This is a sample mission for The Sprawl. This mission will probably appear in the completed book, but it illustrates the style of the missions which will appear in The Mission Files, the first stretch goal for The Sprawl.

This mission has a very basic premise, a wide variety of methods of completion, and the potential for a lot of expansion. I’ve run it as a one-off game or as a campaign intro game at least three times. The MC can adjust the amount of time it takes very easily by introducing twists (or not) as required which means there’s plenty of time to focus on cyberpunk colour and learning the game.

The Kurosawa Extraction

Overview

The team are hired by Mr Smith to extract Mitchell Kurosawa from ________ (Choose a Corporation from the list for your game). Once they have extracted Kurosawa, they are to call Mr Smith for instructions on where to exchange Kurosawa for their payment.

People and Places

Mr Smith is a corporate fixer who works for _________ (A rival corporation from the list). She is in her 30s and dresses smartly in conservative business attire and hides her data interface cyberware under her hair. She will contact the team by phone and arrange a meeting in an up-market street-level restaurant in the business district. She will attend the meeting unarmed, but accompanied by two relatively subtle corporate security agents who will watch the meeting from a table across the restaurant.
Mitchell Kurosawa is a mid-level executive who lives and works in a corporate arcology in The Sprawl. He only leaves the arcology to travel, but he does so often, usually by corporate jet from the nearest major international airport. Whenever he leaves the arcology, he has a small security detail.
Kurosawa’s Security Detail comprises four highly trained corporate operatives. They transport Kurosawa between the arcology and the airport in two armoured limosines, two ride in the front of each limo. Kurosawa rides in the back of one, the other is empty. Each operative wears an armoured vest (armour 1) and carries a sidearm (heavy pistol: 3-harm close/near loud) and each car has a shotgun (3-harm close/near loud messy reload) and an assault rifle (3-harm near/far loud autofire) in a front seat weapon rack. Each is lightly cybered with a mix of sensory and martial cyberware and at least one has synthetic nerves.
Kurosawa’s Arcology is several miles from the Airport. Security is tightest at the arcology and additional corporate muscle is immediately at hand. Security at the airport is also tight, but less so than at the arcology; it will take external corporate assets longer to respond to an attack there. The drive between the arcology and the airport offers ample opportunity for high-speed freeway chases and close-quarters ambushes along surface streets, depending on the resources of the team.

Questions

What department does Kurosawa work for?
Why does he travel so much?
How long has Kurosawa worked for his corporation?
Does Kurosawa engage in any recreational activities which require him to leave the Arcology?
Does Kurosawa have a family? Do they live in the arcology with him? If not, why?

Legwork Clock

1500 The team is making some noise, but nothing serious… yet.
1800 The target hears vague rumours.
2100 The target hears definite, but unconfirmed rumours. The opposition clock starts at 1500.
2200 The target has reliable information about the time of the run. The opposition clock starts at 1800.
2300 The target has reliable information about the team. The opposition clock starts at 2100.
0000 The team is precisely identified. Advance the target’s threat clock.

Action Clock

1500 Kurosawa’s security detail is wary and suspicious.
1800 Kurosawa’s security detail are on edge and alerted.
2100 Kurosawa’s security detail is beefed up (six guards with indiscreet armour and sidearms).
2200 Additional security is deployed (a team of six with assault rifles and armour jackets) to control the situation.
2300 Additional security is deployed (air support or another team) to assist with Kurosawa’s evacuation.
0000 Further vehicular support and security teams.

Mission Directives

When you accept the job, mark experience.
When you decide when and where to take Kurosawa, mark experience.
When you complete the extraction, mark experience.
When the mission ends, mark two experience.

Running the Mission

As it stands, this mission is very simple. Do some legwork, discover Kurosawa’s schedule, ambush him as he drives to the airport. However, it is potentially very open. The team could attempt to extract Kurosawa from the arcology or the airport or might try to find some way to lure him out of the arcology, perhaps by threatening his family. A full on infiltration of the arcology might be a good opportunity to use conduct a mission. Threatening his family might involve playing hardball; how that roll goes might determine what kind of security he brings when he comes out.

This is a perfect mission for a team with a Driver, but it doesn’t require one. Hackers will have to think creatively to be useful in a mobile ambush or chase scenario, but there are always traffic control and street light systems to be hacked.

Unless the team go digging for information on Mr Smith, keep the identity of their employer ambiguous as long as possible to allow for final twists. In an ongoing campaign, this mission is the perfect “too easy” mission which actual conceals a setup. If the team doesnt cover their bases when they get paid, it’s a perfect opportunity. This also makes this mission a good one for one-off play. If the mission is quicker and simpler than you expected, and you all want to play longer, it can easily be extended with a twist at the end.

Hacking the Mission

You may need to adjust the loadout of Kurosawa’s Security Detail depending on the capability and style of the team. If the team is focused on violence, make assault rifles the primary armament of the Security Detail. If the team is focuses on non-violent approaches, remove the auxiliary longarms and maybe the synth nerves. Of course, if the team focuses on non-violent approaches, those armaments shouldn’t matter anyway…

Potential twists to this mission include:

• A rival team attempts to extract Kurosawa.
• A rival team attempts to murder Kurosawa.
• Kurosawa is bait to lure the team into a trap.
• Kurosawa offers the team money, bleeding-edge tech, or corporate secrets not to turn him over to Mr Smith.