FLEET COMMAND RULESET V.4
Please note: still a WIP as I streamline and playtest the rules.
Ship CombatEach weapon rolls to attack on a D10. Batteries deal a number of hits equal to the difference between their Accuracy value and the maximum roll of 10. Single shot weapons simply either hit once or do not hit at all. A roll of a 10 triggers a roll on the critical damage table for the target if it has no shields.
For example, if a weapon battery requires a 6+ to hit and scores a 9, it will have hit 4 times in total and the target ship suffers the weapon's damage that many times. If this battery has a damage of 2, the enemy ship would have then suffered 8 damage in total.
Batteries have a fixed damage amount, making them predictable and reliable, while single-shot weapons are usually more accurate but have a variable damage amount. The maximum damage of single-shot weapons is also usually much higher than Batteries.
It is possible to use Ship Orders to improve accuracy or deal specific critical damage. The Mark Target Order adds +2 to the Accuracy of a single weapon, but prevents firing with any other weapon. The Priority Target allows you to target a specific enemy weapon or sub-system, without being able to deal any other type of critical damage even if a 10 is rolled to attack.
Torpedoes and missiles work differently. They cannot deal ANY damage to shielded targets, but instead of rolling to attack, the target's point defense score is used on a D20 for each projectile. A success indicates the projectiles have been destroyed. A failure results in an automatic roll on the critical damage table. Torpedoes normally only fire one projectile, but deal additional damage, while missiles rely on volume of fire to overwhelm point defenses.
For example, a missile launcher might make 3 attacks, resulting in a greater chance to score a hit, but a torpedo might deal 6 bonus damage in addition to the critical damage result.
Most capital ships have relatively low Point Defense values unless protected by escorts or interceptors. This renders them vulnerable to a crippling blow from even a single lucky torpedo or missile. Although these weapons have little to no inherent damage like normal weapons, their overall damage potential is incredibly high. They are best used to deliver the killing blow to the enemy.
Some captains may see taking these weapons as worse than just loading up on more batteries or turrets, but they can be incredibly decisive. If even a single torpedo hits the target after you have depleted their shields, it may very well render them defenseless or even destroy them instantly.
Torpedo/Missile bonus damage list:
Missile Launcher: 0
Heavy Missile Launcher: 3
Torpedo Launcher: 6
QTL: 4 (4-16)
Plasma Torpedo Launcher: 8
Note: a target can only suffer critical damage if it has no shields, with rare exceptions such as the Plasma Cannon scoring a critical hit.
Critical hit table: 1D20If the target is not destroyed, it suffers a roll on the following critical damage table using a D20:
1-3
Minor damage: suffers 2 damage.
4-5
Weapon Destroyed: one random weapon is permanently destroyed until repaired or replaced. Suffers D3 damage.
6
Shuttle Bay Destroyed: the shuttle bay is permanently destroyed until replaced. Suffers D3 damage.
7
Shield Generator Destroyed: The ship loses all shields and cannot regenerate them under any circumstances. Suffers D3 damage.
8
FTL Engine Destroyed: the ship cannot Disengage or otherwise travel faster than light. Suffers D3 damage.
9
Sublight Engines Destroyed: the ship hurtles out of control through space and can only come to a stop after combat using its manoeuvring thrusters. All attacks will now hit this ship on a 2+. The Engine must be repaired afterwards or the ship towed to dry dock. Suffers D3 damage.
10
Comms Destroyed The ship cannot call for help, signal surrender or otherwise communicate with other vessels. Suffers D3 damage.
11
Point Defence Grid Destroyed: the ship's point defence value becomes 20+ until repaired. Suffers D3 damage.
12
Sensor Array Destroyed: the ship cannot perform scans and weapons can only hit on an 8+ until repaired. Suffers D3 damage.
13
Life Support Destroyed: the crew is forced to abandon ship in 3 turns as artificial gravity fails, air recycling stops and the temperature begins to plummet. Suffers D3 damage.
14
Chain Reaction: the ship's ammunition explodes, destroying one random weapon. Roll again on this table. Chain Reaction can be rolled multiple times, possibly destroying the ship.
15
Bridge Destroyed: The Bridge suffers a direct hit, likely killing several bridge officers. The ship's combat speed is reduced to 1 and all weapons can only hit on a 9+ for the rest of the battle. Command controls can be jury-rigged to run through engineering after the battle.
16-17
Severe hull Breach: the ship is venting atmosphere and many crew have died in the cold vacuum of space. The ship will be permanently at -1 to hit with all weapons until replenished. Suffers 3 damage.
18-19
Extreme Damage: the ship suffers 1D6+4 [5-10] damage.
20
Catastrophic Damage: the ship suffers 2D6+4 [6-16] damage.
When a ship is reduced to 0HP, roll on the following table with a D10:
1-5 Drifting Hulk: the ship is a lifeless ruin exposed to the vacuum of space, but salvageable.
6-8 Destroyed: the ship has been damaged beyond repair.
9-10 Explodes: the ship is completely annihilated as its fusion core explodes. All nearby ships suffer 2d10 damage as the fusion reactor overloads. Titans or Starbases exploding instead deal 4d10 damage to nearby ships.
Accuracy Modifiers:
Starbase or Titan: +3
Battlecruiser: +2
Destroyers/Cruisers/Carriers/Battleship: +0
Frigates: -1
Corvettes: -2
Positive Accuracy modifiers
do not increase the maximum potential damage of Batteries, only the chance of hitting. For example, an Autocannon Array is targeting an immobilized enemy ship, meaning it will always hit on a roll of 2+. It will still only generate additional hits on a natural roll of 7-10. Positive Accuracy modifiers increase the likelihood of hitting, not the threshold for scoring additional hits. After all, even an immobilized starship is still hurtling through space at the same velocity as when its engines were destroyed, rather than immediately coming to a dead stop. It simply makes it easier to predict and aim at its flight path. Likewise, larger targets are easier to hit due to their sheer size, but they are still performing evasive manoeuvres with thrusters to avoid as much incoming fire as possible.
Weapon types:
Each ship will have the ability to equip a number of launchers/turrets or batteries up to a set amount. Batteries rely on weight of fire, while turrets and other weapons deal high damage but only make one attack. The number of batteries or other weapons a ship can mount are listed on each ship profile in the ship construction list. Other weapons are more specialised, either due to their rarity or being constructed into the ship's prow or superstructure. A ship may take launchers/turrets or batteries up to the amount listed on its profile, but otherwise is only limited by the number of weapon hullpoints it has available.
The weapons listed below are common to the Alliance, and may even be used by other factions. However, there are also threats lurking in the void which may use entirely unique or unknown weaponry.
Gen 1 WeaponryHellfury Autocannon Array [BATTERY]
0 Requisition Points
1 Weapon hardpoint
Accuracy: 6+ [extra hits on a roll of 7-10] [50% accuracy]
Damage: 1 [1-5] [Max 5 hits]
Special: Each Autocannon Array adds +3 to the ship's point defense value.
A holdover from the earliest days of interstellar combat, the fleet museum is filled with old cruisers covered in Autocannons and missile launchers. They serve the dual role of attacking capital ships and defending against strike craft or missiles, as the first generation of Naval ships lacked dedicated point defenses. Modern captains would argue that their lack of firepower is a weakness and that they are redundant since point defences became ubiquitous. Of course, there are plenty of old sea dogs who adopt the philosophy of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' while pirates still favour Autocannons for their abundant ammunition and relentless rate of fire.Turbo-Howitzer Broadside Battery [CRUISERS AND BATTLESHIPS ONLY] [BATTERY]
0 Requisition Points
1 Weapon hardpoint
Accuracy: 8+ [extra hits on a roll of 9-10] [30% accuracy]
Damage: 5 [5-15] [Max 3 hits]
The earliest form of interstellar artillery, the Turbo-Howitzer Broadside packs a punch but is incredibly inaccurate without a clear target lock or outside of point-blank engagements. In the old days, battleships would exchange devastating volleys over and over until they reduced their enemy to stardust.Missile Launcher0 Requisition Points
1 Weapon Hardpoint
Accuracy: special [enemy point defense test]
Salvo: 2
Shield Damage: 0
Bonus Hull Damage: 0
Special:
-
Ship-killer: if this weapon hits, it always causes a critical damage roll against unshielded targets.
CANNOT DAMAGE SHIELDS
The Missile Launcher is an old-school weapon from the days before Railguns became the weapon of choice for interstellar combat and shields became ubiquitous. Firing multiple, fast-moving projectiles, it is designed to overwhelm Point Defences by volume of fire. Old school captains still prefer the simplicity of bombarding the enemy with dozens of missiles and overwhelming them before they can scramble interceptors. Heavy Missile Launcher0 Requisition Points
2 Weapon Hardpoints
Accuracy: special [enemy point defense test]
Salvo: 2
Shield Damage: 0
Bonus hull Damage: 2
Special:
-
Ship-killer: if this weapon hits, it always causes a critical damage roll against unshielded targets.
CANNOT damage shields.
Gen 2 WeaponryPhased Pulse Cannon Battery [BATTERY]
0 Requisition Points
1 Weapon hardpoint
Accuracy: 6+ [extra hits on a roll of 7-10] [50% accuracy]
Damage: 2 [2-10] [Max 5 hits]
Classic and reliable ship-to-ship ordnance, unleashing volleys of accurate shots.Heavy Pulse Cannons [DESTROYER ONLY]
0 Requisition Points
1 Weapon hardpoint
Accuracy: 5+ [60% accuracy]
Damage: 1D6+2 [3-8]
A favourite of Destroyer Captains, the HPCs are a forward-facing twin barrelled weapon. They are best used in hit and run attacks, followed up with a spread of torpedoes to finish the job. Although the Alliance Navy tactical regulations strictly forbid it, more than one maverick has equipped their ship with three sets of HPCs for the singular purpose of unloading all guns at point blank range and simply praying their shields weather the inevitable explosion of the other ship. Although extremely risky, newer shield generators have only made this dangerous strategy more viable. Torpedo launcher [MAX 2 PER SHIP]
0 Requisition Points
1 Weapon Hardpoint
Accuracy: special [enemy point defense test]
Salvo: 1
Shield Damage: 0
Bonus hull Damage: 6
Special:
-
Ship-killer: if this weapon hits, it
always causes a critical damage roll against unshielded targets.
Vulnerable to strike craft and point defences.
CANNOT DAMAGE shields.
The Torpedo Launcher fires 1 Torpedo each time it is used.
Powerful ordnance capable of crippling a ship if the payload can penetrate the hull. Captains who enjoy the hunt often open up with a blast from an ion cannon followed up by a salvo of torpedoes, ready to finish off their wounded prey before they have a chance to recover.Quad Torpedo Launcher [DESTROYER ONLY] [MAX 1]
0 Requisition Points
3 Weapon Hardpoints
Accuracy: special [enemy point defense test]
Salvo: 4
Shield Damage: 0
Bonus hull Damage: 4 [4-16]
Special:
-
Ship-killer: if this weapon hits, it always causes a critical damage roll against unshielded targets.
Vulnerable to strike craft and point defences. The QTL fires 4 torpedoes every time it is used.
CANNOT DAMAGE shields.
Dedicated Torpedo Destroyers replace the entire prow with four launch tubes to maximize rate of fire. They are rightly feared by captains across the galaxy for their ability to split a capital ship in half with a single barrage. Although the QTL's warheads are a slightly lower yield than normal torpedoes, their rate of fire more than makes up for it.Kinetic Strike Cannon (AKA Rods From God) [CRUISERS AND BATTLESHIP ONLY] [MAX 1]
0 Requisition Points
3 Weapon Hardpoints, 2 System Hardpoints
Accuracy: 7+ [Mark Target Order always recommended] [40% accuracy]
Damage: 10+1d10 [11-20]
Special:
-
Ship-killer: if this weapon hits, it
always causes a critical damage roll even
against shielded targets.
- due to the spinal mount of this gargantuan weapon, the entire ship must track the target. As a result, it is wildly ineffective against smaller, faster ships. The KSC is only inoperable once the entire ship has been destroyed, as it is built directly into the core superstructure of the ship.
Developed by Blackwater Weapons Tech (USA), this massive spinal cannon fires gigantic spears tipped with a shield scrambling warhead at near light speed. These massive projectiles can tear apart a cruiser class vessel or devastate a ground target from orbit with a single shot.Gen 3 WeaponryRailgun Turret 0 Requisition Points
1 Weapon hardpoint
Accuracy: 4+ [70% accuracy]
Damage: 1D6 [1-6]
Special:
The next-generation of heavy weaponry designed to augment the traditional pulse cannon battery. Typically mounted on large turrets reminiscent of old-world tanks, they can deliver an extremely accurate shot at the cost of sheer weight of fire provided by other weapons. Many captains favour a mixture of railguns and other weapons to offset this risk while others commit fully to the philosophy that the best defence is more offense. Most ships will carry at least one Railgun to strengthen their opening salvo.Hunter Railcannon [DESTROYER ONLY] [MAX 1]
0 Requisition Points
2 Weapon hardpoints, 1 system hardpoint
Accuracy: 4+ [Mark Target order always recommended] [70% accuracy]
Damage: 1D6+6 [7-12]
Special:
-
Void Sniper: the Hunter Railcannon scores a critical hit on a hit roll of an 8, 9 or 10.
- Cannot be destroyed by a critical roll. Only destroyed when the ship is destroyed.
An extremely powerful railgun running the length of the ship that is often considered the younger brother of the KSC. While the Kinetic Strike Cannon is a hammer, the Hunter is a scalpel. Many captains have thought themselves safe only for a Destroyer to decloak from behind an asteroid and destroy their bridge with a well-placed shot even as torpedoes slam into the hull, while the Hunter is already disappearing into the darkness once more.Gen 4 WeaponryPlasma Cannon [EXPERIMENTAL WEAPON] [MAX 1]
10 Requisition Points
1 Weapon hardpoint
Accuracy: 7+ [40% accuracy]
Damage: 8 [8-8]
Special:
-
Recharge: can only be fired every other turn. Note in your ship status if this weapon is recharging.
-
Overheats: on a hit roll of a 1 this weapon malfunctions, dealing 2D6 HP damage to the ship. The weapon is inoperable for the rest of the battle.
-
Relentless firepower: if this weapon scores a critical hit, all damage ignores shields and is applied directly to the target's HP in addition to a roll on the critical damage table.
Plasma cannons are wildly inaccurate and unstable, but they are also rightly feared. Their volatile plasma bolts are known to often bleed-through even the strongest shields. For some captains, the risk of using these experimental weapons is a worthwhile trade-off for far more reliable damage than most heavy cannons.Sunlance [EXPERIMENTAL WEAPON] [MAX 1]
20 Requisition Points
1 Weapon Hardpoint
Accuracy: 5+ [60% accuracy]
Shield Damage: 0
Hull Damage: 5+1d5 [6-10]
Special:
-
Ship-Killer: This weapon always makes a critical damage roll when it successfully hits an enemy ship, rather than only on a hit roll of a 10.
- CANNOT DAMAGE SHIELDS
These cutting edge weapons cause devastating damage to unshielded targets, slicing through a ship's hull with high-powered lasers like a knife through butter. The amount of space required for extra power capacitors mean many captains prefer to rely on simpler weaponry to get the job done. These deadly weapons are easily damaged and some spacefarers prefer to have weapons to spare rather than risk being toothless. Nevertheless, this is a risk some are willing to take due to the raw power of these state-of-the-art weapons.Plasma Torpedo Launcher [EXPERIMENTAL WEAPON - MAX 1 PER SHIP]
20 Requisition Points
1 Weapon Hardpoint
Accuracy: special [enemy point defense test]
Salvo: 1
Bonus Shield and/or Hull Damage: 8
Special:
-
Unstable: Every time this weapon is fired, on a hit roll of a 1 this weapon malfunctions and the ship suffers 2D6 HP damage. If the weapon malfunctions, it cannot be used again during the battle and must be repaired.
-
Immeasurably Powerful: unlike other torpedoes, this weapon damages shields and hitpoints equally.
Extremely volatile but extremely deadly. The new plasma warhead is equally effective against shields and ship hulls, making it one of the most feared weapons in the galaxy. It also does not suffer from the long recharge times required for Plasma Cannons, as it can be fired as quickly as gunnery crews can load the launcher. However, it is volatile and prone to explosive malfunctions.Ion Cannon [EXPERIMENTAL WEAPON] [MAX 1]
10 Requisition Points
2 Weapon hardpoints
Accuracy: 5+ [60% accuracy]
Damage: 3d6 [3-18]
Special:
-
Recharge: Can only be fired every other turn. Note in your ship status when recharging.
A focused particle weapon mounted on a ship's prow which is capable of inflicting extremely high damage provided the continuous beam maintains contact with the target for long enough. However, they carry the risk of overloading, resulting in the excess energy being vented to avoid a catastrophic explosion. Worse still, the weapon has a long recharge time between shots. Some captains favour them for the sheer destructive potential, while others prefer more reliable, conventional weapons to get the job done. Despite its drawbacks, the ion cannon has won many a battle without even firing a single shot, as even veteran captains will often choose to retreat rather than face such a horrific weapon.Sub-systems
Shield Generator (Max 1 per ship)
Enables defensive shields equal to the ship's Shield value that absorb damage to protect the hull and vital systems. Generally speaking, it is unheard of for a military vessel not to be equipped with a shield generator. Only commercial vessels or extremely desperate pirate ships operate without one.
Shields are automatically replenished inbetween combat engagements, while hitpoints are not - it is sometimes wiser to disengage when your shields are depleted rather than risk permanent damage. You do not want to go into the next fight with a crippled ship.
If the shield generator is destroyed by critical damage, the vessel will
no longer benefit from shields negating damage to the hull until repaired. Shields will not regenerate until the end of each combat engagement or until repairs are carried out.
Once your shields are depleted, direct hull damage will begin to damage or destroy hardpoints. Damaged hardpoints can be repaired between combat engagements, however destroyed hardpoints are permanently gone unless your ship can be properly repaired in dry dock with suitable facilities. Choose your battles wisely.
There are different types of Shield Generator. These are only available to Destroyers, Cruisers, Carriers and Dreadnoughts. Smaller vessels have limited shielding and larger vessels, such as Titans, often have multiple shield generators.
Shield Generator Mk 70 Requisition Points
0 Hardpoints - all ships have this system unless it is replaced by a superior shield
Shields: 10/10
The most common Shields in the modern age, typically used by Alliance destroyers or civilian ships.Shield Generator Mk 80 Requisition Points
1 Hardpoint
Shields: 16/16
A vast improvement on the Mk 7, these shields can withstand significantly more damage.Shield Generator Mk 90 Requisition Points
2 Hardpoints
Shields: 20/20
A common sight on Cruisers and Carriers, considered the minimum for a capital ship by most captains.Shield Generator Mk 10 0 Requisition Points
3 Hardpoints
Shields: 26/26
The Mk 10 is usually only seen on Dreadnoughts due to the massive amount of hullspace it requires.Shield Generator Mk 110 Requisition Points
4 Hardpoints
Shields: 30/30
The most powerful Shield Generator in the Alliance, it provides unparalleled protection at the cost of extremely high power consumption and hullspace. Alliance Titans were large enough to support two of these Generators. Some of the newest Exploration Cruisers have been equipped with these shields for long-range missions, emphasising the Alliance's new defensive nature by prioritising protection over weaponry.Regenerating Shield Capacitors [MAX 1]
20 Requisition Points
0 Hardpoints
Special: The
first time in each combat engagement that your shields are reduced to 0, your ship immediately gains +10 shields after any damage has been applied to your hitpoints. If your shields are depleted a second time,
they are gone until the combat ends like normal. You may not have Regenerating Shield Capacitors as well as Overcharged Shield Capacitors.
Overcharged Shield Capacitors [MAX 1]
20 Requisition Points
0 Hardpoints
Special: Once per combat engagement [including raising shields pre-emptively], your ship may increase its shields by 20 provided it still has
at least half of its starting shields remaining. This lasts only one turn, after which your ships shields are reduced to 0 for the
remainder of the battle. You may not have Overcharged Shield Capacitors as well as Regenerating Shield Capacitors.
Favoured by captains who enjoy charging into the heart of an enemy fleet, they temporarily make a ship nigh-invulnerable. Afterwards, they are left completely exposed. Few are bold - or insane - enough to gamble with the lives of their crew, but such a daring move can be the difference between victory and defeat.ESM Pod [MAX 1 PER SHIP]
10 Requisition Points
1 Hardpoint
Ships equipped with electronic support measures can re-roll Point Defence tests.
Quantum Targeting Matrix [MAX 1 PER SHIP]
10 Requisition Points
1 Hardpoint
This ship re-rolls one failed accuracy test per turn.
The latest AI interface, predictive tactical algorithms and biomechanical circuitry augments the abilities of even the most veteran gunners.Starfighter Launch bay0 Requisition Points
1 Hardpoint
Squadron Damage: 3 [3-3]
Special: each launch bay can sustain 1 interceptor squadron at a time. Takes 1 turn to deploy unless pre-emptively scrambled. Each launched squadron
adds +1 to the point defense value of the fleet.
Interceptor Launch bay0 Requisition Points
1 Hardpoint
Squadron Damage: 1 [1-1]
Special: each launch bay can sustain 1 interceptor squadron per battle.
Takes 1 turn to deploy unless pre-emptively scrambled. Each launched squadron
adds +2 to the point defense value of the fleet.
Fast and deadly strike craft. They are not very effective against capital ships but excel against bombers and torpedoes.Bomber Launch bay0 Requisition Points
1 Hardpoint
Squadron Damage: 1d6+6 [7-12] (capital ships, escorts, corvettes)
Special: each launch bay can sustain 1 bomber squadron per battle.
Takes 1 turn to deploy unless they are pre-emptively scrambled. Once deployed, they can be used to attack enemy ships in the same turn.
These flying payloads can decimate capital ships if left unchecked, especially when deployed in multiple waves with escorting strike craft to shield them.Corvette Launch Bay0 Requisition Points
2 Hardpoints
The Corvette Launch Bay can launch 1 Corvette per battle. Unless pre-emptively launched, it requires 1 full turn to launch. These function like normal escorts, but can be assigned to any ship in the fleet for the duration of the battle.
CorvetteHP: 4/4
Shields: 6/6
Weapon Accuracy: 5+
Weapon Damage: D3 [1-3]
Combat Speed: 4
Point Defence: 8+
Special:
- Always -2 to enemy accuracy.
The lightest class of warship, they are incredibly difficult to hit but very fragile. They are highly valued as escorts however, as their speed allows them to intercept strike craft and torpedoes or missiles far easier than frigates. The Vulture-class carries a surprisingly deadly arsenal for its size. Flack Cannon0 Requisition Points
1 Hardpoint
Special: each Flack Cannon adds +3 to the Point Defense value of the ship.
Dakka Dakka Dakka!Shieldbuster Beam10 Requisition Points
1 Hardpoint
This unique emitter produces a non-lethal beam that drains up to 4 shields from your enemy and applies them to your own ship, up to the original maximum. If your target has less than 4 shields, your own shields are only restored by the same amount.
Tractor Beam0 Requisition Points
1 Hullpoint
Special: Your ship can suspend a target in place to prevent escape, board a vessel or to throw asteroids at people. You cannot tractor a target with a higher base HP value than your own ship, unless its sublight engines have been destroyed.
Nuclear Payload [Max 1]
20 Requisition Points
1 Hullpoint
Salvo: 1
Damage: [15-30]
Your vessel is equipped with Nuclear Missiles or Torpedoes. These extremely dangerous weapons require a secure, radiation-proof storage vault to be transported. If your ship has a Missile or Torpedo Launcher of any kind, you may elect to fire a Nuclear Payload instead of shooting normally. It functions the same way as firing normally, except the damage increases to 30. If the Nuclear Payload is destroyed by a point defence roll, the target and all nearby vessels instead suffer 15 damage.
The target ship as well as any other ships at Point Blank range, performing Boarding Actions to the target or Ramming the target, also suffer the same amount damage. If your ship is destroyed for any reason, all ships at Point Blank range, performing Boarding Actions, Ramming your ship or in a Defensive Formation with your ship suffer 30 damage. A Nuclear Payload can only be used
three times and then it must be replenished at a starbase.
Plasma Cooling Chamber0 Requisition Points
1 Hardpoint
Special: this hardpoint ensures that if the Plasma Torpedo Launcher or Plasma Cannon Battery malfunctions, the ship only suffers D6 damage instead of 2D6.
Extra Marine Barracks 0 Requisition Points
1 hardpoint
Damage: +3 (0 to shields)
Security Rating: +2
Special: Each Extra Marine Barracks adds +2 Security Rating [WRITE THIS ON YOUR CHARACTER SHEET] and deals +3 damage during successful boarding actions.
These highly trained marines are capable of infiltrating enemy ships to cause damage from within or capture the enemy vessel intact. While all warships maintain at least a minimal contingent of marines for defensive purposes, dedicated assault ships will often carry hundreds of marines to overwhelm, capture or destroy enemies.Special-issue Armory [MAX 1]
10 Requisition Points
0 Hardpoints
Special: Your ship automatically makes 1 extra critical damage roll against the target during a successful boarding action.
While normal Marine Barracks are fully stocked with pulse carbines, combat shotguns and thermal charges, a few ships have additional weapon stores for far more lethal ion blasters and plasma grenades.Assault Mech Bay5 Requisition Points
1 Hardpoint
Special: allows you to launch an attack mech instead of making a boarding action. The Mech can only be attacked by strike craft, corvettes and frigates. If they are deployed on a ship that explodes, they roll a D6. On a 3+ the mech has managed to escape the blast radius in time and can be sent to attack another ship next turn. If the mech isn't destroyed, it can be recovered at the end of the battle.
Assault Mech
Shields: 3/3
HP: 1/1
Point Defense: 12+
Phased Pulse Cannon
Accuracy: 2+
Damage: 2
Special: Critical hits on a roll of 7+.
Assault Mechs are colossal war machines, equipped with powerful thrusters that allow them to land on top of an enemy ship and attack key systems with precision. They are too small and agile to be hit by heavy artillery, but are vulnerable to small strike craft. To counter this threat, Assault Mechs are equipped with autofiring flack cannons to decimate strike craft at close range. Each carries a Pulse Cannon, which individually is not much of a threat - unless a mech has climbed onto your ship and fired it point-blank at your bridge.Security Drone Bay0 Requisition Points
1 Hardpoint
Special: Your ship gains +4 Security Rating when being boarded. List this next to your normal security rating in brackets if this system is selected.
Emergency Repair Bay [MAX 1]
10 Requisition Points
1 Hardpoint
Special: Each turn during combat, a ship with an ERB can
repair up to 3 hitpoints to itself or one other friendly ship in
Defensive Formation.
These advanced repair facilities host a small fleet of remote-control drones are capable of performing emergency repairs in the heat of battle. The drones can also come in handy for salvage operations in the cold vacuum of space.Damage Control [MAX 1]
0 Requisition Points
1 Hardpoint
Special: The ship to recovers up to 6 hitpoints of damage
inbetween combat engagements without the need to return to dry dock for repairs. It can also restore one critically damaged weapon or sub-system between engagements.
While all vessels maintain a team of engineers to keep the ship running and make limited repairs, a dedicated Damage Control facility is essential for ships expecting a long-term deployment. Smaller vessels often forego these facilities, relying on their speed to avoid damage and larger support vessels or dry dock for serious repairs.Ablative Armour [MAX 1]
10 Requisition Points
1 Hardpoint
Special: the ship ignores the first critical damage result it suffers in each battle.
Ablative armour sacrifices a lot of hullspace in exchange for greater durability. The armour is valued by captains who feel most at home charging directly into the heat of battle or prefer to slug it out in a war of attrition with other vessels. While all starships are heavily armoured by default, this specialised additional protection turns a starship into a spacefaring tank capable of outlasting all but the most devastating attacks.Shroud Generator [cloaking device] [MAX 1]
20 Requisition Points
1 Hardpoint
Ships with this subsystem developed by Japan's Shogun Defense Corporation hark back to the Submarines of old earth, silent stalkers of the void, able to loiter in hostile space and report troop movements, land operatives upon enemy worlds, or ambush unsuspecting ships. This Generator bends light around it's ship's hull and masks all energy emissions, and while it may demand massive amounts of power and therefore require their captain to think before he strikes, lest he be anilated by the counter attack, the advanates this could bring if fully developed could reshape space combat.
This system renders the ship
invisible to both visual and sensor sweeps. This is very useful for attacking an enemy with their shields down at point blank range so that they cannot dodge.
Think before you act -
shields cannot be charged or maintained while stealth field is active.
Ship must de-cloak to fire. It may fire during the same turn it decloaks however must
wait 1 full turn to raise shields - unless the enemy is completely destroyed, they will have a window of opportunity to return fire without your shields up!]
The Claw0 Requisition Points
1 Hardpoint
Shield Damage: 0
Damage: 1 critical damage roll at point blank to unshielded targets
When at point blank range or boarding an enemy ship, you may deploy The Claw to tear it apart. You can take as many ship-scrappers as your heart desires. The Claw automatically hits the enemy and always causes a critical damage roll.
Give me a hug!Reinforced Ram0 Requisition Points
1 Hardpoint
Your ship receives 75% less damage from ramming hostile ships. Additionally, your ship gains +2HP.
"Today is a good day to die. Prepare for RAMMING SPEED!" - WorfHyper-impulse Engines20 Requisition Points
1 Hardpoint
Your ship increases its combat speed by +1 and enemy weapons suffer -1 accuracy in addition to any other modifiers.[/spoiler]
Capital Ships
TitanCost: N/A
Weapon Hardpoints: 12
System Hardpoints: 18
Max Batteries: 8
HP: 50/50
Shields: 60/60 [two shield generators]
Point Defence: 9+
Security Rating: +3
Boarding Damage: 6
Combat Speed: 1
Crew: 1500
Size: ~683m
The Final word in fleet engagements. Massive, heavily armoured and armed, these ships can tear apart entire fleets on their own with little trouble, the bad news is that they are rarely seen without an escorting fleet of smaller ships. Facing one of these ships in combat is every captain's worst nightmare. Attacking one directly is suicide. The Alliance Fleet only ever built four of these behemoths during the most desperate chapters of history. All were destroyed or decommissioned due to the huge operational costs involved with supporting one of these ships in peace time.Battleship80 Requisition Points
Weapon hardpoints: 5
System Hardpoints: 4
Max Batteries: 5
HP: 60/60
Point Defence: 20+
Security Rating: +1
Boarding Damage: 2
Combat Speed: 1
Crew: 400
Size: 357m length
Special:
-
Flying Antique: May not be equipped with shields, shield capacitors, a cloaking device, Shieldbuster Beam, Hyper-Impulse engines or weapons from Generations 3 or 4.
An extremely rare sight in the present day, Battleships are relics from a century ago. They are incredibly tough ships, from a time before shield technology when heavy armour was all that mattered. They are cramped, uncomfortable vessels devoted to one singular purpose: the utter destruction of the enemy. In response to torpedoes becoming commonplace, the Alliance engineers began producing more agile, shielded ships, rendering battleships obsolete. This is not helped by the fact that they are impossible to retrofit with the latest weapons and technology beyond Generation 2, as to do so would require removing the majority of the hull and rebuilding them from scratch, which is far more expensive than mass-producing new starships. Although the idea was briefly considered seventy years ago, they were deemed too slow and cumbersome to be worth the trouble.
Nonetheless, a handful can still be found outside of the Fleet Museum that somehow managed to avoid being decommissioned - usually because of captains descended from influential military families who keep them active due to the prestige or nostalgia for a bygone era. Even then, they are usually reserved as purely training ships for cadets or as an honour guard on Unity Day.
The few still in active service are only deployed to unimportant outposts instead of sending three or four newer cruisers. Although they aren't much larger than the modern Dreadnoughts, they require a surprisingly limited crew as almost the entire hullspace is dedicated to reinforced armour and redundant systems, with very little liveable space for the crew - there is no gym, no bar, no holosuites, passenger quarters, extra cargo bays, shuttle bays or any kind of recreational facilities whatsoever that are standard for newer vessels.
While most officers view these lumbering behemoths as nothing more than a gigantic liability in modern combat, earning the nickname 'torpedo bait', there are still those who look at them with awe and fondness. Despite using mostly outdated weapons, few ships can survive a full broadside from a battleship. Heavy Cruiser80 Requisition Points
Weapon hardpoints: 4
System Hardpoints: 6
Max Batteries: 3
HP: 24/24
Shields: -/-
Point Defence: 12+
Security Rating: +2
Boarding Damage: 3
Combat Speed: 2
Crew: 600
Size: 349m length
Heavy Cruisers, sometimes known as Dreadnoughts, are deadly and powerful ships that often serve as flagships of the fleet. In more dire circumstances, they are sometimes formed into squadrons. These older warships are a holdover from the military era of the Alliance, when individual ships had to be powerful enough to survive on their own for extended periods of time. They are venerable and tough; heavily-armoured and full of back-up power systems, but difficult to retrofit with new technology. As a result, they have become less common over the years and are being phased out in favour of smaller, more specialised ships. While many would prefer the adaptability of an exploration cruiser or the agility of a destroyer, there can be no doubting the effectiveness and durability of these colossal vessels which remain popular with Admirals and other veterans of the last war.Fleet Carrier 70 Requisition Points [MAX 1 PER FLEET]
Weapon Hardpoints: 1
System Hardpoints: 5
Max Batteries: 1
HP: 18/18
Shields: -/-
Point Defence: 12+
Security Rating: +1
Boarding Damage: 2
Combat Speed: 3
Crew: 700 (inc. flight crews, engineers)
Size: 372m length
Special:
-
Heart of the Fleet: This is the only ship which can equip launch bays of any variety. All carriers
must take 2 Starfighter, Interceptor or Bomber Launch Bays by default with
no hardpoint cost. E.g. a Carrier may start with 2 bomber launch bays without using up any of its System Hardpoints.
The heart of a fleet, provides other ships with a dense fighter screen and bomber squadrons and advanced targeting systems. Although rightly feared by any sane captain, they are relatively fragile despite their size, as their hull is mostly hollow - vast internal hangar bays result in greatly reduced armour. Exploration Cruiser60 Requisition Points
Weapon hardpoints: 2
System Hardpoints: 8
Max Batteries: 1
HP: 16/16
Shields: -/-
Point Defence: 14+
Security Rating: +1
Boarding Damage: 2
Combat Speed: 3
Crew: 450
Size: 300m length
Special:
-
State of the Art: May not equip Generation 1 weapons.
The newest addition to the fleet, the Exploration Cruisers are designed to replace the aging Heavy Cruisers in peace time. Due to the advanced design of these ships, they are easily outfitted for any combat or scientific role. They aren't the biggest or the most dangerous ships but they are the most versatile. Whether built for exploration, scientific research or colonist transport, these capabilities can prove invaluable in combat. Older admirals might turn their nose up at the more defensive nature of this ship, but none can deny its resilience and adaptability. Some feature the latest cutting-edge disruption technology while others can function as dedicated marine transports.Light Cruiser60 Requisition Points
Weapon hardpoints: 3
System Hardpoints: 5
Max Batteries: 2
HP: 14/14
Shields: -/-
Point Defence: 14+
Security Rating: +0
Boarding Damage: 2
Combat Speed: 3
Crew: 300
Size: 262m length
Special:
-
Advanced Damage Control [Hardpoint]: Recovers 3HP per turn and up to 7HP between combat engagements. May not take the Damage Control hardpoint.
The jack of all trades of the fleet, these reliable ships are the rugged workhorse of Alliace Navy. Despite not being as tough as a Dreadnought, as adaptable as the new Exploration Cruisers or as heavily armed as a Destroyer, they still form the bulk of the Alliance Navy despite mostly being relegated to cargo transport or reserve stations.Destroyer50 Requisition Points
Weapon Hardpoints: 3
System Hardpoints: 3
Max Batteries: 1
HP: 10/10
Point Defence: 16+
Security Rating: +0
Boarding Damage: 1
Combat Speed: 3
Crew: 240
Size: 200m length
Special:
- always -2 to enemy accuracy.
These hunter-killers are easily capable of destroying much larger starships when they launch a coordinated attack, but they rarely survive a one-on-one engagement.Escorts
These cannot be selected as your captain's ship, but leftover requisition points can be used to select them as escorts. They will always remain in defensive formation of their assigned vessel. They do not select individual components or weapons. They can be ordered to attack one hostile Interceptor squadron per turn instead of attacking an enemy capital ship. You must name each escort and its captain. They will attack one of the ships that your captain's ship attacks each turn.Frigates Cost: 20 Requisition Points
Weapon Hardpoints: 1
Hardpoints: 3
HP: 8/8
Shields: 10/10
Point Defense: 10+
Security Rating: -1
Boarding Damage: 1
Combat Speed: 4
Crew: 180
Size: 150m length
Weapon accuracy: 6+
Weapon Damage: 1d6 [1-6]
Special:
- always -2 to enemy accuracy.
- Escort: provides +3 point defense value to the capital ship.
The light, hit-and-run main body of the fleet. Vulnerable to strike craft and heavy ordnance, but they can gang up on capital ships.
Corvette10 Requisition Points
HP: 4/4
Shields: 6/6
Point Defense: 8+
Security Rating: -2
Boarding Damage: 1
Weapon Accuracy: 6+
Weapon Damage: 1d3 [1-3]
Combat Speed: 4
Crew: 50
Length: 75m
Special:
- Always -3 to enemy accuracy.
- Escort: provides +4 point defense value to the capital ship.
The lightest class of warship, they are incredibly difficult to hit but very fragile. They are highly valued as escorts however, as their speed allows them to intercept strike craft and torpedoes or missiles far easier than frigates.Ship OrdersEach combat round, you may update your Ship Status with an Order that changes how it behaves in the next turn. These have benefits and drawbacks. They all last until the Combat Round is over and you either change Order or adopt no Orders.
In the first round of combat, if no other Ship Order is selected, your ship status must note No Orders by default.
Ships can have multiple orders in specific circumstances, such as if they are Cloaking/Decloaking, closing to Point Blank and launching a Boarding Action, for example.
No Orders - default, no change to ship operation. Cannot launch Boarding Actions.
Mutually Exclusive Orders: [cannot be issued in the same turn]
Mark Target - instead of firing all of your weapons, you may choose to fire a single weapon and improve the Accuracy by 2 [+20% accuracy]. Specify which weapon this order is applied to when writing your combat post.
Priority Target - You may select one weapon to target one enemy weapon or sub-system instead of firing any other weapons. The target must be unshielded or at least have its shields depleted by this attack. With that weapon, a successful hit roll of 7-10 destroys that weapon or sub-system in addition to any other damage, but it cannot deal any other critical damage. This is especially useful to try and prevent fleeing enemies from escaping, to destroy a particularly dangerous weapon or prevent the enemy from calling in reinforcements.
Defensive Formation - this only works in tandem with another allied ship. The ships must remain together each turn until one or both step down from a Defensive Formation.
Both ships get a chance to destroy incoming torpedoes, missiles and strike craft even if they are only targeting 1 of those ship. The downside is they are vulnerable to area of effect weapons. Ships in Defensive Formation are considered to be
at Point Blank with each other. If 1 ship gets rammed, the second ship suffers a ram attack from its allied ship but only half of normal damage. By default,
Escorts are always in Defensive Formation with their assigned capital ship.
Disengage - your ship attempts to exit the combat by going into hyperspace. This requires a functional FTL drive. Your ship may not fire any weapons this round. If it is not destroyed by the start of your next turn, your ship has successfully disengaged and left the area.
Tactical Withdrawal - you may not fire any weapons this round, but enemies suffer -2 to hit your ship.
Close to Point Blank - Your ship gets right up in the enemy's face. All weapons hit on a 2+. You may launch a Boarding Action against the enemy ship. You can only get to point blank range against a ship with the same or a lower speed than your ship, or a ship that is immobilised. If either ship wishes to leave Point Blank range, they must perform a Tactical Withdrawal or a successful Disengage (see above). If a ship explodes at Point Blank range, all other ships at Point Blank suffer damage equal to the ship's full HP.
Abandon Ship - a ship with 50% or less HP remaining can be abandoned. The ship can be
self-destructed to prevent capture by the enemy, but the crew may be rescued by friendlies if the combat is won. If it is lost, your crew is captured or killed by the enemy [GM's discretion]. If you self-destruct directly after an enemy vessel has performed a boarding action or Ram against your vessel without withdrawing, the enemy suffers 2d10 damage.
Surrender - although it is unthinkable, there may come a time where a captain must place the survival of their crew above their own pride. If this action is taken, all shields and weapon systems are deactivated and you are at the mercy of your enemy. On the other hand, if your enemy is beaten, consider sparing their lives rather than slaughtering them.
Non-Exclusive Orders: [may be issued in conjunction with any other orders]
Launch Boarding Action: Must close to point blank range or already be at point blank range with an enemy ship that has no shields.
Raise Cloak / Disengage Cloak - if your ship is equipped with a cloak, it is undetectable to ordinary hostiles. You may cloak or decloak your vessel in the same turn as performing
one other Ship Order, such as closing to Point Blank, making a Tactical Withdrawal or Disengaging. On the turn you decloak, your ship's shields are not active. It takes 1 full turn to activate your shields after decloaking. You may instead choose to immediately recloak at the start of your next turn if you choose and become invulnerable.
Guard - if you activate Guard Posture, your ship positions itself in front of an ally and intercepts all damage that would otherwise target that vessel this turn. Write in orders as Guard: [ship name]
Ramming Speed - if you perform a Ram, your ship cannot fire any weapons this turn. Write in ship orders as Ramming Speed: [target ship name]
- The enemy ship suffers damage equal to your ship's Combat Speed multiplied by half of your full HP.
- Your own vessel suffers damage equal to the hostile ship's full HP.
- This damage ignores any shields remaining on either ship.
Ramming is a desperate measure and almost always results in the destruction of both ships. However, there are some who employ 'suicide ships' usually of the Frigate class with minimal crew or using an autopilot to destroy much larger vessels without ever firing a shot. Generally speaking, ramming a ship of a similar weight class is mutually assured destruction while ramming a much larger vessel is unlikely to be successful. Ramming a much smaller ship is still dangerous but more likely to be survived. Of course, this desperate measure isn't usually considered unless all hope of winning the day has been lost already.
E.g. Frigate rams a light cruiser [4x4=16] which has 14HP. Both are destroyed. If the same frigate rammed a Heavy Cruiser, which has 24HP, the frigate would be destroyed on impact while the Heavy Cruiser would limp away to fight another day with 10HP remaining. Conversely, if the Heavy Cruiser rammed a frigate [2x12] it would deal 24 damage and suffer only 8 damage in return, annihilating the frigate without sustaining too much damage in the process. If it had a reinforced ram, it would only suffer 2 damage for its trouble. In fact, a Heavy Cruiser with a reinforced ram could ram a Titan, dealing 24 damage and only suffering 12 damage in return - neither ship would be destroyed, but it would be a worthy trade off by any rate. Of course, then you would have to survive the point blank return fire - even with a reinforced ram, attacking a much more powerful ship in this way comes with an extremely low chance of survival.
In most cases, ramming speed is tantamount to signing the death warrant of your entire crew - except under extreme circumstances, you may face a mutiny for ordering such an extreme course of action outside of a no-win scenario.
Strike Craft (Interceptors and Bombers) and Point DefencesInterceptors and Bombers cannot be targeted by capital ship weapons. Only Point Defence rolls can damage them. However, they can attack capital ships. Interceptors do very little damage but bombers can cause massive damage with their bombs.
A
Point Defence roll is made on a D20, to either intercept strike craft, torpedoes/missiles or to attack Interceptors that are Escorting their fleet.
Escorts (Corvettes and Frigates) can be ordered to attack an Interceptor squadron as they are fast enough to pursue them. If they make a successful Point Defense roll, that squadron is destroyed for the rest of the battle.
Each Launch Bay can support
1 squadron per battle. It takes
1 turn to launch a Squadron unless pre-emptively scrambled. Unless the Launch Bay is destroyed, the Carrier will be able to launch the same squadrons again in the next combat engagement.
Interceptor and Fightercraft squadrons have two modes: 1) Escorting: the entire fleet gains a bonus to Point Defense values, and bombers are considered to be Escorted. This stacks for every Interceptor squadron that is currently active. For example, a fleet with a carrier that has 3 squadrons deployed and Escorting would gain +3 to all Point Defense values.
Note: escort ships can make a point defense roll against strike craft that are escorting an enemy fleet once per turn instead of shooting their weapons at a capital ship. Strike craft fighting strike craft is represented by the result of the point defence rolls made by ships they are escorting.
2) Attacking: select one enemy target. It makes a Point Defense roll. Failure means it suffers the Squadron Damage value. Success means the squadron has been destroyed.
Bombers can only attack one enemy target per turn. The target makes a Point Defense roll. Success means the bombers have been destroyed, failure results in them suffering the Squadron Damage value. If there are no Interceptors functioning as Escorts,
the target gains +5 to destroy the bomber squadron.
Boarding Actions and Marines
All military starships have at least a small contingent of security personnel on board. The exact number varies but it is usually 10-20% of the crew complement. Other ships carry additional Marines for defence and boarding actions. By default, all ships have one Marine Barracks compartment which must be listed on the character sheet but provides no additional benefits to the damage in boarding actions or the security rating.
A ship can ONLY be boarded if its shields are down or it does not possess any shields.
You can board an enemy ship without any Marine Barracks hardpoints, but can only deal the maximum damage for boarding listed on the ship profile.
Each
Extra Marine Barracks adds
+3 damage when boarding and
+2 Security Rating.
To perform a boarding action,
the attacker and defender both roll 1d20 and add their respective Security Rating. If the attacker rolls higher, they have successfully performed a boarding action and deal full boarding damage. If the defender rolls higher, the attackers have been repelled and no damage is done. Beware: being in boarding range of an enemy allows them to board you back!
On a roll of an 18+, the boarding action results in a roll on the critical damage table.When any ship is boarded, roll a D20 to determine whether the defenders successfully repel the boarders.
If a hostile ship is reduced to 0 HP by a Boarding Action, you may decide whether to capture the ship intact on 1 HP or scuttle the vessel, destroying it normally.
Security RatingsCorvette: -2
Frigate: -1
Destroyer: +0
Light Cruiser: +1
Cruiser/Carrier/Battleship: +2
Dreadnought: +4
Titan/Goliath/Supercarrier: +6
Starbase/Planetkiller: +8
SHIP CONSTRUCTION AND CHARACTER CREATION
You have 100 Requisition points to build your main ship, plus escorts. This includes all special equipment and weaponry requiring requisition points. You may not select a Titan class ship. You can only pray that you never have to face one.
You may only select one Cruiser, Carrier or Destroyer. Frigates or corvettes can be taken with leftover requisition points, if you prefer to have escorts over special equipment. Destroyers and Carriers especially benefit from an escort, depending on the build.
CHARACTER SHEET
Fleet Records
Player Name:
Character Name:
Age:
Rank: Captain
Appearance:
Personality:
Biography:
Other:
Ship Name:
Class:
Appearance:
Ship History:
Bridge Officers: [You may go into as much or as little detail about these secondary characters as you like. When your ship sustains damage and crew losses, these characters may die]
- XO: [must be a commander]
- Gunnery Chief:
- Chief Engineer:
- Helmsman:
- Navigator:
- Doctor:
- Security Chief:
- Marine Commander: (optional)
Specifications
Weapon Hullpoints:
System Hullpoints:
Shields: -/-
HPs: -/-
Point Defences: (please include the rolls required to destroy torpedoes, interceptors and bombers by this ship here as well, including point defence and flack cannon bonuses)
Security Rating: (including marine barracks bonuses)
Combat Speed:
Systems and Weapons:
- Communications Array
- Sensor Array
- Shuttle Bay
- FTL Drive
- Sub-light engine
- Life-support module
- Mk 7 Shield Generator (0) (delete if replaced)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Abilities:
- (e.g. always -1 to hit, can repair 2HP per turn etc)
-
-
-
EXAMPLE COMBAT POSTS
Combat posts.Combat posts are in character posts that involve their ship attacking or making an aggressive move towards another vessel. this is so I as the GM will be able to describe reactions and damage to each players action. Players will be informed as to when they are in a combat situation, at that point, objectives and a list of detected hostiles will be displayed.
During a combat encounter, the GM will only post a response to player actions once EVERY player involved has posted their ship status, ship posture, any targets and some IC prose. This doesn't have to be a huge post either, but showing what the characters are thinking and doing is just as important as declaring your ship's actions.
Once in combat players are to display a hitpoints and shields count, along with their ship name so I and other players can determine their status at a glance.
When you write a combat post, you MUST make sure the information regarding your vessel is accurate. This includes current shields, HP, any status effects or ongoing passive effects (e.g. my ship is -2 to hit due to being an escort with hyper-impulse engines or 1 ion cannon is destroyed) as I do not want to have to constantly check every piece of information in an ongoing combat event is accurate. This takes some of the weight off of the GM which is always good, but also for other players makes it absolutely clear what the situation is and what your ship is doing. You MUST specify which enemies you are targeting and which weapons you are using in a combat post. The GM will NOT assume you are using all your weapons or dividing attacks against different targets unless you SPECIFY CLEARLY that is what you are doing. This also extends to ship POSTURES such as Mark Target etc. If they are not written at the top of your post then I am not going to include them in the outcome. If it is an honest mistake and you meant to do something, you can let me know quickly and change it BEFORE a combat post is being written. If I've already started, I'm not changing it and you will have to chalk it up to crewman error on the bridge or in the weapons bay etc.
Aggressive moves include:Readying or Firing weapons
Launching strike craft
Attempting to ram another vessel.
Attempting to go to hyper-space. (although not a combat action per-say, this indicates a desire to leave the encounter and may provoke a reaction)
Raising shields (this suggests you are preparing to fight)
Non-Aggressive moves include:Attempting repairs
Communicating between ships in the fleet or hailing other contacts
Manoeuvring (but keep in mind the time frame, no moving across the system before your ion cannon shots have hit the target, for example.)
Launching a shuttle
Combat posts Example:GM posts:
With a sudden flare of light and energy, three pirate Raider-class cruisers emerged from hyper-space almost right on top of the lone "EXAMPLE", readying their trio of heavy cannons as they fell upon their prey.
You are now in combat.
Hostiles: Three Raider class cruisers.
Raider
3 heavy cannons
5 slave bays.(Non combat systems.)
Objectives:
Survive
["EXAMPLE" SHIP STATUSES TO BE UPDATED TO NEW STATUS SHEET LATER]
Player A posts
"EXAMPLE"
Ship Status: Battle stations
Ship Posture: Mark Target - Cruiser A
Targets:
- Cruiser A with weapon EXAMPLE CANNON
Hull: 8
Shields: 8
Alarms blared throughout the EXAMPLE as hostile cruisers began to warp into the system almost right on top of them,
"Alert! Three hostile cruisers detected. Direct front, three thousand kilometers. They're arming weapons."
Sharpe was quick to respond.
"All hands to battle stations," she ordered. "Raise shields, Load both torp tubes. Standby to fire main guns."
"Aye ma'am." her XO replied, "General Quarters. General Quarters, all hands man your battle stations. we are now at condition one."
A flickering field of energy enveloped the Alliance ship, while within its hull crewmen were rushing to their stations, damage control teams were ready, and auto-loaders armed the point defenses and heavy cannons
"There! Target the foremost cruiser, both tubes and all guns. Fire"
"Aye, aye." replied the gunnery officer, "Fire one. Fire two. All guns fire."
A brief burst of atmosphere sprouted from the bow of the EXAMPLE as two huge missiles were launched from their tubes hidden there and streaked towards their target. the Three cannons mount on the ships spine fired in a silent roar, sending high explosives screaming towards the hostile ship
"Clean Launch, Torpedoes one and two are on target." reported the gunnery officer
"Move us away, full speed, open some distance between us."
Its deadly cargo away, the mighty CRUSIER turned about and sped away from its aggressors.
GM posts:
Surprised by the sudden reaction of the lone enemy, the cruiser it had targeted opened up with its heavy cannons without raising its own shields first, three shots speeding through the void between the two ships to impact the larger ships shields in bright flares of energy.
the Alliance Cruiser's own shots tore from the unprotected pirate's hull and tore a cannon from its mount. Enraged, it turned to follow its foe, finally raising its own shields.
the other two followed suit, firing their own weapons at the retreating ship, finally bursting its protective field and damaging the armor beneath
Cruiser A status:
Hull: 5
shields: 8
Cruiser B status:
Hull: 8
Shields: 8
Cruiser C status:
Hull: 8
Shields: 8
Player A then posts:
"EXAMPLE"
Ship Status: Taking damage
Hull: 7
Shields: 0
"We've been hit! Minor Hull damage. Shields are down"
"Solid hits with main guns. Torpedoes are still on target
"Evasive manoeuvres." Sharpe ordered, "Contact fleet command. request reinforcements."
Remember, each time you post you MUST always include the following at the top of your post even if there is no active combat (at least for this game, but it will be good to get in the habit). This must also be done for any escorts you control. When the GM posts a combat response, only what is written will be acted on. You must also keep track of damage to your ship after each combat turn, which will be written clearly in each hostile combat phase.
If you do not list using abilities, such as regenerating shield capacitors or damage control to heal your shields/hull, I will not be correcting this as it represents the orders to use these things not being given in the heat of battle (i.e. it will be too frustrating to keep track of these things on top of doing combat posts).
[SHIP NAME]
Shields: X/X
HP: X/X
Critical damage: N/A [if a weapon is destroyed etc]
Special: [e.g. ship is -1 to hit with all enemy weapons due to hyper impulse engines or an order]
Status: [e.g. raising shields, repairing (allied ship name) x amount of HP, abandoning ship, RELOADING TORPEDO LAUNCHER 1 AND 2)
Order: [e.g. defensive formation with (allied ship name), mark target (enemy ship name) with railgun or evasive manoeuvres, abandoning ship, disengaging, point blank with (enemy ship name) etc]
Targets:
Clean version:
[SHIP NAME]
Shields: /
HP: /
Critical damage:
Special:
Status:
Order:
Targets: