senior officer Mikael van Atta

His driving ability is not suspect, otherwise he wouldn't have been, effectively, given his own keys to my ride (as the system is going to be set up to recognize the people listed as legit users of the vehicle).

He's being asked to take care when driving it. Luckily, the Bermuda is offroad-capable, so it should be able to aggresively approach curbs and the like with less issues than the unlucky Renault did

8-Ball's to-do things (apart from continuing on the estabilished routine):

• Get a collimating / red dot sight for the Seburo (along the lines of the one I have on the Militech)
• Pick up reading on Stock markets.
• Start practicing Archery (on Teacher rig for now).
• pick up the Bermuda once it is delivered,
• apply for a driving licence test to include a motorcycle (can't think about it other than as of an A-class licence in my local terms :P)
• once that is done, put it in Suzy's workshop to be outfitted as I have envisioned it (well, and as much as GM permits :P) with a smartlink, run-flat tires and other goodies. Once that is done, give the Bermuda a proper paintjob - army green with white markings, identifying the motorcycle as a vehicle belonging to 502th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101 Airborne, HQ company - according to regulations on US Army military vehicle markings, as of summer of 1944.
• Note: Mitzi and Cossack's neuralware serial numbers are to be put into the Bermuda's Blue Max along with 8-Ball's, for the purpose of SmartLock security system: they are authorized users. Would include Rue and Hollow too, but I don't know if they can ride a bike. ...than again, with smartlink assistance and given Bermuda is rather easy to control (at +2 maneuverability) anyway - and being a trike, it is less demanding in terms of balance than an ordinary bike, we might just go with it. If anyone of them asks - yes, he has no problem with them using his ride. Just be so kind and tell you're taking it. And - that's personally to Cossack - don't mess it up, bro. I still remember how it went up the last time you were drivin' my wheels! (refering to how 8-Ball's Renault was repeteadly ending up in a mechanic's shop back in Colombia. Curiously enough, in each case it was Cossack driving it ). He doesn't trust the new teammembers that much yet.
• get himself a (quality reproduction) US Army service uniform, summer variant (complete with that slick side cap :P), identifying him as a sergeant of the 502th PIR HQ company, circa summer of 1944, with all the proper badges. After all, he is parachute-qualified. Even if he has no official papers that prove it. I guess no-one's going to bother him, though, as anyone able to identify the uniform as US paratrooper's will be also able to tell it is one referring to a war that ended long ago.
• Grab a few White Hats business cards (I'm assuming they're out there at the team HQ. If not, gonna ask Mitzi for them), and, next time I'm at the NCU campus, visit the Maxes' station / HQ. I'll talk with a Max of range (duty sergeant or the like - simply someone with more authority than rank-and-file patrolman). I'm sure they sometimes come across a student who needs help - and one that Maxes can't provide (well, the talk will be to imply because it lies outside their allowed territorial jurisdiction). And since 8-Ball (and, by extension, the White Hats team) have an estabilished positive reputation with the Maxes, this might bring us some jobs. Not expecting big jobs - students usually don't get into that kind of trouble, and if they do, they likely won't be having the kind of money we ask for these - but small jobs, why not? After all, it is the small jobs that put food on our table - the big jobs pay for the luxuries

Angel:

• get himself some webbing to disassemble (tactical tailor in progress :P) and start working on it, once he has time.
• Also, make use of the Winchester lever-action rifle tech package Suzy got him. For starters, make such a carbine himself - preferably in .44 magnum, with barrel threaded for a supressor, drilled and taped for a scope mount (or rather, Picatinny rail, if possible). Once that is done, he'll have the hands-on experience on that kind of gun, and will be able to move to the projest he has in mind. working on it.
• Get a pair (or two) of shooter's earmuffs, and try building external equivalent to a cyberaudio set (think smartgoggles, but for one's hearing). I see it as definitely allowing for Level Damper, Amplified Hearing and Radio Link (either buildt-in, or plugged in external walkie-talkie), perhaps even Enhanced Hearnig Range, Phone Splice, Sound Editing etc.
• Try working on collapsible bulletproof shields that were mentioned prior to the Detroit job.
• He'll think about setting up a shop, to make some money on the side. Actually working as a gunsmith would be stepping on San Paulo's toes - I guess someone (Mitzi, or perhaps 8-Ball) is going to explain that to him. Gunsmithing the team's guns is OK, antagonizing a business that has a longstanding good relation with the team is not. Unless he starts providing a service San Paulo doesn't (and doesn't care about). Tactical tailoring should be fine.

You have a point. Well, CP2020 ain't perfect, and Maximum Metal ain't perfect either. I'm not not even going to think about Shockwave.

On the other hand, I'd suggest to ignore the dice value for damage, and use:

1. Penetration value for vehicles and other heavy targets. 12,7 is rated Pen 3 (Pen 4 with AP rounds), 30mm autocannon is rated Pen 5, LATG 37 is Pen 6, and 90mm cannon is Pen 5 with HE, Pen 9 with standard (I assume kinetic / APFSDS) and Pen 10 with HEAT. Which makes, if not sense, at least some scalability.
2. Personnel versun anti-vehicle weapons rules in Maximum Metal, p.8. In most cases, a character hit with that kind of firepower is either very, very lucky (and comes out of it with potentially a serious wound), or has been blown to pieces - and calculating the exact number of thsoe pieces and the area they've been splattered over is, IMO, an excercise in futility...

We'll have to get over the Bermuda's options list at some point, then - you'll tell me what can, and what can't do. I envisioned it as an advanced vehicle smartlink / computer (after all, vehicle smartlink has to be a form of a computer, here it is one that can do a lot of other things on top of being smartlink - which is why I gave it a name: Microtech Blue Max), and, true, I put there everything that seemed sensible, perhaps save the proverbial kitchen sink  

Yes, 8-Ball has a set of smartgoggles, he brought them back from the Virgin Islands. It was on lease to Angel during the Detroit job, as 8-Ball himself was relying on the Militech Softshell's sensor package. The light booster goggles are his old set that was left behind in storage in Night City. I guess it will soon end up beign handed down to Chrome Berets or something. Either way, I have them both noted on my character sheet's equipment section, the smartgoggles are in the column headed "Usually kept at White Hats' office" (and marked with a note they are on loan to Angel). 

Bermuda's description in Chrome 2 (well, most vehicles description in that book) was somewhat ambigious in terms of how many people it can carry, so I didn't want to overstep. But if my GM decrees it can carry a driver, a passenger and then use the optional extra space (+200e$) to carry another passenger (or cargo), who I am to argue?

8-Ball's to-do list:

• Do some shopping at San Paulo's: he nearly ran out of rifle ammo this time. So, 300 rds of 7,62mm AP are in order. IIRC the Raven Microcyb's contract included covering "reasonable ammunition expenses", so if possible, I'd put that on their tab (and pay it myself otherwise, no problem).
• Order his new carry piece (the Nova Arno, as discussed).
• Bother Rue about medical supplies (and trauma drugs, he expended most of what he had in Detroit).
• Pick up on his classes - Mandarin, Japanese, Arasaka-Te (once he's in shape for that), maybe talk Mitzi into a Motorcycle lesson or two (I want him to reach +2), and do some reading on Stock Markets.
• Visit Bob Waite's and discuss proper motorcycle pants and boots (whether Bob makes there or needs to order them, is secondary). Bob doesn't do motorcycle leathers. Suggested a few places that do.
• Drop by the motorcycle dealership in San Morro and talk about stuff, including how long would it take them to get a Delta Motors Bermuda for him (not going to order it before he is confident he can handle it, i.e. getting to +2 in the skill). He'd be interested in a Bermuda with the extra seat, and I guess an additional, external baggage box (as Bermuda comes with no cargo capability on its own, and the extra space is noted as either a passenger, or cargo), one to store two full-faced bike helmets.
• Start completing a SHTF bag. Some of his old (but still functional) stuff will get into it. 

Angel's to-do list:

• Make a big list of stuff he needs: armorsmithing tools, tailoring tools (angled more for the heavy-duty tailoring of thick, tough materials), chemical lab, and basic tech. Pass it to Mitzi.
• Since he really liked the smartgoggles 8-Ball lent him for the Detroit job, he'll check the market for a set of smartgoggles for himself. 
• Also, he no longer crumples and discards of the energy drink cans once he drinks them. Gotta a project in mind.

I assume the October paychecks are in (including the money for the Detroit job - after all, they come to us via White Hats, not directly from Raven), October expenses are due, and we need to consider the cyberware part of the Raven's payment. Please remind me - what exactly does that cover?

I mean, 8-Ball will probably skip on it (he likes his Empathy where it is, and there isn't anything he really can't do without), but Angel is absolutely going to take them on it (currently he would have most use for a basic neural rig - processor, interface plug, universal link and perhaps a chipware socket, but he could cover that from his own pocket. For shits & giggles - and style points - I'm considering getting him a proper cyberarm. Y'know, since Raven is offering to sell us stuff at 1/3 price, and install it for free...?).

Eh. If memory serves me, we had one cease-fire with those guys already. It held for a whole half an hour.

Sure, 8-Ball will negotiate. His basic decency asks him to let the opponent take their wounded out of the battlefield. But on the other hand, he's pissed, and the Trash Chippers will have to work to get what they ask for. If we managed to bring some spoils-of-war guns to the defensive position, it will be accented with shooting one of them down the stairwell, just to accent his words (he's not aiming for the survivors).

"Yea? You wanna ceasefire? Didn't you just had one, eh, Shit Eaters? But of course you simply had to fuck it up!"

(giving time for the Trash Chipper to respond)

"Maybe this time I should roll something more to those buggers downstairs and we can both listen to them drowning in their own barf, you limp-dick-made-with-in-the-morning asshole? I have a little something special just for that!"

Well, he has his Stench Bombs. While normally they are intended to make everyone vacate a room due to inbearable stench they produce, I'd guess using them on people immobilized in the rubble might prove fatal, as they throw up (especially if wearing enclosed helmets). 

"Yea? So what it is in it for me, huh? What incentive can you offer to let me pick up your bros? 'Cos you've already shown me yer word for it ain't worth shit. And if you mean draggig' yer sorry ass upstairs, naked and with a ballgag in your teeth, and birnging a king-sized bottle of tabasco, so we could make use of that giant rubber dong we found, then no, that won't do for an incentive. Though you could throw it in as an apology, somebody up there might be just willing to accept it as one. Or at least, as a way to pass the time!"

"Yea? Think it over! 'Cos I kinda feel ending those buggers here might be a good idea, then we could simply get down and off the rest of you clowns, and then fuck up your mommas, your lil' Thrash Chippies, and their pet hamsters wholesale!"

So, yeah, he will be negotiating. And he intends to take his time. Who knows, maybe the Trash Chippers manage to come up with an interesting offer. 

Oh for Mother Ammunition's sake, does some poor moron down there have a flamethrower with a ruptured tank...?

Either way, as soon as the dust clears enough to see what is going on, 8-Ball sends down a concussion grenade (a frag would be of little use here, and flash-bang is pointless in this situation. But an offensive / demolition grenade, as they are called in US milspeak, should do the trick. Whatever the trick is). Once the situation clears again, he'll be ready to finish off any ganger still moving with aimed rifle fire.

Having discussed it with @TigerGuardwe will follow Suzy's suggestion: shoot & scoot (and call the gangers names. Thems fightin' words, y'know. Being a ganger, he should have an idea what gangers would consider insulting enough) to lead the gang into the trap.

Could roll the gangers a grenade too - there seemed to be a HE / concussion among the array 8-Ball got from Fawkes. If it is the same as what I've been taught as "offensive grenade", it should hurt them even with their heavy armors (and a Roman-style testudo did not account for explosive projectiles being hurled under the shields). Momentary overpressure in a confined space - that's what concussion grenades were made for. Though rolling a frag on the top of the formation should be a good way of assuring them that keeping the formation tight is a good idea!

Doesn't really matter who is on the detonator for the stairs demo charges, all they need is to press the button on Samantha's command.

That's a valid point. Let's go for it. 

I mean: boom.

True, I was intending to wait, so the stairs would take as many Trash Chippers with them as possible - and thus seriously limit their ability to launch another counterattack. But we're playing for time, and if we delay the Trash Chippers for long enough to complete our salvage mission and airlift out, their further actions are of no consequence to us.

Tnank you for setting my thinking straight here

8-Ball is where he's supposed to be - getting ready to defend the staircase.

Angel continues to empty the assigned laboratory - having set the demolition charges, he's really not of much use in the oncoming fight.

I can't really speak for others, as they aren't my characters.

And here's what comes out of te lack of exact command structure: 8-Ball considers himself to be "in command of the boots on the ground". Suzy is getting into his competences here.

Now, 8-Ball is absolutly intending to be reasonable: if Suzy has a good reason to consider two men (and the stairs, rigged for demolition) enough to stop the horde of rushing gangers (who, as out intel reports, have equipped themselves with heavy armor and big nasty weapons), he can go with that. The problem is - she hasn't given any reason. He'll ask her - over radio - to tell what she has in mind.

From 8-Ball's point of view, if the explosives work as intended, sure, two men will be more than enough. The blast should take out the only access route the gang is trying to use right now, along with several gangers. Not really any way for thme to swarm upstairs after that. But he takes into accound that Angel isn't as competent in his job as he claims / the charges are faulty / the gangers somehow disconnect them while advancing. In other words, "no boom". And in that case, he'll need every available pair of steady hands to stop the attack.

Question: how much loot there seems to be (weight / volume-wise. I'm trying to guesstimate how many elevator rides would that require)?

I don't know if that counts as an objection, but I've already mentioned - if there seems that an atack is brewing up, 8-Ball wants all combat-capable personnel available to repel it. Also, ammuniton counted, consolidated into full magazines, and shared to make sure people replling the attack won't run dry. 

With Fawkes down, we are down one of our primary combatants. And from the get-go, we were running the entire job pretty much short-handed.

Oh, with a little luck we might have a proper, collapsible, mil-spec stretchers with us. I recall us buying such stuff before the job in Mexico. Proved very useful when you folks had to carry 8-Ball and one of the Chrome Berets out. 

I believe it would be reasonable for Rue to pack them for that job, too. 

I doubt 8-Ball would know what a testudo* is. Ancient Rome military history is kinda beyond his scope of interest. But we might give it a roll... I'm not sure if riot police are still using this tactic nowadays. They might be sticking to a simpler shieldwall. 

Angel would have no gorram idea: Ancient Rome is totally outside of his field.

* I do, of course. My character, well, I wouldn't consider it likely for him to know.

However, it is quite likely all Jake's disciples could recoginze the word as misspelled  tetsudo - Japanese word for railroad ("iron road", literally. I assume it is a term within the vocabulary of a language student rated at +2...). They'll be then free to wonder what the heck do the Trash Chippers intend to do with that "railway".

Still, 8-Ball can read the writing on the wall: several heavily armed and armored gangers are readying themselves to storm the team's position. The intel is there, and he's competent enough tactician to get it. The answer is obvious - time to get these stairs ready to blow. The question, however, is how well did Angel do his job: are the demolition charges out there in plain sight (still, a mob of gangers charging up the stairs in heavy armor might fail to notice these), or hidden, even under some random pieces of trash?

Tactically, it would be advanageous to press the detonator with as many of the gang stormtroopers on the stairs. Apart from ripping the stairs from under them, it will also blast the gangers themselves to kingdom come. Sure, wearing heavy armor they might survive (or at least some of them), but after taking the blast and falling a few meters onto concrete stairs, this set should be no longer in shape to do anything for at least a few days. 

However, we should not risk them disarming the charges. 8-Ball is the way he is: on the cautious side. So, if that's how things look like, it's use or lose them. In that case, blow the stairs as soon as the gangers show around. Let them research the joys of medieval warfare: storming a vertical obstacle. Not exactly the way of going medieval on their ass they expected (neither did 8-Ball), but people have to make do...

Edit: 

• 8-Ball will want all the available combat personnel (Cossack, Hollow, Jamal and himself) ready to defend the stairwell against the attack - at 2:50. Rue as backup. Suzy too, if possible. Also, ammo counted and shared - including what Fawkes had: the man packed a FN RAL, and isn't going to use it anytime soon. 
• People on the search & pack duty are told we are interested in weapons and especially ammo, too. 7,62mmCL, 6,5mmH and failing that - whatever rifles and shotguns are available, along with matching ammo.
• We need to take Fawkes in mind. He needs to be moved somewhere safe, and out of the way. The large dorm room on #32 should do fine, and there were several beds there that do not contain dead gangers. Jamal gets instructed to have an eye out for a makeshift stretcher (most likely lightweight internal doors, IRL I'd check the restroom doors first: they tend to be of lightwright contruction, and often more narrow than other doors in a building. Which would make negotiating other doors easier. If needed be, a few strong individuals can carry such stretcher, but placing it on our dolly and moving it by elevator would be easier). That is - unless our medics have other ideas as for Fawkes' well-being.

I take than, by 2:50AM:

• #17 is clear (it was a non-laboratory space)
• #18 (Fashionware lab) is searched & cleared (it got turned into barracks).
• #19 (Cyberlimb lab) is searched, and the loot gettig ready for liftoff. Still going to call Cossack & Jamal off that task: we can resume the packing once we have repelled the counterattack. If we fail to repel it, having gained those 5 minutes won't help us anyway. 
• #20 (Implant lab) is awaitng a search.
• #21 (Special Projects lab) is awaiting a search.
• #22 (Nanoware lab) is searched and cleared. Fawkes is still there, and needs to be moved, along with the loot.
• #23 (Computer lab) - Suzy still needs 15 minutes there.

OK, will go with Suzy's suggestion. 

"Fine. 15th floor and below - people may stay as they were. Not gonna bother them. Or you, for that matter, as long as you don't stick yer noggins' above that level." 

"But keep in mind - a hundred-year-old granny with a baby carriage show up where they don't belong, they're off to happy hunting grounds in a nanosecond. Make sure they know that."

Yes, 8-Ball is playing tough. He wouldn't actually murder a granny or a newborn. But he's talking to a gang right now.

Hmm. We absolutely need everything from level #18 up. Anything more is useful as airgap, but not necessary. I don't recall (and can't access the notes right now) where the kitchen / cantina is (having the people working for the gang fed is going to be a major concern to them). 

Now we could declare the civillians can stay - we're simply taking over the entire business. But that's not our real point, and somebody would likely call our bluff. We don't have time, resources nor actually interest in doing that. Also, I'd expect other gangs in the neightbourhood to "try" us (assuming we have taken losses during takeover, and are now weakened, so they could in turn kick us out and take over the business).

I'm tempted to declare that we don't give a flying flamingo about what is going on up to floor #10, but anyone found on #11 and up should consider themselves as trespassers "on our turf". And trespassers will be shot. Survivors will be shot again. So they better get those people on the floors from #17 to #11 moving. 

Note: as soon as the gangers gather their wits , it will become obvious that this is placing us in a position very difficult to assault, but also untenable in the long run. We might be the deadliest opposition they've seen so far, but we need to eat, drink, and refill our ammo magazines (even assuming there are enough of us to keep watch and do whatever else we are to do. 

We can't get any supplies through their territory. So if we don't have an alternate supply route, they can starve us out. Bah, they can even cut our water supply, merely close the valves on the water pipes below us. We really can't do anythign about it except to come down and fight them for the control of the valve.

Our only way of resupply is via the landing pad - by air. If we can afford to maintain a long-term air bridge to keep us supplied, we're basically out of their league (and someone will eventually turn up with a MANPADS trained on the approach route, anyway).

If they are a bit smarter, they'll also realize this means we are in the tower for a limited time only. We have to have some business to take care of up there, and we are going to leave once we're done. In either case, patience is goign to give them the tower back, sooner or later.

I can't exclude some being brave and stupid enough to try assaulting our positiion, once the initial shock wears off. Especially given we have likely killed off at least a good part of the more senior (and thus - more experienced) members of the gang...

...which is actually not a bad idea, as this will give Trash Chippers something to do. Rather than planning a counterattack, they'll be managing their own civillians.

However - that's a negotiating position; the airgap is something I could concede (partially, or even as a whole, if I have to). 

I have had an idea to request a number of able-bodied civillians to help us packing, but apart from moral considerations, we would have to keep an eye on them - and we have no manpower to do that. Depending on the time it would take we potentially would also have to provide logistics (food, drink, rest space) for them. And to release them at some point, thus revealing how few in numbers are we. So, nope, not a good idea.

The point is to have Trash Chippers out of our way, have them busy enough for them to not try anything, and have them out fast enough to not let them think it over and get any (likely stupid and / or violent) ideas. 

So - if that's good enough for you to act upon, @Allen1, that's it. If you'd rather want more precise declarations, I should be able to write them down by tomorrow.

Well, I guess 8-Ball can do the negotiating part... and his answer would be "Yo there, Trash Chippers! We want this fuckin' tower. Your dead bodies in it being optional. You dig it?" (well, I'm trying to keep it short, to the point, and in ganger-friendly terminology ).

Assuming they ask for terms - give them very short (but reasonable) time to GTFO. Take their wounded (they don't have any as a result of our action, to my knowledge. Still worth mentioning those are included in the offer), their hangers-on, "and their pets" , and move out. Once the time is up, we'll move in and "go full-time medieval on the ass of anyone who stays behind". Also, "we see a gun, we gun you down" (which obviously means long guns will have to be left behind. I'm not concerned with small arms they are going to hide under their clothes).

I'd prefer to have them lower than just 16th floor. Say, 10 and lower (airgap!). But that's negotiable. 

As for Fawkes - 8-Ball is not aware of the man's exact condition (he wasn't there - he was blowing the door and clearing the nano-lab when it happened). Surely Fawkes doesn't look fresh like morning dew however. So, I guess, it is doctor's call (Jamal being the medic on this particular case). 

I mean, if not for the cyberware, Fawkes wouldn't be even hobbling around, I think. Mortal 3 is a guaranteed stretcher case. 

Okay, situation:

• I'd like an updated head count. If I get it right, we did about another 20 gangers, right? And certainly over 10 of them. Seems there shouldn't be many left. 
• We have cleared the tower down to level #22 (Nano laboratory) for certain, I'm not sure about #21 (Special projects). I admit - the situation got a little hazy in that regard.
• We need to clear it down to #18 (and preferably #17, just to be sure), then put in the airgap (blow the stairs). 
• Once we're done with that, set up a defensive position on top of the stairs, and start combing the captured terrain. Have an eye for stragglers - we wnth through the last few floors rather quickly, and haven't checked under the beds and the like. We'll need to amend that. Now, I guess any stragglers will be non-combatants, but you never know. 
• Also, we'll need ammo count. Going through the tower has been pretty ammo-intensive, and there are still a few more floors to do. Luckily, the gangers have left us aplenty of weapons (including assault rifles and shotguns, that are going to be pretty useful in tight confines of the stairwell), but we'll need to gather them where we can use them.
• Fawkes is out of action. Even if the man would try claiming otherwise, he's in Mortal 3. 8-Ball will use all possible authority to keep Fawkes away from trouble. If that means pumping him to the gills with a sedative, so be it. I mean, even once Jamal & Rue have performed their medtech miracles on him with the bone glue, tissue glue, blood substitute etc etc, he's still in pretty bad condition.
• We need to follow the "shopping list" from Raven. With Suzy & Angel going after computer drives, I guess it'll be Rue & Jamal going after cyberware (inc. cyberware on the dead gangers. check the serial numbers, and if it is on the list - retreive and pack it). This leaves Cossack, Hollow and 8-Ball to act as security element. Of these three, I want two to man the stairs all the time (this leaves us with one man free to do anything else). 
• The frankenborg is to be disassembled (I'd really hate to see it recativating and jumpoing us from the back. But if we unscrew arms, legs & head from it, plus pop put it's batteries, I guess it won't! Then it can be packed for transport - even if it wasn't on the shopping list. But I'd guess it was...).
• It would be beneficial if Samantha could reposition at least one drone to the stairwell (a couple of floors below our guard post) to act as lookout / early warning. 
• Have an eye for any dollies / transport carts. They'd be a great help - we have brought only one ourselves. Now I'm sure that Raven had a number of these for the purpose of just moving stuff around the laboratories - but unfortunately there is a chance the gang has moved all of thme downstairs, where their commercial operations are. Still, there's hoping.

Will have to check it up, thanks!

Hmm, if the stairwell was intended as a fire escape, I'd expect the doors to be rather heavy and robust, as they are meant to be be fireproof. However, unless they have fallen into disrepair, they should be opening smoothly, without much strength needed (they were meant to be used by white collar personnel on the run from a fire - not necessarily the most physically inclined people around... ).

Applying RL logic (and my local fire safety regulations - these might have a different take on things in the US), I would expect these doors to open uot of the floor and into the staircase: the people escaping a floor need to just push them open.

I think ACPA shields is something beyond the scope of this topic, but hey, since we're there already... I think an ACPA riot shield is not a good idea, from the civillian casaulties side of things: ACPA suits are very strong to immensely strong on a human scale. Bashing people with a blunt object at that point is going to result in injuries one way or another.

ACPA ballistic shields - well, it depends on what you want an ACPA to be protected against. I mean, they tend to have respectable SP values anyway, SP40 and up in most cases. That's the realm of armored vehicles (APCs and some IFVs) already.

As for shooting from behind the shield - yes, typical rigid shield excludes the use of a shoulder-fired weapon. For two reasons, actually: 

1. You don't have the other hand to hold it with,
2. There simply is no space available for it behind the shield. The rigid shields are on the heavy side, and therefore you want them close to your body (the further you hold them, the more difficult it gets: the length of your arm becomes a lever's length against your shoulder). 

Flexible shields are a bit different in that aspect. 

While Allen1 and I seem to differ on what exactly a smart-linked gun does, the general gist of things seems to be - you need either a gun camera (and a display of course) to show you where oyu're pointing it, or a projector (like a laser sight) that will paint a targetting mark on whetever you're pointing the gun at.  Not to mention recoil working on a sifferent angle than normal.

A minor (curiosity) point - LAPD SWAT have observed that shield-using officers often tend to brace theri handguns against the edge of the shield. For some reason it seems to be natural. The problem being - if you brace your pistol's slide agaisnt your shield, you can't count on the pistol working reliably. Which led to development (and adoption) of S&W 627 - series revolvers

So yes, there should be accuracy penalties.

And I agree, a deployed shield should also carry an EV penalty - the bigger and heavier the shield, the more serious the penalty. While the EV system as such is not exactly perfect, that's what we have in Interlock (and even Cyberpunk RED hasn't really changed it).

Definitely strength-enhancing cyberware and exteranl hardware (like exoskeletons) would be useful here. And I guess we could see ACPA ballistic shields, too. 

Gyrostabilised rig? I think not. The shield is likely to be heavy enough to be a problem, adding extra kilograms of gear to stabilize it doesn't sound like a good idea. Linear frame (endo or exo) is a lot of weight, but it carries itself, and the shield (and all other pieces of gear you'd like). So, that sounds like a practical idea!

As far as I can see it, a smartgun or a gun-camera would allow the shield-bearer to effectively fire from the cover of his shield. Simply equip the shield with a firing port - nowadays this can be done, too, but since you can't really use your sights in that position, accuracy is far from desired. Plus, unless we're talking gun-ports again, you'd still need to present at least your gun hand.

As for ACPAs with shields - sure, shields would work for them as well, and weight would be of little imporance. Of course, the queston is - what would the shields have to protect the ACPA against. I have one more problem I can see - a shield, especially a large one, makes it very difficult to maneuver in tight spaces. The bigger the shield, the more difficult it becomes (well, you're carrying a piece of rigid stuff big enough for you to hide behind it, right?). ACPAs are already bigger than people, and are going to have problems negotiating human-scale indoor terrain. Adding an ACPA-sized shield ain't gonna help that...

As for locations protected - dead front, a 90cm tall shield easily covers your entire torso, holding arm, and the other arm save for hand, if you stick it out with a gun. Usually head, too, if it has an armored viewport. 

A 120cm tall one can easily cover your upper legs too. If you are stationary, you can crouch behind it and be fully covered. Having airsofted against guys with shields in CQB, angles make the legs rather difficult to hit, though I guess a "called shot" (to use gaming terminology) could have a chance. 

Since the topic came up in a game recently, and we figured out there are really no rules for these in CP2020 (in CP Red there are, but well, that's another kettle of fish)... anyone willing to  throw in their opinion?

I mean, Protect & Serve had police shields (lightweight multipurpose one, and larger riot shield), but there was no proper ballistic / bulletproof shield. Not to mention there were objects that were meant to stand in for a shield, like Arasaka Jetsetter armored attache case - perfect to cover at least part of the body when in danger.

IRL, riot shields are one thing - they are meant mostly to protect officers against melee attacks and thrown objects (stones, trash bins, molotov cocktails etc). Not really sto stop bullets. 

But proper ballistic shields, like those used by SWAT teams, that's an another kettle of fish: most I see online are rated NIJ III (providing protection against all standard rifle calibers) or even NIJ IV  (same rifle calibers with AP bullets - something that Interlock mechanics doesn't reflect well...). Of course, they are pretty heavy - 10 to even 20kg (NIJ IV-rated, 120cm tall body shield).

Then there are fun things like the MTS - NIJ IIIa (all handgun calibers) with optional NIJ III rifle plate insert (I assume in only one segment of it). ~4,5kg with the insert, and a bit over 90cm tall. 

I have a feeling that in Interlock, this armor should be excluded from armor stacking rules - except for the holding hand (and even then, only at the point of hold), it has little contact with the user's body. With body armor, you can hope that even if the projectile doesn't penetrate your target's bulletproof vest, the deformation of the armor and sheer impact will still deal some damage - with a shield, you need to penetrate the shield itself, (much like an obstacle) before you could even start thinking about dealing with body armor. Sure, pumping enough damage into it will eventually degrade the shield to the point of uselessness. 

Of course, the protection matters only from the front - and carrying a 10-20kg shield is a problem if you intend to have a gun in the other hand (which is why in a SWAT team, only the leading officer will carry a shield). Not to mention trying to climb a ladder or - heavens forbid - a rope. With a 4,5kg MTS, it is way less of an issue to have a long gun (rifle or shotgun) and use it effectively. 

Allright, allright - we do it your way.