# Starsmith: Mecha Mercs tags: #game/rpg/suppliment/starsmith-mecha-mercs ![[Starsmith Mecha Mercs (cover).jpg]] In a galaxy where "might makes right" and corporate overlords treat human lives like rounding errors on a balance sheet, _Starsmith: Mecha Mercs_ offers you the chance to pilot a giant, stompy death machine. This fan-made supplement for _Ironsworn: Starforged_ drags the gritty, solo-friendly mechanics of the base game into the cockpit. While it provides four pre-baked distinct mech chassis—the speedy _Zephyr_, the tanky _Gladiator_, the sneaky _Predator_, and the nerdy _Medusa_—it also acknowledges your inherent desire to play God with a soldering iron via a robust custom construction system. The game posits that you are a mercenary because, let’s be honest, in this universe, "saving the world" doesn't pay for the fusion cells required to move your left leg. It introduces "Wealth Management" as a mechanic because even in the cold vacuum of space, your soul has a price tag, and that price tag is usually "one more upgrade for my _Omega Cannon_." ## Core Die Resolution Mechanics Since _Mecha Mercs_ is a supplement for _Ironsworn: Starforged_, it inherits a resolution system that ensures your inevitable failure is at least statistically interesting. The core loop involves the **Action Roll**: 1. You roll a **d6 (Action Die)** and add your relevant **Stat** (Edge, Iron, Shadow, Wits, or Heart) plus any **Adds** from your assets or modules. 2. Simultaneously, you roll two **d10s (Challenge Dice)**. 3. Compare your total **Action Score** to each Challenge Die: - **Strong Hit:** Your score beats both d10s. You succeed and usually gain Momentum. - **Weak Hit:** Your score beats only one d10. You succeed, but the universe extracts a pound of flesh (a "cost"). - **Miss:** Your score beats neither d10. Things go horribly wrong. _Mecha Mercs_ complicates this by giving your mech its own **Integrity** (which acts as its health) and **Modules**. When you pilot the machine, you can choose to use your own stats or the mech's specialized stats. For the truly desperate, "Matches" (rolling the same number on both d10s) trigger narrative "twists" which, in my experience, usually involve your reactor core deciding to become a localized sun. ## The Construction System: DIY Disaster For those unsatisfied with the "off-the-shelf" chassis options, the supplement includes a detailed modular construction system. This allows you to build a custom rig from the ground up, selecting core components that define your mech's capabilities: - **Chassis Choice:** You select a base frame that determines your starting Integrity and the number of **Module Slots** available. - **Module Slots:** These act as the "limbs" and "organs" of your machine. You can slot in everything from _Sensor Arrays_ and _Cloaking Fields_ to _Heavy Ordanance_. - **Custom Stat Distribution:** You effectively decide which of your pilot's attributes the machine amplifies. Want a mech that is essentially a giant, sentient library? Pump those _Wits_. Want a literal hammer? Stick with _Iron_. - **The Cost of Ambition:** Naturally, every shiny new toy costs "Wealth." The more complex your custom build, the more likely you are to be one missed payment away from the corporate repo-squad. ## Editions and Changes The primary version of _Starsmith: Mecha Mercs_ was released as a standalone PDF in late 2022. While it remains a stable supplement, the author, Eric Bright, has since integrated its contents into the broader _Starsmith_ product line. - **The Original PDF (2022):** Focused purely on the mechs and the mercenary lifestyle, introducing the basic chassis, the modular construction rules, and the initial set of equipment. - **The Consolidated Starsmith Project (2024):** The author intended to fold these mechanics into a larger hardcover volume, _Starsmith: The Complete Collection_. In these later iterations, the mechanics for "Wealth" were further refined to align with other _Starsmith_ supplements like _Expanded Oracles_ and _Cultures_, ensuring that your mercenary can go bankrupt in even more diverse ways. - **Foundry VTT Integration:** Various updates (current version 2.5.x) have automated these rolls and the construction process, turning the math-heavy process of "exploding in a ball of fire" into a convenient click of a button. ## References - [Starsmith: Mecha Mercs - DriveThruRPG](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/421157/starsmith-mecha-mercs "null") - [Recommended for the Discerning Feudal Fantasy Mecha Enthusiast - Grim Tokens](https://grimtokens.garden/Articles/Recommended+for+the+Discerning+Feudal+Fantasy+Mecha+Enthusiast "null") - [Starsmith Compendiums - Foundry Virtual Tabletop](https://foundryvtt.com/packages/starsmith-expanded-oracles "null") - [Eric Bright's Project Portfolio - Noble Knight Games](https://www.nobleknight.com/Publisher/Eric-Bright "null") - [Starsmith Assets and Mecha Mercs Discussion - Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/Ironsworn/comments/11k5mer/starsmith_assets_released/ "null")