Hey Veeky Forums, my players and I have discussed running a mech campaign spanning over a hundred years done in short increments. Starting with mechs similar to Frontline and ending with either something like Gundams or perhaps even Super Robots. Does anyone know good systems for each tier of robot?
I've heard that Mekton while flexible is also easily broken and have been told to steer away from it. The hardest one to find is something similar to Frontline/Armored Core.
4E can handle it.
Your image.
Can Battle Century accurately do lower end mechs like Frontline and Armored Core?
I have no idea. I play rifts.
But you gotta keep us updated on that campaign. That sounds really cool!
Yes.
BCG’s mechanics are all effects, to portray your mecha a certain way is all up to how you describe them working.
Yes, just restrict the enemies and players to 0 and 1 levels. Around 2-3 you hit Gundam, 4 is a typical shonen mech and 5 is (early) Gurren Lagann level basically.
Oh, that's awesome. I was interested in changing systems each time to show evolving tech but honestly that sounds nice due to simplicity.
If it goes anywhere and I have any stories from it I will. I have the flakiest group in existence though.
Not OP, but wouldn't Early Gurren be lower? I haven't seen the anime in forever, but I don't remember it getting galaxy size until much much later.
Can you make anything as stupidly broken as Demonbane/Mazinger Zero?
Yes, just pile on the points.
Hijacking the thread for a moment. Anyone heard anything good from Giant Guardian Generation?
>I was interested in changing systems each time to show evolving tech but honestly that sounds nice due to simplicity
With BCG all you’d have to do is raise the power level (which just gives more points to build with) and change how you describe things to portray tech leaps.
it is now Battle Century
BCG IS GGG, it’s the newer, updated edition.
BCG is really good. Mekton is shit. Patricians play bliss stage.
Anons, I have a mecha system I've been working on, but it's made with Google Sheets. Do I post it to y'all, anyway?
Go ahead.
Sure, I'd love to see it.
There's a few other things what need some fixin', but here goes...!
docs.google.com
This looks like a garbled mess and generally an inferior version of BCG.
Looks good but yeah, do some more work. Could be a good system but for now I'll be sticking to BCG/Z for now.
Man it's hard as shit find any mecha games to join.
I'm working on a setting right now for use with BCG-Z. Once I get it hammered out I'll be posting up a thing in the game finder thread.
Sounds great
It's coming along slowly but I'm in a few other games at the moment so it may be a short while before I get around to it.
You could also try out the BCG Discord, they are recruiting there more often that I do.
Just got finished reading the clusterfuck that is the Lancer thread.
Anyone got a pdf for this game? I might actually have to buy it if it's good enough.
It’s kind of a niche genre, so most groups are small closed circles who generally aren’t recruiting randos and most open games tend to be very short lived for various reasons.
Guess the only thing that can be done is keep hunting those open games in the hope you find something or at least someone who knows someone.
Pretty much, a lot of open games tend to just be one shots so maybe if you find a good group you might be able to convince them to be a regular thing.
Or just run your own game and pick up the others like you looking for a group.
Yeah I was part of a group of anons on /m/ and it died a death.
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It's up for free. killsixbilliondemons should have a link to (the latest?) version.
Mekton (Zeta) can handle anything. You just need to put a limit on the bullshit. Ideally: preset parts.
Alternatively... There's this.
I found Strike! better for the style of stuff 4e would be good for. Also has a lot less material you need to dig through, and is more decidedly generic.
If you're willing to learn Mutants & Masterminds 3e, there's this.
ChromeStrike is more for Armored Core or Front Mission-type machines.
Right, then. Might you two elaborate on why exactly it's not good?
It's just nothing new, pretty uninspired, it's been done better before and it's messily formatted.
Basically, it doesn't give me any reasons to get excited.
Bout to run a jovian chronicles game, the party wants cowboy bebop meets gundam, and I'm,happy to oblige.
Anyone stoked for jovian wars btw?
What is Jovian Wars?
NVM, just looked it up.
Fuck yeah, this looks awesome!
They just opened up or are going to soon start their Venus kixkstarter. And their fleets are on the store page now for s decent price including the lightning strike minis
I've used Gamma World 7e (the 4e spinoff) for a campaign, and that was tons of fun.
The Mutation cards were permanent "alpha module" abilities, but the Tech was stuff they could find/build/steal over time, and you pick which one you wanted to have installed before a sortie. Their alpha module and their starting Tech power are each selected from three randomly drawn cards of the respective type.
Has anyone who recommends Chromestrike actually ever played Chromestrike? Half the mechanics don't even function rules as written and the mech building is retarded and ends with everyone just building wheel mechs that are impossible to hit unless you get a crit.
I have not, I stick mostly to dream pod for my mecha needs.
It's just the power of the power format and strong, clear design intent.
Trigger Discipline is a good mech system we made years ago. :^)
I haven't recommended it in this thread, but I've run a game of Chromestrike.
And you're right, SPD gets out of hand pretty fast, especially with the movement bonus to dodge. You can alleviate it a little being a bit janky, though. Missiles, awkward terrain, restricting what parts players have access to, or maybe even just start them in full Betas and give them flexibility in their armaments.
But you're also right in that there are some serious mechanical problems beyond that. Mortars are hilarious and what even is Intimidate?
I'm taking a look at Lancer, Remnants and Jovian Chronicles, looking for something fast paced, relatively rules light, and more real rather than super robot
I use GURPS 4e but it's home-brew and while I love GURPS it's a little rough for general use. GURPS in theory should be great at this because scaling rules, TL options and the Spaceships design system. But in practice it's a gap where they don't have a great solution.
Stick with JC from that list. If, however, you want fast and rules-light, go Battle Century G. You said you wanted real robot and it does that quite well.
None of the games you listed fit the criteria you listed.
Battle Century G definitely does, and probably Mekton Zeta’s free cut down version might.
This. BCG is fairly simple and you can ban anything you want. It does "real robot" just as well as "super robot".
Also since the mechanics are concerned more with effects, how real or super your robots are is really a matter of how you portray them.
>Easily broken
Welcome to any truly fun system. Get/be a GM that does their job and you'll be fine.
Are there any ttrpg's where something like this can be done? Huge, ponderous machines where the players are the crew.
Just about all of them.
Comfy mechs best mechs.
I've used Lancer, Strike! and 4e for robot-type games.
Of the three, I think Strike! was the best, but Lancer was a lot less of a headache to get things up and running.
Anyone has used Stars Without Numbers mech rules?
You should try some actually good games.
BCG is the only other not terrible game mentioned in this thread.
Sort of, I played SWN and used some of the small mecha for power armor but that's about it. The fluff is pretty neat, but mechanics kind of an afterthought to the rest of the game and it shows.
I see, do you think after the KS he will make better rules for that, or he will simply put the old mech rules in place and call it a day?
What's Veeky Forums prefered mech size? GIANT ROBOTS ala Gurren Lagan, or more small, Titanfall/Votoms like?
Both are equally possible. On one hand, he might revise and expand them just because that’s what the whole book is, revising and expanding the SWN rules. On the other, no one bought the full edition for the mech rules, so no one is really clamoring for new mech rules.
Depends on the style.
If I want something super powered giant robot style, go big or go home. If I want “grim and gritty” I go VOTOMs size. Otherwise I just kind of default to Gundam size.
Let's hope its the first.
BCG is great. Not too rules light but doesn't get bogged down in too much crunch either.
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That's a big zaku
For you.
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VOTOMS, right?
Yup, a fatty. I simply love VOTOMs and scope dog like mechs.
Never watched it but it looks really interesting to say the least. It's on the list of shit I need to watch though.
It isn't like other mech animes. It's a flawed gem, tough I loved it.
You can't really say each mecha anime is the same. Mazinger Z is different from Patlabor is different from Macross is different from Big O is different from Gundam. Even the same line of shows (Gundam in particular) can vary wildly between series.
True that, what I Mean was more than don't expect the tipical mech traping like hot blooded heroe or the mech being a super weapon.
Ah, gotcha.