[d20 Modern] Ideas for rookie cops becoming Mecha SWAT team?

[Herobizkit]

I am planning on running a cop-style d20 modern campaign, with an added twist: the PCs will be working their way to the RATS, the Radically Armoured Tactical Squad. In essence, they'll be the first to use a prototype transformable body armour, changing from a motorcycle to a powered armor unit. If it sounds familiar, it should... but there are no Invid... or ARE there...?

The campaign I'm running will be largely inspired by the series "The Shield" as seen on FOX/FX. I really like the concept, but it's very "realistic"; I mean, at least I haven't seen any mecha on there thus far. *LOL*

Anyhow, I'm kinda torn. I can't decide between allowing them a higher-level character and starting as a RATS officer, or starting them lower level and (keeping it rather normal) allowing them access to the RATS training after time spent on the streets.

This, of course, begs the question... why would the police need a Mecha-using force in the first place?

Thoughts, suggestions...?

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

This, of course, begs the question... why would the police need a Mecha-using force in the first place?

Thoughts, suggestions...?

Well, it could be a "logical" advacement from the contemporary SWAT team. A real need would only arise if the violence on the streets (and especially the weaponry of Gangsters or Gangs would be considerably better).

A maybe minor, maybe major problem: Such a team is highly specialised - it's main job would be to provide the fireworks, but they will have little use in common criminal investigations.
Maybe you should use both options - each player has a SWAT-character for high-tense combats, and also a regular police officer that does the legwork...

 

[Lhorgrim]

In some real life police departments the SWAT officers are only outfitted and deployed during a crisis situation. The SWAT members in departments like that are usually street officers 98% of the time, and only gear up for SWAT during a call out. They do train for SWAT regularly, but they perform regular duties during most of their patrol time.

As for need for Mecha officers, they would probably only exist in a place where the "bad guys" were using advanced weapons and technology. There are still communities in the US where many of the citizens disapprove of police officers armed with "military style" assault rifles. The community, and the local politicians, would have to be behind such powerful and expensive additions to the police arsenal.

If you want to advance the PCs from rookies to RATS officers, you could have the RATS mecha start out as military grade hardware, and make sure that the PCs had some experience with the suits during previous military service. They could be hand selected due to their previous training to be the first RATS unit on the force after they have proven themselves on street patrol. In my department you have to be off of probation to apply for a special unit. For me that would mean 12 months, but you could set the time frame for your department.

Sounds like a fun campaign. Keep us updated on how it goes.

 

[Aeric]

Perhaps there are cybernetics in the world, and sometimes people go overboard with the implants and go berserk, and the only thing that can take them down (aside from another cyborg) is a cop in a powersuit?

If not cybernetics, then perhaps some kind of drug which turns its users into superstrong maniacs. Or maybe robots who are hacked, or malfunction, and turn on their masters?

Or perhaps there are other powersuits commercially-available, like the Hummer, which are intended for the idle rich but find their way into the hands of criminals?

 

[Fat Daddy]

In some real life police departments the SWAT officers are only outfitted and deployed during a crisis situation. The SWAT members in departments like that are usually street officers 98% of the time, and only gear up for SWAT during a call out. They do train for SWAT regularly, but they perform regular duties during most of their patrol time.

As for need for Mecha officers, they would probably only exist in a place where the "bad guys" were using advanced weapons and technology. There are still communities in the US where many of the citizens disapprove of police officers armed with "military style" assault rifles. The community, and the local politicians, would have to be behind such powerful and expensive additions to the police arsenal.

If you want to advance the PCs from rookies to RATS officers, you could have the RATS mecha start out as military grade hardware, and make sure that the PCs had some experience with the suits during previous military service. They could be hand selected due to their previous training to be the first RATS unit on the force after they have proven themselves on street patrol. In my department you have to be off of probation to apply for a special unit. For me that would mean 12 months, but you could set the time frame for your department.

Sounds like a fun campaign. Keep us updated on how it goes.

I think Lhorgrim has really hit the nail on the head. He even provided a way for you to keep the campaign 'grounded in realism' (as realistic as mecha armored police can be). I would say a good way to do this would be to have the press constantly spinning their actions in a bad light and the politicians constantly trying to disband/handicap them (much like what happens in real life where the press and politicians prevent the police from doing their jobs and then raise an outcry when crime rates soar). This would also keep it in line with "The Shield" feel you mentioned. This could also make for some interesting 'moral dilemma' moments where the RATS have to decide whether to do the 'right' thing or the 'legal' thing.
JMHO.

 

[Ranger REG]

Anyhow, I'm kinda torn. I can't decide between allowing them a higher-level character and starting as a RATS officer, or starting them lower level and (keeping it rather normal) allowing them access to the RATS training after time spent on the streets.

How open are you with mixed-level party? Even in modern real-life, most police forces usually pair up a veteran with a rookie until the rookie get some on-the-job experience before they ride solo.

This, of course, begs the question... why would the police need a Mecha-using force in the first place?

Crisis incidents, the least of which can be used as crowd control like they do with mounted police. A cop on foot would have a hard time getting through a crowd, but the ciitizens do notice a horse and would rather move away or get their feet trampled by them shodded horse hooves.

 

[Widowmaker]

Many SWAT teams today are also used to serve high-risk warrants. Either arrest or search warrants. One thing that such a unit would be used for would be these. Fast approach and suprise, the cops are at your door.

Another thing that is becoming more common is the use of SWAT teams to take down Clandestine Labs. Such a Mecha force would fit perfect into a drug investigation unit, similar to the Strike Team in "The Shield."

 

[Herobizkit]

Thank you for all the input so far. I'm thinking too much like Robotech and less like modern-day heroes. Mecha would definitely be a step up from the regular Nomex vests that the current day SWAT use. This type of protection would be nigh unbeatable... until some powerful criminal element starts importing bigger weapons to protect their drug labs/human trafficking rings/ordinance warehouses.

IMO, Mecha vs criminals is a lot like the chicken/egg question. If the police have mecha, then the criminals would need more powerful weapons to defeat them, but if the crimials don't have more powerful weapons then there is no real *need* for the Mecha per se... but there is, because I'm the DM and I say so.

 

[kigmatzomat]

One thing to remember about power armor is that it is heavy. Motorcycles weigh several hundred pounds and lots of houses will not be survive having an 800lb size 22 boot stomping on the stairs. Since many drug manufacturing facilities are abandoned buildings, even a Robotech-esque Cyclone will find themselves falling through floors.

I might have your Mecha squad be a cross-trained first responder unit that serves a regional area rather than one city. Big industrial fire? Send in the mecha. Chemical spill? Send in the mecha. Hostage standoff? Send in the mecha. Lunatic who stole national guard tank? Send in the mecha. Use a high-speed chopper to airlift the team wherever. Giving them a wider response range and more roles will mean they spend more time operating as mecha than as traditional first responders.

Mecha users will be the ones used during stand-offs with armed individuals since their armor makes them nearly invulnerable to light weapon fire. One or two suits of power armor will be on point for many building assaults since that's the most dangerous place and the augmented sensors will be a godsend. Mecha may be used in some firefighting roles since the suits will have internal air supplies, be heat resistant, have sensors that see through smoke and can punch through walls; just watch out for that "fall through floors" problem. Mecha may also be useful for search and rescue (advanced sensor suite and can simply walk around the bottoms of lakes/rivers)

Be careful with giving out weaponry. Police won't be using explosive grenades or assault cannons under most ops as the collateral damage is just way too high. Consider giving the mecha squad energy-based less-lethal weapons like ion discharge guns (tasers that fire lightning bolts down laser-ionized air paths), stickyfoam, disorienting sonics/strobes, and of course teargas. These weapons should be way too heavy for non-mecha to use, either due to the mass of the stickyfoam or the weight of the powercell, so the expense of the mecha is justified.

If you go the first-responder route, have different equipment loads. Firefighter missions may include exotic sprayfoams or simply an internal pump to pressurise an external water supply to fire microdroplets. It may carry spare air tanks to give to other firemen or to extend it's operating time. It might carry 2-3 very large fireproof, padded sacks with small air supplies to evaculate people they find.

 

[Calico_Jack73]

Two words...

Watch Patlabor.

You can find it at Netflix and it is a Japanime series/movie that deals specifically with this subject. You'll get all the info on a cop-mecha based campaign. The reason why is simple... in Patlabor "Labors" are used for all sorts of things that we see heavy machinery used for today. Construction, demolition, street cleaning, etc. It doesn't take a genius to decide that a construction mech would probably do pretty well breaking into a bank vault despite the fact that it has no weapons. In that vein the PC's would start out facing enemy mecha primarily in a close combat, melee situation. However, if the drug lords and crime bosses start buying military grade mecha from unscrupulous weapons developers the stakes go up. There could be some kind of consipiracy for the players to uncover... perhaps some grand muckety-muck is intentionally escalating the mecha crime in the city/region to get more funding for more and more advanced police mecha. Uncovering the conspiracy, doing the investigation, and collecting evidence are all things that wouldn't necessarily involve mecha.

As far as "Why would a rookie cop be given mecha?" you could say that their aptitude test scores rated higher than even the vets on the force.