(Mongoose) WarMech 2089 - Background

[Mongoose_Matt]

It is rather nice, isn't it?

Yes, the entire hradback book (and the supplements, for that matter) is in colour. Yes, every page will ooze quality.

The main rulebook will include around 30 Mechs (plus tanks, aircraft, UAVs and other vehicles), while the first supplement wil introduce 50 more.

How complicated are the rules? Tough question! There are a lot of them, I can say that, and they cover just about every eventuality, such as electronic warfare, IR signatures, hurling tacnukes about and launching unmanned flyers from your Mech (the shoulder mounts for those look great). However, the core rules are still basically the D20 combat system, so you can streamline everything down, or really 'power up' and have really sophisticated games.

Hit locations are indeed normally randomised, with damage divided into structure points and armour (and there are a lot of different types of armour!). However, there is also the facility for called shots, though you have to be a marksman to pull off a head shot.

Aty this time, WarMech will be a 256 page full colour hardback, retailing for $39.95. However, I am keeping a wary eye on page count, as new material is continually being added, so it may grow. . .

 

[Leopold]

here's an idea from FASA and battletech. Why not put out a product like WARMECH:2090 and have the latest vehicles and mechs all piled into one of those. That would work for all those coming from the battletech universe. One big book o mechs and stuff!!

 

[Cergorach]

Crud! Why couldn't you guys just keep producing crap and i could stick comfortably to my prejustice. First you folks produce Slaine, and no something as impressive as this mecha game... *grumble* Where's the world comming to ;-)

 

[D.Shaffer]

Matt,

A quick question. While I'm guessing the system is going to have a mecha construction ruleset (You'd be kind of daft NOT to, IMO , how open ended is it? Is it welded to the background, or was it developed independantly and the background applies with special conditions? Can you build your own weapons and are their prices/formulas attached? How much work would it be to take the rule set and adapt it to another mecha based background, one more fantasy based for instance.

 

[Emiricol]

personally, I like the idea of having a usable variety and quantity of mecha in the main book. That way I can actually play it while I save up for the expansions.

Matt, that preview is stunning. Just fabulous. I can't wait

EDIT: Electrothermal Cannon? Composite Anti-Laser Armor? A mounted howitzer? This just gets better and better!

 

[Mongoose_Matt]

Leopold: The first supplement just happens to be WarMechs of 2089. . .

Cergorach: You have my sincere apologies Blame it on Slaine. Once we did that book, the die was cast

D.Shaffer: There is an entire chapter dedicated to Mech construction. Actually, here you'll find another little innovation. Mentioning no games that have gone before, but I have never liked the idea that all (for example) 85 ton Mechs are the same. What we have introduced are standard and custom chassis, whose properties can vary by quite a margin, so one 85 ton Mech may be very different to another, beyond the normal armour & weapons variations - there will also be common themes running through all Mechs from the same manufacturer, by the way (and we will be detailing the attempts of manufacturers to get rid of certain flaws in their chassis). In addition to this, if we chip in that a Mech has a problem with, say, a weak point in its neck armour or develops problems in hand actuators in its description, this _will_ be reflected in the game.

To continue answering your questions, the core rules were actually developed independantly of any background and so yes, if you are prepared to put in the design work to port it to other settings, that will be very possible. As Jeff from GoO said, at a core level even the disparate WarMech and Mecha settings will have rules compatibility. We are marketing and writing this game as WarMech 2089, but all the tools are there if you are looking to do something else. Which is what any good RPG should do

Emiricol: I have to admit, I got a little paranoid about halfway through the project that we were not including enough Mechs, especially as in this world, the Mechs from one side will rarely be used by the other unless they are scavenged. So, we bumped the numbers of the different chassis right up and are jam-packing more into the first supplement. Added to this, I can forsee us doing new designs or even featuring fan-based designs on our web site. But that will be for the future.

Incidentally, if Mechs are not completely your thing but the setting sounds cool, the Soldier's Companion and Armoured Companies, detailing infantry/special forces and tanks respectively (including some super heavy tanks able to duke it out with Mechs), are already planned and being written. This will include full company rules, so if you are playing mercenaries, you can go to battle with an armoured company rather than a Mech squadron. Just thought I would chip that one in

 

[Mongoose_Matt]

EDIT: Electrothermal Cannon? Composite Anti-Laser Armor? A mounted howitzer? This just gets better and better!

Well, we have had a few scientist and techy types consulted with this project, so it should be a real cracker. There have been times when I was worried that we were putting too much hard science and technical descriptions into the game - then I thought, nah! They'll love it

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Matt, I have been trying to respond to your email for a while now, it keeps bouncing back undeliverable.


Wulf

 

[Mongoose_Matt]

Sodding ISP

If you cannot get me at msprange@mongoosepublishing.com for any reason, try altsain@clara.net

Looking forward to hearing from you.