I have two games per week. One on Wednesday nights from 4:30pm to 10:00-ish, and one on Thursday from 6:00pm to 1 or 2:00am. That sounds like a lot, but until last week I was playing in one and running the other. The one I played served as a quiet time with friends that I used to plot out the next days session. At any rate I had a 5-hour session once a week that I used for adventure prep time, and life was good.
Last Wednesday around noon-ish I received a call at the office from the regular DM, asking me if I can start a campaign later that night. Of course I said yes, and went back to my day. Quite like it always happens I started mulling about my scrapped ideas. My main campaign has a vast untapped potential for gaming material, but most of the players in one game are players in the other. On top of that I am sick of running fantasy (ancient magics and hokey religions are no match for a good blaster at your side).
At about 2:00pm I decided to run my pet project, a Mecha campaign. This particular brain child of mine has had several iterations, all of the priors failing in anticlimactic fizzles. But this time I have an idea. not that the last attempts did not have ideas, quite to the opposite in fact. Each time I ran this type of campaign I found what did not work. I wish I could say I also found what worked, however that is not the case.
The next step is deciding the system. Most of the players in the wednesday game are casual gamers: so Mekton requiring a new book (hard to find at that) is out, Gurps I have never played in let alone run, d20 is the clearcut choice. The downside is that the already built d20 mecha rules are trash, and my kit-bash is rough and ill equipped to be played in right?
At about 3:00 I arrived home with a new vigor to finish Mek20. I pounded out the armor rules in record time. That still does not leave me with a polished system, but its a hell of a start. A quick, and I do mean quick, hash out of the players Mobile Suits as well as the Mook Suits and slight conversion of the d20 modern SRD to a Kinkos friendly .pdf and a hexgrid overlay of normandy puts me at 4:30 and done with most of the prep I can do. So I'm going to be late sue me...
A rushed Print shop worker and a bit of speeding later and I'm at the local club house. Sliding in under the wire at 4:58. Alright lets get some gaming done.
After character creation I came out swinging. The play started with a quick bit of exposition on the world as it is now, promptly followed with a hard drop-pod into a hot LZ. Some high octane later and its time to wrap it up. All told It was a sweet session. I have a warm fuzzy feeling that this time I will go the distance!
P.S. I now have a real excuse to finish the Mek20 kit bash in double time. look out for it.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Monday, November 5, 2007
Armor: not just for foot soldiers anymore!
At last its here! The armor bit of Mek20! And you thought it was never going to get here... The armor should work mostly the same as the servos the major difference being the HP's (I think in the last installment of Mek20 I will add that to servos anyhow..) and the hardness. The hit points will come right with the size armor plating, but the hardness I think I will base on material used for more options at construction. all right lets dive right in.
I think that Mekton has far to many types of armor as well, more of the same mega-ultra-hyper-adjective-heavy names. So I will be taking from the d20 modern SRD, for armor names and ability's. In no particular order alumisteel, Duraplastic, duralloy, Resilum, Crystal Carbon Armor, neovulcanium, neutronite, megatanium, and Reactive Armor.
Each has its own quarks, but it boils down to this quick excerpt from the d20 modern SRD (with hardness and point cost tacked in).
MECHA ARMOR
Armor can be welded or otherwise fixed securely to a mecha’s superstructure, providing an equipment bonus to the mecha’s Defense. Mecha armor does not impose a maximum Dexterity bonus upon the mecha operator (as worn armor does) and does not require a special proficiency feat to use.
Installing armor on a mecha requires a Craft (mechanical) check (DC 20). The check is made after investing an amount of time determined by the mecha’s size: Large 3 hours, Huge 6 hours, Gargantuan 12 hours, and Colossal 24 hours. Armor can be removed in half the time with a successful Repair check (DC 20).
Different types of mecha armor are presented below, along with the following statistics:
Equipment Bonus: The equipment bonus that the armor provides to the operator’s Defense.
Armor Check Penalty: Mecha armor applies this penalty on its operator’s Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, and Tumble checks.
Speed Penalty: The amount by which the armor reduces the mecha’s base speed.
Purchase DC: The cost of the armor.
Restriction: Since mecha require a license to own and operate, mecha armor does not require a special license to purchase.
ALUMISTEEL ARMOR
This easy-to-acquire alloy is lightweight and reasonably strong. Alumisteel can also be used as a building material for mecha superstructures (see Mecha Superstructure, above).
Hardness: 10
Equipment Bonus: +5.
Armor Check Penalty: –6.
Speed Penalty: –5 feet.
Cost: 2
DURAPLASTIC ARMOR
Duraplastic armor is made of advanced plastic polymers, such as carbon fiber and high-grade fiberglass. Although relatively cheap and light, it doesn’t offer tremendous protection.
Hardness: 5
Equipment Bonus: +3.
Armor Check Penalty: –4.
Speed Penalty: None.
Cost: 1
DURALLOY ARMOR
Duralloy is harder, heavier, and more durable than alumisteel. It can also be used as a building material for mecha superstructures (see Mecha Superstructure, above).
Hardness: 15
Equipment Bonus: +8.
Armor Check Penalty: –8.
Speed Penalty: –10 feet.
Cost: 4
RESILIUM ARMOR
Resilium is a more malleable alloy than duralloy, although not as strong.
Hardness: 12
Equipment Bonus: +6.
Armor Check Penalty: –5.
Speed Penalty: None.
Cost: 3
CRYSTAL CARBON ARMOR
Grown in orbital laboratories, crystal carbon is a composite fiber material that narrowly outperforms neovulcanium (see below) on the battlefield.
Hardness: 25
Equipment Bonus: +10.
Armor Check Penalty: –8.
Speed Penalty: None.
Cost: 7
NEOVULCANIUM ARMOR
Similar to duralloy, neovulcanium uses plasma-forging techniques to create an alloy of surprising resilience. It is also used as a building material for mecha superstructures (see Mecha Superstructure, above).
Hardness: 20
Equipment Bonus: +10.
Armor Check Penalty: –10.
Speed Penalty: –5 feet.
Cost: 5
MEGATANIUM ARMOR
Sandwiched layers of crystal carbon and neovulcanium held in a magnetic matrix, megatanium is exceedingly hard and durable. It can also be used as a building material for mecha superstructures (see Mecha Superstructure, above).
Hardness: 30
Equipment Bonus: +12.
Armor Check Penalty: –10.
Speed Penalty: –10 feet.
Cost: 8
REACTIVE ARMOR
Consisting of layers of insulating gel or compressed gas between cerametal sheets, reactive armor provides the same protection as crystal carbon armor but is considerably cheaper and easier to produce.
Hardness: 25
Equipment Bonus: +8.
Armor Check Penalty: –5.
Speed Penalty: None.
Cost: 6
As well the point cost is multiplied by the number of servos you are armoring (all of them)
End Excerpt, that was not so bad huh? as well in reading over this i will be going back over the earlier post's to add and edit them.
Until next time...
I think that Mekton has far to many types of armor as well, more of the same mega-ultra-hyper-adjective-heavy names. So I will be taking from the d20 modern SRD, for armor names and ability's. In no particular order alumisteel, Duraplastic, duralloy, Resilum, Crystal Carbon Armor, neovulcanium, neutronite, megatanium, and Reactive Armor.
Each has its own quarks, but it boils down to this quick excerpt from the d20 modern SRD (with hardness and point cost tacked in).
MECHA ARMOR
Armor can be welded or otherwise fixed securely to a mecha’s superstructure, providing an equipment bonus to the mecha’s Defense. Mecha armor does not impose a maximum Dexterity bonus upon the mecha operator (as worn armor does) and does not require a special proficiency feat to use.
Installing armor on a mecha requires a Craft (mechanical) check (DC 20). The check is made after investing an amount of time determined by the mecha’s size: Large 3 hours, Huge 6 hours, Gargantuan 12 hours, and Colossal 24 hours. Armor can be removed in half the time with a successful Repair check (DC 20).
Different types of mecha armor are presented below, along with the following statistics:
Equipment Bonus: The equipment bonus that the armor provides to the operator’s Defense.
Armor Check Penalty: Mecha armor applies this penalty on its operator’s Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, and Tumble checks.
Speed Penalty: The amount by which the armor reduces the mecha’s base speed.
Purchase DC: The cost of the armor.
Restriction: Since mecha require a license to own and operate, mecha armor does not require a special license to purchase.
ALUMISTEEL ARMOR
This easy-to-acquire alloy is lightweight and reasonably strong. Alumisteel can also be used as a building material for mecha superstructures (see Mecha Superstructure, above).
Hardness: 10
Equipment Bonus: +5.
Armor Check Penalty: –6.
Speed Penalty: –5 feet.
Cost: 2
DURAPLASTIC ARMOR
Duraplastic armor is made of advanced plastic polymers, such as carbon fiber and high-grade fiberglass. Although relatively cheap and light, it doesn’t offer tremendous protection.
Hardness: 5
Equipment Bonus: +3.
Armor Check Penalty: –4.
Speed Penalty: None.
Cost: 1
DURALLOY ARMOR
Duralloy is harder, heavier, and more durable than alumisteel. It can also be used as a building material for mecha superstructures (see Mecha Superstructure, above).
Hardness: 15
Equipment Bonus: +8.
Armor Check Penalty: –8.
Speed Penalty: –10 feet.
Cost: 4
RESILIUM ARMOR
Resilium is a more malleable alloy than duralloy, although not as strong.
Hardness: 12
Equipment Bonus: +6.
Armor Check Penalty: –5.
Speed Penalty: None.
Cost: 3
CRYSTAL CARBON ARMOR
Grown in orbital laboratories, crystal carbon is a composite fiber material that narrowly outperforms neovulcanium (see below) on the battlefield.
Hardness: 25
Equipment Bonus: +10.
Armor Check Penalty: –8.
Speed Penalty: None.
Cost: 7
NEOVULCANIUM ARMOR
Similar to duralloy, neovulcanium uses plasma-forging techniques to create an alloy of surprising resilience. It is also used as a building material for mecha superstructures (see Mecha Superstructure, above).
Hardness: 20
Equipment Bonus: +10.
Armor Check Penalty: –10.
Speed Penalty: –5 feet.
Cost: 5
MEGATANIUM ARMOR
Sandwiched layers of crystal carbon and neovulcanium held in a magnetic matrix, megatanium is exceedingly hard and durable. It can also be used as a building material for mecha superstructures (see Mecha Superstructure, above).
Hardness: 30
Equipment Bonus: +12.
Armor Check Penalty: –10.
Speed Penalty: –10 feet.
Cost: 8
REACTIVE ARMOR
Consisting of layers of insulating gel or compressed gas between cerametal sheets, reactive armor provides the same protection as crystal carbon armor but is considerably cheaper and easier to produce.
Hardness: 25
Equipment Bonus: +8.
Armor Check Penalty: –5.
Speed Penalty: None.
Cost: 6
As well the point cost is multiplied by the number of servos you are armoring (all of them)
End Excerpt, that was not so bad huh? as well in reading over this i will be going back over the earlier post's to add and edit them.
Until next time...
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