Tag: Gundam

Where to Start Mobile Suit Gundam

Kunio Okawara painting of the original RX-78-2 Gundam

Mobile Suit Gundam is a long running mecha franchise that created the “Real Robot” genre. To give a brief explanation, the Real Robot genre typically has a more militaristic feel where logistics, geopolitics, and the fragility of human life in a conflict are often at the forefront. That’s not to say Super Robot shows cannot do the exact same (and have done so), but Real Robot shows generally embody those traits while trying to stay as grounded and realistic as they can within the boundaries of their setting.

Trying to shoehorn every single mecha anime into a strictly Super or Real Robot classification is generally an exercise in futility, but the broad strokes of Super Robot and Real Robot can be useful when describing a show to someone else.

Mobile Suit Gundam (1979) followed in the footsteps of Space Battleship Yamato (1974) by delivering a science fiction show with the main theme being “War is Hell”.

We’ll update this post periodically as we add more Gundam series to the MechaStellar game roster.

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MechaStellar VER 9 – Tabletop Gundam Gameplay Example – Round 2

Gundam Ground Type Zaku II Dom

In this series of posts we are going to do a Tabletop Gundam Gameplay Example for MechaStellar usings units from the 08th MS Team. You can look at the Mecha Unit Profiles for the Federation and Zeon on the downloads page. Click here to for Game Setup and Round 1.

Below the break we will cover the 2nd round of a 5 round game of MechaStellar. We will go turn by turn each round and include some insights into the Gundam Tactics.

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MechaStellar VER 9 – Tabletop Gundam Gameplay Example – Setup and Round 1

Tabletop Gundam Tactics

In this series of posts we are going to do a Gameplay Example for MechaStellar using units from Mobile Suit Gundam. We are using some fan favorites from the 08th MS Team including Shiro Amada, Karen Joshua, and Terry Sanders Jr, who will be referred to as Shiro, Karen and Sanders for short.

On the Zeon side we have an assortment of Zaku IIs, Zaku Cannons & Doms all being led by an amphibious Acguy. You can look at the Mecha Unit Profiles for the Federation and Zeon on the downloads page. The Gundam models used for this example are from the Gundam 1/400 collection. You can use larger size figures such as Gundam 1/144 scale, here’s an example battle report of what figures of those scale look like on the tabletop.

Below the break we will cover the game setup, deployment, and the 1st round of a 5 round game of MechaStellar. We will go by turn by turn each round and include some insights into the Gundam Tactics.

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Salamis & Musai Update

Just a quick update. While prototyping some powerful warships (Ra Cailum, Arcadia, J-Ark, etc.) we decided to alter the cost formula since these units were becoming too costly. This also affects Frame 1 units like the Salamis and Musai to a smaller degree. Their new costs allow them to have a full crew for 300pts with 5 Zaku IIs to a Musai and 4 GMs to a Salamis. The Salamis also got a slight equipment adjustment with more missiles available.

Additionally VER 8.5 of the core rules was updated to R2. This update adds in a [Reload] action for Stellar Warships.

Stellar Warships

  • All ships received Move+1, HP+1000, and a Cost decrease
  • AA Guns now ignore the Defense array trait

MechaStellar Battle Report – Mazinger + Getter + Gundam vs Kikaiju + Mechasaurus + Zeon

Mazinger Z Getter Robo Gundam

Here’s the third game in our final round of testing for the Mazinger Z units, we of coursed wanted to finish with a Getter Robo teamup so we included the Getter team plus a beefy Mechasaurus. The models used are the Gundam 1/300 S.O.G. line, Mazinger Gashapon, Getter Robo KT figure, and the Mechasaurus is being represented by the Machine Saurer gashapon. You can read more about figures here for Gundam, Mazinger and Getter. Previous game can be found here.

Below the break will be a short battle report and photos of the game along with a post mortem discussing the mecha tactics employed for the Mobile Suits, Mazinger, Getter, and the Kaiju.

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MechaStellar Battle Report – Mazinger Z and Mobile Suit Gundam

Doublas M2 Garada K7

Below are a pair of battle reports we put together while doing final testing of the Mazinger Z units released in September. The models used are the Gundam 1/300 S.O.G. line and the Mazinger Z gashapon line. You can read more about model sizes in these two posts.

Below the break you’ll see the battle report as well as a post mortem on the mecha tactics used for the Mobile Suits from Gundam, Mazinger and the Kikaiju.

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