In this series of posts we are doing a Gameplay Example for MechaStellar. Click on the following links to see posts for Round 1, Round 2, and Round 3. You can look at the Mecha Unit Profiles for the Federation and Zeon on the downloads page.
Below the break we will cover the 4th and 5th rounds of a 5 round game of MechaStellar. We will go turn by turn each round and include some insights into Gundam Tactics.
Round 4
Starting Momentum Fed 1 / Zeon 1.
Turn 1 – Zeon is up first this round. The Zeon player activates his remaining Dom who fires its giant bazooka into Sanders’ Gundam Ground type in Rapid fire range.
The giant bazooka makes 4 Shots at Accuracy 9 vs Evade+3, Sanders needs a 6+.
Sanders rolls 4d10 and gets [2,4,7,8] = 2 Hits.
His shield blocks 1 and the Federation player loses [M-1] to protect Sanders.
With the Gundam still standing, the Dom goes full tilt into Melee with its heat saber. Zeon gains [M+1] as a result. As the attacker it gets 2 bonus dice and goes all in on attack. The federation player could split her dice for a counterattack and a potential finishing blow but right now she is not willing to risk Sanders’ life on a bad dice roll and thus puts all her melee dice into Defense.
The Dom rolls 6d10 and gets [2,7,7,8,8,8] = 5 Hits.
Sanders rolls 7d10 and gets [4,5,6,8,9,9,10] = 6 Blocks surviving the attack.
End of turn Momentum – Fed 0 / Zeon 2
Turn 2 – The Federation player considers her options. If Sanders can defeat the Dom then he can fire his weapon, however, due to the Commando trait the Acguy can’t be targeted and the Zaku II so close there would be a penalty to firing its cannon.
So Sanders will use his action to Focus which gives him +1 Hit in Melee. As the attacker he puts his two bonus dice into attack. Attacking in Melee gives the Federation [M+1].
Sanders rolls 9d10 and gets [1,2,4,4,4,5,8,8,9] = 7 Hits
The Dom rolls 4d10 and gets [8,9,10,10] = 4 Blocks.
The Zeon player could burn [M-2] and hope the Dom survives, but the beam saber’s Armor Penetration is so lethal he is unlikely to survive. Even if he did, Sander’s as a Skilled Pilot would strike a Finishing Blow at the end of Melee since the Dom failed to counterattack the Gundam.
The Dom is destroyed and the Federation gains [M+1] for destroying a unit. Sanders falls back to make it harder for Zaku II to get into Rapid fire range.
End of turn Momentum – Fed 2 / Zeon 2.
Turn 3 – The Zeon player activates the Zaku he saved last turn hoping to finally avenge his comrade. The Zaku puts everything into melee, Zeon gains [M+1] for the melee attack.
The Zaku rolls 7d10 and gets [1,5,5,6,6,7,10] = 5 Hits +1 Crit so 7 hits.
Karen rolls 7d10 and gets [1,1,2,4,4,6,10] = 2 Blocks.
Ouch, very unlucky. The Zaku decapitates Karen’s Gundam Ground Type; as a result Zeon gains [M+1].
The Zaku II now burns [M-2] to disengage and attack. The Zeon player considers moving him in the way of the Acguy to make Commando take effect, but instead opts to put the Zaku near the trees to gain Cover. It attacks Shiro while moving backwards in Rapid fire range. Shiro gains [M+1] thanks to Galvanizing Display.
The Machine gun makes 6 shots and Rapid Fire gives +2 Hits, Accuracy 8 vs Evade+3, Shiro needs a 5+ to Evade.
Shiro rolls 6d10 and gets [2,4,4,6,7,9] = 3 Hits + 2 Hits via Rapid Fire = 5 Hits.
His Shield blocks 1 and Idealist blocks another Hit, and he takes the remaining 3 hits at 200 DMG each.
End of turn Momentum – Fed 3 / Zeon 2.
Turn 4 – Shiro is up next. Since he is below 50% HP, the Fighting Spirit trait gives him [M+1]. Finally having having a clear shot at the Acguy, he fires his Machine gun in Rapid Fire range (+2 Hits).
The machine gun makes 6 Shots at Accuracy 9 vs Evade+4, the Acguy needs a 5+.
The Acguy rolls 10d10 and gets [2,3,3,5,5,7] = 3 Hits + 2 via Rapid Fire = 5 Hits.
Thankfully the Acguy is a very heavy MS with good armor and survives after taking 1000 DMG.
Shiro then charges into Melee, the Zaku II makes an Overwatch attack and Shiro needs to Evade three shots. He rolls 3d10 and gets [2,7,10] = 1 Hit which is blocked by his Shield.
Attacking in Melee, Shiro gets [M+1], he puts his two bonus dice into attack.
Shiro rolls 9d10 and gets [2,3,3,3,8,8,9,10,10] = 3 Hits + 2 Crit = 7 Hits.
The Zaku II rolls [1,4,5,6,10] = 3 Blocks + 1 Block from its Shield.
The Zeon player doesn’t like the odds of burning Momentum then trying to survive an Armor Save against a Beam Saber so he lets the Zaku perish. The Federation gains [M+1] for destroying a unit.
End of turn Momentum – Fed 6 / Zeon 2.
Turn 5 – The Zeon player considers whether it would be best to have the Acguy keep the Tactical Advantage from high ground or to instead move closer and get bonus shots with its megaparticle gun from Rapid Fire. For this turn he opts to stick with the High Ground, use a rocket barrage and stay away from Melee range. Shiro gains [M+1] thanks to Galvanizing Display.
The Acguy’s rocket barrage makes 5 Shots at Accuracy 7 vs Evade+3, Shiro needs a 4+.
Shiro rolls 4d10 and gets [1,3,4,9,10] = 1 Crit and 2 Hits.
Tactical Advantage gives a bonus Crit Hit. The 2 Crits and 2 Hits totals to 6 Hits overall.
It’s an attack from behind so Shiro does not benefit from his Shield. However, he does gain +1 Block from the Idealist pilot trait which brings it down to 5 Hits. As an Ace Pilot Shiro uses Flawless Evade to block all the shots with a Momentum cost equal to the round, in this case [M-4].
End of turn Momentum – Fed 2 / Zeon 2.
Turn 6 – The Zaku Cannon leaves cover and attacks Shiro, who gains [M+1] thanks to Galvanizing Display. The Zaku Cannon opens up with his machine gun and a hip mounted rocket barrage both in Rapid fire range.
The Zaku Cannon has accuracy 8 vs Evade+3, Shiro needs a 5+. The Federation player decides to roll against the Rockets first which are 5 shots and get +1 Hit in Rapid Fire range.
Shiro rolls 4d10 and gets [3,5,8,9,9] = 2 Hits + 1 Hit vs Rapid Fire.
His Shield Blocks 1 Hit and Idealist blocks another hit then [M-1] for the last two hits. Whew. Now for the 10 shots from the machine gun which gains +2 Hits in Rapid fire range.
Shiro rolls 6d10 and gets [3,6,7,7,9,10] = 1 Hits + 2 Hits via Rapid Fire.
Lucky roll! He has +2 Blocks from his Shield and Idealist trait, he takes the last hit for 200 DMG.
End of turn Momentum – Fed 2 / Zeon 2.
Turn 7 – The last Zaku II advances and attacks Sanders in Rapid Fire range with its Machine Gun.
6 Shots, Accuracy 8 vs Evade+3, Sanders needs a 5+.
Sanders rolls 6d10 and gets [1,2,5,5,9,10] = 3 Hits + 1 Crit = 5 Hits.
Cover provides 1 Block and a bonus +1 Block vs weapons with PEN 0 like the machine gun. Sanders takes the remaining 3 hits for 200 DMG each. At the end of the round each player gains [M+1].
End of Round Momentum – Fed 3 / Zeon 3.
Round 5
Turn 1 – The Zeon player seizes initiative and has his Acguy go first, waddling forward into rapid fire range with his Mega Particle Gun. Firing from behind, he gains [Tactical Advantage], and the [Blindside] attack prevents Shiro from using his Shield. At the very least Shiro gains [M+1] from Galvanizing Display.
The Mega Particle Gun makes 6 shots with Accuracy 7 vs Evade+3, Shiro needs a 4+ to Evade.
Shiro rolls 6d10 and gets [2,3,4,6,7,10] = 2 Hits. Tactical Advantage brings it to 4 Hits overall.
Shiro’s Idealist trait gives +1 Block, the Federation player loses [M-3] to save Shiro once again. The players describe this as Shiro getting a last minute warning from Eledore in the Hovertruck then diving and going to ground to avoid the surprise attack.
End of turn Momentum – Fed 0 / Zeon 3.
Turn 2 – Shiro’s turn and he needs to have a dynamic and successful turn in order to win the game. Below 50% HP he gains [M+1]. Shiro starts by doing a rapid fire machine gun burst into the Zaku Cannon.
6 Shots at Accuracy 9 vs Evade+2, the Zaku Cannon needs a 7+.
The Zaku Cannon rolls [2,2,3,5,6,8] = 6 Hit + 2 Hits via Rapid Fire = 8 Hits
That is enough to destroy the Acguy even if Zeon emptied their Momentum pool. The Federation gains [M+1] for destroying a unit.
Shiro then surges into Melee with the Acguy whose Rapid Fire range also put him into melee range with Shiro. The Federation gains [M+1] for the melee attack. Shiro puts all his dice into Attack and the Acguy puts their dice into defense.
Shiro rolls 9d10 and gets [1,4,5,6,6,7,7,8,10] = 6 Hits and 1 Crit = 8 Hits
The Acguy rolls 4d10 and gets [1,3,5,7] = 2 Blocks.
Zeon needed a better roll or more Momentum to save their Acguy Commander. Alas, he is destroyed as the Ez8 makes one last valiant charge. The Federation player already destroyed a unit this round and so does not gain any further Momentum for destroying a unit.
End of turn Momentum – Fed 4 / Zeon 3.
Turn 3 – The final Zaku II activates and fires its machine gun in Rapid Fire range into Sanders Gundam Ground Type.
The machine gun makes 6 shots with +2 Hits in Rapid Fire, Accuracy 8 vs Evade+3, Sanders needs a 5+.
Sanders rolls [1,1,1,6,8,8] = 3 Critical Hits + 2 Hits via Rapid Fire = 8 Hits
Luck is not with Sanders the Reaper this round, that’s a total of 8 Hits. His Shield can block 1 and with their remaining 4 Momentum they could reduce the total hits down to 3. Unfortunately that’s enough damage to destroy Sanders’ machine. Down he goes; Zeon gains [M+1] for destroying a unit.
MechaStellar is designed around 5 round games so with that we conclude the game. If the players continued past round 5, the lone Zaku II has a decent chance of taking out the Ez8 Gundam.
End of Round Momentum – Federation 4 / Zeon 4.
After Action Report
The players were using the simple battle rules which allows for a quick game to fight your opponent with Victory Points scored based on what you destroyed.
You gain VP equal to the destroyed units Frame Level and Pilot Level and a bonus +3 VP if you destroy the enemy Commander.
VP are lost if you lose an Ace Pilot or a Frame 4+ unit, although you can waive those penalties if this is the last game of a campaign and you want a Tomino style finale.
Here are the scores for each player.
Federation VP: Frame (+12), Pilot (+1), Commander (+3) = 16 VP
Zeon VP: Frame (+6), Pilot (+2), Commander (+0) = 8 VP
The Zeon player was very aggressive near the end, had it worked out for him he could have gained another 7 VP from defeating the Ez8 Gundam (Frame+3, Pilot+1, Commander+3). Had he taken down the unit earlier, it may have also saved some of his other units which would have denied his opponent Victory Points.
But hindsight is 20/20 and in this game the Federation player had some fantastic dice rolls. Both players had a great game, we hope you enjoyed reading.
That’s all for the MechaStellar VER 8 Gameplay Example. If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment on any of these posts or hit the contact button at the top of the page to email us.
MechaStellar 