In MechaStellar we have two types of Mecha, a Mobile Skeleton or MS Class and a Titan Class. While the MS class is principally there to represent high mobility units like you’d see in Mobile Suit Gundam, Aura Battler Dunbine, Votoms or Zone of the Enders, the Titan class was envisioned to capture Mechs that tend to lack aerial mobility but offer considerably more durable and often with significantly more weapons. Titan class mechs can run the gamut of Mobile Armors, Getter Machines, Guy Melefs, Jaegers or even Evangelions. As we’ve been doing more Titan-only playtests recently this would be a good time to discuss this class of Mechs.
MechaStellar is currently on Version 7, in previous editions the gulf between MS and Titan was quite large with entirely different ways of constructing them and deriving their statistics. Over time we found it would be best if formulas and methods of construction were the same for Titans and MS, both for game balance and ease of use on the player.
Most recently we have revised the formula for equipment on Titans. Initially Titans had more equipment slots (and usually more weapons or more armor) however, many of their weapons required additional slots. In version 7 we started using “Power” as a stat for Titans, where previously we were tracking power consumption and heat on a turn by turn basis which became more than a little cumbersome for a large skirmishes.
When we switched to power we didn’t get rid of legacy items like multi-slot Titans weapons. We realized if we got rid of those slots requirements, we could also get rid of the large amount of slots a Titans unit could use. It also simplified a few other things like HP, Armor Save and Low Cost which had a different formula since Titans had double the number of equipment slots a MS would have. As a result it’s gotten easier to build a Titan class mech from the ground up.
Currently here is what separates a MS and Titan.
Titan
-Double HP
-Inherent WEIGHT value equal to it’s Frame level. Weight is a penalty to Movement and Evade.
-Can equip more powerful weapons but all weapons require Power so their non-weapon Equipment slots are often split between Power and Reinforce while MS are often between Reinforce and Speed.
-On a failed Armor Save instead of being destroyed like an MS would, the Titan instead takes 2x Damage
Since we wanted the Titan class to represent series known for suffering critical damage and losing a weapon, arm or a leg we also created the “Battle Damage” optional rule. While this applies to all units, its inception began with the Titan style units. Battle Damage allows for damage to legs, weapons, shields, and the head to simulate for instance Gipsy Danger losing an arm or a leg while fighting Kaiju.
On the topic of Kaiju and other giant monsters we’ll be implementing a size system to represent very large scale monsters (and mechs). This is a flat points increase but allows you to do additional damage to smaller targets and provides some protection as well. We’ll talk more about that in a follow-up post.
MechaStellar 