Core Mechanic/Scale

 As mentioned in my previous post one of the main challenges of translating Exosquad into an tabletop game is the idea of scale. Over the course of the series combat in Exosquad takes place at a number of different "scales." for the purposes of the tabletop RPG I have identified 4 differnt scales. Infantry level combat with humans fighting neosapiens on foot is common. E-frame and space fighter scale combat is probably the most common combat scale that we see in the show. Large vehicles like larger mecha and tanks appear occasionally, and finally very large scale vehicles like capital ships have a major role in the show as well. 

I believe in a game like Exosquad the idea of scale needs to be baked into the core mechanic of the game. Lawful Nice (of white wizards workshop) had a discussion on their blog several years ago about using a D10 dice to represent mecha combat in a game that usually used D6's for combat. The idea of larger dice representing physically larger combatants stuck with me. 

My first idea for Exosquad's core mechanic, with no playtesting at all under my belt is a similar idea. with the four scales identified above represented by D6, D8, D10 and D12 dice. 

Your target determines the dice you roll for accuracy or "to hit", but your own scale determines the dice you roll for damage. 

When you attack something of your own scale, You role the dice of your "size" and try to get a 5 or greater. Damage dice is always a multiple of your Scale as well. For example an E-frame shooting at another E-frame would use a D8 and would hit on a 5+. If the attack was successful it would role a D8 as damage. 

An E-frame shooting at a human would use a D6 dice to attack the relatively smaller target and but would still roll a D8 damage dice. 

The scale number also determines the number of  "pods" that your vehicle can carry before an E-Frame will contain 8 "pods" or 8 discrete systems. these can be weapons systems, sensors, or any number of other systems. The "pods" system takes the place of the inventory or encumbrance system from a traditional RPG. This system is inspired by the similar system from the vehicle rules in the Index Card RPG by Runehammer games. 

"Pods" equipped on a larger vehicle are larger and more powerful as well. Remember that a weapon pod mounted on an E-frame deals D8 damage but a weapon carried by a human only deals D6 damage. A very large weapon mounted on a capital ship deals D12 damage. The same is true of all other pods. The effect of the pod is determined by its scale. 

This is all very preliminary and I've mostly only worked it out in my head. It may change dramatically before the final product. Playtesting may show that this idea is unworkable on the table.