What System(s) Should I Suggest?

[dbm]

who are very much into counting squares

That really, really says Draw Steel to me

And to add to that - the model of Victories increasing resources while Recoveries deplete creates a very different play dynamic on paper in contrast to typical D&D style resource attrition where people keep wanting to take a short or long rest all the time. I haven’t played PF2 and only read DS but I am confident the play will feel different at the table based on this paradigm shift.

 

[aramis erak]

That really, really says Draw Steel to me

it has a foundry module, too.

 

[TiQuinn]

My understanding of Lancer is you are space robot pilots battling alien Kaiju. Kind of in the vein of Voltron, maybe with a dash of Pacific Rim? But I haven’t played it myself.

I’ve read the combat is very 4e inspired, but the non-mecha parts are a pretty straight forward d20+mod to make checks. An experienced Lancer can correct me!

Yeah, it’s very 4e in feel and I think that was intended. The out of mecha mechanics are fairly light, but honestly, you’re going to be in your mech (which is kind of a problem I have with the genre as a TTRPG but that’s just a me thing). I bounced off the game BECAUSE I found it too crunchy for my liking, so if crunch is a pro for a group of players, and blowing stuff up Robotech style is what they’re in the mood for, it’s a slam dunk.

 

[Thomas Shey]

Yeah, it’s very 4e in feel and I think that was intended. The out of mecha mechanics are fairly light, but honestly, you’re going to be in your mech (which is kind of a problem I have with the genre as a TTRPG but that’s just a me thing). I bounced off the game BECAUSE I found it too crunchy for my liking, so if crunch is a pro for a group of players, and blowing stuff up Robotech style is what they’re in the mood for, it’s a slam dunk.

That's at least a different take; its usually the handwavy nature of the non-mecha stuff (or just the dissonance between the two) that gets people about it in a negative way.

 

[TiQuinn]

That's at least a different take; its usually the handwavy nature of the non-mecha stuff (or just the dissonance between the two) that gets people about it in a negative way.

Yeah, I definitely don't feel like I'm a great judge of that game's merits just because I'm not really a fan of the genre so I was struggling against that too, but I don't have a problem recommending it to someone if they're into the genre or like similar games to 4e.