The Chains of Command (Inactive)

Game Master Kenneth Kooi

Hi all,

I'm still teetering on the fence over the idea, and this post is to test the waters for a campaign based on the Super-Dimensional Fortress Macross franchise run using Heroic Journey Publishing's MECHA RPG system.

MECHA is a rules-light generic Giant-Robot RPG. For more information, you can page through the quickstart HERE.

I've had this idea rattling around in my skull since forever, but until I encountered MECHA, I'd not found a system which completely satisfied my giant robot itch without turning into a Palladium-esque nightmare. And since I found the tools and it's Macross' 30th Anniversary this year, I decided 'why not?'

I was thinking of setting the campaign in 2049, where the UN Government is at the height of it's colonization efforts, with a 'New Macross' class colonization fleet launching from the factory satellite in Earth orbit every year.

It is a time of unparalleled growth, though the omnipresent danger of rogue Zentraedi fleets and the darker thing that lurk among the stars continue to prey upon the fleets trailblazing a path across the void. Meanwhile, tensions between the more independent colonies and the central UN Government on Earth run high.

The PCs would be the latest batch of UN Spacy variable fighter pilots out of Officer Cader School and attached to an escort carrier operating on the edge of UN Space.

I've got some conversion work to wrap up before I can push out a formal recruitment request, but I was hoping to test the water to see if I was wasting my time.

I love mech campaigns and i love the Macross setting.But there is the proper RPG from Palladium called Robotech if i'm not wrong.
Pity i'm not sure i'll have time to join another PbP but will poke my nose in.

I'm a big fan of the mech setting.
I'm reading through the quick start rules you linked. Seems like an interesting concept.

I'd be in, if you started up a game!

I love mech campaigns and i love the Macross setting.But there is the proper RPG from Palladium called Robotech if i'm not wrong.

Pity i'm not sure i'll have time to join another PbP but will poke my nose in.

I'm not particularly fond of the Robotech adaptation of the series as a matter of personal taste.

I'm even less fond of Palladium which I personally consider unplayable as a game system. The books are readable, but the 'game' component is painful to try and play.

I'm a big fan of the mech setting.

I'm reading through the quick start rules you linked. Seems like an interesting concept.

I'd be in, if you started up a game!

MECHA has been my rules-light RPG of choice for giant Mecha since it's release. It's a fantastic little system.

Not to complain much about your rule choice, but have you looked at the old Mekton Zeta rule set for giant mecha games?

I'd actually go with Big Eyes Small Mouth's Mecha system which was very rules light.

I also like the Macross stories.
What would we be flying?
VF-1? (original Macross)
VF-11? VF-19? VF-22? (Macross Plus and Macross 7)
{Technically, the VF-21 was Macross Plus, and the VF-22 was the Macross 7 variant, without the thought control system}
VF-17? (Macross 7 and Macross Frontier)
VF-25? (Macross Frontier)

Personally, I've gone over Mekton, but for some reason, the rules never clicked with me. Mecha just kind of worked out for some odd reason.

By 2049, the VF-19 Excalibur has pretty much inherited the role of grunt fighter from the VF-11 Thunderbolt (before being supplanted by the VF-171 Nightmare II) with monkey models being mass produced for the majority of the colonization fleets (UN Spacy HQ doesn't like to share).

The VA-3M Invader would be serving out it's last days in the role of carrier based attack variable bomber.

I'm interested. I know macross (the style of the anime and fighting, storyline and such), though I don't know much about the different types of mech other then long range big guns, short range melee combat, hyperspeed small guns, those sort of things. If we do start this up however, I promise to wiki myself into an expert about such things.

Ok found the wiki. Fascinating stuff.

I played for a long time the Robotech RPG from Palladium,then switched to GURPS 3rd edition with books like Robots,Mechs and Vehicles.
Mech built with those books were great and almost felt real,but not exxctly what i would call "rules-light".
I know the Macross setting till Macross Plus.Only heard the names of the other era (Macross 7-frontier and Macross Zero)

Droppod 9 has IMHO is very good

I am going to post interest as well. Been very interested in Mecha anime recently and this sounds pretty fun. Will wikipedia away to brush up on knowledge required(mostly watching Gundam atm, not to Macross yet)

downloading the quickstart rules now.

Mark me down as interested. Played some gurps mecha, loved the series.

SO we are forced to use one o the quickstart models? I don't see a guide as to how or what and they use different stats. I only skimmed it really fast but just asking quick questions

I believe the quickstart were just given as an example of what could happen, I assume we will have the book/pdf(or access to said materials) for pc and mecha creation. Just my thoughts though, not necessarily the DM's thought process

That makes much more sense Mortifuus thank you ^^

Yeah pretty much actually, my plan was to hammer out a conversion document if I got enough players.

Mecha was always freeform enough to allow for that kind of thing. Either way, it's been a heck of a week on my end of the world so far, so give me a day or two and I'll toss up something.

Well... that was a week from hell... *SIGH*

Anyhow, enough people sniffed around for me to go bang up a conversion document, which I've tossed onto the Campaign Info tab.

Anyhow, I'm putting out a formal search for players. Looking for somewhere between 4 - 6 players, preferably players who can commit to a post-a-day pace to keep this going.

Anyone up for giving this a shot? Or am I just going to embarrass myself with a stillborn concept?

Time will tell won't it?

Sorry to hear about your week. Hopefully a little pbp can cheer you up. Thanks for putting this together. I'm still super excited to be a part of the team. I'll get started reading through your campaign tab.

Count me in!

(on a quick glance... I'm I bigger fan of the VF fighter rather than the VA bomber -- So, I'll probably be picking the Excalibur)

I'm a bigger fan of the Robotech storyline. I feel that is was extremely well put together, and it was rather amazing how the managed to make such a cohesive story out of three unrelated series. I grew up playing Paladium systems and it wasn't until a few years ago that I started branching out into other systems. It was a case of ignorance being bliss, and not knowing how poorly palladium was put together compared to other systems. I would have a lot of trouble going back now. I wouldn't say theyre unplayable, but they are a mess compared to many better organized systems.

I like the Macross setting as well, and it would probably a lot of fun, regardless of the system chosen. However, I don't think I have the time for another game now. So, best of luck, and I hope it is a lot of fun.

I'm in!

I'm intrigued, Dies. I also FINALLY got the Macross 7 series and all I need to be up to date is the Macross Frontier Movie. I'm admittedly bad with keeping up with PBPs, but I am interested. But what of the Mecha Crusade rules that were in Dungeon Magazine long ago? Weren't you originally looking at those rules around the time 4th ed came out and threw everything into chaos?

But what of the Mecha Crusade rules that were in Dungeon Magazine long ago? Weren't you originally looking at those rules around the time 4th ed came out and threw everything into chaos?

Mecha Crusade never hit the little island of Singapore, so this is actually the first time I'm hearing about it.

Personally, I'm just enamored by Chris Perrin's MECHA at the moment because I already have BattleTech to scratch my hyper-detailed giant robot combat itch.

MECHA is probably as far to the other-end of the spectrum from BTech as I've seen any Mecha RPG go.

Are we supposed to be in a single squadron, like fighters or bombers only?

Given the size of a Guantanamo, which is basically a floating metal box, yeah... it doesn't matter.

Play-By-Posts are one of those rare cases where splitting the party doesn't bother me too much as a GM anyhow.