Jorphdan

Game Structure:
Based on ‘Tunnel Goons’ by Nate Treme. A referee controls and describes the world to players
who then describe how their characters act in the world. Player’s take on the role of a pilot
who controls a giant mechanical battle suit, or mech.

Action Roll
When an action’s success is uncertain, a player rolls 2d6 and adds the score from the relevant
ability and a point for any relevant items. If the total is equal or greater than the action’s
Difficulty Score (DS) it is successful.

Difficulty Scores Guidelines:

Easy: 6 Standard: 8 Moderate: 10 Hard: 12

Dangerous Actions
If an action has a risk of danger, the difference between the roll and Difficulty Score is the
amount of damage inflicted.

Example:
As an action, a Pilot and their Mech battle a Robotic Mantis with a DS of 10. The player
rolls 2d6 and adds 2 from their Power ability, 1 from their Power Sword, and 1 from
their Heavy Armor Plating. The total is 12.
The difference between 12 and 10 is 2, so the Robotic Mantis takes 2 damage. A non
player character’s DS is also their Health Points, so now the Robotic Mantis’s Difficulty
Score is 8. If the roll was 8 then the Player’s Mech would have lost 2 health.

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Components
Your Component Plugin number is how many Components or Modules your mech can carry,
connect with and utilize. For each item that exceeds your Component Plugin Number subtract
1 from all Power and Speed Rolls and add a permanent Overdrive Point that cannot be
removed until the excess Components are removed.

Durability
When a Mech’s Durability Points reach zero they cease to function and must be repaired.

Repair
Regain lost Durability Points by returning to base and repairing your mech.

Abilities
Every Pilot has a score of zero or more for these abilities
Power: Good at smacking things, feats of strength, firing a beam weapon
Speed: Good at aiming, balancing, dodging, and accelerating
Tech: Good at perception, scanning for weaknesses, system stability

Actions
Moving across the battlefield or using an ability is called an Action. Running behind a building,
attacking, hacking an enemy’s mech, or racing to the finish line are all Actions. If there is a
chance of failure in your action the Referee will ask you to make an Action Role.

Overdrive
Your Mech has Overdrive Points which increase with the number of actions you can take
during your turn. A Pilot with their Mech may take one action every round, for every
additional action taken the Mech receives an Overdrive Point (OP). A Mech can have a
maximum of six OP and a minimum of zero OP.

At the start of your turn if your Mech has accumulated any OP subtract 1 from that total and
start your turn.

Game play goes around clockwise in a circle with each player detailing their in-game action(s).
When the player is finished with their turn if their Mech has any Overdrive Points the player
must roll 1d6 for an Overheat Check. If the roll is higher than the number of Overdrive Points

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it’s a success and their turn ends as normal. If the roll matches or is under the number of OP
they fail and the Mech becomes Overheated.

Overheat
When your Mech is overheated you are incapacitated and can take no actions. Attacks
automatically succeed against your Mech. At the start of your turn lower your Overdrive Points
by 1 per normal rules, then roll an Overheat check (1d6) to roll over your current number of
Overdrive Points. If you succeed your Mech is no longer overheated, if you fail your Mech is
still overheated and your turn ends. If you roll a 6 on any Overheat check your Mech is no
longer overheated and your Overdrive Points are reduced to zero. Continue this process until
your Mech is no longer overheated or your Durability is zero.

Pro Tip: Use 1d6 to track your Overdrive Points in front of you. It reminds
you how much OP you’ve accrued and tells your allies the same.

Example:
A titan mech pushes forward with thrusters to an alien enemy (1). They activate their
beam saber and attack (2). After the attack they decide to pull away out of melee range
(3). This pilot performed three actions with their mech. They took two actions over their
allotted one per round, thus the Mech received 2 Overdrive Points. Their turn is over
they roll 1d6 and get a 4, which is higher than the 2 Overdrive Points they currently
have. The Mech is running hot but still going strong.

At the start of their next turn they lower their Overdrive Points by 1 bringing the total
down to 1. The pilot pushes forward to the enemy (1), and attacks three times with
their beam saber (3). They took 3 more actions than allotted and now add it to their
Overdrive Point total which is 4. The end of their turn they roll 1d6 and receive a 3.
That is under their Overdrive Point total so their Mech is now overheated and will be
unable to act the next round.

Turn Order
If anytime the referee needs to count rounds and actions, such as in combat, they will call for
a Speed roll. The Mech with the highest speed roll goes first, with the order going clockwise
from them. If ever two or more players have the same speed roll the player furthest clockwise
goes first.

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Addons & Advancement
Every 2 game sessions Pilot’s Level up and increase the effectiveness of their Mech. Each level,
raise an Ability Score by 1 and raise either the Durability or Component Score by 1.

If the referee chooses Components can be rolled for again during an Advancement, or found
from enemies after combat.

Character Creation
● Roll Character History
● Name your Pilot
● Name your Mech
● Roll for Components
● Durability Points start at 10
● Component Plugins is 6

Roll a d6 on the Character Tables to determine starting ability scores and components.

Pilot+Mech Tables
(P=Power, S=Speed, T=Tech)

Profession Before the War

1. Military Sergeant (+1 Power)
2. Stun Driver (+1 Speed)
3. Computer Engineer (+1 Tech)
4. Pro Athlete (+1 Power)
5. City Courier (+1 Speed)
6. Robotic Scientist (+1 Tech)

Pilot Specialization
1. Mechanic (+1 Tech)
2. Speedster (+1 Speed)
3. Weapon Specialist (+1 Power)
4. Recon Pilot (+1 Speed)
5. Hacker (+1 Tech)
6. Melee Specialist (+1 Power)

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Mechs
Roll 2d6 and combine the two for your Mech’s name.

1. Blaze 1. Sentinel
2. Vanguard 2. Titan
3. Fury 3. Crusader
4. Apex 4. Sabre
5. Thunder 5. Viper
6. Nova 6. Phoenix

Pilots
Roll 4d6 and combine two results for your Pilot Name.

1. Ace 1. Rocket 1. Drake 1. Jones

2. Scarlett 2. Rusty 2. Riveter 2. Steel
3. Buck 3. Starlight 3. Black 3. Cruz
4. Amelia 4. Thea 4. Rodgers 4. Mercury
5. Jet 5. Blade 5. Earhart 5. Hunter
6. Rosie 6. Ember 6. Haran 6. Stone

Roll 1d2, then roll 1d6 for a weapon component.

Start with one weapon, acquire more in the game. Each weapon gives you +1 to Power Roles
when using that weapon. Some weapons have other benefits. Each weapon is 1 component.

㈠ Melee Weapons (+1 Power)

1. Power Sword - a sword-like weapon with an energy blade that can cut
through armor and shields.
[Bypass an enemies energy shields entirely]
2. Plasma Axe - an axe-like weapon that uses plasma energy to deliver
devastating blows.
[Activate: add 2 Overdrive Points for +2 Power on the next attack]
3. Chain Whip - a long, flexible chain with a spiked ball on the end, used for
entangling and smashing enemies.
[Attack enemies that are Near, on a hit you may forfeit dealing damage to
entangle the target]

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 4. Energy Fist - a mechanical fist that emits a powerful energy blast on
impact.
[On a hit push the enemy back from Close to Near]
5. Gravity Hammer - a heavy hammer that generates a localized gravity well
to crush targets with immense force.
[On a hit pull nearby objects towards the enemy target]
6. Vibroblade - a bladed weapon that vibrates at high frequencies, allowing
it to cut through even the toughest materials with ease.
Bypass an enemies physical shields entirely]

㈡ Ranged Weapons (+1 Power)

1. Railgun - a powerful, high-velocity electromagnetic gun that fires metal
projectiles at incredible speeds.
[On hit deal +1 damage]
2. Laser Cannon - a heavy energy weapon that fires a continuous beam of
intense light, capable of melting through armor and structures.
[Add 2 Overdrive Points, you may target two enemies that are next to
each other with one attack]
3. Plasma Blaster - a shoulder-mounted weapon that fires a ball of
superheated plasma, causing massive damage on impact.
[+4 Power when targeting an immobile object]
4. Guided Missile Launcher - a missile launcher that fires homing missiles
that can track and target enemies with great accuracy.
[+1 Power with this weapon]
5. Gauss Rifle - a long-range, electromagnetic rifle that fires hypersonic slugs
with incredible accuracy and impact force.
[Add 3 Overdrive Points to aim your rifle, gain a +2 Power on the next
attack]
6. Particle Beam - a directed energy weapon that fires a focused beam of
charged particles, capable of penetrating shields and dealing massive
damage.
[Attacks go through multiple targets. First target takes full damage,
second takes half rounded down, third takes half of that rounded down,
until zero]

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Roll 1d3, then 1d6 for Extra Components
Do this two times rerolling duplicates. Frame Components grant +1 Speed, Tech
Components grant +1 Tech, and Defensive Components grant +1 Durability. Each
component takes 1 component slot.

㈠ Frame Components (+1 Speed)

1. High-output Thrusters - advanced propulsion systems that provide a significant
boost in speed and mobility.
[Move double the distance]
2. Lightweight Alloy Plating - armor plating made from lightweight alloys that
reduce the weight of the Mech, allowing it to move more quickly.
[+1 Durability]
3. Thermal Regulator - this component actively regulates the thermal energy
generated by the mech's power systems.
[When making an Overheat Check if the roll is a 5 or a 6 the Mech is no longer
overheated and their OP are reduced to zero.]
4. Enhanced Sensors - sensors and scanning systems that provide advanced
tracking and detection capabilities, allowing the pilot to quickly assess threats
and opportunities during combat.
[+1 Tech, Difference between the roll and the DS is applied as a one-time bonus
to an ally]
5. Reinforced Joints - specially-designed joints that can withstand the stresses of
high-speed movement and rapid changes in direction, reducing wear and tear
on the Mech.
[Remove two Overdrive Points at the start of your turn, instead of one]
6. Advanced Suspension - a sophisticated suspension system that provides
stability and cushioning during high-speed movement, allowing the Mech to
maintain control over rough terrain and bumpy surfaces.
[Out of combat speed tests are Easy]

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㈡ Tech Components (+1 Tech)
1. Hacking Suite - a set of software and hardware tools that allow the pilot to hack
into and take control of enemy Mechs or systems, or to defend against hacking
attempts.
[+1 Tech to Hack in and control an enemy Mech, must be Close with target. The
difference between the roll and the DS is the number of actions that the hacked
Mech can take]
2. Scanning Array - a suite of sensors and scanning equipment that provides
advanced data on the battlefield, including enemy positions, movements, and
weaknesses.
[Roll Tech, the difference between the roll and the DS is the number of hidden
enemies spotted or the Difficulty Score of currently revealed enemies]
3. Repair Drones - small, autonomous drones that can quickly repair damaged
components or systems within the Mech, keeping it operational during combat.
[Roll Tech to repair an ally. The difference in the roll and the DS is the number
of Durability Points healed. For every point healed add one Overdrive Point to
both the roller’s Mech and the target mech]
4. ECM Suite - a suite of electronic countermeasures that can disrupt or disable
enemy sensors, communications, and other electronic systems.
[Roll Tech to prevent communication, or to be hidden by enemies.]
5. Augmented Reality Interface - a sophisticated interface that overlays important
information onto the pilot's view of the battlefield, allowing for rapid
decision-making and reaction.
[Roll Tech, if successful move one ally on the battlefield to a new position]
6. Energy Shielding - specialized energy fields that can protect the Mech from
various types of attacks, including energy-based weapons or electronic
interference.
[Activation adds 2 Overdrive Points. Roll Tech and grant a +2 bonus to an ally’s
next turn]

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㈢ Defense Components
1. Heavy Armor Plating - extra-thick and durable armor that provides maximum
protection against physical attacks.
[+2 to Power Rolls, your mech moves at half speed]
2. Reactive Armor - a type of armor that explosively counteracts incoming attacks,
reducing their effectiveness.
[Add 3 Overdrive Points, if you would take damage from an enemy the enemy
takes the damage instead]
3. ECM Jammer - a device that jams enemy sensors, reducing the accuracy of
incoming attacks.
[Add a number of Overdrive Points, your allies have that number worth of
Power until the start of your next turn]
4. Shield Generator - a device that generates a protective energy shield, blocking
incoming attacks.
[Add 2 Overdrive Points, negate incoming immediate damage]
5. Active Defense System - a system that automatically detects and intercepts
incoming attacks, shooting them down before they can reach the Mech.
[Add a number of Overdrive Points, negate that much damage from attacks this
round]
6. Smoke Screen Generator - a device that generates a thick smoke screen,
providing cover from enemy attacks and allowing for tactical retreats.
[Add 2 Overdrive Points which remain as long as the smoke screen remains.
Blocks vision to both allies and enemies]

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 Inspirations
Tunnel Goons by Nate Treme (TTRPG)
The Mecha Hack by Absolute Tabletop (TTRPG)
Mobile Suit Gundam (Anime TV/Movie)
Martian Successor Nadesico (Anime TV)
Robotech (Anime TV/Movie)
Robotech: Battlecry (Videogame)
Titanfall 2 (Videogame)
Into the Breach (Videogame)

Thank You
This is a work in progress. If you would like to leave constructive feedback
please use the link below! Your name might appear in the next revision!
-Jorphdan

https://forms.gle/8E5XyAAdTVR63Shm6

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Mar 19, 2024 v1.1