Dogfights¶
Dogfights make up most of the space and air combat. In this scenario, a pilot is up against one more other pilots. Range has no impact on the difficulty of the checks involved.
Targeting¶
A pilot has to compete with another pilot using the respective piloting skill and speed of the craft they are using. The enemy rolls a piloting check and adds his speed to determine the DC:
This is the DC the attacker has to beat with his piloting check.
The attacker would normally not be able to hit his target, but the player used effort to make the shot happen. At this point, the attacker can either fire one of his weapons and hit the enemy, or lock on the target for his guided missile system, if any.
For turrets on larger ships, or weapon batteries, instead of using the piloting skill you use the according weapon skill instead, namely heavy weapons.
Long Distance Fights¶
In space distances can be very vast between vessel. The difficulty to hit another vessel over longer distances is defined by the overall distance and the speed of the vessel. Vessels that are outside of the effective range of a weapon can’t be hit with this specific weapon, as the travel time of the projectile would require to much time, making it very easy for the other vessel to dodge the oncoming threat. The attacker uses his heavy weapons skill for attacking an enemy. If the attacker is the pilot (for example of a one-man fighter craft), he can use either the heavy weapons skill or the piloting skill, which ever is higher.
The attacker rolls:
The attacker would miss his target, because of the high distance involved.
If the attacker hits, he has now two options: Dodge the attack, or in some cases use defensive measures (such as point defence) to negate the attack.
Point Defence¶
The point defence of a ship can be used to destroy small vessels or missiles that are too close. At these distances, range has no impact on the hit difficulty anymore. A fighter pilot may use his piloting skill to dodge the point defence. To destroy an incoming missile the pilot must hit the missile, by hitting an attack with the point defence against the missiles attack. If the pilot succeeds the missile is destroyed.
Dodging in space¶
To dodge an attack or targeting missle in space, the pilot pits his piloting skill and the speed of his vessel against the attack. Just like normal melee combat me may use his reaction to dodge, without incurring a penalty. If he is out of actions for this turn, the pilot can still dodge but incurs a cumulative -2 penalty for each additional dodge attempt.
Missiles¶
Tracking missiles are treated as pilots, as their targeting AI is used to steer the missle to its target. To dodge a missile, a pilot pits his piloting skill and his vessel’s speed, against the missile’s speed and piloting skill.
Most missiles, if evaded, will make a u-turn and attack one more in the next combat round. Unless otherwise specified, the missile is considered out of fuel after its second attack has failed again.
Dealing Damage¶
After determining if you hit your target, you can deal damage to the enemy. If the enemy has shields, the shield value is lowered by the damage dealt. If the damage does not exceed the shields value, you do not have to roll which module is hit. Also, if the enemies armour value is greater than the damage you would deal, no damage is dealt instead. Additionally, weapons that can’t penetrate a certain armour type won’t deal any damage either. If, after shields and armour, there is still damage left, roll the appropriate dice to determine the location where you have hit the vessel. See the list of vessels, for details on what dice to roll and for a look up table on where you have hit the vessel.
Damage for modules is tracked separately from the vessel. While lowering a vessel to 0 HP disables it or destroys it at negative maximum HP, the same may apply to modules. See the list below on what happens if you damage a specific module.
You can also try to attack a specific sub module of a ship, instead of rolling for the location on the vessel’s table. This implies a penalty that’s dependent on the modules size. The left outer column is specifies the attack, while the top row specifies the target. F.e., if a small vessel were to attack a capital vessel, it would impose a -4 on the DC. On the other hand, a large vessel attacking a small vessel would raise the DC by +6.
| small | medium | large | capital | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small | +2 | 0 | -2 | -4 |
| medium | +4 | +2 | 0 | -2 |
| large | +6 | +4 | +2 | 0 |
| capital | +8 | +6 | +4 | +2 |
Dealing Damage to Submodules¶
Sublight Engines¶
If the sublight engines are below half of their hit points, their speed output is halved. This is their base speed output that is halved, before any other bonuses or penalties from submodules are added.
Once the sublight engines reach zero hit points, their effective speed output is zero. This also happens if the sublight engines do not receive power from the core.
If the sublight engines reach minus their maximum hit points, they explode and can no longer be repaired. The explosion deals additional damage to the hull of the ship, depending on the vessels size:
| Size | Damage |
|---|---|
| Small | 5 |
| Medium | 20 |
| Large | 50 |
| Capital | 100 |
Life Support Systems¶
If the life support systems reach zero hit points, they no longer produce fresh air. The ship’s remaining air supply will roughly last for a few more hours (up to the game master’s discretion). This also happens if the life support systems are completely destroyed, or are out of power.
Power Core¶
Should the power core reach zero hit points it is disabled and no longer produces any power. All other modules are effectively disabled.
If the power core is destroyed a massive explosion shakes the vessel. The vessel’s hull takes the following damage, depending on its size:
| Size | Damage |
|---|---|
| Small | 10 |
| Medium | 50 |
| Large | 100 |
| Capital | 250 |
Shield Generators¶
If the shield generator gets below half its hit points, the maximum shield output is also halved. Should the shield generator reach zero hit points, it is considered disabled. A disabled shield generator no longer produces a shield, and will not recharge until it is repaired.
If the shield generator is destroyed (it drops below its negative maximum hit points) the hull takes the following damage:
| Size | Damage |
|---|---|
| Small | 5 |
| Medium | 20 |
| Large | 50 |
| Capital | 100 |
Sensor array¶
If the sensor array drops below zero hit points all communications are lost, except for emergency broadcasting. The sensor array will only stop working completely if it reaches its negative maximum hit points.
Cockpit or Bridge¶
Once the cockpit reaches zero hit points its protection for the crew is lost. Any additional damage that then is caused to the cockpit is directly transfered to all the crew within the cockpit or bridge.
If the cockpit or bridge is destroyed, the vessel can no longer be operated.
Weapons¶
If weapons drop to or below zero hit points they can no longer be operated or fired. If they drop below their negative maximum hit points, they are completely destroyed.
FTL¶
If the FTL drops to or below zero hit points it can no longer be operated. If it reaches negative maximum hit points they are two outcomes: If the FTL is currently charging the hull takes damage as noted below; if the FTL is idle, nothing happens.
| Size | Damage |
|---|---|
| Small | 5 |
| Medium | 20 |
| Large | 50 |
| Capital | 100 |
Cargo Bay & Docking Bay¶
The hull is damaged instead, but the game master can decide what cargo is jetisoned from the cargo bay. The amount of cargo should be proportional to the damage dealt to the cargo bay.