Mechs in Motion

Dynamic Mech Combat

The Mechs in Motion ruleset is a tool for GMs to make their Lancer RPG combat more like a real-time strategy game rather than the core turn-based tactical combat. By altering the round structure of Lancer combat to include a time-based Beat and doing away with discrete turns, combat becomes more free-flowing and players take their actions on an ever-changing battlefield.

The Project

Mechs in Motion is a 3rd party ruleset for Lancer RPG, designed run Lancer combat in the style of a Real-Time Strategy game.  When using this ruleset, rounds are broken down into time-based Beats rather than the standard Turns,  creating an ever-evolving battlefield for the players. The main points of the ruleset are the Beats system, the Action Tracker -- a GM-facing tool for keeping track of what happens in each Beat--, and small changes to mechanics that specifically invoke turns (such as the Brace reaction).

Bring Your Own Mech episode!

The folks over at the Bring Your Own Mech podcast made an episode running the Mechs in Motion ashcan rules for Combat! The episode gives a really good feeling for what your first session using MiM might feel like, and the last ten minutes give some previews of changes that could show up in the final version. Give it a listen!

What you get

Full rules for running and managing dynamic RTS-style combat for Lancer RPG.

A beta version of the Turn Tracker tool is available (free) at https://www.technicalgrimoire.com/mechsinmotion

The ashcan version of the Mechs in Motion ruleset will remain free forever. The ashcan version has everything you need to play Lancer RPG using the Mechs in Motion ruleset, but is several rounds of revisions back and is desperately unclear on certain points.

Still to come:

• Screen-optimized layout of the Mechs in Motion rules
• Accessible version of the Mechs in Motion rules for screenreaders
• Updated Turn Tracker tool (web hosted or for download TBD)
• Full rules with art and color

Crowfunding  (FULLY FUNDED!) at  https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1785081338/mechs-in-motion