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Die Like A Liao!:Risus Battletech
By Dale C. Blessing -- Version 1.0 -- April 2001
Die Like A Liao!:Risus Battletech, is a Battle Mech (giant robot) Combat mini-sourcebook for Risus, The Anything RPG, by S. John Ross (©1999 by S. John Ross) (sjohn@io.com). Battletech was a boardgame/RPG published by FASA Corporation (© 1996 FASA Corporation) (http://www.FASA.com). All material is used without permission. No challenge to copyright is made or implied.
It is assumed that you are familiar with both Risus and the Battletech Universe.
You will need six, of each, six-sided, eight-sided, ten-sided, and twelve-sided dice,pencils, paper, and a copy of Risus (http://www.io.com/~sjohn/risus.htm) to play.
Battle Mechs (characters) are created using the standard 10 dice for Clichés. Beginner Battle Mechs should not have more than 4 dice in any one Cliché. Advanced Option I: Hooks and Tales, is not used. Advanced Option II: Pumping Clichés, may be used during play. Advanced Option III: Double-Pumps, is not used. Advanced Option IV: Funky Dice, is used in modified form, to create the different weight classes of Battle Mechs.
Battle Mech Creation (Character Creation)
Battle Mechs are humanoid robots that walk on two legs. They are from 3 to 30 meters tall. Some have hands, but many have their hands replaced with weapons. They can walk and run like humans and some can Jump for short distances. These rules assume that the heavier Mechs have heavier weapons and armor. Weapons are figured into a Mech's Shoot Cliché. You can loot weapons descriptions from the Battletech book/game of your choise and list them on your character sheet if you want it to look extra cool. It is good role playing to describe how you just creamed your opponet with a medium laser, and a spread of SRM missles.
Battle Mechs may be created in four weight classes
Light (10-35 tons). Use D6 for Resist Damage. Use D6 for Shoot. All other Clichés D6.
Medium (40-55 tons). Use D8 for Resist Damage. Use D8 for Shoot. All other Clichés D6.
Heavy (60- 75 tons). Use D10 for Resist Damage.Use D8 For Shoot. All other Clichés D6.
Assault(80-100+ tons). Use D12 for Resist Damage.Use D8 for Shoot. All other Clichés
D6.
Every Battle Mech has 3 Clichés. If the Mech can Jump it has one additional Cliché, and three additional "jump dice".These are:
Battle Mech
Resist Damage (4), Shoot (4), Pilot Eject (2)
Battle Mech (Jump)
Resist Damage (4), Shoot (4), Pilot Eject (2), Jump (3)
Battle Mechs also have a Speed listing. This is used to out maneuver or run away from another Mech.
You should also give your creation a cool name. Such as, PNT-9R PANTHER, or DRG-1N DRAGON, or AS7-D ATLAS.
Battle mechs must also have a pilot. Pilots are considered "Proper Tools". If your Mech does not have a pilot, or the pilot is killed, your Mech can not move or fight.
Pilots come in four classes
Green (0)
Rookie (+1)
Veteran (+2)
Elite (+3)
Every Mech starts the game with a Pilot: Green (0). If you survive your first adventure, you automatically become a Rookie (+1). Filling your boots in terror, and ejecting on Turn One of your First Battle does not count as surviving your first adventure (You are not Sun-Tzu Liao).
You may, subject to referee approval, become a Veteran (+2) any time after you have survived your 10th adventure. Elite (+3) should be very rare. Most Elites will be NPCs. Someone has to give the PC Mechs a hard time.
Sample Battle Mechs
Light Mech COM-2D COMMANDO
25 tons
Speed: 97 kph
Jump: No
Hands: Yes
1 Shannon Six-Shooter Missile Pack
1 Coventry 4-Tube Missile System
1 Hesperus-B3M Medium Laser
Resist Damage (4D6), Shoot (4D6), Pilot Eject (2D6)
Pilot: Green (0)
Light Mech PNT-9R PANTHER
35 tons
Speed: 65 kph
Jump: 120 meters
Hands: Yes. One Hand Only.
1 Telos Four-Shot SRM Missile System
1 Lord's Light Particle Beam Weapon
Resist Damage (4D6), Shoot (4D6), Pilot Eject (2D6), Jump (3D6)
Pilot: Green (0)
Medium HCT-3F HATCHETMAN
45 tons
Speed: 65 kph
Jump: 120 meters
Hands: Yes. One Hand Only.
Melee Weapon: LARGE Metal Hatchet. Adds +3 to Melee Atacks
1 Defiance Killer Autocannon
2 Defiance B3M Medium Lasers
Resist Damage (4D8), Shoot (4D8), Pilot Eject (2D6), Jump (3D6)
Pilot: Green (0)
Medium HBK-4G HUNCHBACK
50 tons
Speed: 65 kph
Jump: No
Hands: Yes
1 Tomodzuru Type 20 Autocannon
2 Ichiba 2000 Medium Lasers
1 Diverse Optics Type 10 Small Laser
Resist Damage (4D8), Shoot (4D8), Pilot Eject (2D6)
Pilot: Green (0)
Heavy Mech DRG-1N DRAGON
60 tons
Speed: 86 kph
Jump: No
Hands: Yes. One Hand Only.
1 Telos DecaCluster LRM Missile System
2 Victory 23R Medium Lasers
Resist Damage (4D10), Shoot (4D8), Pilot Eject (2D6)
Pilot: Green (0)
Assault Mech AS7-D ATLAS
100 tons
Speed: 54 kph
Jump: No
Hands: Yes.
1 Defiance Mech Hunter Autocannon
1 FarFire Long-Range Missile 20-Rack
4 Defiance B3M Medium Lasers
1 TharHes Maxi Short-Range Missile 6-Rack
Resist Damage (4D12), Shoot (4D8), Pilot Eject (2D6)
Pilot: Green (0)
The Game System
Target Numbers (TN) are only used in Risus Battletech for shooting at things which do not have Clichés. Large Buildings, masses of Hapless Civilians. They should also be used to see if your Mech can perform a task. Such as, Two Mechs try to pick up and drag off a Downed Mech.
Sample Tasks
Target Number 5: Mechs Shoot/Stomp Hapless Civilians. Fire missiles at a Shopping Mall.
Shoot a Downed Mech at Short Range. Jump in Clear Terrain.
Target Number 10: Shoot a Downed Mech at Medium Range. Two Mechs pick up and drag off a Downed Mech. Jump in Rough Terrain. Pilot Eject from a destroyed Mech.
Target Number 15: Shoot/Stomp an Infantry Rocket Launcher Team. Shoot/Stomp an Ejecting Pilot who has made it safely to the ground.Shoot a Downed Mech at Long Range. Jump in Rough and Dangerous Terrain ( A canyon filled with new lava flows). Shoot at a jumping Mech in the air.
Target Number 20: Shoot a Downed Mech at Extreme Range. Shoot an Ejecting Pilot in the air.
Target Number 30: Throwing a motorcycle or automobile.
Target Number 50: Throwing a big rig truck and trailor, or a tank.
Target Number 70: Throwing a train locomotive or train car.
Proper Tools
Pilots are proper tools for Battle Mechs. No pilot, or a dead pilot-No movement or fighting with your Mech.
The Combat System
The combat system is very simple. The bigger, heavier weight Mechs are tougher than the smaller, lighter weight Mechs. Battle Mechs fight until one of them has its Resist Damage Cliché reduced to 0D. Then the referee rolls on the Battle Mech Damage Chart, and announces what happens to the victum. Battle Mechs do not "heal" until repaired.
Battle Mechs may shoot each other from various distances, or (those that have hands or a melee weapon) fight hand-to-hand.
How to out maneuver or run away from another Mech
If you have a Mech that can jump, then jump out of harms way. This would be a good time to pump your Jump Cliché (See Advanced Option II: Pumping Clichés). If you can not jump, then you must out maneuver or run away from the other Mech. Compare the Mechs Speed listings. If one Mech is 10 kph faster than the other Mech, the faster Mech adds +1D when it rolls its Resist Damage Cliché to out maneuver or run away. The +1D is only added to the Resist Damage Cliché when the Mech is maneuvering or running away. It is not added when the Mech is resisting damage.
Battle Mech Damage Chart ( Roll 1D6)
1 Mech's fusion engine explodes and the pilot dies. Mech totally destroyed.
2 Mech's fusion engine explodes. Make Pilot Eject Cliché roll. TN=10. Mech destroyed.
3 Mech's on board ammo and missiles explode. Make Pilot Eject Cliché roll. TN=10. Mech destroyed.
4 Mech shuts down due to heat overload. Stays standing. Make Pilot Eject Cliché roll. TN=10.
5 Mech falls down. Pilot trapped inside.
6 Mech falls down. Make Pilot Eject Cilché roll. TN=10
Combat Example
Two medium Mechs face each other. One is a HCT-3F HATCHETMAN. The other is a HBK-4G HUNCHBACK.
Turn 1 Both Mechs fire at each other. The HATCHETMAN rolls Shoot (4D8) and Resist Damage (4D8).The HUNCHBACK rolls Shoot (4D8) and Resist Damage (4D8). All rolls are 12. A tie. The referee rules that both miss.
Turn 2 Both fire again. HATCHETMAN rolls Shoot 11 and Resist Damage 16. HUNCHBACK rolls Shoot 26 and Resist Damage 21. The HATCHETMAN is hit and loses 1D to become Resist Damage (3D8).
Turn 3 The situation is critical. The HATCHETMAN jumps to melee range (TN=5, rolls 7) , and attacks with his hatchet. The referee rules that the HUNCHBACK can shoot at the jumping Mech (TN=15) or punch with his hands. But not both. He will punch. HATCHETMAN rolls Shoot 17 (4D8+3 for hatchet), and Resist Damage 10. The HUNCHBACK rolls Shoot 18, and Resist Damage 16. Both Mechs lose 1D from the Resist Damage Cliché. The HATCHETMAN is Resist Damage (2D8). The HUNCHBACK is Resist Damage (3D8).
Turn 4 Both Mechs have a Speed of 65 kph, so the RUN AWAY bonus does not apply. The HATCHETMAN will jump out of harms way. He Pumps his Jump (3D6), by 2D, to Jump (5D6) and rolls a 30. The best he can do. The HUNCHBACK will attempt to punch the other Mech before it jumps. He rolls Shoot (4D8) for 31. The punch lands just as the other Mech leaves the ground. The HATCHETMAN loses 1D from his Resist Damage Cliché. He is at Resist Damage (1D). But, because he pumped his Jump Cliché, tried to jump and failed, the referee rules that he crashes.The referee rolls on the Battle Mech Damage Chart. The roll is a 3. The HATCHETMAN explodes. The pilot fails his Pilot Eject roll, and goes up with the Mech. The referee rules that the HUNCHBACK is too close to the exploding Mech and takes damage. He is reduced to Resist Damage (2D8). The HUNCHBACK looks for other prey.
Inappropriate Clichés
There does not seem to be any place for Inappropriate Clichés in Risus Battletech. BUT, the refree may give you a break if you role play it really, really well. It is up to the refree.
Teaming Up
Up to four Mechs (four Mechs is called a Lance) may gang up (team up) on a single opponet. This is the only way to take down a Heavy or Assault Mech with a group of lighter Mechs. The referee may ban Teaming Up if he wants. It is up to the referee.
Conflicts That Aren't Combat
A duel between Heavy or Assault Mechs would be a "single-action conflict". The Mechs face off at twenty Mech paces. They target each other's cockpits. They fire. The high roll wins. The other Mech's cockpit is destroyed, and the pilot is dead. The losing Mech falls.
When Somebody can't Participate
This does not seem to apply to Risus Battletech. If you can't participate, you are dead, or a Hapless Civilian.
A Word Or Two About Scale
Battle Mechs are BIG. They are from 3 to 30 meters tall, and can weigh 100+ tons. The average Mech has a pace of about 3 meters. Even a slow Assault Mech can move hundreds of meters in a short time. Each Combat Round should represent from 5 to 10 seconds.
Battle Mech Advancement (Character Advancement)
No Mech Cliché may be higher than Cliché (6). New Clichés may only be added with referee approval. You must have a very, very good reason to add a new Cliché to your Mech.
Example
Congratulations! You have survived your first adventure. You are now Pilot: Rookie (+1). It is now time to improve your PNT 9R PANTHER's Jump Cliché. You roll your 3D6 Jump Cliché Dice. The dice land showing only EVEN numbers. Your Jump Cliché is now Jump (4D6). The referee may require you to role play or come up with a reason for the improvement to your Mech. (Through a combination of begging and bribery you have convinced your unit's master technician to fine tune the jump jets and improve their performance).
Advanced Option II: Pumping Clichés
Example
Your Light Mech (Jump) has come face-to-face with an Assault Mech. It is time to run (jump) away. You pump Jump(3D6) by 2 Dice to Jump (5D6). The Assault Mech fires on you with Shoot (4D8).
If you lose, your Mech is destroyed. You are hit in midair and have a spectacular crash. It is time to roll your Pilot Eject Cliché. Hope you make it.
If you WIN, you escape. Your Jump (3D6) drops, by 2D for the pump, to Jump (1D6). It is now low on fuel and should not be used again until refueled. If you try to use it you will probably blow your roll and crash. You are out of the Assault Mech's weapons range. On the next turn, you use your superior Speed to run away. The Assault Mech is unharmed, but the pilot will remember how you escaped him.
Sources
1. Risus, The Anything RPG. By S. John Ross. © 1999 by S. John Ross. (http://www.io.com/~sjohn/risus.htm)
2. Battletech Boardgame, 4th Edition. By FASA.© 1996 FASA Corporation. (http://www.FASA.com)
3. Battlepack, Fourth Succession War. By Randall N. Bills. © 1998 FASA Corporation.
Concluding Remarks
This is my mini-sourcebook for Risus, The Anything RPG. I hope you like it. Feedback is welcome.
Welcome to the 31st century. Fight with Honor. Enjoy!
Dale C. Blessing
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