Since Pete and I are revisiting the
Oil Rig Project, I felt it was important to re-post the mission that inspired the project.
Back in 2001, I was running a Cyberpunk campaign using a homebrew ruleset based on
Top Secret/S.I. At the time (when I had more time), I was chronicling the campaign on a
now-defunct website. Fortunately, thanks to the
Internet Archive Wayback Machine, parts of that website still exist, so I can resurrect them here.
Now that I am currently running an
Interface Zero 2.0 campaign, you
might see some more pages from the old site be resurrected...
Contract Intel:
The PCs go to their fixer's place and get a quiet room where they negotiate a deal to infiltrate an Oil Rig, retrive a data file, and leave the rig. Each team member gets 3000cr retainer for supplies, a total of 5000cr for securing the rig, and a total of 10,000 for a recovered data file.
Data about the rig:
Manufacturer: Erdel Type J-3 Rotary Drilling Rig
Manufacturer based out of Houston, Texas
Now defunct
Current Owner: unknown
Location: Approx. sight distance from New Tokyo bay
# of Crew: Support for 38
The previous owner had approx. 12 when he lost possession of the rig.
Communication: No land lines
Possible satellite uplink
Location of Data File: unknown
Type of data: Entire database
Computer System: unknown, possibly UNIX-based
The Actual Mission
This mission was set up as a "test" mission for a higher-end employer. The employer is basically just pitting two mercenary teams against each other. One team defends the rig, the other assaults it. The team that survives wins future contracts. It doesn't matter which team attacks and which defends, I just chose to have the PCs attack. I figured it would be more interesting and I had a decent "contract" idea that involved all the players.
The oil rig has been derelict for at least 15 years, probably more. With the development of CHOOH2, drilling for oil became more expensive. This particular rig made several taps with minimal result. It became more cost effective to leave it where it sat at the last tap, than to pull up shop, weatherize it, and dry-dock it. So, questionable elements set up shop in it soon after it was abandoned.
Their usual contact informed them that the rig was in his parent organization's possession and was recently raided, overrun, and occupied by an opposing organization's mercenary team. Normally, blowing it out of the water would be the order of the day, but when it was previously owned, they used it as a waypoint for illegal contraband, and all their shipping records were stored in the rig's local database. The PC mercenary team's primary objective is to secure the entire database. A secondary objective is to recapture the rig, if possible. The payoff is 10,000cr per person for the database intact. If no database, then 5,000cr per person for the rig. Not to exceed 10,000 per person. 3,000cr in advance are provided for expenses. Unregistered weapons and small equipment provided up front, with understanding that the weapons will be returned upon completion.
If the players asked, their contact was only able to provide them with a mangy copy of the emergency exit floorplan of the sub-deck.
Oil Rig Emergency Exits: OilRigEmergencyPlan.gif missing. I hope to find it someday...
If they pried some more, their contact informed them that his organization had previously set up IR motion detectors, but they may or may not still be functioning. He was able to provide approximate locations of some of them.
Oil Rig Recon: OilRigDeck.gif missing. I hope to find it someday...
The above map also shows the observed sentry locations when the PCs did some preliminary recon.
It took me a while to put together a working map of the oil rig. I found a gem of a website at
http://ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~gavenda/oilfield (NOTE: This link goes to the Internet Archive Wayback Machine as the original link no longer exists). The guy who put it together did a great job of explaining, simply, the regular goings on on a "jackup" oil rig, including plenty of photos. Thing to note: a jackup rig is really a big ship that has three huge extendible legs. It is towed to it's next drilling location and then it jacks itself up about 100-150 feet above the ocean and begins drilling. I highly recommend reading it and passing on the address to your more ambitious players.
 |
| Oil Rig Layout |
The detcord on the dock level is of a blue plastic variety. It is wrapped many times around the support legs, just above sea level and, upon casual inspection, just looks like water-level paint markings.
The generic explosive in the survival capsule off of the control room is a bundle of pipe bombs with a mercury switch to prevent them from being moved.
The shaped charges are pre-manufactured and look like small inverted plates. One is intended to discourage helicopter landings, the other two are placed behind the diesel fuel tanks to engulf the main deck if necessary.
All explosives have been modified to accommodate a small black box with a red numeric LED display, and a short rubber antenna. This box is a remote receiver controlled either by the com officer through the control room computers or the demolitions expert with a small handheld controller. The com officer can only start the 5 minute timer or detonate the explosives. Only the demolitions expert can shut them off (he can also start the timers or detonate).
The infrared motion detectors are simple. They have a 90 degree field of detection (indicated by the legs on the symbol on the map), can easily be defeated by an IR suit, and have no operational feedback loop (no on/off indicator). If tripped, they will trigger a simple alarm heard throughout the rig.
There is a small data hutch on the main deck that has two log files in an antiquated VAX system.
They are left over from when the rig actually served it's purpose, and will only slow the players down if they try to get the VAX up and running and try to interface with it to get the files.
The operations database in the control room is bogus. Even so, by the time the players get to it, it should be pretty well jibberish due to the virus the com officer puts on it.
All opposing units are equipped with a NeuroProcessor, SmartGun Link, SpeedWires, a com link, medium body armor, a 10mm Glock, a SmartGun Linked 9mm H&K MP5, and a combat knife and have above average skills to use them.
- Commander - Begins in the control room
Extremely strong with other attributes at the high end.
Martial Arts, Swimming, Stealth.
Husky, clean, and commanding.
- Sniper - Begins on the monkey board of the derrick
Above average strength with other attributes at the high end.
Martial Arts, Sniper Rifle, Swimming, Stealth, Concealment.
7.62mm H&K G3SG1 Sniper Rifle instead of the MP5.
Big, relaxed.
- Com Officer - Begins in the control room
Very high intelligence with other attributes above average.
Martial Arts, Swimming, Stealth, Radio Operator, Interface.
Combat CyberDeck and CyberDeck Link.
Thin, sure of himself.
- Pilot - Begins sleeping in the crews' quarters
Above average strength with other attributes at the high end.
Martial Arts, Swimming, Stealth, Piloting most transportation forms.
Vehicle Link and Chip Jack.
Big, cocky.
- Demolitions Expert - Begins having a snack in the kitchen
All attributes above average to high end.
Boxing, Swimming, Stealth, Concealment, Demolitions.
Short, bulky, grouchy.
- Underwater Ops - Begins in the starboard crane cab
All attributes above average to high end.
Martial Arts, Swimming, Stealth, Concealment.
4-shot speargun, armored wetsuit instead of body armor.
Skinny, quiet.
If motion detectors go off:
- alarm will sound
- 4 and 5 will wake up and get to the upper deck
- 1 will order to attack
If intruders spotted:
- observer will call into 3
- 3 will alert the others
- 1 will order to watch then attack if needed
On first attack:
- 1 will coordinate
- 3 will jack in, monitor motion sensors, cameras, and explosives
- 6 will dive overboard, disable any intruding craft, and prep the escape boats
If control room computers are hacked:
- 3 will fight via software
If defeated:
- will initiate a virus to destroy the data
If virus defeated:
- will detonate the terminals
- will set all other explosive timers for 5 minutes
If overpowered:
- will try to escape by diving overboard
- will get into the escape boats
- will detonate the oil rig remotely
The Outcome
At the time, I was also producing semi-regular newsletters for the campaign I called
New Tokyo Screamsheets. This was the report in
the Screamsheet issue that followed that game:
SPECIAL REPORT:
FIRE ON THE HORIZON
Early this morning, emergency officials were notified of several explosions and fire spotted just above the horizon over the ocean. Preliminary investigation revealed that the fire is located on a derelict oil rig miles offshore. Witnesses report that there was an initial fiery explosion followed by several smaller ones.
The cause of the blaze is not known at this time.
