Amaril
2013-07-31, 07:37 PM
Hey everybody :smallsmile: So, right now I'm working on a new system for a mecha RPG, and I could use some suggestions for additional parts that players could put on their mechs. In terms of style, I'm going for something reminiscent of Battletech and Mobile Suit Gundam in its various forms--the setting will have military mechs fighting each other, as opposed to something with kaiju or an equivalent, and the aesthetic I'm picturing is more Japanese than western mecha.
At this stage, I'm just coming up with concepts for parts without any rules to support them (I have a rule system in mind to use, but it's not important for this yet). I'm looking for any and all suggestions for cool types of parts that I could give players access to.
Here's what I have so far:
Projectile Weapons
Autocannon
One of the most common armaments used on mechs, the autocannon is a basic automatic projectile weapon. It is very versatile and useful in most engagements, though its range is shorter than that of some weapons.
Javelin Binary Cannon
A mid-range projectile weapon used on mechs of all sizes and types, the javelin fires single shells from two alternating barrels. Its rate-of-fire is lower than that of an autocannon, but it compensates with more range and stability.
Scatter Gun
The scatter gun is essentially a scaled-up version of human-sized shotguns designed to be used by mechs. It excels at short ranges, but its effectiveness drops dramatically with distance.
AP Rail Rifle
The armor-piercing rail rifle is a long-range precision weapon used by sniper mechs. Though cripplingly slow to fire and difficult to aim effectively at close range, in the hands of a skilled pilot it can easily neutralize unaware targets at incredible distances before they have the chance to react.
Gungnir Railgun
This heavy railgun is based on the same technology as the AP rail rifle, but scaled up and modified for use by heavy mechs as an artillery weapon. It sacrifices its smaller cousin’s compactness and light weight for a formidable upgrade in power—in the right circumstances, just one can decimate entire enemy units.
Energy Weapons
Laser Cannon
The most basic mech-scale laser weapon, this mid-range all-rounder fires a continual focused laser designed to cut through enemy mech armor. It offers improved stability and decreased weight over the autocannon, but is more expensive and difficult to maintain.
Apollo Rifle
The Apollo laser rifle is popularly regarded as the most effective mech-scale sniping weapon ever produced. Its low recoil and almost nonexistent deviation make it laughably easy to line up critical shots given time and positioning. However, like most energy weapons, its steep cost and high power requirements hamper its popularity.
Vulcan SA Plasmacaster
One of the first applications of plasma weaponry outside the lab, the Vulcan semi-auto plasmacaster fires magnetically-contained bubbles of superheated gas hot enough to melt through a mech’s armor plating. It offers good rate of fire and excellent damage, but is less accurate than many weapons, and uncommonly taxing on a mech’s power supply.
Flamethrower
Flamethrowers have existed as weapons since long before the first mechs were developed, and scaling them up was a simple step. They may be useless at long range, but in close combat a flamethrower can cook an enemy pilot inside their cockpit, and the psychological impact that the sight of a flamer-wielding mech has on enemy infantry cannot be overstated.
Nova Cannon
The pinnacle of energy-based artillery, the nova cannon is based on the same plasma technology as the smaller and lighter Vulcan plasmacaster. It fires magnetic bubbles containing large amounts of compressed plasma that collapse upon contact with a target, allowing the superheated payload within to violently expand and melt anything caught in the blast radius.
Explosive Weapons
SRM Launcher
Short-range missiles lack the precision targeting and tracking capabilities that make their long-range counterparts able to do their job, but they compensate by being able to fire more quickly and responsively, without needing time to lock onto a target like LRMs. They are deadly against mechs and other targets alike.
LRM Launcher
Long-range missiles are designed to lock onto a distant enemy target—usually a mech, vehicle or structure—and seek them out to deliver their explosive payload at minimal risk to the user. They are formidable in the hands of long-distance artillery mechs, but their slow targeting and loading makes them ineffective at short ranges.
HE Charge Launcher
Basically a larger version of the grenade launchers used by infantry, these short-range weapons fire high-explosive detonator charges that explode on contact with a target. They are slow to fire and difficult to aim effectively, but can quickly inflict massive damage on an enemy mech if used properly.
Mobility
Jump Jets
Jump jets are typically attached to a mech’s legs or back. As the name implies, they are designed to be activated when jumping to increase height and distance. However, they are not designed for prolonged activation, making them unusable for sustained flight or hovering. They can also be used for short-range mobility in zero-gravity environments.
Dash Jets
Dash jets are used to propel a mech forward when sprinting, allowing for drastically increased speed. They lack the power to lift a mech fully off the ground for use in flight. In zero-gravity combat, they are most commonly used to quickly approach enemy spacecraft for boarding operations.
Jet Pack
A jet pack consists of an array of thrusters attached to the back of a mech, with additional stabilizing and steering thrusters distributed at various points on the limbs. The most basic type of flight system available to a mech, jet packs allow for little more than hovering and clumsy maneuvering, with little room for fine control. In planetary engagements, they are most commonly used to access and attack elevated battlefield positions—in space, they are often equipped to mechs tasked with defending a particular ship or space station for local maneuvering.
Wings
The most advanced mobility system a mech pilot can ask for, full-scale wing systems offer the aerial speed, maneuverability and flexibility that jet packs do not. Though they require massive amounts of power grid support and essentially force a pilot to optimize their systems entirely around their inclusion, a mech equipped with functional wings is transformed from a land-bound vehicle into a multipurpose war machine capable of functioning equally well on land, in the air, or in space. Wing systems are rarely equipped to mechs outside of special fireteams designed specifically for air or space combat.
Defense
Ballistic Shield
Shields have been used by armies since the beginning of recorded history. The ballistic shield is little more than a large plate of the same materials used in mech armor, worn on the mech’s arm and used as additional protection from attacks. They may require almost no power to operate, but their weight and size can impair a pilot’s mobility if they’re not careful.
KI Field Projector
The Kinetic Interdiction field is one of history’s greatest advances in military technology, and mech pilots can make great use of them on the battlefield. A mech equipped with a KI field projector can activate its powerful shield to protect itself from enemy fire against which armor would be ineffective.
Local KI Bracer
A variant of the standard KI field projector, local KI bracers serve basically the same function as more primitive ballistic shields, projecting a localized KI field across a plane rather than enclosing the entire mech at once. They are much more maneuverable than ballistic shields and require less power than standard field projectors, but take more skill than standard projectors to be used effectively.
Deployable Cover Projector
Deployable cover projectors are essentially self-contained, battery-powered versions of the shields equipped to mechs. They can be placed by the user to generate a temporary KI field at a stationary location to be used as cover. They come in various shield sizes and shapes, including basic walls, rings, and domes.
Sensors
Optical Camera
The standard sensor systems that come pre-installed on every mech and cannot be removed. Optical cameras are mounted in the head of the mech, transmitting the view they receive to the viewscreens in the cockpit to show the pilot what their machine can see. They operate just like normal cameras, on the spectrum of visible light.
Night Vision Camera
Used as an alternative to standard vision for fighting at night or in dark spaces. Night vision allows mech pilots to see effectively in the dark, though they cannot see color while it is in use. Additionally, sudden changes in light, like explosions or the firing of most energy weapons, can overload night-vision sensors and temporarily blind the pilot until their systems adjust.
Motion Tracker
Motion trackers are used by mechs in all combat roles and situations. They detect nearby movement and show its direction and distance to the pilot. Stationary targets are invisible to motion trackers, but unlike radar, it is almost impossible to scramble.
Radar
The merits of radar versus motion tracking for mechs are a subject of much debate. Radar uses radio waves to detect a pilot’s surroundings and display them to the pilot in a similar format to a motion tracker. Unlike a motion tracker, radar can detect stationary targets. However, radar is also vulnerable to scrambling by enemy forces with the proper equipment, which can render it useless.
Utility
Repair Torch
A multipurpose repair tool that can be used to fix damaged mech armor and systems. Most fireteams have at least one member equipped with one on all missions.
Shield Boost Transmitter
Shield boost transmitters are a highly advanced technology that adds onto a KI field projector. A mech equipped with a boost transmitter and a shield of its own can transfer energy from its shield to that of an ally, bolstering a friendly target’s shields and allowing them to take more fire. These devices are a favorite of mech pilots in support roles.
Cyberwarfare Suite
Every mech relies heavily on computers to operate effectively. Targeting computers, navigation computers—name anything a mech can do, and chances are it owes this ability to a computer in some way. Like any computers, however, these can be sabotaged by someone with the proper skills and equipment, and mech pilots can use such skills to great effect in combat with a good cyberwarfare suite. When used properly, cyberwarfare equipment allows a pilot to wreak havoc on their enemy’s weapons, mobility, sensors, and countless other capabilities that are vital to battlefield success.
I have a couple other concepts floating around in my head that I haven't committed to the list yet, but they're not that important for this. Any ideas?
At this stage, I'm just coming up with concepts for parts without any rules to support them (I have a rule system in mind to use, but it's not important for this yet). I'm looking for any and all suggestions for cool types of parts that I could give players access to.
Here's what I have so far:
Projectile Weapons
Autocannon
One of the most common armaments used on mechs, the autocannon is a basic automatic projectile weapon. It is very versatile and useful in most engagements, though its range is shorter than that of some weapons.
Javelin Binary Cannon
A mid-range projectile weapon used on mechs of all sizes and types, the javelin fires single shells from two alternating barrels. Its rate-of-fire is lower than that of an autocannon, but it compensates with more range and stability.
Scatter Gun
The scatter gun is essentially a scaled-up version of human-sized shotguns designed to be used by mechs. It excels at short ranges, but its effectiveness drops dramatically with distance.
AP Rail Rifle
The armor-piercing rail rifle is a long-range precision weapon used by sniper mechs. Though cripplingly slow to fire and difficult to aim effectively at close range, in the hands of a skilled pilot it can easily neutralize unaware targets at incredible distances before they have the chance to react.
Gungnir Railgun
This heavy railgun is based on the same technology as the AP rail rifle, but scaled up and modified for use by heavy mechs as an artillery weapon. It sacrifices its smaller cousin’s compactness and light weight for a formidable upgrade in power—in the right circumstances, just one can decimate entire enemy units.
Energy Weapons
Laser Cannon
The most basic mech-scale laser weapon, this mid-range all-rounder fires a continual focused laser designed to cut through enemy mech armor. It offers improved stability and decreased weight over the autocannon, but is more expensive and difficult to maintain.
Apollo Rifle
The Apollo laser rifle is popularly regarded as the most effective mech-scale sniping weapon ever produced. Its low recoil and almost nonexistent deviation make it laughably easy to line up critical shots given time and positioning. However, like most energy weapons, its steep cost and high power requirements hamper its popularity.
Vulcan SA Plasmacaster
One of the first applications of plasma weaponry outside the lab, the Vulcan semi-auto plasmacaster fires magnetically-contained bubbles of superheated gas hot enough to melt through a mech’s armor plating. It offers good rate of fire and excellent damage, but is less accurate than many weapons, and uncommonly taxing on a mech’s power supply.
Flamethrower
Flamethrowers have existed as weapons since long before the first mechs were developed, and scaling them up was a simple step. They may be useless at long range, but in close combat a flamethrower can cook an enemy pilot inside their cockpit, and the psychological impact that the sight of a flamer-wielding mech has on enemy infantry cannot be overstated.
Nova Cannon
The pinnacle of energy-based artillery, the nova cannon is based on the same plasma technology as the smaller and lighter Vulcan plasmacaster. It fires magnetic bubbles containing large amounts of compressed plasma that collapse upon contact with a target, allowing the superheated payload within to violently expand and melt anything caught in the blast radius.
Explosive Weapons
SRM Launcher
Short-range missiles lack the precision targeting and tracking capabilities that make their long-range counterparts able to do their job, but they compensate by being able to fire more quickly and responsively, without needing time to lock onto a target like LRMs. They are deadly against mechs and other targets alike.
LRM Launcher
Long-range missiles are designed to lock onto a distant enemy target—usually a mech, vehicle or structure—and seek them out to deliver their explosive payload at minimal risk to the user. They are formidable in the hands of long-distance artillery mechs, but their slow targeting and loading makes them ineffective at short ranges.
HE Charge Launcher
Basically a larger version of the grenade launchers used by infantry, these short-range weapons fire high-explosive detonator charges that explode on contact with a target. They are slow to fire and difficult to aim effectively, but can quickly inflict massive damage on an enemy mech if used properly.
Mobility
Jump Jets
Jump jets are typically attached to a mech’s legs or back. As the name implies, they are designed to be activated when jumping to increase height and distance. However, they are not designed for prolonged activation, making them unusable for sustained flight or hovering. They can also be used for short-range mobility in zero-gravity environments.
Dash Jets
Dash jets are used to propel a mech forward when sprinting, allowing for drastically increased speed. They lack the power to lift a mech fully off the ground for use in flight. In zero-gravity combat, they are most commonly used to quickly approach enemy spacecraft for boarding operations.
Jet Pack
A jet pack consists of an array of thrusters attached to the back of a mech, with additional stabilizing and steering thrusters distributed at various points on the limbs. The most basic type of flight system available to a mech, jet packs allow for little more than hovering and clumsy maneuvering, with little room for fine control. In planetary engagements, they are most commonly used to access and attack elevated battlefield positions—in space, they are often equipped to mechs tasked with defending a particular ship or space station for local maneuvering.
Wings
The most advanced mobility system a mech pilot can ask for, full-scale wing systems offer the aerial speed, maneuverability and flexibility that jet packs do not. Though they require massive amounts of power grid support and essentially force a pilot to optimize their systems entirely around their inclusion, a mech equipped with functional wings is transformed from a land-bound vehicle into a multipurpose war machine capable of functioning equally well on land, in the air, or in space. Wing systems are rarely equipped to mechs outside of special fireteams designed specifically for air or space combat.
Defense
Ballistic Shield
Shields have been used by armies since the beginning of recorded history. The ballistic shield is little more than a large plate of the same materials used in mech armor, worn on the mech’s arm and used as additional protection from attacks. They may require almost no power to operate, but their weight and size can impair a pilot’s mobility if they’re not careful.
KI Field Projector
The Kinetic Interdiction field is one of history’s greatest advances in military technology, and mech pilots can make great use of them on the battlefield. A mech equipped with a KI field projector can activate its powerful shield to protect itself from enemy fire against which armor would be ineffective.
Local KI Bracer
A variant of the standard KI field projector, local KI bracers serve basically the same function as more primitive ballistic shields, projecting a localized KI field across a plane rather than enclosing the entire mech at once. They are much more maneuverable than ballistic shields and require less power than standard field projectors, but take more skill than standard projectors to be used effectively.
Deployable Cover Projector
Deployable cover projectors are essentially self-contained, battery-powered versions of the shields equipped to mechs. They can be placed by the user to generate a temporary KI field at a stationary location to be used as cover. They come in various shield sizes and shapes, including basic walls, rings, and domes.
Sensors
Optical Camera
The standard sensor systems that come pre-installed on every mech and cannot be removed. Optical cameras are mounted in the head of the mech, transmitting the view they receive to the viewscreens in the cockpit to show the pilot what their machine can see. They operate just like normal cameras, on the spectrum of visible light.
Night Vision Camera
Used as an alternative to standard vision for fighting at night or in dark spaces. Night vision allows mech pilots to see effectively in the dark, though they cannot see color while it is in use. Additionally, sudden changes in light, like explosions or the firing of most energy weapons, can overload night-vision sensors and temporarily blind the pilot until their systems adjust.
Motion Tracker
Motion trackers are used by mechs in all combat roles and situations. They detect nearby movement and show its direction and distance to the pilot. Stationary targets are invisible to motion trackers, but unlike radar, it is almost impossible to scramble.
Radar
The merits of radar versus motion tracking for mechs are a subject of much debate. Radar uses radio waves to detect a pilot’s surroundings and display them to the pilot in a similar format to a motion tracker. Unlike a motion tracker, radar can detect stationary targets. However, radar is also vulnerable to scrambling by enemy forces with the proper equipment, which can render it useless.
Utility
Repair Torch
A multipurpose repair tool that can be used to fix damaged mech armor and systems. Most fireteams have at least one member equipped with one on all missions.
Shield Boost Transmitter
Shield boost transmitters are a highly advanced technology that adds onto a KI field projector. A mech equipped with a boost transmitter and a shield of its own can transfer energy from its shield to that of an ally, bolstering a friendly target’s shields and allowing them to take more fire. These devices are a favorite of mech pilots in support roles.
Cyberwarfare Suite
Every mech relies heavily on computers to operate effectively. Targeting computers, navigation computers—name anything a mech can do, and chances are it owes this ability to a computer in some way. Like any computers, however, these can be sabotaged by someone with the proper skills and equipment, and mech pilots can use such skills to great effect in combat with a good cyberwarfare suite. When used properly, cyberwarfare equipment allows a pilot to wreak havoc on their enemy’s weapons, mobility, sensors, and countless other capabilities that are vital to battlefield success.
I have a couple other concepts floating around in my head that I haven't committed to the list yet, but they're not that important for this. Any ideas?