Lancer vs M-SPACE
Compare Lancer and M-SPACE side by side. See differences in complexity, dice, genre, cost, and more.
| Lancer | M-SPACE | |
|---|---|---|
| Genre | Scifi | Scifi |
| Tags | Tactical, Mecha, Character Building, Heroic, Crunchy | Toolkit, Modular, Skill-Based, Classless, Ship-Based, Tactical, Social Combat, Character-Driven, Faction Play, Random Tables |
| Core Mechanic | Narrative scenes use d20 roll-over (10+ succeeds), with backgrounds granting advantage and triggers adding flat bonuses. Mech combat is grid-based and tactical: no initiative, players and NPCs alternate turns. Pilots progress through License Levels (LL0–LL12), unlocking new chassis, weapons, and systems across five manufacturers with 30+ mech frames. | Roll d100 at or below the relevant skill percentage to succeed. Difficulty changes the target percentage. Opposed tests compare success levels and then the highest successful roll. |
| Dice | d20 + d6 | d100 |
| Complexity | High | High |
| Accessibility | High | Medium |
| Runnability | Very High | Very High |
| License | Lancer Third Party License | All Rights Reserved |
| Third-Party Publishing | Not yet researched | No verified route found |
| Summary only, not legal advice. Check current terms before publishing. | ||
| Cost | $$ | $ |
| Publisher | Massif Press | FrostByte Books |
| Year | 2019 | 2020 |
| Languages | English | English, French, Spanish |
| Best For | Groups who want deep tactical mech combat with meaningful customization layered on top of accessible narrative play: giant robot enthusiasts seeking a modern alternative to BattleTech. | Groups who want to build a spacefaring campaign around a shared ship and conflicts between alien societies. |
| Highlights | Free core PDF, extensive mech customization with 30+ frames, clean split between rules-light narrative and crunchy tactical combat, alternating activations remove initiative so both sides stay engaged | Modular ship construction connects crew space and equipment choices to handling and damage in combat. Extended Conflicts use depleting pools to make withdrawal a meaningful choice during negotiations and chases. Passions turn personal loyalties into skill bonuses and conflicts between competing commitments. |
| Considerations | Mech combat dominates: narrative half feels thin by comparison, steep learning curve from sheer volume of mech options, genre-locked to sci-fi mech fiction, requires grid/VTT for combat | The group must supply its campaign setting and adventures. Standard combat tracks injuries by body location and can leave permanent damage. Depleted conflict pools can impose skill penalties that persist into later scenes. |