What can you do on a ship in combat?
We're going to address Small Ship Combat here. Ships of silhouette 4 and below. Capital ships are those of silhouette 5 and above. (The Archelon is S4)
First thing to touch on are the ship's characteristics (the Archelon's numbers in parenthesis):
Handling: (-2) The measure of a ship or vehicle's agility and how well it responds to its pilot. a ship or vehicle's handling characteristic dictates the number of ◻ or ◼ it adds to a player's dice pool. (Therefore flying the Archelon requires 2 ◼ added.)
Speed: (3) A ship or vehicle's raw speed and how quickly it accelerates. An abstraction of both speed and acceleration, a ship or vehicle's speed characteristic dictates how fast an object moves relative to its environment and what maneuvers are available to the pilot. The listed speed is a "maximum" value the ship or vehicle can travel.
Silhouette: (4) An abstract of the general size of a vehicle. Much like the speed characteristic, silhouette is an abstract number used to describe a ship or vehicle's size and mass relative to other ships and vehicles. Silhouette factors heavily into scale, and is used to calculate the difficulty of attacking targets of different sizes. Generally, large ships are easy to hit, and small ships are hard to hit.
Defense: (1/1) A ship's first line of defense against attack and accident. Typically representative of a ship's ray and particle shields, defense also represents any factors, technological or otherwise, that prevent damage from reaching a vehicle's armor. Defense reflects a ship or vehicle's ability to completely deflect or reduce the damage of incoming attacks or collisions through use of deflector shields, point defense systems, raw speed, or other, more esoteric, technologies. This is a crucial protective system, and is the first line of defense for the majority of space-going vessels. Each point adds ◼ to any incoming attack roll made against a ship or vehicle.
Armor: (5) The measure of a ship or vehicle's armor, similar to soak on the personal scale. Armor is a starships second line of defense. It soaks up damage from attacks and impacts that are able to penetrate a ship's defense. Much like personal body armor worn by Player Characters, a ship or vehicle's armor soaks a number of damage points equal to its rating.
Defense Zones: (2) Ships have a number of defense zones dictated by their silhouette. Anything with silhouette 4 or lower has two defense zones: forward and aft. Ships with silhouette 5 or higher have four defense zones: forward, aft, port, and starboard.
Hull Trauma Threshold: (28) A reflection of the sturdiness of a ship or vehicle's construction, and its ability to sustain damage and keep operating. Like the wound threshold of a Player Character, hull trauma threshold represents the amount of physical damage that a ship or vehicle can suffer before it is either crippled or destroyed. Hull trauma threshold is measured in planetary scale, meaning that one point of hull trauma equals ten wounds on an individual.
System Strain Threshold: (15) The limit to which a ship or vehicle can be pushed or knocked about before important systems overload or shut down. System strain threshold represents how well a ship or vehicle's internal systems handle the workaday abuse heaped on them by their owners and the galaxy at large. It is an aggregate of the efficiency and status of computer and navigation systems, engines and hyperspace drives, power generators, and a host of other delicate systems necessary to ensure peak performance. Once a ship or vehicle suffers strain exceeding its system strain characteristic, its systems begin overloading and shutting down until they can be repaired or rebooted.
Customization Hard Points: (4 remain, due to extra weapon attachment) The number of spots available on a ship or vehicle for customization and upgrade
Never Tell me the Odds (Ship Combat Actions)
Moderator: GM Fang
Re: Never Tell me the Odds (Ship Combat Actions)
Next we look at Maneuvers / Actions:
Step 1 - Initiative (As usual Cool when aware of the coming combat and Vigilance when it is unexpected)
Step 2 - Determine order
Step 3 - Maneuvers / Actions (Okay, what can a character do?)
As with normal maneuvers and actions not in a ship, a character can make one Maneuver and one Action. All normal actions are available as well as the following. A single Pilot Only maneuver can be made. If a second Pilot Only maneuver is made then the ship take 2 Strain. The Pilot will also take 2 Strain or else forgo an action to downgrade to a second Maneuver (the ship still takes the 2 Strain).
Accelerate / Decelerate: (Pilot Only) The pilot may increase or decrease the ship or vehicle's current speed by one, to a minimum of zero or a maximum of the ship's maximum speed rating.
Fly / Drive: (Pilot Only) This starship maneuver reflects the simple act of moving the ship or vehicle closer or further away from something at its current speed. The number of starship maneuvers required for a ship or vehicle to move through a given number of range bands is dependent on its speed.
Evasive Maneuvers: (Pilot Only) Evasive Maneuvers reflects a pilot's efforts to avoid incoming fire, collision, or other calamity. Executing Evasive Maneuvers upgrades the difficulty of the dice pool once for all attacks made against the ship until the end of the pilot's next turn. While this makes the
ship executing the starship maneuver harder to hit, it also makes it harder for the ship executing the starship maneuver to hit anything else. Speed must be 3+.
Stay on Target: (Pilot Only) This reflects a pilot's concentration and his ability to shut out combat-related stresses and distractions to make sure a target is hit or an adversary destroyed. Until the end of the pilot's next turn, all combat checks from the vehicle or vessel executing this maneuver upgrade the Ability dice in their pool once. Unfortunately, while he is concentrating so hard on his target, the pilot blocks out all other threats and is an easier target for opponents. Any combat checks made targeting a ship executing this starship maneuver upgrades the Ability dice in their pool once until the end of the pilot's next round.
Punch It: (Pilot Only) This maneuver allows a ship or vehicle to go immediately to its maximum speed rating from any other speed, mostly by throwing the throttles to maximum and overloading the ship or vehicle's drives. While expeditious, it also puts undue strain on a ship or vehicle. When executing this starship maneuver, the ship or vehicle suffers one point of system strain for every point of speed between the ship's current speed and its maximum speed.
Step 1 - Initiative (As usual Cool when aware of the coming combat and Vigilance when it is unexpected)
Step 2 - Determine order
Step 3 - Maneuvers / Actions (Okay, what can a character do?)
As with normal maneuvers and actions not in a ship, a character can make one Maneuver and one Action. All normal actions are available as well as the following. A single Pilot Only maneuver can be made. If a second Pilot Only maneuver is made then the ship take 2 Strain. The Pilot will also take 2 Strain or else forgo an action to downgrade to a second Maneuver (the ship still takes the 2 Strain).
Accelerate / Decelerate: (Pilot Only) The pilot may increase or decrease the ship or vehicle's current speed by one, to a minimum of zero or a maximum of the ship's maximum speed rating.
Fly / Drive: (Pilot Only) This starship maneuver reflects the simple act of moving the ship or vehicle closer or further away from something at its current speed. The number of starship maneuvers required for a ship or vehicle to move through a given number of range bands is dependent on its speed.
Evasive Maneuvers: (Pilot Only) Evasive Maneuvers reflects a pilot's efforts to avoid incoming fire, collision, or other calamity. Executing Evasive Maneuvers upgrades the difficulty of the dice pool once for all attacks made against the ship until the end of the pilot's next turn. While this makes the
ship executing the starship maneuver harder to hit, it also makes it harder for the ship executing the starship maneuver to hit anything else. Speed must be 3+.
Stay on Target: (Pilot Only) This reflects a pilot's concentration and his ability to shut out combat-related stresses and distractions to make sure a target is hit or an adversary destroyed. Until the end of the pilot's next turn, all combat checks from the vehicle or vessel executing this maneuver upgrade the Ability dice in their pool once. Unfortunately, while he is concentrating so hard on his target, the pilot blocks out all other threats and is an easier target for opponents. Any combat checks made targeting a ship executing this starship maneuver upgrades the Ability dice in their pool once until the end of the pilot's next round.
Punch It: (Pilot Only) This maneuver allows a ship or vehicle to go immediately to its maximum speed rating from any other speed, mostly by throwing the throttles to maximum and overloading the ship or vehicle's drives. While expeditious, it also puts undue strain on a ship or vehicle. When executing this starship maneuver, the ship or vehicle suffers one point of system strain for every point of speed between the ship's current speed and its maximum speed.
Re: Never Tell me the Odds (Ship Combat Actions)
Actions:
A ship may benefit from only one Pilot Only Action per round, but other actions could be performed by multiple crew (you could have 2 or 3 people doing repairs for instance).
Damage Control: (Any) This action is an attempt to mitigate some of the stress caused to a vehicle's systems through combat or accident. Using this action, any Player Character who makes a successful Mechanics check recovers one point of system strain. Likewise, a skilled mechanic can even repair some of the damage dealt to a vehicle during an ongoing fight, although this is much trickier. In general, PCs can only attempt one Damage Control check to reduce hull trauma per encounter (single figure vehicles cannot repair Hull Trauma.) Characters can also use this action to repair Critical Hits the ship is suffering from.
Gain the Advantage: (Pilot Only) This action reflects the constant, frantic give-and-take of a dogfight between small craft like starfighters and
patrol boats or high-speed vehicles such as airspeeders. It allows a pilot to gain the upper hand on a single opponent so that he positions himself for a better attack during the following round. Speed 4+.
Combat Check: (Any) This is similar to the Perform a Combat Check action, with some minor differences as to how it is implemented because of the differences between vehicles and individuals Difficulty is dependent upon relative difference of target and shooter's speed.
Plot Course: (Any) The crewmember studies the terrain ahead and plots a course that should take the vehicle safely through it.
Co-Pilot: (Any) The crewmember serves as the vehicle's copilot, managing systems and auxiliary equipment to allow the pilot to focus on flying or driving. On a successful check, each success downgrades the difficulty of the pilot's next piloting check by 1.
Jamming: (Any) The crewmember uses the vehicle's systems to jam the communications of enemy vehicles. On a successful check, the enemy must make a Average Computers check to use their communication systems.
Boost Shields: (Any) The crewmember re-routes power from other systems to boost the defensive systems of a vehicle. This only works if a vehicle already has a defense rating. On a successful check, the vehicle suffers 1 system strain, and increases the defense of one defense zone by one until the beginning of his next turn. Each additional Success increases number of rounds by 1.
Manual Repairs: (Any) In some cases, repairs can be as simple as a sturdy metal plate welded over a damaged system. If the CM allows and the crewmember has the proper tools for the job, they can attempt to use the Damage Control action with Athletics rather than Mechanics. If successful, they may remove one point of hull trauma from the ship, plus one additional point for each additional 2 Successes. Remember, this follows the limitations to Damage Control, and thus may only be attempted once per encounter.
Fire Discipline: (Any) The crewmember forgoes fighting to analyze the opponents' tactics and direct his fellows to greater accuracy with their weapons fire. If successful, the next crewmember firing a weapon aboard the ship can add ◻ to his check. Each additional 2 Successes grants this to an additional crewmember.
Scan the Enemy: (Any) The crewmember uses the ship's scanners to study the enemy If successful, he learns what weapons the ship has, any modifications, and their system strain and hull trauma thresholds. If he spends 2 Advantages he can also learn their current system strain and hull
trauma levels.
Slice Enemy's System: (Any) The crewmember uses powerful shipboard computers to attempt to disrupt the systems of an enemy vehicle. If successful, he reduces the defense of one zone on the target vehicle for one round per Success. A Triumph may be spent to disable a weapon system for one round, and 2 Advantages may be spent to inflict one system strain on the target vehicle.
Spoofing Missiles: (Any) The crewmember tracks incoming attacks and uses vehicle systems to disrupt their tracking systems, or even times incoming missiles and drops flares and chaff at the opportune moment. If successful, any attacks against the crewmember's ship or vehicle using weapons with the Guided quality upgrade their difficulty by one (plus an additional upgrade for every additional 2 Advantages) until the start of the crewmember's next turn.
Adjust Sensors: (Any) Sensors operate in two modes: passive and active. Sensors operating in passive mode operate at low power, and see everything around the ship up to their maximum range band. Using sensors in passive mode requires no skill check, as they are largely automatic and are relaying the minimum amount of data their programming provides. Sensors operating in active mode are more powerful and focused, however. when operating in active mode, sensors can see one range band farther than their listed maximum range, but can only see in one of the ship's fire arcs (forward, aft, port, or starboard).
Angle Deflector Shields: (Any) Most types of defense, especially the common ray and particle deflector shields found on the ships of the majority of spacefaring species, can be assigned or "angled" to different zones to shore up defense where it's needed the most. This is done by re-routing power from one zone to another, reducing the defense at one part of the ship to bolster it somewhere else.
A ship may benefit from only one Pilot Only Action per round, but other actions could be performed by multiple crew (you could have 2 or 3 people doing repairs for instance).
Damage Control: (Any) This action is an attempt to mitigate some of the stress caused to a vehicle's systems through combat or accident. Using this action, any Player Character who makes a successful Mechanics check recovers one point of system strain. Likewise, a skilled mechanic can even repair some of the damage dealt to a vehicle during an ongoing fight, although this is much trickier. In general, PCs can only attempt one Damage Control check to reduce hull trauma per encounter (single figure vehicles cannot repair Hull Trauma.) Characters can also use this action to repair Critical Hits the ship is suffering from.
Gain the Advantage: (Pilot Only) This action reflects the constant, frantic give-and-take of a dogfight between small craft like starfighters and
patrol boats or high-speed vehicles such as airspeeders. It allows a pilot to gain the upper hand on a single opponent so that he positions himself for a better attack during the following round. Speed 4+.
Combat Check: (Any) This is similar to the Perform a Combat Check action, with some minor differences as to how it is implemented because of the differences between vehicles and individuals Difficulty is dependent upon relative difference of target and shooter's speed.
Plot Course: (Any) The crewmember studies the terrain ahead and plots a course that should take the vehicle safely through it.
Co-Pilot: (Any) The crewmember serves as the vehicle's copilot, managing systems and auxiliary equipment to allow the pilot to focus on flying or driving. On a successful check, each success downgrades the difficulty of the pilot's next piloting check by 1.
Jamming: (Any) The crewmember uses the vehicle's systems to jam the communications of enemy vehicles. On a successful check, the enemy must make a Average Computers check to use their communication systems.
Boost Shields: (Any) The crewmember re-routes power from other systems to boost the defensive systems of a vehicle. This only works if a vehicle already has a defense rating. On a successful check, the vehicle suffers 1 system strain, and increases the defense of one defense zone by one until the beginning of his next turn. Each additional Success increases number of rounds by 1.
Manual Repairs: (Any) In some cases, repairs can be as simple as a sturdy metal plate welded over a damaged system. If the CM allows and the crewmember has the proper tools for the job, they can attempt to use the Damage Control action with Athletics rather than Mechanics. If successful, they may remove one point of hull trauma from the ship, plus one additional point for each additional 2 Successes. Remember, this follows the limitations to Damage Control, and thus may only be attempted once per encounter.
Fire Discipline: (Any) The crewmember forgoes fighting to analyze the opponents' tactics and direct his fellows to greater accuracy with their weapons fire. If successful, the next crewmember firing a weapon aboard the ship can add ◻ to his check. Each additional 2 Successes grants this to an additional crewmember.
Scan the Enemy: (Any) The crewmember uses the ship's scanners to study the enemy If successful, he learns what weapons the ship has, any modifications, and their system strain and hull trauma thresholds. If he spends 2 Advantages he can also learn their current system strain and hull
trauma levels.
Slice Enemy's System: (Any) The crewmember uses powerful shipboard computers to attempt to disrupt the systems of an enemy vehicle. If successful, he reduces the defense of one zone on the target vehicle for one round per Success. A Triumph may be spent to disable a weapon system for one round, and 2 Advantages may be spent to inflict one system strain on the target vehicle.
Spoofing Missiles: (Any) The crewmember tracks incoming attacks and uses vehicle systems to disrupt their tracking systems, or even times incoming missiles and drops flares and chaff at the opportune moment. If successful, any attacks against the crewmember's ship or vehicle using weapons with the Guided quality upgrade their difficulty by one (plus an additional upgrade for every additional 2 Advantages) until the start of the crewmember's next turn.
Adjust Sensors: (Any) Sensors operate in two modes: passive and active. Sensors operating in passive mode operate at low power, and see everything around the ship up to their maximum range band. Using sensors in passive mode requires no skill check, as they are largely automatic and are relaying the minimum amount of data their programming provides. Sensors operating in active mode are more powerful and focused, however. when operating in active mode, sensors can see one range band farther than their listed maximum range, but can only see in one of the ship's fire arcs (forward, aft, port, or starboard).
Angle Deflector Shields: (Any) Most types of defense, especially the common ray and particle deflector shields found on the ships of the majority of spacefaring species, can be assigned or "angled" to different zones to shore up defense where it's needed the most. This is done by re-routing power from one zone to another, reducing the defense at one part of the ship to bolster it somewhere else.