Kenneth Hite ([info]princeofcairo) wrote,
@ 2008-09-10 00:58:00
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Entry tags:games, quotes

The Phrase That Pays
so•cial ar•til•ler•y: n. A tactic, reinforcement, or other factor in "social combat" intended to resolve the immediate situation completely and overwhelmingly.

"I'm gonna call in a social artillery strike on these guys and get them out of the marina so we can escape." -- "Samuel Vornau," former Swiss bank security-and-surveillance expert played by [info]kaynorr in my current GUMSHOE campaign, 9/9/08


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[info]whswhs
2008-09-10 06:35 am UTC (link)
It's a compelling metaphor, but I'm not sure I can envision any literal action or utterance that would achieve that result. Do you have something specific in mind?

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[info]voxel
2008-09-10 06:41 am UTC (link)
Fire in a crowded theater? Calling in a bomb threat? Having a flash mob flash everyone and then walk away?
I would think that the varieties of social artillery are much greater than the physical variety.

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[info]princeofcairo
2008-09-10 08:58 am UTC (link)
[info]kaynorr's specific action was to have his contact call up the private security at the marina and drop a dime on the bad guys.

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Love this Idea!
[info]jnutley
2008-09-10 01:20 pm UTC (link)
Not entirely satisfied with how directly private security was involved...

how about:

1) A tip to the fanatical Marina Committee member that the bad guys were violating the boat accessories compact (equivalent of telling the Housing Committee that a neighbor has set up a clothes line in their back yard)

2) Spread a rumor that the bad guys boat was the scene of an imminent 72 hour rave

3) Post a claim on appropriate blogs that a party girl celebrity is currently hiding out on the bad guys boat.

3) All of the above

-------

I can see how if the bad guys are thugs with guns these actions would be irresponsible and dangerous to the people being drawn in, but if they're like that then I think they need something different than a "social" artillery strike.

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[info]whswhs
2008-09-10 01:44 pm UTC (link)
So it's not a social action you take yourself toward the adversary; it's making them the focus of inconvenient attention from some really powerful third party?

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[info]richardthinks
2008-09-10 02:25 pm UTC (link)
that's why you have to call it in: personal social artillery implies PCs with huge credit rating - not impossible, but only likely in certain kinds of campaigns (in which case you might term it "social airstrike?").

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[info]pond823
2008-09-10 12:28 pm UTC (link)
Social Artillery, is it also a 4E D&D Dying Earth monster type?

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[info]heliograph
2008-09-11 02:45 pm UTC (link)
Octillery!

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[info]barsukthom
2008-09-10 07:18 pm UTC (link)
Fall back & socially embarass them from the salon. It's the only way to be sure.

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[info]zonemind
2008-09-11 05:22 am UTC (link)
[snerk]

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[info]byzantine_ruins
2008-09-14 12:42 am UTC (link)
Just letting you know.

LEH AIG MER WM WB would appear to be the incantation that describes the form Gozur the Destroyer takes during this manifestation. Maybe they will fish it out of the pot in time for the sun to rise on Edo but it is looking rough. Everyone appears out of mana and the spell would just need recast within days anyway.

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[info]byzantine_ruins
2008-09-15 02:54 am UTC (link)
Do you wit more now, or what? =)

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(Anonymous)
2008-09-16 12:34 pm UTC (link)
I assumed it meant the character was calling his aunt Agatha.

Cambias

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