ANDERS MAGE PAGE 2.0

An endemic problem, I think, in many peoples' Mage games is players falling into a reactive mode. At least in mine, the story has (unfortunately) devolved into a running gun fight of sorts. The players are so busy avoiding the Pogrom that they don't have time to think about the so-called Ascension War.

So I guess that means the Technocracy wins again. Just keep the enemy busy and you win the war. Back to that ol' thing about doing nothing at all and how it helps the enemy.

Here are some thoughts for ambitious young magi who haven't been broken yet.

1. Never take your eye off the Big Picture. Whatever that picture may be, don't forget about it. Be idealistic — you can afford to be! Nothing in this reality is limited to you if you're careful. A mage with any dots in any Sphere can, with a little thought, feed, clothe and shelter herself without having to get sucked into the Syndicate nightmare of materialism.
2. Don't be ashamed to hide. Hide for a really long time if you need to. Find a supportive Chantry, create a tiny Horizon Realm bolt-hole, travel the Umbra for a few years. Whatever. The Technocracy doesn't forget, but it does have a budget to maintain. If they're hemorrhaging $$$ tracking you down to no avail, you might become a second-priority target.
3. Don't get on the Pogrom in the first place. This usually happens because the mage did not expect the Spanish Inquisition. I'm here to tell you know that this is a very real threat. Find someone older and wiser and stick to them like glue. If they go away, find a good hiding place and go to #4.
4. Gather information. This is true of any magickal tradition: internal, external or ritualistic. No matter. The enemy is always the same, and this can work to your advantage. Gain as much information as you can about your enemy and share notes with other trusted magi. Follow the ants back to their hill. Where are their orders coming from? The Technocracy's cronies are notoriously ill-equipped to handle independent planning, and count on orders coming from someone else. Of course, this falls flat on its face when a real live Technomancer decides you're an interesting research subject.
5. Never, ever hit them head-on. Just don't do it. It's stupid. They have robots, clones, Paradox spirits and credit ratings for their counterattack. What do you have? A fireball. So, if you're going to hit back, and you are going to if you don't lose sight of the Big Picture (see #1), always, always have a back door. If you have gathered enough information (see #4), you'll know their most likely response to an attack. Based on this, if you've taken the time to secure a hidey-hole (see #2), you can get there without leading them back to HQ.
6. Pay attention to synchronicity. If you're worth your salt as a mage, you'll recognize there are precious few coincidences. If things are going your way, chances are you've earned the protection of a more powerful mage who's working behind the scenes to help out. If things are not going your way, don't forget the Technocracy has the same tools as you do and are probably much better at using them.