03. Creating Your Mech

Your Starting Mech

Initial Mechanoid creation is similar to what is written in the basic rules.

Some attributes are altered to suit new roles, and some new skills and edges are added.

ST - lift capacity and damage potential, structural strength and power.

SM - Smarts includes programs - number of drones and number of programs

SP - Spirit includes integrity/control - control rolls, ability to resist sequestration.

AG - Agility includes structural flexibility, living metal mobility.

VG - Vigour includes the limit to level of programs, Power distribution, signal and nanite strength and control ranges.

Starting Edges

Mechanoids are their own race and begin with the following traits:

Manipulation Module: arms, hands and tools allowing the Mech to manipulate objects but not strong enough to be used a weapons.

Basic Power ability: a Master Mechanoid begins with 10 power points which it can use to run drones and other systems.

Basic Weapon Module: A Master Mechanoid begins with one standard hard point equipped with a single d6 equipped combat arm (a mace).

Basic Armour: your mechanoids begins with body armour of 1 all over (1/1/1 if locations are used).

Basic Transportation mode: your Mechanoid comes equipped with either Biped, Triped or Quadraped movement ability.

Basic Radiation Resistance: Mechs gain +2 to resist radiation rolls.

Modern Technology: mechanoids begin with knowledge of Modern Technology.

Gain Edges per the normal rules, plus each mech will gain a free technology edge at each new rank (20,40,60,80).

Mechanoids may purchase the Arcane Background(Mad Science) edge or the Nanomancy Edge if used, but not any of the other magical edges. A lot of the equipment that can be developed will replicate many of the spells.

Outsider: Mechanoids are treated as outsiders by all humans, -2 CHA

Wanted (Minor)(Earth is a Harsh Mistress scenario only): Mechanoids are hunted by some Earth authorities, and bounties are generally paid by Copernicus Dome.

Starting Rigging Programs.

Optionally, Mechs may expend starting skill points to buy programs for their cyber-deck. One skill point can be expended to buy a skill program for your deck rated at d4 level. Extra skill points can be expended to buy higher skill levels, but not higher then your Programming skill. These programs are assumed to be Omega stage and bug free

New Derived Values

Integrity (SP)

>> control of self = 2+SP/2.

Integrity is the strength of the internal control systems of the mechanoid. It is used as a default target for sequestration attacks.

Drones (SM)

>> 2+SM/2

The number of detached drones that a Mechanoid can control at one time (either syncronous or autonomous).

Hard Points (ST):

>> 2+ST/2 (max)

The number of Hard Points (modules) a Mechanoid may have. Each hard point can generally have one "thing" - a weapon, a device, a drone, a tool etc. Mechanoids begin with one hard point equipped with a weapon arm (mace) and one with a manipulation module. Drones come with one hard point of their own (or more). See Gear chapter.

Control Range (VG)

>> VGx4 inches.

This is the distance over which your mech is able to exert control of its devices/drones.

Size.

All mechs begin at Size 0. It is possible to increase their Size via Edges and other methods. A Mechs Toughness is increased by its Size, but the chance to hit a Mech is increased by its Size/2, rounding down. A mech may go smaller if it wants, but the same values apply, each Size negative reduces their Toughness, and half their Size(rounding down) is applied as a negative to hit.

New skills

These skills apply only to the post-apocaliptic or pulp science-fiction settings. You can use them for other settings but they may not have as great a significance.

Foraging (SM)

- foraging is a skill used to gather resources from the natural environment that are freely or quickly accessible. These resources are generally limited to Crap and Junk level rewards but occasionally you may find an area where the forage is rich and diverse, eg; an old abandoned warehouse loaded with shelves and shelves of materials ready to use. The emphasis in foraging is that the resources are essentially lying around waiting to be gathered and require little processing or effort other than time and observation. Mechanoids in Foraging Mode (see Professional Edges) use this skill with a +1 bonus

Mining (VG)

- mining is used to extract resources from naturally occurring sources, but which will require considerable effort to establish. An iron ore mine, a diamond mine etc are both classic examples. Generally an 'establishment' cost is required where the 'mine' is built and the processes to extract the resources are set up. The establishment cost is generally a time period, such as 28 mech days (if four mechs worked at it then the time would be 7 real days). Mines generally yield only a limited selection of rewards, the GM may want to be even more restrictive than simply using a reward group. Mining shouldn’t be focused on digging in the ground either, you can mine exotic gases from the air, pure crystals from crystal forests etc. Mechanoids in Mining Mode (see Professional Edges) use this skill with a +1 bonus

Salvage (ST)

- salvage is the act of extracting resources from existing constructions, it can also be seen as recycling. When you salvage a resource you dismantle the source, breaking it up into its component parts and retrieve the component resources. Salvage is reverse construction, so the materials you can salvage from something are basically the same as what went into making it, although there may be some losses in the process. Mechanoids in Salvage Mode (see Professional Edges) use this skill with a +1 bonus

Programming (SM)

Development or skill soft programs for use with Drones. The Master Unit may write skill programs up to a limiter of this skill, their actual skill level, or the Drones VG value, whichever is less. Eg The Master has a Programming skill of d6, the skill being programmed is Shoot and the Master has it at d8, the Drone has only d4 VG. The lowest score is d4 so that is the maximum level of program that can be used on that Drone. Programming requires a peaceful and undisturbed environment.

When you take control of a Drone the Drone must be re-assessed based on your Programming skills, the Drones scores can never get higher, only lower. You may of course apply a new program to the drone to reset its scores.

Repair (VG)

Becomes the Heal skill for Mechs. All rules regarding first aid for humans apply to this skill. Can be performed as an action during combat (1 round) but is at -2 and uses 2 points of power. The normal 10 min use can still be carried out if time permits, with no penalty but still costs 2 power. Humans cannot repair a Mechanoid unless they have Nanomancy or are a Mad Scientist and have specifically designed tools. Repair in this case requires nanites to be effective.

Sequestration (VG) (Mechanoids only)

Control of other mechanoids - expend 2 Power points and roll Sequestration Vs Integrity for drones, Sequestration vs SP for dominating masters (but must also beat their Integrity as a base value as well).

Success on a drone causes a shaken result, a raise causes a shutdown, two raises takes control of the drone for the rest of the event (or control is lost).

Success vs a Master causes Shaken, a raise on a Master lowers their SP dice one type (one level max per attack). Mark the Master with the various levels of lost SP, they can be recovered with a raise on a Shaken recovery roll, bearing in mind that they use their lowered SP value to do so (they can still make a recovery roll even if not Shaken at the time to try to recover SP). When reduced to 0SP they shutdown.

All Robbies (human created robots) have SP 1d4 and Integrity of 4, unless custom made.

Eg: A Master attacks another with a sequestration attack and scores a raise, which shakes and lowers the SP of the target one level. On the targets next action they roll to recover from shaken, which they do on a successful SP roll. If they gain a raise on the Shaken recovery roll they will remove the shaken and recover the lost SP (and can perform a normal action).

Fail a Sequestration attack vs a Master and you are Shaken. See Startup and Shutdown.

Sequestration attacks have a limited range - (VG/VGx2/VGx4) vs Drones, touch range vs Masters (+2 to hit to overcome Parry), and requires the expenditure of 2 points of Power each attack.

Eg: Melvin the Mad is fighting with The Paladin George. Melvin moves to within 5 squares of an autonomous drone belonging to George and decides to try to sequester the drone. He attacks the drone with his Sequestration skill (d8) and expends 2 points of power. He rolls 5&12, using the higher of 12. The drone has an Integrity of 6. A roll of 12 vs 6 means a raise, so the drone is forced to Shutdown.

Eg: Melvin thinks George is easy pickings so he moves within melee range of George and makes a sequestration attack on the Master, expending an extra 2 power points. He must first make a Touch attack (+2), which he does. His Sequestor roll this time is 5&3, using the higher of 5. George defends with its SP of d8 and rolls 3&1, using 3. Melvin has a higher score than George but he has failed to gain a success due to George having an Integrity of 6. So Melvin attacks with a target of 6, whilst George defends with a target of 4. George fails a sequestor attack vs a Master and is Shaken. Attacking a Master isnt meant to be easy.

You may attempt to sequester one of your own drones that have been sequester controlled, in this case use the controlling Mech as if the owner, but ANY success breaks its control and returns the drone to you. Such a returned drone cannot act for you that round unless you get a raise on the attempt.

Hard Points

Your mech starts with a number of hard points as noted above (ST/2+2). Each such hard point can be equipped with some sort of gear (a mace or gun, a device or power plant), or it can have a drone installed.

A hardpoint can have the gear assigned to it replaced in the same way as equipping a new weapon for a human, which is an action. Installed gear can be dropped as a free action but is of course then lying on the ground.

Drones

A drone is a mobile module that can detach itself from the Master and move and act on its own accord, with some limitations.

A drone that remains attached to its master is just another hardpoint. A drone that activates successfully (VG vs 4 and 2 Power) may detach from the master and move independently and even take independent actions (although it may take those actions on the masters card). A drone may only have one piece of equipment active at anyone time, even though it may be equipped with more than one.

Activating a Drone in either mode is similar to casting a spell, it has an initial cost (2pp) to start them up with a limited life span (3rds for a basic model), and then maintenance costs after that (generally 1 per round). Maintaining a drone impacts on the Masters ability to activate further drones (similar to maintaining a spell and casting more spells), each drone being maintained adding +1 to the target number to activate any other drones.

Maintaining a drone is an automatic action as long as it remains within LOC and LOS. If it is out of LOS then maintaining it becomes an action.

The cost of maintaining a drone after the initial 3rds is generally 1pp per round (basic model) as long as it remains in LOS. If it is out of LOS then the cost is doubled (and it takes an action).

Drones may detach themselves from the master and be run in either synchronous or autonomous mode.

In synchronized mode they act as an extension of the Master and must remain within LOC and LOS. In synchronous mode the drone must do what the master does or nothing, at the same time. If the master shoots a target then the drone shoots the same target, assuming it is capable of doing so, or it does nothing. If it it is not possible to perform exactly the same task then it must perform an action that supports the Master's task in some suitable way or it does nothing. In synchronous mode the drone uses the same skill level as the Master. Any actions they take are considered part of the Masters actions and contribute to multi-action penalties, so if both the Master and the drone shoot it would be the same as shooting two guns and they suffer the -2 per extra action. A Master with several drones would have crippling penalties, so they need to take appropriate edges to offset the penalties, or simply not use all the drones.

A syncronous drone MUST move to restore LOC and LOS if it loses either. It gets only that round to do so or deactivates at the end of that round (and maintenance need not be paid).

In autonomous mode they act independently from the Master but they must have a Program to do anything.They cannot voluntarily move out of LOC, but they do not need a LOS.

It is possible for an autonomous drone to become OOC during its 3 round startup period before turn maintenance kicks in and still have limited function.

A autonomous drone may continue performing actions during its startup period that are related to its Program that are an extension of the current situation (up to GM to allow), but must move to restore LOC. Once it enters maintenance mode however it must chose to return to LOC by the end of the round or de-activate (and maintenance need not be paid).

Drone Stats

A drone will have SP of the Master if in LOC without a wild dice, otherwise d4 and no wild dice.

AG, ST, SM, VG as allocated during the design. A Drone may not have a score higher than it's Master.

Integrity based on its current SP.

A mobility option.

Skills and Edges based on Programs installed.

A Base Drone will have d4 in all attributes except SP, plus they will have 3pts of attributes to be allocated, and comes with a single hard point. A drones SP is the same as its Master if in LOC, otherwise a d4.

The level of any Programs run on a Drone is limited by its VG score.