Greetings, all.
Having recieved my copy of Palladiums Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles RPG, I have read it thoroughly, carefully, multiple times and have produced an exhaustive, page-by-page, review of the book. The following is a smaple lifted from said review stating my errata, errors, house rules, and general thoughts on the RPG. If enjoyed, would be happy to post further. Thank you for reading.
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(Veritech section)
ALL ALPHA
page 95+
-M.D.C. of Wings too high at 150. Suggest 120 (equal to forearms, not greater).
-M.D.C. of Tail Stabilizers too high at 100. Suggest 25. Gun pod M.D.C. almost equal to forearms at 110. Suggest 50.
-Nose Lasers serve no purpose being fired single. Would undoubtedly be permanently fire linked, given spacing and need to concentrate
firepower evenly on a target (as opposed to slightly skewed left or right by the barrel’s positioning which could harm aim).
-Reduce Power System protoculture cells from 16 to 8 (tv episodes show 2, quad-cell, fuel ports).
-EU-13 gunpod uses ‘burst’ fire exclusively. No justifcation for single shot, as burst fire looks like a single shot itself. A ‘single shot’ is never seen on the tv show.
-Standard Missile errata changes.
VF/A-6I Alpha
page 100-105
-Optional: VF/A-6I changed back to VAF/6R. Traditional name, synchs with restored ‘recon’ purpose.
-Optional: Reassign to the ‘recon’ role. Add IFF / CCC from 6H for improved avionics/radar systems, making it ELINT in function.
-Error: Most people do not think of this as the ‘standard Alpha’, unlike what the book says. The blue one would be that. This notion
is further backed up by the lineart used on page 101. Despite being included with the green alpha’s description, this is a blue Alpha
guardian mode (the better known) we see being used.
-Eliminate M.D.C. ‘power creep’. Main Body reduced from 420 to 350. All else as listed.
-Eliminate head missiles. Clearly, by the art, not included.
VF/A-6H Alpha
page 105
-Optional: IFF and CCC computers given to restored ‘recon’ Alpha. Further, change the name of this (from CCC, too close to the C3 from Battletech).
Reduce ‘power creep’ on the bonuses, from +2 +2 +3. Suggest +1 +1 +2.
-Eliminate M.D.C. ‘power creep’. Main Body reduced from 420 to 350. All else as listed.
-Retains head missile weapon system, giving it a small combat advantage in turn for the other Alphas having a recon/atmosphere advantage.
VF/A-6Z Alpha
page 106-107
-Revert back to VF/A-6J ‘Jupiter’ designation. Traditional name. Fits with the JB (Jupiter Base) shown on the Alpha’s left leg.
(And when is the existence/non-existence of a ‘Jupiter Base’ going to be addressed, officially?)
-Ignore the ‘heart’ graphic on the Alpha’s groin area. LOL.
-Changes in flight speeds and atmospheric bonuses as listed.
-Eliminate head missiles. Clearly, by the art, not included.
VF/A-6X Shadow Fighter
page 107-111
-Drop the ‘X’ which usually denotes ‘experimental’. This a completed mecha design. Suggest ‘S’ for Shadow, or ‘Z’ (as used for the red Alpha).
-Does not cosmetically resemble any other Alpha, VF-6H included. Head, hands, colors different. lck of sensor pod, also.
-Reason for three-fingers being chosen over traditional five? Articulation loss. Advantage? Possible: Increased hand M.D.C.?
-Cargo: Add room enough behind pilot’s chair for sidearm (as with most other designs).
-Eliminate M.D.C. ‘power creep’. Main Body reduced from 440 to 380. All else as listed.
-EU-15 not an ion cannon, and does not have burst fire: suggest particle beam cannon, single beam does 2d4x10 M.D. (over d6x10).
Punches hole in hive force field only on 3rd consecutive round fired at the hive. This action requires a sustained blast, as visible on the tv show.
May require nomenclature change (from EU, which other Alphas employ), as it is a differnt style gunpod.
Also, EU-15 would never be carried underwing. With it’s size and shape, way too disruptive to flight profile of the mech. Fuselage carry only.
-Add height component to invid force field ‘hole’, and a set radius across (22 feet from 10+2d6 listed).
VF/B-9 Beta
page 111-122
-Conbat mentioned as ‘far surpassing it’s life span and failing more and more’ (paraphrased). So why is it even included in this book, which bridges towards
the future of the Robotech saga? Further proof the Conbat is way out of place and deserves ommission entirely.
-Does not ‘increase’ an attached Alpha’s fuel capacity. More accurately, it’s use ‘saves’ the attached Alpha precious fuel by using the Beta’s boosters at times.
-Reduce Power System protoculture cells from 32 to 16 (in keeping with the Alpha’s reductions). The very concept of requiring 32 p-cells is ludicrous.
This is like powering an electical device with a dozen double ‘A’ batteries when a single 9 volt would be more applicable. The fact is, p-cells are certainly,
individually, more potent as a power source than the listed requirements would signify. Reduce, reduce, reduce.
-All notes on ‘Alpha & Beta Link’ remain as listed (good job here).
-M.D.C. of Wings too high at 170. Suggest 150. Wings can only be so armored and still perform as needed.
Additionally, wings are a relative weak point on any flying craft.
-M.D.C. of Sensor Pod way too high at 100. Suggest 45. Why? Its a sensor pod, a.k.a. ‘delicate equipment’. C’mon.
-Error: EU-14 listing mentions “EU-14 that the Alpha carries”. EU-13 is meant here. As with Alpha EU-13, EU-14’s do not use single shots. Burst fire only.
-Forearm PBC’s should rightfully be more powerful. A number of changes are required here.
Increase M.D. damage from a single arm from 6d6 (2d6/barrel). Suggest 3d4x10, or three synchronous single bursts, one per barrel.
Completely eliminate firing both arms at a single target in one attack, or at two separate targets in one attack. This is absolutely 100% ridiculous.
No mechanism exists that makes the Beta’s arms fire in tandem any better than any other battloid mecha with a gun on each arm. Just because Rand did this
once in the tv show, does not mean it requires translation into a literal game rule. Pure folly.
-Bomb Bay. Fails to mention overall dimensions for cargo carrying purposes (ask Marlene/Ariel and Annie about this!). Suggest 8x6x6 area.
-Hand to Hand Combat: Optional: Eliminate Power/Jump/Leap Kicks. While steady enough as a battloid, Im not convinced the Beta has the dexterity of motion
for such things. Stomping, on the other hand…
-Standard Missile errata changes.
VF/B-9X Beta
page 111-122
-As VF/B-9 Beta.
-Drop the ‘X’ which usually denotes ‘experimental’. This a completed mecha design. Suggest ‘S’ for Shadow.
Comments and debate welcomed.^^
