Instant Powersuit Plug-In A Fuzion Plug-In
by Christian Conkle
(conkle@mecha.com, http://www.mecha.com/~conkle)Introduction
The Mekton Plug-In for Fuzion is widely regarded as sub-standard and poorly thought out. I have designed an alternative that, although simple, is perfectly aligned with existing Mekton Zeta material. This plug-in will design simple humanoid powersuits and is not intended to approach it’s parent, Mekton Zeta Plus, in complexity or detail.There has been much debate over how mecha should be purchased due to a misprint in the original plug-in. To avoid confusion, I have not used terms such as Power Points or Option Points and have instead decided to stick with Mekton Zeta’s Construction Points. All powersuit costs listed here are in Construction Points. How much a Construction Point is worth in Fuzion depends on your campaign. They could be worth 1 PP, 1 OP, or something else entirely.
This system is consistent and compatible with Mekton Zeta, Mekton Zeta Plus, AT Votoms and Bubblegum Crisis. It is not compatible with the Superpowers Plug-In or even the original Mekton Plug-In from Champions:TNM.
Disclaimers
AT Votoms, Bubblegum Crisis:The RPG, Mekton Zeta and Mekton Zeta Plus are trademarks of R. Talsorian Games, Inc. Fuzion is a trademark of Hero Games and R. Talsorian Games, Inc. Fuzion is a copyright 1998 by Hero Games and R. Talsorian Games, Inc. All trademarks and copyrights used without expressed
permission.
This document is by no means a challenge to any copyright, trademark, or authorship.
I have the utmost respect for the creators of the original Mekton Zeta Plug-in for Fuzion and only wish to improve upon their outstanding work.
Caveat
These rules are extremely simplified for fast and easy powersuit construction. Please use Mekton Zeta Plus for greater detail and many many more options.
Step One: Choose a Frame
Class
Head
Torso
R.Arm
L.Arm
R.Leg
L.Leg
Average
Armor*
Tons
Strength
Cost
Superlight
5
10
10
10
10
10
10
5
8.5kg
1
3.4 CP
Lightweight
10
20
15
15
15
15
15
10
15.0kg
2
6 CP
Striker
15
30
20
20
20
20
20
15
21.5kg
3
8.6 CP
Med.Striker
20
40
25
25
25
25
25
20
28.0kg
4
11.2 CP
Hvy.Striker
25
50
30
30
30
30
30
25
34.5kg
5
13.8 CP
Med.Weight
30
60
35
35
35
35
40
30
41.0kg
6
16.4 CP
Lt.Heavy
35
70
40
40
40
40
45
35
47.5kg
7
19 CP
Med.Heavy
40
80
45
45
45
45
50
40
54.0kg
8
21.6 CP
Armd.Heavy
45
90
50
50
50
50
55
45
60.5kg
9
24.2 CP
SuperHeavy
50
100
55
55
55
55
60
50
67.0kg
10
26.8 CP
MegaHeavy
55
110
60
60
60
60
70
55
73.5kg
11
29.4 CP
*Armor ablates 1KD for every damage of 5 Hits or more.
Step Two: Choose Subassemblies
Each Subassembly must be placed within a servo (head, arms, torso, etc.). Each Subassembly requires a certain amount of Space from each Servo. Each Servo can only mount as many spaces worth of Subassembly as it has Hits/50 in that Servo (see chart above). If the Subassembly you want doesn’t fit, the number of spaces it requires can be reduced for 0.5 CP per Space (or 0.05 per 0.1 Space) added to the cost of the Subassembly.
Subassembly
Cost
Weight
Space
Notes
Sensors (required)
0.8 CP
1.0kg
0.1
7km range, 20km communication, -3 to actions if not in head
Advanced Sensors
19.2 CP
1.0kg
0.1
50km range, 200km communications. -3 to actions if no backup.
Backup Sensors
0.4 CP
1.0kg
0.2
1km range, 6km communications. -6 to actions if no backup.
Hand (1DC damage)
0.4 CP each
0.5kg
0.1
Claw (3DC damage)
0.8 CP each
1.0kg
0.1
Talon (3DC damage)
0.4 CP each
1.0kg
0.1
cannot manipulate
Pincer (4DC damage)
0.4 CP each
1.5kg
0.1
cannot manipulate
Storage
0.02 CP per 5kg
0.0t
0.01
5kg of storage
Security system
0.1 CP
0.0t
0
Escape System
0.2 CP
0.0t
0
Blows off armor.
Weapon Linkage
0.2 CP each
0.0t
0
Fires two weapons simulaneously.
Step Three: Choose Weapons
Each Weapon must be placed within a servo (head, arms, torso, etc.). Each weapon requires a certain amount of Space from each Servo. Each Servo can only mount as many spaces worth of weapon as it has Hits/50 in that Servo (see chart above). If the weapon you want doesn’t fit, the number of spaces it requires can be reduced for 0.5 CP per Space (or 0.05 per 0.1 Space) added to the cost of the weapon.
Any weapon can be designated as Hand-Held at no cost. An arm may carry and use as many Spaces worth of weapon as it has Kills in the arm divided by 50. Therefore, a 15 Hit arm may carry a weapon that requires 0.3 spaces. Hand-held weapons are vulnerable to "Grab" maneuvers.
All weapons ranges are given in meters (close range, maximum range).
Beam Weapons
Range
WA
DC
BV
Shots
Weight
Spaces
CP Cost
Lt. Beam Gun
20/200
+1
1
Na
Inf
0.5 kg
.1
.4
Med. Beam Gun
35/350
+1
4
Na
Inf
1.5 kg
.4
1.0
Hvy. Beam Gun
50/500
+1
9
Na
Inf
3.0 kg
.9
1.8
Beam Cannon
40/400
+2
6
Na
Inf
2.0 kg
.9
1.8
Hvy. Beam Cannon
40/400
+2
11
Na
Inf
4.0 kg
1.5
3.2
Nova Cannon
75/750
+1
21
Na
1*
0.5 kg
1.0
5.8
Pulse Cannon
40/400
+0
6
6
1 turn**
2.0 kg
1.1
4.0
Beam Sweeper
20/200
-1
3
inf.***
Inf
1.0 kg
.6
3.0
*This cannon may only be fired once per battle.
** This weapon can only fire one burst every other turn.
***Fires a continuous beam, no maximum hit limit.
Projectile Weapons
Range
WA
DC
BV
Shots
Weight
Spaces
CP Cost
Light Cannon
25/250
+0
4
Na
10
1.5 kg
.3
.6
Medium Cannon
35/350
+0
9
Na
10
3.0 kg
.6
1.2
Heavy Cannon
45/450
+0
13
Na
10
4.5 kg
.9
1.8
Giant Cannon
85/850
+0
17
Na
10
6.0 kg
1.5
3.0
Autocannon
20/200
-2
3
8
10 bursts
1.0 kg
.5
1.2
Heavy Autocannon
35/350
+1
9
4
10 bursts
3.0 kg
1.0
2.6
Epoxy Gun
25/250
+2
Diff: 18*
Na
3
3.0 kg
.7
2.4
Reloads cost 10% of the weapon’s cost for a 10 shot magazine.
*Weapon does no damage, it performs a grab attack against an opponent which requires a piloting roll vs. The difficulty to escape.
Missiles
Range
WA
DC
Shots
Weight
Spaces
CP Cost
Rocket Pod
25/250
-1
3
20
1.5 kg
.4
.8
Rocket Launcher
35/350
+0
6
10
1.5 kg
.4
.8
Missile Pod
65/650
+1
9
5
1.0 kg
.5
1.0
Heavy Missile
12/120
+2
17
1
0.5 kg
.3
.6
Missiles can be fired singly or as a salvo.
Melee Weapons
Range
WA
DC
Weight
Spaces
CP Cost
Sword
1
+1
7
2.5kg
.4
.8
Axe
1
+0
9
3.0kg
.3
.6
Mace
1
+0
11
4.0kg
.4
.8
Drill
1
-1
6-AP
2.0kg
.3
.6
Saw
1
-1
9-AP
3.0kg
.5
1.0
Shock-Whip
1
-2
2-shock
1.0kg
.4
.8
AP= Armor Piercing
shock= defender must roll a d10+Body-2. If the result is less than 10, the pilot loses 1 turn.
Energy Melee
Range
WA
DC
Shots
Weight
Spaces
CP Cost
Energy Sword
1
+1
9
inf.
1.0kg
.6
1.2
Energy Axe
1
+0
10
inf.
1.0kg
.6
1.2
Energy Lance
1
+2
13
inf.
1.0kg
.8
2.8
Nova Sword
1
+3
21
2 turns*
2.0kg
.8
2.8
*This weapon may only be used for 2 turns before it runs out of energy.
Energy Melee Weapons subtract 20KD from target's Armor SP due to the "Hot Knife Through Butter" Effect.
Shields
DA
KD
Weight
Spaces
Handheld
CP Cost
Small Shield
-1
30KD
3.0kg
.2
Hvy.Str.
1.5
Medium Shield
-2
45KD
4.5kg
.2
Med.Hvy.
1.8
Large Shield
+0
60KD
6.0kg
.2
Mega Hvy.
3.6
*Hand-held shields can only be held by an arm servo strong enough to carry it.
Force Fields
DA
KD
Weight
Spaces
CP Cost
Weak Force Field
-1
30KD
3.0kg
1.8
3.6
Medium Force Field
-2
45KD
4.5kg
2.7
5.4
Heavy Force Field
+0
60KD
6.0kg
3.6
7.2
Step Four: Figure Total Weight
Add together all of the weights of your powersuit to determine a Total Weight in kilograms. This weight will be used to figure it’s Aerial Propulsion cost and its Ground MOVE and Maneuver Value.
Step Five: Purchase Thrusters
(if any)Thrusters allows your powersuit to fly. Thrusters require fuel for flight which increases the overall weight of your powersuit by 10%. Therefore a 90 kg powersuit that flies will add an additional 9 kg in fuel.
To determine the cost of thrusters, multiply your total weight including fuel by 0.0075 to determine the CP cost per MA or by 0.0015 to determine the CP cost per MOVE. Example: for a 76.6 kg powersuit to fly at a MA of 20 it would cost 0.57 CP per MA (76.5 x 0.0075 = 0.57) or 0.11 CP per MOVE (76.5 x 0.0015 = 0.11). An MA of 20 would cost 11 CP (0.57 x 20 = 11.4 rounded down to 11). A MOVE of 100 would cost 11 CP as well (0.11 x 100 = 11)
Thrusters must also be placed in servo locations. Thrusters require as many spaces as they cost. Therefore our above example of 11 CP of thrusters would require 11 spaces. Thruster spaces can be split up and allocated to several servos at no additional cost. Spaces can be reduced for 0.5 CP per Space added to the cost of the thrusters.
But even with a MOVE of 100 or MA of 20, our Powersuit barely gets over 400 mph. So how are faster Powersuits designed? The Afterburner Rule allows the powersuit to move at one Mach level for every 100 MOVE or 20 MA of thrusters purchased. This Mach Speed is only useable in high speed, straight-line, non-combat movement.
Step Six: Figure Base CP Cost
Add together all of the CP costs of all of its components so far: Frame, Subassemblies, Weapons, and Propulsion. This is the powersuit’s Base CP cost or Sub-Total. This cost will be used to determine the cost of its Multiplier Systems.
Step Seven: Purchase Multiplier Systems (if any)
Multiplier Systems affect the entire powersuit and, with the exception of Maneuver Verniers, do not require spaces in a servo to place. As such, Multiplier Systems do not have a set cost. Instead, their cost varies depending on the Base CP Cost of the powersuit. To determine the cost of a Multiplier System, multiply the Base CP cost of the powersuit by the system’s Multiplier cost
Multiplier System
Cost Multiplier
Effect
Automation Systems
x0.1 for each level
of INT, REF, DEX +5 skills at +5 each.
Mach Speed
x0.25
1 Mach per 100 Move of propulsion.
Maneuverability
x0.1 per +1MV
up to max of 0. Each +1 requires 5 spaces.
Stealth or Cloaking Field
x0.3
Heroic task to target. Cannot attack while on.
Style
x0.01
for each +1 bonus to Pilot's PRE, to a max of +3 .
Synchro Systems
x0.5
for +2 to Pilot's REF & DEX, +1 to all WA's .
Space Package
Total Multiplier: x2.4
Effects
Space Protection
x0.05
Allows your powersuit to operate in airless space.
Re-entry Protection
x0.1
Allows your powersuit to re-enter the atmosphere.
Mach Speed
x0.25
1 Mach per 100 Move of propulsion.
Sub-light speeds
x0.75
Escape velocities, up to 1AU per day at GM's choice.
FTL
x1.25
Allows your powersuit to travel to other star systems.
Step Eight: Figure Characteristics (Ground Move and
Maneuver Value)Add up the weight of all the parts of your powersuit to determine it's total weight. Then check below to determine its MOVE and its Maneuver Value (i.e., how maneuverable it is-MV reduces your REF, and thus your piloting/driving skills).
Example: Our 76.5-kg Powersuit has a MOVE of 15 and an MV of -7.
Step Nine: Figure Total CP Cost
Add together all of the CP costs including Frame cost, Subassembly cost, Weapon cost, Thrusters cost, and Multiplier costs. The final result is the Total CP cost of the powersuit.
Weight
MOVE
+kph
MV
01-19kg
+6
+18
-1
20-29kg
+5
+15
-2
30-39kg
+5
+15
-3
40-49kg
+4
+12
-4
50-59kg
+4
+12
-5
60-69kg
+3
+9
-6
70-79kg
+3
+9
-7
80-89kg
+2
+6
-8
90-99kg
+2
+6
-9
100kg +
+2
+6
-10