Security

Security AI

The security of a map level is controlled by a Security AI. This AI is the master computer monitoring and controlling the defenses of the level. The computer receives reports from the guards, drones, and security devices deployed around the level. The AI evaluates reports and sends instructions to guards and drones. As the Security Level increases, the computer will choose escalating responses to potential or confirmed intrusions such as sending guards to investigate, activating additional security devices, authorizing lethal defenses on security devices, and summoning more guards and drones.

Security Level

The Security Level is a general measure of the concern and awareness the Security AI has about intrusion. Security Level is subdivided by a security tally, measuring specific detections and growing concern.

The initial Security Level at the beginning of a Mission is based on the Heat that the squad had before entering the Mission. For every 25 Heat, Security Level starts at +1. This means that Heat 10 will cause a Mission to start at Sec Lvl 0, Heat 32 will cause a Mission to start at Sec Lvl 1, and Heat 100 will cause a Mission to start at Sec Lvl 4. The Security AI does not perform any Escalations for the skipped Security Levels. However, the Security AI will have more options for the next Escalation.

The special implant of the Cyber Knight is a quantum computer. This produces quantum interference, an annoying non-localized buzz that the Security AI wants to shut down. This automatically produces a base rate of increase in Security Tally every turn. The team's coordination, and the relative lack of coordination of the Enemies, relies upon this quantum computer being nearby any heists. Even if the Cyber Knight does not join the heist, he or she is waiting not far from the scene providing quantum countermeasures that give significant advantages to the heist team. This means that the base rate of security tally per turn is not affected by whether or not the Cyber Knight is included in the Mission.

Security Tally generated during a turn is accumulated into a pending tally count, marked in yellow. At the end of the turn, pending Security Tally is turned into permanent Security Tally, marked in blue. At that time, if the security tally is greater than the tally per security level, the security level is increased. Pending security tally can be erased by various means. There are very few methods of reducing permanent security tally or Security Level during a Mission. One method is by Spiking an Alarm Processing Unit in the Matrix.

When the permanent Security Tally exceeds the tally points per level, the Security Level increases by 1 and the Security AI escalates its response. Excess tally points roll over to the new level. The base rate of increase in Security Tally and the number of security tally points per security level is calculated separately for each mission stage, depending on the sensitivity of the area and the nature of the Security AI.

On multi-stage Missions, the Security Level from one stage is inherited by the next map level. Security tally is reduced to at a maximum half of the Tally required to reach the next Security Level. It is important to keep Security Level low in earlier map levels or the team will face bad odds before they get close to their goal. Every incident of detection increases the pending security tally. This includes gunfire, discovery of bodies, noise of movement, security device detections, and more. A battle will rapidly ramp up the Security level, incurring stronger responses from the Security AI. The final security level at the end of the mission is also a factor in the amount of heat the mission generates for the squad.

Escalation

When Security Level goes up a level, the Security AI will execute an Escalation. An Escalation is a specific reaction to events in the zone. The possible escalations depend on many things--the Power Level of the Mission, the specific Faction targeted by the Mission, whether the Security AI knows there are intruders, whether any dead guards have been reported, how many guards are left, whether any guards are in active combat, the specific type of Security AI (there are several types), and other factors. At the beginning of the Turn after Security Level goes up, the Security AI selects an Escalation from the possible choices, taking into account these factors. The effect of the Escalation takes place immediately, at the beginning of the Turn.

The list of possible Escalations may include (but is not limited to) the following:

• Body Timers on current corpses are decreased, so that the Body Timers will alert the Security AI sooner
• Reinforcements arrive at one of the zone entrances
• Some disabled Security Devices are re-activated
• Some inactive Security Devices (i.e. those which started the mission inactive) are activated
• Matrix security is increased
• One type of Security Device switches to HI-POWER mode, which can cause increased damage, increased Pending Security Tally, increased Heat, or other effects
• Guards are given special buffs

Some types of Escalation have a chaining effect. As an example, the Security AI may choose to Escalate with a Prox-Mine Sweep waking up 3 Prox-Mines. On following Escalations, if there are still Prox-Mines that are disabled, a new Escalation option Prox-Mine Pulse becomes available which wakes up to 6 mines at once.

It is sometimes possible to avoid an Escalation. Certain types of Leverage can block an Escalation from occuring. In addition, if the Security Level is somehow reduced, the Security AI will not perform an Escalation at Security Levels it had previously reached. For instance, if Security Level is dropped from 4 to 2, there will be no Escalation when the Security Level reaches 3 or 4 again; Escalation will not occur until Security Level reaches 5. One way to reduce Security Level is to Spike an Alarm Processing Unit in the Matrix.

In similar fashion, a rise in Quantum Security Level within the Matrix will result in a Matrix Escalation.

Enemies

Guards and Drones are collectively known as Enemies. Enemies rely on sight and sound to detect intruders. They may be posted in a specific location, sometimes turning to scan an area, or they may be assigned to a patrol route. Patrol routes are fixed--an enemy will loop through a route repeatedly. Guards and Drones have an Alarm Level indicating how aware they are of intrusion. Guards and Drones will also attack intruders that they see. Enemies are critical components in the Security AI's active and passive defense systems.

If an Enemy detects something, they will engage or investigate. If they hear something, their Alarm Level will rise to Suspicious. Pending security tally may increase one or more points. The Enemy will send a report to the Security AI at the end of the turn.

The Security AI may send instructions to a guard or drone, for instance to investigate a report or look for a missing guard. This will raise their Alarm Level to Suspicious. They will leave their assignment to follow the instructions.

Security Devices

There are several types of Security Devices, using a variety of sensory equipment. In general, these devices have a sensor zone and will immediately report any unauthorized detections within that zone to the Security AI, without waiting for the end of the turn. Detection will also increase the pending Security Tally; like other pending tally, it can be erased by several means.

Device Name	Description
Camera	Cameras use a sight cone (short & wide or long & thin) to detect intruders. May rotate; detects intruders by sight; blocked by cover.
Laser Wires	A "fence" of lasers within halls or entry/exit-ways. Will detect & cause damage to intruders passing through.
Pressure Sensor	A floor area that will detect intruders standing or crossing over it.
Motion Field Sensor	Detects running (but not sneaking) intruders; blocked by cover.
BioScan Field	Verifies biochips signatures of any who enter area. Cannot be disabled by item or Talent. Adds +6 Security Tally if more than 1 intruder is inside area at end of turn.
Prox-Mine	A mine that will detonate and deal damage when an intruder moves into its radius.

Alarm Level

Enemies have an Alarm Level, or Alert Status, which measures how aware they are of intrusion. Enemy agents share information with other nearby enemy agents. When two enemy agents get near each other (within 8m), they will upgrade each other to the highest Alarm Level (Suspicious, Alerted) between the two of them (or more, if they are clustered). This local alert happens during an enemy agent's turn. At the beginning of their turn, they will share Alarm Level with any agents within 8m--all affected agents will upgrade to the highest Alarm Level among them. If during their turn the enemy agent approaches another agent, they will also share Alarm Level with them. To kill one guard without alerting other nearby guards, the guard must be killed before any of the clustered guards takes their turn.

The levels of Alarm Level are:

Unaware

The enemy is unaware of any intrusion. They stand at their assigned post or move on their assigned patrol. An Unaware guard can be attacked with Surprise bonus regardless of the merc's Detected Status.

Suspicious

The enemy is aware something may be wrong but is not sure what. It might be something seen out of the corner of their eye or at the edge of their vision. It might be a small sound they couldn't identify. A Suspicious enemy might investigate the area or might continue their patrol or guard duty. If the Security AI sends a guard to investigate something, the guard will enter Suspicious state. If they investigate but do not find anything, they will eventually return to their post or patrol, but they will remain Suspicious.

Alerted

The enemy has been alerted to the presence of an intruder but may not be sure where they are. This could be due to information and instructions from the Security AI, seeing an intruder, finding a body, or other clear evidence. If the enemy does not know where the intruders are, the enemy will investigate and follow any instructions from the Security AI, trying to locate the intruders and engage them. If they do know where the enemy are, they will engage in combat. Alerted Enemies will not return to their post until the known intruders have been dealt with. An Alerted enemy can see mercs hiding behind hard or soft cover; a merc cannot sneak through the field of view of an Alerted enemy. An enemy with Alerted status will not react to noises--they will not turn around to look, they will not investigate a noise. It is possible for a Hidden or Hunted merc to walk up behind an Alerted guard and attack with Surprise bonus.

Detected Status

Mercs have a Detected Status which measures to what degree the enemy is aware of them. The levels of Detected Status are:

Hidden

The character has never been seen or detected by a security device or enemy on this map level. A merc with a status of Hidden can get a Surprise bonus on attacks regardless of the enemy's Alarm Level.

Hunted

An enemy or security device has detected the character, but no Enemies know where the character is. Security forces looking for the potential intruder. Hunted status can change to Hidden status.

Spotted

The character has been located by an enemy. If there are no remaining Enemies who know where the mercenary is, the mercenary will change to Hunted status after one turn.