Review for v0.91 of TODESTRIEB
The Systems:
This is what you're here for. There's a lot of great ideas here with the Hounds and Handlers alike, and the logistics system seems poised to really shine at helping inject some resource management into the game for that gritty, localized combat theater feeling. The more explicit side of the genre is referenced, but not what I would consider hard-ruled. It will be more up to Handlers and Hounds to flesh out... or hammer out if one has replaced the flesh with steel and circuitry.
The Mechs:
The book recommends 1.5 equivalency for balancing, which should be a signal that this system is probably not going to work as well for larger groups, but then again if you are into mechsplo then you know how personal the bond between Hounds and Handlers are, so I would highly recommend this for small groups of open-minded people. The new mechs still need some fleshing out, but everything seems to be aimed at making Hounds feel like special, overpowered yet vulnerable pilots. With some numerical tweaks, I think this is definitely geared towards One-Woman-Army style gameplay for Hounds.
The Setting:
Real-world settings just aren't my cup of tea for TRPGs. I would read it in a book, though. Lithuasil provides a snippet from the setting that was quite enjoyable. The system is NOT setting-dependent, so be creative!
TLDR: A lot of good potential and still a work in progress, and if you are a fan of the genre, then you know what to look forward to.
Remember, Dearest Handlers...
Every Hound Has Her Night.