Southern Cross (Robotech Rpg, Book IV)

Rating:
Summary: So-So
Review: Of the core rulebooks in Palladium's Robotech series this book is the most flawed. There is a lot of inaccurate information and some downright fabrications in this book. For example, the E.B.S.I.S is a complete fiction invented by Siembieda, and is rather amusing now that the old Soviet empire has gone the way of the do-do.

The information on core equipment like the Logan, AJACs, and Spartan (ie hovertank) is rather solid, however the book falls way short in identifying the various battliods used by the Southern Cross. Armored suits are classified as battloids while real battloids are called battle armor. Worse still the book fails to have a single picture or drawing of any of the Southern Cross' warships, and it has no stats at all on any of the Robotech Master's warships beyond the mothership and the dropship. At lot of really good stuff was just left out.

Once you get over that though then you have a fairly decent sourcebook. Yes, the section on the Masters is rather thin. However the book does a decent job with the Southern Cross in general and the nessary game materials are decently organized. There is some repetition (especally the redundant skill and combat sections) from the core Macross rulebook, but it is useful stuff that keeps you from having to flip through another book. I do wish that stuff was left out and the pages devoted to the Masters and the various spacecraft that were left out.

All in all, the book is so-so. If you're looking for Southern Cross materials then this book is a bust. However if you're looking to complete your Palladium RPG collection then it is a must! Unlike Invid Invasion and Macross, most of the OCCs and equipment are only printed in this book. So if you want a complete set of core rules then you have to have this book. You also need the anti-kevs for this book to make it more functional.

Still... not too bad.

Rating:
Summary: great for fans of robotech
Review: This is one of my favorite source books. While it is true that this book does contain alot of info on mech's no one would use (mostly from the "ebsis -Robotech's 'soviet union'"), it has tons of info on all braches of the armies of the southern cross. In my opinion, there is plenty of info on the Masters as well (all the bioroids, invid fighters, etc from the show). I got this book when i was a kid, and i still enjoy browsing through it from time to time.

Rating:
Summary: great for fans of robotech
Review: This is one of my favorite source books. While it is true that this book does contain alot of info on mech's no one would use (mostly from the "ebsis -Robotech's 'soviet union'"), it has tons of info on all braches of the armies of the southern cross. In my opinion, there is plenty of info on the Masters as well (all the bioroids, invid fighters, etc from the show). I got this book when i was a kid, and i still enjoy browsing through it from time to time.

Rating:
Summary: a so-so scourcebook, with too little info on the 'Masters
Review: This is probably the worst scource book (excluding the campaign idea books) that Kevin Siemieda wrote. The artwork is horrible compared to the other books and most of the book is wasted explaining mechs that no gamemaster would use. The lack of information on the Robotech Masters is abhoring, considering there were a mere 12 pages dedicated to them, while there was 10 pages of character sheets alone, all the same save the pictures. The 'Masters are what makes the story so unique in the show and the books, but are shunned in this book. This is surprising because almost all of Siembieda's scourcebooks are of the highest quality. If your looking for more information on the Army of the Southern Cross (ASC) robots, mechs, and fighters than you ever thought possible, this is the book for you. If; however, you are looking for a great informational guide on the 'Masters, it isn't and you should be looking elsewhere for that book.