Palladium Books has a trademarked concept called MegaDamage or MegaDamage Capacity (MDC). I'm biased, because it was a part of the first games I played and deeply studied, Rifts and Robotech. However I think it's a good mechanic at heart becasue there is a disconitinity in weapons and armor above about .50 BMG-equvelent calibers. Armor that is generally proof against heavy machineguns (and lesser calibers) could be adjudicated differently.
The problem is the cumulative nature of damage in RPGs in general. If something has 100 Structural Damage Capacity (SDC) points, one could theoritically hit is with 100 shots from a 1d4 light pistol and destroy it. Against a commerical car this seems reasonable, Just keep shooting it and you will shoot it to pieces. Against a tank or armored vechicle, this is laughable.
On the opposite side, shooting a weapon that can damage an armored vechicle reliably destroys an unarmored, typical target with no chance of survivial. For example, a M72 LAW might be effective against a armored vechicle, ineffective against a modern main battle tank and super-effective against unarmored vechicles. To me this is the best example of a MegaDamage weapon against Light MegaDamage armored vechicle, Heavy MegaDamage MBT, and SDC unarmored vechicle.
In my quest for simplififcation, a MegaDamage concept makes sense specifically for large, armored vechicles. Any vechicle or structure that can be cumulatively damaged to the point of destruction by 50BMG or lesser calibers and weapons, uses standard damage boxes. Armored vechicles that generally survive small-arms fire but are susceptible to 20mm and greater cannon fire will be called something like "Light" armor. Vechicles that require 75mm cannon or rocket would be a "Medium" armor such as WWII tanks and small robotic vechicles (mechs). Modern Main Battle Tanks and medium mechs would be a "Heavy" armor that is only vulnerable to large cannon rounds, recoilless Rifles and large missiles. Heavy armor would also include boats and smaller ships with armor, around the torpedo boat/trawler size. the "Super Heavy" Armor type would be reserved for vechicles of surpassing size. Giant robots, small destroyers, tanks that qualify as megaprojects.
The next size would be GigaDamage, reserved for warships, bunkers or sea platforms. Thes targets can only be effectively engaged with missiles and bombs or cannons of 5" bore or more. Generally these targets are out of the realm of player intervention, but players might be on the wrong side of a bombardment of weapons that do this level of damage doing thousands of points of damage to an area.
Generally, most MegaDamage Structures don't absorb hit after hit of equivalent weapons. A tank gun usually oneshots a equivalent tank. From an unfavorable angle (Top down on main battle tanks, between the legs of medium and giant mecha), a weapon of a rank lower has a chance of taking out a heavier target. Clearly heavier weapons scrap lesser targets. Aside from heroic aimed shots and amazing feats of daring-do, normal weapons cannot affect MegaDamage Structures. What follows is a handy chart of structures and equivalent weapons.
| EXAMPLES: | Light MegaDamage | Medium MegaDamage | Heavy MegaDamage | Super-Heavy MegaDamage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| STD ARMORS: | Pill Box | WWII Tank, Modern APC | Modern Tanks | Destroyer, SuperTank |
| STD WEAPONS: | 20mm Cannon | Bazooka, 75mm Cannon | 120mm Cannon, Recoilless Rifle | 200mm cannon, Artillery Rocket |
| ADV ARMORS: | Large Armored Drone | Heavy Power Armor | Medium Mecha | Giant Mecha |
| ADV WEAPONS: | Gauss Rifle | Gauss Cannon | HyperExplosive Missile | Vechicle Cannon |
Aside from the joke in Rifter #9.5, GigaDamage only makes sense for gigantic armored structures. In a Modern context, that limitis it to massive bunkers and naval vessels.
| EXAMPLES | Basic GigaDamage | Minor GigaDamage | Major GigaDamage | Massive GigaDamage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| STD G.ARMOR | Large Bunker | Cruiser | Battleship | Sea Platform |
| STD G.WEAPONS | Smart Bomb | AntiShip Missile | Cruise Missile | Tactical Ballistic Missle |
| ADV G.ARMOR | MegaMechs | Orbital Drop Pod | Air Carrier | Colony Landing Ship |
| ADV G.WEAPONS | Particle Beam | Hypersonic Missile | Rail Cannon | Orbital Cannon |
Each size system nearly overlaps at the top and bottom, A Destroyer and a MegaMech are nearly equal. this means that the highest damage weapon on one chart is nearly the same as the lowest on the next. this applies for figuring ability to damage.
Alternatively, a GM can use these as guidelines to understand where weapons can an cannot destroy certain tough targets. It's not necessary to give every target a number of points and count them out for precise damage notation. In most cases the armor, the structure is either fighting or not. Some occasions, multiple hits will take down a larger threat. Often they damage and tear without stopping the target.
MegaDamage, MDC, SDC and other terms are copyright and trademarked Palladium Books, their rights reserved, used here de minimus in review and critique.
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