Mecha Rules: Revised Vehicles Rules

[Amalvi]

Mecha rules

How to play with “character vehicles”. This applies mostly to mecha, but these rules are also meant to be used for things like cars, tanks, helicopters, bikes, etc. “Mecha” will be used throughout the rules for simplicity and to distance oneself from the horrible vehicle rules in book 2. However, the word “vehicle” can be used interchangeably.

These rules, however, do not apply to rockets, trains, ships, spaceships or, in general, vehicles that simply do not interact with characters. These are outside the scope of something that realistically would be on an equal field with playable characters. A giant mecha or a helicopter can have a fight with a vampire or an angry ork. A fighter jet or a rocket cannot

Mecha for the most part behave exactly like characters do. The simplest way to describe the mechanical aspects of mecha is that they are a modification of the physical stats of the pilot/driver. As a summary, mecha are stronger, faster and more resistant than most regular characters, but they are expensive and require constant maintenance, as they don’t have as many hitpoints and are unable to heal, since they can only recover hit points through lengthy craft checks.

You can upgrade them and get equipment in the same way as any other character: by finding it, buying it or crafting it, and just like characters the limit of what a mecha can carry or have installed is determined by common sense. There’s mecha-only equipment, but for the most part mecha can use all equipment and items that regular characters already can use with the exception of power armor, as the power mechanism that enhance a living body get in the way and break these machines that run on engines.

Obviously, as characters all mecha have the traits of Mindless and Machine. They also have the trait of being Auto-Stabilized.


1: Stats.

Mecha have only 3 stats that range from 1 to 6. A zero in any of these stats means the mecha just won’t move nor work.

• POWER: how “Powerful” the vehicle internals are, the strength of its engine and parts. It serves as the effective Strength stat of the mecha. More info in the Arms section in equipment
  
• MANEUVER: how nimble and how much “finesse” the vehicle has. It is equal to the dots in the maneuver skill from the pilot. This skill is by default Drive or Pilot, depending on which drive train the mecha uses, but Alternative Control systems can change it. It serves as the effective dexterity stat of the vehicle
• CHASSIS: how well put together and “resistant” the vehicle is; how much punishment it can take. It serves as the effective constitution stat of the vehicle

When controlling a mecha, the pilot uses his own skills and abilities and as well as their own mental and social characteristics, with their physical characteristics only being used if they are targeted themselves for saving throws and similar (for example if they have to resist poison) or for initiative

2: Drive Train.

Drive Train is equivalent to the locomotion system that the mecha will use. As previously mentioned, these rules for mecha can be used also for many other kinds of vehicles that aren't actually mecha, including cars or tanks. 

• Walker: Mecha will move exactly the same movement rules as any other character. Uses Pilot
• Tracks: The mecha becomes unable to jump, but ignores difficult terrain. It also gets extra HP. Uses Drive
• VTOL: Gains Flying equal to its speed but in exchange they are slighly less resilient. Uses Pilot
• Wheels: Becomes unable to jump. Gains “quadruped”, but the first step when attempting any movement has to be in a 90º cone directly in front or behind the vehicle. Put simply, it can’t move to its sides on each movement step. Uses Drive

Drive trains can be built out of special artifact materials, in which case they gain the benefits of the bionic locomotion

Tracks and wheels can use the action “Full Speed”, which basically allows them to close distances quickly in a straight line (more details later)

3: size

 

Mecha use the same size measurements as characters. It determinates who can pilot it, as a mecha can only be piloted by a character of a size smaller than itself. Mecha can range from size 1 to 20. This follows the same scale as book 2: from 1 to 10 each point of size is about 0,5 meters, and from 11 to 20 each point of size adds about 2 meters

A Mecha may carry extra passengers that aren’t the pilot if the difference in size is bigger than 1. For example, a vehicle of size 6, which is a small car like a mini, piloted by an average human of size 4, can have 1 extra passenger of this size. If the same shitty car was instead being driven by a big ork or aesimar of size 5 the lad would occupy too much space to let anyone else inside, emphasis on “inside”, as you can still be a mad lad sitting on top of the car.

As there are no rules for characters letting other characters ride on top of them, or about how much equipment and weight someone is allowed to carry, its left to the common sense and discretion of the GM and players to determinate the full capacity of each vehicle just like they would with a regular character.

Mecha of size bigger than 7 cannot use equipment or most items for normal characters that hasn't been modified first. Equipment for big mecha needs to have the modification of Macronized, which is a mod with a cost of 0 that changes the item so that that it can be used by mecha of size bigger than 7 and it can’t be used by characters and mecha smaller than size 7. Some items like artifacts don't need this mod, as they are magically or technologically attuned to adapt and change in size according to the one wielding or carrying the item.

The maximum size for any mecha is size 20, which equals about 25 meters, about the height of a Reaver Titan or the RX-93 Gundam. To be frank it isn’t forbidden to play with anything bigger, up to a maximum size 30 (after which they are considered to enter the rules of spelljammers), but you should ask your GM for permission, considering things so big will disrupt normal play and have trouble interacting with characters.

While size influences the resilience of the mecha, it is by no means all there is, a huge mecha can still be made of paper and have weaker engines than a very tiny one.


4: cockpit.

       

All mecha have a cockpit that allows anyone of a side smaller than itself to control the mecha. When a mecha is hit by an attack, rolling a 10 for hit location strikes this cockpit and deals damage to both the mecha and the pilot/driver inside as well (in which case you roll hit location again to determinate where the pilot was hit)

• Regular cockpit: The pilot is covered from the exterior, with the mecha fully concealing him (usually seeing the outside through a window). It takes a full action to get inside and start controlling the mecha and it takes a half action to leave the cockpit. As a free action the pilot may operate the opening to expose himself to the exterior or close the cockpit again (remember, you can’t do the same action twice, so no opening and closing the cockpit in the same turn even if it’s a free action).

• Saddle: The pilot is more like a rider, as they are exposed to the exterior. Enemies can target and attack the pilot directly and vice-versa. Because this seat is outside (typically on top) of the mecha, it allows characters that are one size bigger than the vehicle itself to ride it (for example, a size 5 aesimar could ride a size 4 bike, funny as it would look). It takes only a half action to man the mecha, and getting off it is a free action that can be done even during movement actions (jump off the bike as its heading towards a cliff!)

• Sealed cockpit: the pilot is completely covered and protected from the environment, seeing what’s outside through a screen. This includes things like toxins, fire, vacuum, the Blast from attacks, etc. Attacks that hit the cockpit only deal half damage to the pilot, who also adds the AP of the vehicle itself to their own armor. The drawback is that it takes 2 full actions to enter or exit a sealed cockpit because all systems need time to activate the environmental seals, plus a half action to start driving

5: Derived stats


• Hit points: Mecha have a number of hitpoints equal to thrice their chassis plus 1.
                o If it uses tracks it instead has hitpoints equal to four times its chassis plus 2.

• Resilience: [(Size+Chassis)/2]+1 (rounded up)
                o VTOL drive rounds down instead

• Static defense: (Maneuver *5)+10 – (size*2).  [Minimun of 5]
                   To put into perspective, a regular car’s (size 7) static defense goes (depending on the Drive skill of the pilot): 5-6-11-16-21-26

• Speed: Vehicles have a speed equal to three times their power

• Innate Armor: Mecha have the Machine trait, gaining a number of AP equal twice their chassis.


Part 6: Rules and actions in combat:

Unless otherwise noted mecha can use all the same actions that all characters can.

 Control test: Tests to control the mecha are done by rolling Maneuver: roll a number of dice equal to Drive OR Pilot and +1k0 per dot in Dexterity OR Intelligence (whatever the operator prefers). Knowing how to drive or pilot well, having the skill, is infinitely more important than being dexterous or intelligent. Control tests are mostly only necessary at the GM’s discretion.
Mecha have two special actions that normal characters don't have access to:

• FULL SPEED! (half action, movement, provokes): Vehicles with tracks or wheels may move in a straight direct line a minimum of 4 meters up to twice their speed.

• Ram (full action, attack): When using the charge action, a mecha may declare a ram, doing a Bull rush to an enemy at the end of the charge. If you manage to move the enemy takes damage equal to XkY (X= your Power and Y= your Chassis), with your mecha taking half the amount of damage. If you failed to move the opponent your mecha takes the full damage, and the enemy takes half that amount. Remember to maintain the same modifiers, bonuses and penalties to Charge actions (for example with Powerful Charge)

The following actions are slightly modified from characters

• Brace: All mecha have the auto-stabilized trait, so bracing is unnecessary

• Bull rush: Anytime a mecha attempts a bull rush (including the ram action) or are target of a bullrush they may double their effective Power, but in exchange they must move with the pushed target.

• Full auto burst: Because Mecha have the Auto-Stabilized Trait, they may do a full Auto Burst as a half action. However, they won’t receive a bonus to the ballistics test if they do so.

• Dodge: To dodge, do a control test and add half the result to static defense.

• Shift: When shifting, the mecha moves a distance equal to half their speed to a maximum of 6 meters. A mecha with wheel drive may shift to its sides 1 meter only and it takes them a full action

• Standing up from prone: Only Walkers can go Prone. The other Drive Trains are immune to the condition, but they can be Flipped:

    >Flipped: When a mecha with Tracks, VTOL or Wheeled drive is affected by an action that would make it go prone if this action suceeds by two or more raises the mecha is flipped. (If its inflicted by failing a saving throw the mecha has two free raises to their save). When flipped, the mecha is is turned upside down, becoming Helpless and Immobilized, and to get back to standing up it needs to pass a Strength test as a half action with TN equal to twice the vehicle’s size. If they don’t have arms or don’t fancy their chances then this test has to be done by another character, or several of them.

By default, a mecha cannot do special attacks nor trick shots without acquiring and installing first a Mobile Trace System


7: ONBOARD AI

 

Onboard AI are Allies; thus you acquire one with such background. Make a new character following the rules for allies without an exaltation. They also have no backgrounds (no starting dots at least), but in exchange the AI, unlike regular allies, will always be helpful without rarely asking for anything in return. This AI character works as if they were permanently piloting or co-piloting a mecha without occupying any space, using the Power, Maneuver and Chasis of the mecha as their physical characteristics. 

Like any character, they go on their own initiative and may take actions related to controlling the mecha as a pilot or copilot (more details in copilot system below). They gain experience points and level up like any other character. The AI can only be directly damaged by mental and similar incorporeal attacks. If the Vehicle is destroyed or the AI is killed, the AI still survives in a backup that may be re-uploaded to the repaired machine, albeit they will gain 1d10 insanity points.

No need to worry, they are not real people

SPOILER: Click to show

An onboard AI may be transferred to a different vehicle through a datapad if they are willing. Otherwise it has to be done forcefully by breaking their resolution or incapacitating the mecha they inhabit

For a cheaper and simpler intelligence you can adquire an Autopilot System, which is an onboard AI with lower capabilities, described later in the mecha equipment systems

“Oh, playing as an AI sounds like fun!”

Of course, consider making a [program] if you want to play as one.

In fact, an AI may be become a program exalt if they spend 200 exp (as if they had the Dormant Power hindrance), gaining a corporeal body and becoming an enemy of the wheel (rogue agent). By becoming exalted they no longer are able to have their consciouness backed up in case they die, but hey, you can give them a hug now!

[Amalvi]

Mecha Equipment

SPOILER: Click to show

Costs of the equipment could use a tweak or two. Also no homebrew equipment from the armory has been added yet, but authors of such equipment will probably have a better vision and idea of how it would be best integrated

As previously stated, all mecha can use any piece of equipment or items that normal robotic characters can use with the exception of power armor. If they are size 8 or more the piece of equipment or item in question has to be macronized to be used by the mecha. Again, this just means that the piece of equipment has been built to be usable by giant creatures, and thus is unusable by smaller regular people. There can be exceptions, for example a “macronized bag” would be an external trunk compartment, which of course could be “usable” by regular characters. Melee macronized weapons are also obviously harder to break, so when they are inflicted with the Power Field quality the roll to see if the weapons breaks is done with a -2.


The difference between normal equipment and gear vs mecha equipment is that, before deployment, any mecha-exclusive equipment needs to have been installed through a process that takes about a day of work.

Arms

Arms are probably the equipment people are most interested in:

• No arms: (free!) the vehicle has Strength equal to its Power and obviously it cannot do anything that would require arms. I feel like I would insult everyone’s intelligence if I had to explain what you can can’t do if you don’t have arms

• Appendage (Common). Extendable tentacles that have strength equal to Power+1 of the mecha . It comes with some simple clamps that can’t make any precise manipulations or work that requires any finesse or dexterity, but can still push, pull and grab things. The clamp can be replaced with a fixed weapon or other implements with a tech use or craft test. Some examples are fork lift forks, lifting clamps, excavator arms...

• Robotic arms (UnCommon) technologically these are not actually very different to the ones installed as bionics. These arms are powered by the internal engine of the mecha. They have strength equal to power+2 and allow the mecha to do anything that normal arms can. Poor quality robotic arms are the same as Appendages with the strength of power+2 (in other words, you can say that good quality appendages would be the same as these)

• Mecha Arms (Rare) These arms come with small power sources to truly deliver the blows that mecha are known for. The Strength of the mecha is equal to Power+3. For each increase in rarity increase the strength of the arms by an additional +1 (to a maximum of +5 Strength with Mythic Rare Mecha Arms). Poor quality mecha arms are like Appendages that maintain a strength of power+3 (In other words, they would be the same as best quality Appendages)

Any arms may be built out of Artifact material, in which case you apply the benefits as if they were bionic Arms

Armor

Mecha may be outfitted with character armor that isn’t Power (as the power source of power armors is hazardous and interferes with the engines of the vehicle), but because they lack proficiency by default mecha will always take a penalty to the static defense. Vehicle specific armor can be installed directly on the chassis and its usually preferable, as it doesn’t come with this problem and doesn't need to be macronized if the mecha is bigger than size 7:

• Primitive leathers (Common): +3AP
• Flak: (Uncommon) +5AP, reduce the damage from blast by half
• Reflec: (Uncommon)+5AP, reduce damage from Las weapons by half
• Bunker: (Uncommon) +5AP, the mecha becomes immune to catching on fire
• Hexagrammatic ward (Uncommon) +5Aura
• Heavy metal plates: (Uncommon) +7AP, Reduces static defense by 2
• Carapace: (Rare) +8AP, reduces static defense by 3
• Intense Hexagrammatic ward: (Rare) +7 Aura
• Storm Carapace (Rare) +10AP, Increase HP+2 reduce static defense by 5
• Arcane Hexagrammatic ward: (Rare) +10 Aura
• Glorious Plate: (VRare) +10AP, increase chasis+1, reduce Maneuver by 1

As usual, the AP from mecha armor cannot stack with AP from sources of armor, but remember that the AP gained with their innate Machine trait armor does stack with all other sources of AP.


Mecha items and Accessories

• Afterburners: (Rare) Afterburners are consumables acquired in packs of 5. You may use one when doing any Movement action to double your speed. Each use of an afterburner in the same scene after the first one deals 2hit points of damage to your mecha, as you are pushing it way beyond its limits.

• ECM:(Rare) The mecha does not register in long range sensors such as radars, allowing them to be more discreet. The mecha gains a free raise to stealth tests

• Ejector Seat: (Uncommon) Only for Regular cockpits. You may activate the ejector seats to make everyone leave your vehicle as a free action, after which the ejection system must be recharged during downtime. The occupants sent up to 10 meters away from the vehicle in a random direction that the system has determined to be safe, falling harmlessly out of danger. The pilot can set up the systems so that the ejector seats are activated automatically if the vehicle was destroyed

• Ejector cockpit: (Rare) Only for Sealed cockpits. Same as Ejector seats, except instead of launching the occupants the entire cockpit chamber is launched up to 100 meters away. I hope you are wearing your seatbelts…

• Features: (VCommon) Minor things that provide a specific addition such as a burglar alarm, a battery charger, tow cables, or provide +1k0 to a skill, such as dice hanging from the rear mirror or flame decals (that +1k0 to charm bro…)

• Jump jets (Uncommon): You may activate the jump jets as part of any movement action to acquire Flyer for its duration. Once activated, the jump jets need two turns of cooldown to be activated again. Good quality jump jets only have one turn of cool down, and best quality jump jets can be used continuously

• Orgone Antenna: (Uncommon) The orgonne antenna allows the mecha to channel spells that the pilot may cast. Spells cast by the pilot may be treated as if they were cast by the Mecha. At the GM’s discretion, spells with an area of effect that doesn’t affect the caster such as Energy Aura may not affect the pilot and the occupants. Good quality Antennas duplicate the range of spells (touch and “melee” range is treated as a range of zero) and Best quality orgone antennas also give a bonus to the focus power roll equal to the Power of the mecha.

• Sensor System: (Uncommon) The pilot gets +5 to perception tests and is able to detect vehicles within 1km with a wisdom+tech-use test. Good quality sensor systems have twice as much range

• Thermoptic camouflage: (Uncommon) By constantly camouflaging the surface of the chasis, the mecha ignores any penalties because of its size and conspicuous nature when doing stealth tests. It also comes with systems that reduce the noise from the engines

•Weapon mount: (UnCommon) An installation that allows any weapon to be attached to the chassis to practically give this weapon Hands Free and so that it doesn't need an entire day of installation to be used. Weapons attached in this way do not need to be Macronized to be usable by big mecha. Melee weapons can only be attached in this manner to Arms (or what? Are you going to mount a chainsword to the crotch of your gundam? Ay…). Mounted ranged weapons on the mecha can be fired by the mecha itself (or more accurately, a pilot controlling the mecha) or anyone else who is riding the mecha.

!!!

Control system

• Berserker system (Rare): The integrated AI gains the Frenzy feat and it may make the mecha enter frenzy as a half action. During Frenzy the mecha gains +1 extra bonus to its Power and Maneuver stats (already on top to the bonus to strength and constitution that frenzy provides, which translate to adding to Power and Chassis). Frenzy may be activated automatically if the pilot falls unconscious.

• Alternative Control input (UnCommon): The mecha undergoes a re-structuration of the control system. Choose one skill, it becomes the maneuver skill for the mecha. 

• Coffin: (Rare) The pilot is directly connected to the mecha and feels as it was a part of their own body. They gain one additional reaction each round, at the expense of becoming completely unaware of anything that happens inside the vehicle and around their real body.

• Entombed Coffin: (VRare) Sealed cockpit only. The pilot is connected to the mecha at such a level that they almost become the mecha. The mecha gains senses of touch, smell and so on that the pilot may perceive. Aside from the benefits from a Coffin the pilot can spend their own resource and hero points as if the mecha was their own body, except to heal the mecha’s hit points.

• Mobile Trace System: (Uncommon) The system allows the pilot to have precise control over the movements of the mecha. The mecha may use Trick Shots and Special Attacks that the pilot knows. Poor quality MTS have a bit of delay and thus suffer a check to the special attacks and trick shots

• Remote Uplink system (Rare): A system that allows the mecha to be controlled remotely. Using a program that may be installed to a console or datapad (or similar technology) someone may use a full action to take a half action for the mecha.

• Autopilot system, Civilian (Rare): A simple AI that can pilot or copilot the mecha. Rather than a full fledged ally, an autopilot system works like a spirit of level 2 with 2 dots in each characteristic and 4 different skills. They may only take half an action each turn, while a Good or Best quality can take two half actions or a full action. The Autopilot system is Mindless (except when using Tech-Use) and just obeys the pilot silently, or at most with pre-programmed voice lines

•Autopilot system, Military grade (VRare): Same as the previous system, except the spirit is stronger, having 3 dots in each characteristic and 6 skills. Again, they have the mindless trait except to roll tech-use and can only do a half action each turn, whereas a good or best quality one can do two half actions or a full action

• Copilot system (Uncommon): A second character may control the mecha at the same time and become a second simultaneous pilot. The restriction is that the mecha may not repeat the same movement actions and may not perform attacks with weapons that have already been used in the same round. For example, the main pilot may shift and shoot with one gun and the copilot may then charge with its sword. This system cannot work at the same time with an AI also trying to copilot.

Modifications

Modifications can only be adquired once. They can be removed to be reinstalled again with different changes

• Diver down (Vrare) Sealed Cockpit only: The mecha may dig and burrow inside the earth. While moving underground the mecha has its speed halved.

• Living vehicle: (*) The mecha isn’t a machine, but an actual living being. Rather than Mecha rules you are better off creating the creature or animal as a character with the same rules and properties as one, for example a warhorse would be a Beast of Burden with its size reduced to 5. When ridding these living creatures its always as if they had the Saddle cockpit and the skill used to control them is animal ken. The rider may use their points in animal ken to replace the dexterity of the animal if its higher. Fierce or untamed animals won’t obey a rider who doesn’t have points in animal ken equal or higher than their level

• Biopunk: (Rare) Now this is very different: the mecha you are piloting is composed of biological parts. The Vehicle loses the Machine trait and instead is able to heal wounds with time just like other living characters. The vehicle may not be a machine, but they are still Mindless, and if the biopunk modification is of good or best quality they also gain the Undead trait, although it is arguable and dubious if they are actually undead, as the mecha was never alive in the first place, it doesn't need to get those raven queen paladins mad, right?. This modifications comes with a free alternative control input system

• Variable (drive): (Uncommon) Your vehicle gains a different drive train, to which they may change with a half action. Good quality variable modifications come with Magnetic couplers that allow this change to be done by only spending a reaction. The extra hitpoints from a tracked drive are treated as temporary hit points when this drive is active and they are tracked separatedly and lost first when suffering damage

• Variable (cockpit) (Uncommon) Your vehicle may switch the position of the pilot, allowing the mecha to functionally have a different type of cockpit to which the pilot may switch as a full action. Sealed cockpits take 2 full actions to switch into.

• Joint adjutsment (Common): Requires a Mobile Trace System or Coffin System The mecha adquires one armor proficiency (decided at the time of purchase), but its only effective if the pilot also has that proficiency

• Kashata array (Rare) You can install another pair of arms on the mecha, which have to be bought separately. This system can be bought several times. A Kashata array that has installed 6 or more arms is called an Hecatoncheir system. It isn’t a particularly practical system, as it isn’t often that a pilot has more than two arms, but if the mecha also has a copilot…

• Basic Equipment (VCommon): Headlights, a radio, air conditioning, seatbelts, and cupholders. Don't ask what bad quality basic equipment looks like...

• Overcharged reactor: (Uncommon) The mecha may lose an amount of hitpoints equal to a quarter of its maximum to be able to take the Run action as a free action. This can even be done several times on the same turn, but only if you a bad enough dude

• Omega weapon: (VRare) Can only be installed on mecha of size 14 or more. Choose one macronized mecha weapon already installed (details below, in Mecha Weapons), it undergoes further modifications to become truly gigantic. Double the bonuses from the mecha weapon modification (meaning it deals +2k2 damage, has quadruple range and blast is increased by 2). However the vehicle must brace to do any attack with this colossal weapon (even melee attacks)

• Super Solenoid Engine: (Rare) The pilot may activate or deactivate the SS2 engine as a half action. While active the pilot gains a raise to maneuver tests and +1 to the Power of the mecha, however the mecha has to roll psychic phenomena at the end of each of its turns

• XL Engine (Rare) huge engines give extra power to the mecha, but come at the cost of making them cumbersome. They increase power by 1, HP by 2 and reduce maneuver by 1. They also occupy a lot of space, making so the effective size of the mecha is one less for the purpose of determining occupants.

• Winged composite frame (Rare) The chassis and systems of the mecha are modified to be more aerodynamic to allow for better handling at the expense of durability. Increase the Maneuver by 1, speed by 2 and reduce the Chassis by 1

• Reinforced heavy frame (Rare) The chassis is replaced with a heavy alloy reinforced one, giving the mecha extra durability but forcing the engines to work harder. Increase Chassis by 1, Machine armor by 2 and reduce the Power by 1


Mecha weapons

Any weapon that has been macronized can have its rarity increased by 1 to fully integrate it into the mecha, so it can’t be fired or used through other means anymore (generally because ranged weapons won’t have a trigger and melee weapons won’t have a regular hilt anymore). In exchange it gains +1k1 to damage and double range. If they have the blast quality it increases by 1. 

[Amalvi]

Creating a mecha

When acquiring a mecha, they come with a number of dots to be distributed to their Power and Chassis stats plus a budget that must be used to acquire vehicle gear (which can include weapons that the mecha can use). The budget works with the logic of the Inheritance background or the Starter kits and goes as follow:
 

Rarity	Kit Cost
Ubi	1
VCom	2
Com	4
UnCom	8
Rare	16
VRare	32
MRare	64
Near Unique	128
Fabulous Max	256

The budget points for each tier of mecha will be revised and is very likely to be changed in the near future

Wealth: You can buy Mecha with adquisition tests using wealth as normal:

• Common: 2 Stat points, 1 in Power and 1 in Chassis, Maximum size of 8. 
        Budget=8
        This is the equivalent of a Vespa or a shitty old car. Terrible, but maybe if you love it enough it’ll become something great

• Uncommon: 3 points divided between Power and Chassis.
        Budget =16
        A regular nice bike (2 power, 1 chassis) or a sturdy tractor or bus (1 power, 2 chassis).

• Rare: 4 points 
        Budget=36

• Very Rare 5 points 
        Budget=48

• Mythic Rare: 6 points 
        Budget=56

If you decide to ignore the budget you may adquire the vehicle with its adquisition TN reduced by one rarity to get a vehicle with only a quarter of the budget. 

Holdings: Mecha acquired as holdings are especially valuable because not only they come with high stats, they also come with a high budget to install Rare equipment on them:

Holdings 1: 6 dots
        Budget= 64 (4Rare ->2 Vrare->1 Mrare)

Holdings 2: 7 dots
        Budget= 80  (5 Rare)

Holdings 3: 7 dots
        Budget= 96  (6 Rare)

Holdings 4: 8 dots
        Budget= 112 (7Rare)

Holdings 5: 9 dots
        Budget= 128 (8Rare ->4Vrare->2 Mythic Rare)


You may be wondering what’s the cost for things like Size or the Drivetrain or the cockpit. The answer is zero, just zero, choose whatever size, drivetrain or cockpit you want.

Improving the mecha

You may increase the Power or Chassis of a mecha you own by expending experience equal to 150 multiplied by the current rank and working for a number of days equal to the new rank, which have to be dedicated fully to this task improving the mecha. Once improved in this way the mecha is permanently upgraded.

150->300->450->600->750


Critical damage, repairs and mecha destruction

For the most part, mecha treat critical damage the same way a promethean would, meaning that critical damage that reaches -5 on a limb destroys the limb, but lets the mecha continue operating. However, unlike prometheans, a mecha suffering critical damage to the body, head or gizzards will cause effects that damage the pilot and other occupants.

Mecha Critical effects

1	The mecha is badly shaken. The Pilot and other occupants take a level of fatigue and are stunned for one round as they barf their last meal.
2	As Above, but also the mecha stops working momentarily and is stunned for 1 round.
3	The Mecha is broken, its engine is caput and stops working entirely. The mecha can be considered destroyed at this point, but it can be damaged further…
4	As Above, but in addition parts of the engine and chassis break away and damage the occupants, dealing 1d5 wounds (treated as rending damage) to any occupants that aren’t ejected (if they installed ejector seats or cockpit) or don’t jump off (as a reaction from a saddle cockpit). Can’t get worse than this, except…
5	The Mecha explodes in flames. The explosion deals 4k3X damage with (Blast=3d5) to those outside caught within the blast radius, who may avoid it with a TN15 dexterity test. If they haven’t been ejected or jumped away the occupants of the mecha automatically suffer 2d5 wounds (treated as explosive damage) and catch on fire.

A mecha that is destroyed can be restored and repaired, and it is understood that unless dramatic circumstances take place the pilot and other characters will be able to retrieve severed limbs and detached parts of the mecha to be able to repair and reassemble the mecha later, or at least have access to appropiate replacements.

Mecha “heal” very slowly. Everyday maintenance can be done as a TN15 Tech-Use or Crafts check to restore 1hp to the mecha plus one per every raise on the roll. If the mecha has been dealt wounds that exceed half their total the TN rises to 25. If the mecha was critically wounded, the TN dramatically raises to 35

This is treated as a continuous check, meaning that the results carry from one day to the next day, so if someone fails the test of TN15 by rolling only 10 the mecha does not recover any HP, but the next day the mechanic only needs to roll a 5 to succeed that day.

If the pilot doesn’t fancy his skill they may pay a garage or expert mechanics to do it for them. The standard price is a wealth acquisition test equal to (8 + #HP they wish to heal), with an extra raise needed if the mecha has critical wounds. Poor pilots will most likely have to make several wealth tests rather than being capable of paying all the repairs upfront. Using this service implies that the repair checks suceed automatically each day.

[Amalvi]

Sample Mecha/Vehicles

Disclaimer: The values for the included equipment may not be accurate, as we are still in the process of deciding the most appropiate budget for each tier of rarity

ATM-09-ST Scopedog (Rare)

The wonderful mecha from Armored Trooped Votoms. A perfect example for a standard mass produced combat mecha. Standing only 3.8 meters tall, it features good mobility, solid construction and great adaptability, with each unit being highly customizable to suit the necessities of each pilot, being excellent mass produced units to serve an army or a police force. Their standard size keeps them in a comfortable spot where they can be outfitted with any kind of equipment, macronized or normal

Size 7 Walker type with Regular cockpit

Power 2 > Robotic Arms = Strength 4
        >Speed = 6
Chassis 2 >HP = 7 Resilience=6
        >Flak armor = Total 9AP
Maneuver static defense > 5-6-11-16-21-26

• Included Equipment: Robotic Arms (Uncommon), Flak Armor (Uncommon), Sensor System (Uncommon), GAT-49 50mm Pentatrooper (Macronized Autogun(UnCom), Robot punch (Caestus, Common)




THE car (Common)

Are you poor but you need to drive to work? Do groceries? Get a group of immortal exalted murderhobos to the frontline?

SPOILER: Click to show

Don't like it? Too bad

Size 7 Wheeler Typer, Regular Cockpit
Power 1 > No arms= Strength 1
>Speed=6
Chassis 1 > HP= 4 Resilience=4
> Total 2AP
Maneuver static defense > 5-6-11-16-21-26
• Included Equipment: Basic Equipment (VCommon), Features x3(VCom) (Vectron figurine – Dashboard Lighter - Broken CD player that is stuck with a bootleg disc burnt  with “Top 100 Classic Ork Waagh Country Songs Of All Time”)




High bike (Uncommon)

Cool

Size 5 Wheeler type, Saddle
Power 2 > No arms= Strength 2
>Speed= 12
Chassis 1 > HP= 4 Resilience=4
> Total 2AP
Maneuver static defense > 5-10-15-20-25-30
Included Equipment: Afterburners (Rare)

Slug Copter (VRare)

This tiny frail helicopter feels like its gonna fall apart at any moment, but doesn't it look adorable as it fires with its integrated laser machinegun and missiles?

Size 5 Vtol type, Saddle Cockpit

Power 3 > No arms= Strength 3
> Speed= 9 (+2)
Chassis 2(-1) > HP= 4 Resilience=4
> Total 2AP
Maneuver(+1) static defense > 10 - 15 - 20 - 25 - 30 - 35
Included Equipment: Winged composite frame (Rare), Missile Launcher(Rare), 1x Automatic Heavy Laser (Rare)


Superior Battle tank (Holdings 3)

A powerful tank meant to dominate engagements against lesser mass produced units in ranged combat with ease. Its main turret is equipped with a heavy lascannon to strike other vehicles from afar, but with its thick armor, a flamer and a heavy bolter it may as well also mow down hordes of infantry

Size 15 Threads type, Regular Cockpit

Power 3 > No arms= Strength 3
> Speed= 9
Chassis 4 > HP= 20  Resilience=11
> Storm Carapace Armor= Total 18AP
Maneuver static defense > 5 - 5 - 5 - 5 - 5 - 10
Included Equipment: Copilot system (UnCommon), Storm Carapace Armor (Rare), Macronized Heavy Bolter (VRare), Macronized Lasscannon (VRare), Weapon Mount (Uncommon) with Flamer (Rare)



Guymelef Knight (Holdings 5)

A majestic magitech mecha designed exclusively for close quarter combat and powered by magic.

Size 10 Walker Type, Sealed Cockpit

Power 5 > Mythic Mecha arms= Strength 10
> Speed= 15
Chassis 4(+1) > HP= 16 Resilience=9
> Glorious Plate= Total 20AP
Maneuver static defense > 5 - 5 - 5 - 10 – 15 - 20
Included Equipment: Glorious Plate (VRare), Entombed Coffin (VRare), Mobile Trace System (Uncommon), Good quality Orgonne Antenna (Rare), Macronized Mecha Great Weapon (Rare), Super Solenoid Engine (Rare), Good Jump Jets (Rare).