What are some of your favorite SAS's and why?

Well, as the title, actually. My group is thinking of trying out the nWoD for the first time and I'm looking for a bit of inspiration. Right now it's up in the air as to wether it'll be a base WoD campaign, or a Hunter, or Mage, or heck, even a Scion game (even though that's not really in the nWoD, I know.)

I want to know which SAS you liked the best and why you liked them. I would be especially interested if you had anything you would have changed in your module that I could do for my group.

Thank you in advance

Unfortately, there is only one Mage SAS.  That said, I enjoyed Lines of Power.  I wasn't a big fan of the emo-wangst encouragement.  I was a big fan of everything else, from antagonists that are efficient, cohesive, and direct to the cabal having to figure out how to get their Sanctum back and kick their asses.  The game was short, sweet, and simple!

My players really enjoyed "Ruins of Ur". I changed it a lot since we play Hunter in UK (so the tomb was celtic-pagan instead) but they said it was their favourite Hunter game session so far. Game is bit of classic dungeon crawl with lot of challenges and memorable opponents. There's great tension going on (read the adventure to learn why) and lot of opportunities to truly scare your players since it's all about darkness and ancient horrors. Game is easy for Storyteller to run and assuming you do some basic preparations everything will go smooth.

Daughter of Nexus. A great leaping-off point for an Exalted story. It was very minimalist in its approach in the text, but obviously had some research behind it into Exalted background.

EDIT: And by minimalist, I mean they didn't take too long on flowery language or descriptions, stuck to a succinct way of phrasing things. This thing rationed its word count carefully.

I ran the new Mage story, The Abedju Cipher for my friends last week.  I thought it turned out pretty well.  It was an interesting story that forced them to make some choices on who to trust and what to do.

I've only run one so far: Murder Will Out, a HtV SAS, completed over the last week or so.  The game was a lot of fun, and my players certainly had fun... up until the last scene and a half, which we all agree were somewhat lackluster and anticlimactic.  I'm reading over Spearfinger now, as well as planning out some of my own using the Mysterious Places supplement, but that's been my only SAS experience so far.

One thing it taught me: be better prepared with alternative options should the players feel like they're banging their heads against a brick wall because of the way the story and their characters have played out thus far.

Rhapsody:

I've only run one so far: Murder Will Out, a HtV SAS, completed over the last week or so.  The game was a lot of fun, and my players certainly had fun... up until the last scene and a half, which we all agree were somewhat lackluster and anticlimactic.  I'm reading over Spearfinger now, as well as planning out some of my own using the Mysterious Places supplement, but that's been my only SAS experience so far.

I hope your group enjoys Spearfinger! It can be a bit linear, which is kind of an artifact of the written adventure format, but it should give a nice alternation between roleplaying and tense combat.

This may be a bit premature (as we just began the SAS) but Bad night at Black Moon Farm is kicking off well. There's a great deal of tension in the opening scenes, perfect for making players wnder what's going on. that's new, that's enjoyable

Someone actually said "I don't know what to do right now!' :)

I did change it up in that I put the trap setting brother in sight first, the thing in his hands unclear, calling for his brother. This seemed to put them at ease for a moment- things can't be too bad, there's a guy, he has family here.  Then he's running while crouching and the tension is torqued up again as the rifle shots ring out.

~Seryna

So far I've run...

The Resurrectionists
Parlor Games
The Fear Makers Promise
Criminal Intent
To The Flame

My favorite thus far is The Resurretionists.

Why is The Resurrectionists my favorite?  I like the difficult choice the PC's have to make at the end.

I just got done running Abedju Cipher.  Plenty of goodies here.  I particularly enjoyed the mind-screws of who to trust and the big battle at the end.

Just finished running Murder Will Out last night... it went swimmingly, I had several players ask to take breaks because the tension was getting to them, and one actually jumped in their seat at one point (which was especially interesting because it was a dude I don't normally consider 'jumpy' or a wuss and his character wasn't even on-screen at the time... he was just really into the narrative).

Please do go into detail on the changes that you've made.  I plan on running the Murder will out with a hybrid cell of Lucifuge/ TFV and look forward to your take on it.  Would you mind me asking about how long it took for the SAS to play out?  Our sessions are normally two hours long.  I normally make up a few extra scenes, but if the SAS is meaty enough, perhaps I won't. Does the SAS seem well rounded to you?
~Seryna

I just wrote a detailed synopsis here in the S.A.S. Forums called 'Murder Will Out - Post Play Impressions' that will probably answer most of your questions.  I warn you, it's long.  There's a very neat (imo) tidbit in there just for your Lucifuge guys...

I ST'd a one night game of all girl players/characters of "The Harvesters" and it was a lot of fun.  If you look at the setting having all girl players provided some unique dynamics to the SAS.  The main thing I noticed was that all the girls were just a little more intimidated by the intimidating male antagonists and after their friend gets snatched they are all the more fearful of kidnap and rape.  I think most of them had seen "Taken" recently because they referred back to it many times throughout the night.

What I changed was subtle for the most part.  They were college students road tripping across the country for spring break (it was spring break, and they were college students in RL).  One of the characters made a contact that could get her a little something she wanted at such a great deal she allowed herself to get involved in the illegal activities of the contact.  I kept it organic, let things flow and it went rather well.
 
For added enjoyment we had pizza, snacks, and I had background music at key parts to heighten the suspense or fear.  I loved the ghost character and in the end there was a showdown with David (the spirit influenced) and his hungry dogs with the Cops minutes away.  I recommend to use this SAS if you can get the right people, the right characters, and set the right mood to bring out its maximum potential.

-D