Monday, September 27, 2021

Scavenging NPC Mechs in Lancer

So I finished my Lancer campaign, the Onus of Lore, and figured I should make some of the notes available to others, namely a solution I often used when players mechs blew up and they needed to Power at a Cost for a new one. Lancer is a fun system for crunchy tactical combat, but I need a break after all the rules discussion and will be returning to simpler systems for the next campaign.

I like the idea of bolting alternate weapons and systems from downed enemies onto your own mech in Lancer when a proper rebuild of your own mech is unavailable, as well as the idea of hijacking enemy mecha mid-combat or just repairing a broken one. Over the course of my lancer campaign it didn't happen often, but it made for a good Power at a Cost option and gave pilots something to strive for if their mech died early but they didn't want to die trying to Jockey.

The basic rule for hijacking is that, while Jockeying, if you'd remove the last Structure or Stress from a mech you can instead breach the cockpit and kill/force to surrender/throw out onto the ground/forcibly Eject the pilot and get in yourself, though you don't have any actions until next turn. Driving an NPC mech in the moment is handled by just using the NPC stats and rules, then it is rebuilt with player-side equivalent rules if the mech is kept for the next scene. Alternately, if the hijacking takes place early in a mission it could be worthwhile converting the mech on the spot. In any case, players still only get 1 turn per round, even if they hijacked an Elite or Ultra. You may also hijack downed enemy mechs mid battle, in which case you have to make a risky and perhaps difficult skill check to deal with the pilot and boot up the mech as a combination Mount/Skill Check action.

To allow a player whose mech was destroyed to continue on missions, they may repair a broken mecha into the appropriate operational chassis with all the appropriate things from the NPC installed (limited to SP and weapon mounts), or run it as a player-controlled NPC, depending. Grunt chassis are sually downed due to pilot incompetence and can be repaired successfully (though if the gm rules they're physically crap too nevermind) and the fine-tuned power of an Elite or Ultra is lost upon repair and an unfamiliar pilot. Repaired NPC mechs do not have Core Battery systems available for use, as they were presumably damaged or expended in the fight., but are otherwise in decent condition apart from any destroyed weapons and systems, and probably not having any repairs remaining. Having them have limited stress and structure is usually too much a Cost to be worth it for a Power at a Cost repair- the downside is their setup probably doesn't match the players skillset exactly.

The impaired/slowed penalty for using off-license equipment should also be waived, as that's another cost too hefty for any player to have fun with I think, but could be added in if a game is trying to be very punishing about having ones mech destroyed.


Formatting is
Original Weapon or System/Reskin Name (if applicable)-Player System Used-License

Some systems are better suited to be simulated with Talents (or are too unique) rather than Systems and so have no equivalent, and some are replaced by systems that fit a similar function rather than being an accurate representation of the NPC system.

ACE
Chassis- NELSON
Any- Flicker Field Generator
Any- GMS Flight System
Missile Launcher, Bombing Bay, Missile Swarm- Unexploded Ordnance-Missile Racks OR Hex Charges- GMS
Chaff Launchers-Pattern A Smoke Charges-GMS
Flight System-Strap-On Jet Engine- Rapid Response Jump Jets OR Type III Flight System if Chassis repair.- GMS



AEGIS
Chassis- SALADIN
Light Laser Rifle- Sol-Pattern Laser Rifle- Sherman 1
Defense Net- Enclave Pattern Support Shield- Saladin 1
Ring of Fire- Swarm Body - Balor 2
Adaptive Shielding- Aegis shield Generator- Drake 2
Guardian- Argonaut Shield-Drake 1
HA Blackwall System- Stasis Barrier- Napoleon 2
Hardlight Cover System- Hardlight Defense System- Saladin 2



ASSASSIN
Chassis- MOURNING CLOAK
Heated Blade- Variable Sword- Mourning Cloak 3
Devil's Cough Shotgun- Bolt Thrower- Raleigh 2
Kai Bioplating/Leap- Rapid Response Jump Jets GMS
Cloud Projector- Flash Charges OR Smoke Charges- Metalmark 1 OR GMS
Explosive Knives- Shock Knife modified with Shock Wreathe- Metalmark 3
Sap- Smite- Manticore II



ASSAULT
Chassis- PEGASUS
Heavy Assault Rifle -Assault Rifle- GMS. Tier II and III assaults may have the Heavy Machine Gun.
Combat Knife= Tactical Knife. Tier II and III may yield the Tactical Melee or Heavy Tactical Melee. GMS
Underslung Grenade Launcher- Missile Racks. GMS. Tier II and II may yield the RPG.
Micromissile Barrage- Thermal Lance
High Impact Rounds- Cyclone Pulse Rifle- GMS.
Auto-Targeting- Kinetic Compensator- Death's Head 3

ARCHER- Not the same without Heavy Gunner. Just prepare skirmishes and pretend....
Chassis- TORTUGA, Core Battery Available
Light Machine Gun- Assault Rifle/Assault Cannon/Heavy Machine Gun-GMS or Drake 1



BARRICADE
Chassis- BLACK WITCH (Size 2)
Mobile Printer-Pattern A Deployable Cover-GMS. Alternately, the Total Strength Suite I from Zheng I
Bulwark Mods-Bulwark Mods- Nelson 1
Graviton Lance/Hunger-Pursuit Limpets- Whitewash Sealant Spray- Lancaster 2
Tier II-III Lances may yield Magnetic Cannon (Black Witch) Gravity Gun (Saladin) or Slag Cannon (Kobold 2)
Titan-Snare-Drone- Webjaw Snare- Vlad 1
Tear Down- Viral Logic Suite (Banish)- Minotaur 1
Seismic Repulsor- Repulsor Field- Iskander 2


BASTION
Chassis- DRAKE
Rotary Grenade Launcher- Missile Racks, RPG at Tier II and III. GMS.
Heavy Assault Shield- Power Knuckles, Nelson 3.
Friendly Interdiction- Argonaut Shield- Drake 1
Fearless Defender- Mimic Mesh- Gorgon 1
Near-Threat Denial System- Monitor Module Gorgon 2
Pause Engine- Stasis Generator- Napoleon 1



BERSERKER
Chassis- VLAD
Chain Axe- Chain Axe- Blackbeard 1
Avalanche Charge/Juggernaut/Harpoon Cannon- Reinforced Cabling- Blackbeard 3
Nail Gun- Impaler Nail Gun- Vlad 2
Aggression- SEKHMET class NHP- Blackbeard 3
Superhot/Retribution: Lightning Generator OR Explosive vents- Manticore 3 or Genghis 1
Stampede Defense- Flicker Field OR Hyperdense Armor- Dusk Wing 2/Tortuga 3


BOMBARD
Chassis- ISKANDER
Bombard Cannon- Howitzer- GMS
High-Impact Shells- Siege Cannon- Barbarossa 3
Siege Armor- Hyperdense Armor- Tortuga 3
Flare Drone- Lotus Projector- Swallowtail 1
Repeater Cannon- Concussion Missiles- Drake 2


BREACHER
Chassis- EVEREST
Dual Shotguns- Deck-Sweeper Auto-Shotgun or Shotgun- Tortuga 1 OR GMS
Thermal Charge=BB Breach Charge or Havok Charge- Raleigh 1 or Genghis 2
Breach/Superior Ram- Siege Ram- Tortuga 1
Flechette Shot- Catalyst Pistol- Manticore 1
Follower Count- Reinforced Cabling
Break Armor- Chain Axe, Blackbeard I


CATAPHRACT
Chassis- BLACKBEARD
Impale- Synthetic Muscle Netting- Blackbeard 2
Electrified Lasso, Impale- Reinforced Cabling, Blackbeard 3
Lance Shot- Hor_0S system upgrade 1
Capacitator Discharge- Manticore Chassis
Electrified Bola- Flak Launcher- Barbarossa


DEMOLISHER
Chassis-DRAKE
Demolition Hammer- Catalytic Hammer- Tortuga 2
Concussion Missiles-Concussion Missiles- Drake 2
Seismic Destroyer- EMP Pulse- Manticore 3
Sap- Smite- Manticore 2


ENGINEER
Chassis HYDRA
Deploy Turret- Turret Drones and/or Ghast Nexus- GMS and/or Hydra 2.
Flak Cannon- Burst Launcher- Dusk Wing 2
Mobile Turrets- Puppetmaster- Hydra 1
Arsenal- Ghoul Nexus- Hydra 1
Any- Assassin Drone- Hydra 3
Any- Sentinel Drone- Gorgon 1


GOLIATH-
Chassis BARBAROSSA
Any-Hyper Dense Armor- Tortuga 3
Drum Shotgun- GMS Shotgun
Crush Targeting- Neurospike- Dusk Wing 3
Power Knuckle- Power Knuckles- Nelson 3
Watchful Guardian- Argonaut Shield- Drake 1



HIVE-
Chassis BALOR
Hunter-Killer Nexus- Swarm/Hive Nanites- Balor 3
Drone Barrage/Driving Swarm- Ferrous Lash- Black Witch 1
Razor Swarms- Hive Drone- Balor 1
Electro-Nanite Cloud- Swarm Body- Balor 2



HORNET
Chassis- DUSK WING
Any- EVA Module
Stinger Pistol- Burst Launcher- Dusk Wing 2
Impale Systems- Eject Power Cores, Goblin 1
Umbral Interdiction- Stasis Bolt- Napoleon 1
Supersonic- Ramjets- Nelson 3
Lock/Hold Javelins-Charged Stake- Vlad 3
Hex Missiles- Excommunicate- Minotaur 2


MIRAGE
Chassis- SWALLOWTAIL
Warp Sensors/Illusory Subroutines- Neurospike:Mirage- Dusk Wing I
Dataveil- Active Camo- Metalmark 3
Glitch Scanners/Blip- Metafold Carver-Minotaur 2
Metafold Shove- Beckoner- Manticore 1
Manifest False Idols-HorOS Sys Upgrade II- Goblin 2
Multiplicity- Swallowtail Core Battery


OPERATOR- Typically these explode and are not valid for salvage but u never know
Chassis MANTICORE- CASTIGATE ACTIVE or MOURNING CLOAK
Any- External Batteries- Tokugawa 2
Any- Singularity Motivator- Mourning Cloak 2
Raptor Plasma Rifle- Shatterhead Colony Missiles- Saladin 1
Fade Generator- Active Camo- Metalmark 3
Fortress- Black ICE module- Black Witch 3
Nova Missiles- Missile Racks w/ Nanocomp Mods- GMS/Balor 3
Telefrag- EMP Pulse- Manticore 3


PRIEST
Chassis- LANCASTER with CORE BATTERY ACTIVE
Any- Cable Winch System
Abjure- Neurospike- Dusk Wing 1
Dispersal Shield/Greater Investiture- Enclave Pattern Support Shield
Fortress- Black ICE Module- Black Witch 3
Sanctuary- Ideal Image- Goblin 2
Fractal Assault-//SCORPION V70.1-Gorgon 2


PYRO
Chassis- GENGHIS
Flamethrower-Krakatoa Thermobaric Flamethrower-Genghis 1
Explosive Vent-Explosive vents- Genghis 1
Firebreak Shield-Oasis Wall- Dusk Wing 3
Siege Armor- Hyperdense Armor- Tortuga 3
Napalm Bomb- Havok Charges- Genghis 2
Explosive Jet- Jump Jets+AGNI NHP- GMS/Genghis 3



RAINMAKER
Chassis- MONARCH
Any- Siege Stabilizers (Barbarossa 1)
Missile Pods- Sharanga Missiles- Monarch 1
Javelin Rockets- Javelin Rockets- Monarch 1
Atlas/Hound/Hades Missile- Pinaka Missiles- Monarch 3
Volley- Core Battery Active


RONIN
Chassis-TOKUGAWA
Monowire Sword-Variable Sword- Mourning Cloak 3
Rebound- Noah-class NHP- Saladin 3
Charged Slash- Bristlecrown Flechette Launchers- Blackbeard 2
Chaff Launchers- Flicker Field Generator- Dusk Wing 2
Instinct.exe- Scylla-class NHP-Gorgon 3
Echo Edge- The burn from Tokugawa traits
Extended Blade- Nanocarbon Sword- Blackbeard 2



SCOURER
Chassis-SHERMAN, TOKUGAWA, or MANTICORE
Thermal Lance- Thermal Rifle- GMS
Focus Down- TOKUGAWA Chassis
Ablative Shielding- MANTICORE Chassis
Cooling Module- Autocooler- Genghis 2
Super Charged- Best thing I can imagine is Centimane and a Integrated Light Nexus
Emergency Vent- Agni class NHP, Genghis 3
Pulse Laser- Thermal Lance- GMS
Flash Lens- Stuncrown- Dusk Wing 3


SCOUT
Chassis-SWALLOWTAIL
Marker Rifle- Black Spot Kidd 1
Sight- Eye of Horus Pegasus 2
Rebound Scan- Athena-class NHP -Swallowtail 3
Cloaking Field- LB/OC Cloaking Field- Swallowtail 3
Dataveil/System Flayer- Neurospike- Dusk WIng 1
Orbital Strike - HEX charges - GMS


SEEDER
Chassis- TORTUGA
Grav Grenade Launcher- Gravity Gun -Iskander 3
Assorted Mine
Webjaw Snare- Vlad 1
Mesmer Charges-Minotaur 1
HEX charges- GMS
Grounding Charges- Iskander 1
“Roller” Directed Payload Charges- Barbarossa 1


SENTINEL
Chassis- GORGON
Any- Vorpal Gun - Gorgon 3
Any- Monitor Module (Gorgon 2) or Scylla-Class NHP (Gorgon 3)
Combat Shotgun- Decksweeper autoshotgun, or regular GMS Shotgun- Tortuga 1/GMS
Retractable Sword- Tactical Melee Weapon- GMS
Rapid Response- Mimic Mesh- Gorgon 1
Impaler- Nailgun- Vlad 2
Wrath Lock- Hunter Lock- Pegasus 2


SNIPER
Chassis-DEATH'S HEAD (Core Active)
Anti-Material Rifle- Sniper Rifle-GMS
Any- High-Stress Mag Clamps Death's Head 1
Any- Roland Chamber Raleigh 3
Any- Core Siphon- Death's Head 2
Defensive Grapple- Reinforced Cabling- Blackbeard 3
Shroud Charge- Smoke Grenades-GMS
Deadmetal Rounds- Railgun- Death's Head 3


SPECTER
Chassis- MOURNING CLOAK
Any- Active Camo- Metalmark 3
Any- Fade Cloak- Mourning Cloak 3
Monowire Sword- Variable Sword- Mourning Cloak 3
Fortress- Black Ice Module- Black Witch 3
Step- Core Battery Active
Machine Pistols- GMS Pistols- GMS
Weakness Analyzer- Hunter Lock- Pegasus 2


SUPPORT-
Lancaster
Sealant Gun- Whitewash Sealant Spray-Lancaster 2
Restock Drone- Aceso Stabilizer- Lancaster 3
Remote Reboot- PEBCAC- Kidd
Latch Drone- Core Active
Empowered Cloud/Defensive Pulse- Redundant Systems Upgrade- Sherman 2
Remote Cloud- GMS Smoke Charges- GMS


WITCH-
Chassis-GOBLIN
Tear Down- Sear-Manticore 2
Blind- Neurospike- Dusk Wing 1
Predatory Logic- Law of Blades, Minotaur 3
Blur- Flicker Field- Dusk Wing 2
Chain- Celestial Shackles- Goblin 3
Petrify- Chassis MINOTAUR
Pain Transference- Eject Power Cores, Goblin 1


SQUAD- Salvageable for Pilot Weapons


MONSTROSITY- Most features are too biological for use, but others...
Claws- Heavy Tactical Melee, GMS
Corrosive Bite/Acid Spittle- Acid Sac- as HEX Charges, GMS
Spined- Throwing Spines- Tactical Knife, GMS
Tempered Hide- Argonaut Shield, Drake
Chameleon-Camo Hide-Retractable Profile/Swallowtail

There are assorted weapons and systems to be found in the 'templates' as well, though whether or not they should really be salvageable is debatable, as many simulate talents of the pilot. Some very obvious things like 'flight systems are flight systems' were left out.

COMMANDER
Voice of Authority- Sisyphus Class NHP- Pegasus 3
Bolster Network- Black Ice Module- Black Witch 3
Press the Attack- Autopod, Goblin 1
Quick March- Puppet Systems, Goblin 1


MERCENARY
Last Word- Reactive Weave- Metalmark 1
Scout Drone- Lotus Projector- Swallowtail 1
Favors Owed- Howitzer- GMS

PIRATE
Chassis Change- Blackbeard with Sekhmet Class NHP if possible
OR
Chassis Change- Minotaur with Core Active
OR
Chassis Change- Tokugawa


(Depending on if it has melee and cockpit ripping capabilities, coreworms/slaver signal, or is just a ranged attacker focusing on deadly and splinter rounds respectively)

SPACER
Gravity Rifle- Mag Cannon- Black Witch 1
Concussion Gun/Thumper Grenades- Repulsor Field- Iskander 2
Sealant Trap- Webjaw Snare


ULTRA
Hover Propulsion- GMS Flight Systems, or Chassis Swap to Dusk Wing
Repulsion Field- Lightning Generator- Manticore 3
Siege Shield- Hyperdense Armor- Tortuga 3
Silver Shielding- Active Camo- Metalmark 3 or Chassis Swap to Metalmark, Core Active
Short Cycle Lance- Railgun- Death's Head 3
Volley Module- Asura-Class NHP- Sherman 3
Wolfhound Missile- Pinaka Missiles- Monarch 3
Devastator- Chassis Swap to Monarch
Fortress- Black Ice Module-Black Witch 3
Lead the Charge- Mimic Mesh- Gorgon 1
Limitless- Redundant System Upgrades- Sherman 2
Sight- Eye of Horus- Pegasus 2
Superior Targeting- Nanocomp Mod, Balor 2
Supreme Melee- Sekhmet-Class NHP Blackbeard 3
Unstoppable- Armor-Lock Plating- Nelson 2
Hellfire Projector- Krakatoa Thermobaric Flamethrower- Genghis 1

VETERAN
Acrobat- Ramjets- Nelson 3
Hacker- Sear, Manticore 2
NHP Co-Pilot- Comp/con Unit- GMS

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