THE 0PEN MECH GAME
C0MBAT
v0.18 β
Basics
Turns & Initiative
When combat starts, a player character takes a turn, and then the GM chooses an NPC to take a turn. The last player character who acted chooses the next player character to go, and then the GM chooses another NPC to go. Once all characters have taken a turn in this fashion, initiative returns to the first player character.
The Grid
Measure distance and volume on a hexagonal grid.Traversing a grid hex takes 1 speed’s worth of movement and covers ~20 feet. Objects in combat occupy hexes based on their size: 1 hex for size 0-1, three for size 2, and seven for size 3, etc.
Attacks & Damage
To attack with the fight action, deal the weapon’s damage to a target in your line of sight and resolve any additional effects. Attacks always “hit.” there is no need to roll a check.
Damage Types
Kinetic: bludgeoning, ballistics, concussion.
Energy: lazers, fire, etc.
Range & Area
Range dictates the maximum number of hexes away from which a target can be hit or an attack area can start:
Line: affects characters in a straight line X hexes long.
Cone: affects characters inside a cone X hexes long and X hexes wide at its widest point. Starts one hex wide.
Blast: affects characters within X hexes.
Effects without an area hit a single target.
Armor & Dodge
Kinetic damage is reduced by the target's Hull. (armor).
When the damage from an attack is less than or equal to the target’s Processing, the attack misses (dodge).
Trauma
When a mech takes 5+ damage in one hit, a random one of its weapons or systems is destroyed. If it has none, the mech is destroyed.
Objects
Projectiles from mech weapons penetrate 1 hex-worth of basic materials like wood, dirt, or concrete.
Advanced
Hazards
When a character experiences a hazard, they take damage: 1 for a minor hazard, 1d3 for a major one, and 1d6+ for an extreme one. A successful Engineering check may prevent this, depending on the situation.
Heat & Meltdown
Heat measures strain on a mech’s core reactor. If a mech's heat exceeds its heat capacity at the end of its turn, its reactor melts down and the mech is destroyed.When a mech’s reactor melts down, it creates an explosion of the mech’s size + 1 that deals energy damage as an extreme hazard to anything caught inside.
Repairs
Pilots each have 3 shareable repairs. They can be used to repair:
Mech HP equal to 5 + your Engineering (1 repair).
1 destroyed system or weapon (1 repair).
A destroyed mech (3 repairs).
Destroyed mechs return to full HP when repaired, but destroyed weapons or systems remain so. Mechs whose reactors have melted down can't be repaired.
Drydocking
Drydocking is a lengthy tune up back at base or some other specialized facility. When you’re drydocked, all HP, spent repairs, and uses of limited systems are regained.
Advanced Movement
Rough Terrain: Pilots and mechs move at half speed through rough terrain.
Flight: Flight must follow a straight line, but the direction can change when you move. Flying characters fall if their speed is 0 or they fail to move at least 1 hex on their turn.
Falling: Characters fall 10 hexes per round in one-g, taking 3 armor piercing damage for every 3 hexes fallen when they hit a surface.
Conditions
Downed
A character on foot is downed when they experience extreme physical trauma. If they don't receive medical attention soon, they die.Engaged
A character is engaged when adjacent to any hostiles. Engaged characters can’t take reactions or fight with ranged weapons larger than size 1.When a mech willfully moves to break engagement (except when teleporting) mechs they’re engaged with may spend 1 AP to fight them as a reaction.Prone
A prone character moves at half speed. Stand up for 1 AP.Shut Down
A shut down mech is stunned, clears all heat, and the effects of any tech actions acting on it end.Stunned
A stunned character’s speed is 0 and they cannot spend AP. Contested checks made against them automatically succeed, and they can’t dodge.
Hardware Tags
Armor Piercing
Damage dealt ignores armor.Knockback X
After dealing damage, the target is knocked X hexes directly away. For melee weapons, choose whether this occurs.Limited X
Can be used X times between drydocking.Loading
After use, this must be reloaded with the stabilize action before it can be used again.Heat X
After dealing damage, the target takes X heat. If (Self) is appended to this tag, do this to the user instead of the target.Smart
Projectiles fired from this do not require line of sight and can't be dodged so long as a path within its range can be drawn to the target.Thrown X
Can be thrown at a target within range X. Picking it up is a 0 AP interact action.
Actions
You have 3 action points (AP) to spend to take actions on your turn. When you’ve spent all your AP and resolved any zero-point actions you’d like to do, your turn ends.Systems or effects marked Reaction are used outside of your turn using your next turn’s AP pool.
Common Actions
Taken by mechs or pilots:
FIGHT
(1-3 AP)
Attack a target in line of sight. This action costs a number of AP equal to the size of the weapon being used.
A pilot weapon's size is equal to the number of hands required to use it.
Improvised mech weapons deal 1 damage.
MOVE
(1 AP)
Move a number of hexes equal to your speed, immediately or piecemeal between other actions. Pilots have 2 speed.INTERACT
(0-3 AP)
Interface with something in the environment.
Mech Actions
Taken only by mechs:
BRACE
(2 AP)
Reduce all incoming damage before the start of your next turn by 2.DISENGAGE
(1 AP)
End the engaged condition on yourself. Your move actions this turn do not prompt engagement.OVERCHARGE
(0 AP, once per turn)
Gain 1 AP this turn and take 1 heat.SHUT DOWN/BOOT UP
(2 AP)
Shut down or start up your mech.STABILIZE
(1-2 AP)
Choose one:
TECH
(0-3 AP)
Use a tech action given by a system or directive on a target in sensor range.
Pilot Actions
Taken only by pilots:
MOUNT/DISMOUNT
(1 AP)
Get into or out of a mech.RODEO
(1 AP)
Attempt to ride an unwilling mech. Roll 1d6:
On a 6, enter the cockpit or gut the mech for 5 heat.
On a 2-5, you’re bucked and downed.
On a 1, you’re RFM (Red F*cking Mist).