Clandestine Collection Service

Objective

The objective of the Clandestine Collection Service (CCS) is to create a network of clandestine cutout devices, hidden “letter boxes”, drop sites and other mechanisms to allow data and objects to be transmitted without the aid of electronic devices. This information collected is often not known to exist by an agency before collection. This activity is crucial to the defense of the countries allied to the spy networks involved. This information can with wars and steer the course of the world. A collection agent obtains the information and places it in a drop location. The agent often sets a signal that a pickup is required. The most common signal is moving a plant in a window or putting a chalk mark on something as they pass by it. All drop locations and signals must be approved by a handler. No location is to be used again in the same year. The handler is a NPC played by the GM. The objective is to get the information out of a hostile country and into a friendly country. The information is then often transmitted through encrypted intelligence channels or through diplomatic correspondence or diplomatic mail back to the NSA for analysis. The NSA informs the CIA and various agencies in its network of its findings.

Vulnerability

The agency coerces people to betray their country with the use of officers trained in manipulation. Everyone has a vulnerability to exploit and everyone has a price. The trained officer finds these weaknesses in the target and exploits them. The network can also send information and items to the handler and/or case officer if the target agent asks for something physical. One agent collected information for the CCS for the price of a “drawing set with good erasers for my daughter”. It is amazing how little some people often ask in return for betraying their own country. In some countries the conditions are so poor that just being kind in a world that is so oppressive is enough to gain information vital to the defense of the allied forces. The target and vulnerabilities are determined at random before the game starts.

Target Practice

The Clandestine Collection Service has a lead on a man who has already sold information to another countries spy agency. He has been non-active for many years. That old operation had been blown. Many of the friendly nations agents did not get swept up by the adversary country. The enemy countries counter espionage tactics only found the discard agents that the agency had set up to draw attention away from the highest producing agents. It should be a simple meet and pitch situation. High value items should be the primary means of contracting this agent. The agent is aware that many other agents have been swept up in the last raid. The price for his information will likely be higher than it once was. He will not go to the authorities if the meeting fails. The previous agency has collected enough information to secure his arrest if he rats on the Collection Officer after the meeting. The Officer should pitch a simple all or nothing pitch to the agent. With the void left by the missing government employees he has been promoted many times and now has access to more information than he once had. The agent should be asked to get the highest level of information he can for return of a large payment. He should be given something he can trade or sell at the first meeting as a good faith gift. Retirement in a safe country can be negotiated for level 12 or higher information. An extraction team is in the region in the event that he requires this in return for information. He has likely been storing information for years for this payday.

Game Rules

All operations must be clandestine. At no time can any information be transmitted without being transmitted by a cutout device such as a dead drop or a cutout agent. No electronic transmissions are allowed due to the risk of eavesdropping by foreign countrys’ counter espionage services. Cutouts and other useful idiots are never given any information other than pick up and drop off locations. If they are captured they are discarded. No operations to cover up blown operations are performed. The officers simply leave the area and are re-trained and re-assigned to other operations.

After Action Report

At the close of each operation the team has an after-action meeting. The meeting goes over what worked, what did not work, areas that require more training and all other aspects of the mission. This is then compiled into a report that is used by the Game Moderator to improve future operations and further the campaign. If the mission failed all players must roll new players as the “team” has likely been split up and sent to non-operational parts of the agencies the team serves. Often the members who fail will also be pawned off on a company that has compiled data obtained from the CCS team in the past. The company gets a trained agent, and the agency discards a rejected agent. This usually works out best for the intelligence community.

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