Zodia Sunset RPG

8/10/2019 Zodia Sunset RPG

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Man had conquered the stars long ago. Distant colonies have developed into billions of independentcivilizations and governments. This story concerns two such peoples living far away in the lostsystem of Zodia.

The twin suns, Akuma (blue) and Megami (white), are host to two planets, Aries and Scorpio whichrotate around the sun opposite each other but on the same orbital path. Aries is a lush world ovegetation, clean water, and fertile soil. Scorpio is a less hospitable harsh world of desert, rock, andvolatile weather where only the toughest creatures can eek out a living.

Aries alone was designated to be colonized so many years ago. Tragedy struck when the threecolony ships destined for Aries passed through an unexpected radiation storm. All three ships wereterribly crippled and communications were lost. One ship managed a haphazard landing on Ariesanother staggered and crashed on Scorpio, while the third plunged relentlessly into the vastemptiness of space.

Struggling to rebuild after the disaster, colonies grew over generations on both worlds, unbeknownstof the survival of the other. By the time the new civilizations had become advanced enough to onceagain explore space; they had all but forgotten another colony ship ever existed. When theydiscovered each other they saw only an unknown enemy. War was inevitable!

Overview of the GameZodia Sunset is a game designed to facilitate anime mecharole playing adventures. In essence, this includes twocomponents: The mecha themselves and the men andwomen that pilot them.

The mecha are giant robot fighting machines usuallyaround 30 to 50 feet in height. They are plated with armoand equipped with devastating weapons. Conventionaweapons of war (infantry, tanks, pair and space ships) aregenerally all but useless against them. The only thing thacan stand against a mecha is another mecha!

Ironically, while the focus of this game might be perceivedas mecha combat, and half of your play time will involvethe combats of these giant robots, the real story and roleplaying revolves around the people inside the machineWhile inside their fighting machine, the mecha pilot ismainly concerned with battle. However, this is but a smalportion of their life (and the story). When outside theimecha their life is full of other drama. Personal problems

love interests (or disinterests), dark secrets, self doubt, andall sorts of conflicts with friend, foe, and even oneself arewhat make the story interesting.

Role Playing vs. Tactical CombatZodia Sunset tries to do something a little different thanmost games that deal with mech. This will delight somepeople, and really turn some people off. The differencehere is that mecha combat isnt about building a mechapiece by piece and then using miniatures and a battle-matto fight out battles.


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The mecha battles in Zodia Sunset are certainly important,but the outcome isnt determined as much by tacticaldecisions as it is by dramatic decisions and role playing.This game is an attempt to keep the role playing goingwhen the mecha combat starts, not to facilitate a shift fromrole playing to miniature wargaming.

This game will involve the story interactive story that theplayers and the game master create. The ultimate goalhere is to have an enjoyable experience that feels like aunique anime series with the player characters as thestarts of the show. This story should be filled with drama,large and small decisions, and conflicts.

The rules are very fast and loose. They are designed tospend as little time as possible on game mechanics, andas much time as possible on story telling, role playing, andcharacter personality development. In fact, the rules willhardly be used at all if things go right, they are simply thereto use when some sort of conflict, that s outcome shouldbe random, needs to be worked out to determine thedirection of the story.

Equipment NeededThis rulebook contains all the rules you need to play thegame. In addition to this you will need the following:

An adventureBefore you can play, the Game Master (GM) will need tocreate an adventure for the players. Each adventureshould take the form of an episode in an anime series. Inits simplest form each adventure should fill one 4 hourgame session and consist of an introduction andconclusion while the bulk of the adventure consists ofabout role playing outside the mecha and the timeinside the mecha, usually in that order. Thats a common

formula, but not a rule!

Record SheetsEach player is going to need a character and a mecha toplay the game. The information for these needs to berecorded on a record sheet. This sheet is located at theback of these rules. Each player should have a recordsheet.

DiceZodia Sunset uses 6 sided dice (D6) to resolve all actionsEach player should have 3D6 (3 six sided dice) handywhen playing the game. Of course, you could asharebut thats no fun!

Rolling Dice (The Core Game Mechanic)When you resolve and action or some conflict you will roldice. You will always roll 1, 2, or 3 dice. When you do thisyou ONLY read the highest die rolled (you do not add themup).

For example, if you roll 2D and get a 3 and a 4, the resultof the roll is 4. If you roll 3D and get a 1, a 2, and a 5, theresult of the roll is a 5. Its that simple.


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Each player will need a character for the game. All the players will be playing mecha pilots. Theinformation in this section of the rules will tell you everything you need to create a character for ZodiaSunset quickly and easily. A little later on in the rules you will find out how to create your characterssecond half, his giant mecha.

SummaryThere are 3 simple steps to character creation and thesewill only take a few minutes. They are:

Step 1Choose a character archetype

Step 2Assign Attributes & Skilled Abilities

Step 3Detail Character

Each mecha pilot character is defined by a number ofthings, these are: The Archetype, Attributes, and SkilledAbilities. The character is further defined by details youand your game master determine, these are yourcharacters name, background, and probably any personalequipment they have on them at any given time.

ArchetypesThere are several classic mecha pilot archetypes that canbe found throughout the genre, pick the one you wouldmost like to play or simply create your own. These areoutlined below. The first step to creating your character is

to choose the one that you want to play the most. Thearchetype simply gives you an outline of the behavior,mentality, motivation, and personality of your character.This is not meant to be restrictive, but rather to aid in roleplaying the character and helping along the story.

Young HeroThe Young Hero is the staple of the mecha anime. He isthe charming young pilot just dying to do his best by hispeople and really make a difference in the war. Hegenerally takes a natural leadership role, and is liked bymost, and respected by everyone. If the Young Hero hasone major flaw, it is that he remains the eternal optimist

believing there is always a way to make things right. Thisoften leads to self doubt or disappointment when he fails inthis goal.

Hot ShotThe Hot Shot is the skilled and confident hot mecha acewho can make his machine do things others can onlydream of. The Hot Shot is good at what he does, and isoften cocky because he knows it. The one thing that reallyruffles a Hot Shots feathers is running into a pilot that is asgood as he is, or even worse, better than he is.

Lone WolfThe Lone Wolf is a quiet inverted type sometimes filledwith angst and haunted by some dark secret. The LoneWolf tries very hard to come across like he doesnt careabout anything, but this is mainly because he is afraid toget close to anyone, or let anyone get close to him. Oddlyenough, the Lone Wolf is usually the one that will risk hislife (and sometimes lose it) for his companions, outwardlyacting like it is no big deal, but inwardly selflessly caringabout the people that surround him.

Kid GeniusThe Kid Genius is a super smart youngster whose brainshave made him a productive member of a mecha teamdespite his age. Even so, while he is very smart and ableto handle himself, he is still a kid and suffers fromimmaturity and inexperience and not quite understandingwhy. The Kid is usually befriended by a Lovable Bear, aInnocent Teen, or even a Lone Wolf who feel the need toprotect him.


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Lovable BearThe Lovable Bear is the big tough looking guy with a heartof gold. Sometimes hes a little on the slow and naive side,but that is why he usually gets along well with the KidGenius; they compliment each other. The Lovable Bear isusually liked by all his companions, but looked upon withdisgust by his enemies (for being such a soft touch). Eventhought the Lovable Bear is sentimental and caring, he isstill a tough cookie, and when he is pushed to violence heis very formidable and fearsome.

ProfessionalThe Professional is the super cool mecha pilot who careslittle about anything but doing their job to the best of theirabilities. As a result, the best of their abilities is usuallyvery good. The Professional has very little to say most ofthe time, and usually does all her talking with her eyes.The professional is very often cold when it comes torelationships and emotions. They have little time in theirlife for such pursuits as it would take away from theirdedication to their job.

Innocent Teen

The Innocent Teen is a pretty and naive teen girl whobelieves the entire world is filled with love and happiness.The Innocent teen always manages to look cute and lookon the bright side of things and warms the hearts of hercompanions. She giggles a lot and often rambles on aboutherself or lessons that she learned from a wise old relativeabout life. Her enemies find the Innocent Teen extremelydesirable, either sexually or as a symbol of the love andaffection they are missing in their life.

Man HaterThe Man Hater is the extremely proficient female mecha

jock with a chip on her shoulder. For one reason or

another she feels that she was wronged by a man, or menin general. The Man Hater doesnt like men and is rudeand mean to them and looks for any chance to outdo orbelittle them. Sometimes the Man Hater goes the extrastep and is a lesbian, other times she harbors a secret lovefor a man that she wont admit (usually that man must beextremely heroic or above average in one way or another)..

Grizzled VeteranThe Grizzled Vet has been around battle a long time and isfilled with battle and life wisdom. He isnt shaken byintense combat situations that rattle younger mecha pilotsand is always a calming factor for his companions. TheGrizzled Vet is rarely in a position of command. Despitehis experience the Grizzled Vet is usually pretty low in rankbecause he harbors some past secret. Sometimes this is adeep trama or regret such as loosing a loved one, moreoften it stems from a combat situation where he did thewrong thing and caused lives to be lost, or he did the rightthing against his superiors orders.

KamikazeThe Kamikaze is a touched mecha pilot who goes a littlecrazy in battle. The more deadly and tense the situation,the more he likes itand the nuttier he goes. Outside of

combat the Kamikaze usually acts fairly normal, although alittle cold, sarcastic, and sadistic at times. The Kamikaze isalmost always at odds with his superiors, especially thoseimmediately above him. The Kamikaze especially hatesbleeding hearts like the Young Hero, Lovable Bear, andInnocent Teen and takes every effort possible to insulthem and show them up.

MercenaryThe Mercenary is the mecha pilot that is just in it for his ownprofit, glory, and a chance to cause destruction and grief toothers. He is self centered and cares little about anyoneelse, including his companions. The Mercenary will be loyaand follow orders only when he feels he has to and when iis beneficial to himself. The Mercenary has very littleconscience and has no problem performing evil deedsespecially if there is some sort of profit in it for him or if itgives him a chance to irritate others (again, even hiscompanions) or teach somebody a lesson..

BlundererOften the comedy relief in an anime, the Blunderer is themecha pilot who seems to always do the wrong thing

usually with funny consequences. The Blunderer oftenthinks he is doing something smart that is so obviouslydumb to anyone else, but when he realizes the error of hisways, it is too late. The Blunderer often tends to be a littlecowardly. He is not an outright coward, but he doesusually crack under extremely stressful situations andeither run, lose his cool, or do something extremelyunpredictable (which usually has either extremely heroic odirely stupid consequences).

Cat GirlYes, this game has Cat Girl mecha pilots, although theyare fairly rare. Cat girls are notorious schizoids, going

thought a ridiculous range of emotions in the blink of aneye. One minute they are sweet and innocent, the nextsexy and seductive, and the next an aloof bitch. There isone constant, however, and that is that they all have anextremely hot and uncontrollable temper!

AttributesStatistics define the character both physically and mentallyThey represent the innate natural talent and traits thecharacter possesses. There are 4 statistics; they areAgility,Brains,Body,and Mien.

Agility

Agility is a measure of the characters dexterity, hand eyecoordination, balance, quickness, reaction speed, andability to manipulate their body while maintaining controlYou will use agility when trying to perform acrobaticmovements, catch or grab items, or get out of somethingsway.

MindMind is a measure of the characters intelligenceknowledge, education, common sense, perception of hissurroundings, and ability to learn. You will use Mind to


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comprehend complex ideas, notice obscure or out of placethings, or to recall something you may have learned in yourpast.

BodyBody is a measure of physical power and the ability to usethat power. It is also the characters constitution, health,stamina, and overall general physical fitness. You will useBody when trying to move or lift heavy objects, trying tobreak or force things, fighting off the effects of disease or

poison, facing adverse physical conditions, or whenperforming extended actions that take a lot of endurance.

MienMien is a measure of the characters presence, charisma,leadership, personality, inner strength, willpower, bravery,and to an extent his good looks. Mien is the charactersouter and inner soul, if you will. It is important when trying tonegotiate with someone or impress them (intentionally orotherwise). It is also important to actions such aspersuasion, gaining information, and trying to get oneselfout of a sticky situation.

Attribute RankEach of the 4 statistics is ranked as a Student, Teacher, orMaster. This rank is a descriptor of how adept you are inthat stat. In mechanical game terms, it also dictates thenumber of D6 you roll when attempting to successfullycomplete a test. Tests are described a bit later.

Each of the 4 attributes starts at Teacher rank (2D). Youman choose to raise an Attribute to Master rank if youlower another to Student rank. You may do this once ortwice, or not at all, its your choice. Consider yourArchetype and vision of your character before you assignyour Attribute ranks.

Student (1D)Student rank means that you area mere pup in the use ofthis statistic. You are a beginner either because of lack oftraining or genetics. You are not inept, but you have muchto learn grasshopper.

Teacher (2D)You have come a long way in the development of thisstatistic. Through training or natural aptitude you haveachieved a level of expertise that makes you stick outamong your peers.

Master (3D)

You have achieved true greatness in this area. You jumphigher, think faster, and love with more passion. You havetrained hard or are naturally blessed and have surpassedthe average man.

Abilities & Trained AbilitiesLinked to each Attribute are 5 Abilities. These Abilitiescover very broad areas of expertise and training. GameMasters and players are advised to use the Abilities tocover a number of circumstances without becomingbogged down in detail and specific rules. Sometimes you

will have to bend the definitions of an Ability to fitcircumstances.

The initial rank of each Ability is the same as the linkedAttribute it is listed under. When you create your characteyou can choose 2 Abilities under each Attribute to beTrained Abilities (simply check the box next to the Ability toshow that it is a Trained Ability).

Trained Abilities are those things that your character has

worked hard at to hone his skills and become moreproficient than his natural talent would otherwise allow himto be. Each Trained Ability adds +1 to the highest D6rolled when attempting to make a Test (see Taking theTestbelow).

Agility Abilities-Athletics (all body manipulation stuff, climbing, jumping)-Pilot (all driving, riding, flying vehicles and mounts)-Reaction (all speed and reflex related stuff)-Shoot/Throw (all ranged weapons or thrown items)-Stealth (all sneaky stuff, sleight of hand, ect.)

Mind Abilities-Education (all book knowledge and know-how type stuff)-Engineering (all mechanical, repair, build, type stuff)-Streetwise (street smarts and perception)-Technology (computers, electronics, science)-Trickery (lie, bluff, fool people type with wit)

Body Abilities-Brawl (fist fighting, martial arts, pushing, ect.)-Endurance (stamina, sustained physical actions)-Health (resist sickness, poison, ect.)-Melee (close combat weapon fighting)-Strength (raw physical power, lifting)

Mien Abilities-Flirt (love, romance, and seduction)-Intimidate (intimidating people to do what you want)-Looks (natural good looks and poise).-Social (etiquette, dancing, art appreciation, ect.)-Willpower (resisting torture, stress, fear, inner strength)

EquipmentThere is no shopping list of equipment. Characters aremembers of the ADF and are usually dressed in theirmecha pilot jumpsuit (which is equipped for anyatmosphere including space and under water) with a small

laser pistol strapped at their side and a wallet with an IDand a few Aries Yen. Inside their mecha cockpit is asurvival pack (satchel) with a first aid kit, a tool pouch, a bitof twine or wire, a pocket knife, some matches, a few daysof emergency rations and water, and a thin all-weatherblanket).

This game is about role playing and mecha combat, notabout always having the right tool for the right job in abulging backpack. If the characters are sent on a missionand they require extra gear, that gear will usually beprovided by the ADF.


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When characters try to do things that might fail, and there may be a dramatic story changing turn ofevents if they do, they must make a Test to see if they fail or succeed. A test is made by rolling a theappropriate number of D6 according to the rank of the appropriate Attribute or Ability, and reading thehighest die (adding a +1 to that result if the Ability is a Trained Ability). This number must equal o

exceed the difficulty number chosen by the GM (a 5 or a 6) or the result of an opposed roll made byanother character.

Action DifficultiesBefore the test is rolled the GM must determine thedifficulty of the action. There are 4 types of actions acharacter might try to attempt, as determined by the GMscritique. They are: Automatic, Standard, Difficult, andImpossible. Only Standard and Difficult Tests require theplayers to roll dice. (The number in parenthesis is thenumber a player must roll, or better, to succeed at the Test.See Taking the Testbelow)

Automatic (no roll)Automatic actions are just that, automatic. They may betaken freely with no penalty or dice rolling. Thisencompasses the majority of actions a character will take.Socializing, opening doors, running to your girlfriendshouse or jumping into the cockpit of your giant mecha areall examples of automatic actions.

Standard (5+)Standard actions are those things that are a bit morecomplex. These things are usually actions that might ormight not work, and failure usually means something bad,while success means something good. Winning a hand of

battle-poker, sneaking past some Scorpio guards, pickingthe lock to the Captains room, or charming the localsuperstar with your wit are all examples of standardactions.

Difficult (6+)Difficult actions arent much different than standard actionsexcept that they are either more challenging or they arestandard actions being taken under extreme or stressfulcircumstances. Sneaking past that Scorpio guard is astandard action, but if that guard is specifically looking foryou, or is joined by 4 other guards the action might bedifficult. Picking the lock to the Captains room was a

standard action, but picking the electro-lock to the topsecret experimental weapons locker is a difficult action.Likewise, performing what might normally be a standardaction while being shot at, chased, or under a time crunchmight elevate it to a difficult action.

Impossible (no roll)Lots of crazy things can happen in an anime, but there isstill some grip on reality, and the GM may determine thatany action is impossible. A character (outside of theirmecha) can not jump over 100 ft. chasms! Likewise,charming a diabolical dictator bent on galactic conquest

into letting you go probably isnt going to happen (unlessthe GM thinks it will help the story). If a character wants totry something and the GM says its impossible, thats theend of it, stop asking.

Taking the TestTests are made using Abilities, and where no particularAbility is applicable, the most appropriate Attribute.

To make a Test, simply roll the appropriate number of D6according to the rank of the appropriate Attribute or Abilityand reading the highest die (adding a +1 to that result if theAbility is a Trained Ability). This number must equal oexceed the difficulty number chosen by the GM (a 5 for aStandard Test or a 6 for a Difficult Test) or the result of anopposed roll made by another character (see OpposedTests below).

For example Yimbo, shy mecha pilot, has run into (literally)Suki, the girl of his dreams. She has been knocked to theground, and he has been trying to say something charming


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so she doesnt notice what a dork he is. After a bit of roleplaying the GM asks the Yimbos player for a Social Test.The social Ability falls under the Mien Attribute. Yimbo isranked as a Student in Mien, and thus rolls 2D6, taking thehighest result of the 2 dice. If he had chosen to train in theSocial Ability, he would add +1 to the die result.

The target number to be successful at a Test depends on ifthe task is Standard or Difficult. If the test is Standard, youneed to roll a 5+; if the Test is difficult you need to roll a 6+.Its as simple as that! The situation above sounds like aStandard Test, so Yimbo would need a 5+.

Opposed TestsSometimes a character will be attempting to perform a taskthat is directly opposed by another character. In this casethose characters involved arent rolling against a TestDifficulty, but rather against each other. This is done a bitdifferently. To make an opposed roll, each characterinvolved rolls the appropriate number of D6, as normal,and adds +1 for any appropriate Trained Attribute. Thehighest roll is the winner.

For example, remember poor Yimbo? Well, lets say thatwhen he runs into Suki, she is with Seth, the movie star.As Yimbo tries to save face with his Social Ability, Sethdecides to belittle him so Suki will stay focused on him.Yimbo rolls as he did before, but this time instead of tryingto beat the Difficulty set by the GM, he must beat Sethsroll based on his Intimidate Ability (2D+1 in this case). Thecharacter who rolls highest wins the confrontation.

Note: Defending in combat, while technically could beconsidered an opposed test, is handled a bit differently.See Character Combatbelow.

Character CombatSometimes characters get in a fight of one sort or another.Combat is simply a string of Tests as described above.However, since combat is generally a dangerous (andsometimes deadly) affair, it requires just a bit moreclarification. Still, combat is fairly abstract, fast, anddramatic. Personal combat is still fairly abstract; resistgetting bogged down in details and specifics andconcentrate on narrating a dramatic conflict.

The RoundWhen combat takes place, time is broken down intoabstract 3 second periods of time called rounds. Duringeach round all the combatants roll for Initiative to see whogoes first, and then they can choose to take one action,either moving, attacking, or defending.

InitiativeTo see who gets to go first in a combat situation everyoneinvolved should make an Opposed Reaction Ability Test.The character with the highest result goes first, thecharacter with the second highest goes next, and keepgoing until everyone has had a turn to act. If the GMdesires, he can roll just one die for all his characters (Non-

player characters) and take all their actions at the sametime.

MovingCharacters may choose to move for their action. This isusually to close with an opponent for melee combat, to runaway, to seek cover, to dodge an attack (see Defendingbelow), or for some other reason. A character can usuallycover about 10 to 30 feet a round, depending oncircumstance and the exact action. The GM will let youknow if you can make it to where you desire or if it will takemore than one round. In some instances, the GM may askyou to make an Athletics Test to perform some moveactions if he deems it is appropriate.

Attacking

Attacking is the most common offensive action a charactewill take. This is usually a Brawl, Melee, or Shoot/ThrowTest. The difficulty for the test is dependant on thesituation as determined by the GM. For example, if thetarget of a shooting attack is far away, or there is fog opoor lighting, or the target has taken cover, (or any of theabove combined) it might be a Difficult Test. If the shot isclose and the target is standing there firing back himselthis round, the difficulty might be Standard. Standard is thedefault difficulty for an attack.


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DefendingWhenever a character is successfully attacked, they getthe chance to defend themselves using his Athletics Ability(if dodging ranged or thrown attacks), his Brawl Ability (iffist fighting), or his Melee Ability (if using melee weapons).This is alwaysa Standard Test.

Getting HurtDuring the course of the game characters are going to get

hurt. Getting punched or shot are going to be common, butthe will be other things that cause the characters pain.Failing a Reaction Test and taking a fall into a pit, ingestingsome poisoned wine and failing a Health Test, or beingejected into space without a space suit are all examples ofevents that will hurt or kill the characters.

Every time a character is hurt, there is a chance (althoughslim) of him dying. This in itself can be a dramatic storychanging event and GMs should not be afraid of using thisto advance the story in a new and exciting direction.However, characters dont die like flies in most anime, somost damage is going to roll off the characters like wateron duck feathers, or simply put them in a bad way for a

little while.

Each and every time a character gets hurt, simply take aHealth Ability Test. Take the roll total and reference thechart below for the effect.

Personal Damage Table

Health Test Result5+ Superficial Wound3-4 Incapacitated1-2 Dramatic Death!

Superficial Wound

This means the damage is simply a scratch or a bad bruiseand has no real effect on the character. This might mean alaser gun hits but, just grazes the character leaving a burnmark or that a punch has landed but, simply skimmed theplayers jaw. Maybe this means that a dose of poison isntlethal enough to do anything but make the character a littlenauseous or that a falling character catches himself on a

jutting tree limb or the edge of a pit trap.

IncapacitatedAn incapacitated character is wounded badly enough thathe is out of the action for this scene or longer (determinedby the GM). This might mean he is knocked unconscious,

sprained a limb, or has a bad wound. The character hassuccumbed to the pain and can not be productive in anyreal way (except to maybe avoid more pain).

Dramatic DeathThe character has been wounded fatally and will soon die.The character should have just enough energy to fill out onelast dying wish, complete his last battle, or give a dramaticspeech. The next episode of the series should include thearrival of a new member to the ADF squad.

Character RewardsZodia Sunset is really a game about telling a good storyand having some giant robot battles. Characters start oufairly capable and dont really become more and morepowerful as the story continues. Still, there is a reward fogood role playing and participation in the form of BonusDice.

Bonus Dice are simply that, an extra die you can roll whenyou have failed a Test. You may use as many Bonus Diceas you have available on any roll if you like. Bonus Dicecan be used for character role playing Tests or duringmecha combat. Its the players choice how to use hisBonus Dice.

Each character starts with 5 Bonus Dice at the beginning oa game session. In addition, the GM will award additiona

Bonus Dice to any character for good role playing. Goodrole playing consists of acting in character, doing dramaticwitty, intelligent, or creative things, and generally helping tomake the story more exciting and the game session morefun for everyone.

GMs should feel free to award any number of Bonus Diceper game session, but 1-5 should be the norm.


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So now you have a mecha pilot character and know how he does stuffbut thats only the half of it!What good is a mecha pilot without a mecha to pilot? This section of the rules helps to fill out thaother half of the character sheet and create your mecha. This is as simple as creating a characteand should only take a few minutes. Remember, this game isnt about building the mecha piece by

piece for tactical battles, its about telling a story. Your mecha is simply another character in that tale.

Mecha in the Zodia SystemThe players are playing ADF mecha pilots, thus they arepiloting ADF mecha. These are humanoid shaped mechain classic anime tradition. They arent shaped like animals,they dont transform, and they dont have tentacles orbiological partsof course, there is nothing stopping theGM from creating these types of mecha to attack you!

ADF mecha arent clunky, they are sleek streamlinedmachines. For the most part they should be thought of asgiant technologically advanced armor and weaponry.

Ultimately they are an extension of the pilot and theirabilities. The ADFs core color is white, with the pilotchoosing a highlight color.

Scorpio Empire mecha are very similar, except slightlylarger and less refined looking. Green with a few redhighlights are standard.

The mecha of the Zone Confederation are often salvagedADF or Scorpio Empire mecha. The Zone Confederationoften modifies these mecha, or builds them piecemeal,then slaps their signature blue and red paint on them.

Mecha AttributesJust like characters, mecha have Attributes. There are 3Attack, Defend and Control.

Just like in the character creation section, these Attributesare ranked as Student, Teacher, or Master. They all staras Teacher. You can choose to lower one to Student inorder to raise one to Master if you like.

AttackAttack covers all the attacks that a mecha can make fromsimple punches to a salvo of heat seeking missiles. Irepresents the pilots skill with each weapon.

DefendDefend covers the pilots ability to defend his machineagainst the various incoming attacks. Pilots are more adepat avoiding certain attacks.

ControlControl covers the pilots ability to control his mecha andperform all his own functions in the cockpit.

Mecha Abilities

Just like character Attributes, each mecha Attribute hasseveral Abilities listed under it.

The Abilities starting Rank is equal to the linked Attribute ifalls under. You can choose 2 Abilities under eachAttribute to be Trained Abilities (put a check to them as youdid during character creation).

Attack-Punch/Kick-Melee-Beam-Projectile

-Missile

Defense-Punch/Kick-Melee-Beam-Projectile

-Missile

Control-Boost-Feint-Maneuver-Recover

-Repair

Mecha WeightsThere are three different basic categories of mecha usedby the ADF, and they are categorized by weight: LightMedium, and Heavy. The weight you choose wildetermine how much expendable Energy your mechaproduces each round and what damage tables you wiluse. Choose a mecha weight and note it on your charactesheet along with its Energy. Cross off any extra boxes onthe Energy.


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Light Mecha (6 Energy)Light Mecha are fast and agile. They are lightly armored,so dont burn as much Energy, but they are fragile.

ADF Stiletto: The Stiletto is a sleek mecha suited forrecon and missions that require stealth and speed. It hasaccurate targeting equipment and more than makes up forthis lack of damage dealing firepower by being able toattack more often. The Stiletto is lightly armored butmoves quickly and is a hard target to hit.

Medium Mecha (5 Energy)Medium Mecha are the happy medium between the Lightmecha and the Heavy Mecha.

ADF Rapier: The Rapier has always been the ADFs primemecha. It is formidable and competent in all of its combatfunctions. The Rapier forms the bulk of most ADFsquadrons. The Rapier balances its maneuverability withits armor, and its weapons with its attack rate.

Heavy Mecha (4 Energy)Heavy Mecha are plated with thick armor unfortunately allthis bulk makes them slow and cumbersome as it takes a

lot of Energy to keep them moving.

ADF Battleaxe: The Battleaxe is slow and ponderous, butit can withstand a lot of damage and hits particularly hard.While not as glamorous as the Rapier or clean cut as theStiletto, the Battleaxe is often the deciding factor in anybattle.

Choose Your WeaponsThere are 3 slots for weapons on your character sheet.Choose one weapon for each slot from the list below. Youmay choose the same weapon multiple times if you like.All mecha have fists and feet that can be used for

punch/kick attacks.

MeleeHand held melee weapons, including force clubs, swords,ball and chains, Axes, ect. You cant place a melee weaponin your torso.

BeamAll energy type weapons, including lasers, photondevastators, pulse rifles, ect.

ProjectileAll slug throwing type weapons, including machine guns,rocket cannons, harpoons, ect.

MissileMissile salvos, used for both offense and defense.

Signature MovesSignature Moves are special moves that can only be usedonce per battle. You can pick two of these for your mecha.

Assault!You can attempt to Boost an attack or damage roll 2 timesinstead of one. This still costs 1 Energy for each Boost.

BarrageYou must be equipped with a functional Projectile Weapon(a machine gun) to use Barrage. You can spread youattack over 3 targets (the GM must determine if the targetsare eligible) by spraying a multitude of bullets. You make aseparate Projectile Attack Test for each target, and they canDefend as normal.

Blinding FistsYou must be in melee combat with an opponent and spend

1 Energy to use Blinding Fists. You immediately make 3punch attacks. Your opponent can attempt to Defendagainst each attack, if he has the Energy to do so.

Brass Monkey BallsBy expending 1 Energy, you instantly Recover. You can dothis immediately after being Knocked Down if you have theEnergy, otherwise you must wait till the beginning of youTurn, as normal.

Death BlowWhenever you make an attack using a Trained Ability aMaster rank and all 3 dice come up 6s, your opponent isinstantly destroyed!

Death From AboveYou must expend 1 Energy to launch your mecha into ahuge leap and place a whirlwind kick. If you hit, youopponent can not Defend against the attack, and isautomatically Knocked Down in addition to normal damage.

EvadeAt the cost of 1 Energy, you can automatically Defendagainst one attack.

Final RevengeWhen you are forced to eject, you can attempt a Repai

Test to cross a few wires causing a self destruct explosionAny mecha in melee range is caught in the explosion andinstantly destroyed.

Gear HeadAt the cost of 1 Energy, you can automatically repair anydamaged part.

Power PunchAt the cost of 1 Energy you can power punch youopponent. If you hit, you can choose your hit location andthe damage roll is made at a +1 bonus.

Resilience

When your Torso is destroyed, and you are forced to ejectyou can manage to hold your mecha together for 1D6 morerounds. However, if your Torso is hit again during that timeit explodes and your character is instantly killed.

Wax On!

At a cost of 1 Energy, you can attempt a Defend roll

against each and every attack made against you this

round


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This section of the rules is dedicated to mecha actionmostly mecha combat. Much like in the roleplaying section of the rules, mecha combat is an abstract combination of role playing, narration, anddice rolling. Mecha combat is much more structured and detailed that role playing combat. This issimply due to the fact that mecha combat is more dramatic, deadly, and climactic. Further tips fo

integrating the mecha combat with the role playing aspect so the games are found in the GameMaster Tips section that follows this one.

Setting Up the FightWhenever mecha are going to face off the GM should takesome time to describe the battle set-up. Things both theGM and the players will want to know is the lay of the land(or space), the location and general distance of opponents,and any features that may play a role in the battle (thingsthat can be used for cover, areas players might want toavoid, civilians that might get in the way, ect.).

Round and TurnJust like in the role playing game section, combat takesplace in a series of rounds. During mecha combat thelength of a round is a bit more abstract. You can assumeeach round is about 5 10 seconds in length. In everysingle round, each mecha involved in the combat will get achance to take a turn. During a turn, the Mecha can takesome sort of action. The standard actions are going to bemoving, attacking (melee or ranged weapons), and thendefending.

Mecha Action TestsTests for mecha or pilot actions during mecha combat usethe same procedure as described in the Character Actionsection of the rules. Combat is a bit more detailed andstructures, but the core rules and mechanics are the same.

BoostThe mecha pilot has an ability called Boost under hisControl attribute. Boosting means that the pilot is using hisskill to increase the mechas performance for the nextaction it attempts. Boosting is a Standard Test, requires 1Energy, and can be used as many times on a charactersturn as he likes (providing he has expendable Energy touse Boosting). A successful Boost Test gives thecharacter a +2 bonus to the next Test or roll (it can be usedfor Hit Location and Damage rolls) attempted.

InitiativeAt the beginning of each round everyone must roll forinitiative to determine initiative order. Everyone then takestheir turn in the round in the initiative order from highest tolowest. To make the initiative roll, each player involved inthe combat should make an opposed maneuver test.

Since there is a good chance the GM will be controllingseveral mecha during the combat, so he simply rolls 2D6(taking the highest die) once for his entire group. If the GM

is also controlling a special mecha (usually an importanNPC) then he can also roll an opposed maneuver test fothis mecha.

SurpriseSometimes one side will get the drop on the other and takethem by surprise. In this case the side that the GMdetermines has surprised the other gets to take a round oaction while the opponents do not get their turns. Theopponents may defend as normal, but can not take anyother actions until the next round. At the beginning of thenext round, initiative is rolled as normal.

Turn SummaryDuring your turn in a round you will do many things. Thefollowing is a quick summary of a turn sequence. This wilmake more sense after you finish reading the entire sectionon mecha action.

Note: Either the attacker or the target can use anysignature moves at any appropriate time as detailed in theidescriptions.

Regain Energy

-The power generators replenish youexpendable energy supply.

Recover-If you have been knocked down you mayattempt to recover now.

Repair-If you have damaged systems you canattempt to repair them now.

Action-You can now take any other actionsincluding moving, attacking, or any othemiscellaneous role playing action.

Attack

-You may attack at any time during youturn.Defend (Target Action)

-If you are attacked and hit you canchoose to defend against the incomingattack.

Hit Location-If you hit with an attack determine hilocation.

Damage-If youve hit the target, you can now roll todetermine damage.


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Doing Things on Your TurnOn your turn you can do anything that is going to takeabout 5-10 seconds to complete. This can be things thatyour mecha pilot is doing inside, or outside, of his mecha,or things the mecha is doing, or a combination of both.When it comes to things the pilot is doing, the GM shoulduse a combination of common sense and the role playingrules.

Unlike a character, a mecha is limited by what it can do byhow much available energy it has to expend on actions.Almost everything a mecha attempts to do is going torequire energy expenditure, and once its gone for the turn,the mecha has been pushed to its maximum speed andagility capabilities.

Its worth mentioning upfront that it costs Energy to defend,so you might want to keep some of your energy in reserveif you think you are going to be attacked. Then again, youdont have to play it safeand your enemy might missanyway! The choice is yours.

EnergyEnergy, created in the power generators located in thetorso, is the single most important resource of your mecha.The mecha constantly requires a large amount of energy

just for its basic functions, and the rest must be managedwisely or a pilot will find himself helpless at the worst time.

Maximum EnergyEach mecha has a listed Energy on the character sheetthat can be expended each turn for mecha action. Themaximum amount of Energy you can have is dictated bythe mecha type you have chosen.

Mecha Energy Table

Mecha Weight EnergyLight 6

Medium 5Heavy 4

Replenishing EnergyAt the start of each of your turns (not the round, yourindividual initiative turn) your mecha will replenish all of itsexpendable energy.

Energy UsageYou use Energy to move, to operate your mechas systems.Energy is a sort of combination of actual generated power

and the time it takes for a mecha (or pilot I, in some cases)to employ that power. Below is a list of things that you willexpend Energy on. Each of these will require theexpenditure of 1 Energy.

-Attack (Each weapon attack)-Defend (Each attack you defend against)-Action (usually movement)-Boost (Pilot pumping extra Energy into a function)-Repair (Pilot doing diagnostics and auto-repairs)-Recovery (Pilot and mecha back on its feet)-Some Signature Moves

Energy TrackThe Energy Track on the character sheet is simply used tokeep track of how much Energy you use in a round. Use asmall coin or gaming stone and move it along the track. Athe beginning of the turn take the coin off until you spendsome Energy.

Miscellaneous and Movement Actions

The first thing we need to cover is the plethora ofmiscellaneous things a mecha pilot can command hismachine to do that arent directly about combat.

Movement is the most important, and is going to requirethe most interpretation and judgment on the part of theGM. Movement during combat is usually going to cost 1Energy and covers flying, running, moving to a tacticaposition (like taking cover to make a shot difficult), closingin for melee combat, ect. The GM may determine a certainmovement action may take 2 Energy (if its a particularlylong distance).

There are two pilot Abilities that usually fall directly unde

this category, Feint and Maneuver.

FeintYou will make a Feint Test when you are trying to trick youopponent. Sometimes this will be used to make you hardeto hit (make the attack Difficult), but usually it will be for amore devious effect. For example: flying and droppingbetween two enemies with the plan of flying away againthe second they shoot at youinstead hitting each otherOr perhaps, taunting an enemy to attack you instead oanother, more vulnerable opponent. This is generally a


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Standard difficulty Test (since the mooks running theenemies mecha are generally pretty dim), but it could bean Opposed Test against more important NPCs.

ManeuverA Maneuver Test is called for whenever the mecha is tryingto do something particularly complicated, daring, or fancy.Closing in on an opponent, or stepping behind askyscraper for cover are examples of things that wouldntrequire a Maneuver Test. Getting out of the way of that

skyscraper when your enemy blows it to bits and it is fallingon your mecha would require a Test (hope you have someexpendable Energy left to make that movement action!).

Mecha Attacks & DefensesWhen all is said and done, the actual attacking anddefending during mecha combat is almost identical to thatof character combat. There are three major differencesthough.

The first difference is the Abilities being used to attack anddefend. The mecha uses the specific Ability for eachweapon it has when making an attack. For example, a

mecha equipped with a Photon Devistator uses his BeamAbility (under his Attack Attribute) to make his Test.Likewise, the mecha defending against this attack uses hisBeam Ability (under his Defense Attribute) to defend fromthe attack.

The second big difference is the number of attacks amecha can make. In character combat, each characteronly gets one attack, while in mecha combat a mecha canmake as many attacks as the pilot likesas long as theyhave enough expendable Energy to do so. Each weaponcan only fire once per round, however.

The last big difference is the way damage is dealt with.

This is detailed below.

Hit LocationWhen a mecha is successfully hit in combat (the attack rollwas a success, and any defense rolls are failed) you mustroll 1D6 to find out where the mecha was hit. This roll canbe increased with a Boost Test, if the attacker desires.

Before rolling its important to understand the makeup ofyour mecha. Each mechas core anatomy is composed of4 basic parts, the Head, Torso, Legs, and Arms. Each oneof these parts houses various systems and allows themecha to do various things. When these are damaged or

destroyed in battle the mecha is considerably crippled andweakened.

HeadThe head houses the control, sensors, targeting, andcommunications systems. Most importantly it houses thepilots cockpit.

TorsoThe torso houses the power generators. Once the torso isinoperable, the mecha is scrap. The torso also houses anadditional weapon.

ArmsThe arms end in hands that can he used to manipulatethings or punch other mecha. The arms also house oneweapon each.

LegsThe legs are used for ground locomotion. They also housethe mechas propulsion jets that are used for flight.

Mecha Hit Location Table

1D6 Hit Location1 Body2 Right Leg3 Left Leg4 Right Arm5 Left Arm

6+ Head

Mecha DamageOnce you determine where the target was hit, you must rolfor damage. This is simply a 1D6 and read the resulbased on the weight (Light / Medium / Heavy) of the

damaged mecha.

This roll can be Boosted if the attacker desires and hasexpendable Energy to Boost with.

If a damaged condition exists on subsequent rolls, then theresult is automatically bumped up to the next, more severedamage. For example: A mecha is hit in the left arm andonly takes Armor Damage. The next round the mecha ishit in the left arm again and Armor Damage is rolled, busince the armor has already been damaged the rolbecomes Location Damaged instead.

Mecha Damage Table

1D6 RollL M H Result1 1-2 1-3 Armor Damage

2-3 3-4 4-5 Location Damaged4+ 5+ 6+ Location Destroyed

Armor DamageThe mecha takes a fearsome blast to the area that burnsand tears at the armor, sometimes knocking entireprotective armor plates from the mecha. This damage canbe repaired in the field, but not during battle (it takes toomuch time).

Body Damage

Damaged: The body takes a massive hit! Thebody mounted weapon is destroyed until repairedThe power generators are leaking spark and canonly produce 2 Energy until repaired.

Destroyed: The body takes a critical hit! Thepower generator shuts down and the mecha fallsto its knees. The mecha is useless until extensiverepairs are performed. On a roll of 6 on 1D6 the


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mecha explodes in a few minutes. The pilot caneject with no penalties.

Leg Damage

Damaged: The leg takes a massive hit! Allmovement type actions (including flying) cost 2Energy, and all Maneuver Ability Tests areautomatically difficult until repaired.

Destroyed: The leg takes a critical hit and isblown off! The mecha is immediately knockeddown and all movement type actions (includingflying) cost 2 Energy, and all Maneuver AbilityTests are automatically difficult. If both legs aredestroyed, the mecha is immobile, although it canget itself to a sitting position with a DifficultMenuver Test.

Arm Damage

Damaged: The arm takes a massive hit! The armcannot be used (including its weapon) until

repaired.

Destroyed: The arm takes a critical hit, blowing itclean off the mecha. Needless to say, the weaponmounted on that arm can no longer be used. Thepilot must make a Difficult Maneuver Test or themecha is knocked Down.

Head Damage

Damaged: The head takes a massive hit! Thecockpit blacks out, the sensors are all down andthe mecha is knocked down. The mecha lies there

and can do nothing until the systems are repaired.

Destroyed: The head takes a critical hit! The pilotis automatically ejected and the head explodes,quickly followed by the torso. In addition, the pilotmust roll on the Personal Damage Table (reprintedbelow for ease of reference).

Pilot Personal Damage Table

Health Test Result5+ Superficial Wound3-4 Incapacitated1-2 Dramatic Death!

RepairWhile the Repair Ability is normally used for maintenanceand more extensive repairs, during battle it is used toquickly bring systems and equipment back online.

A Standard Repair Test is required to fix most of themechas un-functioning equipment during battle. This is all

done by computer in the mechas cockpit, and involvesrerouting power and using repair programs. It is only aquick temporary jury-rig, and often does the mecha moreharm than good in the long runbut it keeps it going whenits important.

RecoveryWhenever the mecha is knocked down the pilot is shakenand the mechas systems go bezerk. The pilot must make

a Standard Recovery Test to get himself and his machinetogether again.

If the pilot fails the Recovery Test, he does nothing thisturn except lay there and breath heavy and sweat. Oftentimes he talks to himself about his stresses, failures, andfears.

A mecha that is knocked down with a pilot that hasnrecovered is a sitting duck. If an enemy chooses to attackthe downed mecha the attacker gains a +1 bonus to his rol(a Standard Test, so 4+ hits). The pilot is unable to defendhimself at all.


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This game assumes that both the GM and players are familiar with role playing games. Still, thereare a few tips here for GMs who plan to run this particular game. Some of this might seem to becommon sense, but its worth mentioning.

TestsA GM should be careful to only call for a Test when it isimportant. Calling for one every time a character tries todo some mundane task will not only slow the game, but itwill become dull for everyone. This will also ruin the dramawhen the players roll the dice for something that is reallyimportant. Tests should be called for when the outcome isgoing to have game or story effects or is suitablychallenging.

Secret GM RollsOccasionally, the GM will roll in secret for a character. Thereare times when even a failed roll would give the player

knowledge he wouldnt otherwise have. For example, if theGM asks the player to make a Streetwise Test to notice thelurking Scorpio spy, and the player fails, the characterdoesnt see anything out of the ordinary. But the player nowknows that there is something out of the ordinary that hischaracter didnt notice. Its sometimes better for the refereeto make the roll in secret, and only mention it on asuccessful result.

Standard or Difficult?It is the GMs job to determine if a Test is going to beStandard or Difficult. It isnt as hard as you would think.The best determining factor is your gut instinct (its usuallyright). Choose a difficulty and go with it.

Many times something that will be a Standard Test is madeinto a Difficult Test by circumstance or the desire for somedramatic effect. Circumstance is some external elementthat makes the Test harder, such as an enemy shooting atyou while attempting to pick a lock or climb a chain linkedfence. Sometimes the player asks for some specialdramatic effect that makes a difficulty harder. For example,kicking a Scorpio agent off a motor bike might be aStandard Test, but doing a flying kick , knocking the agentoff the bike, and landing in the seat ready to take off wouldbe difficult.

Keeping the Anime in the Mecha BattlesOnce the action switches from the role playing of themecha pilots outside the cockpit to role playing giantrobots, the game certainly changes. Still, the gameremains an anime style story. Here are some tips onkeeping the role playing alive when the mecha start battlingit out.

Role Playing Inside Your MechaWhen it comes to the mecha battling it out the gamegenerally switches to fight mode! That doesnt mean that

the role playing has to stop. In fact, the GM shouldencourage continued role playing. Anyone who haswatched mecha based anime will notice that a lot of thebanter, both between friends and enemies, goes on whilein the cockpit of their mecha. This is a fundamental part othe genre and it should definitely take place. This isnothing more than talking for the most part. For somestrange reason, mecha pilots can always seem to heawhat someone else is saying to them if they like, whileother times they cant (for example, when sneaking up onan enemy encampment). Dont worry too much about thedetails, just have fun with it.

In addition to banter, there will be scenarios and situations

that will call for players to spend their turn doing more roleplaying type things with their mecha than fighting. Foexample, the PCs might be infiltrating a base where one otheir squadron (Gigi) is being held captive. The battlefieldscene is set up and the battle is going on. Suddenly duringhis turn the GM says, Gigi suddenly runs out from one ofthe buildings, she is screaming and waving her armsaround. On one of the players turn, it would be totallyappropriate for him to say, Im going to spend my turnpicking up Gigi and putting her in my cockpit.

Some of the times (like in the example above) the GMshould just allow a reasonable action in place of the

players turn. Other times, a Test or two might be in orderFor example, a mecha jumping over a chasm or trying toscale a cliff face. In these cases, use the MechasAttributes, or if applicable simply use the charactersAttributes or Abilities for the test, and assume the mechaacts accordingly under their trained guidance

Role Playing outside Your Mecha During a BattleSometimes, role playing episodes outside of the mecha aregoing to take place at the same exact time as a mechabattle. For example, in the scenario described beforemaybe Gigi didnt get out of the building. Once one of themecha moves next to the building that player is going to

have to get out of his mecha and go inside the buildingsearching for Gigi.

Getting out of the mecha and breaking down the door (aStrength Test) might be his turn this round. Then themecha battle goes on as normal for the rest of the playersand enemies. The next turn, the player spends searchingthe building. Maybe he finds Gigi in a room with a guardAgain, the rest of the battle goes on as normal around himOn his next turn, he punches the guard (an opposed BrawTest, in this case) and knocks him out. On his next turnhe carries Gigi out to his mecha and loads her into the


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cockpit. Then on his next turn he can rejoin the mechacombat.

Again, GM and players should remember that the primarypurpose of the game is to create a good anime story. GMsshould use common sense in pacing the action and makingoff the cuff decisions. The important rules and guidelinesare covered in the rules, the rest should be easy enough towing when needed. Dont waste too much time worryingabout rules (or even reality), just think about keeping thestory going forward and the players excited.

Tactical Battle MissionsBy now you are getting the idea that every battle isntsimply going to be a fight to the death with your opponent(although hat can be a lot of fun as well). There are goingto be a lot of times when the players have a specialmission or goal to accomplish. Sometimes finishing themission or reaching the goal will trigger the end of thebattle or cause the enemy to retreat. For example, if acrew of Scorpio mecha are guarding a secret lab, and thePCs are sent to destroy the lab, once the lab is destroyedthe enemy may realize they lost and leave the battlefield.

The GM should do his best to try and keep coming up withnew and exciting scenarios to keep the players on theirtoes.

The GM vs. the Players?In a nutshell, the primary mission of the GM is to entertainthe players. This is done by coming up with good stories,throwing challenging situations at them, and encouragingthem to role play their characters dramatically. However,dont pull your punches when it comes to role playing yourown non-player characters. Do what you think they woulddo, and make decisions you think are wise and

competitive. Trust me; this will make the game moreexciting, because the players will really feel like they are ina life or death battlebecause they are!

Now this isnt to say the GM is always playing against thecharacters. It would be too easy for the GM to win all thetime, since he sets up the game and has all the behind thescenes information. The GM should give playerschallenges of all different levels, sometimes fair andsometimes in the favor of one side or another as thescenario calls for. This is done when the GM is designingthe adventure or mecha battle. But, once the mecha battlestarts, the GM is playing the enemy and wants to win just

as much as the players.

No matter who wins, the GM is going to have to continuerunning and guiding the anime story. The unknownelement is going to help to make things exciting and thestory unpredictable.

The good guys might win the war, but its more dramaticand profound if they dont win every battle on the way tothat grand victory.

Important Non Player CharactersImportant NPCs are friends or foes that will directly interacwith the player characters. You can give these NPCs aslittle or as much detail as you like. It is advised that youwork out their background and personality and at least statout their 4 Attributes, to give them a little individuality.

Important NPC mecha pilots should have fully detailedmecha for mecha combat and be treated exactly like player

characters during combat.

GMs do not need to follow the procedure for playecharacters when writing up NPCs. Just give them whayou think they should have to fit their personality and rolein the story.

Scorpio Mecha Ace KaruKaru is very aggressive and believes in actions over wordsHe is totally loyal to the Scorpio Empire, but respects hisAries opponents and always fights with honor. Whenoutside of his mecha he prefers face to face battle withbladed weapons.

Agility:T Body:M Mind:T Mien: M


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MooksMooks are unimportant, faceless, cardboard NPCs that aresimply window dressing. Most of these dont even needstatistics.

Mooks that have a slightly more important roll in the storyare usually simply ranked as Student, Teacher, or Masterand use these ranks for any die rolls that they need tomake during the game.

For example, a rank and file Scorpio soldier might beStudent Rank, while a power armored special securityguard might be Master Rank.

Mooks and DamageMooks are unimportant non-player characters in the storythat are run by the GM. Whenever they are hurt they areautomatically considered Incapacitated or Dead, whateveris most appropriate to the story. Do not waste time rollingon the Personal Damage Table for mooks.

Mook Mecha

The majority of mecha the characters fight are going to bemook mecha. Just like mook NPCs, these arent going toneed near as much detail as player characters or importantNPCs.

The only details a mook mecha needs is its Rank (Student,Teacher, or Master which is used for all Tests), Weight (andcorresponding Energy), and Weapons.

Mook Mecha DamageThe GM need not keep track of all the damage to each andevery unimportant mecha he has fighting on the battlefield(although he should for important NPCs). The GM can

simply roll on the Mook Damage Table below (ignoring theHit Location Table altogether) when the PCs hit. Its up tothe GM to narrate exciting hits and results.

Just like regular damage, if a damaged condition alreadyexists on subsequent rolls, then the result is automaticallybumped up to the next, more severe, damage. So, in anutshell a mook mecha has 3 conditions, it is either inperfect working condition, damaged, or destroyed.

Mook Mecha Damage Table

1D6 RollL M H Result1 1-2 1-3 Armor Plates Blown off

2-3 3-4 4-5 Mook Mecha Damaged4+ 5+ 6+ Mook Mecha Destroyed

Armor Plates Blown OffThings go flying, burn, or explodebut no severedamage is done.

Mook Mecha DamagedThe mecha takes a dramatic hit! Things blow up, ithas 2 less energy to spend each round, it makes

all its Tests at one rank lower for the rest of thebattle, and it is knocked down for 1 round.

Mook Mecha DestroyedThe mecha explodes in a flash of fire and smoke!

Support UnitsIn almost all mecha anime you will see more traditionatroops (Infantry, tanks or walkers, artillery, and air/space

ships) trying to fend off giant mecha. These support unitsnever do much besides get in the way (and get killed)However, they can add a new level of excitement anddrama to a battle when used appropriately.

Keep in mind that a Support Unit is just that, an entire unitnot just one or two tanks or infantry; its a dozen, or severadozen individual people or vehicles.

Assigning Support Units to PlayersThe GM controls all the Support Units on his side and theygo on his initiative. If there are Support Units on the side othe players, then the units should be split among theplayers as evenly as possible. Support Units controlled bya player take their Turn on the same initiative as thecontrolling players mecha.

Support Unit Statistics (Quality)Support Units dont need as much detail as mechabecause, lets be honest, they are going to be fairlyinsignificant in the battle and die like flies. Support unitsare considered Student (1D) for all die rolls on thebattlefield.

Support Units and DamageSupport units deal damage the same as mecha. Supporunits, however, are simply destroyed when they take a hi

that they dont defend against.

Characters vs. MechaSooner or later there is going to be a disgruntled characterrunning around on the battlefield after his mecha has beendestroyed who decides to take on a mecha.

Role Playing on the BattlefieldFirst off, the player is free to do any sort of role playingactions they like on their turn. If its dramatic, and fitting tothe story and character itll just make the game that muchmore fun anyway.

Allow the character to do dramatic things every now andthen when appropriate, but dont go overboard. Let theplayers know when something truly special has happenedIf a player somehow manages to work out a way to dosomething that takes out a mecha, he will often try to do iagain and again if you dont curb the action.

For example: lets say a character strings a rope betweentwo trees when an enemy mecha is bearing down on somehapless villagers. The GM decides this is pretty cool, sohe doesnt even roll and simply says, The mecha stagers


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and falls on his face, struggling to get up. This gives thecharacter time to usher the villagers into the safety of theunderground bomb shelters. This is a great story bitbut,if every time a mecha battle takes place the character

jumps out of his cockpit to tie a rope between trees it is justlame, so only reward actions like this when they are smart,fun, and advance the story.

Characters Fighting MechaThe GM should let the player know that this is a fairly futilecourse of actionbut, since the player isnt going to listen,you should know how to handle this.

A character must roll to hit as usual (one attack per round,despite the fact that mecha combat rounds are longer, thisattack is assumed to be several actual shots). This isalways a Standard Test, due to the relative size of themecha. The mecha wont bother wasting Energy to defenditself, since the chances of the characters puny weaponharming it is pretty remote.

If the character scores a hit simply keep track of this.When the character has scored 5 successful hits he can

roll on the appropriate damage table.

The SeriesYour campaign should be considered to be an animeseries. This series can be as long as you like, but 4, 6, 12,or 26 parts are popular choices.

The series itself should have an overarching storyline whileeach game session should be a single episode with a start,end, and be a fairly self contained story.

Your series can take any tone you like, from serious tocomedy. In addition, you can choose as simple or as

complex a story as you like. Here are some additionalconsiderations that you, as GM can consider using to makethe stories better and more exciting for the players.

Story ScopeTake at least a few moments to think about the scope ofyour story. Is it going to be small and personal, or is itgoing to be huge and shape the future of the Zodiasystem?

Zodia Sunset is ultimately a story about war. Two culturesare fighting, one as the aggressor (Scorpio) and one as thedefender (Aries). Much like the wars of our own history,

the battle is rather futile and pointless, but its the leaderswho play the game, and the characters are simply thepawnsor are they?

The scope of your tale can be as large as you like. Yourseries can climax with the ending of the war, if you like,with the characters at the center of it all.

Back Story & FlashbacksEncourage players to come up with interesting back storiesfor their characters, and to give you plenty of plot hooksyou can use in the adventures you design.

In addition, you can add your own bits of back story to whatthe players design, and expand upon the things that theyhave already developed. Perhaps the player mentions thahis father has always been disappointed in him for goinginto the ADF instead of staying on the farm. Give thecharacter a chance to go back to his village to impress hisfather, maybe while there a battle takes place and thecharacter wins and expects his father to beimpressedbut all the father can do is point out how muchdamage the battle did to the village and the crops.

Flashbacks are another tool you can use to advance thestory, give players a hint, or just to drive them crazy withcuriosity. Maybe a character was in a battle years agowhere he accidentally shot a small girl. This flashbackreplays in his mind at the worst times, causing him to doubhimself. Maybe he runs into a Scorpio mecha pilot with thesame colored hair, and he is hit with the flashback. Could

it be the same girl? Maybe he didnt kill her? What doesshe want from him now?

Relationships & LoveIt may seem odd in a story about war and giant robots thathe most important element of the story is going to be therelationships developed between the characters (boththose run by the players and those run by the GM)However, that is the case in most captivating anime series.

The overarching story of the series, and the individual ploof the episode are important to the grand scheme of thingsbut it is the individual relationships of the characters that is

going to give the game the feel of an anime series. Usethese relationships as much as you can, including internaconflict (a characters relationship with himself).

Hopefully the players will help you along with this bydeciding who they like, dislike, hate, love, and are sexuallyattracted to. Give them plenty of reasons to be jealous oNPCs, or to be ridiculed, embarrassed, or shown up bythem.

Love triangles are a classic staple of anime, and can be alot of fun to use, especially if you can get the players onboard (although I would suggest skipping this if it makesthe players uncomfortable). Work things out so almoseveryone is in love with someone who is in love withsomeone else. Frustration and confusion are the key torole playing this.

Uncomfortable relationships with enemies or villains can belots of fun as well. A heterosexual character will beunnerved by a homosexual villain who seems to respectand be attracted to themyet still trying to kill them, or atleast humiliate them.


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This section helps to flesh out the setting of the game a bit more, providing you with extra detail aboutthe important places and people involved in the story. This is just a starting point for you to createyour own anime series based on this information.

AriesAries is a lush world with several oceans and a plethora offertile islands and small continents. Beautiful mountainsand bountiful jungles are common. Civilized areas arecultivated for crops of all types, some native to Aries andsome imported from the long forgotten Earth. Around Ariesorbit its four moons, two of which support small scalecolony projects.

Aries now boasts a population of about 1 billion, withCapital-City (the original colonization site) being the largestmetropolis at over 1 million. From Capital-City, the council

of 6 (ancient and wise citizens) rules the democracy that isAries. There are many smaller cities, and thousands ofsmall villages and communities, each with a mayor orleader. Most of these communities pledge some sort ofloyalty to Capital-City.

The Aries Defense Force (ADF), whose main base islocated on the isle of Nova just to the north of Capital-City,is the primary military organization in charge of keepingplanetary peace and the law throughout Aries. Theirprimary mission in these later years is defending the planetfrom the frequent attacks from the invading ScorpioEmpire. The player characters themselves are mechapilots serving in the ADF.

Admiral BanksAdmiral Banks is the no nonsense commander of the ADFmecha detachment units. He is an intelligent, gruff,stressed out, and crappy man. He is often torb betweenhis dedication to Aries and his concerne for each and everymecha pilot under his command.

Agility:S Body:T Mind:M Mien: M

Alpha Commander SheaShea is the totally hot, totally aloof, but very professionateen in charge of the elite ADF Alpha Squadron. She isusually picked to lead the most dangerous and top secremissions.

Shea claims not to have time for love in her life, buchances are she will fall for (although she will deny it) abrash young mecha pilot who can prove himself to be heequal on the battlefield. Of course, this will be much to theirritation of her second in command, Tara, who has beensecretly in love with her since flight school.

Agility:M Body:T Mind:T Mien: M


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The Fela-fi PrideTo the delight of the Aries colonists, humans found thatthey were not completely alone. On the moon of Leoni,explorers found a race of sentient humanoid felines, theFela-Fi (Feelah-fee). When contact was initiated, the Fela-Fi were living in an Amazonian feudal clan system. Thingshavent changed much, but that just seems to be thenature of the Fela-Fi and the way they like things. TheFela-Fi Pride is the name collectively given to hundreds of

clans of Fela-Fi. An ironic name, since the Pride is in aconstant state of internal squabbles and wars, with eachclan leader claiming she is the one true Pride-Queen.

Despite their aggressive tendencies, the Fela-fi Pridemaintains a civil relationship with the humans. Trade andrelations between the two races is good. The Fela-fi havetaken to space travel very quickly and you can find smallnumbers of Fila-Fi in most human moon colonies, and oneentire clan has relocated to Aries. While some hostilitiesand prejudices between the two races do surface, theseincidents are fairly rare and usually contained to radicalgroups.

Pride-Queen LeonaPride-Queen Leona leads one of the largest Fela-fi prideson Leoni (yes, she is Leona of Leoni!). She is ruthless,aggressive, aloof, hostile, moody, andwella bitch!Despite being Pride-Queen, this doesnt stop her fromgetting right in the mix of things. She frequently goes onsolo missions that she thinks are important. Leoni admiresthe strength and power of mecha and desires to own herown legion of mecha warriors.

Agility:M Body:T Mind:S Mien: M

The Scorpio EmpireScorpio is a barren and broken planet of hot dry air andfrequent wind storms. The skies of Scorpio are often inshadow from its cluster of 12 dead moons orbitingconstantly over the major land masses. Early colonistshad to struggle simply to survive in this hostile world. Ovetime they managed to adapt, and even thrive.

The people of Scorpio are lean, but muscular, with pale

skin and slightly glowing dark eyes accustom to seeing inthe dim Scorpio atmosphere. Their history and origin albut forgotten, their society is a militaristic dictatorship, andhas proven to be the only way for their people to surviveA Scorpio Emperor rules with an iron fistuntil he isdefeated by someone stronger. Political deceit andbetrayal are common practices, and even looked upon withadmiration.

The current Emperor is the ancient Vladimir, a brilliant, buttwisted, mind held in a decaying body that should havedied a hundred years ago. Vladimir is kept alive in histhrone room by machines, wires, and tubes.

The Emperor is the only member of the Scorpio Empirewho is aware of their distant Earth related past. Deepbelow the Imperial palace, in a hidden chamber, can befound the artifacts and data discs from the colony ship thacrashed on Scorpio 500 years ago.

The face of the Emperor are his twin children (the offspringof an unknown concubine), Prince Kanji and PrincessTamashi. These two lead the military invasion of AriesMost assume Prince Kanji will be the next Emperor as heis ruthless, cruel, and strong. While Princess Tamashi is acapable leader and warrior, she is sometimes swayed by aforeign concept in the Scorpio political milieu, somethingcalled a conscience.

The Scorpio Empire has shown no desire for peacefurelations. After generations of pain and suffering onScorpio, they look longingly at the beautiful world of Ariesand want it for their own home. This perception issomething that has been pushed on the people of Scorpioby imperial propaganda.

Princess TamashiPrincess Tamahi is abeautiful young womanand brilliant mecha pilot.While she tries to be a

ruthless military leaderfor her father, shesecretly desires nothingmore than peace forherself and the people ofScorpio. Ironically, herideals may be the onlyreal hope for Scorpiossurvival.

Agility:T Body:S Mind:M Mien: T


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Prince KanjiA true prodigy of his father, Prince Kanji is a ruthless,heartless man who thinks only of military might andaggression. Prince Kanji is very arrogant and has a hottemper, which he takes out on both his enemies and hissubordinates.

Even as he leads the attack against Aries, Prince Kanjischemes against the Emperor, plotting hisassassinationwhen the time is right.

He takes extreme personal pleasure in berating his sister,

Princess Tamashi, and thinks of her as weak.

Agility:T Body:M Mind:T Mien: T

The Zone ConfederacyAn asteroid belt known as The Zone orbits in a path slightlywider and perpendicular to that of Scorpio and Aries.Twice a year, The Zone passes so close to the two worldsthat the asteroids can be seen in the sky, night and day.

The larger asteroids in The Zone are the home of manyindependent colonies. These colonies are inhabited byrefugees from both Aries and Scorpio and want nothing todo with either (although they do tend to favor Aries whenpicking a side is necessary). Colonies of The Zone form aloose confederation called the Zone Confederacy, andsupport the Zone Militia, a small army of light mecha andstar fighters.

Confederate Commander ZeelCommander Zeel is Admiral Banksestranged son. At one time he led theADFs elite Alpha Squadron, but when hefell in love with a Scorpio prisoner of warand helped her to escape he wasrelieved of duty.

Shortly thereafter he left for the sone,where he reunited with his love. Now heleads the Zone Militia, with his wife as hissecond in command. He still longsreconciliation with his father, but wontadmit it.

Agility:S Body:T Mind:M Mien:M

The OutsidersThe Outsiders are a race quiet of blue skinned humansTheir thought process is completely incomprehensible andno sort of contact or understanding has been achievedespecially since they never seem to speak. They are thegreat unknown element in this horrible war. Neither Ariesnor Scorpio know where the Outsiders come from or whatheir purpose is. What they do know is that they areunpredictable and dangerous.

Sometimes Outsiders are encountered unpredictably andtheir space and land forces vary in size dramatically from asingle space fighter or infantry unit up to a fleet of shipsand mecha with full ground support. Sometimes theyengage Aries or Scorpio in combat and other times theycompletely ignore them, or simply observe the two fighting.

Perhaps one day soon their true purpose will be revealed?

The Outsiders are actually the descendants of the thirdcolony ship headed for Zodia that disappeared so longago. That ship was headed for certain doom when i

passed through a dying space cloud. The cloud wasinhabited by an alien entity, and when it encountered thehumans it symbiotically attached its being into each othem. The outsiders are now a hive minded space faringrace that wants to settle down on a home world. This maynecessitate the destruction of any hostiles, and they arecurrently feeling out the abilities of both the population oAries and Scorpio.

ADF Forever!


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Player:Pilots Name:Archetype:Sex: Weight: Height: Age:Background:___________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Agility:AthleticsPilotReaction

Shoot/ThrowStealth

Mind:EducationEngineeringStreetwiseTechnologyTrickery

Body:BrawlEnduranceHealth

MeleeStrength

Mien:FlirtIntimidateLooksSocialWillpower

Equipment:______________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Illustration

Character Mecha

Mecha Name:Weight:Energy:

Energy Track

Attack:Punch/KickMeleeBeamProjectileMissile

Defense:Punch/KickMeleeBeamProjectileMissile

Control:BoostFeintManeuverRecoverRepair

BodyWeapon:

Damage:

Right Leg

Damage:

Left LegDamage:

Right Arm

Weapon:Damage:

Left ArmWeapon:Damage:

HeadDamage:

Signature Moves

Documents

Zodia Sunset RPG