Howdy all,
I am currently in the process of running a d100 based table top role playing game for a group of college buddies; so far we're about 6 sessions in and everything is going relatively smoothly. The players are getting used to the universe, so to speak- and are having fun investigating the world around them. However, they have expressed interest in having the difficulty curve ramped up- and this is where I'd like to request assistance from those interested.
The universe itself is post war- governments are frantically trying to reestablish a united nations of sorts- and work out reparations and the like; diverting their collective attentions from the care of the populace. This has given rise to corporations seizing control, as well as crime bosses and independent warlords. At the same time, mech based research has come to a head- and initial generations of advanced mecha referred to in universe as "Marauders" have come to prominence on the battlefield- both in the middle east, and in the urban sector.
Several independent thinkers have decided to make privatized security hubs (Scotland, Russia, Northern Africa, Japan and the Texas countryside) to protect these fledgling, provisional governments- and to secretly wage war on each other. If one hub remains... this UN will be forced to contract with them, thus securing a steady source of income for these opportunists.
The players have gotten their hands on marauders; and want to join one of these hubs as guns for hire. However- they want to pal around instead of flying solo at any point. What I need is character blurbs and mech designs from willing members of this forum.
Character info needed:
Name and/or callsign (example: Jon Caper "Foxtrot")
age:
height/weight:
nationality:
gender:
personality description:
any unique features/quirks/etc: an example is extensive artificial limb replacement, or unique eye color, etc.
What kind of weapon/fighting style do they use if they are ever caught out of mech? (examples: sniper, demolitions, close quarters, etc.)
mech design is where it gets interesting: Free reign to mix and match parts from Armored Core 1 through armored core Last Raven- and if you want it tuned a certain way, provide that in parenthesis. (6/0/0/4) for example. Below is the template to use. Note that boosters, radiators and generators are not listed- that is because in campaign they are internalized differently. Also note that there are additional weapon slots for "shoulder weapons". These take the front mission approach to weapon mounting- on top of the shoulder. Simply describe a weapon you would like placed here- and I will accommodate it in game.
Head:
Core:
Arms:
Legs:
Arm weapon left:
Arm weapon right:
Back weapon left:
Back weapon right:
Extension weapon:
Inside weapon:
shoulder weapon right:
shoulder weapon left:
hangar weapon (if hangar core is equipped):
I make no promises that these characters you provide will survive- in fact, in all likelihood they won't (such is the life of a boss in a game). This is really intended to be a fun little exercise for me to roleplay out for the players' benefit, add some more difficulty to their game and hopefully make for some good times at the table. If/When I get around to writing this roleplay out in graphic novel format upon its conclusion- I will be sure to post the character art I've come up with based on your descriptions.
Thanks for reading, hope to hear replies from you all.
Also- feel free to come up with weapon and part ideas and give rough stats for them- I'm not one to discourage creativity; and nothing is exactly stopping from marauder pilots from kicking the tires and tinkering with their toys.
Thanks again for reading, hope your day is a swell one.
hmm...interesting. i have some characters but not for an AC setting and i dont want em to die hehehe. but yeah, if i get time i might post some XD
just a question tho, is this universe strictly AC like?
nope, i only use ac parts as a loose basis for stats (weapon damage, damage reduction curves etc)- visually its completely different. If anything, mecha in universe would look more like a wanzer from front mission- short, blocky and thick.
setting is homebrewed; but the outside world (according to the players) gives off a deus ex/ghost in the shell meets shadowrun type deal
ok. thanks for the info. will try and post some ideas when i get the time.
Suggestion:
Instead of making them fight a single boss, why not have them engage something like an elite marauder squad?
I'm thinking either a team of mercenaries, raiders, cut-throats, or terrorists that may have been out in the field far longer than the PCs, and show this in their absolute ruthlessness and efficiency in getting any job done.
Fighting one nearly-unstoppable boss is already a bitch.
Now imagine having to face a team that's become so used to each other's presence over the years that when they fight, they don't even have to radio each other, relying only on reading the actions of their mates, and move on instinct.
An intelligent, savage beast with multiple heads and hearts, striking simultaneously from every conceivable blind spot in the team's formation.
If your players are getting cocky, all the better. It might help knock them down a notch or two, and force them to really learn the meaning of team combat.
Just sayin'
Now there is something to think about, if this game is centred around squad combat, then it might just be acceptable for the players to face off against boss teams (or squadrons).
Balance will be an issue though, unless you are planning on adjusting some of the part stats, as demonstrated in this scenario:
A team of four ACs, three armed with dual H3 pistols (one of the cheesiest weapons from Nexus onward that can immobilise ACs through heat) and one with hard hitting weapons (missiles, bazookas, cannons, etc.) ganging up on a single player - it would be game over for the player in seconds.
But this is an table top RPG, so balance could be tweaked as you go along.
Or to add another element of character development, don't make the enemy squad they face necessarily "evil" or malevolent.
You could say they're just from a rival faction who don't take too kindly to some young upstarts squad acting like they're pros. Possibly a recurring villain thing, or even people they might blunder into at the local bar, and never realized were they guys they're fighting.
^ Sorry, that was my post
No worries. Yeah, currently the setting is a world building exercise- any bosses the party has encountered are either scouting parties to throw off the establishment of the European Hub and give the competitors a leg up over the party (something I do through a world resource tally that the players can use to build on to the Hub and monitor in game through television and the internet), or a retaliation for trespasses made by the party.
They're all fans of anime so this is really the prologue/beginning of "season 1". Eventually, when they have a feel for the setting; the difficulty will be ramped up and eventually, these hubs may have to work together to defeat a common enemy- what/who that is remains to be seen (they don't know it, but it will be a controller type scenario).
Thanks for the posts- gave a much needed dose of happy this morning (the significant other departed for an extended business trip yesterday
)
(07-03-2011, 09:01 PM)McCale Wrote: [ -> ]No worries. Yeah, currently the setting is a world building exercise- any bosses the party has encountered are either scouting parties to throw off the establishment of the European Hub and give the competitors a leg up over the party (something I do through a world resource tally that the players can use to build on to the Hub and monitor in game through television and the internet), or a retaliation for trespasses made by the party.
They're all fans of anime so this is really the prologue/beginning of "season 1". Eventually, when they have a feel for the setting; the difficulty will be ramped up and eventually, these hubs may have to work together to defeat a common enemy- what/who that is remains to be seen (they don't know it, but it will be a controller type scenario).
Thanks for the posts- gave a much needed dose of happy this morning (the significant other departed for an extended business trip yesterday )
In short, the marauder teams they may fight are in the same boat they're in - just guys trying to do a job professionally, and may not necessarily have any ill intent. That could be good material for NPC development right there
(07-03-2011, 09:43 PM)Twin-Skies Wrote: [ -> ]In short, the marauder teams they may fight are in the same boat they're in - just guys trying to do a job professionally, and may not necessarily have any ill intent. That could be good material for NPC development right there
Funny that you mention that because our player character villain had a moment exactly like that- sent in to do a job, playing it off like hes a curious villager from nearby; going so far as to have a drink with the party out side the train as they are giving it some maintenance that when he skulks off and they see him climbing into a marauder (one of the group, the bruiser of the party tries to fight him)- well, our "villain" knocks his mech over and in a truly thick russian accent replies
"You are nice peoples, do not give me the incentives to kick your ass. Business is business yes? Food does not mysteriously land on table". I was so freaking proud of him
my suggestion of a boss squad is an anti-maurauder kill team comprised of only elite soldiers and tanks equipped with special anti mech weaponry. They specialize in guerilla warfare and ambush tactics to overcome the "superior" tech of your players.
first of all i went a little crazy with some of the mech designs. well maybe not super crazy, but yeah ^^u. i didnt detail out the part names as i dont have many parts memorized. anyway, feel free to modify, change, these to fit your story. also, i may have gone a bit overboard with fleshing out the pilots ^^U
PILOT INFO
Name: Janus Maximillian McDouton III
Callsign: Mad Cat
age: 30
height: 6'0"
weight: not sure, but just at the ideal weight
nationality: American
gender: Male
Appearance:
Max sports black shoulder length hair often worn in a ponytail. He has lightly tanned skin, green eyes, and an elegant nose. He has no facial hair, but has a few ridges on his forehead and between his brows. He is medium built, save for his arms that show his years of manual work as a mechanic. He prefers simple jeans and a collared shirt with the occasional jacket over the formal wear of of his fellow researchers. He also often wears steel toed work boots, and gloves when working on his prototypes.
Background:
The only child of a British couple that migrated to America, Max received a lot of attention and care as a child. This of course was short-lived. His father, a soldier, perished when he was two. The transport unit his father was in malfunctioned due to overheating and was easily destroyed by the opposing faction. Unable to cope with the loss of her husband and unsure of how to care for her son, Max's mother, a researcher in Corporation X, drowned herself in her work and let her son be taken care of by his grandfather. The latter was a retired mechanic who owned a small maintenance and repair shop. Under the care of (and later working for) his grandfather , Max got familiar with mechs at an early age.
Shortly after highschool his mother passed away. She was one of hundreds of employees that perished in a fire that occurred when one of Corporation X's research facilities was raided by mercenaries. Shocked and confused Max left home for a few months. When he finally came back, a package was waiting for him. His mother's notebooks, research papers and journal, left to him as part of her will. It was then that he realized how much her mother had cared for him in her own way. He decided at that time to follow in his mother's footsteps and complete his mother's research.
To follow this goal, Max went for a double major in college, specifically Mechanical Engineering and Materials Engineering. To get himself through college he worked at different mech garages doing various maintenance, repair and general mechanic work. He was quickly accepted into the company however after completing his masters degree and allowed to continue her mother's work. Particularly research in materials with high heat conductivity and resistance. The goal of the project was to create a material that will not melt easily and still carry out its functions while conducting high levels of heat. Max was able to reach this goal and is now perfecting the technology as well as looking research more applications of the new material.
As a pilot:
Being around mechs as early as age five, Max is quite familiar with not just their operation, but their inner workings as well. Throughout his childhood he has piloted various civilian model units for a variety of purposes, (although most commonly for hauling parts, or repairing larger units in his grandfather's workshop). During his college days he also spent a lot of time servicing and some times piloting a wide range of units from civilian, to military and even highly customized mercenary models. Finally, as an employee of Corporation X he spent a good deal of time with advanced mechs, and even trained with and fought off attacks on the base with the hired mercenaries or military forces. He also always test pilots his own prototypes.
While a decent pilot, he still of course not as good as seasoned veterans. Most of his battle experience is from training with the security detachment, testing prototypes and rare instances when the research facility is under attack. As such, his style is mainly defensive, and reliant on other units. This is especially true since his unit is designed for close combat. Max would typically wait for his team to make an opening allowing him to get very close to the target to deal a damaging blow. Furthermore, he performs his attacks with more precision due to intimate knowledge of how mechs work. In fact, he prefers to disable targets rather than outright destroy them. This is so he can "dissect" them later and learn more about what other rival corporations have.
Unique traits/quirks/etc:
While he has nearly no memory of his father, he hates him for giving him the name Janus.
Similar to his mother, Max is also lost to the world, albeit not as severe as her mother. His long hair is attributed to neglect more than a fashion statement. And one would often catch him discussing plans and theories with himself. Despite this, he can be quite sociable, and has been known to entertain friends and colleagues with his misadventures as a youth.
Max also has a bit of an unhealthy attachment to his pet cat Mrs. Squiggles. The said cat was a gift from his mother on the birthday following his accident with her garden. She had given him the cat to teach him how to take care of living things. This was the only gift Max had received from his mother, and with her passing, is one of the few precious memories he has of her. Of course, there is also the fact that he is very fond of cats. Afterall, what borderline crazy scientist would not want to have cats as pets?
His love for felines is also the reason for his callsign. Before, his callsign was simply Mad Man, however, there was one time where Mrs. Squiggles snuck into the cockpit. The poor cat of course was startled when the battle started and flailed about in the cockpit. As luck would have it though, the unit as it flailed about managed to take out two of its attackers. One of the other pilots commented that "Mrs. Squiggles is one mad cat" and since then the name Mad Cat stuck.
When drunk, he prefers to be called Jan-jan, and likes to dance/grind like a macho dancer XD
His unit's name is derived from a motorcycle model his grandfather owns and has sold to help him pay for his tuition. Most people however just associate the unit name with what his first name sounds like.
UNIT INFO
name: Mean Streak
role: Melee Specialist
weight class: Lightweight
leg type: Biped
core type: EO (solid)
primary weapon: prototype weapon arms - blazing palm*
alternate weapon: R3 rifle
other notable parts: Pegasus supplementary boosters
*Prototype Weapon Arm - Blazing Palm
On the outside these weapon arms look like any normal midweight arms, however what turns it into a weapon are the hands. Made from a new material that allows for high heat conduction with nearly no deformation, these hands will melt or severely damage standard mech parts it touches. Of course, since there is no deformation, the hands function as normal and can wield standard weapons. To increase the damage potential of the weapon arms, impact hammers are placed inside the wrists. With a command they shoot out from the bottom of the palm near the wrist impaling or crushing whatever the hand is holding onto. Finally the armor used for these arms are tougher than normal to ensure they wont be damaged easily.
Attack style:
Mean Streak usually hangs back in a battle without firing anything or doing anything that makes the target take notice of him. During this time he simply observes the opponents movements and tries to close in. While he does this of course his teammates do the job of taking the target's attention and/or disabling the opponent so that Mean Streak can move in and do its work.
When the chance reveals itself, Mean Streak will move in as fast as it can with the help of its Pegasus boosters, Blazing Palm at the ready. Upon closing in, the unit will prioritize disabling the target's sensory capabilities (such equipment are easy to melt or damage with heat), and communications to keep the target in the dark. If the target uses a biped, reverse biped, hover or quad legs then Mean Streak will disable those next. Usually by attacking the weakest parts of the legs (his knowledge as a mechanic comes into play here). For tank units however, he prioritizes disabling the targets weaponry. Often quickly melting and bending protruding barrels or muzzles to make the target's weapon misfire. Or in some cases, simply melting a good part of the weapon itself. The last thing Mean Streak usually does it to take apart the target. This is often achieved by heating critical joins/connectors and using its impact hammer to forcefully push/pull a part off.
Once Mean Streak has done disabling the target it does one of three things. Either it leaves the unit alone to be finished by its teammates, forces its pilot out or he destroys the unit himself. The latter is usually done by reaching into the core of the unit and forcefully overheating the target's generator until it overloads. This leaves Mean Streak extremely vulnerable however so this is rarely done. The pilot also prefers to have the unit as intact as possible so he often forces the pilot out, usually by breaching the cockpit, or simply heating it until the human inside suffers heat stroke.
and done. one of a five man team under the employ of Corporation X.
Wow, I can totally work with that. Thank you Zero. And don't worry about going "overboard"- the more info I have, the more I can work with.
Thanks for the replies so far everyone.
McCale, where and when do you run the campaigns?