- 91. In real life, I am a very laid back person. The only times I really get excited are when things that aren't real are being discussed, such as fictional gaming universes. The real world just doesn't excite me as much. If anything I am too laid back.
I may have discussed this before, but I'm gonna do so again, because I like the sound of my keyboard going 'clackity clack'.
I do love me some giant robot blowing-up action. Get huge (vaguely-)humanoid robots blowing the crap out of things, and I'm content. One of the things that buggers it up for me is just how ridiculous the concept is, generally. Because, let's face it, Giant robots that are combat effective are completely impossible under current scientific capabilities, and that is unlikely to change.
They would require an enormous amount more maintenance then normal millitary machines (probably from a specialist because of their unique movement systems) because of the complexities of the systems required for them just to MOVE, which is a strike against them compared to the (relatively) more simple treads of tanks or wheels of wheeled vehicles.
In a relatively flat battlefield (not enormously mountainous or anything) the giant robot is even more useless. Unlike most vehicles, the giant robot's largest dimension is height, rendering it an enormously visible target unable to utilise most forms of cover. The only exception to this would be if technology was so far advanced the giant robot had the capability to move like a normal person does, which in itself is unlikely.
These are all (hopefully) valid complaints about giant robots which ache in my heart, mind, and loins (I like giant robots THAT MUCH). But there is one RPG/Wargaming system that actually works around these complaints.
In the Heavy Gear universe (created by Dream Pod 9 and using the Silhouette rule system) most of these problems are addressed.
The Robots are about three meters tall, and fill in the roll in between infantry and tanks. They're more versatile and faster then the heavy vehicles, and can both take and dish out more punishment then infantry. The areas they fight in are usually deserts (rocky and/or sandy), meaning heavier vehicles often have difficulties in areas the humanoid 'Gears' (the name of the robots) can manouver easily. In addition, the humanoid configuration they use includes hands, allowing them to swap out their handheld weaponry as needed, rendering them more versatile still. There's a bit of Jedi-Mind-Trick with the maintenance problem ("It's in the future, the tech is more reliable"), but that's forgivable, I think.
In general, I am a major fan of this setting. It's even got a reason air superiority isn't a major factor anymore. With the advent of (somewhat expensive) millitary grade lasers, planes became too risky. It doesn't matter how agile a craft is if they're being shot at by something the speed of light. And few planes can mount the required armour to protect against this sort of assault.
By including Giant(-ish) Robots in a system in which they are an important part of millitary, but not the most powerful part (in a standing fight with tanks, the only advantage Gears have comes from their manouverability, tanks have them out-gunned and out-armoured) it both seems more reasonable, and gives a genuine sense of danger to the Robots. Unlike in Battletech or Armoured Core where 'Mechs/ACs were the be-all and end-all of all forms of combat, in Heavy Gear they need to be used along with a combined arms millitary force to be truly effective.
Look up Heavy Gear. It's a good setting, and the Silhouette ruleset seems pretty impressive for RPGs or Wargaming, allowing a combination of them both.
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