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The Mecha Hack

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Mission Manual Available Now!

Please Note: The Mecha Hack has everything you need to play! This game is based on The Black Hack, but it’s a full, standalone game, and does not require any additional products in order to use.

Suit up with The Mecha Hack!

If you’re a fan of Gundam, Robotech, Pacific Rim, BattleTech, or Transformers, this is the rules-lite robot RPG you’ve been waiting for.

The Mecha Hack is a tabletop roleplaying game of titanic warmachines and their intrepid pilots, made with The Black Hack.

The Mecha Hack is fast, fluid, and fun, with a focus on cinematic, narrative gameplay inspired by anime and other mecha properties. Inside this A5-sized, 40-page book, you’ll find the complete Mecha Hack ruleset; four mecha chassis and four pilot archetypes; over a dozen add-on modules for your unique mecha; GM tools and mission generators; more than 30 enemy statblocks; printable monsters, mechs, and objects; and so much more!

  • Jump into a full, standalone mecha RPG with everything you need to run a variety of missions – from all-out war, to stealthy skirmishes, to base defense, and more.

  • Overcome challenges with a speedy and simple d20 roll-under resolution mechanic.

  • Form-fillable character sheet PDF and printable A-stand paper miniatures included!

  • Includes unit and terrain tokens for use with virtual tabletops like Roll20!

  • Build your own unique mecha by choosing your chassis, pilot, and modules.

  • Customize your mecha with tons of add-on options: weapons, armor, and consumables.

  • Battle more than 30 unique enemies, including hostile mecha, monstrous kaiju, enemy factions, and more.

  • Capture the tone of the super robot genre like never before with simple rules for overheating reactors, supporting allies, and tactical combat with cover and difficult terrain.

  • Prep games in minutes using the robust GM tools with mission generators and sample challenges.

  • Discover the mini-setting of Lodestar Alpha – a war-torn world of the far future.

  • Enjoy gorgeous, thematic art by Brandish Gilhelm of Runehammer Games.

Build your mecha. Form a fireteam. Drop into the combat zone.

It’s time to suit up, pilots.

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Reviews (5)
Discussions (17)
Customer avatar
George C June 25, 2023 5:19 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Hey guys, thanks for this. How do you think this system would handle PvP situations?
Customer avatar
L. H December 13, 2022 5:07 am UTC
is it possible to have the mechs be part of a combiner in this game? i've been struggling to find a straightforward game that has an option for combiners
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Customer avatar
Matt C December 13, 2022 5:09 am UTC
PUBLISHER
Mecha Hack includes some options for combiners, yes! There are also expanded rules for doing so in the supplement, Mission Manual.
Customer avatar
Chloe T January 20, 2022 3:30 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Big fan of the Black Hack in all forms here! Was wondering if anyone's had the experience of running it in a Neon Genesis Evangelion-style setting, whether in the established universe or in one inspired by it? I imagine it would be well suited already or at least be mouldable towards it, but can someone confirm? Thanks in advance!
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Customer avatar
Matt C February 08, 2022 2:51 am UTC
PUBLISHER
Hey Chloe! You can absolutely run Eva-style mecha games with The Mecha Hack. In the new supplement, there’s even a “hybrid” chassis inspired by the Eva units.
Customer avatar
Jeremy H December 15, 2021 3:03 am UTC
PURCHASER
Hello. Would you guys help me boost my current Kickstarter? I'm putting together a third volume of monsters for Black Hack. I have two other volumes here on DriveThru. it's been a few years since I published those and hope to get some additional exposure via the current crop of Black Hackers. Thanks! :^)
Customer avatar
Ryan M September 15, 2021 9:32 pm UTC
PURCHASER
The charts are great, and it seems very straight-forward and playable overall, but the decision to go with 5E-style overnight regeneration for giant robots is mind-boggling. I can understand not wanting to get caught up in minor details, but this is on another level.
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Customer avatar
Matt C February 08, 2022 2:52 am UTC
PUBLISHER
Hey there Ryan! Thanks for the feedback. Rests in. Mecha Hack don’t involve “overnight regeneration,” but rather allow time and safety to see to rest for the pilots and repairs for the mecha. Hope that makes sense! Cheers!
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Customer avatar
Isaiah H March 16, 2022 11:31 pm UTC
PURCHASER
this is an old comment but i wanted to add that the game is so streamlined its incredibly easy to modify the core rules and tweak the complexity up without ruining anything if you approach it correctly. the expansion book added ideas for a new resource "Scrap" that im really digging into and expanding by making both Armor repairs and Hit Point repairs rely on when players dont have access to Repair bays. i have slightly more a Mechwarrior mindset about it all i think than pure cinematic, but rules as written Long/Short rests is a really accessible and playable system for and totally understand why its there.

im honestly changing a decent amount about the game and can still say i love it to white hot giant robot bits.
Customer avatar
Ivan H June 10, 2021 9:35 am UTC
This is an absolute treasure and you would be a fool not to buy it. Runehammer drew it. Also, the content gives a great spin to the Black Hack system. Totally recommending it.
Reply
Customer avatar
Matt C February 08, 2022 2:52 am UTC
PUBLISHER
Thanks so much!
Customer avatar
David P May 18, 2021 2:07 am UTC
Question to Matt C, since I see there's a number of questions posed on here and he's the company representative to answer them. How do you go about balancing encounters for the players? HD = to the number of levels of the player party (IE, 4 level 1 characters = 4HD worth of enemies)? Or some other method?
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Customer avatar
Matt C February 08, 2022 2:53 am UTC
PUBLISHER
Hey there, David! I’m so sorry I somehow missed your question. Balance of course depends on the level of your mecha, their numbers, etc. But as a rule of thumb, your calculation there does work pretty well (equal HD for a “balanced” encounter).
Customer avatar
John S December 17, 2020 7:54 am UTC
"Capture the tone of the super robot genre like never before with simple rules for overheating reactors, supporting allies, and tactical combat with cover and difficult terrain."

That sounds way more like Real Robot, like Gundam, than Super Robot, like Mazinger Z.
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Customer avatar
Brandon J March 03, 2021 1:52 pm UTC
Was just gonna say that haha.
Seriously though, for what the mechanics are, it is EXCELLENT for a Gundam-esque, or VOTOMS style game, or even Code Geass.
Reply
Customer avatar
Matt C February 08, 2022 2:54 am UTC
PUBLISHER
It works great for either real or super robot, for sure! I’ve run both genres.
Customer avatar
Richard B May 05, 2020 10:01 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Quickly became one of my all-time favourites.
Reply
Customer avatar
Matt C February 08, 2022 2:54 am UTC
PUBLISHER
Thanks so much!
Customer avatar
JP G November 05, 2019 5:16 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Hey Matt!

Been using this system for a while and was wondering if you had some nice character sheets available? If not could I send some designs your way?
Customer avatar
Christopher A August 27, 2019 9:12 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Rules question here, under Disabled Mecha it says "Additionally, when you become disabled, you must roll on the Disabled Mecha table to see what occurs – the effects last until you complete a long rest.". This makes sense to me except for these two:

7 - You take permanent damage. Remove one module. It is destroyed. (seems to contradict the earlier statement of all effects being eliminated upon a long rest, permanent seems to imply that it is there to stay.)
8 - Your mecha is destroyed and your pilot is ejected. (seems a bit strange that you could just get a new mecha after a long rest, particularly if your party took a long rest in the field instead of at a base for instance.)

So officially, how are these two roll supposed to interact with the Disabled Mecha rules?
Customer avatar
John G July 04, 2019 6:43 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Matt, since I see you active on here... two questions. Well, first, a comment: I love the book. Great work, kudos to you and the team. Now the questions!

1. Is there a fan community somewhere? Discord, hopefully?
2. Is a second edition planned based on some of the changes in TBH 2.0?

Okay, I lied. Three questions.

3. Any advice on adding a component where the PCs are out of their mecha as much as they are in? I know there's some thought to that in the 'Downtime' passage, but I'm wondering if there's a supplement I don't know about or if you folks have done any more thinking on the subject.

Thanks in advance.
Reply
Customer avatar
Matt C July 26, 2019 6:11 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
Hey John! Thanks for the questions, and for the kind words!

1. We have a fairly active community on Facebook. Search for the Absolute Tabletop: Official Group. We have lots of Mecha Hack games being organized in there!

2. Currently we don’t have any plans for a revised edition.

3. I’m actually working on a book of missions and extra player options that will absolutely include some additional and expanded downtime options!
Reply
Customer avatar
David B July 31, 2020 7:17 pm UTC
Is there an eta on the supplement for pilot characters?…just want to know if it’ll be soon, or if I should whip up my own. PS...same artist please :), love his stuff.
Customer avatar
Ryan D May 31, 2019 2:49 pm UTC
PURCHASER
How are attributes generated for monsters? The stat blocks list which attribute their attack is tested against but not a value or how to generate that attribute in a way that's representative of their HD.
Reply
Customer avatar
Jean-Francois J June 01, 2019 12:38 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Hello!
My understanding is that the players do all the rolling except for damage.
There are a few good sessions on YouTube that you can look for.
Reply
Customer avatar
Matt C July 26, 2019 6:12 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
Hey Ryan! As Jean-Francois explained, the only rolls the GM makes are damage rolls. Players roll to avoid attacks, rather than attacks being rolled against them. Hope that makes sense!
Customer avatar
Jean-Francois J February 28, 2019 11:58 am UTC
PURCHASER
I have not had a chance to play yet. Just watched a few of the online sessions on YouTube.
Have the rules on levels seen much use? I only saw one GM mention the level difference as a modifier.
Also, do they work the other way? In ex. your level 5 pilot fighting 1 Hd « hoppers » at (beneficial) +4? That would simulate nicely the mid-season trope where your heroes are now mowing through the basic troops that gave them trouble initially. Or does the hitpoint difference is enough for balance?
Thanks!
Reply
Customer avatar
Matt C March 09, 2019 12:01 am UTC
PUBLISHER
Hey Jean-Francois! Rules-as-written, there's no reverse modifier for enemies with a lower HD than the mecha. This is mostly handled by virtue of the mecha having better stats, more HP, and more modules. However, you could easily build this rule into your own games without breaking the system, and achieve that "mowing down enemies" feeling you're looking for. Thanks for the question!
Reply
Customer avatar
Jean-Francois J March 09, 2019 7:42 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Thanks for the reply!
After watching a few more videos I see it balances pretty well.
Maybe I’ll just keep it in mind for a « mid-season special » and then go back to normal.
I clearly need more time to play!
Customer avatar
Jeremy H November 08, 2018 5:46 am UTC
PURCHASER
I've been intrigued by this one for awhile but haven't bought it yet. Would it be possible to use this for PvP types games similar to Battletech?
Reply
Customer avatar
Matt C December 11, 2018 6:11 pm UTC
PUBLISHER
Hey Jeremy! Currently there aren't rules in the book for PvP, but it'd be fairly simple to hack some using the base system. I've heard from a few people that they love this system for running BattleTech because of the reactor die system for overheating.
Customer avatar
Sebastián P May 28, 2018 4:32 pm UTC
PURCHASER
Have you thought on getting this translated into other languages?

I am particularly interested in Spanish.
Reply
Customer avatar
Matt C May 29, 2018 1:12 am UTC
PUBLISHER
Hey there! We hadn't really thought about that, but we will definitely consider it!
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978-1-944517-16-8
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This title was added to our catalog on May 25, 2018.