-----

May god grant me with the serenity to change the things I can, accept that, that I cannot change, and to bury the bodies of the people who pissed me off on the way up.

--Anonymous, as written on a sprawl batroom stall

With the advent of new technology progressing every day, it is increasingly important that one be able to keep up to date with technology, not so that you know what you should start saving your money for, but so that you know what you are up against now. If you know what is out there on the market and know how to recognize it once it is installed then you know what to expect from your enemy. Also if you know your tech well enough, you may already know of any weaknesses it may have.

-----This is key. I don't care what anyone says, all cyberware has something that makes you pay a price for the extra power it gives you, and I ain't just talking about nuyen. Take the Spine Daggers that are back on the Cyberware Posting. Yeah, they'll impale who ever tries to jump you, but they hurt you as well when the pop out, not to mention that fact that if the blades get stuck, you can rip out your own spine before you can get free.-----

--Spindler (08-03-60/14:15:16)

Most people (those that know of me) are under the mistaken impression that I have survived for this long only because of the speed I received from my cyber, they are blind simple fools. I have survived this long on the streets because I know my tech and what it is capable of. Tech is only half as important as people think it is. The meat is the most important part of the man, in particular one piece of meat, your mind. Mages use it, so do corp Johnsons, and a million other people in this world, take a hint and think before you act on you impulses.

-----Sometimes impulses are all you got left when your brain has failed you. There are some runs that you take that just can't be thought through. All the brainpower in the world ain't gonna make the fake building plans or time schedules that a slimy Mr. Johnson gave you any more valid before you mount a run on a security installation. Forethought is good, but instincts are better.-----

--Wildchild (08-03-60/14:32:19)

When you do get your tech make sure you use your head and get cyber that will let you do your job better not that looks cool on the movie screens. That kind of drekheaded thinking will get you killed in a heartbeat. Also get cyber that compliments its counterparts, get muscle augmentation to compliment your wired reflexes, they do make you a little faster as well as a drekload stronger. Another tip, pay the extra nuyen and get beta ware put in your cybereyes, you can get almost twice the enhancements for your essence and no amount of money can give that back to you. The best advice I can give on your tech purchases is to spend the money now, it keeps you alive to make a lot more money later.

-----Not gonna do it chummer. Betaware is too pricy. Most of us street kids have trouble scoring that much nuyen to begin with. Street kids don't exactly have the resources available to even get the kind of jobs it takes to rake in that much nuyen. And even if we could, you gonna show me the clinic I can afford to go to to get it installed?-----

--Ratso (08-03-60/14:59:12:07)

Every time you go to meet a Johnson, make sure that you have scoped the area out a few days early so you know all the different ways you can run. Just remember that any direction you may be able to escape in is one more route for an enemy you didn’t know about to come onto the scene and ruin your day. Second if the Johnson is gonna have muscle on the scene make sure you have some to just be sure yours stays out of sight. The third surprise my friend, is to keep a thermal smoke grenade or a flash-pak on you at all times. It’s not cowardly or dishonorable to run from an enemy. If you’re outgunned, it’s fraggin’ smart. One of the best kinds of support (or muscle) you can get assistance from is by befriending someone with a good sniper rifle and an even better aim. Also, make sure you don’t know exactly where your sniper friend is gonna be; you don’t want to give him away by accident. Third, always have some form of transportation to drag your narrow hoop out of the situation your bad luck got you into. Your best bet with this is a good motorcycle so you can dodge in and out of traffic not some stupid limo so you can show off. Fourth, always wear a neutral, but common color to make it easier to blend in with the crowds. Remember, corps don’t open up on crowds of people, us runners are the ones that usually do that. And last but sure as hell not least, is always, always double check whatever info you get from your Johnson, because whatever he told you is carrying his corp’s bias on it and you can’t afford that.

-----Now, of course this information works best in the sprawl. This is nigh unto useless in a wilderness environment. Places like the Salish-Sidhe and Tir Tairngire are too wild a place to be predictable and to rugged a terrain to bring a more practical vehicle. Some of the tactics are sound for corp installations and fortresses, but you have to adjust your level of paranoia accordingly to each type of base you might run into.-----

--Tetsagu (08-03-60/15:07:17)

To revive the topic of automobiles, get at least two cars and put them in different places throughout the city you are centering your operations around. Make sure the colors and preferably the makes of your cars are common. Lone Star is less likely to open fire on your hoop if they aren’t sure its you. Just get uncommon enhancements on your common make and model cars. Things like nitrous oxide injectors, rollbars, and run-flat tires go a long way in keeping you alive and out of the Star's hands. Also keep at least one motorcycle as well, this will give you the flexibility to go through alleyways as well, that alone can save your life a hundred times over. Unless you’re a rigger don’t bother with any of the signature altering modifications, the corps and Lone Star have sensor systems way beyond what you could beat, don’t waste your money. My last point on the automobile topic is don’t’ be afraid to lose the vehicles, do whatever is necessary to survive and if that means blowing up your car to buy yourself five minutes, do it, and don’t hesitate. You can buy another car, you can’t buy another life.

-----But, oh at what a price. I lost a T-Bird on a smuggling run once. This baby was tricked out to the max. ECM and ECCM, signature masking, guided weapons systems, thruster boosts, UCAS military vehicle plating... the works. After I tallied up the cost of what it would cost to replace it in addition to the contraband I was carrying, it came out to be several million nuyen. I still haven't fully recovered from the loss of the equipment.-----

--Makin' Tracks (08-03-60/15:57:07)

In the way of protection get all your clothes from Secure-Tech, they make reliable armored clothing with passable style if not what I would call "tres chic." If you have the money, get your armored clothing from the finer styles like Mortimer’s of London. Of course if your meeting with a gang lord such finery would only piss him off and make him take your money and clothes to spite you. For that sort of occasion I would suggest something simpler, say a flack jacket, or the basic armor jacket or longcoat. If you are dressing for style always prepare for the worst, if you are dressing for function, again, prepare for the worst.