Mekton House Rules

It looks like the Mekton Zero Kickstarter funded. It's gotten me on a Mekton kick (I should be planning stuff for my Tribe 8 Fate Core game, which I've promised myself I'll do this week). I was able to retrieve a numer of house rules from my old website via the Internet Archive. Some of these will likely make it into my Mekton Zeta Plus Google Docs spreadsheet I'm working on.

SKILL CHECKS

ANIME POINTS

Face it - there are times when Luck points aren't enough, and you have to take out the alien battleship with one shot or face the destruction of the your planet's defenses and subjugation of your people. Fortunately, you have the ability to draw on some of your hard-earned experience in times like this. By directly spending 5 IP you can gain either a +1 bonus to your skill roll, or the ability to roll an additional die and take the highest result (not adding them together). The IP are permanently spent and do not count towards advancing your skill. Up to 25 IP can be spent on any one roll in this manner, and there should always be a good description and justification (such as, "I overheard Dr. Tokugowa talking about a possible weak point near their ship's sensor array...he wasn't sure, but it just might work!"). Gamemasters are encouraged to not let this rule become abused, and to make characters permanently increase skills if Anime Points are used too often.

FUMBLES

Fumbles work exactly the opposite as critical successes - when a 1 is rolled, another d10 is rolled and the result is subtracted from the character's Stat + Skill. If a 10 is rolled on the second die, yet another d10 roll is added to that. If the character's Stat + Skill total reaches zero, the character has a critical failure - dropping or breaking a tool or weapon, tripping and falling flat on her face, accidentally insulting somebody, etc.

SPECIALIZATIONS

Specializations represent extra time and focus within a specific area that a larger skill covers. For example, Handgun may Specialized in revolvers or Mecha Piloting in a specific weight class of mecha. Specializations may not be too broad (for example, specializing in "Hitting people" with the brawling skill), but they can be fairly narrow (specializing in a specific handgun or a specific model of mecha). In game terms, Specializations grant a +2 to the character's rolls only when the task falls under the Specialization, but a -2 to all other applications of the skill. Specializations have no additional cost, but additional Specializations within the same skill costs 1 SP (for starting characters) or 10 IP (after play starts). The number of times a skill may be Specialized is limited to three, but this is up to GM's discretion. A minimum skill of 3 is required to Specialize a skill. Skills that require Specialization, such as language skills, do not gain the benefit of the bonus - although they may be Specialized further (for example, a character with the skill Speak German might specialize in ancient German, or a dialect).

COMBAT

RANGE MODIFIERS

All ranged weapons except for missiles (which use the standard Zeta Plus ranged rules) have four range bands: Point Blank, Close, Medium, Long, and Extreme. Each range band has its own hit modifiers and (in the case of Point Blank and Extreme) damage effects.

Point blank: The weapon is very close to (1m or less than 1 hex) or in actual physical contact with the target. It will almost always hit, receiving a +5 on the attack roll

Close: The weapon is attacking from greater than 2m/1 hex up to 1/4 the listed range. The attack receives a +3 on the attack roll.

Medium: The weapon is attacking from greater than 1/4 to 1/2 the listed range. The attack receives a +1 on the attack roll.

Long (or combat): The weapon is attacking at greater than 1/2 up to the listed range for its type. There is no bonus on the attack roll.

Extreme: Extreme range is equal to the weapon's listed range squared (for 1/1 and 1/5 scale weapons), and is equal to the weapon's Combat range x25 for 1/10 scale weapons. In both cases, firing at Extreme Range works identically. Extreme Range is broken into range bands equal to the weapon's Combat Range. Projectile weapons receive a -1 to hit per range band (or portion) beyond Combat Range, and -1 Kill (-4 points for 1/10 scale, or -8 points for 1/5 scale weapons) per 2 range bands beyond Combat Range. Energy weapons receive a -1 to hit per 2 range bands beyond Combat Range, and a -1 Kill to damage per range band. It is entirely possible for a projectile to have more range than it has stopping power...for energy weapons, if the beam can do no damage at its maximum range, it is assumed that the last range band that it can do damage is its maximum range.

MECHA CONSTRUCTION

AUTOFIRE BURST VALUE

Beam and Projectile Weapons may be built with Autofire BV - shots from weapons with Autofire BV will always strike the same location of the target. Autofire BV has double the normal multiplier for the weapon's BV.

COMPONENT ARMOR

Various components of a mecha design may be armored individually from the rest. This armor is purchased normally; the only restriction is that an additive system may not have more than 1 SP armor more than it has Kills. The following systems may be armored: Wheels, Treads, Weapons, Ammo, Sensors (but not Recon Systems or Electronic Warfare), Spotlights and Nightlights, Storage Modules, Escape Pods, Fuel Tanks, Propulsion Systems (only up to 1 Kill per location), Powerplants (again, only up to 1 Kill), and Cockpits (only up to 1 Kill). Component armor cannot be RAM armor. Component armor requires 1 space from the servo the armored system is in, unless it is an external component. In addition, component armor systems or weapons inside Command Armor may not have Component Armor.

FIRE CONTROL AND TARGETING COMPUTERS

Fire control computers help to offset the mecha's MV penalty. They are cost multiplier systems and take no spaces or add weight. However, since the fire control computers are tied to the mecha's main sensor suite, if that is destroyed the computer is also and all benefits are lost. Even if you have backup sensors, the fire control computer is disabled when the main sensors are lost. The fire control computer offsets the effects of Maneuver Value for ranged attacks only, and does not increase the pilot's base rolls (i.e., a mecha with -3 MV cannot take +4 fire control to get a +1. Only the -3 MV can be reduced).

Targeting computers offset the penalty for firing at Extreme ranges. They are also a cost multiplier system (with the same cost as Fire Control Computers), and are similar to Fire Control Computers with regards to sensors. Targeting computers only offset range band penalties from Extreme range. The bonus from a Targeting computer cannot exceed the penalty for the range that the weapon is firing to (i.e., a weapon firing with a -2 due to range cannot get the full benefit of its +4 Targeting Computer). Targeting computers also do not add their bonus at Combat Range or less (they're not calibrated to target that close).

It should be noted here that Long Range weapons have an inherent +2 to hit at Extreme Range and a -2 to hit at Combat Range or lower. A Targeting Computer will add its bonus to the Long Range weapon's Extreme range bonus, but will not offset the Combat Range penalty.

FC/TC Bonus	+1	+2	+3	+4	+5	+6	+7	+8	+9	+10
Weapon Cost	x0.05	x0.1	x0.15	x0.2	x0.25	x0.3	x0.35	x0.4	x0.45	x0.5

HIGH ENERGY ATTACKS

Some weapons are made to pack a greater punch at higher ranges and not lose damage. This is expressed as a bonus to out-of-range damage. Note that a High Energy Weapon's out-of-range damage may never exceed it's base damage.

Damage Bonus	+1	+2	+3	+4	+5	+6	+7	+8	+9	+10
Weapon Cost	x1.13	x1.25	x1.38	x1.5	x1.63	x1.75	x1.88	x2.0	x2.13	x2.25

IMPROVED OFF-ROAD ABILITY

Wheels may be purchased with Improved Off-Road Ability. This is considered to be improved shock-absorbers, suspension, tire and wheel design, etc. They are considered to be Mated Wheels and Treads of identical Kill value, with the extra weight of the Treads efficiencied to nothing. The net effect is that the Wheels cost the same as Treads of an equivalent level, but only have the Kills of a Wheel system. Note that Superlight Wheel movement systems cannot be mated with treads for improved off-road ability.

MISSILE ROF

Missile launchers are assumed to be capable of firing their entire payload in one salvo. However, launchers may be purchased so that they can only fire a fraction of their warheads at once. More than this number of missiles cannot be fired from the launcher. Missiles are assumed to automatically reload within a launcher.

Fraction of Missiles	1/4	1/3	1/2	2/3	3/4	ALL
Cost	x0.33	x0.5	x0.67	x0.75	x0.88	x1.0

TURRETS

A Head Servo may be purchased as a 360 degree universal turret. Heads configured as Turrets cost 1 CP per 3 Kills; in addition, the additional motors, gimbals, etc. for the turret take 1 space from the servo it is mounted on. Tank forms do not have to pay these costs for their main turret.

WINGS

Wings actually do more to make a vehicle more stable/maneuverable than to make it faster (which is more a factor of its streamlining), so a pair of wings add a +1 to the mecha's flight MV instead of its MA.

Flashback Friday: Mekton

In honor of the Mekton Zero Kickstarter, I'm doing something a bit different for a Flashback Friday. It's a flashback of some of my old material that I've recovered from the Internet Archive. This is the only Mekton design I was able to get (the archive is very spotty for my old website for some reason) but I'll also be reposting some other stuff like house rules and campaign outlines over the weekend. I've cleaned up the design a little bit and expanded on it. Hit the link below for the Google Docs sheet (sorry, no mecha design sheet...yet).

EMA-120 Lightning

The EMA-120 Lightning was first deployed in 1509, near the end of the Archipelago War. It was very successful in its role, but at the time was one of the most expensive Mektons fielded by the EDF. The Lightning project was born out of the Elaran High Command deciding it needed a unit capable of extremely fast, surgical strikes. The EDF, who in 1506 had introduced launching Mektons from submersible mecha carriers, also wanted a unit that could be launched and take flight while the carrier was submerged (previous units had to surface before becoming airborne). The solution was one of the first successful transformable Mektons for the EDF.

The Lightning was distinctive among 100-series Mekton designs, involving a large number of leading aerofighter engineers. The result was an aerofighter form that had a silhouette reminiscent of its namesake, with a slender pointed nose, a distinction humped fuselage, and engine nacelles set below. The cockpit was  further forward than most aerofighter designs, giving the impression of a shorter nose. The oversized powerplant and missile racks completely took over the torso/fuselage. Even though many of the lightweight materials used in later Mektons were not yet available, the Lightning's weight was kept down through a combination of intentionally lightweight design and a novel innovation:  the arms also served as the wings. A number of internal mechanisms, combined with a series of interlocking plates that extended from the torso and legs, turned the arms into the Mekton's trademark stubby, triangular wings. In humanoid mode, the cockpit was placed in the head. This made the pilot more vulnerable, and meant that the head-mounted weaponry typical of Elaran designs was left out. When the issue of the pilot's vulnerability was brought up, one of the aerofighter engineers was quoted as saying, "They're just going to have to try hard not to get hit." The design also conspicuously lacked anti-missile defenses. Against a Deathstalker's missile barrage, if the Lightning was hit it was guaranteed to be reduced to scrap - fortunately, it was ridiculously overpowered and far more maneuverable than nearly all of the Kargan units on the battlefield.

Service Record

Known as a hangar queen because of the complex transformation mechanism and unique powerplant, only 24 Lightnings were produced during the war. The Mekton was restricted to the 5th Fast Attack Wing, operating out of the submersible mechacarrier Koriel. It was only involved in a handful of engagements, all of them surgical strikes on high priority targets. The Mekton is particularly remembered for Karason Bay, where both Lightning squadrons, armed with anti-ship missiles on their wing hardpoints, carried out a surprise attack on the Kargan mechacarrier Garash and her carrier group. The Garash and all but two of the other vessels were destroyed, and the survivors heavily damaged. Only four Lightnings were lost in the pitched battle that resulted as the Kargans tried to rally a defense, and one of those was due to a malfunction. Lightnings also supported a mission to infiltrate the Kargan city of Tarkas by delivering Roadstriker-equipped special forces in custom wing-mounted pods. The Lightnings succeeded in inserting the Roadstrikers, but the mission ultimately failed. Overall, only six Lightnings were lost during the war, and one of those was due to a malfunction. After the Archipelago War the Lightnings were retired. Several were sent to various military museums, while 7 were assigned to the Stormriders demonstration squadron. By 1530 only a few remained operational because of their age, complexity and outmoded, nonstandard technology.

Variants

No variants of the Lightning were ever built. Pilot modifications were forbidden because of the Mekton's complexity and cost. Instead, the wing hardpoints were used for weapon pylons or to mount mission critical equipment. A typical fast strike loadout would include the Lightning's plasma rifle on one hardpoint and a heavy missile pod on the other. Long range missions would require the plasma rifle to be stowed and instead two fuel tanks mounted. As with many things about this Mekton, even the pylons or pods had to be specially manufactured to fit the design, as they needed to conform to the Lightning's unique transformation process.  The demonstration Lightnings assigned to the Stormriders are disarmed, with specialized smoke dispensers mounted in place of the missile racks in the torso.

Distinguished Pilots

Nearly half of the Lightning pilots were originally aerofighter pilots with no Mekton piloting experience. Lieutenant Drayck Athon was one of those pilots. While these transplanted pilots preferred to rely on their flight experience and resorted to humanoid mode only when necessary, Lt. Athon perfected combat maneuvers that incorporated the strongest advantages of both modes. Many of these involved multiple transformations between modes that one of the Lightning's engineers described as "Painful to watch." One of the most prominent was called the "A-drop". Lt. Athon would put his Lightning into a steep climb, often strafing his opponent as he passed, only to cut his thrusters and go into freefall far above them. At the last possible moment before passing his opponent he would transform to humanoid mode, deliver a close-quarters beam saber trike, and then switch to aerofighter mode again. Unfortunately, Lt. Athon was killed when he was tag teamed by two Deathstalkers. Missile barrages from both units destroyed the Lightning's legs, rendering it flightless. He succeeded in a controlled fall that collided with one of the Deathstalkers, and sent its hot powerplant into overload with a beam saber strike, destroying all three Mektons.

Flashback Friday: Starblade Battalion

Starblade Battalion is sort of an alternate Cyberpunk 2020 future, as a setting for Mekton Zeta. It had cybernetics, megacorporations, starships, mecha, pirates and planets with dinosaurs (kind of). The setting is about nearly two centuries after the events in CP2020. The Earth is environmentally ravaged and is ruled by a world government. The solar system has been colonized, and faster than light travel has allowed mankind to go to the stars. Of course, the evil corporations want to plunder and ravage the off world colonies while the government back home has become dominated by ecological zealots, and the colonists aren't getting a say in the matter either way. Needless to say, the situation isn't destined to end well. Enter the Starblade Battalion, the Default PC Group. It's a rogue paramilitary organization made up of defectors from both sides plus the usual collection of misfits. Pirates, too. Without the pirates, we wouldn't have an excuse for the awesome crossbones-inspired mecha design. They've accumulated stolen and otherwise misappropriated ships, mecha, military hardware and even managed to abscond with the setting's equivalent of The Skunkworks so they can develop their own toys. Their mission is kind of humanitarian: protect innocent people from getting squashed in the fighting, and try get both sides to see how pig-headed they're being especially when millions of lives are at stake. 

Draken

The setting's mecha designs were somewhat reminiscent of SPT Layzner  There was also a terrifically cool concept called a cutter, where the mecha docks to the front of a small starship. It's reminiscent of the Legioss/Tread combination from Mospeada except the cutter is a ship capable of supporting a small crew, as opposed to another type of fighter. Cutters mount FTL drives and give the PCs a good class of ship for flitting around the universe in. If one element in the setting didn't quite jive for me, it was the descriptions of the planets the off world colonies were on. I suppose for an anime-inspired game it's actually not that awful, but the planets seemed cartoony to me when I first read them. They included the old tropes of a desert planet, jungle planet, etc. One of them even had dinosaur analogs, if I remember right. Again, this isn't actually something that was a serious problem with the setting. Starblade Battalion wasn't meant to be hard science fiction, and Mass Effect's cardboard cutout planets don't ruin the series for me. Overall, it was a nifty little setting for those that wanted a post-CP2020 feel for their games with mecha. These days it probably doesn't stand out quite so well in light of all the other games where Earth has suffered an ecological collapse and now the colonies are trying to get independence and everyone's worried about greedy corporations ruining outer space (Jovian Chronicles, Blue Planet) but Starblade Battlion still has a few hooks of its own to distinguish it. Mostly the mecha. Especially the mecha. Finally, in case you're interested there was an extremely long-running Starblade Battalion fan fiction and a pretty extensive website that is surprisingly still up. I won't make any commentary as to the quality of the fan fiction. The website also had some concept sketches from the guy who drew the mecha (you can catch them from the Internet Archive). Starblade Battalion is also available in PDF from DriveThruRPG.