"Heroic Robots" Rules
Almost every Mekton Zeta universe released by R. Talsorian Games has been a military-style universe, somewhat akin to MS Gundam, SDF Macross, and Armored Troopers Votoms. These universes confine the mecha to a series of "mass-produced" machines, with a few specalist devices that are built as the series goes on.
Another theme of Mecha combat has always been the classic "Giant Robot" genre-everything from Ultraman(he's a 10/1 scale 'Oid with a dramatic disadvantage) to Giant Robo to the Evangelions of Neon Genesis Evangelion. However, for most GMs(and most writers), creating this universe for role-playing is difficult because the GM has one of two choices in building his mecha-either the GM builds the mecha for the players, and they have to live with it, warts and all; or the GM lets the players build the mecha, and has to try and keep the mecha within a reasonable budget without the players tie-dying his cat.
These rules provide a third option-mecha built by the GM, then customized by the players as time goes on, presumably by experience, friendly inventions, and captured enemy devices. These rules assume that the players involved in a role-playing session, one week of game time passes per session.
After each game, the players are awarded a number of CP for their participation in the game. These points are awarded depending upon the total CP of their mecha. The table for the point awards is:
- Mecha CP less than or equal to 500 CP=10 CP awarded per session.
- Mecha CP from 501 CP to 1000 CP=8 CP awarded per session.
- Mecha CP from 1001 CP to 2000 CP=6 CP awarded per session.
- Mecha CP from 2001 CP to 3000 CP=4 CP awarded per session.
- Mecha CP more than 3000 CP=2 CP awarded per session.
Games that last longer than one game week per session may cause modification to these tables. It is recommended that, at most, they only be multiplied by five times.
Players can transfer up to half of their total CP to other players, except in the case of combining mecha. For mecha that combine(Power Rangers ZeoZords, Gundam ZZ, etc), players can only spend their CP in a way that either benefits the combined mecha or the player's indiviudal units, and can only transfer points among fellow players in the combined mecha.
When CP are spent, the systems are purchased, and then bought by the difference between the original mecha cost(in CP, including Cost Multiplier Systems) and the new mecha cost(in CP, including Cost Multiplier Systems). These changes take effect the next game session(unless for dramatic purposes, they don't), and the time between games is assumed to be the construction time.
By Jon Souza
Romance!
Giant Robot Combat!
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