Mecha Borg: Operation Neighborhood Watch

A scenario in the rubble

Introduction

Premise: A squadron of mecha has been left behind during a city-wide withdrawal. The comms grid collapsed in the first hours; all command frequencies are jammed. The patchwork unit huddles in the ruins—half scratch barricade, half inherited scrapyard—waiting for extraction that will never come.

Objective: Hold for six rounds. Survive until OCC 20 or evacuation orders arrive.

Lay of the Land: Hot Zone - urban ruins; player squadron defends hereInsertion Zone - city outskirts; enemy squadron advances from hereExtract Zone - escape route (if you can reach it)

Atmosphere: Concrete dust, radio static, the hydraulic whine of turrets pivoting in the dark. Every shell impact sounds like God knocking.

Player Squadron: “The Bricks”

Factory repurposed defensive units, all legs and boosters, can jump and kick but not punch, all mass-produced, held together with hope and spite.

Unit	HP	Armor	AGI	PRE	STR	TOU	Weapons	Special
Marble	5	−d4	+0	+1	+1	+2	Heavy autocannon (d10), Light Laser (d4)	Stationary units gain +2 Defense.
Schist	4	−d2	+1	+1	+1	+1	Medium autocannon (d8), Medium laser (d6)	May reroll one failed Defense per round.
Pumice	6	−d6	−1	+0	+2	+3	Heavy autocannon (d10), Flamer (d4, Close range only)	On hit with Flamer, target rolls TOU DR 14 or Stress +1.
Granite	5	−d4	+0	+2	+1	+2	Howitzer (d8 Long range), Rocket pod (d6)	Spotter: allies get +1 to hit the same target this round.

Look Out Below!: In lieu of moving or attacking, a Brick can use its boosters to perform a controlled crash on an enemy unit in the same zone: AGI DR 14. Success: target takes 2d4 damage, Brick takes 1d4. Failure: Brick takes 1d6 damage, cannot move, attack, or defend next round.

Enemy Squadron: “The Cleaners”

Seasoned regulars sent to retake the district before orbital fires begin.

Unit	HP	Armor	AGI	PRE	STR	TOU	Weapons	Tactics
Prime	7	−d6	+1	+1	+2	+2	Autocannon (d10), Missiles (d8)	Flank, suppress.
Second	6	−d4	+2	+1	+1	+1	Rapid fire laser array (2× d8)	Advance & overheat.
Tertius	8	−d6	+0	+1	+3	+3	Particle accelerator cannon (d12 Long range), Anti-infantry weapon (d3 Close range only)	Attack from distance.
Scout	4	−d2	+3	+2	+0	+0	Machinegun (d6), Sensor Suite	Calls down fire: OCC +1 if alive after Round 4.

Special Conditions

• Urban Ruins: All ranged attacks DR +2. Melee attacks and defense rolls DR −2.
• Collapsed Infrastructure: Any miss with autocannon, howitzer, missiles, or rocket pod end up hitting gas mains, sub-reactors, comms towers → OCC +1 (Lasers and flamers don't trigger this).
• Limited Ammo: After Round 4, roll d6 per primary weapon. On 1–2, that weapon runs dry.

OCC Table

• +1 per round (the orbital fire countdown).
• +1 per failed test (panic and misfire).
• +1 whenever a Scout transmits.
• +2 when any Brick is destroyed (the beacon lights up).

At OCC 20 → miscommunicated orbital strike. The entire city block evaporates—enemy and ally alike.

Tone

Play it like Das Boot in mechs. The OCC isn’t an abstract timer—it’s Command losing patience. Every round is another line of fire coordinates climbing through atmosphere. If someone survives, they’re a burned outline on concrete when the dust clears. If they transmit last words, mark them in the margin.

In Mecha Borg’s terms, this is industrial futility wearing a cockpit: the smallest, slowest machines in a franchise of titans holding one more block before the inevitable light from above.