Subject: Quick and Dirty Mecha
From: Gregory Littmann <[email-masked]>

This system is
1.  Incomplete
2.  Will not produce results as good as those produced with GURPS Vehicles
3.  Is INCOMPATIBLE with GURPS Vehicles Mecha
4.  Is very unrealistic

However, it lets you build Mecha very quickly

  Allocate a number of POINTS for the building of your mecha.  Now, decide
on a basic scale for mecha in your universe.  Now, build your mecha as if
it were a P.C..  Costs for ST, HT and IQ are halved.  A mecha's effective
DX will be the average of its DX and the DX of its pilot.  IQ is only used
to represent mecha computers and only functions to give a bonus to mental
skills.  There is no point break for having a low IQ.  The mecha can buy
pretty much any advantages that tech level does not prohibit - from Damage
Resistence to Combat Reflexes to Super Jumping.  Skills can be learned and
represent computer programs.  A mecha's effective skill will be determined
by adding the skill points it has to the skill points possessed by its
pilot.  Disadvantages can also give points - the disadvantages
representing corners cut in the mecha's design.
  A mecha can use points to buy equipment.  Equipment is usually
considered to be a part of its body, with the exception of weapons for
mecha with hands (mecha without hands can have weapons attatched and may
use them as normal but DO get full points for No Fine Manipulators or One
Hand).
  To determine what should be charged for equipment, first determine
whether the equipment could be bought as a natural advantage.  If so,
charge points as if it WERE a natural advantage.  If not (as should be the
case with ranged weapons), find the price for that weapon for a normal
human and charge 1 point per $50 of cost.  This is expensive, but
considering that mecha weapons are hard to get hold of and that
battlemechs don't have to be able to do much other than fight, I don't
think that its unbalancing.

  Thoughts?