Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Shadowclaw777]

I made a layout of the techs and skills we can use, also someone should write a report of what Jon Thatcher should do with our current technology and skills so he can acquire the Expense Credit package

Operation: Return from Asunder
Human Power Inc.
Tech: Reconfigurable Subduer, Subduer, Walkie Talkies, Disguised Command Radios, Blackout Smoke Grenades
Skills: IDIOT, WGOAM, Distraction, Mesmerized Orders
Objective: Eliminate Target + Acquire Package

Singleton Arms
Tech: AR-1942, Night-Owl DMR, Subduers (Including Reconfigurable), Blackout Smoke Grenades
Skill: IDIOT, WGOAM, Distraction, Memorized Orders
Objective: Sabotage Test

Merkan:
Tech: AR-1942, Night-Owl DMR, Subduers (Including Reconfigurable), Blackout Smoke Grenades
Skill: IDIOT, WGOAM, Distraction, Mesmerized Orders
Objective: Capture Target

Global League:
Tech: Reconfigurable Subduer, Subduer, Walkie Talkies, Disguised Command Radios
Skills: IDIOT, WGOAM, Distraction, Mesmerized Orders
Objective: Escort and Defend Target

[Madman198237]

Human Power:
IDIOT/WGOAM: One Agent to attempt infiltration of Human Power itself, no action this turn (Long-term intelligence asset.)
IDIOT Protocol: Four Agents to investigate the bar, using Walkie-Talkies to coordinate the search.
---Concealed Subduers, not reconfigured. Astria should be incapable of using their heavy weapons and body armor in this field.
---This DOES presume we're not at a major time disadvantage due to, say, KOSMIC developing a car. If they don't and we're at a disadvantage anyway, well, GM BIAS

Singleton Arms:
IDIOT/WGOAM: One Agent to attempt infiltration of Singleton Arms itself, no action this turn (Long-term intelligence asset.)
IDIOT Protocol: One Agent to attempt infiltration of SA Security forces.
(Two words to memorize): SHOOT SHOOTERS
IDIOT Protocol: Two Agents to attempt infiltration of mechanics/work groups, (two words to memorize): BREAK STUFF
---Walkie Talkies, NO GUNS.
IDIOT Protocol: One Agent to provide 'overwatch', reporting things to Command and receiving new orders.
---Command Radio, Walkie-Talkie [attempt to report in approaching hostiles]

Merkan:
IDIOT Protocol: Technically-not-forged security clearances granting our men rapid and immediate access to everyone Merkan. Enemy agent is already in the open and on the move. Apprehend target as usual, carrying ALL WEAPONS NECESSARY because it's our own country and we can do that.

Plan Investments: (1) Madman, eS

[evictedSaint]

(Tentative design for next turn)

As the reach of our spy agency grows, it becomes more apparent that we need more refined methods of sabotage beyond "break things".  That is why I present, for your judgement, the Thermite Pen.

Thermite Pen:
Utilizing the incredible heat generated when ignited, the Thermite Pen is - quite simply - thermite stuffed into a pen.  Though it appears as little more than a fat, fancy, ball-point office pen, a small magnesium igniter is located in the cap.  This igniter is attached to a coiled fuse, which feeds out of the pen when the cap it twisted.  An agent can adjust the time to detonation by how much fuse is played out, at which point the thermite will be ignited and melt through pretty much anything with minimal noise.  The pen can be stabbed into wooden surfaces (to cause fires) or attached to harder surfaces with a simple adhesive such as chewing gum or tape.  Multiple pens can be combined for greater effect.

[FallacyofUrist]

Useful, but a Reconfigurable Subduer that more than one agent per theatre can use might be a better choice.

[Shadowclaw777]

Operation Plan for Jon Thatcher

Thatcher will enter with the food truck, be provided with some (relatively concealed) equipment and proceed from the kitchens to the target area (Probably before KOSMIC arrives, food service has to show up early to these things, after all.Otherwise, he will enter the party with the group riding in the shipment.They'll walk him in, faking their way around with IDIOT documents if possible, shooting if not (Fireworks, suckers!)
If not, he will be surreptitiously let in by security, who will walk him to the target and back out again using their own security clearance. If engaged, security will use Tactical Retreat to delay the forces while Agent Thatcher (and one backup agent) escapes with the book. If not, he'll just enter the party itself. From there, he heads inside, quietly (And non-lethally, if possible) taking out a guard for weaponry. Element of surprise, of course. From there, proceed all James Bond-like up the stairs and (undoubtedly) enter a dramatic confrontation with the hostile(s) on the top floor. ~~He shall then yell the memorized words *GM BIAS* at the top of his lungs~~ as he fires at the enemy from cover. When they're dead, he shall proceed to retrieve the book (From their corpses, if necessary) and get back to HQ.

ALL GROUPS will use Walkie Talkies where possible (i.e., not immediately obvious and cover-breaking) to communicate.

IDIOT Protocol: 2 Agents (If we're limited) will attempt to secure positions as food-service workers for the party (Catering). Their truck will contain some...suspicious boxes containing all the weapons and assorted other simple tools that we can lay our hands on.
IDIOT Protocol: Another agent or two will attempt to infiltrate security and/or janitorial positions. Janitors will smuggle in handguns with them, if possible, to support the infiltration and delay hostiles as much as possible, using the Tactical Retreat skill to preserve their lives and maximize delays. Security forces (if we're that lucky) will directly aid Agent Thatcher.
IDIOT Protocol: All remaining agents will attempt to become part of this illicit shipment of goods, and arrive with all possible weaponry. Two-word alert phrase: CHECK [the] COURIERS, as in, DON'T LET THE ENEMY SNEAK IN WITH YOU, CHECK FOR HIDDEN WEAPONS.

Utilizing the logic rationale from discord, this will be the operation plan for the economy credit mission.

[Madman198237]

I'M SORRY, OK? I just forgot to post PART of that stupid thing.


Anyways, that plan is part of Plan Investments, so, yeah, all votes apply to that plan (Until and unless they don't, in which case they don't) so we can get on with it.

Right, GM?

Thatcher will carry with him only a Subduer, concealed in his very fine tuxedo. He will bring IDIOT-prepared papers to threaten, bribe, coerce, or trick the CEO to showing him to the office, and departing with the paper surreptitiously slipped into his tuxedo jacket. If the CEO cannot be coerced for any reason, Thatcher will slip away from the party as soon as he arrives, attempting to use a minimum of lethal force while making his way through the building to retrieve the documents.

[Chiefwaffles]

Clarifications on rule changes: (The Core thread has been properly updated with all the rule changes as well.)
1.) 5 agents per theatre, and if captured/killed you lose that agent next Operations Phase. Captured agents can provide intelligence to their capturers via interrogation. Operations are now longer-term and take place over a longer period of time, more representing the overall operation and not just some coincidental engagement where both agencies arrive at the exact same time.
2.) (New) Expense is now done in simple numbers (and National Effort). Expense will now be shown in numbers - "1x, 2x, 3x," etc. with the number representing the number of agents per theatre able to use this design. "National Effort" still exists but should be very rare, and represents something that can only be used by one agent in one theatre. These are the conversions from the old expense values: Cheap -> 6x, Expensive -> 2x, Very Expensive -> 1x.
3.) (New-ish) Design rolls are now based on Sensei's ICAR and NUKE9.13's BFA. Designs + Revisions are assigned a difficulty that determines the modifier, there's only one roll, and that roll uses a 2d4 dice. See the Core thread for more details.
4.) There are completely new Theatre Control Bonuses. See the Theatres spoiler for the details.Operations Report, 1957


Human Power Inc. [5/5 Agents]
Objective: Locate and receive blackmail documents from crowded bar.

The location of the exact bar holding the objective documents is relatively quickly found. Less fortunately is where these documents are in the bar. The agents sent to investigate (as bar patrons) couldn't locate any papers after multiple weeks of searching. Finally, one day as our agents linger behind while the bar closes, an operative spots a safe in the backroom. Only accessible by bartenders.
Through IDIOT, we quickly acquired cover for our agents. Two managed to get in as fairly high-ranking bartenders, one as a server, while the last two agents were to analyze the situation from the main room as customers.

Our cover remains intact despite how bad our agents are at being bartenders. But as the bar closes one day, an odd man wearing a backpack-sized radio on his back decisively walks through the entrance. He stands at the side of the main room scanning the area while our agents whisper over their radios confusedly.
Conversing with Command has our agents deciding to make a run for the documents earlier than was originally planned. The suspicious man is obviously KOSMIC, but what he's doing here is unknown to us. Both bartenders head to the back room while assembling their reconfigurable Subduers away from the attention of the civilian staff.

They're followed closely by a civilian bartender that worked alongside them for the last few months. One of the MOLE bartenders blocks the civilian's path to distract him as the other retrieves the documents. The safe is found, the documents taken, and the carrier exits by the back door.
Suddenly, the KOSMIC radio-wearer beckons to two lingering customers and the customers immediately stand up and quickly walk out the front door. The civilian bartender does the same. Our team quickly comes to the realization that these people rapidly exiting the bar are all KOSMIC. We just had to stop them before they could stop our carrier. And since we don't have any specific strategies, transportation methods, and our agents didn't wish to shoot first, our team simply had to hope the carrier could outsmart KOSMIC.


Yet as soon as the carrier clears the shadow of the bar, an unexpected bullet from a nearby building makes contact, killing him. The exact location of the shooter is unknown, but the tremendously loud sound gives away the building he's on. Luckily the remaining MOLE bartender is stopped from walking outside (and into sniper fire) as our other agents inform him of what just happened via radio. The confused remaining civilians in the bar scream in terror as they flood out of the building, making it difficult for the remaining MOLE bartender to make his way out. Our pursuing operatives stick to cover (and consider Blackout grenades but decide against suffocation) as they pull out their silenced guns and begin opening fire at the running agents. Already, the shrill police siren rings out through the air.

Though using the Subduer at a range is difficult, the KOSMIC agents are completely exposed as they run for our carrier's corpse. We down one but their automatic return fire forces our agents under cover. A multitude of police cars scream around an intersection, coming to screeching stops between us and the KOSMIC agents.
Our agents, near the panicking civilian crowd and being shot at, manage to conceal their weapons and make it out with the crowd.

KOSMIC isn't so lucky. Their three remaining agents split up, with one going for the corpse and the other two moving into cover against the police, preventing them from advancing. Eventually the two engaging agents get arrested, but the runner is nowhere to be seen.

The documents remained unacquired by us, foiling our opportunity at increasing relations with Human Power. But we can see this as a morale victory,
1 MOLE agent KIA. | 1 KOSMIC agent KIA. 2 KOSMIC agents MIA?
Human Power Inc. is now on High Security, and police will be much more present next year.
Astria holds control of Human Power Inc. [A: 4/4; M: 0/4]. Astria can now begin infiltrating Merkan and gains the bonus: Can assign +1 agent to one theatre.



Singleton Arms [5/5 Agents]
Objective: Sabotage Astrian tank testing at Singleton Arms facility.

The facility in question is gradually infiltrated with our agents before the date of testing - a bit after the Human Power operation. Two agents are equipped with the Night Owl DMR, AR, and regular subduers (our heavy weapons), two are equipped with reconfigurable subduers, and one with no weapons at all. All five are given covers as relatively high-ranking workers for the test.

One day an agent reports an opportunity: a gap in the security. We manage to manipulate the schedule so only the MOLE agents are present near the tank. The DMR-wielders take the opportunity to move into subtle spots inside the facility in case it goes sour. The agents with reconfigurable subduers continue about their cover work as normal while the unarmed agent very carefully sabotag--
*BAM*

Audible sighs and some scattered ramblings about "bias" are heard at Command immediately following the noise as everyone in the room remembers what happened at Human Power. An order is relayed to the agents to stay in cover and the saboteur is confirmed dead. Three of the remaining four agents are told to distract the sniper - largely via suppressing suppressed fire - while the remaining agent finishes the sabotage.
Eventually we can hear footsteps coming towards our location - obviously the remaining KOSMIC forces, tipped off by the sniper. The saboteur finishes his work, and closes everything to make the tank appear untouched.

A Blackout grenade allows the (extraordinarily painful) escape from the site while avoiding sniper fire before KOSMIC reinforcements could arrive. Our agents just barely manage to exit before the police arrive. Command believes that there wer unnecessary risks made here by equipping agents with the unconcealable weapons - there was a very good chance they could have been spotted.


KOSMIC believed they drove us off, as later it was reported that with the tank's catastrophe of a test, Astria cancelled the tank's program and contract with Singleton Arms. Leaving it open for our government to swoop in after them.
1 MOLE agent KIA. | 0-5 KOSMIC agents MIA?
Merkan gains further control of Singleton Arms [A: 1/4; M; 3/4]



Global League [5/5 Agents]
Objective: Ensure VIP's plane takes off without complications at Merkane airport.

We didn't really stand a chance here.
The VIP was assassinated by sniper fire despite our best efforts before they made it to the plane. Our own agents that were escorting her managed to avoid detection thanks to the ensuing panic and quick response by security.

According to reports coming in from after-the-fact, Global League Security arrested three suspects with two suspects on the run. While Global League's interrogation techniques were likely ineffective, there has already been a decision to greatly increase the security this year and the next, with routine searches to prevent another sniper sneaking into position.
The reasoning for the assassination of the VIP has also been called into question, and in response to the VIP testifying against Astria as well as Astrian weaponry present on the scene, Astria has claimed that the "terrorists" responsible for the 1954 Human Power incident were also responsible for this.
3 KOSMIC agents MIA.
Global League is now on High Security, and security will be much more present and conducting routine searches next year.
Astria gains further control of Global League [A: 4/4; M; 1/4] If Astria holds the theatre for one more year, they gain the bonus: Can bypass type-restriction on Revisions.



Merkan [5/5 Agents]
Objective: Find and capture Merkane MOLE before eliminated by KOSMIC.

The mole is quickly found - our agents were able to split up and search the area for them while still remaining coordinated via the use of the Walkie-Talkies. However, the possible presence of another goddamn KOSMIC sniper means our operation is nowhere near over, even if a vital step was completed. [1d2=1] Also of note is the fact that it's night. Harder for the likely sniper to see our agents, but no crowds to blend into.
Via walking - since our agents only can walk - our team carefully moves towards public transit. At night the best thing possible is a 1:30 AM train to Merkan city. It's far away, but our agents use the cover of buildings and night to move forward.

But our agents aren't great at sneaking. They're good at disguises and covers. Yet KOSMIC knows we're operating here. They know the description of their mole. So disguises and cover don't do much help when walking through this town at night, practically alone.
So eventually they're found. By a single KOSMIC operative wearing their backpack radio. A particularly quick agent guns him down with the AR-1942, exposing their location.

Our agents break into a sprint towards the train station. A few more shots ring out among the streets of the mildly urban town as their sniper takes potshots at our team when exposed. Eventually, the police are heard coming. A flash of one of the agent's badges to the two arriving police cars buys a ride for the small group to the train station.
The car trip doesn't last long. As the 2-police car convoy moves through the desolate streets a shot from the sniper takes out the tire of a car, sending it out of control. It crashes into the other car, sending it into a 3-story building and the car of the shot-out tire into the opposite end of the street. The group has no choice but to huddle in cover while hoping the Merkane police arrest the sniper.


And eventually they do. The KOSMIC sniper is arrested, but no others are found. The Merkane parliament considers preparing the police for more situations such as this, but ultimately decide that would be far too militaristic. For now, the government remains secure.
1 KOSMIC agent MIA.
Merkan maintains control of their government. [A: 0/5; M: 5/5]



Expense Credit!
Special Agent Jon Thatcher casually strolls through the main entrance of the house with nothing but a casual smile on his face. His gun well-hidden underneath his tuxedo and a carefully-forged document hopefully giving him access to the target room, he walks forward into the courtyard.

The party is just getting started, as people still stream in from the house uphill and are just now beginning to talk and socialize. Immediately visible through the burgeoning crowds is the Tycoon. Poorly dressed with a dominating aura, and the perfect victim for Agent Thatcher. Thatcher approaches the Tycoon as if they were old friends, subtly moving him back up the hill towards the almost foreboding house.
As they talk and go through a series of fake laughs, Agent Thatcher casually shows his document to the Tycoon. He bites, his smile briefly disappearing and the most subtle sense of worry appearing in his brow.
"Just this way," the Tycoon beckons, bringing Thatcher along with him.

As they begin to walk up the staircase, a worker next to him collapses and with a terrified scream points at the Subduer that was no longer hidden. Thatcher is confused, but quickly realizes what's happening as he raises his hands above his hands and sees the worker subtly making their way up the stairs.
KOSMIC.

But there was no time for a confrontation. Thatcher works according to his orders to escape the site with as little lethal force as possible. Staring eye-to-eye with the security guard pointing their gun at him, Agent Thatcher launches himself towards the guard. The guard and Thatcher are knocked to the ground, giving Thatcher enough time to grab the pistol and make his exit.
Thatcher bursts out the front doors - his only way out - to see a handful of guards outside with their pistols again pointed at him, with one standing right in front of him. Yells from inside the house associated with footsteps approach. Without hesitation, the Special Agent dodges an attempted punch from the adjacent guard, kicks him off his feet, and jumps into the bushes adorning the side of the house. He quickly crawls through the row, emerging at the end and turning the outside corner of the house before the guards realize where he is.

From here Agent Thatcher eventually finds his way out of the area despite the continued searching for him. Yet he knows that KOSMIC has the book.
KOSMIC earns an Expense Credit. It can be used to increase the expense of any design by +1 for a turn.




Command would really really really appreciate it if some method - any method - was devised either through tech or skills to prevent that damn sniper. KOSMIC tends to sabotage themselves with the sniper due to its noise and general obviousness, but pyrrhic victories are still victories for KOSMIC.
They remind you that you're free of the conventional restrictions of the military. Expensive gadgets ((that may or may not break the laws of physics)) are a viable option due to the low number fielded and the growing importance of your agency.
It is now the Design Phase of 1957. Vote for a single Tech or Skill proposal to be worked on as this year's design.

Theatre objectives for next Operations Phase:
Human Power Inc. - A party involving a high-up Astrian official and representative of Human Power Inc. is set to occur in a luxurious penthouse at the top of one of Astria's tallest skyscrapers. KOSMIC will already be present as security, but we have the element of surprise. If we eliminate or capture both VIPs, then we can disrupt the biggest channel between HPI and the Astrian government. Alternatively, we know that there's wrongdoing going on behind the scenes - almost certainly bribery. If we somehow capture proof of this, then we could have a much more subtle way of completing our mission.
Singleton Arms - We've learned that a train full of freshly manufactured weaponry - one of the few contracts Astria still has with Singleton Arms - is being prepared at a remote train station. If we can waylay this train towards a Merkane train station or stop it altogether, MOLE should be able to completely eliminate the last vestiges of Singleton Arms' historical cooperation with Astria. Singleton security is minimal just before and during transit between the remote train station and a stop in Astria. This means our agents will likely have to deal with a moving train (and KOSMIC surely knows this) but the security will be too great otherwise.
Merkan - Prisoners from an ongoing (yet currently mild) terrorist movement in Merkan have revealed they are being sponsored by a part of KOSMIC. A shipment of weapons is apparently scheduled to be brought to them via truck, and KOSMIC certainly knows about our knowledge of this. The planned route is largely just busy roads, but at some point a lengthy bridge is crossed then an hour is spent in a fairly remote path in the mountains; we believe that we have the best opportunity to strike during these times. MOLE simply has to stop the shipment from reaching its destination, so the government can stamp out the "rebellion". If no vehicles are designed, we will be provided our choice of basic civilian vehicles to use for the operation if we so desire.
Global League - The Astrian "terrorist" agent captured by the Global League in 1956 is still under imprisonment, and there's rumors that he's starting to crack and may talk soon. The prisoner is scheduled for transfer to a less-regulated prison belonging to one of the Global League's nations. The transfer will be happening on a very large prison boat which is planned to leave port the soonest our agents can get there. MOLE is tasked with capturing or protecting the prisoner from harm or extraction by KOSMIC.

Spoiler: Theatres (click to show/hide)

Companies
- Human Power Inc. [A: 4/4; M: 0/4] (4/5 Agents) (High Security) (Can assign +1 agent to one theatre. Re-assignable.)
- Singleton Arms [A: 1/4; M: 3/4] (4/5 Agents) (Can assign +1x expense to one design. Re-assignable.)

Governments
- Astria [A: 5/5; M: 0/5] (5/5 Agents)
- Merkan [A: 0/5; M: 5/5]  (5/5 Agents)

Global League (5/5 Agents) (High Security; Searches) [A: 2/4; M: 2/4] (Can bypass type-restriction on Revisions.)

Spoiler: Skills (click to show/hide)

• WGOAM - "We Got Ourselves A MOLE" involves having multiple agents apply for jobs regularly at the target site and work there as normal employees. These infiltrating agents can be activated on-site by actual MOLE operatives, and will join the operation as agents hopefully originally considered by others to be regular employees. All agents given basic fake identities, and agents can only carry completely concealable firearms or they'll be unarmed. EXPENSE: 6x.
  
  • IDIOT - Infiltration, Detection, and Internal Operational Tasks - Agents' WGOAM covers are enhanced by advanced forgery of large number of identification documents, references, and other items. Agents are given better training on acting in accordance with their cover. Allows for general deep cover of agents, though still requires routine returning to the HQ for new orders. Agents are fairly high-up in their cover, with reasonable security clearance and the general benefit of the doubt, they weapons have to be concealed. EXPENSE: 6x.
  • Darned Sneaky Mailmen - WGOAM Agents under cover as a courier intercept any specially marked letters in the postal service and subtly deliver them to our agents. Not protected against hostile interference and not able to send/receive packages. EXPENSE: 6x.
• Distraction - Operatives will team up to get past security via some Operatives throwing rocks and making noises and whatnot while the others sneak through. EXPENSE: 6x.
• Conditional Retreat - Operatives will immediately (and temporarily) abort their mission and sneak out if they're spotted, to avoid unnecessary casualties. Operatives make judgement call to stay+resume mission and eliminate spotters instead if they believe spotters can be successfully and stealthily defeated. EXPENSE: 6x.
• Memorized Orders - Operatives are given their mission in person at HQ, and are expected to remember the specifics of their mission until they report back (again in person) for debriefing and a new assignment. EXPENSE: 6x.

Spoiler: Tech (click to show/hide)

• Merkan Arms MA-DMR-01 Night Owl: A wood-and-metal 7.62mm 10-round magazine DMR with a rather weak integrated suppressor. Fairly bulky and quite large, limiting operative mobility and deployment during battle. Extremely obvious. EXPENSE: 2x.
• A-R1940 - A simple yet functional assault rifle stolen developed during the war, roughly on par with the weapons of other world powers developed around the same time. Very obvious, but quite versatile. EXPENSE: 6x.
• Merkan Subduer - A 5-round low-caliber semi-automatic pistol originally developed for special operatives in the early years of the war. Can be somewhat concealed with enough effort, but is very easily located if anyone cares about the holder carrying weaponry. Suppressed, so it won't alert the entire facility but while quiet for a gun, it's still quite loud and notable. EXPENSE: 6x.
  
  • Reconfigurable Merkan Subduer - A version of the Subduer that can be reassembled to/from a metallic "wallet"-like object to be easily obscured. Takes roughly a minute to change forms. EXPENSE: 1x.
• "Blackout" Smoke Grenade - A smoke grenade that unleashes very large amounts of thick black smoke to completely obscure an area. Can completely disrupt a building and suffocate operatives if used indoors, and attracts large amounts of attention. EXPENSE: 6x.
• Walkie Talkie - A relatively moderate-range (covers the general area but no long-range communications) briefcase-disguised radio with a small wire leading from the handle to a subtle-yet-present headset mounted on one side of the head, preferably disguised by a hat. Can likely be seen if specifically looked for, even when disguised. Relatively poor communication through walls, especially thick military/secure walls. Through a series of radio "waypoints", Walkie Talkies can communicate with Command with a minor delay. EXPENSE: 6x.

[FallacyofUrist]

Okay, we really do need to do something about snipers. Seriously, that's broken.

Under Armor:
Spider silk is amazing stuff, we've found. We've bred black widow spiders(they make the second best silk in the world, we're still waiting on the Darwin's Bark spiders) to produce large amounts of harvestable spider silk which we can weave into a one-piece bodysuit, wearable under clothes. The addition of ceramic plates over vital areas completes the armor. Under Armor is a spider-silk and ceramic plate bodysuit worn under normal clothes. It easily protects from small arms fire, lessens the impact of greater fire, and should hopefully enable our agents to survive being hit by a sniper.

[evictedSaint]

(2) UnderArmor: evictedSaint, Fallacy

[Shadowclaw777]

Advanced SpyCar "The Vigilante '57":
The Merkan operatives and the inside agents have always complained that the only way of stealthy infiltration and extraction is through their slow little legs, but how about a car? Not any ordinary civilian car, but an advanced car from the military, now that's what they need for their missions.
The engines of this machine is more than twice the horsepower of the current civilian generation and noiseless too, a special polymer alloy instead of raw steel creates the frame so that it block from small-arms fire. The windows replicated from limo-designed are of a bulletproof glass with a blackened tint, the person from the inside can see you but the outside has no clue. The wheels are specially crafted, they are of a sturdy and strong design able to go off-road to all-terrain means that it needs to be transported, the car comes with two special properties to cement its place as an advanced design.
The first properties is a of an attached squad automatic firing gun is hidden in the car's hood,  it almost seems like the car just had a weird engine on its hood when it's actually a light machine gun that been cleverly hidden.
The second property is of a cool advanced design as it has a storage unit under the car that carries road caltrops, with the activation of a single button, the car will start to spread a bunch of caltrops that can rip into other cars and destroys and inflate their sad little wheels.
It also comes with the the snazzy chariot-blades or it has the abilities to have inserted blades within the tips of the wheel, with an activation switch around the wheels that can cut through other vehicles or precious bodies.
This car is of the standard Merkan varient of the 1956 new generation of civilian cars ready to bring innovation and population of this set of car to the modern world. Which will allow the Vigilante to discreetly insert itself that looks like a civilian car and not an advanced spycar. All in a cool hardened obsidian black paintjob.

[Chiefwaffles]

Under Armor:
Spider silk is amazing stuff, we've found. We've bred black widow spiders(they make the second best silk in the world, we're still waiting on the Darwin's Bark spiders) to produce large amounts of harvestable spider silk which we can weave into a one-piece bodysuit, wearable under clothes. The addition of ceramic plates over vital areas completes the armor. Under Armor is a spider-silk and ceramic plate bodysuit worn under normal clothes. It easily protects from small arms fire, lessens the impact of greater fire, and should hopefully enable our agents to survive being hit by a sniper.

Tech Design: Under Armor
(Normal) (4+4) = 8: Unexpected Boon

We've done it!

Under Armor is perhaps the most advanced piece of armor in the world at the moment. It's made using entirely spider silk - we ultimately didn't even need ceramics. The "Merkane Method" - now one of our government's most highly protected secrets - is an entirely new process for the refinement of spider silk into usable clothing. Getting enough silk is a challenge, but one more than worth the effort required. Those in Parliament with clearance to Under Armor are already considering pouring large amounts of money towards an independent continued research effort in Under Armor.

Under Armor is extraordinarily strong. We've tried testing as many types of firearms and ammunition as we can against it, and not a single one has managed to effectively pierce the armor. We believe that maybe weapons like anti-materiel rifles and - of course - higher-caliber vehicle weaponry would be able to pierce the armor. Repeated damage in a general area of Under Armor is eventually able to start piercing it, with the number of hits taken depending on the firearm and ammunition. But with the guns we've tested, it requires a lot of repeated shooting at the same spot to damage it. Under Armor doesn't make our agents invulnerable: they can be knocked down, bruised, and still generally "hurt" by bullets but nothing debilitating or lethal.
But in general? We don't believe Astria has a single weapon that could pierce Under Armor.

Under Armor covers the majority of the body below the neck, so concealing clothing - like suits - is recommended for agents making use of Under Armor. An agent wearing the proper clothing with Under Armor shouldn't be any more conspicuous than without Under Armor. We've included a mask made out of the same Merkane Silk, but to nobody's surprise it will immediately out any agents wearing it to civilians and hostile agents alike.
As a side note, agents wearing Under Armor will still (ultimately) surrender to the police - even if they could easily eliminate them, murdering police officers is not how you run an effective espionage agency.


Gathering spider silk from our captive spiders is an extremely tenuous process and the quantities needed for the Merkane Method are extraordinarily high. Because of this, we have an expense of 2x. Command believes that it may actually be a viable idea to have the only "active" agents in operations be those that we can equip with Under Armor.

Spoiler: Tech Design: Under Armor (click to show/hide)

Under Armor - Made using "Merkane Silk", a material made using spider silk and an extremely secretive Merkane process. Shrugs off all known forms of small arms fire barring specialized anti-materiel rifles (likely). Full-body below the neck and completely concealable when worn with a similar-covering piece of clothing like a formal suit. Comes with optional + extremely obvious mask to give head some protection. EXPENSE: 2x.

It is now the Revision Phase of 1957.

[evictedSaint]

Revision: Disguised Vans

We acquire a few windowless vans from various Merkan and Astrian manufacturers and give them a paint-job.  This fleet of vehicles can be pulled from any time we need to quietly get men or equipment into an area, disguised as various businesses.  Example disguises may include a flower delivery company, a window-cleaners company, an air conditioner repair company, an insect-exterminator company, or really any company that would have need for a windowless van.  Ideally these vans come with disguises for the operators, which is generally no more complex than a pair of coveralls or a blue jump-suit.

[Shadowclaw777]

Disguised Vans (2); Evictedsaint, Shadowclaw

[FallacyofUrist]

Just a reminder that we have two revisions(unless Chief changed that), one Skill Revision and one Tech Revision.

Tech Revision: Spider Farming:
We take our black widow harvesting to the next level. Specifically breeding spiders for greater amounts of young produced, breeding spiders to cause them to create larger amounts of silk, breeding spiders for tameness(not cannibalizing each other and being territorial), providing feed optimized for increased silk production, and feeding spiders the blood of Astrians are all techniques we have tried to improve our silk production. The end result is a cheapening in the production of our Under Armor.

Tech Revision: Darwin's Bark Spider Silk:
Surely Under Armor couldn't get any tougher, we thought. Designer FallacyofUrist pointed out that there was still a type of spider that produced stronger silk, the Darwin's Bark spider, found only in Madagascar. A small shipment of said spiders was ordered, and silk was produced from them. It was worth it. The Under Armor we produced using Darwin's Bark spiders is far tougher than the black widow variety. Freakishly tough, we could say. Tough enough to resist an anti-material rifle? For the first shot in one location, at least. Under Armor will now be produced using Darwin's Bark spider silk.

Take your pick. Toughness, or cheapness? Nothing stops us from doing both if we assign our next turn's tech revision to this.

Skill Revision:
Disguised Vans (3): Evictedsaint, Shadowclaw, FallacyofUrist

Tech Revision:
Spider Farming (0):
Darwin's Bark Spider Silk (0):

[evictedSaint]

Revision: Distraction -> Innocuous

Rather than using rocks and other bullshit to distract people, our agents instead attempt to appear innocuous.  By simply not looking terribly out-of-place, they don't draw as much attention to themselves.

This means no more furtive glances, no more looking worried once things look bad, and generally being less obviously a spy in general.  This could be as simple as holding up a newspaper to cover the agents face, or pretending to be waiting for the bus.