RE: [HOE] The Night Convoy (MARSHALS ONLY! My posse had better scram!)

["Scott Pedersen" <spederse@hotmail.com>]

Spoiler Space
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
> 1) What tactics should the baddies use to take down a settlement? 

I expect they'd normally operate in Trojan Horse mode.  They roll into town
like an ordinary trader convoy, trade a little, scope out the town, and then
attack unexpectedly in the middle of the night.  Posing as traders would get
them in through the town's defenses, and give them a chance to check things
out.  In your specific case, they'd likely spot the posse as being the most
dangerous people around and make plans for taking them out first.  Other
than that, night train vampires always struck me as the mass zerg assault
type, although I've never read the dime novel in question. 40+ nosferatu all
clambering in through every available space in whatever structure your posse
is staying in should give them a hectic fight (a nice target rich
environment).  Just make sure to get up close and surprise them so a
doomsayer can't take them all out at once with a nuke.  

> 2) Has anyone come up with rules for human servants of vampires? 

Is there some reason why they wouldn't be like any other normal human?  I
suppose they might show up as victims of mind control if inspected by some
sort of arcane power that detects that sort of thing.  They'd probably have
some bite marks if inspected closely as well.  Other than that I'd expect
them to be your average joe human NPC.  That is, after all, the point of
vampires having human servants, they can blend in with other humans.  

> 3) Since my group is fairly smart and has found two scenes where the
> Convoy hit before, they know they are facing a massive amount 
> of vampires. The junker in the group would like to build Blade-style 
> UV flashlights. Any ideas on how she could do this would be 
> appreciated.

Flash Gordon and/or Spirit Weapon seems to be the way to go.  The only thing
I'd add to what others have said is to make sure the junker device doesn't
short circuit your story.  Don't let the words "UV flashlight" trick you
into giving your players a cheap "cannon of vampire obliteration."  If it's
just a flashlight it should annoy vampires with fairly low damage,
especially against the master vampires where it likely wouldn't work at all
(it isn't really sunlight after all).  On the other hand, if they want a
cannon it should use drain and components like one.  In other words, reward
your players for their cleverness, but don't let them take out the entire
night train with a few electrical components and a couple of D-cell
batteries.  

-Scott Pedersen