Big Robots, Cool Starships (BESM)

114 Pages·1999·20.37 MB·English

by  David L. Pulver

Written by
David L. Pulver
Tri-Stat System Designed by
Mark C. MacKinnon
Edited by
Mark C. MacKinnon and Karen A. McLarney
Cover Illustrations by
Theodore Serafica and David A. White
Interior Illustrations by
Louis Frank, David Okum, Derek T. Stevens, David A. White
Playtesting by
Lon Braidwood, Leland Carlson, Steve Dickie, John C. Fiala, John Karakash, Karen A.
McLarney, George J. Nacke, John W. Nowak, TYey Palmer, Richard Spainhour.
Copyright © 1999 by Guardians Of Order, Inc. Guardians Of Order, Big Robots, Cool
Starships, Tri-Stat System, and Big Eyes, Small Mouth are trademarks of Guardians Of
Order, Inc. All rights reserved.
Second Printing — November 1999
All rights reserved under international law. No part of this book may be reproduced in
part or whole in any form or by any means, without permission from the publisher,
except for personal copies of the character sheet, or brief quotes for use in reviews.
Printed in Canada.
Guardians of Order, Inc.
P.O. Box 25016
370 Stone Road
Guelph, Ontario
CANADA N1G 4T4
Phone: [phone]
Fax: (519) 821-7635 ISBN 0-9682431-3-4
[email protected] Product Number 02-002
http://www.guardiansorder.on.ca
Foreword
I am proud to present the first supplement for Big Eyes, Small Mouth!
Guardians Of Order would like to extend a sincere "thank you" to everyone who has
patiently waited for us to start supporting the BESM line. I hope you find that this book
was worth the wait.
When I first published BESM in August 1997, I had only intended to commit myself
to the company part-time. In fact, I had hoped to sell the entire first print run of 1000
copies over my lifetime. When the game premiered at GenCon 97, I discovered that I had
a hit on my hands. We blew through 125 copies at the convention in three days, and the
rest of the print run in less than six months. During that time, BESM also received a
nomination for the Origins Award for "Best Role-Playing Game" of 1997 — an honour
that I will treasure forever. The game's success prompted me to expand the company's
operations, and in January of 1998 we acquired the RPG rights to the popular anime
series, Sailor Moon. All throughout 1998, Karen (my VP) and I were forced to split our
time between producing the The Sailor Moon Role-Playing Game and Resource Book and
our university degrees. Consequently, we could not start directly supporting the BESM
line as soon as we would have liked. This is now changed.
In November 1998, acclaimed industry writer, David L. Pulver, began work for the
company as Associate Line Editor and Senior Staff Writer. David has worked on many
GURPS books for Steve Jackson Games (including GURPS Biotech, GURPS Mecha, and
GURPS Vehicles) as well as other game companies, including R. Talsorian Games and
TSR. David's first task at Guardians Of Order was to develop the best and most complete
mecha/vehicle/building multi-genre creation system the gaming industry has ever seen.
David worked wonders with the Tri-Stat System, and Big Robots, Cool Starships was the
result. I think that this is simply one of the best game supplements ever created. The
flexible creation system allows players to design any organic or man-made structure that
they can imagine — from the smallest robot to the largest planet-killer, from tenth-century
pirate ships to thirtieth-century spaceships. Motorcycles, giant monsters, helicopters,
multi-legged walkers, powered armour, steam-punk mecha-dragons, transforming
cyborgs, deadly laser weapons, slick sport cars...it is all possible with this single book!
Once again, thank you for your support. This company was built by dedicated anime
and role-playing fans such as yourself, and we will continue to earn your patronage by
producing the best anime RPGs available. Next up: Hot Rods and Gun Bunnies in August
1999 by Jim Crocker — a supplement for the "guys-with-cars and girls-with-guns" anime
and Hong Kong cinema genre!
Mark C. MacKinnon
June 1999
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction 5
The Origins of Mecha 5
Using Big Robots, Cool Starships 6
Chapter 2: Mecha Creation 7
Mecha-Related Attributes 7
Mecha-Related Character Defects 12
Creating Mecha 13
Mecha Creation Flowchart 14
Step 5A: GM Discussion 15
Step 5B: Mecha Outline 15
Step 5C: Mecha Sub-Attributes 17
Structural Sub-Attributes 18
Mobility Sub-Attributes 21
Weapon Sub-Attributes 37
Step 5D: Mecha Defects 46
Step 5E: Mecha Derived Values 55
Step 5F: Mecha Background 56
Sample Mecha Designs 57
Chapter 3: Mecha Combat and Other Actions 65
Combat Ideology 65
Movement in Combat 65
Dramatic Manoeuvres 66
Flying, Jumping, Diving 68
Combat Ranges 69
Mecha Attacks 70
Delivering Damage in Mecha Combat 72
Effects of Damage to a Mecha 72
Occupant Injuries 73
Major Systems Damage (Optional) 73
Crashing and Falling 74
Raming 76
Throwing Heavy Things 77
Fighting Inside a Mecha 78
Destroying Buildings 79
Escaping a Destroyed Mecha 79
Mass Mecha Destruction 80
Mecha with Multiple Crew 80
Space Movement 82
Mecha Repairs 83
Chapter 4: Mecha Campaigns 85
Mecha Campaign Settings 85
Game Seeds 87
Chapter 5: Sample Adventure 91
Red Planet, Blue Helmets 92
Index 104
Personality Profiles 106
Mecha Design Character Sheet 108
The Origins off Mecha
"Mecha" is the term used by animators and fans to refer to the mechanical designs
that appear in Japanese anime and manga. A mecha often invokes images of giant robots,
but it can actually refer to any mechanical device, including spaceships, normal
automobiles, jet planes, or even motorcycles. This book provides a means to describe and
design mecha within Big Eyes, Small Mouth's Tri-Stat System, with simple, playable
mechanics for using them in anime-style role-playing adventures.
The use of mecha in anime can be traced back to 1963. Mushi Production's
Tetsuwan Atom, (dubbed into English as Astro Boy), featured the adventures of a super-
powered android boy. This series was not only the first robot-mecha, but also the very first
Japanese animated television series. Tetsuwan Atom was followed by many other shows
that featured high-tech vehicles and robots, including the famous Mach Go Go Go! (1967;
dubbed into English as Speed Racer) with its super-powered race car, and Iron Man 28
(1966; dubbed into English as Gigantor), whose boy hero operated a giant remote-control robot.
When people think of Japanese anime today, one of the most enduring images is the
giant humanoid robot, inside which rides the heroic pilot. This idea originated with ace
creator Go Nagai and his pioneering mecha television show Mazinger Z (1972; dubbed
into English as TranZor Z). With a human in the cockpit, action could now take place on
two levels: dynamic mecha battles, and dramatic soap operas involving their ordinary
human pilots. Later series introduced combining and transforming robots that could shift
forms, merge together, or do both. An entire anime genre was born — teams of agents
using super-powered robots — which soon began a craze that even spread to North
America with shows such as Transformers (1984). Space Cruiser Yamato (1974) was
another seminal work. Dubbed into English as Star Blazers, it was a sprawling space
opera in which a spacefaring battleship (and its fighter squadron) was sent on an epic
quest to save a dying Earth from a hostile space empire. The series won dedicated fans
for its complex continuing story arc and changing characters, a feature that has also
garnered critical acclaim for American television shows such as Babylon 5.
Big Robots, Cool Starships
Mobile Suit Gundam (1979) was a different kind of big robot show: a realistic
science fiction war story. Instead of robots that were unique inventions run by secret
agencies, they were mass-produced combat machines, fighting in battle alongside tanks
and jet fighters. While retaining the trappings of 20-metre tall robots and dramatic space
battles, its core was a hard-edged SF story focusing on character development in the
crucible of war. Although slow to find an audience, Gundam (like the original Star Trek
series) became wildly popular once it was released in syndication; this created a surge in
the popularity of media shows, including the very successful Super-Dimensional Fortress
Macross (1982; dubbed into English as Robotech). More importantly, it opened up an
untapped market for anime aimed at an older teenage audience, paving the way for the
wide variety of action and drama series seen today, not to mention the many RPGs,
novels, and computer games.
Of course, mecha anime need not focus on fantastic robots and science fiction
vehicles. Anime shows such as Area 88 (1985; mercenary fighter pilots in the Middle
East), 801 TTS Airbats (1994; more pilots, in the Japanese air force), Riding Bean (1989;
cops, crooks, and car chases in modern-day Chicago), Silent Service (1995; Tom Clancy-
esque submarine duels), and Porco Rosso (1992; the adventures of a flying boat pilot in
1920's Italy) demonstrate that anime offerings are not lacking in mecha action.
Using Bid Robots, Cool Starships
Big Robots, Cool Starships (BRCS) is a multi-genre anime supplement that adds
mecha design and combat rules to the Big Eyes, Small Mouth role-playing game (BESM)
and Guardians Of Order's Tri-Stat System. With these rules, the GM has more detailed
mechanics to run a mecha-heavy campaign, featuring the exploits of angst-ridden robot
pilots, sleek combat cyborgs, bold starship captains, and many other anime mecha
archetypes. This supplement is not just for mecha battle campaigns, however. Nearly all
anime settings include some form of vehicle action. BRCS is designed to be flexible enough
to give the GM the freedom to create almost any vehicle's game Stats in a few minutes, and
then help resolve car chases, starship crashes, or pirate attacks quickly and cinematically.
While BRCS adds some extra detail to BESM, it avoids complex war-game
mechanics or formula-heavy mecha design rules. Instead, the system addition is a simple
but very flexible mechanic that allows players and GMs to create just about any kind of
mecha without sacrificing imagination in favour of realism or play balance. After all, no
matter how awe-inspiring the mecha, it really only has one goal: to propel the character
into the adventure, and make the action that much more dramatic!!
Big Robots, Cool Starships
This chapter provides simple, yet comprehensive, rules to help you create big robots,
cool starships and many other different types of mecha. New and expanded descriptions
of mecha-related Character Attributes and Defects are also provided. These rules are
designed to enhance the mecha or cybernetic body design process if you acquire the Own
A Big Robot or Cybernetic Body Attributes for your character.
Approximate Conversion Notes: 1metre=l yard=3.5 feet; 1 kilogram=2 pounds;
1Litre=0.25 US gallons; 1 tonne=2000 pounds;
1kilometre=0.6 miles (kph=kilometres per hour)
Mecha-Related Attributes
Unlike the rules presented in BESM, the Cybernetic Body and Own A Big Robot
Attributes now range from one to six Levels, and work somewhat differently. With GM
approval, two new Character Attributes are also available to you during mecha creation
— More Powerful Robot (or More Powerful Cyborg) and Personal Gear.
Cybernetic Body (2 Points/Level)
Type: BESM Attribute
Relevant Stat: None
If a character possesses the Cybernetic Body Attribute (see BESM, page 18) he or
she can "Be a Big Robot" (with GM's permission), which involves building the robotic
body as if it were a mecha. The character may be a true cyborg (having both organic and
machine components) or an intelligent robot (all machine). Characters receive 10 Mecha
Points per Level as outlined below, with the option to acquire Mecha Defects to get
additional Mecha Bonus Points. Cybernetic bodies are designed after Step 5 but before
Step 6 of Character Creation, using the Creating Mecha rules (page 13). This Attribute is
only recommended in campaigns where the character will face suitably strong opponents,
such as cyborgs, mecha or people with super powers.
Big Robots, Cool Starships

Level 1 Modest cyborg. 10 Mecha Points for Sub-Attributes.
Level 2 Somewhat powerful cyborg. 20 Mecha Points for Sub-Attributes.
Level 3 Moderately powerful cyborg. 30 Mecha Points for Sub-Attributes.
Level 4 Highly powerful cyborg. 40 Mecha Points for Sub-Attributes.
Level 5 Extremely powerful cyborg. 50 Mecha Points for Sub-Attributes.
Level 6 Super cyborg. 60 Mecha Points for Sub-Attributes.
Own a Big Robot (OBR) (4 points/Level)
Type: BESM Attribute
Relevant Stat: None
This Attribute (see BESM, page 28) allows the character to own a personalized robot
or other mecha. The details of design, storage, and game impact are determined using the
mecha creation rules in this chapter. Characters must possess at least one Level in this
Attribute to possess a mecha.
Although titled "Own a Big Robot", you can use this Attribute to acquire any other
type of vehicle or structure. Players may freely interpret the Attribute as Own A Cool
Starship, Own a Fast Car, Own an Army Tank — even Own a Big House! Using the new
creation system, each Attribute Level now gives the player 20 Mecha Points (MP, different
from Character Points) to use in the construction of a balanced mecha design. Mecha
Points are used to acquire various Sub-Attributes that give the mecha particular
customized abilities. Mecha are designed after Step 5 but before Step 6 of Character
Creation, using the Creating Mecha rules on page 13.
Multiple Mecha — A player may use Mecha Points from the Own a Big Robot Attribute
to acquire more than one mecha for his or her character. For example, a player could
spend the majority of points on a big starship, and the few remaining points on its
shuttlecraft. Each mecha must require at least one Mecha Point, however.
Shared Mecha — With the GM's permission, two or more players can pool some or all
of their character's Mecha Points to acquire a more powerful mecha, or a group of mecha
they own and operate in common.
Level 1 Modest mecha. 20 Mecha Points for Sub-Attributes.
Level 2 Somewhat powerful mecha. 40 Mecha Points for Sub-Attributes.
Level 3 Moderately powerful mecha. 60 Mecha Points for Sub-Attributes.
Level 4 Highly powerful mecha. 80 Mecha Points for Sub-Attributes.
Level 5 Extremely powerful mecha. 100 Mecha Points for Sub-Attributes.
Level 6 Super mecha. 120 Mecha Points for Sub-Attributes.
Big Robots, Cool Starships