Thread: BRP Mecha

Originally Posted by RosenMcStern

I plan to include rules that encompass at least the following well-known Anime universes: Code Geass, Macross/Robotech, Universal Century/Gundam, and the Go Nagai mechas for which i have already provided some stats here.

Wow I was just talking to a friend about how well Code Geass would work as an RPG. Being a huge fan of Michael Moorcock as well, there are similarities between that and Hawkmoon, and I had thought about using MRQ Hawkmoon as a base. However this is much more interesting, though maybe I'll keep the flame lances and ornithopters in addition to using Knightmare Frames. Very cool news!

Originally Posted by Atgxtg

I figure getting the various licenses for the various anime series is out of the question

I have asked people who usually have contacts with the big Japanese companies, and the answer is that they would not even bother to consider such a request.

, so are there going to be some "knockoff" versions in the Mecha book? Some designs similar enough to give the feel for mecha like Mazina, Gaiking, Raideen, or Getter Robo?

The game I ran at tentacles was based on the Universal Century, with stats for "official" mecha. But these cannot be included in a commercial product. I am certain that fans will make their own versions of the official mechas and distribute them via non commercial channels.

Speaking of Getter Robo, are the rules for designing tranforming and or combining mecha?

There will be rules fro this, but they are not done yet. And do not expect to find Autobots or Decepticons in BRP Mecha.

Lastly, what did you work up for handling things like STR vs STR rolls on the Mecha level? Does STR 210 automatically beat STR 200, or do you trteat it like 21 vs 20 or what?

Assume a 10:1 rate between variables at mecha level and human level. For hit points and weapon damage, all scores will be divided by 10 for Mechas, giving them a range numerically similar to the values for human. For STR and such, the scores will be unchanged. This could create the problems you suggest.

There are two solutions possible, and the game will most likely suggest both as options: a) divide by 10 and use the Resistance Table, and b) use an opposed roll of characteristic as a percentile. Of course STR and SIZ will be adjusted using your modified chart.

Originally Posted by RosenMcStern

I have asked people who usually have contacts with the big Japanese companies, and the answer is that they would not even bother to consider such a request.

I figured as much.

The game I ran at tentacles was based on the Universal Century, with stats for "official" mecha. But these cannot be included in a commercial product. I am certain that fans will make their own versions of the official mechas and distribute them via non commercial channels.

They might even end up on some official sites as well. Japanese companies are much more tolerant of third party use of their mecha and characters than elsewhere. Basically they release that doing so would mean going after their own fanbase.

There will be rules fro this, but they are not done yet. And do not expect to find Autobots or Decepticons in BRP Mecha.

. I was thinking more along the likes of Getta Robo and VF-1S Valkyries.

Assume a 10:1 rate between variables at mecha level and human level. For hit points and weapon damage, all scores will be divided by 10 for Mechas, giving them a range numerically similar to the values for human. For STR and such, the scores will be unchanged. This could create the problems you suggest.


There are two solutions possible, and the game will most likely suggest both as options: a) divide by 10 and use the Resistance Table, and b) use an opposed roll of characteristic as a percentile.

Might I suggest a 1/8 or 1/16 rate instead of 1/10? Tat way it is much easier to scale with thing like damage bonus. Since every +16 STR or SIZ is worth +1D6, a 8 or 16 to 1 scale makes dbs a snap.

For example, at 1:16 scale damage bonus is equal to STR+SIZ-1.

Of course STR and SIZ will be adjusted using your modified chart.

I'm gonna have to email Chaosium about the table now!

If you are interested, I can send you my stuff for correlating horsepower/kW to STR, armor thickness to AP and cannon.

It could help people in working up stats for mecha designs where things like weapon caliber or engine power are known. For instance, if someone wanted to write up a "triple barrel 55mm rotary cannon" my cannon stuff would suggest a damage rating of around 8D6 and a base range of around 2000m (about 650m if "handheld").

I7m not pushing anything, but it's available if you want any of it.

Originally Posted by Atgxtg

Might I suggest a 1/8 or 1/16 rate instead of 1/10? Tat way it is much easier to scale with thing like damage bonus. Since every +16 STR or SIZ is worth +1D6, a 8 or 16 to 1 scale makes dbs a snap.

For example, at 1:16 scale damage bonus is equal to STR+SIZ-1.

I have already reworked the damage bonus table, so no need to worry about that. 10:1 is intuitive when making conversions (well, for non-British at least :lol so it is better.

If you are interested, I can send you my stuff for correlating horsepower/kW to STR, armor thickness to AP and cannon.

It could help people in working up stats for mecha designs where things like weapon caliber or engine power are known. For instance, if someone wanted to write up a "triple barrel 55mm rotary cannon" my cannon stuff would suggest a damage rating of around 8D6 and a base range of around 2000m (about 650m if "handheld").

Of course I am interested. Incidentally, the 60mm rotating vulcan cannon that is standard equipment for Earth Federation mechas is rated by me at 1d4 "mecha" damage (2.5 average vs. your average of 2.8 with 8d6) and has a 2000m max. range. Looks like our ideas converge.

Originally Posted by RosenMcStern

I have already reworked the damage bonus table, so no need to worry about that. 10:1 is intuitive when making conversions (well, for non-British at least :lol

You take that back! Not all of the British rural areas have extra (or missing) digits.

Anyway metric has been the official curriculum system in the UK for decades now (and quite right too). It's only the stubborn, softheaded, old and US citizens who insist on sticking to crazy arsed imperial systems.



Al

Originally Posted by RosenMcStern

I have already reworked the damage bonus table, so no need to worry about that. 10:1 is intuitive when making conversions (well, for non-British at least :lol so it is better.

More like non-US. My homeland is probably the last bastion against SI. Personally I can use either, and usually prefer SI for most calaculations, since it make it easier.

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Of course I am interested. Incidentally, the 60mm rotating vulcan cannon that is standard equipment for Earth Federation mechas is rated by me at 1d4 "mecha" damage (2.5 average vs. your average of 2.8 with 8d6) and has a 2000m max. range. Looks like our ideas converge.

Yeah, looks fairly close. Well within the margin for "wiggle room". I'll put together some files over the weekend with some examples and stats.

My cannon formula for modern cannon is fairly simple, but seems to hold up well so far when comparing to real weapons.

1) Take the square root of the bore (in mm). Refer to this as the Gun Factor (GF).

-For the metric impaired, use the square root of the bore in inches and then mutiply the result by 5 to get the GF.

2) Increase the GF by 10%. This is the number of dice (d6) the weapon ifnlicts. Note that this can vary a bit based on the type of gun and ammo. For instance, a APFSDSDU tank round is probably around 25% higher than it's WWII era predecessor, the APC round, for about 6x the penetrating power.

3) Base Range is equal to the GFx250m. Or, you can just divide the damage dice by 4 to get the range in km. For example, a 406mm (16") naval gun would have a GF of 22 and a base range of 5500m (22x250m), or 5.5km (22/4 km).

4) A gun can shoot to medium and long range just like a small arm. However damage dice should drop off by about 25% at each range band. So a 16" gun would do 22D6 at close range, 17D6 at medium range (out to 11km), and 11D6 at long rangre (out to 22km). Of coruse the chances of hitting anything will probably be low, since few people get a chance to practice with a 16" cannon.

5) Big guns that can elevate can perform indirect fire. This allows them to shoot to extreme range (twice long) at 1/8th skill.


6) For salvos, I been adding 5% to the chance to hit for each additional gun, and then rolling a random die to see how many rounds in the salvo actually hit. For example a three gun turret would get +10% to hit and 1D3 rounds would strike the target on a successful attack.




P.S.

Since average damage works out to about 4xthe GF, it looks like Mecha scale damage would be GF* 0.35 by my method, or GF *.31 for yours. At least based on the 60mm Vulcan. Or we could split the difference and use GF/3.

Hmm, so the main guns on the USS Iowa would do about 2d6 damage, mecha scale. That might even hurt something like Grandizer.

Originally Posted by Atgxtg

Since average damage works out to about 4xthe GF, it looks like Mecha scale damage would be GF* 0.35 by my method, or GF *.31 for yours. At least based on the 60mm Vulcan. Or we could split the difference and use GF/3.

We will see. Most mechas use energy weapons, so fudging a bit with ballistic weapons is not a great problem in any case.

Hmm, so the main guns on the USS Iowa would do about 2d6 damage, mecha scale. That might even hurt something like Grandizer.

In the playtest game I run at Tentacles, we had 280mm rockets (I cannot recall the caliber used by US battleships HE rounds, but it is not very different) doing 2d6 damage, so the two systems are still compatible, in the results.

And Grendizer has Physical resistance 70 (7 on mecha scale) in my stats, published here, so it takes a roll of 12 on 2d6 to really hurt it in a limb (torso hits no way), assuming a battleship can actually hit a moving superobot. On the other hand, if a static cannon like that of a battleship can actually manage to hit a real mecha:

- a Code Geass knightmare gets vaporized (but most of them have force fields)

- a Macross Valkyrie goes BOOM!

- a Universal Century mobile suit loses a limb

The Uss Iowa was mainly armed by 9x406mm cannons plus 20x120 mm “small” guns :eek: a direct hit of a single 403 mm gun would be capable of obliterate virtually anything...

Ciao

Dario

Originally Posted by Pilous

The Uss Iowa was mainly armed by 9x406mm cannons plus 20x120 mm “small” guns :eek: a direct hit of a single 403 mm gun would be capable of obliterate virtually anything...

Ciao

Dario

Reality-wise, yes. But with certain settings and items, like some giant mecha or Daikaju (i.e. Gojira) it might only get it angry.

Originally Posted by RosenMcStern

We will see. Most mechas use energy weapons, so fudging a bit with ballistic weapons is not a great problem in any case.

True. Engery weapon damage is more of a factor of how much energy you can pump into them.

In the playtest game I run at Tentacles, we had 280mm rockets (I cannot recall the caliber used by US battleships HE rounds, but it is not very different) doing 2d6 damage, so the two systems are still compatible, in the results.

That's not too far off. The rockets could be packing a lot more explosives, vs what is mostly an AP round (the 18 kg burster charge is almost an after through).

Now the HC shell probably wouldn't hurt a big mech as much, but would make a nice 15m crater, and knock down all the trees with 180m. It would make a cool scene.

Guess I'll be all set for when Eva Unit-2 fights from a battleship.