This is the place for out-of-character discussions about the game.

As stated in the Game Introduction, I currently have three ideas for a campaign achitecture around which to base the PCs and their story:

• Military/Exploration: characters are members of the Alliance Survey Service or a Corporate Exploration Company, freelance or in-house.

  This one has the best potential for inclusion of mecha as a regular part of the stories.  It also has the fewest options for variation among characters as they should all be military.  If it is Exploration then the crew is more like a Star Trek crew.

• Merchant: characters crew members of a merchant starship.

  This option I see as somewhere between Firefly and Dark Matter, though neither of those have mecha; and as mecha are expensive this one would have a low chance of mecha involvement.

• Espionage/Diplomatic: characters are members of the retinue of a diplomatic mission (an Ambassador and their staff.)

  This option would not likely have any 1:1 scale mecha for PC use; if we want mecha it would be at the human or roadstriker scales.

It is important to re-state that I do not think this campaign requires mecha at all.  I chose this system because I like it and CyberPunk and I am very familiar with it.  However, since it is called "Mekton Zeta" I expect many people interested in playing will be attracted to that aspect of the system, hence detailing above how I see mecha interacting with those campaign architectures.
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:46, Fri 23 Feb.

Hello everyone... you can look at my profile to tell what story I'd like... but a mechajock space merc is flexible.. working for himself or working for explorers or as the "bodyguard" for a wealthy merchant..all the same job really.

OH!?! Hi Skyrah!  A Mecha-Babe perhaps? ^^

That would be her. :) I plan to have her live up to her callsign of Reader too. A very electronics oriented Mecha and if I can muster it the skills to match. Looking at things, I think I can pull it off. ;)

Sweetness! Very Cool!  EW Mecha bird gives us a lot of options.. if you can swing it go for stealth as well!

In reply to Jherad Monroe (msg # 5):

That's the plan!

Gah, I just realized I messed up some parts of the lifepath. lol I forgot about some of the changes. lol

Jherad, when you click on Change Portrait, at the top it should give you the option to choose from the game portraits.  Yours is the only one there now.

In reply to Referee (msg # 7):

AH! Coolness... Done!

In reply to Skyrah Valentine (msg # 6):

The "Invasion Tera", Mecha File book has an Imperial 'Gorgon' model that is a "wild weasel" EW build... but its like 300+ CP... i'll fiddle around with the 'Scimitar Type-100' design in my char description see what kind of EW/Stealth build I can come up with.  Might give you some design ideas for your mekton build.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:17, Wed 28 Feb.

Skyrah, you should have access to the character sheet now.  If you have an image you want for her I can make it a portrait for the game as well.

Okay, right now we have two mecha jocks angling for a mercenary company.  Do you want to be on-contract as security for an exploration party or a diplomatic party?  Also, make sure you can do stuff outside of mecha.

I am going to make a new thread for Background NPCs.  Please create a post with all of the NPCs from your lifepath with a brief description.  If you give me the personality and appearance stuff from the lifepath charts for an NPC with the hooks it will make it easier to work them into the game.

In reply to Referee (msg # 11):

Well... I think  Mercenary Contract for Security with a diplomatic envoy or foreign negotiator service would allow us to explore the political tapestry for the setting of your world better, a true "space opera" kind of story, and be easier for you GM than a 5-year Star Trek-like exploration mission where everything is new with each encounter scenario.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:47, Wed 28 Feb.

Those worlds and in some cases scenerios are easy to generate via the paths in Zeta Plus and other supplements. As for who/what we meet, that could be from anything to nothing. Kinda No Man's Sky or Starfield-ish.

I found one I really like, will link it to you after work tonight. Figure about 12 hours or so from now.

In reply to Skyrah Valentine (msg # 13):

This true, though.. it might then be more difficult to utilize the npc's of our lifepaths if we are out on the fringe of known space exploring the unknown.

However, in truth this fact of the plot never stopped Star Trek from introducing the lifepath family friends and relatives of their Enterprise crew... like James T. Kirk's brother Sam Kirk... even though it did eventually kill him off.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:49, Wed 28 Feb.

Sorry. Was delayed at work... didn't get to finish my npcs post or the "Stilleto Eclipse" Scout/Recon~Sniper Mekton design I was making as an example... for Skyrah... finish it when I get home...
This message was last edited by the player at 18:41, Wed 28 Feb.

Actually in Skyrah's case the introduction of family and friends could be easy. Her parents went missing, and she is an only child according to her lifepath. So quiet possibly her family went missing on an exploration mission and she requested assignment to a mission going the same route they went when they went missing. Lovers could easily be explained as a member of the exploration crew that decided to join the mission (common thing on ST: TNG, Robotech, Macross, Gundam and many others). Or they could be at home and only occasionally around.

In reply to Skyrah Valentine (msg # 17):

That could work too.. story plot can make many things possible.

Well here it is.. not sure if its the BEST design.. and I could only afford with 150CP scouting sensor hardware.. the EW stuff is Expensive!

Stilletto Eclipse – [ 148.6796{Recon} / 147.6796{EW}cp ] – 41tons {dry} / ’45.1’ tons; MV {-4}: -4, MA: 4gr/ ‘10’ 8fly

Servos -      Armor –      Spaces -
H  - St {3}          MS {4}              2BuSnr, 1DCP
MB/T – MS {8}       MS-B {6, 4sp} <DmCo: 4>             [1Cockpit-Virtual] 1MSnr-MW, 3Recon/EW {SR/ECM}, 1EsPd, 2-th
LA – St {4}          MS {4}       [Mel: +0k, Th: 4hx] 1EW {ECM}
RA – St {4}          MS {4}       [Mel: +0k, Th: 4hx] 1EW {ECM}
LL – HS {6}          MS {4}              [Mel: +2k] 6-th
RL -  HS {6}         MS {4}              [Mel: +2k] 6-th
Pd – St ‘3’            St {3}              {0 ton-Servo} [+6sp] 5Recon {ASP, R/RA, RI, SR, TA}, 1SE
LWg – St {3}        Sl {1}               [+2MA fly] 3EW {ECM}
RWg – St {3}       Sl {1}               [ - fly] 3EW {ECM}
LHd {2} [1k]         Handy, Quick        - hold [4]
RHd {2} [1k]         Handy, Quick        - hold [4]
[44CP ’20.5t’] [31CP ’14.5t’]

Hydraulics-Standard = lift x1
<x0.0> Cockpit Controls – Screen [T – 1sp]
<x0.05> Environmental Protection-Space
<-x0.25> Powerplant-Power Cell = Standard Charge, 6-24hrs ‘Hot’
<x0.2> Stealth = No Detection by Spotting Radar, No track with ASP Recon sensors
-x0.0

[9CP / 2K] {MSnr} Main Sensors-MW = Sensors ‘150’ 15km, Comm 1,500km, 2K [T – 1sp]; {1t}
[2CP / 2K] {BuSnr} Backup Sensors = Sensors 1km, Comm 300km, 2K [H – 2sp]; {1t}

{33CP} Recon Systems:
[10CP] ASP [Pd – 2sp];  [5CP] Radio/Radar Analyzer [Pd - 1sp];  [3CP] Resolution Intensifiers/6-Visual = x64 [Pd – 1sp];
[10CP/ ‘4K’] Spotting Radar = ‘4’ 5K, ‘3’ 5sp [kill sacrifice +2sp/ -1K, T - 3; {2t}];  [5CP] Target Analyzer [Pd – 1sp]
OR
{32CP} Electronic Warfare:
[16CP] ECM-Radar Jamming = Value 3 <4cp>, Radius 3hexes <x2.0>, Beamer Range: 8Hexes <x2.0>
[Pd – 5sp, T – 3sp, L/RWg – ‘6’ 3sp ea, L/RA - '2' 1sp ea];
[8CP] ECM-Sensor Jamming = Value 3 <4cp>, Radius 3hexes <x2.0>, Beamer Range: 8Hexes <x2.0> [Pd - 0sp];
[8CP] ECM-Missile Jamming = Value 3 <4cp>, Radius 3hexes <x2.0>, Beamer Range: 8Hexes <x2.0> [Pd - 0sp];

{6.7CP} Options –
[0.4CP] Anti-Theft Code Lock- Silent Alert;  [1CP] {DCP} Damage Control Package [H – 1sp];  [2CP] {EsPd} Escape Pod [T – 1sp];  [0.3CP] Liftwire;  [5CP] {SE} Statistical Enhancement – Logic Processors +2 INT [T – 1sp]

Weapons -
[9.45CP / 4K] ’Sniper’ Beam Cannon = DM: 4k <6cp> / Ra: ‘20hx’ 8hx {+250%} <x1.75>, WAcc: +0 <x0.9>, Sh: Inf <x1>; sv: 4K, 2hh- ‘8’sp <se: +1sp> {2t}

[13.5296CP] Thrusters = lift {1.6912} 8 MA ‘13.5296cp’ [T – 6sp, L/RL – 6sp ea, L/RA – 2sp ea]

[0.5CP] Space Efficiency = +1sp [2hh Beam +1sp]

<< [ 148.6796{Recon} / 147.6796{EW}CP ] {“45.1” w/fuel, 41 tons} >>


Notes:  Its not fast.. but with its wings is faster than it would be.  The multipliers for your Enviro, powerplant and controls with Stealth added cancel each other out.  So your power-plant is a little fragile.. you do have an escape pod and your a scouting unit not meant for front-line heavy combat ~ which is also why your armor is lighter.  However, your torso armor is Beta-Grade, meaning it take a hit of at least 4kills to stage your torso armor if a hit is less damage than that no degrading staged penetration.  But your Beam Cannon has been enhanced to have a 1km range '20hexes' so you can sniper with the best..also your completely immune to detection by normal sensors, spotting radar and Advanced Sensor Packages {ASP}.  Break line of sight on someone and they cannot track you.  But YOU have most of the scouting and imaging sensors for visual and spotting radar with a range of 150km {3,000hexes} '10 times' your normal sensors range... which I also upgraded to be better than standard Medium Striker {MS} sensors.  Also while piloting your mekton your INT is upped by two for all those EW 'Electronic Warfare' rolls with the builtin logic enhancers for analyzing data.  Your Sniper Cannon can hit something in its normal range 20hexes away 1km with no penalty.  So you have teeth to hit back with and don't run out of ammo for it.

Not sure its what your looking for but it will at least give you some ideas to mull over...

EDIT:  Oh and I also added the option to go the other way with Electronic Warfare hardware instead for a similar price.  Downside EW hardware is space costly... so your spaces for it will need to be distributed in your wings and arms a little to cover the spaces unlike Recon Sensors.  Though there is NO Reason you could not do both EW and Recon Sensors but you'll have to pick and choose how much for each.. they are Both costly...

But these are just suggestions... feel free to build as you, of course, see fit.  At the very least it gives the GM some more mecha designs to pull from!  :)
This message was last edited by the player at 14:35, Fri 01 Mar.

Here is my outline for the campaign:

The group is aboard an exploration cruiser.  The mission is run by a university but funded by government grants.  The mercenary company (considered an ethical company, white hat mercenaries) was hired for protection in the unknown.  Alliance star force personnel were not assigned to it so that the non-Alliance and unaligned nations would allow them passage through their space.  There are several groups aboard the ship, and several command structures.  The ship has a captain and crew; the ship's crew answers to the captain and s/he has final authority where the safety of the ship is concerned and in the operation of the ship itself.  The mercenaries have their own chain of command, the leader of the mercenaries directs their operations.  There is a chief scientist in charge of the research teams, science labs, and mission execution.  All three (captain, chief scientist, mercenary leader) answer to the mission command which consists of a university administrator, a government attaché, and a military liaison.  In ordinary times the university administrator is in charge, in times of war or serious security threat the military liaison takes charge; the government attaché decides when that happens.  Sometimes they have observers from other government agencies or allied nations and the scientists and researchers come from all over the Alliance and allied nations.

How does that sound?  The command structures are there to give friction surfaces for conflict and because it is fairly realistic as to how something like this would be organized, based on my experience.  We need to then decide how big and how many people are aboard.  I'm guessing the mercenary company is no more than a dozen mecha, pilots, ground crew and command staff.  The ship should have shuttles and other small craft.
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:29, Thu 29 Feb.

In reply to Referee (msg # 19):

THAT sounds Awesome!!!

I know your reticent to give more starting money... but as a "signing bonus" could we get access to some starting standard security gear as part of the mercenary compliment?

Security Commlink
Sidearm-pistol
Longarm-rifle
Security Armor-Vest
Spacesuit

How about:

Skinsuit (combination flight suit and space suit) SP5 Torso and Limbs, SP10 helmet.  p. 127 of Starblade Battalion.
Security comm link (Though everyone has a datalink and can connect to the ship's network)
Sidearm pistol (generally a Combat Pistol from MKZ)

Since the skinsuit serves as armor, you don't need the armor vest.  Long arms would be available as needed, not issued standard, certainly not aboard ship.  Event he sidearm it is frowned upon carrying it aboard ship.

The mercenaries are billeted near the hangars, with pilots doubled up (2 per room), ground crew are four per cabin (each mecha has four ground crew); the command staff are also double occupancy except the commander has their own room.  Still working on specific NPCs and will take suggestions.

The Ship's crew are largely fore (operations and command) and aft (engineering) and also billeted near their stations, with officers in double occupancy and enlisted four per cabin, CO, XO and chief engineer have their own cabins.

Mission Command personnel (three) have their own cabins, as does the chief scientist.  Other scientists are double occupancy with research assistants in quad cabins.

Ok. Jherad will wear the Skinsuit as a normal uniform he already has a purchaced Spacesuit for Piloting, but I would not call 5SP 'armor' maybe in a fist fight but not in a serious firefight. And he'll carry the combat pistol... though I'd eventully like an energy pistol from MKZ.

Which leads to my next questions... we are mercenarys; so how much and how often are we paid?

I know skill improvement is a bitch cause its Sooo expensive in IP so we are not likely to improve in skill very much, I know you really don't want to give us more CP to be improving our Mektons in a arms race... so all that's really left to us is personal gear and perhaps cyber enhancements {another sort of arms race in itself}.

Will we be allowed to purchase new personal gear with our mercenary pay? Its part of the reason I would prefer being in the known areas of space rather than an exploration mission as new purchases would be made at known markets... not so much in unknown space.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:41, Thu 29 Feb.

Yeah, I'll work out a pay scale.  The rules of engagement are that the mercs are not supposed to be threatening to the other crew, so skinsuits and combat pistols are ordinary.  If you want to sell-back the spacesuit that's fine, odds are you can requisition one if needed.  Likewise, armored vests and heavier weaponry are in the arms locker, usually to repel boarders or such.  It is not expected to happen really ever, of course...

The idea I'm running with story-wise is hopping back and forth between known space and exploration.  Also, a lot of systems within and about the Alliance are 'lost' in that they are in 'known space' but because of history (war, etc.) they are now largely unknown.  Also, swapping out of personnel would happen somewhat regularly, re-supply of ship's stores, shore leave and R&R, etc. are all needed.

In reply to Referee (msg # 23):

Ah.. that sounds cool.

Sure I'll look at it I might sell back the skinsuit... but not likely.. having a spacesuit that doesn't make normal movement around a pain is something a highrider coloney inhabitant would value.

I was talking about selling back the spacesuit you bought, but if you want to keep it for reasons based on his background and character I applaud it!