Question from someone who played ages ago

[Shinagamei]

As the title states, I played last around 95, I still have my Robotech book, along with my copy of Ninjas and Superspies and a Rifts Conversion book, I guess I got nostalgia seeming them while throwing stuff away and here I am. My question mainly is does the shadow chronicles have the newer veritechs and the beta from the SDF-3 era or will I need to get one of the sourcebooks? If so which one? I'd like to buy them all eventually but just to start out, thanks in advance

[glitterboy2098]

Yes. Those are in the shadow chronicles main book. The stats are a bit changed though.. Some weapons changes to better match the show, and a bit of power boost to bring it in line with PB's other MDC settings.

[Shinagamei]

Yes. Those are in the shadow chronicles main book. The stats are a bit changed though.. Some weapons changes to better match the show, and a bit of power boost to bring it in line with PB's other MDC settings.

Well hearing I only need the main book is great, now I just have to choose which sourcebook to pick up with it. Thanks for helping so quick

[glitterboy2098]

right now it basically boils down to "what time period do you want to do?"

Macross Saga = mainbook + Macross Saga Sourcebook
Southern Cross = mainbook + Masters Saga Sourcebook
New Generation = Mainbook + New Generation Sourcebook
Sentinels = Mainbook + UEEF Marines.

and Genesis Pits has stuff for both New Generation and Sentinels periods.

now obviously the more of these sourcebooks you have, the more options you have.. The Macross Saga sourcebook can be used to give Southern Cross era characters additional mecha options, or zentreadi to fight for example (or UEDF gear to equip human renegades)
while the new generation era would benefit from having the macross Saga and Masters Saga books when it comes to giving resistance groups a wider range of salvaged/preserved equipment. likewise the Sentinels era would include some gear from them (the UEEF using some of the ASC mecha for example, and themasters and zentreadi still being found i nthe masters empire in some areas, etc.)

[Lt Gargoyle]

I like to suggest getting the Marine Book with your Shadow Chronicles hardback. It will give your campaign the ability to have both navy and marine unit.

[Shinagamei]

I got the core book and new generation since it seems to have frankenmecha rules, the marines and masters books will probably be next, even if I don't get to play it will be nice to have them just in case

[RockJock]

Nice to see another old fan coming back into the game.

[glitterboy2098]

I like to suggest getting the Marine Book with your Shadow Chronicles hardback. It will give your campaign the ability to have both navy and marine unit.

just don't take the timeline section of UEEF marines seriously.. it is all sorts of a messed up. it has events that go contrary to Hg's canon for the setting, due evidently to some research failures on the writer's part, and a lot of stuff happens in the wrong time, again contrary to HG's own canon.

[Shinagamei]

Nice to see another old fan coming back into the game.

Yea got both books yesterday, interesting read, wish I had got the hardcover instead of the manga size main rulebook, but after I get the others I'll just pick that up so it can sit with all my 40k codexes on the shelf

[Shinagamei]

I like to suggest getting the Marine Book with your Shadow Chronicles hardback. It will give your campaign the ability to have both navy and marine unit.

just don't take the timeline section of UEEF marines seriously.. it is all sorts of a messed up. it has events that go contrary to Hg's canon for the setting, due evidently to some research failures on the writer's part, and a lot of stuff happens in the wrong time, again contrary to HG's own canon.

Yea, I will try not to take the timeline too seriously, even if it was originally spot on I've learned the power of retcon to established canon many times over now from other games

[drewkitty ~..~]

The legios sized synchro-cannon augmentation packs that were featured in the battle around the space station in the SSL arc in the SC movie are not in the books yet.

[glitterboy2098]

The legios sized synchro-cannon augmentation packs that were featured in the battle around the space station in the SSL arc in the SC movie are not in the books yet.

pg 187 of the manga size, or pg131-132 of the deluxe hardback. under the "Synchro Cannons" section
the Beta's cannon pack has the same damage and range as the hover platform cannon model seen in the show (stats for that are also provided), while the large ship mounted versions are also covered (they have a far longer range)

[Shinagamei]

The legios sized synchro-cannon augmentation packs that were featured in the battle around the space station in the SSL arc in the SC movie are not in the books yet.

pg 187 of the manga size, or pg131-132 of the deluxe hardback. under the "Synchro Cannons" section
the Beta's cannon pack has the same damage and range as the hover platform cannon model seen in the show (stats for that are also provided), while the large ship mounted versions are also covered (they have a far longer range)

Cool, I also noticed compared to my book from 1996 they changed durability considerably, maybe it's to show the change in time but it makes me want the macross book next

[Tiree]

My quick assessment:

Shadow Chronicles, New Generation, Marines, Genesis Pits - are really Robotech 1.5. It's an update of the original rules, making some minor changes, and correcting some game mechanic flaws and erroneous concepts. MDC values on cyclones dropped, durability (flight time), has also dropped as well.

Macross and Masters are a cleaner 2.0 version of the rules. Except Macross Character Generation, they utilize the same OCC's as Shadow Chronicles, except some minor updates to MOS's. The Mecha, timeline, and everything else about the book got into more detail. There are some tweaks that I would make (specifically with the Zentraedi's Micronized form)

Masters has a completely overhauled OCC/MOS system and is by far more comprehensive. They made the Master's series more accurate to the show and production designs.