Se7en Sagas

In the world of Ars Mechanica, the Machina—massive, steam-powered machines of war—dominate the battlefields of the Thirty Years’ War. These colossal constructs have reshaped the way armies fight, blending early industrial technology with the brutal realities of 17th-century warfare. However, designing and outfitting these machines is both an art and a science, requiring a delicate balance of firepower, armor, and mobility.

In this blog post, we’ll delve into two major topics: how Machina are constructed, using a free-form system that reflects their weight class and battlefield role, and how the weapons, armor, and movement are carefully balanced to create war machines that feel both realistic and terrifying. Along the way, we’ll provide you with the mechanics for weapon damage, armor ratings, and movement, so that your battles are as dynamic as the world in which they unfold.

The Three Classes of Machina

Before we dive into the details of constructing a Machina, it’s important to understand the three primary classes, each designed to fill a specific role on the battlefield.

• War Golems are the juggernauts of the Machina world, towering, heavily armored machines meant to soak up damage and deliver devastating firepower. These slow-moving siege engines are typically armed with massive cannons or other heavy artillery.
• Ironclads strike a balance between offense, defense, and mobility. They are versatile machines, capable of holding the line or delivering a powerful blow, without sacrificing all of their speed. Ironclads can handle a mix of mid-range weapons, such as muskets and medium cannons, while offering solid protection.
• Clockwork Knights are the lightest and most agile of the Machina. Designed for speed and reconnaissance, they rely on quick strikes and rapid movement to avoid enemy fire. Armed with lighter weapons like repeating crossbows, they’re perfect for harassing enemy forces before retreating to a safe distance.

Designing Your Machina: A Free-Form Approach

Unlike a rigid point-buy system, we’ll use a more flexible, narrative-driven method to create and equip Machina. This method emphasizes logical trade-offs, allowing players to design their war machines based on the desired battlefield role, but always within the constraints of 17th-century technology. You’ll need to carefully balance firepower, armor, and mobility—too much of one and you’ll sacrifice another. Let’s walk through the process of building a Machina, step by step.

Step 1: Choose Your Machina Class

The first decision is to determine which type of Machina you’ll build: War Golem, Ironclad, or Clockwork Knight. Each class has inherent strengths and weaknesses based on its size and weight.

• War Golems can carry the heaviest weapons and armor but are incredibly slow and require more fuel to keep operational. These tipically have more Hit Points, ranging 5 to 10.
• Ironclads are medium-weight machines that strike a balance between offense, defense, and speed, making them versatile and adaptable. These are lightly built than War Golems, with Hit points ranging 4 to 7.
• Clockwork Knights are lightweight and quick, designed for speed and reconnaissance, but they can’t carry heavy weapons or thick armor. These are the lightest of the Machina, with Hit Points ranging 2 to 5.

Step 2: Equip Your Machina with Weapons

Weapons in Ars Mechanica are based on the technology of the Thirty Years’ War, so there are no futuristic lasers or plasma cannons here. Instead, you’ll arm your Machina with cannons, crossbows, muskets, pikes, or other plausible weaponry from the era. Each weapon has its own damage rating, movement penalty (if applicable), and role on the battlefield.

Example Weapons Available:

• Heavy Cannon (Damage 5, Movement Penalty -2): The most powerful ranged weapon available, ideal for War Golems. It deals massive damage but slows down the Machina considerably. Heavy cannons are often used in sieges to break through fortifications or destroy other Machina.
• Medium Cannon (Damage 4, Movement Penalty -1): A versatile cannon that can be mounted on War Golems or Ironclads. It balances firepower with mobility, making it useful in open battlefield scenarios where movement is important.
• Repeating Crossbow (Damage 3, Movement Penalty 0): A lighter, fast-firing weapon suited for Clockwork Knights. It’s less powerful than a cannon but allows for rapid, precise attacks, perfect for skirmishing and hit-and-run tactics.
• Pike (Damage 2, Movement Penalty 0): A melee weapon that can be mounted on any Machina class. While it doesn’t deal as much damage as ranged weapons, it’s effective in close combat, especially when defending against infantry or other light Machina.
• Musket (Damage 3, Movement Penalty 0): A standard firearm that provides solid damage without compromising mobility. It’s most often used by Ironclads, providing decent firepower while allowing for battlefield maneuverability.

Example: Let’s say you’ve chosen to build an Ironclad. You decide to arm it with a Medium Cannon (Damage 4), reasoning that you’ll need good ranged capabilities, but you don’t want to slow down the Ironclad too much. The Medium Cannon adds a Movement Penalty of -1, but it’s a good trade-off for the firepower it provides. Now, your Ironclad is a solid mid-range fighter, capable of holding the line or moving to support other units.

Step 3: Select Armor

Armor protects your Machina from enemy fire, but heavier armor will reduce your mobility. Like weapons, armor is rated on a scale of 1 to 5, with corresponding penalties to movement.

Example Armor Options:

• Heavy Iron Plating (Armor 5, Movement Penalty -2): The thickest armor available, perfect for War Golems that need to withstand cannon fire and heavy attacks. While incredibly durable, it makes the Machina slow and lumbering.
• Reinforced Steel (Armor 4, Movement Penalty -1): A solid, reliable armor option for Ironclads, providing a good balance of protection without sacrificing too much speed. It’s often used in both offensive and defensive roles.
• Wooden Panels (Armor 2, Movement Penalty 0): Lightweight and quick, this armor is more suited for Clockwork Knights or lightly armored Ironclads. It offers minimal protection but allows for maximum mobility.
• Leather and Brass (Armor 1, Movement Penalty 0): The lightest armor, offering very little protection but allowing for extreme speed and flexibility. Used mainly by Clockwork Knights in reconnaissance missions.

Example: Since your Ironclad is a balanced machine, you choose Reinforced Steel (Armor 4). It provides solid defense without making your Ironclad too slow. This decision means your Ironclad can both take and deal damage, making it ideal for frontline combat.

Step 4: Determine Movement

The movement of your Machina is critical, as it dictates how fast you can traverse the battlefield and react to changing conditions. The base movement for each Machina class is as follows:

• War Golem: Base Movement 1 (slowest); might be faster if you take less Hit Points.
• Ironclad: Base Movement 3 (moderate); movement can be higher or lower, if you take less or more Hit Points.
• Clockwork Knight: Base Movement 5 (fastest); might be slower if you take more Hit Points.

Each piece of equipment you add to the Machina may penalize its movement, reducing its mobility. The goal is to balance firepower and armor with how fast you need the Machina to move. In the game fiction your Machina will not only get slower, but it will also be less manouverable, meaning that if you want to take actions that require a Skill test, the movement penalty will also apply here.

Example: Your Ironclad starts with a Base Movement of 3. You’ve equipped it with a Medium Cannon (Movement Penalty -1) and Reinforced Steel Armor (Movement Penalty -1). As a result, your Ironclad now has a Movement Rating of 1, making it slower, but still capable of repositioning in battle.

Step 5: Test It in Combat

Once your Machina is built, it’s time to test it on the battlefield. Combat in Ars Mechanica is straightforward, using the rules in Dawnfall, with success determined by comparing your Piloting Skill to the enemy Machina’s Difficulty Rating (DR); bear in mind that the DR is also a suggestion, the GM might modify this to account for battlefield and situational modifiers, like movement, distance, and your own Stress. The weapon’s base damage is then modified by the degree of success, and armor absorbs part of the damage.

Example Combat Scenario:

• Your Ironclad knight has a Piloting Skill of 4, and you’re attacking a War Golem (DR 2) with your Medium Cannon (Damage 4).
• Success Calculation: You spend 4 Effort Points against the War Golem’s DR. Since your Piloting Skill (4) exceeds the DR (2) by 2, you gain a Success Rating of 2.
• Damage Calculation: The Medium Cannon deals 4 damage, plus the 2 Success Rating, for a total of 6 damage. The War Golem’s Heavy Iron Plating (Armor 5) absorbs most of the damage, so the final damage dealt is 1.
• Your Ironclad manages to land a solid hit, but the War Golem’s heavy armor keeps it in the fight.

Conclusion: Creating Your Own Tactical Powerhouse

Building a Machina is about more than just piling on the biggest guns and thickest armor—it’s about understanding the trade-offs between power, speed, and durability. Whether you’re commanding a slow, unstoppable War Golem or a nimble, fast-striking Clockwork Knight, the choices you make during construction will determine your success on the battlefield.

By using this free-form, narrative-driven approach, you can customize your Machina to fit the needs of your campaign, ensuring that each battle feels unique and strategic. In the next post, we’ll explore how the introduction of these mechanical beasts has transformed the political and military landscape of the Thirty Years’ War.

Stay tuned for more insights into the world of Ars Mechanica, where history meets mechanical marvels in a deadly dance of destruction!