MekaTac: GSRE – VOTOMS – Quick and Dirty!

Has it been a month? Sorry, folks.

Watching the prequel series for Armored Trooper VOTOMS – Pailsen Files - and became inspired. Possessed. Mildly amused? Anyway, whipped up a quick set of extra rules to game the AT combats.

Please note that this is not an exact simulation, but a playable abstraction using MekaTac: GSRE as the framework, which may be downloaded for FREE here.

The anthropomorphic mecha suits are only 10 to 15 feet in height and are used more like heavy or elite infantry than walking tanks. As such, they should be given their own “scale” for Meka Tac: GRSE. On a hex map, a modest house would now occupy several hexes, so combat inside industrial structures like factories or refineries is possible.

Their “gliding wheel” special ground movement (powered roller-skates) is covered by Enhanced Engines and the “arm punch” system counts as a Melee Weapon.

Your average AT would be look like this:
Mech Size: 5, Size Class: Medium, IM +1, MP 6 +2, HP 50

Base Frame: Melee Weapon (2D6, 1 space), Enhanced Engines (+2 MP, 1 space), and 3 spaces left for weapons and other systems.


Weapons List

Rifle: Rail Gun (AP). (2 spaces)
- Reload: Ammo Carrier. (1 space)

SMG: Rail Gun (AI). (2 spaces)
- Reload: Ammo Carrier. (1 space)

Shotgun: Rail Gun (HE). (2 spaces)
- Reload: Ammo Carrier. (1 space)

Grenade Launcher: Medium Mortar (HE) (2 spaces)
- Reload: Ammo Carrier. (1 space)

Small/Medium/Large Flamethrower. (1/2/3 spaces)

Rocket Gun: 2 x Small Missile Launchers (AP), linked. (2 spaces)

Bazooka: Rail Cannon (AP). (3 spaces)

Small Missile Launcher (AP). (1 space)

Large Missile Launcher (AP). (1 space)


Firing Arcs:

All Missile Launchers - either Pod or regularly mounted - are Front Arc. All other weapons are considered hand-held, and may be Front, Left or Right Arcs. Note that the Rocket Gun may be F/L/R Arc.


The following additional systems are allowed, but only once per mecha and only if there is space available after purchasing weapons:

Armor x 1 (1 space)
Camo Netting x 1 (1 space)
Targeter x 1 (1 space)
1 additional Enhanced Engines (1 space)


Buildings:

Walls block Line-of-Sight, unless it's mostly open or transparent. Assign a number of hit points for each hex a building occupies. When half the hexes on one level are destroyed, the building will collapse. Each hex of rubble has a movement penalty of +2MP, but gives a cover bonus of -2. And mech in a hex that is collapsing if hit by debris on a roll of 7+, with a +1 for each level after the first, taking 1D6 damage for every level.

Residential:   15HP per hex - 1 to 3 levels
Commercial:    25HP per hex - 1 to 10 levels
Industrial:    35HP per hex - 1 to 5 levels
Fortification: 45+HP per hex - 1 to 4 levels



Optional rules:

* Double the ranges of all weapons.
* Use of pods for any type of missile launcher.
* If the attacker used any of the additional MP given by the mecha's Enhanced Engines this activation, any attacks he makes have a -1 Attack Modifier due to its faster movement.
* Make a roll on the Critical Hit Table for every 10 points of damage taken. This represents the volatility of the polymer ringer fluid.


For miniatures, I suggest Dream Pod 9’s HEAVY GEAR mecha; either the older 1/87 (roughly 20mm or HO scale) or the newer 1/144 (roughly 12mm or N scale). If you have the gashapon, even better! Adjust "hex" sizes accordingly.


//end