Epic Mecha: 01 Infantryman by Ben Dowell is a role playing game supplement published by Fat Goblin Games, through the Epic Level NPC Publisher Imprint. This is a supplement for the Starfinder Roleplaying Game and, as such, is covered by the Open Game License with some of it being considered to be Open Game Content as a result.
This is a nine page PDF which is available from RPGNow at the regular price of $1.98 but which was purchased at the reduced price of $0.99. One page is the front cover, one page the front matter, one page the Contents and an introduction to the series, of which this is the first, one page the Open Game License and one page ads for other supplements, giving four pages of actual content.
The supplement starts with asking what mecha are – giant piloted robots used for a number of purposes, both military and civilian. Game Mechanics says that mecha operate on the line between Huge vehicles and Small starships, which operate under different rules. Consequently, mecha have starship stats listed first, for their use in starship combat, and adjustments for vehicles listed afterwards. Mecha costs are given for both starship tiers and vehicles, and a credit-based option as well. Some general rules for mecha pilots are also given.
Next is the mecha itself for this supplement, the 01 Infantryman, considered to be an entry-level mecha. The stats are followed by the mecha’s history, then how they interact with other things, from creatures to starships, attacking and combat rounds. Rules on ramming, taken from Cosmic Odyssey: Pirates of the Starstream, are next. Finally, there are three pieces of optional equipment that could be fitted to a mecha, a cloaking device, a rocket sledge and a mecha heavy shield.
Epic Mecha: 01 Infantryman in Review
The PDF is decently bookmarked for its short length, to the same degree as the Contents. Navigation is good for such a brief supplement. The text maintains a two column format and there are quite a few minor errors for what is quite a short supplement. The layout is a nice full colour with a single major illustration, the mecha from the front cover. Presentation is therefore very nice.
Quite a bit of content appears to have been taken from Pirates of the Starstream, reducing the amount of new content in this significantly. The ability for mecha to operate as both vehicles and starships – under different rules – does make them a little odd, but that is perhaps a problem with the core Starfinder game, which would appear not to have considered that a science fiction setting would have devices that were on the boundary of both, rather than with this supplement. Allowing for this problem and including rules for both is helpful.
Mecha are popular in many science fiction role playing games – with some based completely around them – so adding them to Starfinder is definitely welcome. This would appear to be a decent start, but more material is definitely needed. This supplement is perhaps not for everyone, but it will definitely interest some and is worth getting at a discount. Epic Mecha: 01 Infantryman can be found by clicking here.
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