Interest Check: Mechwarrior, Exalted style.

I may need to stop joining game after this, but I think I can make room on my plate for some mech-goodness. If you have any more room, I have a couple Strider-pilots on back up in my head....


As an aside, if warstriders have Health levels of their own, don't forget the effects of sentient warstriders taking a strider form of the ox-body charm....


True fact, terrestrials, bloods and (very) enlightened mortals make better mercs unless the solar/lunar/abby/infernal has some alterior motive...Which they may well...


By the way, you said it would be involved with the realm's civil war......As in the War for the Throne after the empress disappears...?


Ooh, also, Fae could bring some behemoths to bear, A Raptok can with (relative) ease construct a 'treestrider', and I'm sure the mountain folk have a couple striders tucked away amongst their magitech goodies....
 
I'm tempted too by the oportunity for that sort of game. I'd probably go with a Dawn Cast ex child soldier who is unfamiliar with normal social intereractions. Hilarity ensues.


After all, like the beginner young hot head pilot, every show needs the ultra serious professional soldier who's lost outside of war and needs his teammates to explain social norms.


So who's up for recreating Veer's march on the Imperial City ? Just watch out for those pesky flying boats with tow cables.


By the way, seen the teaser for the latest Mechwarrior ? Seems kind of fun if you ask me. But of course it's CG and not gameplay.
 
O_O. So interest definately exists. Right. I'll get to work on the updated timeline and see what I can come up with for new mech mechanics, after work today. Any ideas'd be appreciated.
 
I am TOTALLY interested in this.


What you don't maybe know is that there is a Celestial Spell that can 'summon' a Common War Strider out of the nothingness. If you would be willing to offer up a few more freebie points I would like to run a character that can do mad cool fix it stuff, but actually goes into combat with a sorcerously summoned War Strider. Obviously he would get paid more to ;-) as he brings his own equipment to the field....


Alternately I have a Night Caste idea where he uses a Spell Capture Cord to summon the WS (in 1 turn with no essence loss, but 2WP use) behind the enemies battle lines after sneaking there.


If you really want to go with more basic Mechwarrior stuff, then I am certain I can come up with a character that is less sorcerously involved.
 
Sarodinian said:
Will also need to find a good piece of Applied Phlebotinum to get you guys around Creation in time to actually make a difference in various contracts.
Click to expand...
Set it in the First Age and deploy from the 60-odd Yu-Shan gates?
 
Gah, I really shouldn't join this since I'm busy, but... there's a character I've been wanting to use that would fit well in this campaign.


If I did get in, would it be okay if I didn't post until the end of the month? I'll be done with the difficult part of my college work by then, and I should be finished with the other characters I need to complete as well, so I should have time.
 
I would be very interested in trying a game like this. There are all kinds of cool tech and toys available in the Codex that I would like to experiment with. And the Sorceries/Necromancies offer all kinds of ways update and play with MagiTech.
 
KEEL CLEAVES THE CLOUDS


Gets a normal ship to sail on mist....which could be summoned with another spell OR


SWIFT SPIRIT OF WINGED TRANSPORTATION on a special vessel that could act like a drop ship ;-)


None of it has to be artifacts, but heck it would require a Sorcerer!


EWWWW!!!!!!!! Could I play the part of the "Mercenary Company Owner?"
 
OK. I'm gonna need someone I can chat with, preferably in real time, to bounce some ideas off of. Any takers?
 
I'm on msn.


Btw, I think the biggest problem is defining exactly what do you (we) want.


What are exactly the elements you want to import from Mechwarrior, what exactly will make the game different than 'exalted with bigger warstriders' or escaflowne?


The "heavy mercenary company" concept?


The huge and unwieldy machines?


The part scavenging and custom design?


The technology part?


The fact that the pilot is in a cockpit controlling the mecha with a cloche?


Do we shoot with Essence Cannon or with an AC20s and Medium Lasers?


Do we fight on sight or we have a radar?


Satellites?


Essence Sight or infrared?


Heat sinks and exploding ammunition?


Once the requirements are established, rules follow, but first I think we really need a really clear idea.
 
Here's what I'm seeing so far as responses. I'm working on a timeline to fit this story a bit better, as I'm probably gonna set it several years into the future, where the Realm has entered full civil war, and conflicts're becoming more commonplace, with technology becoming -much- more advanced given that the Solars are back and have had time to reestablish themselves. I'll finish the first draft of that in a couple of hours.


In response to those questions:


Heavy Mercenary Company: You guys'll be an upstart mercenary company, given a choice on who's giving you your initial sponsorship and a few chassis and weapons. You'll have to manage your finances (I'll be tracking Resources -really- grittily.), Ensure your mechs don't get blown up, complete your contracts, make a name for yourselves, and of course, profit! Naturally, characters can be of any type that can pilot said mech, as long as backstory fits, and you'll be a team player. Doing stuff that's outright detrimental to the contract could get your character killed, or worse, fired.


The Huge and Unwieldy Machines are the current standard of warfare against which all others are judged. I'll be revamping the rules on Warstrider Combat so that it's considerably more comprehensive. This'll probably be the most daunting part of this whole game, and any assistance in this regard would be appreciated.


Parts Scavenging and Custom Designs, I'll be handling this in a number of ways. First off: Scavenging means that if you use some discretion in your shots, you may be able to take home a good deal of enemy equipment, chassis included. This'll be far from your only source of weapons and new chassis, as the Free Market (or whatever I'm gonna call its Exalted Equivalent) will have a steady supply of chassis and weapons for you to purchase, as long as the price isn't too dear of course. As for customizability, Custom loadouts are definately possible. I'm going to take each Warstrider weapon and give it a few characteristics for fitting, namely Tonnage, and Size. Each chassis'll have a number of hardpoints of varying sizes, as well as a maximum tonnage limit. If you can fit the weapon into a hardpoint, and keep it under the weight limit, you'll be peachykeen.


Custom Chassis and Weapons: Not outside the realm of possibility, though the cost'll be very high, and time'll be needed to produce them. And of course, subject to storyteller approval. There's also the possibility that if your weapon design becomes infamous, you'll see them mass produced, and even possibly turned against you!


Technology level's gonna be considerably higher than your vanilla Exalted game. Over a few short years, technology and warfare've evolved to almost modern standards, though with magic and the like thrown in. It'll likely have a bit of an essence-steampunk feel.


As for controlling the mech, I'm gonna blend Exalted and Mechwarrior's styles, primarily with Exalted's full-body interface and the like. Many of the mech's stats will act as multipliers of the pilot's existing abilities, which I'll determine what attribute and ability affects what.


Weapons-wise, We'll have Exalted and Essence-fueled equivalents of the Holy Trinity of Beams, Ballistics, and Missiles. I'll come up with appropriate fluff for them later, plus a few new kids on the block.


Of course, mechs without electronics packages are kind of blind. I'm probably gonna keep the normal perception and awareness penalties of Warstriders, but have it offset by a powerful Essence Detection Grid, which gives a couple more options of player marketability. "Blind Fighting" may have a premise when the Grid is offline or jammed.


Sattelites are impossible in Exalted's setting, though you'll get some intelligence advantages akin to them.


Essence Sight. Definately.


Heat sinks and Exploding Ammunition: You'll definitely be needing the former, sure why not on the latter.


As always, suggestions and ideas are more than welcome. This'll be a rather large undertaking.
 
Replace all the mecha electronics with minor Gods.


Pilots are those Exalts that are bound to one ore more Gods, and can therefore interface themselves with the mech.


Max one God every 2 of Permanent Essence.


The nature of the bond with the God is all to determine.


The pilot controls the Gods and this makes him special among mortals and exalts, but usually does not own the mecha.


Each God has Mental Attributes, Virtues, Willpower, Motivation, Abilities.


Each God can do only several things: lock the target, assist in shooting, jam incoming missiles, take control of the mech navigation, try to detect nearby mecha or activate a single special power unique to the mech, but always only one thing at the time.


The special power means that the God fuses itself with the mecha for a brief period of time, granting a special effect (example: focus essence on incoming missiles, overdrive the mech engines so that it runs faster, blend it with the surrounding etc...)


When this power is active damaging the mecha may result in permanent damage of the God.


When a God is damaged the bound pilot may suffer physical or psychological damage.


This is just a way to make pilots special, to add some jist, and to give an electronic feeling with an animistic world, so that technology can be kept down.
 
Hm. Possible, but I actually want warstriders and tech to be a bit more commonplace. Kinda difficult if it's only a small, elite group of Exalts, of which there aren't too many of already, that can pilot the things.
 
Gods are not limited in numbers, and enlightened mortals can have them bound.


It's just to set pilots apart.


Anyway, you're the ST, it's just brainstorming.
 
Instead of an electronics package, why not just go with the Animating Intelligence concept from Wonders of the Lost Age? They can offset the pilot's sensory difficulties by feeding information directly into her mind psionically...and they can have Charms that are the equivalent of satellite feeds or whatever. Plus the storytelling possibilities from piloting a mech with a mind of its own...
 
Could. But you guys wont be starting with -that- auspicious of technology. Royal warstriders'll come, but not immediately.
 
Code: 
Warstrider Stats
Black Kun
Class : Jade Noble Warstrider (Shogunate Design)
Base Cost : Artifact 4
Attunement  : 12 motes (base) +8 motes (Ancillary)
Hearthstone : (2) lvl 3 hearthstone
Soak : 22L/22B/22A // Hardness : 11L/11B/11A
Mobility : -4 // Fatigue : 4 // Strength : 14
Ancillary  : Flight System (level 3 - 90 miles/hour)
Weapons
- Medium Essence Cannon (level 3 Hearthstone Powered)
- Red Jade Warstrider Essence Daiklave
  spd 4, Acc +3, Dmg +13L, Def +2, Rate 3
A giant armoured figure of jade, the Black Kun is a noble warstrider comissioned during the early years of the Shogunate. With the manufacturing capabilities of their recently dethroned masters still available to them, as well as the schemetics for building it, Black Kun follows the thought design of a mobile hard hitting noble warstrider.

Its flight system allows it to take to the heavens, while its essence cannon powered by a heathstone and mounted on its right shoulder allows it to work over targets at range. For close quarter combat, a white jade essence daiklave allows it to strike with the full might of an avalanche.

Black Kun was in a maintance workshop undergoing repairs when the contagion wiped out the sourcerer-technician crew in the manse. The manse and Black Kun were both recently reclaimed by Mnemon Aria in the name of the Realm, and House Mnemon.

The chest holds the pilot compartment and is heavily shielded and opens up to reveal the spherical cockpit. The cockpit, itself, appears to be devoid of the normal trappings of normal warstrider cockpits or even any view ports outside.

Once the cockpit closes up, with the hearthstone(s) in place on the floor of the cockpit, the exalted is surrounded by dim glowing hexagons on the inside of the sphere. As the warstrider gradually powers up, flowing air essence lifts the exalt so that she hangs unsupported in mid-air. White essence patterns form on the body of the exalt syncronizing her body with the warstrider's frame. Golden red essence glyths form around the arms and legs of the exalt, allowing her full access to all of the functions of the warstrider beyond physical movement.

***
Warstrider Essence Daiklaves
Warstrider Essence Daiklaves are a novelty weapon at the end of the First Age. With a physical shape of a warstrider daiklave hilt, the weapon requires an attunement of 5 motes when the warstrider it is a part of powers up. With the essence commitment, the exalt using the weapon can create a blade of essence with but a thought (reflexive action).
Stats - identical to a normal daiklave of whatever magical metal the hilt is made of.

May I suggest something like this? If you want Warstriders. ^_^
 
Mechas don't have melee combat, but it is a must for an exalted setting... I have mixed feelings about this.


And Jump Jets are no flying devices, unless we go totally Gundam or we have Land Air Mechs (yay transformers!! =)
 
A good start, but I'm probably gonna totally overhaul the Warstrider systems. This timeline's vexing me. I'm unsure of the relative timeframes of the various ages...but then again, I guess that's up to me. Draft to be posted soon.
 
Since Scroll of Heroes was released, can I do a Demon-Blooded?


Maybe a Green Sun Prince?


(sorry if it was asked before)
 
OK. Here's the timeline. As for Infernals/Abyssals...I'm a bit hesitant. I don't own their books, so I have no real idea of their relative capabilities. Plus, from some of the stuff i've heard...just...eww....regardless, Exalted, Mechwarrior style.


Exalted: Mechwarrior Timeline.


-1000: The first Warstrider design is passed from Autochthon to the Solar Exalted, providing the Exalted with the sheer firepower needed to take down the Primordial behemoths.


-0: The Primordial War is won by the Exalted forces. The First Age begins.


3000: Autochthon leaves Creation.


4000: Warstrider designs are improved upon. Myomers are introduced, allowing Artifical Muscle to provide locomotive force. The first Royal Warstrider is developed, creating with it the first truly sentient battlemech.


20000: The Usurpation. Solar Exalted are killed left and right by the DragonBlooded Uprising. Lunar Generals beat them back, but are forced to retreat to the edges of Creation, destroying many blueprints and taking more weapon designs with them. Systems like I AM, and several key technologies are lost with the Celestials.


20002: The Silver Pact is formed.


20050: The Shogunate is formed. Warstrider designs slowly decline due to the absence of Celestial Exalted means of maintaining them. Newer mechs are constantly fielded to ensure that the older ones are available when the need arises.


20055: Armies of displaced nation/states begin offering their services to any client capable of supplying them and paying them. The first true mercenary companies are born out of these remaining armies.


20080: The Silver Pact locates a few now-abandoned factory-cathedrals.


20200: The Icehome Highlanders are formed, basing themselves out of the city, and taking contracts from areas as far away as the present-day cities of Sijan.


25000 (Realm Year 0): The Great Contagion is unleashed, Fair Folk Invasion begins. Shogunate Era ends. The Scarlet Empress comes into power.


25500 (Realm Year 500): The Hellhounds appear in the South, offering their services to the highest bidder amongst the many small wars of the South. Rumors abound that the Empress started this company to stir up some of the nations in the South, though nothing was confirmed.


25764 (Realm Year 764): The Scarlet Empress disappears.


25768 (Realm Year 768): The Jade Prison is shattered. Solar Exalted appear in numbers for the first time since the Usurpation.


25769 (Realm Year 769): Thorns is sacked by the Mask of Winters. Surviving members of the Thorns Defense force make a valiant last stand, but are forced to retreat. Survivors of the battle band together to form the Dead Legion. They gave their lives in Thorns, it just hasn't caught up to them yet. They begin accepting contracts to acquire much needed capital, supplies, material, and troops to attempt a future retaking of the city.


25770 (Realm Year 770): The Tepet Legions are decimated by the Bull of the North. Realm Warstriders are defeated in open combat for one of the first times in decades.


25775 (Realm Year 775): The Silver Prince's First Fleet is dealt a crippling blow at the Second Battle of Antipater City. The retaliatory strikes result in the decimation of Island Five, effectively taking the Silver Prince out of the picture in the West for the foreseeable future.


25780 (Realm Year 780): The Wolves appear in the East, advertising themselves as a mercenary unit for hire. They have surprisingly little knowledge about the customs of usual civilization, but they have access to Mechs and weapons unlike those seen in an age. They quickly gain a reputation as a very effective, if eccentric, fighting force. Tensions in the Realm begin to threaten its already precarious stability.


25781 (Realm Year 781): The Lover Clad in the Rainment of Tears activates the Hateful Devourer of Love. A large shadowland is created, however, this ploy was discovered by Lookshayan engineers attempting to reverse-engineer the advanced technologies inside it. The warstrider was moved a safe distance away from the city, leaving the Lover with a shadowland in a strategically worthless position.


25782 (Realm Year 782): Solar Engineers based out of the newly reclaimed city of Denandsor manage to reverse engineer and rebuild the Talon Essence Capacitor. Mass production ensues, as these new devices allow even mortals to attune artifacts, albeit for a limited time. Armored Vehicles begin to appear as this safe and reliable power source becomes widespread, very quickly, even into the Realm.


25784 (Realm Year 784): Solar Engineers, and independently, Realm Technicians, expand upon the Talon Essence Capacitor. The Solars call this expanded power device the Resplendent Fountain of Brilliance, the Dragon-Bloods call it the Stirring of the Elemental Dragons. So far, only Mechs are capable of mounting this source, though Exalts and essence channelers are still needed to pilot them, since the new source only dramatically increases the rate of Essence gathering, banks of Talon Capacitors of sufficient size to power a Warstrider are still too large to allow an ordinary mortal to pilot one.


25785 (Realm Year 785): Solar Technicians working for the Bull of the North manage to repair and reactivate I AM. Communications and technology are revolutionized by the reemergence of this centralized system.


25786 (Realm Year 786): The Jade-Bill, or J-Bill, becomes the standardized currency of Creation.


25790 (Realm Year 790): Combined Solar and Silver Pact forces, collectively termed the “Clansâ€,


Begin an extended military campaign, with the stated goal of retaking Meru. The Realm puts its differences aside, and unites to combat this threat.


25793 (Realm Year 793): The Clan forces decimate the Realm at almost every turn, inflicting almost 5 to 1 kill ratios against enemy Warstriders, to say nothing of conventional ground and air forces.


25794 (Realm Year 794): The Dead Legion deals a major setback to Clan Forces at the Battle of Denandsor, forcing Solars to flee the city. More Realm victories mount in the threshold, as the war becomes an increasingly bloody meat grinder. The Wolves also prove more than capable of holding their own against either side, taking contracts wherever they are offered for either side.


25799 (Realm Year 799): The Realm, on its last military legs, deals the Clans one last major blow at Mount Metagalpa. The Clans and the Realm sue for peace almost simultaneously.


25800 (Realm Year 800): The Nexus Accord is reached, marking peace between the Clans and Realm forces. Key terms of the deal are a century of peace, as well as the Clans recognizing, officially, the Realm as an independent nation state. Clan territories are also recognized, as well as other terms, such as the permanent cessation of the Wyld Hunt, reaffirmation of the Order Confirming Trade Pattern, and a general truce is declared.


25850 (Realm Year 850): Mnemon ascends to the Scarlet Throne. This is not without opposition, as the Tepets refute her claim. Tensions arise within the Realm yet again, and this time Civil War appears unavoidable.


25851 (Realm Year 851): A small group of Mechwarriors meets together in Port Calin, eager to win sponsorship from a larger mercenary outfit, and take advantage of the vast opportunities that one in the field of war will have in the current political climate. What difference will you make in this conflict?


EDIT: Typos're bad, m'kay?
 
Now that's really cool. My character concept fits even better this world than I originaly thought. Just to say I'll be absent from tomorow for the week but I definitly want in on that.


The idea of "sentient" Mec kind of reminds me of the lambda drive in Full Metal Panic.
 
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