Starship Combat
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Starship Combat
Space combat is broken down into 30 minute Rounds with each player getting the choice to make a single action using their skills. These actions can be Maneuver, Shooting or any of the Extended Actions listed below. A ship only gets one Maneuver and Shooting action each round, with the Maneuver action coming before the Shooting action. As a group, Extended Actions can be done at the beginning or the end of the round. In addition to the actions of the players, the Lady-Captain may issue up to the Crew Rating Bonus in actions to be undertaken by the crew rolling with the Crew Rating.
Silent Running
A ship may attempt to avoid notice by going on silent running, shutting down non-essential systems and attempting to drift unnoticed past is opposition. When on silent running, a ship makes Maneuver actions as normal, except the starship's Speed value is halved and the difficulty of all related Skill Tests increases by one step. The default Maneuver Action requires an Ordinary (+10) Pilot (Space Craft) + Maneuverability Test. If the helmsman fails these tests, his ship performs the Maneuver as normal, but some power surge or engine flare betrays their presence and any ships within sensor range become aware of them.
Enemy ships may detect a ship on silent running by using the Active Augury Extended Action (See Above). Needless to say, if the ship fires any weapons, it is immediately detected as well. A ship utilizing silent running may not use the Active Augury Extended Action unless mounting Passive Sensors.
Ramming and Boarding
There are desperate times in the fury of space combat when a captain's only course of action is to use his own starship as a weapon. If a starship ends its Maneuver Action within one VU of an enemy vessel and its bow is facing said vessel, the starship may give up its Shooting Action this turn and ram the ship instead. The helmsman must make a Hard (-20) Pilot (Space Craft) + Maneuverability Test. If he succeeds, the ship crashes into its target, doing damage based on its hull size - 1d5 for transports and raiders, 1d10 for frigates, 2d5 for light cruisers and 2d10 for cruisers. The ship adds the die roll to its prow armor value for total damage inflicted. This damage ignores void shields. The ramming ship then takes a damage equal to the defending ship's Armor plus 1d5 to their prow armor also ignoring void shields.
However, sometimes, the best course of action is to crash into the enemy, send across parties of armsmen and ratings and take their ship by storm. This is called a boarding action.
If a starship ends its Maneuver Action within 1 VU of its target it may give up its shooting action to Board the target. The helmsman must make a Hard (-20) Pilot (Space Craft) + Maneuverability Test. If he succeeds, the two ships crash together and the boarding action begins. While two ships are involved in a boarding action, neither of them can take Maneuver or Shooting actions (meaning the two ships remain stationary), although individual characters may still take Extended Actions. The ships are locked together and the only way a ship can break free is by making a Hard (-20) Pilot (Space Craft) + Maneuverability Test at the beginning of its turn. If a ship attempts to break free and fails however it will suffer a -20 to the subsequent opposed Command Test (see below).
The two ships take their Strategic Turns simultaneously dropping to last in the initiative order. During their turns, two character one from each ship (whoever is leading the ship's warriors), make an opposed Command Test. The ship with the larger Crew Population value will receive a +10 bonus to its character's Command Test for every full 10 point difference in Crew Population between the two ships. The ship with the higher remaining Hull Integrity provides a +10 bonus to its character's Command Test for every full 10 point difference in Hull Integrity between the two ships. Each point of ship's turret rating also provides a bonus +10 to Command Tests.
For each degree the winner wins by he may choose to inflict one of the following options on his opponent. The loser may either suffer 1d5 Crew Population and 1d5 Morale damage (representing the crew cutting through the enemy), or 1 point of Hull Integrity damage (representing the crew setting charges and doing as much damage as possible). Damage to Hull Integrity will also result in damage to Crew Population and Morale as normal.
The ship that has lost the opposed Command Test must then roll a d100 and compare it to their current Morale. If they roll an equal or lower number than their Morale, their crew continues to fight. During the next Strategic Turn, both ships will make opposed Command Tests again. If, however, the losing ship rolls higher than their current Morale, their crew routes and surrenders to their captors. If the ship is an NPC vessel, it surrenders. It it is the Explorers' vessel, the characters face a grim choice - surrender to their foes or try and flee as best they can.
Maneuver Actions | ||
Action | Test | Benefit |
Adjust Bearing | Challenging (+0) Pilot (Space Craft) + Maneuverability | Turn earlier than normal |
Adjust Speed | Challenging (+0) Pilot (Space Craft) + Maneuverability | Move faster or slower than normal |
Adjust Speed & Bearing | Hard (-20) Pilot (Space Craft) + Maneuverability | Turn earlier than normal while moving faster or slower than normal |
Come to New Heading | Difficult (-10) Pilot (Space Craft) + Maneuverability | Make two turns in one Round |
Disengage | Opposed Challenging (+0) Pilot (Space Craft) + Maneuverability | Escape Combat |
Evasive Maneuvers | Difficult (-10) Pilot (Space Craft) + Maneuverability | Inflict penalties on enemy fire |
Extended Actions | ||
Action | Test | Benefit |
Active Augury | Scrutiny + Detection | Scans the area |
Aid the Machine Spirits | Tech-Use | Bonus to Detection or Maneuverability |
Disinformation | Deceive or Blather | Raises Morale |
Emergency Repairs | Tech-Use | Repair damaged, depressurized, or unpowered Components |
Flank Speed | Tech-Use | Gain additional movement |
Focused Augury | Scrutiny + Detection | Detailed scan of one target |
Hail the Enemy | Interaction Skill | Communicates with another ship |
Hit and Run | Pilot (Space Craft), Command | Board enemy ship, cause some damage then return |
Hold Fast! | Willpower | Reduces Morale Damage |
Jam Communications | Tech-Use | Stops target from sending vox signals |
Lock on Target | Scrutiny + Detection | Bonus to Ballistics Skill Tests with one weapon component |
Prepare to Repel Boarders! | Command | Bonus to Command Tests vs. enemy boarding actions |
Put Your Backs Into It! | Intimidate or Charm | Bonus to various actions |
Triage | Medicae | Reduces Crew Population Damage |
Silent Running
A ship may attempt to avoid notice by going on silent running, shutting down non-essential systems and attempting to drift unnoticed past is opposition. When on silent running, a ship makes Maneuver actions as normal, except the starship's Speed value is halved and the difficulty of all related Skill Tests increases by one step. The default Maneuver Action requires an Ordinary (+10) Pilot (Space Craft) + Maneuverability Test. If the helmsman fails these tests, his ship performs the Maneuver as normal, but some power surge or engine flare betrays their presence and any ships within sensor range become aware of them.
Enemy ships may detect a ship on silent running by using the Active Augury Extended Action (See Above). Needless to say, if the ship fires any weapons, it is immediately detected as well. A ship utilizing silent running may not use the Active Augury Extended Action unless mounting Passive Sensors.
Ramming and Boarding
There are desperate times in the fury of space combat when a captain's only course of action is to use his own starship as a weapon. If a starship ends its Maneuver Action within one VU of an enemy vessel and its bow is facing said vessel, the starship may give up its Shooting Action this turn and ram the ship instead. The helmsman must make a Hard (-20) Pilot (Space Craft) + Maneuverability Test. If he succeeds, the ship crashes into its target, doing damage based on its hull size - 1d5 for transports and raiders, 1d10 for frigates, 2d5 for light cruisers and 2d10 for cruisers. The ship adds the die roll to its prow armor value for total damage inflicted. This damage ignores void shields. The ramming ship then takes a damage equal to the defending ship's Armor plus 1d5 to their prow armor also ignoring void shields.
However, sometimes, the best course of action is to crash into the enemy, send across parties of armsmen and ratings and take their ship by storm. This is called a boarding action.
If a starship ends its Maneuver Action within 1 VU of its target it may give up its shooting action to Board the target. The helmsman must make a Hard (-20) Pilot (Space Craft) + Maneuverability Test. If he succeeds, the two ships crash together and the boarding action begins. While two ships are involved in a boarding action, neither of them can take Maneuver or Shooting actions (meaning the two ships remain stationary), although individual characters may still take Extended Actions. The ships are locked together and the only way a ship can break free is by making a Hard (-20) Pilot (Space Craft) + Maneuverability Test at the beginning of its turn. If a ship attempts to break free and fails however it will suffer a -20 to the subsequent opposed Command Test (see below).
The two ships take their Strategic Turns simultaneously dropping to last in the initiative order. During their turns, two character one from each ship (whoever is leading the ship's warriors), make an opposed Command Test. The ship with the larger Crew Population value will receive a +10 bonus to its character's Command Test for every full 10 point difference in Crew Population between the two ships. The ship with the higher remaining Hull Integrity provides a +10 bonus to its character's Command Test for every full 10 point difference in Hull Integrity between the two ships. Each point of ship's turret rating also provides a bonus +10 to Command Tests.
For each degree the winner wins by he may choose to inflict one of the following options on his opponent. The loser may either suffer 1d5 Crew Population and 1d5 Morale damage (representing the crew cutting through the enemy), or 1 point of Hull Integrity damage (representing the crew setting charges and doing as much damage as possible). Damage to Hull Integrity will also result in damage to Crew Population and Morale as normal.
The ship that has lost the opposed Command Test must then roll a d100 and compare it to their current Morale. If they roll an equal or lower number than their Morale, their crew continues to fight. During the next Strategic Turn, both ships will make opposed Command Tests again. If, however, the losing ship rolls higher than their current Morale, their crew routes and surrenders to their captors. If the ship is an NPC vessel, it surrenders. It it is the Explorers' vessel, the characters face a grim choice - surrender to their foes or try and flee as best they can.
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