A Review of the Role Playing Game Supplement Lancer

Lancer by Miguel Lopez and Tom Parkinson Morgan is a role playing game supplement published by Massif Press. This is the core rulebook for a mech combat game.

The supplement is available as a 431-page PDF from itch for $25 and is also available in printed form from sites such as Amazon. The PDF is the version reviewed, although it was purchased at a reduced price as part of a special bundle. One page is the front cover, two the front matter, three the table of contents, six the Index and two the list of Kickstarter backers. The PDF also comes with an epub version.

Section 0: Getting Started begins with the Introduction. This gives the current year – covered in more detail in Section 6 – and that the galaxy is home to trillions with the core of humanity’s territory seeing a golden age. The player character is a lancer, an exceptional mech pilot amongst those who are already exceptional. It gives an overview of civilisation and how it’s connected by blinkspace and the omninet and that the new wealth is manna, a universal currency. It explains that the character in Lancer is a lancer; a mechanised cavalry pilot of note.

Playing Lancer first outlines what’s in the different sections and then explains what’s needed. Lancer uses d6s and d20s, it works best with 3-6 players, but can be played with two or more than six, and makes use of grid-based tactical combat, whether square or hexagonal. Most players run the player characters; one is the Game Master. Two golden rules are given; specific rules overrule general ones and always round up.

There are two types of gameplay; narrative and mech combat. Narrative play is generally interaction between characters and others, normal roleplaying essentially, whilst mech combat is turn-based combat; all pretty similar to a regular RPG with combat and non-combat parts.

It explains that Lancer has three types of dice rolls; skill checks, attacks and saves. Skill checks are made by characters in situations that require effort to overcome; 1d20 is rolled and relevant bonuses are added, with 10+ being a success. Attacks are offensive actions in mech combat; these are also done with 1d20 and bonuses, but the target number can change. Saves are made to avoid or resist negative effects, and are 1d20 with bonuses, with again the target number being possible to differ from 10. Characters can choose to fail and there are three types of bonuses; Accuracy, Difficulty and Statistic bonuses, which are explained. Pilots are also lucky and unique individuals who as they gain experience gain Grit, which improves attack bonuses, hit points and save targets for both pilot and mech.

When not on a mission, a character experiences downtime, which is the narrative space between them. Both missions and downtime are divided into scenes, which is a period of continuous activity, dialogue or action with discrete starting and stopping points.

Section 1: Building Pilots and Mechs starts by looking at license levels. Licenses are access to valuable information, resources and authority needed to acquire mech gear and parts and are tightly controlled. Characters can progress by gaining license levels, which apply to both mechs and pilots, with most characters starting at LL0 and potentially advancing to LL12. There is a level chart and details on how to advance in levels.

It then moves onto pilots, who are the people inside the machines. There are 20 different backgrounds for pilots which can be rolled randomly or chosen. Outside of combat, a background can be invoked by the player or the GM to gain a bonus on a skill check. The backgrounds are then each described, with example triggers and flavour text. Also in this section are details on Diasporans and Cosmopolitans, which are two types of people, those outside the core and those within it, and on NHPs, which are non-human persons.

Triggers are moments when a pilot’s background, training and personality shine through. Triggers are short phrases describing decisions and actions, and grant a bonus when they happen. Triggers are not needed to make a skill check and, as well as the listed triggers, players can create their own with GM approval. They can be more specific than ones in the book, but shouldn’t be more general; the latter could lead to abuse of them. A number of example triggers are then given.

Though pilots are usually played in narrative play, how to play them in mech combat should they need to bail from their mech, or their stats should there be a reason to use them in downtime, are covered. Creating a pilot is also covered, which is a simple process of choosing a background, four +2 triggers based on the background, their stats, which are the same for all, and their gear, as chosen from the Compendium later in the book. Pilot creation is a simple process.

Next, the chapter looks at mechs, or mechanised cavalry units. Lancers have four skills related to building, piloting and fighting mechs. There are various rolls that are made, and the appropriate skill is added to them. Mechs are modular, and parts can be combined from different manufacturers. Each mech Frame comes with license-restricted gear that can be swapped between all the owner’s mechs, once the options are unlocked. As the pilot’s License Level increases, they can spend this to gain a license rank from a mech manufacturer. Each manufacturer has different licenses in three tiers that must be bought in order. Each new rank opens up new options. At LL0, all pilots have access to the GMS-SP1
Everest Frame and the GMS gear list, and they never lose access to mechs or gear they’re licensed to use.

The structure of mechs is then considered. Though most mechs have two arms and two legs, this can be changed within reason and the overall look, structure and layout don’t affect gameplay. The basic structure and components of a mech are its Frame, which determines the mech’s appearance, size and function. This defines Size, Armor, other specifications and weapon mounts and capacity for installing other systems, as well as defining its unique Core System. Size determines how big the mech is, naturally; humans and the smallest mechs are Size 1/2, most mechs are Size 1 but some go up to Size 3.

Armour is self-explanatory – it’s armour – and then there are mounts. Mechs can only carry a limited number of weapons. This is determined by their Frame, and trying to install too many weapons and supporting systems can stress the mech. Different Frames have different numbers and types of mounts, and to add a weapon, a suitable mount needs to be available. Weapons come in different sizes, different types and varying types of damage inflicted. Frames have System Points which can be spent to add extra systems, with some heavier weapons requiring both mounts and SP. Frames also have a Core System, unique to it, and can usually only be used once per mission by using Core Power, something a mech either has or it doesn’t.

Different Frames have different starting statistics, that give them different combat roles. They have the same attributes, though, even if the numbers are different. Mechs can also be improved, and a pilot’s mech skills will allow some of their stats to be boosted.

Core bonuses, which are knowledge and skills gained by pilots specific to different manufacturers, are permanent improvements that apply to any Frame a pilot uses. A new core bonus is gained every 3 LLs. Talents are enhancements that allow characters to push their mechs further, and range from rank I to rank III. Instructions on how to create a mech are then followed by an example of creation.

Section 2: Missions, Uptime and Downtime starts by looking at the structure of play. Sessions are structured around missions, which can be various things but always have a clear goal and stakes. There are three steps to a mission; briefing, where the goal is established and the stakes are set, preparation, where players pick their mechs and pilot gear, reserves, where those brought are established, and boots on the ground, which is the start of the scene. After the mission is over, the pilots debrief, level up and go to downtime.

The first session establishes who the pilots are and their relationships with each other. There’s a d20 table of possible groups they could be playing, a d20 table with ten results of patrons and a d20 table of personal histories.

The Mission is divided into different stages. Stage One is the briefing, in which the characters, or the players, as this doesn’t need to be in-universe- are told what the situation, goals and stakes are, the last being the potential significance of the mission’s possible outcomes. There’s a d20 list of example goals. Stage Two is preparation, in which the players choose what equipment they are going to take on the mission. Stage Three is determining what reserves they will have access to during the mission. Once these are done, Stage Four is the pilots arriving on-scene, which doesn’t have to be straight into combat. Stage Five is the end of the mission and debrief, and includes levelling up and talking about the mission.

Mech combat is the more structured part of the game, but there’s also narrative play. These have different rules, and can be switched between as simply as the GM stating that such is done, though it wouldn’t be done in mech combat. Rules are given for narrative play, and it can include combat, just not with mechs.

Downtime is the time between missions. During this, there are actions that can still be done and they can help characters accumulate reserves for later missions. There are tables of examples that can be obtained. During Downtime, there are other actions that characters can do that can have game effects.

Section 3: Mech Combat starts by explaining that it’s possible to play an entire session of Lancer without touching mech combat, though mech combat is what the game is about. Mech combat is tactical and turn-based, unlike narrative play, and it’s designed for combat between mechs, not between pilots, though it can be used for the latter. Different methods are used to determine the outcome of conflicts compared to narrative play and the stakes of mech combat are larger.

How turn-based combat works is covered next, with the different types of actions that can be done in combat. This is comparatively complex, given that mech combat is miniatures-based (or really difficult if you try theatre of the mind) and using mechs with a wide range of abilities. This also looks at pilots in mech combat, for pilots might need to leave their mech for a number of reasons. There’s a quick combat reference sheet at the end of the section.

Statuses and conditions are inflicted and received in mech combat, and these can be inflicted in a number of different ways. Conditions are temporary effects, often caused by damage and EW, whilst statuses are effects that can’t easily be cleared. Different conditions and statuses are listed, along with combat terminology, which also has the various symbols used where relevant.

Wear and Tear is the damage that mechs take. Unlike pilots, when HP is 0, mechs don’t go Down and Out, they instead start taking structural damage, and there’s a damage table for this to see the effect. Once 0 HP is reached, 1 structure damage is taken, a structure damage check is made and HP are reset to full. When Structure is reduced to 0, the mech is destroyed.

Mechs have a Repair Cap, determined by its Frame, which is its ability to function when damaged and supplies of parts and tools. Mechs can be repaired in combat, though it’s naturally easier to do so out of combat. This still takes time, though. A mech that has been destroyed, but not outright slagged because of such as a reactor explosion, it can still be repaired. However, weapons and systems also need repairing separately. A full repair takes ten hours in a secure location; access to printing facilities can also be used to repair a mech or print a new one.

Just because a mech is destroyed, doesn’t mean its pilot is killed. However, that can still happen and in such cases a new pilot can be cloned. There are different types of clones, and they can have complications; there’s a d20 table of quirks.

Section 4: Compendium is comprised of several sections that provide character options. These start with Talents, that are the unique knowledge, experience and training acquired by mech pilots. These each have a name, description and, as mentioned in Section 2, three ranks, with the abilities gained at each rank listed.

Gear and Systems explains what gear tags are, which describe how a piece of gear functions and the rules attached to it. These tags are then all described, and many of them have icons used in stat blocks. Most of the gear tags are for mechs, but pilot gear also has tags. Artificial intelligence is another area, and there are different types that can be used with a mech.

Pilot Gear describes the various pieces of equipment available to characters, including weapons, armour and other items of use.

Introduction to Licensing looks at how license levels work. It starts with the roles of mechs, for they have different primary combat roles, and the various icons used in the stat blocks. Choosing different license issuers, and advancing in license levels, opens up more equipment to a pilot. There are five different mech manufacturers, and each of these gives an overview of the manufacturer and the core bonuses that their mech frames come with. Each manufacturer has a number of mechs to choose from and these are described; HORUS is an odd manufacturer as it doesn’t exist like a normal company would.

Section 5: GM’s Toolkit starts with the Game Master’s Guide. It starts by explaining that playing Lancer requires a GM, and that this section is for them, with an overview of what the section covers. Four general principles are then covered. These are to facilitate fun, accept that you don’t determine the final story told, make the players comfortable and say no as little as possible. A final section of tips is on eliciting responses from players to get them involved in the game.

Setting Up a Game looks at what’s needed to play and how long a typical session lasts. The first session is different, and covered earlier in the book; after that, a narrative needs establishing, and not a railroaded story. There’s a d20 table of possible mission hooks, each of which has a paragraph of description.

Running a Game then looks at actually running it. There are two golden rules, which are specific rules override general ones and always round up to the nearest whole number. Following this are details on skill checks intended to make it easier for GMs to run them. First, check if it’s actually necessary to have one, fail forward if needed to keep the narrative going, what to do when a single roll isn’t enough and communicating clearly to the players what’s at stake.

Session pacing, in order to keep mech combat feeling fair and properly paced, is looked at, including resting and repairs and core power. The number of fights in a mech combat and its length are also looked at. Character progression, and how license levels are the primary way characters advance, but there are also other rewards that can be given out; reserves, triggers, talents and restricted systems.

The GM Toolkit has various tools for creating scenarios and environments. It starts with the game’s core assumptions, which is that characters always have access to printers to print off new mechs and that pilots are tough. However, though these are core assumptions, they can be changed for a GM’s own game. Sitreps are a way of adding additional objectives or depth to a combat scenario. There are six sitreps and these are covered in detail.

Iterative World-Building has three d20 tables; world types, defining natural feature, defining anthropocentric feature and environments, with a note on environmental hazards.

The next section has rules on non-player characters, both for creating them and using them in mech combat. NPCs are handled slightly differently, and are not expected to be as exceptional as player characters. The NPC creation process is simple, and there’s a list of classes by combat role then the classes themselves. Following this are rules for creating NPCs that aren’t in mechs, divided into human, squad, which is more than one person, and monstrosities, which are large or horrifying natural predators. There are templates that can be used to define an NPC further and add flavour or change how they function in combat.

Section 6: A Golden Age, of a Kind has setting details. It starts by explaining that it explores the history of Union – the main setting – from Union’s point of view and it contains spoilers that, though PCs are not aware of them, are helpful for players to know. The section is intended to provide canon to be used, or not, and warns that it contains potentially distressing topics.

Following this is a timeline giving a brief history of Union and the time before, stretching back thousands of years. The history is divided into different phases, the before Union period and the different phases after founding; Union went through different governments after its founding.

After this, the current state of Union is covered, including how it affects the galaxy as a whole. There are details of the major coalitions of the ruling Third Committee and Union’s bureaucracy, as well as a number of off-book entities. It then looks at how violence still exists – naturally, given this is a mech combat game; without violence, the game would be pointless – and various different types of conflict, extra-Union, piracy and space combat. Various different types of armed forces are considered, from ground to orbital, space and interstellar, and there’s a section on conflict in Lancer’s present.

The galaxy is, by this time, mostly post-scarcity, though the Metropolitan worlds of the Galactic Core are still fantastically wealthy, though wealth and capital are abstract on these worlds. PCs will have access to most unrestricted consumer goods and be able to find raw materials they need, though specialised items can be harder to obtain. Diasporan worlds are not as wealthy and some things can be much more scarce than on the rich worlds. Manna is the standardised currency, as not every world is post-scarcity, and is an abstracted one. Locally, worlds use their own currencies, with manna being used to do off-world business.

A number of important worlds are then looked at, followed by various galactic powers, including a number of important organisations, companies and non-state actors, some of which have what are essentially adventure hooks. Mech pilots in general are looked at, as well as the elite lancers and various pilots. Finally, there’s a brief consideration as to what might lie beyond Union.

There is a web app available that makes the game easier to run, and an additional file for use with that.

A two-page character sheet makes a separate PDF.

Finally, a zip file contains 42 hex tokens for mechs.

Lancer in Review

The PDF is bookmarked with major sections linked. The Contents is to a greater level of depth and the Index is reasonably thorough, but neither are hyperlinked. Navigation is not as good as it could be. The text maintains a two-column format and appeared to be free of error. There are a lot of custom colour illustrations, up to about two pages in size. Presentation is good, but if you don’t like cartoon-like illustrations for mechs, it will not appeal.

The setting background in the latter part of the supplement has an odd feeling to it. It doesn’t seem bad, or off or uninteresting; it just seems disconnected to the game itself. As if a mech game was created, then a setting bolted onto it in a couple of places. The setting can be utterly ignored without having any effect on the game, and that includes any setting; Lancer is a game that doesn’t feel as if it has a setting truly incorporated into it. This is perhaps because this isn’t really a role playing game; it’s a tabletop combat game with mechs, that happens to have role-playing elements that aren’t essential. It’s entirely possible to run one-shot mech combat encounters and ignore most of the actual role playing elements. Though the abilities of a pilot do have a game effect, there’s no need to advance them for a one-shot; just use pre-gens or even base something around the NPC templates.

The mech combat part of the game is quite complicated. The web app makes this much simpler, but without that it takes a noticeable set up in difficulty when it comes to running the game. The game’s downsides are, therefore, the complexity of running combat without electronic help and the fact that the setting does feel so disconnected from the game. As a mech combat game, it’s decent; as a role playing game about mech combat, it feels somewhat lacking. There is a setting and there are role playing elements; it just feels like they could be integrated with the mech combat part of the game better. Lancer can be found on Amazon.