So, we just wrapped up a session of my Shadowrun game. All that was planned was a border crossing.

Upon reaching the border, the players were asked for their identification. Two handed over real credsticks, two handed over forged ones. One of the forged IDs failed completely, the other came up as "Further questioning". Neither ID was that sturdy.

So the group gets pulled out of the line and searched. They border guards find out that one of the people who used a real ID is wanted by a corporation, and eventually figure out the real ID of one of the others, who is wanted for questioning by the Star.

This combined with the discovery of a submachinegun in the vehicle leads the guards to confiscate all of the weapons and armor, put everyone back in the vehicle, and refuse them entry into the country.

Which all in all makes for a crappy night. So any suggestions to salvage this or even how it could have played out better?

If you didn't want them to get in trouble at the border, why did you roll / ask them to roll for it?

Stealing their stuff back sounds like fun.

Party members do a better job of acquiring fake IDs in the first place.

Party member uses underworld contacts to find out which border guards are most easily bribed. Makes sure they get bribed.

Party member makes sure that the border guards' computer systems are down (and some kind of back-up procedure is in place on the part of the guards, which isn't as effective).

Party members hire professional criminals to sneak them over the border. This may become "interesting" quickly if they turn on the party, hit them up for more money, rob them, abandon them somewhere, etc.

Party member uses some kind of supernatural ability to make the guards amenable. (Can no longer recall what Shadowrun has, though mages do exist in that setting.)

The First Rule (okay, maybe it's the Fifth, but if I'm only putting one in a post, it's always the First) of story-telling: If something must happen for the story to continue, then it must happen. If a situation produces a failure, that failure should become a complication, instead.

So the guards opt to refuse border-entry? Fine. As the PCs drive away, their vehicle lighter because of the lost weaponry, one of the guards makes a call to a buddy of his. That buddy flags down the characters on their way back. "So, I hear you were tryin' ta get into [x] without too many questions asked...."

This guy's a coyote, smuggling people in or out for a fee. Of course, now they're down equipment, and they'll be out some cash as well. Of course, if they don't want to take a further cash-loss, well, they need to do a little errand, instead. There's this... package that they'll need to deliver once they're inside. No, they don't need to know what's in it, and they definitely shouldn't look....

Because I wanted it to be tense, and possibly a minor hiccup. But not a full blown SNAFU. I think I was expecting the RP to go differently.

See, that was my initial plan for the border crossing. For it to be a complication at most.

Which is why you need to have an alternate route through. When designing something like this, assume that the dice have it in for the players. If they can't bullhorn through their way with rolls, they'll need to have a way through that can be accomplished without anything more than a willingness to do what must be done.

How? Did the players actually do something through the RP to make the situation more complicated that we aren't getting in the OP?

I think I was expecting them to be able to talk their way out of it. Except for the found weaponry and the one completely blown ID, they might have.

I would have them find a new way acriss, maybe work contacts for connections on the other side of the border. Maybe try again goinb in clean and having a spirit engulf and drop their gear some place.

In hindsight, corrupt border patrol that could be bribed. Make them toss nuyen at it as atax for poor planning.