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ARMATURE

Universal Robot Combat System

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction to Armature

How to use this Manual

What you need to play

CHAPTER 1: LAWS OF ROBOTICS

The Grade Roll System

Outcome Grades

Outcome Modifers

Critical Successes

Gameplay Examples: Role Grade

System

CHAPTER 2: MAN AND MACHINE

Creating your Pilot

Biographical Information

Pilot Name and Portrait

Drives

Willpower

Vitals

Pilot Skills

Tips for New Players

Deck SkillsFocus

Building your Armature

Armature Characteristics

Armature Name and Portrait

Durability

Speed

Systems

Armor Class

Mobility Class

Equipment

Components

Armature Construction

The Baseline

Build Points and S-Levels

Armature Build Costs

Equipment and Component List and Costs

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What you need to play

Armature is designed to be easy to play and

requires only the bare minimum of supplies.

These include:

1. A copy of this Manual for each Player and

the GM.

2. Two 10-sided dice for each Player. Each of

the two die should be a different color.

Alternately, a dice rolling computer

program or app can be used.

3. Each Player’s Pilot and Armature

information either printed out or availablevia computer.

4. The GM’s notes, kept private for her eyes

only.

5. Pencil and paper for taking notes.

In addition to these basics, it’s suggested that

the GM and Players also use the following:

I.

A visual representation of the

Battlefield used in any combat

encounter that will be conducted. This

can be as simple as a drawing on a

sheet of paper or as a complex as a

scale model.

II. A visual representation for each

Armature on the Battlefield. Again,

these can be as simple as a colored

token or as complex as a fully

articulated model.

III.

Colored counters, such as poker chips,

for tracking various statistics.

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CHAPTER 1: LAWS OF ROBOTICS

Learning the basic mechanics of Armature

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THE ROLL GRADE SYSTEM

In Armature, any situation or conflict

which tests a Pilot or Armature’s capabilities is

resolved through the Roll Grade System. The

RGS is the one unchangeable, universal rule of

Armature. Where the GM and Players are free

to modify or discard any other rules as needed

by their Campaign, the RGS is the basis upon

which every other mechanical law hangs.

The basics of the RGS are as follows:

1. When confronted with a task requiring

resolution, the Player rolls his two ten-sided

dice. Taken together, the result is a twodigit number between 0 (0,0) and 100

(10,10). This is the reason why the dice

must be two different colors—one always

provides the tens digit, the other the ones.

a. Alternately, if the Player is using a

dice rolling program or app, he can

choose to roll a d100.

This number is called the Outcome.

2.

The Player compares the Outcome to theLevel of his Skill that is being tested, such as

Dodge, Fighting or Diplomacy.

3. Any Outcome that is less than his Skill Level

is considered a Success. Any Outcome that

is higher than his Skill Level is a Failure.

Thus, the lower the roll, the better the

Outcome.

4.

A Success is assigned a Grade based on howlow it is.

5. The better the Grade, the better effect of

the Skill.

Based on certain criteria, such as Pilot or EnemyAbilities, an Outcome can be Modified.

An Advantage of this system is that Modifiers

are only ever applied to the dice roll itself,

never to the Pilot’s Skill Levels. The Pilot’s Skills

remain static, while Outcomes can be fluid.

OUTCOME GRADES

Grade C: Any Successful Outcome is at least

a Grade C.

Grade B: Any Outcome that is 10 less thanthe Pilot’s Skill Level (minimum 06)

Grade A: Any Outcome that is 30 less than

the Pilot’s Skill Level (minimum 03)

Grade S: Any Outcome that is 50 less than

the Pilot’s Skill Level (minimum 01)

OUTCOME MODIFIERS

Upgrade- A Successful Outcome’s Grade is

increased by one level (i.e. C to B). A Failed

Outcome will not, however, be Upgraded to

a Grade C.

Downgrade- A Successful Outcome’s Grade

is decreased by one Level (i.e. B to C). This

means a Grade C Outcome will be

Downgraded to a Failure.

Bonus- A Bonus’s amount is subtracted from

the Outcome (i.e. 50 – 10 = 40)

Penalty- A Penalty’s amount is added to the

Outcome (i.e. 50 + 10 = 60)

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Critical Successes

Whenever a successful Outcome has a

pair of matched numbers (11, 22, 44, etc) then

the result is a Critical Success. A Critical Success

has its Outcome Upgraded.

In the event that the Outcome is a

Grade S and a Critical Success occurs, then the

following results occur:

• Attack Roll: The result is a Max Hit

• Defense Roll: Your free Attack Action is

Upgraded if successful.

• Non-Combat Roll: Grade S Critical

Successes are left to the GM’s

discretion, but generally dictate utterly

legendary feats that transcend normal

human ability

Gameplay Examples: Role Grade

System

To demonstrate how Armature’s

systems and rules work in action, this Manual

provides Gameplay Examples. These follow a

hypothetical campaign with five players: Kate,

the GM, and Players Adam, Holly, Mark and

Ray.

The following examples show how the

Roll Grade System works on a fairly basic level.

Future examples will mostly summarize the

concepts and rules explained in each Chapter.

The first example shows how Ray resolves a

combat situation, the second how Holly

resolves a non-combat one. Both are new to the

game, so the GM has to guide them through

their encounters.

Combat

GM Kate: Alright Ray, you’re up. Your Meteor is

positioned on top of that cliff, and the

Widows are trying to climb their way up

below you.

Ray: Okay, let’s see. Are they in range of my

Bazooka?

Kate: Yup.

Ray: Right, then I’ll try and shoot that one.

What Skill do I use for that again?

Kate: At that distance you want your Medium

range combat skill.

Ray: Cool, my Medium Skill is 55. Let’s see what

I’ve got.

(Ray makes his roll. His dice come up as 3,1)

Ray: Bam! 13! That’s a Grade A! I am all that is

man!

Kate: Actually it’s 31. The black die is your tens

and the white is ones.

Ray: …Right. I forgot about that. 31 is a B.

Kate: But remember, that cliff gives you High

Ground, so you get an Upgrade on

Medium and Long Attacks.

Ray: Nice! So let me check…my Bazooka’s

Grade A Outcome is 4 Damage, and the

Target takes another 1 Damage next time

it gets hit.

Kate: Actually it doesn’t because Mark already

softened that one up for you, so it

explodes, raining fire and debris down the

cliffside.

Mark: You’re welcome.

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Non-Combat

GM Kate: The spaceport official eyes Marisa.

His attention darts back and forth between

her face and ID card.

Holly: Marisa thinks “I knew this wasn’t going to

work. Axel should be the one here, not

me.”

Adam: Hey, Axel is a busy man who can’t be

bothered with the minutia of the plan.

He’s all about the big picture.

Kate: Holly, what’s your move?

Holly: Umm, I’m not really sure. What kind of

options do I have?

Kate: Well you can try and bluff your way

through with Deception, or you can try and

take him out with Fighting.

Holly: Well that one’s right out, Fighting is like

my worst skill.

Kate: You could also try to use your Charisma to

charm him.

Holly: What does the guy look like?

Kate: About Marisa’s age, kind of dorky looking.

Thick glasses and thin hair.

Holly: My Charisma is 45 so I guess I have a

pretty good shot at it. Um, Marisa lets out

an embarrassed laugh and flips her hair.

She says “Sorry, that’s an old card. I was

late this morning and must have grabbed itby mistake. I don’t suppose you could let

me go with a warning?” She smiles and

bats her eyelashes.

(Holly makes her roll. It comes up 4,4)

Holly: Oooof, 44, that was close. Grade C. So

what happens now?

Kate: Well normally outside of combat a C is a

barely-scraping-by kind of success, but you

rolled a double so that’s a Critical Success,and it gets bumped up to a Grade B.

Holly: Yay!

Mark: You’ve got to be kidding me.

Ray: Marisa’s got moves she didn’t even know

she had.

Kate: He stiffens up and clears his throat. “Yes,

well, I suppose that accidents do happen.

Go right ahead, just make sure you check

in at the front office.”

Holly: I wish I could roll doubles like that in real

life.

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CHAPTER 2: MAN AND MACHINE

Creating Pilots and Armatures

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CREATING YOUR PILOT

In Armature, the Players take control of

two distinct avatars: the Armatures that are

sent into battle, and the Pilots that operate

them. In many Campaigns, Armatures are

interchangeable and can be swapped between

Pilots freely, but Pilots belong solely to the

Players that create them. They are the heart

and soul of the narrative being explored. Thus,

this Manual first focuses on creating and

customizing Pilots.

All of the pertinent facts and statistics

about a Pilot are designed to be able to fit on

two 3”x5” sized index cards. This Manual

includes formatted Pilot Cards on page (XX) that

can be printed and filled out, or vice versa if a

digital Manual is used. Alternately, the Players

can instead jot down the information about

their Pilots on a single piece of paper, or

engrave it into a wax tablet or any other

method that they choose. Along with this it is

often helpful for Players to have a notepad to

keep track of temporary changes to their Pilots,

so as not to have to be constantly adjusting

their Pilot Cards.

A Pilot’s character information can be

divided into three primary categories: his

Biographical Info, his Pilot Skills and his Deck

Skills. A new Player reviewing this Manual for

the first time, or a GM teaching her group how

to play for the first time, would do well to

construct their Pilots in the order presented. A

fourth category, Pilot Abilities, is mentioned in

this section but covered in depth in Chapter

(XX), as they are not included on the Pilot Card.

Biographical Information

To begin with, the Player must first

determine who his Pilot is. Is he a hotheaded

rookie, a leathery, hardened veteran, a starry

eyed idealist, or a ruthless opportunist? What

impulses drive him, what compels him to act, to

sacrifice, to flee in terror?

Every a Pilot’s Biographical Info is comprised of

the following:

Pilot Name and Portrait

The Pilot’s Name can say a lot or a little.

It can be a normal, unassuming name like John

Stone, Harlin Gray or Maxine Berg. It can be a

futuristic, spaceage name like Graf Galgorn,

Reav Messer or Wes Aster. Or it can be an

adventurous, madcap name like Brooker Divide,

Elle Bowsmash or America Hartlander. There’s

no rule saying what a name can and can’t be, so

be creating, but more importantly, be true to

the character, because who a Pilot is begins

with what he calls himself.

A Pilot’s Name is mandatory. A Portrait

is not. The Pilot Cards provided with this

Manual allow room for a Portrait, should the

Player choose to include it. The Portrait can be

a written description of the Pilot, or a visual

depiction. It can be an actor who fits the

Player’s image of his Pilot, a drawing or painting

or just a random photo that his came across on

the internet. If it helps him bring the Pilot tolife, then he should feel free to make use of it.

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Drives

This is where a Pilot’s persona begins to

take shape. A Pilot’s Drives are the things in life

that motivate him. They are his goals, his

passions, his fears and desires. A Drive is rooted

to the deepest part of the Pilot’s life and

background. Below are some possible examples

of Drives that characters could have:

Protecting the Weak

Akira grew up in the streets of Alpha Tokyo,

where powerful gangs ran roughshod over

whomever they chose. When Akira joined

Broken Sword Brigade, he vowed to protect

those who had no one else to look out for them.

The Stars, My Destination

Connie always longed for a life in space, but

with her medical condition knew she would

never leave the confines of Earth. But after an

alien starship abducted her entire hometown,

she realized that she finally had her chance to

explore the stars.

Cash Rules Everything Around Me

Raz only ever knew poverty and want as a child,

no matter how hard his mother tried to support

him and his sisters. Escaping Venus as a

stowaway, Raz reached Mars with one goal: to

earn as much money as he can, any way he can.

A Pilot can have either 2 or 3 Drives, per

the Player’s preference. A Pilot is always looking

for opportunities to follow his Drives. Whenever

a Pilot successful satisfies one his Drives, he

gains a point of Willpower. What constitutes

satisfying a Drive must be agreed upon by the

Player and GM, as it should not be a trivial,

every day action.

Willpower

Willpower is a source of power that all

Pilots have at their disposal. It represents the

mental and physical fortitude that a Pilot needs

to exceed his normal limitations. Willpower is

used in conjunction with a Pilot’s Focus,

discussed on page (XX).

When a Pilot is first created, he is given

1 free point of Willpower. By satisfying his

Drives he can accumulate a maximum of 3

points at any given time.

Vitals

Vitals are a representation of a Pilot’s

ability to function even when his body is pushed

to the limited. Vitals encompass a Pilot’s

physical condition, stamina and mental

endurance all wrapped into one.

A Pilot has a maximum of 10 Vitals

when he is first created. Certain situations,

discussed on page (xx) permit that maximum tobe increased. Whenever a Pilot sustains some

kind of injury or stress, he loses some of his

Vitals. If his Vitals drop to 0, then he is

Incapacitated. Whether he dies is largely up to

the circumstances surrounding his

Incapacitation, discussed on page (xx).

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PILOT SKILLS

CLOSE

The Close Skill covers attacking Targets in

close quarters, often using hand-to-hand

weapons. Pilots who like to get up close

and personal with their targets do well to

increase their Close Skill.

MEDIUM

The Medium Skill covers attacking Targets

at mid-range. Pilots who prize versatility

and mobility are suited for specializing in

their Medium Skill.

LONG

The Long Skill covers attacking Targets at

great distances. Pilots trained in this kind

of combat may identify themselves as

snipers or artillery specialists.

DODGE

The Dodge Skill covers a Pilot’s ability to

evade attacks directed at their Armature.

Pilots specializing in Dodge must be daring

and have the keenest reflexes.

GUARD

The Guard Skill covers a Pilot’s ability to

protect his Armature from incoming

attacks with a Shield or other Defensive

Equipment.

JACK OF ALL TRADES, MASTER OF NONE

Specialization helps make a Pilot more

effective in battle, and it makes the game

more fun. While it may be tempting to

give a Pilot an even 50 points in all five

Skills, it comes at the expense of denying

the Pilot a distinct role during a battle.

Moreover, it makes achieving unmodified

Grade S Outcomes impossible. Players do

well to remember that they rarely venture

into battle alone, and can achieve far

more as a pack than as a lone wolf.

DODGE VS GUARD

It is worth noting at this stage that Dodge

and Guard have unique Pros and Cons that

should be taken into account.

DODGE

+Pros: A successful Dodge always avoids

100% of incoming damage. Dodging also

does not require any special equipment

-Cons: A failed Dodge always results in

100% damage taken. Certain actions can

cause an Armature to Stall, which

prevents it from using Dodge entirely.

GUARD

+Pros: A failed Guard can still reduce

incoming damage, and an Amature is

never in a situation where it cannot

Guard.

-Cons: When an Armature Guards, it still

has a chance of taking damage even if it

succeeds, and Guard is less effective if the

Armature is not properly equipped.

Pilot Skills

A Pilot’s ability to operate his Armature

is encompassed in his Pilot Skills. These

primarily cover being able to attack with and

defend his Armature in different circumstances.

All Pilot Skills have a default Skill Level

of 10. When creating a new Pilot, a Player is

given 200 Skill Points to allocate to his Pilot

Skills. The only restriction is that no Pilot Skill

may exceed 65 when creating a new Pilot.

Tips for New Players

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Athletics

A Pilot’s ability to run, jump, climb, swim,

lift and other similar feats of physical

strength and dexterity.

Charisma

A Pilot’s ability to charm and win overothers through good looks and force of

personality.

Deception

A Pilot’s ability to bluff, lie and detect

when others are doing the same to them.

Dexterity

How good a Pilot is with their hands,

especially when it comes to handling

delicate items.

Diplomacy

A Pilot’s ability to convince others of their

own point of view and diffuse heated

situations thought tact and reason.

Fighting

How well a Pilot can handle himself in a

physical altercation, i.e. beating people up

and avoiding getting beat up himself.

FirearmsA Pilot’s ability to use guns and other

similar weapons not related to Armature

combat.

Knowledge

A Pilot’s general intellect and awareness of

facts and events.

Perception

A Pilot’s ability to sense things in the world

physical world around him.

Stealth

A Pilot’s ability to move through an area

undetected.

Technology

A Pilot’s ability to understand and use

sophisticated equipment like computers or

electronics.

In addition to these, all Pilot Cards come with

Blank Skills which Players or the GM can fill in

with their own skills based on personal

preference or the Campaign’s narrative. These

skills have a default Level of 0.

Deck Skills

Pilot Skills cover a Pilot’s abilities when inside the cockpit. Deck Skills cover his abilities outside, “on

deck”, so to speak.

All Deck Skills have a default Skill Level of 10. Players are given 250 Skill Points to allocate to their

Deck Skills. The only restriction is that no Deck Skill may exceed 65 when creating a new Pilot.

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MELEE SPECIALIST

Usage: Twice per Sortie

Effect: You may perform 2 Close Attacks

during your Turn.

THREE TIMES FASTER

Usage: Once per Sortie

Effect: When you use a Mobility Point to

increase your Dodge Skill, multiply your

Armature’s Mobility Class by 3.

BATTLEFIELD MOMENTUM

Usage: Once per Sortie

Effect: When You defeat an Enemy, you

may Upgrade a successful Attack on your

next turn.

Focus

A Focus is a specific area of expertise

that a Pilot has which can be used to modify his

Skills in certain situations. A Pilot can have up to

4 Foci.

When a Player uses a Deck Skill that

falls into the realm of a Focus, he can choose to

spend a point of Willpower. Doing so has the

following effects:

A Focus can be many things

A Focus can be many things. Like Drives

they are central to a Pilot’s history and

personality. They may be a specific skill that he

has mastered, or a field of knowledge with

which he is intimately acquainted.

The following are examples of Foci that Pilots

may have.

Abilities

The final element in a Pilot’s design is

his Abilities. Abilities are special combat skills

that he has learned and mastered which he can

deploy while operating his Armature. Abilities

give the Pilot a crucial advantage in certain

situations that he has trained for or has a

natural talent in.

Some examples of Abilities include:

The use of Abilities is discussed in detail in

Chapter (XX), and a full list of Abilities can be

found in Appendix (XX).

How many abilities a new Pilot can have should

be determined by the GM and Players, but it

should be no more than 2.

Unlike the rest of a Pilot’s characteristics,

Abilities are not meant to be included on the

Pilot Card. They should be listed on a separate

sheet for quick reference, or a Player can use

the Ability Cards provided with this Manual.

WILLPOWER EFFECTS

• If the Outcome is a Failure:

The Player may roll again anduse the second Outcome.

• If the Outcome is a Success:

The Player can Upgrade the

Outcome.

Swimming: The Pilot takes to the

water like a fish—or a shark, given

his ability to fight while submerged.

Group Brawling: The Pilot has been

in more than his fair share of bar

room fights and can take on

multiple assailants at once.

Master of Disguise: The Pilot is

skilled at changing his appearance

and identity at a moment’s notice.

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BUILDING YOUR ARMATURE

Creating a Pilot is the first step to

playing Armature. What sets it apart from many

other roleplaying games is building the

Armature itself. This section covers the

characteristics of Armatures and the rules for

building them.

Foremost, what a GM and her Players

should know about the following rules is that an

Armature is just that—a mechanical framework

that allows the machine to move and act in

battle. This Manual concerns itself chiefly with

providing that framework so that the GM and

Players can use them to craft a story all their

own, or reenact ones in their favorite setting.

The personality, the character of an Armature is

dependent upon what the GM or Player puts

into it.

As such, as a new Player builds his first

Armature, or as a GM builds them for her

Players to use, they should be mindful of a few

things:

What kind of machine is the Armature?

What is the Pilot’s relationship with

the Armature?

What is the relationship between the

Armature and the rest of the Campaign

setting?

What kind of machine is the

Armature?

This question is very much at the heart

of any campaign, as it colors every aspect of the

Players’ experience. Determining what kind of

technology and design an Armature is built from

should be one of the first things that a GM and

the Players do when creating the setting.

The following are some common responses to

this question:

Powered Exoskeleton

The Armature is an advanced suit of armor

worn by its Pilot. It increases his size, strength

and stamina and allows him to wield massive,

powerful weapons that let him confront heavily

armed and armored threats. In this scenario,

combat is reduced to a much more intimate

scale, with Pilots navigating streets and

alleyways of urban warfare zones.

Walking TankThe Armature is a hulking juggernaut that

shakes the ground with each step, a veritable

bipedal (or multipedal) tank. The Pilot operates

the machine from deep inside a hardened

cockpit, and treads through battlefields in much

the same way that modern armored units do.

Like the Powered Exoskeleton, the Walking

Tank is still very much at a mercy of terrain, but

its superior size gives it the advantage of being

able to literally throw its weight around to get

where it needs to be.

Giant Robot

The Armature is a towering technological terror

whose strides can cover whole city blocks.

Combat at this scale is massive and destructive,

covering entire cities and landscapes. At this

scale, the human Pilot is utterly dwarfed by his

Armature, and nothing less than another

immense machine can stand against it.

The nature of the Armature itself sets

the tone for the campaign by establishing its

scale and level of technological advancement,

spanning the day after tomorrow into the far

flung future.

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What is the Pilot’s relationship with

his Armature?

How the Pilot relates to his Armature is

an important element not only in the

Armature’s design but also the Pilot’s narrative.

If the Armature is a unique, special machine

built specifically for the Pilot, no doubt he will

be very attached to it and unlikely to abandon it

for a new one and will want to preserve it from

being destroyed. On the other hand if the

Armature is a mass produced model identical to

dozens of others, then the Pilot may be more

inclined to act recklessly with it and might freely

jump into a different Armature if the situation

demands it.

In large part, this also filters down from

the story behind the Campaign. If Pilots are

simply grunts fighting in a massive war, then

they’re more likely to operate Armatures that

they have little personal attachment to. But if

the Pilots are meant to be heroes from the start

on a special, unique mission, then it may be

more fitting for a Pilot to have a custom,

personalized Armature that suits them

individually.

What is the relationship between

the Armature and the rest of the

Campaign?

This third question, like the first,

strongly informs the narrative that the

Campaign follows. Are Armatures commonplace

in the world of the Campaign, or are they rare

and terrify apparitions? Are they a new

innovation, or an ancient discovery? Do they

represent the next step in battlefield

dominance, or a quantum leap? Resolving this

question is a central building block to the

narrative.

Recording Armature Information

Whereas all of a Pilot’s necessary

information can be fit onto a 3”x5” index card,

an Armature has a much wider array of

mechanical features, including its own statistics,

its weapons and other equipment. As such, the

information is divided across the following

types of cards:

Armature Cards, which contain the

details of an Armature’s basic

construction and capabilities

Equipment Cards, which contain the

details of the gear that an Armature

carries into battle. Component Cards, which contain the

details of an Armature’s parts and

hardware.

Blank Armature cards are included in this

Manual on page (XX), which can be printed and

filled out or vice versa if a digital version is used.

Weapon and Component Cards can be found in

the Appendix. Alternately, the Player can keep

track of his Armature’s statistics and equipment

in any other way they choose, in much the same

way as his Pilot’s information.

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Armature Characteristics

All Armatures, no matter their design or

origin, have the following characteristics. The

following is a brief overview of these

characteristics, which will be explained in detail

in this chapter, followed by an explanation of

how a Player or GM can build their own

Armature.

Armature Name

Portrait

Durability- How much damage an Armature

can sustain.

Speed- How quickly an Armature can move

across the Battlefield

Systems- Systems are a measurement of

Armature’s performance in three areas:

Armor

Power

Mobility

Armor Class- How effective the Armature’s

armor is at absorbing damage

Mobility Class- How effective the

Armature’s mobility systems are at dodging

attacks.

Equipment- Weapons and other gear that

an Armature carries into combat.

Components- Components are the parts

and hardware built into an Armature that

affect its performance and abilities.

Armature Name and Portrait

As with Pilots, an Armature’s Name can

say a lot about its character. The name could bederived from its abilities or role on the

battlefield, like Sniper or Commando; it could

be a cultural reference, like Spartan or Knight;

or it could be based on an entirely original

naming scheme, like Zepa or Gol Dek, based on

some original language conceived by the GM or

Player.

Often it’s found that uniformity helps

with the Player’s immersion in the world of the

campaign; in other words, if the Campaigncenters around a war between the Earth

Alliance and the Jupiter Empire, then the Earth

Alliance’s Armatures may all be named after

animals like EA-01 Wolf and EA-03 Tiger, while

the Jupiter Empire may use mythological names

like the J-101 Hercules and the J-505 Minotaur.

An Armature’s Portrait, like its Pilot

counterpart, can be either a written description

or a piece of artwork that visually represents

the Armature.

Durability

Durability is a measurement of how

much Damage an armature can take. Whenever

an Armature is hit by an enemy Attack, the

Damage that it takes is subtracted from its

Durability.

If an Armature’s Durability reaches 0,

then its condition is Critical. At this stage, any

additional Damage it sustains will result in the

Armature being Destroyed. Depending on the

circumstances, it may be in the Pilot’s best

interest to try and retreat from Battle.

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SPEED LEVELS

Standard is the normal distance an

Armature can travel in a single Move

Action.

Slow is the distance that an Armature

can travel in a single Move Action if itsmobility is restricted or burdened. Slow

is equal to half the distance of a

Standard Move.

Rapid is the distance that an Armature

can travel in a single Move Action if its

movement is enhanced. Rapid is equal

to the distance of a Standard Move plus

a Slow Move (i.e. three Slow Moves)

ARMATURE SYSTEMS

Armor is an Armature’s ability to absorb

enemy fire without weakening its

Durability. Armor Points can be spent to

reduce the Damage taken from a

successful enemy Attack.

Power is an Armature’s ability to

enhance effectiveness of its own attacks

through superior tactical analysis and

execution. Power Points can be spent to

Upgrade Attacks.

Mobility is an Armature’s ability to

react to and avoid Enemy Attacks, as

well as to rapidly advance through the

battlefield. Mobility Point can be spentto grant a Bonus to Dodge Rolls and to

gain additional Move Actions.

Speed

Speed is a measurement of how far an

Armature can travel using a single Move Action.

In Armature, all distances are by default

relative. As a result, there are three levels of

Speed:

The precise distance that dictated by

each Speed is based on several factors, chiefly

the scale at which battles occur. At Powered

Exoskeleton scale, a Standard Move may be 30

feet, while at Giant Robot scale a Standard

Move may half a mile. This scale must be

determined ahead of time and agreed upon by

the GM and Players.

Systems

An Armature’s Systems measure key

aspects of its combat capabilities and serve as

resources that can be spent to enhance its

performance. All Armatures have three

Systems:

The distribution of an Armature’s

Systems adds to its characterization, as it

demonstrates where its creator places his or

her priorities and preferences. An Armature

with high Armor values survivability; one with

high Power values offensive effectiveness; andone with high Mobility values risk and

aggression.

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Armor Class

Armor Class (AC) is a measurement of

how effective an Armature’s Armor is at

protecting it. In effect, an Armature’s Armor

System shows how much armor it has, while its

Armor Class shows how good the armor actually

is.

When a Pilot spends an Armor Point, he

subtracts his Armature’s AC from the Damage

that he receives. Any leftover Damage is

subtracted from his Durability.

Mobility Class

Mobility Class (MC) is a measurement

of how effective an Armature’s maneuvering

systems are at evading attacks. Like Armor and

Armor Class, Mobility Class works in concert

with an Armature’s Mobility System.

When a Pilot’s Armature is targeted by

an enemy Attack, he can spend a Mobility Point

to give himself a Bonus to his Dodge Roll equalto his Mobility Class.

The usage and effects of Armor and

Mobility Points along with their associated

Classes is developed further in Chapter (xx).

Equipment

Equipment encompasses everythingthat an Armature carries into battle that isn’t

hard fixed to its chassis. It includes weapons,

shields and any other gear that it might have.

Components

Components are parts, weapons and

other devices that directly incorporated into the

structure of an Armature. These can have

auxiliary functions that merely augment certain

areas of its performance, or they can be core

functions which are at the heart of the

Armature’s character.

As with the Armature and the Pilot,

Players and GMs are encouraged to put thought

into the relationship between an Armature, its

Pilot, and its Equipment and Components. Are

an Armature’s Equipment and Components

stock, mass product items commonly foundthroughout the world of the campaign, easily

swapped out for other parts if necessary? Or

are they custom built and fitted to the needs of

the Pilot and Armature, and as such are unique

and irreplaceable?

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THE BASELINE ARMATURE

Durability: 10

Speed: Standard

Armor Class: 1

Mobility Class: 2

Systems

Armor: 0

Power: 0

Mobility: 0

Equipment

None

Components

None

S-LEVELS

Standard (S-1)

Standard Armatures are no stronger than

the average Armature or other enemy unit

that the Players will face. Many battles on

the S-1 Level are between forces of equal

number, where careful strategy is required

to avoid great losses. Life is cheap at S-1,

and fortunately the Armatures are too.

S-1 Budget: 15 BP

Stronger (S-2)

Stronger Armatures are cut above the

conventional mass product variety. Often

they are prototypes or highly upgraded,

custom units that can easily take on lesser

standard Armatures—but they are still

mortal, and encounter problems when

faced with superior numbers or enemies

with greater skill.

S-2 Budget: 30 BP

Superior (S-3)

Superior Armatures are almighty machines

that wreak destruction all along their path.

Far better armed and armored than

anything but their enemy’s most powerful

creations, S-3 combat ends up as duels

between walking weapons of mass

destruction.

S-3 Budget: 45 BP

Armature Construction

The Baseline

When creating an Armature, a GM or

Player begins with the Baseline, which serves as

the minimum requirement for each of the

Armature’s characteristics.

It is from this Baseline that all Armatures are

built.

Build Points and S-Levels

In order to construct an Armature from

the Baseline, the creator uses Build Points (BP),

which can be used to increase its various

characteristics, such as Durability or Armor

Class, and to purchases Equipment and

Components.

The number of BP that can be used to

construct an Armature (its Budget), as well as

how high a given statistic can be increased, is

based upon the Armature’s level of power and

sophistication relative to other Armatures in the

narrative.

These relationships are broken into

three categories. Because they all begin with

the letter “S’, they are called the Armature’s S-

Level.

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Armature Build Costs

The following are the BP costs associated with constructing the various characteristics of a Player’s

Armature. Along with the costs is also the maximum amount of BP that can be used for each S-

Level.

Durability: 2 BP grants +1 Durability.

S-1 Limit: 10 BP (Max 15 Durability)

S-2 Limit : 20 BP (Max 20 Durability)

S-3 Limit: 30 BP (Max 30 Durability)

Speed: 5 BP grants Rapid Speed. A Player may

also downgrade to Slow Speed to gain 2 BP.

Systems: For customizing Systems, Players have

a fixed number of points that they can allocate.

The number of points is based on theArmature’s S-Level. No BP is required.

S-1: 9 Points, no System can exceed 6



Armor Class: 2 BP grants +1 Armor Class

S-1 Limit: 4 BP (Max 3 AC)

S-2 Limit : 8 BP (Max 5 AC)


Mobility Class: 1 BP grants +2 Mobility Class S-1 Limit: 4 BP (Max 3 AC)

S-2 Limit : 8 BP (Max 5 AC)


Equipment: Each article of Equipment has its

own BP Cost. Refer to page (xx) for a complete

list of Armature Equipment and their BP Costs.

S-1 Limit: 6 BP

S-2 Limit : 12 BP

S-3 Limit: 18 BP

Components: Each Component has its own BP

Cost. Refer to page (xx) for a complete list of

Armature Components and their BP Costs.

S-1 Limit: 3 BP

S-2 Limit : 6 BP

S-3 Limit: 9 BP

POWER LEVELS

Every Campaign has a Power Level

assigned to it by the GM. The Power Level

determines the level of technological

sophistication and destructive potential

wielded by the Pilots and their Enemies.

In the lists for Equipment (page xx) andComponents (page xx), each piece is

sorted into one of the five Power Levels.

When selecting Equipment and

Components for their Armature, Players

cannot pick from a Power Level higher

than that the one which the GM has

chosen for the Campaign.

GM Privilege

The narrative of the campaign may result

in Player suits being given additional

characteristics or equipment per the GM’s

design. These are considered free bonuses

and do not incur any BP cost. In other

words, the GM can always override any BP

limitations or requirement to facilitate the

narrative.

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Equipment List and Costs

The following are the BP costs associated with providing an Armature with various articles of

Equipment and Components. Detailed descriptions and functions for Equipment can be found in

Appendix (X), starting on page (xx); descriptions and functions for Components can be found in

Appendix (X) on page (xx).

ARMATURE EQUIPMENT

Power Level 1

Basic Machine Gun (2 BP)

Solid Blade (1 BP)

Thermal Blade (2 BP)

Basic Bazooka (2 BP)

Basic Scattergun (2 BP) Basic Heavy Cannon (3 BP)

Heavy Bazooka (3 BP)

Basic Shield (1 BP)

Meteor Hammer (2 BP)

Power Level 2

Beam Rifle

Beam Saber

Beam Javelin

Gatling Gun

High Frequency BladeThermal Rod

Beam Sniper Rifle

Beam Spray Gun

Beam Launcher

Heavy Shield

Launcher Shield

Grenade Launcher

Thermal Launcher

Grapple Wire

Power Level 3

Advanced Beam Rifle

Advanced Beam Launcher

Beam Gatling Gun

Heavy Claw/Hand Weapon

Remote Beam Gun

Variable Beam Rifle

Beam Shield

ARMATURE EQUIPMENT

(cont)

Power Level 4

Mega Beam Cannon

Anti-Beam Defense Field

Kinetic Barrier

Heavy Beam SaberHeavy Thermal Rod

Power Level 5

Advanced Beam Cannon

Heavy Solid Blade

ARMATURE COMPONENTS

Power Level 1

Fixed Vulcan Guns (1BP)

Fixed Support Cannons (3BP)

ECM Emitter (3 BP)

Burst Thrusters (2 BP)

Boosted Sensors (2 BP) Enhanced ServoMotors (2 BP)

Secondary Arms (2 BP)

Secondary Verniers (2BP)

Power Level 2

Adaptive Computer

Magnetic Joint Coating

Fixed Grenade Launchers

Planetary Flight Drive

Core Component Aircraft

Transforming FrameNeurosensor

Decoy Launchers

Power Level 3

Neuroframe

Pilot-Computer Interface

Anti-Beam Coating

Power Level 4

Phase Armor

Exotic Particle Drive

Optical Cloak

Mass Reduction Field

Power Level 5

Precognitive Interface

Cascade Reaction Drive

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Armature 0.02

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