So one of my players really wants a mecha, and I'm putting together for him what is essentially a larger version of the delphis mark 2 from Stars of Inequity. Intended to be a high tech/multi-purpse construction and salvage machine that's not giant (still hulking size), but bigger than mere power armor and driven as a vehicle rather than worn as power armor.

My question is what strength rating would/should I give it? What would you give a Sentinel or Dreadnought (don't have any deathwatch stuff so don't know if it has one listed)?

Hey Spatulaodoom, if you're looking for references the Sentinel Walker is detailed in Into the Storm on page 185 along with the Rhino and Scout Bike, and comes with profiles for the Power Lifter attachment that can be affixed to it.

Dreadnoughts are covered in Rites of Battle, as a PC option beginning on page 110 and as vehicles with statistics on page 180-182.

For what it sounds like you have in mind I'd definitely recommend a look at the Dreadnought examples in Rites of Battle, which replace the operator's strength with a set value, either 70 or 75 depending on the model. You could also look into using similar rules to the Servo Arm from Deathwatch (Core Rulebook) or Dark Heresy First Edition (The Lathe Worlds) which provides a different strength value when using the cybernetic. I'm not sure if vehicles generally have a Strength characteristic stats except in the case of the Dreadnought, or if it's generally just a Vehicle Operation test. Truth be told I'll have to re-read the Vehicles section in Into the Storm, my memory of the rules is fuzzy. I hope that helps!

That is correct that vehicles generally do not have a strength rating, however the one I'm looking at putting together is one that is humanoid with arms, legs, and hands. It seems sensible to try and figure out how strong it is.

Unfortunately I do not have any Deathwatch books. I vaguely remember them having a different version of unnatural attributes to Rogue Trader (or was that Dark Heresy?).

I do have into the storm, however it does not provide a strength rating for the Sentinel Walker. If one were say, wrestling a daemon with the power loader version's gripping servo and it's own legs and such, what strength rating would you give it?

The Deathwatch / Only War, and I think Black Crusade have the more recent, corrected rules for unnatural attributes.

The Deathwatch / Only War, and I think Black Crusade have the more recent, corrected rules for unnatural attributes.

Nope. DW has the onld rules for Unnatural (Attribute).

BC, OW and DH2 use the newer, saner version.

what are those rules? Aren't they just "multiply the bonus value by this"?

Not in BC/OW/DH2.

In BC/OW/DH2 you have flat +bonus that you add. Ex. Marine with Unnatural Strength +4 would add that to his Strength bonus.

No more multiplying.

So regardless of what rules other systems have, what would you folks suggest for this walkers I mentioned? (the custom one and the Sentinel)

Do you expect he will be Meleeing in it, or ranged fighting?

Is he a power gamer?

60x2 or 70x2 should be good for most uses. Make it clear it does not stack with a Powerfist. I'd recomend against letting him mount any particularly large heavy weapons - a heavy Bolter or twin-linked heavy Stubber at most.

Alternatively, look at Tau battlesuits.

The idea just struck that to make things easier crunch-wise you could utilize the operators Strength Score modified by the relevant Drive or Pilot proficiencies (+10 or +20), signifying them wrestling with the controls in a grapple. That would provide a simple solution that wouldn't require any additional balancing concerns, and damage and armor statistics are provided for the individual vehicles. Thoughts on this solution?