Star
Wars: Age of Rebellion: Provisions
There's an old saying that “an
army marches on its stomach.” While that might be outmoded, what
with the multi-faceted nature of interplanetary warfare, it is still
in essence true. Without a solid supply of food, military forces on
the ground, in the air and in space are not going to be successful.
To that end, the Rebel Alliance invests considerable effort in
obtaining and distributing adequate foodstuffs for its members. The
Galactic Empire is always on the lookout for those who would thus
supply the Rebels, however, and cracks down whenever it suspects
someone of aiding and abetting the Alliance.
Adventure
Summary
This adventure begins while the
PCs are visiting the spaceport known as Savannah Landing on the
planet Ansion, where they've been sent to pick up a cargo of food
supplies for Tierfon Base. There they witness a fight between a local
nerf rancher and some thugs, a conflict in which they can intervene.
If they do so, then the Human they save asks them to provide even
more aid in dealing with pirates who've been stealing nerfs and
supplies of grain from the ranchers and farmers. That, in turn, leads
to a confrontation with the pirates themselves, and thus with the
Imperials who support them.
Planning
and Preparation
This scenario can really begin in
media res for the PCs, since it seems like a routine cargo
pickup. While they might have procured items that they've been
seeking for some time—especially if their a newly gained
Contribution Rank has granted them some kind of reward—the drama of
the situation is best served by having them be caught completely
off-guard.
As detailed below, PCs with
technical skills could be part of efforts to create clean aliases for
the Player Characters and their starship(s).
Involving
the Player Characters
This scenario assumes that the
PCs are part of a Special Operations team working out of Tierfon
Base. If that is not the case, then the GM might need to do a little
extra work to weave them into the events of this mission.
Mission
Objectives and PC Duty
Detailed below are some of the
ways in which this assignment can tie into different characters'
objectives.
- Combat Victory: This mission provides plenty of opportunity for fighting.
- Counter-Intelligence: Given that the PCs have been building names for themselves as a Rebel Special Operations team, it behooves characters with this Duty to make sure that they don't blow their aliases and cover stories.
- Intelligence: The fact that the Empire is paying pirates to prey upon independent farmers and nerf ranchers could have considerable influence on those locals who are doing business with the New Order.
- Internal Security: Characters with this Duty should always be on the lookout for any signs of subterfuge.
- Personnel: As always, characters with this duty can look out for their fellows and help ensure success for the whole team.
- Political Support: Depending on how it develops, this mission could provide an opportunity to win over the hearts and minds of a population that suddenly sees its fellows suffering Imperial persecution.
- Recruiting: In the same way, it's a good chance for the PCs to recruit like-minded individuals from among the locals to the cause.
- Resource Acquisition: As mentioned above, providing a supply of quality foodstuffs is vital to supporting the Rebellion.
- Sabotage: Revealing the way in which the Empire is manipulating the population of Ansion would be a considerable setback to it, indeed.
- Space Superiority: In the end, this mission is bound to include a battle with local TIE fighters and perhaps even other vessels.
- Support: The many challenges presented by this mission provide ample opportunities for PCs with this Duty to aid their comrades in arms.
- Tech Procurement: Meeting this Duty is, admittedly, a bit of a stretch for this mission, but the GM can always tailor the scenario accordingly.
Episode
1: A Backwater Planet
The action begins at Savannah
Landing on the planet Ansion, where the PCs have been sent to pick up
the cargo of foodstuffs. This is a world with only a small Imperial
presence; indeed, the surrounding airspace is patrolled by TIE
fighters from the local garrison, without any capital ships in orbit.
Refer to the map below for a layout of Savannah Landing.
The
Cargo Inspector
When they first land, the PCs
find their ship approached by the local customs inspector, Rowan
Hobb, who is accompanied by a small squad of stormtroopers. This is a
chance to test the PCs' aliases as well as any false credentials that
they've prepared, with them making Computers and Deception checks
opposed by the inspector's Perception efforts.
Inspector Hobb (Rival):
Use the stats for a BoSS Agent from page 416 of the Core Rulebook.
Stormtroopers (Minions—one
per PC): Use the stats from page 420.
This encounter should make the
PCs sweat a little bit, and perhaps necessitate some good
roleplaying, but not present any real danger. If the situation for
some reason takes a bad turn, then Inspector Hobb can readily summon
another squad of troopers led by a sergeant, with more reinforcement
available after a longer delay.
The
Fight
Once the PCs are moving around
the Landing, however, they run into the real conflict. An average
Perception check reveals the sound of a fight coming from the narrow
alley between the two buildings in the center of the facility; this
is a nerf herder, Tamric Raal, being roughed up by a band of pirates.
Tamric Raal (Minion): Use
the stats for a Nerf Herder from page 433 of the core rulebook.
Pirates (Minions—one per
PC): Use the Pirate Crew stats from pages 425-6.
| The Cantina and the
Warehouse
This
scenario assumes that the PCs don't need to spend too much time
exploring Savannah Landing, since they'll soon head out to the
open plains. Should the GM need layouts of the cantina and the
warehouse, however, one can easily use the facilities detailed in
the scenario “Firestorm;” a map of the docking bay can be
found in either “Plunder” or “Legacy.”
|
If they rescue him, then Raal
asks the PCs if they can help him and his fellows protect themselves
against the pirates, and possibly eliminate their threat once and for
all. While he cannot himself offer much by way of compensation for
doing so, he is confident that many of his fellow farmers and
ranchers would happily do business with the Rebellion if given the
opportunity.
Episode
2: Local Troubles
As long as the PCs are willing to
assist Tamric Raal, he can lead them out to his ranch, where more of
the locals, along with his sister and himself, can tell more of their
story. Tamric has an Aratech cargo skiff that he uses for hauling
goods, or the PCs can use their own vehicle(s). The ride to the ranch
is a beautiful one, crossing seemingly endless fields of grass and
grain, with the occasional stream and copses of trees.
Cargo Skiff: Refer to
page 447 in the Core Rulebook for stats.
Raal
Ranch
Refer to the map above for the
following location descriptions. The ranch consists of the main house
(1), which has a small main room (A) with a refresher (B) and storage
room (C); there are also a small kitchen (D), pantry (E) and two
bedrooms (F and G). There are also a pen and barn for the nerfs (2),
and a small shed (3) for storing the ranch's skiff and other
supplies.
Once they arrive, the PCs and
Tamric are met by his sister, Nili, along with others assembled from
nearby farms and ranches. They are eager to tell of their woes, as
detailed below.
Nili Raal: Use the Nerf
Herder stats from page 433 of the Core Rulebook.
The
Story
As long as the PCs are able to
rescue Tamric, he tells the following tale; the GM can present these
details in a conversational manner, or more like a briefing.
- For generations the farmers and ranchers in this area have brought their goods to Savannah Landing, for sale to offworld buyers.
- Recently, however, Inspector Hobb arrived on the scene and began buying those products in the name of the Empire.
- At the same time, visits from independent buyers become much more rare.
- What is more, those sellers who sought to meet with vessels on their own territory found that they began to suffer attacks from ruffians.
- Hobb maintains that it is quite safe to do business at the Landing, but that the Imperial forces on Ansion just aren't adequate for guarding any business that is transacted in more remote locations.
- As long as the PCs does Raal add that he believes this is a way to prevent the locals from selling their foodstuffs to the Rebel Alliance.
- Since the pirates travel by repulsorcraft, the locals suspect that they have some hideout not far from the ranches.
This information should raise
some questions in the minds of the PCs. The truth of the matter is
that many of the people of Ansion are comfortable with selling their
goods to the Empire, but wish that they had a more diverse market.
They appreciate the sense of law and order provided by Imperial rule,
but are open to the idea of having fewer restrictions on their
business. To that end, they might be persuaded to speak out against
such limitations, if they could be shown how to do so.
The
Pirates
At
some point during this assembly, some of the pirates arrive to harass
the locals. Several of them come riding in on Nebulon-Q swoops,
firing into the nearby ground and sweeping in circles to inspire
fear. Others follow in another cargo skiff, ready to take meat, grain
and other supplies from the locals. This time they should be in for a
surprise, however, as they find a Rebel Alliance SpecOps team waiting
for them.
Pirates:
Use stats from page 433 of the Core Rulebook.
Nebulon-Q
Swoops: Use stats from page 51
of Stay on Target.
Cargo Skiff: Refer to
page 447 in the Core Rulebook for stats.
This
encounter can turn in a number of directions. If the PCs make a
strong stand against them, then the pirates attempt to flee. All the
while they shout threats: “You've made a mistake this time! You'll
be sorry for it! Just wait!” Even so, the PCs can give chase,
either in the Raals' skiff, on stolen swoops or by other means. In
this way, the pirates could even lead the PCs back to their hideout,
since that is where they head. To that end, they could also plant
some kind of tracking device aboard a swoop or on one of the
surviving pirates, in order to learn their destination.
At
this point, then, the PCs have a couple of options. The locals tell
them that the pirates have been amassing stolen foodstuffs, and thus
should have quite the stockpile in their hideout. If the PCs would
help them recover the goods, then they'd happily share with the Rebel
Alliance—and make arrangements for more business in the future. On
the other hand, they could also hunker down at the ranch, preparing
defenses during a montage scene in order to repulse the retributive
strike that is most assuredly coming.
The
Hideout
Refer
to the map above for the following location descriptions. The hideout
is located in a copse of trees, covered by camouflage netting (A). It
consists of two small shelter units (B), each with a dozen bunks,
tables and refreshers. There is also a unit for storage (C), and
another that has been converted into a makeshift mess hall (D).
Parked between them is the Stellar
Wind, a Wayfinder-class
transport, along with a pair of battle-scarred Z-95 Headhunter
starfighters, that the pirates use for making their attacks.
When
the PCs arrive there are four groups of three pirates, led by Atisako
Fellum, their Gran captain. They don't kindly to interlopers on what
they see as their territory, of course, and state a rousing defense.
Even so, should they come to believe themselves outmatched, they are
willing to grab what they can and make a run for their ship—holing
up and firing the ship's canons, if necessary—and then launch for
space, figuring that their business on Ansion is finished.
Pirates:
Use stats from page 433 of the Core Rulebook.
Atisako Fellum, Gran Pirate (Nemesis)
Brawn 2 Agility 3 Intellect 2 Cunning 2 Willpower 2 Presence 3
Soak: 3 Wound Threshold: 14 Strain Threshold: 12 M/R Defense: 0
/ 0
Skills:
Astrogation 2, Athletics 1, Brawl 2, Charm 2, Coercion 1, Cool 2,
Coordination 1, Discipline 2, Gunnery 2, Leadership 2, Mechanics
1, Medicine 1, Melee 3, Negotiation 2, Perception 2,
Piloting—Planetary 1, Piloting—Space 2, Ranged—Heavy 2,
Ranged—Light 3, Resilience 1, Skulduggery 1, Stealth 1,
Streetwise 1, Vigilance 2
Talents:
Call 'Em, Dodge, Grit, Lethal Blows, Quick Strike, Quick Draw,
Rapid Reaction, Toughened
Abilities:
Free rank in Charm or Negotiation; Enhanced Vision (remove up to
two setback dice from ranged attacks and Perception checks due to
environmental conditions; Adversary 1 (upgrade combat checks
against this character once)
Equipment:
Vacuum suit (counts as heavy clothing), heavy blaster pistol,
vibrosword, comlink
|
The
Stellar Wind: Refer to page
258 of the Edge of the
Empire Core Rulebook for
stats.
Z-95
Headhunters: Refer to page 263
of Edge of the Empire.
Episode
3: Bigger Problems
What the PCs may or may not
realize is that Fellum and his pirates can also call in Imperial
support. This the Imperials justify with the excuse that they're
trying to maintain law and order, and that all parties involved in
this conflict will have a fair hearing. (In truth they have no such
intentions, of course—especially if they can reveal agents of the
Rebel Alliance.) To that end, they respond by sending a Gozanti
light assault cruiser to the location of the pirates' base.
TIE
Fighters—Use the stats found on page 270 of the core rulebook.
TIE
Pilots—Use the stats
found on page 423.
Gozanti
Cruiser—Use the stats
found on page 276.
Imperial
Gunners—Use the stats
found on page 418.
Lockdown
At the same time, Rowan Hobb
tries to lock down Savannah Landing—especially if the PCs' ship is
still parked there. He seals both doors into the compound and places
stormtroopers inside and outside.
Inspector Hobb (Rival):
Use the stats for a BoSS Agent from page 416 of the Core Rulebook.
Stormtroopers (Minions—one
per PC): Use the stats from page 420.
He also calls in support from the
local garrison, in the form of speeder-bike-mounted scout troopers
and, eventually, AT-ST and AT-AT walkers.
74-Z Speeder Bike: Use
the stats from page 263.
Scout Troopers: Use the
stats from page 422.
AT-AT Walker: Use the
stats from page 264.
AT-ST Walker: Use the
stats from page 265.
Imperial Vehicle Corps:
Use the stats from page 419.
Epilogue
Success on this mission allows
the PCs to acquire vital supplies for the Rebel Alliance.
Additionally, they might also be able to win over the people of
Ansion, as detailed above—a possibility that could be the impetus
for future missions.
Rewards
for Risks
The
PCs should earn 10 experience points each for success, or 5 if they
fought the good fight but were unsuccessful. Additionally, those who
played to their motivations could earn an extra 5 experience points.
Appendix 1: Opening
Crawl
Presented below is
an opening crawl in the style of the Star Wars
movies for use with this scenario.
STAR WARS
AGE OF REBELLION
LEGACY
It
is a time of civil war.
When
a team of Rebel operatives is sent to procure food supplies,
it
should be an easy mission. They are about to learn, however,
that
the people of Ansion are living under dire oppression,
and
only bold action can let them be free...
