Putting the drive into V_DRIVE

Everyone digs giant robots! Well until it's time to do actual giant robot mechanic stuff. But some of us (me! ME!) don't shy away from this. So let's get into some mechanical stuff!

DRVING the design

First, yeah no apologies for the puns. Secondly, let's talk about the basic core of the mech the actual Vectored Drive Reactor Integrated Veritable Equipment System (V_DRIVE) or DRIVE for short.

So the idea behind these is closer to how Code Geass did it. Breakthrough in science made a way for mechs to be viable. Same crap as in Macross as well. But I'm not adding Minovskiy particles. Instead I'm making an ALMOST PERPETUUM MOBILE power source.

Would have this been better in a tank? Hell yeah. Or even a aerial vehicle. But the thing is that the ideal explanation in game and in reality is: Corporate Greed.

Basically it's a specific type of super compressor self fueling turbofan engine which compresses the fuel itself from the atmosphere plus minimal needed fuel tanks (I did say near perpetuum mobile!) to at the same time create electricity but also thrust. Meaning that the mech can use the system, albeit at a weaker output, to move in strong bursts as the compression needs to be established.

All DRIVES are based around the DRIVE REACTOR (D_R) and are powered by it. Also due to the complexity and extreme importance of this systems and driver... These cores are armoured.

GREED IS GOOD!

Well no it's not, but for the sake of the whole story... It is. If you have something like this and are a total hardon-for-useless-shit techbro... You want mecha. So Keith Knight of KNIGHT INDUSTRIES (Sn.KI.T0) got to drum his raging hardon onto some hard stuff. And decided to revolutionise combat by making DRIVES a spectacle on the battlefield.

Nothing says: SUPERPOWER! than being able to order a band of mercenaries in an overpriced combat rig that have to stream their missions as mass sport for the wary and oppressed. Bread and games y'all!

But yeah the whole explanation on why this shit is corporate greed and fake philanthropism. Nothing honourable. Can't have that in a MECHA game that's all about drama!

It'll cost and arm and a leg

Of course systems like these are useless and forced onto others. That's the point. Why would you even make something so complex than as a flex on "I could". Which makes the systems unique and tailored to their respective DRIVER. Which brings us to the most fun part of a thing like this: options!

Do note we're only discussing T0 things here from the actual standpoint of the game and setting so no, there won't be any additional stuff yet.

T0 wise the mech is divided into several parts. This represents both the limits of the technology at that time but also design limits to lessen the needed mental bandwidth for new players to deal with the rules.

Parts are:

Head

Core

Arms

Pylons

Propulsion

As you notice the initial build is quite simple. Due to limits the initial core supports only one type of head, arms, and pylons and legs. Sorry not sorry. Leaving the basic humanoid type of "mech" being the only T0 focal point.

At arms reach

So what DO DRIVERS get to pick for their DRIVES?

Initially we're just talking loadout. Which involves the basic focus of: Main Weapon, Secondary Weapon, 10 Pylon spaces, and Plating Density Level (PDL).

Let's start with PDL, as that's what does a lot of stuff on the mech scale. PDL or how much "HP" your DRIVE has. The more "HP" or PLATING it has... The slower it'll be. This affects your move speed, accel speed, compression size and cruise speed. The heavier plating you have the lower your move and accel, but more your compression and cruise. Why? MASS that's why.

Lighter mechs WILL move more but as you get heavier. You can add more tanks and once the mass accelerates, it's easier to maintain cruise. Which also means that you'll be technically first onto the field of battle, but move around it slower. Medium plated mechs are in the middle, while light plated mechs will move faster and have better accel speed.

Next we go to the Main/Secondary weapons. Which are in fact just... "Cool renamed" actual weapons pushed into the mould of mecha.

Technically you have a rifle, smg, shotgun, sniper rifle, mortar; but in fact it's all just cannons of varying calibre and usage. The basic rifle is in fact a 40mm auto cannon. The smg is your basic CIWS. Shotgun? You guessed it. Smoothbore sabot cannon. And so on.

Secondary weapons are more like your roundup systems. Need more firepower? Need a backup when ammo fails? Need more defence? That's basically your pick for these. Shields, handguns, glaives, tasers, flamethrowers and so on.

Pylons on the other hand represent your gear and possible heavy weapons stacked onto the back of the mech. Pylon space is divided into mounted heavy weapons (rockets, actual "cannons", missile pods, and so on), gear, and "consumables". Adding a heavy weapon gives more punch but but decreases the gear and consumables options. Same goes for consumables. maybe you can make a mech last long but it'll lack punch!

Complexity at a scale

Basically that's about it for now. More info will come when it's time to speak about T½ mechs as that's the first time that in the setting there are... Actual innovations.

Stay tuned. And remember: If it's complex, you just need to read it a few times.