Mecha pilot specialty

[jaymz]

Can someone help me out here. I can't seem to find what it is In my core book but what is mecha pilot specialty? Extra bonuses? It isn't mecha combat elite training as that is listed separately

Also it is the same as mecha piloting either as that is listed separately was well.

[glitterboy2098]

the mecha piloting skills cover a large number of mecha, for example pilot ground veritech allows the piloting of cyclones, Silverbacks, as well as ASC hovertanks. but the pilot speciliatly is a bonus received for a specific type of mecha within that class.

for example, if you have pilot ground veritech, you need to pick a model of mecha (one of the 4 cyclone types, or the two silver back types, or the 2 hovertank types). when piloting that specific mecha type you receive the bonus. so for example, if you have pilot ground veritech, you know how to pilot a hovertank as well as a cyclone, but you might specialize in piloting a Cyclone.

this is supposed to represent the fact that in reality, each mecha would have different cockpit layouts and handling. just like when you drive your car, you will be most comfortable and skilled at using your car, or perhaps your model of car, but while you could drive other cars you'll not be as sure of your skill and won't know all the quirks of the vehicle. its the same for planes and boats and any vehicle. you do better with the one you have the most familiarity with, your specialty.

[ShadowLogan]

Can someone help me out here. I can't seem to find what it is In my core book but what is mecha pilot specialty? Extra bonuses? It isn't mecha combat elite training as that is listed separately

Also it is the same as mecha piloting either as that is listed separately was well.

It is found under the individual mecha pilot skills (Battloids, Ground Veritechs, Veritechs) pg274-5 in the Manga (Pilot Skill section, not sure what the page number would be in HC). It provides a piloting bonus to one specific type of mecha within a category, though the bonus varies.

[jaymz]

Thanks guys

@GB - actually it's a specific model within the mecha type if I am reading the explanations right. Which makes sense as The Alpha gets the same MECT regardless of specific model, and same thing with the Cyclones.

The only thing that doesn't make sense is that you need MECT for every individual mecha type to get full combat bonuses for it. Seems to me that should be considered your specialty as by and large the only units with "models" are the Alpha, Cyclone, Silverback, VF-1 and VHT-1. Nothing else does. I suppose one could take a specialty in a mecha they don't have an MECT for but that wouldn't make any sense to me....I think if anything I may add this bonus to be part of the MECT myself...if I even keep it.

[ShadowLogan]

Going by the available NPC skills description it would seem MECT is by category of Mecha (all Alphas are together, all Cyclones are together, etc) which is how I would see it applying to the Specialty aspect.

I think it is has to do with the Pilot and Combat training being treated as separate skills.

[jaymz]

It is. The "specialty" gives a piloting skill bonus for specific model.....which honestly, to me, makes no sense unless we are talking a significant difference in performance/controls. I can see it applicable if that is the acse. IE the Alpha Z was atmosphere optimized so it will handle differently. Maybe the cyclones as they are different sizes/styles so they MAY have different handling to them but Beta? VF-1? VHT-1? I can't see the handling to be that different between models to warrant this. They didn't even give any OCCs in the Masters book this "skill" though they did give them Combat Flying. The Macross era versions of the TSC OCCs get the specialty "skill" AND can get combat flying making that era's pilot's the best of the 3 apparently....

Edit - mind you all three of the following: Pilot Specialty, Combat Flying and Combat Driving (Combat Driving in RT is not the same as it is in other PB games iirc), should be available in Rifts. Would be very effective skills for all pilots to have.

Edit 2 - To me it would make more sense to have it MECT - REF Veritechs (or ASC Veritechs or RDF Destroids so o and so forth) and then the Specialty be "Alpha" or "Beta"

[ShadowLogan]

Going by the TSC and NG SB descriptions of NPC skills, Pilot Specialty and MECT is still by the basic model of the mecha in question (Alpha, Cyclone, Veritech Hover Tank, UEDF Veritechs), not the sub-model (VFA-6H, VFA-6I, VR-052, VR-038, VHT-1, etc). The only thing to change is Rick's UEDF Veritechs becomes VF-1 in TMS SB (TRM SB lacking NPCs).

The Piloting Specialty ability could simply be plugged in as an extension of the Pilot Robots and Power Armor skill. The Combat Driving/Flying skills should be plug able into other settings skill lists.

[jaymz]

Seems TSC goes both ways.

On one hand if you have MECT Alpha you get Specialty Aloha butthen for Cyclones it's MECT Cyclone, Specialty 050 series.....

And I know the Combat Flying can be plugged in but they shouldn't have to be is my point. It's just one of those inconsistencies that should have never happened and irks me slightly is all.

Edit - Correction RUE DOES have Combat Driving