Paranoia with Veritechs

[parkhyun]

I figure given the good reception for the Mauve Squadron campaign that it would be a good idea to compile the info into a complete setting, similar to a sourcebook. This is a whole new thread, not focused on specific NPCs or adventures, but on fleshing out how different the Mauve Squadron setting is from that of the vanilla Robotech sourcebook.

"Paranoia, with Veritechs"
The setting: SDF-Complex is a vast spacefaring naval vessel with a large civilian city population. While ADM Gloval commands the military, and Mayor Tommy Laun manages the civilians, the real power on the ship is the on-board computer, which oversees all facets of life.

This ship is trying to make its way back to Earth from Pluto, while chased and harried constantly by an race of giant incompetent warriors. The Zentraedi die easily and in waves. Therefore, the real enemy the PCs will face is a giant incompetent bureaucracy, with constantly competing bureaus, departments, units, and commanders. Also, zombies.

The zombie infestation: An early, successful biological attack by the Zentraedi created a zombie menace that continues to plague the ship. As a result, several large portions of SDF-Complex are barricaded off, with occasional escapes resulting in outbreaks among both the civilian and military population. A civilian outbreak threatens the economic future of the ship and cannot be combated with mecha without killing more innocents than are saved. A military outbreak results in rampaging destroids that can only be brought down by destructive firepower.

Secret societies: Because the on-board computer rations goods, regulates even minute transactions and ruthlessly suppresses dissent, both the military and civilian populations are rife with secret societies. These include:
Civilian:
-The Peace Party, dedicated to brokering peace with the Zentraedi
-The First Church of Protoculture, which worships the Zentraedi as the hands of God
-The Mitzvah Destroid, which seeks to capture mecha and use them to bring the population's non-observant Jews back into the fold (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitzvah_tank)
Military:
-The Macross Militia, seeking the overthrow of the civilian government and the installation of a military dictatorship run by... the Macross Militia
-Skull and Bones, an organization of Skull Squadron unit members that infiltrates the media and upper leadership in order to constantly create good press and assign glamorous but easy missions only to themselves
-The Freemasons, which seeks to undo the official rank structure by assigning all new members a numerical standing based on the order in which they joined

The mecha: The breakdown of military discipline and the stresses of supplying a fighting force have resulted in crews scavenging everything and using it to create franken-mecha, often with disastrous results. Players will constantly be piloting slightly different, and never field-tested, mecha, which will break down, malfunction, or backfire. These are not entirely new designs, but rather up-armored and down-graded versions of existing mecha using parts stolen from other units.

The units: Scarce resources and bureaucratic infighting has made all units into rivals. While officially working in support of each other, commanders of different units will scheme to undermine each other, embarrass each other, and generally position themselves to look most successful and therefore most deserving of support. To make matters worse, prior pre-mecha distinctions between Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines have resulted in entirely different unit structures and designations, often for no apparent reason. A unit of Raiders X will be organized into Elements (Air Force), while Gladiators are in Platoons (Army), Veritechs in wings (Navy, Air Force) and Excaliburs in MEUs (Marines). Veritech O-5s will be Commanders, but Gladiator O-5s are Lieutenant Colonels.

Style of Play: Whereas the original Robotech setting allowed for PCs to survive relatively easily, and combat to take several turns, Mauve Squadron combat is much deadlier and far more violent. Damage is ramped up - a total attack roll of 5 points over the total defense roll doubles damage, and if over 9 points, triples it. Zentraedi use wave-attacks, allowing PCs to rack up enormous death tolls, while the resource-crunch has led to most units using gruesome powered melee weapons instead of missiles. Combat is at much closer quarters, with far more blood and gore.

Rules

Damage to Mecha: I've already mentioned the >5 points = x2, >9 points = x3 damage rule. Other rules also make combat more dangerous, such as:

Damage to Pilot: Some damage done to the main body of a mech or suit of power armor will pass through, damaging the pilot inside (imagine cracked helmets, crushed compartments, flying sparks).
Main body < 150 MDC = 1/3 damage to pilot in SDC
Main body < 250 MDC = 1/4 damage to pilot in SDC
Main body > 250 MDC = 1/10 damage to pilot in SDC
For damage to Zentraedi pilots, keep the damage in MDC.

PTSD: At the end of every adventure, every PC that saw combat must roll under his or her ME on a 20-sided die to save against PTSD. A roll of 20 automatically fails. For each failure, the PC gains +1 to initiative, +1 dodge/parry, and -5% to charm/impress.

Death: When a PC dies, the player does NOT roll a new character. The PC must be given a new name, and joins the unit in the next adventure with the lowest number of experience points for their level (i.e. LT Park is killed at level 3; next adventure, LT Kim shows up, with the exact same stats, and starting at level 3 with the minimum XP for his MOS).

[glitterboy2098]

it's not paranoia without the cloning and friend computer..

[parkhyun]

it's not paranoia without the cloning and friend computer..

It's not paranoia. But it's very similar...

Rules

Damage to Mecha: I've already mentioned the >5 points = x2, >9 points = x3 damage rule. Other rules also make combat more dangerous, such as:

Damage to Pilot: Some damage done to the main body of a mech or suit of power armor will pass through, damaging the pilot inside (imagine cracked helmets, crushed compartments, flying sparks).
Main body < 150 MDC = 1/3 damage to pilot in SDC
Main body < 250 MDC = 1/4 damage to pilot in SDC
Main body > 250 MDC = 1/10 damage to pilot in SDC
For damage to Zentraedi pilots, keep the damage in MDC.

PTSD: At the end of every adventure, every PC that saw combat must roll under his or her ME on a 20-sided die to save against PTSD. A roll of 20 automatically fails. For each failure, the PC gains +1 to initiative, +1 dodge/parry, and -5% to charm/impress.

Death: When a PC dies, the player does NOT roll a new character. The PC must be given a new name, and joins the unit in the next adventure with the lowest number of experience points for their level (i.e. LT Park is killed at level 3; next adventure, LT Kim shows up, with the exact same stats, and starting at level 3 with the minimum XP for his MOS).

[Alpha 11]

Interesting.

[parkhyun]

Weapons

Although the type and style of weapons available will vary too much to get down in one place, there are a few standard kinds that specialize in one or another attack:

Buzzsaw: 2d10 MD. Attached to the forearm of a VF or Gladiator, the buzzsaw does not do any extra damage on higher attack roles, nor does it have any extra range. However, on a successful called shot against any limb or appendage, it does x3 damage automatically. Normal natural-20 double-damage rules also apply.

Pneumatic spike: 2d6 MD. Popular with Excalibur pilots, but theoretically attachable to any mech, the spike is somewhat the opposite of the buzzsaw. A called shot against the main body (yes, called) will result in FULL damage passing through to the pilot. Attack-roll extra damage is ignored, but natural 20s will still give double damage.

Plasma thrower: 1d100 MD. Range: 600 ft. A short-range weapon, the thrower must be carried and uses a tube and backpack, like a WWII-era flamethrower (so any VF using it cannot be in fighter mode). No attack roll, even a natural 20, will increase damage, but will cause splash damage to nearby enemies (+5 or more = another enemy hit, +9 or more = 2 more enemies hit, for half damage).

Chain-saw: 2d8 MD. The chain-saw is dangerous to both the attacker and defender. On any roll +5 or higher, it becomes stuck in the unfortunate victim. Do not give extra damage, but for the remainder of the round, all further attacks must be done with the chainsaw, and all automatically hit. However, the defender, while taking damage, may do simultaneous attacks against the attacker, with no dodge allowed. Thus, this weapon is excellent against defenders with poor close-combat abilities, and nearly suicidal against those who are armed for melee range.

[taalismn]

Forgot the Evil Red Commies, the secret society of old-school Communists infiltrated aboard the SDF-1 as part of the Russian international representation team. These insidious self-serving creepazoids will stop at nothing to gain control of the SDF-1, which they will then use to take over the world, and then spread Communism to the universe...or so the Military Intelligence report sez...But one of their favorite tactics is misdirection, especially pointing out Commie agents where there are none. So does that mean Military Intelligence is infiltrated with Commie spies? Thanks to 'Uncle Joe' Gloval, it probably is! They could be everywhere and anywhere! Trust no one! Report your suspicions immediately! Keep your laser handy!

[parkhyun]

Games Mastering

PC Groups: The PCs will either be all part of one unit, or a mixture thrown together from different units. If all one unit, the focus will be on undermining other units, with individual PCs working toward the goals of their secret societies. If a mixture of units, the goal will be to make sure the consequences of failure fall on other units, while also working toward the goals of their individual secret societies.

Experience Points: Unlike vanilla Robotech, in which XP is awarded for good playing that furthers the goal of the assigned mission, Mauve Squadron XP is handed out for meeting the actual goal of the unit, which is to ensure that blame for the inevitable failure is placed on someone else (and surviving to see it). Therefore, mission failure has no consequence unless the PCs did nothing to shift the blame.

Missions: The GM should avoid "go fight in space" adventures as much as possible. Missions should involve stealing from, betraying, and manipulating other units; handling zombie outbreaks; managing Macross's black market and its gangs, and raiding Zentraedi ships for supplies and publicity.

[taalismn]

it's not paranoia without the cloning and friend computer..

Part of Friend Computer's role will be fulfilled by the rogue group consciousness forming among the domestic robots(http://palladium-megaverse.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=143004).
In particular, those cleaning robots trapped in zombie-country have started to go mad trying to constantly clean up dead meat that refuses to stay still and go quietly into the incinerators.