Here’s another short playtest report focusing on Super Robots and their Gundam Fight counterparts. We have Getter Robo G and Great Mazinger each 750pts on one team. On the other we have Combattler V, Gundam Maxter and Bolt Gundam, each 500pts.
We are using the SRW module here, so double HP, more Armor Saves, Rally and Knockback for Super Robots.
We begin with Combattler V using it’s power and pilot traits for improved range and attacking Getter Robo from afar with its Rock Fighter finger missiles and its Super Electromagnetic Spark.
Getter Liger rockets across the battlefield and just barely gets within engagement range of Combattler V. We’re also been doing a quick test of a randomized movement rule for the SRW module which we’ve really enjoyed so far.
Getter Liger’s drill goes into Combattler V but with the lower melee damage across the board it’s not as brutal as it used to be and allowed for Combattler to stage a strong counterattack (not to mention the serious Overwatch power before melee).
Maxter then uses his surfboard to get close before unloading with his twin magnums and then a blazing punch. Open Get! replaces him with Getter Dragon who then activates next. He attacks Combattler again with his tomahawk for significant damage.
Bolt Gundam is up next, it’s swinging hammer knocks back Getter. Another Open Get! switches to Poseidon who activates next, takes the high ground and unloads into Bolt Gundam for beaucoup damage.
Let’s not forget Great Mazinger! The great boomerang wings Maxter and the Breast Burner causes significant damage to the cowboy-boxer-surfer.
Combattler V seizes initiative in Round 2. Unfortunately they burned through all their momentum and a poor roll on the Getter Vision means the mirage effect failed and Getter is destroyed.
Now it’s 1 on 3.
Great Mazinger fights till the very end with sword and thunderbolt, boomerang and rocket punch but he is eventually felled by Bolt Gundam.
While it may have seemed like a very lopsided match it was rather close by the end. Losing Getter early meant losing several activates in later rounds which could have won them the game. For reference here’s the HP total at the end of the game.
- Combattler V 9700/16000
- Maxter 8400/13,600
- Bolt 16,400/21,600
- Great Mazinger 0/16000
- Getter G 0/8000
In the rematch game, Getter hung back while Great Mazinger took point. They focus fired on Maxter first then Combattler V. Great was destroyed in Round 4 but Getter seized victory in Round 5.
Playtest Thoughts
There were 3 concerns this playtest series was looking to address.
The first was whether or not the change to thrown weapons and whether they would be effective against super robots still, thankfully they are, although it remains to be seen whether or not a unit with multiple close range weapons will find a use for them. Great Mazinger and Maxter are great example, and while rotating through them most of them felt like they had a purpose depending on the range and the target.
The 2nd was for melee, and whether or not lower damage across the board would change the pace of the game. We saw good things for MS battles last month and for this series we saw a different paradigm shift where Super Robots were happy to take a hit and put all their dice into counterattack. Which is great for keeping weapons with “Finishing Blow+#” in check.
3rd concern was for points which is always a concern for any game. In this one we had 1500pts, 3 units vs 2 units. Typically the side with a bigger action economy has a much greater advantage, which for normal games is fine since most grunt units die very quickly but for a SRW match it takes a lot to bring someone down. This test was skewed by Getter Robo who can reactivate but in a different test series with GaoGaiGar and King J-Der we still felt like the games were fairly balanced even with uneven numbers.
MechaStellar 