Ammendments, Erratums, comments, ideas and other such for the Robotech RPG.
Part 1- Macross (Includes Books 1-3)
By Rick R. Mortis c. 1994-1998 and beyond!
Table of Contents
Opening Rant!
Hello, and welcome to the NEW AND IMPROVED HTMLised, low-fat, air-conditioned, airbag-equipped, low-mialage, user-freidnly AntiKevs! This is part one, covering RPG books #1-3. (IE: the basic Robotech RPG, The RDF Manual and the Zentraedi sourcebook. In this file (and the others to come), I will hopefully address some of the fifteen million flaws in the Robotech RPG. Note that these slips will only accomidate the source material as per seen in the series. For those of you who are after Stingers (yay!), Black Death Destroyers (yay!), Karbarran Battlesuits (yay!) or the funny lokkin' Invid mecha in a couple o' issues of Invid War (yay!), I'm afraid you'll have to look elsewhwre (boo!). Likewise, I won't go NEAR any of the adventures published by Palladium for the RPG. The lot of them should be burnt to a crsip. (With the possible excpetion of Ghost Ship and ATP which just need a major re-write or two...). Anyway! On with the show!
General note on space propulsion:
The RPG's listing of top speeds in space is utter Bunk! In space, there are no top speeds, but there are rates of acceleration. Of course, now all I have to do is figure out rough acceleration rates and internal fuel supplies (henceforth delta-v capacity) and then how to apply them into the game... Bloody oath. Why not just go play Jovian Chrinicles instead. I dunno.. I suppose this means I really should get started on those Sillouette conversions one of these days (nags self to oblivion)
A General note about physical attacks:
I have chosen to up the rather low physical attack damages given by the RPG, and eliminate the stomp damage. I believe that if a mecha treads on something, the GM should arbitrarily decide the amount of damage done, or just reduce it to patê.
NEW SKILLS
Domestic Skills
Play Musical Insturment: The skill of playing a particular musical instument. Note that each specific instument is a seperate skill. For example, if a character wanted to play the harmonica, the xylophone and the accordian they would have to take the skill three different times. Base Skill: 40% + 5% per level of experience. The characters's skill is nice, but not of professional quality unless two skills are spent, in which case add a +20% bonus.
Piloting Skills
Pilot Space Fighter: The skill of operating the varous space combat aircraft, such as the RDF Lancer, the Southern Cross Pirate, Hornet and Corsair, or the REF Vulture and Vampire. The Zentraedi equivalent of this skill covers the Fighter Pod and Re-entry pod. Base Skill: 60% + 4% per level of experience. Note: This replaces the Pilot Lancer Space Fighter skill in the RPG Book.
Technical Skills
Art: The ability to draw, paint or do sculpture. Must be taken each time to select a different art form. Base Skill: 40% + 5% per level of experience.
Journalisim: The skill of Journalistic writing, editing and techniques for newspapers, magazines, radio and television. Base Skill: 40% + 5% per level of experience.
Language: Characters with a language skill can speak a language other then their own native tounge. Each known language must be purchased as a seperate skill. Base Skill: 50% + 5% per level of experience. The major languages of the Robotech world are English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Japanese and Zentraedi
Writing: the ability to write prose, poems and so on. Base Skill: 35% + 5%
RULES CHANGES AND NEW RULES
MECHA COMBAT
Weapon Links
Mecha with two of the same weapon can fire both of those weapons with only the one attack/action. Examples include the Exculiber's twin Particle Cannons or the Raider X's twin Laser Arms. The weapons are fired as a volley of missiles- they MUST be directed at the same target and use the same to-hit roll. Seperate missile launchers can not be linked together. Devised by Richard Speyer
Missile Dodging
The RPG Book states that volleys of more than three missiles cannot be dodged. This contradicts the footage where mecha are seen to dodge large lfights of missiles (most notably Max Sterling didging huge flights of missiles from Miriya's Femal Power Armour). I've been trying to work out this, and have come up with several suggestions. Please send me any more you have thought up.
1) All charactes can dodge a base of three missiles. However, characters with an exceptionally high PP (Physical Prowess) Atribute can dodge more missiles. For each point of PP above 16, the character can dodge one addtional missile. For Example, Max Sterling has a PP of 22, allowing him to dodge up to seven missiles at once.
2) All charactes can dodge a base of three missiles. Addtional missiles can be dodged based on the characters level of experience. For each level of experience above level 1, an addtional missile can be dodged. For Example, Max Sterling is a fifth level veritech pilot, allowing him to dodge up to seven missiles at once.
3) The amount of missiles that can be dodged depends on the characters dodge roll. For reach point the defender gets above the attacker's to-hit roll, an addtional missile is dodged. The remaining missiles still need to be dealt with or they will hit the target. For example: A Female Power Armour launches a vollley of nine missiles at a Veritech. The power armour pilot rolls a twelve (after modifiers) to hit. The Veritech pilot rolls a fifteen (after modifiers) to dodge. The Veritech has dodged Six of the missiles, leaving three incoming.
4) Any number of missiles can be dodged. However, for each missile over the third, there is a -1 peanalty to dodge. For example: A Female Power Armour launches a vollley of nine missiles at a Veritech. The veretech is -6 (!!) to dodge.
5) Any number of missiles can be dodged.
RDF MECHA
VERITECHS
VF-1 Veritech:
Kevin Sembedia has rather overstated the VF's MDC values. Remember, these mecha were primarily designed for aerial combat, not standing fights. It's MDC values should read as:
Head Mounted Laser(s) (1 to 4)- 15 each Head- 45 Arms- 45 each Hands- 20 each Legs/Engine Thrusters- 100 each GU-11 Gun Pod- 60 Main Body- 150 Re-enforced pilot compartment- 120 Retractable utility arms (3)- 3 each Wings- 60 each Tails (2)- 30 each
The Veritechs cannot reach the Mach 4 speed under normal circumstances. They can reach a maximum of mach 1.2 below 10km, 2.5 between 10-18 km Altitude, and mach 4 from 18-96km up (ceiling).
Atmospheric flight in Battloid mode is possible (Max does it all the time) at 196kph. The Guardian's flight speed is 500kph. Running speed is 192kph
The Veritechs do not have the Nose lasers listed! Instead they are pare of infra-red cameras. In all probability, the footage of Veritechs firing "nose lasers" was misdrawn and was meant to be them firing Head Lasers. (The episode where this is most notable is Wedding Bells which was "farmed out" and has very low-qulity animation)
All Veritechs can rotate 30° left or right at the waist.
The VT-1D has a full set of controls for both seats. This mecha’s name is actually a VF-1D.
The GU-11 can be used in all three modes.
The VF-1 carries 6 Medium-range (not short-range as the RPG lists) or 3 long range missiles per wing, for a total of 12 and 6 respectively.
The illustration of the cockpit on pg 43 shows the cockpit design of the veritechs from the Macross movie. The proper cockpit layout can be seen in the illustrations on page 17.
The VF-1 is capable of carrying bombs instead of wing missiles. The bombs are the equivalent of Short-Range missiles, usually fragmentation or high explosive.
Hand to Hand Combat
Punch: 2D6
Kick: 2D8
Guardian punch: 2D4
Body flip: 2D4 + target loses 1 attack/melee
Body Block/Tackle: 3D8 + Knockdown (Two attacks)
Super Veritech:
As per above Plus:
Kevin Sembedia seems to be under the impression that the Super Veritech is a completely different machine to the normal VF-1 Veritechs. It is not! It is merely a normal VF-1 (any type) outfitted with extra armour, weapons and boosters. Thus the improved weapon and speed values only apply while the armour is attached. If the Super-VF wants to re-enter the atmosphere, it must jettison the armour.
It's MDC values should read as:
Head Mounted Laser(s) (1 to 4)- 15 each Head- 45 Arms- 45 each + 30 armour Hands- 20 each Legs/Engine Thrusters- 100 each + 40 armour GU-11 Gun Pod- 60 Main Body- 150 Re-enforced pilot compartment- 120 Retractable utility arms (3)- 3 each Wings- 60 each Tails (2)- 30 each Boosters/Missile Launchers - 120 each
The missiles in the booster pods are actually short range, and have a payload of 16 per pod, not 20. Each arm missile pod has three medium range missiles, not two.
Armoured Battloid
When equipped with the armour, the maximum running sped is 96kph.
The Shoulder pods carry 11 SRMs, not 12.
VF-1E Veritech
This rare Vertiech is a VF-1D with a Cats-eye Radar system on the rear. It functions with the same abilities as the Cat's-Eye system (see pg 70). The sensor has an MDC of 75.
The VF-1E can be converted to a Super Vertiech, but not an Armoured Battloid. An example of this plane was seen in Episode #27, and in the Firewalkers Comic.
DESTROIDS
Note About Destroids:
The Destroids do NOT have the detachable crew compartments seen in the Exculiber depiction.
Ignore the "also known as" under each Destroid. Optionally, a GM could (if preferred) use the Macross type numbers of each mecha. For example, the Exculiber would be an MBR-04 Mk IV Exculiber. (This particular GM Enjoys this option!)
Exculiber Mk IV
The Exculiber uses a TV-III Gun cluster, an earlier version of the TV-IV of the Gladiator. The only difference is that it uses a 25mm Autocannnon instead of a 32mm autocannon. The range, ammo, rate of fire are the same, but it does 2D4 damage for short bursts, 4D4 for long bursts, and 6D4 for full melee bursts.
The Exculiber does not have the leg missiles listed.
Hand to Hand Combat
Punch: 1D8
Kick: 3D6
Body Block/Tackle: 3D8 + Knockdown (Two attacks)
Gladiator
Restrained punch: 1D6 +4
Punch: 3D6
Full-Strength punch: 3D6 +4
Kick: 3D6
Throw: 2D4 + target loses 1 attack/melee
Body Block/Tackle: 3D8 + Knockdown (Two attacks)
Thump With Mace: Add 1D6+4 To Punch Damage.
MAC II
This mecha probably doesn't have the passenger capacity mentioned in the RPG.
Hand to Hand Combat
Punch: 4D6 (OUCH!)
Raidar X
Punch: 1D8
Body Block/Tackle: 3D8 + Knockdown (Two attacks)
Kick: 2D6
Spartan
The Spartan only requires one crew.
It does not have an AR. Remember, It's a Mega-Damage Structure!.
Hand to Hand Combat
Punch: 2D6 (-2 to hit penalty)
Body Block/Tackle: 3D8 + Knockdown (Two attacks)
Kick: 2D6
RDF SPACECRAFT
ARMD Space Platform
As a small note, the total amount of Armour Platforms constructed was at least ten, not the five stated. (this is based on the existance of an Armour-10 in the footage).
MDC Values:
Main Particle Cannons (5) 300 each Secondary Particle Cannons (6) 150 each Main Anti-Warship Missile Launchers (2) 400 each Medium Anti-Warship Missile Launchers (6) 300 each Decamissile Launchers (6) 300 each Anti-aircraft guns (24) 100 each Main communications deck 800 Foredeck 800 (1) Bidge 500 (2) Main Body 6000 (3) Main Engines (2) 1000 each (3) Secondary Engines (4) 500 each Flight Deck 800NOTES:
Speed: The Platform is capable of a constant 0.1 g of acceleration, with 1 g available for 12 minutes. Secondary engines can move it at about 0.5 g for 12 minutes. No sublight drive.
Weapons:
Aircraft:
Replace all SPC-II space cannons with SF-3A Lancer Space Fighters, then see the erratums...
Oberth-Class Space Destroyer
It appears that at some point, a rather bizarre accident occurred. The vehichle depicted is not a 9.9m Space Fighter, but rather a 350m Destroyer! The Oberth class ship was left out of the RPG book for some reason, but is clearly seen (and mentioned) in the series.
See the conversion of the Oberth for more details on this ship.
SDF-1
MDC Values should read as:
(1) Command Tower 6000 Sensor Array 1000 (2) Main Body 30,000 Lower Arms/Carriers (2) 4,000 each Upper Arms/Railgun Mounts 3,000 each Legs (2) 10,000 each (3) Main Engines (6) 8,000 each (3) Secondary Engines (36) 800 each Small Airlocks (many) 400 each Large Airlocks (8) 800 each Reflex Cannon (Main Gun) (2) 8,000 each Railguns (4) 1,500 each Heavy Particle Beam Cannons (8) 500 each Light Particle Beam Cannon (1) 500 Particle Beam Turrets (16) 300 each LR Missile Launchers (18) 200 each MR Missile Launchers (48) 150 each Pinpoint Barriers (4) 4000NOTES:
Performance specs should read as: Can maintain 0.23g for 5 hours 6 minutes; capable of 1.1g for 38 minutes; and the emergency thrusters can propel the ship at 2.1g for 10.8 minutes. Sublight speed is .001 of light or about 200-300g
Weapons:
Replace the Weapons list in the RPG with:
Carries 212 VF-1s, 587 destroids and 120 QF-3000E ghosts, several Lancer space fighters, 12 Shuttles and 35 Cats' Eye shuttles.
It should be noted that the illustration on page 108 of the SDF-1 in cruiser mode is very poorly drawn.
Promethius-class Aircraft Carrier
This ship has an overall hull MDC of 4,000
Daedelus-class Landing Ship
This ship has an overall hull MDC of 4,000
CONVENTIONAL RDF VEHCILES
Lancer Space Fighter
and Lancer II Space CannonIt's full name is a SF-3A Lancer. The picture shows the Oberth-class space destroyer.
Ok, groan time here folks. The Lancer Space fighter is actually the Lancer space cannon. There is NO unmanned lancer space cannon drone. Use the Stats for the Lancer II space cannon drone, but it has a pilot's compartment (50 MDC)
It can carry six Medium-Range missiles.
Space Shuttle
This vessel's type is a SC-27 Star Goose.
Falcon II Jet Fighter
This plane is also referred to as a Z-9A Peregrine and also as a F-24G Dragon II. Which name the GM choses to use is up to them.
The Wing missiles are medium range. The Falcon's weapons include a pair of wing root-mounted 25mm cannons. They fire simultaneously.
LTV Adventurer II
Name is actually an AV-15 Avenger II.
Delete the weapon systems and replace them with:
QF-3000E Ghost
This aircraft can carry short or medium range missiles.
UF-14J Interceptor
This plane is also referred to as a MiG-35 Karboyan and also as a A-15 Exocutioner. Which name the GM choses to use is up to them.
Maximum speed is mach 2.2 at 15km, and mach 1.1 at sea level.
The Plane carries missiles on two hardpoints under each wing and another four under the fuselage.
Cat's Eye Recon
This vessel's type is an ES-11A Cat's Eye.
Fan Jet
There is No way that it can take that much damage. Closer would be: Main body 750 SDC, Wings 350 each, Fan 350. Remember, it's SDC.
Commanchero
Each missile pod carries 10 missiles, not nine, for a total of 60 missiles, not 54.
Howard LH 2000
Convert all its MDC into equivalent amounts of SDC (Remember 1 MDC = 100 SDC)
EC-33 AWACS
This aircraft weighs 100 tons, not 100,000 tons
Glamour VC-33 "Mom's Kitchen"
This aircraft weighs 83 tons, not 83,000 tons
E.B.S.I.S. AIRCRAFT
The Stats in the RDF manual for EBSIS aircraft were quite inaccurate, and should be disregarded.
Land Rover
The vehicle depicted in the book is actually a special space-use jeep, rather than a conventional ground vehicle. The two vehicles probably have similar, if not identical stats.
WEAPONS
RDF Laser Pistol
This is actually a Rocket Launcher! I would recommend using the same stats as a LAW for the time being, but it has a "clip" of three shots.
RDF Laser Rifle
This is actually a conventional (projectile) assault rifle. I would recommend using the stats of the M-16A1 for the time being.
THE ZENTRAEDI
The "Also known as" names refer to their Zentraedi names.
Zentraedi Armour
There are actually two forms of Zentraedi armour; a light and heavy type. If the heavy armor has a M.D.C of 25, then a value of 15 M.D.C. for the light armour is recommended. The heavy armour is worn by the pilots of the Battle Pods, while the light armour is worn by the pilots of the Male Power Armour, Fighter pods and Theatre scout. The Female Power Armour pilots wear an unarmoured flightsuit.
Battle Pods (General)
Hand to Hand Combat
Kick: 3D4
Body Block/Tackle: 2D8 + Knockdown (Two attacks)
Heavy Artillery Pod
As above, but also change the missiles to Long Range.
Officer's Pod
The Officer's Pod's missiles launch from somewhere in it's forward main body.
Hand to Hand Combat
Punch: 3D4
Kick: 3D4
Body Block/Tackle: 3D8 + Knockdown (Two attacks)
Officer's Pod Armoured Vehcile
The force felid listed does not exist. Most likely, the "felid" seen in the series was a shockwave from the atmospheric re-entry. There is no indication that Force Fields are a part of Zentraedi technology.
The Armoured Vehicle also carries 48 short range missiles.
Male Power Armour
The Male power armour weights 34.7 tons (Whether this includes the pilot is unknown). the pilot only is found in the torso and legs, and not the arms and head.
Contrary to the RPG’s claims, the Male Power Armour is able to fly, with a maximum speed of 750 kph.
The Particle cannon is uses the same statistics as the large particle cannon on the Officer's Pod.
Hand to Hand Combat
Punch: 3D4
Kick: 3D4
Body flip: 2D4 + target loses 1 attack/melee
Body Block/Tackle: 3D8 + Knockdown (Two attacks)
Female Power Armour
Maximum speed is mach 2.
The missiles can fire up to 21 missiles per launcher at one time, giving a maximum volley of 84 (!) missiles in one attack/action.
It cannot use the laser pistol.
Punch: 3D4
Kick: 2D8
Body flip: 2D4 + target loses 1 attack/melee
Body Block/Tackle: 3D8 + Knockdown (Two attacks)
Fighter Pod
The force felid listed does not exist. See the Officer's Pod Armoured Vehcile for the rationale.
I would recommend, based on some available data, making the following changes to the Fighter Pod's missiles.
Re-Entry Pod
The pod weighs 1200 tons, and can carry 75 battle pods.
Theatre Scout
It's human name is a Cyclops scout, and it's Zentraedi name is a Queale-Quale theatre Scout.
It weighs 1200 tons, not 340.
ZENTRAEDI SHIPS
General
Performance specs should read as: Can maintain 0.23g for 5 hours 6 minutes; capable of 1.1g for 38 minutes; and the emergency thrusters can propel a Zentraedi vessel at 2.1g for 10.8 minutes. Sublight speed is .001 of light or about 200-300g
For "Heavy Particle Beam Cannon" read "Reflex Cannon". Contrary to the RPG's claims, very few of the Zentraedi ships carry them.
All ships have a number of "Torpedo Tubes". These are fixed forwards, and fire Long Range Missiles at the rate of one per tube per round. However, tube-launched missiles have a 50% longer range and higher speed than normal, and only fire forwards. Zentraedi ships do not have the RPG's "Forward light lasers"
Deck plans for the Thurvel Salan and Salan Scout can be found In the Macross II deck plans.
Zentraedi Flagship (Nupetiet-Vergnitzs)
Dimensions should read as:
Length: 4010m
Height: 600m
Width: 620m
Mass: 170,000,000 metric tons.
Weapons should read as:
Note also the corrected spelling of the Zentraedi name.
Zentraedi Command Ship (Queadol Magdomillia)
The Main Hull has a total MDC of 200,000. If the forward third of Bow ship is destroyed while the bow ship is attached, the Main Hull remains fully functional. Destruction of the bow ship does, however, eliminate the weapons located there. Destruction of the main ship's hull causes the normal effect.
Dimensions should read as: (Bow Ship/Main Hull/Overall)
Length: 1377m/1764m/2700m
Height: 550m/740m/740m
Width: 550m/800m/800m
Mass: 18,000,000 tons/82,300,000 tons/100,300,000 tons
Weapons should read as: (Bow Ship/Main Hull/Total)
Zentraedi Landing Ship (Quiltra Queodel)
Dimensions should read as:
Length: 3000m
Height: 660m
Width: 680m
Mass: 150,000,000 metric tons.
This ship carries 20 torpedo tubes
Zentraedi Destroyer (Thervel Salan)
Dimensions should read as:
Length: 2300m
Height: 410m
Width: 880m
Mass: 39,500,000 metric tons.
Weapons should read as:
Zentraedi Gunship/Monitor
This is the ship used by Khyron in episode #36, which was needlessly omitted from the RPG book. See the conversion of this ship for more details on this ship.
Zentraedi Scout
Dimensions should read as:
Length: 500m
Height: 170m
Width: 355m
Mass: 3,800,000 metric tons.
This ship carries 10 torpedo tubes.
Contrary to the RPG's listing, it does posses Auxiliary engines and a radio interference network.
ZENTRAEDI CHARACTER CREATION
A few corrections:
Firstly full-sized Zentraedi are approximately seven times normal size- so a 6 foot tall Joe Average 'trod is 42 feet tall when full (normal) size. That's 12.8 meters tall. Weight is multiplied by 150 not 100- a 80 kilo Zentraedi now weighs 12 tons!
Secondly, for random-rolling Zentraedi character type, the following table gives a much more accurate breakdown of the Zentraedi race:
01-85: Male Soldier
86-95: Female officer
95-00: Male officer
This obvously removes the Male High Command officer from the PC's grasp! NPCs
All females have Caucasian skin colours. Why? dunno.
Oh, and Zentraedi have two names. First & Last.
Lisa Hayes
Should be (at least) PB 12
Ben Dixon
Ben is PP 12 and PE 22, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND! Therefore his hit points are 40, not 30
Lynn Kyle
Kyle has a MA of 24, not 25. (Obviously. If anyone can figure out the Statistical Probablility of rolling 25 on Four six-sided dice, please tell me!)
Zentraedi Characters
The only flaws with these guys are their height, and absence of last names. (Full Height/Micronised Height)
Dolza: 24.4 m (80ft)/NA
Breetai Tul: 17m (56ft)/2.44m (8ft)
Exadore Formo: 9.6m (31ft 6in)/1.37m (4ft 6in)
Khyron Kravshera: 13.2m (43ft 4in)/1.87m (6ft 2in)
Miriya Parino (Sterling)*: 12.5m (40ft 10in)/1.78m (5ft 10in)
Azonia Lamiz: 12.8m (42ft)/1.82m (6ft)
*PB at least 17!
Contributors:
Daniel George who made the AntiKevs what they are today.... (Grins)
Dr Sinn for putting up with the AntiKevs on his page for so many years. (And all the hate-mail that came with them.)
Stan "Basara" Bundy for some feedback, alternate opinions, badgering and taking the **** out of Pete McSporrin.
The Robotech Technical Files, by Peter Walker and Pieter Thomassen, with Rob Morgenstern for much of the technical info used in these AntiKevs.
Richard Speyer, for getting the AntiKevs started and providing a handy field test.
And especially the demented (and I mean that in the nicest way possible guys) Macross test group: Field Marshall Dr Sinn I, Cool Hand Jake, Somen "Ash" Mordock, Crusher Tan, Sniper, William 1st Class Will "I think I’m Max" Sterling, Dead Head (must get your address) and Phillip’s Destroid Pilot. (The best PC name I've ever seen!)
You are all stoats.