SolicitorPirate
Member
Although the only representation we really see in the scale of battles in SRW we really only see in the cinematic openings. The only justification is that most mechs like Gunbuster, TTGL, or Shin Getter Robo don't appear until 2/3 of the way into the game. And by that point you're usually fighting hoards of enemies anyway.
SRW also tries to represent this with Mech sizes, as small units like Aestavalis have an "Small" ranking, and units like Daitarn 3 having an "XL". There's usually a damage modifier when small units attack Large units, and there's an accuracy penalty the other way around.
SRW usually accounts for power levels through both units and pilots though. My favorite example of this is in Super Robot Wars Z, where Renton from Eureka 7 had shitty stat gains up until around level 50, where he then became easily a top 5 pilot in the game. It's cool because it sort of represents his progress in the actual show's plot.
Although the best example of a low power unit beating the shit out of giant monsters and extra dimensional dragons when it has no right to is in SRW Z2/Z3 with Chirico and his Scopedog. Although that's more because Chirico is basically God and the game reflects that he can basically beat the shit out of anything even in a shitty mech like a scopedog
Oh, I know how they balance them in terms of gameplay (I've been playing SRW games since Alpha), I was talking in terms of the fiction. Like I can't help but imagine some scrub UC Gundam supporting character, staring at his fucking Rick Dom or whatever, and just thinking, "Just what the fuck am I even doing here?"