New situations

[GundamChief]

In robotech the zentraedi who are in south america are in an area called the Zentraedi Control Zone. In this area they established bases of operations that were more or less scattered, forcing them to leave the protection of thier area to raid and enslave human communities. In Zentraedi Breakout, it discribes the area in where the R.D.F. and/or Southern Cross intervened to eliminate the zentraedi threat.

This forum often has threads where a member posts "What mecha would bring into Rifts" or "Rifts into Robotech" as well as situations where certain characters either survive when they actually died such as "what if Roy/ Wolfe survived".

Here's a new one. Lets say the Zentraedi were put in the position where 30 ships come out of fold near earth. but instead of the Robotech earth, it was actually Rifts Earth. They survive the initial attack from orbit and crash in South America where the control Zone in robotech would eventually be.

My questions for you to discuss will provide a view into what could happen as well as provide inspiration for future adventures/ campaigns.

1. what would thier initial reaction be to this world where Magic, Demons, Advanced machines (Cyborgs, Weapons powerful enough to cripple a Battlepod in one shot, etc.) exist?

2. How would they establish themselves on this planet to survive, they have many forces to deal with from the natural elements to the magical and demonic and other kingdoms of South America?

3. Lets say they come before the Arkons, would they be better off or worse?

4. lets say they came after the Arkons, what would the Arkons reactions be to the Zentraedi with thire ships, large mecha, Powerful weapons (Reflex Cannons) and overall size, and how would the Zentraedi react to the Arkons?

5. With access to new worldly powers, would the Zentraedi learn and attempt to become a kingdom with magic, Psionics in thier arsenal or would they stay a Technologically dependant power?

What say you?

[RockJock]

If these are Zens without any exposure to earth culture and things like mechanics they would be in trouble.

[Jefffar]

Well, unless something happens to specifically disrupt it (ie a interaction with the ley lines), 30 ships would mop up the orbitals and establish a space pressence without difficulty.

Assumign they did have to crash, and they crashed in Sotuh America, if you use the zentraedi as they are written stat wise they are in deep trouble. They are a mobile force, that is true, but they are big, fragile targets with no hope of resupply.

If you are nice and let them have gear and let themselves have stats that is adapted to rifts earth, then htey becoem a major problem. As I mentioned, they are very mobile. If their stuff isn't quite so fragile anymore (and their firepower is fine, a Battlepod does 2D4x10 several times a melee and many zent mecha can bombard a glitterboy from otuside of boomgun range) I could see them moving further south, taking over some of the SRRs and establishing a high tech base where they could rebuild and improve their mecha (ie nuclear power plants, zaria like designs, incorporate human technology like railguns, chromium armour . . .).

Given the large number of missiles in the Zent arsenal, the Arkhons would learn to respect them, very quickly.

[GundamChief]

Well, unless something happens to specifically disrupt it (ie a interaction with the ley lines), 30 ships would mop up the orbitals and establish a space pressence without difficulty.

I would think that appearing in orbit around Rifts earth would be disruptive enough, and the moon has ley-lines so interaction would be a factor. Taking out the orbitals would not be as easy as you say, in addition to the debris field and the killer satellites you have a sizable force of ships in numbers of 10,000 to 60,000 (though not at all as large or powerful as the Zentraedi ships) and a force of robots numbering in the thousands, and with the natural pilots you also have VRRDS system which allows the loss of robots without the loss of pilots.

Assumign they did have to crash, and they crashed in Sotuh America, if you use the zentraedi as they are written stat wise they are in deep trouble. They are a mobile force, that is true, but they are big, fragile targets with no hope of resupply.

Which would be the point, it is gritty, difficult and would provide a challange to players whether they be Zentraedi or characters of Rifts.

If you are nice and let them have gear and let themselves have stats that is adapted to rifts earth, then htey becoem a major problem. As I mentioned, they are very mobile. If their stuff isn't quite so fragile anymore (and their firepower is fine, a Battlepod does 2D4x10 several times a melee and many zent mecha can bombard a glitterboy from otuside of boomgun range) I could see them moving further south, taking over some of the SRRs and establishing a high tech base where they could rebuild and improve their mecha (ie nuclear power plants, zaria like designs, incorporate human technology like railguns, chromium armour . . .).

I'm not that nice, and they would have to deal with the magical inhabitants as well as the technological inhabitants. The difficulty in doing this for the Zentraedi is that they have Repair Drones, Robots and leaders who are smart enough to figure out the technology of the planet and could learn new skills quickly, characters like Exedor. The problem is how would they react.

Given the large number of missiles in the Zent arsenal, the Arkhons would learn to respect them, very quickly.

Respect, maybe. It is not as simple as that. First off, because of the fighting in space caused by the Zentraedi there probably be a gap in the CAN Republic defenses giving a chance to the Arkhon forces on Mars to conduct thier own invasion, and maybe try to establish contact with thier Earth forces. The earth forces would probably respect them but only because they have technology they need. The Arkhons too have Folding capabilities but no means of escaping earth, the Zentraedi would provide an Avenue. The machines of the Arkhons are more powerful then that of the Zentraedi and would have a chance even if engaging large numbers of Pods. The Space forces, needing a way to communicate with thier homeworld would also try to take advantage of the situation, not to mention try to take the Zentraedi technology such as cloning, Reflex Weaponry, and Fold engines. Sure the Zentraedi have missiles, but with all of the other forces out there who would they use them on first.

You see my dilema here? there are so many ways this could work out I can't list them all so I'm asking for fellow GMs/ Players to give some Ideas on how to handle the situation. Plus I genuinly want to know your opinions.

[Jefffar]

Well, the Zent ships are faster than anythign in the orbitals arsenal (Orbital's space ships speeds ar emeasured in mach numbers, the zentraedi cruisers speeds are measured in fractions of the speed of light!) and their weapons have an extra digit or more of range on them. The various space stations would cease to exist in the first volley of Zentraedi fire, the large capital ships would go too. Which would leave a swarm of stinging insects, too far away to reach the cruisers, and with no bases to go back to to resupply thngs like food and air.

The Mecha forces of 1 landing ship or Flagship should be numerically equal to the remaining ship/mecha force of the orbitals. From 30 ships, with the ships providing supporting fire, that's going to be a pretty lop sided encounter.

Then they would blast through the moon (and I do mean through) to wipe out CAN.

In short, unless some ley line effect disabled the fleet from the start, they would still have orbital supremacy from which to work with.

Which would move into an interesting battle with the space based Arkhons

[jedi078]

Since we are talking about moving Zentraedi into Rifts…….

One question I would have is how much damage can a Zentraedi to with his/her bare handed now that there are more specific rules for strength and damage listed in RUE.

For example a full size Zentraedi with a PS of 2700 can inflict a measly 9 MDC according to original rules. But using what is in RUE rules for just “ordinary humans” that 2700 comes out to 27 MDC per punch!

Here is the math:

P.S. of 30 is +15 damage and every point above 30 is +1 to damage.

So subtract 30 from 2700 2700-30=2670

Add 15 2670+15=2685

Divide by 100 2685/100=26.85

Round up to get 27 MDC! (Or round down to get 26 MDC)

This is more then what a Robot (and a Supernatural Being for that matter) with the same P.S. can inflict!

Of course the most prudent thing is to just use the Robot Strength and damage table (or the one for Super Natural Beings) for full size Zentraedi other wise Zentraedi Melee Specialist would tear through anything they go their hands on.

[Pox]

Wouldn't the Splugorth and their agents on South America frothe at the mouth once they hear about the Zents and respond accordingly to round them up for slavestock?

[jedi078]

Wouldn't the Splugorth and their agents on South America frothe at the mouth once they hear about the Zents and respond accordingly to round them up for slavestock?

While 40 foot tall giants would make great slave stock you still ave to feed them.

Remember the line "Can I have a whole cow to go please?" from Ghost Ship (Well I think it was in Ghost Ship)

[GundamChief]

While 40 foot tall giants would make great slave stock you still ave to feed them.

I think they would make an exception, especially with all of the applications they could do. Like a super Bio-borg or super cyborgs just to name a few.

[Jefffar]

Besides, you can shrink them for easy storage and feeding.

[Marcantony]

Hmm, what if the initial one million ship fleet misfolded to rifts earth?

Would Atlantis survive the orbital bombardment? It would certainly dramatically alter the world situation.

[GundamChief]

Would Atlantis survive the orbital bombardment? It would certainly dramatically alter the world situation.

The obvious answer is no, they wouldn't survive. Their Psychics would probably sense the impending doom but wouldn't know the exact source.

As for the world situation, not only would there be a shift in power because of the splugorth's loss of control, but with all of the demons, monsters, magical beings, Powerful intellegances, and ordinary humanoids in the area dead thier P.P.E. would double at death and return to the ley-lines causing a sudden power spike, making more rifts and possably shaping the world again, but it would be localized at atlantis...maybe.

But that is with my 30 ships, with one million ships you would have a repeat of the Zentraedi attack in robotech...which would be this attack if that were the case, and the world would be in ten times the bad situation because with that many ships you could attack places other then atlantis, such as china, germany, japan, africa, norht and south america... you get the point.

[Rimmerdal]

How about Dolza's Fleet....he was able to make even breetia wet himself..

Consider the base Dolza had was able to move (it's giant astroid...WITH BOOSTERS) that solves the maufacturing.

Dolza Also was a far better tactition than even Breetia..

Heh I love that go THROUGH the moon....

that makes atlantis a lot smaller as well as other areas would be underwater..Lord of the deep?

[taalismn]

How about Dolza's Fleet....he was able to make even breetia wet himself..

Consider the base Dolza had was able to move (it's giant astroid...WITH BOOSTERS) that solves the maufacturing.

Dolza Also was a far better tactition than even Breetia..

Heh I love that go THROUGH the moon....

that makes atlantis a lot smaller as well as other areas would be underwater..Lord of the deep?

WEll, with overwhelming numbers of the Grand Fleet...yah, you could do a lot...But there's no evidence that Dolza was a superior tactician...his forte was STRATEGIC oversight, and even then Dolza seems to use...overwhelming numbers...as opposed to any other strategy..

Of course, with a fleet that large, no forewrning, no familiiarity with the incoming enemy, and no psychological assault in readiness, the Orbitals are toast....The Arkhons may pose a problem, however, since the Zentraedi ships are noticeably lacking in projectile armaments like heavy rail guns, and unless the Zentraedi twig on early to the fact that autocannons and frag missiles are the most effective weapons against the Arkies, the doggies will reap a good number of Zen light units before the giants can regroup.

Of course, in a guerilla/mop-up campaign, the Zen are going to take some serious casualties from psychics and magic-users teleporting in under their noses, and big as they may be, the Zentraedi have little in the way of defenses against creatures like succubi and mind-twisters.

Final assessment----Early massive massacre of Earth and Orbitals, but a n initial Zentraedi victory would be blunted in any long term effort to subdue/HOLD Earthside territories...the Zentraedi are best off hitting and running...