TAKEOVER AT WHISPER BASE

War rages across the galaxy. Both the brutal Galactic Empire and the desperate Rebel Alliance reel in the face of terrible loses. Though Rebel forces managed to destroy the super weapon called the Death Star, their victory did not come in time to save the world of Alderaan. Fear and uncertainty swell in the galactic community.

Now, one small battle begins on the verdant world on Onderon. Deep in the jungle, Rebel Intelligence has discovered a listening post built by Moff Dardano to spy on his rival, Admiral Corlen. The Rebel Alliance has sent a crack team of infiltrators to take the secret listening post and turn it into a forward Rebel base in the Japrael system. After hours of slogging through the dense jungle, with it's poisonous foliage and oppressive heat, the heroes have reached their destination: Whisper Base. Compared to staying in the jungle, the prospect of ambushing an Imperial patrol and breaking into a heavily guarded base seems almost pleasant..

HISTORIANS NOTE: This adventure takes place shortly after the events of Star Wars: A New Hope.

From atop a rising hill, crouched low on the ground and peering through the jungle, you can see the Imperial Whisper base. As the war rages on between the Galactic Empire and the Rebel Alliance, your team of infiltrators have a special job: Insertion into Whisper Base, explore, and take over. You've been travelling through the jungle for way longer than you'd like, and we're about to introduce our first game mechanic: Strain.

STRAIN: Strain reflects mounting fatigue and stress. If a character is ever suffering a total amount of strain greater than his or her strain threshold, you collapse unconscious.

Due to your journey through the jungle, each PC now suffers 2 strain to represent your exhaustion from the stress of slinking through the jungle, dodging Imperial patrols, and stinging insects alike. 

ENCOUNTER ONE - INFILTRATION

You scurry out of the humid, insect-ridden jungle and into the relative cool of the garage at AREA 8 on the map above.

This garage serves as an entrance to Whisper Base, an Imperial listening post deep in the wilds. For the first time since your ship delivered you to Onderon and departed, the hum of machinery drowns out the sounds of the jungle.

Your primary mission here is simple enough: cut the comm line, disable Whisper Base's lone shuttle, and then overcome the Imperials in the base without letting the commander—Lieutenant Sarev—escape to report the base lost.

Simple, but by no means easy. The smell of machine oil hangs in the air all around the garage. You see a number of speeder bikes, as well as a pair of AT-ST walkers, and their hatches locked. There are several crates in the garage, as well as a number of fuel tanks. A large metal door on the other side of the bay, sealed by a complex lock, leads into the base itself. You find the comm line you've been told to cut and slice through it, severing Whisper Base from the outside world with a hiss and a spray of sparks. Soldiers from the base will soon investigate the disturbance. Fortunately, this is part of the plan—taking one of their code cylinders will let you get past the locked door without raising an alarm. What do you do to prepare for their arrival? Here are some options:

If one of you simply try to hide behind crates, under a table, or behind one of the locked AT-STs. then the skill check is a (Stealth) check. But, there are other things you might want to try, such as:

Convincing the arriving soldiers that you are newly arrived recruits. (Deception)
Climbing a beam and staying very still. (Coordination)
Prying open a crate and climbing inside. (Athletics)
Picking the lock to an unpowered AT-ST and stepping inside the cockpit. (Skulduggery)
Sliding under one of the speeder bikes and pretending to perform repairs. (Cool)

The choice is yours. Whatever you decide to do, it's going to involve our first dice roll skill check! 

SKILL CHECKS

Whenever a character performs a check, the player controlling that character (the active player) rolls a pool of dice. This dice pool consists of both "good dice," contributed by the character's own abilities and positive circumstances, and "bad dice," contributed by the difficulty of the task and negative circumstances.

To perform this skill check, the active player (the player whose character is performing the action) should do the following: Collect a pool of dice equal to the number and type of dice listed on the character sheet for the skill in question, plus one purple Difficulty die (This is an easy task, so one purple difficulty die it is). Roll the dice on Discord. This will generate a result. Failure symbols cancel Success symbols. If there is at least one Success symbol left over, the task succeeds. That's it! This is the core mechanic of the game.

ADVANTAGE AND THREAT

If there are more Advantage symbols than Threat symbols after the roll, you can recover 1 strain per Advantage symbol in excess of Threat symbols. Conversely, if there are more Threat symbols than Advantage symbols, you suffers 1 strain per Threat symbol in excess of Advantage symbols. In addition to success and failure, each check may generate positive or negative side effects or other outcomes, represented by the Advantage symbol and the Threat symbol, respectively.

These twists of fortune are independent of success or failure; a check can fail and still generate a positive side effect via Advantage, or a check can succeed but with a negative consequence due to Threat. Advantage symbols are canceled by Threat symbols and vice versa, just as with Success and Failure symbols. If any Advantage symbols remain once this is done, then something beneficial to the active character has occurred. If any Threat symbols remain, then something harmful to the active character has occurred. In this case, the active character may recover 1 strain per Advantage symbol. The active character suffers 1 strain per Threat symbol. This is the most basic way to use Advantage and Threat, and this option is always available to the active character; other specific options are discussed later.

Go ahead and role-play this first encounter and make your rolls. Feel free to talk among yourselves and have fun role-playing the situation. Based on your rolls, and whether you succeed or fail, gain advantage or threat, I will update tonight when I get home.

Jin pushes hair out of her eyes and glances at the door. "Okay, clock's ticking. Let's get this ambush set up. You guys know I love a good verbal trap, and I think I could get one alone so we could jump him, but I'm open to any and all suggestions on other options too."

Lt. Arkhan, a rather lean, wiry old bothan takes a cloth and pats down the dripping sweat off his furry forehead. He points a finger over to one of the AT-STs and turns to Tendarr, the engineer. "If I open that tin can up, do you think you could get those guns ready for incoming imps?" The hairy commander points to Jin, the diplomat, "When they come through, do you think you could convince the imps that we are new engineers, here to work on their equipment? It might keep them distracted long enough to get the drop on them. I'll pose as a mechanic under one of those speeder bikes, and Bazine can lurk in the shadows or even get to work slicing into the comm relay." He turns to the group, "What do you all think? Anything I'm not seeing that could prove advantageous?" Arkhan fixes each of his team with an intense look, his battle-scarred face cutting a rather haggard expression.

Jin flicks her braid over her shoulder, meeting Arkhan's gaze without hesitation. "Won't be a problem on my end, LT. Might even be able to convince them to split up a bit, if they're newbies themselves." Her fingers hover over the disguise kit in her bag for a moment before moving on, dismissing it as not useful...yet.

Tendaar rolls his eyes at his companions, "Seeing how that plan has me doing most of the work after walking through the doors, I see no reason why I would be troubled by it." The calamari engineer, tapped his own tools, while eying the various bits of the base, "That said, once inside, I'd like to see if I can shut those doors. Perhaps a central terminal where we can trap everyone, the Lieutenant included, inside and turn their defense against them." 

"Understood, Tendaar. We'll get you in the right direction A.S.A.P." Arkhan quickly moves over to a parked AT-ST, pulling out some simple tools and (SKULLDUGGERY: 1 success, 2 advantage) pops open the hatch, waving to Tendaar, before jumping down and sliding under the nearest speeder bike pretending to work on the bike, with his blaster at the ready (COOL: 2 success, 1 disadvantage). The hairy commander gives a nod to the others, "Let's get into position for quick ambush."

Jin tightens her braid and waits near the entrance, biting her lip and to all appearances looking to be a nervous newbie. When they come in, she immediately launches into a stuttering speech. "Oh-uh, hi, we're kinda...new? And we just got here, and I really don't know my way around this place, but they said something about taking a look at mechanical stuff while we waited, and I didn't know if it was a good idea, but they're kinda doing it anyway. Anyway, um, could someone maybe, I dunno, explain things a bit? I've never, um, been this far out before." She blushes deeply.

1 success, 3 advantage.

Quiet and mysterious, Bazine lurks around the periphery of the group, hardly ever opening her mouth to offer an opinion.  Giving off the air of aloofness, most people hardly even notice her, which is just how she likes it.  Always the drab, gray nobody.  But always listening, especially to the whispers on the cusp of the conversations.

When the team makes a break for the AT-ST, Bazine quickly scurries behind Tendaar, ready to sneak into the garage and find the comm line to be cut.

Stealth: 3 success, 1 advantage

Cool: 1 success 1 advantage)

Tendaar is already rushing into the garage, looking the part of a mechanic already makes it easy for him to slide into place on a separate bike when eyes are thrown his way. Entering with little to no problem, he begins to peer around for the interior layout of the structure, looking for a comm line, garage door controls, or even a terminal to get a better layout of the facility and possibly do more damage.

So, to recap, you entered the base into the garage (AREA 8 on the map I pinned in Discord) and found the comm line you've been told to cut, slicing through it, severing Whisper Base from the outside world with a hiss and a spray of sparks. Soldiers from the base came to investigate the disturbance. Fortunately, this is part of the plan—taking one of their code cylinders will let you get past the locked door without raising an alarm. You all successfully did what you wanted to do. Here's the results:

Tendaar: 1 success, 1 advantage. You pass. Go ahead and remove one Strain.

Bazine: 3 successes, 1 advantage. You pass. Go ahead and remove 1 Strain.

Jin: 1 success, 3 advantage. You pass. Go ahead and remove 2 strain.

Arkhan: 1 success, 2 advantage, 2 success, 1 disadvantage. You pass. Go ahead and remove 1 strain.

As you slide into position for your ambush, you hear the sounds of hard boots on a pourstone floor and the idle chatter of Imperial soldiers coming from behind the locked door into the base. "It's probably just a cannok chewing on the wires again." one of them says with an air of boredom. You hear the door to the base click shut again behind them, and the soldiers walk past you toward the entrance to the base, apparently almost overlooking you - but there's Jin. *Catcall*

"Oh. What the..?" one of them says as they see Jin. "How did you..?" they say, looking at each other. They're momentarily confused as you speak.

Now's your chance. If you strike quickly and quietly, you can take them all out before they can trigger the alarm!

ENCOUNTER 2: SPRINGING THE TRAP

In this encounter, a fight breaks out between you all and a group of Moff Dardano's sentries who operate out of this base. There are as many Whisper Base sentries in this encounter as there are PCs, so there's four sentries. The sentries are standing by the locked door, engaged with one another; they are at short range from the garage door and medium range from the far side of the room. Now indicate your locations based on your actions during Encounter 1. This will either determine if you're at engaged range, or medium range.

INITIATIVE

Since you all passed your skill checks, for sake of this starter adventure, you have won initiative. So, here's the combat order:

PC, PC, PC, NPC, PC.

Note that each Initiative slot is claimed by a team (PCs or NPCs), not by an individual character. You guys choose the order in which your characters use your team's slots. On each character's turn, that character can perform a single action and a single maneuver (in any order). Kind of like in D&D: one attack, and one move. Characters can perform a second maneuver on their turns by suffering 2 strain or by downgrading their action to a maneuver. Characters can never perform more than 2 maneuvers during their turn, nor can they perform more than 1 action. 

COMBAT

Attacks are skill checks, and the skill used is determined by the weapon. The skill used to attack with a given weapon is listed in its description. The active character should gather the dice for the dice pool as indicated for the relevant skill.

The difficulty of an attack check (the number of purple Difficulty dice added to the check) is determined by the circumstances of the attack:

- If the attack is at short range, it is an Easy check. Add 1 Purple die to your dice pool.
- If the attack is at medium range, it is an Average check. Add 2 Purple dice to your dice pool.
- If the attack is at long range (which it won't be as long as everyone stays inside the garage), it is a Hard check. Add 3 Purple dice to your dice pool.
- If the attacker is engaged with his or her target, it is an Average check (2 Purple) if it's made with the Melee, Brawl, or Ranged (Light) skill. If the attack is made with the Ranged (Heavy) skill, it is a Hard (3 Purple) check.

A character who uses the Aim maneuver also adds a Boost die (blue) to the attack's dice pool. Characters who are in cover add Setback dice (black) to attacks that target them (this is for me).

Once the dice pool is assembled, it is rolled and evaluated like any other skill check.

DAMAGE AND SUFFERING WOUNDS

If the attack is a success, it hits and the hit inflicts damage on the target. The damage inflicted by the attack is equal to the damage rating of the weapon plus the number of Success # symbols left uncanceled. The target reduces the damage he or she suffers by his or her soak rating—a combination of the character's natural toughness and the armor he or she is wearing. If a character's soak rating reduces the damage to 0 or less, that character suffers no wounds. Otherwise, the character suffers wounds equal to any remaining damage. When a character suffers wounds, that character's controller marks them on his or her character sheet. When a character's total number of wounds suffered exceeds his or her wound threshold, the character is defeated and knocked unconscious.

ADVANTAGE

Characters may spend Advantage to do several things. In general, the player controlling the active character chooses how to spend Advantage symbols, with the GM's approval. Options include:

- Spend 1 Advantage to recover 1 strain.
- Spend 2 Advantage to immediately perform a bonus maneuver without suffering strain (a character can still only make up to two maneuvers per turn).
- Spend 2 Advantage to give a Boost die (blue) to the next attack against the target.
- Spend Advantage to inflict 1 Critical Injury on the target if the attack is successful—each weapon requires an amount of Advantage noted in that weapon's description.
- Spend Advantage to do something else appropriate to the plot and situation.

Combat begins! FOR THE ALLIANCE!

Easily sneaking into the garage like a vulptex, Bazine quickly found the comms line and severed it, before returning to hide behind a large shipping container near the garage door.  Upon hearing the sentries lazily enter the garage to check out the commotion, Bazine takes the first combat slot by springing into action.  She quickly pulls out a stun grenade from her leather satchel, depresses the correct command sequence to activate it, and throws it in the midst of the entire group of sentries.

Attack (3G+1P) results = 2 Successes + 2 Advantages

Damage: (blast) Hit all characters engaged with target for 8+2=10 stun damage

Tendaar, still under the bike faking the repairs, quickly sneaks his blaster to his side, preparing for the start of the fighting. He takes the thrown and detonating stun grenade as the sign for the attack and quickly fire covering fire from under his bike so that the next person to attack has an improved shot.

Attack: (1g + 1y + 1p) = 2 advantage

Damage: 6 wound damage on single target (the foremost Storm Trooper)

Jin grunts as the stun grenade hits. "BAZINE! Wait until I'm out of range, goddammit!" She limps backwards (sacrificing my Action for another maneuver) and rolls behind some cover as best she can given that she's BLIND.

Bazine tosses out a stun grenade, and it goes off just as Tendaar's shot fires off. While Tendaar misses, giving another player an edge, the Imperial guards completely didn't expect the stun grenade as it flashes.

The Imperial guards have a soak value of 3. Bazine's stun grenade did 10 damage, so 7 damage is applied to the guard's Wound Threshold. The guards only have a Wound Threshold of 5, so they all sprawl over unconscious!

It also flashes off right in front of Jin.

There are now four unconscious guards on the floor.

Lt. Arkhan climbs out from under the speeder bike, and nods at the group, 

“Great work, that was a quieter ambush than expected. Let’s get the code cylinder, and the uniforms from these imps, then we can restrain them, and maybe we can hide them in that AT-ST I unlocked.”

Arkhan goes over and help Jin in the right direction, “this way.” He will then search through the imperials for anything important to the mission, then set about tying the imperials up and hoisting then into the open walker.

Jin shakes her head as her vision clears, then glares at Bazine. "Next time, wait for me to get out of range before throwing one of those things." She pats down the hair that went frizzy at the electricity before adding, "But good thought on getting them all down quietly."

As you strip and tie up the Imperials, they have the following items each on them:

Light blaster pistol (Skill: Ranged [Light], Damage 5; Range [Medium]; OOOO : inflict Critical Injury), army uniform and helmet (+ 1 soak), canteen, code cylinder.

Where do you leave them? They'll probably wake up shortly? One of their code cylinders should allow you to access the main door that leads further into the compound.

You can hear the noise of a droid coming from behind you all.

Tendaar takes the code cylinder, examining it momentarily before taking it to the side. Then then pulls the tied up imperials to one of the speeder bikes that he was working on earlier, and takes a moment to rig up a pressure plate that, if one of them stands up, will cause the bike to combust.

Bazine snickers and responds to Jin, "Sorry 'bout that, Jin....but you're so stunning looking, I figured a stun grenade wouldn't harm you at all!"

Upon hearing the oncoming droid, Bazine will quickly jump behind a concealing stack of shipping containers, unlatch her blaster rifle from her back, flip down her electrogoggles, and lay in wait for the oncoming droid (ready to pop out and blast the thing, if required).

Stealth skill check (1Y2G1P): results = 2 Success + 1 Triumph