I want to use the rules in Fully Operational for converting civilian facilities for use by Rebel cells, but I’m short of ideas on facilities to convert.
This campaign is based in the Greater Javin Region, with the intention that the group will go around and start Rebel cells on various planets. My hope is to have a headquarters for each cell, probably using the conversion rules for most of them, but I want a unique feel to as many of them as possible.
I’m looking for a pool of ideas I can draw on ongoing, but here’s an overview of the world I’m working with now:
This cell is on Ione, a mining world-turned-refining world, taking in minerals mined on Tokmia and Burnin Konn and processing them before shipping them offworld again. The Empire took over and nationalized most of the concerns, putting many of the firms out of business. This has left entire complexes of warehouses empty, as the stock has been condensed.
The world’s citizens are no friends of the Empire, and it was not hard to set up a cell.
General requirements for a civilian facility to convert:
Traffic to and from can’t be too obvious or out of the ordinary (sudden pick up in traffic to an “abandoned” warehouse).
It has to have some sort of cover and reason for being (it can’t be a treehouse with “SECRET BASE” painted on the side).
Best idea I’ve come up with so far is a bar, and that’s really cliche. I’m fine with having a safehouse in a bar every so often, but certainly not for the first impression.
A civilian storage rental facility (think storage units), particularly in an older part of the city.
A second-hand shop or pawn shop. Cell members can pose as staff or patrons (I know quite a few people IRL that are regular patrons of pawn shops, always looking for a “good deal”), and it can be used to smuggled valuable tools, particularly if the shop has any legitimate licenses.
Some kind of mechanic’s garage, from something as little as speeder detailing to painting to tune ups. That would give the cell access to tools and equipment for mechanical stuff, while also allowing them to pose as staff.
A small scale resort or Star Wars equivalent to a motel could work, particularly if it’s older and the service is mediocre.
I love all of that! Thank you.
The first two work especially well for this planet, I think I’ll go with the pawn shop idea. I’m now picturing the Strategic Scientific Reserve facility where Rogers got the super soldier serum. Maybe a little further down the line. ;)
The others are good ones to pull from for other locations.
It’s not quite the same thing as an industrial park, but some towns have something like a business district, I guess? There’s one where I live that’s just off the highway but it’s basically rows of suites for small businesses to work out of. A lot of small businesses that have vague names and aren’t really storefronts either. It doesn’t see a lot of traffic and its kind of worn down. Places like that can be a great hiding spot for a rebel cell.
A starport local security station. The small station is seen as just local security boys who respond to cantina fights and arguments over hangar bay negotiations. Their job helps them come and go at night since they can just claim they are responding to a distress call. They are actually able to walk around in uniform with some light arms and armor without it getting attention.
A local hangar bay business. Perhaps three transport-sized hangar bays are adjacent to each other and operated under one business name. Gordo’s Storage & Repair also is known for ship repairs. The rebels actually make some credits renting out bays and doing ship repairs. Rebels ships can easily land, get repaired, be sent out on missions, etc, without much notice since it looks like Gordo is just doing good business. A locked door in Gordo’s office leads to rebel stores and a meeting room.
Here’s what I’m thinking for Ione’s primary safehouse, sorta combining the two ideas:
Pawn shop in a largely abandoned strip mall, business district sort of thing.
The pawn shop belongs to a sympathizer, and he decided to take the plunge and join the resistance. They happened to know the real estate broker who was listing the vacant adjacent storefront, and he’s a rebel sympathizer as well. So they convince him to make the place undesirable for purchase and let them use the back room. There’re enough other empty storefronts in the place that it won’t be in high demand anyway, if anyone is even looking.
So they connect the backrooms of the two storefronts with a hidden door, giving them a secret meeting place/hidey-hole beyond simply the backroom of the pawn shop. It’ll give them more flexibility for adding upgrades from the Fully Operational rules.
I’ve got a love for (fictional) pawn shops from all the Alfred Hitchcock and Twilight Zone episodes that made good use of them, so this was a good trigger for my creativity. I think I’m going to make the proprietor a Besalisk who used to be something of an adventurer/collector. It’ll be interesting for him to go off on rabbit trails or just happen to have some sort of gizmo or artifact they really need, that he collected as a memento along his travels somewhere.
Soup kitchen - or other charitable cover business. This allows traffic, will certainly be under some basic surveillance so caution is necessary, but a small safehouse in the basement should be possible.
Hostel/motel/hotel cover - admittedly this is close to business, but feasible to combine in some locales.
University/lab - if at least one of the members/benefactors is a scientitist or researcher of some kind … can be useful in many ways, and if its a public institution, traffic won’t be too big a problem, it is however quite niche.
My current group has their base on an ancient capital ship, one of their allies runs a spacestation, and an allied resistance cell on the capital planet of the sector runs a few small hostels all around the capital city, providing somewhere safe for operatives to hide, lay low, and prep for missions, as well as providing shelter for the homeless and other downtrodden citizens.
Something more rural could be a farm with an abandoned mineshaft/smuggler’s tunnel.
A monastery/convent/temple.
Airports and ports IRL usually have a whole sub-economy of businesses surrounding them, with couriers, contractors, rental companies, etc. Any one of those businesses could be a front with good access to the back end of a spaceport.
A delivery depot. The members of the cell would have carte blanche to go pretty much anywhere on their rounds.
An IT/maintenance company.
A sports team. The players would be legit and unaware of what’s going on behind the scenes.
Ah, that makes me think of a theater company, as well. Small groups that do touring shows, traveling around with all the sets and costumes… Warehouse holding all the materials from the previous productions (plus Rebel paraphenalia).