MechaStellar VER9.5 Gameplay Example – Round 2

Here we have a gameplay example for MechaStellar VER9.5 using 1/144 scale Gundam figure. On one side we have Kamille’s Zeta Gundam and Kai’s Guncannon, on the other we have the unlikely teamup of Garrod’s Gundam X and Norris Packard Gouf Custom. Read on below the break for Round 2.

To back to Setup and Round 1 click here.

Round 2

Kai and his Guncannon are up first this turn.  Expecting a brutal melee combat next turn he decides to lay down some heavy fire on the Gouf knowing he won’t be able to outmaneuver him.

Upon activating his pilot trait gives him the choice of [M+1] or a Focus action, he chooses Focus.

The Guncannon has 2 Actions he will use one to Shoot and another for a 2nd Focus.

Kai considers getting closer for rapid fire and target lock but realizes he does not want to make melee any easier for the Gouf Custom.

As the attacker Kai chooses between Precision (+2 ACC) and Barrage (+2 Shots)

As the target Norris chooses between Dodge (+2 Evade) or Guard (+2 Blocks).

Norris is an Ace Pilot so his defensive bonus here is +2. Some traits can increase it to +3. His trait is Lone Wolf, which lets him benefit from both Dodge and Guard or Dodge and Counter once per Round. It also gives him [M+1] if he activates and there are no allies within 16″. Unfortunately the player made a mistake moving Garrod and GX up close which disabled the second part of this ability.

Kai chooses precision while Norris chooses Guard.

The Guncannon has Shooting of 10+2 (S12) vs the Gouf’s Evade+4.

S12 vs E+4 the Gouf needs an 8+ to evade each hit.

The Beam rifle makes 4 shots so 4d10 = [5,6,8,8] = 2 Hits + 2x Focus = 4 Hits

As for Blocks the Gouf Custom gets 2 from its Shield + 2 from Guard = 4 Blocks

Afterwards, Kai moves to the edge of the battlefield. While they have a Momentum surplus Kai could have used the Bullseye skill for additional accuracy, or Tear through the Ranks for a bonus attack, but he decided to save that for Kamille later who has a better chance of dealing damage.

End of Turn Momentum – EOT [M]  Zeta Cannon 9 Gouf X 3

Designer’s Note: Feel free to nudge terrain to fit your models, this is a garagehammer game where the goal is fun and memorable moments, don’t miss out on that because your models spiky bits are in the way

Now it’s Norris’ turn.

After moving he is 13″ away from Guncannon.  He could the Accelerate Skill (for free) for bonus movement, followed by a Rocket Anchor to pull himself into melee with Guncannon, but there’s a reasonable chance of failure. 

He could also play it safe and just unload with the Gatling at close range while the tall building on his left currently obscures LOS from Zeta Gundam.

He decides to take the gamble.

• Accelerate Skill for a Full Throttle action (Move+5″)
  • Normally costs [M-1] but the Impressive Skill Commander Trait makes it [M-0]
• Rocket Anchor with Precision (+2 ACC) vs Dodge (+3 Evade pilot trait) 
• Shooting 7+2 vs Evade+3+3 = S9 vs E+6 = Kai would ordinarily need a 3+ to Evade, however, since he is in Target Lock range of the Gouf Custom, 3s are now Crits so instead he will Evade on a 4+.
• Guncannon rolls 7d10 [2,3,3,4,6,7,9] = 3 Crits = 6 Hits
• Cover gives 2 Blocks

If Guncannon wanted they could lose [M-4] to negate the 4 unblocked hits, describing Kai’s exceptional piloting skills swatting the rocket anchor out of the air…no wait this is Kai we’re talking about. Instead he quickly shrinks back and hides behind cover as the rocket anchor rips out a chunk of concrete instead.

But in doing so that would drain a lot of Momentum and not leave much for Zeta Gundam. The player weighs their decisions and eventually decides to lose the [M-4] to keep Kai (their Commander) out of melee this Round.  Good luck Zeta Gundam!

Norris then turns 90 degrees at the end of his turn to avoid getting an easy Blindside from Kamille’s Zeta Gundam.  (Norris Superior Instincts trait prevents Blindside but it’s still a good to build a habit of rotating your models so you don’t forget later.)

EOT M  Zeta Cannon 5  Gouf X 3

Kamille’s turn

Zeta Gundam transforms and takes advantage of its superior mobility to move across the board and get the Gouf Custom within Rapid Fire and Target Lock range.

Designer’s Note: If you and your opponent really like transforming and posing your models feel free to transform them but don’t feel obligated too.  MechaStellar is a game and you may not have the time to go through a time consuming transformation process.  In that case make sure your opponent knows they are transformed. We like to use a token as a reminder, in this case using the 1/400 Zeta Gundam in waverider mode.)

• Zeta’s Beam Rifle Rapid Fire (+1 Shot) and Target Lock (3s are Crits)
• Zeta chooses Precision (+2 ACC) vs the Gouf’s Guard & Dodge (+2 Blocks/Evade) 
  • Norris lone wolf trait lets him gain both Guard & Dodge once per Round.
• Shooting 12+2 vs Evade+4+2 = S14 vs E+6 = 8+
  • The Gouf rolls 5d10 [1,3,5,5,7] = 2 Crits + 3 Hits = 7 Hits
  • After using the Improvise Skill it becomes [4,5,5,7,9] = 4 Hits
  • Kamille gets +2 Hits from his pilot trait
    • Total = 6 Hits
  • For Blocks the Gouf has + 2 Shield + 2 Guard = 4 Blocks
• The Gouf loses [M-2] for 2 Blocks with Skill Defense

Kamille uses the Tear through the Ranks Skill [M-3] which gives him a bonus attack action, it’s one of the only ways to shoot the same weapon twice. He shoots his beam rifle once more at the Gouf Custom.

• Zeta’s Beam Rifle Rapid Fire (+1 Shot) and Target Lock (3s are Crits)
• Zeta chooses Precision (+2 ACC) vs the Gouf’s Guard & Dodge (+2 Blocks/Evade) 
• Shooting 12+2 vs Evade+4+2 = S14 vs E+6 = 8+
  • The Gouf rolls 5d10 [6,7,8,9,10] = 3 Hits
  • Kamille gets +2 Hits from his pilot trait
    • Total = 5 Hits
  • For Blocks the Gouf has + 2 Shield + 2 Guard = 4 Blocks
• The Gouf loses [M-1] for 1 Blocks with Skill Defense

Norris luckily escapes again this turn, the beam resistant coating on his shield saving his life more times than he can count.

Kamille then uses the rest of their transformed high movement and puts the Gouf in a pincer attack for next round while placing buildings in the way of the GX behind him.

EOT M  Zeta Cannon 2  Gouf X 0

Garrod’s Turn

At the start of his turn his pilot trait Kind Hearted activates since his team is at [M:0].  He can choose either [M+2] or 2 Focus actions, and decides on the [M+2] which will likely be very helpful.

Garrod considers his options, moving either direction won’t give him good LOS on Kamille to fire, but he has a plan.  He uses Full Throttle to move +5″ to the right, and then uses his beam saber for a melee strike on the building. 

Since he’s targeting it directly it has to roll 3 Saves with a target number of the weapons DMG (x2 for melee).  Since his beam saber is DMG 300, the building needs to make a 6+ save on each die.

3d10 = [2,5,8] the abandoned Jaburo facility goes down.  Now he has clear LOS and Target Lock

• Garrod uses his remaining 2 actions to Focus and then Shoot.
• GX chooses Precision (+2 ACC) vs Zeta’s Dodge (+2 Evade)  
• Shooting 12+2 vs Evade+7+2 = S14 vs E+9 = 5+ to evade each shot
  • The GX Rifle is 4 shots so 4d10 = [4,6,7,7] = 1 Hit + 1 Focus + 1 Crit from Blindside = 4 Hits
  • Zeta gets 2 Blocks from Cover
    • Vs a DMG 300 Beam Rifle Cover needs a 3+ to survive and gets [1] going down
  • Zeta takes 2 unblocked Hits
  • It has ARM Sv+1 vs ARM PEN 8 = Needs a 7+
    • 2 Armor Saves = 2d10 = [2,8] pass one fail one
    • Lose [M-1] to shout It’s not over yet and pass a failed Armor Save
  • Zeta Gundam HP = 2700/3600
• Garrod uses his leftover movement to move slightly backwards and finally cap the 2nd Control Point (CP)
• EOT [M]   Zeta Cannon 1  Gouf X 2

End of Round [M]

• Zeta Cannon gets [M+2] from CPs and [M+2] from Kai’s resourceful
• Gouf X gets [M+2] from CPs
• EOR [M] Zeta Cannon 5 Gouf X 4

Click here to continue to Round 3.